Socialist Challenge No. 271, 26 November 1982

Socialist Challenge · 26 November 1982 · 12 pages, 17,301 words read by machine

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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.

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Page 1 scan of this page

Challenge

No. 271 26 November 1 A NEW anti-abortion bill has been introduced in-

parliament Dy the peer Lord Robertson of Oakridge. He is a 52 year old merchant banker. The bill is SOOnSOTEC by the virulently anti-abortion organisation, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. restrict the grounds tor greatly abortion slightly amending the

of the Act would then

LET THE ISH pregnancy would involve serious risk to the life of the pregnant woman, or if injury the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing family is substantially greater than if pregnancy were terminated (amendments in italics).

This move serious attack woman's right to choose. The labour movement must be alerted to mobilise immediately and massive-

dafeat for women will

struggle of the whole working class. It will be a major step forward in the

TOTIES CTIVELO the burden of the crisis

working people.

OHLO will help undermine the unity of working women and men in the struggle against the Tories.

Unemployed and strikers 10p

Socialist

Detend

rights

Failing this, the anti-abortionists are pushing an ammendment which would cut the time limit from 28 to 20 weeks. was tneir opinion artel the failure of the Corrie BACKIN 1979 that f they had limited their

ammandment, it would have passed.

Normally a bill from the Lords would have little chance of becoming law without being given government time But the bill's timing coincides with private members choosing bills.

The private members ballot dominated bv militant anti-abortionists. John LOTTIE Norman St John-Stevas Ray Witney and Donald Stewart are all well known for their anti-abortion views. There is already tremendous pressure from SPUC and others for one of those MP's to take an anti-abortion bill.

This would be very dangerous as it would shorten the parliamentary procedure considerably.

Last time, the mobilisation of the labour movement not only women's right to choose but, by the bills withdrawal

gave the bloody nose. There

reason why we should do it again.

abortion

By Leonora Lloyd

to be fostered. approaching.

What to do?

By Jude Arkwright WE URGE Socialist Challenge readers to take up ronowing trade union, Labour Party womens' sub-committees. Get them to:

• Write to sponsored MPs urging them to publically oppose the Bill. • Circularise all the members alerting them to the Bill and the need to campaign against

• Get them to write to local Community Health Councils, trades councils and local councils to ask them to take action against the Bill.

• In the event that the Bill reaches committee stage, to contact the National Abortion Campaign and Labour Abortion Rights Campaign groups in the area, with a view to setting up a local labour movement campaign

• Get your local Labour Party or trade union to call a meeting inviting other organisations in the area to launch a campaign.

• Affiliate to NAC and send in money to help campaign against the Bill. Organise fund raising activities.

• Finally, we must put out the call on the Labour Party NEC and the TUC to organise s national demonstration with other pro-choice organisations.

The Luton 'horror story'

ONCE AGAIN an abortion 'horror' story has hit the headlines. In Luton, an allegedly 34 week old footus has survived and is now

the situation of the mother. Abortions can be done at any time to save the mother's life.

In this particular case, the abortion took place in a hospital which normally refuses to perform abortions after 11 weeks -referring them to a charity clinic

If the story has a familiar ring, it is because the anti-abortion organisation, LIFE, always manages to discover similar stories when a new anti-abortion bill is on the horizon, or an election is

measures through their Drenches and

But what the Tory gutter press didn't tell us was

In 1970, as part of a

pre-election campaign

St John-Steva (who has drawn second place in this years private members ballot discovered a private clinic selling foetuses for rescarch — used mainly to discover the causes of neonatal deaths and CEO cancer research.

Similar lurid stories were used in the bookBabies for Burning copies of which were sent to MP's in 1975 as part of the campaign for James White's 'abortion amendment' bill.

1975 also saw a report of a foetus supposedly lefi alive for Pro longed investigation by the DHSS failed to locate the

But by TENCE BIT story had fulfilled its pur OUSE With 1978 the Benyon

bill, story went the rounds of an abortion per formed Barking hospital where LIFE alleged, the living baby which resulted was left to die. The truth was that the woman had the abortion to save her life, that a cacsarian had been performed so that the baby could also be saved, and it was put into an intensive

Chew the papers which had the hor ror story ran the true tacts when they came out.

But the number of shock horro stories was reserved for the Corrie bill in 1979: • 25 March: crying 20 week

| April: 22 week foetus left for two hours at Whiston hospital

27 life of BOOTLEG at Barnsley General WCC STOCEE hospital 9 18 October: 23 miracle foetus survives abor

hospital Chortsley (it soon dies) • 24 October: 24 week boy Toe a Crasgow Royal Mor foetus mary.

In each and every case,

SHOWERE the stories are falsified anc distorted. But they serve well . in whipping up hysteria.

The anti-abortionists use these stories paign for lower limits — which they see as the most popular of their demand: Yet later abortions - - after 20 weeks account for less than two percent of all abortions. They are per formed CLOT the most serious of reasons.

What's more the anti-abortionists campaign fiercely against walk-in day care clinics and other proposals designed to make early LOUTHUH. casier to get — creating a catch 22 situation,

The fact is abortion

like LIFE and SPUC, want to stop

egal abortions altogethe

They will use whatever tac tics they can, including lies

DOCT an outside Parliament

Any and all attacks on our existing abortion rights must be resisted. We must defend the right of

have abortion at any time.

Page 2 scan of this page

continues purge'

- Editorial

PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)

Unity against

witch-hunt

rejected

THE LABOUR STEERING COMMITTEE

AGAINST THE WITCH-HUNT

jacted a request from Labour Against the

Witch-hunt for co-operation against the

witch-hunt. LAW wrote to the Steering

Committee proposing an exchange of

delegates between the two committees

to facilitate joint action, as agreed at its

founding conference on 30 October.

tee is now at a cross-roads, and the problem

of unity will come to the fore at its regional

conferences this weekend. At the 30 October

conference delegates

jected Militant's proposal that the new cam-

paign wind up and merge into the Steering

Committee by sending one delegate to it.

Militant have portrayed this as

But as we explained at the time, delegates did

body which would be geneting

which would

democratically accountable to labour move-

ment bodies. Unity between the two commit-

teas would be easy to establish if this princi-

ple were accepted by Militant.

the 27 November conferences by two criteria.

First, will they create democratically accoun-

table bodies at local level?

cluding constituency parties such as Hornsey

threatened with disbandment?

Constituency

creating local liaisons by conferences such as

that in Southwark and in Brent, parties such

as Bermondsey

organisation which is answerable to them

and aligns itself with their struggle.

Labour Steering Committee really wants uni-

ty, why has it rejected the very first step in

this direction?

those fighting the witch-hunt ware to react to

this sectarianism by ceasing to fight for prac-

tical unity with Milltant.

couraging that several leading LAW activists

have been invited to address the 27 November

regional conferences, and it is to be hoped

that the practical steps towards unity being

proposed by LAW will be accepted by thesa

conferences and by the Steering Committee.

ting its supporters off from those who can

best defend them.

JOIN THE FIGHT FOR

SOCIALISM

If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or 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.

Defend freedon -Tory style IMPORTANCE: Hugo Young sees no •British interest" in even 1,000 man garrison in the South

Why then were decisive SERVEI fought hose waters in both world wars

Since Panama is vulnerable, then there is a British and Western strategic interest of first importance.

John Biggs-Davison

(Con) for Epping Forest Socialist Challenge 25 November 1982 - page 2

has reThe Militant-dominated Steering Commit-

overwhelmingly re-

divisive.

genuinaly

The rank and file will judge the outcome of

Second, will they defend all the left, in-

who are now

and Hornsey BBED an

The signs are hardly encouraging. If the

Nevertheiess it would be a mistake if

It is

If not, Militant's leaders will continue cut-

Sunday Times* 21 November 1982

Three quick questions for our readers:

How far are the Falkland Islands from Panama?

Panama "vulnerable' to? 3. Did you really think the Tories were sending 3,000 troops to detend treedom in the South Atlantic?

First correct answer gets a Penguin.

'UNDER NO circumstances will we tolerate any further interference in

words Ann Coltart.

that they sey's candidate.

press conference jointly by Labour Against the Witch-hunt, Bermondsey. Labour Party and representatives of Hornsey Labour Party to announce campaigns to prevent the Labour Party proceeding with its witch-hunt.

Hornsey Labour Party, which has been given until December

Tariq trom membership of the Labour

be disbanded have written to the NEC to ask for a meeting in order to find out the basis of the NEC's case. Jeremy Corbyn explained that so far the Labour leadership had failed evento explain its reasoning.

"Not only is their demand contrary to natural justice' he said, *but it would have

incalculable effects on Labour's elec-

LAW

News letter

LAW is bringing out

5000 copies of a special

newsletter directly after

the NEC. It will con-

Tain articies explaining

Bermondsey and Horn-

seys care arguments

against the expulsions

of Militant supporters,

and for the defence o

the Young Socialists. It

will also contain model

resolutions and a form

for a/filiation to LAW

well as details of

LAW's first national

council meeting on 12

December. Order nOW

from LAW, 11 Wilder-

ton Rd., London N76

National

Council

meets

NATIONAL

OUNCIL is to be held o

Sunday 12 CORTE Hall, COCCOERAR

Has your CLP affiliated

and its delegare delegares entitled

are all

conference: the LPYS

branche. send

gremlin

Iv referred to the National

Council

conference

'Civil war if NEC

our democratic right to choose our own candidate. With these

Bermondsey Labour Party explained the position which their executive would be taking when they meet with Russell Tuck, David Hughes and

party officials before the Labour Party NEC to listen to the Labour leaders' demands

drop Peter Thatchell as Bermond-

tion prospects. Hornsey is successful Labour Parties in Britain, with over 1200 members. During the GLC election we had 700 canvassers out, and the results can be seen from the size of the vote we won.

Disbanding Hornses would deprive two Labour parliamentary candidates - Michael Meacher and Jeremy Corbyn of membership as well cight Haringey councillors Lords. and three Labour *If the presses ahead with expuldisband ocal Partie said LAW ecretary Keith Lichma *it will provoke civil war and seriously damage Labour's election prospects."

WHOR

diseffiliations.

