Socialist Challenge No. 279, 2 February 1983
The scan: sc-no279.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge
LABOUR MUST SUPPORT
No. 279 2 February 1983 25p
COOKSOr
Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
FOR THE FULL CLAIM! NO TROOPS!
THE WATER WORKERS!
Give back the
Demonstrate
Council.
March to
bankment
'NALGO, NUPE,
UCATT,
Association.
THE GOVERNMENT is preparing a massive campaign
the Already the Tory papers are pouring out stories of waterworkers cutting off supplies to hospitals and kidney machines. In fact, the water workers have gone out of their way to among the old and sick.
But the there will be hardship; water to homes and industry gradually disrupted. the Tories will be to blame - they are standing in the way of a settlement. When the taps start to dry up, when workers are laid off in other industries without Wale! blame the WOKerS
But all the water workers are asking is a living wage. Their basic pay is around t85 a week - if they earn more on average its because
massive amounts of overtime. And they earn this paltry wage fo doing what are nastiest jobs on with everyone else's muck.
Bermondsey Labour
underground).
Missing Millions
for the
return of the Rate Sup-
port Grant to Southwark
Assemble Saturday 19 February,
11am, London College of Printing,
Downing Street,
Rally at Victoria Gardens, Em- Tory
Peckham Labour Parties, Southwark
GEMWU, T&GWU Southwark Group Tenants'
WHEN
THE TAPS
RUN DRY
BLAME THE
TORIES!
abuse waterworkers
Whole in policy.
prevent hardship fighting against. strike continues
will be labour For all this now workers; hospital
and homes are
'heartless' Tories water will tions
URORISTS
give Thatcher some of the offer, dealing
Help Peter
Tatchell in
Bermondsey
Canvassers are now needed every day of the week, but especially Sundays 11.00am and Tuesdays 7.00pm. Each CLP is to be twinned with a Bermondsey ward; contact Labour Party regional office (703 6511) to find out YOU CHO DOE Or 111?
Party offices, 133 Lower Road, SE16 (Rotherhithe
environment minister Tom King. He's taken over Michael Heseltine's old iob of robbing local councils.
Margaret Thatcher has told the
employers not to pay any more
than the 7.3 per cent offer already
made. The Tories are worried that
the water workers are knocking a
their public sector pay Good. This pay policy
precisely what other groups like
the hospital workers have been
The whole resources of the the Labour
Party as well as the unions, must
swing behind Ine water the defeat of the workers must not be
repeated. In particular the labour
movement must prepare for the
use of troops to run key installa.
But troops can't do even sim-
ple jobs in the water industry if
they receive no supplies: trade
must black all material
destined for the water industry.
The water workers strike can the bloody nose
which she so thoroughly deserves
with the support of the whole
labour movement
Page 2 scan of this page
-Editorial
If you want nuclear disarmament - vote Labour!
AS THE general election approaches, question of what nuclear disarmers should do i the electron campaign is increasingty being
Simultaneously. alliance is making its bid to get a section of the anti-nuclear vote, by 'serious multilateralists', position to Trident and the urgent need for the success of international negotiations to 'avoid the necessity for
In fact only one of the main parties is committed through conterence unilateral nuclear disarmament - the Labour Party. from united around the Labour government through its anti-nuclear commitment.
The CND apparatus, as explained in a recent interview by Bruce Kent, will support all parties or candidates who stand for nuclear disarmament.
proposed 'General Campaign' which unilateralist candidates of whatever party the aim would be to encourage disarmers of, for example, the SP 'even if the rest of the party is lukewarm.
In addition to this, Helen Johns of the Greenham nounced that they will be standing 'Women for Life' candidates weapons candidates of all parties.
Socialist Challenge, thinks all these points of view are in danger of seriously disorientating the anti-nuclear movement.
Among the "support all unilateralist parties' line is course the Communist Party. This allows the Communist scandalous diversionary campaign, standing 150 candidates against Labour coming election.
The Communist Party is evolving to the right, with many of their members talking about a new broad alliance with the 'centre
other words the SDP this, however, with the most absurd sectarian posturing as an alternative to Labour in the general election.
Only government unilateralist MPs' dent, American bases and the 'British deterrent'. The only party which can conceivably be pushed into such a stance is the Labour Party.
The SDP is a pro-American party absolute. ly committed to the Atlantic nuclear alliance The 'serious multilateralist' stance of David Owen is a manoeuvre to capitalise on thei anti-nuc ear The against unilateral nuclear disarmament.
The space for the SDP's manoeuvres has been created by the failure of Michael Foot and the Labour leadership to unequivocally give a commitment that all nuclear weapons will be abolished by a Labour government. When Foot says multilateral disarmament are 'not counterposed' he creates an opportunity for every mutilaterlist trickster to argue that he or she is equally serious about disarmament.
A clear commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament in the Labour manifesto would put all the other parties on the spot. Even so, of the major parties only Labour has given a clear commitment against cruise and Trident.
The Labour leadership should take stock of important findings in the opinions polls: 61 percent think rigar misin percent NUCIECE crucial election issue. That needs to be turned around.
If 61 percent thought it was a crucial election issue, it would be a massive blow against the Tories, the one party not committed at all to any pretence of being disarmament. That's why the struggle inside the Labour Party unilateralist commitment manifesto is so crucial.
Meanwhile, the case that only Labour can carry through unilateral nuclear disarmament needs to be rammed home. There is a job to be done here by Labour CND. They should be creating holy murder about reports that unilateralism has been left out of the draft manifesto. A serious fight inside the party creates the best conditions for winning the anti-nuclear movement to support for its natural and most powerful ally the labour movement.
Socialist Challenge
the
the SDP-Libera
posing as the stressing their op.
cruise missiles.
decision
But the anti-nuclear movement is far
need to return a and force it to Garr
Daniel Plesch and Gus Scott
Election Peace proposes backing-
Common peace camp has an-
against pro-nuclear
keenest proponents of the
Party to get away with their
during the
They combine
not 'more
- will get rid of cruise, Tri-
our is to percent that unilateral and but only 8 disarmament
concerned with
ensure clear inside. the
inside the peace movement 2 February 1983. page 2
worth about 5 percent.
the offer means £10 a week
most of e he workers it
the workers HUSU would mean between £5.50 and £6 a week.
Undoubtedly this is the opening shot in a media campaign isolating the strikers and nion against theras The nion against them. Tories and their suD
porters in Fleet Street se
his as an important test o strength in the run-up to the General Election, and will stop at nothing in their efforts to defeat the strike. Votes
The water workers however are determined. anne vernes delecares voted 40 to 1 to continue the strike; West they voted 50 to 1. Similar votes were laker throughout the country,
the lie to Norman Tebbit's claim that the strike was unconstitu tional under the unions own rules, and did not have the support of the members.
tac caesaon now to water workers, and for the whole labour movement, is how to defeat the Tories On this point it is clear that the members are more determined than their leaders.
Linked
So far, they have refused to call out the Scottish water workers whose pay
English and Welsh
they have given every indication that they are
he £13.50 parity claim to bring the water workers in line with Gas and Electricity workers, in favour of a percentage increase over 12 months.
WE COLOR. the water workers have Len Murray, who
SCCEECE glorious victory for the British Rail Board against the traindrivers, for Norman Fowler
dhallisi the health workers waiting
CND Diary
OND
Waterworkers
Full solidarity
'VICTIM of the water bullies!' screamed the Daily Express headlines on the Monday after the water workers had decisively rejected the 7.5 percent offer. In reality of course the offer was spread over 16 months, and was actually
in the wings to offer help.
To counter this the
strikers should now
LUTE
out. the rest of the
labour movement for sup
port, while stepping up the
sanctions against industry.
supcan call the Tory's
bluff
, and the CBI will not
be so keen for a fight when
their members, profits are
being hit. Army
If industry is hit then
the Tories will bring in the
The most effective
way to hit back at this is to
sor owner groups to reruse
to cooperate with the tro This will
apply par-
ticularly DOWCI
workers, who are also pur-
suing their wage claim,
and are likely to get the
same response as the water
WOTACTS. aine water
workers succeed the situa-
tion for WOL CHOOL
Coups will look very di
ICE CHIL.
Boost
All sections of the
labour movement have a
stake in winning this
dispute, and not least the
Labour defeat for the Tories wil Party,
knock hole through
Thatcher's 'Iron Lady' im
age, and weaken the
Tories standing
polls. For Labour it would
oc allia Or UoUsL
We should step up the
demand that the Labour
leaders stop witch hunting
their own members - and
insist they fight the witch
against the water
worker Every Labour
should ensure that MPs and Councillors
ILS
are down at the picket lines
And the
ULICLE SUUDULE
Labour Party should be
the first to help the strikers
by organising tours to raise
and get the case
againswhis Tone sane for
Now
joint action
against the Tories.
7-13 February
Saturday 12 February Tuesday 15 February
Thursday 31 March
Trade Unions
CND week of action against Trident and
Local actions around jobs centres and YOPS schemes.
Student CND National demonstration and human chain from the Ministry of Defence to the Department of Education and Science. Starts Jubilee Gardens, County Hall.
Picket of Newbury Crown Court where the trial of women arrested at Greenham Common SELES 12 hour blockade of Greenham Common (women only) and Burfield Royal Ordinance Factory (mixed).
NATIONAL BOOK
SALE
15 January - 5 February
at
The Other Bookshop 328 Upper St London N1 Hours - Mon, Tues, Sat 10-6: Wed 12-7; Thurs, Fri 11-7
and Birmingham's Other Bookshop
137 Digbeth Birmingham B5 Hours - Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed
Friday 1 April
Saturday 2 April
Saturday 7 May
Saturday 6 August
14 mile human chain from Greenham Common to Aldermaston via Burfield. Starts 1.30pm followed by festival at Aldermaston.
Scottish CND demonstration in Glasgow Youth CND Festival for Peace. Starts at 1lam from the Embankment, London to Brockwell Park. Bands, speakers and festival village. Hiroshima Day Date agreed for Labour Party/TUC day of action against the missiles Also marches from all over Britain to Greenham Common.
Page 3 scan of this page
WATERWORKERS SPEAK OUT 'We'll stay out as long as it takes'
A London water
worker on the
claim
for the Thames
to pursue their claim.
'The water workers in London are very solidly benine their unions stand in rejecting the so-called 7.3 percent offer. London threw out the offer by a ratio of six to one. The impression gained from this strike at Headquarters was
feelings had got stronger over the week. The Western 5 GMBU branch had thrown out the claim bv 18 votes to two Coppermills have voted 87
and meeting had voted 51 to 1 to reject Bruce Grove
the offer.
