Socialist Challenge No. 208, 13 August 1981
The scan: sc-no208.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge STOP NEUTRON
No. 208 13 August 1981 25p IN Nagasaki, the 36th anniversary of the dropping of the second atomic bomb was inter. rupted by an announcement from US Defence Weinberger. On 8 August he disclosed that the USA is to go IntO TUl production of neutron bomb.
Douglas Hurd, Tory defence spokeperson, embarrassed by the lack of consultation said, 'we keep in close touch about ali us decision. We were not given a chance to talk them out of it.
But if such an opportunity had existed, it would not have been used.
'This was not an alliance decision, said Hurd 'but understand the reasons tor it
neutron bomb designed for European use. It joins the growing. arsenal of first strike nuclear weapons to be employed in the European theatre
But this time the charade of equal status for the European members of the NATO alliance has been dispensed with. The alliance IS US led machine. and the Europeans had better toe the Reagan line.
Neutron bombs could have been dreamt up in the board room of a multinational com. Odlly. They murder without damaging property
Little blast and lethal. radiation spread over mies is ine latest concoction of the war planners o' the Pentagon. such thev are part of the move to give nuclear war a more acceptable face.
tomontage: PETER KENNARD
Unemployed and strikars 10p
Socialist
VV C war
people
As
HORROR
on earth'. nouice.
world, hostility workers' and Haig, the
In Britain
weapons This
US
US Air strike -
break the chains
WHEN Ronald Reagan became President he claimed that the United States was the 'last and greatest bastion of freedom'. In his inaugural address he said, 'Freedom and the dignity of the individual have been more available and more assured here than in any other place
It goes hand in hand with
stepped up efforts to support
the torturers regime of Duarte
in El Salvador; with attempts to
re-introduce military conscrip.
tion in the US; and with plans
for a Rapid Deployment Force
of 250,000 to be used'anywhere
in the globe at a moment's
It is the sian of a westerr
war machine beset by growing
social revolt in
and facing mounting at home from movement that
refuses to foot the bill for. a
massive economic crisis
This time the Pentagon and
their Tory backers have bitten
off more than they can chew.
Response to Weinberger's an-
nouncemen nos come trom
the governments of Norway
Denmark, both
members, who express opposi
tion to the US decision.
A similar view is likely from
the ruling West German Social
Democratic Party
Even US Secretary of State, was moved to say that decision had been an
nounced at the wrong time.
the fight to win
the Labour Party • to a clear
positon agalsi all nuclear
well underwav needs to be re-inforced
with a stand against NATO
Most importantly, the CND
demonstration called for 24 Oc
must be the biggest
show o surenot deals LIt
inspired missile-madness
and British complicity that Bri
tain has ever seen
Well, there was little freedom and less dignity
US air trattic con trollers this week as the!
sacked, fined and
Ronald Reagan for daring to go on strike.
Shock
The pictures of those strikers being led away it chains has, with the flash of a camera, exposed what life can really be like to trade unionists in 'the land of the free'.
But those pictures have done something else. The!
labour movement throughout the word. now, Taos
many dif ferent countries are star ting to act.
In Canada, air traffic controllers have taken action in sympathy. In Portugal, air controllers have decided to ban flights to the USA. The same deci So as occu Australian controllers made by
But what would hit Reagan hardest would b solidarity action this country. For more air trai States from London than the United
world why British labour movement should act immediately to support their sisters and brothers in the US. Solidarity
Such solidarity needs to be organised. That job should fall on the TUC Trade union and Labour Party branches should be flooding Congress House demanding concrete sup port for the US controllers
the boycott of all air traffic to and from the USA
If for no other reason than, if Reagan gets away with jailing strikers in the US his buddy
Margaret Thatche just be tempted to try the same here.
Page 2 scan of this page
Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution) The state of the
parties
THE 'shock' findings of the latest opinion poll published in last week's Daily Star revealed that if an election were held tomorrow, the Tories would win 25 per cent of the vote; Labour 29 per cent and the SDP/Libs 43 per cent.
Compared with the general election, it is the Tory vote which has collapsed spectacularly. As the Star said, 'Labour's vote is about the same as it was at the last general election and that's bound to be a disappointment for the Social Democrats. They are anxious to make inroads into the traditional Labour vote!
One reason is revealed statistic of the Star poll. In February only 10 per cent questioned thought that unemployment was the most important issue facing Britain today, while 51 per
strikes were the main problem. Today, 2 er cent think that strikes are the pro lem and 70 per cent give first place to
The SDP/Lib alliance will need more than opinion polls to get into They need hard cash and solid ruling class support. Slicing up Labour's base in the electorate is the key to that. The ruling class gives Labour's right wing. But it believes that the advance of the Labour left is too powerful to be turned round in the short term. The media boosted SDP, positioned outside Labour's ranks is aimed at providing the pressure right wing lacks inside the party and the unions.
In other words, the SDP/Lib alliance is designed to Labour left, and, failing that, to wipe out Labour's chances of forming the next government. But it is a delicate operation that can badly misfire. In the first place, growth of the SDP/Lib alliance means massive pressure tional representation. unknown factor of political instability into the Parliamentary system that has 150 years proven service to the ruling class behind it. Secondly, road' party needs a 'middle of the road' social class. This is a real problem when both major classes in society are looking for more and more radical solutions to the crisis, and looking in opposite directions.
Both the ruling class and the working class are dissatisfied with the parties who have traditionally claimed to represent their interests. But a party that claims to bridge the gap between them is going to need a degree in elastics. That is why the alliance has so little to say on policy.
Ultimately however, the alliance to survive will feed off the traditional base of one or other of the major parties not both. What is worrying in ruling class circles is that despite the disarray of the Labour Party, the alliance is advancing its vote at a rate of 2 to 1 against the Tories.
The message of the Warrington by-election screamed the Sunday Mirror, is that the Labour left 'can't get into their thick heads that they are wrecking the party.' The truth is precisely the reverse. The advance of the left is the best chance that Labour has of coming back into government. It is the taint of Healey and Callaghan that subverts enthusiasm for Labour.
Contesting the 'middle ground' with the alliance will simply hand it Labour's base. Why vote for the worn out voice of moderation when you brand spanking new one? The way to make the Tories pay the price for the SPD/Lib alliance is to step up the fight for socialist policies in the Labour Party and the unions.
Socialist Challenge : 43 August 1981
office.
open support to
that Labour's
put the skids under the
for proporThis builds an
La 'middle of the have the Page 2:
By Bob Struther, Chairperson, Edinburgh NALGO Gas Branch ALL unions in the gas industry went on strike on 13 July for one day to demonstrate to the government that they are determined not to accept the LO showrooms.
The Tories in the person or sally Oppenheim say their decision is based on the report of the Monopolies Commission into the sale of gas appliances.
But reality it is a political decision. Private
The Monopolies Commission did not recom.
THE South-east region of the TUC is organising a national defence fund JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with
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Name....
Address..
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Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50.
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Crookability-
that's the beauty
of (lory) gas
sell off all gas
Amend that all showrooms snoula de sold oll. Ana ll any case the situation has changed considerably the Commission started Its investigation when there were only 500 private outlets for the sale of gas appliances through. out Britain. Now there are 2000 private outlets compared to British Gas's 938 showrooms.
The practices of which
TUC support Brixton defendants
to help meet the costs in legal fees and fines of the five hundred youth
News
the Commission plained have been stopped by the gas corporation.
This is the first time the Monopolies Commission has recommcnaca solution monopoly holding that the organisaLuil should be forcibly remov- with monopoly
ed from the market.
Wishes
Of course has nothing do with monopolies or the market, Cana certainly do with the wishes of the gas consumer. everything to do with this arrested during and after the Brixton rebellion of 11-13 April.
With permission from the national TUC Southern region has opened the door to labour movement support to the beleaguered youth of Brixton.
This move allows
much needed debate and discussion on the youth rebellion in labour
movement bodies and down the country.
Force
It is the first time
that the TUC has sup.
ported blacks in strug
gle against a racist police force.
Party and
union branches should
make donations to Paul
Boateng c/0 County
Hall, London SE1.
Government's determination to give back to private profit any par of the public WalC making money which Call make money.