- Labour Party

John Golding: His promise to purge CLPD has put cat among pigeons This was backed up by MPs Alan Roberts (Bootle) and Dennis Skinner, who told the press that he would be opposing any attempt to go any further down the witch-hunt Wednesday's NEC. . 'Once we accept one scintilla of John Golding's Ernie Roberts has now succassfully moved a motion committing Tribune Group to oppose expulsions or

deluge NEC with protests.

ideas,' he said 'we will be going down the road to

Labour Parties will in dicgte

they erght the Tortes in

Rignt the fores in stead of this useless campaign against our own sup porters. LAW tells NEC:

Labour Against the Witch-hun I1 Wilderton Road LOCO LIB 19 November 1982 To The National Executive Committee Dear Comrades, terms.

stand Peter Tatchell, its democratically

Labour ir a to de mand li sent pereneed

members of the Homsey Party such

member, John Golding, onjoo and wat une target the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.

Mortimer, the NEC to mobilise the Party to defeat the Tories

Signed, K. Lichmar Labour Against the Witch-hunt

Dennis Skinner: 'Labour parties should

Messages of Tor Hornsey and suppor Parties are urgently needed. Send a copy to the NEC and one to either Bermondsey and Hornsev local parties. o to Labour Against the Witch-hunt at 11 Wilderton Road, London N16.

'Drop witch-hunt'

On behalf of hundreds of Constituency Labour Parties we ask

Ne tee De as vou to cease a Organ sanOnal measuE

gainst Party members and Constitueney Labour Parties, whic

members to organise and present their views to the Party, to tho

hoice and to a long and destructive legal wrangle in the Part We ask the NEC to proceed no further with expulsions under it

The decision to deny Bermondsey Labour Party the right to

selected candidate, only orchestrated campaign against the local Party. We will work fla out for a Labour victory in Bermondsey and request the NEC en dorse Peter Tatchell and drop all proposals for an imposed short-

: risks cripplin and respecte

acrem coroyn wall navetnem cecoenmais as cancroares canca in case se request e tira the real a

Finally, we are appalled by the public declarations by a lcadin

, that the Maiant report 1s a onc of future expulsion attempts will be

This stands in flat contradiction to the promises given by Jin would not initiate a witch-hunt and that individuals would not b Labour Party vitory and warn the NEC that the uicidal coors of expulsions, disaffiliations and threats to legitimate candidate:

witch-hunt at this meeting and

Page 3 scan of this page

Foot's social strategy: canit

AMID strong hints of

unemployment to one million by 1988.

The policy. announced an incomes policy.

step taken by the Labour leadership since Callaghan resigned, and if a concerted campaign is conducted around it, it will go a long way to removing Thatcher from office. But the Tories will, of course, guns blazing to say Are they right?

There is no doubt that

PERCHE

rould cut unemploymen temporarily. BuT 64,000 dollar question is: what next? It

WES thing to march forward without drastic measures but with radical reform programmes in the 19005 and 19/05 WACH the

crisis had bitten so deen

Now, especially with

CADCICICO of the Wilson/Callaghan government to refer many traditional Labour voters ask a simple question: will such a programme work? isn't it going to provoke massive inflation (as it did

1974), run on the pound (as it did in 1975) and a sharp U-turn (as did in 1976)?

The answer turns around what Labour will do when the IMF and CBI Dut on the pressure Will they cave in, as in 1975 -or will they take additional steps needed to bring the banks and CHI Labour's control, instead of vice versa. And there's the rub. Two vital steps are omitted from Labour's programme which will be essential the package outlined by Michael Foot

-LO be achieved. These system of representation to Labour Party Conferences with the aim of giving the constituen-

solution to the problems but it has the merit of opening the issue to discussion.

In the 1930's the Militant abour League no relation), a left wing group in the Labour Party, sympathetic to the Fourth International, forward

FUEL the following proposals.

Trade unions would be represented Conference, not nationalThrough their local Labour present, but Party OTECHES This would, of course, require SOILIC of Labour Party structures.

There would, for instance, be factory sections

LABOUR'S ELECTION PROGRAMME

be done?

spring election, Michael Foot and David Basnett have relaunched Labour's Programme with a promise to cut

last week, was rounded out by Peter Shore on Tuesday. Using that modern-day oracle, the Treasury computer, he says it can be done without the economic crisis the Tories confidently predict. by spending Labour's promised E9bn on social services and public sector investment - with

The announcement is the first imaginative

go in with all the that it cannot be done.

• The nationalisation of the banks and financial institutions • Serious measures to mobilise working people to take control over investment decisions by large-scale industry.

The Labour leadership believes it will not need such measures because by borrowing to nance expansion it produce a new boom. This isn't very convincing It the election programme is to have any credibility, theretore. left will have to prove itself able to win the battle for these additional measures during the life of a Labour LILOULI combination of extra1001135tion struggle to Labour's right wing leaders.

Why were these additional measures needed?

First we must look at what the Tories have done to the COOTECILY Thatcher's stratcgy was very well explamca in article by John Harrison in Marxism Today for July 1982 Despite the monetarist ideological cover, he says,

is to 'crash the economy". he a st destroy

Whither the block vote?

ALEX KITSON'S proposals for re-forming the

cy parties a fairer deal might not be the ideal

It is important that this should be taken up at all levels in the Labour Party and in the

which, like the wards, would send their representatives to the Management Committees.

Enis wowed abousn Ene present artificial division between the industrial and political wings the Delegates would to conference

primed with the genuine views of the membership By paying their affiliation fees direct to the local constituency parties, the local apparatus would be

working class resistence and shake out unproduc

capital. thus laying the basis for a substantial rise in productivity and profits for domestic industry

But by doing so they have gone further than

They havens ars Taid

machinery off. They have haven't broken up factories and SOO DELETE MECOMES crash has been truly

As John Harrison points out: Output fell by more than in any other downturn for over half a

includin: the CHILLEY. crash of 1929Manufacturing output fel by a colossal 15 per cent in

MONTES December 1979. This com-

fall i930s of only el sof the any single year cent. Chronic

crash on this scale should make us cautious about simply arrying on

left The WILCIC chronic British indu problem

industry been poor competitiveness. provoked by underinvestment: insufficient up-to-date machinery.

But now there are not only new machines the ones broken up and even some of 30Oe too. John Harrison that despite the apparently sensational rise in produc tivity last year, almost entirely due to harder working. speed-up and so on, *British unit labour costs (the conventional measure of competitiveness) are still 35-40 1919, cent higher

was hardly a record-beater then."

This low competitivity is nor because the British workers are high paid. On the contrary, they are now about eighth in Europe. strengthened which could lead to more vigorous campaigning on political and industrial issues which confront the working class and increased membership recruiting.

The details would, course, have to be careful-

WOTKE OUL, but this proposal provides a frameWORK for which could transform Labour Party annual conference genuinely representative of IS VIEWS OILECTE

nd file in the Party an the unions.

Local

The workers in the trade unions would still be able to play a dominating role in the party but would exercise SETS through the local organisa-

Labour Party

Productivity is low fundamentally because we do

have modern machines.

If this is not corrected, government-financed exDANSION can only result either in a flood of imports produced by better machines abroad, very high prices at home because workers are forced (by import controls) to buy badly-produced home goods

Of course it could be corrected if the governTICHE and the unions, took charge of investment And if they drew up a plan

boat nod, the soney created

social needs could expand to meet new demand relatively smooth way

So it is possible to implement Labour's gramme using socialis means. It is, to say the

Ley capacist mder to do is

by capitalist means. involves guaranteeing profits for private capital. Capitalists are quite rational: they invest where

can

now, has meant abroad

Everything in Labour' programme would make

LES WIESE It would only become profitable to begin large-scale new investment at home if the working class's resistence were completely smashed To put the figure on this,

only stud the deadvanced b the CBI: for a thirty er cer

cal wage cut. And Labou could never deliver such an attack successfully; indeed

doubtful whether anything short of fascism could do so. So there will be no incentive for new investment.

Worse still, however, banking sector which has grown massivel under Thatcher olerty resent me imposi tion of exchange controls tions and not through the bloc vote.

Through their active participation in the political discussions in the wards and management COLLECES they WIl! become more aware of the many outside the factory gates, racism, rents etc. (Of course, racism and sexism exist inside the work-

lace, but 1 am referring to the wider issues, such as abortion, immigration laws, etc.)

Non-industrial worker mem here OI the local parties would be

gles in the work-place and become more actively involved.

Charlie van Gelderen.

which Labour would have to re-establish, and the loss of profits which would result trom letting the pound sink.

It is geared to overscas investment and, as in 1975, wome use every oil or in fluence it possessed to try and STIC government.

Labour would thus face a combined assault from industry and bankers, which it would be unable to match unless it was prepared to take them over

We can summarise the

problems Labour would

race simple

Thatcher ha

crashed the cconomy: and Peter Shore wants to uncrash it. But you can't pu a crashed car back on the road without some drastic garage work. It isn't the same shape. And the sooner we have a Labour leadership that understands this the better

By Andy Buchanan Youth CND is now working on its largest and most important project so far - a national march and carnival in opposition to and Trident to be held in London on 7 May 1983 Youth CND's national member-

ship stands at around 11,000, and 400

MOTE OURS OCOne are out even

month Growth is

YCND National Office is having dif-

ficulty keeping up with the formation

of new groups.

The growth shows that opposition

to imperialist nucicar

among young people, and among

young workers in particular, is widen-

Wing.

The chauvinism whipped

around ine raikiands war, and ine

government offensive aimed at stopp-

Wing CND organising in schools has failed to stem the tide of anti-war feel-

ing amongst youth.

Moreover, the

YND has been willing to take up the

issue of the imperialist wars now going on, whilst maintaining its focus on Cruise and Trident.

CND conference in May broke up early so the participants could go to the first national

/CND National Committee passed resolution condemning the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon.

This event should act as a focus for

puzzled Foot.

Labour's social programme?

YOUTH MA JOBS

NOT

NO CRUISE

YCND - a growing concem

the

Cruise

The

National so fast that the

war plans

union bodies

international

leadership of European

opens up links

For example,

matched by demonstration

youth wing.

Wondering how to implement

LEMBER I

BOMBS

activities of the whole anti-missiles movement in the year wher Cruise is due to arrive in Britain. I

-OTOVICE an invaluable springboard for further mass demonstra tions against the missiles later in 1983.

leadership of YCND is already getting down to the work of building the march and carnival. Its

Committee last weekend agreed to write to the Labour Party Young Socialists and to the major national trade unions to get their support. They are aiming to build on the reakthrough made last autumn when the L.PYS National Committee, along with a number of Labour MPs and

gave their support for the YCND Jobs Not Bombs" march to the Labour Party conference.

