Socialist Press no. 150

Pay boost for strikebreakers

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 150 * May 16, 1979 * 15p

TORIES ARM

FOR

BATTLE E

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report "By their friends shall ye know them". The truth of this old i adage was richly confirmed this week in the first actions new Tory government. mere two weeks after a brutal killing of anti-fascist Blair Peach Patrol Group thugs, Tory Home Secretary Whitelaw announced a cash handout for ine borce They immediate 20% pay increase an receive tne cuno arredov bald to September by the Them last Callaghan government. Promised by Callaghan The next day Defence Secre- tary Pym announced a similar 8% bonus for the armed forces The bodies or ises to the armed bodies men defend British capitalism had of promised course been future payment by the Labour Howe leaders, whose anti-working policies opened the door class and laid out a welcome mat for The thrusting of additional Thatcher's return into cash bulging Tories' pockets of the policeland army

BUT

The purchase the enthusiastic cost allegiance of these million-stands in stark contrast unitormed to simultaneous sunkereakers Is a clear expres Tory moves of their determination sIon most downtrodden prepare inevit- TOr sections of the working class: large-scale controntations Services social Secretary with the working class at home, Patrick Jenkin has launched an and an of the against oTtensive imperialist, war in Ireland.

"scroungers" hecuressly remain unemployed cuts will hit the working class The objective here is to whether through cutting back exploit by on jobs, unemplovment slashing torcing some of the 1½ million that part of services are now on the dole into the most workers' living standards.

degrading and low paid iobs the same time leading Tories • looking for ways of The Tories know this. And effectively they know that the rest of their destroying even the embodied programme-new legal attacks retorms Employment trade rights; racist Labour's tion Act, in the hopes of making.

attacks on must ant workers employers to acnalonarisation orotitania sack unwanted workers. sections of state-owned industry and further rationalisation Selling off industry at a cost or inousand Plans are also well in hand to jobs-will also provoke more begin dismantling the system of mass resistance from a militant by selling off council nousing and undereated working crass existing And the remember all ass houses knockdown bitterly tenants, Tias at removing brouaht testolane

COWA

these houses for all time from Heath government in 1974, and the defeated Callaghan's 5% low-rent public sector. way limit will compel thousands of young families This is why they are so keen working class pay enlist the prices wholehearted private support of the police as picket- landlord: orcel obtain a roof over their heads busters and strike-breakers; and Chancello ireland even now the army will be Geoffrey Howe is drawing up a called upon to step "u• rebres list of swingeing public spending sion of the growing anti-mper- ialist struggles in the occupied culs destene• to tinance the nav to police and army scabs, six counties. rises and pay The Tories are not the only (a) land outs he plans to give to the rich cap pistgome or it faced with Every one of these spending waging such probiem attacks on their working class week saw a conference of lasT police chiefs from 17 European capitalist countries gatner London Crime. Called together biscustro were not discussing pontan porce chiet vicee, they centred their debate on methods of "crowd control" and LIFt policing mas. protests. demonstrations •ane Whitelaw, addressing conference, spoke of the neec for cater for Ine "social problems". The "social problem" faced by the is the working class naked rule of crisis-ridden capit- alism exercised through Tory Party. many of the Yet policies now adopted by the Tories for allacking workers simply build precedents and decisions taken in the last five years anu socialst Labour government. In building the mass move- ment to defeat the Tory attack ana remove Inis bosses govern.

ment, the workers' movement must also: drive out the riah wing Callaghan leadership anc build a principled socialist alter- native. The struggles that toppled Heath's union bashers

CENTRE PAGES

Benn runs from fight Anthony Wedgewood Benn's decision to pull out of the Shadow Cabinet and withdraw to Labour's back benches is a cynical attempt to cover his tracks and re upholster his tattered and threadbare left' image. Benn has correctly recog nised that within the defeated Labour Part will now be increasingly favourable those fighting fo socialist policies against Callaghan's right wing positions. No opposition But of course Benn has no such socialist policies to offer.

Nor can he even claim to have stood out in opposition

•TO THE

anti-working class policies either Wilson Callaghan For both these • leaders his presence cabinet was a useful 'left' camouflage They knew that : while Benn occasionally mad loud ambig. noises, he always helped

BOUS

to defuse any real opposition to their programme of wage cur unemployment and repression in Ireland Benr •now cams that th Labour government went "of!

the rails" at four turning points: its abandonment of nationalisa pledges the 1974 LIon manifesto; its deal with the

IMF;

entry into the Commor Market, and Phase 4 Inot 1,2 or 3) of wage control Yet no point did Benn Wage any campaign seriot against Callaghan or Healey these questions: for their removal

TIO AT

NEB investment And all he has to offer now alternatives the tawdry Tribune policies of invastment through the NEB

LAUST

and import controls Last week the aftermath ot an election • •ear nis cola• oration had helped cause, Benn allowed Callaghan to go forward once again unopposed as Party leader. Then he made his play for limelight. the While delighted the Stalinists of the Communist Party-the Mornin Star praising his varudole ass of being in the Cabinet"_ it has nothing to offer socialists in the Labour Party. There Lask Is to take • forward fight to expose Benn and every other left' faker and to construct a revolutionary ousting au ict halive •the Callaghan-Healey leadership 'Lefts' revel in post-election blues-page 5.

Bolivian workers face a choice of Page 2 Italy's election begins with a bang general Enrico Berlinguer The Italian general elec- hour of every day, is ungovern- tion campaign opened on 3 able. May with an explosion-of a Ungovernable, bomb, placed (allegedly) by out stalinist Red Brigades in the the bourgeois government was the headquarters of the Rome Christian ruling Christian Democratic Party. present elections. Those who placed the bomb Unchanged escaped, killing a policeman in Ine brocess somewhat Apart trom present suggest that the parlia- devastating physical errect, Ine mentary situation after the elec- bomb symbolic of the TIOnS Icave collaost virtually unchanged Italian capitalist class at just tire when more than ever moment more to impose Christid pared with 38.8% in 1976), rigorous discioiine and TOrC CP. 31% (compared with 34.4%) the working class. austerity on Socialist It has been used as a further and In e (compared with 9.6%). for massive Dorice pretext What the surveillance and repression, the recent frame-ups includine the alleged kidnappers Moro. Strike call class grand government structure. The the tirst reaction Stalinist, reformist and Catholic Factional to the bomb was to call seddel s detence ot the a strike-nou the work no class. were of the Tory but But in the Christian Democrats against the terrorist attack! of the symptom

VVOD

purpose to which the CP leaders CD lists are putting this favourable to election campaign. ur lcdutis bécome massive propaganda exercise the

GPS

orecu entry Christian after Democratic government the opportunity ine erections with non-members, • Italy, says secretary- bankrupts up jingoist The coming Bolivian question elections will see the main bourgeois electoral the Democratic and Popular March Neither, Unity (UDP)-challenged by

ARN

succeeding a motley crew assembled in the National Revolutionary Alliance (ARN). This grouping is led by the NatIona nevolutionary and barred from speaking.

ment

•(MNR),

whose head Victor Paz: Estenssoro 1952 resent between 1956 and the chiet architect o process of evacuating the of almost all 1952 Revolution left is its progressive content. totaly Paz, formerly a supporter of the retornist and a militarv dictator Banzer part-time economics orotessol proletardu California, addition old the tealty. Calling party bureaucrats, nas manaded vuuenau. to entice into his alliance groups The 1aтe Christian diverse camp, Democrats and the Maoists the Communist Party Marxist lett Leninist. leadershinint the miners FSTMB and the party I ne Taller controlled embarker on come clar opportunism that outdoes even etticient oureaucralzalon has Stalinists since the Maoists have Party estabi shed a substantial record dr y particularly which now ledo amongst the peasantry of Santa CruZ elections raZS alliance. UDP, is not attempting to drum lo be talling audi l ever that Is, witn- ministers in 'the Berlinguer dent" fellow-travellers of of the retusal Democrats to accept warty could then The bul precipitated Ine CP's as the Torward : in the Cabinet should tne tatives die-hards of the Christian Demo- accept actual not The public opinion polls at members Meanwhile unemployment is growing fast; wage demands of remain un- million workers impasse this Confindustria satistIed ano ine (Italy's CBI) is stridently calling The polls at present give the all-out Democrats 40% (com- union the

COSTS

and relection demands for wage increases and cuts in hours. Party 11% chance seems little nere does get ith no minnes into calling of elections nominees into the get did achieve, however, is to allow Cabinet, Italy after the elections both the big parties to redajust will be, any more governable for the balance of candidates among capitalism than it was before.

various wings of the parties so as to make it easier to ser up sone collaborationist battles the Christian Democratic Party ovel the candidates meant that they present their lists. event Party secre tary denera benineo Laccacul failed in his bid to get a larger proportion of candidates on the who miant mOTe with the a deal Independents The CP meanwhile has used to fill ItS lISts Zaccagnini "indepen- Part Two: Continued from last week Lechin, the t himset. however influence retains of Bolivia's coastline which was the proletariat and partic- over a hundred years ago this ularly the miners by virtue and "marxist" posturing and his controt ovel Howevel drawing the union organisation. There three mall much support trom the working in Bolivia. class-at the May Day rally held "Trotskvist' groups in La Paz the President of the The best known ot inese is une

POR

(Workers Revolutionary general workers federation COB Guillermo Party) headed -a supporter of Paz, was jeered affiliated was Lora the OCRFI until that organisa- tion's recent crisis. Hold of reformists at the fore- Lora has i ocen One of the main difficulties tront ot portical attairs tor ove 30 years and was responsible for facing the parties of the revolu- Thesis the tight hold of orawinc Pulacayo (1946) which has long oureduct dls been the central programmatic the organisations of the Bolivian reference of the working class The Lora nas personification of this announced that it will fight for influential group is Juan Lechin Front a while in imperialist a united Arti cancidate in ine erections out l flirted with is not yet clear how far this plan Trotskyism and then fled to the where his 'Modified Boycott' through union COB, which he the they to erections adopted what might best party 'modified boycott Since the early 1960s Lechin called a the regime

PRIN

Revolution demanatic that place

DULLIC

candidate's name on FRI (Lef the ballot LIlE should be sion wed Revolutionary front). The FRI its version f9i7d moke and pact in the Insert a silorl and now appears programme. Obrera Vanguardia Iran's new dictators split After two hundred exe- now been forced to declare ine Islamic militia, the Guardians of cutions of members of the the Shah's regime, Iran's would- of the state. Islamic dictator be Khomeini, has Ayatollah siole attacks on "communists wher abolished the death penalty has now become a synonym for all crimes except for all opposition to the reactionary murder. Islamic regime The This move of Darl the effort serves noid not reacted leadership increasingly SOll communist which trying rule Torwara any loudy . resistance to Islamic reaction or capitalist government any under Bazargan, screasinary which fearful the executions, Could Tostered revolution clamic pacers. Will barty avvay socialist conclusion. some of their own close collab- The Stalinist collaborators Oratuls tor examole rans runne class. publicly welcome Discontent republic-it 'yes' vote But more than that they fear growing discontent of the strations-not in who are nationance. impressed organisation. spectaculdi executions of their •tormel oppressors when the job is being no banners. done by new oppressors So far the government nas failed to take any steps still contrast acute and solve byshe 34 mil noblems faced tedly mobilising 34 million unemployed number-100,000-to employed com- or by tackling these Instead isations. problems, the regime is obsessed . own enforce With now lu militant against especially by demonstrations and the Leninist" un emotoved WorKers oppressed nationalities Turkomans, Arabs, Baluchis).

