Socialist Press no. 168

Labour Party Conference:

CLEAR OUT THE

SOCIALIST

PRESS

September 26, 1979 * 15p Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League No. 168

CALLAGHAN

"We will work like the devil to

GANG

that ensure the votes are cast against reforms." spoke AU resident Terry Duffy in the midst of a flurry of furtive manoeuvres and armtwistine as baldenan s Fight wing Labour mafia seeks desper- to knife the introduction of any form of Party democracy But the reluctance of union at next weeks conrerence.

chair Callaghan's As as the delegates undisquised leaders alan. inemselves for the decisions of objected to an agenda without against the left wing proposals contempt Party are not simply due to embarass- Ine Labour conel crice une emergency motIon. Ine for conference summarily ment or to a growing the interests -OT conviction yvas working class was shown clearly closed down! that Callaghan is bound to lose with workers by the the last Labour govern-

DUT

OUT

ment t is a position ne snare.

thousand, even by the million, I ney also recoon se une with Wilson and with Labour clearly move pay totally inadequate and basically since the party's harmless nature of the proposed leaders ever , car- others on Tormation. workers. ana many retorms. Amazing loos ane adains te ory seene- Councillors cuts there are few union prepared to stand leaders But the lengths to which his The compulsory reselection reactionary supporters are now for istance, titule it mties, snoulael Shouldel WIEn AU-voureaucrats in using such while might prepared to go in their ettorts to Instance, orazen aictatoria metroos preserve rigid rignt wing control oressure some ront wingers The Trade nine-union of the party were demonstrated pret prem often terest is events at the Unions for a Labour Victory problems amazing headed by GWU leader David who elect them: will in itselt dc AU National conterence. Basnett back while has stood Duffy knew that the nothing to resolve the crisis or conference debated the issue of mobsters knife the principled leadership within the callaenans opposition. Even veteran witch- the aemocracy alLy Frank Chapple has outcome would certainly favour ATter alabour councilors declined to become involved.

are already subjected to a com- the reform proposals. procedure; But he wanted to be tree to Slaughter pulsory cooicellul pressurise the AuEw delegation

VET

nunerees or mem-up arie definite policy Only steel union bureaucrats down the country are even now Bill Sirs and Hector Smith, (who contempt for the membership by willingly imple- Accordinaly Duffv and Boyd tingel Have

NO L

instructed conference chairman prevent The ories. wholesale mentine Tirst Labour ane to slaughter of jobs and working Tory government spending cuts, shutting down schools, nurseries accept a Standing Orders Com- conditions in the steel industry) mittee decision oiscuss Ene nave come

OUT

openly nosoltals and socidi services and and refuse support of the Callaghan/Duffy throwing thousands out to take a motion of no confidence in the workl manoeuvres. PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report * Indeed dozens of councillors who are actually engaged slasning public services in tner own constituencies will no doubt be sat in next week's con Terence votino tor reserection te Labour MPs "account- make able"! Similarly a change in the metno• or electine the adour Party leader, separated from the development of principled ecoersnio oreocree to rent to the removal of Callaghan and the adoption of a socialist pro- came cue mass bring down the Tories-is only a superficial change.

No question Lest there were any doubt on this, Tony Benn last week in repeated radio views insisted that as far as he and his fellow 'lefts' are con erned there is no question of removar Callaghan, arguing: "We knife our leaders: we stand by them until Thev choose To co. While the 'lefts' recoil in horror from the necessary all- out fight to oust the right wing, however, the gang show no such scruple and are a no-holds-barred eneduca in scramble ветезт Their opponents. The third proposal to which Callaghan commany opposed is that the Labour NEC should Party's ciceton manniesto. Pol Pot Legacy Yet this, too, is a toothless measure, since it provides for no means wnereo me ramamen- tary Labour Party can be com- pelled to implement the mani-

IESLO

Support Indeed both sides tacitly acknowledge that there should orevent a tuture abour covern.

ment have-first accoreance witn une reouire. ments of capitalism. This is not to say that the reforms should not be support.

ed: we favour any moves that the hold of cratic dictatorship in the labour movement But there be must no illusions that merely by reform- ing the internal processes of the Labour Party it can be edged gradually to the point of adopt- ing and implementing the neces sary socialist ooncies. Shrewd The Labour "left' aroune Benn and the Tribune Group shrewdly the recognise need tor tne party to adopt a manı festo reflecting some of demands of the masses, its MPs to appear to fiaht for workers' interests if workers are to become completely dis illusioned with the politics of parliamentary reform. But they essentially are at Cont'd p12, col 6 USFI XIth World Congress Centre pages page 3 France changes puppets in Africa switch The overthrow of Bokassa by Giscard d'Estaing and the imperialist countries that have support- ed his vicious regime since 1966 is no surprise to any- one. Negotiations have been going on in Paris throughout this year covernment in oreer to nead oTT the mass revolt that Bokassa was unable to contain. The negotiations with forme David Dacko She that Banguinto Be S General Bangui for Ine Liocration Obanguians) and Patasse leader of the Committee of National Union, were made urgent by the mass uprising that occurred in the south of the Central African Republic in January. Mass murder Bokassa's murder of ove ment the

THUFUCH

one -nunoree schoo Chlorer later in the year served mainly to underline his unsuitability to head the neo colonid regime and the necessity for his speedy removal. The people of the CAR are amonosi The mos cruel v oppressed in the world. The farmers income for peasant averages at f50 per annum while the relatively privileged workers in the government sector earn £25 Jess Inan oe montn Only 8% of the population is literate; life is. 41 expectancy infant mortality y cars and the amonest the nignest in world. There is one doctor to every 29.000 persons Living conditions are further worsened by the effects of the and Cao tails! recession Bokassa's mismanagement. The rate of inflation is 135% Der annum camone oroouction is down by 40% and cotton down by 50% The nevertheless bossesses arce diamond and uranium reserves and recent sattelite surveys show a great potential tor mineral extracton in the south east. Strategy Although the CAR is a small country with a population of three million it is impor- tant in imperialism's strategy tor Tne maintenance stability in West and equatoria Africa shares borders with aire Chad, Cameroons, Congo and Sudan. Imperialist TrOOOS are now active in Chad and Zaire. In the Cameroons there have been several general anc Continued p.2, col. 4

Taraki toppled in Australian Page 2

— INTERNATIONAL

Afghan crisis The of rise to power Afghanistan's new head of state Hafizullah Amin has that of been as swift as Macbeth. And comparison may tue not stop there since the former Chief of Police were apparently killed during last week's coup, iS AAReBRed Stalinist hanchman, is unlikely suffer the Scottish king's •CarAs GALBrAd pressures on Kabul must seem quite bad those wunsiare the start of 1979 the wince Taraki regime (in pro-Soviet which become Prime Minister) has been under growing attack from the "holy war" Islamic Unrecsrco rebels. These have received moral Brezhnev embraces ill-fated President Taraki and material encouragement trom bigots anur comos Ananke araka oe onos to including Ayatollah the other, Khalq (People) wing.

'ine Khomeini in Iran I and General He has gained the reputation Haq Pakistan, "'strona man" and of being Zia 9T 8 backing even more pro-Moscow than his DroOPDV tess «areca from the imperialists predecessor. Early in August there were was certainly swift MOscow contusne a••nsom rao o to recoonico nm. Thouon There unsuccessful army coup continuing uncertainty against Taraki in alliance with the Soviet what any, FOlG the islamic rebels. Jeebers bever nane coub army CerT:Inv come non Hypocrisy generals have recently been purged. claim that Some observer! most of the old So have Moscow supported

TAMAZI

leaders of the 'Flag' party-one (warmly received by Afghan two wings Trasteen orezamov on a tow Stalinists which days before his overthrow) Amin's over-harsh To Torm The rumo Democratic against and People's Party and re•Tesson. throw the pro-imperialist Daoud Amin is trying to make it regime in April 1978. appear the opposite, since he Dutch pay battle The going has been rough both strikers-this

VIUUS

officials time vor usino intimiaton on the of rately the picket line where a confron- Holland's major trade union tation with scabs had reached an federation, the FNV. doveneeo stoe The next day saw a battle Militancy wades nas between and riot broken out into large unofficial against contracts signed police outside a container depot this year between union bureau- ano y werkers were arresteo This led to a demonstration by Cots ano ne emoovers. The major action so far has Rotterdam police been in the port of Rotterdam. Hw ucla- Ino tne release or ineir arrestec rive wycoks auu. tucoodl CrEWS comrades. struck over a new wage demand.

militancy and unity of the Witch-hunt surINe hds causeu massive

IRAN MINISTER

They rece vee

SUD•OKI

from the FNV-in fact the bureaucrats tried to witch-hunt acto. bontee

RESIGNS

one or td écr already been expelled from the because militancy union ane Tne leadership Prime Minister oomensive g thin g injunc- As nployers then went on to the Bazargan tries in vain to zions deansr ockers unrouon tne the nominal surrender The judge argued on the CoUrTS. basis that the pay demand could of his power position, This ruling led not be justified. between disputes the an extension , OT une acton. bourgeois cabinet in dock workers with out in protest alongside Tehran and Khomeini's the 500 tugboat workers. 'Revolutionary Council' dockworkers then ine developed their action sub- in Qom become more Dy them- frequent every day. „cdd d vc y Clall se ves. Tor consolestion ([12) retirement and longer the protessional Carly This losing the holidays. politicians are Was battles to prevent the zeal Ine Union bureau- crats, on the grounds that the of the clergy from a bid to employers could not afford to export the 'Islamic revolu- to Bahrain, across the tion Unofficial action continuer Gulf, and moves to instal and even spread briefly to more dutiful and less critical Amsterdam. figures at the head of the state-controlled oil industry.