The YCND National Committee is also planning to give the carnival an

dimension by getting delegations of young people from the

peace movements. This the possibility of making with those fighting the impenalist war drive in the Third World

Unfortunately, YCND's deter matched to bid the are carnival

CND. carnival doesn't even get a look in on the agenda for the CND conference This raises grave doubts about the willingness of the CND leadership to back up the activities of its militant

Socialist Challenge - 26 November 1982 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

By Pat Hickey AT A MASS November Cowley workers voted overwhelmingly against taking strike action in defence of Alan Thornett. The result is a big step for BL management in their plans for the Plant.

licence to lapse, which in no other case would have resulted in dismissal, for a worker of 20 years service.

Celia Pugh

NO ONE would argue with the assessment that the NUM ballot vote was a defeat for the miners and a set back for all the working class. editorial statements, and Pat Hickey's contribution (SC 270) go further.

miners' decision represents a turning point

page of that

nave ela media out o ries

"have the miners out Neither the Labour Party nor

he trade unions can progres an inch against Thatcher unless the

eft organises an all out fight

TY LELE traitors. Pat Hicker OS ICES

the unions fighting the right' a "cross sectoral organisation"

This is a deeply pessimistic picture of the state of the anti-

that right leaders of the trade unions ar

Cross Wing move an eh forward. Icast will not

y Pat key (26 1 0

plained

about the results of the 28th ballot.

Concerneone waited too long to start the

campaign that linked the pay and closure issues

their letter Dick Hall and Mark Hunter Se craw030c mine running

and the Cxweren't just problems of ad-

because if we fought on when Pat argues 'Every miner knew the issues" he misses an

Yorkshire told

Challenge, the

minere vores on wages not on clasures They

either didn't believe the •

ings pit surgery or weren't contident

Socialist Challenge

Thornett

sacking -

defeat for

car workers

MEETING on Thursday 18

Cowley

Alan was dismissed for allowing his HGV

La relatively minor offence

THE MINERS' VOTE

Howaver, the

The editorial in SC 268 argues, 'Undoubtedly the

The majority of miners were not ready to be an industrial battering ram to bring down the Tory Government.'

to Ico argumenis tnal unprofitable pits are not viable.

For over twenty vears the NUM has been led

thundreds of pits be closed dry investment. the NUM Icaderer Scargill shifted the of their campaign in the final stages to these issues, it was not chouga ine inree area: where the jobs campaign

ALLe South

the NCB have a hit list and the

comens id

South the defeat TENISL COSITO LIET O0 ne Turned around, without the left in the

organisation to LECHSLUVE

Clearly hallenge the witch-hunters i

ELS TCHOCESE But pessimistic oy nal to assume this removal of the right wing is a pre-condition for ce on the Tories What is important is that tendershin 017 political issues involved

the the on that ho m

union challenge the NCB's claim that uneconomic CHORO COCE 1K8 accep and motivate based or not profit Scargill's for government as comCHISS as Ene Tories are to theirs* outlining a plan of action for

28 November 1982 page 4

the Cowley stewards said ... Alan Thornett is being treated differently from everyone else, making it a clear case of victimisation.' The statement went on to point out that the ISSUC Was NOL JUSL 4 matter of one man's job. It s part of the managemen of fear' from which every in new seams and pits, subsidises coal production ano organises an iniceraico nergy ponc

515 LOTEO CONTINE LA issues to the NUM in a 'sec-

Pat Hickey

class.

suppor or ouer secuons o te class.

The trade union leadership is not an factor in that. As Ken put it, *If the TUC didn't back the train muse have would they back

mus. in minds 01 many miners. Tailed to CONVICE CICH Te DOVIOS CONTO WIn Exactly. by the (majority of the NUM Even the camp turn the situation around, and

Tories. Celia's points on pit closures will not stand up

She says 'either armeno taturafitable

ThIs right veares dosures over awenty veerg have been an issue since '79 Sprit clostr *81

ne chimo down. MIL HISI WES SAOW! DCIOIE INC

that a maiority of miners are

warning that the

ciass.

That is why we argued for the left organising all our

against the Fory Government

move an inch forward the right wing leaders of the trade unions are removed

Trade Unions

is suffering in the Dia This is, of course, the real point. The sacking of Alan Thornett was an im-

manage ment's plans for the Cowley mlant. Over the last few years BL has been moving concentrate production at Longbridge and Cowley.

The closures of Speke Canley and Rover plants were part of this plan. Cowley is an ideal plant for Eus kind or con Contration because stray body facilities side by side. It has a capacity of 750,000 cars a year.

Infortunately for BL

also has militant history. It was the only plant in BL to reject the 2

pay pushed through carlier this mon th. And with more work coming into the plant and new workers being taken

the likelihood of a

ightback was growin

To BL moved one of it top hatchetmen in Tom Grey who had introduced sweat shop conditions and vırtually chiminated the TOIC of shop stewards in the SD1 plant prior to its CIUSUTE

Indeed a big factor in the workforce's

accept redundanc inere the gruelling conditions on the tracks.

Since the miners' ballot there has been a continuing debate on the reasons why the miners voted no.

approach outline the kind of alternative

Government

needed

Tories.

CELIA PUGH'S REPLY misses the point. It returns to a completely sectoralist explanation of the defeat. Nowhere does she look at the overall situation in the

Ken Capstick has a more realistic appraisal, when he referred to the defeats in British Leyland and Rail In this fight miners knew that they needed the

eft wing built

It does mean that the lef

must organise to present a

clear alternative to the sell-out

SUTURALE o present the p for leadership

challenging

etrayals and so would be militane

and

Central to such a fight will

be the question of what kind

government? This will taking up the issues of

policy and leac dership. Celia's

points this also

honately, there is not going te

tunately

he an NuM-led government

left-Labou government

has to be fought for across the

this issue that Buckton. Benn hav . They nave not organis

Sectoralism

campaign to mobilise against

pit clasures must go on and be

tensified. But as the ASLEF

dispute showed, it has to be

the right across the move-

Preparation now to ensurc

Ca Era Da euro!

That was the missing an.

gredient in the ballor. It is the

missing ingredient in the class

as a whole at the moment.

Alan Thornett

In Cowley the role of the shop stewards has been consistently undermined. Under the productivity agreements which the national officials foisted on the members, mutuality on manning leveis has been eliminated.

The workers are simply 'That's the job. If you can't hold it there's plenty

the dole can Facilities for stewards

Celia Pugh puts her opinion on this matter.

have been progressively withdrawn, the stewards are subject to continual harassment and intimidation

Despite all this the Cowley workers have fought hack. The weel before Alan was sacked there were walk-outs in the North Works against intimidation and there hav been over the last six months.

the editorial board.

NUM. KINNEIL

SAVE

became necessary to ste tion.

This was all the more necessary because produc tion of the new range medium cars — the LM10

starts next week. Up to 1000 workers eris car. This will started for was bound to boost the confidence of the workforce

BL intends to have the LM10 This means hard-ine menagement ano

conditions Sacking Alan, the steward associated with a fighting

La fighting opposition to BL was an essential part establishing the manage ment through fear" which

Cowley workers havo suffered important defeat without a fight. But BE nas no war. The build-up of worl in the plant, crease in the work-forc will help create the conditions for a fight-back. It will inevitably increase the sell-contidence of workers, by improving their bargaining position There ahead. But BL would be wrong to feel complacent. Militants in Cowley must now take up the cudgels that Alan has been forced to drop.

whilst Pat Hickey in closing the debate, replies for

KINNELLI

PIT

Page 5 scan of this page

Starvation or struggle in steel

WORKERS at Massey Ferguson CPO in Manchester have organised a factory branch of CND. Their experiences provide a lead for what the future of CND can be. Pete Jackson talked to its founders 'A group of us started talking about disarmament and third world countries - how we should do something about the ammount of spending on these weapons when millions are dying every year' explained Charlie Dunbar.

Brian Hodgkinson went to see the anti-nuclear film, The War Game. Inspired d' CND

The ioined and took a petition round work. •People got talking about it and some wanted to join. Our first move, though was to try to get atfiliated through the shop SCHEES rowly defeated'.

thought the stewards made

We decided: To hell with their idca that

shouldn't be volved in CND*. With the help of a few sympathiser stewards, we were able to set ourselves up in July last year'

In forming a CND group, they shocked some IN 1972 the British Steel Corporation employed over 200,000 workers. By next year, a decade long jobs massacre will have reduced this to at most 75,000. On 11 November, the BSC bosses met to review their Corporate Plan to achieve this target by carving 20,000 jobs from the present 94,000 workforce.

Death notices were instantly served on 427 jobs

Craigneuk Lanarkshire, adding 263 redundancies апnounced carlier this year; on 1,286 jobs BSC Round Oak Dudley, which will close Christmas. and on 600 Corby tube jobs, adding to thousands of Corby workers made redundant by previous closures.

was the option of total closure of the Ravenscraig

in Motherwell scotland, with the loss of 4,400 steel jobs.

Response to this proposal was swift. The "Save Scottish Steel

Calla was launched, involving the local labour movement, church political and business figures. Even the leader of the Scottish Tory Party e signed up

campaign points out that 20,000 additional jobs could go in industries that service Ravenscraig,

Last month every steel plant Britain wa.

brought to a halt by a national OLIC day strike against closures The government is now clearly nervous about major resistence if they try to shut Ravenscraig.

They may try to deflect this by spreading the redundancy load across Teeside, major pose, plants Teeside, Scotland and South Wales. This could involve partial closure of the rolling mill or steel production side Ravenscraig. But steelworkers have seen

dese proposals led to

down proposals Starvation and partial closure and then to find strangulation.

Ravenscraig convenor Tommy Brennan explain-

'CND belongs in the factories'

people At first we were

tops explained Brian *Many people thought we were a load of balloons, SOMe EVEr thoucht we d founded the whole CND movement. Now they ar coming round to accept us. We were bringing CIND into the place where most of her ple time. Now we have more

about it than anything else

Certainly at first you couldn't walk through the place without someone pulling you.

Part of the reason for the groups impact is their effective organisation. Secretary explained 'At OuT first meeting with 10 there, we ed last week, *Partial closure is tantamount to total closure. We feel there is a set up here and we've got to be wary of that'. His misgivings were confirmed within days, When TIe m dustry ministers of the

Marker COLE tries met in Denmark on 18

further package of closures.

Previous targets, which have guided British Steel boss McGregor, aimed for a 16 million tonne cut in steel-making capaci ty by 1985. The Commis sion meeting increased this cut to 30 or 35 million tonnes, with 20 maior rationalisations* resulting.

tion cost was set at E10 billion, with Britain accounting is for one fifth of this that BSC's target of 20,000 job SECULLS cuts by next year, including partial or total closure of Ravenscraig is only the start.

there was speculation

refore the EE meeting that industry minister Patrick Jenkin closeral election for tear of closures until after embarrassing and electorally costly industrial resistance. He would attempt to get EEC backing for further cash injections to tide the Government over.

