Socialist Action No. 91, 1 March 1985
The scan: 091-mar-01-1985-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Stand firm with the N.U.M.
'THERE IS NO way that this trade union is going to become a signatory to an agreement to close pits and axe jobs. That was Arthur Scargill's declaration, rejecting any agreement which would involve the NUM in policing the NCB's attack on mining jobs and communities.
The unanimous vote of the NUM national delegate conterence throw out the government-TUC proposals for pit butchery - is a magnificent tribute to the movement which has been born during the miners' strike. It is an inspiration to the entire labour movement.
strength of support for the miners was demonstrated yet again in London Sunday, when marched to Trafalgar Square. The failure of the NCB's 'back to work' movement was clear again at the beginning of
SOCiALiSt
ACTiON
RESPECT
PICKET
LINES
this week.
Monday's return but less than the 8-10,000 the Board had expected. The NCB's claim, that nearly 50 percent of miners are back at work, is a lie. Twenty percent of miners never joined the strike in the first place, and the clear majority of those who came out are still out.
Press and television claims aside, the strike is not collapsing. The reason for the return to work this week, yet again, is the treachery of the TUC.
The attempts by supporters NUM's position on pit closures stands in stark contrast to their complete failure to deliver 'total support' for the miners. If Willis had shown even a bit of the energy in implementing congress policy that he's shown in negotiations with and MacGregor, the strike would have
COTTISH
been over months ago was significant,
at this time. teachers, attacks and a fight for wages.
Willis and his
away the which stands in the way.
As the congress policy of
LAISON. 4.
SUPPORT
THE
But if the TUC are trying to isolate movement. the miners, other groups of workers are finding themselves going into struggle
Local government, local authority manual all facing governmen keep the
The call to open the second front, alongside the miners, is not an idle one. be firmly rejected. There is a real possibility of inflicting a decisive defeat on a government whose support is visibly slipping away. It is the refusal of the TUC to wage a serious campaign to defend jobs and services
ship have economic policies of the government run into more and more serious trouble, nobody can be in any the country, doubt that the TUC and Labour Party action, leaders will, in their majority, continue relusing to wage a real Dalue on any front. The answer to the Tory attacks
must be initiated by the left in the
The next big action to support the miners must be Democracy Day on 6 March. This can be the occasion for a huge display of strength by the labour movement. The attempts by the TUC to
miners out demon- TUC strations and actions on that day must miners.
Ine unity or the movement in action is vital if the Tories are to be defeated. This means the miners must be at the action. centre of every action planned. Over the last week, the miners and their leader-
given a magnificent and heroic lead to the movement. They have mobilised thousands of activists across
support committees, in demonstrations, and on picket lines.
As a fresh round of battles with the Tories opens, it is urgent that every step
No. 91 1 March 1985 30p is taken to organise that support. The militants and the members of the NUM must see that the TUC is not capable of isolating them.
The NUM should now start the fight for a national solidarity conference which can answer the treachery of the
and organise support for th Such a conference can also build for a massive Labour Party-TUC demonstration in support of the miners and to plan continuing the solidarity
Despite the new attack launched by the TUC, the miners are still continuing their battle. The NCB is not going to get a viable resumption of production even al pits where it has a cheved SOME return to work.
The NUM has shown it is continuing to stand firm. The rest of the labour movement has to organise to deliver the support Willis refuses to give.
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2 Socialist Action 1 March 1985
AcTioN SOCiAN
Attack on sexual
rights
GAY PLAGUE' hysteria is the latest, and sharpest, in a whole series of ideological assaults on sexual rights mounted by the establishment. Before Immune Deficiency Syndrome, came the publication of the reactionary Warnock Report, mum Kim recent bill to restrict experiments on foetuses.
These are part and parcel of a concerted effort to turn back the clock on advances won by women and gays during the 1960s and '70s, and to reassert the sanctity of the family. One headline after another 'dangers' of gay sex, with scant regard for the facts.
AIDS is a new disease in the West. It was discovered among New York's gay community in 1980, and has since been Australia, France, Belgium and orgins have been traced to where, sexual epidemic. holidaying in Haiti brought it first to America and then to Europe.
Despite its more a is a soldier's. AIDS is a virus transmitted in the bloodstream — which is why intravenous drug users sharing transtusco wim cloune ractor-o nave also been identified as sufferers.
Neither is the transmission of the virus a guarantee that the syndrome develops. In fact only 10 per cent or less people who contraci the virus later develop AIDS. What Is established is the high fatality risk - in the States, 8495 cases have so far been identified, over 4000 have died - and that almost no money is being put into research.
Medics say that the most effective way at present to combat the virus and the hysteria is better education. But the Health Education Council has spent an insignificant £500 sponsoring a AIDS in 1982, and has only just published a short pamphlet.
Political reaction - in both senses of the word! - crosses the parliamentary benches. When health minister announced he Labour's front bench spokesperson, Meacher, was immediate action.
Far from against the gay ferers who are the victims — of a press hatecampaign, lack of medical expertise, and lack of political resources.
It is in the interest of the whole labour movement to protect the gay community from these attacks. Litte is known. and even less is being done by the government or the medical establishment, to discover effective detection tests and treatments. Fifty people in Britain have already died, but the government has only allocateo a research.
The strength of feeling whipped up against gay plague will against women, black people, Irish, and trade unionists.
The example of Manchester council is one to be followed. When threatened by a strike of town hall staff demanding separate toilet facilities for gays, the Labour council distributed a copy of the Health Education Council's pamphiet to every household in Manchester
The equal opportunities committee issued a statement saying that AIDS: 'affects different groups and should not be used to attack the lifestyle and rights of gay men. The council will not allow panic about ÄIDS to deflect it from the aim of equal opportunities for gay people.' Right on Manchester council!
WE'RE STILL MOVING!
THE NEXT issue, celebrating one year of the miners' strike will still be produced under difficult circumstances, and will retain the magazine lormal, back o orlal as soon a.
AIDS, Acquired
the press attack on surrogate
Cotton, and Enoch Powell's
has shouted the
identified Britain. Its Central Africa in Zaire, there is currently a hetero-
It's believed that gay men
Western origins, AIDS is no 'gay plague' than legionnaire's disease
needles, and haemophiliacs high-incidence AIDS Switchboard conference
Kenneth Clarke was considering quarantine, Michael demand next
THE MINERS' STRIKE is one of the longest and most bitter battles in the history of the British labour movement. have been arrested, 5000 miners have been injured on picket lines, four have died. To date 650 miners have been sacked for their actions against pit closures.
Consequently a large number of miners' families have not only had to endure the physical hardship of the strike, they have also found themselves, for the first time in their lives, in the dock. Now over 150 miners are behind bars. A large proportion of them willnave aso lost unem jobs.
By Valerie Coultas
The crime lat these
to have fought for their Toos ano communines ano lo nave kep on fighting even when the lU( other unions have failed to take on Margarel thatener and fight to deed jobs.
The moury of the state has been unleashed on the miners to punish them for their resistance, for their refusal to he owisi
The battle at Orgreave last summer was one olne most famous clashes on the
Jute. bul bonce l Yorkshire are not having
convicting the hundreds of
arresicu allel riot police charged pickets.
recent trial of miners, at Sheffield Crown Court from 21 January to 1 February, charged with unla will assembly, lanca to get one single conviction
afee 2 days ofpolice eice
dence and police wilnesses.
A PIECE
I know that some people will jeer and
sheer but I think
that Neil Kinnock has
given tremendous
support to the
miners!
Police use violence in Whitehall to prevent miners' contingents on Sunday's demo reaching Trafalgar Square
Ten thousand five hundred and twenty miners
The prosecution -attempted to prove that the miners at the front line of LIC push had adopted
It was the first time tha assembly had been usedia unlawful rather than threatening behaviour which carries a milder sentence
was obviously the case unal unis was a resul of a policy decision high up.
Six hundred people have now been charged with unlawful assembly and rot. The prosecution failed in this instance for three main reasons.
Firstly, the few occasions that the police ala get ineir evidence to agree, , it was at odds with the TV cameras.
Secondly, none of the arresting once written their own state-
Chief Superintendent Stark had set up
team of scrint detectives to prepare standardised accounts.
And thirdly, the public Ballery soul cor
South Yorkshire Defence Campaign assess that this put considerable pressure on the jury to acquit.
In the case of Terry
g the ACTION
For example - and you may have forgotten This - he once went to look at a picket line!
Gee whiz!
and miners
French of Kent NUM, on trial for allegedly assaulting a police officer when picketing at Wyvenhoe oil terminal, the sentencing
ruthless.
Was
On a first trial the jury could not come to decision and on a re-trial the judge gave a five year sentence!
UlIC
Last and
Court, saw
Lancashire
Lanci months allegedly
Two miners, Alan and McGrath, were charged with the same were acquitted.
Again in
port police
another year he
picket line?
Cops, courts
other that it was turned on its side.
Alan had witnesses Dennis had none. The police said that Dennis had his hands under the sill of which was Cal overturned Dennis's defence was that the police had been the other side of the car and could possibly have seen where his hands were He had been at the front of the the picket which had pushed the car UVEI fact Denni had saved one of the policemen on tne spot from having the car turned over on him Part of thi tion's case against Dennis
leader'.
sent down his mother
NCB, his
scab' the NCB
together.
But in general the
out the
who have been willing to
Do you think that if the strike lasted
might visit another
dAhwell--
News
fight for their right to WOrK
heavy policing tactics on the Dicket lines and in the pit villages they have tricu • IsOlale all criminalise the miners in the eves of the rest of the working class
Speeches by Kinnock and Willis denouncing the violence of the miners and the ponce no reter. ence to who is the victim a waone orovocalcul have aided this campaign.
It is therefore vital that the case of every miner in COUr and prison becomes a public issue and that the widest sections o the labour and trade union
fight movement them reinstated and to demand the release of all these victims of the Tory government's repression Repression be used against other trade unionHOLS it hatcher get away with using it on the mausers
Messages to Dennis Pennington should be sent c/o Bold NUM Bold Miners' Welfare Institute, Fleet Lane. Parr, St Helens, Merseyside. • The South Yorkshire Defence
organising a meeting on 2 March around the defence of miners in court and
miners li prison at
Octagon Centre, Sheffield
For further details contac West 'st, SCAU,
West Sheffield; or
phone Worksop 771045 or
Sheffield 701384
1886 cormac 2:85
Surely you don't expect the leader of the Labour Party to support the workers the way the Tories support the bosses!!
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'A new dimension in British politics'
News
AT THE Liaison Committee for Defence of Trade Unions demonstration in support of the miners on Sunday, Arthur Scargill spelt out the negotiating position of the NUM and the impact of the miners' strike on British politics.
I WOULD have telephoned a message earlier today but it might have been bugged and that would have terrible. Have you noticed how the security services are intent on surveillance and bugging operations as far as this union is concerned?
Well there's no problem. people do it every day to us and I'll tell them what they want to hear.
