Workers Press no. 994

workers press

A SHAM FIGHT

OR A REAL FICHT?

INCORPORATIN

DAILY ORGAN C

BY JACK GALE

HOSPITAL ANCILLARY worker called for an all-out indefinite s Heath state pay laws. Twenty-seven delegates meeting in London decided unanimously to strike 'in opposition to the government's pay policy and the offer of an increase of £1.84p'. The transport union proposal will now go to a conference pay fight to be held next Friday. press officer, Mr Bernard Dix, says fight for ancillary workers will wage -'even if it ultimately brings us into increase conflict with the law'. These workers, thousands of whom have a basic wage of less than £20 per week, are claiming a £4 increase. But strike action to gain even a modest demand such as this is already against the law. It is illegal under the Tory legislation which imposes state control of wages. Yet the hospital workers have decided on strike action by ballot.

The working class can draw only one con- clusion: having reached the point at which demands for a reasonable standard of living are against the law, then such laws must be destroyed. This is not an individual question, but a class question. The 10 million workers organized in the unions do not fight for wages as individuals, but through their class organizations-the trade unions.

In order to protect their livelihoods, these have alternative but to break the millions no Tory pay and anti-union laws. And that involves who made those laws-the removing the people Tory government itself. not enough. Isolated Left' talk by itself is 'left talk' but action and is not only wrong, dangerous at a time when it is well known that provocations are being prepared.

Heath and the Tories are taking definite steps for massive towards dictatorship in preparation against the working class and repressions state the Marxist movement in the coming struggles.

This is what lies behind the National Industrial Two legislation. Relations Court and the Phase dictatorship by the central The Tories intend government, implemented through courts and the of life. police, to reach into every corner The future of every party and political tendency based on the the working class preservation of democratic rights.

That is why a statement from the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League on January 19 called for the unity of all working-class organizations- Communist Party, national Socialists and the Inter- national Marxist Group- -in

SUNDA

defence of democratic rights.

The defence of these rights Govan So and of working class living standards must be turned into an attack by uniting the work- ing class in a general strike

TURN TO BACK PAGE

RPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10,

RGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOC

orkers belonging to the nite strike against the Some of the Rockware workers leaving their mee Socialist Labour League SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11, 7.30 p.m.

ovan South Town Hall, Langland Road Speaker at both meetings: G. HEA ARY 10, 1973 • 994 • 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

WEST MIDDLESEX

glass- workers are to start their cam- paign against closure next Tues- a 24-hour protest day with strike. The decision was taken yesterday 600 at a mass meeting of workers from the Rockware Glass group at Greenford: Pickets will stand across the work's gate in bid to stop staff entering the plant. Other workers will join a lobby of will protest against parliament which redundancies in the Greater London area. Spearheading this march will be from the occupied the printworkers Briant Colour Printing, who are facing order High Court to quit the a premises and hand over the company books (see page 3). Spokesman for the Rockware co- ordinating committee, George Cowley, told Workers Press that Tuesday would only be the start of action. •The workers are giving us overwhelming support to keep the factory going and we will take any action necessary to achieve this end.' Mr Cowley said that a sit-in would be considered, but at the present their efforts were being concentrated on getting man- agement to change its mind.

Rockware, owned by the Bailey family, Greenford factory to wants to shut the realize a massive capital gain in property.

The 35-acre site has a book value of £3.5m, but it is worth £10m on current market prices. Rockware's land is very valuable. They to are sitting on a plum Sorcomeone and said Mr come along asset-strip.' Cowley. The firm plans to close the factory in their meeting yesterday 12 months' time, making 900 men redun- dant. League Public Meetings WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 8 p.m.

Middleton Baths, Middleton, Manchester G. HEALY (SLL national secretary)

workers press

A SHAM FIGHT

OR A REAL FIGHT?

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1973 • 994 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

PHASE TWO AND THE UNIONS

HOSPITAL ANCILLARY workers belonging to the Transport and General Workers' Union yesterday called for an all-out indefinite strike against the Heath state pay laws. Twenty-seven delegates meeting in London decided unanimously to strike 'in opposition to the government's pay policy and the offer of an increase of £1.84p'. The transport union proposal will now the to a conference of all four unions in ancillary workers' pay fight to be held next Friday. The National Union of Public Employees' press officer, Mr Bernard Dix says hospital ancillary workers fight for wage W1l1 'even if it ultimately brings us into increase- conflict with the law'. These workers, thousands of whom have a basic £20 per wage less than week, are claiming a ot *a crease but strike acton to gain even a modest demana such as this is already, against the law. It is illegal Tory under the legislation which imposes state Control or wakes. 1 el _une nos bilal

WOLKCIS

LaY- decided on strike action by ballot.

The working class draw only one coR can which reached the point clusion: having reasonable standard of living demands against the law, then such laws must destroyed. question, but a This is not an individual workers organized in quesuon l ne unions do not but through their class organizations-the trade unions.

their livelihoods, In order protect break alternative but to millons nave And that lory pay and ant-union laws removing the people who made those laws-the Tory government itself. Isolated 'Left' talk by itself is not enough. but left talk' _not only dangerous at a time when it is well known that provocations are being prepared.

Tories are taking definite steps Heath and the for massive dictatorship towaras state repressions against and Tne CaSs the Marxist movement in the coming struggles. behind Industrial This is what lies legislation. the Phase Kelanons court and 1 w( The Tories intend dictatorship central Some of the Rockware workers leaving their meeting yeaterday The government, implemented through courts and the of life. reach into every corner ponce, The future of every party and political tendency based the the class tied preservation of democratic rights.

That is why a statement from Central Committee the the o as Labour Lcazuc January 19 called for the unity of

GLASGOW

working-class our Party te Labour Communist national Socialists and the Inter- Marxist Group—in SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11, 7.30 p.m.

national of democratic rights. «erence defence of these rights 3une Govan South Town Hall, Langland Road and of class living must turned into standards uniting the work- allack Dy ing class in a general strike

TURN TO BACK PAGE

BRUARY 10, 1973 • 994 • 4p

• THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

WEST

MIDDLESEX

glass- workers are to start their cam- paign against closure next Tues- day with a 24-hour protest strike. The decision was taken yesterday at a mass meeting of 600 workers from the Rockware Glass group at Greenford: Pickets will stand across the work's gate in bid to stop staff entering the plant. Other workers will join a lobby of protest against parliament which will London the Greater redundancies in this march will be area. Spearheading occupied the printworkers from the Briant Colour Printing, who are facing Court High order quit to premises and hand over the companv books (see page 3). Rockware Spokesman for co- the George Cowley, told ordinating committee, Workers Press that Tuesday would only be the start of action. "The workers are giving us overwhelming support to keep the factory going and we will take any action necessary to achieve this end.' Mr Cowley said that a sit-in would be considered. but at the present their efforts were being concentrated on getting man- agement to change its mind: Rockware, owned by the Bailey family, wants to shut the Greenford factory to realize a massive capital gain in property.

The 35-acre book value of site has a £3.5m. but it is worth f10m on current market prices. 'Rockware's land is very valuable. They for are sitting on a plum someone to asset-strip, Mr along and said come Cowley. The firm the factory in plans to close ving their meeting yesterday 12 months' time, making 900 men redun- dant. ur League Public Meetings WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 8 p.m.

Middleton Baths, Middleton, Manchester s: G. HEALY (SLL national secretary)

US threatens new imports surcharge PAGE 2 Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 the post of Lord

IN BOOKS

the peerage, on is described 'most noble and Chancellor as dignified'. It has considerable age and influence behind it too. The first man to hold the appointment was none other than St Swithin, from 826 to 836 A.D. This was before Prime Ministers were even heard of.

Today the office is one of the most powerful in the land-the Lord Chancellor is head of the iudiciary.

The present incumbent is the Right Honourable the Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone, of Herstmonceux of the County of Sussex. There is nothing very noble, let alone dignified about With his and Hailsham's latest outburst. wig crimson robes in a knot, Hailsham has launched an intimidating attack upon Mø Muir Hunter, OC, who is appearing for the creditors in the Poulson bankruptcy case. He has told the House of Lords he intends altering the bankruptcy laws. Why now? The present laws been the 1860s and have operating since were codified in . 1914. In all these years no one' has raised any queries about their use, have they?

During their century-long operation, these laws have probed the reasons for the financial failure of tens of thousands of shopkeepers, builders, electrical contractors and widows.

What's all the fuss about changing the law today?

The reasons are simple and straightforward. The Poulson case is tied up with the rich and the would- be rich. In the half dozen public hearings that have been held, the names of these gentlefolk have tumbled out one after another. First of all, Reginald Maudling, the Home Secretary and deputy prime minister.

And when the Fraud Squad was sent to investigate the Poulson empire, Maudling felt obliged to leave his job.

Then there was George Pottinger, the senior civil servant in the Scottish office, who received more £21,000 from Poulson to build a luxurious than mansion. Others followed: Albert Roberts, Labour MP for Tory MP for Normanton, and John Cordle, Bournemouth, both received hefty payments for did officials of the Coal services rendered, as Board and British Rail. The links stretched from the top of the Tory Party to the NEC of the Labour Party. Andrew Cunning- ham, Newcastle-based official of the General and Municipal Workers' Union and a member of the holidays at NEC, admitted that he took two Poulson's expense, one of them in Portugal. He has since repaid the money.

The man at the centre of the Labour Party con- nections is T. Dan Smith or 'Mr Newcastle', as he was known. He was public relations adviser to the Labour Party in the 1964 and 1966 elections and later became first head of the Northern Economic Planning Council. The other name that has crashed onto the deck is Anthony Crosland, former Labour Cabinet Minister so-called 'theoretician' of the Labour and the Party. He admitted accepting an antique silver tea- pot from Poulson after he opened a school in Brad- ford. (I tremble to think of the cost', Crosland wrote in gratitude to Poulson).

Who is behind this campaign to hush-up bankruptcy proceedings? The Tories are leading it, of course.

They recognize that bankruptcies are the order of the day and will involve individuals who are at the top of the capitalist heap. If the working class were to get to hear of the way these big com- panies operate . . . that must be avoided at all costs! But egging on the Tories with great enthusiasm are the Labourites. In last Saturday's 'Daily Telegraph' appeared the following interesting item: 'A campaign to discredit the Poulson _bankruptcy proceedings is being mounted by some Labour MPs the Bar Council's decision to investigate following the conduct of Mr Muir Hunter, QC, as counsel for the creditors. The MPs, among them Labour frontbenchers, are claiming that alleged gossip is the source of reports of a parliamentary file found among Mr Poulson's papers which, they say, does not in fact exist.

The main target of the Labour allegations is the parliamentary file which, Mr Hunter said in court on Monday, would be among matters he would be dealing with when the case resumed on March 5' Parliamentary file or no parliamentary file, there is no doubt whatsoever that the Labour leadership is petrified of further dramatic disclosures.