But he doesn't seem to

clected officers. Each member was charged 20p a week and for that given a regular copy of Sanity, CND's magazine.

*From our weekly meetings held in the dinner breaks, we organise the

on TATches. We went to the big LOTICOT one Jobs aTIC Blackpool not Bombs' march. We print a monthly newsletter which

I round the factory and we have a small lending library in the factory with pamphlets and books

Not surprisingly, management were not too pIcasCO *They block us using the factory SOCIE CHER War Game said Brian, but we won out and 30 came along, getting us a have a membership of 25. lew new recruits. Now

The arguments against them are forceful. Charlie explained, What we came up against every week is •what about the Russians??. Most people can be sympathetic stopping Cruise but still believe in the have had much luck. The HHE July "83 as the job-cutting target care and nas made u clear that sanctions will he

ment's whose aid is not marched bv capacity shedding rationalisations But undoubtedly he will tri some manoevre to stave off this closure for a short period for electoral reasons. But this will not save Ravenscraig.

So. British ACC WORKETSATE hard times unless they lay

HELONE resistance. The one day strike last month

WES start and Scunthorpe, River Don and Round Oak workers have pledged a fight.

Sadly the leadership of the main steel union the ISTC has learned few lessons for, the 'Save Our Steel' protest campaign that failed to save majo steel plants like Corby and Shotton.

STEELWORKERS' BANNER

PUBLISHED BY THE IRON & STEEL TRADES CONFEDERATION

Steel union leader Bill Sirs is proudly parading his platform mayors, merobers Tort MPs and

the business world in a common front

toreign steel ports. But imports are not the problem facing British steel workers.

World demand for steel has plummeted as the insane rules of the capitalist economy play themselves out. So in the eighteen months the second quarter of 1980 and the end of 1981, de

mand for finished steel from British manutacturers fell by 30 percent

Between 1979 and 1982 UK steel production drop-

Trade Unions

need for deterrence

When the Falklands war happened the shit hit

Brian put it.

We seemed to get all the fak. A lot of people were any we needed nuclear

needed nuclear

veapon:

SHORER after the group established, their bulletins are still be ing pumped out - and read all over the

judged.

Beforehand people weren't bothered, now we've taken the arguments into the factory.

As Charlie explained *Its better 0211E CND group in the factory. Tees back OND Chich SCHREES COME tees good. but that's the last members hear of it. No-one else but working people have the real power to

this. A change o government is necessary, but not a Labour government like the last one which is influenced by the people with money. Its us who's going to change this and get a Labour governped from 21.5 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes, and productivity shot up as more was squeezed out of fewer workers. In this time, imports increased by only stimated 4,4 million tor 0.6 CICCIEE an

nes, which can ard

the 100.000 losses over three years.

Steel union leaders are of the 110,0h0 get that, the fact that, of the through Common Market rationalisation in the last these have been in Britain. three 100,000 Perhaps it has something to do with these leaders failure to lay serious plans to small chose pine vent small plants isolated and for policies for a labour government to secure investment and markets for steel based on social need and not profit.

-ontrast the patheti

leatings of Bill Sirs to th no-nonsense actions of Lorraine steelworkers France who in September cut off all road and rail acCES their town tor weekend to stop redun-

the steelworkers of the Arden-

who fought pitched battles with police in their recent jobs fight. French and Belgian steelworkers have kept up this response for years, which may explain why the axe has not

fallen so heavily on their heads.

These are lessons

which the British steel leaders should have their

noses rubbed, with stee workers demanding

national strike action now

before the bloodletting goes any further

Massay Ferguson's ment that works for us."

Deputy convenor Steve Taylor is convinced of this CLIC LIONS AHOK CND. Our two main

are the encineer and the general and municipal. But their leaderships are hopeless. The cad has got to com from the rank and file. If we can get this issue taken into the branches, districts SLIMLINE OR STARVATION?

U.K

France

Belg / Lux.

U.S.A.

Germany

Japan

Italy Western 400

300

200-

1978

URMSTON

CND demonstrate and stewards committees, get multilateralist positions changed support tol compiete disarmament Since the Labour and TUC conferences, people can see a lot of support fo the issue. I think it'll be easier to take it into the workplaces. I can forsee a change of heart by our stewards. in Tact, we ve MANPOWER EMPLOYED (1974-1981)

- 50% -/:%

U.K. WEEKLY STEEL PRODUCTION (tonnes) TORIES ELECTED

1979 1980

MASSEY FERGISON

ROTEST + SURVIVE

against nuclear weapons

recently backed the people Salvador the issues are the same this, the from Massey's CND is plain. As Briar Hodgkinson pur it CND belongs in the factories FergusaND, Miser rergusons word Gilmore 31 Braken Close. Locking Stumps, Warrington, ur Manchester -25% +25% (1974 1981 198 Socialist Challenge 26 November 1982 page!

Page 6 scan of this page

NUCLEAR WAR AND THE S

By Ernest Mandel SEVERAL times during the last two years the threat of an outbreak of the third world war in the near future seemed to loom. Impressionist commentators did not hesitate to draw this conclusion. A panic wave in fact arose, particularly in certain intellectual circles. The powerful and promising anti-war moverent, which is growing today in the imperialist countries, was also at least partially affectod. The number of publications about a third world war already begun, underway, or on the point of ending, countless (1).

The actual events are not unimportant in creating this panic wave. In June 1982 we saw: the re-opening of the Iran-Irag war, the Malvinas war, the preparations for the Israeli invasion Lebanon, the growing foreign intervention in the civil war in El Salvador - without even mentioning the more or less forgotten "little' wars. There are those in Chad, Entrea, Namibia, Western Sahara, not counting the civil war in Angola Mozambique, and even this list is not exhaustive. But to conclude that the flames of world conflagration are on us is irresponsible.

Imperialism is more determined than ever to employ its revolutionary violence against every TEVO OREY COvaCe me word This takes the form of systematic armed intervention; sometimes disguised as support to one of the sides in a civil war, at other times an OCH MENSVC TOOISETCCaEO

The world imperialist system is decomposing in the throes of a profound crisis. Revolutionary flagrations have been erupting one after the other for -OVC century, with no end in sight. Thus, the main danger of war lies in these EELC US foreign interventions against revolutions in progress.

For the last decades the great majority of wars have been of this type. It is the same today. It will be same tomorrow.

This is not in the least a new onenomenon. In fact, since the intervention against Soviet Russia 1918-22, been triumphant, or on the road to important victories, has had to confront a counter-revolutionary from outside.

The scope of some of these wars was much greater than the Malvinas war or the present imperialist in ervention in Central America

The new fact is not "localised' counter-revolutionary wars. They are the rule. The new factor is "that represented by the Nicaraguan and Iranian revolutions. There, at least at the moment of the fall of Somoza and of the Shah, imperialism found itself, not materially or militarily, but politically incapable intervening because of' the repercussions of the defeat it suffered in Indochina in 1975.

But this paralysis was short-lived. The Malvinas war, the invasion of Lebanon, the imperialist intervention into Central America, and rather more ambiguously, the Iran-Iraq war, are far from representing a new 'international situation', or bringing us to the threshold of the third world war. Rather they represent a 'return to normstinate attempt of in peritim ic mal'. That systematic, pit its counter-revolutionary strength against cach new advance of revolution.

The two world wars which broke out in 1914 and 1939 were different from this almost uninterrupted chain of localised wars which punctuate the

Socialist Challenge 26 November 1982 page 6

hisorical period since the Russian revolution. These wars proved the inability of imperialism to ensure peace for humanity. This, in fact, is one of the most important reasons for ridding outselves of this system which manates the most barbarous violence through all its pores. The third world war would be still more different.

The fact that the third world war will be, in all probability, a nuclear war only emphasises all the more the importance of this distinction. It gives it ail the more weight.

It would be absurd to argue that the development of a nuclear arsenal capable of destroying at least twenty are times the present population of the world changes nothing "fundamental" in the 'nature of the world war" that this will pose the 'identical tactical and strategic problems for the world proletariat and the tionaries as the First World Wars. of

Considerable human TEEUHCAEOESOETCES are build a classiess society. It will not be socialism that arises from the nuclear ashes, but a planet predominant life will be grasses and the insects or, in the "best" alternative, a barbarous human society from which and the survivors of the holocaust will move jorward m an centuries-long ascent. The communist project would anyway be completely cut off from reality for a long period It flows from this that the strategic aim of the world workers and revolutionary movement must be to prevent the world nuclear war and not to 'win" it (whatever this might mean). That is, to explain this more precisely everything possible to assure that the progress of the world paralyses imperialism's ability to intervene with nuclear weapons, and to prepare the way for its nuclear disarmament by defcating HUWEL COT- However, as long as imperialism retains political power, half- and material power in the key countries, it would be utopian to think that the 'localised" counter-revolutionary interventions by imperialism can be prevented. Disarmament possible within the imperialist fortress that have nuclear weapons and not the outside them. Only American, British, French, German, Japanse proletariat (Supported by the Chinese and Soviet proletariat) can defuse the nuclear

and remove them once and for all from the face of the earth.

To think anything else is to believe in miracles which will not happen: that the imperialists will always be intelligent or afraid or demoralised enough not to use their weapons of despair even though they keep these power to do so.

Its a fact that, despite the development of a more and more terrifying arsenal of nuclear weapons over the last thirty years, they have not been used until now. However, the number of "local' wars has been growing and more and more sophisticated and murderous conventional have in fact been used in them. reason for this difference seems obvious. Those who possess nuclear weapons and can decide wether to use them know perfectly well their suicidal meaning for humanity. The general public can be fooled with the monstrous talk of nuclear wars which will 'only" cost some hundreds of millions dead and that those who have nucicar shelters will survive*. Those in power are hot duped.

It is true that one of the partly rationa!" objectives of the mad nuclear arms race is the frantic nuclear weapons so 'small' 'clean' that their "tactical" use "localised" wars would be possible without automatically nuclear world wer. hypothesis cannot be totally excluded

and

revoluand Second

and

needed

on which the

- to do

revolution

its political

and military

only

the North

weapons;

the capon:

The

it 1s extremely unlikely, and anyway would mean a horrific cost in human life and destruction.

the fact that the Soviet Union has built and stockpiled nuclear weapons that has saved humanity up till now from a nuclear holocaust. Without this "balance of terror" it is practically certain that

search for already have used nuclear weapons

and so against the 'Chinese volunteers' durin ing the Korean war and the Chinese and unleashing a the second Indochinese war, indeed Although GRES against other revolutions.