There's no secret about our policy. Our policy is a simple one. We want the right of every worker to work, we wall o soo ulc olo yllclil, wc walll peace in the world, and we want a Deller svstem hat's not something that needs MIS or surveillance. It's something that should be understood by any logically minded man woman in Britain today.
We're now in the twelfth month of the most historic strike of this country. I say that this govern ment at the end of 12 months do not want a settlement of this dispute.
The issue which brought miners out on strike was an announcement by the board to close four million tons of' capacity, close 20 pits, and axe 20,000 jobs. That policy was only runner of a wider and much more vicious one to close 70 pits and close down 70,000 jobs in the industry.
Over the past period we have seen time and again, ettorts made to try and get negotiations - • negotiations that could lead to resolving this disbute. ror those peoble arguing thai they want a resolution of this strike it can be resolved tonight if there's a willingness on the part of the government to get a settlement. But there is no way that this trade union is going to become a signatory to an agreement to close pits and axe jobs in the mining muusuly.
We've written to Peter Walker this weekend and askeo nim to connao une statement of David Hunt in the House of Commons on 4 February that part of the NACODS and Coal Board settlement dealing with a modified connery review proccaure was ononet to the NUM. We were prepared to accept it last October and we're prenared to accent it todav. It that were accepted by the government and the board there could be an immediate resumption of negotiations to deal with the question of the 6 March proposals and the threat to close tive pits
But you see this issue is far wider now. Far more political as far as this govern ment is concerned than about a mere determination of the board to close down capacıty.
You only have to read in Labour Week/v what Ned Smith. the recentiv retired industrial relations director of the board said. Hẹ said that the Coal Board and government changed their policy when they saw at the end of September last year that the TUC and its affiliates were not going to deliver the support that was promised at the TUC congress. That's the reason that we haven't had a determination to resolve this dispute.
ocen
These or a fore-
I would say that there have been Sone magnificent working class soldarly. I ne ivauonal Union of Seamen from day one have supported this dispute and have not moved one ton of coal. The NUR and ASLEF have not moved any coal and have supported the National Union of Mineworkers.
There have been many other magnificent examples of solidarity both in the physical ana SOGAT and many other unions have sent thousands and pounds to our people who are suffering terms that indescribable.
But time and time again I'm asked by people who work in Fleet Street, 'What can we do to help?' I'll tell you what you can do to help. You can tell those who operate the presses and operate the papers that if they continue to publish the kind of filth against our people that they've done over the last 12 months you'll stop the DI CoSs To those on ITV and BBC, for a change inst trv to get on television the case of the National Mineworkers. Stop putting out daily
the Coal Board's examples demand that the NUM have at least 15
minutes a week of their own time to put our case. day out in the media, and I'll tell you why. They've suddenly found a trade union leadership that's not prepared to fudge the issue, that's not prepared to sell out or betray, and the only thing that they can resort to is a smear camfinancial sense.
thousands of
We want physical industrial are almost action to stop the movement
of coal and coke
paign — a campaign of villification against the leadership of this union.
honour because it means we're doing the job for which we were elected; to represent the workers, their wives and their families
Union of communities.
propaganda and
We're being villified day in and
government.
In this
helping the Mineworkers.
throughout
of Europe.
those I regard their smears as a badge of
Cling money interests mine- people do not starve
retain jobs and
There are people who say can we
the TUC. quicker nave unions.
this
alltons win this dispute? I believe that we've horizon. already succeeded in winning a magniticent victorv because we've showr that working people are not preparec
down under this Thatcher
struggle we've seen the emergence of a whole new dimension in British politics. We've got literally hundreds of thousands of people involved both directly and indirectly in
National Union of we ve got support not only in this country but the world. That new phenomenon, the emergence of the women's support groups, has inspired workers not only here but in every part
What the etablishment have not yet grasped is that we've created our own resistance movement comparable
that operatea throughou
Vorld War II. We've got the suppor groups throughout Europe channel
back in order that our
But I want to make an appeal to working men and women in Britair We want even more financial support. But colleagues we also want physical
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 3 industrial action to stop the movement of coal and coke. We want to see urdoe unomss oumio oocrauon unt decisions of the congress last year of
It trade unions in the power stations, it trade unions in transport, il trade unions in the whole range of areas in Britain today were to declare their willingness to undertake industrial action in line with congress policy it would bring the National Coal Board back to the negotiating table far
than any other facility operated by any other organisation.
I he cost of this dispute has beer horrendous as far as my union has been concerned. But it's been horrendous as lar as the capitalist svstem i: concerned. Six billion pounds it's cost them so far and £120 million pounds as a weekly ongoing cost, a sliding pound and a crisis that we haven't seen since the end of World War II
Yes our membership have suffered. Over nine thousand of ou people have been arrested. Over five and a half thousand of our members have been injured on picket lines Four of our people have died on picker Ine aty ane seven or our member:
died from injuries indirect associated with the strike
If there's any person in Britain today wants to know why they should give the physical a nd tinancial support to which I refer it's because David Jones and Joe Green gave their lives to the people who are on strike. That's why you should give support to our
That's why in front of this great demonstration, I'm calling on
government and the National Coal Board, to retúrn to the negotiating table with no precon-
— or anernauvely to agrec lal the new modified colliery review procedure is given to this union as it was agreed between NACODS and the Coal Board.
At the same time I'm warning that this union will not be beaten into submission. As faras we're concerned the fight to save our jobs is even more real today than it was on 6 March 1984.
Stand firm, lift your heads and your eyes and look towards the new
We want you to save ourown industry and our jobs. But at the same time as working men and women we want to retain our dignity a nd our self-respect as members of the finest trade union in the world.
ONE YEAR!
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Miners international solidarity
4 Socialist Action 1 March 1985 THE MINERS' strike has sparked off the largest international solidarity movement of any industrial dispute in Europe since World ARKWRIGHT summarises the activity of the solidarity movement during the strike. RANK and ile trade unionists from all over the giobe have been sending in donations food and
Recently, £10,000 plus 10 tons of dried fruit arrived from trade unionIsts in Aignanistan
In Denmark there are now I2 miners support committees across the
and Australian Count! dockers claim nave stopped all shipments of coal to Britain over the last 10 months
However, coal continues to arrive in Britain from Germany.
Russia, South Africa and even China that coal Imports have more than doubled in the last year. Even the
guidelines of the TUC and the World Federation of Trade Unions were adhered to Ine salo could change dramatically.
I ne support miners so far illustrates that it Is DOSSIDIC obal international level to get the kind suppor needed. In Belgium for example support blockade now very strong. Dockers in Ghent, Antwerp and Leebrugge have agreed not to load extra shipments of coal.
As the port workers' leader explainca. Unis DOT normal, simple
and we have met these situ-
10am
War II. JUDITH
Nations in Belgium and we are maybe going to meet them in the future. We strong feeling of lave solidarity for people who are fighting to save their jobs.
In Australia LT e miners' lederation nas $10 per month levy on each 13,000 School teachers, building workers and longshoremen have all contributed to the estimated $350,000 far forwarded to the NUM.
The seamen's union and the Waterside workers Federation have banned the shipment of COal Britain. According to Arthur Scargill, 6,000 Aus tralian workers have been ofi at time another as a result of this
The has outstripped any other country in donations and money.
By last November Russian aid had reached million mark.
Soviet miners in particular have shown support, Wilh up …LO tired quarters of million TouDles being raiscu some regions. This kind of been lids matched at the level action for Russian coal is still going despite initial statements to the contrary.
USSR authorities however, have refused to WOMEN AGAINST PIT CLOSURES
celebrates
INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN'S DAY RALLY
SATURDAY 9th MARCH, 1985 Saltergate Football Stadium, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
PROGRAMME: -4pm Exhibitions, discussions, videos, at Lecture Theatre and
Iviainet rall 11.30am-1.30pm Raliy at the Football Ground: national & international speakers
1pm-4pm Street entertainments & speakers in Town Centre ~ Britain the 8th March has been celebrated annually since the war. It has
cade unionists romal over
one eating on the rate chemil
TeST CLOSURES, do Chesterfield Women's Action Group ee.
break contracts to sell coal
at Bhe beginning of this
the beginning the strike that this would be done.
Since the summer, Danish and Norwegian unions have shipped hundreds of tons of clothing and collected upwards of £350,000 for the striking The Danish seamen's union has Deer LnC most faithtul to the demands of the World
Trade rCuClallol Unions, coordinated support.
freighted, free of charge 325 containers and toys for the families of strikin miners. There are now I2: support committees round the The project send over
100,000 chickens at the end of February.
Holland ON 9 MARCH in Roterdam the support committees have called national demonstration in support of the miners.
Negonauons over wage. took place last week between indes allelinoy ers at the Port of Rotter-
port group was part of the delegation and demanded 1,100,000 guilders from the
They said this was the excess profit the employers h201 eamed by their exports to Britain to bryan break te lICI
Women Against Pit Closures
International
Womens Day
and keep pits open.
NUM areas.
Our aims include
working for a victory for the
NUM current
struggle, consolidating the
national women's organ-
isation and strengthening
ine organisalon or wolne!
locally.
Last August we orean
ised a huge national demon-
stration for women to show
their solidarity with
NUM by marching through
London. It was a tremen-
dous success.
International
Women's Day rally
Chesterfield on o March
will be the second major
national event organised by
WAPC.
Women in mining com-
munities have recognised
that the destruction of the
trade union movement
only one part of the govert-
ment's plans.
Wie вате joined the to protect local
strike. When the employers refused this demand, of coal were brought into the meeting as a protest.
Friday 8 February saw dockers in Amsterdam implement a 24-hour ban on the handling of coal.
Germany
A LOOK at the solidarity with the British miners' strike or lack of it - organised by the West German trade WOMEN AGAINST Pit Closures was created in the summer of 1984 to draw together the thousands of women from the mining communities who had started groups to support the miners in their fight to save jobs
A national committee has been formed comprising one delegate from each of the 17
government, our health, education and transport systems. We have shown the same concern and solidarity for the unemployed, the peace people and other groups. movement black
The precious : friend ships and active inKs we have made with women in every area of struggle in Britain and abroad will be continued and strengthened.
Women Against Pit Closures will continue to exist as an organisation after the strike ends, and will develop links with the NUM and the labour movement at all levels.
We will concentrate on promoting and developing the organisation of working and call paigning on issues affecting «ILILY communities. especially peace, jobs.
union leaders emphasises the NUM's outstanding defence of its members' jobs.
The union organises miners in West Germany, the IG Bergbau and Energie, is known for its right wing leadership. It doesn't come as much of a surprise when German miners still dig coal which is then shipped to Britain.
By Monika Eady
And the DGB, the German equivalent of the TUC, is as bureaucratic as thev come. It passes mone collected for the miners on
the TUC rather than to Arthur Scargill's NUM.
When the IG Metall, the metal workers' union. instructs its branches not to send any money directly to the miners, then this is something else
You will probably remember the struggle for the 35-hour week Germant many IG Metall members fast yal. when
took strike action.
Their demands were rather political and although the strike ended in a draw and not a victory, they should have learnt
International solidarity
But far from it; class collaborationist lacolog.