*Trokkyse Khomeini's Stil unable reconstr the Shah's army and police in a has credible way. regime Party supported Dy (Workers Vanguard) party, led miners' leader Filemon trous affiliation

POR

split from the escobar. several years ago and is severely critical of Lora over his alleged democratic suboression of centralism Cano ass mallol ther •roviet 'petty bourgeois' elements.

means to confront the VO putting presidentia Escobar Ther mus candidate principa strategic the the revolutionary left elections the last the supported Bolivian Escobar group candidacy Domitia Chungara, the celebrated leader Committee ot tne Housewives of the siao XX minina car. tance not a member of any mobilisation. who What political party. (Gonzalez) -

POR

• The attached to the direct 'defeatist' and party LOrd s class. workerist Without ttset wieos litte InTu inside the working class ence have been will be politics

ATTA

ana SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 16 May 1979 Bazagan Revolution, an official arm French OCI and the USFI), as well as organisations of unem This militia has been respon- ployed workers, of women and worst the of trade unionists. march were the Also on InIs petty bourgeois National Demo- Front-led by the grand Cratic son of former Premier Mossadeq "communists" -and numerous students. them however, have certainly On this demonstration the demanded or owi ne main siocall. foreign attacks by putting nationalisation resolute policy of the right to strike the mass democrațisation media, and the participation of kind of programme behind the oppressed masses workers drawing the constitution political line through to a Evidently was Int aemonstratful Tudeh party. dominated by bourgeois programme of the continues democratic Democratic Ine vationa called for which coincides with ine two the referendum. "revolution" strategy of "Marxist-Leninist" It organised one of Tehran's guerrillas four separate May Day demon- its own name Plans for repression but behind a trade union front of The tour main teatures Its leaders did not appear in the Iranian situation are: the person and its members carried growing confusión and disunity the reactionary Istani Certainly this was in marked to step demonstratiol against all left opposition; the similar economic anc pontica the oppressed problems Tudeh's demonstration) organ and their willingness sed ov vanous fert wine organ fight; and int Stalinist and guerrilla leaders to way forward for the Guerrillas held operally mass struggle These four facets of the situ These included thé "Marxist ation emphasise both the urgent Fedayin Khala need and the opportunity which Guerrillas, now exists for the building of a whom are currentv deino nerd party Trotskyist militia) re vorutional Socialist to lead a successtur struggie to socialism in Iran. Bolivian miners through which severely prejudiced by its disas- pirouette bourgeoisie will trip before the with guerria return to another Banzer and a further periodie bie misera The coming elections are in people part a the stir hahd, asles other whilst The first step immediate stand workers' stammitted candicati programme to retorm the following ists and the national bourgeoisie includes demands: become *Destruction of the military concern dictatorship! democratic *Restore masses have rights over the last forty vears showr elected freely themselves time and time again Constituent Assembly! to be capable of concerted resis- "A sliding scale of wages anc and rapid revolutionary the fixing of prices in workers stores "Force all workers' parties en required Is i clear revolutionary leadership to alliances with the . break national bourgeoisie! political strength of the working control in be mines! this there can end to the peasant. little doubt that the poll in July military pact! more unal

Sahara war rattles imperialist stooges SOCIALIST PRESS. weanesia; is May iyis

INTERNATIONAL•

The war in the Sahara has overthrown another government In Mauritania. Last month military coup toppled the existing military dictatorship of Ould Salek, which itself had powel MaSt July by the ousting one- party regime of Ould' Daddah. Lt. Col. Ould Bouceif; the new prime minister, nas made clear the two main of government's foreign policy-peace in the and continued sanara. alliance with the Moroccan state. Engineered This latest coup has been engineered part of the as concerted diplo- matic campaign by imperial- restore bourgeois stability the Maghreb (Arab-dominated north-west Africa). The Mauritanian economy has been shattered the years o: war in the the Polisario Front. Sahara. and every Jay Whatever fighting increases the by mounted piessule on le government to resolve the conflict. But war. and the Ine placeu policies followed by Ould pressure Daddah. have also virtually their main ensiavej Mauriania as vassal of King Hassan's The dictatorship reacionary clique of Morocco. whole Saharan been seeking long adventure was designed by able means to offload Hassan, and the occupation this Greater Lacl Morocco' remains essential Polisario. to his foreign policy. Annexations Ignoring every setback to his ambitions and defying all attempts. persuasion, Hassan has so far obstinate- ly refused to entertain the role in the Sahara. Gaddafi possibility of billing Moroccan rule, let alone support for abolishing it to establish an Arab Democratic Republic.

independent republic in the off Western Sahara. his trom and other exploits in Chad Disintegration

WOIK

towards a restabilisation of But the pressure from the Maghreb. Rabat for the Mauritanian leaders to present a united initiatives nave front has become less effec- equally energetic rival, the uve as une economic crisis krancoisi and social disintegration of ment in Spain. Mauritania have reached Separated staggering new heights Maghreb only by the narrow Ould Bouceif has Straits of followed his military prede- Spanish cessors in negotiations with major the Polisario Front. These military interests almost have region, certainly focussed on the with the 1975 'decolonisa- exchange oi a truce between tion' of the Western Sahara.

the sides the two TOr establishment of some kind Neutralise conflicts of autonomy for the Tiris el-Gharbia (the southern part of the Western Sahara, cautious but occupied by the Mauritan- army its 1975 neutralise all the conflicting Madrid agreement with the interests within the Maghreb Francoist Moroccan and in a peacetul coexistence' dictatorships). that can offer golden oppor- 'Left' nationalist tunities capitalism. The imperialist powers, and the nationalist astonishingly successful.

leaders of Algeria and Libya The UCD, ruling party in would eagerly welcome such the Spanish government, has a 'solution' to the demands recognised the of the Sahrawi (Saharoui) Front-but the people for self-determina- itself has not gone beyond tion and independence, and caretul hopes that 'liberty' such an end to the libera- will somehow reign in the tion struggle being waged by Western Sahara. Best o: renis-Hassan and Carter the Polisario against a shoddy deal of this kind. they will certainly be under massive

"TOM

backers, Algerian ruling bureaucracy.

petty-bourgeois the Algerian 'Revolutionary Council' has respect- the embarrassing burden of its Gaddafi Ine recent months, over Spanish and ministers The Libyan dictatorship ambassadors been have has played a less prominent front-runners in the intense race of diplomats from one has declared capital to another the Already the 'normalisa- Dantawi tion' of relations between Now he has taken time and Madrid has Algers produced tangible annexations results with the Algerian 'socialists more abandoning support actively for or indepen- autonomy dence in the Spanish ruled But Gaddafi's diplomatic Canary off Islands the Moroccan coast. met an Little to show Suarez govern- Suarez far has profited from the from his Sahara campaign the French imper- Gibraltar, ialists have very little the show for their more costly bourgeoisie has economic investment. and the French military training has built up the Moroccan which did not end and Mauritanian armies, and last from the y cal French armed forces bombed strafed the ana Sahara to strengthen their Today Suarez is playing a war of aggression. But the military involve- ambitious reconcile ment of French imperialism (Sahara, Chad, ATICa Zaire) has provoked growing resistance from the French working class. At the same ailing Spanish time, President Giscard could derive little comfort So far Suarez has been nom the progress the war. Far being ITOm obliterated, the Polisario has Polisario been extend its aule government military activity into Morocco, and sournern inflict considerable defeats on Hassan's army. This situation times over. Morocco farthest from Iran. terms, the Iran of the tion', as a the Shah. The example Iranian revolution lost tne masses, and presence in deposed Shah out spell ll himself, as soon as decently possible, of guest who violently demonstrations wherever he appeared. has brought no end to the ders the material and human supplies in the war. dangerous enough for the imperialists in itself. But its year llas massive strikes seen gravest threat lies the of the war broadening and impact OH scale: railway workers, bank crisis in Morocco. workers, miners, postal and Moroccan workers Casablanca dockers, textile Today, the future of the workers, Maghreb lies with the workers in the civil airline proletariat of Morocco. The All have masses of Mauritania are action on their weakly organised, with little demands, and experience political OI them have come the school and college students. In Tunisia, the working The situation class is recovering from the becoming uncontrollable by exertions and bloody defeat Hassan's usual of last year's general strike.

repression. The peasants and workers of Algeria remain Moth eaten • for the moment demoralised and confused by their precarious but tenacious well-tried card in petty-bourgeois rulers. the head of Yet in Morocco, the The new working class Maati moving Bouabid, eaten 'left' credentials lorwalu In a new surge o struggles generated by the economic crisis, and the war himself which has worsened it many prosecute the Trotskyists launch Danish paper The Trotskyist hagen May Workers League, organised by newly-formed Danish outside the Party. organisation in with the One feature article called solidarity for a boycott of the coming Workers Socialist EEC elections while another League, chose May Day the cannes divisions that had for the highly successful within the launching of their paper "United" Secretariat of the Trotskistisk Synspunkt Fourth International (Trotskyist Viewpoint). the wars between Stalinist Issue number one-con- Stales in south East Asia taining articles the on Fortnightly Danish government's inter- into the vention new par contracts; Iran; the Danish The Danish Stalinism; an inter- CP and the with members of the recently been forced to pull vie w Danish Left Socialists; and from weekly DaCk an analysis of pay struggles tion of their paper Klassen by brewery Kampen rapidly on the large Copen- schedule. Page 3