Although

nuclear This clearly shows that it has been thus, the

definitely. imperialism would

Vietnamese revolutions during

believe that the

NUCLEAR D

'balance of terror' has prevented for a whole historical period the use of

weapons until now - and successive reprisals and escalations that would lead to the outbreak of the third world war - we do not consider that this will continue in-

What makes possible a change in this situation is the increase in the structural crisis which is afflicting the world capitalist system

ine onterence m we present siep ping up of the nuclear arms race from that in the 1950s and 1960s is that it corresponds to an intrinsic economic need of the imperialist economy, linked to the longterm decline of the

CAMPAN

economic situation of capitalism. In

conditions of stagnation of the rate of

profit and of the 'normal outlets',

arms production is more and the more

the 'substitute market par excellence

that is impelling a resumption of • capital accumulation.

The greater is the weight of arms

spending in the imperialist economy,

the greater is the pressure to increase austerity and dump the welfare state in all its forms. At the same time, the more the class struggle is exacerbated including for immediate and defensive aims, and the more the imperialist bourgeoisie is forced to look for a change in the political regime in its

Page 7 scan of this page

TRUGGLE FOR SOCIALISM

IN FOR

principal citadels.

There would have to be a totally lifferent economic climate for political personnel to be prepared to ake the final solution for the whole of humanity to come to the leadership " the principal imperialist powers.

The main forces of big capital would tave to be literally driven to the brink.

There would have to be other domilant ideologies, a different relationhip of forces between the classes in hese countries.

Of course, as the down-ward rend of the international capitalist conomy and usterity offensive and war drive of

BARMAMENT

international capital sharpens,

the

cluding

time it will be nuclear death.

Anel of big capital, threshold as the

NUCI sonalities, tendencies, indeed political forces, who symbolise the deferminaLion to literally fight to the death, in- believe

collective suicide, for the whispers, greater glory of private property, or

like Adolf Hitler and Hideki Tojo, will begin to appear in the wing: and on the edge of the stage. But this

It would be deeply irresponsible to brush aside the possibility of such a society, "suicidal turn' by the leading person-

once a certain of the structural crisis of property capitalism in decline is passed, like that passed in Germany in 1932.

Those who think that the 'balance of

For anti-nuclear propaganda can save us forever are like those who

the little voICe 'You can't die!" Alas, our own fate, we humans, is not only that individuals inevitably die, but even the species could disappear. If it does not master its own fate in time, if, faced with the threat of nuclear war, it does not impose firm rules of order on

creating a world social order which war impossible This means the abolition of private

and the sovereign nation state, and the constitution of a world government of producers (the world

socialist federation) which outlaws

the production of any major weapons

and. which is able to ensure that this

rule is respected.

The balance of terror" increasing-

ly loses its effectiveness, as the depres-

sion and the longterm capitalist crisis

worsen, as the relationships of force

the imperialist

societies modify, as the austerity of

fensive and the war drive intensify.

These phenomena

linked

The fate of humanity depends on

the outcome of a race between the

capacity of the international workers

movement to overthrow the ruling

power in the principal imperialist for-

tresses obviously

weakening would contribute to that

overthrow but cannot substitute for it

- to make a breakthrough in the pro-

gress towards socialism; and on the other side the attempt by imperialism

to intlict decisive defcats on the international workers movement, would leave the way open to nuclear

Indeed, the austerity drive and remilitarisation sooner or later to a challenge to the essential democratic rights workers movement, which in its turn would open the door to a fundamental change in the political personnel of imperialism.

As the austerity offensive acclerates, as remilitarisation increases, and as there are serious attacks poltica. gains of the proletariat in the imperialist countries murderous and against the colonial revolution "balance of terror" tends to lose effectiveness as a principal obstacle on the road towards the third world war. As this progresses, the importance of the anti-war movement (particularly anti-nuclear war) tent. The 12 June demonstration of a million people in New York (the biggest demonstration in the history o the United States, if not of the imperialist countries, with a million participants) is only a first indication of the potential of this movement.

Those who pedantically deny the objectively the action of these masses, under the pretext that they do not at first glance distinguish between the bureaucratised workers states and states, that they sometimes use the jargon describing the US and USSR as "the super-powers', putting them on an equal footing; masses do not exhibit 'proletarian in ternationalism' towards revolutions in progress (reproaches which are, moreover, partly recognise two essential aspects of the world situation.

Firstly, it is imperialism and imperialism alone desperately needs nuclear weapons for its counter-revolutionary military strategy. Thus, to concentrate the movement against nuclear weapons is to objectively strike a blow against imperialism.

Secondly, to the extent that they include section

INTERNATIONAI

that

VIEWPONT

objectively bourgeois

are structurally

exterior

tial point,

which

decrees economic crisis, offensive will lead

of the

masses,

own hands.

Page 8 scan of this page

Irish elections-'don't

Where you can

buy Socialist

Challenge

Scotland ABERDEEN: SC avasinble an Boom-

King St. Fot more info

Statior

Or Ther/Fri ar Central Station.

every into contact Jont

53 Elet Crescent, Hamilton or

ul Youngsan, 18 Forres: Crescen:, Wales SANGOA: 581 101 ARDIFF: Every Sat in Ba 10.30-12. Also available 1-0-8 Books, NEWPORT: every Sat ir towi centre PONTYPRIDO: Se sies every si ORT TALBOT SA T 5/ore 51, ami /m, satr Coop England adon Cad and atra ap

ethe Roman Baths. Phar

BOLSOVER Cra Kes, eay hr

Er. Mansele, Setal Cheerli

: SC sies in Piazza.

it Headinsly Arndale Centre. Corne LIVERPOOL/BIRKENHEAD: SC Bodi: Chora S. poo a Cpa outside Top Shop! MANCHESTER SC sold 11- Tpm Sa Hank Hich SimBU Yinth

net and at Metro Books: st

Bokshop: Tel: 051-336 4905 for fur-

available at Days of Hope bookshop

EB.t pm Siab Square, For into pron

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in Corma SHEFFIELD: SC on sale CONTRA PTO N SC

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London BRENT: SC sold Willesden Junction TALING: 50 30

Thur, Ealng ENFIELD: SC at Nelsons newsagenrs.

werticic Towa ARYNNEE sale on estate

eT us c/o PO Bot 136 Kingslane

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LAMBETH: coctings and Thur mornings outside PADDINGTON: EE WEBLEY: sales Fri 6.45am at Bookshops

BIRMINGHAM. Other Bookshop. DURHAM: Durham Chry Coop Bookshop, 85a New Eiver LFORD: South Essex Booksbop. 335 MILTON KEYNES: Dekleaf Books, per St.

perback Ceat

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By Bookshop, Grange Terrace YORK: Community Books, WalmKals

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page 8

ON 24 NOVEMBER Ireland has its third general elec

continuing ustable road ahead. According to an Irish Times poll on 15 November, Fianna Fail led by Charles Haughey will get 44 percent of the vote; Fianna Gael led by Dr Fitzgerald 42 percent and Labour 10 percent. This shows the way to another colition government between Fianna Fail and the court and police force if

tions.

People's Democracy in its November issuc Socialist Republic point out that the real issues are not parlamentary manoeuvres and alliances out a programme in the in erests of the Irish worker to protect them trom the

the Ber-

candidate

other organisations Sinn Fein,

Party and People's Democracy STEH-

din arning

about the economy

working

tiona! the same fight. of removing British

By Ros Kaplan

The recent invasion of Lebanon

tions. Recently

Movement Solidarity

ordinate them.

The need for such a

body within the Labour

Party is especialy ercat

because of the continuing

influence of Zionist,

pro-

Isracl views even within

the Labour left

This is symbolised by

the affiliation of the Poale

Zion organisation, as one

of the socialist societies

affiliated to

Party. Indeed the main

debate at the conterenco

whether

should have an explicitiy

anti-Zionist platform, and

whether it should con-

fight Zionism

be fooled again'

presence and wresting conbank-

even at BEC ta •TaICM WE COLLI riminate ine budget deficit overnight.

DONEGAL

anti-

Imendment

Part of the protest march against amendment to Irish constitution to make abortion illegal

THE LABOUR COMMITTEE ON PALESTINE (LCP) was formally launched last Saturday at its founding conference at Lambeth Town Hall.

and the massacres of Palestinians - ensured a good attendence at the conference, with over 200 delegates and observers from Labour Parties, trade unions and Palestine solidarity organisa-

number of local Labour Campaigns have been formed, and this was an opportunity to co-

within the Labour movement, or whether this was within LOLICIU Palestinian position.

Eventually an amend ment was inciuded in the founding resolution which made reference to an explicit fight against Zionism. Potentially, ineretore the LCP represents an opportunit to construct a br oad based Ora SaOn 058-oson labour movement, WILIIE to do the

consistent work In I8VOUr of solidarity with the Palestinian people However, matred by ference

-International-

•Nutionalise the banks The HaSH nove amen! owes money,

banks made profit last first step in reducing govern ment debt is to take control of the banking system 3. Create state building SCenCY POSEProCCVe vestmentov novernmentis Ir the building industry, a byc word nelliciengy

agency could provide work a OCECHE WARES. COPED NOUSIE schools hospitals tional facilitics and a decent road network. 4. An economic plan Legally must be worked out by th targets on

the COVCETC! COONCTLO with the trade unions. At pre-

£2.5bn of taxpayers ie

RICHT

Labour Committee on Palestine formed

allegations made against some of the organisers by supporters of Socialist Organiser (SO) supported by some activists within ReCES Bs movement. SO supporte Sensiein boti rom ne MATUCH solidarity Hornung

steering committec, opened the conference by demanding mediately stopped (1) on the basis that Ted Knigh and other Labour Herald supporters had packed the

oference with member of the WRF who were neither Labour Party

individual members HLUI members of the LCP.

Hornung and Greens tein later led a walkout of about 30 delegates, to *form their own committee*. This action was unfortunate, to sav the cast. splitting the committee right at its inception

Socialist Challenge supporters intervened the Hornung-Greenstein

"fringe meeting' to argue

public money goes to private OESU. IECEUE ERC OWECs

Irish industry owe us

mora pacitying Britain The experiment of WCI ALCIECU.0L STene-l costs lives, in the north and wastes the resources of the south.

