Socialist Challenge No. 263, 2 October 1982
The scan: sc-no263.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge expulsions
must go on
No. 263 2 October 1982
NO
25p Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
trade wing
unity' left.
The
compliant will
the
fight
On Monday 27 September the
union leaders. the right MPs and the so-called moderate left, united to impose a register on the Labour Party. Calling for unifying the Labour Party they made their first condition of
the right to expel the
Labour leaders want a united party, or more correctly a
obediant party, that reverse the decisions unilateralism, nationalisation, the EEC, re-selection and the election
of the party leader. They know that they can only do this by a purge of the left who fought for and won the party policies.
The right needs a mandate to drive the opposition out of the Labour Party and register as its right to do that. If they succeed the
LADOU will go down to yet ignimous electoral defeat and the Tories will get their mandate to MEKO even more attacks on the working class.
HE
CONOTOMISE
to these
S08S the left winger is expelled.
Meanwhile Party
another trade unions
ferocious right. Furthermore
Labour Parties
against the
witch-hunt
Conference of delegates from CLPs, branches, LP branches, women's sections 30 October Country Hall, London
This is why the socialists and militants inside the party cannot sing
with the register.
Every attempt by the right to expel has to be resisted. The constituency parties have got to make sure that not one single solitary
La massive campaign has got to start inside the
that SUOU grows amongst the rank and file against the expulsion drive of the
campaign has to be built inside the unions that a fight back can start now.
unions, LPYS
Contact: Labour Parties
against the witch-hunt
107 Nevill Rd, London N16.
that can start the process of rever-
this year's Trade unionists need a Labour Government that will fight for their interests. They can only get that by fighting the register.
The Conference called by the Hackney North and Stoke Newington Labour Party against the register, has increased in impor tance following Monday's vote Make sure that your Labour Party and trade union is represented so
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Millions take action
MILLIONS of trade unionists responded to the TUC's 'day of action' last Wednesday. In so dong. they flagrantly defied the government's anti-union laws whose centre-piece is a ban on solidarity action.
Britain worked normally. bosses leaders claimed that it was simply an action of those in the public sector and nationalised industries. But these claims were only face-saving lies. been struck a body blow.
In reality, there was a
response to the TUC's actual call for a stonnage of one hour on more. It was not a call for # 24 hour genera strike. despite the campaigning effort of Socialist Challenge. Three quarters of a million took action in scotland alone and 400,000 in Wales.
And than 2m workers struck Tor Lne day
Over 300,000 took to the streets in a half dozen major cities. This included 120,00 in London, 100,000 in various Scottish cities, 25,000 In Liverpool and 30,000 in Sheffield. In addition WELC demonstrations in nearly
There WYaS even 300 strong demonstration Shetland.
The claim that private industry failed to respond is a total concoction. To be sure, me charderer or bec response varied depending
ESCI lead T1S CIE general, the further North, the more solid the action. Moreover, What the 9.30pm Tuesday 21 September
ALL NIGHT pickets begin well Ealing. Nurses high spirits
desprethe cold helped by
generous donations brandy and gin by sympathetic passers by. Police
ask them to leaven to
them unanimously passed bu unfortunately the police choose SUNG democratic wishes of the people and stay.
7.30 Wednesday September
The 'great' Day finally
enickerine are starting to swell with
from sue local trades
Local rade Council and Labour Party. Hopping from St Bernards (where I work) to Ealing it is clear that local
HOW 'infamous' Ealing Nurses.
Solidarity within Ealing Hospital is impressive with almost total support
nurses. porters, technical staff and ali maintenance craft felectri cians, engineers, plumbers). Al St Bernards support is far more erratic although nearly all the worktorce is involved It varies from 2 hours to all day.
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982
Tory ministers declared that 90 per cent of
More astutely.
The government has
Engineering Employers Federation failed to men-
they claimed that only 100 Tirms had been that large sections of the engineering industry were on a weeks holiday. strongly affected the West
and parts Yorkshire.
Nonetheless, engineering was badly hit Scotland and Wales. Fords Bridgend was closed for the day. In Sheffield, 25,000
WOENCES engineering and related industries took a whole days action. Included were most of the biggest employers. Apart River Don steelmaking, hit were Twist Steel, Aurora,
Neills, Presto and Union Carbide There was an equally good response on Mersyside. Fords Halewood was out for the day and Vauxhalls for a half day.
Manchester and Stockport were well featured as was the rest of
North West. In
A day in the life of a health
worker; 22 September 1982
By Eve Turner, TGWU Shop Steward, St Bernards Wing Ealing Hospital
Support Ten 2ng all ine time. Over nurses are now out at Ealing. The coaches have now arrived and excitement is
Thatcher a little song of imminent victory has been prepared by the nurse's shop sicwards. Joinca Dy the ambulance crews, out in force for the first time, they climb onto the coaches proudly brandishing the cardboard cheque for E100 presented to them by Southall NAT FHE — 30 of whom are COTER with them on the march.
Of those left behind the support from other workplaces is impressive; HOSE Office Engineers, building workers,
telephonists. social workers, ASTMS
Coca govern. ment workers, even the local paper had struck for the day to join our picket!!!
11.30am.
Demand growing for speakers to address mass meetings — DHSS Ealing and Southall Offices Fairey Electronics (Hayes) Heathrow Airport nurses needed for meetings involving a membership of 26,000 workers. After mild panic due to all the nursing stewards having gone
page 2
US
wonder the boos were loud and long.
Preston, not only did the 8,000 British Leyland workers strike but British Aerospace, GEC's and KOOKIE graphics contributed to a massive shut down. Most
WCTE closed the East Midlands.
To further asses the speakers are found.
1pm.
Off to Fairey
elec tronics to speak - still a
lines. Money is flooding ir from local unions and
ympathetic Ealine Studio from BBC £30 from local schools; E17 Southall Bus Garage plus E50 in donations from the public. NUT, loca GPO CPSA/SCPS members now arriving joined ed 1 hours in sup local factories out port.
Southall and Hanwell Bus Garage maintenance staff walk-out in support
demonstrate outside their Meeting at Faireys good nurses with me speak for the first time.
2.30pm.
Return to Ealing in time hear that demonstrations still leav-
Jubilee Gardens. Jubilant nurse returns from Heathrow having scored a major success Nothing moving Heathrow for 2 hours chaos from Iceland to Brazil! A fair number o domestics have now joined the picket line at Ealing. Many of them feel they should have been out all day. Local NUR branch doing a fine job on the
TICE
Frank Chapple, not the most popular man on the 22 September - he did not even vote for it/ No
DOSSeS CIR interesting to take just one area: that of the West London industrial belt. Private
was supposedly affected hardly at all London. Yet here the roll reador privatender bar reads: Magnetex, CAV's, Fairey (Hydraulic). EMI (records) EMI (Hayes), GEC-Osram,
icket line much to the
lismay of local polici EW.U.o
Eve Turner 5.30pm
Coaches start return, everyone contarated. hausted but General feeling that we must win with such fantastic support from other workers.
Overall everyone agrees that its been a great day, not just within the hospital itself but the impressive show of solidarity from other workers and the public who tooted their horns, gave us money and joined us on the pickets.
FOR
RKERS
Chiswick works, Acton works, Rolls Royce Motors, Crown Cork, Walter Kidde, BOC Wembley, PLC and Shell and BP tanker drivers. At Heathrow airport, 15,000 transport union and several thousand engineering union members took action.
In food, employing face workers -
DIner 918005 has been
percent offer.
One of the most important issues is rate protection. This means that a bloke won't have to take a cut. jured, ill, or just too old to
The other week we had a bloke working with us another four as got who He's His lung have gone because the dust has got to him. The Board have virtually killed this bloke, he can't have a night out, he can hardly breathe.
He can't afford come off the face, it's not only the loss of wage. he also stands to lose out he also stands to on his pension which is taken on his last two years
been paying the pension at a face workers rate for 40 years.
That's why we also need early retirement. A
COOKSON
GM
mainly Asian workers, there was also a big turnout in West London. They included: Walls, Lyons, Mothers Pride, Nestles and Callard and Bowser.
It is true, of course that the nationalised industries and the public sector responded more massively. Healthworkers
What we're
fighting for
AT IT'S last conference, the NUM voted to demand the minimum wage of E115 per week for sur
an increase of E27 per week, and flat-
called for next Monday to decide on the NUM's response to the coal-boards 8
and of October. MARK HUNTER, at Welbeck Colliery. Nottinghamshire, discusses the major issues in the NUM claim that have been ignored by the press and the kind of campaign that is needed in the pits
bloke like this hasn't go long to live. He should be able to retire on full pay, not have to carry on working on the coal face till he drops.
