Socialist Press no. 132

STOP CALLAGHAN'S

TROOPS SCABBING!

Build councils of action!

For second winter Tne running it looks as if the government will resort to the use of army scabbing to break a wages strike. Lorry drivers ser joining the the thousand are crowing natonal stopoace support of their £65/35 hour even while petrol from the snortages tarinci ervers •aV TOnT contnue much of the country. The transport strike tactories ane debots is bringing industry grinding to a halt. The lorrv drivers' action once more shows workers the potential strength of the trade union movement unar nas been back by leaders hed three wage years of controls Strike breaking And it confronts Callaghan no Healey with the need use the army once more in its of organised strike- Fore if thev breaking force are have a hope of stemming the and holding struggle mons workers within the 5% limit.

Since the eruption of strike action in Fords last year forced the union bureaucracy hastily to make an official strike call, the DaVi ana union otticials who have policed 1, 2 and 3, have been under continuous pressure.

TGWU the growing In Ine frustration of lorry drivers met a response from who called a national delegate conterence on becem ser This conference decided that if a satisfactory offer were not the emplovers by 2 mace ov January. then strikes would begin on January 3. Right wing officials The subseyuent movement has shown this militant decision working its wav Throuon The TGWU's largely right wing threatening bureaucracy, any wno try to stand in its way Seeina these moves under TGWU leader Moss Evans way, who had attacked the unofficial action bv Texaco tanker drivers has dropped his talk of "respon- Buses halted by shortage of fuel

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 132 * January 10, 1979 * 15p Police have rehearsed picket-busting during the Grunwick mass pickets sible collective bargaining end confused on the reme firemen were militant statements of the did little supporting the haulage drivers troops, and generally to prevent them crossing picket

BUT

-vans stoking further lines, the lorry drivers' strike more effective the different situation Because altogether. StriKe Is in snutting down Ene economy The more • sentia Callaghan will feel duty bound general being maintained now by lorry drivers' strike com- scab on the use troops to action. would mittees The firemen's strike, and the brought in and forced to cross picket lines in a move that could development and training of the police special Patrol Group as a oniv oe seen as strikeoreak no.

specialist picket-busting squad Evans, along with the other

TUC

who as seen and tested at Grunwick are evicence that callaghan wil ousiy sat back while not shrink from direct strike- attemoted break the " TIre men's strike will be forced to breaking. take a clear position. New level no mistake. If nere can de the army is allowe to be used But army successfully in such an industrial scabbing on the lorry drivers' strike would raise government has dispute, the struggle to a new level.

mace no secret or gians to ust 216 troops also against any strike by public sector workers But the TGWU alone with

TWO

minion memoers nas Ine power to defeat such moves, and should already be planning to enlist the aid of every other union in cerence or Ine ront to Blacking Public sector manua workers and other sections with claims outstancino s mUsT called on to come out now alongside the lorry drivers Any so-called essential sup plies" Sis must be blacked in every transported army Tactory ana workplace. •ane sollearity StriKes ane «mas. pickets called in preparation for a general strike if the troops are not witnerawn But already there un- mistakeable signs that the TUC leaders would once again stand back and allow a Labour govern- ment to use trooes audinst unt unions. Leaders of NUPE, represent- 700,000 public workers nave pulled back ever from calling a one-day strike on their 22 "Day of ACTIOn And progress on their tou/ 35 hour week claim-due to be settled last November-will not aiscussea acain until next month! This leaves the lorry drivers Isolateo in ine tront line- uST as NUPE leader Fisher left the

INSIDE

An Open Letter to NUJ strikers

PAGE 11

Under Fives (part 2) p.8 Interview with Keith Veness p.5 Ireland. p.4 IMG and Unity p.9 PHOTO: Mark Rusher IFT TGWU Road Haulage National Secretary Jack Ashwell of food and supplies to essential firemen to fight alone last winter services. Journalists Norkers must place no and strikers should also collaborate on the reliance such leaders defend them from army black- workers" papers oroduction of legs. Steps must be taken on to counter the lies peddled each day in the Tory press and reach.

coordinate the local Hever most erective Tignt or inose in ine rever orch at ine oresen struggle on pay. time as newspaper editors give vent to their hatred for workers In each area strike commit- tees or lorry drivers, Journalists striking to detend neir living and social workers should issue standards. Tory press This offensive appeal tor delegates trom union oranches _oarticulary nas unkee uo with natchers those in the public sector-stew- latest efforts to whip middle class into a pre-lection ards committees, trades anti-strike trenzy Within the councils of action revolutionaries would argue for poncies unal Dom develoo ine struggle and expose the role of the trade union and Labour leaders, whether right wing or JeTT PHOTO: Mark Rushe In particular those "left" MPs such as Dennis Skinner that claim pay Ene struggle must be called upon not only to lend their weight to the Tent Tor CounCIs OT action oUT also to lead within the Labour Party campaign removal oT Ine strikebreaking Callaghan-Healey leadership.

Thatcher Such demands show workers councils, workers' political in practice the stark contrast parties and other working class oetween ine ett talk or these bodies, to form local councils of Labour opportunists and the fight the right wing action Through such councils of As such they Unt action can be made to need for move. -The bullding principled, revolutionary party strengthen and exteng the pay strikes, to organise mass picket- in the working class, as Tought by the Workers Socialis ine ano set OInt commIt- tees to control the distribution League.

Carter thumbs up to China arms deal as Peking Page 2 to sell Harrier jump jets to Callaghan has been allowed to announce this from his jaunt in Guadaloupe. This will please such peace fovers as Sir Frederick Bennett (Tory MP), Lords Chalfont and George-Brown triends The Shah of Iran) and Julian Amery

WING

•nave set club defenders of capitalism called the "Drunken Hare' The name such planes can be apparently comes from Pravda's description of Sir Cameron (Chief well the Defence Staff) nam, but also to crush he made his infamous disorder" anti-Soviet speech Clearly Chinese tank commanders earlier this year. increasinaiv recent bureaucratic feeling. Welcome support tne bio No doubt paign chinese bureaucracy •w• wercome the support of such bastions of the ruling class. A recent, It is certain that whatever of 50,000 use they put the planes to will youths" sent not be disapproved of by these in Yunnan Japanese trade minister Sonoda greeted in Peking Francoist Premier Suarez was virtually obliged to call fact Inat neither general election mignt of the and armed (scheduled for March 1) reactionary demagogic campaign after the severe blow to his against terrorism government's political authority party been able to bring an end to the which the constitutional terrorist campaign of the Basque referendum turned out to nationalists of ETA against the be. army and police. Under 60% of those eligible to vote said "yes' ‹ me new constitution, was which coser of pariam antary a convincing week ETA Cosened LaST most spectacular strike since the demo cracy assassination of Franco's No.

furnishings Admiral bequeathed by Franco. Carrero Stalinists They killed governor of Madrid. And since In its campaign for a "yes" January they vote, Suarez Democratic Centra police Union was joined wholehearted- rate or one a day. reformist Stalinist Although leaders, assassins of Carrero Blanco wa They, too, have lost political murdered by government agents approvat of the consti- a result the half- TACe month. hearted terrorists successfully evaded the forces of Tution. ET.A terrorists continue to attack Francoist state functionaries

-INTERNATIONAL -

posters go on organised and disciplined event used not The 28 youth who demon- only to deal with border clashes strated in Tien Anmen Square with the Soviet Union or Viet- December also had wel "internal thought-out grievances against the local party leadership the bureaucracy They appealed to Hua and worried leng to sort it out expressions of • Others, however, have had no illusions in the leadership high point of very long ano one Character poster by a Peking walll poster in particular, Peking seems to have railway worker, reported passed, reports are still coming have attracted in of action against the regime spect unterest and approval crowds trom the staggering, strike wno read it. "ruralised is a sustained argument eight state for democratic and • was a well- against bureaucratic control and Spanish crises force election Another blow has been the the whole Francoist police Torces Tene of every major repression. And that is partly because a Spain large working section class have genuine sympathy for ETA's acts against the Francoist apparatus. The November Spectacular showed that a sizeable section bourgeoisie was-even the scored revereneum -unwill. state the l88ve The increasingly discredited "demo. cratic" politicians. Blanco It has become clear that the military The attempted military coup, which the government have shrug off g joke carried out Killed and army otticers at the two demented tree officers, fact known one of the alleged about in advance by at least 400 senior officers, of whom reported it! ETA's a represent success paring Sonera SUCCeSS seemed possible. Tue a wage higher than simple worker.. of the privilege. "The State system 01 selves is practically the same as that of the USSR. "This kind of state system is informed itself the origin of the birth of a bureaucracy and privileges. the central committee.' This do not go on to a radical reform this system example of the one we may bring about a Soviet style of modernisation. Enrich- ment of the state. impoverish- ment of the people. the masses This worker, afte alway making telling attacks on namer isations i courted Chinese leaders, goes make demands such in Shanghai. as nat a bureaucrats elected workers' fired On by the woman was reported injured IT man of the year Teng Hsiao Ping of no Turkish Ecevit was defeated by 216 votes to 226 last week. This gives respite to the crisis-wracked regime which tascists and the right parties dic see overthrown and replaced by direct military rule. The final element the Massacre atmosphere in which election will take place is the Despite their struggle around the fascists have no intention of proposal. to removing with rigorous wage designed to cut real wages and peaceful, means. growing lover of our ment.

enormous still The recent So the catling of elections is massacre of the result of the extremely weak national "reformed" condition Karamanmaras Francoist state. scare imperialism Problems chosen foothold But the further attempt to stable produce a stronger Middle East as the upheavals government democratic approval in Iran continue to escalate.

through will also raise new problems for This is why the latest trip the Spanish ruling class.

by Ecevit's place it will Minister, bring the masses once more to begging the centre of the political stage bowl and expose western governments plead- political leaders to ing for an emergency fund tuel demanes. This pressure (between $1 will be felt most acutely the Stalinist by $l5 billion per year for five and reformist leaders. years) Communist Party leader, economy has no chance of Santiago Carrillo, still supports duness government Ecevit himself has met unity the Francoists. failure

LOTS

Socialist similar tours Party

(PSOE)

Gonzales The IMF and the imper- been studiedty ambiguous ialist this question confronting major economic Carrary wants to avoid being placed in a cnses-regard of having form zoosITion rule in Turkey as an expen-

PSOE

government with working class support. sive luxury not prepared to finance. the I ne leacers main working class parties, therefore Fascists will be seeking to maintain their consensus with the UCD while Rather they look to the at the same time coming under fascists and the military as tremendous pressure from their working class base to break with the means to maintain capit- bourgeoisie alism adopt I in Turkey, socialist policies. ing the powerful SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 and should be answerable to and Daily recently called for recallable by the workers: atmosphere in which the people "No functionary should have speak, criticise care and debate: four Thus the expenses of office Modernese tions must be accomplished by mandarins will disappear political democratisation.

along with the mandarins them- Plainly •hoped that certain "letting off "I hold that the members of amount on steam' will defuse the situation the party and the masses should However, the Youth League political journal observed that the "need struggles inside the party, espec- for and unity"

SEG OILTY

¡ally those which take place in even more necessary now that foreign trade was being develop.

remarkable increasing The increase of trade with Europ the has been of major Japan cracy is facing from socialists as I and now partic ularly well as from mobilisations of significance in the last year and was named Financia leng The most important mobil.