L BSES can of the Nor- bc пО TCOOLNIFUCLOT thern through

Lother British plan The governmen embarked upon only within TnaWOr oRune Nothing eise will work independent Irelanc 6. No dive ion dand ratt infr

rights The LOT DU ZLOWC O OVErLE TRona atenuon TOMOWE real problems by making a A

VOICE FOR

A VOICE FOR

VOTE

Bernadette

MCALISKEYCOI

against a split and for a unified committee.

Behind this row was an attempt by Socialist Organiser to get the conference to adopt a platform which included very detailed positions on the reactionary Arab states

questons which would have poten. tially excluded some people, and a rather sordid dispute

W CECI HOmUNE and Greenstein should be the officers of the LCF

Whether or not sup porters of Labour Herald or the WRP, or both had packeo tne contercncc wa

irrelevant. Certainly, SO themselves had mobilised their supporters for the conference strength, ,and members of the WRP would have been able to attend as trade union delegates anyway

Neither did Labour Herald supporters try to.

exclude Socialist

Organiser supporters from the steering CHOTELE! which was elected. It scem-

political football of these

which more a Vhss ChOSCn WNET TEANOT HEL CEE population.

We do not need the pro he constitution. It will stop abortion any more ina SE WSOB EUTE OOCUSYEE will cost a fortune and schieve

naws, more

will not sio police They vandE ISIn violence Or orl

witch-hunts, for political gain.

Donations t0 the electior fund are gratefully receivec

McAliske) Constituency Association, 7 Collins Park

LENOSI 0001-370445

WORKING PEOPLE

IRISH UNITY

ed however that Socialist Organiser were not happy with a committee which was not in their own pocket

Despite this row, broad based steering committee was ciected. wich includes Ken Livingstone Ted Knight and indepen.

activi ps, ai well as stir

porters of Socialis

Challenge.

The basis has been laid for a continuing campaign throughout the Labour movement on the basis of support for the struggle of the Palestinian people in the struggle TOI self-determination, withdrawal orme istacus mom tc bo cupied territories , recogni-

legitimate representative ot the Palestiman peopie

and opposition to Zionism in the labour movement.

We strongly urge SO

comrades to come back in

to the committee.

Page 9 scan of this page

El Salvador-take up the fight in Britain

THE UNITED ACTION

tively in mass campaigns such as Anti-Nazi League,

tarianism in action.

But this concept of the

united front has nothing to

do with that of Trotsky

himself. Trotsky explained

his approach to united ac-

exactly the way

Marx had:

*To fight the proletariat must unity in its ranks.

This holds true for partial economic conflicts, within the walls

well as for sun nas

well as for such tional political batties as the one to repel fascism. Consequentthe tactic of the front is not accidental and artificial manoeuvre not at all; it originates, entirely and wholly, in the obconditions the levelopment of the proletariat, that they have no HALETESUS

seperate and COLIL

Christian

wipes out

Guatemalans

Montt took power in a coup in March the massacres and deaths of Guatemalan people has increased greatly. Despite Montt considering himself the 'saviour' of the people more than 5000 have his regime.

This report came from Rev Laus Fernando Garcia Guatemalan priest, the who recently visited London

He said that one person in every seven is living rough in the open terrified that they might be caught

the army and massacred. *The army are systematically attacking rural villages,

killing men women and children not with bullets, but through chopping them to death with machetes.

"They pour petrol on children and burn them,

pregnant women, rape them and hang them upside trom tree: and cut open their wombs.

terror well documented by the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission but

The basis of the

united front

of working class organisations, the united front, is often portrayed by those who claim to be Trotskyists as some sort of manoeuvre. It is to 'expose' the Labour Party and trade union leadership. This is the approach for example of groups such as the Militant who refused to participate effec-

CND, the or the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, but continuously demand that 'the Labour leadership' does this or that. The result is that 'Trotskyism' becomes identified as sec-

from those of the proletaris as a wnoie carry, with them the meaning struggle of the party to win over Ine jority of the class must in no instance come into opposition with the need of the workers to keep unity within their fighting ranks. (1)

It was only by starting off WITTE objective needs of the working class nat a revolutionary party could be built. As Trotsky put it, 'the COCCUS understood interests of the class are identical with the correctly formulated problems of the party. (2)

From this it flows that the united front is not in its basis a question of the relation ticular organisations of the between

working class — even mass ones. As Trotsky put it talking of the French Socialist and Communist Parties and their respective newspapers Le Populaire

'Born again'

SINCE the 'born again Christian' General Rios

died in the first five months of despite the evidence the US is in a big hurry to cosy up to General Montt.

The Pentagon's chief military officer in Latin America, General Wallace Notting, declared earlier this year that the implications of a Marxist takeover In Guatemala are a lot serious than in EI Salvador - the population is larger, the economy stronger, the geographical DOSItiOr more critically located in a strategic sense.

He went on to say the United States should plas essentially the same role i Guatemala as it does in El Salvador'

Nottings remarks are part of the effort by the Reagan administration to justify Postors US military aid the Guatemalan dictatorship.

and L Humanite:

"The question of the united front is not all, cither in point of origin or in substance, question OI the reciprocal relations betCommunist Party parliamentary fraction and that of the Socialists, or between the Central Committees of the two parties, between L 'Humanite and Le Populaire. The problem of the united front - despite the fact that a split is inevitable in this epoch between the political organisations basing themselves on the working class - grows

to secure for the working class the possibility of a united front in the struggle capitalism. (3)

From this it can be seen how anti-Marxist are the positions of the Militant

soup ou mass campaigns such as CND or the ANL

Trotsky primarily for united action of the mass organisations

Ine working class because that was the way to set the greatest numbers of the working class and oppressed in action against capitalism.

Naturally it is far better when there are massive action of September in support of fighting. trary. the newly liberated zones in El Salvador.

In Britain Amnesty International has called urgent action on behalf of cleven political activists ar-

the believed to be 'in danger of Torture and extrajudicial execution.'

The National Union of Miners had already intervened behalf of Jorge Herrara, a labour leader and member of the Movinento Nacional Revolutionario, party to the British Labour Party.

The much-vaunted clections in March this

What is Trotskyism?

By John Ross ШИННАННИМИ

the health workers. Today only the mass tons of the working class in Britain, the Labour Parand tae trade unions can Talis to son hatccalet why Challenge campaigns for united Labour Party/Trade Union against the Tories.

But what if their leaderships refuse to take action? The class struggle cannot be abandoned until Len Murray and Michael

Take ian be persended to-

take up. Then campaigns such as the CND the actions of the women's movement play a vital role precisely in prac lically waging that struggle of the working class and oppressed against capitalism.

They both take the most effective action now - which in some cases can be very large, and create the maximum pressure to force the leaderships of the mass organisations of the working class to put even forces in motion Socialist Challenge well as demanding action by the TUC and Labour Party participates in every possi ble mass campaign, op positional movement fighting for action in the WHORES, other movements of the working class and oppressed The two complement each other in the real

RADIO Venceremos, the clandestine station of the El Salvadorean liberation movement said that another 95 government troops had been killed or wounded in the latest stage of the

It also said that seven Hondurans had been killed in the Chalatenango province bordering Honduras 60 miles north of San Salvador. The Honduran government has repeatedly denied that their troops go across the border to aid Salvadoran forces but evidence is to the con-

Over 2000 Honduran troops are now in place along the border with 120 US 'advisors'. Columns of Honduran army transports are moving towards the border towing heavy artillery in what seems to be a full scale offensive to crush

year have had no effect at all on the arbitrary killings and torturing the security forces. While the regime has finally been forced to try five soldiers for the rape and murder of IVUE US WOULD missionaries nearly two years ago this in no way signifies a 'change of heart".

Letters to the El Salvador are urgently needed now For information please contact Amnesty Inter national, DEL CERE Southampton St, London WCZE 7HF 01-8367788.

movement of the working

lass and oppressed. The

only contradict cach othe

schemes.

Trotsky oPut Leninist "The

the united-front policy consists giving . proletariat the opportunity -while maintaining fighting, intransigent

TRADE UNIONISTS will have an

opportunity organise

solidarity with

Salvador. That's the promise that the

Salvador Solidarity

make for their working conference lo

be heid on 14 May next year

A series of speakers will give the

background to the present struggle,

from political history to the present

sochiments policy

This will be

organisation and programme - - of achieving in closed ranks, even a small practical step forward."

Because its basis is the ac tual struggle of the working class and Oppressed the united front stitute(s) the substance the problems of tactics. '(4)

In the next weeks we

Labour movement

conference on El Salvador

effective workers coverage Campaign political prisoners

paigning.

followed by

will look at examples how the question of th united front was handle in STACCE by revolu tionaries.

(loz) Trotsky — What Next (3) Trotsky - T/ Tro on th United Front (4)

Preface to the Polish Editio workshops on building a school in E Salvador • how to improve media

• how to win support for women's struggles • the release

of and to repression • fund raising and camAttractively printed advertising pamphlets

Salvador lidarity norty and are available from • Campaigi Turk street. London NIte

Socialist Challenge 25 November 1982 page

Page 10 scan of this page

Democracy

A new series which traces the development of social democracy as a political force and its crucial differences with Marxism.

1 The

By Phil Hearse THE GERMAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (SPD) founded in 1875 grew into the most powerful workers party

the world, the politically authoritative of the Socialist International. But when the first imperialist war broke out in 1914 the SPD leadership supported the war and their own ruling class. The repercussions split the world workers movement into its social democractic and communist components cond and Third Internationals. The roots of this tragedy lie in the history of the SDP.

Unlike the British Labour Party, which arose out of the decision of the trade union leaders to break with Liberalism and form their political party, the origin of the SPD was in the competing schools socialist thought which grew up after the defeat the 1848 revolution. Right from the beginning the German socialists debated crucial questions of theory.

In 1863 Ferdinand Lasselle found. ed the German General Union in Liepzig. . Its aim was univer sal suffrage and the achievement of socialism by the actions of the state, "freed' from the bourgeoisie. idea immediately brought Lasselle into conflict with Marx.

Lasselle, influenced by Hegel, and his followers regarded the state as a force supposedly standing above the classes for the purpose of promoting 'rational government progress

Marx and Engels insisted that on

ment of class rule which could not be captured by the working class and wielded for its own ends. Lasselle's view of the state led him into important political errors and was a source of constant conflict between himself and the founders of socialism - Marx and Engels.

German socialism's other major component WHIS founded Bebel and Wilhelm whose organisation, the League German Workers Clubs, also dates from 1863. After three years of loose associaton with me noctar weren Peoples Party and two years of internal faction fighting, they established

Socialist Challenge 26 November 1982

Marxism and Social

rise of

the SPD

Party.