At the present time the Gas Corporation
Is hanaing over to ine Government hundreds of millions of pounds every year. The Government has said that this must increase to £1300 million in the next three years. Ana ll is inis ina has drawn the attention of
money could all be going Ho Drivalc DocKels aod.l you're a Tory, of course you will believe it should.
Wedge
This is why workers who have helped to make the gas industry such a suc-
selling of showrooms as only the thin end of the wedge. This is the first part vi a pal lo vicak up uc industry and sell it off to the private sector.
Every worker in the industry knows this and is determined it will not happen. We intend to use all our industrial muscle to National demonstration called in Southall
By Oliver New
recent wave of youth rebellions.
July by
SIOn
skinnedas аетелсе.
unity against unemployment and racism
like Southall fascists.
Turnout
Brixton Defence Committee,
the International Marxist Group
who harass black people and youth.
violence
National demonstration,
Park near Southall British Rail station. in the unions.
ference, ingham 21.
keep our industry intact and in ine public sector.
The Government doesn't believe we can do it and this was the purpose of our one day strike - to con them we Hicall business. Talks Between now and the autumn, the unions will be having WITs the Government in a further attempt change their minds. If these talks do not succeca, a conterena of all the unions has been called for the week starting 2 November and a decision will be • taken abou when to pull the plug on the gas supply.
Organise
We will have to watch that these talks do not develop into a dialogue about how to implement the government's decision 'with the least effect on jobs etc We do not wan any talk of that kind and there is plenty of time for the shop floor to organise behind an all-out Strike decision at the conference in November.
SOUTHALL in West London was the scene of some of the most bitter street fighting in the
When local youth struck back at the inva
hundreds fascist skinheads Her Majesty's police rushed to the
In response the Southall Anti-fascist Com. mittee is organising a national demonstration on 20 September calling for the dropping of all charges against the youth arrested and for
It is also urging the right of communities
to self defence against the
The demonstration is supported by the
the Indian Workers Association (GB), the National Association for Asian Youth, the Indian
temples, The Southall Communist Party and
The committee puts the blame for condi-
unemployment and then cheer on the police
There is no doubt in the community that unemployment and racism go side by side. The 20 September demonstration is a vital opportunity to show unity with youth under siege from racism, unemployment and police
For further information contact the SAFC c/o9 Pluckington Place, Southall, Middlesex.
20 September, assemble 1pm at the Dominion Cinema Car
Black Workers Conference
Saturday 12 September Digbeth Civic Hall Birmingham ON 7 February a meeting was held in the offices of the Birmingham Commission for Racial Equality. It was attended by 80 black trade unionists. After discussion they decided unanimously to set up a steering committee to organise a conference of black workers as well as to establish black caucuses
For further information please write to the Steering Committee for the Black Workers' Con-
177 Antrobus Road, Handsworth, Birm-
Page 3 scan of this page
Laurence Scott - now for "a stab in the front"?
'THEY'LL have to stab us in the front now'. This was the comment of a Laurence Scott shop steward on the national leadership of the AUEW as he came out of the mass meeting held in the factory on 14 July. The meeting had thrown out a deal worked out between officials of the Engineering and Shipbuilding Laurence Scott owner Arthur Snipe, by 579 votes to 21.
Workers at LSE have been their lac tory for weeks. They have faced closure threats from Snipe, bailiffs with
Borders demanding their eviction, hostile press and, cap it all, union leadership tearing, up its own rules to crush the fight
Despite the decision of the mass meeting on 14 July Terry Duffy, John Boyd and the seven other members of the AUE Wi Executive remained com-
offer. The union leaders called lilas. meeting, over the heads of the stewards, on 23 July to get the workers to agree to their sell VUI AUEW official Ken Cure was instructea ov ine ex ecutive to present its case.
Reject
But a stormy meeting
Manchester's Lesser Free Trades Hall threw out the executive's line, this time with only 15 votes in Tavour.
Democratic meetings had rejected AUEW leader's proposals twice. Nevertheless, with all the arrogance of feudal barons a letter was sent to all districts where Snipe's employees are organised in the AUEW. It said that the executive was still recommending Its uca. with Snipe, and instructed that all Laurence Scott workers be so informed. The Manchester workforce were to be quarantined.
End
In a manner recalling the days of 'Carron's Law in the union in the 1950's the national executive meeting of 4 August reatfirmed that the dispute Was Icrunalcu.
August the other general secretaries of the Conted were dragooned into line.
All official support had now been withdrawn.
These decisions were all the more astonishing, in the light of the successes of LIC AUEW. lightback The Manchester
North district committee
unanimously backed the decision to continue the occupation fight.
The executive has torn up the rules in their haste
Dearav Lne Laurence Scott workers. Any attempt terminate. a
Confederation of
Unions and
dispute which has the supcommittee is a blatant contravention of rule
The latest mass meeting of the Laurence Scott workforce was on 10 August. Again the vote to Lawrence Scott receives unexpected support.
AS the bailiffs threatened to Laurence Scott workforce,
Socialist Challenge backing the strike.
MICK McAULEY, Convenor Ferranti Measurements, Oldham
rect what the Scotts workforce are doing.
ELSIE BROAD, FTAT unemployed, ex-shop steward Royal Pride
doing at Scotts is great. and be counted.
RITA MITCHELL, doint Union Committee Secretary, ICL
us how to do that.
was overwhelming The LSE workers have circulated avoca lol support for their struggle and calling for officia backing. Already, been signed by over leading engineering convenors in the Manchester arca. Request The Manchester North district committee has circulated every engineering convenor, shop steward and branch secretary in the area with requests to forward protest resolutions to Laurence Scal NO CLOSURE! USEL SILEN STRIKE! evict the rank and file union leaders from across Manchester spoke
about why they're
'What happens at Scotts will affect everywhere else. The employers are all watching this one. So we've all got to win this one by giving our support. I think it's totally cor-
'Its about time we made a stand. We didn't win at Royal Pride but now everyone facing closures and redundancies have got to back Laurence scott. think what thev' re
We should all stand with them
'Duffy and the other union leaders say they're for a fight against unemployment and Laurence Scott are showing
Yet the union leadership are sabotag. ug this battle. The best way to get rid of Duffy is to stand
Home News.
financial support.
£1,000
Everywhere the LSE workers have sought support from the ranks they have found it. One example is the sent this week by British Aerospace shop stewards a t Chadderton. Now the LSE worker. are turning such support
union leadership.
As convenor Dennis Barry said to the 10 August mass meeting, the union officials are frightened of a victory at
OLICI
Stand up and be counted
up and be counted with Laurence Scott.'
Son
vuL.
gressive section of the trades union movement
nuing their support.
DAVE LEONARD, AUEW Convenor, ICL Ashton
area.
so it goes on
stead of hiding away in London.
Committee.
ple it would give to other workers faced with redundancies and closures. "They nave been prepared to turn a situalion or assurea victory into near disaster and sacrifice the very best platform they have had so far fight for jobs, "said Barry. Fight
but as early results show, the campaign building up in support Laurence scoll Is unlikely to let them get away with TOM MACAFEE, Convenor, L. Gardner and
'I'm appalled at the attitude of the Executive Committe, they are completely out of rule. Workers struggling for the right to work for 16 weeks have in effect been sold
This dispute is now of paramount importance, it must become a launching pad for a fight by every pro-
The Manchester North District of the AUEW and every convenor in this area will most certainly be conti-
'I'm backing Scotts because they are showing the way we can fight back against the terrible state of affairs in this
We've got thousands of redundancies in ICL, there's another closure down the road at B and S Massey's, and
That's why we're disgusted with the way the EC handled this dispute. It's time the officials came here in-
I wholeheartedly back John Tocher's (AUEW Divisional Organiser) request for a recalled AUEW National
Laurence Scut Convenor Dennis Barry on duty
appeal
general appeal solidarity.
Early signatories
Manchester.
'WE the organisations labour movement
call on the
Harry
1UEW Convenor Mon Pumps, Audenshaw; Paul Smith, AUEW Chairmar
ates, AUEW Conven Seddon Atkinsons, Oldham; M McAule) Convenor Ferrant
Cooke Chains, Chadderton Macafee, Convenor Gard ners, toro turtl Convenor Ferranti Cairo Mill, Oldham. Sa strant Chairman EEPTU Cairo Mill, Oldham Williams Chairmar
Ferranti Cairo
gan INSMM rerrant Moston Spinks, Convenor AUEH
Francis Sc Paick
Shaws; B Halpin, APE› Senior Staff Rep Francis
M O'Neill, Conveno Wheelabrato Michae JSSC
Jones.
