Socialist Challenge No. 245, 13 May 1982
The scan: sc-no245.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
STOP TORY INVASION
No. 245 13 May 1962 25p
COFFINS
PREPARED
By our railway correspondent A corner of the curtain has been raised on the lunatic lengths which Thatcher is prepared to go over the war in the Malvinas/Falklands now being taken in the railways.
In London, the Bounds Green carriage depot has been asked to put itself on a state of readiness. It is geared to converting mark Z sleeping carriages into hospital trains within 60 hours.
In the Southern region evidence has come to light that preparations are underway to transport large quantities of coffins to South of England ports.
There also seems to have been certain moves to prepare or conscription of ccramn bo personnel
There's a circular in existence asking for the listing of non-essential BELONECI pnasis on rates employees have been used for their maintenance skills in all three services.
All army reserves have received telegrams to report for duty and Royal Navy reserve members have been called up.
Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
Challenge
Thatcher will do
concessions. The Malvinas certain moves
the islands
invasion.
FIGHT
with particular em-
Editorial
AS WE go to press, Britain was closing in on the Malvinas/Falklands. A full scale invasion simply awaits the engineering of the break. down in negotiations at the United Nations.
everything to negotiated settlement. It is a scandal that the Argentinians should be asked to make any
are Argentina's.
Yet, Tory policy throughout has systematically pitched for a crushing Argentine defeat.
The islands are now being systematically bombarded from British ships a mere 10 miles off the coast. Commando units are already on
blowing up communications equipment, attacking gun emplacements and destroying sentry posts. This constitutes an
Britain has no right to these islands and must be forced to withdraw forthwith
THATCHER
NOT ARGENTINA
The local election results are a damning dictment of Michael Foot's leadership of the Labour Party. should be backed to win votes has proven to be complete hog-wash. Blood is just as much on Foot's hands as Thatcher's. It is this British and Argentinian WO NUTS transfused new life into this decrepit governm There are good grounds for thinking that a decisive lead will find a deep response. sewer press has chosen to highlight the 70 per cent of people that would support an invasion of the Malvinas/Falklands. out the much more significant figure of only just over a half (55 per cent) such action if there is loss of British life. if pigs had wings, they could fly!
In the event of such deaths will be • Labour could win a decisive maiori ty if it put the fight against Thatcher at the cantre of its attentions
Foot has presented his support for Thatcher's war as a means of helping Argentinian workers overthrow Galtieri's junta. This is utter hypocrisy.
Real support to Argentinian means • Hand back the Islands demanded by Argentinian workers as well as Galtieri. • Hand over all British assets from the sweat of Argentinian workers. • Cancel all Argentinian
STOP THE WAR
WITHDRAW THE FLEET
Demonstrate
this Sunday
Assemble Tower Hill 2.30 March down Fleet St
Called by Falklands ad hoc committee
in-
The argument that the war This
policy. These
This
The
They fail to point war on the home front
together.
would support defeating her war
And
which there
Falklands
Tories war
workers against
something
plundered Partv and removed debts to British
banks - to stop British bosses sponging off the backs of Argentinian workers
is a socialist and internationalis ideas should be drawn together into a plan and put to a joint meeting between the TUC, the Labour Party and the Argentinian trade union federation, the CGT
would signal stepping up the war against Thatcher on all fronts - against Teb bit, unemployment and especially against her policy of colonial plunder. For it is in order to maintain Britain's predator role in the world that the working class is facing such a vicious
The two things 8.5 Thatcher will be overthrown
All socialists should put resolutions to Labour parties and trade unions for • An immediate unilateral ceasefire • Immediate withdrawal from the Malvinas/
• Immediate withdrawal of the fleet • Labour to break from any support for the
Such resolutions to be linked with calls to action to all working paople to mobilise
Thatcher's war through rallies, pickets and demonstrations
But it also has to be said that Michael Foot has now squandered any claims to speak on behalf of British working people. He must be challenged for the leadership of the Labour
All out 23 May - make it the big one!
Page 2 scan of this page
THE MEDIA AND THE MALVINAS Lies, hysteria, racism
By Phil Hearse THE DAILY MIRROR, vacillating newspaper. reflects the views of the Labour leadership, launched a vicious attack on the Sun newspaper last Saturday. It was replying to the accusation made by the Sun that the Daily Mirror, the Guardian and Peter Snow of the BBC were guilty of 'treason for not supporting Thatcher's war enough.
Said the Mirror: The Sun is to journalism what Or Josef Goebbels was to truth, and suggested that every copy of the Sun should carry a government health warning: "reading this newspaper TEEN damage your mind"
The editor of the Guar dam. Peter tiernerineton said that the Guardian would not reply since Sun readers don't tend to see the Guardian and vice ver-
What infuriated the Mirror of course was the
the Guardian and the BBC
ort, albeit in the case o the Mirror and the Guardian with shightly less overthe-top *Nuke Buenos Aires'-style enthusiasm.
The Mirror staunchly defended its own Baliots! Both papers supported the sending of the fleet.
truth is, despite the Sun's ravings. that the whole of the media, both TV and press, have engaged in an orgy of social patriotism. As Tony Bens rightly pointed out, BBC
bulletins have been turned into half-hour long propaganda broadcasts for Ministry 0f Defence.
FUND DRIVE: JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with
would like more information fill in the form
below
Name.
Address
Age.
Union/CLP (if any).....
Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50. London N1 2XP.
Socialist Challenge
and which generally crusade enthusiastically
MoD spokesperson, the sinister and creepy lan WISCOOTE has been turned into a media cult
time to purvey the government's heavily accounts of what is going on.
Obvious lies have been taken as good comn
earlete in at the
Argentinian
patrol
blown out of the water by the King helicopters with the loss aves had *opened fire on heli-
vs bulletin have ITN news bulletin been even PUISE Alastair the Economist and TN Burnett, Thatcher
former editor
supremo is given free rein
COTT ments at te ena or eacn edition of "News at Ten"
But without doubt the crudest and mOsi demented has been the Sun. 'HMS терогіст board Invincible Yours Gallen on the side Tony Snow wrote of a sidewinder missile and the Sun proudly announced that Il was inis missile WHICH ORd brought down an Argentinian Canberra bomber.
The Sun's racism has
ALLENGE
Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or
13 May 1982 page 2
The MOD's Dalek gives the news been crudely displayed in its systematic use or me term "Argies" to describe Argentinian soldiers thus "British Warship sunk by Argies' *1200 Argies drown and so on.
When it comes to some 'analysis* the Sun is just as demented: *Argentina is in the grip of uncontrollable fuelled by impossible fantasies..
Unlike of course the Thatcher government, which as everyone knows is perfectly rational in its beliel Britain capable of hanging on to the Malvinas, ruling the waves and teaching the "dagos a lesson they won't forget
Racism intruded into a BBC news bulletin which seriously warned that we that Argentinians are sort
Latin SUn BiNGO: @50,000
ESTICK IT UP
YOUR JUNTA
& Lam: Maggie No to -then Argentina res war treaty Their morals and ours donation to Socialist Challenge now! Socialist Challenge ONE IN THREE SAY
NO TO
THATCHER'S
WAR
Malvinas/Falklands.
Italians' — and as all right-
thinking. TV wewers
know, Italians are ex-
citable, given to uncon-
trollable passions and
regularly throw up postur-
The whole sickening
business has been given a
filip by
ment in the Commons that
much of the news medie
coverage has been "deeply
offensive because
ring to British troops as
'the British' rather than
"our troops', 'our boys' or
whatever.
Last Monday Francis
Pym also weighed in
against the BBC bizarrely
accusing it of bias agains
Britain. Tuesday's Daily
Mail published a series
interviews with
who were 'outraged by
the BBC's coverage. They
were a 51-ycar-old bank
manager from Aldershot
Sun Wi
GOTCHA
- Our lads sink gunbost and
OYCOTTS WAR
Now back the truth...
look at the figures and send your
Socialist
Challenge
FOR ACTION
SLAUGHTER
ARGIES
(1), a 39-year-old auditor from Chatham (1), 26-year-old marketin TREMENE from Bill ingshurst and a 69-year old chartered accountant from Richmond Park Surof the British people! Clearly a cross section The Daily Telegraph last week published an article Rose nas battled that Yasmingion was by both the British and Sun SUB SANK OUR
CRUISER, SAY THE JUNTA
DID 1,200
ARGIES
DROWN?
STOP
THIS
TORY
JOBS NOT WAR
BRITISH
WARSHIP
SUNK BY
Argentinian lies about what was really happening in the war. These lies are systematically by ITY. BBC and all the press. Never has the power the media to whip up public opinion been clearly demonstrated. Last Sunday's demonstration got it right by marching to
Socialist Challenge
FUND DRIVE '82
Never has the need for the revolutionary press been more graphically demonstrated. Socialist Challenge right from the beginning of the Malvinas crisis has hammered away at the insanity and injustice of the war hysteria. press has dealt with Challenge doesn't have Rupert Murdoch's millions - in fact we're desperately short of money and lead a hand-to-mouth existence. So if you agree with us on the Malvinas please ensure that we have the am munition to fight back paper comes out and fights back. If you've been meaning to send us the odd pound or haven't quite got around to it, then this of all weeks is the time to do it.
Socialist Challenge LABOUR MUST
STOP
THATCHER'S
WAR
• HMS SHEFFIELD DOWN
• MANY FEARED DEAD
MISSILE GOT HER
the BBC
The left must continue
its own counter-offensive
against the reactionaries in
the media. And most of all
it must redouble its own
efforts to get out the truth. On this page we show how the popular the issue. But Socialist
money to ensure that our
two, but
Our thanks this week
to
Swindon 834.00
Brian Slocock
JA Vandor
PO'Sullivan
Middlesborough
Malcolm, Haringey
Wakefield
Brent
Islington 110.00
D Power
West London 250.00
TOTAL £596.00
Weekly target 1230.76 Total so far E3126.00 Total should be E6153.80 Shortfall so far E3027.24
Page 3 scan of this page
WHO CAN overthrow the junta in Argentina? The
working class, WILT tionary tradition, has a better track record than the British navy. No-one symbolises this better than Ernesto 'Che" Guevara, the best known revolutionary of his time.
Che embodied the achievements of a new ceneration of stin American fichters. An interna. tionalist who left his own country to make revolution in another land, he came to socialism independently of the 'official communist parties.
Leaving his medical businesspeople fled. The
USA em Dar00cd Cuban ed the sub-continent and sugar: Castro nationalisec saw how American and British imperialism shaped April 1961, two US navy and distorted it. Arriving hips sailed into the Bay of in Guatemala in 1954 h Pigs with a mercenary task was won to socialism. force five American mild reform government hips, two battleships anc unact Jacopo aroeuz wils three freighters oaded invaded from Honduras with tanks, artillery and for offending the mighty 1500 troops. Un The Unied Fruit But this time there was
United no capitalist Comnany. State welcome them: Department and Dulles - guerrillas armed the people they were in fact one and Who drove out the in the same unleashed the dogs of war,* said Che right, and
He made his decision: declared that Cuba was *to become a revolutionary now to be a socialist physician, one must first republic. oi an make a revolanon.
On December 1956 he Danger landed in Cuba with Fidel Castro from the tiny boat
Che's originality now Granma. came to the fore.
deserted by his own army Arbenz had been republic was under SICKE
Blockaded by the USA, and by capitalist politi- turned to the Soviet Union cians. Sierra Maestra, Che argued that to sell But this brought anther the revolution should rely on the poor. To carry out
line of the Russian its promises to them, the bureaucracy would sufguerrilla army replace the old, hid our focate and isolate the
revolution. and Che fought the "traitors in their midst - the Cuban bourgcoisie. furious polemic was Joined Kremlin's influence.
Right
on on side tood my.
one side stood supporters of the economic him right. Castro broke up reforms" in Russia, like the large landholdings and Foreign Minister distributed Alberto Mora and Carlos the casinos and brotheis; Rafael Rodriguez, now
CICELICLY CLIE Deputy President. They tariffs in half; halved rents called for material incenand made it illegal to own tives' to increase producmore than one house. tion.
It was convincing proof Guevara
what revolution could Trotskvist Ernest Mandel
But guerrillas who joined the debate at had installed a cabinet of the Cubans' invitation JOCHIS WIO TOW CalCE TO! said this WOUL a 'purge of communists. bureaucratic layer. Fidel resigned, and mass Che argued for "moral" in-
centives - - pride in the coland the lective achievements of the TESTEIOT the No IT COULIVE it was said, bourgeois prime minister should introduced 'utopian' Urrutia. which divided worker countered that the world
Technicians, protes- trom worker or permited level of productive forces sionals small individual enrichment.
Che's sister Celia was held up at Heathrow for five hours as a potential
'undesirable alien when sne came to Britain to plead for Argentinian
oppositionists.
Che Guevara
-Argentina's
revolutionary
•By Alan Freeman
Cuba's backwardness, tor. Cuba should end its tact with the masses in the made this isolation by extending its struggle for production
Che From this came Che's should be guarded at home famous Vietnams *One by building a new leader- Two, Many ship, formed in direct con- which led Cuba to launch a
Invite Argentinian trade unionists to
Britain, say Labour MPs
LEITH MP Ron Brown secretary of the British TUS. written to Len Murray, , asking him on behalf of therApefinian trade unions to come to Britives of Argentinian trade unions to come to Britain Five delegates representing the CGT - the main trade union federation in Argentina have been touring Europe to open a dialogue with their counter. parts there.
On 15 April they gave a the Malvinas", said conference CGT press secretary Ricarhead Madrid last wepta king his erez. inlerna tional Confederation of does not mean we suppor Frec Trade Unions, at the unta now in power peal for discussions with which they ISSUCLE CELAL clear' he said, 'One thing the CGT must be the British trade unions with a view to resolving the representatives of the junconflict in the interests of ta. workers in both countries.
The junta offered to TUC fares, they and paid for the visit themThe British TUC deny SCINGS. having been approached by the CGT , but the CGT Perez explained that claim that their approact his union had suffered delegates in Brussels and rejected TUC fierce repression from the call later at a European trade from Economy Minister union conference in the Aleman for a wage freeze HaWe support the claim and economy Perez asked how can of the Argentinian people wares be trozen even more
world wide armed struggle movement in 1966. Fron it, too, grew his concept of from the struggle against *new man emerging underdevelopment than what we've already suffered? If this is a war economy, then we workers
been under a war economy for six years.
Marches on a hug
CGT - organised demonstration in Buenos Aires on Monday 26 April took up Aleman's call with inglesesan chemos los ingleses echemos Aleman' (We've out the English, let's throw out Alemán). 'Sup port the Malvinas, but not the dictatorship was another popular slogan. In the last few weeks, explained Perez, the trade unions had more freedom to organise than in six years or unwary tale
Junta "Ped that "by suppor- Europe believed Malvinas we were suppre the claim the ting the junta, he said. We have never supported it.