*The water workers
their skills and industrial muscle would force the of fer up without troops being able to be brought in to do the job that they did normally.
Their only worry was the union might be forced to go to arbitration, a prospect they were against as they thought it would lead to a sell out.
1S delivered here, no food, no milk The people working inside, members of the staff association are on 24
canowever They are opening the security CaLes cHe Car Darks. e01e
that normally do. They must be earning much more than they usually earn.
isofte cally per-
cent isn't really amount. That includes a day's holiday and extra money for shitt working. We've said it's got to be an improved offer over the 12 months not the 16 months that they re proposing. We told the union to forget about any 16 month deal. Broken
We are expecting to step up the pressure next week. Camden Council has suggestea emergency cover may be necessary to move water but Camden NUPE has voted to give us full backing and black all work relating to the strike. The FBU has also promised not to carry water out. Our emergency cover the moment is to dea with any broken mains covering hospitals, clinics and fires but if they bring in the troops we'll withdraw all that.
When asked about the betrayals of the TUC relation ASLEF
Terry said militants were drawing lessons from the right-wing trade union leaders' role. 'We've voted not to nave Len Murray to do anything about dispute He hasn't done any good in any other industry. leaders follow the advice of their we'll get the claim we want.
confident that we're going to stay out until we get a better offer.
TERRY EANES works as an assistant turncock Water Authority in Clerkenwell. Socialist Challenge spoke to him on Saturday while his union leaders were discussing what further action should be taken
its membership.
The StraigH facts are
unese Over 82%
members nationwide voted in
ballot strike action,
with more three-to-one
voting in favour
SHIC OYCL
whelming
WCIT
merelore m tavour or une
strike.
The rule to which you
refer relates to strike
initiated cal and branch
levels, which then is subject to
executive endorsement ana
directon-nourite bookin
executive council itself has the
La national
dispute.
The rule book does not re
•ule our executive counci n
Dallor our mempers when call
ing on them to participate in
action.
members
CCULIYC counci went well
OFFICIAL
STRIKE
BL
AVERAGL
UR
TIT A CONFRON
RIGHT.
Pickets in Warwickshire
South Wales it was eight to one.
This week they have decided to try to stop chlorination throughout Wales by picketing chlorine supplies to the
SEATMENT
at 5* Water workers pay slip showing net pay £63. So much for Tory press claims!
Basnet answers Tebbit
YOUR LETTER confirming the allegation you made in the House that my union is in breach of rule in calling our members in the water industry out on strike, shows considerable ignorance both as to the content of the union rule book and the legal requirements governing the methods unions adopt in consulting
beyond the obligation in the rule book.
Because they were concerned to take all steps possi ble to ascertain our members
the union has not complied with could not be further from the TILP book democracy
an are of To repon- you that
LESOUR
and the community at large.
recognise the
DOON and went beyond the TUe BOON order to ensure commens a fúlly
democratic decision.
Your letter continues with desaris of how the ballon tas concucicu. were vow able Lo assure me mar me conser.
Water Wo
NEGOTATI
SOUTH WALES water workers have shown themselves to be amongst the most militant in the whole of Britain. Nationally, the decision for strike action was four to one in favour. In
waterworks. In the Gowe and divisions all SYSCO emergency cover nas been removed, and this is expected to be extended to - TO DATE. EMPEEN. 386 1661
NATI, TO DATE
DEDUCTION BALANCE vative Government
prompted this strike, or the
presented the the claim to enter members mto normar nuu necone tions, had equally democratic could Take their constituents accusations and inquisitions a little more -SCHIOUSLY As is can ony assume such enquiries and encouragmembers to appeal to courts to be part mISCHICYOU: allack on the union. would also point out that your enquiries appear to
As soon as they
pose an income our percent limit. Its politics they are playing at
waterworks.
the whole of South Wales during this week
JIM WALSH is at the Cwmtawe water depot. lere, the DICKEL have gone even further by turn ing back spare parts. cratt workers are crossing the line.
A rota has been drawn
PAY ADVICE TAXABLE PAY TO DATE be made under ine misapPrehension that Norman Tebregulation of is already on the statute book
to date unions connnue to operate their own democratic machinery under rules decided by theil sugges that public would be much bette SCICu Il You Lurnea YoU aE Lenton persuading employers to mething they t in reality done sinc November - and allow them Lo manc an improvca olle WHICH my members aspirations.
THE TORIES came into office pledged that they wouldn't interfere in negotiations and that they wouldn't impose an
took office, they have done nothing else but interfere. Now they are trying to im
Derek Patterson shop steward at Audenshaw
up and pickets set up at the nearby works as well as the Birch Grove pump house explained the mood of the strikers:
*Ou members have all rejected the deal. We have got -get comparability with the gas and electricity industry. Tebbit's NON-TAXABLE
GROSS PAY
TOTAL DEBUCYIONS
Big support in
Sheffield
IAN DRAYTON, shop steward at the
steel redundancies last Saturday.
MP, in his speech the rally praise the waler workers who aescribed He demise ves as orcel as ora the blam for the
defeats of health the hands of the leadership at
Very top leve Half of the cash collectic made at the rally was donated to the water work or sa.
promises port were given by convenors afterwards
The LoD Doory or En newly formed Sheffield wate workers strike committe General and Municipal wate and pollution control branch
produce a strike bulletin and to keep the membership full involved and informed They are also to
workers and a commitment should they be used to main-
withdrawn in
Notts
in Mansfield.
and NUPE members was immediate -Emergency cover was withdrawn.
linghamshire win the excepton tingham), followed this Mansfield lead
strike in support of the manual workers
to raise support in the main local industries -
made in the local Labour Parties.
ment shows how st that man is. Ours democratic union. l Jim everything back But It do make any difference we'll stay out as long takes. As long as we're sold down the river by union negotiators.
Jim told us how press was playing dow effects of the strike sewage has been flos into the river Tawe 1 Y strabgyniais from start of the strike.
He was convince the strength of the v workers 'We're the r powerful workers in world if divided. We've given t
already. The managen too many CURECO have been up to tricks they can do all their emergencies now.
Jim was about the use of tro *They could whole Yankee army in it would make JOR i ference. They can mar parade up and d g alright, but they woul know what to do i a sewage tunnel.
Blackl Meadows sewerage works addressed a mass ral 2000 demonstrators protesting the 1700 South Y
tain a water supply to power statons •LIC • Heeley CLP passec
TOROWING emerg resolution constituency Party calls
Caster • and inconvenier public caused by government in its atter Which cuts real wages 1 DUDLIC SCCLO weresovero 1. make our support to
2. encourage our memb
-Ing GMDA leaniers petitions of suppor
action if they ha already done so lames Neils shop ster committee passed a resol
utilising the G&M petiti
Emergency cover
THE WATER workers dispute escalated here last TI day 27 January with the withdrawal of all emergency c
Management cleared screens at the Bath Lane breaking a previous agreement. The response of the (
this means
The following day, water workers in the rest of of the city o
The confident mood of the pickets at the Great Ce Rd site was strengthened by the decision of the government union staff members to stage a one hour t
Socialist Challenge supporters have been active ir
- coal garment. This will be vital as layoffs could soon a workers in these industries. Calls for support are also
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 pe
Page 4 scan of this page
Labour's manifesto must be unilateralist
Labour leadership to expel socialists
FOLLOWING rumours that Labour's unilateralist commitment is to be 'watered down', the Labour Disarmament Liaison Committee has appealed to Michael Foot to ensure the Party's policy is adhered to, and has called on all constituency Labour
LABOUR'S NEC has
passed a resolution
declaring it 'obliged
to expel all Militant
Tendency members.'
The resolution passed
on 26 January ratifies ad-
vice from the Labour Par-
ty's lawyers that:
• Although Militant will
challenge it in the courts,
the NEC should expel the Role
editorial board in March
and than consider further
cases
THE OVERWHELMING majority
the Bermondsey
however, be one peculiar
Communist Party of Great Britain.
The oP Will, in the
words General
Secretary Gordon McLen-
be making Its OWI
distinctive contribution to
both the immediate and
long-term struggle against
Thatcher and the right-
wing Labour in Bermond-
sey. What is this distinc-
tive contribution to be?
The Communist Party
will be standing its OWIl
candidate against Peter
Tatchell.
the Com menist Party is all This sectarianism
incomprehensi-
ble in the light of the CP's
the struggle left-
wing of the Labour Party.
O Grady
against Peter Tatchell.
have to go through that awkward thing called a
can actually vote against you.
Mellish, the
sacrificed his seat so that he could be vice-
job.
everything. Civic responsibilities
reward and he no doubt believes the LDDC was
doing its job for the people of Bermondsey when it
costing £170,000 each.
job as advisor to the LDDC at £3,060 a year, can
flats.
Southwark Bermondsey Labour
yourself what a good job Mellish and O'Grady do
for the local people.
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983
Parties, trade unions and other affiliated organisations to make representation to the party leader and the NEC to this effect.
The draft manifesto, or campaign document as called, is being prepared by the campaign committee, a working parheaded by Michael • To satisfy the quirements 'natural justice' it must expel all Militant supporters • However the obligation to expel is 'in practice limited to all those who can be proved be members of the Militant Tendency'
• Evidence of membership will be taken
Communist Party sabotage in Bermondsey
of the leftwing of the labour movement in London will be united in campaigning behind Peter Tatchell in
by-election. There will, exception - the
In McLennan's words: *We welcome the advance of the left in the Labour Party, of which the election of left MPs and the
has been one expression.
Yet the adoption of Peter Tatchell by Bermondsey Constituency Labour Party was the outcome of a bitter struggle against the right-wing of the Labour Party. Every diverted from Tat-
strengthen the right's case against socialist policies and candidates pledged to
Mellish's Protégé
THE EX BOSS of Southwark Borough Council, Mr John O'Grady has decided to stand as the 'real Labour' candidate
Mr O'Grady, unlike Peter Tatchell, did not
selection conference, where rank and file upstarts
However, he does have the blessing of Bob
Bermondsey MP who
chairman of the London Dockland Development Corporation, accepting a measly €16,626 to do the
But Mr Mellish knows that money is not
are the real
agreed that flats could be built on Corbett's Wharf
Maybe his protegé Mr O'Grady, who also has a
fix mortgages for the young unemployed in these
Theart Bernbinds Labour News See for
See for
page 4
Foot. The rumours appeared last week on Channel Four and have been
contirmed nor denied. The working party discussions are confidental and even other NEG members are not privy to its proceedings. The disarmament committee wants the rumours to be quashed and the unceltan removed.