Times "man of the year" have US businessmen are rubbing TArt been the recent demonstrations their hands with glee Donald Regan, chairman on 29 Decenter Protesting at of Merrill Lynch summed it up: demonstration "Any nation of over 950 miltion work conditions and wages was people growing at the rate of 18 One million

• 00ICA

a year is a tremendous An editorial in the People's Ecevit wins by 10 working class and seeking to destroy • it: organised strength as the only means to impose a new round o even more severe attacks on votes Jobs and living standards.

Faced this danger the working class can only fight back successfully by A right wing motion mousing politically and confidence organisationally in against Ecevit's bourgeois govern- Prime Minister ment, its reactionary martial narrowly law crackdown, and its anti- working class policies The demand must be for a united front of working a temporary parties and Class trade unions against the fascist- both the military onslaught, the wing building of defence squads determined to to protect the working class and its organisations against violent attack and the struggle for a workers and peasants government in Turkey. talk, the Such perspective is Ecevit by opposed by the existing parliamentary leadership of the workers movement-who remain in a fascist with Ecevit and the

DIUC

religious and bourgeois RPP. minorities The building of a revolu- shows the tionary party Turkey of the determination based on the independent and its strength and interests of the to secult d working class is the vital task of the hour. After six weeks of local- ised strike action, the Steel- Finance workers of West touting an empty Germany now facing around the the latest and most serious threat of a sell-out by their leaders.

billion and week Eugen Las Loderer and other officials Metall called a further 20,000 the stablise workers out on strike. But they went on to a new round negotiations Intense omployers with WItT The the repeated eager mediation of the Labou Minister North Rhine. Westphalia state government.

nations-themselves searching a compose, the hours democratic tomed their notar a in demand for a 35 which they are supposediy the bart of the dispute on which there could be no compromise!

But Loderer came out of this session confident that he could sell the deal to his members.

The proposed Satuemen offers a tiny wage increase, with smaller increases by attack. holidays compensation Turkish unsocial shifts.

SWAPO BETRAYALS HELP

S. AFRICA'S NAMIBIA

White rats desert Smith SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979

INTERNATIONAL

Part Two Namibian The elec- tions have been followed by what can described only be as farcical 'negotiations' South Africa between and the DTA over the holding of UN sponsored elections later this year. A South African delega- tion which included Prime P.W. Botha, Foreign Minister Pik Botha and Commander the South African Defence Force General Malan met of with members Namibia's so called Constit- Assembly an Will attempt to persuade them to agree to UN elections.

Agreement Surprise, surprise, the 'difficult negotiations' resulted in 'an agreement in to plans for UN principle' supervised elections. The assembly accepted a forward resolution put by DTA chairman Dirk Mudge which out a series of pre-conditions for accep- tance of the UN scheme. These include a deadline of 30 September 1979 for elections the and of 28 Januaryon 1979 for the answer Security Council; no South African troops should with- from draw the territory before a complete cessation of hostilities; that the South African police retain respon- sibility for maintaining law and order, and that admini- SWAPO guerrillas strative and legislative with the Security cut across South African Adminis- Council 435 resolution General until inde- which sets out the election pendence. plan. These pre-condinons aside from the deadlines, do Thus the UN could easily Black faces conceal white power The acute crisis within The December figure the Rhodesian ruling class expected to exceed November's continues to be reflected in ane une total projected tall in the white population during a mass exodus of whites. 1978 is at least 5%. Figures recently released white immigrants will snow that in November more than 2,000 whites fled the lowest be the over 25 years bringing the joint Minister of Internal Affairs

STRATEGY

that the resolution did not agree to the proposals and Secretary General Kurt make the conditions binding quick South Waldheim was to on the Aircan agree to them. and the UN government recognition of SWAPO A further 'surprise' was the sole authentic represen- Mr. Rollo Hayman the settlement to the masses on from the so-called transitional basis that it would mean •overnment accusino omn o real chances leading whites "into a trap".

But very few have been the Rhodesian taken in. leaving Even less will they be taken Front Party. Havman said that his disagreement concerned the new The viability of the government which changes the country's name to Rhodesia/Zimbabwe- which it is intended to set up after the April 20 elections.

ane nomine else. elections, which its difficult to see being effectively Repression held given current level o The struggle of the Zim. studdle nold tre orosoect which black faces in government while babwean masses first whites retain the power. threatened racist power Smith to resort more and more rressure trom the masses l , military measures and repres the only factor present against a neo-colonial solution.

SlOT Despite serious defeats wher Perspective Zimbabwean nationalist The l movements adopted a guerrilla ist strategy, mass struggle con- What is necessary is a leader.

tinuously re-emerged ship able providing against and to warr une oasis tor a develooment o resist such stay the armed struggle. independent of imperialism and to provide a perspective for the Internal deal •everooment or dorn tne armer and the mass struggle This forward movement then In particular there must be a forced Smith fight for TurT establistment alongside organs of workers' power within interna SATT Ament continued military response to the liberated and semi-liberated the guerrillas. areas This means the construction orators have attempted to sell of a Trotskyist party. tative of the Namibian people was simply described as a 'serious irregularity'.

such promising wiTn developments' imperialist talk of sanctions South Africa can continue be occasionally mentioned KeCT doubtful quiet and the road open salislactory solution. The armed struggle had forced South Africa to soften its position but the antics of the SWAPO leader- ship has given reaction time to regroup. In the face of the betrayals of the

SWAPO

leadershin and the Stacks which these have led to it is absolutely struggle is taken up to build genuine revolutionary leadership inside Namibia.

Guerrillaism In that struggle it will be against necessary lo guard tendencies towards guerrilla- ism amongst militants inside and outside SWAPO. Armed divorced dels from a programme of demo- cratic and transitional demands aimed at mobilis- ing the mass the oppressed can provide no way forward. progressive Despite the immediately | favourable for Conditions the DTA it will inevitably face major problems. The super-exploitation of migrant contract labour, for example will lead to major struggles by the working class. Recently there have been strikes at the Rotsing and other mines. Mobilise masses Crucial to the struggle to build the Namibian revolu- tion is the development of the programme and forms of organisation through which the be masses Call mobilised and led in their day to day struggles- -against contract migrant labour, against their pig-like material existence. The political crisis facing the Namibian struggle is not merely compounded by leadership tied to negotia- tion it is compounded bv a leadership tied to imperial- The wav forward is not merely to build a leadership committed armed struggle. Page 3 SWAPO leader Nujoma leadership committed to the independence of political the working class. elaborate and of programme torms accon ana buna organisa tions can lead the wnien struggle against apartheid and capitalism in Namibia Now the

SWAPO

leadership slithers along the of betrayal the path extreme right uses Tne opportunity to organise and internal arm itself against despite many Wind years of 'armed struggle' are left totally defenceless.

Defence In the face of this situa- tion a clear defence of the oppressed masses must be fought for: *Root the armed struggle in the oppressed masses by developing workers' militia of part programme around masses The first be mobilised. can task of the armed struggle is defence of the oppressed masses. *Use the cadres with build military training • to workers defence squads as of that militia Namibia. *No negotiations with imperialism *No secret diplomacy. *Councils of Action inside Namibia to mobilise against the South African/ imperialist plans. *Fight for a revolution- ot demo. al v programme cratic and demands: 1) Constituent Assembly tied to the demolition of the state anparatus 2) Independent union and workers' committees 3) Nationalise all multi- nationals without compen- sation under workers management. 4) Committees of and agricultural peasants workers-land the peasants and agricultural workers. Smash reactionary tribal rule structures material aid *Maximum from the international labour (In movement. Britain remove Owen, imperialism's left-talking errand boy). Correction to last week's article:

DTA

Page 4 The march last week from Toomebridge to Burntollet, organised by Irish left wing groups, should have been supported by every socialist and anti-imper- ialist militant. But despite its exposure of the police/army repres- sion in the six counties, the march also showed its weak- its attempt under new conditions to relive the™ past, rather than point the way forward. Ambush The demonstration was called to commemorate the tenth

OTI

by 100 march about students from Belfast city hall to Derry, which Wak savagely ambushed by Loyalist thugs 'B' date specials at Burntollet Bridge walchrul eye the RUC. Under the conditions of 1969, with the growing and a leaders petty mobilisation the Catholic minority the movement. struggle for civil rights and The against national oppression, movement this brutal attack helped shatter a period of reaction- the Stormont regime. ary political truce' between the O'Neill regime at Stor- and the bourgeois since then.