Behind the scenes they are piling on every pressure from every quarter to shut down the events in the tiny courtroom in Wakefield. To this extent the case has shown how deeply the Labour and trade union leadership is corroded by the capitalist system. It is also the most compelling reason why an altern- built im- ative revolutionary leadership must be mediately. Forward to the transformation of the Socialist Labour League into a revolutionary party!

UNLESS there is substan- tial progress in the next two months to overcome the American trade deficit, President Nixon will im- ports. This Washington announce- ment marks a new stage in the rapidly intensifying economic battle between the United States and its main capitalist rivals. It is an ultimatum directed at and Japan, which are Europe currently struggling to avert a second up-valuation of their cur- rencies against the dollar.

Nixon, who is reported to be 'quite disturbed' about the $6,400m American payments deficit, has for some time been planning a major economic blow the Com- against mon Market and Japan. He has done his best to stoke up the crisis on the foreign exchange markets over eight days and force a the last major currency shake-up. For the past eight days the Ger- Japanese governments man have been trying unsuccessfully to stem an unending flood of incoming dollars. The Nixon administration has been openly demanding that both countries immediately fix their currencies at a new, higher, rate against the dollar. In Tokyo, his envoy, William Eberle, in hour-long talks. with Japanese trade officials, stressed the need for them to curb exports, take in more imports and adjust their according to Japanese currency, sources.

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDE

FRANCE'S Georges Pompidou i a presidential coup-d'etat. If the le wins the March elections, he w the National Assembly and hold: tion until he gets a governme choice. This warning came in a well-timed the electoral arena in a TV interview on He made nonsense of the Communist fessed adherence 1o the Fifth Reput in 1958 on instr tution-drawn up General de Gaulle. He justifies his plan as forestalling a the 1968 events which Pompidou cal rehearsal. The ruling class vividly remembers those and June when power was in the grasp of th they are determined to do everything to events recurring. Pompidou used every ar anti-communist armoury to pull in votes fo as the defenders of property and order. H even if the Communist Party was defeated, it the masses to act through street demonstratic as in 1968. He accused the commun- election of ist-controlled CGT union of Front again in Ma being party to a plot in- tended to bring the Stalin- He deliber through scare talk in to Ists power illegal means and to estab- support for lish a regime similar to especially fr those of eastern Europe. • class and th Events like those At the s 1968, could always May, exposed the recur,' he said whatever of bending ‹ to fit in with thinks, and everyone one will do well to reflect on of this', said this former showing tha of the Roth- employee the real mast schild bank. tion, Pompidou knows the the left coal CP French Stalinists well and Marchais pl clearly did not believe a plained that word of what he said about a CP takeover. interview wi sable interf In fact he counts on the campaign. to hold back Party , the working class, just as it did Georges in 1936, at the time of the

CGI,

BY FOREIGN EDITOR

of the Smithsonian agreement months Not ago.

JOHN SPENCER

agreement flouted by countries, including Britain, failed completely to improve the He drew attention to the recent US balance of payments, which is Nixon's economic warning still getting deeper in deficit.

Herbert Stein that the US would unilateral action So Nixon's threat to impose a agreement surcharge is deadly serious. Admin- international monelary officials blandly indicate 'is not forthcoming. istration that there is no real cause for con- attempts at agreement in the All cern as the surcharge will probably creditor applied only to negotiations TInGer notably Germany and Japan.

tries, International auspices This will bring no joy at all to other Monetary Fund are not even deficit with which are in Communes scheduled to begin for another six the United States, like Britain, months. have neither a large surplus nor a the large deficit. Meanwhile, by forcing banks in Frankfurt and central that even if They are well aware absorb Tokyo to astronomical such a surcharge were directed only of unwanted and incon- it would Japanese goods vertible dollars, the US is export- adversely affect the rest of the ing its own inflation forcing. world by Japanese exporters unprecedented scale. to sell their goods elsewhere.

Bundesbank has had to buy The chain reaction trade $5,000m as a result this restrictions by other countries is while the Bank American pressure guaranteed once Nixon's threat is had to buy of Japan has put into practice. similar scale. For every dollar taken himself He has already shown the Bundesbank has to set 3.15 in, willing to use the weapon of tariffs.

which marks 1n CrEATOR. meals 15, 1971, On August a general im- that the German money supply has port surcharge of 10 per cent was suddenly been by imposed to force an up-valuation of 15,000 million marks. currencies against the dollar.

Tighter controls over bank lend- Today the deterioration of rela- ing-aimed at putting some of this tions between the capitalist powers 'cold storage'-have money into far advanced, the more stock been denounced as farce' by markets of the world are far shakier leading bankers. and national economies have been West Ger- The plain fact is that deeply undermined by infla- more many cannot control the Euro-dollar tion. market, is getting no *castanee This time it will mean the export Common Market 'partners' Trom its Europe on of unemployment to is being driven willy-nilly to- and. scale, which will lead to the vast wards up-valuation of the mark.

around tightening and drive he drive the Common But even this will not satisfy the the world United States capitalists. Both the Market ruling class to attack Euro- mark and the yen underwent sub- pean workers even more Intensely than at present. stantial revaluation under the terms

ESPONDENT

pidou is preparing If the left coalition parliamentary roads to i, he will dissolve by stating quite

DOWCI

plainly that such a road is d hold a new elec. closed in case The Constitution enables vernment of

HIS

him to on the army call the police and to maintain the security of the state.

Il-timed descent into However much the erview on Wednesday. Stalinists prepared to are mmunist Party's pro- prostrate themselves and h. Republic's Consti- offer good guarantees of French behaviour, the instructions from bourgeoisie has no inten- tion of entrusting them stalling a repetition of with even the semblance of called 'a dress power in the shape of gov- ernmental portfolios. Their weeks in May reaction the grasp of the workers and that he had acted not as a possibility of a left coalition ything to prevent such President the Republic victory important les- the 'the leader of sons for Britain where the every argument (1) but as n votes for the Gaullists political coalition in ruling class, increasingly order. He claimed that obliged to resort to trouble. Rona- lefeated, it would call on What did the Stalinists partist methods of rule, will fight tooth-and-nail to monstrations and strikes, think that, President keep the Labour reformists elected as the anointed heir Popular of General de Gaulle would from winning the of the do? election. government, Under the Constitution, Pompidou's May-Tune 1968. statements through He deliberately used red- he is obliged to ensure the with

VATA

CROT

of the bourgeois contradictions as he made are talk in order to rally his the Gaullists, state in the Bonpartist form appeal as wide for possible. 1958 Con- middle ecially from the given it by the While the CP and the peasantry. stitution. accusing of wishing to the time he Pompidou understands establish same dictatorship, he CP's position the the Marxist theory of the also better than Marchais claimed that under the left bending over backwards state Seguy and union fit in with the provisions and makes по there would be the Constitution by pretence at being im- to return Fourth Republic in which owing that it him partial arbiter standing made the powers of the President e real master of the situa- above classes. however Marchais is unable to were greatlv limited. many votes With reply to Pompidou because the election left coalition obtains. cam- Georges he paign only just beginning, has always expressed further interventions by the plaintively com- willingness to take office President probable, ained that the President's his presidency and with the terview was 'an the Constitution's combined whip- inadmis- observe of some kind of interference' in the conditions. The President 'red scare stampede he ban a at a to voters into the Gaullist fold exposed Seguy of the stroke, the at the last moment. rupt CP policy of peaceful, likewise protested

Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 PAGE 3

PAGEANT DIARY

ROUND-UP

The Road to Workers Power Pageant campaign truly joined THE FIGHT for the THE TYNESIDE campaign is cen- people slammed the door in the Pageant is same fight for courageous Right-to-Work tred on the one of the of the

DEFEND

BASIC

being well and truly joined. Re- lace. first miners' unions and the execution marchers campaigned WhO IrON

DEMOCRATIC

hearsals have started, organizing

RIGHTS

of one of their leaders, Jobling. end of Britain to the other this time Tory government. committees elected and support is ast year against the starting to mount.

AT MIDDLETON

the history of For these reactionaries, the situation the the nasacre todav is more desperate because of the rise of the Chartist movement will be a reas- arrow-South no tre tree worsening economic crisis aggravated recreated. Shields on Tyneside, Middleton in trength determination of Tuch in South the working class Wales-teams have set up headquarters

AT MERTHYR

will be the group the biggest-ever Pageant The to prepare for the Tyneside Pageant team Trona Jerr pre- trade unions at the turn of the century trom mistory, suppor OLdI sented at the Empire-Pool, Wembley.

which culminated the Taff Vale workers following a letter in a news-

WEMBLEY

paper by a Tory alderman.

founding of the these Tuarement and In localities workers, house- Labour Party in 1906.

MARCH

wives and youth are being drawn into Ald W. Owen wrote demanding that Labour Party The teams in the areas have run into the take re-enactment of the history or the to stor fight by the working class to win basic the sup- …One Toe acutes racerni democratic rights. and the right-wing Labourites. These porters. He was particularly appalled by when was tha

WOLKCI

Lne Was Briant Colour printers: We're fighting all the way?

"to fight the Tories'. at the local double Party and Labour eviction will not be a simple serend Concerous precedent o

BILL FREEMAN,

leader ployers including The sanctioning this type of activity,' expected to case of dealing with Briant of the Briant Colour government he added. workers. The vigil will be Printing work-in com- and print industry, ot students But the Owens mittee said yesterday that A committee room while are 'Our anybody who supports us. over weekend. comesin trom the booked at the House evictions or arrests after aw dy allowel ant the of Commons and a meeting cone Brackmell Wokingham Of the work-in next Tuesday would be a seven and Trades Council. •ne

HE IS

with call for direct Thursday night the council 111CL On Court sum- Will allenace General Strike. concept that five only racern del He said yesterday councils through. at the 1 cilialll. and Norman Atkinson. rally and to provide sufficient

LOWE

a lactory and SLADE members Mr Denis Old people funds to send a six-man official the Broad and Mr Anthony After Tuesday when 'We have come too far for economic reasons only Austin the delegation to Wemblev. them eft work-in We will Support any compromise. ulaszon

CADILCO

the work-in before Christmas for committee will Tuesdav's organize a 50 to 100-strong, picket

NATSOPA

FoC Mr nght was not Just round-the-clock occupation for jobs of the men parliament Rights won William told Sawver me:

NATSOPA,

and women Briant's. or tre Tactor at could have had £800 any eviction attempts.

NGA

print but WaS reet ment workers and students redundancy pay, no against the chapels have either pledged from about 20 colleges Said Mr Freeman: 'Any not job. nave COnC in struggle through the eight months just to drop it now.

Feather No. 1 Eurocrat am determined to have a job a this factory.' The working class its only And NGA FoC Mr John rignts in struggle and can defend them struggle. The Wickham told me: will this working class take up have seen enough print closures in London meaning and the successful launching of the

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

to CP ne toled to stop rehearsals and script-readings this sort of thing.' VICTOR FEATHER, general secretary of the TUC, has been this week. Bil Freeman summed up selected as first president of the new European Trade Union • The Middleton Pageant group the mood of determination Confederation Brussels. itis of the factory the eve enlarged composition. in appointment was announced on joy Today they will hold a flag-selling decisive yesterday following a meeting of the 18-man executive from week's Pageant, explair clash with the law: 14 countries. Workers Power' le none to 'I am prepared to go all On Sun- to high street shoppers. Feather's acceptance of the Common Market job is a complete They put me day night will be the way. can violation of TUC and Labour Party policy.