— firms have to stay competitive, SIU what that means for jobs and working conditions - out-
weighs terry.
other words, uneconomic pits will have
close and all that sculls 1S humanitarian miners' assistanc families
On the flimsy excuse that the NUM apparently left the international mineWorKers contederation in
983 the IG Metall refuse
support NUM
Brist miner: = Germit:
directly
Hurtnermore a ener l branches sent in December states explicitly: 'This support for British miners' families should not lead to the conclusion that Ine namonas executive o the IG Metall is in agree.
aims or the Num Political
men WIll.
where do they send the money collected from German trade unionIsts. Do tney know de a couldn't have made worse choice?
The Iron and Stee Trades Confederation (ISTC) have kindly agreed to dis-
the miners' families suffering hardship!
The leaders of the IG Metall must really fear that a victory for the NUM
German HIS DilC . workers to fight for their own jobs.
It is heartening to know that there is a lot of rank and file support miners amongst German
Local Lace committees have been set up which are often twinned with pits in Britain
Family have been established and NUM members have spoken at meetings and rallies.
Luckily enough these acts international solidarity grass roots level have not been dampened by the lack of enthusiasm shown by their leaders.
Vietnam
NOT ONLY has Vietnam banned direct exports of coal to Britain since the beginning of the strike, it has also banned export to any count. which re-directs Vietnamese coal to Britain. COAL
News
O/H.
LINKS between the South African miners and British
have been marters strengthened over the last 11 months. South African miners in September confronted the Chamber of Miners, temporarily forcing the employers to back down and increase their pay offer.
Roy Jones, North
Staffs NUM visite pictured abover South Africa in December 1984 lan Isaac, South Wale: area NUM executive, had this to say about the importance of building link. between British and Sout African miners:
In many respects the British NUM iS fighting to defend what the South African NUM is fighting to win; a decent future for their families, security employment and decent wages ana conations
'The decision of the South African NUM give donation (sub stantial in terms of their resources) is a recognition of the importance of our struggle
In the midst of our sirike we must recognise the common cause we have witn mineworkers South Africa.
To offer and shape bona fide links between
the British NUM and the South African NUM is imperalive our joint survival and development. • Reprinted from the
Southern African Labour Education Project.
Now as further gesture of solidarity the Vietnamese government has approved the decision of the North West Vietnam, Laos and Kam-a puchea Association to use funds usually earmarked for aid to Vietnam for the striking
musters
Four hundred Lancashire miners and their families enjoyed Christmas entertainment and presents out of these
funds.
In recognition of this , solidarity striking miners : from Agecrott colliery
near Manchester
sented dill engraved
miners lamp to the Viet-
namese ambassador in
Britain.
Page 5 scan of this page
High morale at Coalville
Miners, local government:
News
coal.
Hampton is the signal-
man who manager
deemed 'mentally
stable in December
because he refused to let
coal lalns pass. Inanks to
the strong stand taken by there.
THE 'Dirty Thirty' are in excellent morale, but it's
Myself and NOL OlIV US Malcolm Pinneger have just returned from a tripto the Fife and Yorkshire coalfields. The morale is high up there.
Thẻ going back, they tell us, are mostly non-faceworkers. Among the faceworkers it remains solid. That's why the Board is shy on releasing production figures.
This idea from some in the Welsh NUM leadership of going back without conditions is not on. The rank and file in Wales would not go back in any case.
There's also the issue of the 600 lads who've been sacked in the dispute so far.
In Leicestershire there've been moves to break away Irom The NuM. Three of the four pits decided to accept the rule changes.
It's now up to the area council to decide but we haven't heard of any council meetings vet
We think the changes will go through. We've already started leafletting the pits in preparation to recruit the national union. The leaflet
woul out caused a lot of controversy at Whittick.
The delegate told the men not to take any more literature from us.
Why? We think we're having an effect on some of the men.
South Leicester was the pit that voted against the rule changes. They realised the situation: it will be the first pit close in Leicestershire.
They have a delegate, Terry Tracey, who we have some respect for, as well as Alan Cooper on the committee. Those two could've had some influence in the decision.
The day of action on rail was a real combined ettort between the ralworkers at Mantle Lane, Coalville, and the 'Dirty Thirty'.
We put a lot of effort into it. The NUR branch has begun expelling members that scab on the solidarity action.
Some times you'll get wo trains moving coal a week. But its really just a propaganda exercise.
There's no more coal being shifted because when they move it through Coalville it means they're not moving from Rawdon colliery.
THE PRESSURE on Coalville's railworkers never lets up. Every day management is on the prod. British Rail bosses are testing the commitment of this 100-strong depot in the heart of Leicestershire's divided coalfields where workers still refuse to shift the mountains of scab
Victims of a never-ending dirty tricks campaign, these railworkers nevertheless continue to score significant victories in their daily contests with management. The case of Edwin Hampton is a case in point.
the LDC (shop stewards) at Coalville, management retreated on this disgrace ful 'medical' verdict, and today Hampton is back at work.
With the agreement of
'Dirty thirty' still fighting
MICK 'RICHO' RICHMOND is a leader of the Leicestershire striking miners, the 'Dirty Thirty'. He told SOCIALIST ACTION how things are going
We've begun fortnightly meetings of strikers the alcas.
North and South Staffs, Warks, South Derby, Notts and Leicestershire.
We first organised these meetings to talk about how best to protect ourselves against victimisation when the strike ends and we're back at work.
This has provided an excellent opportunity for me rank are die sunkers 1n these areas to help rebuild LECi We've got everything up front trom being in the minority areas.
The morale is sky-high against the massive intimidation we've faced.
We've circulated a resolution to all the area leaders asking for pledges of support.
If any member suffers victimisation after the strike minority area strikers would come out.
DEMOCRACY DAY, on occasion for a massive demonstration against the Tory government local government cuts. Budget day for the
Islington, Greenwich, Haringey, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark will face massive cuts if the Tory proposals go through. in London alone. there would be f400 million worth of cuts in jobs and services This scale of cuts would be mirrored across the country.
By Pat Hickey
On 7 March Labour councillors WIll have decide whether to implement the government's budget, or whether to stand firm and refuse to cooperate the Tories' attacks on jobs and services. and ine stand arist one tories! will stall against the attacks. For most councils this will mean taking the 'no-rate' option.
The policy of defying the law,in order to defend jobs and services has been en dorsed throughout the Canni Bam have madent But Kinnock Bally.
clear that they will support une government against those who break the law.
For Labour councils the
all concerned he now works ała signal box about 25 miles from Coalville.
By Doreen Weppler, NUR guard
Last Thursday, Hampton was confronted with a coal train bound for the Rugeley power station in the Trent Valley. After consulting with LDC. rampion relusca lo lowel the the crossing next to his signal box. this coal train could proceed.
We now have pledges from all the major areas to support us. That work's been done.
we neneve Inis work and organisation of the suikers une MOLLY areas is very important to the NUM. and we want our voice heard in the national
The work of the sup-
seen set up to assist us have
crucial OcCI tance. I think the Leicester support. collinice
be the best in the country.
There's been a drop off in money coming in after Christmas. Its only now starling to pick up
The food collections remain excellent. We're al
present sending food to
Miners! families in Durham.
The Asian community in Leicester have done out-
standing work
regard. We're getting a lot
threatening phone calls. I don't know why. There's not been any physical attacks lately.
I think its a sign of their enoan assmene will 6 March, must be the
rate-capped boroughs is Thursday 7 March. Camden,
option will be to obey the aw and implement the cuts.
Labour the only real option
• example ol the miners, and stand and light.
Ken Livingston put the point in a nut-shell when he explained that local authorities under threat face a clear choice: join the miners in laking achon, or collaboral with Tory cuts.
The Tories had hoped to defeat the miners before taking on local government. ine miners Have rerused lo surrender.
Local Labour Parties, and local government workers, now have the ou portunity to open the second front. We must use 6 and 7 March to unite the struggle to defend jobs and services with the struggle of the miners. • Democracy Day, March: Assemble
al Malet Street, WCI. March to the Festival Hall.
This action - taken on a branch line - is enough
irritate management, but it's not totally disruptive. However, the next train to draw up to the signal behind the coal train was a tanker
Furthermore, the tanker extended bevond the branch line, blocking the mainline trattic on a busi stretch of track between Derby and Birmingham.
For a full hour Hampton stood tirm Finally, management decided to run the engine around the coal train and take it back into
effective campaigning we're doing
The strike breakers we try to talk to are scared to speak their minds against lack Jones. We tell them were OUL we conl need calling out
A lot of the officials just want to take voluntary redundancy.
It's time we started to educate them provided we get the backing nationally.
In five years' time there will be no pits in Leicestershire. The Ical hagcay they've not had the people leading them to make them realise they can fight against this.
The 'Dirty Thirty'
Leicestershire striking
miners' new publicity
material is now available.
Badges, posters, T-shirts,
Leicestershire Striking Details
Miners, Room 346
Municipal Buildings,
Charles St, Leicester.
Tel: 0533 532201.
FROM MARCH 6, those of us who are leading authorities threatened with abolition or ratecapping face a choice. Either we are prepared to combine with the miners in taking action whic! could be branded illegal' by the Tory courts, or we collude in devastating the communities we're supposed to represent.
This is precisely the dilemma which the NUM had to face last year, and it seems appropriate that 6 March sees not only the TUC's day of action in defence of democracy — it is also the anniversary of the start of the strike.
I am calling on all supporters of democracy in London, all supporters of local democracy throughout the country and all those who support the miners to turn 6 and 7 March into a massive two-day event of pickets, stoppages, lobbies marking 'second front' in the battle begun by the miners 12 nonths ago
The Tories fear two opponents which they ar attempting to destroy: the NUM on the one hand, popular local government on the other. They had banked on forcing the miners to surrender before having to take on local authorities and the GL.C. Now that these plans have come unstuck, a tremendous opportunity opens up before us all.
The conditions exist for us to unite our forces with the miners' strike and build towards a general stoppage of work. says 'the time is not ripe' is simply allowing this government to move on to the next victim. The time is ripe; it requires a policy of total resistance to every thing this government is doing. Use March 6 and 7 to unite our forces into a combined offensive which wil win.
Derbyshire!
this in itsell is note
worthy, but the real questTOn why wasn't Hampton sent home?
Roy. Butlin thinks it's partly because Hallaze ment sees that the morale at the depot remains high. 'The 17 January regional strike to protest against the VICUMSAON of loyal
members boosted morale lovo per cent
'And we won a very important COnCeSSION because the action was so solid. Since then, management has agreed that we can do alternative work at the depot if we refuse to shift coal. This is a demand we have raised from the start.
'Now about four to six guards each week are out road learning. This concesSION has reduced the numbers of men being sent home without pay by about one half, so it's a significant victory.
