The Newsletter, vol. 6 no. 241

EDITORIAL The Fascist Threat in France THE brutal murder of women 'and children in the marketplace of the Casbah in Algiers is but another damning indictment of imperialism.

is not French imperialism alone which is responsible for such criminal actions against the colonial people. It is world imperialism, and this means the Tory government. They are already arranging for • French paratroopers, one of the most reactionary military regiments, to train in Britain. The OAS thugs are in no way different from the Belgian butchers of Patrice Lumumba. What is happening in Algeria today is of serious concern to the international working class.

The ultras of Algeria have the same mentality as those who are now swinging more to the right inside the Tory Party. They are working for a fascist dictatorship in France as the only solution to the problem of Algeria. Behind them stand's a motley crew of generals and right-wing politicians. = Gaulle cannot and will not defeat the OAS. This task can only be carried out by the French working class in alliance with their Aigerian brothers. le Communist Party of France supports de Gaulle; the working class is therefore, being guided to defeat once more. It was the policy of the Communist Party in the fatal June days of 1958 to support the Pflimlin government which ushered in the dictatorship of General de Gaulle. ne Communist Party voted with that government full confidence in General Salan, then military commander of Algeria-the same Salan who now heads the fascist forces. ipport for de Gaulle today will lead to nothing but defeat. What is needed above all is a continuation of the great efforts responsible for the massive demonstration at the funeral of the victims murdered by the police a few weeks ago. le French working class must act-and it is our duty to see that it receives the full support of the British Labour movement.

HE Orpington by-election Liberal candidate, Mr. El Conservative supporters. Tory in the past, switche because they have the slightest b that the government is not movi Middle Class Rejects I result is a ric Lubbock, Over 8,000 he middle class.

These people are now ng around in a way :ould make them allies ıltra-right or even a novement.

THE right-wing executive council of the Electrical Trades Union have ordered the President and 11 members of the Croydon and district No. 25 area committee to appear before them to answer charges of discrediting the union.

The electricians formed a deputation to ETU headquarters some weeks ago and demanded an interview with the general secretary, John Thomas Byrne.

They wanted to know why the executive had sacked the acting Assistant General Secretary, Robert McLennan; why head office considered it necessary to send an executive member to their area committee to explain the EC's policy; and why Byrne and company had shelved the rules decided by conference last November.

'EXPLAIN'

The area committee members have been told to present themselves before the executive in three batches on Saturday and Sunday to explain their actions.

Other ETU branches have protested against this high-handed attitude by the High Court - imposed right - wing leadership.

Brighton ETU branch has demanded that witnesses be allowed to attend the special meeting.

The action instigated by the President of the London Press branch of the ETU which seeks to restrain the EC from balloting the members on whether or not it can hold a special rules conference began its hearing in the High Court on Friday.

By Our Political Correspondent grave warning to Labour. The victory of the is the outcome of a most serious crisis amongst electors, many of whom have staunchly voted d their votes to the Laberal iney changea inew vur nur relief in the future of the Liberal Party, but because they feel ing decisively enough against the Labour movement.

The vote represents a class polarization inside the camp of the right. Whilst it is true that the Labour Party holds he support of the working class, and that this has even slightly ncreased, as can be seen from the Lincoln by-election, Jaitskell's policy, nevertheless, provides no real attraction for swingwhich of an fascist As the 'Daily Telegraph' of Friday, March 16, said: : This is not a revival but, if anything, a new birth; the birth of a strange, vague, general but fundamental discontent. Here is the soil in which fascist propaganda takes root.

The Labour vote is not a Gaitskell vote but an anti-Tory vote. The middle class in constituencies like Orpington are deeply concerned about high taxation, increased transport charges and a host of other problems which the Tory Party and right-wing Labour ignore.

The middle class in these areas are confused and muddled about real issues and see no difference between the Tory Party and the Labour Party.

Under these circumstances, they can be violently anti-trade union and, indeed, many of them are.

The Orpington result proves conclusively that Labour has lost the middle-class voters and retained its support amongst the working class only because of their devotion to the anti-Tory fight.

The Tory Party is in a crisis because a large section of its supporters are turning ADVERTISEMENT NORTH-EAST FOOD FOR CUBA' COMMITTEE Food and money urgently needed.

