Socialist Challenge No. 242, 21 April 1982

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Page 1 scan of this page

No. 242 22 April 1982 25p Unemploved and strikers 10p

Socialist

INSIDE New rise of Palestinian

Challenge struggle pp. 8-9

The war crisis

pages 2, 3, 5, 11

ONE IN THREE SAY -Editorial

Thatcher's reaction to the latest Haig peace plan shows that she will fight tooth and nail

NO TO anv compromise with Argentina.

The Haig proposals are a scandal. They deny Argentinian sovereignty. They continue to back Britain's false claim to sovereignty.

But Thatcher is desperate for a fight. As Haig reported back to Reagan from on board his shuttle plane 'Britain wants a skirmish to save face'.

No British worker has any interest in back ing Thatcher's battle to defend Britain's predator world role. It is to defend the international operations of British companies that Thatcher has launched her war against the British working class.

Despite the press hysteria, many workers sense this connection. Already the opinion polls show 32 per cent opposed to any military conflict over the islands. And this is before the first shot is fired. When we look at Labou voters the figures show 30 per cent opposed even to the sending of the fleet at all.

The tide is turning.

CND CALLS

FOR ACTION

THE CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT has taken the first step in building a mass movemen! against Thatcher's war On Sunday 18 April CND's national committee

THATCHER'S handed in a petition calling on the government to

• categorically rule out the use of nuclear weapons by the task force • stop all war preparations, withdraw the task force and suspend the maritime exclusion zone The three-point declaration also called for the government to start negotiating on the basis of United Nations Security Council motion 502 CND is to set up an ad-hoc committee to co ordinate action involving everyone opposed to That. cher's war drive.

This is a great step towards turning the tide against Thatcher's madness.

Monday night's protest meeting, initiated by Socialist Challenge, called for CND's move to b taken up with

WAR • a picket to demand the stopping of the fleet

• a national demonstration in the event of hostilities Socialist Challenge asks all its readers to take up these initiatives in local CNDs, YCNDs Labour Par. ties and unions. CND's step in creating an ad-hoo committee should be emulated locally to draw in the widest possible forces As a result of CND's initiative it will also be possi. ble to link resistance to Britain's adventure to the mobilisation around Reagan's visit.

At the weekend, the CND demonstration in Manchester featured declarations against Thatcher's wa drive from all platform speakers, and a Socialis Challenge banner opposing war in the South Atlantic attracted a large contingent Socialist Challenge calls on opponents of this wai to build contingents against it in demonstrations and actions against Reagan.

There are serious problems in the CND declara tion which we think can be overcome through join action - if for example, the anti-war movement calls for settlement on the basis of UN motion 502, as CND proposes. This resolution, was the basis on which Thatcher mobilised the fleet.

If negotiations take place while the fleet is still al sea, then this could become a brake on the move. ment, continued on p.i

Page 2 scan of this page

continued froin p. 1

CND's demands even as

war.

basis of action.

ruling class.

by British and Argentinian workers.

basis.

in the Labour Party.

war has been disastrous.

Photo: COLIN HEADWORTH (Soclalist Challenge)

Rafael Runco who was imprisoned for five yoars by the junta

Sacialist Challenge 22 April 1982

because Thatcher will claim that she is implementing

she readies her ships for In our view, therefore, it cannot be the basis for unity if the broadest possible forces are to be mobilised. The first two points of CND's declaration should be the

In our view the demand to stop the fleet is a principled one which squarely confronts the war efforts of our own

But we shall also campaign to forge the only weapon that can defeat both Thatcher and Galtieri: united action

This is why, in the Labour Party and unions, we shall continue to argue for opening Britain's frontiers to Latin American refugees; for abandonment of the British claim and recognition of the Argentinian claim; and for support to Argentina's working class against Galtieri on this

In this respect we don't agree with the approach taken by Socialist Worker to the Labour left - although we welcome Socialist Worker's first-class stand against the war and against Thatcher. Socialist Worker merely takes labour's stand as proof that there is no need to fight

It is true that the Labour Front Bench response to the

But when MPs such as Reg Race are prepared to op pose the war effort, in any way whatsoever, we should Hands up Britain. British troops surrender to Argentina on

Junta's

victim

speaks on

Malvinas

Last month up as defenders of sovereignty. the responsible for 30,000

from these policies.

Of course,

population.

page 2

wild and wonderful badge of

the dictatorship:

Aires. tions?

poncies

Rafael Runco (speech delivered to Socialist Challenge public meeting)

The Argentine junta is trying to create conflict. heroes to make us forget our martyrs.

the junta became engulfed in a massive crisis because of ine aeterioraling economic shuation and the growing chorus of demands for a resolution of the human rights

This was the background to its decision to occupy the Malvinas. Now the armed forces have put themselves

— ne same junta which has sold the country

multi-nationals and been 'disappeared persons*: It needed to divert attention

the recovery of the Malvinas was supported by the whole struggle

Over 200,000 people demonstrated in support of the oc-

Falklands Crisis

recognise that this does open the way to building a movement against Thatcher's war and welcome it with open arms: despite differences which no one hides. Furthermore without fighting to commit Labour's leaders to act, a labour movement response cannot be built.

But the test of the left's response is whether they will act to stop the war. It is this criterion alone - not their

which will schemes whether successful anti-war action can be built.

Neither do we accept, as has been argued elsewhere, that support for the Argentinian people's claims will be an obstacle to building a mass movement.

Our view is that any real movement against Thatcher's aggerssion will help the Argentinian side. simply a fact of life, which no one can ignore. cusation of helping the dictatorship will be levelled at anyone who takes a stand against the war. The Daily Star has already branded the labour left as traitors.

We happen to think in the present context this, is a

We refuse to treat who have fought this junta and the government for six years at the cost of 30,000 lives, as enemies. They are more friends of ours than any Tory will ever be. Saying this does not give an ounce of support to

it is the best way to remove it, and therefore also the best way to defend the islanders. We say the Malvinas belong to the Argentinian people.

But we don't demand that others share our view of the implications of a fight to stop the fleet. It should not the Falklands. The photo the Tory press refused to publish.

cupation of the islands in Buenos But what lies behind such ac-

We deny that they constitute support for the regime and its overall Behind the demonstration was primarily the anti-imperialist feelings of the Argentinian people The dictatorship is the result of imperialist domination in

We in the Argentinian exile community are very saa lo near voices try ing to avoid the real meaning of the The British government thoroughly hypocritical. Only a few weeks ago the relations between the Tories and the junta were warm and friendly. Then Chile was the naughty boy and Argentina the star.

The situation has now changed Thatcher now flirting Pinochet.

The Argentinians in Britain are happy to have this kind of support.

We are happy to work with you on the basis of what you have said here, that is, to oppose the policy of the British government.

But we would also invite you to take up the struggle for human and democratic rights by supporting the of the Argentinian people and involving yourself in the work of our Human Rights Committee.

decide

This is The ac-

Argentinian British

against Thatcher. Internationalist

gesture by

Argentinian

Latin

unions

By Brian Grogan

IN FANTASTIC

workers'

Argentinian

tion the CGT has appealed to the

TUC for a joint meeting to work with out a solution to the Argentinian

Ricardo Perez, secretary of the

leader of the CGT delegation now

Europe

national labour movement 'to act

in unison to achieve a peaceful

solution'

He explained

ported Argentina's longstanding

claim to the Malvinas (Falkland)

Islands.

ple believe these islands are part

be a condition for joint action. Let us discuss out these questions in a framework of common action

Those fighting Thatcher's war should welcome the Argentine unions' request that they and the TUC meet as workers' organisations to hammer out a peaceful solution. The CĞT thinks this should be done onthe basis of recognition of their people's claim to sovereignty.

Socialist Challenge thinks this is a tremendously exciting proposal. It is the sort of initiative which can help clear up the confustion betewen the just demands of the Argentinian people for a return of the Malvinas from Britain from the cynical use to which the present tascist junta is putting the issue.

All trades union branches, Labour Party branches and CND ad hoc committees should be bombarding the TUC to demand they agree to the meeting and insist on their being allowed into Britain. capitulation of Labour's front bench to Thatcher's warmongering, and extend the hand of international unity to our true friends in Argentina.

But such a fight needs to be coupled with action

We welcome Ministry of Defence and for a national demonstration in the event of hostilities breaking out.

These propoșals should be mirrored in every major city and town. Pickets should be organised against local military establishments or local Tory hedquarters and full mobilisation for any national demonstration.

concerned Islanders

way

few rights.

workers

gesture tney retre internationalism, the most

trade union

general drivers union and opposition, the

that he sup

'All the Argentinian peo-

This is the way to fight the

the call of CND for a picket of the of their national territory'

But he thought it right to be

that the Falkland their democratic and human rights guaranteed. He would fight for this in the same

as organistaion fighting to win such rights for the Argentinian people as a whole

But he pointed out that at present the Islanders enjoyed very

They were forced to

Bolsover. Many these live in tied cottages which they have to leave when

They only enjoy the primitive of services because of the years of neglect by the British government.

The CGT is not compromised with the junta of General Galtieri In fact it was because of the

strike that une CGT recently organised and the rising

that Galtieri decided the Islands in the first place. So the TUC has no justification for refusing such a meeting It should break from Thatcher's war drive and help formulate

solution which in COl laboration with the CGT could be a major factor in the overthrow of both Galtieri and Thatcher.

Page 3 scan of this page

Alexander Haig

- Reagan's

bloodthirsty ally

RONALD REAGAN's right hand man and Secretary of State acclaimed 'Man of Haig. Labour Party leaders have fallen over themselves to praise his 'diplomatic peace shuttle' designed to whip the uppity Argentinians into line.

Pecemaker is certainly a new role for Haig. He went all the way with President Nixon and Henry Kissinger when they Senate and illegally invaded Cambodia in 1970, and personally ordered the Christmas 1972 bombing of the North Vietnamese capital Hanoi to show ats 'willingness to brutalise North Vietnam'.

In 1974 he became Supreme Commander of NATO's war machine and authorised the secret document DPC/D/74/30 which Alliance should plan to maintain an adequate conventional detence svstem as long as it is necessarı to negotiate an acceptable peace. If not successful in achieving its ends with conventional forces, NATO will employ nuclear weapons as necessary.

But Haig is best known for his role in the Nixon 'Watergate' book, including threats President Nixon even when aids explained that there was proof of Nixon's taking of bribes from various corporations, his tax fiddling and other illegal dealings.

And when the Nixon empire finally crumbled, it was Haig negotiated his pardon with incoming President Ford. More important, come out of the affair as the 'nice guy' by leaking information to the two reporters, Woodward and Bernstein, who exposed the Watergate scandal.

Haig is one of the despicable imperialist politicians around, which says volumes about those politicians like Thatcher who make ame oul lo be a man or ocalc. pulls off a deal doubt he'll be offered the Nobel Peace Prize (just as another bloodthirsty pirate Menachem Begin, was awarded it after the 'peace' deal with Egyptian President Sadat).

Alexander Haig is just one more reason for bulding the biggest possible campaign of actions against Reagan's visit to Britain in early Make sure you support the CND march on Sunday 6 June in London, and the picket of the US Embassy on 7 June and the lobby of parlament on 8 June both organised by the Reagan Committee.

Reagan London SW10.

Bruce Kent: no to

'military adventures'

Bruce Kent, of the CND national council members who presented a letter to 10 Downing street last Sunday fleet. CND also set up an ad hoc committee to co-ordinate opposition to the war moves. told Socialist Challenge why.

'The purpose of our letter voice of sanity at a time of high nationalistic emotion in this country. organisation but we are committed to the UN Security Council resolution 502 which rules out military aluvil.

'The Ad Hoc Committee will be proposing 2001 againsl adventure and to end hostilities if they should tragically begin.

weeks

is the much-.

Peace' Alexander bypassed the US states: 'The affair. He pulled every trick in the

and bribes, to defend

wno persuaaea nım to resign

Haig also managed to

Washington Post

most bloodthirsty,

If he on the Falklands/Malvinas no June.

Reception

Reception Committee, PO Box 51, , general secretary of CND, was one

calling for Britain to withdraw the

was to tase d

We are not a pacifist

government's

By Davy Jones 'THE JINGOISM of the Labour leaders over the Falklands/ Malvinas Islands is a disgrace', said Tessa van Gelderen chairing a public meeting in London on Monday sponsored by Socialist Challenge opposing the war against Argentina.

Two nunered people heard Andrew Thompson, OuTDaSu American Newsletter, plain that the Argentinian claim to the Malvinas dates back to 1833 when the British took them by force and threw out the Argentinian authorities. *Argentina has the better claim even in international law. he added

Since 1976 the military junta had aimed to smash all opposition, not just the guerrillas, and to reorganise the economv on monetarist lines. 'But the

regard the Illasoco Malvinas as Argentinian, and the opposition supports une government or this issue, but not others. 'The islanders must sovereignty to Argentina, but onlvto a democratical. ly elected government.

* he Argentinian CGI

the riaye ppached

British discussion on the situation and asked them recognise Argentinian sovereignty,' he explained, urging the two labour movements to cooperate.

Reg Kate. l MP Wood Green, argued:

misS nol an casv Issut for the labour movement.

On the one hand there ha: been military aggression

Falklands Crisis

London meeting demands

Stop Thatcher's

war drive

by a fascist government but on the other hand we should not go to war with Argentina defend sovereignty that is at best dubious and at worst nonexistent.

