Socialist Challenge No. 36, 9 March 1978
The scan: sc-n36-mar-9-1978.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.
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Socialist Challenge
WOLVERHAMPTON: ALL OUT 11 MARCH
American miners fight Carter
Solidarity from Britain
ARTHER SCARGIL. the -President of the Yurkshire Area, National Linion at line. workers, told Socialise Challenger
•We ure in fall solidarity with the American miners. We will aid thei in every possible war. including financial support. We hope that a our Misers Cala this summer to tell us about
hands dow it.
hell ain't gonna mine
no coal.'
disease. labour movement.
killed and hundreds arrested.
authority of the capitalist class as a whole. It is!
Now they are going to stand up and fight.
stand up and fight.
1 have met many rank-and-file miners from their union since 1900. They visited is again in 1972 and we discussed in some detail what hoppened in Salties and our use of flying pickets. I've no douht that Americum and British miners can learn a int from euch other. Their Struggle for better safety conditions and social welfare benefits; their fight for more union democracy and their fight guins the coal bosses and the Copternment deserres our fullest support. hope they win.
*The government
might be able to plough
peanuts, but they sure in
-Donald Lawley, United Mine Workers Executive board member. *My responsibility is to protect the health and safety of the nation. That was Jimmy Carter's excuse for Invoking the Taft-Hartley Act against the three month US miner's strike.
The Act requires strikers to go back to work for an 80-day "cooling-off period'. If they don't they will lose all welfare benefits and face federal occupation of the mines.
Whose health and whose safety?
Last year 125 miners were killed in pit accidents and 4000 died from black lung
Us pits are hell holes. Private capitalist mine bosses hold even the present scanty safety laws in contempt.
And last summer they cutoffall payments to the miners* health benefit fund. Now the bosses are trying to take away the right to strike over safety violations.
That's what the strike is about, that's why the miners overwhelmingly rejected the treacherous contract agreed by Carter and their union leaders, and that's why most miners have no intention of abiding by the Taft-Hartley Act.
Forthem it's a matter of life and death. Literally.
If the past three months are anything to go by they can
count on considerable backing from other sections of the
And they can also count on violent attacks from the scabs. security guards and cops. Already two pickets have been
Sadly, they are unlikely to be the only casualties since Carter sees the strike as an affront to his authority and the
It'san indication that after long years of passivity and betrayal by the union leaders US workers have had enough.
Now they are going to
JOHN BERGER: THE HISTORY LESSON.
MARK JACKSON: HUSAK'S LAST STAND THE LEFT AND THE FRENCH ELECTIONS 4-PAGE SPECIAL: REVOLUTION AND WOMEN'S LIBERATION
No 36 9 March 1978 15p
INSIDE
Up 15 - P 11 .-pp 889
CHRISTOPHER ROPER AND OTHERS HIT BACK ON ARGENTINA... P7 LIZ CURTIS AND ALASTAIR RENWICK: ANTI-IRISH HUMOUR ..... p15
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HOM
Editorial01-3598180/9.
Britain
2000
would still be in existence.
The failure of the left wing of the British
which confronts the working class.
Unions could only muster 415 delegates.
internal Transport Union matter).
Tribune, and Jack Jones argue for more democracy. worse in the sense
socialist economists
unless they are linked to a broad overall plan.
run 88 state-capitalist profitability of the private sector. I CHEWE DISORIE
nationa isation of North
mobilisations could take place. SEROUS
where the State will have become all-powerfu words where the only
villes it mo aneu
in cover costs.
¡Delete if not applicable]
NAME...
London NI.
Editorial
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 UpperStreet, London N1 Distribution and Hoventamg 91-3080371-
in the year
A RECENT PROGRAMME on BBC-TV, suggested that the present level of unemployment in Britain wauld never be reduced. On the contrary, it would go up, and by the year 2000 it would be somewhere betwoen four and six million. The programme, of course, presupposed that capitalism
Institute any serious fightback The assembly organised by the Communist Party last Saturday under the banner of the Liaison Commitlee for the Defence of Trades
Apart from rejecting a resolution calling on the LCDTU
the conferance remarkable for an absence of politics. It was a far cry from proposed wan a lobby of Parliament at some unspecified date. The workers in British Steel, British Leyland, and Liaison Committee will be lobbying MPs on their behalt
The Tribunites in the Labour Party have also failed to buggear a way tarwar niciam Clements, ine ocitor or
Investment in British industry as the panaces for unemployment. That this is shcer nonsense 1s demonstrated on the paces of Tribune Itself, in which Barry Sherman of ASTMS argued quite cogently that technological changes mean that too resumena can no ronger guaranies 1008 Sherman suggested work-sharing, but explained that this would alienate the multi-nationals which dominate British
The fact is that problems such as unemployment cannot be effoctively solved by a capitalist system operating within the framework of bourgeois representative
Technological changes will make matters that they widemonstrale the Irrationality af capital. 6s well as its archaic character.
A planned economy is almady beginning to be seen as the only way out of the present mess. Increasingly we are seing left-wing shop stewards eager to collaborate with
and prepare alternative plans to those envisaged by capitalism. Work-sharing without loss of pay and other similar demands can even appear utopian
The question of nationalisation thus becomes central at this period as an agitational demand. But it cannot stop there nor should we imagine that the additional phrase 'under workers" control solves all the problems. We have to insist that the exiting nationalised industries are not.
firms, designed 10 aid There must De
Thus in Tyneside and Cideside it is obvious that the
Sea Oil could bo linked tr jobs in the shipyards. Such a step would be resisted by the State because it would threaten capitalist accumulation in this country and chailenge profits Moreover, its dynamic could be explosive. It is in areas such as these that socialists should be concentrating their attention in the coming period, for this would provide a
which solidarity actions and
A capitalist Britain in the year 2000 will probably have 5 miltion people out of work, but it will also be a Britain where democratic rights will have been whittied away and
IN DEALI technology which will have been 'productively used will be the technology of collical
Those of us fighting for a socialist Britain must realise that the mere mouthing of comect siogans or demands is to sure we have to go dayond thoso ano offer 8 socialist alternative in the real sense of the word.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Ill you agree mish shese principles and want to be
Involved in setivilies by Socialise Challenge sap-
Poses in your arts, Ti in the turn behow and send it
I am Interested in tore informadon shout ace.
I would like additional Urerstare and escose Stp
Send to Socialin Challengr, 328/324 Lipper Street,
leasing
million.
economists, explains.
In 1970, the Heath Govern-
ment introduced first year tax
aliowances: 85 a
stititulate investment. Whereas
normal practice is to depreciate
of ycars, under this system the
entire cost of an investment can be offset against profits in the
first year,
Take a company with a pre-
profit of PATHSIDE equipment [100,000 At-a-stroke taxahle profit is reduced E100,000. tax rate of 32 per cent. a lax saving of 152,000 is made on was that single investment.