Not all Che's ideas bore fruit. He did not live
the transform the • Cuban experience into an insurrec
his own heroic attempt to
Cuban perience in Bolivia failed when the people ignored his small band, , leading to his capture and death
He did not see the twin
and Czechoslovakia. concentrated on the third world, and had no strategy to link up with the working class struggle in une uroa! centres of the world Conflict
Nor did he grasp the vital importance of organised clash of ideas in
transitional society which marked the early Revolution
As Mandel had pointed out socialist man ning requires that the peo ple confront HOTO political and economic decisions in the shape of
options rather than a governmen proposal to be accepted or rejected. Cuban planning remains by unnecessary blockages which the leadership acknow ledge, but have so far not
Power
More seriously. this meant that the popular power which developed in Cuba was not able to selec
representatives оп а
Che's refreshed" vision 'and leadership enrichea Dy world revolution and the struggle tor production has not ve been realised despite the extension popular power; the central Icader ship ill come riginal
original leaders of 1961.
But Che's message lives in our hearts. as wel as the hearts of the Cuban people. The struggle against imperialisr worldwide. every
victory of socialist Frightens for a reprisation the prospect brightens of his ideals both in Cuba and in the rest of the world Some European trade unions have difficulties in take this position. But the CGT did not call a truce in its battle with the junta. We not giving it a blank cheque.
British workers have more common with
governments Socialist Chailenge thinks it is vital that the CGT call for a dialogue does not
Please put motions
to your Labour Party
branch and trade union
branch calling on ine
TUC and Labour Party
CGT to
Britain for discussions
Socialis
passed so
information on to ine
CGT and to backbench
MPs who are taking this
issue up.
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 3
......
Page 4 scan of this page
REAGAN RECEPTION COMMITTEE
FILM & PUBLIC MEETING
LET'S STOP
NEUTRON RON
FILM: El Salvador -another Vietnam
SPEAKERS: Ken Livingstone
IlItyd Harrington Pat Arrowsmith Speaker from El Salvador Solidarity Campaign — TUESDAY 18 MAY 7.30pm-
ANSON HALL corner of Chichele Rd
and Anson Rd, Cricklewood - ENTRANCE FREE Movement
against war
takes off
OVER 100 people with only 5 days
notice packed a meeting in Swansea
under the demand of Stop the
war now.
Plaid Cymru MP Dafydd Ellis Thomas explained: "This Tory war is an act of imperialist aggression. Britain is using gunboat diplomacy to hang onto its colonial possessions.
He went on to denounce the leadership of the Labour Party for whipping up jingoism and also
for being responsible with the Tories for arms sales
to the junta. He was particularly critical of the lac of initiative by the TUC in responding to the call of the Argentinian union federation for a meeting to work out an independent working class initiative for resolving the crisis peacefully.
Wayne David, secretary Coordinating Committee also condemned the war
although he thought that the United Nations should resolve the sovercignty question.
A committee to mobilise against the war was set up and Plaid Cymru among. mass leafletting to build for a demonstration Sat 15 May starting 10.30. Demo leaves 1.00 from Castle Gardens.
The meeting agreed to a suggestion from Socialist Challenge supporters to lobby the Wales Labour Party conference due to meet 22 May. The lobby will demand that the conference takes a position against the war and for a recall of the fleet.
As with of the oreanised up and down the country the actions of the committee will include building for the 6 June anti-Reagan demonstration called by CND. In MANCHESTER Public rally, Hall, 16 May 8pm Main speakers: Judith Hart and Colin Barnet, secretary of North West TUC.
Organised by Greater Manchester Ad Hoc Committee against the War.
Sponsored by 5 MP's. ficials and Greater Manchester CND In BIRMINGHAM the Ronald Reagan Reception committee has called a demonstration for 11 May. Malvinas/Falklands will be a major issue. In SHEFFIELD Rally "Stop the War, the fleet, raise your voice for peace! Friday 14 Mas 7.15 AUEW House.
Main speaker: Joan Maynard MP, and Mick Elliot, CND.
In LIVERPOOL union/Labour Party committee rally Bombs' Wednesday 19 May 7.30 AUEW Hall. Main speakers: Phil Holt, POEU and Pat Kane, Socialist Challenge. In EDINBURGH Stop the War Committee has been formed. People organisations came together to organise opposition to the military action in the South Atlantic. The Committee aims to ensure that the growing opposition to Thatcher's war is expressed rather than tenored Public meeting Thursday 13 May 7.30pm in Edinburgh University. Ron Brown MP and Alex Hood local Labour Party councillor, Rev D Forrester, Professor of Christian Ethics and others will speak out against this war.
On Saturday 22 May at 11.30am a march will leave Waverley Bridge for the Caly Cinema.
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 4
weeks
of the Wales Labour
with representatives from the CND. LCC
others. It will hold a activists being
Free Trades
12 councils, trade union of
withdraw
Mercyside CND. trade
Jobs not
secretary. Liverpool
from many different
Misunderstanding
in Bites the Tornade
right of the British to govern
cess of getting rid of the Em
erpretation of the facts. Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe 803002 nd ZAPU and the Zimbab PERINE wean peoples We should ex-
oit the situation that Tha curation supering MERCHAS
hope the hysterical nationalism into in-
Mowat, has the same abstract analysis, He states the vic-
no one elsc and then goes on-
• suggest that the task ford
hould be successful in rea cupy shouldn't be
claim on Malvinas goe
TOCOUnCEM for Argentina will only lead to a Farther areas hole
on the
Preston
Negotiations now? OBES SUEDES BUSES is supporting the demonstraPatchers all rape should opponents demonstrating against Britsh organising
START Sand means working with all those forces who want to Stop the
demands being raised by the Committee
The Commatee also calls tor Negotations Now which
we do not consider that our ruling class has any right to be negotiating onl
Mal ine nght the THE ASI opposition bi lest perialism in the South Arlandemonstrate and march will insist those who support the pro STITEC
us fight inside that movement
anti-imperialist gramme.
BOB PENNINGTON Southwark Convenor, South Yorkshire Crafts, BSC THATCHER launched this Falkland adventure in order to get her reputation back here at home. I don't think she's been successful in this. field for an old crater like the Belgrano is not a good exchange.
Thatcher has launched this as a roadshow - probably in a conspiracy with Galtieri. The sinking pro-
hand. We must recall the feet and get negotiations going otherwise the whole thing will escalate.
Party Political Broadcast last week, they claimed that
• Tory support:
skin deep
me get the idea I must
Please as card With ea
was appropriate
Anyway I've been asked a
couple of times what I would
to it 1 got called up to light.
vouldn't war
on the side of the Argen
There's not the hostsic
Thatcher was
there SCEITS
nobel the only optic ete saying anything else.
fight war agamst the
the Tories are the people job.
PRESIDENT
— Peter Heathfield ›
Bernard Connelly
To trade a modern cruiser like the Shef-
waiting lists for hospitals had declined. If this is true it's because
Vol thousands dying irom hypothermia and other illnesses as u consequence of tory cuts.
Falkland circus. if is her
ERSWEETO the unemployment probiem she's onto a loser: Most of the kids joined up either to get a
They ke vot a record of wa mousernig und brutants tha evervone knows abour. If the
3366331 issues people not for any other the COst 30 lives wage British
of people are going to Spain their holidays. Very few of them think that Gibraltar is really a part of Britain.
James B Manchester engineer • A dialogue has begun THAVE never seen a situation keen the news, in my rail depor. the radio is going all the time, Bu ine propaganda goout the wal sometimes has a different ef-
ARTHUR
SCARGILL,
OF THE
HORS
MINERS'
UNION
and trade or get off the doleor both. No-one joined up to get killed We have a few lads still training as apprentices. We're probably the only people in the whole of British Steel that still has fighting managements ate and tempts to choinem, une Well, uses up a bi oi there's money cash from this Falklands adventure You ve got a lew arm chair warriors but most people see the thing as a tragedy rather than a call LU LILIES
fect than you might thins from reading the Sun.
Last week, Francis: Pum was justilying such forces deal with Falkland crisis He that
then... the Caribbean. At this of black workers icked up their car what is all at one that's Brita Keeping what's world. everywhere then
swagearby the income course her confused alient the ques disturbing for themselves on th the Hander campaig
man rail
FICUCHI
But many are asking ques tions, A dialogue has begun.
Rose Bennet Hackney
'BRITAIN has no right to start talking about sovereignty over islands which are 8000 miles away. We are being used as cannon fodder in an international conflict which can only be resolved by negotiation and diplomacy.
There should have been no task force sent anc it should he recalled. The matter should be resolved through the United Na-
We should take ac count of what the islanders wall and recoenise LINC dangers that will arise if we continue with this
Tho Tories are generating jingoism on an unprecedented scale anded
abetted the capitalist press
themselves atspeaks to Socialist Challenge
Wing a military solution.
have no time at all tog the fascist junta. evidently virtually impossible for Britain to try to preserve a relic of it's colonial Calonial paste am in the immediate withdrawal of the fleet. I am also in favour of the withdrawal of Argentiniat troops and getting the United Nations to mediate the problem. 1 am most concerned about the wishes of the
This is something which seems to nave been lost in all the military activity.
It is unfortunate that
• Fly-post Socialist Challenge cover SOCIALIST CHALLENGE have foun Birmingham Sound a new way to ge Falklands crisis. Last week message 600370015 colleges with the covers of the Eate Tes has of Socialis Challenge, quite an impac against the topped to read the articles D050E Stewart Richardson Birmingham • Nothing to do with Socialism
reese mantam vour op position to the Falklands war The killing of Argentine con-
nonour has nothing to do with socialism
Proposals was pa ticularly interesting AUEW Acton tacking Argentinians and this sickens me
Tragically it may only
110118 people when thousand of young
are killed we hav seen the price of British imperialism over the years I thought we had learned the lesson in the Labour and ment.
want to see every aac union leader com Tory madness which colla and condemn this 3020 us into a nuclear holocaust. Labour Herald General Secretary of the Derbyshire miners
1AM most concerned about the escalation of the conflict and fearful that the Tories are seek-
many labour leaders havu
identified with the Torie
Accordingly many work
Wing people are getting the
re-inforced by the torrent
of warmongering hysteria
ropE the Tory
especially the tabloids. II there was a positive lead
then there would be a
totally different attitude.
All abs mothe
organisations should
pressure on the parliamen
tary leadership to demand
peacetul and socialist
alternative to the crisis.
Page 5 scan of this page
-I APPEAL TO THE RETURNING
Many of the soldiers and sallors fighting in the South Atlantic did not join up for that reason. For many youth, the armed forces seem to be the only alternative to a life on the dole. In denouncing the British war machine, do not denounce the workers in uniform. able seaman Pete Roberts D/099492 relates his experiences of previous British military action to the present situation in the South Atlantic.
WHEN 1 heard that the British OCECT was sending the nav; to help set deTermInO in the South Atlantic, sounded like a sick oke. It reminded me of my own time as a member of Her Majesty's forces the Caribbean during ditlerent event: when the islanders of Anguilla stood out for. the right for their
EMMIS TATO ATEl mamed tonce i lands ofen independence had Kitts Anguilla.
We were on a tour of tha Carile federas oven-
The federal government in st Kitts appea ed to the British government to intervene to re-establish
presence after the populace of Anguilla, figures on the island, call TEOTICI
for independence.
wwe were ACTICE TO Antigua plies and 70 paras to make take on sup
smas intaei torem vo
then went
Aid on the island. The
the island The leaders of the revolt were arrested and garrison established: but then sụp:
Des colla DO he landed because Anguillan aircraft kept flying low Over the tancune strip. 33-OUTOD
ship supplies
3000 people demonstrated
Interview with the
parentof a soldier
CREW OF THE SHEFFIELD'
socialists Ex-
(beer) while reinforcements flew in trom Bermuda, in the person of a squadron of British bob-
occupation itself met little resistance in this instance. but wnen i was on action stations during
HICC for how the sailors must be experiencing things in the South Atlantic Just now This is why I felt badly for the crew when t neard that the Sheffield had been hit.
O tour on us ion o
have tour hours hours off; you are confined very claustrophobically LO mP sna your clothes all the time, W VOUHEVE3eO3r air.
The BEAS HEC DULINS over the image of a highly. trained, highlv-skill lorce out tne truen is ina:
have only gonc thesc TOUL. HOLOn during practices. . The reality is chaos and panic. Only InC OFICCTS really know
and everyone eise is just part of a machine, going through the motions mechanically.
One of my responsibilities was damage control. I had to stand in an anti-flash suit with a AHE OESOOU SIEINSI like a miner's helmet,
I AM ASHAMED
TO BE BRITISH
London against Thatcher's war 9 May.
The Sheffield shouting instructons and information to HQ over a microphone while the ship was blackca our and tney decided whether or not to close down WIOS CUEI partments in it even if there were men in them.
result was total chaos, even in peacetime. and I cannot imagine what it must have been like out
the South Atlantic where there is no land to break up the weather.
After a certain amount or ume, ander tnat sort oi weather life
Since the sinking of the Sheffield and the beginning of loss of life, opinion is beginning to turn agatnst Thatcher, The popular press and television present the image of parents. proud to have sons give their lives for this crazy war. Graham Barnetson interviewed G Sutherland, the father of one of the soldiers going out to the South Atlantic on board the QE2, who gives a different view Your son is in the army and being sent to the Falklands? Yes he is in the Scots Guards. They got sent out on board the QE2
on Te joined the army after having worked in an electrical firm.
He joined up becouse there was nothing doing in civvy street, He joined the Guards because that was my regiment. Is this his first posting No he'd two tours in Northern reland and just survived that bo Keping his head down.
What do you think of the crisis?
The islands have belonged to Britain for 150 years. The Argentinians are wrong should be stopped now. mediate withdrawal by both armies and negotiations through the 1r Op. s goer and the Qb2 dli ahonl et hiot ol men -the are government is going to esculate the crisis into total war. We should negotiate for Would your son agree with that?
T think so. 've only talked with him over the phone. I'm a delivery driver and won't get home till Thursday so that I won't see him before he finishes his Icave. old son?
becomes completely
abominable: water
everywhere, you can't pur
anything down on a table,
AHE MOEC WOWC DY EU
be at a very, very low ebb.
I felt an immediate
sympathy with the men in
Belgrano too as SOOT
ES CHCas LuC DuLe 1u
submarine's failure to stay
around to pick uD BuL
vivors is a contravention
of the United Nations con
vention. Every sailor fecl:
immediate sympaths
with other sailors who
have rone into the water Three thousand people took to London streets for the second successive week last Sunday to SECH Tony Benn call withdrawal of the fleet.