MOROCCO

ALGERIA

LLIBYA

•MAURITANIA

CHAD

@ Conflict Points and the internal repression all the Arab states, with unflagging force. geographically The old trump cards do not have their old power in But in social and political this crisis The Morocco of phantom of Iran stalks Hassan closely resembles the through Morocco today 'White Revolu- with strength to enough revolution- break a thousand Bouabids.

ary monarch', Hassan took Hassan's dictatorship has his lessons in tyranny from been weaker. MC VeT agony has helped spur the of the French and Spanish imper- was not ialists into their frenzy of Moroccan diplomacy to resolve the the temporary Sahara 'question'. Morocco of the But in his hour of need could only Hassan can call for help on more clearly a force which the Shah had Hassan was forced to rid denied himself dangerous provoked hostile mass Dizzy spiral But the Shah's departure spiral of inflation oi constant drain of already on deepening workers, the The former Shah teachers and The traditional populist, taken strike reformist and Stalinist leaders of the Moroccan offered have only done at He asses accommodation and collab- oration with the fast dictatorship Hassan's throne now methods of upon ability of Test. Ine bureaucrats these control, divert and strangle the developing mass move ment which holds the power Last month he played a to overthrow imperialism in changing Morocco. government. It is in the struggle to prime minister defeat these old traitors and has moth- build revolutionary a new leadership, that the immed- But alrèady he has shown iate future of the Moroccan determined to workers and peasants will be Sahara decided. war Day March the planned transformation left groups

RSF

the

HALO

Communist Socialist Workers Party. members showed a keen interest in the new Trotskyist paper. Emerging at a time of splits. and growing militancy the emerged Danish working class, and a Pabioite profound crisis in both the Social Democratic and Stalinist Communist Parties, over the Trotskyist Workers League has real opportunit les for political work in the coming period. And by challenging the

USFI

political confusion among

RSF

RSF and other left groups has will play an important furthering publica- in the TolE struggle for the reconstruc the Trotskyist fortnightly Fourth International and to postpone

Irish gays Unionist Party to organise the Mason, Labour's Roy 'Save Ulster from Sodomy' cam- Minister of Torture, fired a palen. wich well-aimed parting

SAOU

of some 10,000 to the before handing over Judges Tories the task ot upnoid- ing British imperialist rule in This swelled by senior judges, and no Northern Ireland. This time the target was gay doubl by 'peace-keeping forces' Tne occuPiea Nicul counties. 1 Ve Labour Westminster legislation betore this assault-ait ene lore y ne because of 196/ legalised certain types any serious commitment to gay of private sexual acts between consenting males over the age of rights. 21. duced by a private members' bill Never extended from Wilson leadership ensured oniy a free vote from the PLP. This partial reform was never armed Anv SUS0iCol exten•e• principled stand on such basic Ireland, Scotland vortneru lemocratic the vicious penalties of the completely 1885 laws still remain in force spring. Tuath sus censuu and imposition Stormont parliamentary defeat, Callaghan rule', Mason had with within his power to extend law barcanec Unionists

TOI

retorm Critich occuoe Amongst Order reland simply 'yeš" dem anos. Council, ano vOtt on the Parliament. draft law was law after last publisned JUlIC ful. In by its submissior concerted cam damon (Northern Ireland Gay European

NIGRA

Rights, which had Association) Huan

PIQUES

reland Ottice argued inal.

led to embarrassina exposure "The subject British imperialism Ene ularly sensitive and controversial Commission European one. s netelrc Human Rights. forces of clerical reac- The than that in England." tion at once swung into hyster- the north, The hierarchy of activity. imperialism the Catholic church thundered continued its usual condemnations of such Ine 'blasphemous' behaviour. gays. But the The Rev. lan Paisley used his reaction bases in the 'Free' Presbyterian Hencar 'Democratic' the Church ano

PRESS

GANG

in the An IRA spy ation and each paper of the British ranks Army generals? ment prospect This intriguing from what it said. for a brief hung out was period following revelations of careful military by the IRA that they had top received a copy oi a intelligence Army report. in Republican News. It was with considerable relief that the press decided briefing-that -after army hoth described the spy dia nol llave stass his shoulder but was a the IRA". postal worker. hounding

IRA

Talk of the within ym pathısers UPW has a comforting ring about it. was politically dangerous" Some papers even spoke of an IRÀ "infiltrator But if the Post Office as could decision by postal WOlKEL hold develop possibly such sympathies. papers carried all same story. quite the Daily Star for example, said barraçks simply a fury. that it. was quite of The theft straightforward mail-later sold to the IRA.

under no extradition But whatever the precise place formulation each paper was Butcher Mason gets in parting shot - at Fine Gael votes for gay rights claimed a petition signatures allance wa. representatives ot ine leaders quailed they have never nela The 1967 reform was intro steet. legislation easil y among the Part ov the legach of Britis severe the most of life- rights was rule Ine Inredl smashed the prisonment which hangs over however adult or cay mell Faced with the prospect of a consenting they may be. At its recent conference, the the Ulster Fine Gael party overwhelmingly legal theil support. adopted proposal: Westminster whole series on the reforms the Unionists insisted model. But Fine Gael is convenient- dropping of the • arall hieratiy has not yet ly ano The The Unionists were success- Catholic hierarchy opened its assault on this move.

„TO „ tne Commission The oppression pays Ireland is just one Northern throughout clerical reaction the aspect of freedom artic Whicr denter sexuality and restricts the rights reasonable of women [!] for the law to be less liberal The fight for an end to dis- crimination against gays must be :thàt it is British waged in a struggie against has bigotry which which holes religious sway throughout the island, and oppression which is a basic prop helping imperialist republic oergelualc oppression of the British state in combined has the north. with this same force to produce had and McMullen-who quite definite in its specul- held in a Californian used been jail year-could be the issue of how the docu- for the deported instead was leaked to divert Republic of Ireland One other clear symptom The Telegraph raged: briefing more than bad I nIs Is •of the 'free' Tory press was strikes at the very law. the formulation of the way Murder hasis of law mass killing, extortion, bank the document was presented robbing, torture, can be all Despite their differences, political on exem pted the Telegraph and the star grounds". Republican Sunday Telegraph The News as "the mouthpiece of admitt ed in deg an of number TOWNe (now including Embarrassing Americans Irish affilia

WEISHO

¡lall y plainly believe that Every paper said the leak tions) "em barrassing but not what going Ireland an Northern British to attempt by the

IRA

leak of the last the maintain caused embarrassment, bastions of empire, not an

IRA

court to refuse to extradite attempt Ulstermen the Peter McMullen-alleged by deprive right to self-determination".

British police to be involved It ruefully concluded: in a bombing at Ripon army much "There would be in auscu said for sending to powerful mission the ruled that tc court United States to counteract the 1972 agreement IRA and Dublin government could Lake propaganda there." for political crimes

PAY STRUGGLES

HINDER LYNCH

STRATEGY

Postal workers in the Irish republic are at the forefront of continuing resistence to working attacks on the class living standards being by the Lynch plotted government and its lackeys in the frish TUC. Their 13 week pay strike has wreaked ousines communications and threats to disrupt ine cam alyl European elections by circulation preventing electon dooresses Militant picketing by postal workers led last week to court workers intunction. DorTll from picketing OUDlIT S Connolly stations, standing" drawn mens toll where employers had been using anvernment an express parcels service to get TUC chiefs, this around the strike biov disciplining the working class.

Intimidatory The dangles the carrot--Involving puny As reSUlt called 'intimi. leadership an and a 15% waoe months-in front offices of the catorv ocket l working class of Confederation C ot risI and Industry Drcels service's Sheriff Street ottice strike aureeme! With the The strike has attractea international support, including Tha •lacKinc actIol will be voting against it.

members in the North, and cash aid the German postal from workers union. But it is not the only thorn rejected the deal side of Lynch's efforts to hold down the slave labour Maine details wades oaio ov irisn emoryeis whose rate of return on capital the low-paid, the highest the among ir orete Tal-lal Word percentages I he decision ten days ago o1 Jones!); they the Irish TGWU bureaucracy to "National the 0000S

IRELAND

STROOPŚ OUT

NOW!

Lynch that the the want guarantee. Irish government honour and Dosses side of the bargain; and they are , has struck a body no-strike for happy CnOt dOu t clauses. or not they move "Understanding' in the next few days to swaliow an exceedingly skinny buckle these ooiection: 15 down to accept the dea WIl 7150 assessment of depend ot ine their ability to contain potential in an attempt to rebellion • WIthIn Tenk. dure workers into dotatigell iu their membership the ICTU itself is ITGWU rejection cer lainıs doing everything possible to rail- biggest single the deal and to damp road in delegation-65-strong- wages CowI Mutlancy indicated Has massive general strike in Dublin other cities against Lynch's But IT GWU leaders nave not anc on principle. PAYE laws, which benett fris!

farmers at the expense of the they are haggling over working class workers There was not enough for a nusane. they argued; they stopped work simula May Day-but only protest on ncr cast Jack of disciplinary action siecnoes COn by are not happy against their unions with the tax concessions; they

ICTU.

Dublin workers march against PAYE system

'Left' cynics revel in

SONIAL SERESS

post-poll blues February of that year. Many of For a party whose whole One million of these came these forces no doubt came out motive for existence is to from the wilting Liberal rarty again to put Thatcher in office 20% 1974 participate in elections, the

OST

OT BES

When confusion, the impact loss of one is a traumatic support press propa- massive Others doubtless came from •demoralisation of experience. the 2 million inexper- among canad and taken added to the Labour soul- suoporters art Hence Ene lence new volts electorate since 1974, many of account, the General our s nouse- Election result can be seen very Labour Weekly, which would oniv Journal much as a statement of the class horrors of the every remember EnIS week startlits be all polarisation orouant doout direction except serious Heath cover nueul, crisis-ridden capitalism too aware of the bankruptcy of of the record examination workers have _Callaghan's right wing policies.