Rejected The latest of casualty these skirmishes Moves by the FNV officials has been to negotiate a compromise were Defence Minister Riahi, forced to step down from navi cco oy lie workers. Strong mass meetings ten days office for 'health' reasons.

voted and ago continue Riahi's had resignation coveo• mederon been invitable trom the solidity of the macer With Khomeini moment when the strike, the FNV bureaucracy appointed himself supreme was driven more openiy Oirat of the commander armec OnTO Tine ottenstve. Last week the bureaucrats again attacked forces anti-union laws all-out An confronta- tion between •ornse• labour and the Liberal Party government in Australia seems likely to develop in the next few months. state government Queensland has brought forward a bill to ban strikes by in transport, power and health services. It can also be extended at hat d his renier b romis g government discretion to other "September workers opens a Going beyond any batter socialist oreer. wo usai: He said he would release yet suggested in Britain, it not political "uselessly only: responsible any financial for losses caused arrested (Amnesty internation.

al caims there are •v suikes. our orovides vor tre tetrod nd hat atro of ome fining or imprisonment of any- mitted one inciting workers to disobey members government would be brough Cov nerg fistructio. to an end. TeTUrN TO WOrK addition to The West Australian govern- this hypo ment has already risy (Amin himself would hav in operation a Police ogen resoonsioa тг anv recenu AC witch UnIon atrocities of the government!) meetings are banned if they are he thought likely made what may turn out encourage a sannicane

TUIN

The octance cover neru ant- economic front. strike instructions ''Industrialists and business- Twenty-one trade unionists men- announced will appear in court on Octobel Would receive help for the reconstruc- banned taking part In union meetings Although union opposition been restricted las se marenes and token cestures. ine irresistable jailed. Wages offensive The legislation is a response problems for the FNV bureau- the prolonged wages offen- cracy, to expose Torcing Inem themselves as the real traitors they are. ne essons ot ine notter dam dock strike will stand sections of before other Dutch woi kers as thes come forward in turn on the wages movement As we to press go renewed reports that the strike nas peen enceoav a coraose or unofficial leadership into thA instructions for a return

LU VUE N

Bokassa ... from front page upwards fifteen thousand are held as political wusones Numeiry, the head of the Sudanese regime has faced civil war and numerou. Coe attempis Bazargan The 'left' in the regime Congo, too, is being severely LI calcico well as a militant interests as working class that nearly toppled the military in. thi general strike or 19/0 The series, ingot gs tor ments, strikes struggles nationa moeraton ane deasani uprisings that occurring are throughout west and equatorial

CTSCA

Teneea botn ine soaroen ing of the crisis of world capital- ism and the nature of these neo colond state were articlaily created by imperial- ism to facilitate political control. workers fight Liberal PM Fråser Saas of roe ast six me treso brought whole au cas Australa to a stanesti. This offensive itself caused large by coveramcn monograton or te wage indexation introduced in 1974 The government commission

ACAC

sintal

ALAN

Britain) looks at the increase in the index and decides that a percentage of this snoula be awarded as a wage increase Since recent awards have been oniy ou% or ihe increase in the RPI, their decisions amount to blatant wage cutting. ¡ns nas orovoke• a massive response from all sections of Australian workers. put tnt traat union leaoe Snie naS Copen trying to noic back the movement to prevent "undermining the electoral sup-

O LHE

Austellan

L.OUI

Party" These arguments will have a tamiliar ring to British workers ano, as in britain, they are argu• ments that cry out for. a revolu- tionary answer. Bokassa The of French presence troops and the installation of a new ne colonia Heaoersnin the CAR is designed to prevent the forward movement of the local strucele InLO embraces the class interests of working people entire region-a development tidu Wolle te imperialism's hold in Africa Unity of the mass-oppressed

YVESL

covatoria ATrIC. • can only bt achieved under the leadership of the working class acting in their own independent class interests The need to take forward these struggles and build th organisations nevenoen the proletariat the for the reconstruction necessity of the Fourth International an‹ development of Trotskyist parties : throughout the African ControL. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 September 1979 Spain's generals discuss coup "There is no doubt that Spain is sick". The words come from thi mouth of one of the would-be doctors-General Jose Gabeiras Montero chief ot the Genera Staff of the Spanish army •He was addressing confer. of ence officers the 20, th • Istaros DooLemod day following the kifling of two more higt ranking army officers : 12th and 13th I SCO Vl in Bilbao by ETA (militar), the militant Basque nationalist organisation. The general told his listeners to stay calm and not to over react until "the moment-which .onroeleve will come-wner the country will have to turn to i noe nave deen severa ooe threats of a military coup since the death of Franco four years Minority factions But up have • o now țhęv come from minority factions the officer

COT

expressed a even thonch they general feeling in Franco's un. reformed army This new statement. despiti attempts anesthetic phraseology, first clear threat trom the top of the arm!

hierarcny ot a military takeove of the government. Montero's statement reflects the growin! ca d olica Cor•s : ot wnom know.tna are in constant danger from the most efficient terrorist organisa.

von in curoe It is unlikely that the army high command will actually ¿boven d cov vnov dé open support of the political spokesmen of bourgeoisie. thes

AITO

SUIS

T081 capitalist stability in Spain can bee aid of ted purge is ha tion maintained peacefully alis (secreTS CUSKa®l tine Basque country) and to a lesser extent in Catalonia alongside the reformist Diariast leaders in spain as a whole Got the message If this policy has just about worked up to now, the more conscious sections of the bourgeoisit non •Dudus are well aware that with the Socialist Party leadership in ul scalo css. lcr oddes losing credibility and the econ.

omic crisis daily making the material situation WorKeS moe eme me oz look tor their brand ot demo cracy" is not bright They will have listened care fully to Montero and oot the message. The working class must get it too-anc prepare build Cance inc ereneen oranisa tions to combat the growing danger of a full-blown i cotuld of the Francoist dictator.

ship This must be part of an un- compromisina political oftensivi against the bourgeoisie which is only way of putting an end Francoists and I pursuing the struggle for socialism in Spain.

Correction We apologise for an error in the centre dade article on theo retical questions from the wars in SE : Asia in Socialist 12). Para- ross foo obotemee graph nine of that article shoulc have read as follows, "So why cannot this contra- lead expansionist Criol tendencies the : on bureaucracy whic! «Now weu: surplus to aeneni •THe to one buree tracy avarani through expansion terri- torial base which it is «ooro•nteda

Few if any of the crimes of the Stalinist bureaucracy in other countries can have surpassed the deeds of the Pol Pot in Techie between Kampuchea 1975 and the end of 1978. .-It now seems to be generally accepted that between one and three million Kampucheans died under regime. The i

• POI

Probably an exact estimate will now be made but novel There conse Ho color mat tne slaughter and suffering were almost unimaginable. If these estimates, which the puppet Heng •amrin reume (installed in beetheer the Vietnamese curly oves are conrect Inen UnIS would wear om pol tot betwee three Pol Pot between fifths of the . •varTer

WWO

population died. According to the evidence of refugees few ane •II0 veTY observers from outside who in Kampuchea at the time death causes ot tue Commones! were Tamine ane exan on age os of the ol ornegier by one murder une ornel. Death camp The whole country was con- verted into death camp. which would be hard Evidence to retute is now being presented the Vietnamese Samrin and Heng Torces regime Tne existence extermination camps modelled on those of the Nazis. and survivors (the nerudces only sources intormation which exist) have stated that all and intellectuals were priests Ore less Inaiscriutalely murdered by the regime. But the greatest deaths probably came as a result of the

• • OUTS

ane wolk under wo ret uithin a tew hours of the capture of Phnom Penh trom the retreating imper.

alists in April 1975 the forced evacuation of the city began.

that 2 reports claim DOme million oT ts recenty swered population were forced out in a matter of two days. Many aied on ine march to thoug-opera ted collectiv fames countryside where Khmer WEre nev WOrKInC week of ten days (9 days work and day rest) established these labour amosi ane survivorS claimed that the working day from until often am. 11 pm. Pol Pot

-INTERNATIONAL-

S. E. Asia: Part 2

THE GHASTLY

LEGACY OF

POL POT

Refugees stagger from war zones leaving behind devastated agriculture Much nas been mæe o oe •rown too• avarae gecause • fact that the Khmer Rouge the decimation especially of the regime abolished money. In fact male adult population who did most of the agricultural work thic is anat tura. since at me time of the fall of Phnom Penh, been estimated It has been relief medical already ionicy is contirmed by v cocce coe deerr JouTlasislo inflation which developed after Jonn Pliger or the wally Mirroi 1970 under the Lon Noi regime.

that young adults have been almost eliminated; and that of Worthless Ene survivine ao ut cooualo only 20-30% are male This the national caused addition medical workers riel) be {the Corcu have said that as a result ot the •evalue• mousanos oi lines. se eTTec •т tae stivaton ooro ol that had " oecome women of child-bearing age have worthe Khmer stopped that menstruating, Rouge regime oresent tere de ton ocals iol olew vo ae bena bonk. Ju0 every one live birth duced no currency retorm and diseases like anthrax and organised distribution of bubonic plague are rife. available coous Wolt administrative measures mostly Blockade in the labour camps. given out mallotis The Vietnamese occuo yili according to work done-but in forces blame the situation on only amounted on any case the Pol Pot regime and they woefully avolasc that one of the dole Correcuy. inadequate quantity

BRCE

reasons that supplies of food are (today the ration is only available,is the imperialist pounds a month). Vietnam blockade imposed on virtual the whole dosuld- and .Kamoucnea arter tion went hungry and that state invasion of last December.

generalised famine persists Samrin •• •CI unt loady. has recently put regime on trial Khmer Rouge leaders Critical point inner aescace tol adolescents and perversion ot from sabotage of the national econ Recent reports omy." ana ouac renieu workers suggest that the famine Khmer Rouge leaders to these accusations with react is now reaching its critical point and that there imminent anca mo terence. ine same danger of two million more Rouge President and Foreign Minister Khieu Samphan said a uniess deaths trom staivaliul much more tood reachea rew weeks aeo country very soon. "| can assure you that our government killed not three, not There is little or no locally Thailand Refugee camps Aranyaprathet Battambang

CAMBODIA

Khmer wg Pursat :Rouge a'stronghold

PHNOM

PENH

Gulf of Siam The Kampuchean people oppressed wend cruel French colonialism. Then the deadly process continued under ot the Tine CorrUDT leccersnie hereditary Prince Sihanouk who, pure as he would like to today, nonetheless dootal oursue• bosces er reoression towards the masses •in the 1960s. The gigantic tragedy of Kam- puchea was all the more severe because it hit a country which one of the to begin with was most backwara on eartn Khmer Rouge is When the justly accused of ending medical services along ane educatien with all other marks of civilisa- be forgotten tion, it must not how

CITTA

STaeS •A reBel existed in Kampuchea before 1975. was in nere 1971 only one doctor for every 15,000 virtually countrysioe wiere orea majority of Kampucheans livec The legacy of French imper alism and the corrupt, reaction- puppel Tec ln succeeded it was that in 1970 Kampuchea had what was esti- mate• to oe tie lowest scdhud of living of any country in the world Then from 1970 to 1975 Kampuchea was bombarded bi Nixon's planes with an amount of explosives equivalent to five hirosnimas. it.wa That. as much as the policies of Pol Pot which destroyed Kampuchean agri- of and sent millions remotes mee ne o tae c.ues.