Early retirement would also create jobs for the youth in the villages, at the moment there's nothing for them. You see all the kids sat knocking about, if you're unemployed in a pit Village you STATIO chance
four-day week would not only make things a lot better for a create thousands of jobs for the unemployed kids.
paign the pits now, all that's coming in is from the garbage press.
There's a lot of confusion about what we're asking LUT
By Brian Grogan
near unanimous in taking a full days strike. Over 80 percent of miners were out all day. Docks were virtually completely closed Shipyards were badly affected.
response There from was a civil ser strong vants and local government workers (particularly from the DHSS). And the combination of the action of teachers and caretaking staff closed many schools, including over BET LAOSer London. Most hus workers took action, including many for the whole day.
It is true that Rail worked normally. But despite this being disputed by many militants, it was a result of an appeal by the health
WOrKCTS 1O get to the demonstrations.
Most symbolically revealing action of all was that of the print workers who, amongst other actons ensured no national newspapers appeared on the day. Last time, the Newspaper Proprietors Association had taken court action. This time, they dared do nothing.
What is clear is that given a strong lead, we could not only force a humiliating retreat by Thatcher on the health workers claim. We could bring this Mark Hunter
We need a big cam-
past eatens and on. Not
papers, but well. canteen We need more infor meetings as
mation We can't expect the members to back the union if they don't know what's going on.
We need to turn the list of priorities upside down. The WeEk, JObs and pit closures, carly retirement and rate protec ton - Inese should be at the top of the list. These
"YESSEC the Toron has to campaign
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UC DEMANDS STICE RHIS
KPRS reached Hyde Park
South Bank.
It was a march of
cleaners. hospitals marched brothers from Fleet St, telecommunications.
and the acting profession.
awe inspiring strength demonstration.
GM COOKSON
A great day!
COHSE
THE DAY OF ACTION WAS AN INSPIRING OCCASION. The health workers and their allies demonstrated in their hundreds of thousands all over Britain. In London the first marchers had
before last demonstrators had left the starting point at
militancy and anger against the Tories. It was also a march that made people happy because it was a great show of working class solidarity, when nurses,
porters and technicians from the with their sisters and
docks, post, teaching, engineering, transport
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE shows below the
and power of the
FLEET ST BRANCH A.U.E.W.
GM COOKSON
EALT OR NURSE
ITION SAP ANy IT ON
SVION OF ALL HEALTWORK
NURSIS NOT USI TOR JUDGIS
FICEOR NURSES
GM COOKSON
ACTION
FOR THE
NURSES
NOTJUST
FOR JUDGES
12% 129 TAL BALHAM NUORKERS
KERS/ OC
SERVICE
ALONE L SAPATHY MMI NHS
ALL HEAl THE BOoT CURSE THE NÜRSI PURS/*
DECEN Y WIcK JoR A STRAINED Впск
612% FOR
WORKERKI
FOR 1He TORIES
SCHER NURSS WEALTHY ES NURSE UNHEALTHY РАЗ-ІНЕ THE WAGES:
SIN IS DEATH THE NACES O Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982 page 3
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Civil war in the Party
LABOUR'S right wing have launched a civil war in the party. Both the NEC report on the Militant tendency APEX and the EEPTU, which calls for 'determination to uphold clause 2 of the constitution in respect of any within the party structures, and its declare that organisation in the constitution are membership of the Labour Party', were passed by over 5m to 2m votes. composite an mov-
composite for APEX, spelled out the right wings plan to defeat socialist policies. In
recalling Senator loseph McCarthy's finest hour, the ejection CUTL from our nest'. Militant, he said, are a different species' And why? "Because they do not believe in Parliament.
With these words, he gave the te to Michae Foot's claim that the witch-hunt is not directed against people's ideas.
*We demand that the editorial board and the paper sellers be removed and prospective parliamentary candidates directly contradicting par- said Grantham, ty secretary Jim Mortimer's claim. backed by Foot, that only the inner circle would go. Clause 2
After Grantham's speech and the ranting support from John Spellar EETPU and prospective candidate from Birmingham Northfield, few constituency delegates felt inclined to trust Michael Foot's assurances. 40 years in Parliament - all the way from Clause 4 to Clause 2 — and it was on Clause 2 that the right established the beachhead.
As Par Wall pointed out to applause, clause 4 seems to have faded from memory in Foot's defence of the constitution.
The confusion and bitterness created by Foot's futile attempts to defend a "middle ground' were
Martin Flannery MP which
By Carol Turner, Vauxhall CLP and POEU
hunt!'
Lambeth's public meeting.
witch-hunt. Differences are secondary.'
Speaking at the 20
September meeting against
the Witch-hunt sponsored
Norwood CAHOCTO
Central and Vauxhall
Labour Parties, Knight
described the witch-hunt
which followed the ban on
Socialist Outlook in the
50s: a picture of unnamed
ESCUSES. enquiries
without witnesses, and the
atmosphere of inquisition
which led to the expulsion
180 members of the
Norwood Labour Party.
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982
and composite 48 from
inconstitutional activity
'duty to conformity with
incompatible with
hall to its feet. Foot's summing up had less then half this standing, with even a few union delegates refusing to join,
Flannery denounced
hunt would stop at a few
real purpose with chilling clarity. 'We all know which way the vote will go,' he said. But it should be made clear that there is no unity in the party.
who press this witch-hunt are dividing the party in the face of the cnemv.'
Behind the witch-hunt, he said, lay an all-out attack on our policies...Next they will go on to attack unilateral disarmament, our position on the NEC, and before you know it they will be imposing the five per wage limit that lost us the last election.
Flannery was right. The party is committed to policies like unilateral disarmament which are based on gains made mass struggle: delegates' enthusiastic response to the Manchester 'Jobs not Bombs* marchers showed, these will not be given up casily. But the leadership scared stiff of coming to office on these policies They are prepared to risk the next election and the destruction of the rank and file to roll these policies back.
NEC Vote
The strength of rank and file opposition showed: in Pat Walls huge NEC vote of 103,000; the thousand strong audience at Labour Herald Monday night fringe meeting which 'THERE CAN be no compromise on the witchTed Knight summed up the mood at
'Once you allow it. he said, 'it will not stop at one group. There can be no question: we stand side by side with the comrades of Militant, and refuse to accept the
If any doubt lingered
among the 100 strong au-
dience, it was dispelled by
Jim Atkinson, Secretary
of the South West London
EETPU branch, who
events in
union. know what
WITH-BUTE and registra-
tion means, he said,
because those of us on the
left in the union have been
subject to them since 1961
when Chappell and the
right wing won control.
Since then we have fought
page 4
cheered to the echo Arthur Scargill, Norman Kitson Boateng, EETPU Broad Left candidate John Aitken, Ken Livingstone. Joan Maynard and Tony Benn.
But this response has
be organised Throughout the week support has been building for the conference and fr. inge meeting called by "Labour Parties against
itiated by Hackney North Labour Party. Speakers now include Joan Maynard, Martin Flan-
Phil Holt of the POEU Broad Left, John
and support broadening all the time.
But on the road to united fight against expulsions, a political probiem has to be overcome. When Martin Flannery told conTerence that the issue at stake was not confidence
Michael Foot, he left delegates confused - just as they felt disoriented and confused by the CLPD's majority emphasis on try ing to secure a 'fall back ammendment in favour of "a democratic register.
The source of this confusion is the belief, fostered by Tony Benn
Bishop Stortford, SUCC that socialist policies can be defended and a Labour victory without
ASSUITC challenging Foot's leadership of the Party.
Roy Hattersley spelt
out the right wing's con-
before conference. "It is all very well for the lion to lie down with the lamb, he said But it is no good if the lion cats the lamb, The problem is that Grantham and Hattersley are the lions and Foot invited us to be the lamb — to be lead to slaughter.
Only if the left defends both its policies and its rights, only if it treats each and every expulsion as a blow against the mass movement and a blow against a Labour victory
- regardless of the effects on Michael Foot's standing - will we be able to win
an unremitting battle. The
action by Fleet Street elec-
tricians during the health
workers dispute has done a
grcal dea to redeem the
name of the electricians
union.
*If you get too much
democracy, you can't con-
trol your membership, he
said. The same *treacherous
philosophy
what's happening today in
the Labour Party. That
was wny ne was proud
he'd moved the EETPU
motion against the register
at his Battersea GC
Resistance to the
witch-hunt is part of the
fight to kick out the
Tories. *What are our
Labour icaders doing
about this Tory govern-
eace
jobs
Labour delegates
- Lambeth witch-hunt meeting
ment?' asked Militant sup porter Teresa Wrack. •Conspiring to kick out the left! The witch-hunt against Militant and against the left in general plays into the hands of the Tory government. MP Jo Richardson concurred: "The right has whipped up hysteria small group of people, she said Why are they doing it? To fudge the policy issues ... Some of the right have decided that Militant will be the issue at this year's conterence. The press and the Tory Party must be delighted it takes all eyes away from the evils of Thatcherism!*
Joan Maynard MP struck the same clear note:
Peace
Jobe
Jim Mortimer making witch-hunt speech for NEC. *There are some people in our movement, she said, 'who one socialism. Those other is socialism. same people want to expel Militant and introduce the register." She explained why *I'm in favour of extra-parliamentary activi-
and industrial action The truth Is that every single right that you and I have, has first been won outside parliament.