Its letter to the party financial support for, in the organisation ot or
the activities of, the Militant Tendency; the resolution explicitly states that the 'narrower definition of membership link. Decide ing it to a leadership' or 'organisational role' pears to be too restrictive.'
• Each individual against WHOSE allegation membership is made must be given the evidence in-
McLennan justifies the
CP's 'distinctive contribu- its theoretical journal
tion' in the following way:
All of us, however
HUSE
face up to the problems
that affect the left
especially its
and even extending divi-
sions: the absence
agreement on the Labour
Left on important political
questions and the lack of a Communist Party
30031
how political power is to
be won in Britain bv thi
working class and its
allies.
But in Bermondsey McLennan's DarL precisely spearheading the
division of the left. What
more the debate
strategy runs right through
Communist Party itself with substantial section of CP intellectuals Part openly calling, theral
* Backed plans for 3 yacht marinas for the rich in Surre
ABOUR is the
Labour Party
leader has been signed by Labour CND Trade Union CND, Labour Action for Peace, European Nuclear Disarmament, the Bertrand Russel Peace Foundation, the Labou Co-ordinating Committee and the Royal Arsenal Cooperative society.
It emphasises that the general election manifesto should fully respect the position on nuclear disar-
volved and the opportuni-
to be heard before the
NEC, and to give an their support for Militant. undertaking renounce
The NEC may however 'determine the sequence in allegations of
membership of the Mili-
tant Tendency are to be made,' and has the discretion to decide whether or
coalition in recent issues of
No left-wing political
organisation can be built
by counterposing its own
"party building incontinuing terests to the actual strug
gles of the working class to of transform the labour
HIVYCHLICHL
Perhaps that is why the 1S
periencing a sharp
decline in membership and
Sectarian stunts
like standing against Tat-
chell will accelerate this
decline.
Communist Party
militants should call their
leadership to order and de-
mand they end this type of
divisive action and throw
themselves into the actual
political struggles within
the battle is
of that battl
against the ro-coalitic
Wing of the CP itse
only coet you t200.000
LDDC STEAL
OUR LAND & JOBS
mament taken by the re-
cent conference and con-
tained in composite sl
which was passed by a two
thirds majority and
Labour's Programme '82,
which was passed
unanimously.
Labour Party and
trade union policy is for
the removal of all nuclear
British soil or
DaseS Tom
British waters. not it has sufficient information to justify proceeding in each case.
The basis of the NEC's
to be the Hayward-Hughes
-ICOOLL to the last Labour conference, and the NEC's decision to declare the Militant ineligible for affiliation. The Register has thus been dropped as a means of conducting the witch-hunt.
campaign for Labour Democracy overwhelg endorsed an emergenc resolution from WHITE Wolfgang calling on unions and constituency parties to he NEC "so that Labour's
Disarmament and all other political commitments should be included ir the campaigns document. alarm that the NEC see The January turned down a re for NEC members t allowed to see drafts of the document which wirewas peen leaked to e press.
In its place, however, the NEC has now embroiled itself in a wide-ranging obligation to expel anyone connected with Militant Unless they are stoppec betore the March NEC the NEC is thus launching the party willy-nilly into a full-scale witch-hunt in the middle of an election.
Labour Against the Leeds demonstration to commemorate Bloody Sunday
• Labour Against
Witch-hunt has also call
bu on is supporters
jection of motions to in-
clude further NEC
the
paign: committee
which is drawing up the
campaians document. i
cars tor an open discus-
sion in the party around
ensure condecisions are in-
cluded in
• We urge all our supporters to
take up this important campaign Witch-hunt has called for constituencies to send motions to the NEC demanding that its full time officials spend their time winning the election instead of persecuting Militant - and that all actions be dropped so that Labour can be mobilised all out for victory LAW has reproduced the entire text of the NEC resolution which are available to af filiates.
Dhoto. Inhn Harris
Page 5 scan of this page
Youth CND launch Festival Appeal Fund, pictured Paul Weller, Hazel O'Connor, Joan Ruddock (CND chairperson) and Annajoy 'Young people must fight the arms race
David (Youth CND national organiser) MICHAEL HESELTINE, the new Tory minister for war, has been appointed by Margaret Thatcher establishment against Nuclear Disarmament. He has already explained that one of his first priorities will be to challenge CND's audience amongst millions of youth.
Youth CND intend to take on the Tory government in 1983
Vice-chairperson of CND itself. *Young people have been in the forefront of the peace movement in Britain thinkable that CND could and Europe. 1S unexist without YCND youth part of CND but keeps its own identity as the voice of young people within the campaign. We are growing
the rate of 400 LICW members a month. 250 joined one day last week. But numbers members are not the whole
'Young people today live with daily social in-
unemployment, racism, sexism, low pay. he question is how help youth express their rejection of the arms race when they are facing much injustice themselves.
•This year the YOND Festival will be treated as one or me man events de ing promoted by CND. Its
people are aware of the
to marshall the forces of the British
the Campaign for
ANNA-JOY DAVID told us how CND and
Anna-Joy David is National Organiser of Youth CND and a newly elected
threat to their future and do have the strength to oppose it.
'We want to involve people the music DUSHICSS who oppose nuclear weapons. Michae Heseltine plans spending promote the government's anti-CND lim the Peace Game' i schools. bands are
fluence to convince people oppose une government's plans. Event
The event will be callPeace and YCND Festival for Saturday May. Our slogans are *Rock the Bomb' and *A Future Without Fear. We have invited bands uke The Beat, Paul Weller's new band, Madness, Linton Kwesi Johnson and many
Stop the missiles
TOGETHER
WE CAN
others. It will start with a demonstration from the embankment and finish with the festival Brockwell Park, South London.
*1983 will be a very important year. There is like-
y to be a general electior and CND has the ability te make sure that Margaret not re-elected. We will be Inatcher s LOVELINCH organising a door to door 'peace canvas' against the missiles Thousands young people voting for the first time and many of them oppose nuclear weapons.
"CND's strength comes from being a non-partypolitical campaign. I'd like to see a firm commitment by the labour movement to make sure te Labour rarty carries out its policies.
'In the past they have ignored them when they got into power. But that Is different from saying that
support Party. We support any
that has unilateralist policy that fits
with the policy of YCND.
*Young people are very disillusioned with the existing political parties. We see working through youth culture as far more impor tant that the party political youth organisations. As we do try to work with the tar as pontical parties Labour Party Young Socialists. Personally
STOP
think their response has been very slow.
"The LPYS don't invite us to speak at their
TaSK TOr Us To write for their newspaper Whereas YCND does seek cooperation. aike to work with Also would the Young Liberals because they got opposition to Cruise through the Liberal Party conference. Lastic on has been fanLaSLIC. shows tha women are not just mothers, or wives, but are people who can be everything that men are in their own way. Women
"The leadership of YCND is dominated by women because young women in particular realising how strong they can be That doesn't mean we all have cropped hair and dungarees as the antiCND press tries to present us. I think 'Take the toys away from the boys' is an excellent slogan.
*Look at the whole saga of the Falklands with the women shown waving goodbye to their loved We ve had no role in the as the ships sailed arms race
'We can't afford to lose our fight in 1983. We are now in a situation, East and. West, of a new
arms race, which is designed to increase the possibili ty of a first strike'
"That the
and us all getting blown to bits. We welcome the
negotiations going on i Geneva now. But negotia
for 37 years and haven't achieved much. So would
not advise anyone to rel
n them in 198
*We'll only be able to stop this new combining all of the dif ferent types of action. For example, non-violent, direct action can be effec tive if used at the right time, not every day of the week.
"Th emphasis will the
special emphasis on trade union movement. At CND conference ine importance of the unions was recognised and we will b appointing tultime organiser for work in the
We have to get - UHORS through to the grassroots of the unions in order to pressurise the leaders to act. This is starting to hap pen. The West march last year got tremendous support and financial help from the factories
*I am confident we can get some real solidarity action between the unions and CND. The kind of ac tion we need is like the campaign organised to support health workers?
kiss of life
By Alan Freeman
paign for Labour
Labour leadership.
wing of the campaign
many its most
CLPD's strategy.
The
nounced the left hypocrites
ever taken!
nine years tion to the right wing leaders of the Party.
Photo Peter Gray
which SCCKSLO democratic control.
their back on it.
and failed
with their definition of its 'strategy".
trade union "soft centre
universally detested in the Labour Party.
bitrators Unfortunately,
one or another
organise Such reconstituted during it, and before it. step for the left.
Come to Briefing's
national conference.
Labour Briefing
THE NATIONAL
erence of Briefing group one to dal S four Party ebruar open members and, we hope, will be able to bulla on ine successes which have been sel
now stands at 3,500.
Papers like Merseyside Briefing, with a print run of
.000 show thai the motiv everywhere. The left needs been SURELY
co-ordinate a reality in
although London Labour Briefing and others have made important con-
CLPD gives
register the
The Annual General Meeting of the Cam
Party Democracy (CLPD) voted this Saturday by a tiny ma jority to apply for registration to the
After a fierce and bitter argument the right
which pioneered the democracy battle in the Labour Party, also threw
respected and hardworking members off the leadership for 'failing to accept
decision will give great comfort to Labour's witch hunters who had virtually given up trying to use the register. Before the AGM even the Guardian a well-known champion of Labour Party астостасу, unrew digny to une winds and de
as d shameless bunch of - for daring to challenge one of the most unpopular decisions the Labour Party had
On the surface the argument was about whether the CLPD should abide by Labour Party conterence decisions. But it went deeper. At this AGM, CLPD broke from a role it has played for
La channel for rank and file opposi-
The rank and file do not want the witch hunt. Even Saturday's meeting backed a resolution from John Bloxam calling on CLPs not to carry out expulsions. It rejected a motion from the victorious right wing backing the Manchester Withington amendment to the Labour Party constitution,
set up a witch hunt under
The support for Labour Against the Witch hunt shows that this sentiment needs a means of expression. The CLPD's new leaders have turned
To justify this they ran a scurrilous campaign of abuse against their colleagues, and even tried -
- to put through a motion closing CLPD membership to everyone who did not agree
But by turning their back on their friends they leave only one channel open for themselves - the
around Michael Foot.