Benn exposed the preSOTT *Hhoney war which has broken out in the Phe BBC and TN of beiny press Вепп
"mouthpicees Ministry of Defence". In this context it was quite MADrOHAEC INaI demonstration went to the
BBC to hand in a note protesting it's biased reportage.
He charged Thatcher's talk of negotiations as be ing just a smokescreen
The only way forward I can see is
doing one thing. By sending ouc 1 might never see him again. Would you like to lose a 21 year
and in the conditions in the South Atlantic they could have been able to survive only minutes.
Eighty per cent of the recruits to the navy don'i join to take part in battles they join for trips round the world: miners" lads, ane becalse there arene other prospects. Lads Trom places like Corby Scotland and Liverpoo where UNC BOY HEE high would make up a high proportion of those out there.
National demonstration
called against the war
for the immediate
She had been bent on war from the beginning and was determined on a fight to the finish, said Benn Benn claired that the British people support us And indeed there is evidence that support for •THECIeS WaTS dEci ing. A poll conducted for Week-end World dicated that there had been a drop from over 60 per cent to 55 ber cent of thos. who thought loss of life was justified to retake the
Resolutions
sovereignty
Council on 15 April. "This Trades war of the for Council demns the the saling of the lier to the Falklands and the sanc CLOUS ON AE CUE imperialist adventure.
It is an attempt to main-
WaS STC from Argentina over 150 yoars ago
The policies of this war COT CERBEECHE CEC HEILCE COB cerned with military repres SOn ATECna DOSWIA Ene BECECS the Falklands population.
The Trades Council con demns the
victory tor tnat cher's
RECLaICE ERLTLS
home
therefore demand of the TUC and the Labour leaders that they stand by the Down with the wart Mobilise down the Tory goverment.
We the
TECORTIS SONETUENV Or ArECRunZ OVe ine raikiand Islands and cal for the recall of the British The General Belgrano
just don't think they
should Every
Meet wil by to gei duat
fleet
ULEL
there is nothing worse than
being used as an agent in a
war wnere vou nave no mnterest it, where the
populace is against you number with no rights, no HL WACC COU ATeIS control: just a cog in a
i The fist time 1 really
The began to look at what we
when 1 went to Africa. I had a couple of Malvinas- Falklands. course the rest of the press chose to highlight the per cent of people thai She paied tir neos or e supported the re was involved. And could if they wings!
A further blow to Thatcher's so called principie of Britain's claim to savereignty the Maivinas-Falklands was delivered over the weekend by the ex Argentine Ambasador to London. Eduardo McLoughlin claimed in an interview Trish radio wiar bram neconalcd Enu
Liverpool Trades Council calls for ending
WE WOULD like to bring this excellent resolution to the attention of Socialist Challenge readers. It was passed by Liverpool Trades
..and in Sheffield The following emergency mo tion was passed by Sheffield Trades Council at its meeting on 27 April
Sheffield Trades Council con UCHU AIRa Smasn tc raikiano istands and Br
attack on South Georgia.
TEnIS Trades Council recognises that Britain t00
Falklands The Ui 1967 called upon Thus, Sheffield Trades Coun- ACCUIUEUSUIOL cil calis upon the Government
Sion all preparations fo
and withdraw the task force
• Seck a paceful settlemen INTONA TC
O CElnYCauuC.
Resolution 502.
• In any such settlement. guarantee the safety of settlers and offe right to return to Britain witt black friends on board and W.LT wasn't even sure if 1 could
speak to them or be seen wi taem. Auer commg back from the Caribbean it just reinforced
CHLY EIpression that the white man's role was that of an oppresso: ane mas soen o the locals as hated tyrant.
I would make a personal appeal to the returning crew of the Sheffield to think very carctully, as l have done, about what they are being used for.
By Brian Grogan
ceding of sovereignty to Argentina in 1968. ArReemeLss lae Cewce such a stage that Lord Chalfont W43- -io: nave visited the islands to explain the agreement. • The ad hoc committee against the war in the Falklands has called a national demonstration and major raily 23 May in London. Assem-
Hyde Park March to rally Trafalgar Square. The ad hoc committe CN D. SOnSOreE by nineteen national organisations and nineteen MP's.
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Militant supporters
FIAN conference
WAR OVER THE FALKLANDS?
socialist
Socialist Challenge SINK THA
FALKLANDS WAR NOW LIKELY-
Challenge socialist
Declare wa unemployi
Socialist Challenge Labour must STOP THATCHER'S WAR DRIVE Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 6
Challenge LABOUR MUST
STOP
TAR Lunch, in STOP THIS
TORY SLAUGHTER
FULL SCALE WAR
OVER FALKLANDS
witch-hunt, Socialist defended Militant's right to exist, organise, sell and be heard in the Labour Party.
But this doesn't absolve us, as socialists, from responding when Militant endangers workers" in-
Militant's conduct the war means that this right of criticism is now a duty. for i verges on class treachery.
Not once has Militant called for the recall of the fleet or an end to hostilities by Dram
To Militant and those
the Young Socialists who confront IS CLUET. ship we say: this stand runs CELY COURASCO ENC BIL terests of workers Argentina, in Britain and
opposite of a class stand. It is the opposite of
socialist internationalist position. It plays ducety into the nands of the Tories and the right wing of the Labour Party.
Party left it would set back the cause of socialism in Britain for a decade.
We call on Militant
reject position, to join the grow-
anti-war movement, commit the YS to Join it. and commit the Labour TALL and trade unions likewise
Resign
Militant has a single answer which it opposes to all others. On 16 April it explains: " Labour must de mana the Tories and a General
Election. The election of a Labour government would
tremendous boost to the workers" movement and a step to the overthrow of Galtieri
Beyond the election or Labour, we are told that a socialist Labour ment could reach out to Argentinian workers and appeal to them to overthrow the junta. The basis on which it should do of the in monopolies
the 200 monopolies 108 C control
management, abolition of the House of Lords and the Monarchy, and the institution of a democratic plan ol production
Not once does Mili tant call for an and to the war. Not even its
Labour includes this demand.
socialist disaster. For even if we ac cept Militant's own view of the conflict - as a struggle between two more
LeSS BEERE DOWELS which workers should take
sides the minimum demand for
internationalists should be that its own
Malvinas/Falklands
Stop the war!
An appeal to
government stop the war.
How on earth could a (Sovernment Labour appeal WOTKETS WALSE DROSECUTE a war against them? Even Lenin and the Bolsheviks, involved an inter: imperialist war, proposed peace as the first action oi a socialist government and the foundation of an ap peal to unity with workers in other lands.
SHEOTEOVE Militant's omission of the demand for an end to the war is not a mistake, a typing error, a apse of memory. Militant LICCCOIS British claim; it the DESS accepts -OL 110
that Britain has legitimate ICTrIOTIdI 1-
the South Atlan tic. This is spelt out in the 7 May issue, where Militant — like Socialist Challenge,
for different reasons - rejects the idea of a United Nations solu-
But for Militant the withdrawal. It Grant, as explained by Ted socialist federation of Bri-
Argentina and the
Falklands, this basis,
are told, British workers appeal to
workers for Ther sualin the
Every:
Argentinian workers MOVEMENT BES SPOOrL the claim to the islands, regardless of whether they support the junta or its ac
tionso Brilish government
maintains the British claim on the islands can possibly gain a hearing amongst Argentinian WULACES No ween the IWO working classes is possible while the British labour MUSCLICH supports the present war.
Militant's position leads
socialism in Britain at this moment: a mass campaign against the war.
Any other poncy than its own, we are tol * like for
Tory government, would be like asking the lion to lie down wit! the lamb",
This is a spurious argu-
ment and Militant knows
When vou strike for higher wages, you don't expect your bosses to agree with you. When Militant itself built a campaign to demand better conditions for YOPS workers, they did claim Norman Tebbit would become the workers" friend.
Of course socialists make demands on Tories: because we know that a mass movement can force them to concede or
fall from office.
Free
Moreover Militan have forgotten Marx's own dictum: No nation
can CICE Tree
achieve socialist
in Britain
unchecked?
the lack fight against war?
thinh
worse the Detorer YOU
the against Thatcher's
Militant steers within a hair's breadth of saying it opposes not the such, but the Tories' con-
luct of i
It calls on workers t place no confidence in the But what does this mean?
war? That
could send
Galtier of hie
This beyond anything LaYS done sin past. Not merely i fail to organise
to step back from this terrible course. re-examine its past tradition and follow through the consequences of the Marxist position on war
It know! this position is, for it proudly featured in the 30 April issue, which reprints an ar-
cle from the 1980 May Day issue:
*Principled opposition
the murderous. plundering role of British
tion for o be socialist. tendency claiming to
been consistentl maintained," it says. Unti now! Not a word against the sinking of the Belgrano or the bombing of the Port
airficids is to be found in the paper
Is the murder of hundreds Argentinian workers in uniform not to be counted as part or br tain's murdering Even the liberal bour-
SCOTSA was appalled at these bloodthirsty and WE SCHOEs!
But Militant lays the blame for these deaths at the feet of the junta! *The workers and soldiers AWS HE C HECTES of Argentine big business which the junta was set up to defend, they say on 3 May.
In the name of socialist internationalism, comrades, think again! Whose LETESS DOC. me yunta defend? Argentine big business? There Argentine big business. It beholden, lock, stock and owned barrel, to Western big
- Tribune
Stop thi STRIBUNE
HALT- ABOUT
And even if you don't believe this, even if you
deceived yoursel with your own propagan da, ask yourselves: what nas the workig cass oi the world to gain from a British victory
*The junta took military
of the
May,
hours."
If the British navy sueCEO WE SHORTEI rison of three thousand, ten thousand twenty thousands soldiers in Port Stanle do you imagine theywill be used to suppor the Argentinian workers when they take Caltier
Listen to the Argentinian workers tnemiseives who have appealed to the British labour to support their claim to the Malvinas in order to
But worse is to come: Militant's support for the war leads it into a conscious distortion of Marxist principles governing the socialist attitude to war. On 9 April they open with a correct point. origins of the crisis itself are not to be simply asking "who struck the first blow?' they
rightly say. But they go o
o argue that it depends or "The class relations in the
Marx, Lenin and Trotsky always said that class relations hetween countries, determined the attitude to war. And within a week we find, on the front page of Militant, the headline WUENES COUMOE DUEL CUR demn the Argentine invasion of the Falklands.
Confrontations are always the result underlying relations Marxism's ting the finger of biame The capitalists can always
SECUSHILE so as to make themselves appear as the peaceful party when in fact their op pression and greed brovoked the incident con cerned.
When workers occups a factory, do we denounce
Does this alter if the owne has been in possession since 1833? No: that the bosses own the tactory only because tney have used the threat of police violence for a hun dred and hity years to take from the workers the fruit of their labour and call it
We follow the law of our own class. which says that the workers have a right to own what has been made with acu SHOOTS and the natural resources to which this labour is applied. The "aggression" is the product of injustice
CLUC MESSENG Revolt
Nor is this changed if the act of revoll 1S advised
productive for socialism
Whatever socialists had to say about the riots, they made blame lay with the Tories. for creating the situation where the youth had to other recourse Did Mili
banner LOTTE CaTE headline saying workers cannot but condemn the nots! No - but it 1s th logical next step.
Militant knowi these things how Marxists take sides in war. The fact is that it ha:
sakes with Maggie Tha
sides with Maggie
because it believes that the junta is main enemy facing workers.
Comrades, you have il CORDICCIV upside down Maggie Thatcher is a far greater threat to the workers of the world then Galtieri Stand beside her in this war and you will never bring socialism to Britain.
Page 7 scan of this page
Labour: off course for victory
By Tessa van Gelderen
LABOUR has suffered a body blow in the local elections last week. In the middle of the most unpopular government Labour Party was unable to win back control of councils it had lost to the Tories four years ago.
Undoubtedly. the Malvinas-Falklands crisis played a major part in the resuits but that is no consolation for Labour. it nas been the treacherous role of the Labour leaders who have ended Tories* policies the Malvinas-Falklands that boosted hy vote to une port. Why vote for
when VOTE elect the organ grinder?
In fact, simply from an electoral point Labour's position on the Malvinas-Falklands been disastrous. First supports the sending of the task force, then it raises its hands in at gettine hurt Did Foot and co think it just game?
This TRICE hypocrisy has done nothing. 1s oF
BATTE working people Fine. follow a jingoistic
LIVERPOOL was the Liberals took over. The results are the beginning of the and of the road. The Liberals had embarked on a Tory budget. through against the
if it hadn't been for that. It was a reflection of how jingoism was used.
John McCabe Merseyside County Councillor
But the Falklands iscue is not the
factor for Labour's back the Labour failed make
gains even
marginal areas like Wand-
South where the
privatisation 1130
rought 1o the fore and local government WorKers
were involved in industrial COLOR.
the same time Labour can have some CrUMOS OL COmTOrE "LIC results were not uniformly Ted Knight, leader of Lambeth council. the results for Labour are not so cheerful
LOCAL ELECTIONS
decades. the
depressing. Labour did better traditional strongholds.
The north of England and SCOUT TESTS SHOW CHAE ven in those arcas wher LOODI WE LIOL LEGACIE gains it had expected to, Labour's vote stood up and even increased in the working class wards.
VIcIOus campaign against him and the loss of overall control in Lambeth, Ted Knight personally received magnificent vote. And of course Labour achieved an outstanding victory in its almost complete annihilation of the SDP in Islington.
All this indicates that kept its tradithe last DEBASE SEC general election, par ticular winning back from the Tories. Tory
first area where the
Many people the campaign of vilification Labour left and voted for those candidates supporting socialist policies. The Falklands issue was in people's mind; Labour would have won two more seats in the Wirral
votes now seem to be at the expense of the SDP, rather than Labour.
But the results in left councils like Walsall, Lothian and Lambeth oftcr the left. These councils have held back from directly confronting government. Their inability to do 30 12: DECE TO TUTCU the right inside the party who have consistently refused conterence decisions and have led a witch hunt in the party wawonany
They have been aided and abetted by the right wing trade union leaders who have been unable to aciene me Job: and living standards of thei
The left's ability to confront both the right wing inside the
will cut jobs,
that the Labour
Claire Short, prospective didate for Handsworth, Birmingham
labour movement and the Tories has led local councils to retreat in the face of Heseltine's attacks
Rates have gone up while services cut and jobs have been lost. It is perhans not a coincidence that where the Alliance did the Tories Labour. Labour was able even THEI to make significant gains.