Stone Platt, Oldham; Dolan, Steward URTU
Wilsons Brewervingstone
Labour Leader
areere LOnuOr abund Leader Ted Knight, ( (Labour
SITIN
STRIKE
Labour movement
THE Laurence Scott stewards have launched a
to the labour movement
include Ken Livingstone, Leader of the GLC; Councillor Graham Stringer, Chairperson of Manchester City Labour Party; six Manchester Labour Councillors; and twelve convenors from major engineering plants from across
undersigned, individuals and appeal for continued support for the strikers at LSE against redundancies. We
executives ot tne CSEU unions to continue official support.'
Lambeth Council Graham Stringer, Chair Manchester City Labour Part and Coun cillor; Nick Harris, Chair man Blackley Labour Party and Councillor.
John Nicholson Chairman Ardwick Labour Party and Coun stere Counciller; Hildrew, Manchester Graham Martin chester Councillor; Kati Manchester Jeffrey Wilmer
Councilores, COSE 332
0/47 sec, 1n0030.
UCATT Regional Cour Shebindine UCATT President Branch
sec Pete Keenleyside, Vic President Trafford Trade Beatch Sec DAN:
Central AUEW Oldham 23 Branch Sec; D Smith AUEW Oldham 8 Branch Sec.
J Davidson, Manchester District Organise Walker TAT Manchester Branc sec, J Harrison Upholsterers Manchester Branch Sec
Socialist Challenge. 13 August 1981 •Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
Crunch time in Lothian
I ALWAYS especially when they write about the 'riots'. However, I have to admit they have been proved right, that it is outside agitators who are responsible for papers like the Sun do not divulge, is that these urban terrorists are being paid out of public funds — and I don't mean the DHSS!
The paymaster is the Tory Government who is going to pay the men who drove the vehicles that killed disabled David Moore and inflicted dreadfu back injuries on Paul Conroy, about £200 a week for committing murder and mayhem.
These two frightful incidents, and the arrogant Lee Jeans women on Lothian demo end of the line
By Pete Grant THE Tories are facing a major challenge. The rail-
workers are gearing to fight for their jobs and, given half a chance, will shunt Thatcher and her mad economic policies into a siding.
This year the British Rail pay negotiations have taken place with government
determined to keep public sector pay to 7 per cent and impose rigid cash limits.
But the unions have gone to the negotiating table in a much
position than viously, due to the formation of a new federation bringing all the rail unions together in a joint approach.
This resulted in the claim going, on management's insistence, to an macpenacil bitrator, Lord McArthy.
McArthy's nould. decided that, while it recognised union's case which argued tor a
29 per cent increase to bring wage levels back to 1975 values,
this was not possible in the pre-
sent economic climate.
The award they proposed
herefore was an 8 per cent in
back ated t with an extra 3 per cent to be paid from August.
The Tribunal made it clear that it opposed any increase be-
Socialist Challenge ' 13 August 1981
Ken Oxford - Urban terrorist
mistrust the capitalist press,
all the trouble. But what
behaviour of Liverpool's Chief Constable, Kenneth Gordon Oxford CBE, has turned national attention to Liverpool. But neither Liverpool and the rotting area of Toxteth are excep. tions to the rule.
In all Britain's major cities, the economic recession and Tory cut backs creating ghettos
SuppoRT.
LEE JEANS
SIT IN AND
Rail unions reach the
Wing tied to productivity strings and stated that up workers were the most and had the lowest pay, of all their European counterparts.
The British Rail under orders from Whitehall, refused to accept the 3 per cent payment unless a whole package of productivity was agreed. The most serious being for one person operation of trains, the abolition of the 8 hour day and the introduction of continental shifts.
Management want pre- workers to work anything from 3 hours per day to 10 hours per # a or gol week. Split shifts would also be introduced, especially for train crews and Sunday work would become part of the normal forty hour week. would result in the loss of the One the guard and the driver's assistant and would place still responsibility on the driver 34,000 jobs have gone since 1970 and the British Rail Board are looking for another 38,000 by 1985 by already agreed productivity deals.
April, posals would take railworkers back to une 1880's misery of the 'profits lives' policy of the private companies.
Page 4
poverty and neglect.
All the country is polic-
ed by men and women who
racialist, and
just as brutal ask any
about
police brutality and frame-
as licy are luciver
pool 8.
lowdown
When the elected coun-
cillors of Liverpool com-
plain that the Merseyside
Police Committee can't
control Mr Oxford they
Rail effi-
Board,
measures
railoperation
11101C
The new pro
and the
before
the cuts.
Home News
Police Committee in Bri- for single tain.
It is not the elected councillors who and decide the really important things The real decisions are taken by the non-accountable elected state, of which the police force is a vital part.
The Liverpool police of course have a record se cond to none when By Alex Baillie IT'S crunch week for the Labour controlled council in the Lothian Region in south-east Scotland.
As Socialist Challenge went to press the council was due to decide its reac tion to the latest blackmail Laureal TONI Tory Government cut council spending by £30 million or face withdrawal of the
Because of Lothian's spending policy the Tories Have a succid ¡lalicu 101 the council, so much so that the Lothian battle has now become one of chief points of resistance to the Tories' cuts policy.
In June an estimated
15,005 or Edinbur go the
streets Edinburgh show their support for the council.
Now, Scottish secretarv George Younger is out to stop the rebellion.
Socialist Chalenge talked to Lothian councillor Jim-
nO CutS,
no rates or
rent rises!
Phyllis Dunnipace
Rob Jones
Socialist Challenge
PAMPHLETI
Available from Box 50, London N1. Price 25p plus p&p.
comes to brutality. In the
they killed Jimmi Kelly. Recently they have tried castrate Michae Blaney with a machete probably one of the new MOI control weapons authorised by the Home Secretary. Lethal
They have deliberately fired Ferret CS gas canisters into crowds of people knowing that such use of them was potentially lethal.
auc Conned. savage police beatings of people being 'fitted up , of
Screame for blood of
calling the blood
out where are the black my Burnett who explained the significance of the "As many as 59 out of 65 Jimmy pointed Scottish local authorities have exceeded the Secretary of State's cash guidelines and George with them all eventually. To take on Lothian first is, however, a political decision, taken at the highest level, to attack an authority that has been openly political in its opposition to the Government's attempts decimate the British working class anc make it pay for the crisis.
Certainly, over the past couple of years Lothian council has resisted lor cuts as few other councils have done. I he tvpe of im. provements that have been
25p
bastards'.
•VCI alic they ran down Paul Conroy and he lay there with his terrible and painful injuries, they dragged him by his wrists for nearly one hundred
the ponce van.
Paul says that when he regained consciousness in the police station he lay on the floor being kicked by coppers.
Boss
Mr Oxford is the boss He has the one go in. the Liverpool police troduced the tactics of 'hot Dul sull while! green light to police drivers
run down and maim and
After Conroy was run down by hit-and-run
Jimmy Burnett - Lothian councillor
made include: • Four schools opened and nursery classes established in the last two years; • Eleven new primary SCROOS and tour new secondary schools have been built. Leacher statting has been raised to 20
mended by the Govern-
• Five new facilities for
education have been developed;
soca sevices. 931 new full-time posts have been created. he numbe of people visited by home help has increased from 8,000 to 10,000 and then be can in ase
per cent the numbers of people short-term care in elderly people's homes •Over 120,000 now benefit from free travel passes.
Record
Burnett proud this record. Since 1977' • he said have pursued a policy of
the tace o cutbacks by both Labour and ory Governments Ir fulfillment of our election pledges.
George Younger has now
parliament which threaten the right councils in Scotland to
borrow 1 alsc money to finance any deficit in the budget'.
If the Tories' attack is successful
nially Lothian will suffer. At least 2,500 council workers would have to be made redundant immediately Other jobs would disap. pear through non-filling of vacant posts. That could nvolve the loss of anothe 1,500 jobs
But it is the poor, the sick, the young and the
police vehicle, Oxford commented: "They can see une vehicles and they know what will hap. pen if they get in the way'. Jail
Some of the touchy public representatives now find Oxford rather an emDarrassmen and they would like Whitelaw promote him and thereby get him out of Liverpool.