Their actions have placed them in a camp which is
Far from representing a 'concensus' in the Labour Party they have cast themselves as ar-
as Michael Foot has shown, there is no point in arbitrating between irreconcilable forces — you become the prisoner of
This departure leaves a gap in the Labour Party. It means that the lett now has no national unified authoritative framework through which to
framework has to be - not after the general election, but
The best basis for this unity - which can and should include all in CLPD — is a struggle to en sure that Labour's conference policies are included in the manifesto, above all its commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament. This is the next By Graham Bash, London Labour Briefing and Stuart Marshall-Clarke, Merseyside
con- tributions to unity on the within each localini nere UT C some moviem. mey nave sueto conener in particular, building link: betweer CLPD
nanonal coordination need Ca lo maKe LOnGon DrIC! ing's original goals effec tive We do not intend to se up another organisation We want. - Briefings have don focany tional forum for change of ideas and periences about l: here ampaigns OH WHICOF
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
STARVATION AMIDST PLENTY
que de bons morceaux de viande
IN NOVEMBER 1980 Mrs Thatcher first told us the economy was about to turn up. years later the Financial Times says:
AMERICAN viewers tuning into Reagan's 1984 budget speech will witness a rare spectacle: again Keynesianism. 'Reaganomics is dead', explains American journalist Kaletsky. "The singular economic cult to which Mr Ronald Reagan has given his name and which even Vice-President George Bush once described as economics' is being prepared for permanent interment.
Mr Reagan has made some converts. On 18 January ministers from the 'Group of Ten' biggest Western countries met in full session for the first time since the world currency system collapsed in 1973 to announce that
rowth was in vogue again. Even M
lowe startled EE ministers month when he told them he was going to inject f2bn into his economy and they ought to do the same
The leading Western ments, in short, want to reflate the world economy. Can they do it?
Not every remedy can be trusted In 1975 the Archbishop of Canterbury asked his flock to pray for the pound sterling. The result was an IMF visit. Divine intervention also failed
rescue the Ambrosiano bank
hose head banker hanged himsel off London Bridge in December. The Vatican, neavily involved bank's collapse, had run up a deficit
of $27m and a debt of $1.3bn in return for some dubious transactions
involving 'letters of comfort' several obscure compana
Panama
The leading
governments want
reflate the
economy. Can they do it?
Reagan is more down to earth
than God but nis
worse. His monetarist priests have
been prophesying upturns since 1981
But total unemployment has topped
30 million and even Japan has been
sucked into the slump with a dole
queue of 1,390,000 and falling growth
rates.
The banks are teetering on the
brink. The top 100 have net assets of
$150bn; the world's "bad risk' bor-
rowers owe them $50bn more than this.
sum. The bank and currency collapse of:
1931 is seen as a grim precedent.
Even worse, trade war looms. Last
month a meeting of countries in
GATT (General
Tariffs and Trade), which promotes
free trade, broke up having agreed
almost nothing. 'The paralle. with the
1930s is alarmingly close, said David
Henderson, an economics professor.
•Western governments are increasing-
ly treating the GATT system
something to be circumvented or set
aside ...
prisoners of each others' opportunist
conduct.
Whatever import
might dream, protection leads to con-
traction. Less trade means smaller
markets; smaller markets mean less
production; less production
ess jobs and a longer slump. Ask the
shipowners, who have to carry the
stuff. Michael Revell, Director of the
shipping and Marine Midland bank
of the USA advises traders to plan
for a depression as bad as the one we
have had now for two years.'
The world is breaking up into
regional trading blocks competing tor
shrinking markets over rising tariff
walls. Europe and America are at war
over grain and dairy produce, steel
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983
3¼ m in 1983 Two rise at most one per cent
television
Ronald
born-
Anatole
'voodoo
tinance
economic
last
governhis
in
Western
to world
track record 1s Agreement
Japan are each becoming
trade takes economic disintegration. controllers Not
means
there is such a belief.
time. page 6
• Unemployment will rise to
• Industrial production will
• No recovery is in sight until The spiral of madness; goods are produced that business cannot sell; to save their falling profits they sack
and cars. Australia wants a 'Pacific
basin trading zone involving South
East Asia, South Anterica, and itself.
under siege. Western
Europe, where 43 percent of world
place, is threatened with surprising, then, that the
Financial Times issued the following
'It would be nice to belleve that an
obstinate recession, and the conse-
quent fall in inflation, has restored
the machine to working order. But
precious little, evidence for In short, we are not only back in
the hungry thirties; we aren't going to
There will
be no 'return to normal' for a long
How can we begin to make sense
of this? The 'experts' are not very
helpful. Throughout the sixties they
The world slump
autumn.
When industrial production fell to a sixteen-year low last quarter, the recession had been in full swing for three
choisis au goût des chiens.
goods.
told us that slumps had been cured
refuting the 'backward Marxists.
What of their current explana-
tions and solutions? First, the most
persistent myth of all; they claim oil
price rises caused the slump.
The top 100 banks
worth $150bn; they
owed $50bn more
this by 'bad risk'
rowers
But a Bank of England study
makes the obvious point: *In 1974 the
UK was still importing all its oil, and
shared the common eXOCECICC
other oil importers. But by 1979 it was
near to oil self-sufficiency so that the
1974-type longer
plies. Dead right: but if the 1980
slump wasn't caused by oi! prices;
years. Most of us are living through the longest slump of our lives.
How long will it go on? Is any recovery possible, anc
PAL tout-viande
workers and cut wages; and then wonder why they cannot sell their
ihen why assume the 1974 slump was?
Indeed, if either slump was caused by oil price rises, they would be unique in history amongst the twenty or more recessions so far recorded.
on the 'Arab are mess' school. For they are now worare OPEC and they, too, want to keep oil ried that the pound will fall with than prices up. "The industrial countries bor- have a common interest with OPEC in avoiding a too sharp fall in oil price rises, said the Financial Times on 19 January, But about that most mystical of totems, the money supply? If it was so important to control it before, why is Thatcher now letting the pound drop to its lowest ever? What was all the fuss ap- about? And will devaluation or inLCI COL damage, as Labour's leaders think? rate cuts now
what will
Marxist ment Thatcher their
the bankers,
Rico.
can no longer pay.
slumps.
And recession.
IN g
growth rates.
to contemplate
third
Economist
dustry.
History has played an ironic joke Sheikhs caused this
of total
most
if oil is not to blame, what
counterparts! panson
list.
restore the
the effects bei ALAN FREEMAN argues that the labour movement needs a
analysis to understand what is happening.
The trouble with all arguments that see money as the 'cause of slumps or booms is that they mistake cause for effect. Money movements can be influenced by governments, but they cannot part company from the most important features of the economy, which are what it produces, with what machinery, what labour force and under whose ownership.
Worship of the money supply was
an economic but a politica creed. It aimed to reverse two historic features of postwar capitalism: • Its commitment to full employ• Its use of government-backed debt to smooth over crises.
"Creating money' in the boom years in fact meant creating debt -writing IOUs on a grand scale, and using them to pay for real goods.
As long as no-one presented the IOUs for collection, this worked like magic — by putting off today's problems until tomorrow.
and Reagan stopped governments creating large domestic debts. But they didn't stop
creating new debt abroad on a breathtaking scale: mainly to countries like Mex-
Unfortunately, these countries have now built up such debts that they
But money policy doesn't cause
It is not shortage of money, but shortage of investment opportunity, that stands in the way of a new boom.
investment opportunity must
come at guaranteed, stable, higher than average rates of return or the in.
dustrialists will keep their money idle and wait for better times.
•Plan for a depression as
bad as the one we've had
now for two years.' - US
merchant banker
It is only when we start looking at
profit rates that we begin to get some
picture of the underlying causes of
The rate of return on
capital has been systemically decin-
Western countries since
1960. But this in turn has led to a
long-term decline in investment; and
this has led to a long-term decline in
A socialist plan could easily deal
with this problem by taking invest-
ment out of the hands of private
bodies. But this is the one 'solution
that none of the experts are prepared
This is leading many to look at a Keynd le asticte in the 27 answer cuts:
November calls 20 percent
cuts to restore British competitive-
ness. Peter Shore would have to ac-
cept wage cuts on this scale to make
his policies remotely acceptable to in-
There are two great flaws in the
argument. First, it is presented in a
misleading way. Writers point out
that wage costs are a high proportion
costs in Britain compared
with other countries, so they must fall
'to bring us into line'. But this flatly
contradicts a fact everyone knows:
you get the highest real wages in the
prosperous countries. British
workers aren't better off than their
German, Japanese, Swedish or Dutch
A proper wage comlooking at relative money
wages, shows Britain way down the
Wage costs are high in Britain for
the same reason they are high in a pea-
sant economy: because industrial pro-
much lower, in turn
Page 7 scan of this page
The spiral of war; last time the world entered such a crisis, only fascism and
because investment in machinery is far too low
A 1973 survey showed for example, that each Swedish worker created £4,600 as against £2,700 created by her or his British counterpart. But in the five previous years their bosses invested 2½ times as much! A British assembly line worker compete' with a robot factory than a one-horse plough with a combine harvester. Investment, not wage-cuts, is the answer.
used monetarism to bring back unemployment and force uncompetitive firms to the wall. They hoped this would cut back the burden of debt. But the bankers merely lent abroad, driving Mexico and Brazil to the wall: world debt now stands at $560bn and the crisis is no nearer solution.
can no more put forward
just one-sided government
The spiral of debt; America and Britain
BANKRUPTCY
COURT
planned, socialist economy.
But wage cuts also fail to deal with a basic problem; how to sell what is produced. If you cut wages, as Keynes pointed out when all this began, no-one can buy what you make. You prolong the slump instead of ending it.
Yet the opposite to this argument
Alternative Economic Strategy supporters sumer
They call for spending and mone creation to ensure that goods are sold,
war resolved it. The alternative is a
stimulating growth. The problem is that they cannot offer the capitalists higher profits, which are the only guarantee of fresh investment.
Indeed, the two "Keynesian' conditions for a boom, which the AES supporters have been demanding since 1979, are both now present and the boom is not happening.
spending is rising much as 3 percent — and interest rates are falling. Yet no new growth or investment is taking place.
and what are recovery?
The most important thing socialists is to understand that this crisis is generated from within the private enterprise system. tor external causes such as an shock' or "monetary ment' or even Thatcherism are all attempts to avoid the unpleasant conclusion that whatever temporary improvement can be made by alternative policies, ultimately we can only solve today's problems by doing away with this system altogether, and in particular by taking investment right out of the hands of private individuals and corporations.
beginning of a return to the classica course of the capitalist trade cycle as analvsed by Marx, from 1870 onwards has not solved capitalism's problems, but postponed them and brought them back in a much sharper form. production.
This. 15 most senseless things about it. thirds of the world is starving. Poor people the world over are crying out
goods are being stockpiled, factories are closing, and workers thrown on the dole.