PRESS

GANG

Among the more shotgun. beneficial effects of the occasion-only pheasants. drivers' strike has been The Daily Express the halting of paper sup- the alessee plies some of the moon national press. strike that is hitting every The Daily Mail, Mirror, person In Express and were the headline those gone mad?' among last week forced to contain their angry wailings within Of Moss covers after they ran short Express wanted of newsprint. "what the hell is he doing Editorials in many of the about papers have been the verbal control over his men?" equivalent the Rising buying which gripped the through petty bourgeoisie as soon as over pensioners the strike started. Hvsteria the snow means of keeping body and has been the key note of the da he star-the latest and soul together builds to its shoddiest possibly the conclusion. addition the to coolast poison sheets-was in little Can this country any longer doubt. Over tront page governed story full of dubious specu- Clearly Mr. Moss Evans and lation it placed the unequiv- other union leaders destined ocal headline 'Send in for the House of Lords have Troops'. no control Perhaps by chance and who run wid... perhaps not this clarion call "The answer, shared the front page with a is that some day, somehow, picture of Prince Andrew someone has got to cry halt carrying a double barrelled the Burntollet march: more policies less memories bourgeois Successive Loyalist of the Civil Rights regimes have run into crisis and collapsed, and direct anti-imperialist military rule Deels grew and imposed by the British provoked splits and crises in imperialists. The nationalist popula- But a great deal of water tion has undergone a ten- has flowed under the bridge year long esperance British army repression and was-on this weapon that threatens to destroy us all. murdering "Particularly the wildcat best strike, that evil resort of hysterical dangerous men who refuse "the lorry men's even to listen to their own elected leaders. Britain "The alternative does not under 'Has everyone bear thinking about. "We already have chaos. Out of chaos comes anarchy. And anarchy leads Evans the to the destruction of all w to know value most.

"TIME

IS

ALREADY

exercising some

RUNNING

OUT.

HOW

MUCH LONGER MUST WE

crescendo GO ON

DESTROYING

phony appeal

OURSELVES?"

"struggling seeking the From the tone of that the Express editorial not a lot longer. apocalyptic The drivers can be certain that they have the power to "The awful question is: wring their full claim from the employers. The press sensibly? can already see the end of the world. the Now time for striking drivers to counter members poison. by turning Enis the striking journalists with of course, calls to turn their strike organisers Into the working class. ruthless strike The emerging defenders of the allacks attempted individual, necessary ing class in out army. ly • taking campaign British mainland itself. new Burntollet disrupt. The changed. The 1969 ambush heroic token the failure of both protest politics and terrorist tactics but for to dislodge British ruie.

mobilise the

CARWORKERS

CONFERENCE

Support is coming in for the i conference for gations present. and car component keen that workers to be held by the Campaign for attend and Democracy in the perspectives. Movement Labour in Birmingham on January 20 Delegates will attend of • leadership from Vauxhalls and industry. rords, Chrysler dele- This well as from number of the problems gallons the BL plants. employers claim The agenda will include

CDLM

discussion the acquiesce industry dropping car statement- which with the pledging Issued for the call conference- closures and rationalisation

THE CRISIS IN THE MOTOR INDUSTRY

Called by the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement Saturday January 20th, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Digbeth Civil Hall Birmingham Full details from CDLM, c/o 37, Birchfield Close Blackbird Leys, Oxford SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979

IRELAND

STROOPS OUT

NOW!

Provisional

IRA.

class in the struggle against the armed national oppression and Catholic capitalist exploitation community against Loyalist inrougn a programme com once again bining democratic and trans- to substitute itional demands clandestine acts of guerrilla warfare for the Newly fused mobilisation of But this is lost on the the rish and. British work newly-fused Irish Pabloite the struggle to People's Demo- the occupying cracy (which now includes the independent lormerit These tactics are current- USFI grouping 'Movement form for Republic of bombings and but currently stands outside shootings, both in the occu- the USFI). pied six counties and on the Leaders of People's Democracy were in the fore- front of the original Burn- Changed conditions tollet march-and cherish hopes of history repeating There is no "truce" for a itself. march The anniversar marci political con- was therefore called in an ditions in 1979 are entirely achieve some attentol form of 'unity' with the need is not for republican movement, gestures by around the formally correct small numbers of individuals slogans of Political status strategy prisoners for republican Irish working Troops out now, and End repression' Despite these limitations it would have been correct for Irish socialists to give the march critical support In the event, the 150- strong march was supported only by the Irish left-the IRSP, the Socialist Labour Party, Trade Union Campaign Against Repres- sion, and People's Demo- cracy. hot: Derek spers, tru and reports from the dele The CDLM is particularly other working in the car industry present their Mason Against such forces were The main purpose of the ranged the full weight of Mason's repressive apparatus ulate the broadest possible -determined to divert them discussion on the problems from their chosen route. the The resulting clashes last were forced which marchers includes examining off the road were created when menaced and shot at by they have a gun-toting Loyalist fanatic . no money and union leaders certainly indicated the con- with this by of the claims and Catholic population cooperation But thev were, however pale echo of the events of 1969, and could be expected off trigger similar developments those ten years ago. The anti-imperialist struggle in , Ireland has an important and a courageous history. But what is needed now is a turn to the building of a party that Irish working directs the to look forward to socialist revolution rather than back to past glories and defeats.

Fighting Labour's SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 right wing Veness, long- militant standing

• CHITA

In the Labour Party, was expelled from North Isling- ton in 1976 for attacking the local MP, Michael O'Halloran in a community newspaper. Following protests to Transport House by four constituency parties and prolonged campaigning on this and other alleged mal- practices the notorious party of MP O'Halloran, Bill Jones, Transport House full timer, was designated to PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report attend GMC meetings and recently to act chairman. His report on the party has never been published Socialist Press interviewed Keith Veness in order to report the struggle in North Islington but also to highlight his approach to that fight. Much of the interview centres on differences between the Socialist Cam- paign for a Labour Victory, What happened after your re- reinstated from a not unsym pathetic NEC which Veness Instatement. The NEC ratified my reinstate- You must retain the right to member, and the WSL, with ment in July. although only be memocr regard to the fight in the As it is you • Massed Inrouen Na ratitication Labour Party. November. could be prevented from stand- September

GMC

the ing as a councillor, for instance.

Veness for instance sought clarification inrough the delay October it said I must reapply as It's also shown North Isling- clearly has an ambivalent a new member. ton to be more and more out of attitude towards the Labour In November amidst uproar stee with ine general radicalis 'lefts'-distinguishing in said he ruining themer as ation going on in the Labour quite artificial way between ruled Party sala ne a member an EC instruction'. the old guard lefts' such as This is clear from Annual Conference-other delegates are "niS rulina was challenged lan Mikardo and the new, and only supported much younger and put forward variety such as minority-well half nolsier , over the ditterent kinds of policy.

Dennis Skinner. delegates votea dealnsul Don't you think the slowness of Yet There was such a hubbub repeated incidents the NEC to act came from their that the couldn't since Skinner's election to continue-Bill a strong lett alternative lidu Labour the

NEC

in N. Islington? have close it. No, it's rather that the NEC are demonstrated that his What is the significance of the afraid of uosettino une status political backbone is no less general fight expuision for quo. flexible than that of Benn It comes Tor socialist bolicies! from the parlia. North Islington terms it's Mikardo whenever mentary tradition. the belief of tremendously the possibility of showdown with Callaghan is valuault lett in gradual change, makine deode aware ot what's their unwilling posed. going on. It's alerted people to

HESS

use tactics Tne rani Veness also claims that corruption in a way nothing else hesitation the

SCLV

has "hard" using against them Would It's also shown up the way They really believe that the programme which deters the expulsion procedures need many 'lefts' from giving rant to elect me leader or the reforming. party at Conference will be won support and refers especially 2½ years to get by degrees. Its taken to its demands on Ireland.

But he, does not explain Yorks NUM leader why Scargill is allowed to declare verbal support for the SCLV while the SCLV itself makes demands on Scargill to fight for the removal of butcher Mason as MP for Barnsley.

TIFER

Thus although the SCLV programme is largely contentious, Socialist Press has centred its criticisms on The way that prodramme is

MMGRATION CONTROLS

used in the fight to expose the lefts' within the Labour| Party.

ANTI-RACIALIST

Since the interview was! conducted, North Islington

COMMITTEE

FIGHT

Labour Party has in fact been 'adjourned' until dis-

RACISM

cussions held have been with the NEC. This was the decision of the

GMC

reconvened in December, which were also made to alem ols remove Bill Jones from the chair physically. The ward AGM's due in January, have all been cancelled. Anti-fascist demonstration in Brick Lane An interview with Keith Veness Labour conference delegates You do impete of are is scared impetus of a real fight to throw out the riaht wina?

It may be true of the Mikardos -not the Skinners tact without a sharp immediat you won't able to TOnI remove the right-nor in fact mobilise support to do it.

do you see kay Tunai questions up the Ir Labour Party now! key question is accounta- bility. The to get rid of an MP is tremendously cum- •ersome Youst people it so chinst the shouldn l ¡ecute a vote one conticence You can't begin to fight for what you i you still have representatives Have carrying out the intention

COT

decisions. Conference decisions mean nothing because they're ignored.

Whare is the 'sharp immediate fight' then? The immediate question is the return of a Labour government.

Why

SCLV

you rather the Socialist Press line of fighting for the kicking the Callaghan/Healey

OUT

leadership? I'm against removing validonan and heaey The SCLV aims unite to various left group! a positive, Labour rart tor socialist vote for the Labour Party uls an attemot to tiant those on the left who abstain or work separately -to force them take a position The return of a Tory govern.

ment would be enormous setback-you wouldn't get Carication in ine Labour Party Inen Don't you see it as around the strikes actually going the pay a08Inst policy and redundancies, etc., and to link that to the fight to throw Callaghan and Healey? That assumes all the splinter fights can be brought together.