There was, therefore an element of rationality about a 1975 of tryind restore agricultural production and of dispersing some of millions ot urban retugees back to the cie hands of the Khmer In the Rouge leadershib however. thi!

element rationality was almost totally smothered by the

IU C

ICOS

ucl avel way bruta whic" disperal of population was carried out. Dome •servers nave con the

RUGAN

That onv exonna tion of the barbaric events was two, nor one million Khmers; it the Khmer that the leaders never killed anyone. I nese are Vietnamese sanders holte were osceocn. Even if there is some truth in Rouge spokes- But Khmer it be taken this, cannot on as a men other occasions note Tey ht he dead took have blamed them whole political leadership waco, carried out policies of this kind "excesses of the rank and fil€ and Vietnamese. infiltration" rat o namucca s caul' While it not possible to must roadi barbariem explained by the way in whict take such claims seriously it is the revolutionary struggle of the still wrong to lay the appalling of the Kampuchean cam duchean beoole trom u people solely at the door of the and even was isolated from the _rest the world. kamer leaoersn s Laos •Stung Treng, Kompong Cham, a! Vietnam This extreme isolation, though in part fomented by the Khmer Rouge leaders, was mostly the responsibility of the internationa tanist leaoers m Moscow, Hanoi, and even in Peking, which opportunistically became the Khmer houge s ally- Stalinist leaders c nese Kampuchean starved fighters of aid. They octaye Ine Namoucnean revolution the accords of 1954 and again in 1973. And the claims today by the Vietnamese and Soviet regimes that they have "liberated Kam- critical. They did not reveal or con pọt the crimes of the before they regime invaded. And they are doing so now only justify that invasion. .however,

MUST

accepted that if the Vietnamese occupying forces present at wished to begin to reverse thi tragedy Kampuchean ot the people it would be diffi- the hostile because CUI l oo ices or moeratism At the same time some must be to a attention given number of reports from refugee: who in their tens of thousands leave Kam attempting puchea that Heng Samrin anc Vietnamese the are • pursuing policies which suggest they too continuing the destruction aut or e camoucneon nauor In the rural areas they have tried to reorganise the virtually destroyed agricultura S otol 5% of land is now setting up being cultivated, by groups of 10-25 farming families each with 2 hectares of land in cooperatives. Refugees have reported these renovated however, that cheas ce nor dele civen to ue destitute Kampucheans but are being colonised by Vietnamese •Kron nane s annets from the delta area in Vietnam) this kinc Accusations have stridently taken aisc up by The bureaucracy Peking; they parallel the Viet- propaganda which says atticsc the Pol Pot regime had a Enal similar plan to install Cninese in

LOTELUT Y

DUC aCCuS rens Cocot laE Vietnamese cannot at present be But they would be verified. with consistent policies wilni Vietnam itself which contem- plate the emigration of 3 million ov me oudton These policies and the of the "boat people" position •iscusseo Unse article on recent events in Indo- China next week's Socialist Press Imperialist bombardment of Cambodia

'Workers in retreat' moans Cliff Page 4 Haringey dithers on cuts This Haringey Labour social continues to Services Council reversing find itself in the classic closure aecision. dilemma of social demo- All the cuts "frozen" and not imple- crats running a capitalist be mented. economy. decided to Jobs held vacant Having now implement in mid-year the However council officials 2.5% across the board cuts, continue to refuse to to fill felt have the councis vacant posts in line with the themselves unable to follow them through in the face of previous policy of cutting by increasing the number of mass nostlily jobs held vacant. Plans to close three play- thwarted by The massive groups were branch is still "refusing, parents the workers and cover for vacant posts; but involved refusing to accept at. a closure ana conung co week, weakened their action run the playgroups outside by no longer refusing cover ine premises. NALGO leader Drain sounded off against the cuts at last week's local government conference: will he call national action? Letters Dear Socialist Press, of militant witnessed the Cliff Having

TUSE

euts spectacle of leading members of capitalist newspaper yelling: British Socialist Workers "Look disagree- public defeats ments defeats in one day!" over tundamenta

ISSUCH

at an SWP day school, I thought would VOUr rcaacis interested to hear some details.

warranted pessimism The school evidence coony Struggle in Crisis?" was held on by 8 at the Polytechnic Rank and File Conference!

centem sel real logic of Central London. I ne Originally set up as a forum SWP's to discuss the ideas advanced by endorsement union historian Rank Stalinist Hobsbawm in last Sept schers Practice was school Cliff. Today featured Richard Hyman (ex- almost unprecedented

SWP

and the now national Socialists Alliance) and the SWP when period Steve Jetteries CP debating with MeTeran spokesman Sam Aaronovitch.

from speech For- 'ony Cliff on "Th Way ward" was scheduled to follow afternoon of workshop dis.

cussion. Hobsbawm had argued tha forward march of labour the the narrow aground and economism waters sectionalism 30d offaries have and Jefferies Hyman articles challenging written Jefferies And similar along morning session. clear unchtime it wa By udience-90% that the Cliff's way forward' advice to are ve sion butt on; but his in the afternoon OTO: John Sturroc. she rested i argued for by the ch and by advancing but is caly in fol working retreat! in the midst of a Speaking of wages militancy Growine repeated that has strikes by 2 million engineering workers and increasing evidence for vacant post, every those focussing Only had stated management would not be filled. retreat was Communist supported by action led to the the members Party committee branch executive. chairman's the action has However led to the closure of social should now services offices on two days a week when there are not the staff to adequately man them. The

NALGO

branch to called on council follow the lead of Lambeth in refusing to implement the the support Cuts lobby of Parliament called Lambeth council for 7 by November.

NALGO

committed itself to supporting its women's subcommittee proposal for branch meeting last a campaign to spell out how the cuts affect women. South East Regiona Council of the TU(

EMERGENCY

CONFERENCE

Public Expenditure-the Campaign Against the Cuts Saturday October 20 10.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. Congress House, Great Russell Street, London

WCIB 3LS

trade unionism cannot be taken action against the brandished for aranted! least Cliff-see They-or of Practice as a last the horrible around which point Three paper! regroup a try to militants call retreating working class.

his ram ПОме Meanwhile Cliff is preparing unrelieved and un- his next book-tellingly entitled Cliff cited speeches stop the netreat. With an assessment which is , delegates at the SWP's recent so far from reality-and away which fails completely to grasp behind the the role played by the reformist for minimal campaigl bureaucracy union

OT ITS

SIX

struggles-it and File Code betraving and the SWP can spelled by scarcely surprising out no lead to workers above offer level of mere trade In the SWP's view despite an abstract wave militancy cone esto talk of socialism. strikes since late 1978 we face a Jefferies and Chris even elementary

PRESS

GANG

Since the engineers' refusing to budge on union demands for a shorter week.

strike is supposed to be the same resented by the workers Express and kept going only by leaders pudusticu "Marxists' within the identical points AUEW leadership (who- ever they are) there is some mystery as to why it has not yet collapsed.

The press must be given full marks for trying. After weeks of proclaim- ing false dawns their powers looking prophesy are tattered. week the press But last changed tack. difficult to tell whether there some guiding hand which corrects line or whether the their Fleet Street press has some of all organic Boyd were elected by secret the same wrong reaching ballot (a method beloved by conclusions at once. manoeuvre week's the Tories for its This contradiction of the funda- has not as in previous weeks proclaim that the mentals becau that while strike is folding ana has refused to allow conces- returning to millons sions-has been elected work every day. branch meetings. has Instead The Express been trying to explain how for their erstwhile Canet throughout the union. Duffy is apparently Terry Send us a letter, putting your views on the on the struggles in articles in Socialist Press, union or district, or on any topic you your feel is important. Write to: 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

plainly disagreed with Harman Cliff's deteatist and subjective present situation, bridge-a system

VIEW

internal demo. demanes the lack of an

SWP

means cracy Winte struggles : the Cliff line will continue that for socialist revolution.

to predominate. One telling point against the thinkers Richard Hyman, the SWP's înabil. sums up to offer a revolutionary lead to the working class. the SWP's He pinpointed lack of any. wages militancy and the struggle tor soclalisin Without such a bridge, he it is perfectly possible argued, for a high level of militancy to Dear Socialist Press, coexist with an inability of the movement progress Never before to of Reckitt socialist towards a nave me prevailing now Lightning SunKes. dr niacking result better gain thwarted by ocen mainly due another union settled their claim Are union's other ate body But this allow will unions rise. bargaining. restrain our consider justified. SWP Rank and File Conference SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 sepremoer 19 The Telegraph complain- ed that: "the Social Democrats in day the and the Telegraph Labour politics always seem making the and game to Dias always seem to lose it." could not Duffy Why simply torn up have constitution and ignored the executive? the With one eye on AUEW vote at the Labour Laurence Sparnam conference the Tory Party press steps ever more boldly into the internal affairs of the unions. the Robert Taylor in friendly another advisore to Duffy, advisor sympa- his thetically sums up dilemma as follows: Duffy "Mr Terry of the out Duffy which doesn't impasse This was that Duffy and destroy his credibility with members who have also dis- surprising solidarity played striking at considerable complete by cost to their own re-elect faces re-election collectivism) the executive-which next year and a humiliation at the hands of the EEF is at hardly a strong platform on which to fight the moderate simply against a strong left- wing challenge." postal ballots Socialist Press, Trotskyists, unlike the SWP, supposed retreat of the working the Workers Socialist class, , only stress the importance of such a League is engaged in the struggle of transitional to construct the type of leader- workers lead to take workers from today's consciousness and forward to socialism. to grasp the nocessity Yours fraternally SC While Cliff and his SWP co- Oxford Lightning strikes- in Hull The men are that a better their insistence in the mistor settlement must be forthcoming Coleman, Hull had industrial action if they are to receive rewards for their skills.

from the craftsmen of the scope profits due one and two day to outside also innuence overtime ban and the led management to tell us that this is not the that time for a large Macisito break down on overtime are the percentage incredst is the frustrated pay nego- When may aSk time? Is there ever a right tim in management's view? Will any The craftsmen's attempts to advertise differentials management have actuany management view that "you may strike that since we have the now

(TGWU)

made a huge profit"? BM, shop steward Reckitt and Coleman interested settlements anc A TGWU member from Reckitts have attempted time and again comments: to establish the cratts as a sepal- TWU have setled and because craftsmer will not management this settlement it is mor that other arguing further s leadership

SECK

With the hopeless Brad it we are successtul in of TGWU convenor Terry our claim for a larger percentage shaw there is certainly frictior the two unions arising between This is not free collective what friction But Management art management want. using other unions as a lever to fight amongst ourselves claim, instead of against them! The solidarity shown by the craftsmen has been overwhelm.

declining sece nos unofficial unofficial action began six weeks ago.

New outcry against racist laws The National Council for Nor, needless to say, do they black and Civil Liberties and the Cam- apply equally would-be paign for Homosexual

WAITE

Earlier this year the long stand- Equality have joined immigration practice protests about the confiden- officials conducting "virginity tial instructions to doctors tests solely womel and lad to about german t also blown in the Guardian, at immigration points em- refuse powering them to decision

LOSES

admission grounds of on these "abuses" • While i "sexual abnormality". bewailed in the liberal i press, the combination The instructions, revealed however sexism ana racism in tne immi- last week by the Guardian, do gration laws is being perpetua- to people "of high ted by the Tories moves to ban standing international the entry of male repute". Will the Pope slam H' Blocks? As the hue and cry life is no longer in danger.

Irish Jack But premier and crocodile tears sur- Lynch, too, in a'week-end the

IRA

rounding attempted to Lord execution of distance himself once again Mountbatten and the from the 'boot and bullet' of British imperial- successful ambush at Lactics the North, catical calling ism Warrenpoint die away, vaguely it is clear that increasing initiative' from the Tory bourgeois sections of government. opinion are seeking to Frenzied hostility distance themselves from the brutal repres Such talk has been met sion of British imperial- with frenzied hostility from ism in the six counties. Ubserver eator and lormel former Britain's ambas- Irish minister sador the Conor Cruise O Brien,

UNA-

Callaghan's son-in-law Peter whose venomous hatred fol Jay-last week outraged the republican struggle has orthodox im penalist spokes- now taken him on a tour of men by talking of the neces- the

USA

bid to sity to look towards persuade Irish Americans to united reland as tne only stop financial aid to long term solution to the the IRA. war. U onen points out (cor Jay himself, along with rectly!) that every politician father-in-law and other who talks united leading bourgeois politicians Ireland strengthens the hand and determination the noting, OI be on an

IRA

known

IRA

their armed 'target' list. against the British. But of growing Reluctance sections of the British and international bourgeoisie are question Perhaps his vague plans beginning the IRA can ever for whether a way. out ol the waI might be linked to a strong be defeated. reluctance visit his The republicans evident- to the Irish expanding support nonaay nome republic until he and growing self-confidence Tees PHOTO: Laurence Sparham, IF'L Prisoners Aid Committee demonstration backs 'H' Block struggle resident Britain. "illegal Deportations

IF SO.

being also immigrants 0i C the ories

ANTI-TERS

prepare new racist immigration laws. The labour movement must mobilise the

SUDOORT

victims of such legislation, fight- ing for an end to all immigration removal of Jaws altu Labour leaders who them.