Help to protect the Cuban Revolution.

Donations, etc., to secretary: Roland Boyes, 30 Wellfield. Road, Wingate, Co. Durham. * 1 --. _Lammed dania entr mant more right.

The Labour Party can only change this situation on the basis of a more socialist policy, which will declare war on the monopolies through the nationalization of the basic industries.

Such a policy will have to explain the failure of nationalization under capitalism and distinguish between this and the success of an economy which is completely nationalized.

In order to win the middle class to Labour, it is necessary to hit hard at the real enemies of the middle class, the monopolies and trusts.

This, of course, Mr. Gaitskell will never do. And at the moment when bold leadership is required from the left, the members of parliament in the Victory for Socialism group are deciding to co-operate more closely with Gaitskell.

This is the road to ruin for Labour. Nothing but demoralization and frustration, as happened in the French Socialist Party, can result from such policies.

come to the aid of the Cuban revolution. of great assistance.

The International its meeting in April. Socialists and

THE International Committee of the Fourth International has appealed to all Trotskyists throughout the world to In a letter to the International Secretariat (Pablo group), the International Committee stresses that 'the American blockade of Cuba has created serious difficulties for the Revolution in that country. The letter goes on to state that 'as both the International Committee and the International Secretariat stand for the unconditional defence of that Revolution, this seems to be an opportunity where a joint effort on behalf of our Committees can initiate a Food for Cuba Campaign which should prove TRADE unionists, young - socialists and colonial students joined the picket outside the American Embassy last Saturday which was organized by the London Area Committee of the Socialist Labour League.

Begininng at 10 a.m., the picket continued until 4 p.m. and drew a great deal of attention from the many Americans visiting the Embassy.

Leaflets which were handed out called on the labour organizations in Britain to organize committees to collect money for medical supplies and food now badly needed in Cuba.

Response to the appeal for the formation of committees has been widespread.

Enquiries have come in from places as far apart as Scotland and Bognor Regis, and from many parts of London.

At a meeting of London University students at the London School of Economics last week, a resolution was carried unanimously to organize support for Cuban relief schemes.

Secretariat is to discuss

E GAULLE announced the agreement with the Algerian nationalists as a realistic step taken in the national interests of France. By this he meant-as the terms of the agreement make clear— that French capitalism needed to bring the war to an end and that, in the circumstances, it must be considered fortunate that it has safeguarded its vital interests so well.

Not a word was said about the causes of the struggle, or the factors which led him to change his own policy.

These are bygones: the task now is to seize the opportunity presented to continue the coonomic exploitation -of Algerian labour and natural wealth, with the goodwill of the FLN assured.

For international capitalism, as well as for France, the end of the war was imperative.

The spectacle of a people in arms fighting against oppression has been too much like an incitement to other peoples in the African continent.

Not only did all capitalist states have an interest in an Algerian settlement - and they FACED with an overwhelming vote in support of the exiled Juan Peron, Argentina's President Frondizi acted in the only way open to a good democrat in the circumstances: he called in the Army.

In ten provinces, including Buenos Aires, Peronists were elected as Governor, and obtained majorities in Congress.

On Tuesday, two days after the elections, the President agreed to demands from the Army and put these provinces under military rule.

Frondizi is now preparing a decree which will illegalise the Peronists. Sunday's elections were the first in which they were able to stand since 1955, when the army overthrew the Peron regime.

The vote is a blow to the US-dominated Organization of American States. Peron, balancing between sections of the Argentine capitalists and the trades union movement, was a thorn in the side of the State Department.

Since his ejection from power, he has lived in Franco Spain.

His supporters still retain a big following among trade unionists, and the Argentine Trade Union Confederation has threatened a general strike against the army's reversal of the election results.

geoisie has tragedy of struggle.

It has meant of the Alger been partly in Fifth Republic a settlement capitalism.

secondiy, there is sition to de Gaulle European population as well as part of corps, whuch offers fascist alternative certainly oppose, as as it is able, the settle has now been made. may have enforced it through the United Nations if de Gaulle had not taken steps in that direction - but the Fifth Republic itself was threatened by the continuance of the war.

It was threatened in two ways, and neither of those threats has been entirely removed by the cease-fire.

Firstly, there was the possibility of a line-up between the Algerian people and the French working class which would have threatened the very existence of capitalist rule.