Callaghan's government in stuck behind the Labour Party.

hope ot explaining away betrayals it has Devoid of socialism the General Election defeat. carried Inrouch The reality is of course tnat of Toryism and As opponents Labour's while hostility natcher s will be rapidly joined by they anti-working class devoid manitesto-totaly callyargh of thousands vote anything resembling a socialist Labour nuncred ensured that the policy-offered young voters no people that alienated 11.46 actually increase -rom by the actions of the Thatcher million 1974 to 11.5 million orosoect

COT

and rapidly realise in 1979-the lack of any serious miserable Tuture tale oclord covermer five years of Wilson- how they have been duped by them by Labour answers to the problems.

soft-soap about tax cuts into Callaghan government. plunging living standards, voting for the scrapping of their unemployment and But should hard-won social services, and for mountine forgotten that 1½ million Tory services crumoling social voters stayed at home in the the closure of their allowed the Tories to scoop up having 1974 Election places. additional million October But this does not mean that • failed to return of votes. in search these supporters, will not, under Callaghan and right wing to the right swing even further search 'the micolt ground" Weekly declares that: "The party must strengthen , broaden its appeal, and is pose 1½ win hack those

• MISSIN

million voters who are needed mandate to to give the party a govern". Tory policies talk When right winders "broadening appeal" they about invariably mean a lurch towards more Tory policies. danger in the But the other is the - aftermath of the Election re emergence of the left' takers.

They will set out consciously to disauise their own wretched compromises witn policies Callaghan's rightwing for campaigning and socialist* policies, will aim restrict Labour's programme the Tribune group's nationalist line of seeking import controls and increased ao vernment investment in private industry.

among them is of Southall demonstrators mourn Blair Peach rorenost course Benn, who in une idlesl

BIDWELL CRAWLS

funereal issue of Labour Weekly "eight point plan" to rebuild mass mem det ship with the plea that: "There must be no personal recriminations about Ene fast

TO WHITELAW

five years". This appeal should be seen as not merely shieloine ballauriall and right wing trom Labour legitimațe anger could MP Syd 'Left Labour police charges of course, mutants. out diso Perhaps the Com. dropped. has taken up the sheltering Benn Bidwell ( numsel, trom also missioner case of the 342 workers and you had the same view." youth arrested amid savage At pains to point to his own violence in the concern and order, police tot Bidwell argues that many of the Southall anti-fascist demon- could face jail youth arrested stration. on the sentences t convicted Foremost among the victims charges brought against them by of the rampaging thugs in blue the police. Blair Peach, "If thev are put in prison 11 was anti-lascist could launch them onto a career killed by a blow to une nedu from Special Patrol Group of crime" , he whines. Whitelaw has already shown truncheon. Baker 'unmistakeably Anotner Clarence where ne stands lies still perilously close to death by his immediate cash bonus to from brain injuries in a local the paid thugs of the police and nosoilal. armed torces trade Whoe series Bootlicking union bodies have already called for a labour movement inquiry task in defending the the to lick Whitelaw's 342 is not into ine actions of tne police What, then, has Bidwell done boots and grovel to police chief about this brutal racist assault?

McNee, but to mobilise the broadest possible support within for example, Has he the removal the labour demanded movement solidarity action. tormer abour nome oebleld y Such a campaign, and the Rees and his teilow cannel in the Caltaghan labour scabherders movement nutty num being launched must set out to who presided over headersalo expose as thoroughly as possible and defended the operation?

No, nothing like that. to the entire workina class tha a bleating the brutality written „otetne •outnal Bidwell has events is not a one-off "excess" letter ot orotest to lory nomie police face Secretary Whitelaw asking for preparations support! conTron mass struggles of the workers the Ealing movement against the attacks of Callaghan on his ill-starred campaign trail Gazette, Settersays. "It would be marvellous if camitalism. PHOTO: Laurence Sparham, IFL Benn attack for his scurrilous role as servile, lett-talkino noo- carrier for the Callaghan cabinet policies ano reactonlaly throughout its period of office.

Laughable days after Laughably, only thrown out of his office being Callaghan's stri keoreaking job slashing wage-cutting, Benn government, announces that: we must defend the "First, interests of working people and

LABOUR

PARTY

SYL youth demand speaking rights from LPYS National Chairman Phil Frampton at anti- SUS demo after being excluded from platform for shouting anti-Callaghan slogans.

families against policies-at (home or which would threaten world restrict our democratic beace, our rsont

CAUC

standards or undermine our civil Such cynical posturing by Renn will be facilitated also bi the tame cat "MarXISTS Labour's 'Militant' group editorial Their post-erection limply describes article •government Condonal "failure" Climbing down to right wing winter's pay lashes strikes Militant ever astonishingly out destines de "the unskillful tactics occas- ionally adopted by some of the 'public service workers-who had previous experience Ittte or no of strike action". to believe that the Are we the manoeuviel. "Militant editorial offices could have found a way to take strike a hospital without a астов frenzied Tory press witch hunt?

isnt this rather just a the attack on back-stabbine for strikes that

OCCUF

supposedly damaging Labour's • election chances? 'Militant' savs nothing of the of these strikes in importance basis of a fight the reparinic • against Tory attacks. the Indeed it is back parliamentary arena and debate, , rather than inner-party political developments from such mas. struggies 'Militant' looks for hope in t future «Tony Benn and the Tribune for called MPs have mghtly return to fundamental socialist [!] the parlia. Regrettably, mentary left's opposition to the muted policies wa: [!] during the campaign".

Militant' distorts Auall the up to reality and covers 'lefts opposition of the Parliamentary Not only 'lefts' non-existent ouring it had been election campaign, for the preced ing five years! 'Militant' has no desire to challenge this record.

themselves,

TETTS

Militant' leaders also oppose the demand for a fight Callaghan-

KICH

Healey leadership call for a return to socialist tundamenta principles" takes place in ine of accepting continued of the leadership right wing Labour Party ano coverine the continued retreats by left' the Tribunite ; calls on all its socialist Fress supporters in the Labour Party fight for the the redouble removal • of the Callaghan right wing whose policies stand utterly discredited will expose the

TIONT

of every variety real of left take It will open the struggle toi programme capable class - the working mobilisinc not as pure election todder to machine but mass action to defend its inde- pendent interest Tory enemy. unions! Mas: •* Natend the action to defeat anti-union laws!

Reject the Concordat! controls! For wage NO protected against increases through cost-of-living clauses! *No sackings! Demand work full pay! Open the sharing on employers that threaten redundancy or closure elected committees of trade unionists. *Nationalise industries, banks and trusts compensation, under workers manacement Occupy *No. cuts! and fight facilities threatened for supporting strike action.

THE STRUGGLES THAT

TOPPLED HEATH'S

UNION - BASHING TEAR

The working class from the abrupt change methods and certainly has the personnel of strength and confidence unlE during the 'boom' period.

to confront and defeat "thirteen infamous the right wing Thatcher Tory misrule". years of government. Aggressive This is the clear lesson from three and a half years The crisis facing British of- Tory misrule under capitalism in the collapse of Heath, in which an equally determined of

DOCT

group, the most aggressive and bankers businessmen sections the British also set out noping lo lame class were thrust capitalist the trade unions and drive •forefront the of this up the profitability of crisis- of big ridden British capitalism. Dally busess. as placing old. layers of the started out Having will Tory gentry-ine characteristic MacMillans. Douglas- the arrogance and ruthlessness, and Homes, TellOW the Heath government faced tweed-clad gentlefolk. a mounting tide of working The bloody pleasures of class opposition grouse-shooting were front-and was forced trom replaced with the office disgrace in 1n une hunt for ways of screwing midst of the miners' profits from the struggle in early 1974. ancreased working class. Forward from the Tory Pessimism came such business ranks when advocates former CB. A T pessimists will see the 1979 chief John Davies, invest- ment tycoon Peter Walker, election as a maor deleal, Keith of every building DOs. Joseph, ana Will sinpe are seeking excuses lu extensive business interests explain Callaghan's electoral Barber including Anthony disaster and anners Edward Du Cann, Reginald is particularly 1t SUCCeSs. important to focus on the Maudling and Robert Carr.

Alongside class these men continuity struggle which, in the case were retained those aristo- and landowning of the Heath government, suited vividly refuted the idea that elements DesT working class involvement co-ordinating the all-round the politics revolves around offensive working five-yearly elections or the class-Whitelaw, Carrington Lord Hailsham (then Parliamentary arena. ano Quintin Hogg). the emergence of Only wing the extreme Ruthless Thatcher leadership in the wake of Heath's defeat, and of his The policies this new fading. memories period of office, make team wanted were more more abrupt, than for Heath be ruthless, possible viewed now as some kind of the traditional anti-working 'moderate' Tory. class policies pursued under the previous Tory governments.