Comparing the possible acalauou of dispute to the TV series Whoops Apocalypse he at

the jingoism of Photo: COLIN HEADWORTH (Socialist Challonne

MPs and insisted on the need for a negotiated sett'ement fight for three things: that we are not prepared to go to war over the Falklands, a halt to the task force, and for negotiated seTLie ment. The labour moveINCEL HUUS Speak against the war drive. won't be electorally popular when the guns start shooting.

Rafael Runco, prisone. for years under the junta said: 'The Turdt as L VISO make heroes to make us forget our martvrs. Ihe Argentinian dictatorship the result of imperialist domination of Latin America. The 200,000 people demonstrating Buenos Aires were not supporting the regime, but showing. the anti-imperialist feelings of the

Argentinian people.

raiklands SLUL here is less sunDort

Richard Rozanski from Revolution Youth,

of Youth

anemioer CND's national committee, _moveo ICSO ULOI

Thatcher's military auvcutulc aralsi Argentina, calling for the withdrawal of the fleet and an ena to ine zu mue exclusion zone. It demanded that Labour stop supporting Thatcher, and called Richard Rozanski (speaking) meeting for support for CND's ad hoc committee against the war and national protest actions in the event of military conflict.

Brian Grogan, editor

Socialist Challenge,

the thing blew up as the house was rising for

There is I CCS) CullIC disagreement on our own front bench, not just differences of emphasis. It's a big mistake because we could use it against Thatcher.

More than 5,000 noisy CNDers

marched through Manchester on

17 April. A Socialist Challenge

contingent marched with

local Salvador

behind a giant banner calling for

the recall of the British fleet, and

for no war with Argentine.

Local Labour Party

honorary President of the Manchester El

Salvador Committee

welcomed the march into the final rally.

Along with the other

Kerry Wade from

Councillor Mike Hynes, chairperson of

the Greater Manchester Ronald Reagan

Reception Committee, he called for the

stopping of Thatcher's fleet.

Kerry Wade condemned the support

the Labour Party leadership has offered

Thatcher's war mania. She urged CND

to raise the slogan 'Bring Back the Fleet',

and called for renewed opposition to

Thatcher's war drive.

noted that the Falklands

issue had turned Reagan

and Haig into interna-

tional peacemakers. 'The

crisis is not about oil

sovereignty Thatcher

was quite prepared

reach agreements with the

both

these points before the

conflict - but the occupa

tion has . challenged Bri-

imperial role,

Aldil

uncalcume ure oocrauol

of British capital aloulll

the world

'Of course Galtieri is a

fascist, but does anyone

really think Thatcher is go.

Ing lo vel neol

fascism. The fleet has gone

to defend British imperial-

ism. It is a question in this

and Reg Race at

dispute of supporting an oppressed people and

tion against an imperialist

nation.

'Denis Healey knows

all about the Argentinian

junta, initiated arms

Do you see this chorus for 'national unity joined by the front bench leaaing to une basis Toi new social contract

style policies?

Well there could be some

Manchester CND

marchers demand

recall of Thatcher's fleet

By Dick Withecombe, executive member Greater Manchester CND

June. the

Committee

Reagan's visit in June MP and

Frank Allaun portea inatcner s

Argentina: "Thatcher main speakers, Youth CND and

the activities

Manchester public meeting, Star And Garter,

sales to it when last ir government the very same arms now being used the British fleet arallisl The junta is a creature o1 imperialism and only survives with its aid. A defeat for otSSh imperialism would wenken the imperialist prop to the junta in the long term. 'The Falkland Islanders are settler population, we CanO support their demands for islanu. ¡cilall British. We must cede SUveCilly lu necatiia Already one third of those asked in opinion polls op pose ine war arve belore

and broades! Cualltiul against the war. This issue IS lO a diversion for the left, it's a massive test. you back your own ruling class in war, you can neve defeat it at home Statements to the meting read from Joan Maynard MP and Bruce Kent, gollel d secretary of CND. A livel discussion i from the floor ensued with speakers trom Socialist Organiser and Workers Power.

A new • was In troduced by Mike Davis, editorial menoe New Left Review, who drew attention to Britain's other fleet • that in the Caribbean with Reagan's war manoeuvres against the Central American and Caribbean revolutions *Rancher Reagan IS WOr ried over the Malvinas because the hired hands have lalen our ne wanti them to make up and get back LIlC senou. business of shooting the Indians Central America.'

very general connection.

But when it comes to wage packets it will be seen as a difterent kettle ot tish. But the PLP has moved to the right on this and this very worrying. I wish you well in fighting to reverse this.

She also took up Frank Allaun's call for a demonstration of half a million on 6

'Youth hate Reagan', she said, 'and they detest Margaret Thatcher'. She urged hundreds to sign up for the mass sponsored walk on 16 May to sponsol youth and the unemployed to oppose

Councillor Mike Hynes ended the rally by condemning all those who have sup-

war moves against wants a war in order to save her face,' he said, adding: 'God only knows why anyone else wants to save it for her.' He finished by calling on everyone to give Ronald Reagan a very warm reception in June by joining in

of the Ronald Reagan Reception Committee in Manchester.

Socialist Challenge 28 April, 7.30pm, Fairfield St. 'Bring Back the Fleet! No War With Argen. tina.' Speaker: Pat Hickey.

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

South Wales workers pledge support to Solidarnosc

By Helen Slydmovics, Cardiff North CLP, and Barry Wilkins, Cardiff Trades Council

THE FIRST South Wales labour movement tour of Solidarnosc was a tremendous success. In just one week (beginning Monday 29 March)

Ursus tractor factory in Warsaw, made a great impact upon miners, steelworkers, ficials and labour movement activists.

At Tower Colliery, Kozlowski spoke to the

lodge committee, explaining the origins of Vious waves of struggle in Solidarnosc roland. sion in 1976 'the time came

the working class JOI stand united', and workers in the Ursus factory, the shipyards, and other plants started to lay the basis for the development

an independent trade union.

'But in December 1981 Jaruzelski declared war on the Polish working class anel adams SoCis.

Piotr said. 'Jaruzelski is a

and murderer the Polish people', he added, describing how at least 7 miners had been shot in Katowice last December, intrecognisable after hart including ing. been run over by tank, so that nobody knew who it was. Against this

The argued: repression, 'Solidarnosc Ine true defender of the Polish working class — it is struggling for freedom, democracy and rights.

'I spoke earlier about support for countries

which are fighting

democracy and human

Turkey,

Let us give honour to their fight, and let them

know that they are not alone.

for a moment in silence for their victorv, and

to show the world, and the authorities which

suppress them, that they have support.'

Piotr Kozlowski from

speech to the Cardiff Trades Council meeting. This

silent tribute was followed by an enthusiastic ova.

tion for Piotr.

Piotr was asked wherner Solidarnosc wanted return capitalism. He replied: 'Nobody wanted canitalism in Poland — we had that before the war and me new wa all about. What we wanted

Cocain not Stalinist dictatorship, but socialism for the workers and by the workers - a democratic socialism.'

On behalf of the lodge committee, secretary Tyrone O'Sullivan presented a cheque for

and promised that Tower lodge would do all

could support Solidarnosc. It was agreed to adopt some imprisoned Polish miners and to press the Jaruzelski regime for their release.

So the South Wales Area NUM leadership has not given decisive support For Solidarnosc.

Therefore it was

val LIcu iarly valuable for Kozlowit to meet two executive

Eric Davies at Bryniliw pit, and Dai Javies at Penrhiwceiher Bait promised to raise the

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982

Piotr Kozlowski, Solidarnosc convenor at the

union of-

on the executive commit-

Penrhiwceiber, lodge secretary Mike Griftin arranged tor speak to about 50 miners IUSL betore thev went lo work. He warmly received, and chairpersor Haydn Evans promised a full lodge meeting would discuss practical support Piotr also visited Ty Mawr and Lewis Merthyr pits, speaking to lodge officials and also to miners in the canteens.

Any doubts the South Wales NUM leadership

titude of Solidarity towards socialism

Inusi have been cleared up on this tour.

Time and again Piotr linked the struggles against bureaucratic dictatorship in the East with the

azallisi perialist repression in the West: 'The victory of the Polish working class and Solidarnosc will be a victory for all people who are fighting for freedom and independence TOI the people of Turkey, Chile, Algilanistan and Salvador.

for independence,

rights: Poland, Afghanistan, El Salvador and Chile.

Let us stand

Solidarnosc closing his

At the invitation of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) and DIStrICT Foley, Kozlowski visited both Llanwern and Por Talbot steelworks. At tanwern he spoke lo a meeting of the trade union

(represenung all the unions in the plant).

union prisoners, and

Solidarity ...

years.

was asked if Solidarnosc had

the natcher government for support. He replied: 'Solidarnose is

trade union, and as a defender

Terese tative of the Polish work. ing class it must not go to governments, but to trade

and workers

page 4

other countries TOT support. We do not speak to Thatcher and Reagan, but to une workers aotace unionists in Britain.

At both steelworks it was decided collect money in the union branches, and John Foley agreed to circulate a list of imprisoned Solidarnosc members to all ISTC branches in South Wales for their adoption Wales TUC genera sere Hubert George Wright 200l Morgan,

Party ser Wales born

DOLI discussed with Kozlowski.

They agreed to build support in the Welsh labour movement by circulating a letter from Solidarnosc re questing support with a covering letter endorsing this request. And they said they would also support the further sondarnose tour in soutn Wales planned for later this year.

At Rover's car plant in Cardiff, told shop stewards about the riat car tactorv in Warsaw where Solidarnosc was very well organised. Some 3,000 workers were sacked, and the factory was closed for three weeks to try to prevent strikes.

Some of these workers are now among the estimated 25,000 prisoners in the 48 internment camps. ConGeoff Stockham promised to raise the issue inside the Rover plant with adopting Inchick. and

'We call for the immediate return to civil law in Poland, the release of all political and trade

the restoration of The introduction of martial law had nothing to do with counter-revolution. It is not Ine intenton o the mass or working people in Poland to restore capitalism. They want to carry on the road to socialism, but led by people with credibility and not by the people who have deceived them for the last 30

Cliff True, for the Welsh Committee of the Communist Party, at Cardiff Trades Council meeting.

Bert of the Welsh Communis Party, met Piotr. He was interested • 10 hear hand what Solidarnoso stands for and concerned to discover what the Welsh CP could offer in the way Are pa will partic The practical support. in the organising commit-

Piotr Koslowski meets Rover Convenor Geoff Stockham tee for the return tour later in the year. Bert Pearce will report on his discussions with Piotr both the Welsh Committee of the CP and also to the CP leadership in London.

were organised in both and Newport by the Trades Councils. At both meetings Piotr received a standing ovation and generous collections were made.

At the Cardiff meeting Cliff True spoke on behalf of the Welsh Committee of the CP, and Piotr ended

Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee,

Morgan, 59

041-649 8958

Edinburgh Polish Solidarity

Lanes.

28 Roundhay Mount, Leeds 8,

South

Bird,

617174.

Nottingham Labour

Solidarnosc, c/o 3 Elm Close, Nottingham.

Birmingham

Murray,

021-773 5396

Coventry Solidarity

Road, Oxford. Ring 0865 58238

London Twing 0i-438 150k

Labour Focus

Kingsland High St, London E8

Philbeach Gardens, Earls

01-373 3493

HANOS

Badges: 20p + 1% cutes on request. Sen

Viner bookshop

the meeting with a moving call for support for liberation and democratic struggles ; all over the world The tour showed the massive potential support for Solidarnosc among South Wales workers enthusiasm rearelu enthusiasm a return a00U movemen LOUI later this year. It is already Ccal that Drodu trade union and labour sponsor-

cond tour, enabling the Solidarnosc message reach still further into the South Wales class.

Solidarnosc Solidarity Committees

Durward Avenue, Glasgow cro voraon G41 Ring

Committee, c/o Edinburgh & District Trades Council, 12 Picardy Place, Edin-

Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o

, 51 Montrose House, Crete St, Oldam,

Leeds Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Dave Feicke

Corkshire. Ring 053

Yorks Polish Solidarity Committee, 279 Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, S4 7DP. Ring 0742 Movement Solidarity with

Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Roger 28 Blackford Road, Birmingham 11. Ring

Committee, John Fisher c/o

Oxford Labour Committee on Poland, 468 Banbury

Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign, 10 Park Drive,

Eastern Europe, Box 23, 136

Solidarnosc Trade Union Working Group in UK, 64

• Court, London SWs.

SOLiDARNOSi

25p Socialist Challenge PAMPHILE!

groups

Piotr with South Wales miners By Davy Jones

ed Poland's

April. This

Warsaw, on underground resistance. when the news comes on

trovalore

previously. An actor,

every night and forced to abandon his role

But the WOrKerS moverncil

such as Gdansk, Warsaw,

including

Sk.

published in the factor across the town goes on

(KOS) have been set up

circulates and soloan, acuons

But the repression continues 1o0. paganda and aiding the CIA.

more important Inan ever

Solidarnosc

reorganises

FOUR MONTHS after martial law was impos

outlawed independent union confounded the military authorities with an eight minute 'illegal' radio broadcast calling for resistance from 'Radio Solidarnosc on 12

was followed up with a mass 'switch-off' of lights in thousands of homes in

urging Solidarnosc's

Such spectacular and unorthodox examples of opposition to martial law have been growing over the las month. In Swidnick near Lublin, there are reports of mass defiance in February when hundreds of people put their TV sets in the window with the screen tacing out wards and went out walking to protest against media lies The authorities responded with a 7pm curfew. Now local people all beat their rugs outdoors at exactly 7.30pm

And last month over 100 protestors disrupted the Warsaw Opera when Leonard Mroz came on to sing Ver-

VITOL nau bertormice Polish/Soviet friendship society concert a few weeks

, Janus Kosinski, who had express. ed support for martial law on i v was booed ott stag

important resistance is inside the Solidarnosc has re-established functioning units in the factories and in the main regions

Wroclaw, Lodz, Lublin and Krakow. Some kev national tigures continue to evade ar

Zbigniew from Warsaw, Wladyslaw Frasyniuk in Wroclaw, Bogdan Lis in Gdan

There are some 1700 underground bulletins being

country. as well as the regular Warsaw bulletin Tygodnik Mazowsze. And resistance cells have heen esianished in ne be actores nige warsaw regor

- FSO, URSUS, Huta Warszawa and the Rosa Luvemburg works. There is aiso the flying strike technique. workers in one want our down tacir tools lone cousi to ensure local security forces are called. Then as the police arrive the workers go back on the job and anothe!