The blocking of this development by the continued preference of the leaders of the working class organizations for their 'own' bourbeen the great this seven-year that the sacrifices an people have vain and that the was able to reach favourable to the oppofrom the in Algeria, the officer a militaryand will effectively ment which Spreading chaos in Algeria could not only make the settlement unworkable, it could also create a wider field of action for the OAS in France and enable it to make a bid for power.

By emphasising the second of these threats and supporting de Gaulle, whatever the verbal reservations, the Communist Party has kept the working class as passive spectators of the Algerian tragedy.

Its position has been shared by the socialist and trade union leaders. The French 'left' has again manifested its desperate fear of a political intervention involving the mobilization of the masses.

The danger of fascism has not been lessened by this policy of the lesser evil'. Workers have been confused by the contradictions in this policy and have been held back when they have wanted to fight.

De Gaulle is hoping that the working class leaders will maintain their present policy and will be able to keep their followers need the the OAS Algeria to check. He m king c ass agai nable ł is policy carried through.

At the same time, in the interests of French capital, his government stands • behind the bosses in their drive to gear industry - through speed-up, breaking down traditional workshop practices, concentration, etc. — to withstand increased competition in the Common Market.

But it must be stressed that while de Gaulle takes neces sary defensive measures against Salan and the OAS, that body, or the people behind it, are potential allies should the gamble in Algeria or with the working class in France fail.

The gambles which are now being made depend upon the complicity of the leadership of the working class movement in France and of the national movement in Algeria.

The interests of Social Democratic and Stalinist bureaucracy, as well as those of the petty bourgeois apparatus of the FLN, are best served by an accommodation with imperialism.

No doubt these men now hope that they are moving into calmer waters; a return to a routine of negotiation and pressures or, for the FLN, the assimilation of the concessions made to them at Evian.

In a future which is no less obscure because of the ceasefire, and where the possibilities of speculation are endless, only one thing seems certain.

The stabilisation of the Fifth Republic, and of the new Algerian Republic to be associated with it, hinges upon a series of conditions which are unlikely to be realised.

Neither the French working class, nor the peasants and workers of Algeria, are likely to accept for long, or passively, a situation which offers no perspecitve but further sacrifices on their part.

The opportunities for new leaderships are greater than ever.

AT its meeting last week, the executive of the Amalgamated Engineering Union decided to write to the Labour Party asking why Ernie Roberts had been taken off the 'A' list of union sponsored parliamentary candidates.

Roberts, who is AEU Assistant Secretary, had been declared ineligible for Labour Party candidature on the recommendation of the Organization Subcommittee.

Although George Brown, the Sub-committee's chairman had alleged that the AEU had been 'consulted', in fact no reasons have yet been presented for the decision, either to Roberts or

By OUR POLITICAL "REYNOLDS News' and 'The Times' have obligingly revealed that Victory for Socialism, an organisation sponsored by 20 left Labour MPs, is about to fold up.

This has not been exactly the best kept secret of the year, since it has been known for some time that these MPs are seriously considering a political surrender to Gaitskell now that a general election will certainly take place within the next year or two.

The group itself was formed in 1943, at a time when there was much dissatisfaction in the Labour Party over the war-time collaboration with the Tories.

It continued a rather sickly existence until the Brighton Labour Party conference of 1957. It was at this conference that the late Aneurin Bevan emerged as an all-out supporter of Mr. Gaitskell's H-bomb policy.

INEFFECTIVE

DEFECTIVE Michael Foot, then editor of "Tribune', and a number of left MPs considered that the reason for Bevan's defection arose because there had been no effective left group of MPs in Parliament since the days of the old Keep Left movement in 1949.

They started looking around for an organization and concluded that a political take-over bid should be made for VFS.

Unfortunately, this meant removing the existing leadership and replacing it with more 'dynamic' figures, like Sydney Silverman and Ian Mikardo.

A meeting was held in the House of Commons and packed out by the supporters of those who wanted to take over. They won the vote and a revamped VFS emerged.

With a flourish of trumpets, the new group organized public meetings in London early in 1958. At that point Transport House intervened and called a halt to the left romantics, who quickly beat a retreat and stopped the movement towards organization in the constituency Labour parties.