TROOPS OUT

NOW!

IRELAND

in the war of liberation But while these desperate coincide with a rapid ebb in moves continue there is now the morale of the imperialist threat em barass- a nicw occupation forces ment arising for the imper- In a clear admission of the failure of the "Ulsteris- Speculation growing ation" of imperialist rule in that the Pope-whose anti- communist crusade • in counties of army staff are Poland was loudly sections applauded by the Tory press now demanding the Tories appoint a "security" use the occasion -may supremo who will effective- his Irish Cardinal O'Fiaich dominant in the role of British troops over denouncing the brutal treat- of republican the RUC in the of the nationalist popula- prisoners of war in the 'H' Blocks at Long Kesh. tion. Angry calls for a formal reintroduction intern- Symbolic OI ment are also mounting. Worse still, . could the that he army recognises make such an attack in the even tne existing draconlan town of Drogheda, the site measures-summary arrests, dictator Crom- tortures, beatings, of English well's barbaric slaughter of prolonged remand, no-jury Catholics 330 years ago, and concentration and

COURS

symbolic of the old camps-are failing to subdue oppression of the Irish by British imperial- people ism. Murder squads John-Paul is Pope scarcely likely to receive a Meanwhile the frustrated rapturous response in

TINA

making are evidentiy British capitalist available substantial files of should he take such a stand.

information from their com- But it would yet savage puter indication of the another Loyalist UDA and uby tha murder squads run embarassment that British in Ireland now bid to provoke a wave represents to even the most assassinations of sectarian Catholic reactionary and governmen l and forces on a world scale.

workers. Opportunity The scandal is that the leaders of the British labour movement have yet dissociate themselves trom the repression meted out by their 'own' ruling class in Ireland. The October 20 national demonstration called Oxford by Sinn Fein in solidarity with the struggle of H' Block prisoners for the restoration of prisoner offers of opportunity for union and movement brancuti declare their solidarity to with the liberation struggle by mobilising in support.

MARCH

October 20 at 2 p.m.

OXFORD

Assemble Chapel Street (off Cowley Road) Bring your banners the Persons Unknown' last July 'Fair trial' myth is exposed Any readers who clung on to a lingering faith in the "fairness"" of British "justice' of jury should and trials have received a further rude last week with awakening the revelation of computer- ised jury-vetting in a major Old Bailey trial. The Guardian caused a sensa-

TIO!

wuer unveiled some which the police keep in their computer banks and which were uncovered process. This exercise of press free- instantly denounced dom king-Hamilton Wat presided over the notorious News blasphemy case Gay the police- state measures involved in the procedure but to the vetting had been tha TaC tues publicised, the Juage not only referred the issue Director Guardiar the alsc declared that a new jury panel would be subjected to similar Worsley announced • that such vetting had been common prac tice for a number, of years.

"There has never until been disquiet recently any about it among leading member: of the Bar and Bench" One which recent case exposed wa: vettine last year's ABC Official Secrets Act trial, which the carried vetting was out in such a way as to allow an ex-SAS officer in as foreman o the jury This fact was obligingly sup- pressed by most journalists covering the trial-desp ite open statements of brazer bis stent by the man-until bias

SAN

, Christopher Hitchens released it Judge King-Hamilton Picket of Paddington Green Police Station by supporters of on the Russel Harty TV chat show, and the show trial I was halted. The current trial even IS ated than the

'ABC'

case. The six defendants are anarchists They have been held, with- out trial and for long periods in conceit months in Brixton jail. No specific charges have yet though there been put to them s ak or alecarons or consolr acy to rob and possessing fire.

arms At a series of appearances Maoistrater were time and again they the refused bail or unsubstan. Woe Toote who have presented not a shred of evidence against them.

'Persons Unknown' Their supporters, campaign- the issues of democratic ing on attacked ceedings defendants the "Persons Unknown" There is little doubt that the vigorous repression meted out to these anarchists and the methods of vetting and collating information displayed in this case are a part of the Tories' and order' which any militant, youth socialist a potential future police files contain such the whether #orniation potentia urer ives in a soual and whether he or she has ever made complaints the police or been the victim of a crime •olo ever more detailed dossiers available known trade union activists and socialists Bedrock It is essential that the case of the Persons Unkown is taken up by Labour Parties and trade unions. such growing

DUT

state surveillance will not halted by liberal protest and the limp bleating of the capitalist press defended ower of the stated The both Tory bedrock Labour, leaders-is the capitalist rule The demo- cratic rights of the working class will only be caranteet the With The a destruction capitalist state and establishment of the dicta torship of the proletariat *Persons Unknown booklet reviewed

NEXT

WBOK S

Socialist Press.

Avoidance of history present-day confusion Page 6 In looking at the for- mally orthodox phrases cliches that form and the bulk of the main documents for the USFI XIth World Congress one of the first ques tions that arises IS whether the documents can be assessed at face value. Do these documents really represent the political for over the last fought period and to be upheld in USFI's future by sections? The answer is clearly 'no' for two related reasons. Firstly, the documents themselves bear little or no relation present practice of the USFI and its sections any country in the world They are, of course, chat- acterised by a tone of lofty abstraction that struggles to conceal this total paucity of content. Stony silence But the fact is that the which claims dozens

USFI

of sections and thousands of unable members, or draw a balance examine of the practical work sheet by carried out even the section in Can VOUN period of struggle since the Tenth World Congress five years ago! The explanation for this will silence examine kind of questions that are this a result of omitted as approach. second But the be the documents Cannot taken at face value is that they are themselves only the Jatest, empirical outcome of process of continuing political adaptation that has marked the whole history of the USFI since its formation in 1963. from representing Far USFI XIth WORLD

CONGRESS

paves way for Trotsky final conclusive any the Marxist return method, even the formalv "orthodox" statements the documents have an empirical emerged from assessment particular OI the coniunctural events in class struggle and from fac- struggles within the USFI itself. The USFI and its quick- change political perspectives can only be understood as a continually to changing external events. Tossed off course the USFI has his- While torical links to the post- Trotskyist movement leadership's continual its inability to comprehend the contradictory role of Stalin- and to use the Marxist ism method of analysis to chart consistent independent road forward for the prolet- ariat, leaves it tossed course by every wave in the world class struggle. "orthodox" Whatever Prorases mim be wheeled out, time, time therefore, there can be stability within real the

USFI.

• The theoretical basis for such stability could only be from objective derived the history and analysis of the practical experiences of the movement. And such an analysis is dodged by one or more of the USFI's main factions. Compromise The opportunist basis on which the USFI was formed in 1963 rests on a political compromise between essen- tially diverse currents and a political of subordination clarification for the "tasks of the moment" in the wake the Cuban revolution. of This remained within the barrier

USFI

attempt any of method develop the dialectical materialism. against Trotsky Inster both sectarians and centrists alike that dialectical "takes exper- . materialism ience as its point of depar- ture and always returns to it." History What the body of experience of the Trotskyist movement? It is ot course contained in its nistory, les practical attempts to carry the Marxist programme into struggle-whether the class these be last week or ten or twenty years ago. form of "take it or Any leave it" attitude to history -leaving it up to individuals "interpret" for their own subjective reasons and trous of the pat the at ten- the party to the tion practical theoretical and the recent and OI distant past-must leave movement rootless. It cuts away the ground- work necessary to develop a policy and per- consistent spective. Workers Socialist The does not hold the League view often attributed to us by the USFI of wanting to "vote on history" as such. Nor do we go along with SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 September 1979 The United Secretariat of We know, of course, that the two other main groupings that Fourth International the lay claim to the title of "Fourth (USFI) is undoubtedly the Internatonal largest and most widely substantially smaller than the known of the currents that of them-the Healyit have emerged from the post- "International Committee" (run war crisis of the Trotskyist the British WRP) and the for • the movement. "Organising , Committee Fourth With thousands of members sympathising International" (run 'by and sections French OCI)-certainly hold , dozens of countries bad or far it is viewed by many militants Trotskyist Fourth worse than the USFi on many and themselves Internatona

USFI)

wracked by Socialist (like the The League does not share this view.

internal crisis We see the USFI as a movement Disorientation that has departed or key questions TENe But the bankruptcy of their positions put for- Pro- rivals for recogning on gue Transitional ware u recognising gramme Whic

LOIT

continuity International was founded exclusive the Trotskyist movement, 1938 Sandinista guerrillas: mistakes on Cub current sources of confusion diametrically opposite polit- absurd notion- Healy's ical and political impotence in brought its conclusions. which he "Just as a tidy housewife . the 1971 split with the present period peak 1n [!] never permits an accum- USFI leaders have repeat- the OCI-of carrying out or edly argued that this insist- spriethod ir ulation of cobwebs and gar- splits ence on history is the WSL's bage, just so a revolutionary "theory" artificial, sectarian means of party cannot tolerate lack the abstract. from of confusion and walling ourselves Our focus is at all times equit be kept clean!.. equivocation. on the defence of the prin- house political debate and fusion with the ciples, and development of Our analysis of the XIth

USFI.

the the programme will Congress documents "Unity' trotskyist movement to show how, by But cannot do that we rejecting Trotsky's view, the blinkering our vision to The great revolutionaries by stare straight ahead, simply USHI leaders in tact ensure of past-Lenin and that the theoretical blunders Trotsky-never required any ignoring past, nol and programmatic errors of theoretical such historical accounting the past are carried forward differences and probicills as part of the heritage for whole experience of All we need to do, they The the future. say, is agree in general terms the Marxist movemen tasks and then demonstrates the import- current Disorientate ance of Trotsky's approach differences argue out our in In Defence of Marxism: By looking on forward • a common interna- "It would be a piece of and never back they perpet- tional body. disorientate their monstrous nonsense to split ually It is by no means flatter- comrades who on the rendering it in- ing to us to notice that the with movellicit, capable offering question of the sociological IMG extends a similar invi- nature of the USSR have an adequate leadership to the to the British SWP opinion different from ours, working class. Big Flame, readily cle. focussing as we have solidarise In abandoning elements of the insofar they the the rich lessons to with regard to Trotskyist programme

VII

the from post-war political tasks. drawn the hopes producing Trotskyist "But the other hand history of the superficial political basis for therefore, it would be blindness on our we 'unity'. MOvernell part to ignore purely theor- are consciously setting the • VuI approach to and even terminolog- selves the task of grappling to reconstruct the etical struggle mistaken with today's ical differences, Fourth International 15 Decause the course of further devel- theoretical positions view more akin to that Past problems that are they acquire of Trotsky. opment not resolved must remain as Trotsky's flesh and blood and lead to approach was well summed up by leading member John G.