Throughout the country Social Resistance Circic

each made up of five people:

Everv member of a KOS forms a new one of a turthe five people. Each KOS circulates the underground press.

and organises

Jan Rulewski. leader of Bydgoszcz Solidarnose was taken from an in. ternment camo to face a tribunal accused not of unior activities, but of having caused a fatal road accident the previous year! The Stalinists' dirty tricks departmen

been working overtime. His trial was ad

Miroslaw Krupinski. who led the strike of the Gdansk shipyards against martial law last December is 10 go on trial next week charged with spreading anti-state pro

Building support for Solidarnose in this country is

Page 5 scan of this page

Socialists and Empire

THIS WEEK Socialist Challenge carries a discussion article on socialists and empire.

hysteria. We have fought it tooth and nail, because we support those whom Thatcher represses. It is our moral duty as socialists.

the last theatrical fling of a dying colonial breed porary aversion trom dole queues negotiations begin can we all go back to the "real' class struggle at home?

We don't think so - and neither do the Tories

know what internationalism means, but when I hear it I know it is a bad thing'. He understood that the nationalism, insularity and chauvinism of British socialism 1s our bosses' best defence. home unless they are defeated abroad.

- it is the cause of it pathological knee-jerk but proof that our ruling class is now more dependent on its overseas rule than ever before.

British socialists. Our rulers are weaker than ever betore. 'THATCHER wants a skirmish to save face, reads comment from Al Haig. to Ronald Reagan after his fruitless discussions with the iron lady.

But more is at stake than prestige. Britain is the world's third military power; and its might doesn't just defend the British flag. It stands worth foreign vestments - more than any other power except

ano tionally the highest foreign holdings in the world.

Britain's world role is Thatcher's last point of support. That is why she nas stakea so mucn on il.

The Labour leadership unrowine away historic chance to ditch Thatcher, who 1OW 11101C vulnerable than ever

Their jingoism is her last line of defence

united assault from Britain's workers combined with the poor of the world.

DIRECT INVESTMENTS ABROAD 5áo 2000-100

INFLOWS

But this also highlights the political weaknesses of the Labour left. Behind TEeT approach, one form or another, lies Tony Benn's view that Britain has ceased to be an imperialist power.

This view underlies the thinking behind the Alternative Economic Strategy.

therefore relates directly to the policy in the Labour Party.

All variants of the AES share the idea thal Labour government can

capitalist resistance to reforms by protecting Britain from outside influence.

Jobs not bombs: what it really means

For three weeks our attention has been riveted by war

But another issue is at stake. Is this military adventure

- a lemand riots? When

Stanley Baldwin, the Tory Premier, once said, 'I don't

We will never defeat them at

British imperialism isn't a diversion from our misery The Malvinas episode isn't a

On the one hand this ofters great opportunities to

Behind such measures as planning agreements ana import reality subsidy from British workers to mecient British capitalists)

there lies the view that

'our' bosses will cooperate we get the foreigners off their backs. This only makes the remotest sense it one believes that the main threat to change in Britain comes from outside the

country.

Apart from all else this

is based on a gigantic error

of fact.

Resistance to change in

Britain is sponsored from

within. It appears external

OLIV because own

capitalists are so heavily

involved

capitalism.

Consider, for example,

the 1976 social service cuts

which Tony Benn sees as

the product of IMF im-

perialism. Michael

Meacher tells a truer story

What Went Wrong:

The IMF,' he says,

'was

largely the vehicle by

OUTFLOWS

OUTFLOW:

Fig 1

which domestic groups, in-

cluding the City, Bank and Treasury, could get extra behind their

elbows."

Similarly Benn presents Britain as almost the innocent slave of the world-dominating Pen-

tagon.

the South Atlantic? Certainly Haig. 1108

Ironically, the Labour left

is now asking Thatcher to listen to the Pentagon The fact is that Britain wants to play Robin America's Barman. It can

break from US control on-

by scrapping its own

world plans.

an army they cannot withstand.

tionalism.

obstacle to socialist policies at home. The British left

for the "important' business

get rid of the bombs.

never carry out socialist policies.

to imperialism. understand that the enemy facing both them and the rest of the world is their U WIl capitalist class that the Labour left can't link up with their natural allies aoroad, such as lne Argentinian workers.

But they make another terrible mistake: they com-

underestimate DICICH domestic resistance

because they do not see how deep a mess our bosses are in

Fig 2

Domestic Product.

British decline

dominated by a grotesque overextension of foreign economic activity, and particularly investment, at

expense growth Forty-two per

of VUI bosses make is produced abroad

And this is on the increase. Figure 1 shows how the flight overseas has mounted with the decline

of thee normi

principal tradiction facing British capitalism is this conflict between its role as a world military, financial and commercia dower trea

strength. now impossible to resolve this contradiction without courage private investors to invest home.

The AES, which calls on the government to imitate the 'GermanJapanese' model, ignores what had to be done to German and Japanese workers before their economies could rebuilt.

Our rulers are compelled to attack with a ferocity that leaves the Labour lett bewildered. They tragically misunderstand both the resistance to their own mild reforms, and the stakes behind Thatcher's present attack on British working people.

If we link up with 700 million of our sisters and brothers abroad who also suffer under them, together we can make

But it also shows the dangers. The right wing in the Labour Partv have made more ground in the last three weeks than in all of the last three years. The left's thinking has a fundamental flaw in it — its total lack of interna-

This is not just a moral weakness. It is also the chief

learly all of it — treats foreign policy as a socialist after thought: fine declarations tucked on the end of the agend

of economic policy. But without a socialist foreign policy there can be no socialist policy. 'Jobs not Bombs' means we won't get jobs until we

If it doesn't put the fight against Britain's world role at the centre of its preoccupations, the Labour Party can

In this article, by Alan Freeman and Brian Grogan we aim to expose the errors behind the Labour left's approach

by a conflict between Briand industria rofer nial military/financial century the two went together.

Britain lent money to railways, bridges and min- wOre ne cloner • and seni back food and minerals to IOTe always When the world couldn't pay its debts, Palmerston sent a gunboat to collect.

Indices of investment as proportion of Gross

But whilst British capital went abroad, other countries built up their own economies. Figure 2 shows the relative amounts

home by leading capitalist countries for the last couple of decades.

And others began to make railways cheaper than us. Figures 3 and 4 show the consequences of the investment patterns of various capitalist tries.

In a to socialist world this would have led to a new division of laboul in which Britain built its nome economv under conditions of expanding trade.

But live in capitalist world. By relying on overseas investment the state worsened all the conditions that would courage private investors investment home.

DOUROS world role made it cheaper to export Labilai dru produce. Colonial superprofits were an easy alternative to a frontal attack on the working class. result was • that when Britain met competition it posted 'keep out' signs on half the globe one of which was stuck on the Falklands.

1913

portion of the United States, 1899-1980 war. meant that Britain's military and financial institutions became parasitic. They rely on agression maintain unense ver

We now spend £8 bn every vear on arms. This is bad enough when we contrast it with current spending needs. But when think what could be done with it in terms of investment (including ment in social needs such

hospitals and schools, half of which are now over fifty years old), the true maLure of this disaster becomes clear. British in-

manulaciur ing, for example, could be trebled.

Banking is

even nore outrageous. The Tories who fulminate against 'excessive state bureaucracy'

say anything about UCVCI the fact that while state employment has remained at about 1.4 million since 1951 banking

Cluby ment has risen from half a million to a million and a quarter over the same period.

This banking and finance sector is completeIv oriented to foreign investment. comparison between the holdings of British and German banks reveals that three of long-term British bank assets are abroad while three-quarters of German assets are at nome

Furthermore industry and multinationals receive the same orientaGOt. Overseas direci vestment is now a growing proportion of overseas in vestment and has indeed led to a closer link-up between the city and industry

- with the aim of pumping even more money abroad!

Thatcher's military adventures are provoked

the same structural crisis as attacks home. oraclic maintain the operation of

at home and abroad that Thatcher • attacks on both fronts, because there now no chance for her to retreat on either

To defend Britain in the Falklands is to defend its world role - which can now only be guaranteed by means of a simultaneous war on British working people.

ARGUMENTS for SOCIALISM

21219506 1955 1966 1965 9 Per capita Gross National Product as a pro.

Fig 3

I960 61 62 63 64

There is one enemy for both British workers and Argentinian workers Margaret Thatcher and ne class. She is more vulnerable to a combined

The Other

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INDEX OFOUTPUT PER MAN HOUR (1967 = 100) Source: MONTHLY LABOUR REVIEW NOVEMBER 1973

NETHERLANDI

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Socialist Challenge 22 Ari 19X

Page 6 scan of this page

'The spirit of Enoch Powell

lives on'

By Steve Cohen 'WE HAVE HAD too much carping from some immigrant quarters. becoming as near to ordinary people as they can. These people are not Europeans and are quite different in character, religion, habits and customs from our own people.

ud to have joined one of the oldest and most civilised nations in the world.

These Stokes Tory MP in the Commons on 1 April of this year. He was advocating even greater immigration control.

In fact immigration control has been so "successful' that the attack has noW switched to black peopie alcady lving here This has taken two forms.

First there are a series of laws depriving black people of state benefits on the grounds that they are

ordinarily resident' here.

Examples are the new Social Security Act;

and the new health regulations that will become law this October.

Seal

Along side is the Nationality Act wnich puts the formal seal on the creation of second-class black citizenship.

Second the state has unleashed direct violence against black people through the increased militarisation of the police in the black ghettoes. This has now been taken into the courts with the frame-up conspiracy trial of the Bradford Twelve.

This intensification of internal control ought not to blind us to the fact that the Immigration Act is still being vigorously enforcedwith people like John Stokes demanding even more vigour.

However this control is itself being met with increased costalle from within the black community and its allies. The victories with Anwar Ditta,

Begum and Nasreen Achtar show that mass CanDales can be successful. Khans

A glaring example of how the laws work against black people is the case of the Khans in Manchester where there has been a five month struggle to prevent their Tatany being expelled-Shaukat and Parveen Khan young children, Imran (16 months) and Irtan (6 months).

Shaukat came here from Pakistan at the age

of 13 in 1972 to join his uncle. He arrived using his cousin's passport.

However was loo

young to know this. In

nounced an 'amnesty' for

so-caled 'illegal

migrants'.

1977 Shaukat

discovered his situation.

However. like most peo-

ple, he assumed that the

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 6

Let them get on with

"They should be proud to be in England, pro-

The spirit of Enoch Powell lives on in Parliawords were spoken by John

amnesty was automaticno-one told him or anyone else that it had to be applied for.

When he discovered in 1980 that he had to make an application he did apply to the Home Office. He was then told by the Home Office unal the alliesly had stopped in 1978!

Thanks

He was also told he was going to be removed from this country thanks to the fact that he had announced his presence here.

The Home Office also said they were going to remove Parveen. She had come In 1979 and was completely ignorant of Shaukat's immigration status. The Home Office are now claiming that she entered the country by deception - that is failing to disclose a fact of which she was totally ignorant!

Imran and Irfan were both born here. As such they are UK citizens and cannot, n theory, be

pelled. But the Home Of

fice ha: 'generously' offered them one-way ticket to Pakistan. Threat

This is another way of Under the new Nationality A CI children of illegal' parents will anyhow be forced to leave with their parents as they will not be UK citizens. And under the Immigration Act anyone 'accused' of being an illegal Immigtall Cali be removed without having the opportunity to be tried or heard.

William Whitelart says that it is in the interest of

'good community relations' that the Khans be removed.

The Khan Family

Defence Committee says

KHAN

FAMILY

STILL

UNDER

THREAT

Page 7 scan of this page

Big issues before engineering conference

THE national union, the AUEW, meets this week. prises delegates from local branches, districts of the union, women's and youth sections.

Socialist Challenge WILLIAMS, a delegate from the youth conference in his personal capacity, about the questions confronting engineers.

What are the key issues at this NC?

One of the most important will be nuclear disarma-

There's a whole number resolutions which are equally split between unilateral and multilateralist positions. This will be the biggest fight at conference.

I nere Is also one coming from the youth conference which support for the demonstration against Reagan.

But the issue of

the arcalest Conceal fight for internal demo cracy in the union is that of Laurence Scotts.

There's one resolution down from Division No 3 in the Edinburgh area.

This says other things that the Scott

of rule and condemns the

tor tacking the executive council.

HARRIS

Demonstration in Leamington Spa last week THE PAY BATTLE in the NHS is on. The call for a one. hour stoppage made by the TUC health service met with a great response last week. In fact, several union underestimated the strength of feeling among their members.