The SDP was virtually annihilated in the London
Islington. while Labour became the largest party on Liverpoo council, delivering a blow to the Liberals. Where the
tested, the electors don't want to know
But that is little consolation for Labour Party
their wounds all over the country. here is an ever
Labour Party
/slington's council workers action against the SDP-led council helped in Labour's victory (insert: Margaret Hodge, newly elected council leader)
fero will pull back from the that the victories it has made so This be prevented.
It will be the consolidation of those gains that will lay the only basis for the working class once more
NOW the Tories have taken control of Birminghan City Council they will be vicious. They
introduce privatisation and so on. The results show that the Falklands are about a lot more than an island in the South
It diso undermines the argument Party should be ultra moderate to be successful at the polls. Birmingham City Council has been the most ultra moderate council and it lost to the Tories.
parliamentary can
placing about. Tony Bin sum faith with
NICO TATE situation Labour faces over the next few months at last week's confidence. vindication that SDP is not wanted.
has no right to be there.
Margaret Hodge, leader, Islington council
Felled, ' he predicted. 'Tat hell won't endorsed and Michael Foot will try to get Labour's policy
SACK THE
OUNCIL
document delayed.'
Benn went on to argue that the best way for the left fight -EUN around campaigning document that took up the CELLICE ES3UCS labour movement:
Falklands, unemployacience. the Common Market and Tebbit.
Tony Benn might not be right in his predictions Militant will and Peter Tatchell. But his message is
to lose and everything to gain by advancine dowr the road it has set out on.
The message is the same for local councils Walsall and Lambein taking on the Tories, in fact they have
The MalvinasFalklands Issue MCLAYCE the impending
THE RESULTS for Labour nationally were a disaster but for Islington it was a triumph. It was a total vindication that Labour is still the only party which represents working people The 10 per cent swing to Labour was a vote of
Line resum was also a compiete When forced to put themselves forward electorally they are resoundingly defeated. The SDP's record though short was disastrous. The SDP
newly elected Labour
crisis in the Tory party However, when the storm begins to break over Thatcher's head, as it must
undoubtedly do then Labour has to be ready to present itself as a credible alternative
That means fighting for socialist policies now
deeper than simply the Falklands issue.
That means continuing the fight against the witch hunt and for Labour's clection manifesto to in clude those policies passed
conterence. means Labour standing four behind unilaterial for withdrawal from the COHHCRVACKEE CLAIRS any incomes policy and for
Socialist Challenge and the Fourth
in the revival of remembered from his youth.
SOCCES
wanted the major far-left groups in
together. He left
either.
He - was always
head and sulders socialists w less so on action.
is shared by us all.
The Other
Bookshop
328 Upper Straet Landon N Telephone 01 225 0571
an end to Britain's imperialist roles.
Wher Labour has managed to keep. or it
THERE is some consolation for Labour in the way the SDP has been demolished. It's not used to defeat and this will destroy the band. wagon effect. But it is extremely worrying that the Tory vote held up. The reasons go far Nigel Williamson, London Labour Briefing
has gained control. socal councils there s now the opportunity to show the working class that the Tories can be brought to its knees.
The right inside the party will try to advance its position. The left has to stand tim and mgne toi the party to adopt and impretent sovietst poncics
John Strauther
JOHN STRAUTHER, a Trotskyist for over twenty years, died in tragic circumstances in Liverpool last month. He was a supporter oi
| Interna tional and was active in the Labour Party and NALGO. Most recently he had been involved
CND, a movement he
John joined the International Socialists in the early 1960's at a time when Britain was coming out of the Cold War period but when
werE still tiny minority in the labour movement. This played an important part on nis pontical tninking. ne
Britain that had grown rapidly in the late 60's to fuse
the IMG after four years membership and could not remain in the SWP
active in supporting workers strungles in Liverpool. This set him
above many other were always keen on talk but
John was principled and fought for his view even when this left him isolated. His loss
ANTI-REAGAN RAFFLE
1st Prize - £15 Credit at The Other
Bookshop
2nd Prize - E5 Credit at The Other
Bookshop 3rd Prize — Large size 'Reds' poster Tickets only 10 pence each or a book of ten
tickets for 70 pence To be drawn on 7 June, 1982
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
WOMEN'S LIBERATION
ALL OUT 5 JUNE-MARCH FOF
Judith Arkwright
Judith Woodward
Discrimination Acts and the
minister. We've got equality - or have we?
ne capitalist economic crisis is hitting the whole working class
is hitting women Despite acts of parliament, despite (or rather because of) a woman prime minister, unemplovment and cuts in social services fall harshly on women as they work harder the home - to fill the gap.
Abortion rights are under attack, rape and violence against women are
In the United States the pattern is the same Decomine senators and even Juages and are even allowed to mine coal, but abortion is virtually illegal in some states, both contraception and abortion are very difficult to obtain for young people and the Equal Rights Amendment will not be passed.
Every time capitalism takes it away with the other. In order to fight for our liberation as women we have to light the social structures that keep in chains. prime ministers. Whose side on depends on which class you're in
Untortunately the Labour leadership does not offer a clear alternative. minister for women's affairs, but they have not said wriwl tney are gome to night tor and how they are going to organise women.
And there is a problem with the
that some people inside Labour •SCC women's rights — they tend to reduce
to geling more women into nostions of power and influence within the party and parliament.
It would be a pity if the fight for positive discrimination within party's structures was reduced to this, and if women in the party saw their main task as that of challenging male prejudices
isn't just question men s a matter o. fighting the social structures aictate inal women's Tole 1s in the Tamily, in a position of economic and social dependence.
WOMEN'S
FESTIVAL
Saturday 5June
Battersea Park, London
from noon
Raily * Music * Forums* Stalls
Theatre* Children's Events
Refreshments * Creche available*
WOMEN'SRIGHTS TO JOBS & EQUALITY Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982
WOMEN have come a long way since the 19th century when Sylvia Pankhurst was first organising working
Common Market regulations on women's employment. We've got women into parliament and now we've even got a woman prime
- but hardest. the world in the 1960s.
especially in the major
women and men alike challenge the Women are
thousands gives been done in Britain fragettes
Maggie has WOLICIS
you're abortion watershed for us,
Nation were the working class.
for the United States,
the the draft, women should be into the armed forces as well
up used armed developing which Please South page 8
The modern women's liberation movement was com our or the sirue gle of workers and students all over
•It did a creat deal to start to challenge women's subordinate role. It identified the role of women in the tamy and ar nome one
their subordinate role. It changed the lives and atitudes of many working class was
it began to JECT women's biology meant that they had an inferior and subordinate role in
But the women's movement did more than just change atitudes. It started
womer detence of ineir rignis, wnien nad no
since the suf-
The women's movement also forced the labour movement into action
rights, limited way, and despite the fact that not many working women were active In The abortion campan est.
campaign was WOHH
abortion rights and women's liber-
class issues, issues which confront the ruling class and benefit
This is important today because ment once again class limes are starting to force divide the women's movement internatonaly, Por example the Nationa Organisation of Women (NOW) in Torics. year), has a leadership which argues
tions of Reagan, far from opposing for
drafted
This is not at all in the interests of women, but only in the interest of the and Us ruling class, and its preparations leaders
force against the TEVO EBOTS America and the Middle East. Such a leadership has nothing worthwhile to say to the mass of working women.
There are some important Tessons to learn from the suffragettes if we
for class 4.
WOMAN'S
RIGHT to WORK
DEMONSTRATE
stated
5 JUNE
Badges uvailable at 25p each + 12%ap postage. order SITUTE Arkwright, PO Box 50 NOW London NI 2XP. Bulk rues avanopie on re-
March to the Women's Festival
Assemble at County
10.30 to move off at 11.
Go to Battersea Park.
The march is called by the Action Committee Woman's Rizir to Work and co-sponsored by the Council of the TUC
want to take forward the building of a mass women's movement with a clear
The women's movement at the beginning of the 20th century in Bri
quarter of t million people marched into Hyde Park to demand votes for women. Yet this mass movement
eventually delivered into the hands of the ruling class instead of carrying the fight for women's liberation to its logical conclusion
Tabustne workers of Dublin were locked out by the bosses. At the
Countess organising the nationalist women of Ireland in the Cuman na
this point, suffragette leader Christabel Pankhurst CETAC against Home Rule for Ireland in stead of identifying with the struggle of Irish nationalist women. Instead
Christabel said the suffragettes woul
their leader Carson, simply because Carson was in favour of votes for
In 1914, when the first imperialist war broke out, the suffragettes supported the war effort. They ended up calling for a rapid return of a Tory
oi the move developing into powertu fomen 13 role in society e came 100r challenge whole whimpering full stop, co-opted by the
It was derailed by its leadership's failure to deal with major ciass
istow did this happen? How did
Christabel, who started as a member
the Independent Labour Party end up as a Tory candidate?
One reason was the attitude which prevailed inside the labour movemen
most importantly of Labour Although working organised around the fight for the vote, the trade union and the Labour Party did not come round to it until it
and with the active hostility of sections of the labour bureaucracy, peo ple like Christabel were driven into the arms of the Tories and the ruling
Christabel herself did not have the same broad view as her sister Sylvia and did not see the imortance or stated mato ki wolaking mome
working movement is of no value. Working women, she said, are the weakest of
the weakest for the struggle. We want picked women the very strongest and most intelligent.... This sort of policy for winning women's rights. riends and influencing people is st practiced today in organisations like
And this is preciseiy where Christabel has been proved wrong. Look at the working Nicaragua and their role in throwing out the Somoza dictatorship. Or the al-woman guerrila contingent in E Salvador which recently routed an allmale contingent of soldiers of the
dictatorship. These women are far from being weak!
And in this country it is women like Anwar Ditta fighting for her rights as a black woman, women like
LCE Cans. Plessey Lovable Bra who will fight in the most determined way for their demands
These are the women who will fight most consistently for women's liberation and they must provide the
22
FIGE 0 2 FOR/ V0BS
JOI
N9 CLC
base of the movement that we have to build. It can only be women, and first and foremost the
who demands.
'None are so fitted to break the chains as those who wear Them, none so wel equipped to decide what is a ferter. In its march towards freedom, the work. ing class must cheer on the efforts o those women, who
the ages have risen to strike them off
and cheer all the louder if in its hatrea of thraidom and passion for freedom, thetamena fores adot the militant wwwsoever cannes me ourworks orie citadel Contre lasse sons for women
lasting gains libcration.
Today we are beginning to see the
ment of women within the labour movement itscif, where demands for WOHeIS ticulated. This is reflected in women's were committees inside the unions and the women's sections of the Labour Party which are growing. It is
and sexual harassment. It is reflected in the prepared to fight this government Despite the recession and its effects
joining the unions at twice the rate of
Tractional roles an the labour metemens are e dem chator post be movement are being discrimination, The debate on positive action is posis an arrou chalenge to me wal women are traditionally reserve army of labour.
These changes are beginning to lay the basis for a women within the labour movement - one which will not meckly ask for the re-distribution of wealth betweer men and women or just fight for a change of attitudes, but will challenge
Unfortunately there are socialists within the labour movement who see this as a recipe for saying that women have to wait for socialism before they can demand their rights. This is exactly what the suffragettes were told by the likes of MacDonald and other Labour leaders. nonsense! Women must begin the struggle for their liberation now
Suppose that struggled for the right to vote? All and workers would have been set back bi the denial of this basic democrati right.
If women had not struggled to defend abortion rights in the last five or SIX YCArS WC would have heen set back
LONEL oppresse thel James Connolly said:
feeling on the
labour.
of oppression the working
women's
CUTE being ar-
reflected in
which women
challenged
creches and so on
used as a
mass movement of
whole.
whole
What dangerous
women had not
WE MAY somet haven't gone a l by getting the v let up and these the trade unions us. And it's all o tion for a woma Labour Party fes Saturday 5 June Coaches are towns including train from Mand Coventry, five fi If your Labou transport yet thi Why not get your workplace from Ferrantis i currently on stri Chocolate facto organise a deleg Let's take th have a festival b of this Tory gov a hundred years ing to organise :
LEE.
5IT
Women strikers at Lee Jeans won
NATIONA
for decades — not only in the fight for
liberation terests of the working class as
If women and the labour movement as a whole do not organise now to fend off the attempts to use women us out of the workforce then ne us out of the workforce -
fight full employment would be finished betore it started.
The way forward is the building of an autonomous women's movement to spearhead the demands of women Such a movement will have many different expressions from trade union committees, Labour Party women's sections, women organising in the factories to fight for their jobs and for the particular needs of women in community groups and so on.
Such a movement will include
Page 9 scan of this page
A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO WORK
es feel that as women we further towards equality . But the fightback hasn't ys we're beginning to get id the Labour Party behind to support the demonstraright to work and the al on women's rights on
ming from all the major ose in Scotland, with a ster, eight coaches from 1 Leeds. arty hasn't organised make sure they do it soon. nsport organised from a coach is coming down anchester and women in the Famous Names n Bristol are hoping to on. portunity - not just to to protest at the policies ment which takes us back d to show that we're gofight for our rights.
EANS
IN
ry for all women
ABORTION
HIGN
omen struggling at all levels against eir oppression. We must learn the ssons of the past and argue for such movement to grow
alongside the labour movement self. Working women inside bour movement must be the core of is fight. The a demo the core ad by
against the Corrie ortion bill in 1980 and the Labour arty festival for women's rights on 5 ne point the way forward because cy offer the opportunity for women push for and organise around our mands for a woman's right to work da women's right to choose within e labour movement as a whole. It is testimony to the struggles of • asters m ne past and in ine pre at that the labour bureaucracy has en forced to listen to our demands d organise around them.
By Jude Woodward
women tor votes
lessons for socialists
Most of
summed up
standing
developments
trast to
Tragette
drew out the real
the struggle for the
becoming a communist.
to two facts:
highest points
liberation.
main stream.
Christabel
ing her favourite slogan)
Despite this,
Christabel in another?
time.
Europe.
government.
the ruling class. leadership
Photo: G Cookson
Sylvia
The root of her differences was on the social base of the struggle. 'rouse London'.
rally and went women of the East End to win support for it. Later her mother and sister tried to put a stop to the rally. didn't believe Conway Hall could be filled.
Hall was filled to overflowing. ingly turned to tactics of individual terrorism and militancy Sylvia conminued to organise mass actions baced on large assemblies of working class women and men.