INCENTIVE
This saving is designed as a
selective investment incentive, inastar as only profitable thes "efficient" cond benefit from the first year allowances.
Inreality, things have worked out quite differently. Invest ment has remained low, in spite of the incentive, and sheltering was soon inveoted Tax sheltering s enabline panies to offset the cost of thei
against the liability of orber — profitable throughlessing
Leasing a machine is a bit like renting a fat, Someone owns it, but you can use it for a given period, at a pre-agreed rental. The leasing company (lessor) buys the machine and claims the full tax allowance; The user (lessec), pays a monthly
quarterly rental over entire period of the lease, which Busually five years. the As the rental takes account of the lessor's tax gain, a lease is often cheaper than a bank Joan. Furthermore, as the rentals are tax-deductable expenses for the lessec, the sante asset is, in fact, depreciaredtwice.
Most lessors are banks, acting thraugh subsidiary companies, whese huge lax losses → arising from first year allowaaces —are entirely offsel parent's pre-lax Towards the financial year, there is curthroet competition among the leading banks, to many tax losses of this kind as possible. They call that Max planning
Since, for any capitalist, a penny paid in taxes is a penny
it is not surprising that prolitable JOCUSTICS
менсть, оце віті сиросаны сімнь. indersandig dent
he next time you're around your neighbourhoo ocial security office, drop in and ask for £3,00
You might not have much luck, yet since 1970 this sum has been ripped off the Inland Revenue. The trick is known as leasing, which also has the merit' of boosting unemployment. CPS, a group of Socialist
planning! meats to
Tees for thisservice.
An carly Promocups Company £200.0 RE freight division.
Given a corporation arraoped this deal.
investment in profitable dustries,
industries been a sharp corporation tax revenue Furthermore.
unprofitatle method
COAT
else
the the end of cac SOOn
OUR POLICIES
Socal Challenge bosses That the two will
lanks cunternling repolonionry sociallen, are:
*Te bulle broad-based class struse deades-
fud and descrack involutinnery sorisis
organsation which ran, throngh we applicacien
of unlied tront tacts, begin to be seen to an
alternative hy thomsueds of warlers engaped in
Such an icantation should be based on the
The big tax dodge of
ment relative price contitled
in tax 10315701305
copied banks in the field of tax
They too started investments acting as lessors, in their own right, to mutinuise their tax bills marginal rate.
often with the help of banks and broking houses acting as gobetweens and picking up huge
investment example The Distillers of Thalidomide Which leased several million pounds worth of rolling stock to British Rall's
A leading merchant bank in the City
So, we see that the alleged deferred efficiency criteria to stimulate
doubt,
througl Lax allowances have failed abus this for mally. Instead tax planning lias grown on a massive scale cax. and the only tangible result ha
reduction in
the artificia. cost-roduction of capital invest.
1
unite the light of the weekers awes
Used layers of secien women, bies people-ass strealing for their liberatior This sociom can valy be achieved by chall now regans of power and defeating with al nessary means the power of the capitalis
damncralie than what esist in Britain
pees and restents that do not Inke up nonsegainst the socialbe sone. The soliest modes ad sucialive in the 155R and Easiers
ltrough tax
allowances — has ailered che
ratio belween
This favours theintroduction of capila, intensive production
processes — even in decining
Endustries- and accolerates Hi growth of unemployment.
But the tax loophole is not
to corporations; wealthy capitalists, as individuals, also have a vested interest
sheltering. acting "sole traders can also be lessors, and
Blowances against their personal income tax at the
Since this rate can reach 83 per cent on upper income slices.
potentially staggering 683,000... and they getrentals into the bargain
Needless to say, banks and tax consultants are increasingly recommending leasing to their wealthy private clients. A real tax avoidance bonanza indeed! Provided the trick is repcated year after year, large chunks of personal income lax can be
indelinitels.. bility: this is socil as a just reward for abstinence
What is the net effect of all
the Inland Revenue?
From 1930 to 1976, cotal first
allowances reached €25,500m. Figures published by the Equipesent Leasing Assaciation (which accounts for 90 per cent of the business by UK leasing companies) revcal that
3
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 197B page 2
its members transacted f410m worth of bualitess in 1976. in piner words. lot tax sheltering by leasing companie alone exceeded E450m in that ole year. To this should be added Sinular tax elowance! clained by industrial corpora tions and soletraders. conservative estimale would put the total 1970-1976 period ar around £1,000m Since we know that the rentais on these contracts are also tux deductible, the total impact was roughly 06,000m Taking an average tax rate of 52 per cent. the net loss in lax revenue was approxunately 13,120m Since public expenditure cuts are closely related to the Stare': shortfall in revenue, the fightthe-curs strategy should also focus directly on such obvious taxioophales Tax sellering is a direct tool for the restructuring of capital at the expense of the workers Hirherto unprofitable indus 3o capital intensive processes ar mutimal
vastly isprove their profita expanding production, by merely reducing their tax bill Unemployment rises as result, and further strident calls for even greater cuts are made by the bourgeoisie. The coral onus of the process is par on che workers and on those who have to rely on 'welfare" expenditure to merely stay alive. The latter ateknownasspongers INE METESS DEPICKES BAD SODI
wade. Capitalion has not euly creati warld markut, it has cooled world pollies. Then we Aght far working chis units on an Infersational scale. This wiry will in the long run be derbive in defeating both the imprrialer ngines in the West and the brutal Actakinhips they alais in Lalin America,
and felling the Irih people determine thee uma
Parties
wing. Save ant meanghil siraegs or Ine orchame in Caser mullionary socialist parties are more seco tary than mer befure. Conditions liday an wine taverable Than over the preceding three decades. But such parlies can anh he balle be rejecting sectariance and serine internal democracy not in a lour but a a vite necessly: Then mesay the right no argin
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THIS POSTER is the latest weapon acquired by the British war machine in the North of Treland. Its message is simple—it tells parents to spy on their children, writes GEOFF BELL.
In the Third Reich in Germang, the Nazi minister propaganda, Josef Goebbels, prelerced lo leli chiliren to spy on tbeir parents, to report them it they were up to any anti-Aran activities. Mason ama ue reste of the Norhern Ireland Office have merels changed this round.
well as the poster, publicity machine has produc-
HOME NEWS
Ask your
children
CHECK ON
in the North of Ireland
Led television commercials on the same theme. are bot permitted to niention IRA that would be "political and political cominsercials are supposedly banned by the Independent Broadcasting Authority Is clear. The clasing secands show a gun.
Everyone possible has been of roped into this spy on your children' campaign. It was pul roperner the Ireland Office with assistance of a Belfast adverRoy tising the Metropolitan Palice, and the Inner Londor Autority. Jimmy Mr Fix-ir the Saville has added his services and he speaks the commen-
Where are you going?