All over the country stoppages and marches will be well supported by all grades staff including nursing members, many of whom were Tol prepared to take action in 1979.

area were clearly in tavour nationally organised strike action.

The appallingly low pay in the NHS means that workers simply can't TOTOO ACCEDE in their standard of living.

willingness fight however has unGouDiculy been strengthened by the pro-

committee of the engineering

It com-

spoke to CLIFF

This charge of 'acting our ol rule to 'Chappelise' the union.

would that Halcall policy of National Committee or Executive Council or even an individual national official becomes a rule of the union binding on all members.

resolution, adopted would restrict the democratic rights and tivity of the rank and file.

It will be a decisive test for the Broad Left whether

Let's DOL. remember that this is the operation of the 'big lie'

was the Executive Council who has actually broken rules.

Will this also be a way of

sions of Rule 14 that a

called if ten per cent of the branches demand it - as it seem they have?

NHS workers prepare to

take on Tories Branck White, shop steward COHSE 211

throughout the NHS,

committee

leaders confessed to having

of a united fight by all NHS staff

Line joint claim that has been submitted makes Inis a real possiolty Tol ine first time. This pressure has resulted in the two main unions, COHSE

NUPE, allu selective action from Mon day 26 April.

It clear that the Tories will not be budged easily selective action (remember the civil servants last year) and the action needs to be much more stoppages. In order to involve

No, not necessarily. It is extremely difficult for them to ignore the constitution The real problem is that we don't have the full proof that an excess of the ten per coit OI the branches have sent in such resolutions.

oto: PHIL PENNING

Cliff Williams

Would defeat for

We ermine the fight to make the union LaKE sluggle against unemployment?

Obviously it would represent a biow. However. the NC is bound to adopt for-

positions unemployment. There is a

of HULLUCI resolutions on the topic.

BuT Scott's have already had their impact. The AUEW leadership found it necessary to give

HELP US

HELP YOU

the alcalesl number of NHS workers in the campaign we need to set up action committees across all grades staff and all Woes. This should help minimise any of the traditiona divisions that CASI between different sections and make the action more effective.

It also keeps up the pressure on our union leaders whose past record in such disputes leaves lot be desired We should trying establish links and arguing

workers in the public sec-

Del valllo and teachers who face a similar situation.

The stoppages should be used to get onto streets and hold marches, to send delegations to the factories seeking support

News

official backing to our members in Plessey. The! couldn't afford to scab here while the Scott's issue was still alive.

The IROS important difference is the way they see calmpaigning for Joos The approach of Duffy and bova TOI joint campaigns with the Confederation of British Industry — the bosses.

Do you see the decision of the AUEW at the recent TUC not to accept government money for secret ballots under the provisions of the Tebbit Bill as significant?

The important thing is that the EC was defeated on this at last year's NC. Duffy has already indicated that his idea campaign against Tebbit is to link up

CBI. ballots are the norm already inside the AUEW.

Terry Duffy, president of the AUEW has called for left wingers to be banned from the Labour Party - for a return of the proscribed list...

Duffy is consistent if

CONSE

and to set up mass pickets of the hospitals. This is the only sort of action which would enable us to have ally chance of winning. Most activitie would be outlawed under the Tebbit Bill.

This Friday 23 April NHS unions have Lord. for

of the DHSS quarters and Castle Ceonialil Mass walkouts from Lon don staff will show • them

• NUPE in Leeds called on the na-

CACCULIVE organise national strike action with no emergency cover.

COHSE members in Leamington Saturday April

to sign a petition sup porting their demands in the city centre.

nothing else. His wav ot dealing with all opposition to his own right wing views is by smashing it with every means at his disposal.

The Laurence Scott workers represented uncompromising fight for jobs which exposed nis own sell-out policies.

and where you live.

Our thanks this week to: Anon Glasgow Ed Mahood Joey Glasgow Lewisham F Patullo A O Callaghan H MacPherson Manchester Crawley Lewisham Camden Sheffield Wandsworth Glasgow Brighton Haringey Hackney Middlesbrough Exeter Coventry Brent AA in memory of Margaret Miscellaneous

So he witch-hunted them throughout the movement. withdrew strike pay, slandered them and denied them all their democratic rights as AUEW members.

He cannot win arguments in the Labou Party through democratic debate and discussion he intends to win by bann-

Socialist Challenge

FUND DRIVE '82

'I THOUGHT I was alone in a mad world until ... I bought a copy of Socialist Challenge. begins a letter from a first-time reader who thought she was the only person to oppose Thatcher's war drive in the Malvinas. (See page 10 for the rest of what she has to say).

She is not alone, and at least one in every three people in Britain agree with her and with us! But you wouldn't know it from radio and newspapers which reflect the views of the warmongers and the bosses.

She also understood the important of supporting the voice of reason, socialism, the voice opposing the war - she donated £6 for our fighting fund.

Now more than ever is the time to come forward and give money to your newspaper. We didn't make our target last quarter, we must make more this quarter. We are the only ones to call a public meeting against the military adventures in the South Atlantic.

Ail this needs money above and bevond the more than £1, 000 a week normal running costs Won't you help? Rush your money in NOW Make a donation, buy a subscription and take a bundle of Socialist Challenge to sell at work

Total £20.00 Target for 30.00 this quarter 10.00 3.00 Weekly target 32.50 6.00 30.00 20.00 59.00 15.00 IS DEDICATED 10.00 30.00 10.00 2 .00 2.50 5.00 17.00 1.00 1.00 9.00 36.00 1.00 CHEONE THAT

25.00 PUND DRIVE 54.00

Wing all those who don't agree with him.

Engineering workers are going to have to take the debates in the Labou Party more seriously, and get the power the AUEW behind militants in the party not the bureaucrats. ' So the TV.

the voice of £428.50

£15,990.00

£1,230.00 Shortfall so far £ 802.50

SOCIALIST CHALLENGE

TO THE TRUCTION OF AL HOLD DEAR REMINDOM TO THE

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 7

Page 8 scan of this page

Mandate Boundaries SEA

Port Said Cairo Suez

EGYPT PALESTINE/ISRAEL: The changing borderlines

Bernard is a Socialist Challenge sup-

porter living

teachine

Pam Singer spoke to him about the

situation in the West Bank.

Betlenem University has had the

reputation of being a quiet campus.

Has the situation changed?

Dramatically. It now has the most radical

student leadership on the West Bank. The

Israeli Army must think so, as there is tear

gassinz virtualry every uay:

Line commis need very

symposium recently with the Israeli-based

Committee for Solidarity with Bir Zeit (a

Israelis). This was tremendously signifi-

cant, Jewish Palestinian meting to our din

the west bank.

And in Bethlehem itself? The Israelis

like to use 'well-behaved' Bethlehem

that problems are confined to ex-

tremists.

First of all, 32 police resigned in protest

over the sacking of various elected Wesi

Bank mayors. They refuse to cooperate

with Milson. But the Bethlehem Village

Page 9 scan of this page

onism robbed the Palestinians

IMI

Palestinians is thus inevitable. A new generation of Palestinian youth many or whom were children at the time of the Palestinian September 1970 and at the time of the 1973 war — are being thrown into struthe a anneasie occupyine forces.

numbers Palestinians within the borders of the Zionist state create ideological problems for the Israelis in posing the Palestinian threat all

For the Zionist extremists this created work force.

Jews became scapegoats for the ruling class. It was allegedly the Jews'

was massive misery, unemployment etc. gerea oft vicious. whole Jewish communities massacred. As a result

emigrated Europe and North America.

Zionist Ideology

onisms basee on a reacuonary ano racist that

It is the 'natural' sentiment of non-Jews. This 'fact of life' combatted, therefore Jews must ovs cally separated from goyish (non-Jewish) society.

This self-fulfilling refuses to solve the problem of anti-

and other forms of racism SCHILSI by attacking, the cause society and its need scapegoats.

By the early 20th century only a very small percentage of the Euro pean Jewish population were supporters of Zionism. The vast majority of Jews were "assimilationists'. LOOK the nationality of the they lived in. Others were active in the european socialist val lice revolutionary parties (Trotsky Rosa Luxemburg). Others belonged to the Jewish Bund. (General Jewish workers union of Lithuania, and Russia) which socialist and anti-Zionist.

The Zionists rejected any link with the country they lived in and their hope future jewish nome land. biblical/religious mystification of the 'Promised Land' tionary nationalism and support for Western imperialism were and are the main characteristics of Zionism. It is also worth noting that Zionism was a totally European phenomenon with no tradition among the Oriental Jews

A regular occurence in the occupied territories - Palestinians harassed by Israeli troops

hardly constitutes a problem.

defeat the teWs

Israeli occupation,

and impoverishment weapon of Israeli domination.

'external'

Bank under the iron heel.

poverty, Why Israel is a colonial state This tri

were

1881 to Western

in the Arab East The Herzl, whose manifesto

ment

be the Congress of Basel in 1897 Callul

hostile the goal of

Palestine of prophecy

law'.

capitalist for convenient

and coordist influence ocai crumbling

They Arab region

coulill y

the world outside of Europe. and declaration: 'his

Poland •as all-Jewish, for the Jewish people..

There had Waves placed ed into land

reac- de landowners.

Tendous (cuties

Hebron, indeed.

They regard the Palestinians as modern expressions of the historical enemies of

the Canaanites and Amalekites. As such they should be forced to leave or make war. Since the

more and more land of the West Bank Arabs has been confiscated. Economic dispossession

prime

Every effort is being made to bring the Palestinian people on the West who now make up the majority of the

Plans for establishing an exclusively Jewish state in Arab Palestine

toman found little support among Jews until British imperialism was persuaded to sponsor the project in order to justify its own continued intervention

the Zionist theoretician Theodor The Jewish State gave the impetus to the develop-

Zionist founded the Zionist organisation at

The programme adopted defined to

Zionism as 'the creation in a nomelang jol Jewish people guaranteed by public

The Zionist leaders presented their plan to the European powers as part and parcel of European expansionism

Around the world.

They would be the spearhead of Euro-

'corrupt'.

Ottoman Empire. They would bring civilization to a barbaric

no different what the European powers were saying about Africa or any other part of

In 1917 Britain signed the Balfour

Majesty's government view wiin tavour ine establishlment in Palestine of a national home

before this been small leading of immigration into Palestine by religious Jews, by Zionists who mov-

bought by the Zionist movement and individuals like Baron

Rothschilde from absentee Arab

raesuman Jewish conl munities had existed for centuries in

• such as sated anc but the numbers were very BI 1914 there were 600,000 Arabs and 80,000 Jews

Faced with a new rise of the

Palestinian masses, the Zionist state

has been preparing for the possibility of dealing a decisive blow to the Palestinian cause by taking out the Palestinian strongholds in Lebanon. While only a minority • just under ten per cent — of Palestinians live in the Lebanon, it is where most of the Palestinian camps are Caled c centre of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and the guerrillas.

The constant government crisis in Israel is the expression of a polarisaPalestine.

Mandate Palestine

After the first World War Britain and France alvidea up ine ola ut

Empire between them, maestre became British Mandate

1922-1947. This period saw the rise of Zionist immigration and

development of a autonomous Jewish community called the Yishuv. The Yishuv had its assembly of Deputies who organised social activities, education, taxes and other services.

In 1922 the Histadrut was founded

bring together co-operatives, distribution of goods, to run a torm of social security and medical plan, banks, and insurance. Its main task

was to promote the hiring of however,

aDOU ODDUSCU LU labour. It was (and still is) simultaneously a 'trade union' and capitalist entrepreneur - it is one of the largest landowners and employers in Israel.

What distinguishes Zionism from other forms of colonialism is its aim not to employ the indigenous population as cheap labour, but literally to displace the indigenous population in favour of creating a Jewish working class in a Jewish state.

The Zionist labour movement and the Histadrut, far from defending the rights of workers, became

Zionist forces, LECI the fight against terocious ir labour, in setting up the kibbutz settlements and in laying the basis for the future israeli state.

The Arab population were not mere onlookers in this process. peals to the British to curb Zionist immigration fell on deaf ears. The Arabs correctly saw a very real threat to their existence Palestine Strikes, demonstrations and outbursts

The armed struggle continues

tion which is developing in Israeli society. The strain psychological constantly at war is beginning to show.

While the Zionist extremists are very strong, counter building up.

Israelis bombed southern Lebanon, a significant section of public opinion was agalost me war. three largest cities in the north, who would have suffered violent confrontations culminated in the Arab Rebellion of 1936-1939 with a six month general strike. The revolt was brutally suppressed by the British and it took the Arabs years to recover and trom inel losses, a sighilalt lacto.

contributing to their defeat in 1948. The slaughter during the Second World War seemed semi- to confirm all that the Zionists had

been sayllle for Jews was in the Jewish State. They demanded that any longer on the question of setting up a he Zionists attention was turned away from the Arabs onto the British as the main enemy. Britain, unable to resolve the situation it had created, handed over United Nations. 1947 UN Partition Plan Arab were to be created, one Arab and one

Jewish. War broke Arabs resisting the handing, over of half of Palestine and the Zionist army carrying out pre-emptive strikes and forceably Arabs from the country. By the end of 1948, 750,000 Palestinians became refugees.

Many when in 1967 Israel occupied the West Bank, Sinai, Golan Heights and Gaza Strip as a continuation of this colonia! settler policy.

Why socialists should oppose zionism HUSI Today Israel is the watchdog of im Arab verialism in the Middle East. It happi Salvendr and trains Sount African sends arms to the The Zionist state has annexed large Ap- areas of Arab territory.

land, taken over deprived Arabs of basic democratic rights in their homeland.

