Workers Socialist League

Socialist Press, Trotskyism Today and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, 1975–1984

Socialist Press no. 156

27 June 1979 · 12 scanned pages · about 17,259 words of machine-read text

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Scan page 1

NICARAGUA: Somoza totters

REVOLUTION!

The civil war in Nicar- agua is now at its peak. dictator Tailure Somoza to drive out a second by Sandinista Front Liberation Nationa rn trom costa rica Ine tar of country's second city the Leon; the increasing isolation of the torces ot the arctatorsnip In the capital Managua itself; and belligerent une status to The reoes ov several American states spell 40 year-old for the regime. There can be no doubt that the fall of Somoza represents a imperialism. maloT setback fo us secretarv ot atate vanct called for Somoza's has finally albeit removal 'nolitical' and 'negotiated solu- tion, as a last resort in the face of insuperable odds. Intervention Yet, at the same time the US has persisted in its pressure intervention a malary force from the Organisation States

(OAS)

impose such a 'solution' reststed by been states such as Brazil and orne dictatorships-not least because they fear the prospect of similar acTIon Ine

TUTUTE

themselves. claims the Somoza and his allies in the US that cuba is active ceo ne rebels are scarcely borne out by the lacts. It is not the Cuban Stalinist bureaucracy but the "social democracies" Venezuela, Mexico and. Costa Rica that are providing the major support for the FSLN though the likes of AnO rawarr Kennedy. in the ba fear the "installation of Nicaragua, Marxist mere Sandinistas' programme to suggest that this is activity Indeed, the dominant Tercerista wing of the FSLN is pursuina such a blatant strategy of 'popular front" alliance with Nicaraguan capitalists that the mass survede is in edi dee or simply handing over onlitica power from Somoza to a differ- Danger Socialist Press has outlined this grave danger betore; but it must now be spelt out in black and white so that the conquests are not syphoned ot the masses off, revented from accelerating and finally stamped out. The FSLN itself has subord- inated political differences for the sake of 'unity' in the armed struggle. the This has meant Thal 'Marxist' of the and the Proletaria I chocca Popular Prolongada Guerra factions within the FSLN have reformist way ¡policies of the Terceristas.

the early arom rebellion the Terceristas made overtures to major sectors of the Nicaraguan bourgeoisie, notably the pressure group "os Doce (The Twelve)

FAO

and (Broad Ooposition Front).

It was these groups that, in the of, the Tanic playea a major part i orces.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 156 * 27 June 1979 * 15p

BREAK FROM

CAPITALISTS!

FOR SOCIAL

trating the general strikes in the at least, as a direct consequence of elitist military strategy towns. adopted by the FLN The masses, for their responded heroically, the division between working people Nicaragua ot and inoustrial brocuculor and the direction of the rebel Nicaragua has long since come to a halt. nas now seen

TUTINGI

widened by the appointment by the back of the the FSLN of a bourgeois provis- action by the urban masses that the guerrillas attacked and cap- ional covernment. This includes only one mem- Ture• Cities of

FSLN

itself. The ber Unprotected are representatives of. olner tour •The Ene conservative However, Party, 'Los Doce', and the until recent university weeks These attacks were provisional consolidated and in the wake of _i ne guerrilla the ment's ambassador to the An unprotected is a priest who is also a member were lett

WOE KEIS

of Los Doce to sutter the wrain oT oomozas National Guard. It is this group, described by the FSLN "a well balanced as The attrition has been devas- tating. arrav of opposition tigures that Its the masses not te guerrillas that have taken the has attracted virtual diplomatic brunt of the civil war-partially from several Latin recognition * American states including mos of the Andean Pact countries It should be borne in mind that Tine neidnt guerrilla offensive last Septem- ber the US actually pushed for government; Somoza even 50% the offered them positions in the cabinet Rhetoric While these groups produce a cease ess stream one vancee rhetoric they have not, as we well might WIth beyond the call tOr unity To them 'imperialism' means more than Somoza. removal of Somoza is the end of The came. it wou enabe tem proceed unhindered with The Politics of State Capitalism Centre pages Somoza himself was simply projected as mad, 'a Hitler', a macabre and solitary figure.

crvstal revolutionaries that mus give the utmost support to the removal Struccle To Somoza We shall do likewise with all imperialist against puppet dictatorships in centra America and elsewhere. evident, how- It is equally • struggles will Di ever. that suc deprived of revolutionary • all if they let under

CONLET

cominatiot bourgeoisie will who meet the problems sarv the hard-pressed Nical doual This is why The Wusor 'safety in numbers' approach o popular frontism must be vigor ously rejected, and the fight for a mass movement under working class leadership.

This is why we now call for the 'Marxists' in the FSLN and LMR (Marxist ane Revolutionary League, organisa sympathising with the USFI) to fight for a break with the bourgeois parties and for the and extension of the struggle of the masses against al torms or imperialist capildr Workers' councils and Workers' •easanls councils must be established and set up armed self defence squads in preparation for the inevitable clash with the capitalist 'transi- government national tional urged by Vance reconcinaton Factories workplaces and banks must be occupied and the books of the emplovers openec by workers' committees profiteering role of expose the and build the mas: , Docer movement that must force their satiul! unue v01 Keis at laya ment. Somoza's vicious National and other state Guard must be disbanded and replaced by armed workers answerable to workers' councils still Somoza Insora survives, the struggle for these policies be context ot. suppori within unt for the armed movement. There is no one moment when fighting stops and politics starts ercerista. … ano Dour parties by their dedica geois of continuation LiOl caritalism nave made unal cedr revolutionaries must answer. in The defeat bourgeois Somoza's National Guard under fire in Managua resolution to ine civil war use fought through the their own exploitation of the revolutionary construction workers and caraouan in the heat of the struggle, based The FLN itself has scarcely on the independent strength and pettered this brocromme. tra Class demana.

WOT KIT

called for the nationalisation of class and dedicated to the over- the Somoza family's extensive throw of imperialism in all its roberty ane houstrial guises educational reformis establishment "free- for the and fulfillment working people say they are fighting "good and honourable for palmols or every nue In a FSLN film made earlier this yaound recently shone te Country cemanos were made or boltica.

programme put forwarc Virtually entire production was spent eulogising the military training of guerrilla recruits and theil rev tonary Somoza interpretation or the bibie!

Scan page 2

Revolutionary lead needed to exploit weaknesses of Khomeini prepares new crackdown Page 2 While President Vorster, under constant pressure from the bour- geois media and the parliamentary liberal opposition, finally forced to resign, more about the information extent of the South African governments diplomacy secret was being disclosed recently Reports have revealed deals with the tottering Dominica and Zaire. Consolidate Prime Minister Botha has Vorster's resignation- used for which strongly pressed-to consolidate his own control cabinet and the party. He has also set about restoring a battered morale and self-confidence amongst of nationalist voters. shifted out Botha has Jimmy Kruger, Minister of Police and the main cabinet ex-Minister Mulder, by 'promoting' him LO не relauvely powerless Presidency of the Senate.

the same time, Al •to stem the alienation order of the powerful Transvaal wing of the party-of which Mulder and Vorster past leaders-he has been promote in the forced to cabinet the die-hard right Andras wing Treurnicht, the present Transvaal leader of the and a supporter of Mulder. Majority Inside South Africa, the immediate response of the bulk of the white electorate to 'Muldergate' appears to been a consolidation have Khomeini and his revolutionary council have now published their draft constitution for the Islamic Repub- lic. These religious leaders and their supporters talked before the of

COULON

freedom trom tyranny Iran. Now they have dropped their promises of a Constitu- ent Assembly despite opposition even from fellow Ayatollahs like Shariat- branded Madari, ( •by communist Khomeini). Indeed last week saw a violent attack launched by Khomeini's followers on a rally called by the National Democratic Front. As NDF pelted with were stones, pro-Khomeini bigots

-INTERNATIONAL-

apartheid regime around the ruling National Party, which commands an enormous electoral However a small but sig- nificant ot tradi tional nationalist voters have support (in sned recent by elections) to the extreme right break- W Lle National Herstigte away Party (HNP). Crisis The increased receptivity white ot some workers to the wing extreme right of

HNP

demagogy the which, of course, continues within sections of the National Party, 10 | merely based on concent the fate of and Mulder. Fundamentally based on concern over their fate in situation

OWI

where the ruling class 1s no longer able either economic- ally or politically to simply all continue immunising white workers from the carried placards proclaiming that: "Those who want constituent assembly are As the religious leaders their WOrk to impose oppressive and dictatorial rule, every misplaced hope Khomeini would

LACE

guarantee democratic rights confronted by the noW dangers of reality. In the draft constitution the national minorities have no right to self-determina- tion. Although the equality of the sexes is formally acknowledged, being driven out of execu- tive positions (for example all women judges have been barred from hearing cases).

While these develop- ments continue, the chiefs the armed forces are calling more loudly for the South African police cadets on parade: white workers are moving to extreme right effects of the capitalist press 'freedom'. In its efforts to assert full crisis. political control over black The high rate of inflation the and moves by the govern- workers government ment and the employers to leadership, sometimes using 'good offices' of the jobs, previously the preserved for whites, liberals, is adopting limited black labour aspects of a long-standing cheaper liberal strategy of co-option.

factors promoting concern This is aimed at securing amongst white workers. Socialist Press has argued through strictly limited and that the development of the controlled reforms. struggle in South Africa has with co-opted 21123C6 placed white liberal capital- sections of the black petty- ists, with their black capital- bourgeoisie and a layer of bourgeois ist petty skilled black workers. ano will collaborators, in an increas- These they hope. ingly important role as the act as a buffer between the ruling class seeks ways of ruling class and the mass of the black workers. movement of black workers.

Like the ruling class of all capitalist states, the Responded ruling class in South Africa It is partly in recognition has been static eYeI of that new importance that homogeneous bloc either of Botha responded whites the bourgeois media would have it, or of widespread opposition from the liberal controlled media white capitalists radical (echoed in part by National according the Party newspapers) and with- bourgeois media. drawn, for the meanwhile, There have always been his threats to further curb divisions in the ruling class, Khomeini demanded a 'national' effort repressive state apparatus to reconstruct the army and and its bodies of armed men defend the 'unity' of Iran.

to be strengthened. General Rahimi, head of Beyond these immediate police, moves, the Khomeini/Bazar- milițary the has SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 Mulder Different sections of the ruling class and different sections of the rulng parl have all attempted to make political capital or une als- closures leading up to tne resignation of Vorster, using their them 1n weapold ongoing political disagree- ments and divisions Divisions inside the ruling how

HOL

automatically ever trans- lated into the immediate strengthening of the working class weakened and ruling classes, facing enor mous crises have been able defeats on inflict the to working class precisely have because the workers lacked the revolutionary leadership necessal exploit the crises facing capitalism and resolve them in the interests of workers The development of the especially relating the to of crisis capitalism use of black labour and the ever more sharply the major black petty place lne crisis facing working bourgeoisie. class-that of leadership In recent years these dis building the strength of the The only real way cussions, which extend into the ruling National Party working class is. by the have been sharpened by the development of revoluton- accelerated development of leadership, programme the facing the ary organisational forms ruling class-the crises of based unshakeably on the profits and political control independent posed most clearly during casteresa. of the working class the events of Soweto. Botha gan government is rapidly advancing the gains of the approaching the necessity of revolution only if it is based austerity vicious in a conscious struggle for a if it is to preserve capitalist socialist to programme defeat the forces of reac- property relations in iran.