I don't think they can. As long as there's a Labour it's

OUT.

everyone stands-but it where won't be if the Tories get in At thorner On t doubts that Callaghan is on the right. What is your opinion Socialist Press policies on the Labour Party? Your programme is determined by what vou do The crucial question is what

LABOUR

you do in practice-you've got a •assive view It's necessary just to ПОТ denounce organise • out to kick get OuL for candidates will tight alternative policies, and for an alliance forces achieve inal There's nothing in the SCLV campaign that Socialist Press could disagree with-if there i you should say so. We • regard SCLV as : too blunt- 'sharp 60080 lacks that immediate fight. SCLV organised far more meet- is unan you aroune roros. and around Brick Lane against the

ANIL

was

SCLV

that put forward against Ene resolutior the 5% the Labour Party Conference and for abolition controls, against the sus charge, self-defence. against fascism. It's the first time in 20 years that the debate race has because the people speaking were those who'd been involved That forced the exposure of Alex Lyons always been who's paraded as a left on race up saying every ranoed in Bengal teeming village people ready to come here.

with

SCLV

•Centra Hacknev Hamlets and l ower Defence Committee-Patrick Kodikaree Urit OU menders Only a few hundred rather than 2,000 would have marched the auditsi

TASCISTS

ANL were off at their carnival - if it wasn't for us Then why didn't you fight to set up defence squads in the How to fight the Cuts Page 5

PARTY

Veness East End-which Tha fought for and campaigned for in a number of ways? We did organise defence in Brick -the march was it. Lane The Bengalis believe the police ano were police protec ask lie lor more tion and visiting the Bangladeshi High Commission-that You're only going to build defence squads Ine success detence ot the area- flushing out the NF

SCLV

much better had a recoro than anyone eise But the Bengalis-especially the youth-were already calling for defence asle Car le Sent The crucial fight was to force local Labour parties trade unions take inat up- systematic defence squads-lists of volunteers ready to come out at any time. We dist aisagree with the way SCLV embraces the left. rather than exposing them.

, The involves vovolutonary strategy breaking the working i class from the 'lefts" well from right. of course, but you have to mobilise people round a partic.

ular campaign -you have to have an organisation • do support • NO many • letts the SCLV because it is so hard e.g. on Ireland. It is our method to put these the spot, and that's _DeoDie on not something tacked on to the end of the programme-it's thi core of it. The key question is whether It's possible to forn an agree ment on a minimal programme to unite the forces to carry this

SCLV

thinks is-but evidently the WSL doesn't. Tha is what we have to discuss

A WSL

BOOKLET

Available (price 30p plus 10p p&p) from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR

THE BIRTH OF

International. "The task of the revolu- In tionist-even if the march of Trotsky events obliges him to work organisation the same ional with the reformists, those political exploiters of the proletariat-consists not in discuss the attitude of taking disciple and of pretending turn'. friendship the agents of the to the tactical toward bourgeoisie but of opposing, harshly, Trotskyists clearly, unremittingly possible work IO the opportunists, the left-wing of absolutely patriots, bourgeois 'socialists' bre reformist masses, before Their will in the Crisis opposed French Section|. who could be broken

AMERICAN

MARXISM

1978 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the emergence of the Trotskyist movement in the United States. The Socialist Workers Party which today claims to represent that tradition offers no more than a hollow mockery of the fighting spirit of that early movement.

article is the sixth in a series of seven being published by Socialist Press which examine the early history of the SWP, the party so central in the 1930s to the launching of the Fourth reformism to the revolution- October 1934 ary programme of proletar- convened ian internationalism. Plenum of the Internat- Communist Principled line League (the embryonic Trotsky himself Fourth International) to was from prevented attending the 'French Plenum Paris) (held in the by close police surveillance, This was the name given man he chose the fight for a prin- lead manoeuvic cipled on the entrist to US Trotskyist were enter tactic was the Socialist Party (SFIO) in leader James P. Cannon. within the Cannon social demo- to the Plenum putting "The entitled Isolutiol objective was to Present Situation the who elements Labour Movement and the the Stalinists Tasks of the Bolshevik- from Leninists, which effectively Sit-down strikers take it easy inside a car plant understanding into entry Before Socialist necessary questions. What conditions in of the mid-1930s? alism, hit the the workforce. mechanisation Violence and union workers were This million). tide militancy The answered the sectarian sunker critics of the 'French turn' he degree ot Cannon's success can be seen in the the first indications. bitterness which Molinier (leader of one French faction in the "the section) referred to secret diplomacy carried out strikes and here by your representative Cannon" in a letter to Trotsky. Cannon's role in 1934 is ing class to fight. vital to an understanding of the formation the Workers Party in America at end of 1934 when the US Trotskyists fused with challenged the American Workers Party Congress last Socialist Organisations (CIO). (see week's Press). By million US And it is also central to the • tactical unionised the Socialist Many of the politic Party in the US in 1936 conscious layers of milit going into the rejected the ingrat details and consequences of Stalinism and degeneral the entry into the American of the American Commu Party Party. answer But the newly-fu Workers Trotskyist were the objective was still tiny and only the struggles turning to mass work a working class several years as a pu at that and propaganda group what was the nature of the This leads to the sec Socialist Party itself in the Yuestion-une Halute o. Socialist Party The world crisis of capit- The Socialist Parts known euphemistic. split . 1919 ally as "The Depression', had 1921, as part of the e American working development of the class most severely of all.

Communist Party. Its membership dwin Wage cuts and it degenerated into of the world's shabb Unemployment fluctu- expressions of social del ated between 17%-22% of cracy. But as the Third In Wage cuts were commor national became as the capitalists attempted more discredited in the e sharing of the international work with loss of pay. Speed-up, class and the malign and mass tumour of Stalinism spr redundancies were rife. into the affiliated CPs by the bosses the reformist parties be wholesale indifference attract new membe and corruption on the part particularly leaders ensured youth. that a mere three million unionised in Militancy 1935 (out of a possible 35 In America this Faced with this situation coupled with the objec of working class conditions of a rising tid began to gather militancy. Can: As America Trois timo explains his History Minneapolis 1934 (in "As the Commu the Trotskyists had played Party became a leading role were among bureaucratised, more expelled more and workers and clo honest Torrent of strikes the door to others, Then a whole torrent of Socialist Party began occupations in experience a revival. 1936 and 1937 showed the "Its loose and de pent up frustration and the cratic structure attracte determination of the work- whole stratum had worker WILe The old American Feder- before been in a polit ation of Labour (AFL), long movement. since fossilised into bureau- By 1933, the Soci: Party 25, impotence was over the members and had develo new of Industrial an increasingly centrist left wing 1940 nearly 11 Even during the creat of the Workers Party lat workers

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979.

ord management thugs beat up a union organiser in Detroit, 1937 Cannon was looking question ahead to the of entrv into the sP: "Even though had party, and formed new had proclaimed the unification of the vanguard, that could we realised We this new

HOL

movement, nece new strength ments of and vitality. and revolutionary The Workers Party whole too small to attract layers directly, sO, Trotsky's words: "The Koran says that the mountain to the callic Marxism prophet, the prophet to go to the mountain." Sectarians fighting for the of line entrism and Schachtman Cannon had to contend with sectarian elements within the Workers Party itself.

With Trotsky's help, they successfully geared the party membership orientation into the organis- ations of the working class.

The simple a tenante tolsKy In ll Is Time to Stop ring through Cannon's arguments. The choice was clear. Either the movement could go "for- ward to a wide arena of the Fourth International", "backward to small circles stewing in their own juice".

sman circle witnin the Workers Party which rejected the idea of entrism Oehler, formed around Stamm and Lack. Barrier They. were incapable of recognising that the growth of a left wing in the SP represented a real barrier to the development of the Workers Party. Cannon and Schachtman were for getting inside the exposing the treacher- ous fakery of the leadership of the left wing (who, much to Cannon's disgust called themselves the "Militants'!) and removing the sr as a force to be reckoned with By October the 1933 Ochlerites were an isolated driven to breaches of group, party discioline bv Cannon's vigorous campaign his party concale political questions the question tactical entry into the Socialist Party. kept on developments In 1935 the ot the of party new activists with the the critical recognised Party must: "seize rank and and young were tion" through. Firstly battle former of the in America tional He could Such a complete lack of any tactical awareness soon lost him support in the which had become tempered fight the Sit-down strikers in Flint, 1937.

against the Oehlerites. When Muste was exposed as unwittingy tal-ending a group of Stalinists in Allen- town he was finally dis- credited. Driven out of politics by the sharpness of Trotskyist criticism, he renounced and Marxism regressed to the leadership of a pacifist Christian group-much later protests reemerge To against the Vietnam war. Colourful The second stage before entry was the actual nego- with the leadership trations of the SP 'lefts', a group for Canno reserves his whom most colourful prose: "the negotiations with papier-mache heroes These gods were a spectacle for , I believe in all and men... long and rience hat my. checkered never encountered anything so fabulous and fantastic They were untalented, petty-minded weak, cowardly, treacherous and vain". Finally negotiations were SP's concluded with the leading figure, Norman Thomas managed old oust the right from the guara wing party leadership. Thomas a faker of was the worst kind, a man of whom Trotsky somewhat calls Chalilably himself a socialist as the result of misunderstand- ing. Thomas was no political innocent, however. Не exac- ted a high price for allowing the Trotskyists to enter the SP. Give up paper The Workers Party had give up its paper The to Militant and magazine New International. They had join as individuals rather than as an organisation, making appear were tney dissolving their party. however, Cannon, correct v saw all this as a question; not matter of wooden principle -"we had been too long in the Lenin school for that" At the tinal conterene of the Workers Party in March 1936 the decision to enter the SP was formally ratified.

Critical moment The most important step towards building a revolu- tionary party in the US had been taken, and taken, in critical moment when the already disintegrating SP stood to lose its best workers and youth either to syndicalism or to the Com- munist Party. These workers and youth were the layers the Trotsky- ists aimed at in a year-long campaign carried out with boundless and energy commitment, This was the year 1936. Page 7 And the work on the sea- time as a serious obstacle to established the US working class men's SinKe significant cadre the With its best elements western seaboard gone. rapidly declined The Trotskyists in even further into a purely California set bourgeois own formation, and up unelr The Socialist Appeal Norman paper Thomas became official SP organ political joke, patted on the w du The Socialist Call) head by the capitalist press This supplemented each time he stood for the was by a weekly Labour Action Presidency (six times in all!)

the The effectiveness of the leadership and right-wing became Trotskyists' entry job on increasingly disturbed by all SP the is attested by and the Stalinists Thomas biographer, quailed Cannon and Murray Seidler: Schachtman organised did Trotskyites national Socialist Appeal succeed doing real Conference the damage the SP. When to of the Fourth they programme entered belonged International. hundred persons to their sect; but when they Suppressed expelled they took were with them over a thousand.