This orientation to the mass women Sylvia's attitude to the suffragettes. Despite raising the slogan votes for
THE MASS MOVEMENT of
is rich in today. these lessons are in the underand political of Sylvia
Pankhurst who was born 100 years ago last week. In con-
the rest of the sufleadership Syivia lessons of vote by
That Sylvia is one of the few revolutionary leaders to emerge out of the British class struggle is testimony
first, the fight women's votes represented one of the
in the political mass struggle in Britain; and second, it illustrates concretely the revolutionary dynamic of the struggle for women's
development towards revolutionary Marxism was in direct contrast to the line of march of the rest of the suffragette leadership. Her own sister Christabel represents the
ended up adopting both the Tory party and an extreme form of radical feminism (votes for women and "chastity for men' becom-
Christabel dropped banner. the struggle for the vote to take up jingoism as soon as the first world war began. How did the same mass movement take Sylvia in one direction and
Sylvia's development was no accident. Rather, she represents the real historical potential of the mass struggle of women for the vote — a massive potential that was squandered and betrayed by the marrow mindedness of the British labour leaders of the
The movement of women for the vote preached a depth of mobilisation in Britain unequalled elsewhere in
For example in 1908 three quarters of a million women and men marched through London for women's votes. It became an issue in who formed the
The "woman question' was driving a wedge into the hearth and home of
But the suffragette wiln svivia the excer did not want to break from the British ruling class. They looked to the Tories to grant women the vote, not to the newly formed Labour Par-
Pankhurst was virtually alone in drawing the correct lessons.
with the rest of the WSPU (the suffragettes)
In 1906 Sylvia was sent south to
immediately booked Conway Hall for a massive
to the downtrodden
They
But the East End women marched
central London and Conway
As the SPU leadership increas-
of eventuany renicored in
Sylvia Pankhurst
Sylvia. hurst women' the WSPU did not fight for full womanhood suffrage. that they looked for was to extend the existing franchise to women -measure that would have enfranchised rather less than half of all adult women.
This demand fitted in with the approach of the SPU which saw the vote as being implemented by a Tory government. The more limited the demana, the more likelihood it had of being carried.
Unfortunately, Sylvia, alongside
Keir Hardie, fought for this position at countless Labour Party conferences, always meeting the same opposition. The right wing argued that this was a "bourgeois' and that Labour Party should fight for full adult suffrage. All those forces who opposed women's suffrage gathered behind this
In 1906, Margaret MacDonald (wife of Ramsay) took the first step to organise women in the Labour Party in the Women's Labour League. This organisation was explicitly counterEast end garment workers in 19th century Supporter of the East London Suffragettes in 1919
posed to the activities of the WSPU
In turning away from the mass of women and looking to the Tories the WSPU abdicated the leadership of women in the Labour Party to those who opposed women's votes
Only after years struggle was Sylvia able to decide: that a grave mistake was made in leaving the field of adult suffrage — the true field of the labour movement
to those who were either hostile or indifferent to women.
She the end there were no separate stages, The law womanhood suffrage alongside full male suffrage in the same legislation
I the WSPU had fought for votes for women as the leading edge in the fight for full adult suffrage then the labour leaders have jumped off the hook.
As it was, became more economism. In a classic example of wicked narrow Labour group of MPs in 1906 decided to advance a bill protesting the carnings of steel smelters in preference to a women's suffrage bill
That was the end for the Labour Party as far as the WSPU leadership
As Sylvia concluded: Had other counsels prevailed then, the Labour Party might have given a great lead for a manhood and womanhood suffrage reform bill.
Further than this the Labour Party failed in its first great political test. Sylvia, rather than
Press.
An
National role
of suffragette
Party.
inclusion of
pointed out ironically that in
granted
wowe not so casin
the Labour Party Sylvia
entrenched
nationally,
mindedness
like Kollontai.
break with the
A WOMAN'S
RIGHT
TO WORK:
THE CASE FOR
POSITIVE
ACTION
How we can fight to end job segregation rand inequality ar WOTA Just out - completely rewritten A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO WORK THE CASE FOR POSITIVE ACTION 6Op plus pop. Orders over 20, Bookshop London NI Additional reading on the suffragettes:
The Suffragette Movement — Sylvia Pankhurst Published by Virago One Hand tied behind us J. Liddington and J. Norris Published by Virago Press.
exhibition of Sylvia
Pankhurst's work is on at The
Museum of Labour
History, Limehouse Town Hall,
Commercial Road, London E14.
5 May-5 July.
labour movement ended up breaking with the Labour Party. Her Workers Socialist Federation played a central
Preparing for the launch of the British Communist Party
However, the betrayals of Labour led Sylvia to adopt extreme "leftwing positions - that communists should boycott parliament and the Labour
Leftwing Communism — an Infantile Disorder con
weighty polemic explicitl against Sylvia Pankhurst's position
In the end Sylvia herself was a vic tim of the political backwardness of the British working class. Without the aid of Marxisty theory which she was never trained in, her views could only develop as a response to her own experience of the class struggle. Such lessons are only ever partially correct. No British Marxist party existed then that could teach her anymore.
also suffered from the isolation of the British socialists inter
She was not linked into the Second International, nor part of its massive debates on feminism being like cara precise period by women
Zetkin and Alexandra
The conclusion formed in this debate would have been of infinite aid to Sylvia. Armed with these understandings and international links the suffragette struggle might have pro duced in Sylvia Pankhurst a leader of truly international stature. It would have been a real step on the road to the formation of a new revolutionary Icadership for the British
WOTKIE
second edition
40p each. Cheques to The Other Order now from The Orher Bookshop, 328 Upper Street, Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
gets cold feet over
Where you can
buy Socialist
Challenge
Scotland ABERDEEN: SC available at Boom town books. King St. For spore into
at Barrents, Syres sae * Tane: Hope
creamelton or
Wales CANDIE SL
-12 Also available 1-0-8 Booki,
Pond Open Base ite me Sa SWANSEA: 5C sales pul Oxford St, Ham-Tom, Satordays.
England silen Road, snd Sundays 2 + 1985 Rook:
side the Koman Baths. Phone
Laheer Club, Cleveland st.
BOLSOVER: Crass Keys, every Fri
War Fourth I0ea Bank, High Si, at BURY in the
Peakshup, Ter. 061-220-4905 for fur.
TACT 1ETO Bookshops BANGOR:
BRADFORD: Fourth ides Book
marka, 110 Chelten BIRMINGHAM. Other Bookshop.
MILTON KEYNES: Oakical Booki,
OXFORD: F0A Books, Sa Conten
Nowhere
Order from SC. PO Box 50. London NI 2XP.
What's Left
i sat photo a Phone
rien cune, B Conference
tor af Porrai
Find
even by Fidel
*Rose the Riveier film and speakers from Kulan Sones, Carpool:
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 10
CASTLE: SC Prale
VOTTINGHAM. SC um Sias Square, For nio ph
Saturday
every s SHEFFIELD: SC
10em-12 nane at Ahove Bar Pest Of enon or on Sale Market Se WOIVERHAMPTON
London HOUNSLOW: SC sold East tube, every community Books. Walm
Livapool Mecabe TOWU
FALKLANDS CRISIS: Commu Corkers Hackney La. Hacknes SPARE BOOKSI Any books
condon skip, 12% Upper st
OSTERS: Cheep her Printshe BADGES MADE: Glasse will make hadges for your and all th ten Wrise ack into the struggle for
"WOMEN fight back for their rights Socialist Challenge Rally
Thur 27 May 7.30 UMIST. Barons Walla Buliding. Manchester
BOBBY SANDS M.P.
FRAICIS HUGHES
ASYMOID MCREESH
PATSY CHARA JOE M-DONNELL march to Since the Falklands-Malvinas crisis began the Irish government nas Common Market sanctions against Argentina, to demanding an emergency UN security coun cil debate following the sinking of the General
of so-called Irish neutrality.
Ireland's foreign policy can only be explained by the effects of its unfinished break with Britain. was distorted under British rule with all the investment
North, the industrialising
and then істі. 1у has never recovered
When trying to go it alone' produced 310 economic progress the
BOSSE. turned forcign investment. The COUS 30 W inducements given and then Ireland entered the BEC
The Irish Development Association gives massive State handouts with vir-
WE REMEMBER
REPUBLICAN POW.S
MARTH HURAN KEYE LYNC
KIERIN DOUITY TO
THOMRS MERCE
MICKEY DE
MURDERED
BY THE BRITISH STAC
'BOBBY SANDS MP', chanted 3,000 people on last weekend's
commemorate Sands death as they passed the House of Commons at Westminster. Among other slogans on
Falklands
veered from backing
Belgrano. James Bruin looks at the hypocrisy
tually no strings to hims and Irish opening plants Corporation Tax 1s lowest in Europe. US investors got an average rate of return of 33.7 per cent, double European average. Hence it surprising that of US firms investing Europe half chose Ireland, Such dependence on foreign capital completely Treland's "neutral' stance in international politics. As the Swedish ambassador to
cent seminar Dublin, Sweden stayed out of the EEC because towards harmonisation of IWO aims of the EEC
- Ireland
Irish government
foreign policy and monetary would have compromised Swedish neutrality'
On the military front too Irish 'neutrality' is wearing thin. since the development of the Sovic "backfire' bomber which is capable CLUTCHES nuclear attacks on Britain. the British government has been looking to improve its radar defence system.
The Irish governmen duly obliged Earth satellite stations have been opened up in County Cork, Sligo and Donegal givin to the desh com cess the Irish communications of the entire length of the West Coast of Ireland
Further, when a resolu tion declaring the use of nicatin atone United violation uniter Nations Charter recenti Assembly, Ireland was the
the march was 'Hands off Northern Ireland - Hands Of Argentina. Speakers at the rally after the march included Ken Livingstone, leader of the GLC, and Owen Carron MP. only country VOIC against along with 18 NATO allies.
Such positions are embarrassing the Irish government. It has already increased defence spen ding by 800 per cent in the last ten years to £450m and entry to NATO would
demand a furinthe over-
trebling
this sum. whelming majority of th Irish people are opposed
breaking with Irish neutrality and entry into NATO, even if the army officer corps is keen on the idea.
When the Irish government backed EEC sanc tions against Argentina the Republican sentiment was
immediately support Argentina. Volunteers were reported to have gone to the Argentine embassy in Dublin to sign up!
And when the British government finally admitted last week that it was
TROOP,
OUTOF
IRELAN
PLICAL STATUS NOW
had of irasubmarines that
dragged Irish
trawler under the sea, anti-
British feeling put greater
Pressure on the Irish
government,
Irish government has ever
pursued anything like a
socialist foreign policy was
when the provisional
government established
by ine Baster mising
1916 backed James. Con
nolly's view that Britain's
involvement in the first im-
perialist world war provid-
come best opportuney to
breaking its hold over
Ireland.
An Irish government
guided by those principles
would THInK DWEE
sending the fleet half wa
the world! When
even the Irish government
with its own contradictory
"neutrality gets cold feet
over the Falklands, this
just goes to show the
bankruptcy of Thatcher's
policy
Page 11 scan of this page
Malvinas war moves show imperialist threat to humanity
Statement of the Fourth International BY ITS response to the Argentine government's moves to assert sovereignty over the Malvina İslands, the British government nas already endangered the lives of thousands of people, threatened an entire oppressed nation with humiliation and slaughter, hundreds of millions of pounds that could have relieved mass deprivation in Britain, and increased the dangers to world peace and therefore to the lives of tens of millions of people.
In all the bloody annals of British rogance, there are few. if any, crimes so reckless and insensate. But these crimes are not simply the responThatcher government particular or British imperialism in general.
The dominant world imperialist power, United States, has thrown its weight behind them, of-
port fering to the even 1014310 British task sup-
And the other
perialist TENC
backed the British action.
Thus. Malvinas war represents a response of the world imperialist
system as a whole. This is a
dramatic sign that in its decay, imperialism
becoming not only more
murderous but more and
more dangerously
unstable.
The clashes of power-
ful air and naval lore
that began in the first days
of May off the Argentine
coast have already reveal-
great political and
material weaknesses of the
world imperialist system.
they have set
deep tremors in motion
that will continue regard-
come of a conflict that has
escalated unexpectedly in-
to a major wong casts
and which could quickly
lead to much larger explo-
sions.
The weaknesses of the
world imperialist
are shown precisely by the
Fact that such a crisis could
›low up over an issue suct
is the Malvinas. None of
the governments involved
have any fundamental
conflict of interests there
and the interests of all of
are fundamentally
threatened by the explo-
sion of a crisis that could
shake imperialist control
of a vital region
foundations.
In particular, this crisis
comes when the US faces a
major revolutionary threat
Central America, and
obviously was counting on
squandered
the help of Argentina, which has had one of the stronger military dictatorships in Latin America.
If this regime falters, the US could lose more than an ally. Argentina is a major, semi-industrialised country, and at the start of through three full-scale ur- decade went
Morcover, the Brazilian dictatorship, right next to Argentina, which has been ine ounci main bulwark of reaction
South America, has been breaking down in re-
years, and faces the development of new mass revolutionary workers movement.
Why LOCA has the move of the Argentine government assert
overeignty OVEI the
Malvinas Islands touched off a major crisis for im-
perialism?
Two years ago, in fact, the so-called *Ridley Plan, the British foreign office recommended negotiate Argentine
sovereignty over the
islands in return for
Icase-back greemen
rovided the oil surroun
ding the islands is ex-
ploited by American and
British oil companies, as it
would be. would not
have threatened basic im-
perialist economic in-
terests.
Today, however, the
British mperialists have
responded what was
originally a token Argen-
tine occupation by sending
a massive military machine
to the South Atlantic and
initiating armed actions
that could have the most
far-reaching consequences
international domestic
politics.
Some
modern military equip-
ment in the world is being
used to attack the forces of
semi-colonial country,
with which other
colonial countries
throughout • the region
have been compelled to ex-
press their sympathy.
The US's carefully constructed of Pan-American solidarity
diplomatic and ideological cover for in-
Latin TE VEnTE America, has been shown to be utterly false. It is left without ran ol *good neighbourly* cover its imperialist operations. It even felt obliged to offer logistic support to the British military offen-
Thus, the US has been obliged to pay a staggering
rice as regards its interna tional policy in the conti
And the position in
nent. ine peoples Latin America struggling against imperialist domination nas been greatly strengthened
This course of events can be understood only by LOOKIES Devond mediate moves in this conflict to the whole situation
colonial country
in Latin America and the
general crisis facing im-
perialism today.
The Argentinian
military dictatorship
retook the Malvinas after
150 years of British oc
or as on as a direct result
its own deep interna. With mounting discontent nead the powerful of 30
March Aires and other cities, the dictatorship sought gain popularity by satisfving the long-felt just demand of the Argentinian people for undisputed control of
But the crisis of Argentinian dictatorship is only one of a whole series that developing The cconomic miracles of the 1970s achieved by the ironfisted procapitalist policies of the Latin American dictatorships have staggered to a halt amind S110bn foreign Latin American Gross Domestic Product fell by 2 percent in 1981, after rising by an of 5 per cent a year from 1977-80
Malvinas/Falklands.