Huge cuts in the govern- tion ment budget and the cancel- The building of a revolu- based in the tionary party

INCIO

been designed proletariat is essential have to the counter the crisis fuelled by task confronting all those Shah's economic elements who genuinely policies. seek achieve socialist revolution in Iran Wage cutting The task of Trotskyists is to lead that fight, armed But such measures can be effective only if their cost is with the transitional borne by the Iranian programme workers in the form of un- employment, wage-cutting and increased misery.

NEXT WEEK

Such will force the working class into direct An article examining controntation with today's the mounting political leaders of the Iranian crisís in Turkey. revolution But such opposition can succeed defending and

Scan page 3

Zionist settlements key to colonialist strategy Shift of course by Chinese Stalinists SOCIALIST PRESS, #'ednesday June 27 1979

INTERNATIONAL-

In the past week or so the Zionist state of Israel has engaged in instituting new settle- ments in territory closed previously to Jewish settlers. The manner in which this is customarily done and the reasons for doing hotly disputed and provide an occasion for a examina- tion of the nature of the israel state and its motives for policy. •usumde

ANUS

The Israeli state has its orguns in ne mistonc perse- cution of Jews. Religious roots It is 'a fact that Jews have been widely persecuted, but it is a fact that is denied by most present day Near and Middle Eastern regimes. Persecution was not the Near and conned Middle East however. It had a world-wide character and was particularly vicious in central and Eastern Europe around the turn of the 19th Century. Some Jews responded to this not by looking for the ongins of Inis perse- cution but by peddling the idea of reuniting the Jewish people in a land the believed was promscu lo tacm oy "Zion' God-' "Zionism" This had religious but,

KOOL

by landlords expressed by ideologues at absenee the turn of the last century, fought to retain control of it became a political philo- their sole means of liveli- hood sophy. That the newcomers Steady trickle were Jewish was in the first instance, of little

ODUNL-

Whereas previously the ance to the native farmers.

reunification was to be left to God, now it became the They might have been province and task of man. martians for all they cared.

Hunds established What mere was im portant was to buy land in Palestine for that their long-established Jewish Sticke not and water rights, grazing rights steady trickle hardy. and security of tenure were settlers made their way now threatened there. In this context fortified Disputes broke out settlements were amost immediately as established-kibbutzim. native tenant farmers whose acident that no land had been literally sold even today these kibbutzim out from their feet which ulucl •Illall y WClIl "China will spend the next 3 years carrying out economic readjustments" scaling down the

MUTE

am bitious projects announced last year, declared Chairman Hua Quofeng at the opening of the Second Session of the National 5th People's Congress this week. Clearly this Congress is not to be just a rubber stamping of previous cont nudtion decisions. The government had "under- Hua estimateo Ine Ine Capital construction will be "sabotage" caused by the Gang of Four and would now have to Curtanco win done cent ai con development projects. TrO! time correcte etrors. The policy using foreign funds is to be Difficulties continued and a law on "mixed enterprises with Stress is now to be olaced or foreign capital" ChineçA ano the devaropment of light indus- keenly awaited by China's main try so that exports can increase commercial partners notdoly and more America be consumer goods Jacn Is to made available. passed. Hua dropped referred to difficulties bombshell by in meetina Hua also reveaied that the USSR •emanes power, transport and communi- finally agreed to condemn has the crime of "hegemony" Begin as the commander of the terrorist Irgun group in 1948 yoe sumake, pi tim es no bility and infant bour- belief summer, the geoisie egged on the peasan- that they hold the key to a try. socialist future, By this time the local are situate( in outlying border areas.

landed nobility and emerg- Iheir collective character ing bourgeoisie were feeling is then forced upon them by threatened by what they circumstances; shoulder to rightly interpreted as moves shoulder to fight a common by the imperialist powers to "establish a Jewish state enemy. in exploited Non-Jews are the area, a state from which by the kibbutzim as labour- they would be largely ers, but very few per- excluded. al c mitted to join. Campaign of terror As the trickle of Jewish settiers turned into a flood When that was result proclaimed 1948 in creased there persecution Jews by followed widespread European fascist states, Llonist campagn of terrot fighting in Palestine spread to drive potentially hostile and acquired an anti-Jewish non-Jewish elements out of character as the local landed the area. And although Hua stressed that the success of forthcoming Sino-Soviet negotiations would depend olcEneE vIesCOV made a substantive change ir its position in practice, of was Other revelations were mac by Chi Pengfei, a vice-chairman of the standing committee in a the Longress. Secret ballot He said that the 3,299 deputies would asked be will give free direct elections by ( S ret ballot with choice candidates, including „non-cr mem Ders The elections would be for will improve the rights of people the local, county-level People's on remand. oneresses. another far-reaching Restlessness change existing thousands of revolutionary committees Two pressures are evident on , se Revolution, the bureaucracy in China.

The ine Cultura: will be changed People's continuing economic problems into Governments with with powers to ac ine Inabilily ans solution within backward whe n Ine tull body Is not In session. peasant country faced with the new law also to be topduly or mperlaisin And on the other hand, the proposca wnich it is claimed Hundreds of villages were dynamited Ilat to prevent them returning. problem refugee Sute began. Dince Inat aate il nas the been policy of the Zionist state to: : establish settlements of sumpathisers all over the area that occupies order be to police that better able to alcd. The latest settlements are process and their institution becomes the more urgent the more that Zionist territorial gains are threatened. The relinquish- 1cccllt ment of settlements in Sinai w an straight exchange for the settle- ligalo bula ornel ments elsewhere. Under pressure from their US paymasters the Zionist ruling clique exchanged their Sinai settle- for Egyptian ments an government assurance that it would not intervene to prevent them being built elsewhere. In practice this is the of Egyptian the Ilicanlile government's recognition of the State of Israel. While this racially exclusive state continues to can be no eksI Toere solution to the problems of the dispossessed Arab and Paletinian masses whose land now within 1S borders of Israel. Nor, under conditions the Zionist settle- wilere ments intricately ale so bound with military up policy and diplomatic man- geuvre, , is it simply a ques- tion of opening them up to all those who wish to settle in them. Rather the fight must be for the mobilisation of the Arab and Palestinian masses in the struggle for the over- throw of the bourgeois state of Israel in which the Zion- ists exploit and repress both workers ATaD and jewisn and the establishment of a democratic secular Palestine, in which minority rights are granted to Jewish Deng with former Japanese PM Fukuda restlessness masses, MOrt acmocratl rignts and sick ot being ted or Marxist exhortations to work harder. The Dresent cliaue arounc and . Deng reflect Hua pressures their new, reahistic ooncies Page 3 Healy caught in his own net Still in the throes of its "worst financial. crisis for a decade" Gerry Healy's Workers Revolutionary Party is now up to its neck in an even more intractable political mess. For several years Healy has scandalously scruple grovelled the mosi mores arrav oT micole despotisms and petty bourgeois The WRP's daily Newsline nas been turneo ino a britisi reisl yener or ere e ma- . out un- critically reams cocy ane anti-mpertarsı state nents. from bloodstained the regimes Libya, Iraa anc the . Svria. trom Arafat ane leadership of the Palestine Libe Liberation Organisation (PLO)

WRP

aviore recentiv Ine switched its position the Khomeini Islamic regime in Irar CHiCIS accusing . supported Inose wno the struggles of Iranian womer for democratic rights, and those who denunceo ine massacre d gays and the oppression minorities opposing the Iranian revolution Opportunist web But the evolution of events has now trapped the WRP in its own ooortns we s .The new upsurge in the his- toric liberation struggle of the Kurdish Halena minority- oppressed by the current y bourgeais government: of Turkey, Iran and Iraq-has come Time wner .rao Ba'athist dictatorship fear above all the growth of a mass move ment that might oust them from power They have reponded by a anti-communist vicious crack. vown ı v-an nosano of studeots and trade unionists- aerial bombing and with savage vI lIt AuTOs

HO U

onIy iosiot Iraq's borders but also reaching into Iran. The Khomeini/Bazargan regime, though equally hostile de ermi Kurdn stas for fts palt- Kurds struggle for self- a mass uprising in canled Baghdad to oust the present Ba'athist 'gangsters and tyrants ane replace Inem ov a rue o1 divine justice' But WRP's problems are more complex still. In theil stucote •eainst reoression trom Khomeini/Bazargan the Arabs have appealed for Arafat and the tonce to TaSSI

PLO.

Arafat, however, who has opportunist COnSOnOCeC deal with Khomeini , has other problems on his mind. Each oi s sa•oose• oo geois "allies" in the struggle for of Palestinian national Monts is nooine back I sup. Trom giving any practica port that might trigger fresh upheavals in the area. why. having been pressured early this month by Lic oyuldn recme to witneray PLO bases from the Lebanese port of Tyre, Arafat flew off tỏ Libya to reelster witn bacan sus protesth comin rom Ara protest lack leaders cipted and icipain g inti- principled united "anti- imperialist front" heal and inevitably quite obvious/y found himself trampled in the Dvve

DONLIC.

nationalist anı communist leaders. Hence the sudden and cerenino silence on Miocie casi politics in recent issues of th Newsline, accompanied by thi flow of expulsions and Stedov resignations disgusted

WRP

members and supporters.

Scan page 4

Labour women call for Support Page 4 sliding scale of wages Callaghan's major out- burst political opposing by trade unions to action block Tory policies or bring down the government emerged the Labour Party's Women's Conference at Felixstowe. Bụt the conference went ОП N a sertes or policies which stand challenge Callaghan's reac- Iwo motions on pay called for a struggle against low pay basis o Tiont tor national minimum and 35 hour week, coupled with campaign recruit women into tne unions.

mittees of trade unionists and And a Manchester resolution housew! ves went further and called correct- protected gate Irene to be Tor wasta against motions on pay and urged that intration sliding scale of wages providing the question based unions, another delegate. immed- index drawn up by elected com.