Who will you be with?
What will you be doing?
YOUR CHILDREN
Goebbels is alive and well
and working for the British
tary. The whole campaign u Wille these costing E50,000.
Hur there are a number of children whe even the zealous parent it impossible to spy on.
These includer their meaning Rooney, aged O 'Roinden, 12; Philp Raffer y. 14; Gerald McAules, 1:
Frank Vagines, 15: Desmont Healy: 14; Francis Rawntre:
Margare:
Nortbern Darid McCaller. the Scotl, 12; Martla Campbell, 15: Stephen Cieddin, 8: Brian London Stewart, 13; Matjella O Hane, 12; Michac!
Education Waterson, 12; and William Warnock, 15 The reason that Mason will find it diffical: to
questions
BOUD PY THEMORTEN BELAND OFFCT will find Ireland by Patrick "security fortes"
Sean
these marders.
Carean, 13:
John Nortl of Ireland Add that
Neill, 11; Peter 13; Kevin Heatly,
even Roy Out Now,
present.
The AT THE
General
hers
re on these individuals
ecause they are all dead. The have been killed in the past nine years in the North
mernbers of the Vartous Six County and British
No menber or'these seencies has even been imprisoned for any one of
acies,
That is what the British
Nazi-style popalana and con marder
to the countiess
without trial News from committed by the British Ariny and its agents, and you will approciate wie wo say: Troops
News
nowhere
What was that Brother Dromey?
THE ORGANISATION of Tast weekend's one day Con ference called by the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions (LCDTU) left a Jot to be desired. The turn-out was pathetically low, considering the needs of the working DAVE CLARK writes: class at this moment.
delegate conference from Brent Trades zine Council reocived his credentinls on the morning of the Book' which summarises conference itself, though they the key information abour the were dated 24 February. More countries of the region It's a to the point was the message scandard reference source and, contained in the accompanying the credentials:
Finally, all delegates are asked to take a prestigious advert in to consult the Officers of the its pages Trades Council before voting or making an interjection at the full colour the Conference. Both the Chairman and I will
I in Sher thao lack Thomeh question for him: Dear Jack, if the fifteen years since Jardines acares Dase to de peraiss ion from thought-commissars why bother to elect them in the publicly first place? Why not restrict attendence still further? It's obvious that some of the more crucial lessons of Grunwick have yer to be assimilated by Brother Dromey Governor's participation
meeting of the than National Association of Local Government Cificers GO| an extremely important AOUICIDERE DAS HABELLES
Secretary, Drain, was shortly to become a Governor of the Bank of England. A few ribald notes were exchunged by irritated July 1832 when a public norils members. Howeser the mem-
of NALGO, once the report is afficially confirmed, should make enquiries un to whether Drain cait effectively mensbers while sitting on thie Bourd of Governors of the Hunk of England.
Right of reply THE BROAD Left, whose presidential candidate in che Engineering Unions elections, Bob Wright, will now he facing W. Paratet al, would be welt Far Eastern caders advised to study the Nationa Union of lournalists' code of
As The Guardian's industrial correspondent, Keith Harper, noted on Saturday: *If Wright the poppy helds or India to wins et wil he membership have ignored all tbeodds which somesections of by the hundreds of tons the unon and the modes will set
ing Levin and Wyar, right- was wing luminaries of the London enterprise. William Jardine Freelance Branch, are bound by the umion's code which is lohhy Palmerston into decar explicir on the right of reply:
Clause 4 states:
A journalist shall recity promptly any harmlul inaccur
ensure that correction and apologies receive due pro base minence and afford the right of reply to persons criticised when he the issue is of sufficient import-
Without wishing to boas
UNORIETE point out to Wright's supporters in the AUEW that B. Levin does not totally monopolise the features naze of The Times.
When this nassearing column-
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 Marc11978 page 3
from
ist attacked Peter Cooper tand Tarig Ali over allair. secured a 1,100 word reply after Socialist Challenge's editorial board reminded The Times manage ment and Nud representatives about clause 4.
The opium traders of Hong Kong
EVERY YEAR the Hong tbe Kong weekly business magn-
Far Eastern Economic Review issues an Asia Year
all
letter because it sits around for
The best place of them all is
backpage, bocupied for 1978 by th be Hong Kong multi-national Jardine Matheson. And it's a question! None masterpiece of doublethink.
They cell the readers that, in
were listed public company (and thus forced to
display rudimentary figures). profit has increased by 3,200 per cent
That's getting on For 200 per
annum. What they don't ell is that it's achieved in a colony where there are do minimums wape rates. child labour is the order of the day. industrial accidents are more
twice as high as the United Kingdom, there is no
paid maternity leave and unemployment insurantoe.
perhaps the must Geoffrey andacious niece of eyewash is the company's glowing acwhich they tell of the day in
appearco in the Canton Register' to announce the company's formation
wo years aller Jardine and Marbeson had put up their sigr copywriters's drivel, •Parlia Company's monopoly of thi
China Trade. That
Jardines made the first privato shupatent of tea to the United Kingdom and the partern bad been established, a partern
was to see Jardines emerge as the greatest of all the
What that sentimental, dishonest boukum doesn't tell us is what was travelling the
way in those great traders" ship: - opium fron ceslave the Chinese peasantry which Jardine sent into China
And whee The misernh e efforts of the Ching Emperon to stop the vile trade got in th
the constany's
went to London himself lo
ing the first Opium War. Backed hy the firepower of the Royal Navy, the traders gained access to ever Ports, opened Hong Kong as a
Tor their operations in 1842 and proceeded to food
market with dope
By 1500 there were over 15 nution addices in China, and atilbions more the would Caintese peasants who had fled into South East Asia in search of work. They got their stuff from Governsent-ran Opin Monopoliest and who supplied mos of them? You guessed it
Page 4 scan of this page
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Page 5 scan of this page
Why engineers won't
Action is only answer
HOTH
STOr
ROT
FULL
RATE
PAY
IS FROM
campaign on student poverty.
Labour pro-
timely
conference
At the first annual conference of the Labour Abortion Rights Campaign a year ago, the main priority was seen as winning the Labour Party conference to the defence of the 1967 Abortion Act and a woman's right to choose.
4/2 million votes
conference DOLLIES. But LARE defeated in its attempt to win abolition of the froe vote for Labour MPs on abortion
It is normal practice for policies receiving a two-thirds card vote majorily to be part of Labour's General Election
SOUL automatic, and Callaghan has HISSADWIDS SECUEL SO the pro-abortion vote when he notified the Socialist Medical Association that it 'was merely
which reflected the mood of conference.