This crisis hits not only the weakest but also the most powerful BEETLE American state: Gross Domestic Product in Brazil I fell by 3.5 per cent in 1981, after an average rise of 6 percent in the preceding three years and
crashed by over 9 percent.
Estimates for the Chilean economy predict an absolute decline in production for 1982, after an average 8 per 9977-80. cent annual increase in The Uruguayan economy grew o, and will probably cent
1981 and shrink this year, after an average 5 per cent a yea Mexie has been sever sly exnansion 1974-80. hit by the oil price fall.
Argentina, this general economic crisis nas
been worst of all. In 1981,
Most modern military equipment in world used to attack sami
the economy as a wnole
shrank by 6 per cent and
manufacturing production
Well by 14 per cent. Intia
tion, at over 130 per cent.
is the worst in the world
As this crisis has dee the revolutionary
movements Central
America have continued a
rapid political and military
Under thest cumstances, the policy of US imperialism under Reagan clear.
Washington made
double-or-nothing bet on dictatorship and military repression this respect, the Argentina junta was a ke For months, the US the bay for the pee o way for tise Argentine troops Salvador, either alone or as part of a wider international force. li was le try save the Argentine dictatorship from the consequences of its action in tne falvinas that Haig made his mammoth shuttle diplomacy between DUCIUS Aires and London.
But the junta knew that it was too weak at
home to risk popular joint military operation with US imperialism Central
desperatel needed to justify itself anc its massive mintary SOCH ding by using its high priced hardware for somethin that it could hope would
popular among the Argentine masses
It is poetic justice that Galtieri and his military butchers got themseives into big trouble by their illusions in the strength and flexibility of imperialism, in the self-confidence of imperialists in today's world.
The only reason that the junta dared risk retaking the Malvinas was
hat they believed that Bri
tain would make only a
formal protest, or at most
display a little token sabre
Battling. It assumed ap parently tha the British
government -WAS SLEWAS
cnough and self-confident
enough to take an insult
from a subordinate regime
that needed to look tough
to its own people in orde
to continue doing its job
for its imperialist masters.
Lion
But if the British government no longer hac old imperia confidence, if the lion's tail had become too sore from frequent twisting, then the
US Presumably could be
relea TO bring the British to scuses After all, it had an enormous stake in the Argen preparations hip, as using Preparano:
Argentine troops in Cen tral America showe However on ine one hand, Britain remains one of the most powerin and states world possesses the third most powerful navy of any country. It is quite able and determined to defend its own interests first,
Thatcher's notion of defending democracy
test in me perialist CYCL much more powerful US, afterward. And there is no honor me the ha
other hand British imperialism was too weak to • be able to tolerate the sort of affront represented by the Argen-
landing in the Malvinas. The country has three million unemployed in has the lowest standard of living of any country u Western Europe after Por tugal, Spain and Ireland
traditional economic structure is collapsing The British masses over the last decade have suffered con tinual and drastic declines in this sion,
this situation, the British capitalists need a government that can look control and will put things tough, like it is firmly in in order regardless of the pricthe
Argentine take-
over. therefore, was a
severe blow to the reac
tionary Thatcher the is da
ment. From
of the crisis, Thatcher
knew that if she did not do
something drastic 10
restore the tough image of
her government, her whole
political project WES
danger of collapsing
So for the sake of the
credibility of a reactionary
government. British air
craft carriers and nuclear
submarines sent
8,000 miles to bring death
and the
South Atlantic.
For a century, a British
population many
times the number of the
hundred on the
Malvinas have lived
peacefully in Argentina
The British aggression
now endangers not only
the innabitant: of the
Malvinas but the British
community in Argentina.
The Argentine population
will be enraged by this in
sult to their country.
The generals could
continue to look for
relatively easy targets
And the fact of the matte
despite the British
government's attempt to
do a replay of the siege of
Lucknow Star Wars
style, despite even the fact
that the British military
could wreck a considerable
part of the world, British imperialism quite incapable of maintaining a
foothold 8,000 miles from the home island in face of the hostility and bitterness of an entire continent.
here is no way now that the Malvinas can b kept British. Pearls of fa greater 21130 be relinquished by the British Bai in the face of far less
The Thatcher govern ment's claim Enal I : defending democracy anc law against a lawless dictatorship is also absolutel untrue. That doesn't mean thatators; far from it. Bu dictators; their action had democratic represented the aspirations of millions and millions of
Latin Anded Mores that divided the forces maintain the oppression of
Latin American 1835565 After five years of one
of the most brutal and total dictatorships in the history of Argentina, the
of people got a chance to come onto the 10330 streets again demonstrate that is their
something
democratic right. And this
tremendous power dictatorship further
conflict with the very for is the, the imperialists forces it depends on socalist movement in Bri- For the workers
tain and throughout the
world, the Malvinas crisis
means great opportunities
It shows how i fragile the
world imperialist order is
and how precarious also is
world peace. It shows the
threat of mass murder that
langs over every people
he neocolonial world wh
demand the least
democratic right or con
in-
CESSOR
creasingly reckless display:
of military power in whic
the capitalist government
capable of destroying the
dulge in order to maintain
their decaying credibility,
The movement in Bri-
tain and the rest of ine
world must mobilise to de
fend the Argentinian peo
ple and themselves to de possibilies or the future. fend all humanity
From Internationa/ View-
point
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Workers' spring begins in
Poland
AS THE Polish workers prepare a 15 minute general strike across the country on Thursday, the Catholic Church hierarchy has again shown its true colours.
Glemp echoed the accusation of the military apparatus demonstrations were 'manipulators' and troublemakers. We reprint an article by Cyril Smuga from a recent Internationa/ Viewpoint on the current situation in Poland.
Almost six months after the military crackdowe in Poland led by General Jaruzelski, bureaucracs
fro the siation T;
"The TEMELY COmMECaICO We are still very far from
ould still find ourselve elebratin VISIOEY We faced with things, with OrCHILS, phenomena that we can't even imagine just now. Comrades, anything is still possible. Comrades what you say is terriying.
LEIS CALIELEOLLUHES recording of a meeting between the military com-
and television and the party members wno work there. TRUTCE testimony than any long explanation to the disarray of the military junta which 1ook on 13 December. The same commissar continued: -InE state of war will continue in Poland anti the marty is renewed. 1 am not talking about the O1 TeaneTAE which can come back quite fast, but
the big enterprises.
The party, the essential
the society, has bee! disastrously weakened Since August 1980, it has lost more than two-thirds OT 1s members.
By Barry Wilkins THE Aberdare, lies at the militant heart of the South Wales coalfields. Every year these miners celebrate May Day with a social event, a demonstration and a rally.
Solidarnosc Solidarity Committées
59 Durward Avenue, Glasgow
Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee, e/c VOE DOCIE2 MODLOS HOUSERE SCU™ LanS K1-04118.
ee do olay Solini Comi oc/0 re. Rfne der
490927.
South Yorks Polish Solidarity Committes
Labour Solidarnose, c/o 3 Elm Close, Nottingham.
Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Roge Murray. 021-773 5396. _OvenEEy ASTMS, 26 Queens Road. Coventry.
Oxford Labour Committee Road, Oxford, Ring 0865 58238.
Eustern Europe Solidarity Campaign, 10 Park Drive, London NW. Ring 01.458 1501 LaDOLT FOCUS on Eastern Kingsland High St, Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court. London V1-115 1495
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 12
Last weekend Archbishop
that the recent mass May Day
the work of
plants, it is more and more imited to manageria. perSORTe REE BEOCKs Today, its mass base is increasingiy concentrated in the state apparatus.
The attempt to rebuild SOME OrEn SLOnS HnAC the boot of the bureaucracy has got nowhere. The 'Social Commissions, established in the enterprises to tulli what the bureaucracy considers are the functions of ETEOE vister and organise holl- distribute potatocs dav camps have been unanimously boycotted. потріз то все доtivists elected to the workers councils before to ir standa th of aline hah workers that although gone down, they are now going to get a voice in the mied mne, have also vall HEUERETERU ed. The burcaucracy салnot there are more gond are more goods In the shons now. Alter a 300 per cent price rise, the workers cannot afford to CV MECN. BuEArOdCHOn has tallen to cata topral levels. Central Statistics Office reports that the big enterprises have oniv reached 4010 45 per cent of the projected This is partly owSO-CES ing LO the passive
South Wales miners celebrate May Day
Rhondda and Merthyr Ditrict
Gargan PoDurward Avene, Cison Coring
Gc/o Edin-
To Dave Feicker
Gc/o. Rab 279 Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, 54 7DP. Ring 0742
Movement solcaril with
Blackford Road, Birmingham TI. Ring Solidarity Committee, John Fisher c/o
on Poland, 468 Banbury
Europe. Box 23, 136 Trade Union Working Group in UK, 64
Ring
resistance of the workers
For example, in Silesia, 50 per cent of the workers have followed the union instructions
DODOLOEC production. But this drop in production is also Tosa or me asorganisasione restritions alany siege enterprises are closed two out of every three days DeLause the necessary parts materials.
This nability to normalise' the situation has increased differences within the bureaucracy
These differences stem from the contradiction which has CASILL SUTCE December berween the old and the new Wwa Bbl uw
HNIE SIELCALTC have been paralleled by military structures. There have been conflicts between the old state and par-
apparatus, to hold to their privileges; and the military apparatus who see the opportunity get new
functions. paratus has succeeded in The old party establishing armed groups under the name *Political Self Defence - PUWP: which are independent trom the paratus of the military efromt of ihe pollical forefront of political SOLUC hecomine demoralised. Desertions are growing soldiers who are in ther third year of service and for whom the end is not yel in sight. Al Elblag a deserter opened fire police. It teok two hour: for a battalion of police to overcome him.
barkcd on work among the
Miner leanleis are widely distributed, calling on the soldiers to retuse to carey out oreers tnat tne.
Tvrond O'Sullivan, secretary of the District Joint Lodges chemiontee, chained chaired these celebrations
fight against the Tebbit ol u much greater invoive mCm Or Youn Wn RIC union and its battles. dentor he Sout Wale Pe Hm Sn W 115M15 expressed his confidence
Bill. "I they wan to resis to take us, aid. We will not accept thes WE.SELECUL
TESTTICL1S ITACE HOR DSIS.
He argued that the miners must give a lead in this light 1080. moned and then cancelled in HOSTELE WaTe wccEctaanC
Following his recent snecessful tour of South Wales
Kozlowski
solidarnos Polish
was
avited te 10158841 443-0--89-03 PRINCE SEE BERCSE UCIS UEROR
TIC. CrONE SWIES •Das ECCLES TOnC HESTEI
how Polish workers had spent the May Day weekend ho ndr had nearly
aIG OCENABECG ENC TESHEEO! of the riehts of Solidarnos.
Once more he impressed
disagree with. Equally signilicant, bulletins of the
report the ton oi intormal erouD! within army units.
Solidarnosc, which WES CISOTE BETSC the first wave of repres-
the enterprises and the local neighbourhoods.
Socialist Resistanice Circes (KOS), formed by five people who develop others in a pyramid structure, are More LETELE! clandestine journals appear regularly.
Ssies end woih top.
pages growing number. Every month between the 13th (anniversary of the coup) and the 16th (anniversary of the killing of miners at Wujek last December) demonstraBIOES MaKE place throughout the country The roads, factory walls. workrooms are regularly "decorated" with slogans hostile to the junta. The militia has formed special
to remove mnem every morning.
In other ways Solidar-
tional Commission of Resistance has been formco, so tnat prociamanons
kne now signed by licent
regions. Provisional regional leaderships have BECE forme other regions. The results of thi have not taken long to come. On 13 April the call
stop 15 widely.
TUBIE followed Ina0 Icast 10 regions,
DISCSS On R StraTe and organisation for the EVY CHCE SETEI-T moved beyond the regional level. which has contributed much to the denth oi the discussion.
So, Solidarnosc conUTES. And, HOTC-EAST ever, Polish workers need internatonai solidarity from other workers. ENC TURCES WIW MS COLLEO
and cralic dietatorship and got a bureau WiT OVen
Toan Evans, Labour MP for Aberdare gave his best wishes to Psotr und expressed hope that greater democrac
Poland seretary of the kemt menera, explained that new threars of SOLANET ciosure were being made it
he Kent coalfields. He wor Дайне when he said the
miners knew they could
outh Wale dustriat action to defend Kent
Unfortunately Collins also took the opportunity to attack Solidarnosc and those British workers who support
the tie chon eá thạt ini
and Thath er Mince eins 10 B400
HILTE BIOCES, ATRUEU vieorously with Collins that
workers democratic right to their own independent trade unions
Io acHa eOOs SS UmO! rights. The oleanOse Dagees AnO-SRE warmth shown otor ine dicated that this commitment also extends to the Polish workers.
Warsaw last week
Solidarnosc and socialists the world over lost an important ally when Robert last month. We reprint below his obituary in the recent issue of the French Inprecor.
With the death of Robert Havemann on 19 April 1982 the opposition moveICAE CAS CEMEN LOSEHS DOSENROWI representative, in many ways its symbol Robert Havemann was one of the great physicists of our time, a specialist in photosynthesis.
Condemned to death by the Nazis for spying for the Soviet Union he saved his life because the German army becamc interested in his theoretical work which he was allowed to continuc while he was awaiting execution. Lihcrated bythe Red Army in the fall of Berlin on 2 May 1945 he became a member of the Commanist Party.
Living in West Berlin he was ap pointed Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. the research in the natural sciences in the old ves the victim of MoCarthyiem: unde WES IE VILLIE pressure from the American authorites he was stripped of his posi Lions on the pretext of his belonging te meet cand nis cicclion to mae Chamber of the People in the young East German Republic in 1949.
He moved to East Berlin and became president of the Bast German Academy of Sciences, a tep position in the party and the state, and the holder of every concervabic decoration Khrushcher& report to the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Parly in February 1956 broke him ideologicall: and politically from Stalinsm.
From the 1960s he held courses at the Humboldt University in East
Scenes from the Solidarnosc demonstrations in
Robert Havemann
Havemann died crifica Marxism.
prestigious centre for
, But from 1948-50 he from militars friends.
first political
them
camp.
Prague Spring But movement.
Communists. revolutionary 2OLTIIT
which turned into calls for an open and
incorporating all the gains of contemporary science. Having sulfered repression under the Nazis and under American and West German inprei repes fou him ete essee ig
repression Stalinist burcaucrucy, He was removed from all his positions, expelled from the party. put under house arrest, and isolated
students, supporters and
Robert Havemann received many of Ters from the East Berlin authorities as well as from the Western scienti and
miliens emigrate. courageously and systematically refuscc
in the lollowing terms: h am democratic Communist who says in his
Sp passiona ethe Soldatohe and Solidarnosc and publicly protested against their repression.