Hundreds of enthusiastic left wingers had their hopes dashed by this initial capitulation.

There matters stood until the Scarborough conference of 1960, when the great movement against the H-bomb defeated the right wing.

the union.

Over 120 constituency Labour parties have now sent protests to Transport House against the treatment of Ernie Roberts.

After selection for Horsham, he was refused endorsement by the NEC. When nominated by AEU District Committees for two other divisions, he was told he could not stand.

The whole matter is to be raised on the AEU National Committee. Left-wing delegates regard this as an attack by Gaitskell and Brown on the right of constituency Labour parties and unions to back candidates who disagree with the leadership.

At public meetings during that conference, lan Mikardo and others stressed the fact that the purpose of Victory for Socialism was not to challenge the leadership.

The failure of Victory for Socialism is one more example of the inability of the left centrists in the Labour Party to replace the right wing. To all intents and purposes, their policies are similar.

TIFFS AND TURNABOUTS Here and there they can quarrel, over the H-bomb, for instance, but when the time comes for decisive action against the right, they invariably beat a shameful retreat.

Now the sponsors want to cover their retreat with allegations that the Trotskyists are responsible.

On March 19, 'The Times' quoted a VFS leader as saying that over the past year they 'have seen a danger that the group may be captured by Trotskyists.

This is nonsense. At the 1961 conference of VFS, the rank and file was so outraged by the inaction of the leadership that they defeated the platform on a number of questions, such as the lifting of the ban on the Socialist Labour League.

What the leadership saw was a nger that this new resurgence activity might well bring them into serious conflict with the Gaitskell leadership. So they have decided to close the organization down.

Needless to say, this decision has not been discussed in the ranks. Such self-professed democrats conveniently forget about democracy when it comes to arranging these conspiracies.

Left wingers who have supported Victory for Socialism are now called upon to make an assessment of the type of leaders who have so shamefully abused their confidence by surrendering to Gaitskell.

JUST FOR THE KICKS The right-wing machine kicks them around wherever it wishes. They lack a socialist programme to fight the right. So they are ultimately faced with capitulation.

If the left wing is to emerge, as it can in the next few years, as a powerful factor in the Labour Party, then it must have a leadership which bases its policy on the struggle of the trade unions and relates this struggle to the fight against the right wing inside the Labour Party.

Only those who accept Marxism as a guide can organise such a fight. The rank and file of the Labour Party has had enough of the fake lefts and their paper organizations like Victory for Socialism.

The time has now come for a real leadership which will not give in to Gaitskell.

authorised capital of f14t These recommendations have million. It made a profit last formed the basis of the Tory year of nearly f8 million. Its government's policy in Central board of directors includes Africa. They have succeeded in

the political Welensky. allowed to like a bull pool. He to defend supremacy "O one need waste either sympathy or anger over antics of that ageing pugilist, Sir Roy He has been croak belligerently frog in a segregated has done his best the cause of white in Central Africa. but nis masters no longer neea him and he must either change his tune or keep quiet.

Macmillan has given Home Secretary Butler a slice of the Colonial cake—the Federation —in order to keep-a benign, but firm, check on the activities of the champion of the white settlers.

The Central African Federation, consisting of the territories of Northern and Southern Rhodesia, together with Nyasaland, was established in 1950 Butler: put the old boxer down for the count. to make sure that part. of Africa remained a profitable field for imperialist investments.

These investments were devoted mainly to the mining of the copper and the other minerals of that rich area. All the politics of the area can be explained in terms of mining.

There are two basic requirements: first, supplies of cheap labour must be maintained. This is what makes Rhodesian mining shares so profitable.

Second, stable government must be maintained so that the authorised capital of £14ł million. It made a profit last year of nearly f8 million. Its board of directors includes bankers, ex-colonial governors obtaining the agreement of the bankers, ex-colonial governors and one eminent academic Europeans and the Africans in Prepare for Action and one eminent academic economist Lord Robins. economist Lord Robins. These are the people who rule constitution.