At their conferences Gordon' pub inside and throw away the staged the Gar last year both bodies overwhelmingly decided to oppose Market key.' on the Langley Estate. entry not to co- operate with any of its institutions.

BOOK YOUR TICKET

The majority for the anti-Market resolution was more than 3 million

FOR EMPIRE POOL NOW

But has reather ignore decided The views the member- ship. taking job George same way that

DEFEND ALL DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

Thomson, ex-Labour the caonnel Sir Christopher Soames, Dofand trade unionism and basic living standards became

EEC

commis- Unite in action to make this Tory government resign sioners. The road to power is through the building of the revolutionary party They are seeking links WiTh me Commonyae which is the most reactionary alliance wesket is polies of Europe. The Market

A PAGEANT OF HISTORY -THE ROAD TO WORKERS POWER

deliberately FEATHER... Breaking TUC and Labour Party decisions larged That These monopolists join Feather is the man who denied it or not is im- "The British TUC are conspiracy hands among the advocates of most responsible for material. destroy the working The fact off the struggle is that the class. open-door This wretched little SUNDAY MARCH 11th 3pm The Inaustrial connerence nas This week the Com- paragraph should be Relations Act, who left an informal approach membership Party's and then munist news- What for from read, and re-reau.

LIC

bustalle

PAGEANT • RALLY • CABARET

•Morning is the 'Star' really, say- the the Soviet trade unions •aDer. miners 20100 Star', has reported the ing? Quite a lot. It dry, carried Every industrial corres- Brussels meeting in the with pondent Brussels has the secret talks the in first of all approving Yester- fashion. establishment reported the Soviet in

COYCOU

TRIS

coc o would like to take part in the Pageant/come to Empire Pool.

day, for institution for bur- year leading to the state tervention. example new Morning Star special Why can't the 'Star' Please send me further details.

pay legislation. calcals, correspondent' reported: be to But to cap this, the Icaucis Bv doing this it the and answer 'A million- 'Star' correspondent new ly tacitly giving support to

NAME....

tion: Have the strong the Common Market. concludes with this auropean Trade asked for union confederation was worm-like paragraph: plead- Secondly

ADDRESS.

today covering one new 'Delegates were told ing with the right wing federation or not? of the trade union bur- that sover tra The Stalinist Press 14 western European aucrats of western Eur leader Alexander Shele- Many of them cannot answer countries. These pin had asked about the the Stalin geesting bacause obvi questions because obe lo let u Amount enclosed (£1 each £..

hope that the new orga. No. of tickets required ist-controlled and possibility

DOVIC L

nization will open

CGIL.

Union's joinin shetepis doors to include mem- leading_ Complete form and return to : understood Mr bers of the World And thirdly, the 'Star' tion of the British Party Con- Pageant Office, 34 Hamilton Gardens, London, NW8 had denied any rapidly moving to. andrate CGT in France is handing out political proach was made.' and the bouquets to Feather wards acceptance of the and CGIL in Italy. an 'open-door' visionary. Whether Mr Shelepin

EEC.

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 Vauxhall carworkers are next in line after the Ford men with a big pay claim which is certain to clash with the Tories' mere Port, they have flexed their muscles in a fight with management over discipline.

talked to Workers Press about the issues involved.

CAR WORKERS

SPEAK

ON THE

PAY FIGHT

PROPOSALS

FOR UNION

TO PROP UP

CAPITALISM

A network of joint com- pany-union committees is outlined in proposals for a new policy the tor motor industry, now under intensive discus- sion inside the Trans- port and General Work- ers' Union. By 1976, the proposals sug- committees should Best, those negotiating orv. safety, redundancy and all kinds of fringe benefits right across the industry. Comprising an equal number of company officials and elec- ted union trace represenla aimed at tives, they are achieving, 'parity of control with capital in the motor in- 'the dustry and acquiring capacity to determine future development and the equitable allocation of all the resources'.

The proposals-described as a draft Policy for the Vehicle Building and Automotive In- dustry'-have already aroused a storm of controversy on many of the union committees which have discussed them.

In one key area of the Mid- lands car industry, a special meeting has been arranged so that the issues raised by the draft can be fully hammered out in a week's time. There were angry scenes at a recent Counties meeting Home when supporters or tne arall Dridica it might accusations that Franco's welcomed in Spain. But however painful it might draft's supporters be for the to admit it, its proposals fact give off a strong stench of the corporate state. The main points of the draft document are: Minimum basic hourly rates of £1.50 by 1976 and £2.50 by 1980, with improvements in holiday pay, pensions and shift premiums. 35-hour week and a 350-hour week by 1980.

1976 • "The right of co-determina- tion' of line-speeds. Mails. of labour, hiring movement and Shop stewards to be in- union oficials in volverwis the negotiation of wages, bene- nts ana working condinons 'firm, plant or combine' level.

union-financed • Pirmanent, stewards and committees

OTI

officials, representing Britain, to big car factories in co-ordinate action With cal- workers in the US and Europe.

A lot of this sounds vaguely indi- left wing, and there are cations that the draft docu- ment will be supported by at urday February 10, 1973 re next in line after the Ford aim which is certain to clash ontrol laws. Already, at Elles- ¡exed their muscles in a tight r discipline. Now they face a h the government. Two of them ss about the issues involved.

least a significant number of 'lefts'

T&GWU

and Com- munist Party members. But it is precisely because of this progressive gloss that the proposals in reality are so dangerous. Nowhere is there a single mention of nationalization un- workers' control, der sup- posedly policy of the T&GWU and the Contederation ot Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions. Instead there is talk of 'fundamental changes in the management and control of the increasing industry through participation in all the deci- sion-making processes'. The aim of these changes, the draft document says, 'to achieve equality genuine between capital and labour by 1980' 'joint control of and the industry, ranging from day- to-day operations to shaping the future development and the allocation of resources' In other words, the keynote of the document is faith capitalism's future. Its admit- ted objective is to guarantee the capitalist system a seven- year lease of life on the basis of entirely phoney, corpora- tist-style participation' This so-called participation is seen as the follow-up to a 'consultations' decade of which, the document quite cy- 'legitimize nically concedes, the employers' right to operate the policies decided by them' (or, more simply, has helped employers the impose speed- up). What the document does not say, of course, is that the purpose of participation is to into direct turn the unions policemen for the ruling class; to prop up tottering private and use workers' enterprise own organizations to destroy the basic rights the capitalists are too weak to tackle them- selves. 'Parity of control with capital' is a dangerous and illu- thoroughly reactionary sion. It, and the car-industry draft document, must be tossed out without reservation. The must be told T&GWU leaders to recall the union's biennial delegate conference to stop the rot, mobilize action in con- cert with other unions to force the Tories out of office and return a Labour government pledged to nationalization of the industry under workers' control. The biggest danger in the car industry pay struggle this year is the role of the union leaders.

That is the opinion of Alan Stanley, an engineers' union shop steward at Vauxhall's, Worker at ford's Dagenham on The Stanley, steward at Vauxhall's 'biggest 'Every section of workers with pay claims in faces the statutory. pay control, Tories' he says. "The aim of these laws, with the Industrial Relations Act, is to smash down the living standards of workers and their families, break up working- class organization and destroy all our basic rights. 'This can't be done without a head-on collision. 'Workers are showing bitter resistance to the Tories' plans.

They just won't go down with.

out a fight. 'But time and time again the union and Labour Party leaders rallied round the Tories, to prevent workers bringing them .down.. ¡.... the production Iine. - Above: Al • 'biggest danger is the union leaders "This time, if they wol fight, we must replace the with those who will.' Vauxhall workers are going have to fight for every pen wage increase they get get tl year, says Billy Wale, e gineers' union shop steward Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port fa tory. 'We're. heading far the t one,' he explains. It's not just Vauxhall's but the Tory gove ernment as well. There's no way this pay claim can be won without a struggle.' Billy is convinced the car- workers can win this struggle.

When, last week, the manage- attempted to sack him ment for allegedly striking a fore- his fellow-unionists re- man, acted immediately and firmly.

Their walk-out in his support was a demonstration of their strength, he stresses. "The feeling on the shop floor is that this may well have been was the object of the exercise to take away my shop stewards' card for good, but they've had no success in this regard. Although the members aren't very happy about some of the terms that were nego- tiated-for instance the joint investigation of labour rela- tions in • the factory-I have the right to return to my sec- tion after three months. If Alan there's any attempt to inter- ers.' there'll be fere with that von't trouble.' them Vauxhall management had originally countered strikers' demands for Billy's reinstate- with an offer to re- ment employ him as a 'new starter' in a different section of the factory, with his card taken away permanently. Finally they were forced to agree that he could eventually his section return to . as a steward following the investi- gation. Workers in the section g to the axle department—have enny now agreed to hold in abey- this three months any ance for fresh election for a steward so en- rd at that Bill can continue to fac- represent them. I think the lads have shown • big their mettle,? he says.

...

'RUMANIA'S

CEAUSESCU

By Donald Catchlove. Abacus-Kent Ltd. Price £2.50. The 55th birthday of the secretary of the Ruma- nian Communist Party, and effective master of country, Nicolae the Ceausescu, was cele- brated in January with an effusion of praise reminiscent of the Stalin cult. Newspapers vied with each other to find adjectives which could worthily describe his genius. Factories and party branches lavished adulation on "Causescu the beloved' from whom all good things flow. No less than seven photos of the great leader appeared in the daily and the weeklies Party made it their main feature.

"Through him we feel our- selves rejuvenated and full of vigour', wrote one new admirer. "Through him we see the truth of humanism. "Through him we see the ex- ample to follow. Through him —Nicolae Causescu, faithful and devoted son of the Party and of the people' Catchlove's public Donald relations job, though avoiding such excesses, is in much the The impression is same vein. that the book should have been called 'Causescu's Rumania' of the since all the history country seems to find its apo- theosis in the rule of the great man. In many ways, of course, Causescu's career did follow of the devoted revolu- that tionary. He grew up in a poor country plunged into depres- terrorized by sion and the fascist gangs of the Iron Guard'. The illegal Communist Party, with probably no more than 1,000 members, was able to organize great strikes and a strong position in the win working class. who came from Ceausescu, a peasant background, joined it when he was 15 and was arrested for the first time shortly afterwards. From then until 1944 he spent much time in prison. This book makes him out retrospectively to have been a critic of Stalin's policy after the Nazi-Soviet Pact of August 1939. He is built up to be a 'national' communist and we are to infer that the roots of his later policy are to be found about this time. Above all, however, Ceausescu grew up and was trained in the Stalin school: that was the dominant factor in his politics which this book passes over. without a mention. No one rose to influ- ence in the Communist Party at this time who did not pay his respects to the Stalin cult.