This move provoked "Especially disastrous Thomas and Norman his was the Trotskyites success cohorts of reformists and drawing of the talkers The wall suppress party's younger people into Socialist Appeal and start their fold" the process of expelling the A strike wave was sweeping Even anti-Trotskyist Trotskyists America as the

CIO

historian Daniel Bell in The Trotsky himself, just as France emerged; in there Development of Marxian in his advice to the krench whole series of Socialism the US section on their work within massive strikes; and in Spain admit the

SFIO

counselled the Civil War was beginning.

"Cannonites" success, Cannon not to be unneces especially York, sarily procovative. but at California and Chicago. the same time, to go onto Trotsky the offensive wherever In CIOSt Conference possible. A system of duplicated tently advice letters took the place of a On December 31 1937 "Conference newspaper, and by the time Branches the SP the Expelled within Thomas fellow was une Cano "democratic socialists" tried convened centrated four main to "gag law" this the Socialist on pass From of suppressing all internal dis- Workers Party was formed of January 1, 1938 cussion controversial on mittee to the issues the Trotskyists were dominant section of the Fourth International. of the to them head-on. The post-war degenera- tion of the American SWP cueston. acal Growth California strke; into its present morass of of ex-Workers Party and reformism, civil libertarian- cadres and the layers drawn need and 1sm opportunisi towards the US to the them during the another story. of 1938 its formation periou workers. bureaucratically expelled in represented a massive gain

33,400 MEN ARE MADE IDLE;

'SIT-DOWN' STRIKES CLOSE

7 GENERAL MOTOR PLANTS

General Motors was unionised in the wave of sit-down militancy.

for the international work- On each of these issues June and July 1937. with the of the The 15 month entry into class, cadres still exception ing ItS Labor Party question, the the SP saw the Trotskyist undergoing the continuous US Trotskyists were able to grouping grow from tempering in theoretical and make important gains. couple of hundred to well practical that struggle The Trotsky Defence necessary for the develop- over one thousand Chromittee contacts assembled members. ment of a principled revol Mistakes through from were made, utionary vanguard. around the SP dealt a major certain comrades had over- That tempering process blow at the Stalinists, who adapted to centrist elements was to with continue themselves hoping within the further internal fight, this recruit from the SP left- opportunities for mass work • time over the nature of the wing. • had been missed, but impor- Russian state. had been tant gains also This will be the subject Exposed made of the concluding article in Sections of politically this series. On the Spanish question conscious workers and the "Cannonites" were able youth (virtually the

CONCLUDED

to expose the bankruptcy of SP youth fact) In were the SP leaders' support for expelled and won

NEXT WEEK

the loyalist government of Trotskyism. Spanish left' Socialist Largo the SP itself Moreover, Caballero. had been removed for all

Nursery care: vital for Page 8 Fight for NUPE'S Under-Fives Charter * Fight for a national plan for under-fives services.

* Fight for a massive expansion of education and day care places.

* Fight for an end to low pay in the nursery service.

*Fight to restore the cuts in nursery building.

* Fight for under-fives facilities • to be available on demand, free of charge.

* Fight to base the expansion of services on nursery centres.

* Fight to abolish the NNEB and create an integrated training scheme for all under-fives workers.

* Fight to provide pre-school facilities with flexible hours to meet the needs of working parents.

*Fight for local councils to draw up a development plan for all under-fives services.

" Fight to change the law on childminding and registration.

" Fight for one Government department to have responsibility for under-fives services.

National Union of Public Employees In 1949 there were 900 day nurseries providing places for 43,000 children under five years old.

In 1975 there were only 540 nurseries, offering 26,000 places, despite the fact that the same period has seen a dramatic increase in the numbers of women who work.

Such figures give a hint at the chronic decline and acute crisis in the provision of state care for the under-fives.

127-page TUC working party They are included in a report The Under-Fives, published in 1978.

The report is of considerable importance in highlighting the plight of both the under-fives, and of the millions of women who in the traditions of the bourgeojs family are supposedly responsible for their upbringing.

This two-part review of the report will examine some of the facts and figures presented in it, and go on to look at some of its 64 recommendations in the light of the practical record of the TUC and Labour leaders in the fight for women's rights and for the extension of the social services.

The onslaught on nursery such nurseries since the oremies are owned and staff paid by the education brought about by government's workoace nurseries can De savage public spending cuts closed when women are made redundant from the workforce, has led to a proliferation of privately-run play groups.

Dart costcute measures in the public sector, The TUC Report shows that the TUC working party bleats.

500 Trom mere

SUCT

one these Every playgroups 1965 the figure arouments relates to the callore had mushroomed over of trade union leadership in the TO OU In not includino workplace. organised those by charities workolace nurseries were Save the Children as fought tOr and detended Fund and the NSPCC union officials as an essential aspect of working parents •av 35p per session for these play- conditions inev would groups, more easily taken away than tea services and social breaks, sick leave or company support ront 166% local aumnorities recerved overalts grants of less than £50).

The result that "volun- By-product tary" help expected •arents-inus creatine And the closure of nursery working mothers-in facilities following mass lay-offs order to compensate for lack of ot women workers would be no cast additional by- State-run day nurseries on the other hand provide a restric- product of the retusat ot union eagers to deten loos against Tea. means-tested service speed-up and redundancy. priority cases only, offering no The Report states that there educati service toro the poor are currentv company serve nurseries, mainly encineer becomes a ooor service and textiles each providing for 20-40 pace. Inflexible Thouon two nave closed sinct the Report was printed! By biggest area of And the state-run nursery existine orovision for lne ander- classes omer only snor. mex' 5s is the army of registered and ible hours of education, making unofficial childminders. for allowances working 1975 were nearly uncle offering SOON registerer chrominders.

facilities for under-3s. with a further 500,000 children Report The examines the in the care of Tawack. unregistered minders. nurseries a section written very much from the standpoint Cheapness of union bureaucrats who refuse The cheaoness of this svstem To challenge the manadement s "right to manage" employers and the state- tor Workplace childminders paid by the nurseries, says the the that working endole em •over to omer ower rates o1 Ine coverament nas encour aced pay to women workers, and to threaten Thee in dequariss des: withdraw facilities inadequacies ot child. al times or nostra acron!

The trade union movement minding are glaring and deplor.

has 'no control of standards' in able, and therefore it is highly Part Two irresponsible to base child care programmes on an expansion of this facility." Recommendations Low rates of pay mean that acoitiona chlorer mUst taken on if the childminder is to without make living wage charoine oronoitive rates.

light the Report makes and other long series of recommencations stressed that document "consultative" docu- Only ment. The the Report states that: (the TUC) will give "They consideration to action on Report's recommendations atter it has been considered and dis cussed throughout the ment..: Cutbacks, In the meantime NUPE, in a series advertisements and publicity posters, / ribune nas area came to be cam for what it terms a paigning Charter for the Under Fives" summarisind Tne main recom But what is the reality? In a perioo where me acute criss o British capitalism has producec cutbacks in the public and in particular in the sector. nurserv sector whatchances there the gentle Of argument and logic of this having the slightest impact on govern ment dolcy! None whatever. The kind of child truly socialised care TowardS which Ine meports recommendations aspire cannot women and under fives PHOTO: Laurence sparnam, it u Fisher be provided under capitalism, which both unable and un- willine to exoano ine oroduc tive forces to the point where family unit is rendere oosurelt The actual cost of the TUC's 'major' and other recommenda- tions would be vast-though the benefits to women would alsc be dramatic So how can TUC leaders, who now calmly permitting the closure of exist.

chilorens nosoitars children's homes, schools and nurseries. wage ans serious fight for the progressive changes outlined in this Report?

The answer Course, that they cannot. And they are embarassed by this contra diction that the Report itself- tar trom beino _a cambalanina document-has been effectively buried by union leadership, except in instance. where lett bureaucrats such a! Alan Fisher wish spuriously to parade themselves as champions ot women's ronts It is therefore essential that this trade unionists rescue oureduc dule oblivion and launch a major fight for action both to defend existine ane implement its proposals. Obstacles they will doing encounter the type of obstacles Duty unsel Campaign it ot the uxtore City Nursery its struggle last prevent the South Closure Nursery, 30 full time where nursery places and the jobs o teacher, assistants anc nursel dinner helper were at stake.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 By Mary-Ann Todd

WESHOWD'NT

WHY WASTE MONEY

YES

HAVE BABY MINDING

IT's ONLY

ON THE UNDER FIVES?

ON THE RATES

LET'S CLOSE SOUTH

PLACE

~ ANYWAY!

30

OXFORD NURSERY.

LOST

THE

EDUCATION COMMITT

don't let them get away with it!

DEMONSTRATE!

outside South Oxford. Nursery School off Speedwell St Tuesday March 2ft 3. рт. Poster produced by the Oxford City Nursery Campaign during their occupation of the South Oxford Nursery last year estates and other working clas I he Campaign centred on ar occupation of the nursery by areas discuss tinA oca nursery care and requirements the present shortfall in tacilities orovoke a ze and the fight against planned in which union officials fell over themselves in efforts to pose as cutbacks Union officials-particularly mutants

NUT

NUPE

one exceotion was ine oca • ano

A LUN

NUT official who attacked the leaders-and Labour MPs and fight from the outset. councillors should also be pur such meetings under the on the spot otTicials leadership of Stalinist Divisional with demands that taev take a Organiser George Anderson, clear stand against the cuts, and of action outline a programme were more cautious about ther "Under Fives betraval achieve Ine They reached the point of Charter". almosl oromisine Action action until No oraner actually called for immediate discussion on such a An • starting moisoensiole point for strike, and urged a district exec action utive meeting to discuss it.

orevent turtner deterioration in Guided the existing services Anderson This means action to: cistrict committee deciceo thai the form of action against euts cuts and should be-a branch circular!

closures protest This *Open new nursery still schools strenathener further resolve of the Tory council to * Detend threatened services carry through its programme o by occupation coupled to sup porting strike actior CUtS But such betrayals have not books of local Open stopped NUPE NUT and other authorities to show , profiteer. ing private firms-which bureaucidl IrOM their support for nursery edu- must be nationalised cation. "No use ov orivate sector o In fighting for every union public funds, premises or equip branch immediatev orce copies of the TUC Report and "set up local trade unlol discussion it, organise enquiries into facilities workers should also fight fo children-witt parents and branches to invite speakers from assess demand. anc workers to Oxford Nursery Campaign defend and fight for improve- (which contacted at 7, • be ment of services *Effective organisation of Union branches should no involved stop general recommendation or the merely • endorsing provision, in particular NUPE NUPE Unde river charter but should proceed to organise public meetings

CAN UNITY MONGERS BE

REVOLUTIONARIES?