These are the people who rule Central Africa. Central Africa. They supported the policy of power in Nyasaland and has ANUMBER of urgent prob- fore bound to undermine any They supported the policy of white supremacy for many demonstrated impressive qualiwhite supremacy for many years, until it became clear ties of what they call 'statesman- the Greek workers are ready On the other hand, the years, until it became clear that the policy was doomed. ship'. that the policy was doomed. The privileged miners of North- So far they have been able down with the ruling class. of leadership is wholly negative. The privileged miners of Northern Rhodesia and the farmers to make use of Welensky, too. ern Rhodesia and the farmers who own vast estates in South- His intransigence has enabled wherever there exists a mili- the unions are among the first who own vast estates in Southby James Baker friends of the Africans. ern Rhodesia have been useful on February 27, 'Northern Greece, where the first attempt tive leadership. ern Rhodesia have local tools. local tools. But this was before the rise look with suspicion on any ship through bribery and the nature of their party prevents But this was before the rise of mass movements of African of mass movements of African constitution to which Sir Roy offers of 'positions. peasants and workers. Now peasants and workers. Now gives approval. And conversely This has been achieved, for with honesty their actions and the mining interests see the need the mining interests see the need his present anger with Britain example, o control this movement. They is tending to put the Africans Engineers' Union, where every to control this movement. They cannot do it themselves, nor into a mood of acceptance.' cannot do it themselves, nor can their white stooges. can their white stooges. They realise that they must delusions of grandure. He sees 'puppet' executive installed. They realise that they must bring some of the African himself cast in the role of a The union's constitution calls ward slogans for 'parliamenbring some of the African petty bourgeoisie into posi- great statesman. petty bourgeoisie into positions of local responsibility. tions of local responsibility. Having ruled through white Butler to point out to Welensky account of their actions to the cratic rights of the people, Having ruled through white puppets for 50 years, they are where he really belongs—-below membership, followed by elec- for a democratic government puppets for 50 years, they are convinced of their ability to the stairs. convinced of their ability to bring a few black puppets The 'Home and Colonial' The present leadership has not the fight for socialism must bring a few black puppets into the arena and to continue minister has no other task to called a conference for a be suspended. into the arena and to continue to rule for another 50 years. perform. This is not evidence, number of years, and rules to rule for another 50 years. An important stage in the as Mr. Kaunda may think, of without recourse to the rank An important stage in the mperialists' relations with Cen- further 'liberalisation' by the and file. imperialists' relations with Central Africa has just been imperialists. tral Africa has just been reached. In 1960 the Monckton reached. In 1960 the Monckton Commissioners reported that if Commissioners reported that if the Federation were to break But the dangers of civil war installing stooges is remote, due Marxist leadership that will help the Federation were to break up, not only would markets in Central Africa are not great. ta mare demarratio conctit. it to achieve its unity. up, not only would markets contract and opportunities for employment diminish, but the credit worthiness which has made these advances possible would disappear' (Monckton Report, 1960, p. 28).

DISTRUST

They expressed the conviction that the economic advantages of the Federation were so great that in time it should be possible to allay African distrust.

They recommend a number of measures which they believe would help to establish 'partnership and mutual confidence'. Northern Rhodesia to a revised Hastings Banda has come to the imperialists to pose as the tant workers movement, the to expose and attack the bankThe London correspondent of it of an effective leadership. they have failed time atter time the 'Rhodesia Herald' wrote This certainly applies to to provide an effective alternaRhodesian Africans naturally has been to buy off the leader- They will always fail, for the But Welensky has been getting broken, elections rigged and a They try to divert it into Macmillan has appointed which the EC must give a full NO DANGER NO DANGER But the dangers of civil war Central Africa are not great.

Neither is there any danger of the African populations acquiring a decent standard of life, or of the main industries being nationalised. There will be no danger of these things until the African workers and peasants can get rid of their Kaundas and their Bandas, together with all the other 'Uncle Toms.

The peasanis and workers of Central Africa have demonstrated their willingness to fight over and over again. If they had a leadership worthy of them they could proceed to the transformation of their society.

Check Welensky Second of two articles by G. DEMETRIADES lems must be solved before attempt at unity. for the approaching show- Stalinist answer to the problem Throughout the 'free' world, True, the CP members in capitalists will try to deprive ruptcy of the right wing. But the constitutionat rule has been sive working class militancy.

for an annual conference at tary action'® tions for a new executive.

Frame-Up Frame-Up Where the possibilities of look in its own ranks for the Where the possibilities of installing stooges is remote, due to more democratic constitutions which enable the membership to keep greater control, the government resorts to arrests and frame-up trials of militants.