Management at CoalVille has its own problems. As Butlin points out: 'The area train crews manager has just been given the sack. Inis man - • Wilson McIntosh was the only one left of the management team which existed when une miners suike started
'All the rest have been sacked or have moved. U1 course, McIntosh's real crime is that he didn't get the coal trains moving
Despite its temporary difficulties, BR continues on a collision course with Coalville's railworkers. Consultation over the lola chance. for the new May timetables has been totally Dy management's refusal to let the LDC see BR's future plans for the depot.
not hard to see why, according to Butlin. 'This report contains pro posals for. cutbacks and
one struggle
protests, demonstrations and the opening of our movement's Every leader of our movement who
KEN LIVINGSTONE
AD
Roy Butlin speaks
there is no way management wants to provoke action against these plans while the miners' strike continues.'
The Coalville workers have probiels well For instance, sticall o1 anylous letters have been sent to the Leicester newspaper in ar attempt to undermine moralé
But the recent dirty trick is more serious. Last week ROv heard from his tax office We
MOC mation, he was told, than what you have your letter. The catch? Butlin never wrote to th tax office!
But someone else had forging his signature, and
'NEWC
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 5
ORKERS WON
Stop 'asking' whether the funds collected in support of the Coalville members would be taxable.
So, thanks CLO some crafty soul who is out to destroy the vital solidarity Majesty's Coalville. Her
Tax HIS OCCLOT will no doubt be preparing
close investigation Coalville's funds
None these dirty aave deterred the workers to date, and if Dull nas Is • way, devious methods will have the exact opposite effect.
'Our past expenenc has shown that so long a we get out the facts about the harrassment we face our resolve to stand firm hardens with each attack on us.
Page 6 scan of this page
The roots of 1
6 Socialist Action 1 March 1985
MARXISM TODAY has acquired an indelible reputation as one of the most right wing journals ever produced in the labour movement. It has consistently worked with Neil Kinnock's supporters in the Labour Party in an attempt to isolate the labour left. But it also bypasses Kinnock on the right by openly advocating in its pages a coalition, or electoral arrangement, between the Labour Party and the SDP-Liberal Alliance.
At first glance it would seem incredible to most people that a Communist Party could produce such a journal. In fact Marxism Today is the culmination of a long development of the Communist Party's politics.
MICK ARCHER looks at the sorry road to Marxism Today.
JUST ONE year after its thirtyeighth congress, outstandingly spiring by General Secretary Gordon McLennan, the faction fight within the Communist Britain (CPGB) reached breaking point. On the one side are the Eurocommunists' who now control the party's national executive committee (EC), its apparatus theoretical journal Marxism Today. On the mentalists' grouped Morning. Star and its editor, Tony Chater.
This crisis of the CPGB is an integral part of the crisis and decline of the European Communist Parties. But to understand its dynamic, it is necessary to look at specific features of the political pressures affecting it today.
The CPGB has never been a mass party. parts in West Europe arose from splits in the mass social democratic parties, the CPGB was formed in 1920 through the unitication of a number or small
propaganda groups. Up until the British
General Strike of 1926 the party experienced modest membership to 10,730.
With the defeat of the General Strike membership declined and it was only in the fascism, the Spanish Revolution, and the threat of war that it began to grow again. Membership exceeded 10,000 in 1936 and reached 17,756 in decisive growth of the CPB however occurred after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 194] and tollowing the Anglo-Soviet Mutual Aid Pact of the following month.
By the end of 1941 membership had reached 22,738 and in the first three months of 1942 a further 25,194 recruits were made. Official figures claim 56,000 members by December 1942, the height of the CPGB's influence.
By now, however, the CPGB had gone over 100 per
collaborationism. It gave full support to
the national government of Winston
Churchill, denounced fought for support of the bosses' war effort. In the mines, for instance, resolution dated 18 arguing that increased coal production could be secured by regular working of all shifts available, eliminating all avoidable absenteeism, continuation of WOlK aLCI relaxation of overtime restrictions to esure that all faces are cleared daily...
Line ponucal pracuce or une party during this forced the CPB's pretensions of being a mass working class party — as well as substantially moving its membership to
described successful and
were of Great party
and its
stand the 'fundaaround the
La DOUI
class.
CB, its history and the
Whereas many of its counter-
growth
we rice
according to official figures,
July The
the cent class
and
increased production
the CPGB passed a September 1942
tuals
fatal accidents, and the trade
in the
period and its growth rein-
Dave Cook
the right. But in the general election of 1945 the party received a rude shock when it failed to convert its growth and lamentary seats. two communist MP- nIC WIV-WON respectability
returned compared representing the Labour Moreover, this proved to be the high point of the CPGB's parliamentary representation.
Following 1945 the CPGB faced a problem which has dogged it to this day. Although increasing v intluentia within the trade union isning lne Dauy worker with a circulation of 100,000 and committed to the parliamentary road to socialism, it could never break the domination of the
Party over the representation of the organised working
Nevertheless, the determined to extend its influence. One of the steps it took and which has now exploded, was to
coopelalive scheme for its paper to raise further runas for is development. Inis was lne Peoples Press Printing Society. shares were available to party and non-party members alike — a situation Tony Chater has exploited to the full in the current party struggle.
From 1945 onwards membership of
vally declined. The measures of the 1945-50
which COVe COL National Health Service and a limited
of nationalisations, obvious tactor in this decline and the Cold War also took their toll. But the decisive events — turning the decline into a rout -Poland and Hungary in 1956 and the revelations of the twentieth congress of the CPSU.
In a period of 18 months after the Hungarian revolt an estimated 10,000 people left the party leaving its official membership at 24,670 by 1958. Amongst this massive exodus were some of its most prestigious intellec-
including the 'novelist Lessing and the historian EP Thompson as well as a significant part of the party's
union base.
CPGB managed to halt its decline, even successfully rebuilding its membership
early '60s, that numbered 32,492 where remained until, 1968
ine events or pressures to bear on the CPGB. Firstly,
Edward Thompson
was
into
to 393 Party.
movement, pub- early
emergence of political
CPGB was
establish a self-
ownership movemeal.
SITS Official figures claim 56,000 members by December 1942, the height of the CGB's influence. By now, however, the CPGB had gone over 100 per cent to class collaborationism.
WIST
'radical Labour 3,000
was all Korea
party's were those in Was however,
OWil
rebruary the Italian
Doris
At this point, the cratic
communism in 1962 it roughly
1968 brought new
shrined in
opposed, but as the letters column of the Morning Star demonstrated, a sizeable section of its membership disagreed with this line. At its 1969 congress the leadership got 295 votes for its position whilst
"tankies" because of their unqualified support for the use of Soviet tanks to resolve problems in the construction of
massive radicalisation of youth and the
struggles outside of the direct control of the established reformist organisations This led to two developments: the
parties, such as the international campaign in solidarity with the Vietnamese revolution and the women's liberation
and
communist parties who actively inter-
These new developments led to a further decline in the membership of the CPGB. By 1972 it was down to 28,505
membership Communist League fell by 40 per cent to
between 1967 and 1972. circulation of the Morning Star was in decline, and in the general election of 1970 the CPGB's candidates had polled an average of 638 votes each.
It was clear that a reappraisal of the
programme and perspectives necessary. This reappraisal, coincided with the developing in a number of the European Communist Parties. Under the impact of the working class upsurge in their
and the experiences of first Chile and then Portugal a need was recognised by Enrico Berlinguer, leader
Communist Party to:
....draw useful lessons for a broader and deeper assessment of both the international picture and the strategy and tactics of the working class and demo-
movement in series countries..' This was the dawn of Euro-
In a number of ways the CPGB had pre-empted its European counterparts Attempts to *Anglicise the been evident since 1945 and were en-
the first
Bea Campbell
programme, Socialism. which Approved personally document revolution, the
storing parament, ne
people.' arusochev reve atons
covered the or olelallal. party and
discussion is in
in Italy
Young
The
with
VC W
Versor
Today, December 1976). Indeed,
of around
class, pluralism,
party had
acmocralic
the earlier versions.
the British Road MATIO appeared in 1951. by Stalin, this abandoned any talk CREDENTIA destruction ot the bourgeois state, soviets or the dictatorship of the proletariat. Instead, it spoke of transforming '...capitalist democracy into a real people's democracy, tran-
• product of Britain's historical struggle for democracy, into the democratic instrument of the will of the vast majority of her
When in 1975 the CPB decided to бед!
open up discussions on a new draft of the British Road to Socialism, the Eurocommunists in its ranks definitely had history on their side. The changes they were to argue for were a logical extension of the party's practice and its programme over the previous 25 years.
In January 1976, John Gollan, a former general secretary of the party took the first step in the new development by initiating a discussion in the pages of Marxism Today on •Problems of Socialist Democracy. The pretext for this was the twentieth anniversary of the
The ensuing debate lasted a year and
dictatorship of the the relationship between in post capitalist societies, independent trade unions, the character of Stalinism and inner party democracy. With some justification one
argued: 'This substance not unconnected with the Italian Communist Party's policy of "historic compromise" based on their pessimistic and negative estimate of the prospects for socialism
'It is not unconnected with the attacks by the leaders of the Spanish Communist Party on the Portuguese Communist Party at critical moments in Portugal's national democratic revolution. More generally, it is connected
decision the French Communist Party to drop "dictatorship of the proletariat" from their rules and to decide at their next congress what words to adopt in its place, and of the Japanese Communist Party to drop the words "dictatorship of the proletariat" and even "Marxism-Leninism". Specifically this debate is preliminary to the discussion of the new, effectively fourth,
Road Socialism.' (Fergus Nicholson, Marxism
SOOlICI had this discussion been closed in the January 1977 issue of Marxism Today, than the debate around the issues confronting the November 1977 congress began. By now the party had become polarised
virtually all of the central questions: the definition of the working
the revolutionary process and the concept of the broad
Ballance which was replace the 'anti-monopoly alliance' in
Page 7 scan of this page
Marxism Today
For section
determined to check
"revisionism' it became a struggle for the
future of the CPGB. In July 1977, four
months before the congress the most
vehement critics of the new draft, based
around Sid French and the leadership of
ine party's Surrey district, split.
CGB claim this involved less than two
percent of the their 25,300 members
whilst the New Communist Party,
they called themselves, claimed
branches nationwide.
OF GALAT BRITAIM and remained in the CPB went into
the thirty-fifth congress numerically
MIST PARTY
depleted and
"splitters'. In an attempt to remit the
new draft, and the 2,600 amendments
submitted to it, to the 1979 congress
they mustered. a
TH compared to the executive committee's
330. Yet it was also clear that the battle
was not over yet.
Firstly,
executive, the congress
to 137 to CONGRESS committee to
callic
fortunes of the Morning Star. Secondly,
it decided to establish a commission on
inner party democracy to report to its
congress in 1979.
The confident conclusion
editorial in the January 1978 Marxism
Today, now under the editorship of the
Euro-communist Martin Jacques was:
*...the overwhelming defeat of the sec-
tarian challenge (to the new version of
the British Road to Socialism
decisive
marked
position in the party's evolution.' This
was to prove somewhat premature.
The decisions of the settled nothing.
which was
division and the party's decline, merely
obscured the different positions. What
were une acnieve. Events were soon to show
Central to the debate leading up to
the thirty-fifth congress and after was
an attempt to get the party to broaden its definition of the working class and to commit far greater resources to building alliances with the political movements than earlier.
involved the arguing that whilst:
participating in these movements be drawn from a number classes. because OT preponderance of the working class it is from this class that the participants are drawn.