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 By Mark Hyde There are growing indic- that the complete inability of the Internation- al Marxist Group to offer a serious orientation to those of its members working in the trade union movement or to build a genuine work- ing class cadre is producing a crisis of perspective within its ranks. But even some of the more serious elements within the IMG still see the problem as simply one wuc coue se resoivee ov the IMG leaders shifting ground and adopting proletarian orientation. Even if such a shift were to transfe rowever, it wosuderfici.

superficia adventurism ane opportunism of the IMG to a new-and less congenial-terri- TOrV. Alien methods do nothing would tackle the fundamental political of the IMG leader weaknesses developed which have and which historicalv can ony be resolved in the process of a thoroughgoing break with the of the attitudes methods and The IMG is the British repre- 'United Secre sentative ive oe rt тагат inter dl' ional ternen cy les is original debacle in which many the tenoency Uor s Latin american sections Pablo which were annihilated split „the Nr ourtr International in 1953 On another level, it presents The leaders of this tendency difficulties ТОГ Tose woo nave have uncritically enthused over the consistenti! _apolied nethod alien to the Trotskyist the which the programme upon military in Africa when Cuban Tourt internationa wa. this same Torce turns its ours founded in 1938. upon the workers and peasants This method boils down to a fighting for their freedom 'unity" oer petud searer cutted forces hening orner unat . Ine working class led by a revolu- 'Socialist Unity' tionary Trotskyist leadership In a different form this same over vears new 'vanguards' behind which unity working through in process is sought have been Britain, where the IMG has been should be ciscovere• ane touted une oursufnie socialts

UNILY

Pabloites-the Yugoslav, Chinese through a paper especially estab- Kremlin Stalinists, lished for the purpose- -Socialist cvell Challenge, astro tes. •eCk nationalists and radical students to name Sne main ine ot this orien.

tation has been to take a sundry but a few. of collection centrist groupings *Progressive' —oste to retskv sm-•rese them revolutionary, and Today even then seek 'unity' with them.

reactionarv nationalist development m mediate oCcis Stalinism 'Euro- the IMG's affections have been semi-anarchist 'Big Flame' CommuniSi lids Deen naued ds representing orooressive trenos and a discussion circle of

OULIIL

CaSt-OTTS trom the with this basic problem Workers Party (SWP) called the 'International never encin• caven s enet a Socialist each time the new- Alliance'. found allies and 'strategies' fail State of coma to cerver ine coods Thus the

IMG

and its co- have fully thinkers never The former grouping cannot recovereo trom me reSUlT: even stom ach associator WItT the USFI's adventurist guerrilla the IMG's verbal "Leninism', while the latter has warfare long been in PHOTO: Mark Rusher IFI Trotsky-flexible on organisational questions, rigid on programmatic principles à state of coma bordering upon ocala one Socialist Challenge editorial IMG members : even obliged to participate the SWP and act as their political attorneys in youth were diverted to a pop jamboree in South while the fascist National Front "was allowed to march virtually unhindered into the East End. Hard world It is a hard world in which such solneless svcoonancy wins no reward. With such a track record it has Decome incredsie y Mard for the IMG leaders to concoct 'theoretical' rationales for their

OICV I

John HOsS has nevertheless persisted to churn out a steady olr caTT dv zid-lit FIlOSL recent deind a dece in docialsi Challenge "Can revolutionaries?' Trotskyists be The ANL pop concert Using clipped and warped Trotskv anc James P. Cannon, Ross sets ou that his undignified 'prove' antics anemoy cooportunism traditions estdolsne LeTlE an( Trotsky. 'whether Ross asks non- Trotskyist, or even non-Leninist Doli Col rees eld ray considered revolutionary? and (naturally!) answers yes. Distinction Even this way of posing the •vestion ustrates tre degree to which Ross has taken

TIORT

Trotskyism, Ross distinction crearty getween _eninısm ano rotskv.

ism, whereas in fact the conțin.

uity of Leninism runs exclusive- yv enrouen rotskyismn But such 'blunders' are small when compared to down. alsTenesl emoloyeu skionino trom one ot trotsKvs works to another Ross attempts isolated the method quotation. makr

STOISKI

appear a thinker after his own image. nus we are asene• wit Trotsky declaring his readiness to: "work hand in hand with truly other revolutionary factions". But the left vuolatluks incom piete ano inus ciouos ove the essential thrust of Trotsky's perspective. Trotsky actually goes on to say: "But they (the Trotskists) refuse adapt categorically Thair dolicy of opportunist cliques and to renounce their own banner".

fron which this extract is taken is and Numbers' 'Labels entitled concerned wiln TEne exposure French centrist leader Marceau Pivert who made • d venn ozz oz ovnv ve the sharp and decisive question revolutionary party and the revolutionary programme.

Programme was aimed against precisely the method espoused by Ross and his collaborator. like (who has arnest Mandel daclared his readiness to drop Page 9 Mandel the label' of the Fourth Inter- this explicit away statement national that the Fourth International Sone sidee Tuture tor the sake or 'unity.

alone represents tne continur Despite numerous erudite revolutionary theory and practice by claiming that it was references few hundred no more than a correct "state woras to virtuay everv pontica tendency under the sun Ross мел от таст st me ume shrewdly avoids mention of the But the statement does not appear in some passing article- actuai programme of the SWP, 'Big Flame' and the rest.

writer In Te He admit in Transitional Programme, , which passing, down general however, that in the 1930s there sets out to lay were orocaisctons watci lines

C••OCCI

wacH Trotsky castigated and exposed described as "a pre-revolution. for their inveterate period of agitation, propa.

al y organisations wnich ganda ana organisation "supported collaboration To assert that Trotsky's bourgeois concluding remarks revol with Popular fronts were valid • • Capitulalo utunaly COT ul DeTore imoertalist wars anc only in lyso rases the questior displayed the real characteristics of the validity of the reminder of centrists-vacillating in the of the Programme some forty material castes ot class torce: years later between the proletariat and the Neither distortion bourgeoisie." Trotsky's struggle for Marxism, It would be udiplomatic for Cannor cute TrON Ross to mention in this context lybs-a time when ne was nell the SWP's capitulations-and bent upon stressing 'unity" for those of its torerunners tl. E sakt uno cisted regroupment with the Pabloites Opposes struggle -will solve the problems of the IMG Cliff's group of course, cap- A result of this has been that itulated in the 1950s before the a substantial section of attacks of imperialism on f10v donere masses when it refused Korean Tendenc associatee wita Jons either side the Strawson-at one time Superl of the WSl before his Korean vuet It has taken its course to a taouisiu analeinice conclusion in subsequent years actions derimental to ine tunc the toning of our movement. anc toddy redos Many

ING

Mir to turt with the stalinists members are Liberal lords and bishops in the quite publiciv chucar ot Inef modern mini-Popular Front-the leaders and of the orientation Anti Nazi League movement, Today the SWP opposes out- naturally seek alty curren struggle of the right within the iv which claims to stand for a return to Trotsky- ¡rotskvists tor ine demanes ane Transitional method

ISI

Programme the trade Stands on fence movement. to noss suCI questions of programme sectarian But Strawson is of coursi quibble inceoane ot coino to the roots The WSL is of course readi of the crisis because he rejected.

to work hand in hand with truly the struggle to understand the natre dn caddn vone nev but not to tusion with them a member of the WSL work with centrists on the basis consequence of rejection of the programme crou ine stans une ence Fourth Inter which the making some formally correct

UDUTT

criticisms of some of the naton was cce. more The practice of oemv neucdtionist olcies oi Trotsky relation the Ross and Co. without being able draw requisite political Kordioists and otnet tencencie cited by Ross was to test them Conciusions out through a struggle on As such it stands Sharifica- an obstacle to political merely declaim TION OT SerOUS vG memoers favour of unity at all costs IMG members who seriously genuinely It was the experience or this wish 1h98 d at tsk fourn im er Trotskyist movement in Britain 1938 that Inter- anc international! Shou d Trotskvist demand a full discussion of the nationa-Tae nove ment-was the only revolution- perspectives and policies for the ary cure fourth reconsuucaor Int CrOUTII International "The International put forward by has no need of being pro claimed It oxists and it fights. solution cannot lie

I NIC

Is it weak? Yes its ranks are not bemoaning

TAP

I M Snc numerous because alone, •sti: They chiefly are as yet miracle a • N01 wal lifl 10Id Gores •• Ul

UTES

(aares art ine next worl world Congress pledges for the future. continual apologies

OUT IC

nor these cadres there does not exist the leadership, , but only through a single revolutionary current or politica Snare sTru do e this planet really meriting which Pabloite opportunism name." rejected favour of the (Transitional Programme) and method of the Dineoles Ross attempts Transitional Programme expldin James P. Cannor.