Manolis Glezos and other members of the seamen's union leadership, for example, were accused of spying and are still in prison.

The installing of right-wing stooges and the wave of arrests have made the chances of united action by all the unions extremely difficult. Such action would naturally threaten the position of the right-wing leaders as well as of the government. Such 'leaders' are therethem from trying to examine powerful correct their past mistakes.

The Stalinists fear exces'safe channels, putting forThe fight for the 'demo and world peace means that Own Ranks Own Ranks The leadership will not be The leadership will not be found among the Stalinists. found among the Stalinists. The Greek working class must The Greek working class must look in its own ranks for the Marxist leadership that will help it to achieve its unity.

The first step should be the setting up of strike committees in each section of the labour movement waging a strike or preparing for one.

They will be able to coordinate and plan their struggles and turn them into effective weapons against the government and its working class laws. At the same time they will be able to foil any attempt by the right wing to betray the struggle.

Such militant committees can become permanent once their effectiveness is proved. Through them union control will gradually pass into the hands of the workers.

Once this control is established and the deadweight of

profits can be paid to the shareholders.

This is particularly important now, since after many years of low yields the shares are now beginning to show larger dividends. Unless political stability is maintained these will be lost.

The British South Africa Company and the other mining companies are the real rulers of Central Africa. The company was founded in 1889 and until 1924 was directly responsible for the administration of much of the territory.

Today this company has an ROYAL GAFFE 'After proving himself a consummate goodwill ambassador during the first month of a seven-week trade-drumming tour of South America, Britain's Prince Philip stumbled into a veritable gaffeand-a-half at Paraguay's Government House. "It's a pleasant change," off-handed His Royal Highness to President Alfredo Stroessner, "to be in a country which isn't ruled by its people.")

'Time', 23.3.62 The winner £80 million richer in two months: that is the reward given to Courtaulds' shareholders forjust being Courtaulds' shareholders!

Whether they decided to accept ICI's offer of four ordinary ICI shares for five Courtaulds, or to retain their shares in Courtaulds, they have seen the value of their holdings shot up by 60 per cent.

When battle was joined between the two giants, the Courtaulds' directors were obliged to expose the real worth of the company's assets in an attempt to persuade shareholders not to part with their shares. Profits forecast for the immediate future showed vast increases; by 1965 total group profits of £28 million were estimated.

But not only were attractive profit forecasts made. Shareholders were promised a 2ž per cent special tax free distribution in each of the years 1961-62, 1962-63 and 1963-64, that is a tax free distribution of £2 million yearly.

These capital distributions could only arise out of a revaluation of assets. In other words past balance sheets of the company do not disclose the huge reserves that have been built up over the years, particularly those arising from investments in associated companies such as British Nylon Spinners and the Italian Snia Viscosa.

You can be quite certain, however, that Selwyn Lloyd does not intend to tax this type of profit in his proposed capital gains tax. Those 30 public companies who own 40 per cent of all public company assets probably have similar undisclosed assets. But they have not been faced with a take-over bid.

As it turned out, ICI succeeded in obtaining 38.5 per cent of Courtaulds'• shares at a cost of £75 million. Can it be said that ICI have been defeated in its efforts to take over Courtaulds?

Mr. Paul Chambers, the ICI chairman, has said that he does not regard the holding in Courtaulds merely as "non-voting" stock, but the voting power would only be used 'in the cause of the effective and efficient operation of the Courtaulds' business'.

ICI are now the biggest single shareholder in Courtaulds. Without a doubt, they will secure representation on the Board of Courtaulds, and will bring all their influence to bear to promote policies favourable to themselves.

Courtaulds compete against ICI in the man-made fibres industry. ICI are manufacturers of the raw materials used in that industry. It is inconceivable that pressure will not be brought to bear arising out of the new relationship.

90 per cent of Courtaulds would have cost £250 million. Why bother to spend that if a smaller holding will bring similar results? Mr. Randolph Churchill, at the ICI shareholders meeting, said, ' If at first you don't succeed try, try, try again. But it's my guess that they don't need to.

ICI are now in a monopolistic position in the man-made fibre industry.

They are most certainly ripe for the biggest take-over bid of them all—nationalization. Labour should include this demand in its election policy. the old leadership is cast aside, the Greek working class will be ready to devote all its energy to the preparations for the final struggle.