DWI

Wright in article ar reprinted in the SWP's own series "Towards a History of the FI". "Classic" Talking of the struggle for the elaboration of international programme by the Left Opposition, he wrote: "Trotsky's touchstone for "tendencies evaluating in world communism"-and therefore his touchstone for political collaboration-was the position taken by any the above- given group on listed three questions which as "classic" he designated (Anglo-Russian Committee Cuban troops in Africa-USFI cannot explain their role

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 September 1979 straddled by a leadership which hose post-war period has been haracterised by profound polit- _or • 11k divisions-is definitely and a con- aisonen aliou tionally based inuing series от incompiete ana The USFI makes a virtue of portunist splits and fusions.

The forthcoming XIth World the tact that currents holding :ongress of the USFI is however political important event. OlBrS of the opportunity of larxists TeRnes practice can exist side-by-side- reesino in more detail the stage when f development of the political

BYCH

which characterised risis

TODIN

SICI

its tactics in Portugal • USFI's since ontolo Vietnamese invasion ormation in 1963. Such and the Unfike fhm assessment •uchee IC and the Mandinit. roC1me asy LaSN reach a level where rival USF!

USFI

›CRFI. the the very factions find ithi ite of ping i consisten no grouping consisting Tany abualy "'sections" grouped sides attelite paTricies. denouncing the line adopted by ound a national-based party.

Rather the USFI is a deliber.

body. Itely heterogeneous the fixed entity: it is a sum total of hodge- created onSHOUSN divergent sodge widely varle rositions, analysis and practice, WilCH continudi mean mistakes today on Nicaragua 27 economic "T'he and with the CP to policy the theory workers one country). demar- organisation itself ideologically cated all these U( 10 viable, we could issues, Ull la capable method O1 able to mences CC Ls. revolutionary its banner. ist treason." (Leon involved. for joint the within common reach work to disagreenient other organisation; sibility or mental involved 17

ONEL

common tions-all WalCh •did ATan bankruptcy "classic" the task Stalinist -the pendent Tole placed its the in parties called tunist that factional initially for are remove opportunist struggle anu made occu not have superficial These the the lack "nc ude. the win particular Out of defending policy of this springs analysis behind the combinations definitively scenes, of self- up, nusant within of adaptation renunciation, *The plete switch position in response the surface developments in the interna- class struggle. Untenable WitLiN A ranks At its Tenth World Congress on in ?rd tne mal acco we and the Leninist Trotskyist Faction, oreerdmuud supporting the form- ponc calls such differences on ally "orthodox", s and of the Socialist Strato ly and the 1974-6, Workers Party, Kam- national anceloy analysis clinging on to the ultra-leftist and guerrillaist schemas of the Iicara.ud USFI's European Secretariat.

ant tae unteraote •osIOnS opposite taken by both the LTF and the

IMT

Portuguese during ouDICy 1974-6 and the evelk Anoo an war e• to a suaro o alignment of forces which now USF theretore is no shapes the coming Xith World currents Ponere USFI's shift The and Mass upsurge in Portugal 1974: USFI draws no lessons from these massive experiences the waereoy of deformed sates under naver of creation peasants' slavia, Culina, the pro- Kampuchea, grammatic response the same *The of BiTe leu superficial impatience an indepen- revolution

TOT

party: the UCHi for the Marxism the Transitional Programme aulu with world of policy that for these classic WilEl and Stalinism. rendered related in could Jali. which in of parties Stalin- also ism-we which the tinue within that errors idvC we would aTe He and serious

OOL UY

at issue, evasiuis. diplomacy, but bitter, super- question Trotskyist force move- the movement bitter and divisions them are understanding of failure to reconcile past political member American catulu n the the of disagreements sections alFe the pattern sections broke with The fune the SWP and the LTF and, led Gioiomak by Nahuel Moreno's Argentinian evasions The Bolshevik formed Lu t in the meantime declared itself a Tendency'. dodicated The growing challenge from PaCOl combined with the removal

WORT

TeeSe TOncOs, "Castroist current' and an In 10e cool• princioled bloc" IMT's guerrillaist the USFI perspectives of 1969 and 1974 "orthodox" Trotskyism pressured GOTh TinE curosdar

USFI

The and SWP leaders into a hasty of factions and the part dissolution "united" public attacks formation oT a new. Bolivar Brigade leadership prior to the parties of the Bolshevik Faction Woll das for interventio! Nicaraguan revolution. Omissions attacks go These endorse the action of the FSL this majority was new HAmdArs in excollino memoes ol It leadership that drafted the five the Brigade from the country!

main documents Troe• TOr LE But their manifest used in Congress accomplish task pare against lt sel itself in 1963 catastrophe took The record political and needless infrequently, wrangles long-gone Instead what was moment. they united The important "big the approach miniously test every day. between Congress has But division of documents issues over grips offer and to And went on declare that: On layers of show evade every fighting programme, spirit and activity; yeais. to close ranks refusing of little past interest revolu- of list tionists of who are primarily (if most burning today. Somoza) *The 1974-76, of of any the challenge the issues positions of fighting tional Yet faced with advanced situation move- to leading Vietnam tionships practical question leadership struggles. practical What the of record since 1963? rather "big every from political and France Ceylon the 1976, 1968, mounting Page 7 split rather Rooroorat: demonstrated than

«ADATE

conspicuous politics. and much document. The Bolshevik Tendency has by a now Sl rotskvIs Tendency the of aad. with torce! calls "'un- errors" of the

, USF!

at the head of

GE •GLI®

and the restoration o1 mont wracked the most leaders for their crisis and profound vicious HottE. contradictoi on mne simor organised by and political thẹ DoLLET contrai

WAIC]

autoritariv international world language Vtwoeoal, attacks is that diplomatic in and Moscow's African states. *The of the Argentinian Peron when Isa bel was butcher brought dictatorship power 1976: had tne PST-the sympa- ed as world" ist party 1n the played in coup! of the Francoist of im pact the the What role the Populat of the Frontist In bureaucracies been fought the LCR? Chilean the South black 1973 the Soweto Africa of struggle: of profound view of and nationalists virtually of practice coup in the Turkey, this

HO W

the leaders in "anti-fascist" alliance .new Minister bourgeois the laws danger of style catas- another firm and in itself, trophe posing neces front for united policy to vital the of key IsSue struggle for revolutionary but on have since the World USFI's Congress would issues Congress Yet the exclude the of these ysis events-the issues! following in which the ship refers in brackets) (and to the events that in to ution and ine world s bourgeoisie gasping the the indepen- rich of deformed transformed that country World the last STuCK Congress! by the of

MALINOVSKY: THE AGENT ON

LENIN'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Page 8 £2.50 may seem a high price for a volume of only 107 pages, the more SO when 37 of those pages are and devoted to footnotes Ernie Stubbins reviews 'Roman Malinovsky: A bibliography. Life Without A Cause" by Ralph Carter Elwood, However, Professor study is an important Elwood's published by Oriental Research Partners, 1977 and recently imported into Britain.

history ot the hussian revolu- which has long been the subject of controversy. aled atic scholarship is needed to cut through the confusion, much of the enemies of Bolshevism. Most accounts resorted to theft and may also reports say Police anarne Malinovsky's remarkable career have been found guilty of rape.

asked to see Zavarin, head of the Moscow Okhrana section Wolfe's After a 3 year prison sentence TrON Three Who Made A Revolution he joined the army and served in which has neen interoreted vidence that he had worked for from Badayev's The the • Russo -Japanese war Bolsheviks in the Tsarist Duma.

In 1906 arrived in St. the Okhrana previously. available evidence does Petersburg a 80 enersetically ine Research took part in the unionisation of not allow the question to the steelworkers only recently settied. What is certain is that Professor Elwood has taken Malinovsky trouble to research exten- the ecaused oy tne isai wire under arrest was recruited to primary The service aUTy organisation of the Metal- the orary as tell roubles a sources- contemporary liar workers Union at a rapid rate.

roubles salary and trade union newspapers and Wrings (almost all stillerted and collected month (tour times his salary as journals, A Touch mis success was Darly a result of the newness of the a party secretary). organisational By January 1912 he organisation, lated from Russian) of many of without attended, although the participants in the events.

ane oratorical

YVCIC

outset he sets him- widely recognised at this period.

oroner crecentias. All TrON

LIC

Russian Conference of the self the task answerine RSDLP held in Prague. Setbacks series of questions which the Russian dele- have remained ATnovan studies gates disliked him, Lenin was By 1909 he was an acknow- indecisive: greatly particularly ledged trade union leader What was Malinovsky's back- of 1909 Malinovsky's • recently ground? Toware s Ine enol however his career as a union when did he announcer convers or leader began to receive setbacks.

and was soon become a police agent? demanding hat Malinovsk be Union rights were curtailed by Why did Lenin trust him so late elected onto confidently, even Ine state ano nis •re ationsnios as with his colleagues in the Metal- mittee. • 1914 workers Union were deteriorat- The proposal was unpopular, Why did the Okhrana sack opposed by Piat- and strongly successful agent ing in November their most 1909 he inside the Bolshevik Party ano celerates the grounds that Malinovsky 1914? months. On his he was was untested in party work and Why did Malinovsky return to Russia in 1918 to face certain •ansted tom ou. retersour Shoul not He travelled to Moscow and the conference. In the end how- execution? after a period of unemployment view ever, Lenin's was Did Lenin know all along of became a local secretary for the prevail. and employ Malinovsky's

RSDLP.

him as a double agent? Lenin delighted, this time he appears to like have been, trade Apprentice Lenin went on union actvises. uncommitted either of the major factions in Party's walnovsky Since Professor Elwood's is the party. Moscow District candidate for the detailed currently the elections Fourth Nonetheless he made a force- available account of Malinovsky Duma. due to take place in the it here imoressior amone the summarise we stall Moscow party members, partic.

autumn. Socialist Press The ener ularly on V.P. Nogin, a Central Mensheviks he workine wor the With backing readers unfamiliar with the and leader story. Committee memoel of the conciliationist tendency, Gladova, Pokand in 1876 into a Malinovsky who proposed that Malinovsky delighted genuine that a onto the Russian

CO DOLCO

WVOS

peasant family. Orphaned at an Bureau. he spent his youth could Once the Duma, early this happen incide Malinovsky rapidly emerged a in Germany, Malinovsky was arrested, in May Bolsheviks. returning to Poland to become a leader of the 1910. It was on this occasion tailor's apprentice. that he was recruited as an agent * altter orator. ne quickly mastered the techniques of cir- period of the OKhrana Mass meeting in the Putilov Works in July 1917 cumventing the Chairman's powers of censorship. Commission The Bolshevik other Badayev, Muranov deputies, Shaaov and Samoilov were neve successful in any these In his privileged position as a deouty anovsky was able to visit Lenin in Galicia much frequently before, more Lenin on party business. Ironically, Malinovsky was included in a special sion on the problem or provo• cateurs in the party. In the course ot this work he i came into contact wire bursevi 'the socialist movement's leading counterespionage expert. Burtsev was apparently con- vinced by Malinovsky and refused the charges even arter as resid nation from the Duma. All this time Malinovsky was the filing regular reports Okhrana on all asoects of party which were producing series of important arrests, his Bukharir includine immediate circle in 1910, Stalin and Sverdlov in 1913 the most significant Among interventions Ine •oce based upon Malinovsky's intelli- Mass demonstration in Petrograd two weeks before 1917 revolution the arrest of Nogin gence was other and the TOrS whico erective o ocker interfactional discussions inside has several times ocon • pointed out tha criving towards a definitive split wit Mensheviks the Lenin's interests colnciaca strategy of the Okhrana. Certainly this is true and both Lenin and the certainly Wkintaine supported walinovsky in splitting the Duma fraction in 1913 There is no evidence that Lenin was knowingly employing a double agent. On the contrary mee is no one! Bolsheviks gained anything from Malinovsky's involvement with ine knand Backfired By the end strain of his double life was show. He beginning WVak quently abusive to party com- rades. Burtsev's into the Okhrana was improving and even Dzhunkovsky, the new the Interior Deputy Minister o was worried scandal which would result from of their undermining elections At the same ume. desolli and the the sabotage •olshevik. WeTt daily more powerful among the workers. The strategy of forcing the had factiona backied against the Okhrana and a new plan was needed Making I a virtue of necessity Dzhunkovsky That Malinovsky should resign from the Duma causing the maximun confusion and demoralisation to the Bolsheviks. Confusion During nis last days in the Duma, Malinovsky was in a state of areat confusion Among several deputies had been suspended from the after disrupting the Budget speech of Goremykin.