Consequently this LARC conference, to be held on Saturday, will be discussing
to place 1be Labour Purty's conferenoe policy in its clection manifesto and win its THE GAY Movement reached something of a milestone when a meeting of militants from gay groups from as far apart as Glasgow Brighton agreed to form a new national organisation, the Gay Activists Alliance. JAMIE GOUGH ports.
The meeting February set the alliance on a ourse to campaign against the increasing attacks being made
EDUCATION
no cuts
no closures
fight the
FA fees and q
JU StUDENTS marched In bimingnam ast woURend demand 'Fair grants for students' giving now impetus to the NUS
abortionists hold
bational converor of ARC ANTONIA GORTON,
resolutions on winning support for the tree voic postbon, securing more trade union YOU EMERE BARACY HAG ES building of active campaigns in The locates for abortion facilities There will also be discussion on future legislative initiatives, the National Abortion Campaign sponsored trade union conference, and Government alaces on icruniy contro services through cuts in NHS
The recent introduction in Parliament abortion Braine Bill, warned us that we have to be prepared for attacks. The Bill bad its second readine in Parbeam on the afternoon of 3 March. As it was a "10 minute Bill' it only required one MP to rise
thrown out. Fortunately this happened, but it demonstrates that supporters of a woman's right to choose cannot afford I Telax. In 101s LARC's second annual con-Terence It will be held on I1 March at the Ciry University, St John year's Street, Loodon BCI.
OF S0 LARC members and El lor non-members. LIC COETEICTEE is open to all Labour Party memhers,
Gay alliance to
picket WH Smith
on lesbians and gay men. The aum is to organise against these attacks locally and, possible, nationally.
It hopes to colist the mani-
to from non-guy organisations.
The organisation bas grown but of the national Gay News defence committee. The Gay althoughe result has yet to be appeal is nICH
of women at this first meeting as a dace bo or toe neare
25 of the Gay News issue, but
505 BE occus appre ciated the importance of alliance taking up lesbian issues
racist
Since the 19 unions in the Confederation, Scanlon of the Engineering Ultion, lave chosen to drop the demand for a 35 hour week with no loss of pay, and have reduced the pay claim from E70 to E60. difference with the Engineering Employers Federation.
The Mumbling block has been that the bosses insist that the implementation of the new OCTICI
Chicon sont nome.
Angry Frank Chupple, general secre tary of the Electricians" Unin, as he emerged trom pay twins with the Electricity Council last respect Thursday. They were enraged
timely Trom the employers, which they
TENTHI Chapple accepted reports There is a WOODWARD.
Спарріс has step. the unoticial action of the power workers
spread blackouts, indication that they Teaddy submul 10 agreed by their leadership.
The une flicial shop stewardi committor NELS determination substantial increase from productivity deals to bring their pay at least in line with the miners, although this is likely to
where
ARE WOLLE women's groups.
The new important
as an alternative to the present LET MOPCIACHE ANE BE ANSAR work with existing local groups of all kinds. group has already been formed in Brighten, development where there is a need to co-ordinate and initiate Jocal campaigos.
The first national niriarive is pickets or
Engineering pay claim
The executive of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Workers Union has called a two-day strike of its 3½ million members on 20 and 21 March.
This strike should be supported, writes JOHN GRAHAM, AUEW shop stewards, although it by no
Many negotiations with the engineering bosses.
led by Hugh employer guideline on pay.
there i bittle low paid
• this year THE BEGINNING of the teachers' union action of pay has already resulted in several schools being closed and thousande of
power workers chased SOUWEESENDS.
insulting offer tivity may have JUDE Tacing the to watch his action. the which led to widewas an delegate confercace. wil most the terms
declared its lo min In payseir financing
closely with fills an pap in the gay movement, it does not see itself Manchester,
mingham,
wishing which is a useful
details, or the
Smiths on
be keen to strike
policy
significant breakdown in
national minimum time rate of E60 should not force ani
oscar are per coul
Acceptance of the present
biler would seriously affect
workers in the
industry, who are still receiving
only 142 plus 5 percent and alone could mobilise full
well not receive the new support for industrial action Even Scanion
has not been able to swallow national organiser currently
for power workers
involve further job losses in the
The four unions involved will be meeting on 14 March to consider their response to the boases' offer of a 10 per cent increase plus a E3.60 produc
deal, With no improvement ikely, the question now
power workers is whetfier to take industrial
The union leaders favour a ballot as the next step, hut there
comhined
South-cast
occupation called
Saturday 18 March to protest at Ibe withdrawal of Gay News from their bookstalls. Pickets are already being planned In movement -
Leicester, Віт- trades councils London and service unions.
Organisations or individuals
support pubis: continuing fight for tree speech or gays should contact their national
Switchboard for HALEISISE Alliance on 0271 202930 (8pm10pm). The next meeting of the trade alliance willhe on 4 and 5 April
such a fraud, which would he in clear breach or AUTW
Unfortunately, the fact that the union leaders have already capitulated on the bulk of the claim means that there will be little enthusiasm for the strike from the rank and file. And hints by Seanlon that British Leyland will not be included in the stoke furtber underatines the possibility of ready support for the stoppage.
In this context it is esseotial to demand that the Confedera tion fights for the original claim and a full return to free collective bargaining. which
Smith, an AUEW
The dispute has hardened because of the intransigent attitude of many local authorities to teachars" pay.
Many power workere do not expect leaders like Chappie to win their pay demand, They point out that the stifling of democracy in the EETPU Lmits take onofficial action.
Healthy response
to cuts
The fight to blond the axe that hangs over the health service Jas made un importunt advance with the setting up of a national steering committee, hacked by the Greater London Association of Trades Conscils and the
TUC reperl: DOMINIC COSTA.
Hounslow Hospital, still in
against closure a fighrback recall conference on 28 February, which was allended by more than a handred delegatos from all over the country, representIng wide sections of the labour
from industry, and Labour Parties, as well as the health
The conference criticised the
sector trade union leaders for failing to organise a
-fightback against Labour's policies, which might have saved Hounsiow.
Last month, two hundred
unionists, including Lesland stewards, picketed the
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 5
fighting for re-clection, con
demned the Confederation
officials capitulatioo on tbe
ay claim when he spoke ar :
day. Smith called for a massive 10S HOLE TIE HOTR to demand that the officials TiebE cor the occina chim
The task for the Broad Left
delegates on the AUEW national committee,
DOCES AS Socialise Challenge
goes to press, is to support these demands, and to seck an
explanation as TE on passco at te las
meeting in November, calling for a xpecial meeting of shop stewards to organise support
Tor the claim, has never been Implemented. the ability of the rank and file to make their leaders accountable. This is why the powe workers have to be prepared to Birmingham area heaith authority against the closure of Rosley Hill. The projected closure of Romsley Hill and 15 others due to come under the axe in Birminghams, together with the 18 already closed since last April, underline the nood for a co-ordinated national offensive
This is the importance of the natonal mghtback steering committee, elected the COETEECTLE Throuch ils manthly meetings and satical Fightbuck bulletin, it subs to unite all those who oppose the cuts. Delegates are invited trom all cuts cam
branches Labour Parties and trade: councils.