There will be no 'return to normal'
26 November it was reported that the USA has stockpiled 120m tons of grain and butter. This is a year's supply. On 30 November 1,086m tons of skimmed milk were added to the list. •A major trade war with Europe loomed when the US treatened to unload this at cheap prices on European and third world markets; the EEC stopped this so as to maintain farm prices. prices.
leading European man-made textile 500,000 tonnes by 1985, bringing total cuts this decade to nearly one third of output. Excess polythylene in 1,850,000 1,300,000 tonnes, and in Polystyrene at 700,000 tonnes. 30m too many tonnes of steel are produced each year in Europe alone.
the starving millions of India that they 'do not need' Europe's butter mountains, or What sense does it make for Reagan to offer US farmers gigantic subsidies to cut back production by up to 30 Con- percent when tamines are about to Dy as break out in countries? Capitalist crisis is always overproduction, not of use values but of exchange values. Our system cannot sell these goods and it is therefore forced to destroy them and the machines that make them.
to the decline in their value caused by the introduction of new machinery in the boom.
difference from the thirties. In all slumps prior to the war, overproduction always led to slumps in prices. This is the cleansing mechanism by which capitalism eliminates backward producers and restores profitability.
ed for two reasons: first, because monopolies gang up to prevent price falls by restricting because governments help them by printing money to maintain demand for their goods.
British bosses want a 20 percent wage cut
money' policy would begin to reverse this trend, and it has begun to happen: but in a partial and uneven manner. These producers who are strong enough to band together and maintain control of the market can keep prices up, and the weaker are going to the wall by having their cartels busted open. have fallen on world markets.
What, then explains the recession
the prospects for
for transporting from
Searches oil prices, mismanage. gone cartels
than prices.
The
BCS •pci When the Second, the recession marks the
and Marxists, Keynesianism inter-firm
Third, this is a crisis of over-
This one of the cruellest and Two-
food, houses and clothing and
tarriffs.
The biggest tragedy is in food. On
WORKS
Nina
capitalists
Nor was it just food. This year
cut capacity by latest slump.
LabaciLy
Europe stands PVC ed
Are these goods 'not needed"? Tell
capital
America's grain surplus!
the grain-importing This is the only way it can 'adjust"
However, there is one important
The poorer because they
Since the war this has not happen-
output; second,
competition
policy
This It was to be expected that a 'tight economic basis.
ties.
Thus nearly all primary prices
Some falls outside raw materials have been even mo dramatic; for example the rate
50,000 tonnes of the USA to Japan fell l year from $28.50 to $11.20. Howe the prices for finished goods, ret
and manufactures have no down. By and large, the often co-ordinated government action - have moved cut capacity and production rath
most blatant case is the s called "Davignon Plan' for Europea Steel production which ordinating Steel closures of 30m to
vear throughout Huro Tories say that closures are to maintain steel p fitability, and the philosophy of f enterprise they omit to mention th the closure is being settled by clos
agreements co-ordina by EEC officials!
Parallel plans are going through cars, petrochemicals, artificial fibre and many other areas.
extends to retailing. principle function of the EEC's Co mon Agricultural Policy is to ke farm profits up by a combination sales restraint (hence the lakes mountains) subsidies and restricti
That's the reason you don't lower prices in shops, a damning co demnation of the hypocrisy involv in the Tories' 'free market' polici But nowhere is the hypocrisy mo evident than in the attitude taker the OPEC producers, whose
against the interests of more powerful cartels of oil retailer OPEC countries were doing no mo than carrying out normal economic capitalist practice.
What is going on is that, as usual
slump, competition between capitalists grows far fiercer and some
win OLHICES lost Monopoly and cartels arrangement
supra-national government interve tion, are being used as a form of con petition to determine who will be th losers and who the winners in th
Competition, this time round • Driving the so-called Advanc
Developing Countries'
Mexico and Brazil back down the road to penury
• Driving a wedge between th three great continental blocks of
America, Europe and South East Asia
• Forcing the two imperialist political leaders America and Britain - out of their position of world dominance and CI8T0 creased reliance on their financial and military might as a bludgeon in the commercial war • Driving Britain, as the oldest and weakest imperialist power, to the brink of the abyss
Who wins out of this struggle?
You don't win, because you have to pay the artificially inflated retai prices fixed by the big distributor
countries don't wir do not have economic clout of the big buyers.
And between the big imperialis countries, a politico-economic strug gle is raging, on the verge of outrigh trade war, to decide who will step u the ladder and who will step down.
Everv instrument of governmer policy becomes a weapon in this wal so that all the phenomena of capitalis
are also. expressed political level, in the formation o customs unions, trade blocks, foreigi
struggles for political allegiance and trading favours.
struggle Buri can only a may have
solved by political means - in a fur damental re-alignment of the systen of imperialist alliances and roles.
Until now, capitalism has shown that it possesses only one means t carry, through such a realignment war. After the thirties, came the to
This time round, such a 'solution would lead to destruction on a scale never before witnessed.
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 7
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page 8
By Pat Hickey THE IMPORTANCE for the left in the unions and the LP of dealing with the way in which the trade union barons wield the block vote to frustrate the democratic and socialist aspirations underlined by two events this week.
First was the NEC decision to proceed with
expulsion of the members of Militant, which is clearly a prelude to an assault on the whole left. the second was the leaked reports that -the Labour Party manifesto
ment to unilateral disarMalent, despite over whelming votes at conference in favour of this.
Most trade union conferences have voted solidly in favour of unilateralism Similarly, the trade union conferences ported the democratic reforms in the P. and re jected the idea that the register was to be used to launch witch-hunt against the left.
The right wing, supported by the trade union
Newham 8 -
Balbir Johal who witnessed the police attack
on Asian youths on 24 September in Newham
after a series of racist attacks, explained why
plainclothes police attacked the youths
thought we were enticing others to fight. We
think they knew we were going to be there and
they set us up.
last years.
Tus tart to0 mane
serious attacks
police teachers and parents
were doing nothing and we
decided we had to protect
ourselves and the young-
sters.
Balbir's brother and
seven other Asian vouths
were arrested by uniform-
cu police, lacialy abusce
and charged. The white
youths who had been at-
tacking Asian school-
children in the week up to
24 September got off scott
free, as have the police
who hospitalised one of
the eight
The 8 feel that their on-
ly chance of getting off is
by a massive campaign
They already have local
labour movement support
and support from local
Asian youths, over five
hundred of whom joined a
school strike when the 8
Democratise the
block vote
of the membership has been forcibly
leaders have set out to attack the left and to impose policies which will open the door to a coalition with the wor and to alass sike the working those of the last Labour
Such an alliance of the right in the Party with the trade union leaders block left advance is no new. What is new is that the struggle for democracy and socialist policies has created a broad base of support in the unions for fighting the right wing.
Crucial
The fight in the unions is crucial in une Labou The Broad Lefts Organising Committee trade union conference is a
Whose conspiracy?
They saw a large group of us and they
They were frightened of us sorting out the problem in our own way. Neither they, nor the teachers had sorted out these problems in the
first went to court.
Bradord azale dear and
have been made clearer by the 8 all having an extra charge of conspiracy to assault persons unknown slapped on them in December. This is in addition to charges of 'actual bodily harm' man and possession of offensive weapons.
The are widening their support and nave already gained backing from a few MPs, including Tony Benn. Last Sunday a meeting of over one hundred activists from all ove London and supporters from Leicester, met Newham to discuss ways taking the campagn forward.
Ideas put forward included a special monthly
-News
first step towards organising the fight back in the unions. While the forces at this conference will be small, the potential for a campaign for democratic control of the block vote is very great. We have only
refer the deputy leadership campaign to see ENUS Step
One step that can be would be to issue de sence taken
to issue a state ment for the guidance of
activists taking up ISSUC DOllall this will be the demand for the mandating of delegates to LP conference on union policy and for the mandating of union delegates
the NEC similar lines.
second issue at conference will be the setLabour Party Branches, In work-place
te the general election this wil be very
and given the
HOOLLAIE half-hearted way in which campaign bulletin for
schoolkids who have been
the mainstay of the cam-
paign, and setting up
support group in Fords
Deganham 91
the defendants work. The
meeting appealed for sup
port groups to be set up al
OYEL LIC COUEILL
Balbir explained what
is needed now: 'If we are
going to win we need to
publicise the case national-
ly and also get support
from other school-
children.
• Anti-racist allu
Labour Party should give
support. We want to visit
factories where there are a
lot of Asian workers. They
have experienced the same
problems as us. Articles in
like SOCIAY
Challenge have helped,
aine we mecc
Young Socialist papers
age. We also need more
publicity in the nationa
press.
The 8 are willing to
send speakers to
meetings. Requests for
speakers, motions of
support and donations
should be sent to:
Unmesh Desai, c/o 285
Romford Road Forest
Gate, London E7 9HJ.
"DEMOCRATISING
THE BLOCK VOTE"
Broad Lefts Organising Committee PRINCIPAL SPEAKERS
TONY BENN MP ALAN GRIFFITHS (NALGO) PHIL HOLT (POEU)
10.30-4pm. Sat 19 Feb.
County Hall, Waterloo, London.
the right has approached it, there is a need for clear
and for inforpractical exDeriences.
Finally conference chould make everv entori to unite all the currents on the left in this campaign. would therefore be in the best interests of the campaign a small, but Labour movement
solidarity with
Central America
By Stuart Piper AGM
By making this connection he pointed to the important part which solidarity with the people of Central America must play in the mass campaign to turn back the whole war drive of western imperialism.
Benn's address was a fitting culmination to weekend mark a decisive new phase
growth the solidarity movement. Held
Bristol or the 22/23 January, the AGM brought-together around 100 delegates from some 40 local groups. Delegates decided unanimously make their number one
priority the Labour Move ment Conference
Salvador panned for 1May at County Hall, Lon-
Aim
The aim of this con-
ference is develop
through the Labour Party
and the trade unions the
groundwork for CHASS
campaign - one which, in
with CND
will pose a serious obstacle
to Reagan and Thatcher's
attempts to escalate the
war-drive. In this run-u
to a general election, sucr
a campaign would put ef-
broad-based steering committee were established to help coordinate activities and prepare luture events Attendance at the conference limited delegates from trade union branches and people who are active in the broad lefts in their unions. There will also be observers. We urge all our supporters to attend.