He began to propose among Party the withdrawal tron the duma and tae Siar or mea When this was dismissed li made a final speech in which he unsuccessfully attempted Rodzianki into expelling him. He was nowever from the chamber by the police. The next day, 8 May 1914 he Duma rescued

TONI

without warning the Party, and promptly left St. Petersburg.

accusations humour: and Malinovsky

TTY.

letters from abroad did nothing to explain his departure visited Lenin in Galicia and tound unwilling believe the charges of provoca- tion. Called up •Lenin and Zinoviev together with the Polish Social Democrat Haniecki formed a tribunal of the relected allu Bukarin or leader with ou despite openly voiced Bolsheviks

I TE

defend this line against a grow.

campaign the Mensheviks war broke out, Malin- ovsky returned to warsaw anc was i coon Called or ming wrongly service reported killed and an obituar by Lenin was published, clearly him. intended rehabilitate • survived and wa: captured Among the usian priso fores German forces. occan a orocramme or dostevik propaganda By 1916 Burtsev's contacts had provided among the police with hum • reason to delieve nf provocation charges but Lenin refusing to believe persisted any orlt, even ds late as lal.

Proof of guilt forces sacked the debrant oar When revolutionary prool Malinovsky's guilt caused the Bolsheviks, and Lenin in partic ular, acute embarassment Forced to admit the validity the Lenin vigorously of case, defended Malinovsky's record a: agitator. The Mensheviks furiously continued to demand investigations. On his release from prisoner War Malinovsky camp returned Petrograd sur- • to To The rand Committee. After interrogation by the CHEKA he was tried by the found Party, STOl This is, in summary, Profes sor Elwood's account of Malin ovsky ano nis career • Ine new evidence he brings in is interest- ing. but how does it go in ques. answering ciwood's own tions?

Pabloites endorse FSLN expulsion of their 'comrades' from Okhrana mugshot of Stalin Malinovsky's background is certainiy given in some more detail than Was

DIEVOUSIY

The profound political known, but the possibly crucial question of his early criminal crisis of the largest organ- claiming ¡acura realis vauuc isation adherence tne absence ot intorma- United to Trotskyism, the tion on this aspect we cannot be Secretariat of the Fourth Malinovsky 's ue Lall cally International, expresses relauonsni wimh me oolice Despite this uncertainty, itself in new internal there is no reason to believe that divisions in relation to every Malinovsky's work in the Metal- major new event in the workers union was in any way directed by the police international class struggle.

The fact that he knew the After Portúgal in 1975 and nade ot Lavarzin, tne ivoscow the Vietnamese #vasiul section head of the Okhrana, Cambodia In Decem oer asked when see him the naw 1910 not the a rester nedd dictatorship. DomOLd necessarily indicate anything Central American reouoie more than an intelligent, again finds , delve Nicaragua sociai Democrat woule aireaay different of be aware of. on opposite sides or ine On Malinovsky's relationship class divide with Lenin, and the differences connacnce arise over Lenin nao in nim c wood teis the Init us little of importance. government 'ot members ot Ine Indeed he neglects to discuss Si mitanis w o hade , a group the seriousness of the arguments who come tuns kants up around suspicions TaT orew icaraola TrOm Colombia of Malinovsky: participate the struggle particular, one against Anastasio Somoza.

Malinovsky's tirst vic lifts, Bold initiative several times _attemoted unsuccessfully, convince (The The Simon Bolivar interested Di lcdut Feati the was result bold find some witt more on T0 iS matter in S.F. Cohen's Bukharin naTiVe and the Bolshevik Revolution). the Socialist Workers Party (PST) in Colombia-though Turning point means ine origade s members are political supporters Elwood proposes that Lenin of the pST. with was

PST

is a party whose rec uent ordene li dut leddersnio comes TrOM déo sem dc zen éccovcn Tormer Bloque socialista, a leTt evidence that he reina sod io saponint tas presented with support this may be true Lertalniy and to a declared adher. UOrI and we should not blind our- ence Trotskyism selves errors of great leadership the USEl's Bol- revolutionary seddels Nahuel snevik Faction led by At the time Malinovsky Moreno feao une memoer présented himself first to Lenin, the PST of Argentina Letin Was diatousy Joukig tul cannot comment confirmation of the correctness 'reactionary' and •eraoo ane activittes от the leaders of his position in the battle with Brigade Brincpe bon vict seems te but consider other the govern- ,members the Mensheviks ana me recs ull- menl as bouretols ment ot a trade unton eacer nave Deen basto as part or Ene inis event nas soarkec ott a must have seemed like a turning Bolshevik bizarre within the tradition ot prolet uile. majority that On the Okhrana's decision to abandon the project, Eiwood's description Bolsheviks is a ot the

SUCCESS

convincine contrioutior On Malinovsky's return Russia to face certain execution he is less helpful. It may that Malinovsky hoped again to survive the basis of his relationship with Lenin. On the question of recent knew of suggestions that Lenin Eiwood's Va O SKVS Tole demolition concise and systematic. Professor Elwood's book snouie oe welcomeo as a seriou. study by a very able scholar. It great value in will be discus- of this periód of history

S10RS

and questions on security in the Party. After Somoza's overthrow, grouping, particularly the American SWP, have openly and memoers oi the orioaoe stavee publicly condemned the m vicadua ana. accoræn lo the PST's El Social- the Simon Bolivar newspaper activities of played isid, ondue some •ans or tae coute in tae but more tran Inis inev nave struggle to solidify the organisa- condem ned the political tion of the masses specially in taken

PST

positions up the of the leadershio of the • mé oe dí voc vc

CLICO I

mid-August about 40 Sandinists. members of the Simon Bolivar In a recent article in Inter- Press /Inoreco brcaoe Corunerlar expelled from Nicaragua by September 1979), SWP leaders orders of the Sandinist Interior Barry Sheppard and Mary Alice minister tomas borde. waters accust onaoe and They were accused of- the PST of trying to "outflank things-advocating the Sandinistas on the left" by among other seizure of all land. torming e nan militias describing objective problems and "the Nicaragua Sandinista guerrillas facing gap The revo ution-ine between the great hopes of the toI immediate improve. Massc. menis in heir livino stanearos and the difficulties in achieving these goals quickly." Castro with Mexican bourgeois President Portillo Sheppard and Waters say the brioaoe •ecerve• ine ocooe int thinking they represented the Sandinistas. the summoned vvnen

FSLN

headquarters on August 14, the Brigade sneppard demonstration which and waTer Cocacte se implicitly the expulsion of the justifying •noret memoe followed. They accuse the Brigade of giving: "the bourgeois press a con- veniont target to launch its palet a.dles the hopes of sowing confusion among the supporters of the Nicaraguan revolution." No contusion trom Sheppard and Waters. They say: "The position of the Fourth International is to build a cam- paign Solariey

WIL

Nicaraguan revolution in collab- with the FSLN not in opposition to it. the Fourth Inter- Noreover national has always stood on the conviction that lowell la drt Torces tuat arse

OUT OT

the living struggle in their own country. "It is a grotesque idea that a •ol• eTnon-Nieraouang could Coadorship to the 'SLN. build cour emenasts in Colombia itselt the PSK • a second

USFI

sympathising section which SUTUrL Uori majority, nas attacked the Brigade even more sharply It was, they say, a "sectarian initiative' Concoture proletarian internationalism" the majority and Brigade's militarily vuitt a nel memoers mey

ST QUT

the war in neighbouring Costa Rica. Rumours The PSR condemns the send ing of the Brigade because the Sandinists had not. requested it ano decause. unev sav. ti was sel up opposition mass mobilisations in solidarity with Nicaraoua Till that

LITE

rumours sums collected money Brigade: "are going not to cover legit- of the Brigade, imate expenses out atter to wane soreno s proe or no the c offers of the (See "Two lines Nicara- on gua bolearity work' by Medrano, Gonzalez, Consuegra Bayona, and the PR's paper reorinted trom tomtate Soris tapre later on7 Press/Inprecor, tinental Behind all these issues is, of course a basic political disagree ment. The USFI majority has taken up a position of uncritical sup-

FSLN

Uu e IU a/il LF ti vove o voro struction, despite the clear bour- geois character many components and the reactionar many its Character policies. Adaptation Iț is a political line which has" no thing common with but benty in com mo year tong and stim gronings year long and stil! growing the duaulalol! • •latiills reacershio ot cuba This uncritical for support the Sandinists now extends to at m oCe backint flagrant attack on the demo- cratic rights of members of their i international organisation

UVV/

does Colomoiar not share the USFI's gross adap- tation to the FSLN. out and condemns TInES the fact that the majority members of the new junta se1 up by the rollv are bourgeois condemns policies of of democratic rights I est eLin socialist ano Tne aosence economic measures. recent artic e Socialista by Ricardo Ramirez (reprinted in Intercontinental ress inorecor geotem oet 1/, 1979) correctly observes: "The destroyed of the bourgeois the basic pilla! state: the old Somozist Nationa Guard. "From here on there are two roads: either proceeding arming the The genera Work rs, and inhabit- the poor neighbour- nooos oranisine AnTO militias; or their disarming and the organising standing aluv ana dolce "ne tirst road bants tom.

ards the socialist revolution; the second, toward the reconstruc con oi the bourgeois sere fact is that a rapid "The process of disarming the militias and forming a regular army i: Takne olace "The incident with the Simon Bolivar Brigade is only a detail in this picture 1. ''Among much of the Latin American left there are illusion: that Nicaragua is sliding like a toboggan toward socialism, repeating the Cuban process "We in no way exclude the possibility thai

FSAN

leadership, or part of it, will end up breaking with the bourgeois ios stah establishing a workers and government and into practici uLLIty alLI- programme, the contais. leadership of the July :26 Move. ment did. exclude this possibility, explain the Nicaraguan with blooses and more forcefully than ever, that should demand that the FSLN leadership do this.

abstract

BUT

TDIS

future the and concrete fact is that the oLi cacau• s oo coo l this direction. Covers up The central flaw in the PST's position, however, that presents tae •wal „Torwaro entirely a question of puttin

FSLN

the Decome a revolutionerer Situ

HONDURAS

TEQUÇIGALPA

/NICARAGUA

"Matagalpad

SARIBBEAN

all its just criticisms of the FSLN and correct proaram.

matic demands it covers up the presence of forces capitalist Sandinists

VV/ C8

never once raises the question o the need to build an dent Trotskyist party in Nicar- alla. on voce coo of leading the mass movement towards the socialist revolution.

eisewnere l tne Uor Faction supporters ho snevik are against the majority ledet snilD OOS UOr specifically arguing that "the only leadership which can the yual aritet ontol mentol tne socialist revolution in Nicar gat if i rota dup r or of the USFI to build this party No common ground There appears be th between common

TWO

main Tachions ant remains to be seen whether this fundamental division within the

USFI

rank. Wil resolved in the period leading up to its XIth World Congress.