Page 10

INDUSTRIAL

The National Execu- selected do tive of

NUPE

has refused to support the recommendation of its own Labour Party sub- committee that the pay this f6, thereby national action called for January 22 should funds, and be day of strike the strikers action. level of strike pay. The Instead they are calling for the usual 'Day dispute has inerelore Action' and lobby of Parlia- ment. culties imposed No plans own union In London, "rally" has Not content with this, it ostensibly is reported that the NEC has made no firm plans lot lne continuous strike action it been promising by key sections of members, said to include porters and delivery dustmen men at town halls. and water Central Sterile Departments and catering workers in hospitals. No date has been published the start of Ior such action and there is no further NEC meeting until February! Worse still, and contrary to expectations, now seems that if those workers

1979: TIME

YOU RESOLVED

Nursery Before you throw away occupation, last year's diary, just stop London hospitals and in othel and look back at the record al das. *As of the Socialist youtn nave moved into polttics League over the past twelve the

WSL

building of the Socialist Youth months. Every day of every week our Lode He Red Youth. the nave *1978 has vanguard of the struggles against capitalism eticai work on Ireland-with the Britain. •ublication or : malor caries ano regular coverage along wher The loud. support given have solidarity include crucial Iran, Eritrea, workers . tighting in a massive range of struggles and Africa have played a leading IN LATIn A marica. *We have the 'Cowley from victimisa- munists' Against tion by the TGWU bureaucracy. *Our Leyland has helped bring the Eurocommunism', of worker participa- vear or our week y. oaper.

other

LIOU

NO the fight against coroprate bar.

boast such 5% and cipled record. massive speed-up and sackings.

not come about by magic or by "VUl movement nas deen at the support for accident. Toretront struggles at Strength Grunwick, Garners else- alla Where.

*WSL

To have make Doncies

THES

fight strengthened the contaud. nave South Oxford constantly by Ine cubs-in ne

NEWS

NUPE NEC SAY

'NO' TO STRIKE

go into actior bers. on behalf of the rest of the This meeting starts members, they will still only 7p.m. at Conway Hall, Red get the usual f6 strike pay.

Lion Square. At this meet- The levy (of Ip per hour ing necessary to 1l will per member) that the NEC take up a sharp fight against plans to raise will be used to the abrogation of leadership avoid-

NEC,

and by

CLU

ing any depletion of union urge militant continue sections of workers to take provide with an adequte strike action on January 22, and stay out. outcome of the If only one borough been left entirely to local leader- were to give such a lead it ships, working against diffi- would be possible to take by their the initiative entirely away from the discredited leader- special ship and spread the action been called - into all-out Ta uonal the strike for the full £60/35 assess strength of support of mem- hour week claim.

TO JOIN US!

the our programme and by the con- forward the put of the working numbers objective needs class. supported the ciplinth ost st natoland thy discipline monthly paper ThAT work forward to new levels and areas in 1979. seen fresh theor- a lardi organisation, yet we have been able achieve all this already with severely limited resources. struggles More support Middle East as we as rooteston But that work extend published. "Com- further, nationally and internationally, Revolution. major theoretical book, and support and more mombers.

coverage of so-called So we're asking our regular readers in Ward Tear Nev Years resolution this vear ani think hard why they have not can a proud and prin- joined us before? can you have All these achievements have for holding back? seriously prepared fight against imperialism then there's only proletarial, one place where you belong- impact, our inside the WSL working with us quidec D88n to reconstruct the rourin. inter.

the strength of national. PHOTO: Lavrence Soarham. IFL

CARING

DOESN'T

PAY

REGRADE

Another largely forgotten strike the marathon struggle by social workers, seen here picketing in Warrington On January 26 1978, very worried scabs Many of 84 from workers expressed to Steak Houses Garners their sacked for were ted by the union. demanding recognition of their union, the people

TGWU.

office to To commemorate this willingness strike for a basic side the strikers. right, the strike committee has called for day of 27 picketing on Saturday January. Scandal The Greater London Association of Trades Councils has been asked to cover their usual restaurants strike months ago. ana all trade unionists are called on to assemble at the It rests in Oxford Street branch Although 12 or at the Hav. market at 6 p.m. turnout on massive this day is essential to keep union, up the the pressure owner Margolis and on the strike, unle

WORKERS

FEASTE

SOCALISTZE

PRESS *

forefront!

DEFEND THE

*SU TOOLMAKES GET

DEFEND THE

SOCIALIST

RIGHT

PRESS

This! I would like to receive

EVERY WEEK!

issues. I encinse the sum il Name 5 issues Address 10 issues 25 issues: Send to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, 50 issues. London NWS IHR

MORE

DETAILS

Please sand me more information about the Workers Socialist League. Name Address. Send to: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 nulgo nalgo Garners 1 year on has retused to these have the pickets committee's demands. wish to be represen- Strike pay When the strike commit- Over the last week four been sacked tee called for pament to the strikers £36 and have gone to the union week, to be raised if neces- their sary by the Region to fight along a levy, gave £6, , a handout of €10 The anniversary picket is and at Christmas the pay was put up to f12 "as long not of course a celebration.

as the money lasts" Then officials turned on strikers and demanded Tne It is a scandal that the to know why only half had TGWU Region 1 leadership been able to stick out for a has not seen fit to win this year! When the strike commit- their hands. called tee for trade Sid Staden, groups to adopt a restaurant Stalinist secretary of Region Lo acker once a week ous 1 is reported in the Morning mass pickets on a Saturday, Star as saying that it is the Staden made a secret agree.

through the strike with the police committee, which is running limit pickets to six Regional Tne Arrested Trade unionists have Right been arrested as a result including Brent Trades Council President Tom Durkin (in whose defence a at picket is being mounted at Bow Street court at 10 am on 10 January), the Staden now claims

TGWU

members will not picket Garners since they are afraid of getting arrested! Nor has the strike com- mittee's call for blacking of all supplies been taken up decisiverv Meanwhile Garners' boss Margolis totters on with the assistance of major hotel owners and is even opening a new restaurant in Uppe Regent Street 15 on January. The recent increase in .£1.10 violence reflects the desper- ation the management .£2.20 and the scabs. But if any worker thinks ..£5.50 that Margolis will reward him for his slavishness he is . £10.00 in for a nasty shock. Changed rotas Now that the tourist season is dead, Margolis has changed all the staff rotas so that they work all day instead of busy at

JUST

periods on a sort of shift system. This is designed to drive people off, So that they time when at leave Margolis wants to shed labour. The campaign to win the strike and to force union leadership into action will continue with the Day 27 January, ot Action on a demonstration planned for early March and the fight for a national TGWU dele- gale conterence

An Open Letter to all NUJ SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 10 1979 Sunday 7 January 1979 The

NUJ

strike -now into its sixth week-stands poised on the threshold of a step forward in the confidence and exper- pay, ience of provincial journal- ists. The strength and willingness •t ine memoersio to fant nas been rigorously tested and that test has been decisively passed.

I ne TesT OT Ine eacersni• has however revealed dangerous weaknesses which will inevitably sen une strike snort it inev are quickly combatted and overcome. Last week's meeting of FoCs showed sharpest form both sides of this chudio. meet nos FoLs held betore the strike began there was a united sense aurence Sparham of determination. Calls to bal tor a return to work were tew between and poorly and tar received. Extension The strongest applause came when David Solomons. FoC at bristol called for the extension of the strike to Fleet Street and when Bob Hayward strike committee at the Birmingham Post and Mail, called for expulsion from tne no or a blackleds. Solomons is a good example was oresenteo as a vote to star of who out. ground through the strength of hands At eater meet nos opposed the strike had ments or alternative resolutions vigorously. the motion strike leaders The success of the Bristol chapel in nalting production o1 the paper had swung him behind militant policies to win it.

The resolution with such a strong determin.

scarcelv mentioned ation to fight on for €20 a week union president, McShane, in urging FoCs to give why was it then not possible to leave the meeting satistied that i unanimous dackino. calleo toi there was no danger of collapse a stepping up of picketing and and was cheered for his pains.

concentrate solely on com- What Dallinic Ine emolovers. police then up in front of scabs lined lion say! In its key passage it us! calls for an end to effective I was, so far as I know, the picketing. onlv FoC to abstain on the vote nolstrial on the final resolution and I did regrets the negative attitude so on strength the Newspaper Society towards resolutions which attemoes resolve acts of betrayal by the dispute with the NUJ. In partic- serious leadership. ular 169icls PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report McShane Oshall

AT THE TOP...

UNION DUES

strikers

TRIKE VOW

3BRL

BACK

BOLTON

STRIKE

NOW

NUJ leaders had to be pushed to call strike action When the vote was taken it without re-oper necorations preconditions; the failure TV cameras were ushered positively the

NUS

and a solid forest of jubilant what oicketine raised. No amend- reduceo as a gesture to allow negotiations resume, tabled by the consider a third party to assist allowed. were in reopenina nedotiations."

The £20 claim is not men- tioned. Instead the resolution itself was pay "levels', leaving the way open for indeer Denis a settlement of anywhere down to halt of the claim. wording no vas accident. The Provincial News- Industrial Council spent papers does the resolu several nours labouring to give five paragraph birth Its mouse "Respectable offer" Council of won sutton. Chairman or toe Provincial Newspapers Industrial es current Going as said his to the failure resoectabie from the employers. The General Secretary, Ken Ashton. , sounded as uncomtor SOmO. Taurence Sparham, IFL table as he looked, as he heaped the for responsibility winning the une strike souarelv OnTO backs of the membership. But the really conscious ele- ment the leadership- alluris the Nonnexenee duplicity of the platform speeches Incredibly he told delegates you back That even tomorrow" tom a victory brease te there would would nove oroved Could maintain a strike! The reality is that it would Ashton have jeopardised another strike

HELLO? HOWS ITADING ALE

- KEEPING THOSE SO

- REVERS TO ORDER SH

PT LAY ARE YOU IN A

PHONE BOX ANYWAY? DON'T

TELL ME YOU'RE PICKETING!!!

WELL ACTUALLY -ER-THERE'S BEEN

A BIT OF A LOCK-OUT DOWN HERE

By Peter Mcintyre, FoC at the Oxford Mail and Times (in a personal capacity) next decade and tied tor the provincial journalists That He was cheered for saying that he could understand the •esire to _exter the scaos gave no commitment to support such a move. was severa from the floor, attempt to combat the content ot the resolution and the weak kneed costure adopted day in day out, by the leadership.