WHAT Reagan is doing in Central America, with Thatcher's support, utterly exposes the myth of 'defending the free world' which both use to justify placing Cruise missiles in Europe This was the core of Tony Benn's closing address to the El Salvador Solidarity Campaign's
on Labour Party leaders anc any future Labour government to implement Its paper policy of support for the struggle in Central America Task This task will be greatly helped by the declaration of solidarity made by Shef field City Council. declaration should be endorsed by OLICI Labour councils, CLPs and trade union throughout the country The tremendous impact of the women et and suggest the crucial part which women's sections and the LPYS can play in forwarding this move ment.
Socialists in the labour movement. should be ting now to take up thess issues in their LP and TU branches and sections, get delegates elected and make the May conference
For information, publicity and delegates credentials, Solidarity write SEU. El Campaign, Salvador Labour London Non Park Movement ference, Street , London (Tel 01-359 2270)
Page 9 scan of this page
We want the truth!
COLIN ROACH
By Tim Wright.
LAST SATURDAY morning, Stoke Newington saw an impressive demonstration of police strength; riot control barriers, patrolling the street, and tens of and women standing in lines in front of Stoke Newington police station.
The reason TOr InIs display might was a peaceful picket of the stacon acmandig a rull and public the
it was, the picket was kept well awav from the station
behind barriers on the other side of the road.
What are the police afraid of if they feel they have to mobilise in such numbers?
The truth?
They are certainly doing their very best to hide and distort the truth, such as when the Sunday of 23 January following papers the protest the day before — carried a story of Tooting demonstrators'
The source of this story: the Stoke Newington police.
At an open meeting of the Roach Family Support Committee on 28 January, it was decided that the following would be done in the campaign to get an independenc inquiry into Roach. 1. An open letter will be written to the Home secretary demanding an independent public inquiry into Colin's death. A time limit will be set in which ne can reDy. 2. A picket of Stoke police station every
3. A RFSC bulletin will be produced
4. Poster campaion to be launched Colin Roach died mysteriously of wounds in Stoke Newington Police station on
January. Stoke renowned as racist thugs amongst the local black community. Over black youth have died in cumstances in their hands. SUE MACDONALD spoke to a local black youth about his experiences in Stoke Newington.
What is your experience of Stoke Newington Police and why are they hated so much by the local black commun
They keep picking up on the streets and telling us to take down our trousers and searching us This is really degrading. I've had personal experience Several times TOU TO treated like a dog. This is what happens in this society.
The police laugh in your face when you have something One
ime I was really ill. I wen
the police station for
were working. They told
they were closed. If blacks are attacked or burgled the police are no help at all.
police vans police men
On Monday they
saying the looting of the jeweller's shop in question had 'nothing to do with the demonstration'. The media had already done its damage.
The intent of the police was clear portray with the help of the media the demonstrators lawless looters without genuine mander Taylor of Com-
Tavlor of the local force told the press that there is no breakdown of relations between the police and the local community. community
disagrees
As Lester Lewis said the platform of
Hackney Black People's Association meeting CUTE
Roach Family
Support Committee
around Stoke porters to display them
inquiry. the death of Colin on 2 February.
1. Demand
in Stoke Newington police. 8. All community BIG LO DE tions with the police.
Newington Saturday from up of detence
COUrTS.
10. Call for precept.
Stoke Newington Police
gun shot
Newington police are
recent years three
unexplained cir-
Everytime they pass me in the street they pretend they shooting me through the car window. Like as if Ines Want lO round up all the black people and shoot them one by one. It's going from bad to worse.
I don't go out at night time because there's too many police about and they like to stop you for no reason and search you. If you drive a big car the police will stop you and ask where you got the money to buy this car.
have heard about
peopic oeing wrappca 1n
blankets when they hit you over the head or across the body so no bruises will show.
The black policemen are being used, every single one of them, to get infor-
Friday 28 January, these
must
This is far from the first
time police Have
misrepresented pro-
LESTS black com-
munity he said, but this
time they
spotlight and they will not
get away with it.
Combat
Patrick Kodikara,
Labour councillor and
member of Hackney Black
Alliance, who talked to me
at the time of the Saturday
Phe false in hono hat bat
false notion that the
police have any credibility
the community,
broad-based
all concerned, black and
white, must be waged to
force the elected represen-
tatives of the community
to take a stand: 'We don't
want police to racist
and to oppress black peo-
ple, our elected
Newington, all sup-
cumulate information for community
6. Second demonstration to be held
that Hackney borough Council pass a vote of no confidence
groups, schools, asked to break off all rela-
A meeting of all arrested - setting
- picket of Call tor tne dropping or all
withdrawal of police
mation about black peo-
phe black noobie, Black
black people. Black
eople all know that the
lack policemen are being
used.
Black people should
read Malcolm X, he is a
black man and very easy to
I've
-unects ane. read
some of his works and he
says: "All thinking people
today who meet any body
who's afraid of the word
ot your wipe the talks
your talks
about African history,
hone wee denied me
kings. DILE
African country and the
white peopic came dong
and broke it down, and
through all historv we've
been slaves.
What do vou KnoW 01
Stoke Newington police
station and do you agree
THaT closed
down?
It's a bad police station
and ere blacks don't care
whether die
what. It's the third time
that somebody has died
there. Just like the fire in
New Cross where 13 young
Anti-racism
representatives have got to
pushed to act for the community.
Patrick sees the cam-
Roach, with public enquiry, the closure of Stoke Newington Police Station, and the withdrawal of the JOLICC DICEDE DY CLOCKLIC Council as a ster the way towards the goa
police accountability. Accountability is only go. ing to come about through the coercion by the com
COLIC Donce and establishment. Persuasion will not work.
Resistance
He also sees what
happening Hackney part of developing movement of resistance to the growing strength of the police and the racism the state. Whereas before, that focus has been in Brixton, Lewisham, and Southall, *the issues are sharpest in Hackney at this moment' he explained, the relevance of recent events is general.
Control
The demand for democratic control strikes establishment and is ohe the roots reason why black people, with their active opposi-
feared by the establishe
feared establishment.
If, however, the struggic for accountaome, ne added, is not just to take DIaCC HICCLY aLLIC CYCOI street skirmishes and sporadic demands easily sustained, the campaign must be taken and under-pinned by the Labour Movement.
blacks died - nothing has been done about Though it was the fascists who burned down the house. That's what believe.
We have to close the police station down. we LPYS. 5. The Le itur Pathe raise the could help to do it, and the workers, along WHER everybody who lives Stoke Newington should rally against it.
How do vou think the cam paign to find out the truth
about Colin Roach's death, and what does on police station should con-
tinue?
We need a public in quiry, more lemonstra tions. We need to get in every paper and on the television We need more talk it We need
Teatle everyone's doors and to
people. Because
something has to be don about it. If the police jus go on like this
just scared to do anything about it.
Police complicity
about to leave their flat to see the doctor.
and Stuart Jones from New Scotland Yard. After she identified herselt. two main clother policemen wanted to inter-
At this stage Bala VICW 1ICL. ashether Rajesh had com asked the
CUILL mitted any offence. They said 'no, but since she had organised a picket outside the Ceylon Tea Centre last Saturday, we want to have a friendly chat.
Rajesh WaS worried that her husband may get in volved an worse with the po
asked the children to the doctor and sue waltee perine to Tine ou what the men from Scotland Yard wanted. They said the
come to find out whethe Rajesh was going to organis
mOrC DICKCIS tne mend assess had to apocate When Rajesh told them that they she had not thought abou
further pickets they began to ask a series of
LeSLIOT -aDOU Nirmala Nithiyananthan she was concerned about Nir
Nithiyananthan is a well known Tamil writer an a oramaust wio was arreste by the Sri Lankan Government along with her husband
number Catholic Priests and Students. Sne 1s now being new in an Arm
Bang the aman mat There are no female
amidst soldiers
For friends. To date sue nas not been charcee wit any offence and she is being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Ac which permits the Sri Lanka
tam any person, without trial, for a period of 18 months
There has been a wave of mass protests agains discriminate arrests by the Sr
Part of demonstration against death of Colin Roach.
ON 20 JANUARY, at or about 4.45pm Rajesh, her husband Bala and their three children were
As they opened the door, two strange men approached and asked who Sister Rajesh was and then identified themselves as George Wild
becoming more and mor repressive. That is why Rajesh a number of Ceylones and British women organised a picker ourside une ceylon Tea Centre in Piccadily Circus on 15 January.
that Nirmala
she felt that she should protest detendeals LORE WITHOUT police wanted to know much The friendly chat turn nterrog: does she time to write when she is doing a full time job and has to look after three children?
Who is this man who has beer out of India recentl supported the pickett Who came o ere. ere In the meantime Bala went to the doctor and explained to receptionis that something had one up and n - could no keep - th 21 0 returned home as quickly as he could. This took him about 20 minutes and the cops were still at it Bala accused them of collecting information for the Sri International Bi-monthly theoretical and discussion journal published by supporters of the Fourth International in Britain.
Brown MP on building a mass Labour Party,
and an interview with Britain's best political cartoonist Steve Bell.
surface 2 a piper ana. Brain nor PO Box
50 London N/ 2XP
Lankan government outne denied it and left soon after
number (230 1212 Extension 5029). Un the same day polic have visited several other addresses of Ceylonese activists.
Although the police denied that they supplied in formation to the Sri Lankar government this is difficult to believe because a number students had been arrested b the Sri Lankan police on ar rival trom Britain, and the nave nad up to date mug snots of persons they had arrested.
The Sri Lankan government does have resources Iran operation in Britain. Also th SLILL spethe Scotland Yard is t viously maintaining file this Ceylonese country and most likely pro Vous normanon to mer government. so this raises mold the into tax pare of which are HONCY DC USCO LO SUDDOrE THO acLIvIlIes in Sri bankar government Lanka? should British police maintain on peopl who are pro testing human righ violations in Sri Lanka? And what guarantee is miere m: these files contain accurate in formation?
Latest issue includes Ernest Mandel on the world monetary situation, John Ross on the legends of King Arthur, Oliver MacDonald on Poland, Ron
Harry Wicks on the birth of British Trotskyism Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
WRITE 70 US.
Think of this page as a noticeboard for your comments, criticisms, or even congretulations. Be briet, to leave space for others - maximum 400 words. Write to: Letters, Socialist Challenge London N 2XP- (tel 01-369 678019 Reformism on police? WHAT were Toni Gorton's two articles on the police doing in Socialist Challenge? They could have been lifted straight out of the pages of the Morning Star or Tribune! Their whole tenor was one of uncritical support for the NCCL's reformist project of 'community control of the police. Instead of going along with this Toni should have pointed two things out.
First, and this is the ABC of Marxism, there is no such thing as the 'community'; Britain is a class society.