Sandersons strike

INDUSTRIAL

finally sold out The TGWU bureaucracy has finally succeeded in winding up its longest-run- ning and most embarassing union recognition dispute- at the Sanderson's fork-lift truck firm in Skegness. For 28 months the Sander- sons strikers were denied 1e y from the

SEROUS

TGWU in their million strong battle against vicious em over where larde sections of workers remain unorganised. They were left to struggle on f6 per week strike blacking Union Sanderson's supplies was partial ineffective: 'mass called by last october

LIFE

last saw mobilisation of only four people the nearest from Hull docks, mass body of TGWU member sion. ship while total Todd had proved his creden- workers travelled long distances tials during the Grunwick strike to support the struggle. lin which, as Londor Regional Instructed TGWU members no Decretary Gullibility to thẹ August appor Last December official sabo- icket mass tage of the strike reached a new marathon recoanition struggle di wher Dander son Garners steak houses. were ne exploited the gullibility of the permands for fulscale blacking, rejectea strikers' new national organiser demands Todd to manoeuvre a vital mass Ine lifting of blacking action restaurants and a regional levy ThAt had threatened to exclude his to strike pay above the £6 raise forklifts from crucial trade per week level Todd exhibition-before reaffirming Sanderson's, 4t to reinstate call a further mass firm's refusal refused to the picket.

SLAKCIS

But strike leader Phil Gilliat union. From refused to pin the blame for the that oint on Sander- son simply raised two fingers to strike's instead union COUNTrYS mosT union, secure in the knowledge meetings and rallies accusing that left-talking Todd file trade unionists- and had been neither the wil nor the politica capacity to take the steps neces- called upon leaders to their sary to crush him into submis- act-of "apathy".

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

CAPTA!

SOCIALIST

For a

GET

clear

PRESS

lead in the struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies

NEWS

Confrontation on Sandersons mass picket When in June the Garners strike was eventually forced to a cose became more Cuca than ever that Gilliat break from this position and direct no bureaucraTe in and Chiminal the union bureaucracy the Sandersons strike. But chairing the SWP's vanenester hank and File Conference he presented a cynical despairing speech union officials altogether.

The fault, insisted, lies failure to fill the gap left by the "our ourselves union officials. every occasion that Ter on had appeal gone out to for support-blacking, workers mass picket- winance • an support been willingly given. Todd and his fellow was TGWU officials that sabotaged support con- this and created ditions for defeat: and it has

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Name.. Address Send to Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR closed shop been Gilliat who, and covered alain. Ten days ago, therefore, the strikers met and 15 remaining Constere LETt dwindling ineffective finances, blacking and growing demoral- was scarcely surprising under these conditions that they strike after nearly 2½ years of betrayals.

thus joins Grun- Garners Margolis, wick's Georae Ward and Trus Houses Forte management on the list growing well served by the treacherou: bureaucracy Thel stand against unionisation.

Workers fighting defend ane move mode conditions must draw the bitter lessons from these experiences: new, •ranciolet one prepared to mobilise the strength of the trade colossal movement

ENE

fighting to build such a leadership. Todd .£1.75 • €6.00 £11.00 .. £6.50 .. £8.00 Hull strikers keep FTAT staging a one- and day strike last week solidarity the office as well as giving workers, financial support in the form of 50p a day levy. dispute lasting After 120 workers had three weeks over been laid off, with threats closed shop agreement of more to follow and talks with

ACAS

has ended in total broken down, it seemed that a long victory for the workers confrontation was the at Hollis, Hull Ltd. way The factory involved is But with both strikers the situated in dockland and shop floor workers area of Hull and the firm is remaining united, manage- one of the main timber ment finally climbed down importers and suppliers in called in the officials and the country of the unions involved for The dispute began after talks on Friday. five clerical workers These ended with the suspension of the five non- emploved in the computer room at the factory refused unionists until a new closed to join the union. shop agreement has been 80 other office workers- drawn up which will include members

ACISS-

the computer room. all walked after manage- There ment refused to implement Hollis management were closed shop agreement testing the workforce in a The strikers put a picket bid the closed break on the gates of the tactory shop and the yards and brought Öther such confronta- the plant to a standstill.

tions will undoubtedly be full received Tories on the way it the port from •the shopfloor through their anti- press with members of the TGWU union laws this winter.

JOIN OUR FIGHT

AGAINST TORIES!

to office after. five of Labour Returned years 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 séctors of state industry will be handed to the Tories' proneering big business Dackers, and ine pay rises to ponce aro armed forces mark only the prelude to increased state violence against pickets and and an intensified army crack. in the occupied North of Ireland Ine Callagnan-Healey leadership nas made It clear that d will opppose any perspective other than settling down and meek.

ly accepting five years of Tory devastation And, though they nave once more austeo or their nea forgotten "socialist" speeches, , Labour's "left-wing" MPs have continued to duck away from any fight to remove Callaghan. to establish a basis fo leaders Mave

OUT

collaboration with Thatcher and the Tory cabinet, parallelling their anti-working class alliance with Wilson and then Callaghan workina class has experienced and overcome suct betrayals before-to topple Heath's union bashing government in Phase 4 of 1974. and smash through Callaghan's reactionary wage controls in a series of monumental pay battles last winter; do not acco. no bolt to lue or tro jobs, social services and hard won union rights can be defended against renewed Tory attacks But a principled revolutionary leadership is needed if the Labour traitors. the TUC collaborator ane new nancers ou fr the Communist Party, are to be exposed and pushed aside, anc the mass struggles mobilised that can defeat and remove the Tory government Such a leadership must fight day in and day out for a pro.

demands. which starting from today's gramme of transitional conditions and todav's consciousness within the working clast lead workers to grasp the necessity for socialist revolution.

taking up democratic demands-such , as an end to the crucial role raciai and sexual discrimination it must show that must be played by the working class as the only consistent- revolutionary capable of leading the struggle for the emancipation of mankind on an international basis-mobilising

TONT

solidarity for anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist struggles- whether Ireland Southern Africa ot elsewhere through. in out the world. and drawing strenath, and political lessons fron revolutionary upheavals such as that which ousted the hated Shah in Iran. 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 labou bureaucracy, is the method fought for by the Workers Socialis League. The next period will see major class struggles in Britain. A 'principled, Marxist leadership is essential. Our movement though strongine US and he ke haiward the ruple for socialiant amme rerhains smali in numbers.

No fight yet on BL jobs Hospital workers oppose closure SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 September 1979

SAVE

STEEL!

SAVE

CORBY!

CORBY: CALL

A NATIONAL

STRIKE.

The massive day of action and demonstration closure, which brought an estimated unions With

SOCI

14,000 workers, housewives lobbying plant leaderships and and youth onto the streets officials throughout the of Corby last week was a industry for support to a policy of all out strike action to defend vivid indication of workers' all jobs. readiness to defend jobs. present fall-off in steel i he but at the same time, as a orcers must noT one-off protest action in a single but by work-sharing Northamptonshire without loss of pay. revered Tne centra orooler Already 56 workers from the faced in fighting the unreatened closures the British by Stee have written letter the Wrexham Evening Leader cor- Resounding silence stoppage and linked to a black The call from a Corby steel- steel imports and transportation works mass meeting for national has been met by a resounding Begin action silence from officials. who Corby workers must demand • for leader Dil dits, has plenty of time to rush round and themselves begin action to rallying right wing for support Callaghan against Labour Party trade union committees so that democracy, apparently the network of private suppliers, neither the time nor the interest naullers. contractors steel users and bankers that profit from the To acce

ENC

threatened steel industry's can be thousands ot jobs iSCS Corby and elsewhere by exposed and the fight developed drastic programme Juit scare workers manage ment this nationalised ano rationaisation. Corby workers must draw the context of • the conclusions from this. They planned, socialist economy.

shall

AT THE TOP...

UNION DUES

The TGWU's declaration Meanwhile at the • Park Royal plant in London that it will black any work the Communist Party led shop that is moved out of British up no serious Leyland plants that fight resistance as a vote was carried accept closure has meant that all nuatherine redundancy terms which eyes are turned on cover plants that affected, are pietion of 200 Titan buses prio particularly the bigger ones to the closure. A indication of the Castle clear like Canley and fighting spirit of McGarry and Bromwich. the Castle Bromwich leadership.

At Canley very little seems was their failure even to turn be right specially wng convenor Eddy McGary.

how- Combine Committee last week

AT CASTE

cromwich ever, half the leadership is going discuss the dosure threats along with the plant directors' and the coming BL Dav claim.

save me blant arouer crash programme ending Pay claim demarcation, imposing speed up The meeting of the BL Com- of company grading bine Committee structure ana witnarawing Trom the Confed pay claim adopted a pay claim for the 1 By doing this these collab- November annual wage review A proposal submitted by the Bensurer Edwardes to keep the plant officers of the committee, dominated by the Com munist Party, called tor: don which is due to cease all ca increase of £12. _per the November 1 1979 from production, right wing week grades has talked

COVE

occupation "if necessary": "An increase of £1 per point Cowley Road workers in tion was almost completely Oxford have taken a first worker besee The middle class benefactors important step towards who had confined their protests saving their hospital from vanisher their into then pleadill closure. pleading At the eleventh hour and at ignored the Are: Health the same time Authority. ment's so-called incesencent was making his final Strategy report on the hospital, workers ser u• a su••or commutee to fight the closure. This faces the Cowley Road The meeting, workers and supporters with the called almost after the com. cadcliyd Health munity had is capable or saving the nospita out a large hall with che in for he at year to closure, drew blocked

NUPE

those opposed same 120 workers and supporters.

past yeal have sat back and done nothing Worker based to resist the closure. Although smaller than the meeting a year ago its composi- ; hospital have asked at Oxford Cost of living clause won The September issue of complete cost-of-living

TGWU

Record contains an protection-the suoblements do not allow for the effects interesting back page story taxation, and the government's deal linked to a of a pay Retail Price Index figures do not cost-of-living clause won by sufficiently accurately reflect the impact of rising rents, rates Coventry 120 foundry workers after a four-week tave

COSTS

pay packets-it workers strike. as evidence that The basic increase of 12% is numbers of recognise the need to protect tea to an agreement to pay supplement for every 1% settlements against increase Retail Price inflation. Index. Were the deal linked to a Should inflation actualiv fall price index compiled by trade (!) the supplement will remain unionists and housewives unchanged. would otter much better hone Though this deal falls short of preserving living standards.