¡ately responded by pointing Left talk cannot win nurseries There will obviously be Care of the Under Fives has tor months been out of print, while no shortage of rousing 'left' the much smaller rhetoric from the panel of Charter is obtainable only on bureaucrats due to speak at TUC's the SE Region the South Ithe maior struggle waged so far "Care of conference the Under Fives". But there will be little if any Oxtord nursery Talk oractical actor a stubborn rerusal from TUC or local union officials to child defend existing

SLIIKE

Labour sary TaCHITIes savaut government curs aneure oros orward pect annihilation they now This conference face under the Tories. are the TUC to contrast the So reluctant the pathetic or outright treach.

wage any fight on this, all issue which attecTs minions erous working class women, that their bureaucracv on booklet child care and the cuts, and to comprehensive Abortion rights face two prong attack

RCEPTION

NU

PUNUED

A Private Members Bill in rates of inflation rising in the the Commons by Tory MP curtailment of service. Corrie that plans to «one restrict existing abortion is rights only the most This means obvious attack now being abortion will waged on a woman's right back, to choose. Corrie's Bill cashes in on the the 20-week limit. recent spate The only about crying foetuses left to die attacks can on draining boards peddled by the mobilisation he wre. on ine •romotine religious bigots of the 'Life' group and the Catholic Church.

campaign for Lower limit those who will lower the

TOOSES

TAVOUr ime limit for goonton romana abortion bill. present 28 weeks to 20 wooks.

But this clampdown is only •an or a rory •incarcmovement abortion on that threatens to leave demand that thousands of working class vote in line with this policy.

women saddled with unwantec pregnancies. is the public he other arm •ВИЛ limits on the National Health Service, current which with unrelieved limits out that Labour sody were imposed by the TUC. May. • ribunite Hard who a done mothing to removal PHOTO: Peter Harren. Report leaders, Labours rioni wing sounded off with belated and muted critical remarks Labour members" who last winter's pay strikes.

But although one delegate correctly stressed that some of the biggest Chauvinist were to be found in the labour to movement up a working party to find ways of recruiting women to avoided the need Ine rarty Joan Maynard throw reactiond. Callaghan leadership and the of Party concentration the bour- When right wing APEX dele- canoe extornin Gregory opposed the geois values or the tamily Such fight requires of principled construction •eett uo to une revolutionary leadership in the labour movement. discuss the way inese issues must be taken up in practice in "Under Fives' and within working Ciass areas workers overVel whole through meetings, confer- East Region, ences, strikes and occupations in ine night tor *No cuts and closures! Open datence or nursery Tachilies occupation of the South facilities! Protect all class- -met witn services trom a sliding scale of spending call the supporting *Expose the profiteers! that was neces- Open the books of local author- ities to show the struct to contractors, suppliers therefore and banks! *Demand free state nursery care for the under fives.

tiery word: With public sector and labour action teaching defend services against the cuts!

une cuestion

OF ACTION

DAY

NAL

ABORTION

STERILISATION

to 20% while health care, nursery care, coming year will mean a for employment are ruthlessly cut back. Forced to wait that already That all these moves of attack form a pattern be further cut women's rights is against and women will in some far from accidental. Lord Spens Last week Tory that such let the cat out of the bag when be fought is through he declared debate govern. unemployment and labour movement in that to cut the Menta strike action and occupations to numbers on the dole: a full-scale women should leave paid work to men and stay *08 removal Labour MPs undoubtedly vote But the lories are not the ones to attempt to force only women back into the stultifying Those unions that nominally oppression or the none Callaghan's election nor a concy in tavour or т8e demand must campaign focussed on the values MPs of the family-and even 'enlight- sponsored ened' Labour peer Lore vallace announced reply Lord To allow the Tory Bill and the cuts to succeed would con- "Women now women Ic opportunities, and many have the isolation of the home anc drudgery, brains the same as men ...

grows for Ireland fight The committee which emerged on an ad-hoc basis from recent Oxford labour move- elected by conference ment on Council, Ireland has continued to unionists and students con- support win growing tinue to attend the commit from local trade unions tee meetings. Other and other bodies. organisations At its meeting last week approached to support the delegates were present from committee in its the Oxford NUJ Branch, the for the sending

CPSA/DHSS

local branch fact-finding strong the

ACTSS

5/833 and movement Branch as well as the local Ireland next spring. women's movement. The first Delegates have also been designed bulletin this issue and prompt wider discussion throughout the local labour movement is due out within two weeks. The first contain an account of the PHOTO. Derek Spiers conterence transcript given by campaigner Gallagher Already from union organsanion local UTOM/'H' Block Com- mittee amount 200. to be called the Oxford Irish Delegation Committee-also Brendan Gallagher The WSL is holding its international annual school from July summer 21 to July 29 inclusive. The school is open to members and supporters of the WSL.

This year we are extending male! MEMBERS OF THE WAP BOTh special the more selves •those who nave deen ine victim expulsions and those found themselves out- conditions who have work, the WRP has Way→ over the past few years due the political degeneration of the eration. liquidated increasing by anovannenl bureaucratisation of the internal most developed regime. the continuity The WSL from its inception has based itself on cavelodine continuity of the strengths contained in the SLLI its principles tal were developed over Internatonai tradition. years. We stated that these One of the have the period of the school summer «trenouns In 1970g and included the correct insistence boom' capital- the struggle that, despite remained a system of crisis and had not changed; the ability work carefully and system- include: Dialectical atically in the unions; the insis.

tonce on the importance Marxist theory, and the central.

ment of national Tendency. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979

TROOPS OUT

NOW!

IRELAND

Oxford Trades discussed plans to mobilise while other trade the maximum delegation on the national demonstration • Ireland called on August 12. Though this demonstra- labour movemenl being tion has been convened on are slogans which opportunist fail to call for the immedi- campaign of a 12- ate withdrawal of labour troops it was agreed that the delegation to wide sponsorship the march from has received trade issue of unionists and Labour leaders will make it a focal point for the building of a broad movement against the on Ireland British war in Ireland. The Committee agreed to for fight where

DOSSIDI

will delegations the issue to attend march on the basis of the the and adopted Donce the speech Oxford conference on May troops out 19_ Brendan *British Troops Out Now! *Self determination for orders for branches and the Irish people as a whole *Support for the blanket including the prisoners of Long Kesh and Armagh jail in their struggle to nearly for the restoration of PoW The Committee-which is Status *End media censorship of coverage on Ireland.

CAR COATS

FAL

International Summer School were Our founder member!

WRP

expellec from the weeks before the 1974-tw( AlI comerence discussion

WAS

But such strengths did not expulsions were on similar lines mean that the IC was free from discussior The suppressed must proceed now. Our summer weaknesses which showed them- school offers a unique oppor the tunity for that to take place. We was put to the test of practice all Bx-SLL/WRF that

LANK

ine most vertfe comrades have an obligation to revolutionary be part of this. reached its The WSL has of course been deepest stage or portical argen consistently slandered by Healy Its heritage has been its leadership in the Newsline and elsewhere basim between dero es ea The WL now represents the ourselves expression of the strengths the membership and ex-mem. bers of the WRP. of the IC tradition and the fight ex-members for the Trotskyist programme- and method- examine us on our politics and 4½ our practical record and not to the last influenced by this approach tasks Ot i ne will be opportunity to discuss all que tions on which there may br understanding this development a dast tol to reconstruct the • ТО Trotskyist Fourth Internationa school plus the practical details will be provided Accomodation The main presentations will - Political Economy with meals at low cost. Materialism; Details from WSL, 31, Dar nouth Park Hill. London NV USFI; the OCI; and the develop.

the WSL as an Inter- 1HR

Scan page 5

independence from Party policies

ABOLISH THE PLP!

HEFFER VERSUS HEFFER: LABOUR'S

GREAT DEBATE GRINDS INTO ACTION

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 As a fitting tribute to a long, distinguished career, George Russell Strauss was created life by peer Callaghan in his retiring "honours' list. The new •baron nao peen 'Father' of the House of Commons in its last session. clected une 1930s, had served the electors of Lambeth (Vauxhall) in his own way for lorty pedrs Increasingly, the electors and the local Labour Party doubted Strauss's way ific Wa y tney wanted their vir to denave.

Marginal It even began to look as if what should have been a solidiy safe Labour seat might become Stop yawning! This is the great debate on the way for- ward for the Labour Party after the Wilson-Callaghan debacie! Day after day the now capitalist press and the papers of advertising statements by PHOTO: John Sturrock, Roport Heffer As Callaghan seeks more The issue of the inde- pendence of the Parliamen- tary Labour Party and its refusal be to bound by conference decisions of the Labour Party has again come to the fore. Callaghan's attempis PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report of the voted to the Oppos- £160,000 ITOn consolidating this indepen- have been challenged by dence, " edsure Norman Atkinson. He and other •NEC members have insisted that it should mace Citar That subject to the control of the national party organisation Callaghan, wary than" more ever of moves that might make right wing dominated

PLP

to the wdy allswer e Labour rank and file the Party, has replied however that Callaghan Ine money saoure De controner Vauxhall Party evicted by millionaire baron a marginal as increasing numbers the local GC did not re-adopt of Labour. voters failed to turn former MP as candidate for •the General Election out to our causs in. As a metals millionaire land scarcely able to believe nis Minister of Supply Strauss fought against senses, and was defeated. owner of several desiradie resi• dences land landlord the out. winn voica cenerosity Callaghan has given his old ally constituency party not opportunity olidus. wwd. record right- concerned, and

GIG

not even

MOTO LONDUS

appear more wing retormism in the nouse of frequently before voters Nortenha ive i total y the The did not of course live in the , if totally constituency). vest ol an active productive lite Taking all this into consider- Mediterranean (Vauxhali LP is less ation, ana noune ns dovance• LanttocEn age (Strauss was born in 1901), well off. faded Labour 'lefts' desperately Yet in Labour Weekly of up Irvino Ther June a nene coreas n more tarnished image without studied pose, weighing the merits of each side: actually calling for or launching the remove ere dre those la tao bart Callaghan leadership clique.

who, looking for scapegoats (as Every move and skilfully am- well trying excuse as failures) biduous the statement _onv

ONTI

TOI

Benn, in particular, is obligingly «etest in the coreral cerior as evidence will blame everything on Party press organisation or the Left and the ot an impendina lett wing take over ot mne rart-wnie benn in no effort to There are others (...) who praclice unakes challenge Callaghan's will blame 1974-79 Labou outright Government's policies particul- working class action against Thatcher. arly the per wages COnT policy". Juggler ake your choice, Labour Weekly readers! But the most bizarre public But Heffer's split personality relations exercise must sureiv be develops more dramatically that being carried out by cric Heffer. Like a third-rate juggler, •ivercent oirections Tribune discussion article calls is strugalino keep not only for but nationalisation rather deflated balls in the air at the same time. ciSo for "democratic management, trendy 'lefts' of the on an elected basis" Group and irlouns Ime Stalinists of the Morning Star No such policy appears in his Heffer has cultivated a 'radical Labour Weekly article. maoe Tne STaIC oic reformists who plough through Peaceful road Labour Weekly each week Tribune statement vetares amore resoectaote Hetter's face in June 21 the Morning Star takes up-surprisingly-the ques- tion of whether there is a peace published Heffer's Tribune "political Group it would be bụt paper

NICO

which begins by perspectives' completely believe unamorouousiv staline inal.