The problem with the police is not that they are accountable only to themselves: rather it is that they are only too accountable capitalists. The adoption of more aggressive taclics is aue not to the pernicious intiuence of American TV series, but to the determination of the ruling class to crush any signs of working class insubordination.
Second, the demand for community control is not one which has arisen from the class struggle, but has been raised by left councillors and Eurocommunist intellectuals. the imagination can it be equated with the marxist demand for a workers militia.
If implemented it would result merely in anther committee for councillors to sit on. At best it would be ineffectual, at worst it would involve the labour movement in the planning of police operations, as unpaid advisors.
It is true that at the end of the first article Toni writes; 'In the final analysis the police are anti-working class and anti-black and anti-labour and nothing can prettify this ugly picture'. Unfortunately no conclusions are drawn from this, not even a hint is given that working people, if they are to take control over their own lives, must close down the existing police force and replace it with a new body which will defend working class interests, ie a workers' militia.
I trust that in future Socialist Challenge will not pursue its dialogue with the Benn current by adopting its policies.
DERRICK HIBBET North London By Bob Pennington Last week Lord Walter Citrine head of the TUC from 1926 until 1946 - died.
Citrine took over secretaryship of the TUC just in time to help make sure that the TUC sell out the miners in the General Strike. lt was he who argued that it the SUBLE CES would. not negoualing rights to the Council, then the TUC could not commit other workers to support them.
The miners were after all rather awkward in not accepting a cut in wages.
Always a reasonable man he enthused about "friendly intimacy" with leaders. Ai the 1932 TÚC he told critics of his support for a joint statement from the TUC and the Federation of British Industries, be a bad thing to get the support of the people who crack the whip! He omitted to mention they invariably cracked it on his members backs!
Like many a true British 'radical' he was fascinated by the establishment and served it well. His services did not Bonus List of 3 June 1955, hay unnoticed. monarch made him Sir Walter. In 1947 he was given a sinecure on the
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 10
328 Upper St to the By no stretch of
Death of a traitor
the general
give up their
General OPLIeG employers' his Walter Citrine
"it cannot the Central Electricity Board. His theoretical British socialism was his book
saborationist
Birthday
Cace
SWP in decline CAN you remember the open letter to the SWP SHIHLOd Socialist Challenge four months ago? I only draw a brief reference to it because for some of us the wheel has turned full circle it nas taken tne collapse of the Tameside DECRCA suicidally pessimistic SWP conand the disenTOTONGO chantment a few months in retrospect in the political wilderness for the truth of the facts OT HITO TO be driven home. unquestionably the SWP is in decline, and in isolation from the pulse of the labour OVOMGH CrmCO VILi a polemic purism which almost matches the elitism of the RCP Tony Cliff
Burdened with Possumisuic anaiysis the 'downturn', dropped ever Campaigning front with the exception SCUCH sales, because we were unable to recruit and our sphere of influence has considerably shrunk.
I'm now convinced that the CHOS einDie tactic is entrism within the Labou Party. may be an ex-Cliffite, but by God I've learned from it!
AJ WARNER, Tameside Manchester newly formed National Coal Board and then from 1947 to 1957 he earned himself a 'bob or two' as charman of
contribution •LO The ABC of Chairmanship' whilst his practical contribution was to make sure that the TUC remained class col-
Socialist Challenge suggests that the most appropriate words that the labour movement could inscribe on his tombstone would be: 'good rid-
Letters
Wrong on Falklands THE FRONT page of Socialist Challenge 275 is scathing denunciation disgusting Falkland's visit. tool But in the article a number of arguments
are used that seem to me to have dangerous
implications.
tion in the world' and what does the fact that
not one single Latin American country will
grant landing rights to British civilian aircraft
prove?
Since when have we been
about the votes in that thieves kitchen, the
UN, or the views of a bunch of bourgeois na-
tionalists and Stalinists calling themselves
the 'Non-Aligned Movement? •Argentine rights oer the ista dis based on article
what? Geographical proximity? The events of
1833? Strange arguments for Marxists...
we must use every opportunity to expose the
hypocrisy of Thatcher's case, incuding as the
article does, the plight
themselves, outnumbered two to one by ser-
vicemen. But neither are the islands 'Argenti-
nian' from any socialist criteria
belong
invasion at some point. I sincerely hope not!
DICK BERIGAN
Birmingham
Greenham
Common article
missed the point
GREENHAM COMMON has, as the article in last week's Socialist Challenge rightly said, 'changed balance missies'. This article correctly focused on supporting the actions debate about wether or not they should be women only.
However the article misses the point in quite a major The article takes a distance from the fact that women hung napBICS. BEOLOS. the
We are told 'dangerous' phasises women's "tradi-
role', but anuci staHu that this is 'positive presumably misguided, women. of women found positive. overwhelming of
care cnough
to таке for the
cerns.
Nappies,
will
And was
men when
mothers, sisters) make such a powerful statement of opposition to holocaust and death it is an inspiration tor everyone.
It teaches many men that human dignity is not a matter of 'the self-respec of a job' or a new car, bu a matter of being prepared to care enough to fight for a future.
Thatcher's And quite right
Why all the emphasis on Thatcher's 'isola-
concerned
to simply assert
Certainly the islands are not 'British' and
June islanders
After all, if the Falklands/Malvinas really
then we favour of an Argentinian re-
of forces on the
rather than an empty
So it's true, women are not more peaceful than men. It's not more peaceful to invade missile base than to go to work everyday and pretend the world can pass you by. But right now women are more peaceful T S CASC we are mord prepared fight the missies and tor the future of humanity.
ashamed of
of the
play? It wrong to
will
today
the key. some of 'what
' will
Women rioting for
starving
LeVO ULOH Women Central today
suffragettes were the
themselves, because
position
men, women and children.
What we see today is a radicalisation of the mass of women on the nuclear issue. If marxists want to be part of that they have to speak with the voice those women - and that is a voice that comes straight from the heart of women's *traditional role
JUDE WOODWARD Manchester
Don't fight PR
I DON'T aSCe that revolutionary socialists should oppose proportional representation, as suggested Pau
(SC 276). SC LaWSOn coming out against PR
that SICys danger of adapting to the illusions of the reformist left in the Labour Party that capturing the apparatus and using the current unjust electoral system, to get a Labour government in, the key to socialist advance.
In reality only socialist programme based on stimulating mass self-activity break the hold of the Labour bureaucracy and advance towards socialism. This because Ine bureaucracy is unaccountable
not that it is staffed by the wrong people.
In the meantime it would be disastrous the labour left presented itself to the public as a bunch of conspirators addicted to the bureaucratic
Antique arrangement!
PETER HAIN (SC 277) says socialists should op post proportional representation 'on princinle because bie consti
tunet weend boos ahe
between MPs their constituents. What an incredibly
CacuOld argument!
The argument about the sacrosanct (and generally, let it be said,
relationship between the MP and consutuens is precisciy wid right wing Labour MPs
tight reselection.
MPs should represent parties and programmes The regional list system us ed in Italy makes vote for each party count.
International
VIEWPOINT
Individual copies 65p TrOP Othe, Bonkon R : Su cper S.- 328 Upper St. £l6 for one year. cheques POs made our te DEnC Richard "Lenoir, rue 93108, Montreuil, France.
PR would demand more political activity and threaten all the rotten boroughs of contemporary British politics , including some
"Trotskyists' ones such as Militiant.
As far as the coalition oeStOr concerned isn't the Labour Party already a tacit coalition, in which the left
GUISLOEL MARKES concessions in order to stave off the nont s threats to split and • lose ine election? What substantial difference would PR make to that?
en to Wimset ule
listen .TO himself. are, he says, 'in favour of democratic reforms PR. The Labour lea der- general' but not ship lism in favour of SUlcis general but not when it might upset the daily routines. Revolutionary socialists are in favour of acting on principles as they should be in this case
MARK JACKSON, Surrey
Millions of votes in Britain are literally wasted through the first past the post SYSLCHE which cidentally robbed Labour of victory in 1951 when it received its largest popular vote ever
Socialists shouldn't Oiose demoo aue retort because it might lead to a coaluor manipulative argument. really If
socialismn is about winning the majority, then that wil be reflecte much better through a PR system than our present undemocratic and antique arrangement.
STEVE HARTLEY, Liverpool
Page 11 scan of this page
What's good for United Fruit is good for Central America!
Racism - the 4th 'R'. London Teachers against Racism
Bitter Fruit by Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer, Sinclair Browne £8.95 By Paul Lawson IF YOU pop down to the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa these days,
mind admitting to you that he's in charge of the de-stabilisation campaign being run against Nicaragua. De-stabilising potentially hostile regimes in the area is an old American occupation.
Nicaraguan operation comes off remains to be seen; the Bay of Pigs didn't, but the 1954 operation against the Arbenz regime in Guatemala did. exactly no the expand Bitter Fruit the State Department goaded by the United Fruit Company Boston organised ine demise of Arbenz's government. The consequences the
Guatemala sed. since 1954 be emphasised Since Guatemala been dominated by another military junta.
Up 1944 Guatemala more or less owned by United Fruit. The domination of the country's banana trade
Conunuce beginning of the century, with United Fruit owning huge swathes of the Guatemalan countryside.
cice concessions, United Fruit their TIHECES Guatemalan pies ing Ior Callic allie Guatemalan railways.
But the end of world war two brought about a democratic upheaval, which resulted in the elec tion of Arbenz in 1951 on a programme of democratc reform.
Arbenz himself was, as Theook make clear, 'bourgeois reformer. But his popular BASE was among the urban workers
collar (teachers played disproportionate TOIC the democratic upheaval of 1944). develop anti-racist teaching
to be shown on BBC2 on 16 February. relate how racism
teachers and pupils, in what is taught, and in how schools are organised.
Black teachers and
the message: schools have a choice, to ignore racism and thus help perpetuate it, or to fight it.
Multicultural education, which is becoming
OUT rehens sand ted by sir schools been Keith Joseph seeks contain black disaffection and attempts -IO make other cultures more *acceptable to white pupils.
In fact by
CUTECHL trating on the superficial it stereotypes black pupils
and have a little discussion with the US ambassador, he won't
and overthrowing
Whether the
Although slavishly backed by the Communist Party (the PGT) Arbenz never defended a socialist programme. But he made CHIC progressive THUYC which finally antagonised
US imperialism He pro-
bosee me namona sato of sectors of the United Fruit company land.