The first meeting is on 18 March in London, so interested organisations should elect delegates urpently and make CATCHES LONELYELL Details from: Interim Steering Lammittee Hounsiou Hospital Occuparion, Staine Road, Hoensiow, Middx.
Page 6 scan of this page
‹Public order' as Mosley would have liked it
See you in Wolverhampton
BBC-TV's Grandstand,
police,
The all-embracing authority of the Public Order Act was suggested in those remarks. More practically it was being displayed in the streets Tford as Howell was speaking on 25 February: There, fascists and anti-fascists had been pret team demonstrating.
from demonstrating. TWO MONTHS
The han is not restricted to one day in Ilford, but runs for
don. Nor is it confined to specific anti-fascist and fascist organisations. It extends to all demonst amons except those *of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held".
Despite this, many saw the use of the Act as some sort of victory for the forces of democratic rights; the fascists
A MEETING discuss campaign against the Pohlic Order held
Thursday. Ernie
candidate for Hackney North,
sharp campaign aguinst the bun on all demonstrations in the London ares.
A public rally in Camden Town Hall has been scheduled for 22 March, where all groups affected by the ban will be Invited to participate.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Communist Party, toc socialist Workers Party. the Internutional Morsil Group. Revolutionary Communist
State Research Bureau, LiberThe spectre of racism that Enoch Powell bestowed on Wolverhampton is likely 1o suffer grievous harm this Saturday, when the town will witness its largest ever anti-racist demonstration, reports JEFNY ASHCROFT, secretary of Wolverhampton Anti-Racist Committee.
Mans Arian Dabs. shogs, and clubs in the Black Country
mobilising poster produced by anti-racist commitee, which has called the national demonstration.
Bach Inciar. Workes ten ciations (GB and ML) expecans nandreas supporters fram across Britait, and West Indian organisations are mobilising
well as locally.
SUPPORT
Together witb the support of
expecting a march of 5,000 to demonstale 1e wolverhamb-
HOME NEWS
The effects of the ban
Dennis Howell, Labour's Minister of Sport, was asked whether it was viable to use the Public Order Act against football 'hooligans when he appeared on
Howell replied he thought that this was a splendid idea and that he would draw it to the attention of the
had been stopped marching and that was the
This arguments appears
origin of the Puhlic Order Act
the Communis. Party and the National Council for Liberties opposed when introduced 1936, the story goes that the Act was introduced to combat Oswald Mosley's fascist Blackshirts. But this is true only to a MOTE ELLERU The Mosleyiles were speciti-
of the Act in that one section of it aimed to probibit the wearing of uniforms CORACCHE WITH objectives'. The Mosleyites uniform ot binck was n cise In point.
But this part of the Act has been rarely used; it is Section 3
Fight the ban!
Nation und the Friends of the Earth (as observers].
in A four-person committee
was elected to carry decisions taken: Ernie Roberts, Ken Livingstone.
Antony and Davey Jones. Further information from: D. Jones, Nt. Tel: 01-359 8371. * At its annual mecting last weekend, the Labour Party's Grealer London Council voted to support a rally and (illegal) demonstration to be held on IS April hy the Haringey Anti Racistand AntiFascist Organisation.
But it refused to consider an emergency resolution opposing the ban, put up by a divisional council of TASS, the Enginscring Union's white collar ton that we will not put up with racisin, whetber it comes from shite thugs WEIO have responsible for knifings, and burnings, or police harassment.
INQUIRY
A local labour TOTy on racist Molcoce and police harassment, held on 25 February, UNIT HOUSE GONE ded that there was a case to answer after hearing evidence trom leaders of organisations, victims attacks, and the anti-racist the committee.
inquiry panci included several Labour coun cillors and union officials, supported the committee's call are for an independent public
inquiry into the situation
making recommendations COsiEs that it does not do a whitewash job, We hope thar all Socialist Challenge supporters will be in Wolverhampion to help confront berinage:
The inquiry, held at Wolver barton Po vecha the wrath which bested la the directorate.
from the Act political
which the police have recently employed, Under the terms of this section, should the police have reasonable grounds for apprebending that a procession may lead to serious public disorder"
want on march, out the
The police can also apply to George the local council for a ban of
To Tee halding of all public process50, London our un that are Eat scoron
of the Act also gives.
DUNCESAR
Metropolitan Police, who can Regional authority, as long as the Home Dan marches on bis
Secretary approves, without going to Both in the case of the Word ban and the carlier ban on fascists and anti-fascists in Tameside, many assumed that the police had no option but to ban all demonstrations and marches.
Section 3 of the Act does give
been intimidation, movement
black
of
wluch
Photo:
to harassment. press statenient Itself and college staff from the inquiry. This was immediately rebutted by committee of the staff onion, Powell's NATFE
the pois is organising a pention in support of boid Lic inquiry AROUSED
on which it bas long been
Street which led to the 1936 Public Order Act.
so specified'.
conditions tbey can they route of the
did months on *The
UNTI
the local council ation today.
This is not the case.
VER
AIN The Wolverhampton demonstration on 5 February
dissociating SOCIALIST CHALLENGE rUDHC meeting in
the branch 7.30pm The studer anion at Chatlengel
for Socialism
10am
ANTI-FASCISTS rally in Hyde Park in the "30s. It was the ability of the anti-fascists to sweep Mosley's Black Shirts and their police protactors off the streets at Gardiner's Corner and Cable
the police the power to ban all public processions", but they also have the power to ban any ca b Pub processa
rather
As it turned out the ban invoked by NicKnee and Roes iveness of the in Ilford worked in favour of the fascists. They were allowed racist agitation' to leaflet and to hold a 1,000 strong public meeting. The han
not prevent them from Rocks ago. fulfilling their main purpose to spread racist propaganda 382162
But it did prevent tbe prohibited that anti-fascists from their aim of stopping that cacist propa-
This is why This NabOmE Front candicnie T Public the lord by election conld tell the fascists" rally: The police mounted a mapnilicent oper
ЦЕНО 1350
That the use of the Public Order Act in Ilford worked in favour of the fascists is not surprising. A recent survey of the Act in the State Research Bulletin" came to Lie foliowing Street, conclusion: Two strands of 01-734 5831.
FIGHT RACISM
STOP
POLICE
VIOLENCE
Wolverhampton, Friday, 17 March, at Tariq All (Editor, Socialist
and N.5. Noor 3pm (National President, IWAj on:
Black workers must struggle Street.
Road.
Students Union, large meeting
tion
great importance enterge from the history of the legislation.