"Right wing policies within based on the economic power of the Labour Party have proved a the big will capitalists, (failure". carry

PLP

entirely in this he has the enthusias itself. tic backing of Tory ministers who promote the are eager oresen separatior oetweer Party and leadership Meanwhile Labour's oppor tunist Is obviousty itseit divided on its atitude to the system present patronage the this PLP. Through Willin mecnanism Labour leaders before him, has been Contro ot ine ront wino leccine clique while cynically exploiting individual token 'lefts' Appointed the

PLP

Following recent elected 12 of the ballot which Shadow places on Cabinet (11 right tnem wingers) Callaghan offered the front aooointer former Labour minister under Wilson- and to rising As a parting shot, Strauss ended their his on Georgian house terracel Kennington. While the party is homeless for the moment, their .old for di t auction. Profitable There is no suggestion that the proceeds might be useo lo Te oca Darty and its nam MP (Stuart Holland) other of section the labour Movement has more profitable ventures in mind. 'through our programme without SerIous o•nosition. "The experiences of Italy Spain and Germany before the and Greece. enlie. Uruguay, Brazil, etc. since the should make worry about such matters!" us Learned nothing Of course Heffer goes on to show he has learned nothing by premocratising"* otalinist fne rather than the Marxist position of disbanding the repressive machinery of the the armed forces. This rings remarkably hollow Trom mae mat woo oroooseo mne NEC's reactionary resolution on last year's and order Labour rarty conterence But it is a position far to the left of Heffer in Labour Weekly Parliamentarians as simply: "to steer society in a social- ist direction." The Labour Weekly article goes further and declares that: ard

TWI

drad immediate importance T01 party-policy and organisation. With regard to policy, it is not new. ones which are required, as already have excellent policies." ! What is lacking, he declares is: "the will and determination Page 5

LABOUR

PARTY

I such objection, and took up Callaahan's offer of the position Education and Science spokesman. Both Heffer and Benn, in Dian. •emo cratisation' of the Labour Party, stress, however, the role of the Party Tatne Than conter ence electing the shadow in cabinet. as long as the PLP con- tin ues to tuncton on …an auto nomous basis, the Party leader- ship able proceourar excuses To evade le clear mandate of Party confer- ence Kinnock The way forward must be to tunist 'left' Neil Kinnock combine the fight for the refused declaring •Hetter removal of the present right that all the places ; should be call for wing leadership with the elected. the abolition of the FLr, anc worth being "gagged" for all MPs to be answerable to Kinnock, however, had no the Party rank and file for their actions. Call to up by •Labour's nev. ulke ine riont wind. set seize Parliamentary manoeuvres and piecemeal reforms as the way industries surprisingly militant Wiard. resolution has been • tabled for the 1979 Labour Party Confer PHOTO: Andrew Labour government in he first This called session, out compensation any sectors of industry denationalised Tories .. policy specifically attacked by Callaghan only a tew weeks ago. Shadow left' Orme Oxford resolution har come from the And the 'lefts' themselves

TGWU

5/60 branch dread being called to account Plant. British | Levland. Cowlev betrayals their obviously and reflected the CaTuatens Cana nan of workers to the resistance which present take place of the T hatcher govern behind the closed doors of the lans I ment. on the part of some leading mem ders to Tont Tor them.

Does he propose then a cam- paign create conditions remove inese unnamea leading members"? Certainly not! Neither face of Hetter offers anv perspective for such a fight. Heffers concept of interna ind foreign policy alism. inis sa tooic reservec for the Tribune Group and the Morning Star Weekly readers are Lavour deprived of the chance to see that Heffer thinks: it is important for us to be TROTSKYISM e colonial tne revolutions"

TODAY

But then, since Heffer stands oractict Ine colonial revolution currently taking place against British mer alisa oniv Tew miles away from his Merseyside con stituency, in Ireland, perhaps it

SOU PARV

readers who get the truer picture of his real positions Indeed five years of Labou governmant have demon- strated repeatedly that Heffer LITt fribune lett: the tirst weeks o Tory ne is anso have shown that also two-faced Opposition. Price 450 plus 15p postage th Dartmouth. Park Mint

WSL, 31,

!London NW5 1HR.

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SWP: THE POLITICS

Page 6

OF 'STATE

CAPITALISM

Part Two of a series by Keith White are fond of leadership of the International Marxist Group quoting Trotsky to the effect that it would be monstrous to split with comrades over the analysis of the Soviet Union-if firm agreement existed on the political tasks of the day.

We would agree with Trotsky but not with the IMG, for the Cliff theory of state capitalism has a profound effect on the politics of the SWP -something we begin to explain below.

of IS-Part 1 (int. Soc. No 76) claims that the Socialist Reviev Group: concessions Every to the Western Alliance and the communist Britain and advanced capit-

DOUL

supported." alist countries Socialst He quotes later is confronted by the Review of Nov/Dec 1951 that: "Get back to Russia". jibe The Labour movement Everyone who attempts to the alliance with must oppose fight in the working class syngman Acendueri Knee and other representatives for a communist perspective of Western Democracy'. , they has to answer the question alliance with must tight tor an "it didn't work in Russia Tine mallons ToWerS why should it work here?"

Europe Asia, Africa and the rest of the world." In answering these attacks He the May dist which ano •vestions comrades Issue cenounced full-scale colonial wars in tind there is little time betore 'the Vietnam and Malaya It Is Adaptation a rest or inose wro wou are the home communist that Paul Foot they resist the temptation to However, Birchall made no Marxist theory. attempt to include in these briet acaor tremserves to unis some But we should note that times hostile environment by lines any attempt to rebutt the this same group had its origins forward rushing disclaim any brought responsionilty. . or what ooto tre Ken arouck wne Was discussion circle which scarcely falsely call the Secretary the Socialist intervened in the class struggle initial communist 'states' and the Review Group in its the first issue cabitalist cass еасл

TOT

Inel This seemingly contradic- own reasons. Socialist Review carried two development becomes tory The fight for a clear under- Korean War articles once one unactstanadwit the Soviet Union stanaina OT which adapted ine two pressure: of the considers Toe nature and of public opinion. other stalinist states is a Socialist theories which the central part of the struggle for "In two Review developed, and group appeared on this question in the revolutionary throug. Ine Class out the word

TICT

rise to these theories. The very first article The post-war world Public opinion was "The struggle of the journal Trotskyists differed from what Powers' by R. Vennant (Tony expected the oressure Mac

TWO

Cliff). This devoted two pages bourgeois 'public opinion' fundamental ways. criticising Americ Britain today, what On the hand the nearly men -and Stalinist must t nave been e a e oureaucracy emer•e• pages attacking "Russian height of the Cold War? Certain- from the war with its power imperialism". in the USA communists were of extended by the absorptior suotected to The MoSt

VICIOUS

tastern curope and later china campaigns. Many lost their jobs its orbit influence. • into or were jailed. The famous victims Betrayals

TOSL

were ot course ine hosenoure. executed on trumped up charges On hand, the for the Soviet of spying of petrova the stalinists material Western Europe enabled re establish itselt concitions explan InE capitalism of the present day Socialist Workers Party Both these developments were based on the betrayal of writain Workers Now Socialist une workine cass internatonely spokesman • Paul Foot Party its mass leaders during the writes that: war and in the years 1944-1947.

International These betravals in turn led Socialists started in the early isolation the only The 1960's as a very small fringe groups calling for a proletarian group." revolution, the Trotskyists (Why You Should be a The anti-communist witch- Socialist p91). which devełoped made it hunt But he is not being entirely ver honest. I rotskyist position or detending the nationalised property Fled trom fight relations in the Soviet Union

TOT

ine working class We can date the emergence Reacting these Tony Cliff began to question •T The •wr trom • when a around Cliff fled group whether. Russia was a workers' Trotskyist movement from the state. at tne time of the Korean wal Theory and practice and growing Cold War propa- form Socialist ganda What hen, the neview Groue Cliff's effect This is significant in view of the fact that, as to theories on we began his comrades practice in the early 1950's? show last week. SWP today na. lan Birchall in his history profound contempt Trotsky-fought Stalinism from Marxist standpoint The other article on this question was • entitieo whitne Socialist Outlook" (the Healy Group's the paper Labour Attack This is a scathing attack on the "pro-Stalinist' policy being pursued Socialist Outlook (which supported North Korea against US imperialism) very clearly separated Socialist Review from such and took policies uncompromising came position. Thus crucial when imperialson was Chinese : states Socialist Review appeared and played the role of TetEcover tor tne enemies those fighting in the British labour movement for defence of the workers states Russia-A Cliff's book Marxist Analysis" bases itself on aosence The workers democracy levels Russia. the aroves

TAST

absence of workers control over planning, bureaucracy surviva Decones dciass WitUe depends on a nian rate or capital accumulationon to defend itself against the Western powers ano adainst its own working class Parties The Stalinist claims are just the representa- Tives or one bartcuar Cootast in the other capitalist countries Polish workers riot in 1970: clarity is needed in struggle for political revolution The greatest danger of such an analysis is that it ignores the _n storical sion cance Soviet Union the international workers ts ccident toat ine Stalinist parties lead the masses of workers and peasants in most parts ot the world Russian consen the the Russian revolution power of The stainists to lece and betray millions rests the that entirely capitalism has been abolished ir the Soviet Union. With state capitalist theory it becomes completely moossi de uncerstand Ine strength of Stalinism and the struggle por Lalit against it, State capitalism is a theory is useless in guiding the which ever vod do dist Stalinism in the working class but which provided an attractive TOl recruitmen bourgeois intelligentsia petty disgusted with the cold war, and movine toware. non-class organisations such as

CND.

Eloquent If the members of the SWP want to find the most eloquent denunciations bureau cracy they need look no further than Trotsky, but they will find his writings neither liberal revulsion adaptation nor Stalinism In Trotsky's major work SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 Chinese troops in Korea in 19.

Betrayed" "Revolution his to starting point is an attempt the ciass nature of thi Soviet state was not simply ask "do the workers control the state"? but to look at the rulin oureaucracy TrOU tne coint view of its relationship to the of production. means "The nationalisation of the land the means or industria production, transport and the together with monopoly foreign of Soviet constitute the basis social structure. Through these Taldulens moletaman revoltion the niture Soviet Union as proletarian state for (p 248). defined." basically Defend USSR was because of those nationalse. oroperty reations that time and time again Trotsky insisted on the need to detena te soviet union in the event of attack by imperialism Under capitalism the means are held in the form ntrivate rodera capitalist produces commodities for sale or › the market in order to expand his private capital.