The opposite was And they wanted them case. In many ways the Heath implemented with suited the government urgency markeu all Thatcher-Heath's milk-snatcher Education Secretary Heath crisis of British record .on mounting government's prices and her repetition of capitalism But did promises to cut direct taxes they not indirect and substitute openly for such campaign 1970 taxes. the The reality in either case election. Instead, Tory cam- is of course. that top paid rested paign suralery hiding the reality of their managers CHE DOVels thumping tax policies behind a barrage of receive cuts their already inflated generalities. salaries, while working class These generalities were for the families for them first spelled out pay benefit of the Tory press in through slee t January 1970 at increases on basic goods in a shadow meeting' the shops and slashed social cabinet the Selsdon Park Hotel. services Heath's pledge on prices men-much as Heath's was to become one of the Thatcher's team has done in election most 1979 Lne promises on record: but in themselves calmed of six vears of of waKe advocates laW right wing Labour govern- order', of reduced taxation, ment under Wilson it helped of restricted immigration, to secure the votes needed the and of reforming for a 30-seat Tory majority unions'. on June 18. Once safely in office, the Confidence trick Tories' real plans could be set in motion. Prices were to Among their more effec- go up a record 10.5% in tive confidence tricks in the Heath's first 11 months in run-up to the June 18 1970 office-the biggest single election Heath's vote- w ds increase since the tood price televised speech catching index was set up in 1962.

the polls days belore promising to "cut prices at a By October stroke", supposedly through the of Selective Chancellor Anthony Barber abolition Employment Tax and the was ready to present a mini of Value budget that doubled introduction prescription charges, ended Added Tax. free milk, raised The echo of this farcical school was also heard charges for school meals, pledge spectacles and dental treat- • 1979-in Thatcher's endles: the Laböur withdrew sub- cant and mell. PHOTO: Chris Davies Report TUC leader Vic Feather: TUC looked for ways not of removing but working with Tories sidies from food and rail fares. Sick pay ended Charges were introduced for admission …lo museums and art galleries. and pay for the first three days of absence was ended. For the rich; however, it was a tax bonanza, with a 6d cut in income LaX bringing hefty increases in bosses' take-home pay. It was working class tamille who found themselves worse off, with school meals swallowing increases up their tax cuts. Abandoned were cynical election pledges to make £30 million available relieve poverty. Instead, Sir Keith Joseph presided over the miserly £8m funds allo- "Family Incomes cated Supplement"-a direct government subsidy for low- wage employers. two Meanwhile within weeks taking office ot Heath had plunged headlong into talks on entry into the Common Market. This move was designed forge greate. between European and British capitalist industry, at the of huge increases in food and other prices, and massive rational- isation of industry, forcing thousands of workers onto SOCIALIST PRESS. Wednesday 16 Mas 19-9 By John Lister the dole Heath's view was too great for expense the working class to bear in desperate the solving British problems of capitalism. "negotiations" The

EEC

entry, headed Geoffrey Rippon, proved as farcical as Heath's own elec.

hon picage on prices The Industrial Relations Bill took rather long to get way-but only Tories kept the Decaust adding to it as it emerged.

By December 15 1970 it was receiving second Commons. reading in the Unsuccessful Based largely on Wilson's 1969 unsuccessful anti- union bill 'In Place of Strife Wilson (which had with- arawll, massive protests oy workers, on lot basis of a 'Concordat'-style 'solemn and binding undertaking by TUC leaders they they would police the members) actions of their the Tory Bill set out to enmesh the trade unions in straightjacket of legal up a compulsory register of 'recognised' trade unions, from which existing were forced to des in order to with- which afforded draw, but

In charge of I.R. Act-Carr recognition whole iations house ano state. step oHaw

CHONE

evel such agree- ments would unlimited in the

COULLS.

As the complex Act National new ballots. disguised The CouT the theatrical pretence of represen- the president, John Donaldson, out the Wigless Judge Donaldson But as was to emerge clearly, this was a real court, with the power to fine sequester their unholis, assets, and jail trade unionists. itself The Act was long and immensely complex-containing also, for example, provisions to restrict the freedom of the press in industrial reporting.

Much •Was discussed in Parlia- ment, a resull 'guillotine" central thrust how- was unmistakeable: ever, was a conscious 11104 strip away the legal rights and PRINT WORKERS say the B' loyalist thugs enough, NO FEt ted and of TO using

THE

bullets protestol lories

BILL

unarmed demon- the Sunday massacre of 30, 1972. murders an. increase thẻ further Defence provo- the brothers, Keith, to the Tories 1973 rail- in no-jury ten protests fail to kill the bill. a concealed or the basis on won in by the employers tax conces- confessions from and back the sions. unions clock to when the At the same time period Vale historic judge- had unions ment

CLOT

alising ever military in "fair' W de left opposition and handful of

TCHES

building policemen over their fear of to this penal Ines. bund to life; new working in no out alls was tenants' were to accept 1100O SUCa •Tory measures government, West. defeated milder

NOTIN

attack from

LAGEES SPIRIT ST

Heath But ignominious success other only whom key issues. offered verbal 'he role implementing ledged the the last gration Bill, analvsis 111017102 level black and exception council at upon them. Clay Cross, which stood Act, election Powell's way viciously baiting speeches, which faced penalties went far as to including from office compulsory repayment money fact However, traitors' "Maoists' in that remains wherever government that were main Tne spark leadership was shamefully by the ministries. offered, the working class showed itself ready and in 1974. larger land- willing to fight tooth 'and and their bitter

1OUS

nail against the Tories and everything this business- stood government

MUCH S

for. spelled 1969 to halt Fair Deal Immediately prior to the -misnamed of the Irish working .class 1970 election strike bi 1971.

SOGAT

had printworkers brought the national press Comeda "protecting" to anta vitil a monda ot Far the Carnolic witnin a montn ol Heath taking office a docks strike fighting housing the British for an was to the "Battle a 4-7% pay the improvement of subsure. £500 offer brought the per year- ment to declare a State of Emergency. big business and of 1970-71 bitter brought pay battle by of case' series ditions. failed lorce ment penells ground important for the Socialist League this : organisa- by protest and the of bring tenera Jown ment. ced by Com- other left as sible the ing event. despite protest huge strong day bill 1 brought bigger even 1.5 stoppage by million way through Heath's government massively stepped up repression in Ireland Parliament. The militancy of the working class was also reflected in the strikes by postal workers (7 weeks) and what began as an unofficial strike by Ford workers (9 weeks).

Yet far from strengthen- ing unest sectons their fight workers against the Tories. , Ine 1UC isolated consciously the them to postlieu, the few veconne sections actually defeated Heath government •Galloping inflation, DOOSLed amos hike under universal price 15 of the February COver decimalisation, was • gather- ing pace, however, and with of important the miners 1971 Budget place pient conditions incipient recession. Upper Shipbuilders the brink: Olo vacat

OVOI

800,000 of took office Barber simply ways not of with the unions. of this line the 30,000 Even threatened the workers at and in of opposition sackings Scotland Stalinist were working action to sion of alternative private The 'work-in' begun supported and the to campaign action Instead began and ended as which eventually wound up of jobs lost with thousands and a wretched deal with Marathon ship- builders which included speed-up anel strike clauses. of Puffing clouds "militant' rhetoric, the UCS leaders trekked gamely up million- aire employers and the Tory Industry Minister Sir John Eden. the But all the time Tories were forging steadily ahead with the preparations for the first sessions of the National Industrial Relations Court. Continued next week

Page 8

AN APOLOGY

FOR SMALL

TOWN USA

Film review by David Whitfield Take a hero-make him a simply irrational experience which cuts young man, a steel-worker across normidt every-ady in closely-bonded and has no connection with it.

small of But it is an experience which community industrial town in Pennsy!- through to the nas to seen bitter end valula. The war scenes are certainly with two Provide nim presented with immense power.

from the same ne norror or war. ana tne background, and subject them terrible teribed pilentlessly to de vaste.

ordeal -the Terrore experience ot war in vietnam, TInG eTTeCL. companion where But just as the steelworkers breaks other crippled. and the shown as having were no apart psychologically and dies in or social life within conscious horrific circumstances. the mills, so the three events of the the Clairtown do Americans from to present the narrative so appear nOT as solelers moral progress of the hero.

army. level, that the Unit Individuals 'The Deer Hunter essence OT Produced with extensive budget and impressive resources, They are simply individuals huge attracted Ine

TITT

cauant uo in awar Inat 1s not or audiences, and rave reviews.

their making, subjected But this praise has been forced to fight attacks and. so out of all propor- exaocerala back in selt detence. conscious the tion racer with these incomore political hensible obstacles, they must precon- Unconsis respond with dumb either ceotions or ine reviewers The Deer Hunter' neroism. reactionary American 'grit' or 'guts' can see thoroughly them through. Inouen not Decdust solid, unexcep- treatment of the war Michael -a tional guy in Clairtown-passes Vietnam. the test with flying colours land Vietnam ne scenes the reactionary ' a row or medals tor positions which lie deeper In the crucial scene, all three are by the

NLF

imprisoned their captors policy, or even inter- tor The water Cace national role of imperialism.

gamble Torcing The Americans play Russian Steel mills rouleLle It is Michael who urges his fellow prisoners to defy the opening scenes give and loving portrayal terror of the situation, and then long praise: Clairtown, with gives tnem inel communiv or mussian descentl "You've done it, you ve snowi The town's economic life the of the thousands of time them It's a cliche from Michael conclusion of th tilm, based, on the steel industry, and breaks down, shaking the

: DOOV

celebrating machismo. and sobbing, "Nickie, Nickie, LImIno actually • LaKes camera inside the mills. The Deer Hunter', . With this unconvinc- the film draws its force from But stops short at the cliche ing. line, the film sums up their the way 'they' are relationship in totally confusing reproducine me worence or tre presentta. noise, fire and moving weights.

Throughout, the Vietnamese Terms. No attempt is made to show are protrayed as 'aliens with Mike and Nick form another barbaric practices-in link in that apparently endless anytning of the social relations scarcely human in the terms of which dominate this process of of devoted male succession producton-the the screen Ciairtown buddies (but never lovers) whicl mer are ПОТ living here, but have infested American cinema seen through Cassid numbed Atrocities ('Casablanca', and whole experience. the sundance At the changing lockers they

NLF

endless embody masculine commit The begin to revive, and once ouside and wanton atrocities, while the solidarity in superiority to the represented the gates Americans act decently demands thev emerce ano individual humans. Michael, the necessity of self-pres- and security trom the trom hero (played by Robert de Niro) of domestic life (the urden ervation. but Ine province of women). nist element in this ridiculous soenes nis eisure time pissed up with his buddies, and perversion of history is entirely going off into the mountains to What Michael has apparently dominant subordinate Ene achieved from his experience is hunt deer racism. The climax of this section is different Saigon, feast, where the the wedding shown busily Vietnamese are forces of reliaion and the tamily exploiting the American. integrate all the classes of the gambling, prostitution, through community into one united Gruds ano Ine black nal kol whole which can contain every And of course exploitation is form foreign relationship king or potentia contiict ana survive of the yet source completely strenath to its members friendly cooperation of Clair- of After ThIS celeration faith, the film cuts to Vietnam-.