MPs are only as strong as the movement outside. The Tory Party understands the need to weaken trade unionism with unemployment. The Labour Party was becoming a campaigning party on LICISIOV
By Alan Freeman, Blackpoo
Peace
ment - that's been stop-
and it must be brought back
The need to resist the tactics of the right in order
build the campaign against Ene tones broug
the audience of Labour Party members and trade unionists to this meeting. Contributions from the floor concentrated on how
build country-wide resistance to the imposition of a register.
Speakers pointed to the Hacknes
initiated con ference, called for 30 Oc delegates from CLIPs and tober and affiliated organisations. Local committees too were needed, so that CLPs
didn't find themselves isolated like Norwood in the 50s.
Vauxhall Trade Union Liaison Officer and NUR member, Gree Tucker showed the way to build support for the 30 October Conference 'We have -WEILLET trade union branches, he all affiliated
said, 'outlining Vauxhall's position, asking them to discuss it at their branches, and to support our stand What's needed is firm and united action against the register and against the witch-hunt by all CLPs tions affiliated organisa- and
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Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Phone 359 8180 (Newsdesk). 359 8371 (distribution)
Victory to the
health workers
ment stood up to be counted. In its over-
whelming majority it said 'we support
the health workers"
port that the idea of a free health service
enjoys among working people, and the
rising groundswell of anti-Toryism, the
Day of Action and the mass demonstra-
tions, spelt out a message loud and clear
- this is a struggle that can be won!
TUC for one hour of action in support of
the health workers.
million and half people went beyond the
call of the TUC and downed tools for the
day. The government faces the biggest
revolt from the labour movement since it
took office.
can roll back the defeats in steel, cars,
rail and other sections.
into action. The refusal of the cabinet to
budge. even after
that the TUC has to up suggestions of a series of 'rolling regional strikes' has fidence, the increased militancy, and the
justifiable anger of the health workers,
has to be turned into action that really
bites. This means
with emergency cover only.
This will show
health workers really do mean business.
It will make clear to their millions of sup-
porters in the labour movement that the
dispute can be brought to a speedy and
successful conclusion,
health workers' actions are backed by a
series of 24-hour
building up towards a generals strike.
The will health workers is among organised labour is Tory government would be forced to capitulate to such a force or it would, like the Heath government of 1974, be forced out of office.
Only the vacillations and compromises of the TUC leaders dispute. solidarity have to be turned into even more decisive action. gress House resolutions from branch calling for leading if need be to a general strike. The left, headed by Scargill must fight inside the TUC for such a policy.
A victory on this issue can turn the tide in favour of all the working class. The millions that can be mobilised to win the NHS dispute are the same millions that can fight Tebbit and take up the struggle against mass redundancies.
A defeat would set back the movement for a long time. When the stakes are as high as this we can only have one slogan: Victory to the health workers.
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM
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Last Wednesday the workers' move-
Drawing on the deeply ingrained supMillions responded to the call of the
Well over
Giant forces now exist that
But these forces have to be brought
Wednesday. means the stakes. Its
extended.
all-out strike action
the Tories that the
providing the
solidarity strikes
and the confidence of the there. The support there. The
can lose this Their 'militant' declarations of
That means Conmust be flooded with every trade union solidarity action, unemployment and
By Bob Pennington WE DO WASTE poured down the drain to pay social security. Billions are spent on caring for pensions the sick and the infirm. Working class children get a free education. hard earned money has to for nukes. No wonder Lord Vesty and his mates spend so much of their time working out how to dodge paying income tax.
But don't despair.
Review Staff (think tank) have been getting their heads together scheme which will stop all these abuses.
They reckon if we got rid of the NHS and replac ed it with a private health SACHECO DELS die prematurely, but would save the tax payer at least £4 billion a year. This seems sensible. rapid GICTEISO WOrKINS class would cut back the unemployment figures and save in social security payments.
Before we get there they say we should pay more for seeing the doctor and pay more money for
prescriptions This would money in government coffers and help to give those hard-done by doctors and CONSULUES lew
after all would you like to live on a miserly £20,000 a year? All this will cost the average family about £600 a year. Youth
At last the Tories at
ackline th of education. After al why spend billions and billions educating people who will probably livest So work in
So they have set a fee based on market rates. If you want to go to university for three years thz. Do, but it you cank will set you back raise the ante then they will lend you the deduct it out of your dole money when you leave the
By P Siddall
back by accepting the timetable cuts
day strike last June by traincrews. formula is that the
cutting hour.
Once in operation it will of course be impossi ble restore the timetable
recruiting several hundred
those needed to replace "natural wastage'
Within 24 hours the defeat became disar as IT implications of this announced the need for further drastic cuts in off
services closure of up to 13 stations by December. A jobs for
Save taxpayers'
money-die now
A LOT OF MONEY. Cash is
unemployed layabouts
Even worse tax payers' go towards payıng
The Central Political
and have now got a
Luckily some people will get to university. We will need people reliable people, 1 might add, to run business, the police, MEDE andary lop the civil service and nuclear weapons. So they are making 300,00 state scholarships available. The scholarship system will right boys and girls get into these jobs.
Academic qualification number one will be home background and cash. Inwill be way down the list. That's called restoring the old values.
So the lower orders don't get ideas above their entitled to be educated free of charge - after ruling class has to find the money to send its brats to Eton, Harrow and Rodean - the think tank suggests people Dus concanona. vouchers to send their kids to school. All this will cost is a miserly E600, which is nothing compared to the E1200 per term the upper class mams and dads have to fork out to send their offsprings to decent public school.
Unfortunately when it got to defence spending, the thinkers stopped thinking. Some suggested that the 050005 bought their own guns and ammunition. Others noted
LT tube cuts pushed through
Full time negotiations of the unions led by NUR Assistant General Secretary Andy Dodds, have stabbed London Transport workers in the
which day strike last sue by train reme
cuts are temporarily accepted until the NUR Special General Meeting in Birmingham on 13 and 14 October. This is a thoroughly cynical and threadbare cover for
58 trains every day during the rush
money deal has been stitchthe NUR negotiators LeXecutive committee with its CW TIMEL wing majority SOM which wil give it the put it to the rubber stamp The SGM will also vote on the LT management's pay offer of percent backdated to ADHE slude din this alises fuLUC railwo/men (platform) and leading railwo/man
ДДАДО
40000
DOOL
PRIVI
that credit controls had
tank crews could buy their
tne HP.
Finally, it was decided that the only way to raise the money for arms was to cut unemployment benifits, social tamily allowances and , pensions. benefits will only get a So in 1983
only get three percent rise which will mean a four percent cut in real terms.
The BILLES! cheer leader for the proposals is Geoffery Howe the monetarist chancellor who was infuriated when the Lione "wets" lined up to block discussing the pro posals. But he was not half as furious as his boss, Mrs Thatcher who was said to be quite beyond herself at the insubordination of the weTs
But she has nothing to (barriers).
For train crews the cuts will mean a massive increase in the distances they will have to travel before picking up ineir trains In the pre-dawn hours and after stabling them midnight. The wait to get rostered at the home depo will be at least doubled from the present average
motion from guard or suatorman will be extend- guard/motorman ed at a stroke to 3-4 vear. depending on seniority.
Budget
This. entire situation has been brought about by the Gie bidter which does not provide funds for enough staff to operate the full timetable The justification for the temporary timetable is thus to
worry The Think Tank says cxactly what the Tories want to do.
really likes the ideas. But not yet! He car hardiv tell the health workers they must accep his 7%s and 6 percent s order TO SAVC LEC and then come out in sup port ol the CPRS's pro posals to shut the whole thing down!
Prior, Whitelaw and company are trightened that man; Tory voters micht not like the der o forking out some E1500 a year per family for health and education. But what really worries the 'wets" is the thought of the conflict these proposals might unleash.
As one of the cabine remarked If these blood workers come out in sup port of the health worker's
tailor the number of staff available.
LT Shus Loss of cepted the 750 buses trom the roads In September. LT workers also took no action in support of the NHS workers last Wednesday and they all face further rounds of cuts. Through all this the GLC's ruling Labour group has stayed silent. Their latest survey shows 78 percent of the people of London in favour of Fares Fair - but what about a bit of support for those
are actually fighting now to prevent any further crosion of the service.?