Such solution untenable.
The only solution for people wRO conspire organise violence against a popuation is to lock lnen up in jail. . Oxford like the rest of Britain's chiet con stables is a menace who should not be allowed to continue his reign of ter-
elderly who would be
lialucol hit. The elderly
would suffer through in-
creased charges for home-
helps and meals on wheels
Nursery classes would
disappear, and hundreds
of children who now
quality free school
meals would have to go
without.
Campaign
Members of the
Labour Group on Lothian
council have tried to ex
plain all this to both thi
Noblers lange and ce acil
workers. have ad-
dressed hundreds of
meetings in secondary
schools, colleges and other
workplaces' explained
Jimmy. 'We feel the suc-
cess of the campaign can
gauged by the massiv
strike and rally that took
place in Edinburgh on 30
June. The vast majority of
the Lothian workforce
went on strike, and 15,000
marched along Princes
Street in one of the biggest
demonstrations the capital
has ever seen.
Fight
The next stage in Lothian's battle against the Tories will be decided this week. But Jimmy
Burnett is under no necessary. Labour what will be Successary. cillors can only effect the situation marginally It 1s the trade union and labour
movement take action to defend the which
public sector. Councillors
and help to raise people's
Dollica consciousnes.
But it is the workers of Lothian themselves who will have to fight in the end.'
Page 5 scan of this page
By Phil Hearse TWO YEARS after the
under threat.
of Nicaragua from neighbouring Honduras.
counter-revolutionary operation with the Honduran army.
Nicaragua also under economic attack, The United States has cut off f9m of aid, WaCi was lo ve ustu lo pulchase American grain.
made clear that regards Nicaraguan revolution bitter enemy. The reason is simpie. lo reconstruct une counuı y after the devastation wrought by somoza ana ine long suruggle against him, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) led government organised the masses to impose their interests against
UWIL those of the capitalist class.
The highly successful literacy crusade has brought the message of revolution ana the tasks of reconstruction to the
of the population.
Plan for Economic Keacivation has found support amongst Ine WOrKeTS peasants. They occupied land and tactories. demanding tneir nationalisation, when private
refused Lavilalisto ment the new goals and targets
increased agricultural and industrial production.
The Sandinista Defence Committees which emerged
the insurrection nave Decome the basic form workers selt-organisation and have begun to take on the tasks •rocal transport. shortages. child-care and other problems of the localities.
Arm
But nothing demonstrates the popular base of the revolution more than the increased arming of the masses through the
peoples' militias.
Short of an ali-out American invasion, it will be no pushover for counter-revolutionary torces lo acical tne iicaraguan revolution. In November 1980,
decisive
bulls reached breaking
Nicaragua:
two years on
overthrow of the hated Nicaraguan dictator Somoza, the revolution is still
Units comprised of former members of Somoza's National Guard regularly harass the northern borders
There are 600 counter-revolutionary troops under training in southern Florida, ready to spearhead a
attack, perhaps in
resistance of the bourgeoisie to the advance of the revolution.
The Nicaraguan Digarise resistance to the FSLN capitalists
the time of the the walk-out from the its State was met with mobilisation of the people.
The coming to power of the keagan regime in the United States poses a new threat to the Nicaragua has throughout Central America.
There is no doubt that Reagan ano aerence secretary look more favourably on the activities of the revolutionary forces oul ol Miami and Honduras than did their predecessors. As The they araguas cal dis the Nicaragua already anc game for de-stabilisation.
And the internal not yet removed. imple- workers and peasants have control of the government, 75 per cent of cli dises private hands. The Nicaraguan bourgeoisie still has its vitriolic daily paper, La Prensa. recording achievements of the years, socialist solid that more than carasual international solidarity.
All photos have been taken Trom te aramanic ana moving photographic account of the Nicaraguan revolution presented in Meiselas' book, Dy vvriters Readers Publishing operative Ltd, price £6.95.
was the
Right: In the central co- plaza, renamed Plaza de la Revolucion.
Below left: National
the Muchachos take over
capitalist pur on captured Iva' Council of nonal cuero unirorms
Managua, mass Bottom: Woman instructor teaching markmanship to woman volunteco
and
Haig operating
concerned
threat While the
the
last two
nO e ever the
ACCs
Susan Nicaragua,
and Co-
International
Central America
Sunday 20 September 81 Assemble 1-00pm Clerkenwell Green ECI March to Trafalgar Square
Solidarity with the people of CHILE and LATIN AMERICA
No Tory Arms for Chile
No U.S. Intervention in National Demonstration
Rally
NO AID, NO TRADE, NO GUNS FOR FASCISM FOR THE RESTORATION OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS IN CHILE FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN LATIN AMERICA SOPORTURE IN CHILE
•Socialist Challenge 13 August 1981, Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Democratic rights? — not whil imperialist war is waged abroa
Chief government attorney Edward Williams By Tom Martin 'WE didn't go to court to get justice. Our aim was to get out the truth. And we succeeded beyond our wildest hopes.'
That is how Jack Barnes, national secretary of American Socialist Workers Party (SWP), sums up the trial of the lawsuit brought by the party and the Young Socialist Alliance (YSA) against the US government and its police agencies, which ended in New York City on 25 June.
The socialists are demanding $40 million in damages for illegal activities against them by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and others. They also want declaration that there is no constitutional basis vestigating them.
Socialist Challenge talked to Barnes and Larry coordinator of the Rights Defence Fund (which handles all aspects lawsuit), shortly after the end of the trial.
'I think really that we forced out into the open the ultimate power of
Called sovers ves control.
We also exposed the thoughtcontrol legislation like the Smith Act, the Voorhis Act. People thought they had died along with McCarthyism In the 1950s, but our case has now tney re sull usea lo larass upponents of government policy.
In tne course or tweive weeks we dragged out the wnole really unfettered governmental power: executive orders, loyalty programmes, the lot. And in doing that we also put paid to the myth of the bad FBI
Hoover the maniac, and so on. Wha was done to us was
carried regardless whether those ornice Democrats or Republicans.'
wordS are liose Seigle, and as they suggest, right from
Socialist Challenge 13 August 1981
the
secret
La Jack Barnes, Workers Party (SWP) for in-
Seigle, Political TV show of that
of the
mental abuses.
go after so- CIes. Practically
Many
the lot.
shown
the stakes were a lot higher. of
simply inal Ine responsibilities of matters of and YSA government matter.
In effect,
were • detend democracy …ot larry
Page 6
EXIT
national secretary of the American Socialist
the start the socialists' suit was seen as victims ops overment harasse
government harassbig
Actor Ed Asner (Low Grant in the
name) spoke manv when he said. "look torward to the trial in the Socialist Workers Party lawsuil as lic culmaon ol alone struggle for justice against govern- LOKCI
Public support broadened as the case uncovered a fantastic array of dirty tricks by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agen-
everything the socialists had charged the government with turned out to be true: burglaries, wiretaps, bugs, mail openings, use of informers, collaboration with rightwing lerrorists in onysical allacks ..
But gradually it became clear that
For the government's defence to all this was
the President' se Prity allowed national the FBI to do what it liked to the SWP
- or anyone else, for that clear. it argued that the government is above the laws it makes
d orner peopic. Allu lus is necessa.
So it's not altogether surprising that the trial itself was almost com-
pletely blotted out in the media. The boycott was truly extraordinary. I welve weeks of a trial which raised
constitutional Issues, over and over again how the govern ment tramples all over the democratic rights of American citizens -the national papers can manage is a
article wien it opens and another when it ends.
Yet as Barnes points out: lt was a good story. That's why our rallies in
¡ltterent parts of the countrv got suci good local coverage - big stories in the local press, radio interviews, anc
o on. But nationally: nothing
The response at those rallies als nelps to explain wny lne media lea to shut out news of the trial. Barnes
collinuca.
'We totally underestimated the example we were setting for the rest of the left. I've been amazed at the praise the party has come in for rallies. In cities from California to New York, people have said the same thing: we didn't understand what you were doing, but now it's all become
'Our trial has coincided with the greatest onslaught on democratic rights in a quarter of a century. This 1s at the centre of the whole war drive.