It is no haven for Jews: unconof trollable inflation due to the war

economic and - of living in a state

beginning to

pressures are Committee Zeit wnen in July 19o1 the

People in the deepens, in such a coneconomy, worsening becoming

of the population!

of 6 million Jews

people - that the only safe place

the British not stal

our forefathers.

problem to the

The result was the

• two states

with the

thousands of

more were made refugees They

make

junta

confiscated water reserves,

conquered the military.

flict, left their homes en masse.

A new anti-Zionist movement is Many young Israelis are drawing the conclusion that there is no future in a permanent state of war with the Palestinians. The

for Solidarity with Bir University mobilised thousands behind the slogans 'We - don't want another war' and 'Army out of the West Bank'. As the crisis

the Zionist rulers will not have it all their own way

rising social conditions are Ihere Is conspicuous racism towards Jews of

- the maioriti

The fact that the rate of emigration from Israel is considerably higher than immigration to Israel shows that

are fec up with leading miserable lives and losing relatives ir wars for expansionist purposes. one slogan of the Peace Now movement put it, 'The lives of our children are more important than the graves of

But above all, socialists should not support Zionism because it has not achieved its primary goal. It has not sheltered Jews from anti-semitism. I has not created the basis for ridding the world of racist poison. Indeed it has done its share to keep it going. What are Kibbutzim?

Did you know? -

Kibbutzim are collectivist colonies in-

volving only 3% or une population. depicted in Zionist propagalia. They socialist oases

were the main agent in the colonisa

tion process in Palestine . Thev drove

thousands of Arabs off their lands -

expropriated these lands in order to

'the desert bloom'. This the

did with the backing of millions of

- it was no miracle. They are

highly dependent on government sub-

sidies. the banking sector and the ex

ploitation of wage labour Arab

and Oriental Jews. The Kibbutzniks

have become the elite in Israel - the

middle class. They also play a key role

in defending the occupation of the

territories and along the

borders of Israel in conjunction with

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 9

Page 10 scan of this page

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Letter!

I WISH to congratulate Socialist Challenge on its coverage and political positions over the most pressing issue in British politics today -the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands. No other paper has come out with such an intransigent anti-imperialist line.

As a visitor to Labour Party Young Socialist Conference Bridlington, 1 can confirm your charge that Militant's position is an accomoda-

British imperialism. It refused to unequivocally oppose British intervention. But, worse its call for blacking of Argentinian reality puts it on the side of Thatcher. Indeed, inge meeting called by Militant Latin America, one of its speakels actually called for the 'saving back of the Falklands'!

These positions flow from Militant's insistence on starting from the reactionary character of the

Falklanders

I CANNOT see much sense in saying that the Falkland Islands should belong to the Argentinian people. There is very little hope of Argentina, let alone the Falklands, belonging to the Argentinian people.

Anyway, shouid not the peole wis bive there? the Falklands belong Geographically, they are no more part of Argentina than Britain is a part of zurope. As an Amencal schoolboy once wrote: "Rritain is a smal island off the coast of France'.

Should Britain belong the French people? Hitler wanted both France and Britain to be part of a united fascist Europe, but we had other ideas.

was astonished reaa in socialist wnalicnge that the Falklanders must "come to terms' with living under a fascist dictatorship. Do you really mean that?

I PURCHASED a copy of your paper last week to discover that you have abandoned British nationalism only to take up Argentinian.

'belong to the Argentinian people' than they do to the

Britain's claim may be Taise bul areenula sIs nul much better being based on the fact that the islands

closer to Argentina.

But 300 odd miles is a lot more than a spit from the shore

Claims for all these sorts of islands depend on one ining — mignt. so lilal when you say 'the newly formed Republic of Buenos Aires secured Spain's rights the islands', I must point out that Spain had no 'rights' to the islands, no more

Britain. It had tlidi "might' and when it lost

Letters etters rn.Rs

Argentinian ulla But everyone knows that this is not the issue that Britain is going to war over. It is Britain's imperialist role wica s peme cerenoed. This is why all socialists have to be uneauivocal in their opposition to Thatcher's war.

The most surprising thing about the conference however was the acute confusion into which the issue threw the national left wing youth movement - a formation sponsored by the Socialist Organiser

When the National Committee statement on the Malvinas. WOlCO reflect the Militant's line, was pur to une vole, some of the NLYM members

Falklands for the

Why should the Argentinian want the

DCUVIC Falklands Islands? The land bleak and inhospitable. They have no relatives there (except the invading junta forces). The real bone of conten-

no country benefit MOUCu trom undl. unuci capitalism and fascism.

Historically the Argentines have no more claim than the British to the Falklands. About 150 years ago various nations

layed at pulling up each

ther's flags and planting men owe uee

Since then the population. aDOul the sıze oi a small English village, has

Everyone Hands Off

that, it lost its 'right' too. I would have thought that Socialist Challlenge of all

people would have known

DCLLCN

k of the also t ot you

talk of the o1 dependence against Spain.

Well, yes, no doubt it was

good thing But this was war of colonists against their home country and thus has more in common AHCHICAU

War of Independence than with say the Irish, Algerian or Vietnamese.

The Argentinians (that is, Spaniards, Italians etc) while they were invaded by Britain (in 1807 when still Spanish the Napoleonic war) and

Letters

supported it and some opposed it!

This is what comes of attempting to defend the claims of the British settler population an integral part of Britain's false

claim - against those of Argentina — a dependent country Socialist Organiser has done.

Socialists have to defend the democratic rights

the Falklanders but repudiate any efforts the Islanders might make to claim the islands for Britain. Least of all can we be taken the hypocritical claims of Thatcher to be defending the Falklanders 'right is te maintaon British

maintain sovereignty.

JOHN BURNS London SW2 been British, and they do not want a fascist dictator-

ship.

The Thatcher governmoe l received telegram from the civil ser-

pleadin hat-

vants there TOI evacuation but the cher government couldn't care less. Do you?

Governments today are concerned with frontiers, flags, national

'prestige' but you should not be. Socialists should

concerned about people.

The people will be in increasing danger with any use of force All forces should be withdrawn and

the long belated negotiations got under way.

KATHLEEN JONES

Shrewsbury - as you say - trampled, on by Washington in 1832 were mnemnseve Cucascl in the extermination of the Ase nuldH ooulativll In this they were extremely successtul so much so thal they have minority 'problem' at all!

My solution for all

these small islands and

groups which are too small

for nationhood is for them

be taken over by

United Nations Commis-

sion, provided with as

much necocu anu

allowed to develop their

own small societies as they

choose. But suppose

'might OTEUSU

Argentinian will

triumph as usual.

J STOBART London N17

Editor reserves New York demo in support of Argentines bought a copy of Socialist Challenge.

teresting. found Re retably MOSI • ii do is 1 does not go jar enough. this hypocrisy behind keepin 1800-odd second rate Britis) colonial persons who, we are

, cannot face facts?

I am an ex-Kenya settler so

we e ke e heid 'Lancaster House' meelings fo arranee now we would fight and so on.

1 am glad to say we are intelligen people and decided the 'greatest good the preates mumoer •l IS nol so mucn a question of who governs but that they govern

One could add to the points your paper made how enerane s insuler une cos-ir the-manger attitude is en-

Print this or else

IT'S unfortunate that

allows cynicism to distort his view

League, thousands

myself, radicalised with

Robinson, The Clash etc. This is still happen.

ing today.

the Jam.

'pop star -

war drive

castically hits out at British imperialism -

'Absolute Beginners'.

radicalising

Weller is politically committed.

few more people aware'. Of course, you can.

fight.

As 'Absolute Beginners say:

In echoed steps you walk across an empty

dream.

But look around this world - there's millions to

be seen,

Come, see the tyrants panic, see their crumbling

empires fall,

Then tell them we won't fight for fools, 'cause

Love is in our hearts!

STELLA COYLE NW London

the right to cut any letter over 400 words.

Write to SC letters, c/o PO Box 50, London N7

FALKLAND ISLAND

IS ARGENTINIAN LAND

AND 149 YEARS

IS ENOUGH

RENT FREE TIME

A mad world?

I THOUGHT I was alone in a mad world until on Saturday I was attracted to the heading 'Stop Thatcher's war drive' displayed by a street seller and

dangering thousands of other British Cuzen. living anne working in Argentina.

Ouite rightly vou mention the evacuation of Diego Gar cia you failed io com mere or ire yo0crs y er l wsuine on ine umrea varor resomunonsun connecuon witt

Bin stand nire ar ao

being ignored in relation occupation of Palestine. wonder whas penin. the Tories' intransigence ano Heath was o even worse. Thatcher must be removed before there is a world war ana OVICKI

FRANCES PATTULO London W9

Simon Lockwood of the

Jam. We youth are strongly influenced by the

music we hear. At the time of the Anti Nazi

youth, including the help of Tom

with bands like The Beat, UB40 and . Paul Weller is obviously more than a as well as playing for CND etc, he

and a group of youth debated a Tory MP on

Radio 1, attacking British imperialism and the

Songs like 'Little Boy Soldiers', which sar.

'God's on our side, and so is Washington', and

an . anthem optimistic youth, show that

He uses music as a way of 'making just a

not make a revolution by getting to No 1, but

music is important in the process of waking

people up and giving them the incentive to

Page 11 scan of this page

Argentina: oppressed or

Buenos Aires - What the statistics don't tell you

SOCIALIST CHALLENGE called for the Argentinian junta's overturn long before Denis Healey and the Tories 'discovered' it was fascist

But we also back Argentinian's claim to the Malvinas (Falkland Islands). With our international co-thinkers we say that workers throughout the world will do best if Thatcher loses this fight.

pean and American business, put in to control Argentina for them. They

AT THE END of the first world war Argentina was in chains. A handful of families ran the great wheat and beef-producing ranches while most worked the land in crushing poverty. The cities were a playground for a narrow business elite aping European lifestyle - by super-exploiting millions of poor immigrants in search of a new world.

Has this all changed?

Argentina has joined the dozen SO developing countries' (ADCs) like Hong Kong, Korea, Brazil and Mexico who are Have broken with third world underdevelopment.

Per capita income is Tennes India's; most people live and work in the towns. Is it now a 'normal' capitalist country, like Britain?

Economist Ricardo Parboni offers a different account in The Dollar and

Rivals (Verso, £3.95).

Dubbing Argenta-style growth 'dependent development' he

says has happened at the behest of foreign capital. Britain's economy is run from tne insiae — by our owli banks and multinationals.

Argentina is run from the outside. It is industrialising occause European, Japanese and American multinationals have shifted production there, faced with declining profit margins and growing instability at home.

They choose countries whose governments have decided, with revolutionary threats, to

'embrace industrial development in whatever form, provided

or shodarose, is mash benefit tel

women's oDoression. solldarnosc. Reds, Mayakovsky,

Turkey, Laurence scoll s International

DOES THATCHERSM HAVE A FUTURE!

Sir Freddie's Crashanti

oppressor?

We say Galtieri is a stooge of Euro-

of the people

would consolidate stratum opposed to comParboni.

TRUESID. says

'When these countries abandoned non-alignment, they opted for economic subordination'

This does not end dependency - it tightens the noose. Why?

• The price of growth is foreign debt.

By 1978 the non-oilproducing ADCs owed $270bn equal to Britain's whole annual produce.

Juan Perón The worst debtors never escape — because interest charges add faster than repayments.

The World Bank reports Argentina as the world's second largest borrower with a debt of $12 bn in

LAURENCE SCOTT STORY

DO MEN BENEFIT FROM WOMEN'S OPPRESSION!

Just 60p a copy. Subscribe for £4.50 a year (Britain and Ireland). Send cheques to International, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.

attack him only because he has got out of hand. If the fleet drowns him tomorrow, Haig will put someone worse in his place the day after. The most important thing is to sink the gangsters behind him - with Thatcher and Reagan at their head.

But does foreign capital still enslave Argentina? looks at modern Argentina - its economy, its people, and its government - and asks 'is it still in foreign chains?'

ARCEN NI 1979. This is now $32 bn. in went to service this debt 85 per cent This was $180 per worker.

In lic sale ycal ai

'A STEVEDORE'S LIFE

begins at four in the

morning, says the

Forum on Human

Rights which met

1973. 'The majority live

in the "villas miserias"

Shant

around the city. It takes

up to two hours to reach

the port.

Ihrough the

stevedores' hands passes

half Argentina's

trade: your corned beef;

the machines vour bosses

send to put the beef in tins;

and the baggage of the fine

ladies and gentlemen who

come to tour the sights of

'modern' Buenos Aires. begins; 6hs 6.15 the drama

report goes

on. 'The foremen are pro-

tected bv a high tence as it

in a concentration camp,

trom where ther choose

their workers. The chosen

ones are the 'privileged

who the worker

worker not

called in the first shift he

will have to wait for the

Falklands Crisis.

Alan Freeman

ROT N ARGENTNE CN

NEW VISAS

Pickets Argentine Embassy: both Labour and Tory governments had warm relations with this

Argentinian workers' pay averaged 37 US cents an hour. So the tribute exacted by the parasites of Wall Street and Westminster was valued, by

10.15 and 15.15 call, or the

last call at 16.15: by then

out of thousands who turn

up, four thousand will in workless after

waiting 10 hours.

"The stevedore is legal-

ly under a daily contract

If he falls ill, he is not paid

Accidents

event. The loss of a finger,

hand or foot are frequent.

Each month two to five

stevedores will lose thel

lives. When someone dies,

a bag is drawn over him

and his comrades must

carry on working because

"cessation of labour' is

defined as sabotage. If the

accident is not fatal, the

stevedore must wait hours

before an ambulance

found.'