More Than Advice The British working class can and must offer much more than mere advice to their Greek brothers.

They can facilitate the latter's bitter struggle by campaigning against the reign of terror in Greece, by organizing mass demonstrations for the freedom of the jailed trade union militants and by exposing the role of Western imperialism in that country.

But the most effective help they can give will be in the stepping up of their fight against British capitalism and its government at home, without the help of which the Greek ruling class could not survive.

The victory of the British working class at home will spell victory for the working classes of Greece and the other colonial and semi-colonial countries of the world.

24, 1962 Dunlop

VER 3,000 Dunlop factory workers at mass meeting in Birmingham on Tuesday at voted unanimously to come out on unofficial strike. This to to a in opposition to an announcement by the industry's national joint industrial council of a wages structure giving £1 a week increase to a stewards concerned are small number of the lowest Sister Lake and Brothers too paid workers, but nothing to Miles, Kelly, Perkins, Eustace, the production workers.

Hooper, Morrison and Davis. Union officials speaking of the One of them, Sister Lake, against strike action were not even on strike but is that hoping greeted with jeers and catcalls. of the Scottish Area of the NUM, at a special delegate was in fact on the sick list ries are short and the tremen- Brother Harold Smith, district before and during the strike dous response generated by the organizer of the NUGMW was held to discuss 'these and was paid benefit by BLSP three-month strike BLSP had told at the close of the meeting by shop stewards, 'You'd better face the whole time. died down. It is necessary, The irresponsible elements' Scottish Secretary The majority of those victim- therefore, to revitalize that sup- it, the executive of the union has 5,000 miners from 12 pits the Scottish TUC. ized have been without work port and isolate the right-wing grown so far away from the shop floor that all the officials can do had stopped work wien A call for the convening ( an for five to six months and have leadership on this question. is to quote rules and regulations heard the Coal Board all Fife conference with the had a really tough time. First At British Light Steel Press- for the benefit of the company? sion that the Glenochil Fife County Council. victimized by the Rootes ings itself, there is still no shop One steward said, 'This strike Rothes pits were to close A telegram to thi management and now victimized stewards' committee to represent decision means that we are going matter of weeks. for her help by their own union 'leaders', the Union workers. organiza- to by-pass the union officials and At a meeting in Alloa vene. these stewards receive the tion well has been and truly talk straight from the shop floor against, calling on the delegate passed a resolution, with one meeting support the con- Friday, March 16, 1,000 miners A petition to the closures. for the halting call to the Scottish Que of en asking the pit and maximum support membership of the In each district, shop stewards' committee every branch AEU. from the in the factory are drawn from the small element who scabbed smashed. Many to the employers.' said, 'The whole industry is tied up with rigmarole and red tape. This strike Brother P. Phillips, shop steward, decision shows the tinuation the stoppage'. oppose pit closures. be mobilized against this several weeks before strike contempt of the workers of Fort Speaker after speaker It is around this type of pro- attack. Resolutions of protest was called off. Dunlop for the NJIC which manded that the Scottish gramme that the leaders of the must pour in the Some 16 members operates in such that the a way ecutive and the Delegate Con- ference 'get out and lead us'. complete acceptance of Scottish miners are dema nding a union council. It is quite inadequate for sacked supervisory staff have now been by Rootes as redundant. only people company? who the benefit the Glenochil pit, spoke about Donald Burns, the delegate of a vote was demanded discipline. At the special delegate meeting by the North mittee merely to London District Com- 'call upon the Many strikers of them went round to houses entice indi- claim for night allowance, tiations for which have ' Involved this dispute is nego- been the stay-down strike by two young union leadership for or against EC to reconsider its decision'. viduals back break the dragging on for two years. • We miners, Davie Carruthers and union policy. No Carron threate ned at the very strike. are hoping workers at the other Mathew Patterson. allowed. beginning of the dispute to expel They have rubber companies at Liverpool, While the two men lay 900 feet Four delegates had the courage the 600 AEU members on for Rootes Manchester, Wolverhampton and down at Glenochil, in their fourth to cast their vote against this kind strike, bu the protests from the paid off. London will come out with day of the stay-down protest of blank cheque. against the closure, union officials Their motion for strike action were touring Fifeshire and other was put only after the leadership parts of Scotland to break the had forced through their own strike. policy. It received 6 votes.