But American workers nave been through too much in the last
They can't face another Vietyeals.
nam, another
package.
that's what vou leer in ine railes. San Francisco,
organisations outside the SWP
La question of solidarity.
resist the cutbacks, etc.
working people
class conflict.
June) warned
presidentia election 'mandate" for ministration to impose its
not because they thing he said, but up tion. showing
- and al
Rights rights, and opposition to
the polls
Salvador
That
secret police powers will be
YSA and more at these
dustrial jobs has a lot
the lawsuit.
'Without
we a be oll in a corner. unable to take
few they happen to be socialists.
local union
THEL
THE
Watergate, another depression. Yet this is the ruling class
'Our case makes all the links. And
we had 27 Cull Calls and and YSA in attendance. And it wasn't just
• People came because they wanted to discuss how to fight against the threat of war, how to
What is at stake in the socialists' case are the methods the capitalist class needs to maintain its rule over
ty. • the vast maoriti of the country — at a time of growing important
The Economist magazine (13-19
•US imperialists against mistaking the result of the
'for a general the Reagan adwill. In reality it is nothing of the kind. People voted for Mr Reagan in November
agree, with everybecause they were
does me macane men tioned popular support for the Equal
Reagan's tax-cut proposals. It might lust as well have added that on foreign policy too
show overwhelming rejection of US support for the junta in El
Yet the recession means that the that. ruling class has little alternative but to pursue its current attacks on working mail,
down on any independent political leadership that begins to emerge in the labour movement. A whole battery of Cuban
required
- all those used against the SWP anc
Larry Seigle explains that the turn made by the party a few years ago to get a majority of its members into in.
to do with the support l das been adie lo win around
our turn to industry We'd be up the concrete implications for the labour movement less to
- things like the sacking of our com- Salvador.
arcockneed simov because Having orticials speak at ou
rallies and be identified with the par on this question, having groups of c workers attend all this is new.
Adds Barnes: 'We've found th co-workers will come to the suit ralli more than thev would to an anti-u action; it's a bigger response then y find around economic issues
"And what they can see very clea ly from the suit is the class questio involved. The fact that the Democr and Republicans represent the sar class interest. They're more recepti to arguments that working peop need their own party - a labour pa The international conis trials
aspeci trial. longtime SWP leader Farrell Dob explained in court, you can't ha democratic rights at home while it perialist war is being waged abroad Farrell Dobbs
The whole suit was evidence
Government ettorts to bur SWP and YSA premises, open th
tap their phones, bug th meeting rooms, and plant agents their ranks were massively stepped with the Trotskyists' support for t
revolution against perialist blockade, followed by th leading role in the movement agai the Vietnam war.
todav the situation is d ferent. Jack Barnes explains:
deeper and broader than it did wh
Vietnam wal Worki people feel that it was they as a cl who had to fight and suffer in V nan That is why - and for what?
Reagan is so pow decisively What would happen wh the first American body was broug back from El Salvador? The wh country would see Vietnam all or
Page 7 scan of this page
The roal 'terrorist intemational
again.
'This whole international situation really starts people thinking. The opposition Europe weapons is an example. People in Utah, where the MX system is due to be built, understand why people in The Hague don't want missiles stationed there.
'Thatcher and Reagan are seen as part of the same package -marriage of inconvenience. begin to feel an identification with the opposition to Thatcher, what's going on in the Labour Party. Then they see the victory of Mitterrand, what they sée as a socialist government. It makes American workers think?.
Now that the trial is over, both sides working on written
trial; with the judge's ruling expected late this year or early in 1982. But as always, what goes on in court is only a small part of the process
'This case didn't finish with the trial at all', says Barnes. mation we forced out is of immense value to the entire labour movement,
the black movement, women's movement. as much as possible of that stuff out during the briefing period.
AND OF
-REE?
focus on nuclear the
• a sort oi *Then there So people
deport
After all, briefs such problems!
'The infor- Diego.
the We have to get tend to do.
'Then there are a whole series of relalea cases coming uo, cases wnicn
particular aspects of this struggle for democratic rights. Like
Lockheed case Larry mentioned; and there's now another case in Cincinnati where the firing of two SWP members has been upheld because it's alleged that their presence in the plant
are also the current appeals against deportation bv Hec tor Marroquin (a Mexican) and Moj-
Vijeh (an Iranian student)
Naturalisation Service (INS) is trying
oecause of membership of the SWP and YSA.
Shah didn't face any
"Then in the fall we'll be trying to build big rallies to draw the lessons of the case and link up with other cases,
were the victims of and FBI frameup
NASSCO shipyard In San
'This trial has put us in a great position to drive for a united front in defence of democratic rights, on the war question, against attacks on living conditions. And that's what we in-
By Bob Pennington AMERICAN air traffic trollers and their families must now know, and doubtless appreciate, what it is really like to live in the 'land of the free'.
Of course it is rather a different freedom than they had originally believed in. In a few short, sharp brutal days they have learned that President Reagan and the employers believe that the making of profit is what freedom is about, and that uppity workers who interfere in that sacred pursuit are challenging 'democracy' and American way of life.
It is defence of the capitalist version of freedom that has made the White House and the judiciary launch a series of unprecedented measures against the strikers. Measures by the way, which must turning Thatcher green with envy, doubt there is many a stalinist bureaucrat in Warsaw wishing to christ he could do the same to Solidarity.
Sacked
Thirteen thousand workers have been sacked • They and their families have lost all their medical and life insurance. None of them will be allowed to work in the Federal sector again. Five union officials have been jailed. The President of the Virginia local, Steve Wallaert sentenced to 60 days jail for refusing to order his members back to work. The judge, in a display of ruling class savagery then had him taken from the court in handcuffs and leg irons.
Right acros. judges are slapping fines on the union
Striking air traffic controller Steve Wallaert is led away in chains by United States Marshals after being jailed for refusing to return to work
Reagan aims to shackle the unions
con- which total around $100,000 an hour
The judges are
neutral and if the bosses want the air traffic controllers' then they are ready and willing to do their bit.
against Controllers members, is that they broke their vow as Federal employees not to strike. As the air traffic controllers' strike has Americano Socialist borkers pare American Socialist has just finished. brought against the US Government and its agencies like the FBI and the
the Nixon By proof in court, mittances of the FB themse ves was shown that with the approval of the US Government these police agen
Mrs cies had engaged and no tapping, had worked with right wing extremists burglary:
to organise ohysical attacks on SWH members. was a violation of the vows taken b the Government officials who sanctioned them agents who carried them out.?
Reagan's old
before and after his resignation as President found to be a liar and a cheat who fiddled the Treasury out of millions of dollars in income tax, Norfolk, spired in burglary and bribery
was defiance of the constitution he had
sworn to uphold. Nixon even illegally ordered the bombing of which was a breaking of his vow thai caused the deaths of thousands of peorixon did not go to jail in irons. He got a pardon and is now do-
showing that when i
BONES smashed Wall
Reagan's excuse for this onslaught the Professional Air Traffic
Organisation and its
their class
Workers The SWP suit was
hope. dust they
, and on the ad- Government.
illegal wire mall opening and
Every one of these actions bars.
and the FBI and GA
behind bars buddy both
Richard Nixon, was
who also con— all in
Cambodia our
leg book.
Socialist Challenge
ing very nicely on the money he got out of the American people. None of the capitalists who have looted the na
consoleo agains peoples' civil rights, and waged illegal
were imprisoned They do not lose their jobs and their money which buvs them health care and insurance They have an advantage over the air traffic controllers — they own a piece of the action. The President is their man. The judges belong to them and
All the cards are stacked on their side. This is why they can unleash such a fury against 13,000 air traffic controllers. T. ir iney grind Ao itohe is just the beginning they
are confident that other strike will think twice, nay three or four times before they take on the employers and the
Solidarity
An AFL-CIO official is reported to have said 'The President is trying to take on the union movement in the same wav Mrs Thatcher has in Britair
We will not be thrown behind
He is right. Reagan is taking or the unions but he has thrown them
And the only way open that jailhouse door and get the air traffic controllers their jobs back is for the US labour movement to do what the British working class did in 1972 when Heath sent five dockers to jail for "striking illegally'. A general strike began and within hours the dockers were out of jail
In every country workers must put an embargo on all US planes to help
brothers and sisters in the American unions fight for the right to organise, because our own ruling class is dying to take a leaf out of Reagan's
13 August 1981 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
For an independent, federal and socialist Afghanistan
THE following is an abridged version of a resolution on Afghanistan adopted by majority at a recent meeting of the International Executive Committee of the Fourth International.