The expansion of capital is the increase in value held by the ruling class either in money o in ine means or eroductor Ine source or this value is that proportion of the labour i by those who are time worker forced to sell their labour power for which they are unpaid not take oot. place in the Soviet economi where what is in fact accumula ted is not capital but means of production The bureaucracy, to be sure makes certain that it creams off INe necessar resource comforts But the which this takes proces. place of appropriation, …one not exploitation Again, as Trotsky writes,: "The attemnt to renresent the Soviet bureaucracy as a class o will obviously 'state capitalists "The bureaucracy stocks nor bonds. It neither inde special property relations of its own.

"The individual bureaucrat cannot transmit : to his heirs his rights in the exploitation of the state apparatu! "The bureaucracy enjoys its privileges s under the form of ar ADITA OT DoWer "It conceals its income; it that as a special social pretends group it does not even extot 'Its appropriations of a va share of the national income ha of social parasit. the character ism

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SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 1 Korea, the Soviet • Union China or possible relations, and the developer stratum in the degree Ting in this torestont a oasis tor and (Revolution Betrayed, contradictory, pp. 255-256). definition Trotsky gave the power i ne was as follows: Union halfway that conceals it.' The crisis Tine contadictory Somely between capitalism the Stalinist still far Intimate v.

DUT

are dre from adequate to give the state roperty (b) the tendency towards primi- crisis in by the Tive accumulation created out through impossibility constructing want the innumerable socialist planned economy; ic) norms of distribution preserving a bour- goois character lie at the basis of inefficiencies orocuction which a new alterendro or society (d) the economic arowth. while can express slowly bettering the situation of "the deeply swift promotes neces the of production" vetence or formation Marxism, p.7). exploiting the social antago- while the a bureaucracy has con- verted charge

ITCA T

into UnCOn taking the socially trolled caste alien to socialism; the socila revolution, eTTicient Can Take The of the tolling the accumula. as well can of the back to 1800 road capitalism the counter-revolu- the break the would

LIOLE

IS/SWP

of state capitalism road the would to over- workers the In capitalist Ine meo um on regimes, and they decided by social TOrCES.

DOLE

crisis nooen capitalism. Ip. For would this lead to a position of support for olatectical nature the soviet Union that the IS/SWP cannot Ine "ruine class Western capitalist against ine classes For them something is either this line the A or

BUT

ever •-out never a comold tion of both. sw st oreoareo to take up for two very simple reasons- it conflicts with the IS/SWP line accommodation anti- social post-war _over- communist pressure in Western turns by Stalinist regimes their China by castatist Eastern Europe, and political theories are not marxist •tanist-cackeo nationalist but liberal. forces Cuba have further For Trotskyists, the develop- the for complicated situation ments which have taken place in those who want to see une worse Soviet the in such black and white terms.

result of nationalised correct The

IS/SWP

LIC

property relations walch are solnune lo une widesoread con- held back, fact restricted and fusion in ine i rotskyist move ultimately by the endangered but they themselves have taker Not finished STe• Tar more serous have the opportunist sections of post-war Trotskv in no way regarded the class nature of the Soviet nanona. and opent dodnooned Trotskyism altogether. Those members of the SWP as well as the poittical is not to give a wist seriously to study finished definition to these questions will be prepared the work on ished process but to follow to study

WSL -

carted OUl progressive from its reactionary especially our book expose their mutual 'Communists Revolu- Eastern Europe against imperialism understood to mean the expan- tion. sionist policy of finance capital will they i nere set development of Trotsky's posi- tions analysis of the While stressing the Tact that post-war world reality. the bureaucracy indeed agent of imperialism within the AadiT contactory workers' state, , Trotsky goes or nature of stalinism has to grasped if we are to to say 'If we want to define the the process which has gone on Kremlin of the workers states created beking, foreign policy defermed The we must sav Stalinists the policy of the Bonapartist MOsCOv of a degenerated bureaucracy selerace mavanna Hanoi. etc -for all their manifest reaction- imperialist wOrkers for the encirclement definition gains al y not a working class mternalondy Tony Cliff precisg Policy 'imperialist we must repeat that in

YAT

(In Defence o those slate MOre Marxism, pp.33-34) nationalised property relations which we defend This in essence remains the nature of Soviet foreign policy.

implacably opposed on all sides with a bureaucracies witch ourrounded repress the workers there.

Like hostile capitalism it attempts to Trotsky, defend shift and manoeuvre in order to we refuse "peaceful coexis- each ano every acton or recreate Lne Stalinists on a world scale.

tence' with imperialism For us as with Trotsky there which its survival depends Inus we nave seen continua olue -orints. formulae: attempts by the stalinists "In the Fourth defuse the class struggle and every case with International will know how reach accommoodtion distinguish where and when the capitalist classes throughout the Red Army is acting solely as an world. Donapartist Grudging aid reaction and where the social basis of the USSR."

Aid only dispute with the North Vietnam, given Schactmanit Africa dis- argued "state capitalist" tor a today LIe view of the : Soviet Union within patching TrOODS Angola, , the entire strategy is the US Trotskvist Lile party. LItt with Trotsky posed the establishment influence. question ''Can present Despite all this we ask the the Kremlin expansion members of the SWP to consider termed imperialism?" his this question the effect successful that: in con of the Kremlin overthrow temporary Marxist literature, imperialism is bureaucracy at the hands of the the Kremlin yve know attempts _would But what successful reconquest capitalism in power by Cliff "Russia-a Marxist that the class if Russia economic by Concic and Bukharin capitalism extended "Deflected Revolu- capitalist the oeveio• as the sovaDoie sonere influence rival capitalist would Can tast progressive). that this political British long as they away, The that STatE backward capitalism in progressive be wa always im ofted But its whole It the • oresent can develop the world then пОТ rotten tor socialism the of proletarian and leadership is oosed • This theory clearly lies both The bullaing a further To put perspective nectssary Review

LOOK

Page 7 Group's of the long theory or he enem boom', which their arms economy. Arcorcing to this noton. Ini arms race between capitalist and state. capitalist countries pro profitable investment sector and soaks ul surplus capital could which otherwise cause a recession I his whole argument mies ir the face of marxist economics In the first place, arms as part of ine ukur goods SeCTOI are financed out of the profits of the consumer and producer goods sector A high level of profitability in arms can only be financed by nio ne Taxation-voict reduce profits correspondingly in the other sectors. the whole Furthermore expenoure on arms is a ouroe.

The productive sectors and down will productive capital. Shortage Far from capitalism suffering from surplus of capital from an ever more and SUTTer more acute shortage declining rate of profit takes he only way arms expenai- can benefit capitalist ture country is if through use of the arms it endoies une countr question imperials exploitation marias more cheaply than ins obtain rivals. The IS theory, insofar as it is suggests that consistently heid, necause there is a Surel capital, The struggle of the working class for a greater share ot production, and of tne tairo world countries against imperial- actually strengthen tefl capitalisin coursi capitulation to the worst kinds of Keynesian bourgeois econom-

ICS.

which oen any terent interests between workers and capital It was a theory most popular •erit-ooureoise ourine the "boom", but which reality rudely shattered 1970s The "theories" the and tion stability, long period water was but style the periphery. theory tion petit In no way • a basis for serve action to recruit therefore it was to be expectec WOUld the as it had to in But petitourgeois remains essentially noT set crisis of leadership, it of leadership the working conscious clas! thinks that all the and not to petit- of Is theory Crudely Marxist so to leadership and needs spontaneous

• MOOS

mad felings the developed match and Stalinist ser valils

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In December 1974 Jeremy Isaacs, head of Thames TV sent out a notorious memo. It read in part: "The law in this countyv hai changed. I am advised that it is Momb go interview on talatione proscribed under the Provontion of Terrorism Act. So far the chodulo of proscribed organisa.

consists of only one, the

IRA.

"From now on it is impera. tive that no sonroach be made by any of you for an interviow with any of a terrorist member this country without the prior consent of the Controller of Current Affairs and Documentaries John Edwards, will obtain my positive approval before giving permission to go ahoad." the British alters roporting of ireland this Is just one of the written instructions to censor the opinions of repub- licans in Ireland which have become part of the history the British media, and therefore of British imperialism Ine nistory of the press in treland closely mirrors the history of the British govern- those inside newspapers and television who, however dimly, • This. State an arsena weapons equal to their military strength. Special hatred balance' holds Editors. TV auth. orities and the journalists them- selves squeezed cajoled line InTe sontenino heir abandoning it. Deaths are put at their • door. The TV films are banner delayed or distorted. In the last resort those reporters or editors don't work aticles or films. The army has a massive press department. and information The RUC a smaller one. More often than not these are the sole sources of the bombings and shootings These departments have a history of feeding 'stories' direc- pages InKO Tine national press, Within the establishment the which constantiv world naranouine TAe on own virtues, there is no oppo tion. When in 1971 Christophe to broadcasting ministel reminded and their on Ireland mUST Tall objectives of the society they there serve" Lord Hitl, are

BBC

replied approvingly: between the British Army and the gunmen the BBC is not and cannot be impartial."

To be welcomed Details of the method suppression by the analysis intermation events in Ireland have been outlined in two recent pam. battles become totally confused damage apparently malicious phlets. Neither can be accented over where and how to fight done to a Catholic community presenting clear class account of the David Elstein. relationship wo s more contre & which axe Timer.

'perceptive than most, says: between the press and the state.

"What the public knows reporters explain but both pamphlets are to be away nothing about at all is the most welcomed laoses to unenserves self- "In conversations with Of First hand evidence of the consorship. friends | attempted , do what suppression of pressure anol news or comment adverse to the That is when the 'brave' I had so often done in the past- carefully stakes out claim the small substa ist dete and victories army interests Is. widtever ve ground he disown the worth the pam. defending phlets, essential reading for all Eventually tilm LITe concerned with was, too fighting for the •rovec the ground which is nover put in strong meat for the BBC who troops Wittetonal contention and so is defined as ordered cuts. One of these was from Ireland. The glossier of the two nedostone or thles:producer endorses the produced by the Campaign for arave which catholid mother warde dorist Free • obech relanoanes "Murderec Colin Thomas, a BBC direc- Media and Ine British Bloody Ireland-Truth the First tor. seit chiticav descrives now raratroosers Casualty". this liberal opposition crumbles Sunday". He agreed to make a series of Thomas had had enough. He Resigned films resigned. His onlv turn to the trerdne better unions print what wanted but was, It is strongly represented by nothing".) and filmed in happened to him in the ACTT TV reporters and producers who Derry among other places. When union dauer. have had programmes edited oi returned and looked at the censored on Ireland, from This film "my heart sank" Methods Week reporter Peter Taylor, made a film about He had Roland Joffe, directoi poverty and •••ression ane li tne breastbeating ot the play about Willie Gallagher's about unemployment. had liberal consciences is a bit over- 'Diplock Trial: The Legion Hall included film of the not any powering, daniel Bombing. nome n some cetal tne with the approval of the army which BBC and Many controutor methods have attempted to take on PR department. the

IBA

comply with govern- might of TV empires single "It was not the fault of the ment wishes Ireland. Masor handed and film editor. I muself had failer west lave was reouted to nave barken tha resigned their to put on film examples of army if he had had of the control jobs. None gets close to pointing oppression that 1 had learned of BBC the army in Ireland would way forward towards ending during my have won. By and large ne nas the ing up of Catholics and Protes- had control. Ceserstor Because they see themselves tants by soldiers coming to One virtue of the pamphlet professionals de fending end of their tour of duty: the is a briet introduction by David bstract the searches of Catholic Brazil in which the reporting of some ruthiess liberals who have fought these homes; more than £1,000 of the war in Ireland is put into

WAR EFFORT

wars in neeral. context of censorship in Die Bo teat being Red Cross being bombed Wd. Hampstead Heath and shown to British public as the real thing. Sacked During the Korean war the Picture editor Post Tom Hopkinson, , was sacked because retused to James Cameron. TrOt on the treatment of political prisoners by South Koreans. Edward Hulton Came• t woloorovce and comfort to the enemy".