It is to this city of corrup- In a sense, the two tion that Michael returns, after are not related. his term ot duty coeer to rescue his great completed, Not political Steve has already received 'The Deer Hunter' is not a appropriate deserts for a the 'political film. On the surface, courage-he now with a wheelchair cripple, legs and an It nas no orrect concern the Vietnam war, and certainly arm amputated. all with its concern Mindless wreck portical reality. The film's concern is with Nick hal, become a mindless U.S. society, and a community which self. wreck repeatedly playing that society gambling Russian presented completely finally When Michae contained, totally unaware oens. the outside developments and tracks ally predictable happens lacking any and NIck at last fires a loaded chamber.

political consciousness at all.

three major this perspective, the one no history- which form Vietnam has Ine scenes wval 517 ability to articulate the the their relationship to value well him. real us Nick is dead at this point-it is film how difficult could theit nave cover With future relationship it he nac Michael's survived beyond moment of self-knowledge The film with the friends after funeral-party has flown

NICKS

back Helpless Cartown. unablè to absorb the experiençe thrown their lives which has resolve they into catastroone. their confusion oinine sing Bless together America As a conclusion, totally unprepared and failure. But cisastrous ar tis til Cimino is just throwing not US airmen rush to load up bombers: is this individual self defence?

caution to the winds and staking Rever hi blatant desperat on a desperate last The message is far more subtle, and none the less reactionary tha tine 'American nation' has terrible had undergo expert this has in i el been cisruotion ane loss-t nas dis( been a process of education, o learning the importance of the values which sustain American society. Perhaps the purging of wa for Wa. even necessaly purification to take place.

America needs God's been because it's blessing through a bad time, but now it's humble, trying to learn from Vast listakes Victims of US pattern bombing in Vietnam SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 16 May 1979 -05 The this which flows trom SIOn that US foreign policy should return to the days of 'splended smal —with isolation proviso that it may be necessary to break this rule from time to time in order to keep the world a free to a place where men their peace with Nature and where free to take wives, buddies can go on meeting just as good friends Forlorn • the Ten years from now, Hunter will laughable, a forlorn attempt to breathe into new pieties commonDiact American liberal humanism.

for the roil of us imperialism in The film I apology Vietnam, but a hymn in praise the traditional of with all its americal societv bourgeois forms and the massive are united in on Hunter, all (white nation where any nationality immigrants are accentee as eudi citizens where class is an irrelevancy and the class struggle non-existent.

fantast reactionary projected with considerable force, in its way., a heroic effort But the artistic weakness of The Deer not accidental I or avoidable. It is i direct product of the inability of bourgeois ideology-howeve liberal well-meaning-t resent an image of US imperia ism that tully corresponds witt reality and can explain th crimes it ha committed only against the Vietnamese and other peoples, but against in working class within its owin frontiers.

CACTL SPOTLIGHTS WAR

ON UNION RIGHTS

SOCIALIST PRESS. hastese::: Me: is'» Since its formation 1974 the Campaign Against Criminal Trespass Law (CACTL) has attempted to raise within and within movement squatters' organisations the issue of occupation against closures. Over the last period

DEC

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report CACTL's correct orientation to the organisations of the working an important class nas oult uv list of affiliations including 150 regions, districts (including branches ana North West AUv sections ano Region Trades councils, 30 Labour Parties, the NUS and 60 students and a large number or portical, legal, housing and community orcanisations. Greeting for police at the first eviction in which the new Criminal Law Act was.used Johnny Byrne reviews Whose Law and Order?

ne broduction or Inis Jam- phlet, Whose Law and Uraer: at a particularly signif- icant time when une highls occupy, strike and DICKeT increasing fire the state (police from from anal reactiondry uaces!. the Tories (with their promise: smash the most fundamental of union rights) and trom the leadership or both tne Labour Party and the trade unions (with PigE y "In summing up one his of the reasons he gave or grant ing the injunction was that the against union acting bickel was instruction". other words the union provides the bullets, leadership while the state Tinally pulls tie But

CACTL

does trigger. I nO attempt to draw any such con- the 'Concordat' and all manner clusions Unlike some ordanisations the waging campaigns within Instead it pulls back from 'codes restrictive labour movement, CACTL has a vital question of facing the conduct'). this sharpening situation _clea • position on te multancy eagersnip has extended its brief of the working class. Nowhere

CACTL

the bamoniel. The willingness of workers ke commis these a retain beyond occupations to take to fight comes over strongly in committees attacks on the right to strike, to to black goods and absolute control over picketing much ot the pampniel picket, All the more reason then to Fighting for workers control demonstrate raise the crucial question of the all those in means the • camoaan labour the provides an invaluable guide to kind of leadership the working leadershi class has. movement who refuse • То go the development of the attacks

CACTL

out to defend basic union rights itself has recently by the state and from the right We have no political control from the come uncer attack wing TUC leadership at the highest pamphlet entirely over the orles ine polict But the level (see SP to the judiciary, but we do have trying fails to take up the role of the fight take bureaucrats in up a trade union oroanise recional converences or Ine within the Labour Party and the with the attack on basic union rights mastermincino int adis Whose Law he Order s unions to direct towards which uncermine perspective which time trade union rights just as surely witter revolutionary Poland to defend the right Parliament Canachan and Ine ur were SnOV

CAC

formulating the 'Concordat', the Whose Law and Order? gives "Better Way" which demonstrate, so-called strike, picket, souaht to reestabish the labour black goods and occupy. towards state souna up bureaucracy's control over in frontation wItn Occupation after the lorry it shows clearly that in order and public sector clash the state drivers Such a programme must be away workers strikes alreaoy walling The actual terms of the based on tactics of occupation right to picket, strike, occupy government/TUC 'codes of with strike action, and demonstrate accurately work sharing pay conduct mirrored TUll Survey propos sput in the i redundancies and combat General defence such, sackinas, with workers The pamphlet includes Election the working class was squads set up detena ine chronological survey of develop presented with picket line, and with an end to Choice between an attack by Labour's ments over une last nine yeals- all court interterence in unior though again The role leadership. affairs arovetline bureaucracy is not brought out arm in arm with lu Duredu We urge readers of Socialist 1978 For example, under crats, or by the Tories them. Press to get copies of Whose begins- Gamer Law Order? support serves and police limit pickets to six"

CACTL

aborate ton need Despite this, Whose Law and attuation. ana li Order? is noticeably vague on fight against Len Mur rav s attempts to sabotage the organ- the implications: Heator otricial. TUC confer advantages of such isation of regional proposed, engineered and still i ne and defend the whole deal! are code ences occuddlions the unions rather than the state strikes stressing point that the which would have to enforce it The booklet is an important CACTI fails to take account 01 developments the role of the present working OT amoortance compenarun precedent which would thus be over the last period; but it is in class leadership I am not simpy established is a matter which has the to tackle the making some minor carping ot the ot. thi not only been taken cuestion many within the movement but the most important Drecent union ieadersnio that l the betrays its lack of perspective the Judge hearing asson dIsO for from the whole fight to defend the sharp struggles that lie Uniter biscuts case adainst Ine basic rights. lorry driver picket. immediately ahead 'Charity -no answer Andrew MacDonald meets 'Rough Justice. practices) hardiy Being poorly housed my- Rachmanite equivalent victoriar workhouse which "from outside affected their users. a non protected and be Sections of from start more or prisons or mental nospitals Rough Justice (subtitled which house impossible to entorce "The Problems and Issues have Whilst Rough Justice does homeless single people The matreatment of the homise publicise make attempt Homeless haroly chanced TrON Victorian era Single People"). Since it was Being out of sight and little less its charitable and migal a so-called 16-page special' class individualistic approach to known. they seem to have been the acute social problem (whic issue I bought it. missed by all but a few of the most thorough social reformers.

undeniably produci But when read ThE capitalism) means it is unable to magazine it turned out to be appalling conditions ir * ne reach the root of the problem one particular InstitutIon- completer outerent won wild talk Camberwell Green Reception Other artic e abou I suspected it to be and I feel 1 how to 'fiddle' the state into Centre-are dealt with in Rough have been somewhat conned.

for various grant Justice. the

JUS LIC O

the Cyrenians Here the staff had been proiects whict the Nationa magazin beating up homeless think regularly Carol good ideas-suct Cyrenians. I'd never heard of de-toxification centres (which men. stealing their belongings think should they and generally described maltreating the cictionary users voluntary. as "hedonistics ipeople When complaints were made who believe pleasure is the chiel The other thing I learnt from good) of Aristippus of Cyrene thev were dismissed by first th Rough Justice is that apart from management and Ther as meant ever less to me, charities police. The

• TWO

mainstream but it confirmed what I suspec CHAR (the campaign for single An official cover-up similar the Cyrenians are a ted-that homeless people) and to that employed at Hull prison SHELTER (the national housing anner ooscure soci was used but this time it even However the Cyrenians des- involved treateried to strike it charity there are vanous owe cribed themselves as being "ThA splinter group strike charities, such a threatened living witch with sincle Housing Action Campaign COUr the invest cations aaainst seven stau nomeless and Network They claim to: charities

CHAR

"provide various services for SHELTER were not dropped.

thrive in the middle class milieu 27 groups which they , along with Camberwel Britain. a ne cast Shops LOUCHOUl highlighted Oxtam. how anachronistic run over 4l Them • Inese crouds student drop-outs these institutions, as we s. co-obs. projects tor nomeles. rancing difficulty anarchists from night shelters day and But such middle class protes!

centres to long-stay houses".

and charity is hopeless three shut-off nature The magazine The reception centres are, of never reality of which is pages of news, most problems it seeks to solve o the source. user oniv as a last esor about squatting and hostels tol capitalist system by the homeless chanenge the homeless. which creates such social evils Homeless Persons Act But main bulk of the (now due to be abolished by the Only a revolutionary party issue is devoted to institutions.

can do this. Tories, who advocate a return to Institutions are me • ОФе

throw out Whitleyism Page 10

INDUSTRIAL

CPSA delegates must public spending As the CPSA Conference At a period when the lory meets this week, the NEC's aovernment launchine vicious attack on the right to recent sellout on the bav strike and picket it is important claim will be to the fore- tnat conterence supports unose front of delegates' minds.

motions which call tor detence "secondary" picketing There are several motions on detence of the right to strikers the acenda censurina ine Nec for their lack of leadership over families supplementary benefit. the pay campaign. In the light of the betrayals of the pay claim there will be On women's rights there are increased support for motions motions censuring the NEC for for

CPSA

withdrawal their failure to fight for work- caring from Council the Whitey place nurseries and ineir bartici the Pay Research Unit and up, pation the reactionary the 1974 pay agreement "Family Day Care Scheme There Is also a series The NEC will be censured censuring

CPSA

yet again providing a for not General Secretary Ken Thomas creche at this year's conference supporting Ine cocumen (instead thev nave issuca dere "A Better Way"-which gates list wIth advocates a permanent incomes childminders!) policy-and for signing the TU( The motions on abortion are 'Concordat' in contravention of anadequate inev mererv CPSA policy. call for affiliation to NAC and demonstrations There are very few motions support on oublic expenoiture cuts. ine agains! registation only motion proposing more ignore Ine than token protest is an impor- attacks on abortion rights are part of the cuts in the NHS.