Democrat Pare les
Democratic Party Afghanistan (PDPA) overturnea the Daud regime and took power in
Initially the new PDPA regime received a favourable judgement from sectors of the masses.
In 12 months this support been frittered away.
The programme of the regime comprised a series of halt-measures applied in a way that was quite incapable of breaking the hold of ruling layers on the rura masses.
The PDPA made no effort to raise the level of consciousness the
and kept well Dcasalits. away from organising mobilising the workers and poor peasants in an independent way. It In SITU-
movement and outlawed strikes.
From April 1978 the big landowners, the tribal chiefs whO were oni recently made legal owners of the land, the mullahs and the fundamentalist
Pushtuns armed struggle against the regime. In spite of their social base of support, these reactionary leaders were engaged in a struggle
reforms ally order to safeguard their position as exploiters and oppressors. From this point of view, even though the PDPA base was limited it was opposed tc the reactionary camp in a
In 1979 movements inside the national and
minorities in Hazardjah, Tadjikistan and Nuristan appeared.
Above all they expressed opposition to the central state and to a PDPA which was identified with traditional Patin 0oma tion.
Thus the PDPA was incapable of implementing its programme The growing resistance of the rural population and part of the
urban masses, well as the appearance of splits in
ide the Afghan army, all heightened the isolation of the regime.
Soviet intervenuon became heavier after the
Herat (March
LD SES 1
Jalalabad and especially the mutiny at the Bala-hissar fort (near Socialist Challenge
Kabul) in August 1979. This resulted in repeated COnICLS OCLWCCIl Kremlin advisors and some PDPA elements.
One fact stands out very clearly from all the evidence: the intervention, occupation, and the policy followed since September 1979, were all decided by Moscow, nol by the Afghan government.
The Soviet bureaucracy has shown that, in order to follow its own objectives does not hesitate to refuse grain of rights to self-determination of the peoples of this semi-colonial country. There
no doubt that there was a violation of self-determination. Furthermore, from the point view of the •eneral particular interests of
he proletarian revoluTion suen an orientaton cannot be justified.
Nor can the military occupation be justified in the name of the detence ot the USSR. At no time during ine class conrucis in Afghanistan - which certainly could have resulted in the fall of the PDPA
was there any possibility of forces coming to power in Atghanis tan capable of attacking the USSR, or of a generalised conflict developing which could threaten thi social foundations of the USSR.
The of the Kremlin bureaucracv become a weapon in the reactionaries' hands to be used to counterpose 'socialism to the struggle for national aberation ana aemocranc rights. The bourgeois na-
and Islamic leaders latch on to this situation in order to build their image the
among masses.
Soviet invasion also taclitates the antl Marxist and anti-communist campaign of imperialism which uses it to justify rearmament polcles and its attempts to demobilise mass opposition military expenditure.
allows imperialism to claim a legitimacy for its
intervenionist poncies
the Middle East, Iran and
Central America.
Thus from the point of
view of the defence of the
well epercussions
on tne eve al consciou
ness and ,organisation of
the world proletariat, the 13 August 1981 Page 8
U S only be condemned.
W the rasthe on oris
'Internal of the rank!
resistance' and suffers from the Soviet repression? In the man racas
whose leaders are most often the traditional chiefs. They have been joined by sectors of the traditional petit-bourgeoi-
servants and the urban sala-
International,
R
Kunduz
KABULO
AFGHANISTAN
Kandahar@
AKISTA plebian layers. the students and secondary school cham traditionally drew their forces a ron has position movement emerged
The experience of the masses under the arakı and Amin government, ine meinoos useo Dy o PDPA and the Soviet advisors, and the Soviet cupation all mean that the
'Red Army' forces could not, and cannot, become the instrument tor ar effective battle against the
This is even 1 cartivialico. more the case given the battle cannot be won only militarily.
Far from welding
ogether th ranks of the
DPA all estimations give maximum membership of 5000 - the intervention and the occupation have accentuated the conflicts between the Khalq and Parcham factions.
Increasingly the Soviet forces substitute for the 'phantom' Afghani state apparatus. In July Afghanistan was divided up into 7 military regions
- each headed by a Soviet General. The Soviets exercise direct control on the administrative, institu
the nationalised state secLOT
The Soviet intervention and the occupation have therefore proved be obstacles to the reinforcement of the workers and peasants movement,
the emergence of leadership capable of car rying out a social, political and military battle against the reactionarles. Nothing In inis instance tiereions justifies the abandonment of the defence of the right to self-determination when the Soviets have substituted for the PDPA and decide everything themselves. Self Getes
mination is one of the absolutely elements of anv for struggle against reac
and imperialism Afghanistan region as a whole.
To organise the battle
necessary social base Dar avers wo are mos
open to support for policv of democratic re forms and social changes.
WILlIOul ailanci with the poor peasantry
oppressed Hationala dead end will be reached.
In Afghanistan today two aspects of national self-determination are combined: the one hand the defence of political sovereignty and independence laced will the Soviet occupation, and
other hand the rights and aspirations of oppressed national mino rities in the framework of the Afghan state and of the region as a whole
It would be false to reject this approach by counterposing, ple, the right to 'self•ererauauou of the workers in the towns and countryside, on the pretext of the backward character of sectors of the tance. Putting forward such a slogan simply ends up denying the effect pro voked by the Soviet intervention class consciousness in Afghanistan.
To win an influence among the urban working masses and to their control by the reac tionary forces it is vital to put torward democrati and social demands, to detend their and take a position against the hold of the USSR. Such an approach can also provide
answer those who supported the regime and its progressive measures (despite the way in waca unev were carnicu out) but who are splitting from it and retuse to back the policy of the USSR.
A clear position of the Internanona workers movement against imper-
and for the right of self-determination in Aignan istan permits the weaken-
of the Islamic tun. damentalist forces, who are beginning to be discredited for their methods, and favours the organisa tions struggling for the masses social and tional rights.
A withdrawal of Soviet troops would doublessly
put into danger the parti-
sans or une exsuneredat
The Kremlin's policy will
contributed their position against the reactionaries
But this can only be seen relation the overall negative effects of the maintenance of Soviet troops for the development of the class struggle on the national and international level.
Soviet troop withdrawal does not imply dropping
defence of PDPA militants and sympathisers sulalley against the reactionaries
Socialists should the confuse the principle 01 proletarian internation-
alism and effective aid to
freedom-fighters in a deve
loping revolution, with the
military intervention
workers state falsel
presented as an 'extension have ot socialism'. which in tac
prevents any independent activity of the masses.
Page 9 scan of this page
ten years on
TEN YEARS ago this without trial was re-introduced in the North of Ireland. more than a passing relevance. cessors of the internees of ten years ago are the political prisoners in the H Blocks and the women's prison in Armagh.
GEOFF BELL recalls
August 1971 and changed.
The North of Ireland is the largest prison camp in the world came being 60 yeals asu been such because that was the only way it could exist. when reano was divided in 1921, against the wishes
the majority population, the Northern state could only survive Dy repression.
Inal was wny, as soon as the statelet came into existence in 1921. internment without trial was immediately invoked. Over 500 Republican
Dylllpathisers were arrested within a couple of weeks. It was not until 1924 that this first period of internment ended.
The victims
'A HOOD was pulled against a
over my head and / ing
was handcuffed and subjected to and personal abuse
I was dragged out an to the helicopter, being kicked and struck about the body with batons on the way.
'After what seemed about one hour in the helicopter I was thrown from it and kicked and batoned My arms, into what / took to be and head a lorry. The lorry was driven to a building.
'On arriving there, all my clothes were taken from me and / was given a boiler suit to wear which had no buttons. During this time the hood was still over my head.
'I was then taken into what I can only guess was another room and was made to stand with my feet
The next time the Unionists began locking up their internment lasted political ponents twice as long from 1938 to 1945. In all, 827 people were held during this period. The initial reason given by the government was that there was an 'IRA plot' to launch 'attacks upon occupying prominent positions and UDOI Government and other property'
Eleven years after the last internee had been released 1945 Unionists were at it again. The excuse this time was
Internment:
week, internment
As an anniversary, today it has
The suc-
the fateful day in explains why little has
the ineffective IRA
'border campaign'
ternment lasted from
1956-61. Over 400 were de-
Lantee and 256 jailed
without trial for lengthy
In many ways the in-
ternment which began
was different from
HUSU of Its predecessors.
ror tnis lime tne poncy ol
jailing without trial
release date was invoked
not so much against a sup-
posed threat,
but against political
threat.