SOCIAL

founded the SPD.

gramme of the SPD on two most party throughout its history tionary

even if its form is national:

socialism,

- the Se-

The organise itself at

(it own form'. of the

states... (1) MAINCI

Workers

This

class action.

and cultural and potentially

"liberation' for its replacement by power based on socialist relations:

scientific the other.

the revolutionary by ine proletariat. 12

League b

Wing class political

failed _TO

their own Social Democratic Labour

The two trends fused in 1875 and

Marx and Engels took issue with the founding pro-

vital issues which were to haunt the SDP and

revoluinternationalism and the capitalist state. Marx insisted that the class struggle is immediately and inevitably international in its content,

*Lasselle in opposition to the Communist Manifesto and to all earlier Ine worker

tional standpoint, It is altogether self-evident that to be able to fight working class must home as a class and that its own country is the immeatate arena or as stuggie, in so far as its class struggle is national is) not in substance but as the says.

But the framework of the present day national state', for in Empire, its turn economically *within the framework of the world of the world system of

Marx is insisting here that there can be no 'socialism in one country' He also complained that the internationalism of the SPD was posed in a for purely idealist way with talk of the brotherhood of peoples' rather than

Marx viciously attacked the conception of the state held by both wings of the party as above society

of class constraints. He insisted that the task of socialists was to prepare not for the

of the existing state, but a new state economic

"Between capitalist and communist

tionary transformation of one into There coresponds to so a pondea mansion period mn which the state can be nothing but dietatorship of

Thus right from the beginning the SPD had an inadequate theoretical grasp of two central parts of a work-

programme which was to tell heavily in 1914. It

understand firstly the

Wilhelm Liebknacht Democratic Workers Party necessity for revolutionary internationalism; a complete refusal to side with one's own ruling class at the expense of the international working class. Second, it lacked an understanding of the class nature of the state

the need for its revolutionary overthrow by the proletariat

In the elections of 1878 the SPD won 493,000 votes and 12 deputies in the Imperial Parliament. The growth of the SPD, coinciding with growth of the working class itself, was rapid. Before long the SPD had 24 national journals with over subscribers. Another important factor in its expanding influence was the founding of the trade unions under SPD leadership: by 1875 they had 50,000 members

This frightened the ruling class. They launched a massive propaganda campaign against the socialists, Villlfying them in the foulest terms. When in 1878 a former member of the SPD attacked the Emperor William Bismark moved to introduce his anti-socialist laws — the Law against the Publicly Dangerous Endeavours of Social Democracy.

Banned

This draconian legislation banned virtually all SPD activity and publica tions, Huge penalties were imposed

transgressors SPD could be deported' from their home towns by the police.

While the party organisation col lapsed under the savagery of this persecution, the SPD leadership reorganised a centre to co-ordinate illegal activity from over the border in Zurich. But crucially SPD electoral activity was not dealt with under the new law,

By 1884, 9,000 copies of the illegal Sozialdemokrat were circulating in Germany. The party was beginning to pull itself together. During this period Marx and Engels once again clashes with a section of the SPD leadership in Zurich.

Karl Hoechberg and other influential leaders had circulated a letter suggesting co-operation with the upper strata of society' - that the SPD should ally itself with progressive bourgeois for social reform. Marx and Engels warned:

*For almost 40 years we have stressmediate driving force of history... the class struggle it is therefore impossible for us to

founder of the Social

movement. the working

state that the

above

the ned by After this conflict German social 100,000 democracy began to make steady progress. The late 1880s were years of stormy workers struggle, and the trend inside the working class towards the SPD increased. 1890 elections the SPD won its most spectacular breakthrough — a genera election vote of Bismark was to fall, and the anti-socialist laws were repealed. I, mense bearing on the future of German Social Democracy. Its leadership became convinced that which had survived the anti-socialist laws and won such spectacular clectoral victories was 'invincible', that its

bourgeoisie in the period turned towards social reform. the practice of the SPD became in creasingly parliamentary. militants the progress of the "tried and tested Lactic" cectoral machc

Within

programme for its congress at Erfurt. The "Erfurt Programme systematised a general conception of the programme of a workers party which remains typical of parties 'maximum' and the 'minimum programme. In this scheme the party has one programme for immediate strug gies conditions other programme ultimate, far off, victory of socialism leaving ambitious exactly how this — Bebel's "day of the great sweep' day would be brought about.

Thus the SPD legitimation to a potentially reformist practice -ment, and the trade union leaders, would concentrate mediate reforms, and fail to link immediate struggles with the goal of

socialism. in the

goal "qualitiative',

Whether

Basic

the co-operate with people who wish to expunge the class struggle from the

The emancination of class must be con the working its We cannot therefore co-operate with people who openly

workers are 100 themselves andmust be freed from bourgeois and petty burge. (l philanthropic The German leadership was stun

the rebuke and retreated

Elaborated In the February to victory: 1,427,298 Soon

This victory was to have an im-

the party

guaranteed. As the post-Bismark

, Above all,

- clections — turned into an Kautsky

In 1891 the SPD drafted a new

attitude. social democratic the division between the

many in

the improvement of workers

within the system. The provides for the pose it. (3)

Debate gave theoretical - that the party in parlia

solely on im-

particularly

The resolution of this problem of the contradiction between the daily struggles of the proletariat capitalism and the goal of socialist revolution was only solved by the notion of transitional demands and a transitional programme worked out first by the Communist Internationa.

early 1920s and further elaborated by Trotsky.

According to the theory of transi tional demands it is possible to mobilse and educate the working class in its daily struggle for the ultimate

socialism by raising transitional demands which point the way to socialism

For not it is possible for Capitalism to grant these demands, they contradict the logic of the func tioning of the capitalist system and insist on solutions at the level of the whole of society.

The logic of the minimum' programme is to insist on reforms which capitalism can grant, to ameliorate

workers' conditions. But capitalism in crisis, argued Trotsky, cannot meet even the most basic needs of the working class.

By mobilising the working class around transitional demands, revolutionary vanguard combines a struggle both for immediate reforms and for a series of anti-capitalist measures, in the vital interests of the working class, which only a workers' government can carry through. Rosa Luxemburg raised this problem:

*The unification of the great mass of the people with a goal that goes of the daily struggle with the revolutionary overthrow that is the contradiction Social Democractic Movement which must develop consistently between the loss of its mass goal, becoming sect and bourgeois retormist movement. (4)

In a later debate with Bernstein, Rosa Luxemburg explained: It is not

that socialism will automatically from the daily struggles of the working class' (5).

Precisely on the questions which Marx had raised, internationalism and the state, the SPD began to falter. Even Engels in some of his writings after the death of Marx, when he col-

closely with the SPD leadership, seemed to sanction the view that elections would be the road

(The SPD's) growth proceeds as spontancousis, as steadily and a irresistably and at the same time as tranquilly as a natural process. All Бослисть acrycnon nas prov ed powerless against it. If it continues in this fashion we shall by the peasants, and grow into the decisive power in the land... terruption until it gets beyond the control of the governmental system day, that is our main task. (6)

This seemed to sanction the SPD's gradualist approach, especially as

removed from the text passages making explicit reference to street fighting and revolution

Further the SPD began to retreat on its internationalism, especially in relation to Russia. Because Russia was regarded as the most reactionary state in Europe, the SPD began to adopt an apparently social-patriotic

At the Erfurt Congress Bebel declared: "If Russia, that bulwark of savagery and. barbarism, the enemy of all human culture, were to attack Ger-

order to dismember and destroy her — then we are as much and indeed more concerned that those who lead Germany, and we shall op

This kind of talk prefigured Bebel's declaration shortly before his death in 1913 that there is not a single person in Germany would surrender the fatherland without a fight. This is

true the Social

Page 11 scan of this page

Ferdinand Lasselle -

bitterly contested by Marx Democrats' (8)

Inside the SPD there now broke out a debate which was to shape its whole future — the debate over revisionism'. In 1898 in Die Neue Zeit Bernstein published a series of articles challenging fundamentals of MarxESELE

He accused the SPD leadership, not without reason, of having an increasingly reformist practice, maintaining a formally revolutionary rhetoric which was out of keeping with this practice.

Bernstein argued that capitalist crises were getung tess severe, class differences were evening out and not deepening and that the masses were not being impoverished. growth of capitalist Carters monopolies meant that the capitalist system was becoming more ordered and rational, not more 'anarchic.

Bernstein therefore argued that the fight for socialism was one of evolutionary gradual advance, not of revolution. Things would gradually get better for the working class, with a little bit of help from the SPD. This kind of thinking was of course a product of the relative capitalist stability and economic growth between 1890 and 1914.

Push

Bernstein's ideas, in a different context, pretigured many of the ideas formulated by the Labour Party revisionist" thinkers in the 1950s and 1960s - that class differences would gradually disappear and the system automatically become more rational with a little social democratic push.

These predictions of people like Crosland and Douglas Jay crashing down with the onset of the capitalist crisis of the 1970s. Bernstein's crashed in the horror of world

when the full barbarism capitalism and the bankruptcy of the SPD Icadership were fully exposed.

The drift of the SPD towards reformism, however, was not just a product of ideological factors, but also of the growing bureaucratisation of the party and within it, of the trade union bureaucracy.

As the SPD and the trade unions grew, in a period of relative stability, paratus of party functionaries, journalists and trade union Seeking to move to power via successive electoral victories, the officials represented enormous

his conception of the state

•The

"moderate'.

Role

but of

gresses.

that

The

and

The EVOLEOR

ties based on a

winning clections

expense of membership which Bernstein

future let ving o lea wing -

tions.

came Footnotes

1. Marx, Critique

of works, vol 2 p27

2. Ibid p32-33 p395. 4.

Sclected Political

(NLB 1976) p113 5. 'Reform

ap-

7. Quoted in officials. Germany, volume 1 p147.

8. Duoted in P Ibid conser- Allemagne, p36.

vative force. They tried to win sup-

'middle strata' which

Engels had referred by curbing any "extremism' and by appearing ever

Zinoviev, in his book The War and ine ersm bociansmiy snowed how the middle class and better off workers came to play a disproportionate role in the party, consistently being over-represented at party con-

The supreme representative of the social democratic bureaucracy was Friedrich Ebert, who became parLY SCOTCETY INDECKEE by the right wing trade union leaders, he challenged Haase in a run off for the presidency of the party. In 1913 he won the post against Bebel himself.

of SPD typical of the social democratic par-

large but mostly passive membership; concerned with

by appearing "moderate; and elevating to positions of authority the functionaries, in particular the trade union bureaucrats, at

working class

In the debate over revisionism, in

was soundly defeated, the Kautsky-Bebel "centre'

alongside its led by Luxemburg and Liebknecht. Only towards the end of the decade did the fight break out between the centre and the left wing - precisely on the issue of mass struggle versus exclusive reliance on the "tried and tested tactic" of elec-

of the Marx Engels selected

3. Marx-Engels selected correspondence

*Organisational Questions of Russian

Social Democracy in D. Howard (ed

Writings ROSE

Geras The Legacy of Rosa Lutemburg Revolution', in

Waters, Rosa Luxemburg Speaks, p59. 6. F. Engels: Marx-Engels selected works

Fascism in

Brouc, Revolution en

CHANNEL4 of the Plantations on Channel 4 came as a pleasant surprise.