Hence the democratic alliance was a '...fuller and deeper... one than that of the monopoly alliance' since'..it avoids the danger of pretation...namely of an alliance at the economic level in which the context of the alliance is provided by a common economic antagonism capitalism.'
Political Strategy Marxism Today, July 1977).
The perceived danger by opponents of this course was that it would lead to the party concentrating its efforts on recruiting and building amongst layers other than the industrial and commercial proletariat.
These debates had obvious repercussions for the CPGB's publications. It was under the editorship Jacques that Marxism Today moved to a bold
orescuilallon communist mierpretation of the briusn Road
DOCTORAYM committee on the reported in April 1978 it too called for a change coverage reflect the new version of the party programme. What next, the 'fundamentalists' asked themselves?
Then theoname or an autume of
1978. In the industrial militancy against the five perCent pay Pulls
of the party this process of
The
as 65
Those who opposed the new draft
identified with the
mere 48 votes
against the advice of the
voted by 193 establish subthe ailing
of the
Led) defeat for this
thirty-fifth Indeed the of a section of the executive,
the
Euro-communists trying to
social and really
Euro-communists
*The individuals may of different Dally the numerical
majority of tained concept of a broad
aNU- have
economistic inter-
striking
monopol Structure and Alan Hunt, Today. that
aeep and
Not Martin
Sw nen the sub- alliance Morning Star
to more clearly
What
introduced by Une
Labour government of Jim Callaghan,
historian Eric Hobsbawm produced an
article in Marxism Today entitled 'The
Forward March of Labour Halted?' Ina
critical survey of the development of the
British working class he focussed on the
limitations of "trade
ciousness' and the economic struggle in
a situation where the "..political class
movement.. was inaccune,
wages struggle was not reflected in a
growth in membership of, or support
for, the Labour Party, other groups on the left.
Summarising the year-long debate. after the general election of 1979, he
argued '...the present phase of militancy
is overwhelmingly trade unionist and economistic, mainly on the issue of relation which exists between wages and the political struggle and how the wages struggle is to be integrated into the wider struggle of which it is only one part. I believe, that this is the crucial problem which faces the labour movement today."
Further comments on the divisive character of "sectionalism', tendency of "straight" trade unionism to take the capitalist system as given... and the importance of recognising that even militant trade union action could *..be quite divorced from political consciousness...' captured the tone of many of the contributions to the debate.
Mike le Cornu, a shop steward at Heathrow airport, drew conclusions the party's intellectuals seemed unprepared to state. In April 1979 he wrote: *Perhapsat this late stage we can adopt a self-critical posture and
examine whether there was a failure on our part to apply a creative Marxist analysis to the new situation.
•We well conclude that our
and the movement should have been united in mobilising the rank and file to mount the greatest pressure to ensure that the politically progressive demands con-
the Social Contract were carried out by the Labour government.
In other words communists should
campaigned for measures Labour promised, and accepted wage restraint in return!
At the same time as Hobsbawm was
out against another theoretician was engaging in a new analysis of "Thatcherism' was to dominate the pages of Marxism
Stuart Hall's conclusion was Thatcherism was. qualitatively new in British politics which had '...succeeded on the back of a
profound among ordinary people with the very form of social democratic "statism" to which previous governments, in their different ways, have been committed.'
The left's response necessitated: *The formulation of a new conception of socialism... unification of the working class... and
Consuicion which alone is capable constituting the "social force" which could turn the tide of Thatcherism (Thatcherism — A new stage, Stuart Hall, Marxism Today, February 1980).
content the euro-communists would fill Hall's formulas with was soon to become clear
Developing this notion of an historical alliance against Thatcherism has occupied centre stage in the debates of
cons-
Isle the again
the CPGB or
this
relation Wichess beave hagepend Pood- 1983, Effect and Cure, Charlie
But one policy above all dominated the politics of the party -
that of the popular front. To seek out the 'progressive' section of
the bourgeoisie was the almost continuous line of the party for
most of the 60 years since the mid-1920s.
historical
Socialism.
..the
phenomenon aressed as
La series or long involving OuT the lundamental left in the labour the
'economism',
..something
disillusionment
therefore
...the
La historical Gordon McLennan
the CPGB since that time.
the general election of 1979 up until
Thatcher's re-election in 1983
were other issues on which the CPGB
divided: the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, where the minority won 43 per cent of the vote at the 1981 congress
the critical stance executive committee; Poland,
the executive took stance, provoking one critic to assert that there were those in the party ...for whom hatred of the Soviet Union and the party leaderships in Eastern Europe is a ruling passion. Their politics have the same social roots as Trotskyism and
respect produce poisonous fruit with perhaps fewer red berries.' (The Crisis in Our Communist
But the debate over the necessary
alliance encapsulated political divisions that emerged in the debate around the British
Once again the communists made the running in the pages of Marxism Today.
Their starting point was Thatcher's victory in 1979 and the steady decline in
share of the vote now ad.
Hobsbawm
'Labour's Lost Millions'.
Their conclusion was that this was no mere electoral swing but the product of
term developments fundamental, structural, historical and ecologist factors
recomposition of working class was underway fracturing the old relations of representation.
Many of the practices of traditional sections of the working class had in fact exacerbated this problem. The Labour Party could not defeat Thatcherism on its own. It had to '...construct a historic bloc of forces for progressive change
. True, from
there practices and question left would such a electorally?
where a critical
pinned by the
could clearly
equally
emergent
carl 1920s organisation, Churchill in 1941 to 1945
cratic, "patriotic, the
Road to
Euro-
in that line avidly by Moscow. It is delightfully ironic
alliance all WILd
the first place.
politics
that led to it.
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 7
Labour had to build a broad set of
alliances based on new policies, new
new structures. The unanswered was bloc express
For many who followed the debate the answer seemed obvious. Frequent references to the period of the popular front and to popular coalitions, under-
CB's support for
proportional representation pointed to a governmental coalition embracing the
*entire potential support for democracy and for a better society'. Such a formula
extend to antiThatcherite forces including the newly
Social Democratic Party Liberal Alliance. This was the formula which Hobsbawm made his own.
In a sense the Communist Party has come back to its home. It started in the
La revolutionary But it rapidly became house-trained by Stalin. The party then followed faithfully for 40 years every twist and turn dictated by the Kremlin whether that policy was the ultra-lef lunacy of the third period of 1929 tc 1933 or the extreme rightism behind
But one policy above all dominated the politics of the party that of the popular front. To seek out the demo-
'anti-American' any other 'progressive' section of the bourgeoisie was the almost continuous hine ot party for most of the 60 years since the mid-1920s. It was encouraged
that the CB today should have found that force in the SDP of David Owen and the Liberals of David Steel. Even more ironic and logical, that those advocating
these forces now demand a complete break with Moscow to achieve it. The party has now turned round to bite the hand which has been feeding it for 40 years and the force which pushed it in this direction in the
Marxism Today is no bolt from the blue. It can legitimately claim to be the direct descendant of the popular front
the almost 60 years. The rottenness of the oftspring should lead those who want to think to go back and reject the long road
Page 8 scan of this page
Kampuchea offensive
Revolt in Dominican Republic
; Socialist Action 1 March 1985
iled 'liberated areas have been overrun.
om China.
The bases on the Thai
order operated by
counter-revolution-
1 groupings, the largest ard strongest
Wacos Fraded by Pol Pot who riled Kampuchea 1975 to 1979. Pol Pot's Turderous Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown in 1979 by Vietnamese troops and Kampuchean insurgents.
The name of Pol Pol has subsequently become synonymous with mass murder, deliberate vation of millions, and the destruction oi ali civilKauon including cities and
Under the rule of the Khmer Rouge, several million Kampucheans crisped as victims oi ex. ecutions, starvation and discase.
For six years, supportets ci Pol Pot have operating from these bases
workers and do. conomic dacers and crops in Kampuchea. They have forced the diversion of massive amounts of
resources from both Kampuchea Vietnam order to defend themselves
gainst these attacks.
Advance in Vietnam
OUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY guerrillas fighting e government of Kampuchea have suffered a severe feat at the hands of Vietnamese and Kampuchean oops. All but one or so base camps along the Thaiampuchean border have been smashed and the so-
This is despite the fact that these right wing bands e receiving massive financial, political and military d from the US, the pro-imperialist Thai regime, and
This record HOL stopped imperialism from funding this murderous outfit. major achievement this offensive, which began on 16 November, has been the destruction of all Khmer
PECC
supposedly impregnable base of Phnom Malai.
By Brian Grogan
Despite claims British press, the Vietnamvictories have been WILl civilian casualties. This has been because deliberate policy decision the Vietnamese and Kampuchean forces. An example of this was the taking of the Ampil base, cong olmer Peoples Liber- controlled the right ation Front (KPNLF).
This was defended by 5000 guerrillas but was quickiy overrun bv a much smaller group of Kampuchean and Vietnamese troops even though the Kampucheans and Vietnamese didn't join battle
until after the evacuation of 23,000 civilians.
Despite these victories, the toll in terms of economic destruction and loss of life will not be ended.
Most of the guerrillas have been given sanctuary Thailand and the US has picugea an incrcase In ald to them. They are now re-
the open aim of launching guerrilla raids across the much the same fashion as joined in a one-day general strike on 11 February to protest new austerity measures imposed by the USdominated International Monetary capped two weeks' announcement that the price of petrol would go up 34 percent.
The new measures came increases of up to 100 per on top of last April's cent on food, cooking oil ana oler essentlal Items.
Last year's price increases sparked a massive rebelon in which government troops Killed at least 60 people and wounded some 200, as well
HOTE 4,000.
The Dominican government owes $2 billion to imperialist banks. This year
with the so-called contra raids into Nicaragua.
Peking nas l pledged too continuing aid to the battered guerrillas. The canese foreign ministry was as quick as the US pro counter-evolutionary
counter-revolutionary coalition 'in all ways'.
Indeed, during the present offensive against the rightists, the Chinese
border attacks against. TENS OF THOUSANDS of Dominican workers
Fund (IMF). It protest following the January by President Salvador Jorge Blanco
they must pay $1.4 billion to be up to date on repayments.
By Marcel Black
Blanco's regime adopted the austerity measures ty measure its part of an the IMF. It refused to loan the Dominican government any more money unless it imposed price increases and
Dominican Republic
Vietnam in order to help release the pressure on the
The Vietnamese govern massive Chinese shelling of VietHalli during period; and that China has massed 28
intantry divisions and 1000 aircraft on the VietHalesc border. Several small-scale incursions have been made
into Vietnam Prince Sihanouk, exKampuchean head of state other measures.
The new US-imposed price rises ignited widespread revolt. Unions, left wing political organisa-
groups and others joined in call.
the Dominican Republic's working people to strike against the government's austerity decree.
Businesses in Santo Domingo's working class neighbourhoods — such as Los Minas, Vietnam, and Katanga — were closed and workers stayed home. Strikes swept the barrios of other cities as well, including San Francisco de Macoris, Mao, Tamboril, Barahona. and Santiago.
The popular organisations that called the strikes saw the escalating actions as leading towards a general strike. The protestsdemand a break the IMF, a cancellation of the Republic's debt repayment, and lowering of prices.
The government immediately cracked down on the popular resistance. The canita became a militarised zone as infantry troops and police
OCCUBICU Domingo.
Meanwhile, barricades were thrown In Los
and major ally the Khmer Rouge , speaking in Bangkok, called the Chinese government "save the rightist guerrillas with a second invasion of
declaring China must "fight now.
But that China received a bloody
1981. It will need much stronger CEO
fronation rhea to Cie-
trontation winne Minas, Vietnam, and other areas to try • to keep the armed Torces Helicopters and light planes flew UVCr the capital city direct troops to barricades and other centres of revolt.
Blanco placed specially trained counter-insurgency LOODS charge of
repressing the rebellion.
covernmen also imposed strict news censorship. Several reporters were arrested for trying to break the news ban.
Hundreds of working
have been arrester and at least one youth killed
"The by government troops situation is difficult in these communities, said
Ust Dominican worker, referring to Los Minas and other barrios.
The troops especially larsel youll, WILO worker said: 'can't show their laces In the street because they're immediately arrested and in man cases, beaten.'
Among those arrested were Pedro Franco the general coordinator of the Committees Popular Struggle, which have played
ising nine strikes Also
ising strikes. detained were Julio de Peña Valdez, general secretary of
International
Kampuchean government Troops reyes en route to the Thai border
namese army - one of the
battle-hardened the world. Instead, Peking
lavoul with imperialism, claiming to be giving Vietnam 'due
attacks along shynets
attacks along the na mese border
This bravado cannot disguise Ine lact that in these recent events the joint aims of Washington and Peking have suffered a sharp serback. the General Workers Federation, José Cristóbal
the United Federation of Workers, as well as other trade union leaders.
The also attacked the Dominican Left Front, jailing Narcisco
By of the general secretary of Dominican Communist Party, and other leaders of the broad coalition of left organisations.
On 7 February, after 10 days of escalating strikes, the Councils of Popular Unity called a general ortant sation 2 0 050 strike. for the
Prehards said that the
Pichardo detention of Pedro Franco wouldn't stop the protest demonstrations
Blanco's response was to order his troops to sweep through the barrios again on 10 February. They arrested hundreds of youth the hope of blocking the strike.
Pichardo, however, proved correct. The 11 Fe. ruary strike was a success, and the Dominican
• govern ment faces big problems in implementing the austerity programme dictated by its accord with the IMF.
Page 9 scan of this page
Aparthied shows its
Green light to US anti-
International
IT IS ONLY a few weeks ago, on 25 January that President Botha, the executive head of the apartheid state, sought to placate his critics, particularly in the United States, with what appeared to be a move toward 'moderation' in apartheid politics.
'Steps promote orderly urbanisation and to eliminate negative and discriminatory aspects of influx control are receiving urgent ConsideratOR is...the government's firm Intenuion problems. relating to the resettlement
will be communlics given attention and resolved tc the Call cont satisfaction of concerned.'
This was followed, within a week by a ministerial announcement of a temporary freeze on the forced removals of blacks and the offer to free Nelson vanced OD
which the govern-
could not accept. Four longterm prisoners on kobben Island, members of the Pan African Congress (PAC), were actually released.
While these sugarcoated words were aadressed to the growing movement against apartheid in the US, it was also intended to head off the wave of protests which had SWCOl LOWISHIDS throughout South Africa.
ror the oppressed people of South Africa,
speak louder than abilvis words. Even while Botha
speaking, WaD ations were going ahead for the forced removal of more than 7,000 coloured people in Kat River in the Eastern Cape from land which they and their ancestors had farmed for 150 years. Their land is being
gixen to the 'independent
Ciskei 'homeland AMERICAN ANTI-abortionists have taken to harassing patients and staff in abortion clinics and, since the end of last year, have begun a bombing campaign in an attempt to short-circuit the law and popular opinion, and call a halt to abortions in the States. Since 1982, this reactionary campaign of violence has successfully destroyed a total of 30 clinics abortions and has been responsible for more than 300 acts of vandalism.
Since 25 December, it has been impossible to get a legal abortion in Pensacola, Florida. On that day, three bombs went off within minutes of each other, destroying UlIC abortion clinic and two gynaecological clinics that also offered abortions.
Pensacola clinic was comnietey gutted. had moved location after its du orice was desuroveu lia bombing last June.
One worker at the clinic pointed out: "These attacks don't only impact on abortion rights, but on the right of women to contraception ana simple nealt care.
The two men and two women bombings have admitted to ceived the had received call of god'. One of them, Matthew Goldsby, explained that he had simply chosen the 'quickest route possible to stop abortion.
Only a few days after
Crossroads, the black suualici township neal Cape Town, is again under inreal. It is proposca lo remove them to the new townshin of Khavelitsha. some 16 miles from the
Officially the reason City for the removals is given as "health and safety reasons'
By Charlie Van Gelderen
What the government is reaiv concerne• aoour s the health and safety of the apartnera stale.
The policy of removals
apartheid and has been going on for decades. Between 1960 and
NIGEL DICKENSON
about million black people were removed and "resettled' the largest enforced popuanon movements ever known in peacetime.
When
Ancar capitalism was mainly mining capitalism, colour bar and the migrant labour poncy were essential to profitability. They had two basic aims.to provide the mines (and the farms which fed the miners) wiin abundant cheap labourand to build a wall white workers from Eur-
who brought with Unc. them traditions of trade unionism and 'socialism', and the migrant black workers
It was deliberate policy aimed at preventing a black proletariat taking Tool unc urban arcas allu combining with the organ-
that perform legal
Florida bombings; New Year's Day began, a
poe Hillcrest Women's
Hillerest Women's Surgi-Center Washington. The roof of the clinic and one of its wals was destroyed. The force of Ine DesI smallereu nearly 250 windows nearby avartmens This was the seventh bombing
health clinic wolel s abortion-related facility in Washington since February
'We are outraged and angry, said Joanna Cannon, spokeswoman for
Hillcrest clinic. 'We exist here legally and those who choose to express their opinions with bombings are Crillal and wrong She said the clinic would reopen SUUIE Rosann Visor no
executive director
Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, said, 'Abortion is legal. The service is available as an in-
ised white workers to threaten the very existence of capitalism.
With growth of secondary industries, es-
following World War II,
national operations south Africa, the needs of capitalism began
Capitalism, tradchance. itionally, needs a stable WOrKIOrCE WILL Iclalive freedom of movement.
I his need - expressed politically by the Progressdividual right and individual choice. Bombers are keeping people from exercising that right.
On 4 December the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Ene were neither terrorist acts nor
zoverlment. Therefore it relegated jurisdiction to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF). BATF, which is now "investigating' bombings, delivered a warning to abortion clinic operators that they should anticipate Stew wave violence on 22 January, the twein anniversar U lit legalisation of abortion.
No wanna was civen l the violent opponents of abortion rights, nor was any mention made of measures that would be taken to prevent the attacks. In fact, the government continues to in-
Squatters' camp in Alexandra township; riots in Crossroads have left at least 13 dead ive Federal Party and
also bi the S0• called 'verligtes' the ruling National Party
against the apartheid superstructure which had become the ruling ideology of the state.
Despite the legislation to control the influx of blacks into the urban al cas the economics of capitalism drew tens thousands of workers into the towns. The specially constructed townships like Soweto on the Rand and
abortion
bombings
sist that there is no conspiracy behind the bombings.
The government's position amounts to nothing more than a green light to those who carry out terrorist attacks against women in 'America. Far from defending the legal right to abortion, the government is leading campaign against this right.
The goal of the campaign is to make abortion illegal. This explains why the government refuses to stop the attacks, and why the bombers are able to act with such impunity.
Supporters of women's rights across the country are organising meetines pickets and vigils to protes
Despite the threats, abortion rights supporters held demonstrations in major cities across
true face
Langa in the Cape, where authorities could'exercise a degree of social, police and military control, could not contal unt new annivals Hence the growth of
townships like scualiti Crossroads.
These townships .constitute a double threat to the apartheid regime. Not only do their very existence manifest an act of defiance against the white-made laws, but as these townships are largely 'autoadministered' they beAmerica on 22 January this year.
On that day in 1973, the US Supreme Court ruled mal aborgoes a wonals right. This was the most far-
duvalct won bi women's rights fighters in decades. . The ruling made it a law that women have the right to decide whether or not to bear children, as well as when not to have them.
control her own body is the
For rights and HOSE VasIl
precondition for equality. This is why attacks against the right to abortion are not just directed agains women, but against the working class as a whole. • This is an edited version of
article by Martin Koppel, which appeared in a recent edition Intercontinental Press.
come schools where the
workers quickly learn the
of self-organisation
value
and the strength
grows from it. Tears alone all a wee What the
is a whole series of 'Sowetos' under
conditions they cannot so
easily control.
Crossroads has beet
under threat since
and it is only the resistance
of its people which have till now prevented its removal.
Khayelitsha has
designed give easy
TERHATIONAL
ABORTiON
RIGHTS
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 S 'access to police and milt
which might a rise
This attempt at force. removal, as well as that i! the Kat River, is the realit behind Botha's promise o: arcaler salisiallon lod concerned'. The people doomed to removal are no even consulted.
To it all the regime is cracking doli hard on the restistanci movement. The arrest six leading members of the
Democratic Fron (UDF) and three trad union readers. chargec with high treason, which: cames Learea old death penalty coming si soon after Botha's 'con ciliatory' words and his
toward Nelson
Mandela show the tension which threaten the very ex istence of the racist state.
The UDF not banned organisation. Its activities, so far, have been confined to peaceful demonstrations against tha new constitution and other aspects of oppression ¡Botha and the government just cannot believe that the riots in Crossroads which. lat the time of writing, have en edenue school boycott and the
growth sistance are spontaneous revolts against the barbar regime.
There must be a conspiracy scapegoats must be found hence me duests
The British labout movement must put all !: strength behind the de. mand for the release of al the accused and for ihe
release unconariona Nelson Mandela and the other political prisoners
Page 10 scan of this page
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 HIS RECENT book by the Soviet Marxist historian
m figured prominently in the history of the Soviet
ion in the Stalin period. They were not the best of
lin's entourage, nor necessarily the worst, but they
survive.
min was still alive, achieved prominence under Stalin
continued to be active in the Khrushchev years.
Voroshilov, Mikoyan,
Kaganovich,
Hotov and ValenKov
te occupied the summits power in the USSR. But,
the author observes, The people whom acus in this book can be
of pride for the ISSR. the Communist
mankind as a
eviewed by are Holmes
Through these short angraphies, Roy Medvedev dedi an unforgiving light dine burcaudlaue system
the Soviet Union, under
in and his heirs.