The second pamphlet, "Belfast Bulletin" is one series produced by the Belfast Workers Research Unit. puts The reporting of Ireland into the of context capitalist owned press and points to the way which claims to balance, fair- ness and independence are used Justity banning repuolicar viewpoints. There are revealing quotes from reporters and sub editors. (Sub Editor: "'You don't always have time to check out the army's account. After all it is the British aviny ane we are or their side.") Ignored After Bloody Sunday many the Fleet Street papers

HOW THE

MEDIA

BACKR

THE

BRITISH

carried immediate eye witness accounts squarely pinning blame on the army. In subsequent days articles began appearing 'debating' who was to blame In a procedure reminiscent of murder bair Belfast Bulletin 65p plus 15p p&p from 52, Broadway Belfast 12

WOMAN

WORKER

Women's paper of the Workers Socialist League Available price 6p plus 7p p&p from WSL, , Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 reports, immediate eye witness accounts were later ignored (police) accounts Although this pamphlet attempts to place the censorship in terms of imperialism there is the struggle analyst against British imperialism itself.

Fail to progress The producers the pamphlet would certainly argue unal taus was notts am out tha effect is to fail to progress from liberal demands 'freer' press to revolutionarv cemanos for an end to imperialism Ireland or indeed for nationalis tion of the press under workers' control. It also allows some odd mix.

ture arucles. une concen lambasting Trate! Or journalist in the pocket of the British army, in a way suggests unat tne oroolem reporting Ireland individual one However there of material illustrating wealt" particular examples of how stories are released by the armi front page news ano used without any checking, and of censorship "Belfast Bulletin" headed Media Misreport N. Ireland, also COnTaINS down on the capitalist papers detailed Ital Northern Ireland, andysis outde dess coverse o the • Ulster Workers Council strike in 1974, and an account of the Surike closure of Ballantynes sports- wear factory in Coleraine.

notable This las1 for ignoring almost completely the role of the : union bureau- cracy during the strike tion of the plant and subsequent defeat of the workers. It comes to the remarkable conclusion capitalist metropolitan countries Britain a strong trade union movement is in given militant leadership, to defend workers than isolated economy like de oenoeni Northern Ireland's The lesson Ballentynes is that strong trade union organisatior and an economy dependent or foreign capital cannot exist side Dy side in Northern treiand ..

if anywhere." Workers Betast Research Unit think able to workers are somenow counter capitalism without political leadership and organisa tion capable of raisina them to level-which necessar means a revolutionary politica party-then they will have little OTTe workers on the way forward in struggle. The British Media and Ireland 50p plus 15p pxp ¡ from Information on Ireland, 1, North End Rd., London W14 woman worket New paper gives a lead to women's fight against Tory attacks

Scan page 9

Stonewall and the fight SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979 Lfor gay rights Riot by San Francisco gays earlier this year The centre of of profit the capitalist state MP.Leo Abse. London will be filled intervened directly and con- It this bill-which was stantly through its police this Saturday by thous- became the Sexual Offences Act-that remains the major ands of people in the Raids (to investigate legal apparatus to supervise rally and carnival which alleged abuses of liquor male homosexuality. mark the climax of Gay laws, etc) were almost The bill legalised homo- nightly feature of the Chris- Pride Week. sexual acts private topher St. area. Gay Pride has been cele- between adults brated London Fought back over the age of 21 provided since 1971, but the organisers oniv z men were involved.

On 27 June 1969 it was this year's event to It was certainly a major expect the turn of the Stonewall be the "biggest ever gather- bul ll applea oniy Inn. But on that night the England and Wales-the ing of Europe customers fought back and provisions do not extend to sexual men women. against the police, who were Gay Pride 1979 Scotland, Northern Ireland the 10th forced to the armed the Call torces commemorating ments. anniversary of the Stonewall merchant navy. riots in New York. The unprecedented fight- Yet in some areas, the ing developed was these riots which Act actually increased legal

TO LS

which continued for violently induced the birth two penalties, and of course of the Gay Liberation Move- davs and next two remains tne not only nights. US, and quate reform but a piece mell-list in tne then (unevenly) on an inter- The Stonewall customers of legislation which contin- were joined by national scale. other gavs ues the repression of male from the area students homosexuality and the Ghetto areas from Columbia University oppression of gay men. and other forces sympathe- For any man under the The Stonewall tic to their protest. age of 21, however consen- Was dancing bar in Christopher It was this breakthrough any New which led to the formation St-the centre another man of any age is of the New York Gay Liber- York's gay ghetto' illegal. Greenwich Village. ation Front. The

GLF

Provocateurs The repression of homo- was very sexuality obviously of The under capitalism Movement the part Any male homosexual had led to the development radicalisa- acts in public are grounds of US students of such ghetto areas in most and for prosecution and this metropolitan cities of the petty bourgeois forces extends not only to kissing which forward surged but even to partners hold- Centred round bars and response to the crisis of US ing hands. clubs, these areas housed imperialism, and particular- The police interpret the and employed many gays. in protest at war 'public' the 10) widesi They were the scene of liberation possible sense, make wide- struggles in Vietnam. the only social and leisure spicau use or provocateurs existence for and have actually increased

GLF

thousands of others. the number of prosecutions But Christopher St., like GLF grew rapidly in the brought i the other ghettoes, was in US and began spread since the 1967 Act TO was no sense a 'free zone'. Capit- anterman na1970, the passed. alist states attempted, as far autumn Gay But the 1967 ot Act was as possible, Liberation Front was set up nevertheless a major boost open expression of homo- in London under the influ- to the attempts by homo- sexuality to such enclosed ence of the US movement. to achieve an sexual men semi-societies and sub- The legal situation ending of legal penalties and cultures. Britain was by that time social discrimination. But even this 'freedom' different from The Act was important

CON-

was severely limited. Capit- ditions in the US. Pressure not just for its alist exploitation took full groups had various aspects, but also for what it made advantage of this enclosed attempts to reform the law symbolised-a and captive market. but these had all foundered ideological structures oper- until 1967. Controlled by Mafia ated within capitalism and a In the second Labour changing social conscious- Until the growth of the under wilson ness of homosexuality

COYCITCHI

Gay Liberation Movement, Lord Arran introduced a bill The growth

•I LUNGOI

all New York's gay bars and the House of Lords,

GLF,

and similar groups clubs were controlled by the which was then taken in other cities, was a factor up as Mafia. private member's bill in that process Alongside this extraction the continued after 1967. Commons by Labour • Before then, only small and elitist pressure groups for reform had clothed in respectability and dignified politeness. One of these bodies was the North-Western Homosexual Reform Committee, in Man- chester. With partial law reform, this group began to set up groups all over the country.

'Coming out' As a large membership grew, this organisation became the Campaign for Homosexual Equality

(CHE)

which exists today nationally on a considerable scale and later radical ship with the conservative tendencies which dominated

CHE.

GLF

stressed very different political emphasis and orientation. 'Coming out' was crucial here-public identification gay, with pride in that identity and anger at social oppression position led to the use of protest tactics-from badges and posters to pickets, demonstrations and the "zapping' of pubs which refused serve shows which exploited sexual oppression as exolol- tative entertainment. Switchboards theoretical The work which went alongside this owed a great deal to the work of teminists and also concentrated particularly on the ways in which psychia- was used to attack gays try

GLF

also spurred on other initiatives-including the development of counselling services and switchboards, and the launching of Gay News (a for the VoIce gay community'). But its existence was Wracked internal

GLF

aissent, collapsed after yeais although local organisations continued function, to particularly in the north of (Manchester, England Leeds, Bradford). Since then, CHE has con- tinued its steady course but wide gay movement have been almost completely disoriented. The first signs of an end in this drifting last with the campaign ycal against the prosecution of Gay News for blasphemy launched prosecution by Mary Whitehouse then taken over by the state. The size of the campaign encouraged the formation Gay Activists Alliance, which has developed national and Ten years after Stonewall gays Britain have been 1n able to gain a new confid- and the possibility for polical clarity on the struggles that are necessary to overthrow sexual oppression. But at the same time, the threat of reactionary allack.

rising new and extremely dangerous level. As they move to the offensive against the work- Tory ing class, redoet. are even determined than Callaghan's govern- ment to shore up the bour- geols tally. Not enough One of this will part almost certainly be a more violent application of the Act-an Act already labelled charter" "buggers by well-known that dispenser "justice", Judge Melford

OTI

Stephenson. The thousands of gays who participate Saturday's will carnival

GAY TEACHERS

GROUP

Page 9 San Francisco gays challenge the cops demonstrating their pride in their homosexuality , and even pride, Dul gay will gay anger, not be enough defend homo- sexuals against the attacks of fascists and the state. The gains already made have to be developed. In those battles gays will need turn to • the organised strength of the movement for sup port while all socialists must at the same time take up a fight on the the organisations of mass tie working class The demand must be for programmatic action to gain basic democratic rights tor women and gay men in gay the struggles to overthrow the sexual oppression imposed by the capitalist ruing clas andits social By David Whitfield

GAY

PRIDE

'Grand Carnival' Assemble 1 p.m. Temple Place, Temple Embank- ment, moving off to Hyde Park, concert 3pm

Scan page 10

INDUSTRIAL

NALGO-RIGHT

WING AND CP

The NALGO confer- ence a week ago was the first major trade union conference to consider the implications of Howe's budget. saw the union's right wing NEC and their Stalinist messengers of the 'NALGO Progressive Alliance' manoeuvre desperately block discussions of serious programme to fight back against cuts, sackings and plunging living General Secretary Drain, returning from an emergen- meeting of the

TUC

Economic Committee, against previous himself into his claim which would astonish annual feat of eloquence. those After claiming that members like NALGO had "led the fight" workers or the

JOIN OUR FIGHT

AGAINST TORIES!