We won't spoil readers of the book by explaining in detail what followed, except
Sdy that the United Fruit company was well connected in US government circles. Secretary of State JOLL roster Dulles. and his brother Allen Dulles wno operated an -outili whose headquarters are located Langley Virginia (yes you've guessed it) both stockholders United Fruit. Joke
was UN representative Henry Cabot Lodge. Arbenz played little
considered United Fruit to be in very poor He offered
LaSte. compensation on the basis of UP's declared tax value.
company owners demanded times -BETCE
The result was a classic de-stabilisation campaign, with the portrayal of the CIA-backed invasion July 1954 as an 'internal
IN A RACIST society schools have a duty to
and anti-racist school policies, claim the All-London Teachers against Racism and Fascism in their controversial new film made for the OPEN DOOR series
Pupils they encounter on the streets is often reinforced in the attitudes of
and often increases the prejudice of white It
totally ignores the politica issues involved and the exercise of power.
Tupport the hea por
can support 'plea tolerance' implicit multi-cultural education WATCE ignoring the fact that his Government's Nationality, Immigration and "Law and Order' policies daily reinforce racism.
The recent case of the suspension of the Anti-
element
seen here with CIA agent Euno Hoffing (left). rebellion'.
The invasion was organised from Guatemala City itself by the US ambassador John
Peurifoy, with the the HonCOUDCLALIUH duran and Nicaraguan governments. Somoza per sonally gave orders to US air crew used in the inva-
so When the chips were
multicultural COLESC Hendon Police Cadet School reveals the hypocrisy involved cosmetic multicultural COUTSES real issues are faced panic sets in.
Ideas
Anti-racist teaching challenges traditional ideas about education.
cannot be 'neutral' racism.
teaching political, but so is ignoring
Children who are taught to question what the mass media say about raidence, to organise their to seek their own own learning, to take ur issues of racism in thei enOO and community, are tar from the passive pupils lal many teacher prefer. Pupils in the film talk about they
Under Review
Ambassador James E. Peurifoy. He was in command of the invasion. He is
down, Arbenz payed the price of being a bourgeois
The army deserted him but his popular base did not hold up
He never had any in-
armed resistance, but even if he's tried it's doubtful whether after three years of unfulfilled promises the masses would have
organised themselves to combat racism.
It is by no means easy to get a school committed
combatting racism. thorough-going no holds There needs barred' examination by teaching and non-teaching staff of the practices of the bad taste
OF COURSE, MORE REAL
mobilised to defend him.
The rural masses hac seen no benefits from land reform, and the conditions of the urban poor had not improved. Lesson: don't annoy snake without preparing to chop its head off. AS In Chile. so Cuba proved Guatemala. a more difficult nut crack and SO wil Nicaragua
explain their new TV film.
school and their own attitudes
They have to listen to parents and pupils accounts of their experience
the school. It is threatening process but has to be gone through to make ettective racist policy. It is no use
•AND DIXIE DEAN, LOGGO
NORMAN FOWLER, 16 AN
their invasion of Guatemala. imposing the policy from above.
The discussions that precede the writing of a policy are often the most valuable part of the exercise. Without democratic discussion of the issues the policy will remain a piece
paper, albeit highly IMPOKTANT TADK PACING SOCIALIST KEVOLUTONANE TODAY IS TO ARRANGEA PACE TO FACE CONFRONT ATION BETWEEN TEBBIT
AND YOSSER
6 Carlos Castillo Armas, chosen by the CIA to lead
AN EVENING
WITH HOLE CHRISTE CHARLOTTE CORNW KENNETH CRANKAI BEN ELI RENCH + SAUNDER RIK MAYALL PAULINE MELVILLE ALFRED MOLIN GAVIN RICHARD:
ALEXEI SAYLI MAGGIE STEE EMMA THOMPSO MAN 5 RISI BENJAMIN ZEPHANIA AND POOKIESNACKENBURGER THE JOHNSON BROS
SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY 1983
SHAMTESBURY THEATRE
FOR NICARAGUA
principled, hidden away in the Head's bottom drawer Further info Martin Marior Pencave 377 0040, Sue Birchall Laurie Liz Lindsay 452 /722 8141
-ORMAC MOST ENTERTANNG BU HARDLY SUFFICIENTTO DESTROY THE
Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED KILLED
Don Concannon, Labour's Irish spokesperson wrote in a letter last week: 1 am afraid I have had no instructions about campaigning against the use of baton rounds.'
We can refresh his memory. A resolution was carried by alal ur Pamy majority at the Labour Conference instructing *the NEC, PLP our parliamentary spe sons on Northern Ireland
campaign the withdrawal Ru and bullets from and
in North Ireland, and fro the police in Bri-
The NEC have a better LICTOR than -oncannon. When the witch hunting LULLAS policy committee (the one with the
asked to support Plastic
Conference Manchester.
have to note said Geottrey Bish, 'neither to support it nor to reject it. he added.
Labour CommitIreland with small resources to implement Con ference
The right-wing MPs SIOES. and the right-wing dominated
commaces,
egistered as a newspaper with the Post Offic Published by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Printed By East End Offset (TU) Ltd, London E2.
Socialist
Challenge
Labour must fight to:
BAN PLASTIC
BULLETS!
A LABOUR MOVEMENT
DELEGATE CONFERENCE Rubber and plastic bullets have killed 14 people in
Northern Ireland, seven of them children. Despite
mutilations and scores of injuries, the authorities
continue to pretend plastic bullets are harmless weapons: Allegations of their indiscriminate use and
abuse go unanswered and unheeded. Increased
repression and daily use of plastic bullets only prevents a political solution in Ireland being found
The British Government has given its reply to the
intemaniona concemranon or me oasic puerD. extending its availability to British police forces The Labour Party believes the plastic bullet should be
withdrawn and banned Sessions: *What is the plastic bullet? * How is it
*The Northern Ireland context With well known speakers from Ireland and Britain. this conference is open to delegates from labour and
trade union bodies
•Refreshments Bar Creche facilities Stalls
•Post-conference social
Saturday 26 February 1983, 11.00am
UMIST, Barnes Wallis Building, Sackville Street, Manchester 1 KILLED KILLED meanwhile go their own way, blithely ignoring majority votes at Conference How do you campaign HOKIES plastic bullets? ertainly it's no good just passive resolu tions. The issues
audience, overcoming the mystification introduced Labour leaders pro-Unionist That means going beyond the simpi. humanistic peal based on killed and GOMBE CETO Te cyance di the Irish issue the whole or Labour s strategy Can we really have an alternative which complicit in the continuing occupation of Treland? This the question facing the left. Now indications are beginning to appear that the left is starting to realise this.
The structure of the Ban Plastic Bullets Conference ideal for the debate we need. It begins with the facts about plastic bullets, their abuse and social consequences.
Box 50, London N1
KILLED KILLED KILLED KILLED
asking in the end is this really order Con the handing on ade Connections riots in, Britain and 'get tough' police policies.
A panel discussion will hear a spectrum of opinion ranging concerned party to the sup-
immediate withdra Ton MP views voice those the likes cannon and Foot say should not be llow hear.
The Ban Plastic Bullets Conference has won
SUB" port in the party and in the
deeper any Irish issue since the twenties National unions like NurE are sending deleg ates and its backing ches the Communist Party. RECEI Tony Benn The
and significance of the event is getting clear.
The last month will be a great chance to get things moving on an cven wide scale. Get your organisa tion to elect its delegates now.
NEITHER DEL By Alan Keene THE Tories'
crucial election issue.
But the scandalous proposal to spend public money in this fashion is just the tip of the antidisarmament iceberg. The Tories are mobilising a huge array of private and public resources attempt to combat the influence of CND. In particular the Tories want to combat CND's influence in the Church and among youth
They aLC working through network front organisations, which work parallel with two government committees, one chaired by the defence minister and the other Clared by the Prime Minister.
Playing a crucial role in this array alLdisarmers, according anti-nukes expert Duncan Campbell, is the Coalition
Subscription Rates:
Overseas: 12 months only
Name.
Address
•NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
over CND
plans to give fim to advertising agency J Walter Thompson to fight against the nuclear disarmament movement shows they are in a panic. In an election year, as defence minister Douglas Hird says, it is a disaster for the Tories that nuclear disarmament will be a
for Peace through Security (CPS).
This is a New Right' or samsawon working Down inside and outside the Conservative rart) develop the type of right wing characteristic of the extremist wing of Republican politics in the United States.
CPS apparently prepared a petition of welcome' among influential folk to welcome President Reagan during his visit last summer. CPS enjoys, the confidence of Central office •LO such an extent that the! were given a Copy hot the Tories' mailing Tory chairman Parkinson.
Conservative Central Office Campaign have for their Defence UWI
and Multilateral Disarma-
SPECIAL OFFER For readers who take out a year's inland
Alteratively we are offering Henri Weber's book NICARAGUA - THE SANDINIST REVOLUTION (Usual price £2.95)
Inland: 12 months £14.00/6 months £7.00
Surface & Europe £17.00/Air mail £24.00 (Please delete as appropriate)
Tories in a panic
ment (CDMD), putting out anti-CND materia
Winston Churchill. Another major OLEaIISaLIUH linked up with these is the British Atlantic Committee, which runs a consistent pro-NATO campaign: its vice-chairman Denis Healey.
Churchill also coordinates the Committee for Peace with Freedon (CPF) which is run from his flat and involves people like Lord Chalfont, Group Captain David Boulton Edward Leigh and Julian Lewis both members of the Conservative Party and the CPS.
Tagging along with all these other committees is the Labour Committee for Transatlantic Understandin& like which is run by peo-
Frank Chapple Rov Hattersley. Terri Duffy and Roy Mason together with a leavening
SDPers like Davic Owen and Bill Rodgers.
It is obvious that there
now considerable mobilisation of resources on the right - and for
ALAN FREEMAN
THE BENN
HERES
their organisations money appears to be no object to fight the widening influence of the unilateralists. But as the date for the siting of the cruise missiles approaches SUNC proportion of the population against them just goes up and up.
early 1960s mysterious transatlantic agencies tinanced the very successful Campaign for Democratic socialism the Labour Party. This body had nothing to do with democracy socialism, but fought very successful battle against unilateralism. won through complacency of the left.
heeled nist to danis time
right, this there can be no com placency inside the Labour Party or in societ! at large. Every piece of anti-disarmament pro paganda should be fought tooth and nail. The Tories may have the millions in pounds, but CND has the millions in people, and that will be decisive.
Socialist
Challenge
FIND
DRIVE 83
Glasgo E 80.00 Outer West London
Boisover/Mansfield Portsmouth Hacknes
93.00 =m Monur 25.00 Leamington Rose
385.25 Total so far £2352.25
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