What was. and still is needed, is joint union and Labour Party action to fight every cut and for a TESS Ve cash injection from government. To make the Fares Fair issue the only way to save the service is to give the im-
pay claim, Christ know what they will do if we tr and get rid of the NHS. hasse Tory tears col these true. The TUC and th CUE Labour Party should s right now that if these pr posals to turn the cloc back are ever draited, the last Wednesday's Day Action will be repeated o an even more massive sca until they are dropped.
What to do
What our reader: should be doing to win the health dispute: • Getting speaker: from the healt! workers to you union branch workplace, labou party, women's group etc. • Getting th above organisation: to collect a weekh levy and to sent regular deputation: to the hospita picket lines. • Building join labour movemen meetings in th localities to put th health workers case. • Organising loca demonstrations labour movemen organisations support of th health workers. • Selling Socialis Challenge at th meetings, demon strations and on th picket line.
that the Torit would allow Labour to g ed fares cutting policy ar that the tew extra millios this would could serve IF ISCI structural problems. solve
Activists
Activists face a ha fight to change a situatic in which the rank and fil especially NUR undemocratic unwilling, to take actic unless it is sanctioned t Head Office. Organisi to fight the next round
December start now. Workplace ar depot meetings should 1 held supported by branc bulletins. Especially portant will be mandatir London Region LP co umon delegates ference on the Manifes: on 13 and 14 Novembe Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
By Nigel Ward
Origins of Zionisg
One the main arguments ised by Zionists against their opponents is that any and all opposition to Zionism inspires and anti-Semitic o begin with, it is to deal with the idea Judaism is equivalent Zionism. an association allows Zionists to make this statement.
The equation is based on falsification of Jewish history. Zionists claim that the Jews were forcibly dispersed from Palestine at the time of the wars with the Romans and the fall of Jerusalem, and longed ever after for a return to Palestine.
The Zionist project for gathering of world Jewry in Palestine is - therefore seemingly response to this aspiration.
In the first place, it was not merely "acts of violence' that motivated the dispersion of the Jews. This dispersal began centuries before the Roman wars; before the Jerusalem, three quarters of the Jews
Theodor Herzl
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982
were istend Studie shown thai Palestir trading rout Jewish trader their position iewpoint. ecessary Up to tha
that Europe, the to commercial and usurious activity. that
The this underdeveloped
oniy
the in- existed the possibilities logical chants and middlemen.
Where then, fall Bloody aftermath of Zionist attack on King David Hotel - founder of Zionism
page 6
was The experience o was utilised to sec Europe 11th century in Western lews were noted for their
position that became threatened with has the development of carly capitalism. Israe In Eastern Europe, the Jews remained Euro as traders and middlemen, a situation which continued until the attempts of cast modern capitalism to impose itscif on GOVE
"The poverty of the Jews in Russia dates STEH И crises.
from the abolition of serfdom and of the feudal regime in rura. pro- society. perty. So long as the former and latter
Jews found wide for subsisting merJews
It was because the Jews were able to occupy a particular economic posttion that they retained, amongst other Zionism things, their religious particularism.
when did Zionism originate? We should begin with Eastern Europe at the time of the
with a clear econon tash
scapego ts for the violent
ks that rocking the
This led to massive emigration of
Central and Eastern five million went and the "new countries' they rapidly became ated. New York alone today ore Jews than the whole of But the emigration to Western 11326109810 ist the feudal society of the being ruined, the already sed capitalist economy of the
were assimilated into the fabric of western
Rather, the middle classes, motivated by the pressure on their position created by capitalist concen tration, were diverted into making the
scapegoats for the crisis capitalism.
This was the cauldron in which
was born the Russian pogroms of 1882 and the Dreyfus affair in France.
In fact, it was the latter event that stirred Theodor Herzi to write the
book The Jewish became the foundation stone of the Zionist movement. ideas of the early Zionists based on? We have already said that Marxists look for explanations of ideas in the development of socicty. So it is for the emergence of Zionism
The development was the bearer of phenomena: onisation of tinents. All Zionist political thought views of the time in relation to the persccution of the Jews in Europe, utilising the argument for an ingathering of Jews in Palestine therefore a product of its time
As Herzl said, (Palestine) form a portion of the rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilisation as opposed lo bar
clearer statement of the sort of reac tionary nationalist ideology that was prevalent in Western Europe at the time
This view of the development of Zionism is confirmed by the history of Judaism. Zionists often claim that Zionism and Judaism are compatible or even identical. Why then were the forerunners of Herzl, such as Sabbatai Zeli, violently
thodox Judaism?
can he that Zionism did not gain its
foothold until the social conditions
for its emergence were ripe
The crises of a rising capitalism in
Eastern Europe in the late 19th cen-
tury were matched in the first half of
the 20th century with the decline and
stagnation of the already advanced
capitalism in Western Europe and the
US. Whereas the former had produc
ed the first socialist revolution in
Russia, the latter was accompanied by
a wave or deicals
tionary movement.
fascism.
Once again, the Jews, Gypsies,
and other minorities
scapcgoats. A wave of anti-Semitism
swept Poland in the 1920s and Ger-
many in the 1930s and 1940s
Although it can
Zionism originated
Europe, it most certainly developed
and came to maturity with the spread
of fascism.
Zionist movement acquired for itself
a genuine mass social base. Emigra-
tion to Palestine increased enormous-
ly as this table shows:
State, that later
What were ine
of capitalism tWO political nationalism and COl underdeveloped con-
to interpret the dominant
Zionism was
*We should ther
• It would be hard to find a
attacked by orYear The only answer 1922 1931 1945 1946 for the revoluand the rise of
became
The be said that Eastern problem:
For the first time the
the area?
Zionist state,
No of Jews in Palestine 83,790 174,606 579,227 608.225 Zionism and Imperialism We can trace political Zionism back to the first congress held in Basle in 1897. But this new nationalist current was significantly different from the movements in Western Europe that were its forerunners and inspirers The Zionist movement was born in Europe with virtually no links with the Jews of Palestine. It wanted to colonise not simply for the economic and political benefits motivating the imperialist countries, but also in order, to create its own national state
Zionist movement was therefore presented with an obviou
do vOu obtain geographical area under the control of a great power WHICH YOU supporters are hundreds of miles from
Precisely because there was no
the traditional European method of acquiring colonies
Page 7 scan of this page
KON SY?
by armed occupation, wars, and gunboat diplomacy, were not available to the Zionists.
The only road open was to per-
trolling Palestine that the creation of a jewisa state wowd Delores davantage. So began the negotiations of the Zionist movement with the great DOWLES.
As one imperialist power blossomed forth, so the tonist movement would orientate towards it; with the emergence of a new power in the area, so the movement re-oriented.
Herzl's deputy, Max Nordau once proclaimed: Our aspirations point to Palestine as a compass points to the north. theretore we must orientatc ourselves towards those powers (Germany and turkey wact whose ihfuence Palestine happens to be*. Or returning against to Herzl himself: If His Majesty the Sultan were to give us Palestine we could regulate Turkey's finances neutral sate, we would remain in constant touch with all of Europe, which would guarantee our existence.
Thus the Zionists sought to gather
gaining ground
Jews.
people.
government saying:
fional and Zionist
for which the Entente stands.
undertake to
As A maintain control
project.
pickings from the disintegrating Ottoman empire. But the decline of Ortoman power, and the possibility of
exploiting inter-imperialist conflict of the First World War, demanded that they turn toward Britain. Seeking to utilise the
the British government issued the infamous Balfour declaration - a promise to favour the creation of a
the Jewish
Prior to this the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann had written to the
..in submitting our resolution we entrusted our na-
destiny to the Foreign Office and the Imperial War Cabinet in the hope that the problem would be considered in the light of imperialist interests and the principles
the decline of the British empire and its proven inability after the Arab Revolt of 1936-39 to
in Palestine, Zionists sought US support for their
The outcome of the reliance of the Zionists on imperialism for the crea-
tion and maintenance of the Israeli state was the ardently pro-imperialist policies of the Israch state from the time of the Korean war onwards.
The Establishment of Israel We have shown that the Zionist movement saw its task as colonising Palestine for 'civilisation' — read imperialism. However, would misguided to equate this colonisation with what happened for example in South Africa. The white colonists there were the frontier fighters of laissez-faire capitalism. They sought to exploit the local resources and population for immediate benetit.
Today we see the economic apartheid in South Africa - blacks forming the backbone of the manual working class whilst the whites fill the skilled and managerial levels.
The outlook of the Zionists was very different from this. The specific teature of Zionism distinguishes it from all other modern settler colonisation movements is that it wanted not simply the resources of
establishme national
own classe
Arabs not to socially and politically).