True, some of those in-
terned were members of
the IRA, , but others were
activists in the civil rights
movement which had
wide apart and my hands pressed
wall. Durall this time could hear a verbal droning noise, which sounded to me like
electric saw This continued for what can only describe. as an indefinite period of time.
stood there, arms against the wall, feet wide apart.
legs, back began to ache.
perspired free, the noise and the heat were terrible My circulation had stopped. I flexed my
to start the blood flowing again. They struck several times on the hands, ribs, kidneys, and my kneecaps were kicked. My hood-covered head was banged against the wall.
sprung up in the North of
Ireland in late 1968 to de-
mand equal treatment for
Catholics, and repeal
repressive legislation.
Among those arrested on 9
August 1971 were Michael
Farrell, John Murphy and
John McGuf Peoples
members of
which was
then a loose organisation
on the left wing of the civil
rights campaign.
Such arrests made the
political meaning of in-
ECTENCOLN ced.
The demand for civil rights
for Catholics had been
answered by a gross attack
Ireland,
on the rights of those who nate been making the demands!
For this reason, ternment signalled the end of the civil rights campaign. This Was because the repression had successfully eliminated that campaign, but because it had shown the pointlessness making the demand for the reform of the North of Ireland state. If, in the final analvsis the that state was to lock up its opponents and throw aWay the kev. then showed that the state itself
incapable of being Was reformed.
Internment thus
became the recruiting
tor ProvIsional IRA, who now emLong Kesh as it was in 1971.
British soldiers in 1972 looking for escaped internees.
barked on a campaign to enthrow the state and to
partition Ireland on which it was Dastu.
Internment was eventually phased out in 1975 By then the Unionist Government had been abolished, from Westminster and direct LuIc had
taken its place.
But the resistance continued because the Labour Governmen showed little inclination to tackle the root cause of the
"rouble undemocratic Northern
and the anti-Catholic discrimination and repression which went with it.
Internment as a policy had proved ineffective, and the torture of those
who had been its victims
the European Court Human Rights British Government needed locking up its opponent Those arrested from 1976 onwards were still denied trial by juries but did have their case tried by a single judge. The normal rules of evidence were changed so that many instances one danseu lau to prove
Special
Powers
IT WAS the Special Powers Act which allowed for internment without trial.
This Act permitted arrest without charge or warrant, the right to intern without trial, prohibit the holding of coroners' inquests, flog, execute, destroy buildings, requisition land or property, ban any organisation be it political, social or trade, prohibit meetings, publications or gramophone records.
their rather than the prosecution prove guilty. Many victed on the basis of 'confessions' extracted by what was later described as 'inhuman treatment' by Amnesty International.
The victims this repression are today the
Long Kesh and Armagh. Because they have been tried in specia COULLS and convicted ULUCI special legislation, their claim they should different treatment once they are incarcerated. That is the basis of the present heroic struggle strikers in Long kesh. And nunger
that is why the best way to commemorae tenth anniversary of internment Is to secure the victory of those hunger strikers.
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IMG notices ABORTION fraction Sat 5 Sept member of each branch to attend i national centre I0.3Uam. At least o discuss national perspective for nes:
Socialist Challenge 13 August 1981: Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Labour at the cross-roads
FOR the first time in many years all the main issues in the battle against the Tories will be autumn's Labour Party conference.
will have major debate on those issues in the workers'. movement over the coming months.
series of articles over the summer on this vital Labour Party conference. In the Labour and the Bomb.
Even the coolest members of the ruling
alarmed Cass are Labour's position on the
The move by UNC Labour Party national executive (NEC) unilateral disarmament in LaDOUr S next eechon manifesto is dead serious.
Fat
When the 1960 party conference passcu a mo tion supporting unilateral ISm famous 'fight, fight and highl again specel. And in 1961 Labour's conference dulv bowed to the pressure
union and MPs and reversed its previous stand.
K11Ti the generals NATO, une City of London, Ine Hudoulad turers growing fat on government contracts, and their loyal representatives, Northern Carnival
Against the Missiles
Future lies
with the youth
By Heien Flynn, Hackney Revolution supporter DESPITE the morning's rain and the unrelenting cloud, they turned out in their thousands for the Northern Missiles.
The demonstration started WiEn 5,000 Strangeways, doubling in size on ILS way down Alexandra Park in Moss Side, and in all, about 15,000 came to the Carrival itself.
It was dominated by young people, many local and many who had travelled from all over the North of England. The atnosphere was truly dynamic few people istened to the speakers who were described by one voung woman as the 'old ¿ogeys'.
Struggles
But those speakers who came to share the experience of their own liv-
Gus John of the Moss Side Defence Committee Tony from the Grenadian High Commission, Steve Longshore from the Laurence Scott occupation, and especially Kerry Wade Youth CND National Council were well received by the crowds.
Socialist Challenge 13 August 1981 ' Page 10
highlighted by this
The decisions of the conference
impact on the
Socialist Challenge will feature a
first BRIAN HERON looks at
Thatcher and Reagan, are tar less confident this time
First, the would-be Gaitskells face a very unfavourable prospect they search for union sup
port. Even the Iron and Steel Trades Contedera. tion (not renowned for its left wing credentials) has gone unilateralist.
Inside party, the view is even bleaker forthe right wing. There were 144 I Coolutions valous aspects of the fight against the missiles at last year's conference. Attack
But many resolutions fudged the vital difterences between multilateralism and unilateralism, which allowed everybody, from Healey through to Benn, to stand on Labour Party policy.
it allowea root lo anti-unilateralist point
Star
Photo: Morning
Carnival Against the
Kerry, who Salford CND and Revolution supporter, pointed out that most of the hard organisational work for the Carnival had been done by the local Youth CND groups.
Mood
But her speech also reflected best the mood of
• a deter-
missiles to dent one
missiles ailu Government which carries on its war-mongering on
Hevel. while it lashes out at the
communities like clublille Moss Side itself.
Talking to local kids, black and white together, and to enthusiastic young anti-bomb campaigners from not to area bands even listening the everyone echoed the need to kick out the Tories as the first step towards really changing our society.
Harlem Spirit, a Moss Side band, dedicated their set to 'all those who live in the ghetto of Moss Side'.
Which way does Foot march now? Brynmor John as shadow defence spokesperson, and to launch a vicious attack on Benn for leading parlia-
government's defence proposals on the basis that Labour's Cabinet defending conference Youth takes the lead against the missiles
From them and from other like Beat Root, we heard very good and intensely political music, Wilde feeling of unity and opkeynote at the end of the Optimism day. Rumours of trouble
spread by the local failed to
-Stop the missiles
MARCH IRE:!
LONDON
ALDERM policy.
There over 100 resolutions disarmament at this year's con-
erence, making disarmament still the single most popular topic.
But this year, 91 of the 110 resolutions are unilat-
THATCHER
CRUISE
A
materialise. A good time was had by all.
And many young activists in the disarmament movement must have gone away enthused, , was for the potential building massive demonstration in October to show our determination to stop Thatcher bringing Cruise and Trident to Bri-
ON eralist. Six are from unions, including NUPE and NUM. And 14 of the resolutions express opposition to NATO.
The NEC is going to out a clearlv undateralist
conterence. The tain
As the crowds melted aWaY into the gloom,
weary bul obviously elated young Mancunians staggering about, waving clasped hands in the air
'We did it! We did it!
More than anything else, that moment revealed how many months of hard
winning the two thirds majority necessary to get manifesto status for banning the British Bomb.
the party agree that there is Most DCODIC active in a great prospect for victory in the tight for unilatera disarmament to become
1035 NU BOMBS
YOUM
work had gone to make the whole event such a success.
All over country now, CND and Youth CND must set themselves an equivalent task, and get down
and building for for massive turn-out to stop the missiles.