The claim (p. 49) that 'by the time he had actively en- tered politics, he had evolved his own brand of Rumanian socialism which satisfied most of the Marxist-Leninist pre- cepts and still left room for a strong Rumanian national feel- ing', is simply how Ceausescu would like to have himself re- garded. It can bear no resem- blance to reality. More realistic is the claim that common experience among imprisoned Party members during the war resulted in the setting up of a 'small, nepotis- tic élite that survived quite strongly for a good 20 years after World War II'. But was Ceausescu part of that élite?

We are supposed to infer that he was not entirely with it.

The Rumanian Communist Party would not have come to power without Soviet support.

The period after 1944 wit- nessed a bitter inter-Party leaders struggle between the sent in from their exile in Mos- cow and those who had re- mained in the country. This ended with the defeat and liquidation of the 'Musco- ', but not before Rumania vites', had spent some years as a Soviet satellite. Vast quanti- ties of food, raw materials and industrial equipment were shipped east while the Red Army maintained guard. This state of affairs did not suit the book of the native bureaucracy, now tasting the fruits of power after long years ot struggle, but still dependent on the support of their Mos- Workers Press, Saturda cow masters. How to become more 'independent' was a be- setting problem for Party lead- like the up-and-coming ers Ceausescu. In 1952 the native wing of the bureaucracy, headed by Gheorghiu-Dej, took power. years Causescu Within a few had become a main contender for the succession and after Gheorghiu-Dej's death in March 1965, he came to power.

According to Catchlove: 'Life for Ceausescu, in the ten years between 1955 and 1965, seems largely to have been a matter of supporting Gheor- ghui-Dej in the tricky job of extricating Rumania from full Soviet control.' This was done, in fact, according to the purest Stalinist dogma of 'socialism in one country'-the theoreti- cal inspiration of 'national communism'. This development has been accelerated under Ceausescu in the insistence on national sov- ereignty and non-interference Soviet dealing with the Union and the other Warsaw Pact countries. Rumania is thus able to do its own deals with the capitalist countries, negotiating with the European Common Market and the In- ternational Monetary Fund.

This has meant continuing s, Saturday February 10, 1973 PAGE 5 Rumanian Communist leaders In to right: Apostol, 1944. Left and Constantinescu-lasi, Agin Ceausescu. Below: Gheorghul- Dej, predecessor of Ceausescu.

tension between Rumania and the Soviet Union, which be- er. came especially acute at the time of the invasion of Czecho- slovakia in August 1968. Ceau- sescu saw in this a threat to his own policy of making uni- lateral deals with capitalism.

His speeches at this time went close to the brink in provoca- tion. His gamble paid off. The Warsaw Pact armies did not march into Bucharest. Ceau- sescu's support as a partisan of national independence in- creased. The reception of Pre- sident Nixon followed in mid- 1969 and deal followed deal in the next three years. This is more of a picture book with accompanying text than a serious political history.

Some of the points which it makes are valid enough, des- pite the pro-Ceausescu stand- point from which they are made. In his internal policy, with its emphasis on discipline and unanimity and its personality cult, Ceausescu's Rumania is the Stalin mould. Its cast nationalism is no more than the reflection of the national narrow-mindedness of the native bureaucracy, itself act- ing out the Stalinist theory of "socialism in one country' At the same time, the differ- ences between the Rumanian and other sections of the bur- eaucracy in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union express the deep crisis in the Stalinist movement. Ceausescu's rule is no more firmly based—or even popular —than that of the other coun- tries. It faces the growing up- surge of the working class, which we have seen in one since country after another Stalin's death in 1953.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 The Tories' strategy is laid down in law. With the Industrial Relations Act and Phase Two, they now have the legal basis for destroying the democratic rights of the working class and imposing a corporate state. But they are well aware that despite the treacherous role of the Labour Party and TUC leaders, these are laws which can only be enforced if the working class is decisively defeated. They are planning for an inevitable confrontation.

On the one hand, the army is testing out its strength on the workers of Northern Ireland. In Britain, police the experiment with new weapons, and the 60,000 volunteers of the Army Volunteer Reserve train for 'home defence' duties.

On the other hand, no less dangerous, the intelligence services step up their activity in spying on the workers' move- ment. They have already staged the well-publicized 'Angry Brigade' trial; and in the recent Saor Eire case, we caught a glimpse of a Special Branch agent in the act of planting weapons. 'Prepare for Revolution, Comrades! Prepare to occupy your factories!' shriek the provocateurs of the anonymous Militant Trade Union Committee, which resurfaced recently. The Tories realize that a major confrontation with the working class could force them to call a snap election in 1973.

They hope to win it by the well-tried technique of the 'red scare' and are making desperate attempts to collect ammunition for such an election campaign. Adventurist left-wing groups will supply a certain amount. The rest is being manufactured.

Anyone who doubts this should cast their minds back to 1924, en the Zinovier Letter was published five days before the dection which destroyed the first Labour government.

"he Zinovier Letter was to reconquer Soviet Russia had totally failed. une of the most effective All over the world, young forgeries of all time. It communist parties were emerg- was addressed to the from shambles reformist democracy, Central Committee of the social strengthened by the example British Communist Party, of the

USSR

victorious and and supposedly signed by the advice of the Communist International. Zinoviev, President of With a sure instinct, the the Executive Committee British ruling class sensed the of the Communist Inter- of the power working class behind MacDonald's 1924 national. Labour despite all government, The letter urged the British efforts the of its leaders to proletariat to 'show the greatest make themselves acceptable to the King, the Civil Service and diplomatic trade the City of London. treaties negotiated between At all costs, the political Ramsay MacDonald's Labour independence of the working and Soviet government the class had to be checked. So, Union were ratified although MacDonald's foreign But, for the bourgeois voter, policy of normalizing relations the main 'scare' lay in the with the USSR made no more letter's orders to the

CPGB

concessions to communism to infiltrate the army and navy: than Lloyd George's 1921 . it would be desirable Anglo-Soviet trade agreement to have cells in all the units (or a whole number of treaties of the troops, particularly being signed by other Euro- among those quartered in the pean powers), the Tories went large centres of the country, the 1924 into election cam- and also among factories work- paign determined destroy to ing on munitions at the Labour government. military store depots. In the It was not MacDonald they event f danger of war with feared, but the strength of the he aid of the latte and in British working class. contact with the transport Conservative The Party's possible workers, it is to election campaign became an paralyse all the military pre- anti-Bolshevik crusade. But, parations of the bourgeoisie, efforts of their despite the and make a start in turning friends on Fleet Street, alle- an imperialist war into a class gations that MacDonald was in war.' league with Bolshevism lacked Such prophecies fell on Zinoviev substance-until the ground. It receptive was a Letter appeared to confirm the the seven since mere years truth of everything the Tories October Revolution in Russia. asserted The triumph of the Russian The middle class were con- Communists. combined with "civilization' vinced that was the hardships of World War I, On threatened. election day revolutionary had led to up- they turned out in force, to throughout central risings Tories the an overall give Europe, to massive factory a gain of 161 majority with occupations in Italy, and to a compared to a Labour seats, surge of militancy in the British loss of 40 seats. (e.g. the miners' trade unions It had taken strike of 1921). many years to establish the fact that the letter Scarcely one year had elapsed was a forgery. This is partly 1923 since the abortive re- due to the weak-kneed attitude volution in Germany. And, of the Labour leaders at the although the other revolutions time. had been suppressed, attempts in- MacDonald refused to vestigate every aspect of the affair and made no attempt to consult with the British Com- munist Party, to whom the letter was addressed. Had his anti-communism not prevented such a step, he could have discovered from CP leaders that the letter contained quite obvious errors, apart from its inconsistencies of style and content. For example, the heading "Third Communist Inter- national' was incorrect; the name of one of the signatories was mispelt; another signatory, Kuusinen, 'Sec- was labelled of the • International, retary' when he was in fact merely a member of the Secretariat.

All these points could have been established within 24 hours by MacDonald. Instead, in the crucial pre-election days, he confused the Labour Party by his own uncertainty over whether or not the letter might be genuine. A 48-hour silence prompted newspaper headlines such as

'MOSCOW BOMB SILENCES

PREMIER' (Daily Mail', October 27, 1924). When MacDonald did at last produce a speech on the sub- Asquith, the Liberal ject, leader, 'could not remember to have read a more distracted, incoherent and unilluminating statement in the whole of his political experience. The new Tory government easily stifled attempts at in- vestigation during the next few years. The Tory loyalties of the Civil Servants Press, senior and the intelligence network were naturally reinforced by the class struggles which cul- minated in the General Strike of 1926. In 1928, a House of Com- mons debate on the issue, resurrected by the dismissal of one of the Civil Servants most closely involved in handling the Zinoviev Letter, created a temporary embarrassment for the Tories. But before the day of the debate, they were able to obtain a statement from another leading participant in the affair, which cleared the Tories of having plotted . the 'red scare' , and appeared to authenticate the letter. There the matter rested for many years. Only as recently

Daily Mail

LARGEST CREATION

POLITICAL

ARISIS

CTNIGHT

melligence Left: Thurn, ox- •Donald im Centre: Thomas 'Dally Mail' editor, who distributed the Zinovlev Kuer story Inroughout reet si. Right: Captain Sidney Reilly, the 'master spy.

as 1966 did the 'Sunday Times' Insight assemble team and publish a thorough investigation of the Zinoviev Letter. It is a damning indictment of a Tory fraud, and a valuable warning of the political forces at work in the secret service, the police, and the top ranks of the Civil Service. All these forces con- with the Tory spired Party headquarters to topple Labour government. Briefly, the facts emerge as follows. On the evidence of the widow of one of the forgers, the Zinoviev Letter was con- cocted by of white a group Russian émigrés living in Berlin. They passed it on to bitterly agents of the anti- Bolshevik Polish government, which in turn handed it over to a British spy. This man (probably Captain Sidney Reilly) produced several copies of the letter. He pro- ceeded to distribute them in the manner calculated to do most damage to the Labour government and especially to prevent the ratification of the Anglo-Soviet treaties. Reilly disclosed the existence of the letter to an ex-intelli- working in the gence officer City of London, Donald im Thurn. A copy of it went to the chief of British intelligence

(MII0),

Sir Hugh Sinclair. While another copy (the original letter was never seen in Britain!) was slowly work- ing its way through the Foreign Office, intelligence agents 1n alliance with the Tories were organizing a public disclosure of the letter at the moment when it would sabotage Labour's electoral chances.

Im Thurn made the first approach to the Tory HQ. He promised to get them a copy of the letter in exchange for £7,500 (which Reilly was to receive). He also contacted "The Times' and promised them 'scoop' story. Though he never actually possessed a copy of the letter, his ingenious and queries were suffi- hints cient to arouse interest in many The Zinoviev Letter quarters. began to circulate several government departments. On October 24, the 'Daily Mail' received two copies of the letter for publication. Its editor, one of the Tories' most powerful supporters, generously distributed proofs to the rest of the Fleet Street Press.