It is important not to forget the complicity of the Arab ruling classes downers, the Al-Husseinis, Auni Abdul Hadi, and others all sold land to
Zionists, who remembered, had regulations forbidding its re-sale to Arab
On the Hashemite kings Zionism. In 1922 King Faisal signed an agreement with cluding endorsemen Balfour stating: All necessary measures shall be taken to encourage, and stimulate immigration into Palestine on a large scale.
Finally, in 1948. Ben Gurion and Adbullah, King of Jordan, agreed to divide Palestine between themselves.
It is well kown what the result of Zionist colonisation there were 580,000 MESSINC land Arabs lost 40-50 percent of their land. Perhaps the clearest reflection of Zionist ideals is the infamous •Law of Return', promulgated in July 1950.
right to come and settle in Israel. The law of nationality years later confered Israeli nationality on any settier.
However, wno nad nica ine ngang ronowag organised massacres like that of Deir Yassin were to foreigners; naturalisation would be granted only after the applicant had sworn an oath of allegiance to the new state and the application had to be approved by the Minister of the Interior
The Israeli nationality revealing of another cornerstone of Zionist ideology deriving from the false
Zionism with Judaism. The Zionists believe that world Jewry constitute a nation which was scattered thousands
of years ago be but which basis. This preposterous notion can at best only make the concept of a nation or nationality meaningless
How can lews trom
countries, with completely different
economic SOCIE
political histories
single unit! And if they did constitute a nation, why is it that today, 34 years
after the foundation of the Zionist
state, the overwhelming majority of
Jews consciously
emigrate to Israel
ardently many of them defend the which policies of the Israeli state.
of a world population of about 16
million Jews reside today in Isract.
Palestine (which were not
tice of Zionis; tion of th arent?
cated LATELALIC kould create its malisei including land a working cla: The Arabs in every ere therefore be exploited but totally replaced Consequently the
central slogans of the of its Arab inhabit
ideology and soci Zionist colonisation process were: the core 'Conquest of the How
Land', Jewish Labour",
early Zio and "Buy Jewish"
In short, Israel was early Zio to be exclusively Jewish in situation il
istence of i every respect (economically,
Max Nordat mand, first rec istence of an
must Jewish Agency, colonisation political level the commented in collaborated with calier he had notation Weizmann, In-
declaration and an article
this country In 1948 was.
Arab refugees; confiscations
This states that every Jew has the
passed nearly two
the Palestinian Arabs
be treated as
law is fundamental
equation of
during "the Diaspora",
still retains its common
different
and ситита. be considered
chose matter how
It is estimated that 3%½ million out
mes at ideolog. i can Zionism has in of Arabs from discrimination 202178 aspect of life, and does not even officially recognise the existence of "Palestinians"
The rationaisation of the colonisation of Palestine at the expense
hts has created an which is racist to
Over, it would be wrong to simplistically project this OILE the
List movement. In fact, the ists were oblivious to the Palestine and even the exArab inhabitants. When Herzl's second in comed details on the exArao popumnon Palestine, he came shocked to Herlz, exclaiming: "I never realised this — we are committing an injustice
This original naivete quickly gave way to the pragmatic policies of the
the head of whose department, R Weitz, 1967 that 27 years made the following his diary: *Between ourselves it must be clear that there is no room for both peoples together in
We shall not achieve our goal of being an independent peo ple with the Arabs in this small country. The only solution is a Palestine at least Western Palestine (west of the Jordan River) without Arabs... And there is no other way than to transfer the Arabs from here to the neighbouring countries, to transfer all of them: Not one village, not one tribe, should be left.. Only after this transfer will the country be able to absorb the millions of our own brethren. There is no other way out.
Later speaking in the aftermath of the Six Day War (1967), he made this
.... the War of Independence (1948) broke out to ou great fortune. In this war, a two fol miracle occurred: territorial victory and the flight of the Arabs. In the Six Day War, there was one miracle: a
tremendous territorial victory. But the general popuation of the liberated territories remained "stuck' in their places, and this may destroy the very foundation of our state.
Land-holding in Palestine, 1948
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
Scottish CND discusses next step
ONE YEAR AGO the Labour Party conference rejected, posite 33 the removal of all American bases, 'early warning' systems and military vessels from British territory, and the termination of military links with America.
This year conference is again discussing withdrawal from NATO and the removal of American bases; the time of writing we do not know what we upsaot will be but there is pretty good chance that the vote will be similar, with most of the big unions casting block votes in support of NATO.
Do their member:
ROOTOVE ON even Unions totalling 6,000,000 members are allerated te
Disarmament and Cl policy is to oppose NATO CND, and Labour Party WOLVISS WICIRCINE Young Socialists, could do JELLICE disarmament great service by launching
debate the BRECHEE about NATO's role and its relation the nucicar deterrent.
Why does it matter?
Because scrap the missiles without leaving NATO. The •Western Alliance, which Inks America and Europe
military SCE!
Reagan and the Pentagon TONY SOUTHALL writes on Scottish CND's discussion about tactics. He is a member of Glasgow West CND committee and a delegate to its recent Annual General Meeting. He was prominent in CND's 'first wave' in the 1960s and together with Julian Atkinson wrote CND 1958-65: Lessons of the First Wave (available from Socialist Challenge, 50p).
The debate on whether CND should turn to nonviolent direct action came
CND's Annual General Mo/li Septembers place at the end of a year of mounting successes in Scotland.
30,000 people marched against Trident in Glasgow this Easter, In the Hillhead by-election there was more CND propaganda and campaigners than from the parties. Phoned ing the
showed per against Trident, cluding of Tories. Jenkins, who won was forced to shuffle off into shamefaced opposition to the new missiles.
The Strathclyde Region home of half Scotland's population, HOUSES the new base on the Clyde.
This has been a focus for the highly successful Scottish Campaign Against 'SCAT is holding a SETECT CND. week of action at the end of October, culminating in a mass picket in Glasgow There will be a Scottish convention against Trident in the New Year
Less people were involved in the 1982 Peace March Scotland. which
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982
Unions and CND
Out of NATO
By Alan Freeman
by 5,206,000 votes to 1.000.619 comcalling for withdrawal from NATO
an integral wace strategy Europe nuclear. They use the threat of nuclea war, as opposed to conventional plicitly as the main threat which will be held over Russia's head.
But the real function of this threat is not to stop soviet 'aggression" but to ensure that Russia Linucs to stand back from or try to derail, third world revolts in places like Cen tral America. It is part of the Pentagon's world strategy and American inLOLOBLS everywhere would therefore be weakened by any holes in the European nucicar umorena.
Britain, as the country
American policy, would spark off towards the denuclearisa tion of Western Europe if SUCCESS THEE CEOISS mament went through.
But it Is patently ob. vious. the moment you think about it, that cannot have nuclear European strategy if no European country is willweapons on its soill ciear allow went round the country for a couple of months, and the Peace Camp out-
the Faslane Polaris wase, our wese actons got important publicity.
Against this background the CND An-
General Meeting recorded movement uncertain about just going on as before, and impatient for a quicker alter-
The National Officers put a resolution expressing this. 'support for non-violent direct action as a campaiging tool while recognising that there is no obligation on any scouion or i lo back specific actions, and calling for every proposal to be judged in the light of the pressing need to build up and develop a broad-based campaign
This is not the first call for a commitment to direct action. Why are these pro posals coming up after two
To. apparent successful campaigning? First, the continuous
of the arms race. Activists have a real tear of this and are recen tive to any formula that
promises quick results
second, activists despai of conventional' methods in face of an ever more powerful military machine
page B
TITTEN nuclear disarmament is therefore completely contrary to American and they would fight it tooth and nail. But how would they fight? Well, NATO is one of the main weapons they wised use How can
Simply, WISC because NATO also pro
so-called 'British overseas interests'. NATO
special WATe understanding between Britain and America, con
SCOOTE World War, in which Britain was slowedte remain a world military power in exchange for acting America's junior partner.
Our of this role
have extracted major ad-
One the that capital can TCOSUNS flood out of Britain every
time a Labour government comes to office for example the fact that British *spheres protected by of fluence* Britain's world military role provide a bolthole for the money to flood to. The arms trade is major lynchpin of British
activity, and in fact Britain
WiLS tina's fourth largest military supplier before the South Allantic war!
But because Britain is getting weaker, IL nOW relics on American suphand in hand with Reagan Thatcher WORKED backed by state and media. Massive demonstrations, with twice the number we got Toger twenty years ago. seem to have no effect
I some of us want to caution against such resolutions it's not because we don't want to look for new ways to take the camDELET EOTWEED movement like CND would be on its way out if it didn't continually throw up the most diverse posals. If some of these arise from frustration we should still be glad that this is leading to proposals for action and not to people throwing in the towel.
it's spirit dialogue with fellow members.
the first wave of CND in
Stop the missiles
No
TRIDENT
Direct Action and Nuclear Disarmament
the carly sixties are worth recounting to highlight the problems,
The Direct Action Committee, pledged to pacifist organisation *non-violent resistance organised symbolic acLions to interfere WIEN military preparations: such as Holy Loch, May
1961, when demonstrators vainly tried to get onto the Polaris depot ship.