These are the kind of

conditions in 'modern'

Argentina which deal.

tracting foreign investors

by the score. It reeks of

superexploitation under

Victorian conditions

Bare aggregate figures

— a per capital national

them, at ten weeks work. • Both finance and machinery is supplied and owned by the advanced countries wno tnereby control in dustry.

Argentina's

mushrooming car industry is equipped and owned by Japanese, Italian and German capitalists.

Once foreign capital has a toehold it can use takeovers, technology, and straight corruption dominate

'DOLA the industry.

Workers even pay for

their own chains. In

neighbouring. Brazil the

British American Tobacco

Company - now closing

income of over $2000 -

hide the truth

workers' wage is

around 30p an hour when

work can be found. But

what counts as a 'worker'

is very different from here.

Union leader José Rucci

For example, seventy-five Pive in towns cent of Argentinians

but over

halt are concentrated in

Buenos Aires alone, not

because there is work but

because 'agribusiness' has

forced them off the land.

Millions live in shanty uD to IZ

controls over plants many British

per cent of cigarette market. Since 1914 l nas brougal omy $3m. into Brazil; , between

and 1yl9 took out $80 m.

These companies vir tually have the government in their pockets. On 1 January 1965 a special law effectively gave BAT an interest-free 'nonrepayable loan' of $100 m; three years later the ministers who passed the law joined the board of the

REES LETS

NOT

BRITAN

MUST GIE

VISA

AKC . 2228388889 company. The deputy who challenged this was sacked by Brazil's president!

• Industry is set up to suit the multinationals' 'house': the housing shortage estimated at 2,400,000.

Education is a legal right, but over half never even finish primary school. Amongst workers. two thirds. Infant mortality, at 63 per 1000 is five times that of the USA: but this is an average figure including the rich middle classes whọ can pay for expensive private health. In the rural province of Jujay one in every eight babies dies bee retire at these

third OliC without seeing a doctor.

'Drink half a litre of perialists milk a day' says the Argentine ministry of health. Rural consumption

figure, and fating, thie

figure, and falling.

national authorities in

study in 1972 to see hor DUCILOS A s conducted a much of his or her wage a worker would have to pay to obtain a 'normal' diet They concluded it was 104

new world division of

labour.

Capital goods, finance • are shir

ped in; consumer

and food are shipped out

of the mos

I nis is one

dramatic indicators of

dependency.

In 1978, 75 per cent of

Argentinian exports to the

consisted of food, goods rav

materials; only 15 per cent

of British repo is to Lati

America into this

category, and 50 per cer

exports consisted o

capital goods.

Junta

But is it true that in

spite of all this Argentina

industrialising

becoming - painfully — a

'developed country'? Ar

Argentinian workers simp-

ly "taking our jobs'? Not

Argentinian

unemployment is so high

that the government won't

even release figures

Argentinian workers

will get jobs only if the in.

ternal market can

developed to ensure har-

monious growth.

But production is for

starvation level. The irony

ot the new ens avement Is

that the Argentinian peo. benefits of their own in callul the

dustry.

this is the reality

today's Argentina and

it will not end until the

Argentinian workers have

lifted, not just their own

dictator, DUll European,

American and Japanese

capitalists off their backs

This is what lies behind

the passion and fury with

which they . demand

'Malvinas Argentinas'.

These co devons ne

misery ICVUlL. Argentinian working class is angry - and immensely strong In 1946 Argentina's General Peron broke with past military tradition and, exploiting the temporary weakness of the imperialist powers, embarked on a course of 'national development' during

built the strongest unions in the Third World. The experiment was doomed 10 failure and in 1955 he wa these deposed by the military

invited the imin. But the

main. They combine in? things: willingness fight literally to the death against their exploiters:

that behind the puppets that rule them, the source of their misery, stand ite governments, bankers ard business people of Britair Amenca, Europe and Japan.

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 1

Page 12 scan of this page

- No hiving off in Wandsworth

GLC SOLUTION TO FARE INCREASES No buses, no tubes

to come, writes TESSA VAN GELDEREN, if recent proposals presently under discussion by the Greater London Council are implemented.

Committee have spent a great deal of time and energy preparing reports on how much capital expenditure there can be in light of the Law Lords ruling. If implemented London Transport would be reduced to a hollow shell.

of its resources by organising a massive campaign in the labour movement, the reports give a foretaste of what may be in store if the Law Lords' decision is not overturned.

BECAUSE of the

about future demand, and fare and

agues une London Transport Executive, the

JUsIliUlI with regard capital expenditure is still totally confused.' have been raised about the legality of all investment projects.

'As a result, the GLC has stopped approving any London Transport investment projects Many

planned would not be needed or would be extensively modified London Transport were to plan to break even overall.'

Hence only those projects are consistent with both the execulve s exisuing plans and with a plan for break-even future appear likely to be approved and implemented.

The report goes on to calculate how, over the next Tew years, 'break even' can be achieved. It

are going this is ope

doing this halving the volume of hus services and by raising the fares bv between 25 per cent and 50 per cent underground demand would be about three quarters of today's level.

Having, gone through this exercise, the report States that the GiC mar regard such a core network with profound concern and inter alia would wish

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982

London Transport and the GLC Transport Although the GLC could make better use

to look at ways of reducing the scale of these changes.

This year London Transport received only a 12 per cent subsidy; 88 per cent has to be financed through fare increases and huge cut-backs in services and jobs. Such facts give little optimism for the proposals in these documents seing shelved.

The best way the GLC can do that is to take on the Law Lords and the

lead in the fight five a

in the fight transport system that meets the needs of the working. people don, and not five 'vandals an crane

Cuts GM COOKSON

It would thus be possible, in the extreme, the report continues, *to close an annual gap of £260m by a combination of massive SCI VICC CuLs substantia further real fare increases, the closure of several sta. tions and the reduction of train frequencies...

Hae the report l this

trouble then states that 'such a package of changes would not be a sensible ana reasonable approach to transport in Lonaon.. The GLC Transport

Committee takes this same schizoid approach. In sonsidering a 'core network' which "truncated transport system for Greater London where costs and revenues have

page 12

NOT content with Tory councils are attempting to dismantle local services and hand them over to local firms. Wandsworth is one such council and the issue of privatisation promises to be a crucial one in the forthcoming elections on 6 May.

As local parties are workers will be taking industrial action to save services and jobs.

Since 1978 Wandsworth council has destroyca zoo joos ana is now in the process of putting counci servicews contract. Street cleaning nas arredov been aced over Pritchards Industrial Services for a mere £700,000.

This multinational firm was able to bid below cost because it regarded

contract 'loss leader' allowing the company to get for te door potentially

#LT 428

At least 20 bus garages are under threat

been brought into

balance', the committee

argues that this is not 'ade-

quate to meet the needs of

London but grim

prospect which must be

contemplated in the pre-

sent legal circumstances.

The report goes on to

argue the best

estimate at this stage of the

break even situation would

imply by the late 1980;

• that fares would be 50

per cent higher in real

News

By D Benlow, branch secretary Wandsworth District NUPE making swingeing cuts,

completely

canvassing, council

lucrative business. Pritchards now want to empty the bins for f2m compared to the present cost of f3m.

Private firms undercut councils simply by paving their emplovee. the most appalling wages

and by careless and

agreements and conditions that the unions have fought for over the

Pritchards began cleaning the streets Wandsworth WILl 171 workers. After 3 years, 58 were sacked. The workHackney Dalston

Bank Molborn Piccadilly Chelsea HACKNEY STN

terms than at present:

cent lower post

March 1982 levels on buse:

and 17 per cent lower on

rail. 100m bus miles

scneauled ana yum bus

miles would operate (com

pared to 174m budgeted in

and which was ex-

ceeded by some ½ million

miles);

on the underground,

train miles would be

reduced to 26m train miles

force has been forced to accept compulsory weekend working without additional pay. Anyone who complains gets the sack. In the meantime the council's Suree Cicalisile WOlKCIS have not been redeployed and their jobs al c

jeopare Tories now want

The to put another S services out to tender. There has oeen uproar in une park: department where the parks manager himself has put in a bid. The unions

him and demanding his dismissal.

But more importantl the unions have decided to take industrial action from Monday 19 April against the privatisation of refuse collection in the borough. Last year the council forced the refuse collectors to shed 40 jobs and to completely reorganising under

(compared to 30.5m ir

1981)

Reduction in service

levels on the buses would

be by:

*at least 20 out of a total

bus garages to

*reducing peak hour

frequencies on main

routes in line with fall-

ing demand

threat of privitisation.

union members have decided enough enough as they see that trying lo ao a deal with ine council works only in the interests of the Tories and their friends.

Taking action HOW right in the middle of an election callyalei will highlight the anti-working class schemes of the Tories. Such action can only help the council workers and put this issue in front of the electorate

There are some in the labour movement who think that such action will harm Labour's chances. Labour. tact will gain more votes, both by openly supporting the council employees' actions and by coming out four square against privausation

Wandsworth Labour group icauel, Tony

Assemble бpm,

253

*thinning out and

withdrawal

routes where parallel

continued

*reduction of evening

and Sunday services

*thinning out of the less

busy routes and

removal of some of the

more circuitous routes.

Belton, has been heard to say that a future Labour council would have to seriously consider private tenders. Other Labou candidates have opposed this position Wandsworth council workers are united on this issue: a liaison committee has been established comprising of the manual unions, those from the white collar unions and the building workers' unions.

It was a joint mass meeting organised committee that the decision was made to take in. dustrial action.

Now all the labour movement, and especiall. the Labour Party, has t

the local elections Labour council electea or such a fight can only be strengthened Lake on the attacks from the Tory

Demonstrate 22 April - the eve of the second reading of Jay's Private Member's Bill which aims to make 'Fares Fair' legal again.

Temple tube, march to Covent Garden. Bring TU banners. Organised by Fares

Fight Lobby 23 April during the second reading of Jay's

Bill. 1lam onwards at the House of Commons.

Camden Town Finsbury, Park CLapton Hackney HACKNEY CENTRAL SIN On the underground 'the following is already clear'

*route withdrawals would be confined to branch lines and the more lightly used outer sections

#station closures would number about 25

Page 13 scan of this page

Neither Social nor

The Social Democratic Party is never Labour Party activists, especially from

at election time. Two new pamphlets on the SDP have just been published. BRIAN reviews London Labour

while TESSA Veroiull GELDEREN looks at the pamphlet.

put out by Labour Weekly.

Labour Weekly has certain duel The

Their Centre' full of USClul morallull its leaders Ine Dor Ene Tolt Labour Partv and the internal problems it faces today.

It looks at its relationship to

nedia and the City and it eitism and determined to stay that way. establishes 'party

Kut nownere aoes une Damoniel confront why the SDP came into existence in the first place and what this means for the

the SDP

hardly in apple pie order.

In looking at the policies of the SDP, it points out that Lace are SUllIC divide either tne parilamentary icadersmy or members or both'. Included in this list

'internal party democracy

on the running of the

he best weapon to attack the SD

Again. the pamphlet (which consists of number of unsigned articles) criticises the SDP's method of selecting parliamentary and council candidates states one article, could well find that he she 'starts out as challenger to the officially preferred candidate. Wall might like so Knote original). what's so different between that and the Labour Party's method of reselection

The pamphlet all the way through tries to impiv that the gang of tour and their followers represented a certain wing inside that 5 gbi rid Patty a. and Mednick GEOFF MATTHEWS Live and Get By a musical comedy playing at the Lion Theatre Club, St John St. London N1 which is running until 1 May every night except Mondays at 8pm.

JAKE AND STEVE

members of a generation born at the hopeless, and when they sit down and wrong une i ney are young, lobless a luckie borea

It's not much to laugh and sing about. vou might think get by by. Nick Fisher and does it well.

Democratic

minds

HERON Briefing's VĂN

and in the

the

rooted in ABOUR

At times it attacks The story of the SDP Soft

own house is

Labour available 'which

principle wnen sne said a

mony ariations

20 years. cenal nal ine

adet wail in this

calls for.

the true nature of the SDP.

to cailure to them

good riddance,

leaders.

From left to right: Billy Fellows, John Tramper and Annabel

reviews

Old Red

jeweller's are delicatessen next door.

40112111 blow holes Morris 1000

Our ve ma does just this lor a short. sharp shock.

escapes with probation

LONDOS

With a foreword by

MICHAEL FOOT the true Centre

pamphlet

Weekly's new Walworth Rd, London SE17 IJT. Price 60p. from 150 'Shirley Williams may have been right in

centre party would have no roots, no principles and no

But this centre party the inheritance of the Gaitskellite who ruled the Labour Party for more than

Labour Party still fighting that inheritance that is the real in-

be enough, as the pamphlet *if the Labour Party can. betveen now and the next election, get across

What is need ed are socialist policies and a committment

once in office. deal with that question, lets the SDP off the hook. and more impor tantly our own Labour and trade union

007 on the dole?

It's a musical comedy which tells

the story of how the three heroes, fac-

ed with a choice between the dole and

a dead end job, take up a career in

First they try shoplifting without

success — a ' Tesco fiasco'. Next they

and grab raid on and end up looting the

The inevitable happens. They are with a stash of tinned whale's in the back seat of the ther di C

getaway car. Steve and Jake are sent

while Lin

Under Review

BRIEFING

ON THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

SDP refreshes

the politicians

Parties

.....other

want do not

cians other parties don't want Refreshes

SDP ... pamphlet. Available from The Other Briefing's

Labour

London from 23 Leghorn Rd, London NW10. Price 50p plus 20p

Bookshop.