Both copies of the letter almost certainly came from intelli- One informant gence sources. has been identified as vice- Admiral Sir Reginald Hall, a friend of Sinclair's who had been head of Naval Intelligence during and a Tory the war MP in 1922-1923. At 3.45 October p.m. on Mail' 24, 'Daily editor the received still better material for a 'red scare' story. Possibly he had informed the Foreign Workers Press, Saturd Office of his intention of pub- lishing the Zinoviev Letter. In any case, the Foreign Office acted with suspicious alacrity.

They decided to give 'publica- tion of the Zinoviev Letter their official blessing and cir- culated copies of it to the entire Press. So, as Marlowe of the 'Daily Mail' later recalled, 'the official paper reached one or two of the newspaper offices before my proots were delivered to them'. Marlowe was convinced that his own 'scoop' . forced the Foreign Office to publish. But there are strong reasons for doubting this, including the fact that all along im Thurn and other intelligence men had schemed to bring about official publication. Evidence of a direct connection here no longer exists. Yet even if the Foreign Office not motivated by the was activities of Reilly, im Thurn and Sinclair, there is conclusive evidence that the political prejudices of senior Foreign Office officials might have led them to publish the Zinoviev Letter without any prompting from the 'Daily Mail • The letter first reached the Foreign Office on October 10, 1924. The permanent secretary at this date was Sir Eyre Crowe. He was instantly con- vinced of the letter's authen- ticity, partly because his copy came from the secret service (a department for which • the Foreign Office was responsible), but also for political reasons.

Crowe was a Tory who hated the Bolsheviks and feared that the future actions of a Labour government might include the abolition of the secret service, as well as ratification of the Anglo-Soviet treaties. Mac- Donald was away from London conducting his election cam- paign. Therefore Crowe had an deal opportunity of exerting his political influence, guided by his political prejudices, to direct the course of events.

He began by sending the Zinoviev Letter off to Mac- Donald with his own advice attached. The letter was and for this reason genuine should be published in the Press alongside a protest note from the Prime Minister to the Soviet charge d'affaires in London, he said. Exhausted by his election- eering (which involved deliver- ing up to 30 speeches every day), MacDonald agreed to this advice. But he stressed in a minute to the Foreign Office that great care must be taken to establish the letter's authen- ticity before any protest was made. While the origins of the letter were being investigated, a protest note should drafted and Mac- sent to Donald for amendments, in case it should be needed.

The draft protest note duly reached MacDonald on October 23 (it was delayed for three days by being sent, inexplicably, to the wrong destination). He made certain amendments to moderate the tone of the intended protest, which Foreign Office officials had drafted in the form of a virtual ultimatum to the Soviet government, de- signed to wreck the Anglo- Soviet treaties. The amended version arrived back in London on October 24, the day when the Zinoviev Letter reached Fleet Street. At this point the role of Sir Eyre Crowe deserves close study. The normal procedure would have been for the Foreign Office to send a final version of the protest note (together with the evidence of the letter's authenticity which MacDonald had requested) back to the Prime Minister tor his signature. Crowe did nothing of the kind. As we have seen, he decided that the Foreign Office should take responsibility for immediate publication in the newspapers of both the Zino- viev Letter and MacDonald's draft note of protest. He car- sS, Saturday February 10, 1973 PAGE 7 ried through this drastic act without consulting MacDonald (who could have been con- tacted by telephone) or any of his government subordinates in London. The first MacDonald knew about it was when he opened the newspapers the next morn- ing. Før a sample of what he read, we may take the 'Daily Mail' seven-decker headline:

'CIVIL WAR PLOT BY

SOCIALISTS' MASTERS

Moscow order to Our Reds Great Plot Disclosed Yesterday Paralyse the Army and Navy And Mr MacDonald would Lend Russia Our Money Document Issued by Foreign Office After "Daily Mail" Had Spread the News.' Sir Eyre Crowe had given the 'red scare' just the boost it needed. He had his excuses ready. He had been 'forced' to act by the 'Daily Mail' and had judged his action to be in the government's best interests. And despite the fact that Crowe had flagrantly broken Foreign. Office rules, wrecking Labour's election chances in the process, Mac- Donald accepted these excuses.

Even during the 1928 debate, he was to • that Civil ately used their position to betray the 1924 Labour govern- ment. Reformists such as Mac- Donald are always the firmest believers in the constitutional niceties of bourgeois demo- They provide a con- cracy. venient escape route for Labour leaders who refuse to for the overthrow of fight capitalism. MacDonald's re- fusal to search out the truth about the Linoviev Letter was a betrayal of his responsibility, as Labour Party leader, to defend the democratic rights of the working class. But just as MacDonald was unable and unwilling to defend these basic democratic rights, so the Labour leadership of today is no better. (In the next crisis which faced him, MacDonald rushed off to head a coalition government with the Tories.) Wilson's own 'red scare' tactics - the 1966 seamen's strike-and his capitulation to the Industrial Relations Act and now the Phase Two legis- lation shows beyond any a doubt that he shadow of could march in MacDonald's footsteps. The threat to basic demo- cratic rights is much more sinister than it was in the 1920s. The economic crisis gripping British capitalism is more devastating thus requir- ing more desperate retaliation against the working class.

The right to organize, the right to strike, the right to picket, the right to black, the right to a decent standard of living, the right to negotiate over wages, the right to decent housing-all these basic rights are now under the Tory hammer. Inseparable from the struggle to defend these rights is the removal of the Tory govern- ment from office and the con- of an alternative struction revolutionary leadership for the working class. That is why the Socialist Labour League is staging a anti-Tory pageant at massive the Empire Pool, Wembley, on Sunday, March 11, which will episodes important present from working-class history over the past two centuries. The pageant-Road to Wor- kers' Power-is at the centre of our campaign to transform the SLL into a revolutionary party in the coming weeks.

Join this fight for the revolu- tionary party. This is the only way to politically deal with the faceless men of the secret police who may be reconsider- ing a Linoviev-type stunt . . .

or worse. Much of the information for this article came from The Zinoviev Letter by Lewis Chester, Stephen Fay and Hugo Young. Heinemann, 1967.

IT'S SOAKING WET AND

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Saturday Febr Fifty families in a London tenement block are stag- ing a rent strike in sup- port of a man who claims the Greater London Council will do nothing about the dampness in his flat. Mr Ralford Golding (38), who lives with his wife and two children in Richardson House, Haggerston, Hackney, has been forced to live in one room because of chronic damp- ness. The walls of one bedroom are black with damp, but he claims the GLC has told him it is condensation. Mr Golding's two children, David (eight) and Deborah (three), were both ill as a result of sleeping in the room.

All the furniture has had to be moved out and a £100 carpet has been ruined. Mr Golding told me: 'The GLC can send me to prison.

I have no money to fight them.

I would pay £7 or £8 a week for a good place, but not to live in water. This is one of the most terrible flats I have lived in.

It's soaking wet and the GLC do nothing. 'All they want to do is grab your money. Is it right that a poor man like me has to work rday Fobruary 10, 1873 so hard and pay £5 a week for one room?' The flats were built in 1935 and are the oldest in the dis- trict. There are no electric points in the tiny rooms and kitchens also contain the bath.

The rents were raised by 35p in October 1972 and are due to go up again under the Tory so-called 'fair rents' Act.

Mother of four, Mrs Sheila Kennedy (28), is one of the tenants backing Mr Golding in his fight to persuade the GLC to do something about the dampness. Mrs Kennedy told me they had decided to back him be- cause all the tenants suffered from the building's general state of decay and she said they had all complained at some time or other to the GLC about the conditions.

She said: 'I've witheld my rent several times because these houses are old and sub- standard. 'My bedroom's damp and the baby's had bronchitis three times. There draughts are everywhere and you've got to towel the ceiling to stop the water. 'People saw what the GLC said to Mr Golding and they thought "what chance have any of us unless we stand up and protest?" Mr Golding claims he was ork told by the council to scrub ek his walls and paper over them.

He added: "They told me to try and exchange it if I didn't like it, but who would want to move into a place like this running with water?' Tenants' union leader Mr by Chris Wotton (30), told me all the tenants in the block suffered from dampness, over- crowding and lack of electric points. Wiring, he claimed, was obsolete and dangerous. He said: 'People want to It's get away from the estate.

depressing to live here. "The buildings are close to- gether and there is not a blade of anywhere, so the grass children have nowhere to play.

"The GLC keep promising to do repairs, but they don't. A few months ago they stopped the modernization scheme for "budgetary" reasons.' The tenants have told the GLC they want action by next Monday. Said Mr Wotton: 'If nothing has been done by then we intend to march to County Hall or sit in at the GLC offices.' I asked Mrs Kennedy what the tenants will do when the GLC attempts to claim arrears.

She told me: 'They'll have a hard job throwing everybody out and if they try to take one person we'll put up the barricades.'

In fact it is unlikely the Tenants' union leader Chris Wotton. / family in their kitchen where the bath Mr Golding in his councit house where go on after rent strike will February 12. Hackney Labour MP Mr Ron Brown had advised against it and the tenants are likely to concen- the trate instead on marches and ext demonstrations. The strike began on January 29 and by last Monday the tenants were only one full payment in arrears. Feeling against the Tory- controlled GLC is high and the tenants say the Council is more interested in selling houses off at a profit than repairing old ones. deny Nobody could that Richardson House is in danger of becoming a slum and tenants have not been im- the pressed with the efforts of Wotton. Above left: Mrs Konnedy and the bath serves as lable. Above right : se where the damp comes right through.

Hackney's MP Labour to prevent it. Mr Brown visited the tene- ment with GLC officials, but nothing has come of it. Homes such as Richardson House 'suffer from the cheap housing policies of successive governments but more parti- cularly from the pruning of the GLC modernization programme by the Tories. Cut-backs in public spend- ing across the board are part of the Heath government's bid to curb inflation unleashed by the crisis of world capitalism.

Despite the protests of small groups of tenants up and down the country in the past two years, slum housing remains.

There are no short cuts. A

first step towards better hous- ing and • lower rents lies in , to force the Tory working government out of office.

Once elected, a Labour government must be forced by action carry out to mass socialist policies, including the nationalization of the land, property and the building in- dustry without compensation and under workers' control.

Average council house rents rose by just under Il per cent in the year up to April 1972, Labour's spokesman on hous- ing Mr Anthony Crosland revealed in the House of Com- mons this week. And under the Tory rent Act, Crosland said, unrebated council rents will rise by 24 per cent in the financial year up to this April. Even if every tenant who is entitled to do so takes up the rebate, the annual increase will still be up at 14 per cent.