This kind of action has been and will continue to be the province of a small
number of committed ac
ivists who feel able amt willing to pursue this line of action On occasion
provide
they could be generalisco to become its main tactic.
And they can promote the
REVOLTION YOUTH
NO CRUISE
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE
Mass action is needed to defeat the nuclear threat illusion that DUL ponents are essentiall reasonable people who wil be moved to disarm by our self-sacrifice.
The Committee of 100 founded in 1960, pursued direct action of a different kind. It promoted mass sit downs that would, it was claimed, directly challenge the government's ability to carry on war preparations Three such events too place London February, April and September 1961. More than ten thousand were involved the last. Thousands were arrested This took up the energy of
campaigners throughout that year. held out the promise of a quike victory - but all we finished with was a pile of fines to pay!
Worse, it took us away from the fight to ensure the Labour Party, which had gone unilateralist against the opposition of
stuck to its new line.
Nobody has yet proposed a similar course of action in 1982. Direct ac tion resolutions to SCAT and CND are very vague. Not a single specitic pro Yet the very opening orele has been proposed road in this direction could threaten the basis of mass action and political I cam-
OUT campaign has grown ove the past three years.
Direct perspective for CND is inCOCOLES 1961's experience shows that it won't halt the war drive but it can easily demoralise the campaign. I believe it is also irrelevant to the main battle through which sal. to ensure the Labour Party sticks to its unlateralist despite the wishes of its present Icaders. Once again 1961 is full of warnings.
But, comes the objec tion: 'the state won't let us
we must take illegal action. Especially, we must hit war preparations through strike action. How do we answer?
SOW CaRDE can already record several vicLOVIES Hard Rock was cancelled. Reagan was forced to open the Geneva talks on theatre arms limitation - after refusing to for two years. The im
o support the dictators ir
the only European countr
lo send observers to the r there. In return, Reagan farcical backed up Thatcher in th South Atlantic. NATC and the special erica ship America for British big busines SAVESH and banking
The pro-NATO lobby in Britain is therefore a very powerful one and America could summon i into action Dv threatening to withdraw military and financial co-operation ir retaliation for unilateral disarmament.
"Destabilisation' from America would be ably assisted by the City, British multinationals and the Labour Icadership. Make no mistake, il the Labour Party is com mitted to defend NATO then all America need de to solit the l abour Parti down the middle is to deliver simple ultimatum: hang your
lans for nuclear disarm ment, or the postwar arrangements епсарsulated in NATO - ar off.
We shall be in the best
po preside we resine
pressure if we resolve hare and now to break with NATO here and now not to be blackmared o the Pentagon, and here and now to prepare a fight to the end against their friends in the City and the board rooms of Britain. That is why British trade union members should
sure, when leaders Blackpool, t back from
that they are asked What did you do about Blackpool? ATO pact our movement has made internationally responsible for both. • A campaign of in dustrial action will be defeated if it only appeals to workers directly involv
WAH preparations
There's no way they wil inrow un their lobs in the present recession. The Iesson of every real victory of our class is that we can-
t win in isolation. Wher UCS was saved in 1971 it was not hecause its WOTALL occupied the yards but because 80,000 others struck and poured onto the streets in their suppo Industrial action is needed to terminate war production it will have to involve every section o the union movement. It is on that basis that we have to make a priority of campaigning work every trade union. Then we can talk of direct action tha will really count!
The problem is that an orientation to the labour movement, which could prepare actions on a really massive scale as the health dispute has shown
has been downplayed and resisted by many of CND's leaders.
Socialist Challenge growth of CND has one of supporters see the massive
most importan
pol last pered. We are
Convinced at CAD reasserts a commitment to 511E5 campaigning prioritises an orientation to the labour movement, together we can win.
Page 9 scan of this page
Socialist newspapers in the firing line
By Redmond O'Neill 'WE HAVE WALKED', have walked, 60 miles, 60 miles, 60 miles'. This
*Jobs not Bombs' demonstrators for nuclear disarmament outside the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool. Along the route Blackpool, the marchers hospitals and schools. response.
While right-wing Labour Party leaders claim that socialist policies are the cause of Labour's problems, the Youth March brought home the Fact that the majority of people in this country are against nuclear re-
youth this majority is overwhelming.
They marched to the Labour Party conference
by the Labour Party and trade unions in 1983
In Blackpool the Labour Party NEC bent OVCT backwards associate themselves with the march which even the
not ignore press i
broke an hour early
Sun or to march a delega-
They may have expected starry-eyed young
dealists. but they were
young who'd learnt a lot over the statement spelt our hers statement spelt out kind of action necessary to make reality of the Labour Party paper committment to nulcear disarmament. This included opposition lo hunt in the Labour Party
because the marchers understood that the witchhunt is aimed at silencing people like themselves. Of
Socialist Challenge
FUND DRIVE '82
Youth march
confronts
Michael Foot
we have walked. we
was the proudchant of 150 youth marchersfor as they joined 3,000
from Manchester to
visited factories, They got a fantastic
course this was a little too much for the Labour Party NECI
But even so the staicment was circulated their meeting and members, a clear majority, signed those sea pawit did not with the
"delicate' questions of the register and withdrawal
from NATO
These 19 thereby committed themselves to
and strikes against Cruise and Trident missiles 1983.
They backed the youth
marchers call for scrapp-
ing all nuclear weapons to be LICTEECE Labour's manifesto.
And surprisingly perhaps they supported ihe marchers' opposition to any attempt to remove suicies from the Labour these Party.
So on Sunday Michael Foot representing the NEC before the TV
are expulsions supporters of unilateralism in
the Labour Party I will be the first Yet
Monday the NEC proposed a witch hunting register to the Labour Party con-
ference
This hypocrisy was not lost on the marchers. Nor we may none on
trade union
the Labour Party.
DONE CITOR
and after follow.
E8000 a year to say what he wants.
ror and a host of other papers.
tons or their supporters
ideas
conterence de eter unemployed 19 year old from
to Michael Fol: Phans
very well said, but can we trust you?' ine conclusion or Ene Butth mir morsles "No"! their is sky high despite Michac Foot's double-talk.
The march taught all of them that now the mass movement is driven into the Labour Party then the elt can De toreca to spean out and the treachery of the Michael Foots can be exposed.
I ne youth marchers won't waiting for anyone in their fight To change the LPYS and the Labour Party.
Their confidence
comes please ponte
people cone toe roule and the dozens and dozens of shop stewards commitELTS ches that made the march possible.
They will be reporting their conclusions back to the shop floor workers and who have sup ponca mem.
Their message will be "don't trust the left to fight on your behalf- only if we take our fight into the 620O1T Party standing with the mass struggles can make the left break from their the Michael Foots, Dennis Healeys and Frank Chap ples of the Labour Party and TUC!
Despile their sponsorship of the a Young the Labour Socialists National Committee were notable for their absence throughout.
THE PASSING of the 'register' by the Labour Party conference - courtesy of Michael Foot's right wing buddies in the
leaderships has put socialist newspapers in the firing line in
The witch-hunters always take aim at the most visible signs of socialist opposition to the right wing in the party. In the 1950s it was
- today it is the Militant, that other socialist papers will
The right wing always have ample access to the press to express their views. Dennis Healey is retained by Express newspapers at
Foot and his friends have easy access to the Daily Mir-
Socialists have no such luxury. They have to express themselves in their own papers. and finance them from the smail contribu-
Socialist newspapers don't just present
- they fight and organise for them.
outh
He works for McPhersons
Labour Confarance.
that a Labour government carries it out.
to come togathar."
Nigel(Preston)
The march went well. We got a big response, a lot of donations and lot sympathy. like the bombs. The two issues together.
Whilst the national leadership of Youth CND pulled out all stops TO HOCHISE forces tor SLEE
the LPYS leadership did nothing.
The lesson for the ma chers is that the LP must change, and only it it does change will it withstand the right-wing witchhunt and the youth march
way demonstrates exactly how
After the Labour Party conference the fight against the witch-hunt goes on and will
deepen. Socialist Challenge has been in the
forefront of organising the 30 October ference initiated by Hackney North CLP. The fight against the witch-hunt will be a long and
bitter one. More
Challenge needs your contributions to be at
the forefront of the fight.
Our thanks this week to:
Haringey
Bristol
Sheffield
Manchestar
Tower Hamlets
Southwark
Middlesborough
Oxford Hemel
Edinburgh Lambeth
Brian Marden (Chair of Bury and Radcliffe LPYS).