He represented what was best and most encouraging among the German
who. without adopting Marxism. broken with Stalinism and remained Marxists.
Page 13 scan of this page
Hands off the Caribbean!
SEVENTEEN British union leaders have just been to Cuba, gress. Representing engineers, firefighters, miners, furniture workers, public employees, seamen, sheet metal workers, tobacco workers, transport workers declaration upon their return denouncing the bean and Central America in general.
They say:
Haig brought great disquiet to the Cuban people. to live in peace with an end to trade embargoes and economic blockades and a withdrawal of the menacing presence of US troops on Cuban soil inside the Guatanomo base.'
also deplore the support given to the US. They say they are 'appalled" refused aid to Nicaragua and will not re-open a British embassy there.
movement to take up the fight to support the strug. gle for freedom and justice in Central America and the Caribbean. They say: 'We urge the Labour Party inside and outside parliament to continue its outright and unequivocal opposition ment for its support to the US cold war policies applied to Central America and the Caribbean.
Ken Gill, general secretary Cameron, general secretary of the FBU; Lawrence Daly, general secretary of the NUM; Sid Vincent, Lancashire NUM secretary: Peter Heathfield. Derbyshire NUM secretary: Alex Kitson, deputy general secretary of the TGWU: Ron Keating, deputy general secretary of NUPE: Jim Slater, general secretary of the NUS.
tended the conference: PETER HEATHFIELD, president of the Derbyshire section of the NUM. Galtieri — a populist option?
General Haig - caught between warring allies
UNION LEADERS SAY
to attend an international trade union con-
blockade of Cuba and Reagan's threats to the Carib-
The threats and propaganda against Cuba emanating from President Reagan and General And they declare of the Cubans: Clearly they want
Denouncing American threats to the area, they
that the Tory government has
Finally the seventeen call on the British labour
to the British govern-
Among those who signed the statement were:
AUEW-TASS: Ken
Socialist Challenge spoke to one of those who at-
tina,
rights"
The the Duarte.
Could you give us your impression of your visit to Cuba?
I spent a week in Cuba. I impressed by the Tole prue trade wHons In Cuban society. Despite the effects the all the evidence points to the fact that the Cuban people are benefit ting from the revolution.
There is a decent standard of living, no poverty at all.
Education Tourishing Vany old colonia house. have been converted to kindergartens and people are steadily ncreasing thei tandard of living
What role do the Cuban trade unions play?
Well to some degree they have a role similar to those in Eastern Europe. but in many instances it is clear that they are abig to play a much more positive role in ashioning the policies of the state. Speaking with middle ranking trade union figures, they put to me views and claborated solutions which didn't necessarily coincide with those of the estabish. ment' - for want of a better word.
What weight do they give the Labour movement in Bri
Well they see it as very imDOLLUTT the By Paul Lawson THE MALVINAS crisis and the outcome of the election in El Salvador are between them causing a major crisis for the United States in its strategy for Latin America.
Two elements strategy since the Reagan administration have been to secure a first anti-communist alliance in the 'southern cone' (Chile. Argen-
Uruguay and including and to give their backing to a 'harder" solution in El Salvador - in effect to back the army.
When Carter was president
demagogy against •LELC caused intense problems with dealing with these two areas, The appalling human rights record in both Central America and Argentina and Chile forced Carter into some marginal public distancing from these after the murder of the American nuns in Salvador American arms sales were suspended
1979 coup in El Salvador, engincered by the United States who gave the
young officers who carrica 1 out Workers movement to imposite on te
movement imposing moderale including democrats and the Christian Democrats as well as the armed forces- in the first Duarte junla.
Reagan and Haig have no such qualms; they give shivador while support minam a
Salvador "democratic" facade, Before the 1979 coup army was racked with corruption: when the tnen-president, General Romero, was overinrown, some thirty or so senior army officers
tral figure in the post-coup junta has defence minister Jose Guillermo Garcia. Garcia always had more real power than the president,
But the elections dealt a blow to any modcrate lacade for the new regime, with the
Central America.
May 1981 in Cuba
blockade, but they also are
concerned the
labour movement in Western Eurone to ble incursions Reagan into Cuba Its ob.
vious that Cuba Is nOt d
threat to world peace nor made it plain that the Thad to the United States
enough problems trying to build socialism and were
not keen on an expan-
sionist state.
But they do support the
struggles Central America and the in the
• El Salvador and the Southern cone
tian Democra
of that advent of the
bourgeoisie Brazill addition any
the FDR-FMLN
his human Soviet Unton
for example
El
green light to
the social
have come at a
maintain a
Argentina tight. ed feelings been
the March of the Fighting People Caribbean?
Yes, and not only there, in the whole Latin America But their concurrantee the rightn right these selfmost concerned about are determination They HO CUCH 0E11e and the destabilisation plans aimed at places like Nicaragua and their supPosa vade ultra right in How seriously do they
US in trouble in Latin America
startling successes of the fascist ARENA party and its leader, death-squad godfather Roberto D' Aubuisson. Garcia with the backing of the United States heavied D' Aubuisson
government which incudes one ChrisThey threatened D'Aubuisson with a military coup if he tried to make himself president
So the outcome is one where the faction ridden political leadership of the Salvadorean
mas created pontical chaos with contending leaderships struggling for power. In
pretence at a democratic facade This can only strengthen the hand of the left wing opposition Salvadorean soldiers train in US
Given this general disarray of US policy in Central America, the Malvinas crisis could not
worse time for the States. Argentina is crucial for maintaining the anti-communist alliance in the southern United States apene outbreak fithe con the period of fence sitting by reflected its desire to keep the alliance with
Already the State Department has had mix-
about the political struggle which has been going on inside the Argentinian armed forces, itself reflecting the economic difficulties which Argentina has been facing
As the world recession deepens, Argentinian industry has been particularly hi flood of American imports and with US capital making deeper inroads. Thus while the landed
JABAJO
BLOQUEOS
take an American attack on Cuba itself
Very seriously. In my talks officials they saw the Polish situation a being rather critical to the Cuban one. For example, the in or man n welcomed because if the Russians had ther they that Reagan would have taken this as move directly into Cuba. They saw the introduction marnal law as a lesser cvil
also temptation among some
for a
hope ol partial economic
they have played directl those who
Malvinas conflict.
draw from the Malvinas. very immediate and direct effect America United by the United States,
cone
therefore clear.
Latin Americanisation Salvador, troops is very real with a
BAND
I stress I was talking to lesser officials, this might not be the official Cuban "EW
What importance did they pur on solidarity from the British trade union movement against these threars?
Well, they thought it very LOOTERH that we threw our weight onto the scales to defend the right of self-determination of all these countries. The declaration reflects this and is basically what we achieved oligarchy have been doig very nicely from the Doom in cereal exports, the urban masses and industry have been facing a hard time
Confronted with industrial economic crisi: and mass popular opposition, there is a real
the generals to go solution, This would involve a partial political break with the United States, crecting tariff walls to protect industry with the neither in the economic nor political interests of the United States, but unfortunately for them
into the hands of "populist" strategy. A partial political break already exists with the United States backing Britain in the
The joint interests of world imperialism have triumphed over the United States rever, intre Organisation of American • special interests in Latin America. States, Alexander Haig was received with stony silence when he called on Argentina to with-
relations with most of the Latin American regimes have been damaged — not primarily because of moral inor ato-n with the US government, but because
governments, US backing for Britain makes life much more diffieult in the face
Te crisis of US-Argentinian relations has
Ine whole project, held in readiness using a joint Latin American force against the guerrillas Salvador is now a dead duck. In particular, the idea that Argentinian troops could he used is
The overall cffect of the Malvinas crisis is
Anti-US sentiments throughout the continent will be strengthened. Latin Americanisation the pe war in li
me us we nave to send its own
British imperialism has done the United States a very bad turn by sending the task force But the overheads of imperialist solidarity were
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
Famous Names
boss tries to put
one over
By Joseph Reddick, deputy shop steward
COTTENE
THE FAMOUS NAMES confectionary factory in Greenbank, queurs and famous to their employees for their low wages.
The 350 strong workforce has been on strike since 16 April after rejecting on GUTTEROUS DCISIONS the company's offer of five per cent.
The latest development of the strike is that the company have tried
disrupt down the solidarity. of the strikers by sending without the knowledge secret ballots
stewards or the
The ballots are based on false promises and completely information and the accompanyng personally signed by one of the five directors running company.
M Wilmot.
Our immediate reaction TRAS COll emergency mass
on 10 May of the workforce to give By Toni Gorton
plant in Shipley West Yorkshire against enforc-
jobs in the British-based multi-national company Metal Box.
The unions had agreed to 27 voluntary redundancies among the manual workers but over the May Dav weekend the company posted notices of redun-
dancy to 40 fitters
According to Richard Lee, the works convenor
EISO
secretary the list, "just by
has three shop stewards on it. One whom
they've tried to sack four
The company says it
selected people, Richard
said ironically, the basis of proven ability and skills.
*The company has
been threatening the any redundancy pay. The
any redundancy Dav.
funny thing is that the
workforce don't seem to
give a damn.
tion indefinite.
company isn't backing
down and were not.
ENCE SILE TACLON
in the Metal Box chain that
hasn't been affected. 9000
jobs have been lost in the
last two years.
They're taking investRichard. "They've gone to abroad, said
HITICE
Socialist Challenge 13,May. 1982 Rage.14
GWU No 3/245 on behalf of Famous Names strike
Bristol is famous for their li-
them facts concerning the letters and what they were actually on strike for.
The members wère also able to put across their points of view.
A motion was then put to the workforce to continue the SITINC which was accepted overwhelmingly.
Many members of the workforce appeared on the picketline and BUTCO ballot sheets in disgust.
We are building
labour movement both in bristol and southport where our sister factory came out on strike week arter as InTon sup port also rejecting their pay offer,
Up to now solidarity in the form of finance and motions of support and delegations been coming in. We call on our comrades in the
350 sit-in
at Metal Box
350 ENGINEERING workers are sitting-in their
ed redundancies. This is the first real fight over
they're paying black workers ten per cent above starvation level. They closed down Namibia DELEESE COt political pro blems and have gone to Chile.
Been held to is ner At the same time th
workfor n the UF has
CCT. the chairman Metal Box, Dennis Allport, gave himselt a 97 per cent rise.
from E34,000 to E67,000.
He said it was Justifica because he hadn't had an increase in two years!"
Lee told Socialist Challenge that
coming in from the loca
labour movement Bob Cryer, Keighley
well number Labour councillors.
The other thing is tha
West
COLASHLE LOULL Council has shares Metal Box so we'll be lob-
byıng shareholders
meeine in also be sending
coaches down to the head office in Reading on 21 is on the back ine
Profits on the back
apartheid.
Frank Gorton,
AUEW shop steward at
Metal Box in Hackney,
On the picket line at Famous Names labour movement to continue with Unis tremendous support.
Piease CORETON ana renters or supporto por bara Farthing. 25 Dunster
B54 commented on the sit-ir
*The most significant thing is that not only
ed compulsory redundan-
making three engineering shop stewards redundant they attack the whole combine.
'That the strike has been made official is ALEW
thing. members must demand quick and effective sup port union to win this dispute.
In recent occupanons like Laurence Scoll and Staffa time proved to be OnE SCORE 003363.
The CO THO response by the Shipley engineers deserves the support of all trade unionists and members of the Labour Party.
*I would hope that all Metal Box trade unionists will their RELENTES employment also stake and give all suppor to ensure a speedy victory
I'll certainly work explain me issacs ana wu support in London and urge all Socialist Challenge readers to do the same in their areas.
ficial collection sheets contac the Joint Shop Create co Mack
easurer, Westcliffe
Yorkshire. Tel 0272 590520.
News.
TGWU
ON By Dominic Johnson, NUPE convenor, Churchill Hospital, Oxford (in a personal capacity) THE HEALTHWORKERS' reached a critical stage.
The publi union, NUPE ballot showed an unprecedented 200-1 majority in favour of action for the 12 per cent
Members of COHSE have already been taking sclective action weeks, and this week they will be joined by NUPE NALGO and other healt service unions.
The executive of all the
now have a clea mandate to step up the fight and co-ordinate united struggie -OL all health workers.
Nevertheless major problems exist. In particular there is no clear national locus strategy coming from the unions leaderships. The members are being told to reduce the health service to accident and emergency (A&E) service only - but how to implement this is being left to the workers to decide on a
By Pat Hickey
as expected, in a right wing
pected.
In 1978 Terry Duffy
Bob Wright ty 40,000
40,000 votes in the second round, and in 1980 won an ab solute majority in the first
round which was undoubtedly the worst defcat ever for the lelt.
Laird's majority of
1,062 indicates the beginn
ing of a shift to the left at
the base of the union. Th right wing course pursued
Boyd and Duffy has militants
R DE pay struggle has now Angered by the miserly offers ranging from 4 to 6.4 per cent workers in all the major unions have now voted overwhelmingly to
hospital to hospital basis.
It is a recipe for partial sectional actions which do not involve the entire
rapidly prove ineffective and demoralising. In pracrichieve an ARE service 18 tice the only for STING leaving essential cover under workers' control.
But this is not being spelled out by the union leaders. Moreover under conditions
strike indefinitely if they know that the rest of the workforce coming out as well with the movement supporting then conditions can only achieved union executives adopt a clear timetable leading to all out action as soon as possible. Unfortunately such strategy theoming. further THE AUEW elections for a replacement for retiring General Secretary John Boyd resulted,
victory. Gavin Laird beat the Broad Left candidate Ken Brett but by a much narrower majority than ex-
and brought more and more of the shop floor into conflict with their union
A significant element in the move to the left has been the campaigns run by the Laurence Scott strike committee.
Laurence Scott showed how an activist campaign could be run throughout the union. And i showed contrary to the pessimism of many in the Broad Left, that there were important
Health workers - critical stage
ominous development has been tae can for aronta tion by the TUC health services committee.
So far the
rejected serious action gets underway they might reconsider
order to defuse the struggle.
Arbitration means abandoning the claim for CHOLIC cent maximum.
One day strike called for 19 May THE TUC Health Ser vicAs Committee is calling for national one day strike for Wednesday 19 May Sana two hour stoppages every Thursday after that.
Health workers, thousands of whom earn less than L60 cannot afford less than 12 per cent, so it
that the union negonators are forced to drop this call.
AUEW elections - opportunity missed
forces at the base of the union that can be mobilised for a fight given the correct lead.
From that point of view the campaign that the Broad Left ran was an op portunity missed. Brett's
profile affair, focussed on ine песа o *adjust the balance on the National Committee.