This surprisingly moying programme was about Sylvia Woody, a 70 year old black States and, as the title would suggest, her lifelong struggle against and suffering under, racism. Not only is hers' a struggle against 'racism and

YOUICES VODEO CALI v guide tells us - but also

a dynamic struggle against capitalism something

us!

photos

depicting

moving but mournful such as

Struggle"

Union*.

and talked, word

Eastern Eye

I'LL HAND IT to Channel 4, whatever their motivation, they're trying! True, most of the decent stuff is on at some unearthly hour when most people are only semi-conscious for one reason or another, but what's new?

Viewing figures by

well worth staying awake for.

Eastern Eye, a programme aimed at the

n the 7V Times as a mix tuitical stories and light ture "hard hitting off-beat ones'. Well, the light off-beat element - ie film star's wives being asked how they felt while their hulk husband cavorted on set with attractive young women wasn't so interesting. but the hard hitting politics were worth a watch

Over half the hour long programme was used to CAUSE the vehement racism in the police force.

It was based around Hendon police training school

John Fernandes, wnere head of a multi-cultural studies i course set up

wake of Scarman pacify people, asked his police cadet pupils to write an essay on their attitudes to blacks in Britain - - it really was asking for trouble!

'All blacks are a pain and should be ejected from our society' and the blacks must accept that if

BAD TASTE

Have you heard bout the American

businessman who cooldn

noses tr

SUE MACDONALD watches two late-night programmes on Channel 4 last week. Below she gives her views on: "The Long Shadows of the Plantation' and 'Eastern Eye'.

The Long Shadows of the Plantations

AFTER THE RUBBISH I've seen on television, last Tuesday's showing of the Long Shadows

music showing the

movement was the

'political'

Sylvia's youns child. not been

in her school Her

free"

her pathetic says They the

know who enemy

bosses Not does

, oppression and of the blacks working

also on the question of women and particularly on Nevertheless their attempts to boost their

catering for ethnic minorities' has resulted in some programmes

they want to live in this country they must fall in line under white British dictators' are indicative of the general tone of the References 'white mastery and "wogs' were commonplace.

The report on these essays was followed by an interview Fastern Eye studio with Commander Wells, head of the Hendon school, and (surprise, surprise.) two black police cadets who fervently denied they'd ever suffered from any racism (1 assume by the fact they first entered college that they wanted to keep their jobs!)

Commander Wells then went on to say that these essays didn't show deep rooted racism which would be eradicated by 18 months training.

What acismily And "shallow' racism? could anybody (except the odd cop or two) not consider references to 'white mastery' as anything but deep rooted 70 per cert of thes

No to be cornea

Russians who cant keep their noses out our business:

their hidden role in working class history: There is

complete blackout on what women have done in the trade union movement and every movement you would think that no

CYCl marched on the picket lines. ever woman noble not a raised a dollar Divide

Although

the lact

and of the ruling class she

La day together,

of the TV!

But this realistic

to make

do to help?

Sylia Police - claim no racism

essays were considered by Fernandes to be 'abusive or negative' and only one

out 64 yes Totally

anti-racism. totally gives the hie to the old, old myth that the police force represents the whole spectrum of society and there will therefore necessarily be an element of racism.

attracts these thugs by its very role

This expose is particularly timely when we consider Whitelaw's гсcent decision that racist nolice would not be sack ed, and recent government

- Do you think Mister

Never mind! the class issue

the vague reminiscences of an azeing semi-senile

Shese are a call to arms. She doesn't want u

sit in front of the T and admire her. She wants us to follow her example, at work and on the streets Time after time it is hammered home to the viewer What you eat is connected with politics, nected with sleep connected politics

Yes, the long shadows of the plantations still hang over society today -in the form of deep rooted racism and vicious ruling class attacks on the black population. But this pro-

was not * Woody tribute to Sylvia and the millions of women like her, it was also an example how to finally disperse those shadows.

The message was clear, we must fight racism and women's oppression now as part of the long term struggle for socialism.

It was a moving and inspiring statement when Svivia Woody said •A: long as I breath I will be working for the freedom and dignity of the working class, Let's hope thai

viewer, that moved and inspire equally night were proposals giving police more power to stop and search (whatever happen

the abolition of SUS?), the right to detai: people for 96 hours befor going before magistrates, Anderpins hom 10 yeke and the right to olds!

Something tells me that maybe the police really

toc concerned about fighting racism, wh should they be, it's not in their interests and they've got the Tories and the rul ing class backing their every action all the way down the line.

D/CORMAG

Socialist Challenge 26 November 1982

Page 12 scan of this page

By Bob Pennington THE LEADERS

government's two-year pay deal for

strike action.

Albert Spanswick

promise.

As a consequence Spanswick said last day, that it was very likely that his executive wouid also recommend rejection of the offer and put the case for strike action.

If this does happen and if the nurses once again toss out the government's oter the stace could be set for a renewal of the fight for the 12 per cent.

But if this is to happen SOHC RETOCSSOTS daVC lO

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Socialist

Challenge

HEALTH DISPUTE

Tougher

action

needed

of NUPE have decided to recommend that their members reject the

health workers. They have made it clear that if this does happen, then the result will be all-out

COHSE's general secretary and chairperson of the TUC health committee is squeezed between the pressure from the militants in his union and the adamant refusal of the Tory cabinet to make any com-

be learned. . The militants will have to wage a real campaign in the hospitals revive the spirit of militancy that existed there up to 22 September. Since tnen tc stussic nas ocen allowed to mainly because of the failure of the TUC and its health committee to organise anout strike action in the NHS combined with solidarity action outside, The fighting spirit of

SPECIAL OFFER For readers who take out a year's inland subscription we are offering a free copy of Alan Freeman's new book THE BENN HERESY. The

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the health workers cannot be turned on and off like a tap and the militants at area level and in the union committees the hospitals have got to win over their rank and file to take up the battle once again.

Nor will the TUC guide- lines on providing accident and emergency cover be enough to win a dispute. On the days of action when these were used the bed occupancy rarely

below lO Der cen Those workers who did provide the cover were often not ting epined hardy bit at all. ting the TUC and the workers generally

did not lead to victory.

The most effective way of hitting the hospitals is the use of picket lines that stop the oil tanker drivers

ALAN FREEMAN

THE BENN

HERESY

peace women

WOMEN from Greenham Common peuce camp have baen imprisonad in the East Sutton Park jail, Kent and Drake Hall Open prison, Staffordshire.

Last Sunday over 70 demonstrators mainly from CND and Spare Rib, the prison in Kent. The eight demonstrators allowed inside took flowers and messages of solidarity.

heart and still determined to carry on the fight against Cruise when they are released.

and bringing

-medical gas taking in i

supplies. This action,

which could secure quick

results, exceeds the TUC

guidelines and up to now

has rarely been used To

get a speedy and con-

clusive victory such means

will have to be used - cven

if at first on a selective scale.

Support

The rest of the labour

movement must be convinions and the TU math YITCCS that health

DUISTESS otherwise why

should they sacrifice their

wages in supporting strike

action. Determined all-out

THE 15 MONTHS long

Labour movement.

save jobs, militancy and hope.

FUND DRIVE

example will live on. very gratified

donate

strike wrote to us:

dispute,

times from Socialist Challenge

help you in your work.

We are

is as indispensible

GREENHAN WONEN

Release the Greenham Common

,demonstreted outsios

Thay reported that the prisoners were in good

strike action can do that.

Furthermore, ing large teams of health workers to visit the docks, mines, printworkers, steelworkers and the other workers in the public sector calling for support is not only desirable, but vital.

All is not lost. The tide can turned and the government forced to pay up. But this will not hap pen as long as the TUC health committee acts in a half-hearted manner. The stakes in this dispute are far too high to allow that to naopen so me ngat rot tougher action must begin TIENS HOW.

Laurence Scott's - Thanks

struggle of the Laurence Scott's Electromotors to keep open their factory was an inspiration to the whols

At a time when union leaders argued thet nothing could be done to

they stood out like a beacon

They were finally defeated. But only in the face of the combined might of the employers, the police and the top union officials. So their

Socialist Challenge is that the committes

fighting monies that they still had were given to various disputes now going on.

This is what Denis Barry, leader of the

NO TENT DV LAUTANCA SCOLS WOrKRIS S AOW 1 the history books and I must say with great credi to those who took part in such a long and hard

and roausing chat wnen Ine going wag hard, as it was on most days, when we were on our own and sacrificed by the leadership

"1 would like on bahalf of all of us to axpress our thanks and appreciation for the help received at all

ENU VVE would be pleased if you would accept this cheque for E250 tc

con ident thet evervons of ou readers thinks the role of Socialist Challenge

and will emulate the Laurence Scott strike committee

Heme Bay

OND

Sapport

DALE WOMEN

aganst

Crise g

missiles

in solitary confinement.

send telegrams to the Home Office demanding their immediate release.

NO TVC This weeks totals are: Rotherham Swansea Lewisham Islington of Brent Newport Wandsworth Middlesborough Canacen Southwark Huddersfield Coventry Oxford Hemel Hempstead Edinburgh Cardiff Bristol Southampton Lambeth Preston Harringey Hackney Tower Hamlets Glasgow Brighton Sheffield Newcastle R. Patterson LSE Workers Total Total so far

Photo: CARLOS AUGUSTO GUARITA

Concern is however being expressed about the other women from Greenham Common who are in Drake Hall prison, as it is said they are being kept

Trade unions, Labour parties, women's groups and student unions are urged to send messages of solidarity to these victims of ruling class spite and vengeance. The same organisations should also

CALL

US OUT

SCANBIN UNTIL

WIN E 11.00 140.00 245.00 141.00

41.00 10.00 SOERII 3232.70 E9368.91

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