Returned to office after five years of Labour betrayals, the Tory government has immediately begun wielding a sharpened axe on jobs, conditions and social services. Trade Union rights face imminent legal attack.

Prices are already beginning to rocket upwards.

Plum sectors of state industry will be handed to the Tories profiteering big business backers; and the pay rises to police and armed forces mark only the prelude to increased state violence against pickets and anti-fascists, and an intensified army crack.

down in the occupied North of ireland.

The Callaghan-Healey leadership has made it clear that it will oppose any perspective other than settling down and meek- ly accepting five years of Tory devastation.

And, nough they nave once more dusted ott their near.

forootter speeches, Labour's continued to duck away from any fight to remove Callaghan

TUC

leaders, nave set to estabiish a basis ToI collaboration and the Tory cabinet, wistener their anti-working class alliance with Wilson and then Callaghan But the working class has experienced and overcome such betrayals before-to topple Heath's union bashing government in 1974, and smash through Callaghan's reactionary controls in a series of monumental pay battles last winter.

wooe These experiences are not dead. They point to the wav that jobs, social services and hard-won union rights can be defended against renewed Tory attacks.

But a principled, revolutionary leadership is needed if the TUC collaborators and their hangers-on in Labour traitors, Ine the Communist Party are to be exposed and pushed the mass struggles mobilised that can deteat and remove the Tory government. such a leadership must right day in and day out tor a pro of transitional demands which, conditions and today's consciousness within the working class, lead workers to grasp the necessity for socialist revolution.

And in taking up democratic demands-such as an end to racial and sexual discrimination, It must show the crucial role that must be played by the working class as the only consistent- revolutionary class capable of leading the struggle for the emancipation of mankind. And it must international basis-mobilising and solidarly • TOr anti-imperialist whether in Ireland, in Southern Africa or elsewhere through- out the world, and drawing strength and political lessons from revolutionary upheavais such as that which ousted the hated onan In tran. This means fighting for the reconstruction of the Trotsky.

ist Fourth International.

This method of approach, rejecting any descent to simple trade union militancy, or concessions to any wing of the labour bureaucracy, is the method fought for by the Workers Socialist League. The next period will see major class struggles in Britain. A principled, Marxist leadership is essential. Our movement though strong in programme remains small in numbers.

JOIN US and take forward the struggle for socialism!

NEWS

RUN FROM FIGHT

Hospital Occupation, which have in reality led the fight —he pledged to "fight, fight, fight until we reverse this Government's policies." Former right wing Presi- dent, Glynn Phillips, promised full support from the NEC for any branches taking action against redun- dancies, dnu actuary proposed resolution opposition to stallie the budget Real position NALGO members should certainly not let these state- ments be forgotten; but nor should have ther any Geoffrey Drain illusions about the real posi- tion of their leaders. The

NEC

has changed sections of AlCO little from the one which the social backed all the phases Hounslow wage control under Labour.

Indeed Phillips most vehement disagreement with Howe was based on Howe's the wage controls behind which the NEC has hidden its refusal to fight during recent years. Worse even than this, in the NEC's view, is the way that Howe appears to have blocked growth of a the national public sector wage bargaining system-the reac- tionary "Basnett plan' Promise The second motion, con- cocted by the Metropolitan

DON'T GO INTO

"left-wing" MPs have

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

parallelling Phase aside, and starting from today's

SOCIALIST

struggles-

GET

PRESS

Scottish and District Councils, and backed by the Stalinists of their delegations the Communist Party, dem- anded than no more benches, publicity against the cuts the bureaucracy and a promise of support for action taken by the delegates to agree with- branches drawal. The NEC of course had no objection to this resolu- Relief tion, since it did no more than they had previously pledged, shakes permitted a were display of 'unity' between NEC members and between Stalinists. Large sections of the leadership and the the Conference were toothless Stalinist minority.

Things went differently happy with an amendment from objections, GLC, City the University and Westminster branches.

the NEC was in any mood These branches called for an urgent effort to call a trade union demonstration expressing opposition to the Andrew Wiard Renom budget; for a declaration of support to any local author- ities refusing to cut jobs or services; for blacking to imposed on all the statistical intormation the walca Government needs to plan further cuts; and for a re- of all formulation the present round of pay claims

PHOT

to take account of the infla-

OFFICIAL

tionary effects of budget. The Stalinists rejected

PICKET

this amendment and des- perately pressured the spon- branches sporing draw it-in the interests of "unity" At the crucial moment,

CAPTAL

Trial sub (UK): 10 issues, only. Six months. One year.. Europe: Six months. Rest of the World: Six months. For a clear Name.: lead in the Address. struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies to reciprocate their services they were mistaken moved by Richard May bins next • item convenor of CP's NALGO fraction, calling for a restoration of strike pay, currently limited to £4 pei week, to the previous leve of 55% of gross. This move met a swift death in the face of a sharp attack by the NEC. The overall result of these complex proceedings was to leave NALGO mem- bers programme ofaction against without the cuts. They have general "full support" promises of pared to take-providing they can live per on week; and still they have no.

alternative leadership within the : union prepared to fight the NEC betrayers. catspaw The SWP's

NALGO

Action Group failed to produce any resol- ution in reply to the budget having -despite large representation at the ference Glyn Phillips In the face of savage cuts when the speakers in favour in jobs and of the amendment had left services NALGO members to have take overcome the problem of their places on the speakers leadership. the Stalinists and There is no other way for renewed them to begin the campaign their efforts, finally forcing defence essential services, jobs and wages.

Earlier the week Conference rejected the sec- tion of the NEC report Smiles of relief and hand- dealing with the oppression exchanged of foreign workers This resulted from a row over a union delegation to less Romania which many mem- and shouted their should bers thought avail. taken place when nave If the Stalinists thought striking miners were being imprisoned in labour camps.

LONDON

SOUTHWARK

Striking social workers

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Scan page 11

PRINT UNIONS DROP

Who will lead fight for NUR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday June 27 1979

TIMES CHARADE

Having masqueraded for last week to ten us memoers to jobs"-thereby "find other seven months as defenders effectively putting an end of their members jobs at the Times Sunday Times and General Secretary Joe Wade. of the NGA said: officials of the NGA have 'We have had to come reluc- decided to back the manage- Karv to ine concusion that the ment closure. Times and the Sunday Times are dead." «e Nice executive decioeo

SUNDAY

HUSSEY

NATS

ATSON

Fleet Street march early in the 'campaign' Official's 'tactics threaten struggle for union rights After the defeat of a officials met STL boss Young.

TGWU

and set up talks between Young rapid by MOVe and Eynan for District Official Phil Eynan Realising that strikers would to force a return to work, anxious see nim the strike by 20 workers at this meeting, Eynan arrived only 20 minutes before it was due Selected Toys Limited, Didcot remains solid. take place-ano wen spend two hours deep in conver- Picketing been main- presence of AcAS and Youngs Young has sation with has been tained, support vularica iron locar unions The strikers walked out in defence five Brushed aside victimised

TGWU

inertoers anel are Demands from the strikers reinstatement, demanding tuil that one of their representatives union and higher at ins meete were wages-present basic rates valy brushed aside by Evat Yohe who 28p IrOM an nour. emerged to Though management, now planning a 50% cut in into a false sense of security by determindtion етю Clearly Young hopes that struggle, were plainly The this would offer him the leeway shocked to see the Inc ease wades T01 outside the plant last Monday.

remaining staff white stepping they had obviously worked out the effort those contingency plans for supplies.

employed In a pathetic effort to "trap" Plates concealed taking back management into That aftenoon a private van Evnan some strikers in by accepted without question the was management with proposed cut workforce- numoer plates Conceded #sistine ony toal win to nore On Wednesday

ACAS

than 11 scabs still working in As the National Union of Railwaymen meets week it conference this that seems certain a pay demand for a 30% increase in the basic rate will be pay talks for the union's 15,000 adopted. Lodicates that fre has nonstant Even right wing General indicates that no inten- Syd secretary yveigner Lion or sine neons corossa declared that with inflation strength to. win 30% pay the deal from British Rail next year.

rising at its present rate any less inadequate compli- 11C6 leave alway - men's living standards standing cated claim for 17-20% increases met a pathetic response from management, who offered But Weighell is an old cam 10.3%-which is only lust equal •aloner. ano is accomolisned. al trotting out hollow left' phrases to the current rate of inflation.

Bluster and threats of strike time head off good.

NUR

during the Unions action annual conference, only declared that it was "difficult to abandon them at the end of the control" faded members week. Indeed his recent conduct of was called in. NAHA ns areaov caried off the fight and the NUJ Presi- dent, Jake Ecclestone, who also FoC of the Times chapel said that in view of the NGA decision

NUJ

would the times Newspapers publication seven months ago job cuts demanding massive cerore uney would reopen ror OT tnat perioo ine chapels have shown themselves ready to take action-launching nour pickets •ene instructed allow Guardian printers through the pickets at nont But the leadership of the unions-which held secret talks with• Times management betore the closure-nas taken no steps necessary to win the fight Sunday The and limes Times snou• nave been occur pied. The locked out members should have been producing a distributed recular wietly workers' paper. In addition workers should still can-challenge Have did the management's right

TO CUT

demanding full jobs by public access to the books Instead boosting Tony blatherings about benn s the plant Young would need to take back five of those now on ine bicker ime. apparently even objected to this line ment, but Eynan He is certainly an arrogant oureaucrat. Atter ine aure o his initial attempts to force the strikers back to work he com- plained WoUld understand his tactical approach the largely temale strikers had experience see Union point of view But sell out smells the same to all trade unionists. be they men, women raw recruits to the union. Basic demands In pressing ahead with their

STL

strikers will need struggle one syllable that they will to work only when their return Thee basic demanes art and that they are not going to be into defeat browbeaten someone who is supposed to be their own official representative.

pay claim? As the Tories piled on huge new burdens the of cost living, slashing the real wages oi Underground workers, the arbi tration board has mended an increase of only 14% declared itself willing to accept This settlement, if endorsed by * ransoort. WIll cut in etectively secure a b% NUR members' living standards Over vear -ano accompanied by the threat of cuts service and a turther productivity. mise dore Can da cooperative",. the should have been nationalisation of both papers under workers control without compensation. The muscle there All Fleet Street chapels should have been called out. Thomson Regional chapels should be called out in support. i ne challenged at the sharpest point right to own the papers talked Instead of cooperatives and new owners NO cator occupation na ever been made. No challenge to owners has the Thomson ever open cosed Increased run 'worse, the print unions nave all allowed other Fleet Street managements-who almost al c certainiv supporting the Times- to step up their print runs.

The Observer announced its latest days increase ter scenery

NGA

NUJ,

SOGAT

and NATSOPA members have little time now to mount a challenge.