Ken Brett's response to Laird's narrow victory was
While there is no doubt that there are grounds for suspecting TESTS. given the way in which the count is handice (Bovd appointees handled it and there were no independent
Widespread rank and file opposition in NUPE has now causcd Alan resner to reuder mis carget support for arbitration.
The TUC health services committee must now fall into line and make it Clear that nothing less than 12 percent will do!
Because of these defi ciencies at national level. a strong rank and file leadership formed rooted in the mass strug gles at local level, and capable of organising sul-
ficient pressure for all out namonal action
The first steps towards this have seen the emerg
Healthworkers for the Full Claim with innuence in regions of the country.
this NOPE executive on 6 May lobbied both and the health ser vices committee on 10 May demanding national action
For further information anc or copies i of its bulletir com 0842-877 296 Lunts. Athertor Johnson. Oxford 0805-47624 scruncers) aegar achon would be totally wrong.
Bringing the bosses courts into union affairs is always a threat to the in
and this is even more the case at the moment with the Tones attempting to attack the union move ment through the courts
How can the left argue for the courts to be kep them nd / themselves use them? using the CONTES TO TUSCIVE DIES WEL ter takes the Broad Left away from the real issue
members to build a mass retorm current based the struggle against the Tories.
Page 15 scan of this page
Bradford 12 trial gets
By Stuart Sleath KIGASS BOSS, policeman accept a sweet from one of the pickets outside his factory in Leamington Spa and complained that the police were not being impartial.
The dispute over union recognition and pay rates is now in its hilth week and the demands of the strikers TOOK closer LO DEIN met. Wardman sent a letter to cach striker trying to rerule many or ten claims
working conditions and health and sateiy ar-
le also threatened tha if the strike goes on much longer there will be *no Jobs o relurn to
he season to make the strike official has be endorsed by the AUEW
executive mittee and strike pay will he available soon.
Coventry West AUEW District Committee has passed a motion to ON 4 MAY the prosecuting counsel, Paul Ken-
year's youth uprisings.
clude one person now has five black jurors.
When the chants of the Bradford 12 campaigners protesting outside was heard inside the courtroom, he told not to he deflected by the
such protests and added Chat defendents from ASIA has nothing to do with whether they are guilty or innocent'
Kennedy gave the proof how four defendents were arrested in Bradford city centre on the night of 11 July singi, Sabil Hussain sura, Ali, Giovanni
They were all charged with public order offences. alleges that Tarig Ali had
arranged a meeting on 1! July at wach a was agreco
to make petrol bombs for
people and
property. The arrest of the
leading conspirators had
prevented the plot being
carried out.
The remaining eight
were arrested as invesuga
tions proceeded after the
discoverv of bomas, lound
hidden in the undergrowth
around St suke's
Hospital.
By end of last
week, five police witnesses
had appeared for the pro-
secution and been cross-
examined. These were the
officers who had made the
arrests on the 1ith and
Chief Inspector Ellis, who
been charge of
operations that day.
One of the officers, PC
Manning served 15 years in
the Rhodesian police force
betore comine 1o Britain
in February 1981 and join-
ing the Bradford force.
Kigass boss accuses police
Arthur Wardman, saw a
introduce a 5p per week levY on its members. This will add another E10 per week to the strike pay.
EIS0 organised a demonstration in support of the strikers through the streets Leamington on Saturday 15 May
PERPHINe REINE PITO KOON Gardens 10.30am with a mess picke at 2 hen. Leamington and Parved by eminener
CONSUMERC Labour
Trades Council and many
focal shes pervard
every Saturday ar 5.30am ar
the Warwick factory and 7am
underway
nedy, finally opened the crown's case against the Bradford 12, Asian youths who are charged with conspiring to make explosives during last
Kennedy addressed a jury that doesn't infrom Bradford although it
All these witnesses say
part of a crowd of youths who had gathered in the ci
centre and shouted things such *kill the
bastards' at the police and "we're gonna have a riot.
However, Mr Reece,
counsel Covann
Singh and Saeed Amin, Eits to admit that kill the Inspector bastards* was not taken up as a chant.
Also, while PC Irvine
and ESPECIOE Ellis both
said in court they
heard a chant of gonna riot this
doesn't el appear it lemen
only statement
(dictated on August
from memory) and PC
vine mcluded it or th
first time in his second
SLALCEICIE 14
August.
All the police officers Tarig
aeny naving knowi
and Tarlochan Cata-
Aura before their arrest
despite the fact that both
were prominent in cam-
Sue as those on
behalf of Anwar Ditta and
George Lindo. They also
any fears within the Asian
that weekend by racists and
DE ELOCAS lascists. Yet the evidence
to support the contention
that such fears
widespread and justified is
overwhelming.
A bulletin produced by headed self defe some of defence campaign
the attacks that occurred
in Bradford last summer
and autumn.
Among the incidents in
1881:
10 July: Asian man stabbed
and robbed. Another Asian
Kigass strikers say what they think of scab
Asian home gutted Shite men charged and releas
14 July: Asian sch00 Dow 21
with a petrol bomb. Only two
with and assault
orthcoming campaign
include a women's
picket and on zo may a Dicke for campaign groups bas-
News
By Paul Hutchinson in Leeds Mass pickets are being organised for 14,19 and 26 May
Led in the black communiVaughan. member of Leeds Trades Council executive told Socialist Challenge: 'Leeds Trades Council are all trade urge trade unionists to support the campaign and in particular the trade mass picket on 19 May.
Finally the dependants are not receiving any sup-
plementary benefits, please send donations to the campaign to help out.
Make to: Bradford 12 Defence Fana Send messages of support and
Pa Say
ional Mobilising Committe
to Justice Beaumont and
Leeds Crown Court, No 2, Town Hall, Leeds.
Kigass workers in SC 243.
very few of us have been on strike.
management without the WINCES to at least 35p
ty.
that they could double the rate.
Hosiery Mills Will
N SHORNE Mansfield and march to Trafalgar Square
tion Organisation New Racism: Anwar Ditta:
chlight. one of our Sellers' Suhscriptions.
€5.50 for six months.
deliver it to you each week.
Challenge 1 want a 1 year/6 month sub* I enciose E9.50/E5.50"
Name
Name of Seller
Town
*Delete as necessary.
Letter
A lot the same
as Kigass women
I'M A MEMBER of the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear workers and many of my co-workers saw several similarities between our situation and your report on the
Like the Kigass women we also are very low paid. Our take home pay ranges from 224 to f43 for a 40 hour week and like the women
But this does not mean that women do not fight back even when they are in a union like the NUKW which gives us no leadership.
This was illustrated last week when the button sewers demanded a higher piece rate for new work than that imposed by the
consent of the
The union gave no support to the women and on their own initiative they completely blacked the work from going or leaving any sections of the shopfloor and retused all negotiations with the management until the rate had been increased from 23p per dozen
Because the union still refused to back the women and organise them they only got 32p.
To us. this struggle shows several things: that women will fight not just the bosses but also the union bureaucracy, and that the bosses didn't just give in because of generosi
The bosses make such enormous profits
Had the women's militant action been allowed to spread around it would have brought the fac cine 101211201810100 2 024101
You can be sure that women in Mansfield
the against the bosses like the Kigass workers!
National UK Palestine Solidarity Rally Saturday 15 May Assemble Hyde Park, Speakers Corner at 12.30
Organised by the London office of the Palestine Libera
Transport from Birmingham leaves from Sparkhill.
Aston University and Birmingham University at 9.30am.
...
The Maurice Ladmer Memorial Meeting
Racism today - what it is and how to fight it Speakers include: Martin Barker, author of The
Pau Gilroy: A Sivanandan; and Veronica Werr. Sear-
Friends Meeting House, opposite Euston
Euston Rd, Landon NWT Saturday 15 May, 2 to 5pm
SELLERS'
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Do you regulariy buy your Socialist Challenge from one of our sellers? If you do why not take out
Because we don't have to pay postage we are able to offer subscriptions at a lower rate — f9.50 for a year or
All you have to do is to complete the form below and return it with the money to SCD. PO Box 50, London NI and your seller will then
I wish to take out a SELLER'S SUB to Socialist
Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982 page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Horwich loco works: the war at home
By Hazel McPherson
courage progress on other ways of speeding up and intensifying railworkers jobs Tram attempt to give the sense which it does not posses, and objectivity McCarthy has laid stress saleguards supposedly designed to deal with the traindrivers tears
ruling in favour ENGE 1 government, McCarthy pretends be TRENTE concessions to the drivers.
• The majority turns should not be above eight hours and not more than 20 per cent should be
fact 20 per cent of turns above eight CHILL hours would adequately neer management's needs BECOME ON and lay the basis for worse to come. • There should be no in-
in the number of off. between midnighr Sam. In fact the real pro-
Sam because HAVE LO ONE HOME GEST or 3am in the morning to go to work for a Sam start.
safeguard will not deal with the problem of unsocial hours. • Rostered rest days will be guaranteed. Anyone in
WOLE not see the guaranteeing of a rest day as a concession, but more of a right.
SUBSCRIBE TO
SOCIALIST
CHALLENGE
SPECIAL OFFER
With each 12
Socialist Challenge we are offering a free copy
of Nicarague: The Sandinist Revolution by Henri
Weber (normal price E2.95) or Autobiography of
Malcolm X
Subscrintion rater:
Inland: 12 month £14.00; 6 month 17.00; 10 issues
£2.00
Overseas: 12 months
Surface & Europe E17.00. Air Mail E24.00
(Delete as appropriate)
Name
4001C55
SPECIAL OFFER
Please send me ......
For multi-reader instations double the above rutes
Send to Socialist Challenge. PO Box 50, London N
storeo as a nowaganar with the Pass Ce-s -dousnao py Cardinal Enterprises. PO Box 50, London Ni Printed By East End Offset (TUl Ltd. London E2.
Socialist
Challenge
MCCARTHY'S
CON TRICK
THE LONG awaited Tribunal ruling on flexible rostering has finally been published. Decision number T7, as it will be known, rules firmly in favour of flexible rostering. It goes on to en-
• There should be по NETHERE POTOTED HELE average eurnieve level LEVENS. However. the
nings will inevitably fall.
Drivers longers hours for po extra pay. And that is the point
McCarthy pretends to offer a sweetener by proposing that flexible rosterbe negotiated at local level with a review after 6 months: no agree. ment is reached, that item will deferred. precisely the NUR LEGI already have. In fact most of the so-called safeguards are already writen into the NUR agreement under the heading of 'guidelines'.
If LITE traindrivers ASLEF. accepts these proposals, members will be in the SOME GUDOUS DOORs NUR members.
Many guards took the opportunity ortne arivers one day actions to express their OCCLIOT INC NUR's deal.
This aspect of the rulmy proviacs a tace-save the NUR leadership.
But we should take note quarter cither. Last week BECCULA Board to discuss extra payment for those affected by month inland subscription to
flexible rostering the NUR was that because actual savings on. ly amounted to 5p per day per guard, payments and
rewards were in doubt. What price
aleguards inen:
understand that the Board and COVERICaL Have & long term plan for the railway industry which JOVES the loss of 40.000 jobs by 1983. And as the Daily
Friday, That means tak-
and defeating ASLEF
Finally, McCarthy gets down to the nitty-tritty with the problem of manning. The Board wants flexible rostering firstly order to get more work for less pay. scoondly to las the ground for drastic cuts in L41513 gal Hours and ONCE doublemanned. Under the new proposals this
apply till nine hours and over. The result will be
in traindrivers assistants jobs.
ASLEF General Secretary Ray Buckton's response so far to the decision has been weakened. He has concentrated onl
conference next week the membership
SAKE part in any such negotia-
All railworkers must understand that decision 77 is an Tribunal to pull wool over
eyes. It offers nothing and comes downt firmly on the side of the Board and the Tories. meeting on 6 May. threatened closure of the loco works.
Dennis Green and two local MPs.
Dennis Green explained that the I CaLCELE closure would increase the town's unemployment halt. He promised that the stewards' committee would accept no
He argued that the workforce should not sell their obs for they ar
school And pointed out that the town had been built around the works 100 years ago, and the works the town's main employer.
During the previons two clays, committee meetings of the National Union of Railwaymen and the Confed BR Engineers
Railway engineering this e/sewhere.
TWO THOUSAND workers at Horwich BR Engineering in Lancashire attended a mass
called to oppose the The meeting was addressed by deputy convenor
had taken place. The Confed had passed a resolu-
tion if BR proposals on closures and redundancies withdrawn. They also called upon the labour
vestment BR. the
bankbone of theme
system NUR had passed a similar resolution.
At the 6 May meeting Dennis Green demanded explain closure decision. He stated that the problem is years under-investment: the industry needs investment rainer man cutbacks and redundancies. The fight is
workers
for all rail-relate dustry, he warned. For the planned closure is part of an overall plan, not just to cut 6,000 jobs but to close 3,000 miles of track and to introduce one-person
This could 15-20,000 redundancies in the next four years In 1962. there were 30 main ·.000. Poday employing 75,000 there are 12 cmploying 35,000
Dennis Green pointed out tnat BR's overall plan will reduce the number of main workshops to four or
skilling of the workforce and privatisation of the industry. Horwich works has had 4.5 million
years, and is thus a prime target for Also, BR have not kept to the spirit of the 39-hour week; 40 WOTA IS done in 39 hours.
FORGET
THE
JUNTA
SAVE THE
SHUNTER
demonstrating in Swindon last Friday wholesale attempt at job destruction are hundreds of young apprentices who will not find jobs
Management believe they can get away with their plans, he said, by using high unemployment to undermine a fight-back.
The efted on the public of BR's proposal: will be noticeable. Not only will the services be the rolling ECELECO SALT stock will he older and less comfortable: Two-thirds of diesel and electrica multiple units are 20 to 30 cas be ana mare arcady outlived their service life.
What the public have to face, concluded Dennis Green, is not just lack of COOLL USACES
Meanwhile, elsewhere. the closure of the Shilden works will have the same effect on unemployment arca. It, together with the Consett steel closure. tinue the destruction of
7 May Involved in that area's industry. STORES unemployment would rise to 30 percent. Ine worktorce there is s committed to fight closure as the Horwich workforce.
Labour Party deputy leader Denis Healey publicly pledged the ty's support for the Hor
wich workers.
Roger Stott has moved a parliamentary resolution which has been signed by over 80 MPs and anothe 120 are expected to sign.
The workforce their leaders are determined to fight closure and
Dennis Green promised: "We'll g all the way. We're in lOt fight. We've got to. Wel eithe get the jackpot or the bood prize. no way we'li get the booby prize.
← Socialist Challenge No. 244, 6 May 1982Socialist Challenge No. 246, 21 May 1982 →