First, the extent to which the Act is used against the lef
than the right; and, scord, the apparent meneer
Act against the growth of fascist marches and
This fear was shown to bo well founded in liford two
Fascism can only be defeated by active mobili-
The Ulford -Dan mobilisation, while it allowed the Naional Front to meel and to organise.
was achieved through
whose aun is indeed to keep the Order' legislation into public iu order'. Mosley and Hider promised much the same
State Research Bulletin No 7. ArabaD on subscrinticI From State Research, 9 Poland
Loadon wi. that a sharp response to racist attacks and police
NATIONAL DEMO Saturday, 11 March
Assemble at 2.30pm for
start, outside Fountain pub, Chappel
off Dudieys Wolverhampton.
Rally at 4.15pm. the
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 6
IN BRIEF
THE YOUNG National Front's offensive' in education has been more sound than fury. It has. though, intensified racist in schools: •Blacks 4 gas chamber reads a wall scrawling In school in Camden. North London.
cil teachers and school student:
PECT and encutraging, and teachers are racism in Westminster Hall. London on 16 March
The ralls. which begins 3.45pm, Is being organized by
All-London Teachers Agains Racism and Fascism, supremen of the Nationa loca Union of Teachers,_ together with the Socialist Teachers
London branch of the
Association Multi-racial Education and the CATEDLED SCHIS VASSIN
ALTARE regards the rally as a public stand against
parents, school students and
public al large'. itself as the hasis of a more permanent which would ally itselt with other sections of the conununily in fighting racism and Tascism To this end the ference on 20 May.
Whether the campaign will be built rests parliy on the winness o lores such ar Teachers Apainst the Nazis 10 SU PUTE
Bristol goes
battle..
OVER FIVE bundred people who packed one of the largest political held in Bristol decided to branch Anti League. reports Hurries Wordsworth. Labour MP Joe Ashton introduced the meeting, hell on 28 February, with
anti-fascist film but reinforced its chauvinist line That Tascisen is not a very British tradition.
Socialist Chullenge supporters will play anactive partin the
which promises to be bott: lage and combative.
We will continue to argu
the should oppose all Torms af repressiont, particularly immig ration controls, that it should affiliate to other anti-racist and anti-fascist organisations, pecially CARF; and that the
ocal group should fight to change the structure abc policies of the ANI nationally.
..and Exeter, too
NATIONAL FRONT activity in Devon and Excrer has brought a sharp response from local anti-fascists, The inaugurat meeting of the Exeter and District Anti Nazi League Tast monti was attended by over 7o people, representing Exeter Labour Party, the Socialist WorKers Party. Socialist Challenge supporters. Exeter Trades Council, local students union, together with several union branches and other local bodies
Exeter ANL aims is be a broad based, open campaigning organisation which will appose racism and fascism in the city and hopes to
high unemploy
NF with potentia
Page 7 scan of this page
ARGENTINA-RACISM-ARGENTINA-RACISM-ARGENTINA-RACISM-ARGEN
Scots
against
boycott 1
IT IS unfortunate that when selling Socialist Challenge to most Scoti readers their first response to your call to boycott the World Cup was
would they argue that if England had qualified'. Even more unforinate wits that most Socialist Challenge supporters could only answer no.
say building in Scotland will not campaign
truth. It won't just not be easy, it will
TE WISE argue for a boycott most people will see as at Now mildy eccentric al worst some extreme Calvinist killjoy
LOC 2550M01 1s drawn 1a enthusiasm for Scotland's Cup soccess will equal whitewashing the Argentinian Junta. Scotland played there last summer taw wantine result. You quate Bruce Rioch on his views Argentina. Many other players were seathing in print about the of the troops and police. When the match was televised you couldn't see
One Football match brought home the realities of Argentina far more than hundreds of articles in Socialist Challenge.
it would be toally assume Scottish fans and even players will just shrug their shoulders as what they see around them, Most players in conoure indeed. unionised as affiliates to the GMWL). When Scotland went te Chile several players were known to disapprove. Hibs are at present pilaving a CP member as sweeper. While Ally MacLeod, now advertisIng carpets, was a school election agent in his school's mock election for the CP (they won!).
The demand that Scors players
they are in Argentina is winnable. IT
encouragement to Argentinian workCaL Cemen ara bound campaign. It would also tackle head
football world where plavers and supporters have no say,
Is also doubiful that Argentinian junta will be delirious about the of several
Scots fans reaching Argentina by hook or by crook or by canoe. After all they haven't got a good record as far as police states go. I'm sure they remember what Kangers Tans did to Franco's not police. Far from being simple minded chauvinists as your articie implies most will be trade union members,,
shoulda't overlook the fact they be ageressively masculine. As has happened recently in Spain the World Cap games could casil Terence and to who the foots become fans will support should be obvious.
The demand that all restrictions on COLTy LO Argentina should be dropped would present a junta already CHILE with 4 huge headache. Similarly why not call for an cod to all limits on where you can go and how FOu can aLeet in Arzenuna. We've the possibility of organising the biggest fact finding
The boycott demand unpossible one but also one the junta will shrus off. Unlike Chile the Argentinian workers remain undefented. They recently won wage rises which should make British warkers wince. The jonta itscit is unsteady. You cannot equare
Argentina.
Sularly why have no Argentinian union or apposition called for a boycott?
CHRIS BAMBERY (Glasgow], DAVEFOWLER [Falkirki
reply to Chris (Socialist Chullenge 23 February)
First of all there is a Scortish
Argentina Campaign,
the visits of Richard Whitecross and
Father Pat Kice, both of whom were
imprisoned and tortured in Agentina.