Journalists Charter But these protests were not channelled

HILU

elective opposition Journalists Charter-the which claims body to organise rank me bobositIon in the union-has launched cam- Ine against either a reduction would remove all paign the employers. or ine calm or une reducton or picketing. Such a reduction would have Arrests uxbridge smatterie and places other papers have been closed of the police breaking as on chapels such as vortnamo arrestine memoers where numbers of country Ten TOr small members have mounted 24 hour been arrested at North London alone It would be seen as a prelude

HANKS ALAN.. HOWS

THE DRIVERS WERE GETIN

LU BE AN A ME NOT

Sarate no. TuN, wined

A LOCK-OUT/

BLOODY

_ THAT'S

INGRATE ENT THE

NO YOU FOOL 1

IT'S ME WHOSE BEEN

LOCKED OUT BY

THE MEMBERSHIP!

Page 11 The FoC's meeting Conwav . na. strength from the membership is not on its own enough.

call now for a undoeis must meeting which new at policies will be discussed and motions from chapels taken If the right to sabotage this swiftly removed strike leadership that sabo trom Lace will take diace / No compromise This time for soft words and compromise. Chapels must demand a reversal of the policies

WHICH

were •assed Peter McIntyre but whose senti ments shared by those who voted tor them to calling off the strike whatever The Oxford chapel refused management letter result ot negotiations ang pressure from from the Genera Secretar to reduce containine the ottel pickets. We do not agree to any Nor such thing. Is the Oxford for orecared It would strengthen the hand less than the full claim who been Members in support of these policies-and ir nine. dna the over The strenotnening strike. members have must call for meetings High Barnet in demand a new dele put such • Inree nere Galt meetino at Oxford and more throughout policies into effect

EJARDIAN SERES

Pickets at the Warrington Guardian

... NEXT THING I KNEW THEY

WERE ALL OUT! | EVEN HAD TO

I CALL IN THE MORNING STAR

TO GET ME OFF THE HOOK.

YES, I SAW YOUR DENIA.

... VERY PROFESSIONAL!

D:0

LAST AN LAMAN

DE

OCCUPATION DID

GODD

HOUSERT

0D O

PRESS

Hanoi invaders After lightning-fast invasion by the Vietnamese army thinly disguised as the "Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation", the government Kampuchean headed by Pol Pot has been trom the capital Phnom Penh. No radio broadcasts from Pol Pot's forces had been heard for 48 hours as we went and Vietnamese claims press, had the County tallen Uncer ine Contro oT une "United Front" seem to have some substanice The desperate but determin- by ed move Stalinists to crush the rival Kam.

class among the peasantry was puchean bureaucracy is further simply a part of a chaotic econ- proof of the lengths to which policy that omic these parasites will go in stifling Turner estation all torms ot oooosition ward Suppression Although of land had In this respect : the invasion ucel agriculture the Kremlin's Is ar adventuristic brutal military suboression meant political opposition in East Ger butletty (1956) ( 1953) Hungar were sufficient isolated and Czechoslovakia ( 1968).

development was stifled. Even while themselves seeking out reactionary Nationalism ano •biomatic ailances with capitalist regimes throughout The Kampuchean South East Asia, the Vietnamese readers used nationalism oldlinists nave attempted deflecting buttress meir interna dositIor by unleashing - pent-up age-old and Were national prejudices in this move attacks crust inem smarte and dreds weaker neighbours and instat a This instability, puppet regime. with crisis within vietnam itselt and fears that the Lack of resistance might consolidate an anti-Soviet anti- vietnamese alliance The lack of serious resistance portical Kampuchean to the Vietnamese invasion ot a country that fought tenaciously Torm bart or Ine backorouna to for years against the full might this war between rival Stalinist regimes. indicator that Pol Pot's author- weanwnie itarian regime enjoyed little allying they way stridently attacked the invasion.

evacuated the towns and and massed troops on the Viet- namese border. forcibly dispersed the working WSL Public meetings

COVENTRY

AYLESBURY

Leyland Ballot Betrayal The Fight Against Wage How did Leyland get Control their vote? Thursday 18 January Sunday 14 January at 8.00 p.m. at 7.30 p.m. Oddfellows Arms Swanswell Inn (opposite the Old Fire

LEEDS

Station, near Pool The Social Workers Meadow Bus Station Strike Wednesday 24 January at 8.00 p.m. Trades Council Club

OXFORD

Leyland Ballot Betrayal How did Leyland get their vote? Friday 12 January 8pm East Oxford Community Centre Printed by Anvil Printers Ltd., London. Registered as a newspaper at the GPO.

SOCIALIST

out of Cambodia! Vietnamese soldiers guard Cambodian PoWs.

Former Cambodian leader Prince •een caused still released from house arrest in Phnom Penh give in the back economy lett benina Dy oress converences calline lordiN troops to intervene against the invaders. private ownership Peking's new-found allies in the collectivised ine vo acminisration nave diso opposed the Vietnamese that villages invasion. become seit- the soviet leadership, on the units, and other hand, has warmly welcomed destruction the what it calls the 'fascist reaime' Kampuchea but also suggested the UN may take a Stalinist a solution fana anti-vietnamese One thing, however, is clear.

a means Those Kampuchean opposition who obviously welcomed repeated vietnamese vietnamese from the rigours of the Pol Poi find combined illusions crudely shattered.

internaleconomic theil I ne answe problems is not to exchange Pol Peking Stalinists Pot for Giap, Giap's puppets ir the Trone mitary ana other Stalinist bureaucracy.

with the leaders seems Political revolution revolutionary eacershie capable of the political over- bureau- Chinese of the Stalinist the

LIFOW

cracy and oooosing its reac Pot, tionary, nationalist attempts to 'socialism single the onlv way count oilers forward in Kampuchea and in Vietnam. Such a political revolution will im deced unless ine invading army the Hanoi Stalinists from witnorawn Mamoucned With imperialism forced to powerless, from out- speculate, these struceles take place, the biggest danger to the Kampuchean and Vietnamese the masses unal Ma Liundl rivalries of their Stalinist leaders strengthen hold may of Impertalson over South cast asia oro onoino int isolation and deformation new-formed workers states

CLASSES ON MARXISM

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

OXFORD

A series of classes on "The Fight Against Capitalism" East Oxford Community Centre at 8.00 p.m. on the following Sundays: -14 January; 21 January 4 February; 18 February; 4 March.

Published by Folrose Ltd. for the Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR GO-

U.S.AGREES

The revolutionary events The January in Iran have continued to accelerate. Dowr WItH But though the already shown even Shah is-apparently tyrannical Bakhtiar has ing his bags, the extraordinary martial Shiraz on mass movement which began a gressively year ago Is more ever r need of a new revolutionary cities leadership. premier bouraeois New Shapour Bakhtiar failed to find enough collaborators fill including baomet our nas nonetneless nat his rump government sworn in will be tollowed by executions.

by the Shah. Even if to hang Lacking policies which enough would any of the goats, meet the democratic demands eventual • masses r claim that the Shah has in effect the oran surrendered political power, anc hirst time in 2 Lildl The years Iran is ruled by a civilian.

Victim of Iranian army violence The votes for strike down. action by lorry drivers group Scotland and large in parts of England caught replacement several trade union official. with their bureaucrats Ballot 'left' credibility serious- ly exposed Scottish TGWU bureau- which Kitson tried to crat Alex halt the movement suggest- not ing that Scottish lorry jumped the drivers had admitted Law gun'. In a desperate attempt to the position he' relive made a hurried retraction it Saturday's Morning Star, claiming that this darling of the Broad Left had been The "misquoted". Voted down

TGWU

In Birmingham, official Alan Law who built his reputation as a militant within the trade group representing attempted to argue that the strike deferred until final stage procedure had been exhausted —only to be voted

SHAH

MUST

demonstrations nowever emonassed ine with the potentially fatal handicap of the slogans 'Death to the Shah' and the revolutonar bakatiar havi masses-the absence ot a revolu tionary socialist leadership Tnat the masses regard such a claim as laughable separate days of The twc claimed that mourning STriKes anoemon strations last week were organ wipe January 9 and pro. ised partly in competition by in other thereafter and the seem religions oourdeoi. vationa He has also promised a series leaders of show trials for corruption of their It is hard to judge relative success since large su tormer omnicas or ne nar former Prime sections of the masses are taking Minister. impiving that the trials action every day Strikes go on Bakhtiar lasts long few scape- gain Ine imperialists may setting a precedent for his own some comfort from the divsion: fate as mouthpiece for these leaders but the continuatior striKes causing them severe concern Carter supporting the demonstrations, Bakhtiar government, which ha!

said one first …that

ITS

objectives is to end the strikes.

US Enera Secretary James Schlesinger at the same the US sabre by dovocating shore up" Iran and other producing countries of the Gulf alleges whaT Moscow's "exploitation" of the Iranian unrest. the Soviet bureau- Tac cracy nave in the last tew weeks done nothing but add to their long record of betrayal in Iran las adys Soviet news media have referred mass movement against the Shah as reactionary Qualified Only when the Shah's fall began ooK mevitabie. the imperialists began to coolly on their ally, did more Stalinists in Moscow begir to quality their implicit suppor for the tyranny the still weak pro- Moscon Communis rant strengthened the would-be bour- geois leaders of the mass move- ment ov nome to a redcher ous policy of forming a Popular Front government with capital- ist parties Strike shakes officials casting votes for many of drivers the 4,500 members of the (now divided) 5/35 Branch.

promptly invaded his office and occupied it, demanding The lorry driver strong clearly very position to fight for their But the danger of a sell- out of the interests of lorry This came after a week in drivers will continue to exist Department of until the likes of Law and Kitson Public Prosecutions decided are removed and a to proceed further principled revolutionary ballot irregularities in which leadership is built in their personally place

FUND

December Monthly Fund closed with a rather disappointing £504.65-well short of our usual achieve.

ment. Our thanks to those who did contribute, including a group of supporters in Castleford who sent in f24.

The January Fund has got off to a good start-£103.13 in the first week. We must ensure that we do better this month. Our intrepid knitter has donated a further £10 and this sort of initiative can surely be taken up by other readers and supporters of Socialist Press.

All donations should, as usual, be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR