Socialist Challenge No. 141, 3 April 1980
The scan: sc-n141-apr-03-1980.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge DISGUSTING!
THE 13th week of the steel strike brought good news for the bosses of the British Steel Corporation.
This Monday confirmed that Sir Villiers, BSC's chief, his salary jump from f41,695 a year to €58,700 - a rise of £330 a week. That's Villiers' reward for demanding that 60,000 jobs will be chopped in the steel industry.
Other members of the BSC board will receive similar rises.
The same day the results of the inquiry into the steel strike headed ov core ever were announcee. called for a cut in the real wages of SUCCIWULACIS. Rise
over 15 per cent does not even keep up with inflation. It amounts to an increase in guaranteea carnings or €10 a week.
It was no surprise that the Lever
came up wIll
While serving in the last Labour government. made clear
This priorities WCIC government's job is to help create the conditions which produce more opportunity for investment,' he wrote in June 1976.
Neither is it a surprise that the steel union general secretary, Bill Sirs, recommended acceptance of the inquiry judgement.
Way back in January, all Sirs was demanding was an increase of s per cent me toune ne coulen u sell that, but ever since made clear that his priority was to end une surike in any way ne could
Certainly the steelworkers have won more than the original two per cent offer made to them last December.
But compared to what Villiers will be getting it is just one more example principle of lory Britain - those who have will have more, those who have not will have less.
BUT BILL
SIRS
DOESN'T
FACE
THE
DOLE
ONE of the results of the steel inquiry is that plans to cut an extra 12,000 jobs. This is in addition to
than 50,000 which already face the axe.
Throughout the
was Charles will see
nearly sucha
"The
profitable Sirs has
one
BSC
strike, ISTC leader Bill Sirs has resisted the demands union's rank and file for job
jobs
losses to be made an issue in the dispute.
steel After all, whether they win lose
£330
a week for
steel boss
their fat salary.
Wales in
Despite
youth march
the Wales TUC preserve
Bob
of his live' that the
uve as well.
or draw strikes, union leaders always seem to keep mel job and
But for those in the threatened steel plants - and those in South
particular - the ducking of the jobs issues by Sirs offers nothing but a bleak future.
the struggle for jobs - both in steel and the related
- IS TOr VeLOSE
For instance, over this Easter a
over jobs taking place in South Wales The marchers will be demanding that
takes action
threatened by unemployment.
Scholey, BSC's chief executive said earlier this week of the Lever judgement: 'Although it is more than our offer, we felt it i with woe waran wereov we car
Now the fight must be to ensure
ODS and commumue. threatened by Lord Lever, and by Bill Sirs' surrender to Lever, must
ALL OUT ON
£10
14 MAY
No.141 3 April 1980 20p
aweek for steelworkers
DONT US DOWN SELL THE RIVER
DAY OF ACTION
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Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1. Editorial 01-359 8180/9. Advertising and circulation 01-359 8371. A capitalist disaster
Squeezing the poor until the pips squeak
OUR POLICIES
C'apitalism is in crisis. The leaders
of the Labour Party and the trade
unions offer solutions that are in
the interests not of the workers
but of the capitalist class.
Socialist Challenge believes that
the two vital fasks confronting
revolutionary socialists are:
• To build broad-based class
struggle tendencies in opposition
to class-collaborationism in the
labour movement.
non-exclusive i
grouping together militants holding a wide range of political views.
To begin to fight for the
creation unified
democratic revolutionary socialist
organisation which can, through
application united
tactics, begin to be seen as
alternative by thousands
workers engaged in struggles.
Such an organisation should be based on the understanding that:
The struggle for seeks lo unite the fight of I workers against the with that of other oppressed layers of society - women, black people, iberation. Tris socialism can thei struggling be achieved by creating new organs of power and defeating necessary means the power of the capitalist state.
Our infinitel, nurc uchucrall than what exists ir today. with full rights for political parties and currents that do not take up arms againsi the socialist state. The Stalinist models
'socialism' in the USSR and Eastern Europe have discredited socialism in the eyes of millions of workers throughout the We are opposed to them and will offer fuil support to all fighting for socialist democracy.
The interests of workers and capitalists are irreconcilable on a world scale. Capitalism has not only created market. created polifies. Thus we fight for working class unity on an international scale. This unity will in the long run be decisive in defeating both the imperialist regimes in the West and the brutal dictatorships they sustain in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
In Britain it implies demanding the immediate withdraw ai British troops from Ireland letting the Irish people determine their own future.
The Communist parties in Furope are in crisis. Neither 'Eurocommunist" the pro-Moscow wings have any meaningful strategy for overthrow of the capitalist state. New revolutionary socialist parties are more necessary than before. Conditions today
favourable than over the preceding three decades. But such parties can only be rejecting sectarianism and seeing internal democracy not as a luxury but as a vital necessity. This means the right to organise factions and tendencies.
I you agree with these principles and want involved activities by Socialist Challenge supporters in your area, fill in the form below and send it to us.
I am interested in information about activities in my altd • ! would like additionai literature and enclose 50p in cover con Meete is sos soplicable;
Name.......
Airess Socialist Challenge 3 April 1980
Alexander L
The These should
Phillips Petroleum character
and One thing
front
of one rig or another,
taken place since the 123 died. socialism It has
bosses tested for metal fatigue
their
with all
By Chris Guthrie be AFTER Howe's Budget, Britain Murray pleaded on TV
ali its policies Britain is 'one big family'.
According
worid.
problems. those Yet Howe in
proposals
the poor. world
worid deep trouble. Therefore, Profits
and being lazy or
nonsense, but capitalism is
has declined relative to its rivals.
nor
the
ruling through government spending.
di C
built by ling the money supply.
bankruptcies wages will be forced down.
has to be slashed.
Tory cuts
spending over
mose
of social welfare.
sizes. school closures, redundancy. per cent this year
EDITORIAL
JUST why did the 123 oil rig workers die when the
Kielland collapsed last Thursday night? For the moment leave aside the technical
short answer is xm. staggering figure was the after-tax profit made by
last year. Phillips were the owners and operators of the doomed rig.
Like all the other oil companies operating in the North Sea, they have made a fortune out of their operations. Where have those fortunes gone?
certain, they have not gone ensuring the safety of those who work on the rigs so that the giant profits can be amassed.
Perhaps it is unfair to single out Phillips. They
just happened to be the ones who were found out;
it just happened that it was a rig owned by them where disaster struck first. But sooner or later, on
such a disaster was almost bound to occur. This has become clear through the investigations, partial though they are, which have
been established that the Alexander L Kielland was of a design which had not been fully
- one of the possible reasons for the collapse of the rig. Such tests have only been conducted since 1977 and the Kielland was designed before that date — as were virtually
Len for the government to radically change
and recognise that
•to Murray, the government should sit down with the TUC and the CBI. and like any other family, work out its
This Budget made it plain that Britain is a divided country, with a huge rift between the rich and
The problem is that the system which the rich own and run is in
say the Tories, the poor have to pay the price for pulling it out of the mire.
At the root of Howe's proposals is a stark fact: for years the profits of British companies have been falling.
This is nothing to do with workers
Many other such because British paying the price for being one of the first industrialised countries, and for the past 80 years it
Last year, with the exception of the fabulously wealthy oil companies, profits were down by 7 per cent. It is certain that they will fall even further.
During the 1974-5 recession the
class boosted the economy But this time the Tories are choosing to solve' the problem by rigidly control-
They hope that by the threat of
and unemployment, But to keep the money supply under control, every aspect of government spending
Total cuts of £900m in public
the next year WelC announced in the Budget. A further £700m will be cut from the spending of local authorities. The victims will be education, health, and every aspect back
Education will be cut by £300m over the next year and f820m over the next five years, ensuring large "class
and teacher
Hewith spending is increasing by 2
- at a time when inflation is around 20 per cent. The cost of the extra 2 per cent is in any case being shifted to the sick by the increase of prescription charges to £1.
disaster.
Spending on housing is to be cut
by even than announced last year, a further £378m.
Combined with the sale of council houses and the Tories' plan to end all 1 councu house building, it will mean that the situation for the homeless will get worse far years to come
The Budget attacks children and the unemployed in other ways, too. Child benefits have been increased by less than inflation, as have short-term social security benefits.
By 1982, not-only will the latter be
all the rigs operating in the North Sea.
It has now been admitted that what safety checks do take place on North Sea rigs are, in the words of the Sunday Times 'intrinsically fallible'. So "fallible' are these checks that they would be unlikely to detect a simple welding failure — the other main candidate as the immediate cause of the
taxed, but was will go and strikers' benefits will b reduced by f12 a week. Why should the Tories hand out money to strikers, when in cal be used to boost the bosse
because- creases will not bs until Noyember.
Bys teising the taxation on the first 8250 of incom after personal lower paid are hit hardest, as they are
place. added.
with safety work
the past reported
unionisation on the North Sea.
oil companies. Praised by
allowed go
than a drop in the ocean. earnings-related benefi
Tall behind tion
paid
rate of direc
allowance
this government out
But there is nothing 'natural' or 'unavoidable' about the collapse of the Kielland. An engineering lecturer said on BBC-TV's Nationwide last Friday night that greater safety checks could have taken
'But they would be very expensive,' he
If trade unions were allowed to openly organise on the rigs then the killings might have been avoided. Unions do tend to be more concerned
than But attempts to organise the rigs have been met not only with hostility but gangster-like tactics from the owners of the rigs. Socialist Challenge has in
physical, attacks on union militants who have tried to establish a degree of
All of which ties in with the philosophy of the
Western governments they may be; politicians may scramble after each other to sit on their boards; their vast profits may
largely untaxed, but these companies are the pirates of the 20th century. Nothing must stand in the way of their profits. And for them the cost of 123 dead is little more
by the increases in indirect taxation on tobacco, drink, and petrol. • The CBlaas welcomed the Budget Cognises there is no other he capitalist class as a many small bustness to the wall.
• Tate of unned of consane po
and
Page 3 scan of this page
All-out on the day!
STRIKE NEWS
Solihull
In doing so, they will be
joining steelworkers
confronting the Tories' plans
for the nationalised industries.
Before they came to office, the
Tories drew up a plan for dealing
with tne trade umon movement.
They identified steel and BL as two
worktorces they could. confront
and defeat.
is no doubt that
policy lies behind the refusal of BI
management to ollge Trom
works and o per cent tor of 5 cent for non-craft
workers. Ine orer Is tied
package of conditions which would
relacI SODOOI organisation in
BL entirely ineffective.
It would introduce full mobility labour, and mutuality
ALL OUT ON
since the call went out.
union
run-up to 14 May.
Alan Fisher, the NUPE general secretary, has variously calcu co dave caca 10г all-out action by the union, for the TUC to call a general strike, and simo y recommendimo thai NUPE members take the day off work.
At the London divisional
By Pat Hickey, deputy senior steward, SD1, Rover
AFTER more than six months of so-called negotiations, the
Leyland Combine Joint Negotiating Committee has asked
the union executives to call & strike of the BL workforce.
industrial engineering,
together comprehensive 'no strike' clause. . OOR would end the role stewards.
Sacking
The union this desperately tried to controntation. but after his success in the ballot on the Edwardes' plan, and in sacking Derek Call TO ? for compromise.
He believes that the workers in BL are not ready for a fightback and that the threat of permanent closure will frighten people back to WOLK.
THE media campaign against general strike action on 14 May is having its effects on the trade union leaders.
Len Murray has been attempting to back-track ever
While the National Union of Railwaymen, the print
SOGAT, and the seamen's union are calling on their members to take strike action, the position of the National Union of Public Employees has fluctuated.
RAY VARNES, a member of NUPE's London divisional council, explains who is pushing whom in the union in the
council of NUPE, representing a allnored workers, I successfully moved three-point resolution on what we should do on 14 May.
The resolution called for all-out strike action by London NUPE, Tor Ine nan exeve oc
national executive to demand that
. supercede
with
Laest clauses
of shop
leaderships have
avoid
Robinson,
the TUC General Council should call for a general strike on 14 May. LaC divisional conference members of the national executive WIO were •resenl executive's response to our call.
It had refused London acco also refused to call official action nationally.
Division
The executive reported that they manual call on the TUC.
executive would, Murray's words, membership to take the day off'
Nevertheless conference endorsed the divisional and for the
NUPE
Strike call at Leyland
Call. 1076150
fight the Tories.
government WOLLCE with
demand of 'scrap the
plants which amourccd
Plants
TUC
unOL S LonGOl
the three off protests
expanlce the perspective T'hatcher
Role cry. official and had
direction.
members could not make a branch
echoing INLOC Len Henne
"advise our "They
the London
overwhelmingly conference.
ColO. sapporting the Nao
But the feeling on the shopfloor strike. is that this time they have to fight becoming - with a correct lead BL workers
effects of recent maeR besols soko rest of the working class on how to
Very early on in the dispute, the
will threaten BL closure therefore be necessary to raise the
Edwardes' further plan'. and to oppose the closures o1 the Castle Bromwich and Canley
have already been Wales Triplex, amoulc
This demand will be essential if we are to bring these plants out on
The Governi
CHA
COUR$
NO
nationally on 14 May, and for the
TUC to call a general strike.
Our members are sick of onewithout clear They know Margaret can hold her breath fo . They want a clear lead il the
the fight to get rid of the Tories and
all-out action on 14 May would be again. CAc-ulivt
suce the right
bude arest crastermuic ston
came at thẹ Tower Hamlets genera
meeting
London conference where another
of the nationa execuuve
made a sharp about-turn, saying:
about the LET
executive decision at the London
They will see no point in involved long struggle if their M Core closed by the end of the year. Resurrect
The gradual decline of the car industry is having a serious effect fight on ne wroe emaree ne malse in the West Midlands, and this is a
ICabU CULLe Teol Rices ane cosures.. as tic steelworkers are doing in South
Lucas, Wilmott Breeden, and
among others, redundancies need to link up with these workers to fight job loss.
The other demand which has to be brought up is to resurrect the full wage claim. This was for £24 across General Council for all-out action.?
With that type of campaign for action in NUPE it's quite obvious that the campaign for all-out actior won't be led by the executive
will from "militants in the branches all over
to ensure the doesn't back dowil...
WHERE'S
THE
ACTION?
the board and the 35-hour week The latter needs to be part of ou fight against job loss, and £24 is a minimum ir aving standaras arc u be preserved. This fight in BL will
struggle DESCV union organisation in Britain's largest engineering combine
The government wants to use it to win its first big victory against the working class A victory fo British Leyland workers would be a major bow to tory strategy
But it we are to win we
to put the control of the aspure iu tac nands or tne rank ank file. The result of leaving it to bureaucracy battle to reinstate Derek Robinson. wat SocI • during th -essons
A first step in the fight fo democratic control of . the SUl Y
18 800 delegate conference of all BL stewards. We will also press for an elected strike
regular mass meeting.
Edinburgh
prepares for
one-day strike
FORTY representatives
trade union branches
attended a conference called
Edinburgh Trades Council
week voted overwhelmingly fo
all-out strike action on 14 May
The conference, held
consider what response should b
made torthe TUC's call for a 'da Lo taci action", heard that
region. bus drivers
•NIN SOGAT, NUPE, th
seamen's union will be taking strik
action on 14 May.
special meeting
Edinburgh busworkers' branch o
Transpori Union voted fo
strike action. TGWU officer Terr
Weir said that it was his union'
policy for as • Lal members
possibie to stop work on 14 May.
The National tis ruming a pilhea Union
Mineworkers
campaign in the Lothian region fo
strike action.
Hugh D'Arcy, a member of th
.General Council of the • Scottis
,told those at the trade
TUC,
council conference to put pr
on the STUC to ensure an al-c
stoppage
14 May strike
is aim of
NUT left
By Bernard Regan
THE National Union
conference
Blackpool this Easter
the first union conference
the Tory Budget,
proposed cutting 9 per cent
$820m from education over the
next five years.
Despite widespread the nigh
trom NUT branches,
Wilks executive has Tene
withdraw the invitation to
Edu
LeiNe
Secretary, address
conference
The executive is opposed t
fightback against the cuts,
posing its own strategy of f
alnervieta oca edels =
The left inside the
especially the Socialist
Alliance and Rank and File calling for a national one-day
on 14 May.
Ihs is soon as te fg towards national strike actio
unity with other
Inc gova mall s ollcin
NUT CONFERENCE DIARY
Friday: STA-RAF joint oa (ITA) dei
Page 4 scan of this page
NO SURRENDER
STRIKE NEWS
'We must restate
our demands'
y Colin Herd, convenor, ISTC, Warrington
heshire WE HAVE been on strike for 14 weeks. We have lost over £1,400 each. Even if we go back for 20 per cent it will take us a hell of a long time to catch up.
In the interests families, our children, and •11| grandchildren I1USL ensure that the weeks of hardship, discomfort, and suffering must not be wasica
There is no time like the present for steelworkers to
strength and ensure that the planned Tory attack on ou
wales. alle conditions is defeated.
We should refuse to return
WOrK unless SiceLworkers in all the unions are agreed. This is not just a fight OVCI money. DUL OUS and over the future of whole communities.
Steelworkers* have been left to baftle on our own by the TUC. Despite this, some
suCh as Liverpool dockers, have
LLANWERN steel strikers were meeting at the beginning of this week to consider the next steps in their fight for jobs.
In an article for BUS an ember on the Lane strike Llanwern committee, argues continue.
In Wales, we have not been on strike for pay but for jobs. If we go back to work now it will be a total defeat. We will lose our self-respect.
It looks like the national execuuve or isie Is running down the strike until the final betrayal. Money has been cutback for flying pickets to go to places like thé docks.
Locally, the strike committee is cutting down on pickets, food, and transport.
This assumes the strike will be Over, evel
exe inquiry ee to before
inquiry results before
This is bloody ridiculous.
Dockers are prepared to strike
we expect them to support us
hen they see us withdrawing pickets from the docks?
Action
The dockers action snows that we are not fighting the jobs issue alone.
we shouldn't misunderstand what happened when the voted calls L strike action on jobs. In the frst fortnight of our strike the
oars couldn't wait to come out with us.
Then the Wales TUC kept
acialist Ch де 3 Ареї 1980
shown tremendous solearn.
But we have been put in the position of fighting not. just BSC management and the Tory government, but our own umon leadership.
This is a situation we can tolerate no longer.
We HUSL ICSLaLC demands 20 per cent now,
no strings, no closures, and no rcauraalucs
We must fight as a precondition for settlement for a
JOll . BSC of £1,000 per worker for money lost during the strike.
And we must demand that instead of our union officials running round after farcical лесоталон inquiries, that they get down to the 100 they are meant to do - winning this strike.
'We will lose our self-respect'
Steel Sheet, a bulletin
steelworkers,
changing the dates for action, leading us up lne nil and down again. By the time the
in hand
Works, Port Talbot
to stay out whatever the results of the inquiry.
will soon be out of a job.
week and voted to stay out.
and begging
Moors.
low the only prospect these workers have is a dole queue
of our union officials are saying.
the loss of jobs - — before it's too late.
'KUBBISH' — that was the first reaction to results of the Lever steel strike inquiry from Bernard Connolly, crafts leader and a member of the unofficial national strike committee.
It is a comment which is likely to be repeated by thousands of steelworkers across the country. The 15.5 per cent offer was just another way of demanding that the steelworkers surrender to the dictates of the bosses and the Tory government.
That was always likely to
headed by Lord Lever. While in the Wilson and Callaghan governments — but ten pial Harold Lever this specimen was known as 'the City's man' in the Labour cabinet The right-wing Sunday Telegraph once praised him a: 'having comparably the astutest financial brain in the cabinet'. Lever once wrote: "The government's job is to help to create the conditions witch HOIC opportunities for profitable Investment.
Renegade
Backing Lever was Richard Marsh,
The found he was unlikely to Prime OCCUllIC Marsn qult ms MP's iob to take a series of highly-paid posts in industry.
The third member of the • Lever team was Bill Keys. As general secretary of the print
meant. -to DONAI be the Keys "workers' Wat représentative But anyone with any knowledge ot history •and news. would have known that he WaS arways likely Curit down on bosses.
It is hardly surprising that he accepted BSC's opinion
miners were balloted they had given up in frustration.
Now is the time to change This ov showing ut we are prepared to take action on jobs. teeworkers Wales have support from other parts of the country. I was at the н2u0na co-ordinating committee last week in Manchester. What impressed me was that all the
'No good going cap
By Tommy Lyons, branch secretary, EEPTU, Margan
WE HAD a mass meeting in Port Talbot at the end of last week. Of the thousand craft members present, 950 voted
We won't return to work until the jobs question is settled. At the mass meeting the proposer of the motion against a return to work looked round and said: 'If we go back now, half of you
The National Union of Blastfurnacemen in Port Talbot has already said there will be no return without a settlement on the jobs issue. The ISTC in the hot-sheet section had a meeting last
The staff unions have also met and taken the same position - they are not prepared to accept the results of the inquiry
Eve accept the inquiry we don't stand a chance of keep
jobs. It'll be no good going cap-in-hand later on, scrap
We have to draw the lessons of Shotton, Corby, and East
If these plants had come out on strike the minute they were threatened with closures things would be different today. But
It's no good askine for tine to absorb the iob losses, as som
We have to fight now against
Steelworkers have only one answer to inquiry:
South Yorkshire steel
that it can't afford to pay more than 15.5 per cent, he told the Daly Express ir May 1978:
'Market forces must be allowed WOLL that industries which can afford to pay better wages are allowed
Profits are not a dirty word.'
delegates who spoke said that
the most important thing we
have to reject is job loss.
Tragedies
They see jobs in Wales as
the first to with theirs
following close this meeting they behind. voted to AT.
JESUUCI there should be no return to the that
work until the job issue is
sorter out.
They have said to the re-elated if you sell us short executive will never
in the strike
From Monday's. meeting
we should set up a committee
This should have representa
tives from all the steel unions
affected by closures, such as
the NUM, transport, and the
docks.
We must also make links
with Port Talbot. If we
alvidea among ourselves.
must learn from
tragedies and
Ebbw Vale.
RAY DAVIES
In the same interview Keys also voiced his support for the House of Lords - no doubt he hopes to end up there ald sale. I don't want Labour a te time I'm very sad there isn't a stronger Liberal Party so that I could vote for that sometimes.'
With such a membership, it was always odds on that the inquiry would come out
1 1c scandal is that Bill Sirs and others in the ISTC leadership must surcy have khown us
ISTC
by the ISTC bureaucrats, let's hope they're out on 14 May.
By Andy Miller
FIVE women of steel from Stocksbridge,
for their wage claim and their jobs.
time in the morning.
"They don't ask
questions nevre mst there
We've had a vast response
really. We're trying to show
that women will do what men
will We decided that women.
separately from the men
because the men weren't
Jetting us nav our full DarL
So we got our own picket
office; I've got a room with a
telephone and a typewriter. I Because cany somebody in to type
Pickets
We got the list of picket
who had been involved sinc
the strike start. We took the
names off and
started a list of our own. We
Bụt not content with agreeing to the inquiry in the *re ace ven aven that it don't cover the issue of jobs, Sirs along with leading nis members into tne trap even after the prejudiced make-up of the inquiry team was announced And now he even SuDDUlLulE the inquiry's findings.
Which is why it would be useless blame Lever, Maren or kevs for wintane inquiry has produced - they were only pursuing their proEVCH
AGAIN
Women steel workers on 9 March TUC demonstration against the Tory government. Despite the sell out
Steel women
strike out
Yorkshire, joined the picket of BL in Cowley last week. Later they spoke of how, as women, they were involved in fighting
Explained ENID: 'We have 60 women on our picket list in Stocksbridge. I can call on them any time I want and just ask them to be at the Welfare Hall at a certain
started with 18 names and Then Wev one after another, saying they wanted to go picketing.
Struggle
'We've been all over the place We've been Hadfields and Sheerness. In Stockbridge we have a lot of working maustry, so tnere snould be e lot of us out picketing.
SUE another the omen who emer importance involving women in the strike: 'When
before, I was at home feeling isolated. I wasn't aware wial was going on. so 1 salc to myself, why don't
ruling class, "profits at all costs philosophy which they nave aways lolowcu
It is the union leaders who are responsible for. the mess in wuct uiemoury das dunnocu the steelworkers. The need to ignore that inquiry and step up the strike is obvious. Other are sonthis page show that
militancy many stee workers tendis
The slogan to be shouted - at Lever. Marsh. Keys anc Bill must be: No
NO
SURRENDE
not in steel.
'What I've usually been doing during the strike is to gc to work in the morning, then I go down to the Labo our Hall and with the
• VU Dickering else I can do to keep interested, to make me fee part of the struggle and not isolated back at home.
anored coming ey Cooking
Summing up, JACKIE said that the attitudes of some of the men on strike had changed during the dispute:
'The men aren't saying
sandwiches They're making Them. wille we ve been cowi at Cowley, it's the men who
been doing all cooking
Change
NOT ONE of them turned round and said: "Can you make the sausages for
te. Crane COmI about through us all working together on the strike.'
Page 5 scan of this page
Blackself-organisation -the target of Brum police
HOMENEWS
AND
By Raghib Ahsan
by setting up committees.
closed community.
The turn to community policing can be traced back social ycals. bitter confrontations which took place between West Indian youth and the police
Winson Green.
Birmingham, and later at the Notting Hill Carnival, shook
Asian youth in Southall also protested the streets against police inaction over a racist murder.
This radicalisation continued in 1977, with the events London Lewisham in South
and Ladywood Birmingham. By the summer
1978, the Asian youth in London's East End were organising independently against racist attacks, the police were ready. wilh wernew strateou
The police are unwilling to
The Bradford Asian Youth Movement is
national meeting on
Sunday 13 April
1pm at Queens Hall, Morley St., Bradford
The conference will discuss both the aims
and the organisation of the Black Freedom
March taking place from Bradford to London
from 28 June to 19 July.
National organisations can send five delegates
Local organisations can send three deleg:
Individuals
For further details contact:
Bradford Asian Youth Movement, 226 Lumb
Lane, Bradford 8, West Yorkshire or Tel 0274
499310.
BLACK
BLUE
THE Communist Party in Birmingham is helping the police to contain black militancy
community-based liaison
Under the guise of community politics, the purpose of these committees is to create informers in the black community and to present the police with an opening into this
Birmingham apparent that there two • oie ror me wes Indian community and one for the Asian. arcas with a largel Afro-Caribbean populațion such as Lozells. Aston and Handsworth the control a large proportion of the Inner City Development Project funds, anu are usule them to involve black youth in various projects.
For example. as well as i some of the schools, the police are planning campaign holidays with school students. They trying to •start
will run; and they are active in organising football teams. On television call JULI Drown, me autnor of shades
NATIONAL BLACK
CONFERENCE
calling on all black organisations to attend a
£5 ries €3 £1
candidate in the Ladywood by-election. of Grey, boasted about the changing image of the bobby in Handsworth
of Birmingham with largely Asian population, like Small Heath sparkhill, DORDOOR. Saltley, the second approach is to build liaison committees between allu community. The first of these. was set up in April 1978 in Saltley.
Anger had spread through the black community when an
white thugs inspired by National Front. following dav a meeting
Asians expressed faith in the police and decided to set up their own vigilante groups.
To build support for the group, a meeting of ethnic
Or ISaLOES arranged by the Kashmiri Workers Association, whose maurora screw. Nazir-ul -Huq, is a member of the Birmingham Communist rally
On the platform meeting were the local Labour MP, Dennis Howell, and the chief superintendent of nolice. for the area. It turned into a public exercise for
Ce O meeting liaison committee was set up.
This
ISAN
RAGHIB AHSAN on the campaign trail in 1977 when he stood as a Socialist Unity
regularly until its presence
forced the vigilante groups to
collapse and the blacks' anger
In summer 1978 Sudagar
Khan, Pakistani,
wak
murdered in Small Heath.
community was convinced that racists were
responsible, and
SOME hundred people took part in a protest demonstration.
No one was charged with • the murder. Dennis Howell again set up a liaison committee to coo the situatioctiend thy spire died
effectively spreading Venous ABOUT motives for the murder.
About three months ago in Sparkhill, allegations were made
and threats of violence by a local gangster,
was evidence of between him and the police
ine sparka Communice for Civil Liberties was set up and has since compiled
concerning fraud, cheating and harassment on the part of
Every • statement mentions Sabir connection between
few weeks ago the committee
people. But shortly
afterwards • wild tne backıng of the decided to hand over some of the committee
ine statemenis to tne ponce.
On top of this, on 16 March, a meeting was called in Sparkhili under the banne
CP-controlled Blackford Road Residents Association. It was chaired by Roger Murray, a prominent local CP member, and main speakers were Nazir-ulHuq and two police chief inspectors.
intention oi. thi meeting was clearly to set ur another liaison committee. Its
independent black actic the Sparrel committee activity in the - in this
specifically concerned with police malpractice
The liaison committee will also feed back to the police
about activity. EWO chief inspectors are no doubt grateful for the invaluable assistance of the Communis Party.
The tactics of the CP will in no way help black people in
struggle to expose the corruption and racism of the police Collaboration will play straight mto tac manes o the state
interests of 1
Women
Fightback «
against
Tory
threats
'Quite frankly, I don't think mothers
he wouldn't have created man and woman.
Secretary
bound old people for f15 per week) '
Services
By Valerie Coultas
Labour Party.
union branches, cuts groups.
attitudes within the labour movement itself.
Unfortunately,
made.
government
threat to women.
than any other section of the population.
return to work after pregnancy. 'British' culture.
cheer. time eventually ran out. The organisers
conference in six weeks time!
Teesside, perplexed as to the reasons for having meeting quickly, conference which would exclude women wh not members of trade unions or local Labour P
Rights of Women and the Campaig Corrie are planning a festival for momen Tories in June. anything to go by, such a festival vil mong vomca who
have the same right to go out to work as fathers. If the Good Lord had intended us to have equal rights to go out to work,
Patrick Jenkin, Social Services
When you've got male unemployment, how much better that women, who more naturally incline to a community-based life, do this sort of thing (looking after house
Nicholas Stacey, Director, Kent Social
ON 22 March five hundred women attended a conference in London called by Women Fightback, s new campaign launched by the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory, a grouping of activists in the
Women came from their Labour Party and trade
campaigns and women's They were eager to confront not only the ideas of Patrick Jenkin and Nicholas Stacey, who want to wipe out at a stroke all the steps women have made towards equality over the last couple of decades, but also to discuss how to take up sexist
mainly due to general disorganisation at the conference, many women left feeling that the potential of the conference had not been fully tapped - no conclusive decisions were
In opening the conference, Jo Richardson, Labour MP for Barking, pointed out that the whole economic philosophy of the Tory Party - cutting back on
expenditure and relying on market forces to 'solve' the economic crisis — is a direct
Women as wives, mothers, cooks, and domestic servants call on the services of the welfare state more
The Employment Bill will make it more difficult for women who work in small firms, as many do, to
Changes in social security legislation and the meagre increases in child benefits proposed in the Budget will make it more difficult for single mothers, the long-term unemployed and the sick, to manage.
Tighter immigration controls mean an attack on black women's freedom to marry the husband of their choice as well as encouraging the white population to view black communities as a threat to
Pointing to the success of the campaign against John Corrie's anti-abortion Bill, Jo raised a big
Workshops took place around five themes: the spending cuts; maternity rights; legal attacks; fertility control; and organising inside the labour movement.
Although there were ideas from the floor that women needed to take their own initiatives and organise a rally or demonstration against the Tories,
of the conference urged women to return to a delegat
Women who had made their way to London from
Yorkshire and Scotland scemed rath
particularty a
If the Fightback broad
Page 6 scan of this page
HOME NEWS
No Tory
cuts!
By Craig Hunter
people marched the
Bathgate,
The rally follow-
display Labour MP local
For the STUC secretary, willie.
fleeting May.
speech was from Lambie,
NUPE official, who called for action
block the implementation of cuts by the
called
May.
Massey
Ferguson
workers
lay-off
bosses
By John Kirby A NATIONAL delegate conference Massey Ferguson workers. met earlier this week to discuss the fight against redundancy within the construction machinery company.
The workers Massey's plant in Knowsley,
Who Have Decl occupation for over a month, were expecting the conference to back tell action
Hayden Burns, chairperson of the Knowsley shop stewards Says. *Management called us in on 11 February and told us that the future under Our response
continue production, was lU but nothing allowed out.'
The digger-loaders
assembled at the plant stayed put until 3 March.
They called us in again," us that there would have to be layoffs because nothing was get-
We had no alternting out. ative but to layoff the management.
'They turn up here every
morning asking for their
factory back'
Support donations
to: c/o Hayden Burns,
Kempton Park Rd, Aintree,
Liverpool Iv.
Arthur Seed: Labour
councillor, steel
striker, scab
By a Teeside NALGO member
on Tesside. But he doesn't do much picketing —
too busy collecting his
council.
When NALGO members
collar workers,
among the Labour councillors
sympathetic.
Not The NALGO members
suspended,
members in Cleveland county had been given dispensation
WULK
The ISTC divisional strike committee
die consuluccy abuul rally.
Socialist Challenge 3 April 1980 Page 6
By Jenny Flintoft, North London Anti-Nuclear Group THE biggest demonstration yet was Saturday when least people gathered in Hyde Park for Harrisburg Day, the anniversary of the near-disaster at Three Mile Island.
The march moved off to music from various bands, and shouts of • "No more Harrisburgs, Nukes out now, 'One, two, three, four, We effective to stop the closure By Pete Clifford
occupation against closure.
This had offered to delay final hennesions closure scheduled for 31 December — for six months.
A majority of those at the meeting this
The failure solidarity action from other
divisions among the strikers.
At the Scraggs division in COYCIUE Frank and few other stewards have refused
workers
By Tony Young
weekend.
The unions are claiming * an for a 35-hour week, wnich nas already OcCI achieved on many sites in the ARTHUR SEED is one of 20,000 steelworkers on strike
he's expenses as leader of the notoriously right-wing Labour group on Langbaurgh
in Langdaurgn imposca sanctions as part of the pay battle by local government white-
they considered that with 14 steel TOe response Would
taking action were and the branch responded with a one-day strike.
Their bitterness was increased by the fact that they had bèen giving financial support to the steel strike, and that NALGO
overtime on free schoolmeal applications for strikets offered to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Seed, both in his union branch
The threat proved sufficient. Seed and his pals withdrew their threatening letter to NALGO members and agreed to take no action against those who had implemented union policy.
Nuclear power: it'll costtheearth
anti-nuclear don't want a nuclear war' held on 20,000 the Earth,
first and NALGO as the East Midlands and Devon.
Mike Aerospace Shop said at the rally in Trafalgar Square that uniting the with the trade unions to oppose nuclear WORKERS at Stone Platt, accompanied by Terry Duffy. Will the AUEW do anything
Lack of support divides
Stone-Platt occupiers
A MASS meeting at the Stone-Platt plant in Oldham last Friday voted by a slim majority to continue the
to cross the picket line for the past fortnight. But Engineering Union members at the plant are from ignoring instructions committee and continuing lo work Pickets from Oldham tell about the MULA reaction at plants in Crawley, Bolton, and Accrington, athough short-time working plants suggests the
official support given the occupation by
All-out, say building
AN all-out national strike in the building industry would be necessary to win a decent wage increase, it was agreed at the Building Worker Group's national conference last
London region, but is way above the union rate of £1.10 NOUR 101 labourcis and for trades wachis Dale to 400,000 building workers. employers' offer ser cent which amounts an extra f3 a week. Big deal The biggest ever wage increase was won after the 1972 strike, which began at site level spread throughout the country under the control of rank-and-file TOTAIRS union leaderships to declare it official. the fullofficials who are now trying stop a rank-and-file Communist Party members who led the 1972 strike.
Among the other subjects
was how to get more women into the building industry - a woman bricklayer was among the 42 militants who attended; the lump. health and safety,
to build the Building Worker UUUU
of Building Worker, and how to organise a group in your
House, adory London South Lambeth Estate, DWo.
Petra Banners included those of Friends of Ecology Party, anti-
Womer Against vice-president
Labou Mr from places as far apart leader David Steel. Coop Stewards Committes optimism,
the anti-nuclear shown environmental movement
AUEW executive needs to be translated into a fight divisional and national level
The AUEW Stone Patt group. accept job loss this position, Oldham strikers need to step up their small-scale icketing to mass pickets il olving the whole workforce To achieve this, they need greater support from other engineering workers.
Support donațions
Works Convenor, Lord St, • Criticism of AUEW
quarters have been
secretary.
forthcoming presidential election,
the union's right-wing leadership
Alan Hughes, 444b Green Lanes, London N13.
demand 30%
By Kevin Holmes
the nurses' pay claim.
Over two hundred nurses, workers.
centre in what seems to be the
SUDDULL demand for a 30 per cent pay of
Leah Sheridan, an organiser of the march and steward Stewarurgh Hospital, pointed the Royal
'Although our march small it is a first step to organising nurse. alongside the trade union movement to defend the Heathe will be Nurses in NUPE
power represented a development of tremendous importance Kelly linked the struggle Mucca Dowe with feminism Other speakers included John Carroll, the Irish TGWU David Ennals, and Liberal
The general mood was one of great demonstrators feeling that movement has now that in Britain, as elsewhere in West Europe and in the United States, it is a force to be reckoned with.
THE deadline for short news articles for this page is 10.30am Monday. Articles up to 200 words can be through Sundays on 01-359 8189.
Axing
women's health "THE CUTS - a war on Women' ine due of Fightback's latest action sheet.
It details how the cuts artect tne one mmon wouie! who work in the NHS, the shrinkins health : services avalladie to women, and this result of having to care for the sick at home. wenty of the action sheet cost £l (plus 26p p&p) or 5p each (раск, 30 p&p). Fightback Camden Rd, London NW1.
Tel. 01-485 8610.
NUT leaders
abandon Avon
campaign
Boss in not THE executive of the National Union of Teachers hes win aidecided to end its support for the action being taken
of the Tory-controlled county council. News of this about-face came last Thursday evening, after two Thousame enciers had marched in Bristol LIC day and then attended a rally where NUT president Fred Jarvis was among the speakers There was puzziemen
leadership brings dismissals
TWO research officers at the Engineering Union's head-
dismissed because they prepared material for Bob Wright, the AUEW assistant genera
Wright will be standing as the Broad Left candidate in the
and the two researchers Alan Hughes and Trevor Esward, drafted documents critical of
Although they did this in their own time, they were instantly
reinstatement Wright and Derek Robinson: Petition forms are available from:
Edinburgh nurses march to
"THIRTY per cent — nothing less. Fight the cuts in the
demonstration in edinburgs last friary in support of
from the union leaders on the
United
Sheridan and other Socialisi Challenge health workers for united strike action by health workers on 14 May receivec the full support of the rally On Saturday, 40 health workers mene a on the crisis in the NHS organised by the local cooler Worker group, which had been involved in building the demonstration.
Management demands,
Tory style
By Steve McGiffin HOPKINSONS Engineering in Leeds, workers have been on strike for the past five weeks, attempting to apply Tory policies on the unions with a ven саной
Management of the firm is demanding the break-up of the joint trade union committee a drastic reduction in the number of shop stewards; withdrawa of facilities from the full-time convenor; compulsory overtime: abolition of the negotiated grading scheme, and a good deal more besides
These are which immediately resulted in the all-out strike.
A proposal by
accept reduced retirement benefit, ban. Management relala co
products and services ITUC Fond. 2 The Huddersfield. Tel. Huddersfield 21154 (day). DULLOW don't sit back!
By Penny Duggan
and relax despite this tremendous victory.
The
Health has suddenly noticed
the posters by the Pregnancy
Advisorv Service in Londor
underground stations adver
tising 'Abortion Help'. PAS
nas been told to remove lik
posters, although they
WILl the government agsinst the cuts by its members in Avon, where teachers at several schools have been on strike against the policies
• Ove remarks. 'I hope
teachers will take action on
class sizes next term,' Jarvis
•announced. 'and that we will
build on the hemate by
taking it to the people
The teachers thought they
had been doing just that, and
it was only after the rally that
they learned their executive
was withdrawing its support.
teachers
representatives evente
condemned the executive
The backeloui the
NUT leadership follows
with Avon county
council at which He one
refused to even discuss their
announcement of a standstill
the education budget,
which means a cut of 20 per
PICKET
YOUR LOCAL
DISBAND THE SPG POLICE STATION
I WED APRIL 23rd
where 1,600
which is part of a multi-national management to cut its contribution to the so that workers would either have to pay more or was met with an overtime The workers are calling for a boycott of all Hopkinsons
Support to: M J Jessop, Hopkinsons Church Avenue, Linthwaite,
Corrie admits defeat, but
JOHN Corrie has finally admitted defeat and withdrawn his anti-abortion Bill. Unfortunately the abortion movement cannot afford to sit back
for
When the advisory service protested, informed that if the posters were not taken State would have to consider PAS still had Department's confidence This was a veiled threat that PAS's licence might not be renewed David Alton, Liberal MP for Edge Hill, Liverpool , has already impose a 24-week time limi Bill
on abortions. This Bill, which has its first reading April, is under the 10-minute rule, so it has little chance of success. there is possibility of the government Bill 1967 Abortion by reducing the time-limit to 24 weeks ameD extending the conscience Cause which allows medical staff to refuse to perform abortions for reasons COUSC CHE
Campaign Confereace in Loeds on 17-15 hold
May. agenda include: What do we do now after the defeat of the Corrie
Women's Autonomy facilities; Schools campaign; with labour movement.
Details from NAC, 374 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. Tel. 01-278 0153. The next NAC national planning meeting is on 26 April in London.
ANNIVERSARY OF SOUTHALL
DEMONSTRATION
SUN APRIL 27h
Assemble Ipm Speakers Corner Marble Arch March via Scotland Yard to Rally in Tafeler Square
REMEMBER BLAIR PEACH
Page 7 scan of this page
IN THE make or in Trade union conference planned by Labour Co-ordinating Committee
Jehovah's Witnesses of the socialist revolution? Tribune VERSUS TROTSKYISM
LABOUR PARTY
By Hugh Richards, Battersea South CLP
'Debate of the Decade', the Labour Coordinating Committee met in Birmingham two weeks ago to discuss its future activities.
The meeting was small, with 50 members of the LCC attending, but. Iwo pesitive
were LUL hold conferences over the next year
one on cuts, to be held in Jule alu a collec 101 trade industrialisation' and the Employment Bill, scheduled for September,
A discussion was held on what . economic strategy the
for within and outside the Labour Party.
By Phil Hearse IN THE 1960s, Tribune used to specialise in gossip snide quips about through its columnist Flavius'. Today this newspaper of the Labour left is attempt a more serious analysis of Trotskyism, entrusting this task to Walter Kendall, a well-known Labour historian and supporter of the Institute for Control.
Kendall argues that Trotskyists are quasi-religious groups which have a vacuous theory and no political influence. Strange, then, that Tribune devoted NUEl Trotskyism in preparation "Debate of the Decade', at which the
irrelevant, vacuous, Trotskyists.
Duralice. too. that Kendall and Labour left should initiating critique when the Trotskyist organisations are occomme stronger.
"the Trotskyists Kendall "believe Revolution' in much the same way as th early Christians belleved in tne imminen e*phe Second Coming of Christ "The Apocalypse"
"The expectation is as fulfilled in the one case as it is in the other. •We are dealing here Witnesses of the Revolution.'
Kendall's opposition to arguments for revolution is two-iod. He belleves thal
Russia, undesirable. What does this amount to?
Revolution
Kendall rightly points out that Marx, in his well-known Preface to the Critique
Economy, possibility of socialist revolution on the crisis-ridden nature capitalism; inability to solve humanity's problems by developing the means of production.
'At certain stage development,' Marx wrote,
loces in sucicly conflict with tine existing production. ... From forms of development of the productive forces these
Then begins epoch of social revolution.
Kendall is not at all happy about that. •Evervone KROWS I from experience' that capitalism twentieth century has dave occu producuve loices. observes. Capitalism delivers the goods. What basis, then, for revolution?
Kendall's sleight of hand. Marx's Preface is notoriously abbreviated
_answered is not whether capitalism can periodically develop production, whether the productive relations regularly collide with ine. development of the productive forces.?
Socialist Challenge 3 April 1980
Thee was a remedical
the need radical
unemployment being pursued by the Thatcher adminiDan coats differed on exactly what that alternative should be.
AUCC wise tie one Labour defended the Alternative Economic StratShe cry. planning agreements employers, employees, and the government -were democratic Import argued for as part of the AES stories and Trotskyism
'Francis
forced to
Workers
the
page
for the
debate the know-nothing
the
• varietes.'
"The
and
akev to be
with the Jehovah's Socialist
Is capitansm a economic crisis?
the
unemployed in the
hardened apologist inel capitalism is not a system of crisis 'the material
impoveristed re atons
relations from all viously not. depends
their spontaneous
the working -class
fantastically construction oi a
and direction.
But what has •asca on a Twentieth century,
develoßed capitalist account of
rocular occurrence . The question to be pre-revolutionary crises
but
totally, inexplicable. and "utopia"
Page 7
package, were hotly contested.
Audrey wise pointea out that the Alternative EconomIc Strategy fully worker our tormua ' and The fact that it was a bit 'fuzzy" round the edges would aid a dialogue.
Precision
The LCC did not want to follow those people in Labour Party who repetitInvely requested the 'nationalisation of the 250 system of periodic And do revolutionary and pre-revolutionary situations regularly develop out or tne penoaic interrupnons of 'normal' capitalist development?
In 1980, with the West entering an even deeper economic recession anewmon
advanced capitalist countries, it is difficult for even the most
that
On a global scale, for the millions of
June world, obviously fails to deliver the goods.
Does revolution automatically develop
CUISIS : U0- SUCCES. successful revoluon the of number of factors, not least whether the
mass struggles interact 'with the revulutional. Darly which can give their struggle leadership
happened in the 1n. even the most countries, • of revolutionary and - mass upsurges semi-insurrectionary Portugal in 1974-5 was the last example
enese developments are Against. the 'myth' of revolution. hẹ
Precision would be needed on such issues for the debate on the Labour Party manifesto, SOLIC members pointed out.
Audrey Wise seemed to be even Labour which tried to planning do calcul would deal with the inevitable dis. ruption by capitalists Blurring the distinction octween a state controlica Dy and one that capitalists were still in control counterposes an even bigger
reformed and gradually transformed into its opposite.
Russia
Kendall regards the Trotskyist analysis o kissa as •anne evidence bankruptcy of revolution. He ridicules the idea that the
•...Trotskyists regard the Russian revolution as a great success. God save us from their version of failure!'
He vigorously defends his own view Inal Kussia became a new torm or class oppression; bureaucratic collectivism
Through the creation of a nationalised economy, Trotskyists regard the Russian revolution as having achieved the basis for
and social advance colonic irrespective of the subsequent social and political regression
The great bourgeois revolutions
political reaction the Restoration Britain and the Bonaparte dictatorship in France. Yet historical they renresenter an immense advance in setting the seal on decisive economic progress.
Audrey Wise and more Even if, as Kendall would have it, the
Russian revolution was totally lost world-historic impact was no 'failure'.
inspiring them to struggle for a future fre from tyranny, has reverberated down the century.
of the Trotsky,
Was more followers', but there markedly original' in his ideas.
Apparently, the theory of
struggle world, was laken over wolesale irom Parvus, and Trotsky's,
Thus he contributed nothing amounts to no more than philistine abusi For Kendall, Trotsky as the theorist o1
History the Trotsky the power and the theorist of the united front; rotsky the analyst of the degeneration c ssian Revolution, the startine point
of, she said: 'We've got to use the state against the multinationals and for that we need
a surol stale. DUL A SION
state will be used against
ordinary workers.'
The AES strategy, for all its phraseology, Cose luay orse• on me mer ore seic planning with employers and employees, rather than stralcyy of worker power themselves forming their and Implemenuing workers con-
rol.
the Stalinists, perspective
*religious have for
dreamland,
FOr US,
•easey mon
International
continued
marginal thinker,
Future?
that the World
revolution
revolution Trotskyist semi-religious,
within the system?
Hes his
strates
fought
1969.
to 1974-5, West
according to Tribune's critic That none intelligent than
was 'nothing is not because existed Trotskyists Which earns socialist
socialist and the third cracy's role
organisation were just a re-hash of Leni
This view parties
the author
Revolution; analyst of Hitler's rise to If the
can't see it, they hose theorie those
No decisions were taken concen strate. howevel This discussion was deferred until the LCC's annual general meeting in November.
Laur Pine cause in
within the labour movement,' as Nigel Stanley, the secretary
document to the conference The decision to organise conterence open, hopefully, to everyone in the labour movement - is a ™ refreshing step forward.
It means that the Labour Co-ordinating Committee
role in mobilising working people in active opposition to poncie i of the Thatche government Other groupings, such as the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions and the Defend Our Unions cam paign. should be encouraged to become involved. collectivism that Kendall adheres to; Trotsky who. against all the calumnies o
almost alone defended the of socialist revolution and socialist democracy - none of this gets a mention from Kendall.
And it's here we come to the alleged
veneration' that Trotskyists Trotsky. In the real world, as to Kendall's social democratic virtually Trotskyists that Trotsky's work from many errors and limitations; that his thought was underdeveloped or wrong on
Marxism is a science to be developea and appuca, witn new Inaings new experiences constantly up-dating ou theories. But Trotsky's unique role derive:
the fact that at the time when the old leadership of the Communist
was being ucany nowdalca, trolsky working alont
develop the theories of revolutionary Marxism
If Trotsky was such an irrelevant and
, it is difficult to explain the continued role of this thought as a key
makes no attempt to do so.
A Socialist
Wat nall orld Redonution has splito
Revolution arrive has an element of truth. We have seen events such as the Chinese and Cuban
very country of the world, but social
triumphed in the advanced capitalist countries
Is it realistic to stick to the belief tha
place? Isn't the view so unrealistic owing more to faith than reason? Shouldn't we opt for the more down-to-earth task of fighting for reform
Walter demon total historica perspective. He is oblivious to the fact that even in the advanced capitalist countries the working masses in their millions hav
against Belgian ere tot of male it Port use revolutil 'in Italy in the Portuguese the working masses in post-was Europe fought against exploitation of capitalism
of these movements ha
• struggles have only religious minds
It is the result of the social democratic
bure either divertin repressing the elemental struggles of th class. Inis is an nistorical prodiem to di solved by the building of revolutionar
The problem is not insoluble. Neithe the bureaucracy nor the capitalist system i endless. Just as every other social syste nas enaca, so will capitalsu
perspective
Page 8 scan of this page
INTERNATIONAL
when opposition journalists feared to speak.
the attention of the world.
In your opinion, what is the cause of the violence in El Salvador?
The cause of all our problems is the oligarchy -that small nucleus of families who do not concern themselves with the plight of the people, except as
source of cheap and plentiful industrial companies, both national and multinational, owe their Salvador. This explains the vehement opposition to any type of reform or union organisation which seeks to improve the conditions of the people.
Thus the concentration of wealth and property brings with it a concentration of political, social and economic power, without which it would be impossible to maintain those privileges.
and its long-term underdevelopment...
The armed forces are protecting the interests of the oligarchy, the economic and political order, under the pretext of defending the interests of national security... armed forces is distorted: instead of serving the true and authentic national interests, it guards the interests of the oligarchy.
What is your opinion of the Bloque Popular Revolucionario, The February', Union and the other oppositional organisations.
It is preciscly hardest against these organisations that I have defended and continue to defend them.... In my third pastoral letter I defended organisation, and, in the name of the Gospel, I committed myself, to support all that is just in their demands and to denounce any attempt to destroy them.
Given the present situation within the country, I believe than ever organisations. I believe that the people must organise themselves; they forces of progress, the forces who will build a genuinely free and just society Organisation is necessary effectively....
But I have also been frank with the popular organisations. That is a service which the Church offers: to indicate possible errors and iniustices.
What path is left open when people are being assassinated for using peaceful means to achieve social justice?
Christians have no fear of combat, they know how to fight, but they
of peace. dictatorship threatens human common good of the nation, when it becomes intolerable and closes all channels of dialogue, understanding and rationality then the Church speaks of the legitimate right to insurrectional violence...
To determine the moment of insurrection, to indicate the moment when all the channels dialogue are closed, Church. To the oligarchy I shout a warning: open your hands, give up the reins of power, because the moment will arrive in which your hands will be severed....
Christmas Eve and New Year were tragic in El Salvador: hundreds of people were assassinated by the repressive forces. The press and radio, with
Socialist Challerge 3 April 1980
'THE LEGITIMATE RIGHT
TOINSURRECTION'
Interview with Archbishop Romero
LAST week Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot by an outraged right-winger in San Salvador. Two days before the killing, the Archbishop had made a speech from his pulpit calling on the army to refuse to fire if ordered to gun down civilians. For several years Romero has used the pulpit in San Salvador to plead for justice, democratic rights and equality for the poverty-stricken people of the country. He had denounced the despotic oligarchy and its army which rules the country, advertising its violence from his church Romero won the respect of huge numbers of people in El Salvador. His murder has incited anger across the country. Peasants and agricultural workers flooded to the capital city to pay their last respects. Shortly before the murder Romero was interviewed by Prensa Latina. The excerpts we publish here shed light on the situation in El Salvador and on the outlook of the man whose death has forced El Salvador's bloody dictatorship upon
labour.
competitiveness in the wages in E economic, political and social
The noble function of the
reality
truth...
Popular Leagues "28 FAPU, The Democratic Nationalist
when the repression has been Icaacl...
society.
1n the popular Salvadorean the
in order to fight change war,
preter to speak the Nevertheless, when rights and the
—wnel unis occuts,
OI this is not the task of the Page 8
some exceptions, lied about the events. What in your opinion should be the role of the press?
The corruption of the press is part of our sad
and reveals its complicity the press must act as a channel of information; its mission is to disseminate
Lamentably, as you have pointed out, exactly the opposite occurs here: news is manipulated, facts which expose the oligarchy are suppressed, victims are presented as criminals, are falsified and doctored in order to deceive the
I have denounced this many times... I have stressed that the press must be an instrument at the service of the people for the transformation of
What a great power is lost and is put at • the service of oppression and repression!
Do you seen any future for the present government?
Before giving my opinion, I prefer to hear the language of results... the government speaks of
only because the people longer; the people are frustratea, and no longer believe in promises or in hopes... the changes, consequently, would have to be Socclaculai..
Travelling throughout the country, impression that El Salvador is in a state of civil
progressively unrestrained. What is your opinion?
The situation alarms me. But the struggle of the oligarchy to defend the indefensible has no future
less so if you fighting spirit of our people. Furthermore, should the army triumph temporarily, the voice of justice will return, will be heard, will win.
And in this war, will you, as a pastor, continue at the side of the people?
That is what I propose to do and I ask God to help me to be sufficiently strong, weaknesses of the flesh... in difficult moments we all suffer fear, the instinct for self-preservation is very strong, and for that I ask for help....
Help not only for me, but for all those who are carrying out this pastoral work, that we might remain at our posts because we have much to do; even if it only be to collect the corpses
administer absolution to the dead... the flame of
social justice: must always remain alight in the hearts of the salvadorean people.
with
of El Salvador Nicaragua. photographs
military regime wait disillusioned
Salvador.
I get the paper widespread and
action
take into account the
even foreign
who told me: about this.
total. No because I fear the
believes demagogic repression have tremendously,
was another
revolutionary
THE assassination last week of Archbishop Oscar Romero has highlighted the massive wave of struggle launched by the workers and peasants of El Salvador in Central America, and the murderous repression with which it has been met.
El Salvador is run by an 'oligarchy' of 14 families, while the mass of the people live in poverty. The regime remains in power by the use of savage repression - it is responsible for more than 4,000 deaths in the past 15 months alone. The oligarchy is backed and financed by the United States. Millions of dollars worth of military aid has been flowing in over the past few months. The US is anxious to prevent the powder keg
Romero's assassination follows the murder of more than sixty people during the general strike on 17 March. On 15 October last year a military junta overthrew the previous
of General Romero (no relation Archbishop), and incorporated the Christian Democrats as a
seen-Eyewitness
INSIDE the factory the walls and floors were covered with blood. In one of the rooms five dead workers were lying on the floor. The right-wing terror squads had struck against the general strike movement in El
LORS PALMGREN, reporter for Internationalen, of the Swedish International, was one of the few journalists still in El Salvador on Monday 17 March, a day of general strike
against the Junta.
Majano's regime now tries to suppress. He wrote this report the day after the events he describes: I WAS probably one of the last
journalists left in El more Salvador. They have mostly been expelled. One of the last things! heard was from some workers
"You must write You must let the
world know about it.'
The general strike was almost called one El Salvador in this government's promises. The and bloody terror been stepped TUD yet the masses
continue to resist heroically. the
The general strike yesterday this showed - that opposition
EL SALVAD
'THE PEACI
100,00
CORPSI
taking the same revolutionary path as
to the
'The most shocking thing
section of the Fourth
He saw what Colonel
growing and getting more and support. Today the question has become more clear, shall El Salvador become a new Chile or another Nicaragua?
Strike The general strike had been National Revolutionary Coordination.
The demands of the strike were:
For an end to the repression and the state of emergency that had been in force since 6 March; Against US intervention in internal affairs As they say 1n EI Salvador: "The strike was protest against US preparation for military intervention';
"civilian component' of 1
This move, which limited reforms, was si hope of heading off the reforms are too little al
attempt to defend t
murderous repression.
Military circles, rem
attempted to stay in po!
working population, ar
would involve 'the peac
The intentions of the
the demonstrators at (
dozens of deaths. Here
the situation by Swedi interview with Archbist his assassination.
Against Ine Christ Democratic Party (which is 1
LI f government) responsibility for the repress which is growing all the time
I travelled around the fact zones and the popular areas day. The strike was almost to There were only a few which remained open. In factory areas the workers put up banners everywh These areas were also satur with units of the military wi continually carried out cont and searchs of the people.
Guns
Myself and two journalists were the only nesses to one of the big repressive actions that took p that day.
It was in the 'free outside San Salvador. Wher got there, we were met by Red Cross personnel who been stopped from entering area by the military - despit fact that everybody knew t were wounded people down street at the factory
stood ther military convoy arrived fron factory. : There were two s
Page 9 scan of this page
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Page 10 scan of this page
WHEN BOOKS ON IRELAND ARE
IRELAND
By Tom Marlowe THE TUC General Council disaffiliated Tameside from its list of recognised trades councils at a meeting on Tuesday of last week.
This follows TUC anger at the trades council's plans to hold a conference on Ireland at which speakers were to include representatives of the Relatives Action Campaign — who campaign on behalf of Irish political prisoners Against Imperialism, Republican Socialist Party.
"The conference was not in line with the policies LIC TUC'
Congress House told Socialist Challenge. went on to say that any other trades council that held such also face expulsion.
Tameside, following a lead given first by the National Front and then by the Communist Party.
It was the NF which first drew attention to Tameside's plans to hold the conference. The
By Geoff Bell THE last few months have seen the production of a plethora of books on Ireland.
This reflects something that is happening in British generally; that Ireland will not go away so perhaps it is time to start taking seriously the 'Damnable Question', as one of the books is called.
good few of the books are aimed at the British left. That, too, is indicative; there is no doubt Ireland has become more of an 'issue' on the British left than it has been for a long, long time. So it should be.
Best at explaining why are Michael Farrell in the second Northern Ireland: the Orange State, Eamonn McCann. in a revised edition of War and an Irish Town, George Dangerfield in the paperback edition of The Damnable Question.
Each in their own and rather different ways relate evidence for the colonial imperialist bestiality of the Brits, and how there will be neither a solution nor a long-term peace outside of a British withdrawal.
Derry
McCann tells his story in his usual, jocular and racy style. It is in part a personal tale; relating his experience
growing up and organising in Derry, but mixing this with political analysis and some sharp polemic.
Michael Farrell has a different approach. His book is, as it was four years ago when it was first published, the most factual, best researched and most Marxist history of the North of Ireland state to have been published.
If that sounds a bit dull, only the most apolitical philistine would pass
George Dangerfield's 'study in Anglo-Irish relations' again. His book is nearly 400 pages long and concentrates on the years which led to the birth of the North of Ireland state, 1906-19. Republican
That could specialised to sustain interest, but this
crucial establishing the progress of Ireland's British problem in the years that have followed, and Dangerfield tells his history in a powerful, engrossing way
that the book is almost like a thriller.
As with all good thrillers, it's very hard to put down.
Question - besides being a very good read — is, at f2.95, excellent value.
Two other, smaller publications fall into this general pro-Republican, pro-socialist from English Jails is produced by the Prisoners Aid Committee and is made : up of writings, mostly in the form of, letters, of Irish Republican prisoners Socialist Challenge: 3 April 1980 Page 10.
Women
and the Irish
spokesperson He 'come conferences on Ireland would
the the TUC society
edition of
and
and give
and
politically
different
somewhat
World War.
The Damnable makes sad
prisoners.
irish Voices
advanced,
Trades Council
fascists threatened to hold a demonstration. alleging that the IRSP speaker was associated with 'the murderers of Airey Neave'.
The IRSP has consistently denied that it is the political wing of the Irish Liberation Army, which assassinated Neave, but this slander was taken up and repeated in the Morning Star.
On 4 March, the Morning Star lied when it alleged that the idea for the conference had from the ultra-left Irish Socialist Party'. Two days later, in its report of trades council meeting, newspaper alleged that the IRSP was the political wing of the Irish National Liberation Army'.
Morning Frank
WAR
ANDAN IRISH TOWN
Eamonn McCann
NEW UPDATED EDIT
IRELAND
who have been incarcerated in British prisons in the period since the Second
While at times the compilation
reading, the book is ultimately a testimony to the courage, numanity and steadfastness of the
R O Connor Lysaght's pamphlet Limerick Soviet tells of courage of a different kind — the 1919 general strike in the Southern, Irish town of Limerick against British militarism.
communistic
How the NF, the CP and the TUC
combined to witchhunt Tameside
Council.
Cooper National
the chairperson CP member.
Republican was
the Dallic 'said to association,
example, Cooper,
NOT ENOUGH
nature of this chapter from Irish history is something of which few socialists in Britain are aware. no omel reason, that is why pamphlet is worth reading.
All these publications tell struggle, from second hand, and at times first hand experience. generally not the case with Ireland Divided Nation, Liviaea Class, collection of essays edited by Austen Morgan and Bob Purdie.
The book is described in its back
Communsit Party member of Tameside Trades
was backed in his attempts by Frances Dean, who is the secretary of Manchester Trades Council, together with
the North-west Association of Trades Councils, and another
through Dean that allegations were made against Tameside. She complained to the TUC that the trades council adiation, plainiselle in they
excuse was another reason stated by the TUC for the expulsion.
In fact, this was just one more slander. For
the recent treasurer of the county association was a delegate from Tameside.
The Damnable
Question
GEORGE DANGER FIELD
CAOIRHERDATON
cover as 'a critical balance sheet of the Irish left's positions', If for which brings to mind one made by the McCann in his book: 'The Irish left has not figured of prominently in recent events. It has spent much time and energy This is mention densely typed documents", in some of which even footnotes agonising over the Provos: whether and how far particular Provo actions could be supported; which bombings, if any should be welcomed and which
the publicity for the conference. One sentence in phrase 'bring the war to Britain'. Hallsworth, 'was
suggest we were Britain. 'In fact we witchhunt
Branch and County
Ireland.
further witter
Britain asking discuss Ireland. denounced. natune Lenin But
justifying, the Irish Marx,
Irish "theory, come Theory both the
guide to action,
On
criteria, forward'
attempting.
academic.
a statement
Irish
Limerick Soviet, - not to
"discussion
Ireland: Divided have footnotes Class
All
N1.
A further part of what: Tameside secretary Dave Hallsworth told Socialist Challenge was "a campaign of malicious lies and slanders used first by the NF and then by the CP' concerned
this publicity had the This, says taken completely out , of context by the Morning Star and twisted to
advocating bombings
referring the propaganda war and to how the Irish war has already been brought to Britain by the Special
SPG using methods first developed by the British Army in the North of
Despite the disaffiliation, Tameside plans to carry on with organising its conference. It
trades councils throughout for support for its right to
Already several trades councils, including Tower Hamlets in London, have given their support. The IRSP is taking the slanders in the Morning Star to the Press Council.
This disgraceful conspiracy stop free speech on Ireland should be forcefully resisted.
'As if it were the function of the lett to act uninvited as advisors or tactics to a guerilla organisation.
Nation, Divided Class. Certainly for those not acquainted with the debates on the Irish and British left, this book is a useful introduction Most of the familiar topics are touched on — whether Ireland is one nation or two, or one and a half; the of the Protestant working class; whether Leninism is compatible with Irish Republicanism.
at times some OI InI contributions have a hint of a self'Why I am not involved in Reterences to Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Althusser are made to explain why the question is 'problematic? and full of 'theoretical confrontations'. Which may all be very true, but as Lenin himself said, those who expect to see a pure revolution will never see The simple truth is that for the past ten years a real, actual, street-bystreet confrontation has been going on in the North of Ireland. It is a bit frustrating to read polemics dressed up, and at times unconvincingly, as which in the final analysis argue abstention from that struggle. If this criticism sounds like anti-intellectualism it is not. meant to. It is perhaps no coincidence that the two most informative, original and best researched essays in the collection from Michael Farrell and Margaret Ward; both of whom are involved on a day-to-day basis with what is happening in the North. Academic • IS necessary to inform Irish struggle and the attempts to build solidarity with it in this country. But at best theory is a , or the provider of arguments for that action occasion, Divided Nation, Divided Class falls short of that proposes 'way which is so far removed from reality that is not worth even
Thus it becomes, so to speak,
Northern Ireland: The Orang • State, by Michael Farrell. Pluto, £5.95 War and an Irish Town, by Eamonn McCann. Pluto, £1.95 The Dammable Question, by George Dangerfield. Quartet, £2.95 Voices from English Jail (Prisoners Aid Committee). £1.95 by DR O'Connor Lysaght. Plough Books, 40p Nation, Divided by Austen Morgan and Bol Purdie. Ink Links, £3.73 available from: The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St, London
Page 11 scan of this page
END THE URANIUM CONTRACT
INTERNATIONAL
By John Parkinson, secretary, Preston Trades Council PRESTON Trades Council is stepping up its efforts to stop the illegal shipment of uranium from Namibia.
The British Nuclear Springfields near Preston is the destination of large amounts of uranium from the Rio Tinto Zinc mine in Rossing, Namibia.
Formerly called "South Namibia is formally under the jurisdiction of the United Nations, but it has been illegally occupied by South Africa for many years.
Since 1966 the UN has passed resolutions
second mission
in Namibia
COLIN WINTER is the bishop of Namibia in
which occupy it because he supported a strike.
Extracts are published here.
BRITAIN LaVe away country, Namibia, into hands of South Africa. LloydGeorge did it. We stripped blacks in that country of the right vote. "heretore we have a responsibility for what happens in Namibia
Two-thirds of the product of
robbed. Diamonds, copper and uranium are brought
this country by AngloWorkers are paid little as £12 and f14 a month. Press
These are issues which workers in Britain can relate to. When I told the miners in Kent that some of the
Namibia were being WOLLIS paid 75p a week,
were earning as little as to can i per month in an American which makes a profit of ilm a year, they took an immediate collection and raised £250
cynicism of the British
press is destructive - it's got to go
We had a press reporter on our mission. Our schools and hospitals have been missionaries have been deported by the South Aimcan forces
This man came and spent 45 seconds on our mission. He asked
then climbed two qucsuons. into a South African helicopter and was flown out again.
His report in the British press was accuser
being wanton the acco ills SWAPO who -dering, raping and committing acts
of violence.
believed. I had to
threaten the particular newspaper
with complaint 5. the
Councibin order to get the right or
Look for the money interest.
When you nave t/, wom investca
in South Africa, is it any wonder
that the press takes the attitude it
doese Times
and
newspapers take £15,000 worth of
firms
culprits
Fuels plant at
West Africa'
transport
The reporter's 45-
expelled from that country by the South African forces
His speech at a rally held by the Campaign for Press Freedom last month received enthusiastic applause.-
advertising from South Africa. On the one occasion three errors occurred
in an advert. I wrote to The and they refused to letter. The press is in collusion with
South Africa itself, Muldergate situation, showed that the power to control and to distort is infinite. wnen funds that t South Africa has from gold, ther cạn newspapers and you can bribe editors and other people in various countries, and this has happened.
So the oppressed have got not only the prejudice of British people
also of South Africa.
Worst of all, what happened about the thousand who were slaughtered - the equivalent would be 55,000 English children bombs, by napalm and then finally Davoles. alal leave inch references in three newspapers. Benn Let's have an alternative press, with a close solidarity which unites journalists with workers, students, intellectuals, and oppressed themselves.
The Labour Party has only just started an appeal for the Patriotic Front. God help us, how long will it my take us to get into the 20th century? killers, I want to know
government signed a contract with Rio Tinto Zinc, robbing Namibia of its uranium.
Bishop turned towards Tony Benn,
platform.)
Press The oppressed challenge us to
make make them now. Let the oppressed speak for themselves dialogue SWAPO those forces who are fighting the likes of Mrs Thatcher in other parts of the world.
Struggle
In Namibia, when I took part in a workers' strike and out. I brought over a black ludge from New York. I wanted to put the magistrate and South African so-called justice on trial. when the Juage came our or tre trial the last day Namibian worker walked up him. •Ine man was in rags. handed the said: I don't want it. I'm a rich man.
Tor Nanting sai
It's for TrOM New struggle?' The Namibian said: It's for the struggle of the black people other in Amence
In short, it's one struggle.
calling on member states to boycott trade with Namibia. Tois is also he position of SWAPO, exploiting natural South West Africa Peoples Organisation.
The British government is one of the main
breaking the quantities of uranium, which could easily be obtained from Canada, are purchased by British Nuclear Fuels from RTZ at Rossing.
It is transported by South African Airways from Namibia to Paris, and is then brought to Britain by lorries belonging to the Morcambe
firm, Edmundsen's. shipment is by British Nuclear Fuels' own transport.
The campaign against the use of uranium
Exile, Times publish
the
arve
control
Namibians
at Kastingu
down by
By John Hunt the
why the Labour
(At this point the
Shuring. point in a brave and bitter
struggle for politics waged by militants - Paula
Let's have David Hemson, Martin Legas-
WILl sick and Robert Petersen and others within the African Congress Unions, which is affiliated to the ANC. they have made the most im-
was flung portant contribution
development of a strategy for socialist revolution in Africa to have come from any quarter in many years Their black Workers' Movement, the ANC to and SACTU
The ideas, and how they fought for
them in the whelming a said: Take it. people who are widely regarded
The judge as leaders of the fight against
'Wha apartheid.
African workers and youth in 1976 causèd a ferment of ideas
resources
campaign
boycott. Large of Trades Councils. just as
Last Further movement representative 'FACTIONALISM' and circulating a document 'attacking the movement' were the reasons given by the UK regional committee of the South African underground liberation organisation, the African National Congress, when four ANC members in exile in Britain were suspended earlier this year.
This incident was a turning
itional revolutionary the four Ensor, ist Congress,
the attacks South of Trades
In the course of that battle upsurge,
to the of their politics.
South around the
cessful at doing this pamphlet The From lutionary explains their
• lace ol overopposition from
Unity.
The uprising of the South
from the Rossing mine was launched in 1978 at an Anti-Apartheid conference in Manchester called by the North-west TUC. Since then the
developed Trades Council and the Lancashire Association
The campaign has been strengthened by the revelations in a recent World in Action TV programme, including its exposure of the role of Tony Benn in confirming the RTZ contract.
week Preston Trades organised a meeting attended by many labour
organisations together Which the SWAPO, following proposals were adopted:
African National Congress
suspends oppositionists
ANC
Communist
leadership and discussion within the trad-
organisations of the South African masses, such as Unity the ANC and the Pan African-
which had been gle in driven into hiding and exile by 'national
of the Verwoed government in the early '60s. question
It was apparent that these organisations had not been able to play a role in leading the phlet write:
and examining the implications of the new wave of struggle meant a reassessment capitalist
The current authors pamphlet were the most suc- through
capitalism 1977, their revopolitics were put forward in Workers' Unity, the official paper of SACTU, with behind them. Robert Petersen as editor. But the leaders of the ANC soon showed themselves to be utterly opposed to the line of Workers'
•In April last year, Petersen was bureaucratically removed as editor. 'A campaign of haras- " is possible to attain 'national'
one cal against the Rossing contract;
Preston
*to organise
Council Party.
with labour movement has contract is terminated. sed sment was then launched by the
UI leaders against the militants involved. culminating ers in the suspension of the four.
The lead in this campaign was taken by the South African
Party, which within the ANC Why?
First, the ideas which the comrades argued in Workers'
were opposed to SACP's notion that the strug-
South Africa is a democratic lution' and therefore that the
of fighting for socialism is not raised.
The authors of the pam-
'We have argued that apartheid in South Africa is rooted in the system of
exploitation. National liberation for the black majority can only be secured
the overthrow through the seizure of state power by the organised working class, drawing all layers of the oppressed
'Only on this basis, on the basis of a democratic workers' state, can our country be freed from poverty, homelessness, unemployment and tyranny.
point out that the gain 'ANC leadership's belief that it
Sócialist Challeng
* to expand the campaign by aiming to
in Preston
* to organise mass leafletting of workers at British Nuclear Fuels and other trade unionists explaining the conditions of Namibian workers and the significance of the Rossing contract;
campaign to boycott Edmundsen's, the firm which transports the * to take the campaign into the Labour
The Rossing contract is a major economic boost to South Africa's grip on Namibia. The
ensure that the
liberation without breaking with capitalism has led it into a dangerous attempt to forge links with the pro-capitalist, collaborationist Bantustan leader, Gatsha Buthelezi.
The pamphlet also argues against the idea, promoted by the ANC leaders, , that guerilla warfare is in itself a strategy for the South African revolution.
'We have stood for the need to arm the mass movement of the oppressed led by the organi-
workers, against apartheid regime of the employers. Every black worker
that the struggle South Africa cannot achieve victory without arms.
'But the working class must be organised and mobilised in their hundreds of thousands, under a clear revolutionary programme and leadership, before the task of armed insurrection placed on the order of the day.'
Unions
The authors outline practical strategy towards these objectives revolutionary workers inside South Africa. They explain the need to build a fight against the South African government's plan to contain the workers' upsurge by imp osing new state controls
and by dividing migrant from urban-based workers.
They point out the tremendously positive impact of the growth semi-legal independent black unions and the need to build these, while at the same time constructing underground networks of worker activists.
A correct emphasis is placed
the need for definite demands around which work-
can organise, demands which can 'build bridges from the economic to the political, from the desire for reforms to a realisation for the necessity for revolution Party
There is one question which
the pamphlet does not take up
- whether the ANC, which as
Petersen says is 'a broad
combination of oppressed
people with different clas:
interests', the SACP and
SACTU • can be transformer
into an adequate instrument
for implementing the strategy
outlined by the authors.
The fact is that they can't.
The working class has to
construct revolutionary
proletarian party.
This is not counterposed to
fighting for a united front of all
the organisations of the masses
including the ANC, against the
apartheid state. But
workers require their own party to asocialis leed to identify
Socialists need to
first of all with those fighting
for revolutionary working class
politics, and therefore with the
whịch this pamphle
represents. It should be wide
read.
Be 3. Aprit 1980: PAgE 11"
Page 12 scan of this page
HOMENEWS
alm the fifth generation of
miners in my
worked in the anthracite around
Neath and Swansea. Swansea was
more or less the headquarters of
the anthracite. It was a strong non-conformist area
where I come from.
Now the unemployment was not
so bad in the anthracite. The other
valleys of South tremendous unemployment of the miners were out of work. But in the anthracite" the picture somewhat different, in other words, it WON oasis the depression.
We had just lock-out of 1926 and from then to 1939 there was a struggle going on to restart the union in had been completely destroyed.
The scab union, the non-political union that the coal-owners permitted, was a consequence of the lock-out of 1926. In large parts of South Wales the South Wales Miners' Federation, the real miners' union, was not allowed to function. Taff Parkandare, Fern Hill, Rhondda, Emlyn Colliery down in West Wales — they banned the union and there were, largescale victimisations.
Poverty
There was war on two fronts, you see. A war against poverty and a war for reestablishing the South Wales Miners' Federation in the pits.
And it was a struggle! men staying down in the pits by the hundreds to stop the scab union and. to demand that they reestablish the South Wales Miners' Federation in the pits. Nine Mile Point, hundreds stopped down, Parkandare, Taff Merthyr, Bedwas.
No one would go underground while some of the men were staying down, except that food would be taken down them. instances the coal owners threatened to prevent food going down -starve the men into submission.
Of course eventually they won out. They destroyed the scab union and they were abe to themselves as the union representing the men in the South Wales coalpits. But they were trying days, difficult days, days struggle
the centred on the fight Means Test, the fight unemo ovment. reestablishing of the union.
The 'Means Test', meant that the income into the house was assessed and allocated to meet the number in
Where the
unemployed he was deprived entirely of his unemployment benefit. should be kept on the wages of the son - that was the Means Test. Bankers
The Means Test was introduced • ne government led by Ramsay MacDonald in 1931, the turned traitor — Ramsay MacDonald the blue eyed boy of the Labour Party. He went over to the Tories in 1931 during the so-called crisis — it was a crisis of the system, the crisis of capitalism
The bankers demanded that they cut the unemployment pay or wouldn't give any money. introduced the Means Test and cut the pay from 21s to 18s. The same thing is happening today, the same kind of policies are being adopted by this government cutting the security. during that period, and intie oather Rhondda valleys of South Wales there were largescale demonstrations against the Means Test. It wasn't difficult for demonstration by just going around have thousands the streets making the announcement with a bell calling the people out.
The unemployed and the people would come out. united demonstrations, by who went to Chapel and people who didn't go to Chapel. There was i, against the Means Test:
It was very adequately described by Lewis Jones, a famous Communist Socialist Challenge. 3 April 1980
family. I
that's
Wales suffered
most
was
of
emerged from the
places where it
Merthyr,
Ill the
You had
'30s: where and to
exasist
in every struggle was
against novels the non-drinkers from YOU
That was the '30s.
Now poverty in the different standard of life today. man that
saw Rhondda -
financial good, well-built
they Wales in the '30s.
So they People who
who could afford the rates.
Food
social
place in Aberdare, close, see
was
other They were
people difficult: and
occupation to anybody else.
Page 12
'Days of struggle
in every direction'
ASouth
Wales miner
a remembers
the '30s
THIS weekend will see many young people from South Wales marching to the Wales TUC to demand action in defence of jobs. As they march many will be shouting: 'No return to the '30s'. DAI FRANCIS, a sponsor of the youth march, is former secretary of the South Wales Union of Mineworkers. He was a young man just starting life as a miner during the dreaded
For Dai Francis the 1930s do not just mean poverty and depression, but a period of struggle on every front. The prime task was to rebuild strong union organisations, which had been smashed in the defeat of the General Strike in 1926.
Of course, it also meant a fight against the hated 'Means Test' which effectively cut unemployment pay. And it meant a struggle to keep up morale among the unemployed as they tried to become organised,
Later on Dai Francis joined the Communist Party, of which he is still a member, because of the struggle against fascism in Spain. JUDE WOODWARD talked to Dai Francis at his home in Cardiff about life in the '30s and its lessons for us today.
"They were coming,' he said, over the mountains with bibles under Ineir arms and beer in their bellies.'
That's how he described the unity.
Because Welsh people you know they go for extremes, don't they? You got
And they came together. That was the meeting point. The Means Test.
They united against the Means Test.
there was poverty, abject '30s. It's a totally
They couldn't afford to pay their rents and rates out of that money. We
- in places like Aberdare and
houses were left derelict, houses. People couldn't give them away because no one could pay the rates. That's the kind of poverty there was in South
owned houses left them vacant when they moved away.
They couldn't find anyone to buy
You'd see people by the market
waiting for it to Ramsay they could get something to take away for nothing.
Rather than take food or vegetables from the stall back with them, the stall holders would sometimes give it
commonplace Aberdare and Merthyr, even in places like Neath that weren't so badly hit.
Mining was and is still a very
hazardous industry.
With all the improvements they have brought into the mines the miner is still engaged in an entirely different
He's fighting nature every day, isn't he?
something that it's not prepared to
That's not a very pleasant job is it, in the bowels of the earth in darkness for seven hours every day?
But people weren't frightened -
familiar, you're a product environment. I was only frightened
NUWM
DONATE THE I MEIS TEST Rame Mac Donald in 1931d by
MacDonald in 1931. effectively cut unemployment pay and broke up families. once, when my lamp went out and I was in darkness. I was a bit frightened then, but I was only a boy then, 14 years old.
That was the usual age to start down the mine then, 14. At that age you'd leave school on the Friday and start work on the Monday, in the pit. And you were proud to wear moleskin trousers with the terrible stench to it.
We all wore moleskin because it was a tough garment, you had to have
tough strong clothes to work in the mining industry. tough as them that worked there.
Nowadays the young miners go on apprenticeships and down the mines until they are 20 or so. This is because the needs of the situation have changed - they've got to have the skilled electrician, and the trained miner to look machines.
Love
It's not that they love us, the Coal Board. It's not that they love these young people that they're giving them apprenticeships. It's in the interests of the industry, interests of the youngster.
In those days mining depended much more on muscle power. pick and shovel work. İt was driving
Broad forward fashioned method of the curling box - filling the coal into a box and carrying it from the face into a tram. All that has been now.
It's all mechanised now. But that has its hazards, with all the noise and
dust underground. perhaps more danger today than there was in the '30s.
In those days you worked 8 hours underground each day. Now its 7¼ Other things have You've got longer holidays, got rest days. We used to work a 6 day week, we worked Saturdays. Not even able to go out to play football. Death
The coal the '30s. By the time nationalisation came about you only had about four or five private dominant force as far as ownership was concerned
DAI FRANCIS: 'The future of Wales depends on its youth'
Duffryn.
The clothes were as
they don't go Local
after the
AS e • Rhondda
not because of the ment
so on.
It was Youth and the These
done away with
There's youth
changed too. After you've
There's not
wasn't nationalised in
owners left. The
now. the Pome force in society.
Dhoto:
PD for short is what they called it in the '30s. And they said that it stood for Poverty and Death.
And they were ruthless in every
was scramble profits. Profits came first, the same as it is today. The safety of the men was
secondary importance Many people lost their lives in the mines, and the owners tried to cover it up
I think these young people who are going on the march have got a good programme. In the "30s Lewis Jones could go out from his home in
with a bell and in a matter of half an hour he could get hundreds of people round him, and speak to them about why unemploy.
happened in the capitalist system. Through lack of planning and
young do something of the same thing by going about and having their meetings.
And unless the young people do it, well the older people won't do it for them. The future of Wales and every
take initiative. They've got to awaken the conscience of the Welsh people about what ser it to her enliste tar
when all Is said anc done, it's 40 years since the "30s... 50 years now. That's half a century ágo.
alive now; the people that led th hunger marches, that led • the fight against unemployment and to rebuild the unions after 1926.
The ones who are alive may have the enthusiasm but they are old and the body just won't do it. That's why
e need the youth. It's up to th
_They are
Page 13 scan of this page
BUILD THE PARTY TOGETHER Letter from the International Marxist Group to the Socialist Workers Party
Youth march against unemployment 'THE TORIES ARE ASKING FOR BLOODY
INVEST IN THE FUTURE
AGENDA
us to construct a joint
organisation...
organisation
tation of the far left.
the SWP leadership by the IMG.
Dear Comrades,
relation to the SWP.
By John Roberts, Cardiff
ON Wednesday 9 April, the
final leg of the South
Youth March
Unemployment will set
from Pontypridd, following
the River Taff down through
Taff Vale until it passes
Transport House,
headquarters the
TUC in Cardiff.
In the build up to the march, have distributed to young people along the route of the march. explains why young people should uncertain terms, be there:
ooo sanders are comna fo get the hot end of the poker they leave school. Redundancies in
SuCC Industry will mean less mining jobs as demand for drops; shop choloyment disappear Inere Will money to buy luxury commodities; eventually, much industry in South Wales will go...
Lots of school students that we spoke to read the tront of the shoulders. T'm shruthered", said shrugged one, I'll just stay on at school and then go to college." But the leaflet, produced by Cardiff Revolution Group, points out the hitch in this
•Less jobs means that people stay on at school into sixth university and college; this means
competition ICWCI successiul applications
And as education spending is being future isn't very bright for anyone.
Pontypridd itself, people nodded their support when we told them that the march was coming through their town. Cafe owners and record shop assistants agreed to advertise the march customers, young and old. Leaflets
sagents said that she would newsagent's said
inside all the music press! Even the YMCA warden said that she'd give some out at the Friday night dance.
course the schools as well. It's a steep climb up
school, under the railway and across the bus station. The retired miner who had offered
'The political basis exists for
THE International Marxist Group conference, held six weeks ago, decided to redouble the efforts of the
towards overcoming the fragmen-
In particular it decided to step up the fight for unity with the SWP. Below we print the letter sent to
We are writing to inform you of the decisions of our national conference and the recent meeting of our Central Committee in
First, our conference voted to withdraw the resolution sent to you in July 1978 as the basis of relations between our organisations. Our conference passed a new resolution Why Fighting for a Joint Revolutionary Organisation with the SWP(UK) is a central task
REVOLUTION
to show us the way walked slowly his laboured breathing telling of years spent in the pits.
Wales 'The. lories. pushine a too against • nave a bloody out their hands if they're not careful.'
The driver which ferries students back up into the valleys was just as enthusiastic.
Welsh the He let us on the bus to leave leaflets on the seats for after school. when school came everyone wanted to know what was been coming, going on. what wich the film County about. interested to find out that the South water NUM Executive and Port Talbot strike committee were supporting Mal Cu when more impressed when we told them that it most of the work for it.
Lots of people said that they'd coal tell their friends about it. No one WilL said anything against the march. Easter The connection between youth unemployment and the steel strike was most cleariv expressed wnen went Io leaflet Splottland.
The local school was opposite the GN factory, strikers from Llanwern were down picketing the factory. They more ted ur with standing salta an hend privet overal sailed hundred workers working after voting to return to work two weeks ago.
But they still gave a rousing response to our news about youth march. As one of them said, We're fighting for our kids' jobs as well as our own'.
Over Easter youth Wales will be showing that they're fighting too, for their jobs and for their parents' jobs the march can show schoo students, apprentices and youth on The dole that there possibilities of getting together to tignt for what they need That's the sharpest plus for supporting the YOUL through the valleys this Easter. The youth march is really going to stir things South Wales. We want to jog the TUC into doing something about redundancies. As the leafiet savs 'This is the beginning, not the end!'
See you on the march.
Challenge. discuss this question. said, 'are They're going
school bus
was
Harlan They
WOIC
DUl were
groups doing schools
where
WC C WE MADE outside a
т to IT.
WE MADE IT! In the very last the week we cracked our £2,500 target in the Fiver to Fight the Tories campaign.
South supporters you sent us a fiver,
quarterty fund total. making. over Thanks to all supporters who sent us donations, real Rowere mal Maris International branches which organised fund raising events for the paper. And thanks Socialist Alliance comrades woose
generous £400 donation took us over the top of our appea A number were not too helpful over the past few months, raising not a single
for the IMG', which has recently been published in Socialist
Second, our conference affirmed our characterisation of the SWP as a revolutionary organisation, and on the basis of this decided to propose to you that the political basis exists for us to construct a joint organisation. We believe that such a political basis for a common organisation exists; and that such an organisation could act as a powerful pole of attraction to workers breaking from reformism, as well as challenging the CP as the main organisation to the left of the Labour Party. Such an organisation could have an impact far greater than the sum of its two parts. On the basis of these conference decisions, our Central Committee decided to propose to you a joint meeting of our two leaderships to
We further make the following proposals for joint activity: * That the IMG and SWP launch a joint campaign to build a recall Defend Our Unions Conference. * That we organise a joint march to the TUC between the South Wales Youth March Committee and the Right to Work campaign. * That we discuss the possibility of fighting for the fusion of the trade union tendencies that our organisations support.
Fiver to Fight the were: Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol Corent ManChester, North DISUICI Hull, Portsmouth.
Fortunately unfortunately for the rest of us) it looks like the Tories will be around for a while yet, raise the 315 redeem their reputation!
half our is now target by the end of June. So please unce raising thạt money the other This week SE London IMG the Triona Group Burnley IMG Swindon IMG International Wyn & Gareth southampton IMC Liverpool IM( ISA cdes Birmingham IMG Total this week:
Final Total:
Revolution. centralism.
TÜC Tories. They
Colchester, Glasgow, Your Bank
Manchester York and
for them (and
so they still have Our Bank
those fivers and Meanwhile the next Fund Drive
with a f2,500
Account No we burie
£25.00 Sorting Code 3.17
5.00 Amount to be paid.
First Payment due .
20.00 40.1 75.00 Signed £563.17 £2,876.97
*That our organisations fight for the fusion of Rebel and
We are sure that many areas of joint work could be established within the framework of a fight to build a joint organisation. We are well aware of the fact that there are many differences between us of both a tactical and programmatic character; those which we regard as central are outlined in the document passed at our conference. In particular we think the SWP should be part of the Fourth International. Nonetheless we feel that these should be debated out in a common organisation based on democratic
We remain convinced that the irresponsible splitting of the revolutionary left is an obstacle to the building of a serious alternative to reformism, and thus revolutionary socialism and building a revolutionary party. We therefore urge you to seriously consider the proposals that we make, and to suggest an early date for a meeting between our respective leaderships.
We look forward to a speedy reply.
Revolutionary greetings International Marxist Group Political Committee SOCIALIST CHALLENGE BANKER'S ORDER FORM
Name of Account to be debited
Account Number Socialist Challenge Lloyd's Bank, Upper St, London NI 0179678
30-94-57 Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
, to winning workers to ... Monthly And on the same date in the month thereafter.
Socialist Challenge 3 April 1980 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
LETTERS 328/9 UPPER STREET LONDON N1
Afghanistan:
troops out is
tactical
IN THE debate on Afghanistan your letters page has been littered with quotes from Trotsky and attempts to find an historical analogy, ranging from the Red Army occupation of Georgia in 1921 to the invasion of Finland in 1939.
Some comrades reading Trotsky's writings on Finland have wrongly concluded that the central issue in relation to Afghanistan is the defence of the Soviet Union. Most of the quotes from Trotsky are presented by those who oppose calling for the withdrawal of the Red Army.
Gus Fagan (13 March) makes a valiant attempt to counter this line by producing an 'historical example' of his own:
International called for the withdrawal of Soviet Troops from Eastern Europe after 1945 despite the fact that the Red Army actions against the capitalists and the landlords temporarily coincided with the interests of the workers'. Apart from the fact that the Fourth International might have been mistaken, Gus simply joins in with the wrong method of argument, which relies on a search for an 'historical example'.
Revolutionary socialists have a different starting point — a concrete analysis or me worla ponucal situation. The Soviet invasion of Finland took place on the eve of world war; the Soviet occupation of Europe in its aftermath — both very different world political situations.
As any comrade can see, we are not in the middle of revolutionary upheavals provoked by the ravages of world war; neither are we on the eve of World War III. The immediate aim of Carter's war-drive is not an assault on the Soviet Union in order to provoke world war. Rather, it is an attempt to mobilise popular support for direct military intervention by the US against the colonial revolution - • which has not been possible since the US defeat in the Vietnam War in 1975.
It is in this context that we should look at Afghanistan. A direct US military intervention on the side of the rightists against the PDPA government was not possible either before or after the arrival of the kea Army; the imperialists had to content themselves with aiding the rightist forces and Zia's Pakistan. This 'indirect' intervention has been moved in. Invasion was not the only option before the Soviet only option before the Soviet bureaucracy. It could have made massive military and economic aid available to the PDPA government in the context of a growing popular struggle against the rightists. But ever-fearful of civil war and the threat of the process of permanent revolution on its doorster. it sent in the troops. In so doing, the bureaucracy has demobilised those forces that could most effectively defend the PDPA government against the rightists — the Afghan masses and the international labour movement.
A withdrawal of the Red Army in the present world political situation would lead to an Afghanistan overrun by imperialistbacked rightists. This could be the springboard from which the US could renew its direct interventions against colonial revolution.
Whether Marxists should call for the withdrawal of the Red Army is a tactical question; one which depends on the success of the struggle in the international labour movement to stop the imperialists' war-drive: No arms to the Afghan Rightists; No support for Zia's Pakistan; No boycott of the Moscow Olympics. JOHN STONE, Liverpool
Sexist jeers?
Sociated Calmen 3 April 1990, Pase 14.
disturbed that SC (6 March) did not even appear to know about International Women's Day. It didn't exactly make the paper easy to sell on the women's march, you know. In fact, it didn't make me feel very much like even trying to sell
And while I'm on the subject of SC's attitude to women, I didn't like the treatment of Brenda Parry's anti-strike 'march' in the same issue. Her group of misguided women was described as being 'like a shopping expedition'. When was a group of men, strike-breakers or not, ever described as being like a shopping expedition? This sort of cheap jibe is simply not acceptable in a socialist newspaper.
We need to understand why it is that many women, isolated in the home, or in non-unionised jobs, or else alienated from male-dominated trade unions, are easily overwhelmed by on them by the media rather than being responsive to the logic of class solidarity.
Intelligent analysis of the reasons for many women's lack of politicisation is far more likely to win women to revolutionary politics than are sexist jeers.
JENNY FLINTOFT, London N1
Sarah and Judy
and Jim and Maggie SARAH and Judy's letter in Socialist Challenge 20 March is either a work of great satire or an exercise in gross stupidity.. these it is I can't quite decide.
I never liked 'Jim' Callaghan (as he was widely known), nor did 1 have much time for don't like 'Maggie' Thatcher much
Understandably incensed by the slogan 'Maggie Out' Sarah and Judy must have left the 9 March demo early thereby missing some of the 'minor incidents that occurred.
One of these incidents was that when the steelworkers (who should have been leading the demo in my opinion) reached Trafalgar Square they found, to coin a cliché,
Could this have been to save the embarrasment of certain members of the TUC speaking on the platform, such as Moss Evans, Tom
Despite all this Sarah and Judy may be interested to know that I intend to start a faction fight to ensure that we raise the correct slogan on 14 May Out!' (Oops, sorry I mean Ms
U O'NEILL, London N1 (first name supplied on request). TUC women's rights contingent I APPRECIAȚE that Socialist Challenge reserves the right to cut letters tor reasons or space However, I was surprised that in editing my letter published last week you cut 2 major (but s paragraphs,
one of tiese
STERN
RIGHTEOUS!
Rights' contingent.
the organisation of such a
and showed one way of fighting
labour movement. the way the SERTUC Women's
built we should discuss such
for women's liberation.
SARAH ROELOFS. London W10
Unfair on the
Fragments?
WE FOUND the report written by the pressures put Val Coultas on the sadly devoid of the spirit in which Tariq Ali spoke for the IMG.
the other revolutionaries on the
central issues at stake: Reform vs Revolution.
Coultas and Tariq was most of Hilary Wainwright's speech as part of the debate opened up by Beyond the Fragments. To characterise her as a 'semisyndicalist', was cheap to say the least.
comrades talk about the lett Which of imposing their line' on struggles what is meant is a criticism of the way the left does this
'Ted' Heath. I and the dismissal of the various ways in which people become politicised.
dismiss them by taking out of context the way in which they are
the Fragments complains about.
comrades are constantly put in a and again their commitment to revolutionary politics
tion No 3. 1
publicațion.
Region TUC's 'Fight For Women's
Given that NAC members who were collecting and leafletting were subjected to sexist abuse, I feel that
contingent was extremely important
sexism and taking feminism into the
If we have disagreements with
Rights contingent was organised and criticisms openly. The fact remains that the initiation of the contingent was a step forward — however small
reformists.
'Great Debate'
He very clearly closed ranks with platform, and debated what was the
The difference in attitude of Val
glaringly portrayed in the evaluation:
Even a cursory glance at the arguments developed by Hilary et al, enables one to understand that when
— the routinism, sectarianism of the left, measures.
Comrades may or may not agree with these arguments, but to try and
raised is to do exactly what Beyond
Also, since the IMG has done very little to feed into the Beyond the Fragments debate, for whatever reasons, it means that many feminist
position of having to reiterate time
this regime.
The omission in developing this
WHAT'S LEFT
60р (рбр).:
City Centre, 10.30am. Ma
particular debate also allows the organised left to set those comrades up as 'straw' anti-Leninists in order to knock them down with reiterations of the correctness of Lenin's theories about the revolutionary party - which is not the issue Hilary raises.
Hilary Wainwright in particular has consistently argued for the ideas raised in Beyond the Fragments to be debated in a revolutionary context. She also confirmed this approach at the "Debate' when she clearly, and almost exclusively attacked - as did Tariq and Paul Foot — the policies of the
MARIE McADAM, Harrow PAT MASTERS, London N5
LETTERS exceeding 400 words will normally be cut to ensure that the maximum number of readers can express their views. Anonymous letters will only be published in exceptional circumstances, but real names will be withheld from publication on request.
Denounce the Iranian regime HITHERTO, the present Iranian regime has proven not to be a revolutionary government aiming to overcome the problems stemming from US imperialism's domination of Iran. The present ruling government has not acted differently from the deposed Shah's regime; it has adopted the same repressive
This policy of repression ha. manifested itself in different ways: liquidation of the working class movement by means of organising special anti-strike security forces; quelling the growing peasant movement by arming feudal landlords; massacring the revolutionary masses of national minorities, as in Kurdistan and Turkestan; closing pregressive newspapers; intimidation assassination and execution of popular political figures. These are only a few examples of overt or covert brutal activities committed by
One of the most recent acts of
SC EVENTS
set For sendarmain Your bial • 5151. old stor saturday nato Merse a every sat 1030-12:30pm id every
CALA
• LIKE SNATCHING OLD HANDBACS! this regime was the assassination attempt on Dr Rahmatullah Hossein-Bor, a prominent political leader of the people of Baluchistan.
As a student at Bradford University, Dr Hossein-Bor was a consistent activist in exposing the Shah's regime. He pursued his revolutionary activities after returning home in 1977 and was subsequently harassed and persecuted by the Shah's secret police SAVAK. After the downfall of the Shah, he continued his ceaseless struggle to win the democratic demands of the people of Baluchistan.
On 7 March, the local 'Islamic Revolutionary Guards' tried to assassinate him by riddling his body with six bullets. But fortunately, he survived and is now in hospital in Tehran.
It is of great importance that international political figures expose this repressive regime in general and acnounce us auciupica muraci I1. particular. It is imperative that this act of solidarity with Iranian commulses ana revolutonal. democrats is channelled through the public mass media and that protest letters or telegrams are sent to the Iranian authorities.
TARANI, president of Iranian students' society, Leeds University Union Please send protest letters to: President Bani-Sadr, Presidential Office, Tehran, Iran.
socialist
REVIEW
Monthly magazine of...
the largest
revolutionary
organisa-
tion in Western Europe or
North America.'
Socialist Challenge 6, 12:79
In the latest issue: Paul Foot writes on
Tony Benn; Lamonn Mccann dissects
All for just 40p-or 52p post paid.
AMBETH SC n
INDON: SC on sale 11-1 every Sat., Regent S
sales: at Newsfare shops in
Page 15 scan of this page
Go and see 'Richard Pryor Live in Concert and laugh
GREAT BLACK MUSICI
UNDER REVIEW
By Gerry Kelly If you've got a sense of humour you don't think about comedian Richard Pryor's jokes until : YOU Ve left the While you watch him you just laugh until you feel sick.
Pryor is, perhaps, better known in this country as an actor whose films include Blue Collar, Silver Streak and California Suite. In America the other side of his talent - that of a stand-up comedian - has been on display for several years with live performances and LPs like "That Nigger's Crazy' and 'Bicentennial Nigger'.
In this film (now showing at Gate Two, Brunswick Square, WC1), we KOL about 70 minutes haranguing his audience, using only his face, the microphone and his body as props.
He is a brilliant mimic and a superlative mime artist but more than By Skip Laszlo The Blues In July 1978 Buddy Guy appeared at the 'Blues Festival'
Hammersmith Odeon.
After patronising cat calls and shouts which some behaviour', return until after the concert was scheduled to end and half the audience had left.
Then, to a respectful silence, he announced "this is how it sounds in Chicago' and played the blues until lam, long after the management wanted the event to close.
Blues the most traditional black music. In a society where the marketplace regularly intrudes on culture, it is not surprising that the companies should pressure artists into playing the 'blues' they say will sell. This in turn begins to affect what their consumers expect. Clowning
The effect of this on white bands is that they stop playing blues. today, both the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac began as blues-only bands.
Blacks have responded Although there is pressure on blacks trying to 'make it' to abandon blues for rock and soul, the blues is kept alive.
When Buddy Guy or Junior Wells play at a black club in Chicago, the clowning diminishes, they play more actual blues material, and they retrain from playing short segments of songs. Most of the clowning, pop material, and song snatches are reserved for whites only.
Hammersmith, Guy clowning mood lucky.
John Lomax, a white blues archivist, had a hard time in 1940 getting Blind Willie McTell to play him the real blues, instead of the music he reserved for whites.
'But Big Bill Broonzy, who had been playing with a backing band and an electric guitar for decades, was made to go back to an acoustic guitar by the whites who 'rediscovered' him in the 50s. They introduced him ploughhand although he had been living in Chicago for 20 years.
Chicago
These stories, reco book
World War Two, more and more important. was, and is, Chicago, which produced Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and name but a few.
of black COISNA ridiculous, otherwise senious cinema.. making fun of himself.
own affliction you fighting 'cos your quicker foibles of animals and sex.
Animals
Pryor of a part
would talk.
organised at the
thought was 'blues he walked off stage and didn't
popular form of
(white) record
want and
Though hard to believe
differently.
WaN not in a — and those who stayed were
as an exoday. But troletadit
The centre of this
Buddy Guy to
that he is the funniest man I have ever seen. His humour, like most humour,
making people look extracting, laughs from and
So OK, what does he talk about?
Well, his subjects range from heart tale. attacks — a very funny account of his
through should run instead ego will heal than a broken jaw' to the
His stories about animals are so keenly observed that when he "talks'
Great Dane or Doberman Pincher you feel sure that, if they could, this is just the way they
It is his sexual comedy that might cause problems with some people.
Whispering Smith in Baten Rouge, Louisiana in 1973. Photo: Val Wilmer. logies: the uncredited picture of Mitton
Thus, what is essential to understanding the blues is appreciating it as a record of the experiences and the dreams of Blacks
There seems to be on the left a body of people for whom sex is so serious that no jokes about it are permitted. This view has its points, but Pryor's sexual skits often start as though they are going to be offensive only to redeem themselves with a cunning twist in the
He is also what is sometimes called. foul-mouthed and, judging by his mania for stamping out swearing in the factories, Trotsky would not have approved. But then even Trotsky had the odd loony idea.
Pryor, like Lenny Bruce, and like all real comedians, is a moral and social commentator. When stopped laughing you start thinking
Pryor's tical. The nearest he gets though, overtly political. to a stab at politicians is when he is lalking about Diack who are always feeling their pricks.
'Yeh, Even Andy Young does it when he talks to the President. Young
Graves pla that appet week wa
America.
Even
says, says, "Oh, that's alright Andrew, it's bigger than a peanut!"
Wheaties s His satire is more directed at white middle class America and the police. ("Two codDers are "brother' when one of them drops him and says, "shit", he broke') He also takes several digs at 'Macho man', the kind of guy who says, eight or nine hours, comments: fucking and I need eight hours sleep... you've and a bowl of wheaties.'
Anyway, if readers CHOI Challenge
offended, I rest. I saw the movie twice so I must be in the company of a good few worthy trendies. Some of them didn t laugh, but I heard not one howl of on the Under $ by
the moves to musical assimilation, mirrored the attempt of a layer of urban blacks
"Oh, sorry Mrs Carter!" She
crack!
roughing up
I can fuck for Jack'. Pryor "Three minutes of serious
of Socialist are worried about being can put their minds at
when soul assimilation.
especially jazz artists.
Jazz
she did sing the blues.
the another said "don't you-all
Revolutionary Ensemble.
Lyrics and spirit
It is no
brutally honest, and rebellious.
Consider these lyrics
Explicit, (Texas Ale "Now some folks say a f
(Joey Is Blues what the history of B lyrical self portrait ge last The next appearance of
Art Ensemble of Elizabeth Hall, subsequent issue. Socialist Challer
So do yourself a favour. If you haven't seen this film yet, take a night off from the revolution, go and see Richard Pryor Live in Concert and laugh. But watch it — your face might
THE OTHER BOOKSHOP THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD Buchi Emecheta Heinemann £1.25 OUR LIVES YOUNG PEOPLE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHIES English Centre £1.75 HAMBURG AT THE BARRICADES Larissa Reissner Pluto Press £1.95 328 Upper Street, London N1. to become "middle class'. Motown records, the only major label owned by blacks, will not record jazz, nor does it record blues except
artists do a little reverse
The blues is the thread which carries the heritage of all black music. And none of the innovators, from jazz to soul, forget that link.
The blues is the foundation of jazz', said the great Charlie Parker. This understanding is as central to the new music as to other eras
Billie Holliday was not a blues singer; her publisher forced her to call her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues because blues was more popular in the fifties. She was a jazz singer, bul
Not all blues musicians are jazz musicians, but all jazz musicians play the blues.
Lester Bowie, the innovative trumpeter of
Art Ensemble of Chicago, encountered
Lester ever play the blues more?" and he sat down and plajed with (us)... and we just played the blues until it made
recalled a member of the group, the
wonder those striving for white acceptance fear the blues. It has always been
bring your yo-yo, wind the string around my to Mama knows just how to make the yo-yo hun Bring your yo-yo daddy, and we will have loss of fu
(Hattie Hart — Memphis Yo-Yo Bloc unashamed sexual lyrics
FLIE
ril 1980
Page 16 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge SOUTH WALES MARCHERS IN THE VALLEYS YOUTH DEMAND A FUTURE
per. Published by Reigocrest Ltd. for Soctalist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London NI. Printed by East End (offset] Lid. PO Bot 82, Londor
a job.
They know that unemployment has nothing to
with 'laziness? "incentives'. World capitaIsm Is in recession, and Tory policies are making it worse for the working class.
This weekend, young people will be on the march South Wales. They are demanding action to save jobs, to stop South Wales being turned into an industra desert.
They are marching to the Wales TUC which is meeting in Cardiff. They will demand of the trade unions leaders, not just in Wales but in Britain as a whole, that united action be organised to kick out this Tory government.
Organise
We've had less than a year of Thatcher Howe, and Joseph, and they have made it quite. plain what thev intend to do — to pay for their crisis by closing factories, to break the unions and throwing tens of thousands onto the scrap heap.
$ The hour hares
back. Wales Youth March sets out on Saturday from Port Talbot, a town which faces complete devastation, to arrive Cardiff Wednesday.
Over the past few weeks the marchers have been organising in the valleys, gelling their message across to young people, and taking their campaign to trade union branches and other labour movement bodies.
DAY 1 5th April 1980
6th pri 1980
Post Office as
TORY Chancellor Geoffrey Howe has just slashed social security and unemployment benefits. He says that this is 'an incentive to work'. But nearly two million are unemployed, including hundreds of thousands of young people, many of whom have never had
The support they've received has been tremendous, especially from the steel What their campaign has revealed is a tremendous determination that Wales should not return to the 1930s.
The will to fight is there. What it. Heers organisation and leadership. this year to link the miners
out strike on jobs failed inrough insufficient anisation at a rank-and-file level.
The Wales TUC was responding to local pressure when it called a day of action against cuts and closures. But it fell over itself to call it all off when Len Murray püt on the pressure The youth marchers are demanding a vigorous Dush Tor united working class action against the Tories. should include:
A recall Wales TUC, which should meet class-wide struggle in defence of
obs: 14 May has to be
turned into a complete one-da general strike against Tory policies.
But one-day action will not defeat the government. All of us, and especially the youth, face a bleak future if we sit back and let the Tories rampage for another four years.
The whole strength of the working class must be mobilised to bring them down: a-General Strike to Kick Out the Tories!
THE ROUTE OF THE MARCH
to
STOP PRESS!
Latest sponsors for the South Wales Youth March Against Unemployment Lianwern ISTC/NUB Committee Neil Kinnock MP Lady WIndsor Lodge NUM Penrhiwceiber Lodge NUM Cognant Lodge NUM
DAY 4 8th April 1980
Bath Trades Council Strike
of Students UMIST Students Norwood LPYS DAY 5
•9th April 1980
CARDIFF
Ogmore Valley Lodge NUM NÚPE Pencada Branch, Dyfed
Manchester Area National Union
National Union of Britain:
Abroad:
Name
Address
socialist rallenge
SPONSORS OF
THE MARCH
NUM South Wales Executive ALAN FISHER, General Secretary, NUPE PAUL ELLIOT, Area officer, NUPE STUART HASTINGS, Area officer, NUPE Port Talbot ISTC/NUB Strike Committee EETPU Port Talbot Shop Stewards Committee GRENVILLE PHILLIPS, Swansea ANNIE POWELL, Mayor of Rhondda TONY CARTWRIGHT, Labour district councillor, ISTC Llanwern RAY DAVIES, Labour Caerphilly, and ISTC Llanwern ROGER TOVEY, NUB Organisation JUNE Hospital ANDY CHANDLER, president, NUS Wales DẠI GRIFFITHS, president, Swansea University Students' Union South Wales Campaign Against Health Cuts West Glamorgan Cuts Committee Swansea Trades Council Swansea Women's Centre Wyndham West Lodge NUM DAI FRANCIS, former secretary, Wales NUM 'NUS Wales BURT PEARCE, secretary Wales CP 'Revolution'
International Marxist Group
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