Ar it happens, the polley of the
campaign decided at its
meetings, is to focus attention on
пЕВЕ ПЕЛОЕ COE TOCA
boscar: the policy of the Argentine
Support Movement, of Amnesty NuTational, and also, I note, of the
Icantacted members of the Fourth
International in Scotland several
times during the period when this
campaign was being organized
(December-January), without re-
sults. In this absence, the argument
for a boycott went by default, If their
continued absence reflects not lack of boycott BALLICE be decision, then 1 must say I think the
GUEST IN CENTOSS
Uniike Socialist Challenge, 1 find
no evidence or logic lo connect the
decision not to boycolt with the call
TOr Damona Toady to socialsen
is perhaps, an admission of palitical
The fact ti World Scotland, the campaign to stop the
SEA from playing football in Chile When Stadium was a failure: not only did they play, but there was never the of popular movenient to boycott the
game. All the campaien did was to
succeed in convincing a number of trade unionists who were,
large, already convinced, repression in Chile was barbaric
This time round, the position is if anything a bit weaker,
After all, Chile's Stadium was a the ghosts
unionists. The stadien in Cordoba has not yet been used
conceutration camp, and the one in Mendoza is brand new having been built, admittedly, on the site of a bulldozed squatter Furthermore the games in Argentina are the World Cup
To call for circunstances, it seems to me. Is to admit that one cares about reaching only those who are convince in any case about the nature of repression in Argentina. The mas ol fans are more likely to be alienated by such a call than to understand it
We prefer to accept the political not yer being in the vanguard of the THE WURGER CHE me which, hopefully, will draw buth on and tousl the the support of trade union activists who boycoll, and reach a large aumber of working class people who will not
We say: Cio to Argentina. Expect them to have the place cleaned up for you (chough I think there is a good case for warping fans what to exper from the repression; the military have been engaged in a war with the populace at large in Argentina for ten years now, and I suspect that triggerbappy habits die hard) Look will signs of the repression more. Adopt one of the mising or political prisoners from Cordobu there it a tremendously long list, and about we are publishing some of it. Pres the Argentinian government to release the names and whereabouts 0l toe missing. government to admit. Argentinians on the same basis as
Cordoba is a good place for Scotland to focus on, Ir has a long history of working class militancy. and has suffered bitterly under the present government as a result, l1 is a Eving lesson is an repression in Argentina repression which hits all social sectors (including Jewish busmessmen) but particularly union officials and union activists, and workers in famous. We will he publishing a JOULILLS concentration camps around Cor major doba, and the history or some of it jails.
As you will be aware, the evidence ahaut what the Arpenting want is pretty ambiguous. 2 is calling for a boycott; Communists, as you point not. I take it the PST is calling for a boycott, The Montoneros other hand are not — though I rake your pott that where the boycort is concerned, they have quite sensibly decided to support the boycott
formed after
whole, they biggest if not most correct group
first
and with the
pressure against every
Fourth international mn Brita political
tish Argentina Lauriston Pluce, 9HX
Roper
Tha!
hits
back
Dy aBu that paper this week Socialist Challenge
political Christopher Roper'.
of murdered trade
Jeller.
My main
bur to denounce the
seltlement).
Meteyard lines
boycott in these
regime' campaign to isolate Britain
a campaign
contributed articles
deplorable.
Yestern Europe
Argentina
boycolt question, but
but do
one in Argentina Communist championship to go ahead
and per tis this statement is. What is true is that
Chileans. поле Dr Те
nature of
desirable because unpopular in Argentina. This Jine is shared by the whole Argentine left, as far as i know.
the cost of the championships
people out, that the junta is now nervous
The ERP
the whole affair. They are the ones who
poople
On the
Rioch's description of his bus ride is
either In fact. I felt that much of Meleyard's article tended to argue
movement where it is strong. On the
probably represent the ideologically the
But more important: the point of this exercise is not to decide whether So come Par Is Do SavEd
by standing against the Communists 5149)
and with the PST, or against the ERF
Monteneros. The What Interest of all these groups is best served by a campaign which brings the maximum pressure to bear on the Junta, and relieves sometbing of the
popular
it, Is why the Monteneros support the bovcolt compain in France l none t would also be the view taken by the
don't seed to divide our forces.
JACKIE RODDICK, Secretay Scot-
Campaign, appalling lack of Edinburgh EH3
MUCICE!
SON TALE THESI
of the debate
IT FELT sLightly strange opening the
and reading: SWP. replies It would have anti-fascist comradely and more consistent with your alleged aim of unity on the left to have warned me of the coming blast by telephone or
04715 W CELLE raise cash concerned with the boycott question.
dictatorship's anti-racists campaign to use the World Cup as
propaganda. By implication, Martin
me up with the Argentine Communial Party, offer. ing critical support lo the Videla
My first reaction to the experience building local is to feel burned, I actually believed
Anti-Racist and Kind of left paper, when actually you are still more interested in scoring meant splitting cheap points off the Communist Campaign to blate tie, mta
I am not a member of the
the British Commuust Pany, bur I would say that the Morning Star never behaved Tike Socialist Challenge when I have
The Argentine Communis Party is an casy target Its record is well known and
Is suppor for the Junta bas not prevented Communist Parties Is
(notably in Italy, intolerson
Britain and Spain) from giving soctariana.
consistent, zeberous and comradel
upport to the popular istance in
I am not against a debate on the
must be undertaken in a principled fashion it it s not to divide and weaken the it was solidarity movement. Marlin Mete yard comes to the conclusion that no points
Party wants CIRC the was
I don't know what his evidence for
politica] parties or organisations engaged in the popular resistance have called for a bosoot.
The Montoneros position has not changed, it bas aiways heen that if European or other competing nacions
championships, that was fine. It would be a clear gesture of repudiation of the unta. But they would not call fer a boycott, nor did they think it was
it would be
General Merle's attitude in the press conference in Paris last October and Alemann's complaiots against
demonstrate, as you correctly point
want a coscott, not the Argentine
I canner Imagine that Bruce
against his conclusion. -The tone of the need to be fighting the CP outweighted other political consideralibis Thope Tam wrong CHRISTOPHER ROPER (London
price
unity?
UPON READING your appeal for unity in the last issue of Socialist Challenge (No. 34), rbere appeared un
pre-thought and (twice) to the anti-racist/fascist
With the emergence of broad
throughout the winter of last year there has grown up a debate amid the welter of activity, around the notion of democratic unity. The importance
has been vastis increased by the sudden
plosive emergence late last year
le Anti-Nazi League, created, an to a large extent, controlled hy thi
Although it confined itself t an extremely narrow sphere of
politics its opening Racist statements of intent indicated that it could fit in very well and be of great service to the rapidly emerging anti-racist movement. By gathering a wide variety of sponsors, it hoped to misch would be shame o le make propaganda
working at the grass roots, predominantly the already existing anti-racist/fascist oommit-
The last three months, however. have indicated an extremely different: course, in thar the ANt. is now
branches, often in opposition to the already existing
Anti-Fascist committees. Inevitably this has not only
extremely valuable and ideas but has nsc created a great deal of confusion
The end product of all this typifie the now well established tradition of
left that of sectacianism. At procisely the time that large nombers of people are hecoming politically aware and active around the questions of racism and fascism, genuine debates which are beginning to emerge within the novement are being suffocated and often totally destroyed by their
British lar lett
Amongst those involved in the day to day running of the anti-racist/ 1ascisE movement there is appearing an increasingly visible divide between those in the ANI. (particularly those in the SWP) and those who are not.
therefore CATCHILI unfortunate to see a lot of the good
made in the joint apeal for Eeft Unity mastod when reference and
made to the anti-racist/
WE ARF AMAZED that Sociatist Challenge
supporiers had problems in answering those who anked whether we would have called for a boycoft lf England hud qualified for the World Cup. We would have campaigned extremely vigorously for one. C Socialist Challenge took a postion of sopporting the boscott in response to the entire revolutionar press in Western Europe us well as an appeal from Argentinian organisations including the section of the Fourth International|: A meeting of boycoti committees has called for an international day of solidarite on 28 April.