London Labour Briefing have produced a useful handbook of news and views of the SDP for the Labour most interesting pieces are the articles

action Islington Southwark

heres ne local version ortne corruni and ume serving ex-Labour desertion to the SDP counterparts have beer I brightened up. the glare of publicity. Labour in nothing vul lame, mese counculors no marinem par escar brand ermineapale haver

brand politics. But, is the same true at a national

One of the cosy assumptions of some of the pieces ine vamoniel is unal Labour is already the proud possessor of socialist policies, and a measure of inter-

The comedy is provided by the contrast between this bungling small-time and an extravagant tantasy le Pians hatched in a haze of pernod and blackcurrant James Bond, or for astronauts from the 'Clapham Space Centre'.

Unwin of the Bristol Express Theatre

Company, and the cast,

Mednick, John Tramper and Billy Fellows, carry it off with style.

The pace starts fast and stays fast, Rick Lloyd's songs are powerful and the actors juggle their ditterent roles without ever losing a sense of commitment. ine produchon moves from

of the right-wing out.

Labour

une due union vurcataly

The Roy Jenkins wing came

the technological revolution' in the 60

'revisionism.

march union bureacracy

Jenkins, nor Owen nor

rarly

no accident that these leaders the politi- modern counterparts Leading the party and the unibes. And, more to 1 new

p&p representation to

. agree. inreat is never contronica.

political project in the labour

ment lor me rule class dealll. backi Ine spac

Liberal/SDP Alliance

The right wing

MaTt

'fixit unilateralism

DulL oureaucracy

gains made over the past period.

pearing glib.

Be warned,

— the 'writing on the wall'

home to roost.

Running

ing caves in on Steve. the reality finally collide.

play, their outgrown, kind of among the towers'

When the

speak the Bond and the astronauts. a moving upcidic

it stages the as problems. more than sympathy.

Annabel

light at the end of the tunnel'

similar theme in 'Oi for England.

nal democracy which has forced sections

But the real base of leadership and pro-capitalist politics is, and always has been

of the Part U D managerial layers in society in the alliance created around Wilson's white hot heat of which in turn had been prepared by Gait sken s assaull on clause 4 ana crosslal s Jenkins sing to nose to her de out of the Party the

in its wake It was not who led Was Callaghan, Healev and Jack Jones of the IGWU. It is

— or inel are still with us they are still

Despite entertaining and useful pieces on coalitionism, ine inreat or proportiona.

the labour movemeni

idd whales of the hich e

which we • would the precise character of the SDP's

The SDP has provided the right wing of the trade union bureaucracy with a new

now occupied by the trade union leaders have launched an offensive in the labour movement. Witch-hunts and the threat oi

back arouno new discussions comes and ging

amarils. especially mine unions. Ins is what the left inside the party has to turn its attention to if it is to consolidate the

one set piece to the next without ap.

though. There is a sting in the tail. The underlying gloom

- that has been voiced all along by Lin, comes

through leanorale escape plan in a dream in his cell at the actendon centre, une tunne. ne Is digg-

. The fantasy and

Steve and Jake see their chance and take it. They club a warder and go on the run. Reunited at the end of the

incompelence not quile the trio achieves a new dignity as outlaws, a "pride

Slaughter stopped, I started to have doubts. The shift into seriousness doesn't quite come off. The warders and the careers officer

same language as James yet their power is much more real. The music hall routine wiin waich the inree mee again almost allows us to forget....

The closing song, from which the title of the plav staken. celebrates the courage of the stateless, and salutes in

The play is socially aware but

problems of the young unemployed, without analysis,

They have a right to

If you've just left school and can't find work, the Old Red Lion offers a good night out, but things will look pretty much the same at closing time as they did when you went in. in the words of one of the songs, there's 'no

will be interesting to see Trevor : Griftiths, a playwright with a more developed political stance, handling a

Third World Voices

for Childre

Third World

Voices for

Children

Edited by Robert E

McDowell and Edward

LOVELI

Do Allison and Busby tz.JU Iv inis we about Wrestling in Iboland', how it is used by the peo. ple to settle an argument. And how they have wrestling competitions between villages

Some of the stories are folk-lore, but others are true, written by the people themselves. The 30 stories, legends, poems and songs come from Africa, the West Indies, North America and the South Pacific

These are exciting stories for children between the ages of 10 and 15. The black and white pictures are very simple. It's

enjoyable book and well worth reading.

These books show the way of life of these people, how they see their world and what they think of it. Although their life is so different from ours many ways, in others it is much the same as ours.

John Mercer

The Stories of

Vanishing

Stories of

Vanishing

People

By John Mercer ob Allison and Busby £2.95 IN 'Why the Efe are not afraid of lightning' we are told that, although the Pygmies ure the smallest people in the world, they

is a traditional tale which explains how the Pygmies learnt to live with lightning and not be afraid of it

which explains how the natural elements in the surroundings of many ancient tribes came to be, as told trocitiono folklore. John Mercer has collected over 30 stories from all over the world.

They are exciting and often humourous. They would appeal to children from about 7 to 12. The black and white illustra LI07S Cuban artis;, Tony avora are simple but attractive. It's well worth reading and I enjoved it a lot By Stephen Lloyd aged 13

Socialist Challenge 22 April 1382 page 3

Page 14 scan of this page

MISTAKES ON WAR DRIVE BUT LPYS to build CND

Catherine Ventour

WOMEN'S

FESTIVAL

Saturday 5June

Battersea Park, London from noon Rally * Music * Forums* Stalls Theatre* Children's Events Refreshments * Creche available*

WOMEN'S RIGHTSTOJOBS & EQUALITY

'I URGE ALL OF YOU to march on 8 May to demand that withdraws - the door to peace will only open when the Irish people as

whole decide the future Ireland, free from terference. March to hunger strikers are not forgotten, march to demand that Britain gets out of Ireland.'

That was the message of Owen Carron MP urging support for the 8 May demonstration, has the support of five MPs, Plaid

22 April 1982

LABDUR

PANT

Britain out of Ireland march wins support

Cymru, Britain Party branches.

of outside inshow the the Irish people.

which already

Ellis Thomas MP.

page 14

A recent pamphlet titled 'is freedom we making: the new democracy in Grenada'

Grenadan women a voice about the new socie. ty they're making: contributions which is of special interest to women in Britain.

Catherine Ventour is a 72 year old great grandmother the mother of Scotilda Noel — a founder of the National Womens Organisation tragically killed late Before Gairy came it was peace. We didn't have much, but we had peace.

CallC with violence and robbing peopie things. and take what they wan! from people garden, Then the Mongoose men and do what they ConC want. They shoot people, couldn't speak you mind, vou concil walk the road. You had no kind of freedom at al.

I am with the revolution and the government By Richard Rozanski THE LABOUR PARTY Young Socialists at its Easter conference called on its build the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. This welcome move was however marred by a number of wrong conclusions on the nature of the war drive and how to stop it.

The discussion docuoutlining the rise of the disarmament novement. ano con. trasts the huge amounts being SOCHIL nucica. weapons to the tremendous poverty in large parts •' une worlo Then follows the anti-militarist approach capitalist war, as outlined by le greal Ilernatona socialist Karl Liebknecht.

He resolutelv opposed the carnage of the First World War, and une capitalist several trades councils, and many trade union and Labour

The march was called to commemorate the death of Bobby Sands MP last year, as well as to demand Britain out of Ireland and self-determination for

The march will assemble at 1pm at Speaker's Corner, London and will match to a rally at County Hall.

Speakers will include Owen Carron MP, Joan Maynard MP and Dafydd

News

Women, step forward!

Here we reprint one of the

one thousand and nine per cent!

My daughter Scotilda was a very good helper of the Revolution. She go out every day, negotiating for

people, , and she had to because if do it in secret. the other side know, then her life is in danger. They threaten her many times, she was a wanted one. But she was very brave, she had no fear.

She just made up her mind to stand up, come what may. one never ald anything she didn't consult me. She always come and tell Mummy; look myself was a strong New look

Jewel Movement supporter. I always tell her, 'Go on girl, try your best

branches to

system which had caused it, in its scramble for new markets in the world

But then asks wnerner suca an aboroac! needs to be modified by Lne • militarısm ot the so-

called socialist countries'. PHIl PENN

Explaining that the countries castern Europe are workers' states, where capitalism has been overthrown, but where political powe photo usurpec by parasitic caste or bureaucrats then comes out with the assertion that the Soviet Union is no longer weaker

Because it has parity with the West

nuclear weapons and superiority in conventional weapons, the "military defence of the Soviet Union" as a slogan

no longer has any meaning'

Thus 'our only amendment to Liebknecht's formula workers' struggle against capitalist

would add, "and against the Stalinist bureaucracy of the East, for democratic socialist societies, East and went

This is a break with the Marxist traditions which the Militant, the dominant

the LPYS. claims to represent. It is

number of counts.

It is wrong to claim that parity exists in lne field of nuclear weapons. With its vast technological superiority, imperialism has always succeeded keeping ahead in the nuclear arms race.

Toda i thodace plains.

ing strike' missiles, which would allow them to start The Soviet Union is years "limited nuclear war. away from developing such weapons.

In the long term these weapons would be used to launch an imperialist of-

because you workin the future of your childre and the future Grenada.

After the revolution we formed women's groups here in Birchgrove Progress gave me a new energy. I wanted to fight on for my grandchildren, Decause i saw it was solic future.

Long before the revolution the

sold their papers, always they had to hide and sell them, so you had some insight of what was coming, what was going to take place.

And then when God see the amne He should release us from the devil then He release us Gairy was a real devil man. He have love for the poorer class of people, he only pretending to them he have.

The revolution make me young again. I young now as if I just in me teens fensive against the workers' states in an al tempt to win them back for capitalism.

The document savs nothing on what our attitude should be to the fact that capitalism has been abolished these coun

1n Li co. Despite the existence

of the Stalinist bureaucracies, the nationalised, planned economies of these countries represent a huge gain for the international work happens. class. Nothing has

that could possibly change tha approach, not even their crushing of Solidarnosc in Poland.

The defence of the workers' states against imperialism also means defending the right to have nuclear weapons.

Militant argues that only socialism can disarm the imperialists of their nuclear weapons, and criticises the CND leader ship its apolitical stand

While such criticisms are to a degree valid the document doesn't tell the whole story.

mass disarmament movement can play decisive role in stopping imperialism from actually using these weapons, even if it won't succeed in disarming them internationally.

Me energy come through that happiness of the revolution. Long live the revolution! Long live Maurice Bishop and his party! And we praying for them day and night, because they not seeking or one no morror la other, they seeking for al people, from a baby to the old.

So now I trying to carry on the worl of Scotilda in the NWO 1 like this kind of movement.

something forward, not something backward Women now, you know.

Before, thev had no kind of say, no privilege,

Women was the lowest. But now we pushing on, pushing on. We feel more confident, we heart is open now

When we hear the news of the revolution that mor-

ning, it was joy come ou

in the morning! Joy com 'Every LPYS member will be on 6 June demonstration'

Further contradictions arise around NATO. While opposing this alliance, the document claims that to call for British withdrawal from NATO while leaving the anne•orces in me nanas of the military top brass will only spread illusions.

the same time the cancellation of Trident and Cruise missiles, and for British unilateral nuclear disarmament supported unconditional-

No contradictions here? No! Their argument ignores the fact that BrITISH witheave from NATO, at a time when

is effectively holding together in Western Europe, would be a massive blow to the imperialist war drive.

Far from counterpos

the building of the (ND Io a based' movement, socialists must throw themselves into the fight for unilateral nuclear disarmament and for Britain out of NATO

Alread CND together with the other • disarmEurope has rocked NATO to Is foundations. It responsible for the rising opposition in Britain to imperialist the vertOn against the revolutions in Central America and ine Caribbean. Such imperialist consciouslics.

out in the morning! As if I litted up that lifted up above the sky that morning!

And is the same when I

joy! If you go there now ana you go back there tomorrow, yul don't know where you was to day.

And those who don't support the revo, then you that know what this revo is tor. vou keeD on chatting with them and telling them what and what and wha and what - and they coming, yes they coming!

Because every day things getting better, every day is more progress making, every day the light is shining brighter.' "is freedom we're making: the new uemocracy Grenada

mere nouse and enris searienis nuousnerso the People's Revolutionary Government Grenada High Commission Collingham Gardens Court SWS. Tel 01 373 7808 is indispensable for real struggle for socialism in Britain

Nevertheless, the for the gives YS activists the green light to involve themselves in this growing movement

anti-Reagan The first CND demo SICI is the on 6 June. Revolution sup porters in the LPYS will b fighting to put the word of one member of the YS National Committee into practice: 'We will do all in our power to make sure that every LPYS member is on that demonstration.

REVOLUTION

BUILDING THE

LABOUR ARUL YOT CIALIS NOT BO New pamphlet just out 20p a copy plus 15p p&p available from Revolution PO Box 50 London NI 2XP.

Page 15 scan of this page

National Organisation of Labour Students in Conference

Victory in Massey -

NUT backs unilateral nuclear disarmament

Cartoon: excuse

to attack Scott's

THE MOST RECENT issue of the strike bulletin put out by the Laurence Scott workers in Manchester contains a cartoon which the Morning newspaper took exception to in an April article. The strikers responded to the criticism by writing an open letter to the paper which we reproduce here.