The local union official was The right wing can well pat on ALAN instructed 'get those men up at the back Moffat and the other all costs'. members of the Communist Party THE general council of the September to get introduced as part of the At the meeting of the Rothes who 'lead' the Scottish area. National Union of General all their claims. rule out the benefits of miners, John McArthur, NUM The men whom Moffat attacks and Municipal Workers has The national ave! ige wage 40-hour week. Area Secretary told reporters that the interest of industrial peace turned down a request for an gas workers is less than £9 Although union leaders the union policy was to take as 'irresponsibles' are the back- immediate strike ballot among a week. the cut, workers and shop action 'short of strike action'. bone of the rank-and-file leader- bitterly opposed it.

He thought that a period of ship. its 60,000 members in the gas Shop floor solidarity has forced redundancy was inevitable, but Many of them are members of industry. the management to back down. that the government should 1 vide the £6 million necessary xo- for the same party as Moffat; some are openly at war with the Com- and Instead executive the approved the The NUGMW's general secre- to half-an-hour on most days as Five-minute tea breaks stretched further development. The kind of 'action' which the coalfield. munist Party over the fight in the chief plans of Fred negotiator Hayday, in the their tary, Jack Cooper, announced on Tuesday that his executive would vidual cups workers queued for their indi- and politely offered were prepared to sponsor can be three union officials at the meeting is a programme for struggle and What the Scottish miners want industry. 180,000 members in the ship- make no recommendation to their pound notes silver ment. shown from the proposals not meaningless requests to He suggested that union building and engineering industry Workers will now have a adopted. royalty. They want leadership in should seek an interview with the on how they should vote in the minute break in the morning A call to fighting for a united movement and not snivelling to the right could express their 'bitter resent- Minister of Power where they strike ballot being organized by the Confederation unions. a trolley service in the aftern joint approach to wing on the National Executive ment' at the government's inter- This right-wing controlled union POSTMEN of the NUM. vention in the wage negotiations. nas opposed strike action all along ACTION The union will then hold new in favour of further negotiations POST office workers, highly talks with the employers in an with the employers for a pay dissatisfied with the slow rate of effort improved to get an increase and a shorter working ADVERTISEMENT- offer. The Minister of Power advised week. Mr. Cooper said, however, that negotiations on progress being their pay made in the ' claim, the employers that the government they would follow the decision are pressing for action would take a serious view of of the Confederation executive the GPO. departure from the 2-23 and conduct a ballot of their The work-to-rule campaign by 'pay pause' offers. members, but without suggestions the UPW was called off on TORIES ' The unions turned an or recommendations on which February 1 in order that talks offer of 2d. an hour; they asked way to vote. could begin with the employers.

Speaker: G. HEALY for 2}d., with an extra 1fd. in The TGWU, CEU and the Discussions have gone on for September to bring gas workers Boilermakers' executives have pro- several weeks but a settlement has into line with electricity and posed to their members that they not been reached. Ron Smith, aker: water worl ers. vote in favour of a national strike. UPW general secretary, met the The call for a strike ballot came deputy director of the GPO on from the Birmingham district Monday but no further progress committee of the NUGMW. TEA BREAK was made. ade Unions Today- 8,000 Wes Midland gas workers AT FORDS The union's branch, Crisis of Leadership have also passed a resolution WORKERS at the Dagenham Manchester, has sent a resolution calling for a strike ballot in the factory of Fords are to have to the executive calling for a event of further talks between their ten-minute tea break 24-hour strike to protest at the Racialism and the down. union and employers breaking stored, the management slow progress of the negotiations. Mr. Smith said that if no reply Working Class Mr. Hayday told the general this week. or the date for a reply was Registered at the G.P.O. as a newspaper 186A Clapham High Street, London, S.W.4 Published by The Newsletter. (Bradford); Sponsoring the school are: NUR (Ardwi‹ should council not rush and the executive that they workers This is who fought a victory for gainst the 4: ,000 the 'GPO, his executive would received by Thursday from the Princed pha High Siress London swi 1); AUBTV 1 (Middleton) industr industrial action, as they had until five- minute break which sider call for strike action the