Cant emercenc motiOn TOm the Oxford DHSS branch calling On Ireland, there is a motion for the union to adopt a policy calling for the abolition of the •i sinke action dealst ine cuts rrevention

•ACI

and to fight for a sliding scale of There is also a completely

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

CAPITAL

SOCIALIST

For a

GET

clear

PRESS

lead in the struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies

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inadequate motion calling tor troops out "at some time in the Tuture-ana unis coure medr decades' It is extremely unlikely how- ever that these motions will be hearo since the Croa bureau is determined that there be no discussion on ireland The wing dominatec NEC have on the agenda several documents which conference encorse Their proposals are extremely dangerous and passed WoUld strenatnen Ine hold of bureaucracy

CPSA.

Their document "A Review of CPSA Strike Policy" would severely restrict CPSA members' right to strike and would clearly sabotage any future campaign on the cuts or on pay. ato talit i ne document rejects the tactic of out action and sees selective action do int orly way it also seeks to restricı woal issues the union can strike over "Industrial actior designed to change the political course oi

JOBS FOR

SALE AT CAV

been under Jobs have threat at the CAV plant in Acton for some time. Now management have come tactics in with some new uner tani to cut manning levels Initially the employers were content to rely on wastage and non - replacement to sued ous Now the workforce are being recuncancies Dassed quietly by with hardly anyone they noticing because were amona part-time women on the evening shift. Last week, meetings were held across the site to explain the management's. otteI early retirement: voluntary rumO sulT payment anc on pension will depend the length of service. Overmanned The reason put forward for Inis scheme is inat ine diant Is overmanned orders have fallen The management at CAV are not as readers ot socialist eres unique in using the viability of the firm as the basis upon living attacks • Ene standards of workers. The problem

CAV,

at elsewhere the that leadership accept the viability arguments of the employers.

as this is accepted AS SOOn the thing that can flow onv from them is cuts in jobs and wages The present offers of early retirement could rapidly lead on to de voluntarv redundancies The end of the process may be the complete closure of the Olanl do al ACU The only way to combat the possible closure of the plant is to tent now tor une work avail- able to be shared among the existing work force with no loss the government normally unlike v to de successiul.

accepted this would would be ensure that there insumTicient union Tunds to sus tain a strike of any length, since it proposes that the amount of credited the Striki runo be restricted 10% and that strike levies should be abolished There is also a proposed new which rule on passed would enable militants to removed trom

OTTICE

ano from the union present right of the witnoul appeal annua conterence These moves taken with the of proposed change of method election orocedures to the Nel reflect the new influence of the ment wing cadetsi TaS H Ene coming period is to mobilise the newly radicalised sections of the CPSA the recent pay struggles in order right ensure are removed from the vinces eadersniD and orincipied alternative built within the ranks of the union of pay unions must defend every une olant-unere must be no rundown of the and workforce no ree uncancies The management's attempts buy off individual workers must be resistee oy unitine ine workers in the plant on a cam- paign to keep every job in the plant, and replace all those who leave Open Lucas books The also workers must openin cAV but demand the books, not only of the parent dIsc LUld company. Only in this way can they get an idea of the real situation of the company and Enell future plans for the plant. With this information the workers can work out the best way to defend jobs. Another factory in West

EMI,

_London na. similar problems Fifty part-time workers have been made redundant and the management want anotner 1 SU among the 2,500 workforce-again blaming falling sales The TGWU convenor John Murray is quoted as saying "We 50 nave orawr redundancies until the manage.

ment are prepared to talk about our a wade claim. This clearly means that the jobs are for sale as long as the mandeemen are orevalet make a "reasonable otter This year's wage claim at CAV is also 14%. does it in an incorrect way Murray is correct to link the question of jobs and The truth is that as long as viability accepted convenors like Murray, workers can make canis on ertne front. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 16 May 1979

WHY YOU

SHOULD

JOIN US

Whichever way you look at the struggles and prob.

lems now facing the working class throughout the world one thing stands out above all: the necessity for a prin.

cipled leadership capable of leading the struggle for state power and the establishment of a socialist society.

The has now massive revolutionary upheaval that toppied the seemingly impregnable might of the Shah of Iran and which is now already coming into conflict with "leaders' restrictions placed upon it by its Islamic serves as a vivid reminder that socialist revolution is not only possible, but essential if the apparatus of capitalis repression and exploitation is to be destroyed once and for all. But such a. revolution requires a conscious Marxist leadership. And the fight to construct such a leadership is inseparable from the fight in the day-to-day struggles of class internationally for the principles. working method and demands of the Trotskyist Transitional Pro- gramme. The Workers Socialist League has time and again proved to be the only movement in Britain that fights palenty ana relentessly on such d perspecave We alone are the movement that does not shrink from even head-on battles with the existing leaders of the work- whether these leaders' be open right wingers, ing class - 'left' talking Labourites or Stalinists of the Communist Party Of course this policy has made us no friends in the.

trade and labour bureaucracv. or amongst the centrists of the British 'left'. But it has opportunists and meant that the WSL has consistently offered the mos powerful lead to workers in struggle.

The strength of our movement lies precisely in our "short cuts" 'around the relection of any attempt to lina necessary fight to construct a Marxist leadership in the working class. In each struggle we set out to prove to workers both in theory and in practice the necessity of a new, rev- olutionary leadership and for a programme of transitional demands which, starting from • today's . problems and lead within the working class, Loody S consciouslies workers in struggle to grasp the need for socialist revol.

ution This is why the WSL has featured at the forefront of pay struggles in British Leyland and the public sector in the fight against redundancies and closures, in struggles unionisation fights, and the fight against the cuts, democracy in the labour movement.

This method of approach - rejecting any descent to simple trade union militancy or concession to the labour is of course essential not only in Britain bureaucracy but internationally. In taking up international issues in the labour move.

ment the WSL stresses not only the obligation of British workers to support the Irish liberation struggle and rev- olutionarv struggles such as those in Iran and southern Africa, but also the necessity for the reconstruction of the Trotskyist Fourth international as the organising centre of the world party of socialist revolution.

The WSL is not the biggest movement on the left in Britain; but its approach to both theory and practice make it the only really serious revolutionary movement.

WHY NOT JOIN US?

Fill in the form below for more details, or approach who will gladly supply infor- your local branch, mation about our programme, policies, and perspectives.

More details Please send me more information about the WSL Name.. Address Send to Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS IHR

NO VICTORY Garners: sell-out Throw out UPW traitors! SOCIALIST PRESS. ¡einesia: is Ma; i9"y supporters' Despite claims last week of a victory for the campaign to save the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, still Tendils serious threat of under closure in the near future.

The May 14 closure date was postponed following the actions cam calcu Susporters last Wednesday. During a mass lobby of the of

AHA

group meets. supporters The building where the meeting was place take hours. preventing it trom going ahead. But the remains outcome one of confusion and uncertain ty over the hospital's future.

No guarantees achieved no The occupation the hospital quarantees would not be closed down the immediate future, and failed any OTTer answer problem staff shortages which, though inflated out of all.

proportion oy marasement, are causes beast growing doubts among EGA will as to how long the remain open. While deferring the May 14 plan; therefore, the closure could well have occupIers officers to rush The cosure decision through unannounced at very short notice-leaving little or no to mobilise working class resistance. There

TART

workers would respond to a call

EGA

the to detend ane response to this latest AnA plan had been immediate. Mass lobby The EGA action committee's of the Call mass AHA meeting ana tor a <4-nour picket at shop stewares committee Camden General branch Thev voted to send a mass picket for ghish repar de lega to organise regular delega. tions to the picket line. and to hold section meetings with the EGA invited speakers from in order to prepare the ground Tor Turther action in devence o the hospital. Similar resolutions from union came branches throughout london.

London

NUPE

shop stewards meeting. nuuses But NUPE orriciais nave, as been but anything positive-giving no lead what- ever to the moves to detend tne

UNION DUES

YET AT EGA.

4OSE NEED

The task ahead remains one preparing

TOI

wides redo strike action and other solidar- to prevent the closure action ot the chA. An all-London health service shop stewards' meeting must be called to give a central thrust to Tom Jackson has gained plenty of exper- ience over the years in fighting with his back against the wall. He will need to use all the tricks he's picked up in that time when he comes lace to tace with a hostile annual delegate conterence UPW in Bourne- unte mouth next week. Jackson's handling of the 1979 pay negotiations has aroused the contempt and fury of postal workers all over the country. It was the general-secre-

AT THE TOP...

danger grows Despite an extremely

WORKERS

effective lobby of the

SOCIALISTLENDE

TGWU's London Regional Committee by WHYx154 Garners strikers and

TGWU

members last

DRIVERS

OMEN

week, the 16-month

STILL DEUCEK

strike faces the contin-

TU GARNER?

danger of

SURES

ling an official sell-out. This not could Lu because Regional bureau- crats and full time officials NO are in any doubt as to the determination Lne strikers to press ahead with their for union struggle recognition. Both outside and inside meeting the

LAIS

Was forcibly impressed upon them demanded lobbyers, who official support for the TGWU delegate con- ference called by the Strike Committee for June After the meeting there In fact, of course, it is denials were emphatic more than ever necessary at Regional officials that any this point of time that the decision had been taken Garners strikers courageous to end the strike stand in defence of union But it was clear that at some of the Commit- rights and nght least Tne picket be stepped up like dragged the tee never before. that the debtel was now impossible GEC knife job? strike An earlier EGA picket •because will There is every prospect • Tory government in this fight. now a power" the next

TGWU

that And structle must General Executive Council taken up expose anc There had been no confront the treacherous NUPE meeting will make a move evidence that Regional which plainly to knife the Garners strike, bureaucracy officials had any intention health service against Thatchers income detent ind of winning the fight under along unionisation Labour the government marathon Tory axemen. struggle at Sandersons Fork- either! possibly more, for a shift in talks with fellow full- Since then tary and his review date from January 1 time officials who secured a Post Office management to July 1, and an 'opener' have produced a confusing vote the on execuuve series of ports incal UPS clause. acceptance recommena the 'efficiency agreement, rumours and Abandoned which represented a whole- Cuculars sal- attack on jobs and con- But it now seems certain the offer before the In fact this deal barely ditions throughout the that conference will be: 8% industry. keeps postal workers' wages increase in the basic rate, in pace with inflation, and Hypocrisy 8% increase on supplements, abandons half the demands reduction incremental of the original 'wider claim'.