Tenants face rises in April and again in October. Crosland added: 'For private rents there will be still higher increases, often higher than in the council would occur house sector under the Housing Finance Act and even allowing for the private rent allow- ance-and all this as a result of deliberate government policy' Salford Labour MP Frank Allaun told the House the Tory plans for cuts in public expenditure envisaged duction in housing subsidies of £128m a year by 1976. He said these figures repre- sented a 13-per-cent cut com- pared with current levels.

Allaun told MPs: 'It is clear that the present government intends to slaughter the council house-building pro- gramme and it is on council houses that most working-class families depend as they cannot afford to buy their own houses, particularly at the new exhorb- ¡tant prices' Crosland claimed council house-building was the lowest since 1963. 203,900 1967, In some council houses were built com- pared with 189,000 in 1970, 158,900 in 1971 and 122,800 last year. The decline in council house- hand in building has gone with the government's plan to force more people to buy their own homes. In the first nine months of 1972 first-time purchasers rose from 221,000 to 285,000 com- pared with the same period of 1970. for borrowers Mortgages under 25 rose from 89,000 to 111,000. Mortgages for borrowers with incomes up to the aver- age industrial wage rose from 114,000 to 147,000. Mortgages from all borrowers rose from 393,000 to 519,000.

Few working-class families contributed to the rise and the increases are now almost. cer- ґ' tainly near an end with 100- per-cent mortgages no longer widely available and sub- stantial deposits out of the reach of most average incomes.

The cut in council house- • has made housing building blackspots even blacker. which In Greater London, has by far the worst housing problem in Britain, comple- tions of council houses were down by 13 per cent last year.

In the West Midlands they were down by 46 per cent and on Merseyside by 31 per cent.

While council housing has been and will continue to be slashed and more tenants forced into private accommod- ation or made to buy their own homes, house prices have sky- rocketed. In 1971 house prices rose by 21 per cent and last year by 47 per cent. Although the Tories issue instructions to local authorities as to how many houses they should build, the price of land acts as a certain brake. Many local authorities com- plain that land prices are as much as 60 per cent above recommended government prices. Said Crosland: 'The fantastic rise in land values creating vast unearned profits on the one hand and hardship and injustice on the other will prove, when history is written, to be the major scandal of the 1970s.'

By contrast with the slump in municipal housing, private building starts jumped from 167,000 in 1969 to 227,000 last year. Labourites say that once they are returned to power they will nationalize building land, pour massive cash aid into council building and "bash' house property or housing profiteers.

We'll wait and see. .. Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 PAGE 9 Priorities are being got right in Bolton. The council's social services committee has just drastically runed the budget or 1973-1974. Items which the slashed included committee for chronically facilities the sick and disabled. Schemes which got the chop included general repairs and Social Ser- maintenance to Department buildings vices estimated at £20,000. This will setback to repairing, mean a decorating and equipping number of elderly large people's and children's homes.

Home helps are not to re- ceive outdoor uniforms, which for a £2,700 accounts saving, and a £9,000 project for ex- pansion of the Bolton Indus- tries for the Disabled is axed.

At the same time the Lan- cashire Police Authority is to go ahead with a £728,000 pro- build a Bolton divi- ject to sional headquarters and hostel for the police. The form new premises Friday Harold Last night part of a big reorganization of Wilson made the speech in the police forces in the area he warned that the which Phase Two legislation con- tained powers to put news- out of business. He papers Sixty-four Cadbury-Schweppes which said that newspapers at Bournville, Bir- workers encouraged workers to demand appeared mingham, have higher wages could be brought factory's before the own before the Tory tribunals 'court' in the last 12 months.

secret-and then meeting in Nearly half were accused of fined unlimited amounts. theft and the rest of fighting, he Appropriately enough smoking and other offences. made the speech at the London The 'court,' a disciplinary tri- Press Club. Copies of the bunal of two shop stewards speech available. It is were and two company officials, re- that only interesting to note commended dismissal for some 'The Times' and the 'Daily and reprimanded others. Telegraph' mentioned these works' The newspaper re- dire warnings in their reports cently reported that thefts at of the occasion. the factory rose to 343 cases The Press Association, "The personal last year and said Guardian' and the •Financial property thefts had risen in Times' thought the main point three years from 100 to 167.

of Wilson's speech was some- Cadbury-Schweppes declined thing different. They quite to comment on the disciplinary carried articles which began: which has been system, in 'Opposition leader Mr operation at Bournville for Harold Wilson called tonight several years. for a crusade to help the for- But Mr Stuart Cheshire, gotten people. Transport and General Work- 'The Press working hand in ers' Union official, said: hand with MPs, councillors, 'Doing things this way is social workers and adminis- better than branding a man a trators-could seek out the for what criminal might be of the underprivileged.' indiscretion.' needs a momentary This liberal rubbish was in Every accused employee could have a union official with Wilson's speech. But wouldn't at the disciplinary one have thought that of over- him hear- whelming ings and there was the right importance was the the Counter-Inflation Bill's hidden of appeal through union against the tribunal's verdicts, the clauses which menace he added. existence of newspapers? Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37$p i Problems of the British Revolution Paperback 35p Lessons of October Paperback 60p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p Marxism and the Trade Unions Pamphlet 25p Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International Pamphlet 10p Postage: 10p per book, 5p per pamphlet.

Order from: NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 9.35 Se ur beatha. 10.00 Repondez s'il vous plait. 10.30 Avventura.

11.00 Croesi'r bont. 11.40 Weather. 11.45 Herbs v England. Weather. 5.50 Dr. Who. 6.15 WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY. Music for Everybody.

10.05 MATCH OF THE DAY. 11.05 PARKINSON. 12.05 Weather.

ITV

sport. 12.40 1.05 International 2.30 Racing from Wolver-

ITV

1.30, 2.00, sports special. 1.20 seven. hampton. 1.45, 2.15, 2.45 Racing from Catterick. 3.10 International 3.50 Results, 4.00 Wrestling. 4.50 sports special. scores, news. Results service. 5.10 News. 5.15 Black Beauty. 5.45 Doctor at large.

SALE OF THE CENTURY.

6.15

'LAST OF THE RENEGADES'.

Lex Barker. An Indian 6.45

FILM:

white team: up to fight villains.

and a man

THE JULIE ANDREWS HOUR.

Guest Harry Belafonte: 9.30 8.30

NEWS.

MCCLOUD. Showdown at the End of the World. Dennis Weaver.

9.40

RUSSELL HARTY PLUS.

11.00 NO MAN'S ISLAND. Women and Sexuality. 12.25 A CHANGE 11.40

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vival. 1.30 Drive-in. A Matter Bunny. don. 12.05 Epilogue. Weather. Film: "A London. 5.35 Who'. 4.40 Golden shot. Black 9.30

WESTWARD

beauty. 6.05 London. 25. 7.55 Film: yesterdays. 'Robbery'. 10.00 12.00 Gus Honeybun. Tom- Weather. 1.15 1.00 Talking hands. foolery 1.45 Farm and country randed. news. Faith 9.00 9.30 London. 12.05 for

ANGLIA:

ront.

TO T

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20 Name Weather. 3.55 10.30 2.30 of the ame Match rm progress. Black eat: the week. 4.40 Folden shot. Skating. Weather. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: London. Superman. 10.00 2.15 London. Skating. 1205 "Kobbery •

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3.50 Golden shot. Aquarius. Epilogue. I would like information about Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

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CHANNEL: 11.40 Bonanza. 12.30 Lon- London. 6.45 don. Tarzan. The Big 8.30 London. Skating. WESTWARD. As Channel except: 9.55 Jobs around the house. 10.20 Getting money's worth. 10.45 Joe 90. your 11.10 Cartoon. 11.35 Gus _Honeybun. 12.30 Faith for life. 12.35 Weather. around the SOUTHERN: 9.15. Jobs Getting money's house. 9.40 your worth. 10.10 All our yesterdays. 10.35 Stingray. 11.05 Merrie melodies. 11.35 Cowboy Africa. 12.25 Weather. 6.15 London. 5.15 12.30 Tarzan. 6.45 Film: 'Caprice'. 8.30 Comedians. News. London. 9.40 Longstreet. 10.40 10.45 Spyforce. 11.40 London. 12.30 Weather. Guideline. HARLECH: 9.00 London. 9.55 All Our 10.20 Bugs Bunny. 10.30 yesterdays. Once upon a time. 10:45 Grasshopper 11.00 Sesame 12.00 island. street. 12.30 London bat 5.20 Bo- Osmonds. 6.15 Comedians. Film: nanza. "The Spy in the Green Hat'. 8.30 London land. 11.30 9.40 Persuaders. 10.40 No man's Skating. 12.30 Weather. ANGLIA: 9.00 London. 10.00 Hammy 10.40 Film: 10.15 Rovers. hampster. Way Through 'She's Working Her 12.30 Lóndon. 5.15 Riptide. College'. 6.15 Comedians. 6.45 Film: 'Seige of BBC 2 has planned a colourful About Us lob in their World whitewash on Sunday series about night. It's all •Poppa Bilong All'. Poppa being Wamp Wan a tribal chief of New Guinea, one of the natives who have gone 'from Stone Age let Age in 40 years'. The white- wash will cover the intense ex- ploitation of the island's natural resources and natives by the Australian government which rules the island.

ATV MIDLANDS:

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9.30 London. 10.30 All our yesterday. 11.00 Citizens' rights. 11.30 London. 1.00 Champions. 2.00 Soccer Golden shot. 3.00 Film: to the City'. 4.40 *Key 5.35 Black beauty. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: 'Robbery'. 10.00 London.

ULSTER: 11.30 London. 1.00 Getting your money's worth. 1.30 Jobs around the house. 1.55 Pebbles and bamm bamm. 2.15 London. 3.15 Film: 'Prince of Pirates'. 4.40 Golden shot.

5.35 Black beauty. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: 'Will Penny'. 10.00 London.

pieces STRO London. 9.20 Chess master- 9.30 10.30 Untamed pieces. world. 11.00 Hogan's heroes. 11.30 London. 1.00 Farming. 1.25 Calendar.

"Mozambique'. 1.55 Soccer. 2.50 Film: 4.45 Golden shot. 5.35 Black beauty. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: "The Trouble London. 12.05 With Angels'. ( 10.00 Skating. 12.35 Weather. GRANADA: 9.30 London. 10.35 Un- tamed world. 11.00 Time • to re- member. 11.30 London. 12.55 Saint. 1.50 Jackson five. 2.20 Football. 3.20 Film: 'If Tomorrow Comes'. 4.40 Golden shot. 5.35 Black beauty. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: "Donovan's Reef'. 10.00 London. TYNE TEES: 9.20 Chess masterpieces.

9.30 London. 10.30 Jobs around the house. 11.00 Doctor in charge.

11.30 London. 1.00 Farming. 1.25 World War I. 1.50 Where the jobs are. 1.55 «You're Never Too Shoot. 2.55 Film: Young'. 4.45 Golden shot. 5.35 Black beauty. 6.05 London. 7.55 Film: "The Trouble With Anzels'. 10.00 London.

Challenge. 12.05 Skating. 12.35 11.15 Lectern. SCOTTISH: 9.00 World War I.