I've never been on a long march before. We've got to get an overwhelming majority for unilateralism at the
That's only the beginning of the job. Because we will have a hard fight to make sure
The next step is the demo against Tebbit on 16 October. We Need a 'Jobs not Bombs' contingent on that. This march has made it easior for the LPYS and YCND
Lee (Coventry YCND)
It's important to go to the Labour conference. there that the march can have its biggest impact. /ts
along the lines of what wa of are fighting for from the Tories or Liberals.* Mike and Andrew (Preston), and Gordon (Chorley). Mike: I'm on a youth scheme. That means I'm general dogs body. Its scum work. I don't like that and I don't
march is a good way to bring the
truly young socialist movement can be built.
That is as a tramcmis sion belt from the mass CREASE ACCE weapons, the rebellions of black youth and the fight against and low pay into fight socialist alternative in the trade unions and Labour Party.
CON
than ever Socialist
888898888988
An Appeal to the
Labour Party
Conference
We.
Committee of the
Executive Committee of the LP: 1. The Conservative bring Cruise missiles to Britain in 1983 and many opposition to all nuclear weapons. nuclear disarmament.
2/3 majority Its
as a whole.
NEC to reject any attempt to
Labour Party.
stands on the policies of CND. British withdrawal from NATO
weapons will not be
Led.
Hecknes Southampton
lewport Wandsworth
Pietrasik Wolverhampton
Liverpool DIavans
Glasgow Bolsover Outer West London
Swindon Holbrook Jones Wardle Anor Blanco White LOWN LOT
Total
Socialist Challenge
Delegates at the 1982
the youth march for 'Jobs not Bombs' have marched from Manchester to Blackpool. We are here to lobby the LP conference. Organised by the Youth CND and sponsored by the National
LPYS, the March wishes to put the following points to conference delegates and the Nation.!
Government plans to The LP trade unions are committed to
Therefore we call upon the Labour Party Conference, the LP NEC, and the trade unions to organise massive action in 1983 to mobilise
members in demonstrations and industrial action against the introduction of cruiss and trident missiles. If the powar of the Labour Party and trade unions is fully mobilis. ed then nuclear re-armament can be stopped. 2. The Labour Party is committed to unilateral
We call upon con ference delegates to ensure that no futura Labour Government is committed to carrying out this policy. As the first step we are fully in support of those fighting for the necessary
at this conference to make unileters nuclear disermament oart of the Labour Party's manifesto for the next general 3. We the marchers, give our fullest support to all of those campaigning for nuclear disarmament in the Labour Partv and trade unions This policy has tremendous support in society
We therefore call upon conference and the
remove this policy or the people who support it from the
Therefore the marchers stand opposed to the attempt to implement the register which will have the affect of instituting a witch-hunt against some of the most committed sup porters of this policy. Finally, the march itself
This includes
The CND believe that the threat of nuclear
pushed back without taking Britain out of the nuclear alliance on which the British nuclear re-armament is bas-
On Sunday night, after the demonstration, 75 youth marchers went to lobby delegates at the Imperial Hotel, where the NEC are staying
Management called the police and the mor chers were thrown out. Ken Livingstone put on a yellow jacket and police tried to throw him out.
Joan Lestor and other NEC members intervened to say Ken was their guest. The youth marcher then asked if they couldn't be guests also. So Alex Kitson invited all the marchers in as guests and they slayed at the imperial drinking till early in the
200.00 60.00 15.00
8888
£2493.40
2 October 1982 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Who is Khomeini?
In the last issue, John Ross showed how capitalist regimes in the semi-colonial world inevitably remain loyal to their class interests despite taking far reaching anti-imperialist measures. This week he looks at Khomeini's regime in Iran from that point of view.
WHAT IS the nature of the Khomeini regime in Iran? What attitude should be taken to it? That is a question which has created wide confusion on the left.
When the Shah of Iran was OVER OVE February 1979 this was greeted with great joy throughout the world. The seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran also created enthusiasm.
Mine Khomeint covernment declared itself islamic revolutionary same so on an saw 'antiimperialist force
Others pointed out the
carried against the working class by the regime, its torture, its savage war against the Kurds and other oppressed nationalities, its denial of the rights of women.
that the remine 'even worse than the Shah' was taken up in the press and echoed in some left wing papers.
In reality, however, the apparent contradictions of the Khomeini regime are not contradictions at all. ine govemment s nature and the attitude -to taken clearly outlined in the theory permanent revolution. It is indeed one of the illustrations of the great strengths of this analysis that it can explain a regime such as
Kh The cha
character of the Khomeini regime becomes
programme to beat the crisis. discuss the new Lubour left
Loon Tate Mike Davis on exterminism and the cold war Pat Hickey, John Deason (Sociali Thornett (Socialist Organiser) on the trade union Perry Anderson and Bernadette MacAliskey also invited.
A crache is
Socialist Challenge
clear when its class nature, as a government of a semi-colonial capitalist class, is looked at in the concrete situation in Iran.
Every capitalist class attempts to maximise it. interests. A semi-colonial bourgeoisic has two immediate enemies. One is imperialism. Above all however, earlier in this series with SASSET bourgeoisie must defend itself against is own working class.
Prior to 1979 the Shah of Iran had maintained the imperiapossible ase th closest above all with the United States.
The had concentrated in his those immediately around him, such esources and profits that government become intolerable and oppressive not only for the working class and peasants
of the Iranian capitalist clasSieanwhile the itself only significant mass independent working class organisation, the Communist (Tudeh) Party was deeply discredited by its whole previous policy.
The huge mass mobilisations which
DEBATING SOCIALISM
23-24 October
Kingsway Princeton College Sidmouth Street, off Gray's Inn Rd
A WHOLE WEEKEND debating a
That's what is taking place on 23-24 October at a forum organised by the Marxist
journal International.
The weekend will start with an
introduction on the world
financial and economic crisis,
the context for Britain's crisis. The presentation will be by Ernest
Mandel, perhaps the best known
revolutionary Marxist authority
on the subject.
The rest of the weekend will be given
over to discussing the different facets of the crisis.
Frances Morell, Alan Freeman and Labour Briefing will
Campbell und Valerie Coultas debate Sweet Free
the British cconomic disaste Hilary Wainwright and Tessa van John Ross and Duncan Hallas debate entryism and the
nission to the weekend costs just E4. E2.50 per day
provided and food will be avallable. icketa to. Interneidn 50. London N1 2XP
2 October 1982 page 10
started against the Shah were therefore composed of the workers and peasants of Iran but supported by far wider layers than that. In the end these mobilisations developed such a dynamic that not only the Shah but his regime was overthrown by a vast popular insurrection.
This situation, however, posed the Iranian bourgcorsic with a tremendous problem. the case of most 'populist bourgeois regimes for example Nasser in Egypt or Peron in Argentina the capitalist class maintains a strong state ap paratus. parlicular these regimes need strong army with which to control and repress the working class. The capitalist class prepared to engage in anti-imperialist actions only because it had this powerful state with which to control the working class and peasants, execute their
CHOCTS. NOTCHA up their organisaitons, and prevent them asserting independent class goals.
But in Iran this state ZOOTHELS
celebrate the 65th anniversary of the RUSSIAN
* REVOLUTION *
with
•ERNEST MANDEL
• BERNADETTE McALISKEY
Friday 22nd October
7pm County Hall Waterloo
What is Trotskyism?
dously weakened, and its central core, the army, almost smashed by the insurrection. The bourgeoisie could not rely
normal administrative methods of repression because its state apparatus was too weak. It had to rely on another force to channel and control the working class and peasants while the state apparatus was rebuilt.
The only force which could do this in Iran was Khomeini. Khomeini possessed the most power ful political weapon with which to control the masses his prestige as symbol and leader of the struggle against the Shah. He possessed in the Shiite clergy the strongest administrative apparatus in the country from which to launch repression agamst the working class and its allies.
A figure such as BaniSadr might have had a "tidier' and more rational short term economic plan
class. But to maintain its class rule is. for the bourgeoisie not primarily
question of "careful' COHOLIC Planame
Socialist Challenge
more efficient administration. rule, bourgeoisie must have as powerful possible political control of the masses and as strong as possible paratus. A figure such as Bani-Sadr lacked the political support and administrative base from which to control, repress.
defeat the working class and peasants.
ле плотеть подин was needed for the Iranian bourgeoisie not primarily because It was the most anti-imperialist. the contrary, its anti-imperialist actions were extremcly small compared to a figure such as Nasser. Its importance was that it was the strongest force in the country for breaking up any independent movement of the working class, peasants, and oppressed nationalities.