OTEL WA

DON'Y WHINE ON ABOUT YOUR BLASTEL

CUTS

RALLY! I'VE GOT AN IMPORTANT... ER

• MEETING TONIGHT... IT'S A MATTER

0 0 0 0 • 000

WITHOUT YOUR

• BUT WE MUST TAKE A STAND ON THE TH

BLOCK VOTES, 17 A

BELIEVE IN: REMEMBER THE HEROK STANDS OF

DEAD DUCK

ANCSTORA

of Retail Price Index above 10% calculated on year from year 1979 to apply for all "rul carity plant minner 99 . *Elimination penalty • in respect o lay-o and sick-fund (sick fund to be fully funded). "One hour off the working week with a commitment to 35 hours by 1982 without loss of PaYA successful from Cowley increased the from £12 per week to £24 per and deleted threshold from the cost of living Cause A further amendment from Cowley to delete any reference "parity" payments from

LIFE

the carity was a pay st. Parity was set lement last year's wage and used Company to avoid a straight offer this year. policy proposal was also moved by Cowley. This amendment. which war moved by Alan Thornett, Trades Council what plans NUPE had to resist closure, they were told that such questions "interfering in the affairs another union' and that workers at the hospital were not concerned about the closure.

wow, arter twelve months o prevarication, , NUPE has finaily the Joint Trade Union conduct fact service unions to finding meetings inside the hos- pital. Overwhelming The result has 'beer over- whelming. More than 100 workers attended meetings tael unen oreak protest about the closure and to complain that they had never organiser gentevog told Coventry

TGWU

Record 1 "As far as I know it is ine only deat of its kind in th area-if not nationally." Attack The journal, Con veniency Toes fre аттес в on this policy by Moss Evans at this year's

TGWU

conference auru le manoeuvres ThaT even brought its defeat by Tuay mere 89 votes, comments "If this is so, let us hope it is the first of many to help over come a threatened inflationary winter."

LED TO

DUNKIRK

Page 11 attacked what. he called the "undemocratic" ano Robinson" bargaining arrangements which handled wage negotiations for 100,000 workers in BL Cars.

proposed that the Combine Committee call upon the National • JoInt Negotiating commis • convene a ree gate conference, based on one delegate per 100 workers, which would be the authoritative body for annual wage reviews and to which the JNC would be • res ponsible. This amendment was ruled out of order, without any grounds whatsoever, by Stalinist Jack Adams, Longbridge TGWU who chaired nicoli. been given a chance to express their view! But thi same union steward

NUPE

NEC

mendel Ward, after a year of refusing to call meetings and insisting that workers wanted i the • regain leadership now trying to of the movement. "Another Hounslow" Shei warning against involvement worker with the support committee and agitating occupation, saying that this wil lead to Hounslow" and attacks on patients. Hospital workers will not lightly be won to a position of occupation. It would be wrong for about patient care whạt would happen zoarents But what they must call for is an urgent study what an occupation would mean, so that unev can cect whetter support it, not on the basis of Ward's witch-hunts, but on the basis of facts. Occupation If the report covernment overturn the

AHA,

does not occupation the only defend their Workers hospital But those who claimed that protests ano visits to ministers would be enough, have now run out of time. They are reduced to witch-hunting those put forwara an alternative.

PHEW-MADE IT! THE THINGS

- ALL OF THOSE STAND

DEFEATS!

MESSAGE TO COUNCILS

PRESS

CONFERENCE

full brunt of the they further alter differences of The Tories' spending cuts must grants against urban areas it will be quite impossible to achieve."

levels in fall on manning local authorities if the latest Heseltine's

COACCI

dictate from Environment suggests will Secretary Heseltine is acted limits Casil bleatings upon. councils brushed contemptuous- speech spelling ly aside. in a cous out the lories determination to Last week see the slashing of local services jobs, and public voted to reject the were joined tine by ceciared Joint Local Government Assoc- Louny council. ¡ations Biennial Conference that Labour council there would be "no more cash" And while again talking of and cutting down local paper WOrk government, he announced that he would be following through local The orotress dancies by demanding that local quarterly authorities produce manpower tigures. Huge cuts Many of the Tory moves to ease contes on local autol of course designed enable huge cuts to be made by present Ine enosne requirement to provide a school meals service, school milk, trans- other

DONI

services. But they scent tne prospect of pressing home still the Tories are quite willing to comper councis to produce new quarterly man- Cash limits

THE

Heseltine's speech was signif- OF icantly silent, however, on the question of the cash limits to be imposed in conjunction with the overal cut ory enditure. Labour

DOEN

councils have warned that, if the government attempts to impose that limits match inflation and the increased costs of last years settlements, then the sup pay 5% drastic cuts out 198081 will in reality to be a swingeing 10-15% cut- back. chairman of the Tory Even the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, lailor, declared that: "This is just not on, and if

FUND

We're slipping behind badly on the September Fund-the first month with our new target of £750. There's just one go to the end of the month and we only have week to £465.52 in hand. Yet as we have pointed out often in recent weeks the new round of inflation is pushing our costs up all the time-transport, distribution, printing and so on.

It really is essential therefore that we achieve the new We urge all our readers and the first month. target supporters to send us a donation. Our address is: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Oxford Tote: 22 September, 19:29, Card no. 36 Published by Folrose Ltd.

SOCIALIST

'SLASH JOBS'-TORY

fallen into line obediently behind Heseltine's commands.

of Protest lobby hostile tone In Lambeth however that extremely tight Labour council has pulled back be laid down of from its July casion to mee €3 million cuts, and ha: lobby of protest the tiny handful Parliament should be made a focus that have by public for mobilisation

AULS

sector and other trade unionists.

Mid-Glamorgan But there But elsewhere answer the cuts in waiting on the off- katanss love

WANTED FOR

MURDER

MUST

STED IN

TANSYITH

MASSES

MUZIREVA MFABY E

POWER MUST

BE VESTED M

MASSES

ZIMBABWE

R. MUGABE.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Zimbabwe plot

PATRIOTIC

thickens leaders announced on Monday accept Their willin neg guarantee that 20% • cald reserved for wabus Zimbabwe seats muorital y chone s De the stage seems set to constitutional the reactionary Tory government has fought so hard to concoct.

Parliamentary deal Behind the occasional "Marxist" leaders Front there has been a con sistent thrust towards a bour parliamentary settlement in Zimbabwe. Hence their atten dance the London conver t now remains to be sea now long it takes the Tories ant their varied assortment would-be clients to fit together the remaining pieces what one e puzzle. Bush war agent hintacist state.

at present maintaining hours Following down of the much-heralded talks Engineering Employers Fed- eration and the Confedera- tion of that Labour politicians chance time have back- Engineering will this against the have employers bone to stand up Tory government. their efforts to defeat the Shadow Environment Secre- repeated tary Roy Hattersley is guardedly that • have declaring support any

TOTI

to the industry. resistance Tories "within the law' Behind this choice of words embarassing memory lurks the from councillors of the Cav whose principled defiance of the government's "Fair Rent Act" was greeted with isolation and misera ore councillors, MPs and trade union leaders. workers must ruolic sector resolve now to take strike action against cuts, occupying threatened facilities and callin on for full scale support. coordinated Such action, throuch local councils of actiol comprising delegates from trade unions and other labour move ment bodies, must be developed towards Tne Illas. action required to bring down the Thatcher government.

NEXT

WEEK

bid to crack ity The

SOCIALIST PRESS

workers. EEF the Special Supplement The circulated 4 extra pages on the • comoanies fight against the cuts consider like three including regional reports of struggles This thinly and the policies and tation record of the Workers engineering workers has Socialist League in surprisingly cool the fight against cuts section trom in public spending wno,

CONFERENCE

Campaign for Democracy in the Labour • Movement

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

*Prepare to force out the Tories!

*For mass action against Tory anti-union laws!

*Strikes and occupations against the cuts!

*Build Councils of Action!

Saturday November 3, 10.30am-5pm

DIGBETH HALL, BIRMINGHAM

Open to all trade unionists and delegations from labour movement bodies Details and credentials (£1, claimants 50p) from CDLM, 99, Barclay Rd, Warley, West Midlands

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

First Public meeting in Scotland Fight to save shipyard jobs!

Build the CDLM Conference!

Wednesday 10 October at 7.30 p.m.

Partick Burgh Hall, off Dumbarton Road

GLASGOW

EEF digs in against shorter the working he orderlines no the borderline bankruptcy and uncertain of the outcome of such an escalation of the soute While lof gathering recession. the present ditions unused exports capacity and dwindling the break- books many engineering able to carry the employers between massive

COS

present day strikes and overtime ban they shrink from the prospect of a total indefinite shutdown- Shipbuilding and a policy which-in the torm 01 all-out strike action-they know Unions, the has been loudly called for by redoubled thousand: representing bodie ot militant engineering worker: at the inadequacy of strikes two-day partial stoppages. crippled the Timidity Clearly acting in line with through the

NEB

Indeed it is the timidity of the Confed leaders in pressing the struggle torward strenathened the determinatio these emplòyers and given them the claim is conceded it will term impact .. on have a long wage rates. And with the union insisting on an hour oft th working week they fear that this would concession nistorie unleash a succession of similar demands place British employers out on a limb inter.

nationly Belgium Only among the has conceded a

EEC

countries shortenino of the working weel in engineering below 40 hours and German employers last year that the Source di a collatl remain EEF leader Frodsham would 40 hour week until 1983 Rolls Royce management wh last week failed abysmally in Win full claim the solidar moved Staff workers. of course. ir Britain and internationally have on Wednesday with a lock- out of its 30,000 hourly paid achieved cases Hally

MRAN INOU CO ANONOU

With many firms teetering same day 6,500 member on the edge of financial collaps "advising" them doubt that a call There sitte now by the Confed for all-out *economic a week working is action would rapidly force full claim from the through disguised invi- weakened that encovers participate they cannot resoono arrogant bluster put out by their national lock-out of two millior own federation Annel C response nature Only une • reactiondus

AUEW

the Conted leadership now prevents such a their undoubted decisive step being taken.

gut hostility to trade unions and Callaghan Gang From front page one with Callaghan in rejecting any tore mass, chard parliamentary working Cass that is required to bring action down the Tory government anc force through Ine atonalsd tion of basic industry and the compensation

DOCKS.

under workers management They recognise that such a movement would create con- ditions for workers to sweet aside not only Callaghan and his crypto-Tory supporters at every but also even me party. hollow expose own Thel socialist retorio offer but a With nothing "radical" the reforms within capitalism, "left' Labourites would then revealed as an stand themselves the necessary struggle for a socialist planned economy and government truly responsive to the interests of the working class. For such a struggle a revol The utionary leadership is vital.

Workers Socialist League fights throughout the labour move. ment to build such a leadership.