9.30 London. 10.30 Women on London. 11.00 Place in the country. 11.30 Randall Hopkirk. 1.00 and 2.00 Sport. 3.25 Theatre. 4.25 Golden shot.

6.05 7.55 5.20 Aquarius. London. Film: 'King of the Roaring Twenties'.

10.00 London. 12.05 Late call.

GRAMPIAN: 11.00

Farm progress. 11.30 London. 1.00 Getting your money's worth. 1.30 Jobs around the house. 2.00 Sport. 3.25 Film: "Tarzan's Desert Mystery'. 4.40 Golden shot. 6.05 London. 7.55 5.35 Black beauty. Film: The Sons of Katie Elder'. 10.00 Living and growing. London. 12.05

BBC 2

8.55-1.30 Open University. 3.00 Film: 'It's a Great Feeling'. Doris Day, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson. Musical. 4.20 Play away. 4.45 Pets and vets. 5.00 Islands in the clouds. 5.50 Man alive.

6.50 WESTMINSTER. 7.15 NEWS. Sport. Weather.

7.25 RUGBY SPECIAL. Ireland v England.

8.15 WAR AND PEACE. An Epilogue.

9.00 FULL HOUSE. Including Henry VIll's missing wife, Ravel's septet, Can Anyone Smell Gas?, Ted Walker, Family.

10.40 FACE THE MUSIC. 11.10 NEWS. Weather.

FILM: 'THE REVOLT OF MAMIE STOVER'. Jane Russell, Joan 11.15 Leslie, Agnes, Moorehead. An ambitious woman struggles to attain wealth. 11.40 Cartoons. the Saxons'. 0.40 sesame street. street. 10.40 man's land. 12.05 Arthur. 12.30 Skating. 12.25 end Finn. 5.45 Man from At the 6.40 Film •In Harm's Way' udy. 8.30 London. 9.40 10.40 9.15

ATV

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land. 38.30 he 9.40 Getting your money's Place worth

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9.15 Wildlife theatre. 11.35 Jackson Thunderbirds. 10.40 Getting mone 30. your 12.30 London. Bo- nana 63 Doctor at 10.35 10.10 Joe 6.45 m the Magnificent'. 12.30 9.40 the Fox' 8.30 5.15 Riptide. London. 10.40 No man's land. 11.30 longstreet. Katie Elder'. 8.30 London. 12.30 Bailey. 12.35 Skating. Gordon man's land. 11.25 Skating. world. Weather. Shirley's Lectern.

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London 9.40 lorse ndon. '5:25 11.25 Con and friends. 12.000 man's land. ands Fiends The London. 12.25 Weather. Skating. ( Season'. 8.30 London.

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12.00 Avventura. 11.00 materials. 12.25 Seventy plus. 12.50 Farming. 1.15 Made Handling in Britain. 1.30 Parents and children. 1.55 News headlines. Weather.

2.00 Mary, Mungo and Midge. 2.15 Cruft's dog show. 3.05 Blue Peter special assignment. Vienna. 3.45 Film: "That's My Boy'. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis. Comedy. 5.20 Woodstock.

6.05 NEWS. Weather. 6.15 SUNDAY DEBATE. Permissive Society.

6.50 THE NEW BEGINNING. 7.00 THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

7.25 THE BROTHERS. Labour Pains.

Barbara Stan- 8.15 FILM: 'DOUBLE INDEMNITY'. Fred MacMurray, and the wyck. Edward G. Robinson.

An insurance salesman wife of a customer plan an insurance fraud.

10.00 NEWS. Weather. 10.15 OMNIBUS FILE. Photography.

Crossman 11.05 CROSSTALK. Richard invites Cecil King to talk about Westminster, Whitehall and Fleet Street. 11.45 Weather.

ITV

9.30 Service. 10.35 UFO. 11.30 Weekend world. 1.00 Thunderbirds.

1.50 Skilful rugby. 2.15 Big match. 3.15 Persuaders! 4.15 Junior police five. 4.25 Golden shot. 5.15 Aquarius.

6.05 NEWS. 6.15 ADAM SMITH. 6.40 WIND OF THE SPIRIT.

7.00 SONGS THAT MATTER. 7.25 FENN STREET GANG.

7.55 FILM: "THE BIG DRAGNET'. Jack Webb, Harry Morgan. FBI officers hunt a murderer.

9.45 POLICE ONE FIVE. 10.10 NEWS.

10.15 COUNTRY MATTERS. The Higgler. 11.15 OPEN NIGHT.

12.05 A CHANGE OF COURSE. 12.10 SCALES OF JUSTICE. A

Woman's Privilege. 8.55-1.05 Open University. 4.00 Man at work. 4.25 Money at work.

. 5.25 Horizon. 6.10 NEWS REVIEW. 6.50 NEWS SUMMARY. Weather.

6.55 DOUBTS AND CERTAINTIES.

7.25 THE WORLD ABOUT US. Poppa Bilong All. Autobiography of a Stone Age chief in New Guinea.

8.15 THE GOODIES. 8.45 CRAIG SHEPPARD. American pianist plays Beethoven, Bach-Samaroff Chopin.

9.45 THE VIEW FROM DANIEL PIKE. A Slight Case of Absalom.

10.35 THEY SOLD A MILLION. The Young Generation and Vince Hill with guests Esther Ofarim, Neil Sedaka.

11.20 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

Fighting the Tories' rent Act Clay Cross rebels take experiences to Dudley OPPOSITION to the Tory Housing Finance Act has now reached boiling point in the Worcestershire town of Dudley. Tenants packed into a Town Hall meet- ing on Wednesday and thousands more attended an overflow meeting out- side. Altogether, over 3,500 local workers and • housewives heard tenants' association leaders outline their plans to stand their own candidates in forth- coming district elections in wards where Labour council- lors have supported implemen- tation of the rent Act. The Labour-controlled Dudley council has implemented a rise of £1.08, but thousands of ten- ants on estates in Upper and Lower Gornal, Quarry Bank, Dunns Bank, Walbrook, Brierley Fight rising rents and prices Defend basic democratic rights Force the Tories to resign CENTRAL LONDON (Press and Entertainments branch): Sunday February 11, 7 p.m. London Film School, Langley Street, Covent Garden, WC2. (off Long Acre).

'The next step of the Equity pay claim'. Speaker: David Calder.

BASILDON: Sunday February 11, 5.30 p.m. Barnstable Community Centre. 'Defend basic rights'.

WANDSWORTH: Monday February 12, 8 p.m. 'King's Arms', Wands- worth High Street. 'Fight rising rents and prices'. WATFORD: Monday February 12, 8 p.m. Trade Union Hall (down- stairs), opposite Watford JunG- tion station. TODMORDEN: Monday February 12, 7.30 p.m. "Woodpecker Inn'.

'Defend Basic Rights'. CLAY CROSS: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Social Centre, Derby 'Fight rising rents and Road. prices. Defend basic democratic rights'. COVENTRY: Tuesday February 13, 7.30 p.m. Wood End Com- munity Building.

CLAPHAM

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14,

8pm South Island Library South Island Place Stockwell, SW9 speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Ctee)

WATFORD

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 8pm Trades Union Hall near Watford Junction stn speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee)

NORTH KENT

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 8pm The Shakespeare, Powis Street Woolwich speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

NORTH EAST COAST

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18, 7 p.m.

Civic Centre Jarrow Speaker : G. HEALY (SLL National Sec) WELLON...Ront strike Hill, and other areas, are not paying the increase. Frank Haddon, a : Labour coun- cillor who opposed implementa- tion, listed those wards in which, he said, tenants should stand against Labour councillors.

Arthur Wellon, finance chair- man of the non-implementing Clay Cross council, Derbyshire, told the meeting they were not involved in a simple fight on a di CLAPHAM: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor Street, Sw4.

'Defend basic rights'. PADDINGTON: Tuesday February 'Artesian', 13, 8 p.m. corner Chepstow Road and Westbourne Grove, W2. CAMDEN: Tuesday February 13 8 p.m. 'Prince Albert', • Wharte- dale Road, Kings Cross. 'Lessons of the rents fight. HARROW: Tuesday February • 13, 8 p.m. Labour Hall. 'Defend basic rights. TOOTING: Tuesday February 13, 'Selkirk Hotel, 8 p.m. Selkirk Road. 'Defend basic rights'.

OLDBURY: Wednesday February 14, 7.30 p.m. 'The Bulls Head' WOLVERHAMPTON: Wednesday February 14, 7.30 p.m. 'Little Swan,' Horseley Fields. WINSFORD: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. 'Red Lion Hotel', Wins- ford, Cheshire. SLOUGH: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. Community Centre, Farn- ham Road. 'How to defeat Phase Two' HOLLOWAY: Thursday February 15, 8 р.т. Со-ор • Hall, Seven Sisters Road. 'Build Councils of Action'.

ACTON

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 8pm Woodlands Hall, Crown Street speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

WANDSWORTH

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22,

8pm Wandsworth Town Hall Wandsworth High Street speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee)

BRADFORD

Central Library Top of Hall Ings.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22,

7.30 p.m. Speaker: Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee) NUTTALL. . . Don't el rents issue, but a *100-per-cent political fight against this Tory government. He said that Clay Cross coun- cil had declared a total rents and rates strike and 75 per cent of tenants were backing it. "This is what I think you should be doing in Dudley. This is the should stage you next move into. Stand your own can- n a didates by all means, but above KINGSTON: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. "Liverpool Arms', cor- ner of Cambridge Road/London Road. 'Build Councils of Action'.

LEEDS: Thursday February 15, 7.30 p.m. (please date note change). Peel Hotel, Boar Lane.

SWANSEA: Thursday February 15, 7.30 p.m. Council of Social Mount Pleasant Hill, Services, (near fire station). 'Defend de- mocratic rights'. LIVERPOOL: Tuesday February 20, 7.30 p.m. AEU House, Mount Pleasant. BRIXTON: Tuesday February 20, Training Centre, 8 p.m. Brixton Control Room. 'No state control of wages' DAGENHAM: Tuesday February 20, 8 p.m. Barking Co-op Hall, Fanshawe Avenue. 'Defend basic rights'. LEWISHAM: Thursday February 22, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers (opposite Cross station). ACTON: Tuesday February 27, 3. formard tole gan 'Forward Pageant —The Road to Workers' Power'.

CROYDON: Thursday March 1, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road. 'Defend democratic rights'.