At the same time, he
This work was not prompted
storian's intellectual curisin. lor tnere are cellall
sons to be drawn from it, otably Loal wick all
id and done, democratic
chanisms
is must be created in the
„ena coal : will en-
that people like Stalin
most of those around
can never again hold
*== or assume control of
subjects, ¡ede: comments: 'Not people
-as ed here was born a
minal or a scoundrel; 1l
ambition, vanity and
::hatled them from one
me lo the next.
Each choice taken led
ta a further choice to be
The first and decisive
ep taken was to support Stalin LO e
ruggles of the 1920s. Trotsky and his supporters
ught against the bureauralisation of the Commu-
*: Party and the Soviet
Their defeat set the Hic.
ge for the establishment
Stalin's rule of terror.
In this regime, Medvedev's actress nose to Neverthes
great power. Neverthe-
at any point a wrong
ricipate 100 per cent in
Te DresSIons. suspicion in the
forbidly suspicious mind
the dictator, could have
nt them to their deaths.
fact, there was a high
factor in being close to
calin and many tried to
oid such an honour.
To survive the summits of power in Stalin's regime medal participate in terrible crimes.
The Stalinist terror of
1930s fell with particular ferocity on the
Libtary cadre. The leaderwap of the armed forces
smashed Some 30.000 ofticers an d ritary commissars were
•ad — all this on the eve
che most destructive war
During this perior
was People': Cahis level of military Timissar Defence.
perence was low, his
as a civil war and his
zin made him an ideal is renead for the armed
Voroshilov
Medes did not initiate the military
but he
All Stalin's men
Medveder consists of portraits of six men, all of
All began their political activity while
undoubtedly sanctioned ine iquidation of his statt and the officer tain generaly aclanucc that Politburo members sign the blacklists he had drawn up. was not possible to refuse • and survive.
Despite the likely consequences, some leaders did try to protect their subordinates ana limit purges. GK sergo vraznonikiaze, Politburo member and long-ume personal wiene of Stalin, tried to protect his stalt. committed suicide in 1937
protest against the
Some of Stalin's intimates not assented to the repressions, but played an active role in them. Kaganovich was one
In the 1930s, he was hailed in the Soviet press as "Stalin's commissar' and chief trouble-shooter.
Medvedev reports that: 'During the investigations that were carried out alter the twentieth party congress of 1956 dozens of letters from Kaganovich to the NKVD were discovered. ComDicle with lists of the party workers whom he wanted arrested. In many cases he personally checked draft verdicts and made arbitrary alterations. He knew what he was doing.'
Stalin built up a cult around himself, but there
also smaller cults around some of his
They often competed in having towns, collective farms and the
named atter them Molotov's fiftieth birthday March 1940 saw a big step forward in the promotion of his name. The biggest industrial centre in the country, the city of Perm, was renamed Molotov, and the map of the USSR suddenly sprouted two Molotovsks, one Molotovabad, Cape Molotov and Molotov Peak. as well as thousands of Molotov kolkhozes (collective farms), enterprises and institutes.
Following, Stalin's death
enerally supported Khrust
hev in his efforts to destro Lavrenty Beria, the organiser of Stalin's repressive
pparatu since 1938.
kovan ano sov e dorsed Khrushchev's moves towards de-stalinisation
The rest had mixed feelings.
If their opposition was muted around the twentieth congress, it surfaced strongly the year.
Molotov, Malenkov and Kaganovich
Deronceo SU called Anti-Party Group
tried unseat
WECO Khrushchev in
Khrushchev defeated them by securing the over-
whelming backing of the full central committee.
The plotters feared the
worst. Kaganovich phoned
Khrushchev, virtually
begging. not to bi SOOL
Khrushchev assured him
and that, despite their
The and his Ccs. associates would simply be
given lesser assignments.
several ot his subjects were still alive in 1983 as Medvedev Wal finishing his book. They would
• recognised sometimes be
they went about Moscow. At a theatre per formance Moscow,
members the SOlIC audience recognised Molotov and asked him to autograph their pro-
'Fora moment he came to life. Then suddenly young woman in the toyer began u doing? This man's "What are vou doing?
executioner! hundreds of troved people!' The people around him scattered like autumn leaves. He lowered his head and quickly made for the exit'.
Then there was Malenkov, once widely
regarded as Stalin's heir but far too much compromised by the past and quickly out-manoeuvred bv Khrushchev. In retirement he kept alansel. apparently resolved to take his terrible secrets with him to the grave. It seems he became religious in his old ge ana tele were Iepor ) him being seen enterin various churches. Perhaps he was seeking forgiveness there for numerous
But the Soviet people and progressive humanity can never forget the terrible crimes of stalinism. As Roy Medvedev points moral of his book is the urgency and importance of struggle for socialist democracy which can ensure that never again can such things take place and that never again can such people lead the Soviet Union.
All Stalin's men, by Medveder, Oxford 1983.
Basil Blackwell, £8.95.
The
crimes of
Stalin
THE EURO-COMMUNIST line pursued by the Communist Party at least since 1968 has dulled the sensibilities of many on the left to
the full horror of the crimes of the Soviet bureaucracy. But the
reemergence of a virulently-stalinist wing of the CP around the Morning Star makes it more urgent to remember just what the Soviet leadership represents historically. And just who Chernenko
and Gorbachev are the descendants of.
The two books reviewed here gather together important new material
on the Stalin period and its aftermath in the USSR.
Congress
THIS IS an Italian communist's reminiscence
the historic Soviet Communist Party congress at which Khrushchev delivered his 'secret' speech denouncing the crimes of Stalin. Vidali was present as a delegate from the free territory of Trieste', a divided city on the Italian-Yugoslav border.
Although the congress was held in February 1956, the diary was published for the first time in 1974. This
It S first English publication
Vidali, better known in
Diary ofthe 20th
the Communist movement
Carlos Contreras. joined the movement when he was 17. After being tortured and exiled by Mussolini's fascist regime he was jailed repeatedly in many countries.
Reviewed by Robyn Marshall
During the Spanish Civil War was a fun-
• пе chonary or lne communis! International. In his history wal Hugh Thomas Vidali
names one of the agents who, on orders from Stalin, helped organise murue. of Andres Nin, leader of the Party of Marxist Unification (POUM).
Vidali claims that his role misrepresented,
refused to Inal aways give personal details
leaders to Stalin's political police
Vidali faced another complication in coming to
with stalinism and the implications Khrushchev's revelations Although it's not explained in this book, at the end of world war Yugoslav partisans marched Into Trieste Just ahead of a division of New Zealanders
This resulted in Trieste being divided in two: Lone A, the port and the west of the city, was held by the British Yugoslavia took Zone B
During the bitter split between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, the Italian Communist Party slavishly followed Stalin and supported the capitalist Italian government, in the dispute ovell Trieste. 1956, , Trieste was still split.
meant recognition otte Union's errors in dealing with Yugoslavia, extremely painful line for Trieste Communist : Party members to accept.
delegates were allowed to attend the
which closed Khrushchev's four-hour secret soccen was made. This made many of the delegates resentful
in une cornoors al n
congress, Vidali met an ol‹
acquaintance Yelena Sta-
sova, a leading Communist
Party figure in Lenin's time.
She narrowly avoided per-
ishing in the 1930s purges.
However, Stasova
relentlessly defended
friends in prison and did al
she could for their families
Talking with Vidali she
Tes him of 40 mulla.
friends who had died in
fact,
slain s prison:
Vidali himself had almos
Deconc a victill
Vidali also meets the
wife of former foreign
minister Molotov. In 1948
Lavrenty Beria, chief of the
secret police had conspirec
with Stalin sanges to
Chalec.
trotskyism Molotov was
told to divorce her or face
the consequences He
bowed to Stalin's pressure
and dutifully divorced her
After Stalin's death she
had been released and
rehabilitated
describes
Anastas Mikoyan's con-
gress sebabie lor wa.
for strong
Criticis of the Stalin
period and the cult of the
International
Molotov Beria personality. This anticipated Khrushchev's later
helped set report and certain air of expectation at the congress
foreign were left in the dark Nothing was clear, except
and that portraits Stalin were beginning to disappear overnight
In the open part of the
care was taken not to mention Stalin's Hall Later, when Khrushchev's
special report was leaked Vidali's assessmen was that: Khrushchev hastried to save nosel - I don't
will succeed. himself has Decause le been a creature of Stalin, Stalin's accomplice and flatterer to a greater extent than others
Vidali saw the speech as just manoeuvre
bid.
Khrushchev's He was also shocked by what he learned at a secret meeting with old coll munists released from prison in Siberia
who had LIK( ¡all accepted Stalin's leadership
question, Vidali Witnoul was thrown into a crisis by
twentieth revelations. He resolves it by concluding
'Going ahead by forced marches, with no previous experience which to rely, at the cost incredible sacrifices the Soviet Union succeeded in
itself into that fortress which was
resist all enemy able to attacks and the capitalist siege, up to and including victory Wal against the most pitiless of
enemies Nazi tascism. Stains leadershipe under All this
in spite of Stalin, as some
people declare
Vidali went on to become one of the strongest
supporters of Togliatti, the
leade the
Italian Communist Party
who was largely responsible
for the develonment
Eurocommunism.
Diary the Twentieth
Congress of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union
by Vittorio Vidali. Journey-
man, f4.95.
Page 11 scan of this page
The party that darenot
News
THIS SATURDAY and Sunday the London Labour Party meets for its annual meeting. Amongst the usual bland statements it will be discussing there are already a few arguments building up.
no reason for an argument, will be a debate on the political levy. APEX trade union left -calls for 'a campaign of activity and education to win the arguments for trade union affiliation to the Labour Party'
Their composite points out the need for effective campaign in every constituency and union. and makes a few modest proposals: that material be made available on the links between the unions and the party, that constituencies should be encouraged to Sel up ad hoc campaign crous win local unlols that the London Labour
work with the SERTUC and local trades councils on the issue, and
MOLESWORTH, February acres of flat bleak land, a disused airfield, ringed now by a barbed and razor-wire fence coiled high. Beyond that, almost fully-erected, a high metal fence topped by more barbed wire.
Seeing this on 20 Feb-
made me teel that 1 was witnessing a process that could lead to the militarisation of Britain, if it was not exposed, resisted and reversed.
By Les Parsons, Forrest Fields Peace Group
I was there as a ticipant in East Midlands' day of action, part of the national CND campaign to. defend Molesworth, and — on behalf of the . majority OI British people — to resist turning it into a second US cruise missiles base.
was hard to distinguish between the police
those guarding the base. It telt like a continuation of the military operation begun at night a few weeks before in what the Daily Express had termed the 'Battle of Molesworth'
The barbed wire and the military presence combined to say 'keep out', and seemed to carry a threat of lorce Denna Il
Involvement confirmed my leelng that defence of Molesworth cannot be just a CND campaign. It is a campaign by
people opposed to a Tory govern-
WIIO art their intent to meet dissent and protest with torce il necessary. The Tories are determined to turn Molesworth into.. a base capable of playing its part in nuclear genocide.