Once that fundamental character of the regime is understood then all its
and SUDSCEUCHE turns fall into place. Next week, we will look at
development of the
amid 'anti10TG90193
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Page 11 scan of this page
THE WORST thing about Phil Hearse's and Ros Kaplan's articles (SC 19 August) was not their concentrating on tactical advice best left to those on the spot. It was the way this let the PLO off the hook on its main weakness - its strategic orientation.
posed their struggle in sectoral and classless terms:
Palestinian people. separated out the Palestinian question from the other problems of the Arab East. They pose the solution mechanically military means, and now, more and more. by diplomacy.
dinate its activity to the interests of the petty bourgeois and semi-feudal Arab regimes. And more recently to European imperialism.
in the Lebanon, these lessons are going to have to be learned by the Palestinian vanguard. The articles in question not only failed to make these points but actually disguised the truth in two ways.
Palestinian militia's, the articles give the impression that these were Israel. In fact, this ceased to be the case some years ago.
some time come from the Arab population in the occupied territories and within the 1948 borders. As such, the fate of the Palestinians fighters only beats indirectly on the future of the Palestinian struggle according to how it af fects the morale of the internal resistance. For the PLO to fight to the last in Beirut, taking thousands civilians therefore have been a fairly futile gesture.
Secondly. the articles decision to evacuate would be an accomodation to imperialism. actly what the PLO majority has been seeking for some time.
the PLO using every tactical division within imperialism to obtain the best possible terms for their withdrawal.
its counting on the European political leaders and for all its 'moderation', the PLO ultimately had no friends.
tinue its rightward evolution in its scattered bases. But the hope must be that a new leadership will draw the lessons and give fresh impetus to the struggle.
HANNA KHAMIS, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD.
PLO strategy wrong
The majority within the PLO have always
La struggle for the liberation by the They have in practice
originally by
This has lead the PLO to partially subor-
if anything is to be salvaged from the wreck
Firstly, by stressing the importance of the
still a nuisance to
The main threat to Israeli strategy has for
with would
suggest that any
Unfortunately, this is ex-
In fact, there is no principled objection to
The point that must be made is that for all
The PLO leadership will undoubtedly con-
interesting.
Bashir Gemayel?
reported at the time of the that Yasser Arafat blamed the Israeli's, but this was dismissed as propaganda. But in dealing with Zionists, one must always ask "Who henefits?"
With Gemayel as President and the PO out of Beirut, there is a strong possibility would have become 'stable' country. This
would have removed the raison d'etre
bane presence there. The indecent haste
ed into West Beirut is more than
Who killed Gemayel?
CHRISTINE PLATT's article about Beirut was
as well as posing some serious questions. In particular, why are the israeli's allied with a Nazi organisation and who did kill
suspicious.
Also the case with which the assasins penetrated the Israeli ring around West Beirut and then being able to plant the car bomb let alone detonate it at exactly the right bushes the bounds of coincidence
For sever neither the muslim militia 10r Ine FLO were able 1 pull off such a feat - and without the presence of the Israeli army.
Suddenly, when Bashir Gemayel is surrounded by ISrael army, on of the army, is President
Letter!
mand that the Palestinian fighters
martyrdom
A more disgraceful exZHEN OINTRISCTIRCRIE
infantile leftism harder imagine. But what cisc statements like The PLO YOU call
Chest prepare ground for continuing struggle by staying Beirut and fighting to the bitter end" or, 'the lessons of all defeats is that it is immeasurably better to go down with a fight.
These two statements were in Phil Hears's article along with the view that the "real victory would be to stay to fight to the end'. Victory through death is a slogan of the reactionary Catholic elect and the PLO CaTe nowhere around, he is killed!
Private Eye has recenthow the have established two settlements in South
Lebanon and have maps showing Hebrew place names for numerous Lebanese towns, including Beirut (Be'erot).
Finally: israel's have for Y Wala the backed the Phalangists without a qualm. Suddenly, with the PLO out of the way. two recent items the Jewish papers in the Phalangist links Evidently the Zionists have decided that they no longer need their allies". Bill D, Manchester.
Israel not achieved aims
'FIGHT LIKE a man and die with our boots on' adds up to a good line in a John Ford movie but a disastrous one for the class struggle. Yet the thrust of the centre-spread and back-page articles in Socialist Challenge by Phil Hearse and Ros Kaplan (19 August) clearly add up to a de
sacrifice their mass organisations in return for a heroic
Church and not of revolutionary Marxism, Phil should be reminded.
The centre-spread almost does the impossible by being worse than the back-page article. Here, in Ros Kaplan's piece the PLO withdrawal is denounced in advance *capitulation to Israel and imperialism', , a sentiment echoed in the pathetic statement of the RCG where the heroic elevenweek struggle is given the verdict shameful capitulation' Sharon failed in his at- The remain, tempt to impose a final solution on the PLO.
Despite the military blows
lifetime
By Ernest Wakefield
If helping the workers is classed as left wing then right wing must stand for the opposite thing.
said:
head".
The creation of goods from the crust of the earth,
others a dearth.
this world, but under the capitalist system they make it absurd.
stealth.
And furthermore, in this micro-chip age for that,
poor,
the score.
So there surely is an alternative way. and that is when socialism is here to stay.
So vote left wing and get rid of the blues cooperation builds.
Letters
IsracI's main aim has been denied them. Even their repeatca provocations breaking the various ceasefires didn't work and Reagan was forced to ster in to halt the rapid deterioration the political standing of the US-Israel alliance
In situation Socialist Challenge should have been turning the heat, not on the PLO, but on the Labour leadership SHIEWHOSe silence has been nothing short of criminal. Demands should have especially been plac ed on the Lefts such as Tony Benn whose links with Zionism are well known Phil and Ros targetted the wrong peo pie, and in doing so served the interests of the wrong class.
Ailean O'Callaghan 1/647 TGWU and Harrow Central CLP
Socialism in our Which leads one to think that one thing must be Workers need right wingers like a hole in the
should not lead to opulence for some and for But to fair shares for all and security for life without all this rat-race and struggle and strife.
The creation of jobs could be the easiest thing in
For they will only invest their pilfered wealth where they can get more slave labour by their
If capitalism was the only way to create much then it would be argued we should follow such But workers should know it need not be that
for capitalists need us, but we do not need they.
if it's left in their hands some still will slave. And instead of us having a four day for all ir'll be riches for them, and the rest to the wall.
Now if we could all be conservative or capitalists then into that ring we could all throw our hat. But capitalism thrives only by keeping some but we could all become socialists and share out
for capitalist competition kills, but socialist
Socialist Challenge 2 October 1982 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
By Jeff King enough the
hospital corridors.
Yes the massacres and the atrocities were carried our py me emuange they were inspired and instigated by the IWO 100 fathers* of Jerusalem, Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon.
Sharon had wanted the Lebanese armed forces to enter the camps and deal with the Palestinian population but the army chief Khouri said government had forbidden him to do so.
This is where Israel's Phalangist allies came in.
the Lebanese army could not do the job, ther the Phalange could relied on to do it. The camos were then onleing. ly sealed off by the Isracli book normally costs 83.50
TION (Usual price £2.95).
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Socialist
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ISRAEL
THE REAL
TERRORISTS
WHETHER IT WAS the mobsters of the Israelibacked Major Saad Haddad, or the thugs of the Phalange internal security committee boss, Ali Hbeika, or even an ad-hoc group of Christian mercenaries who carried out the Sabra and Chatila massacres is not the main point. True
gangsters of the murdered their way through the two camps, sparing no-one in their frantic blood lust. And it was the Phalange thugs who tore the saline drips from the arms of the wounded in the Acca hospital and murdered their victims in the
All through the night the skies were lit up by the but Israeli flares that Phalange could hunt down their unarmed The murder souads were even provided with Israeli military rations is a hungry business.
When a group of surviving Palestinians, mostly teenagers found abandoned Kalashnikovs his and fired at the Israch positions they were wiped out by phosphorous and high explosive shells from the Israeli soldiers.
To Begin and Sharon the purpose of the exercise was twofold. Firstly, it was Palestian erogent. strike terror They were to he taught that the slightest resistance
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to Isracl meant draconian punishment, even death.
By using the Israeli to show the Beirut and the Lebanon was unstable and that only Phalange an Israeli presence could
Buarantee Phalange could do the dirty work and then conveniently take the blame.
cise has begun to blow up in the face of the Begin administration. becomes Cleater that the
the massacres were carried out
for the Israelis and that the victims. Begin administration has
duly carned its title as terrorists. - murder
committed at
of revulsion some population already grow-
Wing more and more sick with Begin's dirty war.
400,000 people shows the depth of the crisis facing Begin. That protest has to be extended scale. In every country the labour movement should into the be demanding
шешае worava. or al Israeli and troops from the Lebanon.
Name....
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the Phalange TURECE wanted world that
order. The
The whole sordid exer-
Each day it
In Israel the atrocities Sabra and
through
The demonstration of
on a world
the
imperialist
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