Militants Call for Rank-and-File Liaison

'HANG Martell!' 'The Watford Observer is "black"!' 'For the 40-hour week!' roared over 2,000 printworkers as they marched through the streets of Watford on Tuesday.

Right at the front of the demonstration marched a group of printers from Liverpool.

'We came down because we consider it necessary to develop more liaison among the various districts,' explained Bro. Vince Crawford.

Bro. Crawford, who is chairman of the Liverpool disputes committee of the Printing and Kindred Trades Federation, told me:

'We sent an official delegation of eight from Liverpool, but at least another twenty travelled down on their own initiative. We need more joint activity to win this fight—not pious resolutions.'

He was disgusted at the activity of the Trades Union Congress in the dispute.

'They ought to be bloody well ashamed of themselves,' he declared.

Bro. Tommy Taylor, who is full-time assistant secretary of Liverpool branch of the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers, expressed the opinion that there should be no retreat from the demand for the 40-hour week and the 10 per cent.

Behind the Liverpool lads came the red and gold banner of the London district committee of the paper workers' union. Following them, glinting in the brilliant afternoon sun, was the orange and black banner of the Watford branch of the Typographical Association.

Women marchers were militant

Among the London marchers I met Reg Brady, chairman of the Natsopa chapel at the Sunday Graphic, and a member of the executive of the Holborn and South St Pancras Labour Party.

He too was for more liaison.

'What we need are local rank-and-file committees linking up the jobs,' he declared. 'This is particularly needed in the big combines. The bosses have a united front. The working class needs one too.'

Bro. Brady was critical about the attitude of the Labour Party leaders.

'They should be giving us every possible support. Instead, they remain neutral.'

Many of the marchers were women, and they were just as militant and forceful as the men.

One girl from Odhams said: 'I am for stopping the national Press. Cut all their ink supplies off. After all, Odhams print the Daily Herald, and they own Hultons and Newnes, both big magazine printers. We've got to hit them where it hurts most.'