MEDWAY.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 8pm Aurora Hotel Brompton Road Gillingham speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee)

SLOUGH

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28

8pm Britwell Community Centre Long Furlong Drive Britwell Estate speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

DAGENHAM

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8pm Manor Park Library Romford Rd/Rabbitts Road opp Rabbitts Pub speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

BIRMINGHAM

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25, 7pm Digbeth, Civic Hail Digbeth, Birmingham speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Citeo) Workers Press, Saturday February 10, 1973 PAGE 11

WORK STOPPED

again in large part of the Liverpool docks after yesterday mass meeting of more than 1,000 dockers voted to continue their strike over pay dispute. all, take completely Dockers working the freighter over your he said. ward Labour parties,' 'Administrator' originally walked off after claim David Nuttall, tor a special another Clay bonus handling of Cross payment an councillor, told the allegedly 'One thing dangerously - stowed ing: we can't do in had Clay Cross is abstain. Abstaining cargo of cotton bales been turned down. is as good as voting for the other The dispute later snowballed There is only side. one way LO as other dockers out in show the Tories what to do. That sympathy and now 12 ships are is what the gasworkers are doing, idle in four docks including the what the miners will do and the £50m Seaforth container terminal.

dockers and Ford workers.'

The Mersey Docks and Harbour Attacking the Press for its dis- Company is refusing to agree to tortions, he went 'At Clay arbitration Oll, an panel and has Cross, "Morning we read the accused the of breaking men "Socialist Worker" Star" and The negotiating procedure. em- Workers Press. Only these papers ployers want work to tell what is true,' he said to ap- before they begin talks. to fight is plause. 'One way to The dockers will stay out until stop buying the Tory Press and Monday when will be there buy your workers' papers' another mass meeting. A Dudley tenant, Mrs Maureen Hickman, hammered also the Recognition fight Tory-controlled TV and Press.

She said that the local 'Express at pipe plant and Star' had tried to ban an advertisement the meeting. A

RECOGNITION

dispute has She tremendous got applause broken out at the North Western when she said that if the ban Ceramic Pipe company Tod- at had not been lifted, the tenants morden. The company is refusing would organize a total boycott of to recognize Transport and

LWO

the 'Star'. General Workers' Union stewards.

Socialist Labour League Lectures DONCASTER: Sunday February OFFICES, Poplar High Street, 11, 7.30 p.m.

SPREAD

E14. Lecture 3.

EAGLE

HOTEL, Westlaithgate. 'The Re- NEWCASTLE: Monday February volutionary Party Britain'. in

FORD

ARMS,

p.m. Lecture given by Cliff Slaughter Shields Road. Lecture 3.

(SLL

Central Committee). SHEFFIELD: Monday February NEWCASTLE: Monday February

PREMISES,

p.m. 12.

FORD

ARMS,

p.m. Portobello near Jessops hos- Shields Road. Lecture 2. 'The pital) economic Crisis and the socialist answer'. ACTON: Wednesday February SHEFFIELD: Monday March 5, 14, 8 p.m. WOODLANDS HALL,

PREMISES.

YS 8 p.m. Porto- Crown Street, W3. Lecture 3.

bello (near Jessops hospital).

EAST LONDON:

Thursday The Revolutionary Party in February 15, 8 p.m. OLD TOWN Britain'. Do you get

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UPW chiefs 'strangle' PAGE 12 Workers Press, Saturday Feb

FEBRUARY

FUND NOW

£186.48

PUSH UP

TOTAL THIS

WEEKEND

TIME IS slipping by and we are a long way from raising our £1,750 target this month. We . dear appeal to of you, readers-don't leave it to a last-minute effort to complete our total, step up the fight to- day. It is vital that we do. The more thousands of workers from every industry take up the fight to defend their standard of living, the more and the cowardly reformist Stalinist trade union leadership do everything possible to avold a decisive fight against the Tory government. Workers Press Is needed to.

day to build an alternative leadership $ throughout the trade union and labour move- ment. Everywhere workers are looking for a leadership that Is determined to take this fight forward. We are determined all sections of trade that unionists will be united common action to make this government resign. The fight is on. Take up a struggle this weekend for your need an extra We paper. special effort to pull up the figure for this month's Fund.

We are relying on you. Raise as much as you can and post Immediately to : Workers Press February Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High St London SW4 7UG. city of LABOUR leaders siX councils yesterday pleaded with Heath at No. 10 Downing Street not to go-ahead with the massive rate re-assessments. Ald William Setton (above), leader of Liverpool Council, said afterwards: "I was very pleased with the reception we had. i am convinced that following • the meeting we have convinced the Prime Minister of the severity of the measures needed.' Liver- delegation from The pool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Bristor told Heath the cities, were finding themselves 'in a crisis situation'.

Registered as a newspaper at the Post Workers Press, Published by Office. Street, London. High 186a Clapham

SW4 70G.

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

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urday February 10, 1973 POST OFFICE union leaders y blocked all discussion of the T laws by the union's special cor at Bournemouth. motions con- Emergency demning the laws were ruth- lessly cleared off the agenda.

All attempts to put them back were crushed. However delegates were allowed to agree a Ip-a-week in- crease in contributions to raise 'remuneration to active union members'-from branch officer to executive level. And there was applause when London overseas telephonist John Haylett rose to draw attention to this. - branch secretary would His receive £200 a year extra under the new proposals, Haylett cal- culated. 'If the government's pay freeze

FROM PAGE 1

to force the Tory government to resign. of this, the union Instead talk while every basic leaders right of the working class is taken away. No call for action came from Wednesday's meeting of public- sector unions. The leaders refuse to mobilize the entire strength of the work- ing class behind the hospital ancillary workers or any other group of workers in conflict with the government. Instead workers are left to fight isolated, piece-meal battles because their leaders have no in- tention of leading a fight against the Tories. These leaders conduct dangerous sham fight instead of a real one. In particular, " T aders yesterday of the Tory pay ecial conference

FROM DAVID MAUDE

IN BOURNEMOUTH

is allowed to continue unchal- lenged by the trade union move- ment, that's £200 members will set, more than our He accused the executive of 'strangling' the pay debate.

Delegates also applauded a Stoke-on-Trent demand from postman Alf Flower that the UPW general secretary made a statement on the progress of the union's wage claim-pointing out that executive members had iust been voted a pay rise of f8 a week. The most likely explanation for yesterday's astonishing moves is Union of Post Office that the Workers is trying to do a back- with the government deal stage over its £5 across-the-board pay claim. One proposal under discussion.

I understand, is that the union will accept the fl plus the 4 per cent Phase One ceiling in return for special treatment under Phase Three. UPW general Tom Jackson, secretary, has already criticized the TUC for its refusal to talk to the government about Phase Two of its statutory pay controls.

Any move to condemn them, on behalf of the union's 200,000 members, would therefore be extremely embarrassing to the executive's clandestine man- oeuvres. branches Three attempted to break through the bureaucratic stone-walling yesterday. told their First they were resolutions were 'not admissible' they were not part of because the business the conference was called to discuss. When they tried to challenge standing this ruling, from the orders committee, UPW, chair- man Beryl Treble wheeled up second-line leadership's the defence: chairman's ruling is not 'The challengeable,' she declared.

conveniently omit from they their left' speeches all reler- ence to the international crisis of capitalism, which lies be- hind the Tory offensive. It is the trade war launched by the United States and Japan which has forced the European standards, attack wages, create capitalists to come together in Market, forced the Common then to slash workers' living unemployment and mass: " to remove every gain the seek working class has made over the the last 200 years. This means the only way to win the wages fight against the lar, ' Tory government and its laws Afterwards I talked to the three delegates involved.

Jim Birnie, from the Edin- burgh outdoor branch, had wanted to move a motion reject- ing the Tory incomes policy as a 'basic challenge to the rights and ability of trade unions t advance workers' interests' and step to the corporate state'.

His branch's motion also urged the speedy recall of the TUC to unite the trade union movement defeat the government's to policies. It's disgraceful,' he said of the platform's decision. would definitely have 'This been carried.' the Pad- Jock Cowan, from dington No. 1 branch in London.

'disgusted' by the block was put on which ..had been motion. He had wanted to go to the to 'deplore and utterly rostrum condemn' the Tories' continued on working-class living attack standards. Jock's branch was 'alarmed at the negative attitude of the TUC majority of the trade and the union leaders, in failing to use the power of the trade union movement to force the govern- to abandon wages ment policy. It wanted the UPW executive to consider immediate action against the pay laws. From Andover amalgamated Curtis not branch, Peter was surprised by the turn of events.

but felt the union leadership had to be challenged on this vital issue. branch had wanted the His executive to 'do all in its demo- such cratic to oppose power iniquitous, totalitarian legislation'.

• Fred Moss, UPW treasurer, estimated the total cost of the union's new financial arrange- ments at £150,000. The contribu- tion increases will be expected to cover more than half of this.

The union's chairman will get €500 a year extra as a result of the proposals. is to bring that government down. That can only be done by uniting the whole working class in a General Strike. The trade union leaders must be forced to do this. a campaign requires Such the leadership of a revolution- ary party. That is the purpose the Socialist of transforming Labour League into the revo- lutionary party this year.

It is the purpose also of our Pageant of Labour now launched in South Wales, Lancashire the north east and London. Hundreds of workers are being involved in re-enacting their own history ONE HUNDRED and thirteen General and Municipal Workers' Union members at Swansea gas- works (left) yesterday came out on a token stoppage against the Tory wage laws. mostly gas fitters, The men, held a picket at the main gate.

Mr Phil Pettican, secretary of Swansea No. 1 branch of the G&MWU, said that the men were not satisfied with the official union policy of an overtime ban non-co-operation starting and next Wednesday. Stronger action was necessary, he said. The strike yesterday was Swan- gasworkers' way of telling sea their union leaders this.

gasmen's A meeting of 130 In Southampton has delegates decided to commence immediate Industrial action. From midnight last night men employed in the southern region, • Oxford to Bridport, have from been banning overtime and work- ing to rule.

BY ROYSTON BULL

OUR INDUSTRIAL

CORRESPONDENT

ABOUT 5,000 workers at the Ford Motor Company's giant Halewood plant, near Liverpool, downed tools yesterday within hours of the announcement of a • offer of £2.40 a derisory pay week Earlier in the day union nego- 52,000 representing tiators hourly-paid Ford workers re- jected the company's offer at talks held in Essex. The offer came in answer to the carworkers' claim for £10 week, plus a 35-hour extra week and more holidays. Shop stewards from all Ford plants-about 400 of them—will now meet in Coventry next week- end to decide what action to take in pursuit of the pay claim.

Some shop-floor committees have already called for strike March 1 when the action from new agreement is due.to be im- plemented. The company's offer is directly in line with the fl plus 4 per cent pay ceiling set by the gov- ernment's wage control laws.

The offer, which comes at the end of a two-year deal, is in sharp contrast to the f30m profit just declared by the Ford Motor Company. Yesterday pay talks between management and union represen- tatives were held at a motel near A company official Hornchurch. commented: 'The talks were brief and to the point. There was not much we could say to each other really' —the struggle for democratic rights, for unions, and for a Labour Party-and linking their past with their present struggles.

The culminating rally, which will bring thousands of workers to the Empire Pool, Wembley, on March 11, is central to the fight to build a new leadership in the unions and force them to call a General Strike to bring the Tory government down. imperative now for It workers to take part in this join the and campaign to socialist Labour League in order to create and build the revolu- tionary party to end Tory rule for good.