The campaign to stop Molesworth must and wil succeed. The action on 20
illustrated the rcollary determination of people to continue their protest. to refuse to be silenced.
physical was maintained presence throughout the dav. alu expressed itself through
chanting and music, a vigil, decoration of the perimeter fence, and highly successful non-
speak its name
One of the most ridiculous, because there should be
- that well-known bastion of the will be moving a composite which
that where abolooliale workplace Labour Party branches be formed.
By Greg Tucker, Vauxhall Labour Party
Proposals hardly likely to set the world on fire, but nevertheless a practical start TO a campaign well Alas all this is too overdue LOIN regions! caeculive They cannot bring themselves to support
1985. Eight hundred Molesworth protest, 20 February
violent direct action.
Despite Illllary control and perimeter fence, people successfully entered the base They carried a message of protest and resistance to its heart.
The response to this action revealed the de icacy of the balance between contro and intimidation. With some exceptions the
the resolution.
instead ther Will be
calling for remission and,
APEX probably
WIL willing to agree, that will
be that.
The reason for the lack of support? Apparently the resolution might encourage constituencies to meddle in the affairs OI trade unions. Many of the trade union national campaigns on the political ballot aim not to menuon ine Labour Party at all.
Unortunately ine lories won't go away you lie down and play dead. Those union activists who know
even if this composite is remitted, its calls for action do not go unheeded.
On other issues the regional executive has not been so weak They are supporting two clear com-
at Molesworth
LEIGHTON
PEACE
LINSLADE
protesters were not physIcally mumidated. but tney were detained for hours against their will, illegally. Similarly they were photographed against their will.
On day when Thatcher encorsed support for Reagan's insane Star Wars plans and wher the Ministry of Defence finally admitted that the US national guard was
posites on Northern Ireland:
one calling for immediate and unconditional British withdrawal and the other
dialogue with the Republicans including inviting representatives to next year's annual meeting.
On black sections there should •e sel-olect debate between the Young
and LOSO London parties who have DacK sections. The long LPYS resolution boils COWI sentence attracted to she Labobe attracted Labour Party the basis of special constitutional arrangements.
The other composite seeks to extend the debate first to call on the Labour Party as a whole to fight to eradicate racism, second to delena lose parues wne
Eye witness
training in Britain with the British army, it was exhilarating to be involved in direct action, resisting and defying the of nuclear militarisation.
Increasingly events reveal that active participation en the struggle
peace essentiai Molesworth is now at the very centre of that struggle - for all of us!
might become threatened by the party nationally be-
they have black Lause sections, and third to allow black sections be represented at a regional level.
In line with last year's the regional accisions. executive will be supporting the pro-black section composite
Vauxhall delegates will be attempting to question the annual report's total silence on gay rights. After
thorough debate last year, a resolution spelling out a programme of action on gay rights was passed. ine regional execulive na: done nothing whatsoever
шаке с csoluol d reality.
At the best of times ignoring resolutions is bad enough. a time when homophobia being inflamed by the media, it 1s the duty Socialss CLO unite in defence of those under attack.
Defence from attack of another kind of sexual harrassment at work will feature in an emergency resolution originally from the regional women's comantice anu being presented by the exec-
ular events in the London Fire Brigade, it is bound to cause controversy.
Though the incidents involved have had some
have not come out. So delegates will have to beware of smoke-screens.
The resolution is clear in its demands relating to the Fire Brigade that firm action be taken against the harasser - • but also spells out a series of general demands on the GiC as a emplover whict other councils would do well lo nole. It urges all trade unions to examine their own attitude to the problems of sexual harrassment at work.
A WEEK ago in Rugby, the Tories convened an emergency council meeting through unanimously a resolution reinstating 'sexual orientation' in their equal opportunities policy. This is now council policy.
The Stop the Lesbian hoto: MARK SALMON and LIV ball campaign made one further demand: loat ne councimake d public statement about their climbdown.' This they duly did, and the lobby of this week's council meeting was called off.
By Frank Elvy
'We will magnanimous in victory. But only in victory,' said the campaign spokesperson
We must not underestimate the scale of the …ories cumbeowo. locr tember, when they deleted
the Tories stated categorically that this amounted to a ban on the employment of
Greg Tucker
An appeal
WITH A new witchhunt
in the Labour Party
threatening, it is worth
remembering some
comrades still caught
up in the previous
round. In particular,
the case of the five com-
rades excluded from
Yardley CLP is still
dragging on after near-
ly two years.
In June 1983, two ap-
plied to join for the first
time, and were refused;
and three members of
several years' standing
applied to transfer, un-
successfully. In the course
of our interviews with the
membership secretary we
were questioned about our
occupations, CND activity
and other irrelevancies.
Such was the hysteria
or the wnole business ta
we appealed to the NEC
in March of last vear.
regional enquiry was held
June 1984. which we
believe found our
favour. Since then, nothing.
Whatever the appeals
Tories can be beaten
gay people.
They were the first public body in this country
and nore ased bot
and were lauded scum newspapers as the number one town in
Now Rugly council, albert inauvertenly become the vanguard of progress. Most obviously our victory was achieved
mass action unprece dented in the history of
But Illas. action of a special kind in the history the movement in this country.
From demonstrations to pickets, the gay community nationally engaged in a partnership with the labour movement in RugDy. Inis combination wa. dynamic and victorious.
important, complementary factor was
provided leadersnip, Jeff Coupe, chair of Rugby Lavour group. rrom stal 9. finish has been indefatigable, and on an unpopular issue in an unpopular place. Kinnock, are you listening!
Without Coupe's leadership it would have been extremely difficult to
Socialist Action 1 March 1985 11 YARDLEY WITCH-HUNT
and mediation subcommittee of the NEC is un to. i is not letting on. Through-
affair, Wt have been told little : ог nothing, and it seems tha our appeal is to be delayed
The least that should accept is that the NEC should resolve the case one way or the other. However, it would be the final insult if the NEC were to turn around nov and refuse us after all this Walling
The Campaign Group of MPs recently gave whole-hearted support to the Yardley comrades and we now appeal to all Labour Party members at every level to do the same It is about time that the "appeals and mediation sub-committee lived up to its name.
Jacky Law, Martin Tolman, Bob Smith, Pat Tough, Bob Whitehead cement the gay-labour movement partnersnip His final words the Lories , were: it you don 1 do what are told
you there's going to be hundreds of "poofters" on
streets next Wednesday.'
There is an important lesson to be drawn from the experience of this campaign for all socialists.
That is: the Tories are vulnerable and can beaten.
gay Communl can build on our victory in Kugby in two wavs. One we must develop ways of
tunities polices to make sure they are implemented. This has be done through the town hall races uno
Second, the Labour Campaign for Gay Right and Stop the Lesbian and Gay Ban must organise a mass lobby of the nationa: negotiations between NALGO and the employers in the spring. to ensur that equal policies become the way o life in all town halls.
Forward to other victories!
Page 12 scan of this page
ACTiON miners demo
United action on
DI MONDAY 25 February the National Union of reachers voted, with only three against, to comply with
High Court injunction ducation Authority. Solihull took out an injunction to arce the NUT to rescind the call on its members not to arer for absent teachers, not to attend out-of-hours eetings and to refuse to undertake supervision of dhool meals.
y Bernard Regan, LT executive
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SoCiAList
teachers pay
granted to Solihull
The judge's decision instructed the union to take back this call and Grade Union Act WILS the 1484 Trade which Icoulles employees
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are balloted before action is undertaken. The executive's decision to comply inererore 1l cocals further strengthening of the government's anti-union legislation.
However their decision was not only to ballot teachers in Solihull, but in of further anticipallull legal action by other employers, to conduct a national ballot. This reDresents an important con-
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cession on another front —
in effect an acKnowie centent that actions teachers are engaged in are part of their contracts. It will be an invitation to employers to dock teachers
W nIlst members in all probability will vote
continue 401 executive has handed the employers a stick to beat teachers with.
What urgently Conference of the union al quired special discuss the implications of the Solihull decision and to organise a coherent and united response. The conference should also spell out a programme of real escalating action beyond the current three-day strikes, and should plan the mobilisation the whole membership to meet he employers' challenge
linked at all levels with a campaign to create united action by all public sector Wussels with claims pending Teachers Scotland as well as those in further education, are also fighting to restore the massive losses they have suffered over the last 10 years.
link-up between these and all the other loca government workers could crcale a campaign involving up to two million employees. by Lambeth and East led by Lambeth and
80,000 on
London Teachers' Associalons, salary conference on March Sir William Collins School, London All union activists should make every effort to attend.
This Wednesday's ILEA Cone cuce will discussing resolution similar the policy of London Bridge. calling for joint action and organisation in schools and colleges, together with a campaign to prepare for effective strike action.
Some icacners have already started strike action over pay. And, the next few days, ILEA teachers will be balloted. A strong response is expected comparable per cent ballots in favour ot action in other areas.
The fight on pay will set the scene for the fight on London, inli teachers Inner London, will be out on Democracy Day.
March, together with those from the rate-capped
from Brent and Sheilan.
from
The NUT must take firm steps to meet the pay challenge by joining with others Takeacon We must fight the incursions
under rights represented by the Solihull decision not only for teachers demands, but on behalt ot and their
all trade unionists under attack from the Tory laws.
RIGHTS DEFEND
T.U. RIGHTS Sunday, 23 March.
Party leaders.
The loudly-proclaimed
the dem onstration was that the fight goes on until the Tories pit closure
orteralllit abandoned
"There is no way that we are going to sign agree-
jobs, Arthur Scargill proThe mines cans rapturous reception. not beaten submission.'
Betty Heathfield from Women Against Pit Closure by calling for International Women's Day the focus of massive action in support of the miners
Conspicuous by their absence was the central leadership of the TUC. So no assurances Tes would m were
plement its own conference decisions and mobilise tota support' for the miners
Ron Todd, secretaryelect workers' union instead suggested that the real problem was the failure of rank and file activists to convince people in their workplaces that their jobs too were at stake.'
This demonstration
Dhi. Dalit
THE MINERS gave their reply in advance to the vaunted 'surge back to work' engineered by the Tories in a magnificent demonstration through London last
An estimated 80,000 miners, women from the mining communities and other supporters marched to Trafalgar Square to hear speeches from miners' leaders and other trade union and Labour
shows that the ranks are prepared to act if given a The massive turnout Was achieved despite the sectarian way in which the demonstration was built by the Liaison Committee for the Defence of the Trades Unions Morning Star. It shows the potential mal coula be achieved by a Labour Party-TUC demonstration in support of the miners.
Even a MORI opinion poll conducted for the programme World showed that a majority of
opinion supported cent for, as opposed to 36 (Forty three per cent against.)
As the pit strike approaches its first anniversary, the miners still face a gargantuan task. But the core of the miners are still determined to go on. real possibility of fusing with the struggles of other groups of workers as a new pay round is entered upon This theme was taken up by Ken Livingstone who called on Labour councils "to open up second front against the Tories' when they meet on 7 March.
← Socialist Action No. 90, 22 February 1985Socialist Action No. 92, 8 March 1985 →