Labour's policy. This battle has decided some very important arguments that have raged in the ranks of the Labour Party and inside Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Resign
It came as no surprise to anybody that Healey voted against the NEC's proposals, or that Bryn
mor John has hinted that if carried, he might be forced to resign. we all sincerely hope so.
What has also become clear DOSILIOl. Michael Foot. He abstained on the NEC proposals,
Sold not hate E
should not take the statement because had been no time to have a full and thorough discussion with the leaders of the western European Socialist parties.
Worthy
Of the handful of multilateralist motions facing conference,
, one 15 worthy of particular attention. It hails from Ebbu Vale, Foot's own constiLUCHCY
When Labour's con ference overwhelming. ly passes a unilateralisi position, it will be matter ot considerable interest to see whether Foot, longtime CND camself to fight, pledges himself to fight and fight again against conference policy
And CND nationally must pull its finger out and really begin to the growth Youth CND
The clearest message this weekend was that the future of the campaign lies with the youth - and they have the drive to take the whole movement t forward emendous way..
Page 11 scan of this page
the
middle
classes
By Colin Robinson CURRENTLY showing Edinburgh Festival is a stunning exhibition of the work French republican artist Honoré Daumier (1808-1879).
Daumier's art is of particular interest to revolutionaries. From his early vicious satires ot Lous Philloe the reactionar Bourbon king; the chilling brutality of Rue Transnoain; and the later merciless satires of the middle classes, combined a unique artistic vision with a commited political outlook.
Far from being intimidated by the laws of censorship under which he was imprisoned in 1834, Daumier constantly strove to find new artistic forms which, though acceptable to the censor, tinued to express his disgust towards the reactionaries governing France.
In a life that spanned the revolution of 1830; 1848, and the Paris Commune of 1870, Daumier poverty and complete lack of recognition to produce literally thousands of illustrations for the popular press, which maintain their power and relevance today.
Satirising
at the
of the
Daumier
oil paintings, sculptures con- Academy, Sundays, September.
overcame abject
"Anarchy, theft, class-war, Bopping the Fuzz."
Guardian
"Packed with ideas of imaginative lunacy...
IMMENSELY
ENJOYABLENot
La farce by
DARIO FO
CAN'T PAY?
WON'TPAY!
~ CRITERION BredfGard30796565
H:D.
Daumier exhibition of lithographs,
Wale colors at Royal Scottish Princes Street, Edinburgh. 10am to 9pm daily including
from 13. August to 12 Box Office 930 32l6
Under Review
KEIT
Future' a hypocrite of 1834
New Socialist Challenge pamphlet Stalinism & Bolshevism By Leon Trotsky
S.T.A. L.I.N.I.S.M
A•N•D B•O•L•S.H•E•V.I.S.M Socialist Challenge
PAMPHLET 45p
45p, available
from:
The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St London N1.
'Rue Transnonain, 15 April 1834' — A police massacre of a poor family of Daumier's quarter in Paris 'Louis Phillipe contemplating the Past, Present and Summer holidays give most of us the chance to have a good read Over the next week, we'll be carrying readers have enjoyed and would
recommend to others
week Gelderen's choice for a good holiday book is Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordiner.
This is the who like to read good fiction on holiday but who, drenched beaches aperitifs, do not altogether want to forget that politics is still there.
Nadine Gordiner is one of the greatest writers of fiction living today and the winner of several literary prizes.
Rosa is the daughter of Lionel Burger, an Afrikaner OlIc of the leaders African Character obviously based on Braaa Communist
Fischer. Rosa's earliest memory is, as a șchoolchild prison. Her father eventually dies in
'Conciliatory Attitude
Holiday reading
Pretoria jail.
books
bulent Charlie Van
ideal book for those
memorating
while lying on the sun-
sipping their
the very real world of
South
Soweto who became words of the South
visiting her
of the Moderates'
Daumier exposes the Social Democrats of 1871
Nadine Gordiner skilfully unfolds the story of Rosa's subsequent develuncill as a wonal aru a Desona against the background of the tur-
political environment of the apartheid republic
Although she had not played ar active political role since the tragic death of her father, she is picked up and detained without charges during
big demonstrations died. T those who Soweto, to be subsequently framed ir a treason trial. In prison she once again finds her political identity.
The book was briefly banned in
Africa. Surprisingly the ban was lifted despite its overt condemna tion of the system. One chapter con tains nothing but the manifesto of the
Students Representative Council, which ends with the stirring
FORWARD FOREVER BACKWARD NEVER!
Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordiner is published by Penguin and
from the Other Bookshop (price f1.95).
Socialist Challenge : 13 August 1987 ! Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
By Brian Heron
tell the story
teenth week of their strike to save jobs.
Sir John Boyd, CBE,
smash the struggle of engineering workers.
To do so,
they can. • Rule 28 Clause 3 Dispute benefit is payable to members
take action Lne previous subsequent sanction of the District Committee'
On the 28 July the Manchester North District Commit-
of the AUEW voted unanimously to support the Lawrence Scott workers. • Rule 28, Clause 9 Where benefit been approved 'nothing in these rules shall be construed as giving power to di y Council, Committee Branch to stop payment of this benefit..
On 4 August the AUEW EC withdrew all strike pay. • Rule 14, Clause 16 Executive Council. The Executive Council or their representatives 'shall not be allowed to complete an agreement... unless the terms of the agreement are first submitted to the district or districts affected.'
No submission to the North Manchester District has been
workers to every AUEW branch in the country
In view of the
Scott dispute from the 28 July
ficial status of disputes (Rule 14,
maintain official backing for this fight for jobs.
to the AUEW National Executive).
Registered as newspaper with the so
Printed by East End Offset (TUl Lid, London E2
Socialist
Challenge
Laurence
Scott's
attack
sell out
ON this page we print extracts from two letters. They
of a sordid attempt to betray the workforce at Lawrence Scotts, now in the seven-
General Secretary of their union, the AUEW, and tuba player in the Salvation Army is intent on using the full authority of the AUEW
the 650 Manchester
Boyd and the National Executive are tearing up the following rules of their union as fast as
received beyond a letter giving notice that the dispute has been terminated.
Official backing for dispute Is vital. On 29 Lawrence Scott workers picketted employer parent company, Mining Supplies in Doncaster.
The TGWU drivers using the Doncaster plant supported pIcKel as it had backing from the AUEW, and therefore from their union.
By 5 July Snipe had been forced back to the negotiating table. He cobbled up a deal with the national union officials which has been rejected by the local District Committee and two mass meetings of the LSE workers.
The LSE workers fight on.
A gathering storm Boyd/Duffy leadership in the engineering union. support to the LSE workers.
Make your voice heard against a sell out.
The following resolution has been sent by the LSE
unanimous support for the Laurence 1981 Manchester North
District Committee of the AUEW and the rules of the
union with regard to procedure for deciding on the of-
Paragraph 16), this
branch deplores any attempt by the executive to ter-
minate this dispute against the clear wishes of the
workforce expressed at two mass meetings (14 July
and 23 July) and calls on the National Executive to
(For forwarding with your branch stamp and signature
• London N1
of the circumstances. the June
Snipe's
official
own but is completely
faces the ship in their fight.
Rush your
As the bailiffs call, Lawrence Scott stands firm
We have, therefore, instructed our members to return to work under the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement. All Unions involved feel that this is the best possible settlement in view instructed by Executive Council to inform all of our members working at Laurence Scott factories of the decision of the It is because of the reasons outlined that you are Executive Council and the reasons for that decision.
General Secretary ..r. Yours fraternally JOHN BOYD, letter dated 28th July has not only confused the whole issue support of the National Committee. Further, I would stress this dispute has where incidentally other unions are fully supporting their member Union and in my humble opinion, you have only one alternative to continue the support of our members unconstitutional in terms of the Manchester North District Committee and Executive Council. National Committee and permit the arguments from representatives The only alternative is for you to recall Should you decide on this constitutional obliged if the undersigned could attend that forum.
Tole T Pratoon J.W. TACHER Divisioned Franteer
Therefore, I think your the unanimous
of the Rules of the at Laurence Scott Electromotors
course, I would be most
Socialist
(real value £3.15!)
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Malcolm X joined the Black Muslims after spending six years in prison for burglary. Twelve years later, he lef the Muslims and spent what was to be the last year of his
He died a black nationalist and a revolutionary internationalist fighting to build an independent, united black Uniyment through the Organisation of Afro-American
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