Open letter to the Morning Star 15 April, 1982

Dear editor, In your paper dated 7 April, 1982, you went to great lengins lo Laurence Scott's March Bulletin, the main point of which was the indignation of certain Communs car members.

I notice you did not reproduce the cartoon in your paper to explain your case. criticism of any member who supported us, in fact we appreciate it sincerely and would not wish to offend any genuine trade unionists.

But it is a fact that the Communist Party and the Broad Left as a whole, who we considered to be the vanguard of the trade union movement, did not do their duty.

The feelings of the shop stewards and the strikers is that we were badly let down and felt it was our duty to express our feelings. criticise the Communist Party or the Broad Left in the Bulletins, but illustrated our feelings in the cartoon, which the Joint Shop Stewards Committee

It is a pity you did not show the same indignation when we were smashed on the picket line, and it would be a disgrace if other trade unionists fell into the same trap and were eventually abandoned.

One of our main criticism's of the Broad Left and the Manchester Confed including yourselves is that genuine socialists are deluding themselves in that Laurence Scott's were promised Grunwicktype support when the crunch came and they were unable or unwilling to come up with the goods.

Accepting that the Broad Left are genuinely pro working class it must be pointed out that they are sitting in ivory towers promising the earth. During the boom years they were fighting when it was unnecessary but in the recesleadership they have not got the ability to produce

They are kidding themselves and the factory members. At a time when workers are being crushed all over Britain you can find time and place in

Well brother, the truth hurts doesn't it? Let's hope the pain stirs you into some sense of perspective. It is one thing to stand and fight in times of full employment, but when the chips are down and with over three million on the dole the time is here

In our Rule 14 Campaign within the AUEW the Communist Party are refusing to support us.

The excuse they offer is that they do not feel that sufficient support could be mustered from the rank and file to remove the executive. been saying it is better not to fight, the time is not right. What a load of rubbish. If you are awaiting the green light let me say that the revolution was not official. With your attitude and that of the present union leadership, the Thatcher's and Tebbit's of this world will find no problems in crushing workers, because their 'cricketing terms' a batters' paradise.

Yours fraternally,

Laurence Scott's Shop Stewards Committee

Socialist Challenge/Revolution Public meetings The lessons of the Laurence Scott occupation enis Barr Denis Works convenor and strike committee chairperson

tnursday o may: Ulasgow

City Halls, Candleriggs at 7.30

Tuesday I/ May: East London

Family Centre, 50 Rectory Rd, N16 at 7.30

Star, daily of the Communist Party,

describe the cartoon in the

We have no

individual Communist Party

We did not were looking JoI You have position 110 W in

By Chris Bertram, University College London LABOUR STUDENTS met last week after decisive victory in the leadership elections at the re cent National Union of Students conference. Over 200 Labour Club delegates, observers and fraternal observers attended the Annual Conference of the National Organisation of Labour Students in York.

showed an insupport Cicascu IOT al tion on re ano

withdrawal troops and self-determination TOT Irish

However all the motions put norware were acicaice and NOLs was lelt withoul any policy on Ireland for the THE STRIKE by Massey-Ferguson workers in Coventry has ended in victory for the work-

blockaded the plant, sealing off the gates and

The company demanded 170 compulsory vinies package of strings which included a nil wage rise, flexibility of labour in the plant, and the

have had the effect of reducing piece-work

ing levels on the tracks. All of this has been withdrawn. By the end of the dispute there defeat the work-force.

ol trying to play workers all employees accusing the stewards Seckille

secret ballot, accompanied

Luic

By Bernard Regan, (NUT Executive -

THE NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS annual

conference at Scarborough voted by 117,483 to

107,315 to 'campaign for

tion by the British government of the use and

development of all nuclear weapons.

This

momentous victory. Iț is a testimony to • the Socialis

Teachers Alliance who,

along with others on the

left, has been campaigning

unilateralist position for

the past two years

The conference voted

by the slenderest of ma-

jorities attillate

the CND itself. But the

adopted

unic

quivocal. It says the union

the siting 01

cruise missiles or other

nuclear weapons in Britain

(and) the development of

Trident missiles

News

their

fourth year running

Asat the NUS conference

he issue of Poland prove De a maror I UIVIU The Clause Four misrepresented the real situa the Poland, by claiming - SZSP as repressed as the indepen dent Student Associatior NZS, before delegates had a

Ferguson sit in

For almost three weeks the workers They also wanted to end mutuality on staff-

set-

the masses with you. them. If the leadership shows a sign of weakness the membership will catch on. They backed us solid

ple for other workplaces all over the country.

and prospective Labour candidate in the May elec

unilateral renuncia-

system'.

After an unpreceden-

ted four days of debate. the motion was eventually carried against the wishes

of the executive, surviving no less than three separate

card votes.

Having his initial attempts to outlaw debate

on the resolution defeated,

union President Alf Budd

still insisted, after the vote,

illal the adopted resolution was outside the ex-

isting objects of the

union'.

The decision on

unilateralism was not the

only victory. During the

chance to hear speakers from INCIN

unus mey manasea to will support for (monon qualified support for Solida: losc and N doology stainist.

vanv celegates were ver annoyed at having been conn ed when they had heard wha

Solidarnosc speaker had iu say

A very positive step was taken wner conrerence voice

the YOUL Charter Labour tivists now have the chance to DUT Massey Ferguson workers in occupation

before the

The main lesson that we have learned is

Don't be afraid of

'This fantastic victory must be used as an exam.

member of the strike committee personal capacity) conference there were a record number card votes based on the 240,000 members of the union in which the left never gọt less than 100,000 votes in any division.

expressing MOTOI

opposition to the despatch

o me rava Lask 10lCC lu the Falkland Islands reough inadequate, vote. received substantial,

On the very first day of conference, a proposal in.

by Socialisi Teachers Alliance to open the debate on the current wage claim won a resoun ding majority but not the two thirds necessary to

get it on the agenda

Two important resolu

tions, among a string of

were carried against the wishes of the

challenge Clause Four's con-

refusal to build the LP

The National Committee elections resulted Clause strengthening

leadership of NOLS, margin in despite haliv

Conference ended with an emergency DIT-

war with Argentina the (Falklands) Socialist Challenge/Revolution sup-

with DOTICISI Lopelic otter forces wio nad carilt supported a joint alternative slate, called for the immediate meeting the company conceded all the main

U1. points.

The victory for Massey workers will be seen as a big gain by all the workers in Coventry.

Even before the strikers had circulated an peal forms more than €1300 had come in from local work-places.

Massey's hard-nosed boss had his nose rubbed in it when ine strikers demanded and got that the company pay half the cost of a public address system they had bought.

executive. One stated that teachers on the establish-

ment of schools should no

longer be required to cover for absent colleagues'

The other declared its 'opposition corporal punishment in all schools'.

An attempt by the right wing leaucrship lo alas through totally undemocratic set of bro posals on conference procedure was reterred back by a massive majority.

In other areas, the left achieved victories forcing the executive itself to back more progressive policies.

Clearly conference

represents a real watershed in the history of the union.

Many of the victories were

attributable

alrecuy

work of the Socialist Teachers Alliance.

recall of the British fleet, and for the defeat of British Im

5 break

end of is debate all the mo- lostilities dereate."" MONS were

Socialist Challenge Revolution supporters will be fighting over the next term to

around Reagan's VISIT Labour Festiva Women's Rights, and against

cuts in education dill allack. unions

At the mass meeting which voted to return a motion to the elect inal no member of the unions

Masseys would wal ticipate company organised ballots was pass ed with 13 against out of 3000.

When they retur work the unions will be

their annual pay claim for 15 per cent across the board

With the kind of determination shown in the fight against redundancies we are sure they will be successful.

The STA distributed over a thousand leaflets at each of the two dally ses

sions to the 1800 delegates

75 delegates joined

VC1 the organisation which meant that at the end at least six per cent were members.

The job of the left is to put the decisions of the conference into practice At its final meeting attended by 120 delegates, , the STA called for a massive

the € Nut presence June anti-Reagan demonstration.

On Is May the SIA WIll DE holding a conference at Coun KHal on 'Ăffiliation of the

the

and "The politics of

'Alternative Economic

Strategy For more infor

mation contact: STA.

c/o 143a Main Park Rd, E7 Socialist Challenge 22 April 1962 page 15

Page 16 scan of this page

EL SALVADOR

storm

By Margaret Bond and David Leppard THE Dutch government's inconclusive report into the deaths of four journalists in El Salvador last month has reinforced deeply-rooted Dutch policy in El Salvador.

The report was ordered by Dutch foreign minister. VIrT Van der Stoel, after he had issued a statement dismissing official Salvadorean planation unbeleva ble'. The Salvadorean government CRIES he TV crew was killed in a regular crossne between the al ill y and guerrillas of the FMLN.

Although report confirms anal une nalists 'were killed by the gunfire of soldiers belongng to the regular Salvadorean army' it concludes that there was no substantial evidence that they had "Talen into trap deliberately set by the army patrol for tem

The inquiry added that because journalists were clearly under government suspicion,

radio facilities were LIC patrol of their imminent arrival their Lullar. point, 'a deliberate attack on the journalists cannot be ruled out.

Mr Relustr Beek, the

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Murdered

journalists

widespread and antipathy to American

Vice chairman the committee of foreign affairs, stated that 'the ICOUlL does • HOL include all the information which the foreign minister has at his disposal'. The of this inDicise Halure formation closely guarded OCCICL. What certain, however, is that the inquiry lacks the vital willess wnal happened in accounts Santa

Rita around 5pm on March.

Mr Beek is convinced that the present evidence

murder'. This feeling dillusi Holland. Hans Gerven, a fellow journalist and close friend of one of the dead Koos Koster, believes that his colleague was killed in deliberate attempt to intimidate the foreign corps during the build-up to the elections on 28 Mar-

The was very much involved in what was going on in El Salvador. He was deeply committed. I think each 12 month inland subscription to

PO Box 50, London N1.

they declaea lo pick or him to make an example.

Inen Abell, an official at the Dutch Labour Party headquarters, told us: 'In the minds of the Dutch people there is no doubt that they have been murdered. A member the Institute of Journalism added: "The Dutch people hold the American government partly responsible To rese cents.

When the news of the killings was first received in Holland, some 10,000 people gathered in protest outside the US consulate in Amsterdam. During the ensuing riot the consulate was subjected to a barrage

missiles ana ine stall had to be hastily evacuated. The consulate has been subsequently closed down.

The Americans have so far been unable to persuduc •alvacolcal government to allow the Dutch authorities to inter. view the 24 soldiers involved in the killings, although US officials San Salvador have already seen them. I nIS will undoubtedly feature discussions arising from Mr Van der Stoel's visit to wasnington next week

The Dutch foreign minister seeking dialogue between all TetHesertauve pontical forces in El Salvador, cluding the Frente The Dutch position taked

Council Ministers for the EEC.

Ironically, the report has heightened tensions in US/Dutch relations at a

govern ments are celebrating two hundred yeais ClOsE friendship.

Hugo Blanco

'Cammando de Derecha Blanca'

life of Hugo Blanco.

In 1978, this terrorist organisation kidnapped two far-left militants and

reporter

Robert Fanjul. same twenty men with machine guns attempted to kidnan Hugo Blanco but failed because prompt action by his comrades.

Those were kidnapped Sated they had been tortured in a Tilled y camp. Tc carcal. against Hugo Blanco ob-

trom organisation linked to the military and the governLicite

Victims of the death squads

FMI

FOR

XICO. D.F.

El Salvador.

world.

French Communist

International were represented.

Cuba and Nicaragua.

Inal of the Revolutionary

Death threats to

ON 16 MARCH the Peruvian newspaper La Republica received a death threat from the

- the right wing death squads organisation - against the

Blanco has for nearly 40 years been a workers' leader in Peru and a militant ot the rourth interna. tional. Today he is also an elected deputv in the Peruvian parliament. few months ago he was brutally beaten up by the police while leading a demonstration and the high-ranking police officers who openly admitted their action and justified received sanction from the government.

Socialist Challenge appeals to all its supporters, sympathisers and friends

ITE LA INTERVENCION IMPERIALISTA. LA SOLIDARIDAD

TERNACIONAL DE LOS PUEBIG

2500 DELEGATES attended a conference in Mexico City on 26 March to establish a permanent world-wide coordination in solidarity with

The conference represented a wide cross-section of trade unions, religious organisations and solidarity committees from all over the

Political parties including the Spanish and

Parties, the French Socialist Party and ten sections of the Fourth

Delegations also came from Vietnam, the Soviet Union,

After hearing greetings from Arnoldo Ber-

Democratic Front (FDR) the conference unanimously adopted a political resolution affirming the right of the

to get resolutions condemning the threats against the life of Hugo Blanco sent President Fernando Belaunde ture issue Lima, Peru. future of Socialist Challenge will Coral me o maker about the threats and the

FORO INTERNACIONAL

DE SOLIDARIDAD

CON EL PUEBLO

SALVADORENO

World solidarity front established

asserting

tional Liberation Front (FMLN).

carry out solidarity actions on 1 may and 21 May

from the United

and the Young Socialist Alliance.

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FOR PERM

REVOLUCIO

FOR

Salvadorean people to self-determination and

that the Salvadorean people had forged their own representative leadership in the struggle against imperialism - the Revolutionary Democratic Front-Farabundo Marti Na

Among the actions decided on by the con ference were a massive publicity campaign around the declaration drawn up by the conference, and campaign to get a minimum of 100,000 signatures in support of the FDR/FMLN in every European country. It was also decided

internationally-coordinated

A large delegation attended the conference

States itself including representatives of the Socialist Workers Party

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