There will be no shortage -scales, and consolidation of After UPW members had 7% rise of confidence and the dating trom rejected the settlement over- censure motions against the Jackson had 1975. whelmingly, the hypocrisy to claim 'As it Along with this (some to executive and general- backdated, some paid secretary conference has since turned out it is a But these will all be just good thing that this rejec- out on June 1) will go com- 42%, unless pensation of SO tion took place'

MACA

LIKE THIS

I SCOTSWOOD

OH. PAY ?—

THIS CALLS FOR ACTION!

NEXT TRAIN

AFTER ALL...

(BROTHERS - ITS

BLACKPOOL

GIVE IT UP!

I DONT REMEMIER HIM

HAGHTING CLOSURES UNDER

LABOR ENHER.

NOT DISSIPATE OUR STRENGTH WITH

the orro

STRIKES... WELL HAMMER HOME

OUR

CLAIM WITH LUNCHTIME STOPPAGES!

HOwZAT?

13 OUTOF3!

NUT

Page 11 •WSL expose TGWU betrayal on Garners. Inset: Todd lifts. Skegness, where management last year made a laughing stock out of new

TGWU

national organiser Ron Todd. Garners strikers are con- to picket and cam- tinuing the sell-out paign aespilt moves... with leading the CPSA striker going Hove this conference weekend Pickets, supporting resol- and finance are and urgently required should be sent to the Strike Committee, , 12-13 Henrietta Street, London WC2 real celezates challenge the

UPW

bureaucracy. The rules revision confer- ence later this year will give an opportunity to strip th full-time officials their OT voting power on the execu tive. Back stabbing But Bournemouth at week can nexi delegates begin that battle by voting against the seven elected executive who mem Der. supported the back-stabbing 'efficiency agreement'

THE TORIES HAVE

THEIR PROMISES

TO THE POLICE

AND THE ARM

CHRIST!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

YOU DELIVER THE GOODS TO

THEIR DOOR, AND

THEY EVEN WANT

TO SACK THE

VANDRIVER!

DAILY TORY GRAPH

MAGGIE SLAMS

DOFFICIALS

Witch-hunts and repression as Ireland war stepped up

SOCIALIST

PRESS

As the British Tory press launched a full scale witch- hunt following the leak of a document to secret army IRA intelligence units, the imperialist army the occupied North of Ireland was firing plastic bullets at a large demonstration called by Belfast Sinn Fein. The supported march, by thousands anti-imperialists, from the marked • ne Long Kosh concentration camp Nugent, Ciaran the tirst •risone on the heroic three year protest demanding a counties and in Britain restoration of political status.

does the ruling last so too. week by Federal Judge Neave's stand-in Frederick Woeflen, who dast It marked a sharp warning to the Week retused a request by Thatcher's man Humphrey British government for the Atkins-stand in extradition

IRA

for the militant Airey Neave-that reter Menuuen. Woeflen's refusal was based even The intensities rebression Heath last attempted to beat fact the 1974 attempted beat down the irish people has tail ec to stem support for the war of liberation as sao contarmed ov the contents of the leaked artu document, Flying in the face of Lacoul butcher Mason S repeated claims that the IRA discredited handful of was social El Salvador crimids outcasts, the secret report, drawn up by a Brigadier Glove ' ne ProvIsiona nana the dedication and the sinews of raise violence intermit- to TenTV an east ane level The long struggle of 1978, certainly for the forsee- opposition against able future. groups "Even the dictatorial regime of It peace is restorec the motivation for wil really. President Romero in the inspired Central: American republic "Arms will be readily avail.

of El Salvador has reached able and there will be many who are able and willing to use them.

a new and gruesome turning point. Superficial In response to the arrest of will be super- peace Any five of its members the Popular ficial brittle. Revolutionary Bloc-a left-wing and campaign may well erupt in the party years ahead." influence in the working Ciass report, unlike and sesame on watcal Mason, the Costa Rican and the makes pied deny the French holding embassies, the IRA's campaign. the cense the release ot Inis secret prisoner. dossier adds further weight to Two of those arrested were PoW struggle for political rereasea ano une recime denied knowledge the others. STatus

TOR

Enose prisoners in jails the six Protest strikes took place in

FUND

We're beginning to edge towards the first £1,000 of our £2,500 Special Fund. total of £185.50 this week, including a collection of £120 at a WSL National Aggregate last weekend brings our total to date to £617.85.

about f200 a week from now to the we need to raise end of July if we are to reach our target, so we must fight to keep up this momentum over the coming weeks.

And the Monthly Fund must of course be raised in fult as usual, as this finance is essential to the day to day work of our movement. All donations should be sent to Socialist Press Fund, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Mason-lies exposed extradition treaty between and the US excludes Britain where the accused's crime is political. admissions by Pointing the British Government that an insurrection

OCCUTITIC

Nortern ¡relano in 19/0 anc 1974, Woeflen concluded: "The court is led to the More slaughter in several maior factories and an anti-government demonstration Blọc assembled on May 8 in front of the Cathedral." police dictator's 1 ne (probably using weapons sold to it by the Callaghan government) opened mostly voung demonstrators, very few of whom were armed. At least ten were killed and many more in ured Romero's claims that his police were provoked by heavily could hardly armed ring more hollow since the whole bloody event was clearly tilmed by Carlier allah and has been seen on every TV the world, except screen those of El Salvador. This is not the tirst cold blooded massacre carried out by Garners

TGWU DELEGATE

CONFERENCE

The Garners Strike Committee is calling a TGWU Delegate Confer ence on Saturday June. For more infor- mation write or phone Garners Strike Commit- TGWU Room tee. 84, 12/13 Henrietta Street. London WC2. Tel: 01- 240 1056. Whitelaw with British troops during Heath government inescapable conclusion that ar insurrection and a disruptive uprising of a political nature did TaCU wien

IVIT

McMuilen is charged with the against Claro Barracks" crimes More still, aubar assumery slam into votien went on to Mason's basic argument by demolishing the governmen calm That Mamulen'saleder bombing of the Claro barracks "personally motivated" was Yet not only Labour butcher Mason, but Tory Deputy Premier Whitelaw have gone on retor as total oopose• to res Atkins toration of political status for the republican prisoners of Long Labour Party must nesh-one tave seer challended and mobilised on this and tortured by political police; question in support of the legiti.

and convicted mate struggles of the oppressed political no-jury

COULS

and nationalist minorit in ireland Incarcerated in Long kesh with Troops out of Ireland now!

other political prisoners.

Restore PoW status to repub Challenge lican orisoners For a united Irish socialist The British labour republic! move. and ment, in particular the Romero's police recent months. Murderous raids on groups protesting and employment in the countryside are common- Male evelts. raid one recent Cinquera peasants were murdered The events in El Salvador, Callaghan-sold arms however, are growth of mass struggles against a revorutionary ebocn in Latir America which taking Popular Revolutionary black inrouenoul Bloc of El Salvador, despite its American continent. ability to mobilise sections of the Upsurge lasse. and carry OU spectacular actions seems incapable offering such Argentina, Chile, Peru, Brazil Bolivia and Nicaragua have all massacre has ATte the experienced significant reportedly accepted the offer of workers' the Catholic Archbishop of Sar us uret struceses against the dictators in the last between it salvador to mediate month and Romero's regime. Under a clear and principled it seems doubtful that But leadership, upsurge can the masses will accept such a this topple the dictators and open compromise.

WAR, WHAT WAR?

OXFORD LABOUR MOVEMENT CONFERENCE

ON IRELAND

Saturday May 19 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Buxton Hall, Ruskin College, Walton Street speakers include: Brendan Gallagher, father of 'H' Block Prisoner Tom Litterick, former Labour MP Editor of 'Republican News' Open to all students and trade unionists Credentials 50p Sponsored by Oxford NUJ and Oxford Trades Council Paper seller held under Dave Simpson, an Oxford was student, arrested and held for four hours under the Prevention of Terrorism Act on Saturday for selling An Phoblacht/Republican News in Oxford city centre. After being grilled by the local Special Branch, Simpson released charge following a series of phone calls TroN orotestor. and an impromptu demonstration out- side the police station. 'Licence' of Simpson meinDe Sinn was Pronsional rein selling alongside left sellers Cornmarket Street, was Oxtoro wher approached by a man claiming off duty policeman, WitO aske• to see nis nicence He then claimed the material was 'seditious' and contravened Preventior

ACT

When Simpson refused move returned onceliari with a uniformed sergeant who arrested him began to announce to a caterino crowo what was happening. When police tried to mouth with a hand cover his were There „shouts rotest from onlookers At the station police retused to answer questions on he thought of Airey what Neave's death and what his motners portical opinions Threats The Special Branch detec- tive threats about his exam and job prospects betore turning him without Charde also questioned nim about leaflet advertising labour movement conference or relane on saturoav in uxtoro sponsored O ford Trades CoNC local

NUJ

branch, ano oner union oranenes

SERTUC

CONFERENCE

"Care of the Under Fives" Saturday 30 June 1979 Congress House, Great Russell St, London WC1 Credentials (50p) from Jim Watson, 106 Mount View Road, London N4 Speakers: Arthur Latham, Chair- man, London Labour Party Reg Race, NUPE Margaret Cohen, National Campaign for Nursery Education Chair: Tess Gill, NCCL