Unless a clear to over- call leadership policies and turn opposition to the •eal Times closure is made now, the 'save' jobs at the campaign to and Sunday Times will end with the sacking of every- body. Fight closure of With no more than one 'week's notice to the nursery nurse and the parents, College Southfields in Leicester has shut down a part-time creche. The creche has been used to train nursery nurses. But the cutback is part of drastic educa.

tion cuts in the from the sasned budget. of Southfields College alone. This move has particularl angered parents who have been callous indifference stung by Collegf Studies Department. On the one hand these bodies seek to the importance

HUTSES

child care: on the other they summarily axe a much-needed day care facility. The parents are determined to fight this decision and to step the croche oper They have formed an Action Committee comprised of parents and delegates from the Council women's sub- committee as the Play- group Association I LO So a programme of action. down on the British Rail pay be expected if the 50% claim Is coe resent in rate inny seis present inflationary crisis inredtens to be gobbled up Dy rising prices. leadership is needed in the rail unions that will fight tor the independent Interests oT their members, including policy of cost-of.living clauses levels adainst inflation Suspicion The militancy among NUR members of their right wing officials were demonstrated last week South Wales. 200 railwaymen struck in Page 11 Top Civil Servants in pay battle well as their counterparts in The Institution of the private sector. Professional Civil

NELS

aecision lo Servants-which organ- instruct its members to strike was thoroughly vindi- ises Government scien- there cated tists and technologists practically total support for areas such Air in as the action and well-suppor- Traffic Control, nuclear ted picket lines at most and safety in workplaces. reactors Most IPCS grades still do establishments- mines not know what their final staged a one-day strike paid pay instalment LO on Friday in pursuit of in January will be. -and the their pay claim. pay review was due April! The strike was significant IPCS must now join the as it was the first time the other Civil efforts of the NEC had issued an overall Service Unions break instruction to strike. from the archaic and pernic- Reluctance ious system of pay negotia- tions which sets union The previous reluctance and to take industrial action had agalls! paid against higher paid.

much ill-feeling Caused between IPCS and the other Price index Civil Service Unions over Flat the one-day strikes during mercases this year's long and bitter protected against inflation pay negotiations. through cost-of-living Possibly a result of clauses based on a working their reluctance act on class price index will ensure better deal for the low that occasion, the Govern ment is now attempting to paid and end the divisive.

sell its scientists and tech- ness and bitterness that ha characterised this nologists short by paying year's them less comparison struggle for fair pay for with other Civi Servants as creche- Defend Geddes!- Workers West at An calls on local Health Service London's Hammersmith branches to send delegations to Hospital have been called on Nanna smit to stage a token strike on action, will include Which Friday June 29 in support picket and demonstration out. side the AHA meeting of victimised NUPE chair- out tore is utue coulot tra man Bill Geddes. one-day and token actions will Geddes was sacked by be insufficient to change the Ealing, Hammersmith and AHA's decision: Geddes fought for statement must be ity only days after hitting the through all out action, headlines by his speech at the the Suresol between victimisation and

NUP-

conteranci successfully moved a call for a the stepped up Tory cuts in the drive

NHS

ampaign private and public Patients out or Nho nospitals.

whole Renolds workers occupy plant Workers Renolds consisting of about £2.50 at offer Chains in Didsbury, Man-

WITT

£2.50 bon us return for chester have been occupying shedding some jobs the works since Thursday SHOOT an moved after management attemp- offer they had banned overtime and bonus working ted to lock them out. •no• stewares a ine work strong work told Socialist Press that current force, in the AUEW, , GMWU and £37-£38 pay TGWU, had turned down a pay the and tha bonus scheme cel vered only 38p in the first month i of for operation nothing months suoseduently. Now, with the workers rejecting the company's offer, mangement removee the cock cards at lunchtime on Thursday and refused to pay •one in ine arternoon The occupation, involving all the workforce and run in shift reventine movement into the plant and subolies removal chains from the warehouse thougr stage thi monademen and clarice Weighell grades are still being allowed in support of a train crew disci- Workers at the multinationa plined refusing to conform firm's other British "fuel saving to british malls Covenirv. nave becoec suooon cuts in service. but as yet no approach has beer Renolds The strikers refused to meet made factories Nur insiona tticer arenie worlewice Kirkwood, but returned to work There tonio spute e from unions as soon as British Rail manage ment climbed down and with- establisament or a eisoute tune drew the disciplinary notices.

also remains settled

Scan page 12

CALLAGHAN

FIGHTS PAY

RESTRAINT!

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Tories cheer wildly as

PHOTO: A

Low pay strikers-witch-hunted Nothing interests a right Labour reast to sit tight and wing Labourite as much as workers sit tight the state of his own wallet.

sumTer

I OFV

inflation, mass unemployment Plainly no other force could and swinging cuts throughout have Ware cuttel social services WithouT Kareenam to his teet in parlia mass action to defend taking ment to oppose wage restraint- their rights; this the Tory alar For the to force WOrKB the thumping Tories to resign through indus- increase in MP's pay over two trial action, say these reformists, would reject "demo- was warmiv cracy" applauded "This sand-Wack Tory back But for self-seeking MPs to benchers for line their own wallets by calling MPs payed

TOV

tue for the resignation of this same resignation of Tory Leader government apparently House Norman St. altogether! question Stevas Whether not the govern They moaned ment is in Tact about pay 'anomalies' and the for MPs' is a pay effects their Mulation matter of supreme irrelevance to hefty £6,897 salaries. the working class. those But the same Hand outs Labour careerists wro moosoo three years of wage cuts on the working and But pay the tact. that inis public sector hike is simolv the latest rouno workers who took strike action astronomical increases and last winter in a desperate bid to handouts to the rich and the trom their filthy

TICH

LING

WHen eventine eves to anodest workers wages are talling in real £60/35 hour week. terms must fuel the struggle for And they are wage demands. une sarre

FUND

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printed by Anvil Printers Ltd, London. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office resignation of the Tories.

Ts becomino more dovious each day that pay claims that with two important differences against inflation from Labour's careerist.

-MPS

to protect Westminster workers will mear

THOUSI

clausts prepared fight run ine risk or leaving workers bearing full brunt of the for it; and they will know that that are runaway price increases in united mass action they Coat now a central plank achieve fu policy. What plainly Worries Union conferences and nego.

Callaghan and his fellow tiating bodies must be called Labourites-right wing, and left daims that prelike is that

• LOVE O1

nonent increases to keep pace with the Will to so or do cod tor real cost of living as assessed by crypto trade diaconde unionists and housewives.

claim to lead the labour move.

Where possible ment. such com. And workers are also likely should established #witteet now on a local level to reveal to •amano That SelT-Stvidd movement the full 'socialists" take up a real fight for socialist policies within the extent to which living being savaged by Tory Labour Party-a demand which are policies. could only lead to the exposure Other Tory attacks on social of the existing leaders and political ferment service ane Hoos must be mer by similar independent mass workers from Labour's reformist politics and a action. could early growing numbers workers. built. demands will echo for the No to sackings! Occupy Prestcolds! News that the plants would Prestcold workers last close in September was announ week voted at a recalled ced on June 7 and the manage- meeting to accept voluntary ment called in a firm of consul- redundancies and only fight Tants to oreoce a resort on int reasons for the losses. to keep some of the present The consultants report, at the firm's two 900 jobs released on June lo was dello Glasgow factories. erately kept away from shop stewards. tactories. which make refrigeration employ Bad management skilled large proportion of older, men ano have become valually It explicitly blamed bad an sane amone a sea ot unem- manacement as une reason tor ployment on the Upper Clyde.

the losses and stated that the did have a viable com- factory once

TUTU! E

new range of compressors for domes-

SUMMER FETE

fridges was introduced 1981. Saturday July 7 from Of course they did not reveal 12 to 4 p.m. the enormous profits already out of the operation br made Cowley Community the firm and its bankers and Centre suppliers. The report also stated that as Cowley, Oxford to miller invested Cakes * Plants * Games over five years would make the factory viable Bargains * Fortune Keith Joseon. teller * Refreshments •ractice the anarchic antiwork.

ing class doctrines of the 'free' Organised by the market has naturally refused Oxford Area Workers any

SUCT

crestco o He has told the workforce- Socialist League and Scottish workers in general -to themselves go and tina other jobs-or start something up for themselves! US plan for 'unilateral strike force' Only days after the fan- fare of publicity surround- ing the signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) in Vienna last week, it was revealed that US imperialism is to put a 110,000 strong strike force on a war footing. The SALT agreement epito mises dangers the and deformed states the world's workino class ov tot Stalinists. "peaceful policy ente with Imoena ism paper bearing Carter's signature Seeing no real perspective a mass meetina on June 19 came to the decision to abandon the struggle, rejecting shop fight stewares calls Tine closure: But the vote of 295 to 245 was chance ine tonowing day to a decision to support a union the bE campaign for plants kept oben win a reduced work.

force. But as the sold-out struggle Dunlop's Speke at. lactory snowed. the solution is not to appeal to the employers, offer- ing sacrifice jobs and con- lions but to occupy ine ac and open the tory books to how been reveal money has syphoned off into the hands o capitalist the suppliers and bankers. British Leviand workers and engineering workers Scottish must enter into the fight along. side the workers at Prestcold to those at Prestcold *Occupy the Committe on the books cutlets Trace unionists to snow the cast for nationalisation without com pensation under workers' *Fight bring down the Tories-no cuts in public spend- cor a son scale or exoen diture. Soviet will actually leaders destroy a number of existing nucedi weasons. wnie portray ing the deal as a step toward.

But in reality US imperialism desperation by •riven upsurge of mass anti-imperialist struggles throughout the world is now contemplating the pros pect of new military that could dwarf even the Viet At the centre of their plans are the problems of guarantee i on suooles to tae west Hence the plans to establish what the : US Pentagon describes as the "unilateral Dasce Airborne around 82nd Division, together with air, navy designed as a and marine units "quick force' targets cast, Persian Gulf or North East Asia Conscription i the old Propaganda on I crisis to create the climate of through Congress-though would consume enormous sums require reimposition this leaves out account the scale of the conflict that would bi intervention inTo this highly polarised area of the world i ne reacuonary rever curer Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have maintained niceeoon installations ano declared their intention to set them alight in the event of any invasion. And the mass anti-imperialist movement that toppled Shah worrie. ever East bourgeois regime Middle would focus its full fury resistance and retaliation SuCh altaCk War threat short, while the ageing Brezhnev returns to the Kremlin aureemen imperialists 'world peace' the hell-bent on a course that threatens renewed wai It is not through class collab.

oration on a national or scale that peace can be brough about unere Can • no eno to through revolutionary mow saller the workine class And that is a prospect feared above all by both the imperialist chiets and the Stalinist bureau crats.

WORKERS SOCIALIST

LEAGUE

WINSFORD

Public meeting "Trade unions and the Tory government" Sunday July 1 at 7.30 George and Dragon Delamere St.

← no. 155, 20 June 1979no. 157, 4 July 1979 →