The Fourth International has pledged is full support to such a campaign, A further meeting to coordinate, scon en Europe will take piace in Amsjerdam on 6 May, The preseace of Scotlis Supporters would be greatly apprecinted.
The notion that Scottish fans should be reparaged
to battle it out with fidela's murder squds is an uhira
left fantasy, which provides a convenient cover for no
waging 3 boycoit campaign, because N wond h
unpopulacto do so. A sense of proportion is seeded
comrades! Editorial Board.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 7
1a9. movement To sav as th appeal did, that the CANI, must be democratsed and have a steering competice cat is accountahle to it's base toy cmphasis can mean only one thing; that the ANL's policy or building branches is correct.
then happens the anti-racist: losest committees, some
Co-ordinating Committee? Are we
publicity freaks of the ANL go on a
rampige to familiar to TECTERCIT that of the SWP?
How can all the important debates around inubigration controls, cism, Tascism and sexuality ete, be raken up in an organisation built from the top downwards on a programme which merels seeks to prove that the Nationa. Front are a
programune that is also dependent on
assumprion that the NE will continue WHERE TO CHEESOS URBESI Given the politics of cbe AN bow can it possialy accept the reality that fascist as opposed to German Nazisen Is the extreme organised expression of the racism and sexism embedded in contemporary bou geois society?
And above all bow can the anti-racist movement be built in the contramity instead of the board rooms of the SWP and IMG centres? For example some ARE committee affiliated to All London Auti-
Anti-Fascist Co-ordinaring Commitice are now creating sireet sub committees. The AN in any Form other than as a national fund raising propaganda organisation, no
internally (and if it is democratic why doesn't support ARE committees?) will always act as a bull in a china shop.
These are just some of the many points which those of us involved in the anti-racist movement are being confronted with particularly, as the strugele grows both in numbers and DOINGAL A WOUCECIS
The need for left unity is obvious and decades overdue. At worst we can sir back and hope that the raw power of the anti-racist novement will break through the shackles of sectarianism of It's own accord. But Tar better we can acronily get up and consciously challenge chis sectarianism which maker political work so very difficult and ailise the enormous opportunities open to us.
The launching Socialist Chullenge represents one such step toward unity but it is no 8000 Корошдос L0Ok) 88 801 00506 in itself can load to mistakes which bare alarming implications as in your references, comrades, to the anti racist/fascist movement
This letler is long but it may help to introduce our readers to the debate which is going on inside the movement.
TIM BROWN CLAIRE HAM BURGER, MICK KEALES, SEMON WHITE (Secretariat of Anti-Racist
Anti-Fascist Co-ordinating Committees!
Page 8 scan of this page
THE LEFT AND THE THE FIRST round of the French parliamentary elections is on toppled from government.
'Build French, Vote Communist!
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 8
from the lackiustre campaign.
IF YOU'VE been relying on the
television - or even Fleet
Street - for coverage of the
French elections, you'll have a
rather strange picture: a nation
struck with terror that
left government might get in.
bringing with it a 'sweeping"
programme of nationalisation
and the end of civilisation as we
know it.
In fact the nationalisations will he
about as sweeping as my typewriter
brush. The differences between the
Communist and Socialist Parties en
this Issue HMOURIO how
sahsidiaries of the mine
compunies to be nationalised should
meet their parents' fate.
After much posturing the parties
drew closer until the difference was
ess than 0.2 per ceat of all French
ompanies! The new arposal from the Socialist-backed CFDT union federation splits that difference and seems likely to win acceptance from both sides.
VETO
The fall extent of the nationalisat-
ion is only 15 per cent of total
production - considerably less then
in 'socialist" Britain.
Nor do the left parties threaten to
uway with constilutional apparatus of Guallist the Communist Party campaign. SOME 70,000 people turned out for a Communist Purly [PCF] rally in Paris on 16 February.
Standing under two decorations that symbolise the party's campaign — the Fresch flag and a giant banner saying *Vote Communist PCF leader Georges Machais laid out his scenario for the coming month: Communist on 12 March, discussion on the thirteenth, and victory on the папетослів.
The name of Francois Mitterrand, Teader of the Socialist Party (PS), the PCE's former partner in the of the Left, was booed every time it came up.
PROGRAMME
And it came up frequently - more than the names of President Giscard d'Estaing, Prime Minister Raymond
and the other leaders of the capitalist parties
The tone of the PCF campaign has become stridently anti-PS
Marchais complained in national radia broadcast on 16 February, the Common Programme was only a way of bolstering its own strength.
And he denounced the old Social Democratic tradition, which consists in petting the left clocled in order to carty out the policy of the right.
This, according to Marchais, is what broke the Union of the Left. The hope of victory as not enough to scal ihe union of the lent.... A programme is necessary:
The PCF programme! is a mixture of verbal shop-floor type militancy,
Sunday. It promises to be the most explosive election since General de Gaulle seized power in 1958 — though you wouldn't know it
But for the first time since the precarious days of the Fourth Republic in the 1940s and 50s it looks like the right wing will be
muny
major
France. They have been at pains to Shes Pir willingness 1o subject to a right-wing President with Bonapartist powers of velo.
Any attempt at significunt reform will run up againet the right-wing Senute, President, and the parapherGILLES GIACOMIN writes from Paris on the closing stages of
reformist economic prescriptions and sickening nationalism. Well before the election campaign the PCF had plastered Paris with posters saying: "They invest abroad and close down our factories, Build Freach -Communist Party.
'Vote PROSPECT
Pro-imperialist positions matters as the French mucicar strike-force (which the PCF supports) and "national defence (on
Union which it accuses the PS of laxity) have
Sheen combined with militant, sounding ALECKS CR desire to 'manage capitalism What is the PCF doing?
Part of the answer is the substantial gain io the P'S vote berwoen 1973 and 1977, which has overtaken a stagnant
For the DEMOCRACY
IN ACTION WE HAVE alreudy reported on the Choisir all-women election slate 36 Februury] Now a gus group has five cundidates.
But the police have stepped in to prevent three of the five standing on the grounds that they trunsvestite, an immigraet, and a gay under 23 years uld.
Ar a stroke the cops have managed to exercise their prejudice against -DINERS and "Hummer" must be green at the gitis.
FRANCOIS MITTERRAND: Prime Minister in a fortnight?
govern
conflicts
Terrorised by * French right-wing splinters.
234 for the right. on such
'independent
strength in the leftist-
the Social the crisis of federation.
emergence of a layer state and ministerial position. austerite.
The youth. The
stake in the election.
REACTION
control. nalia of "constitutional guarantees".
And the left has declared in adrance in poser. that it will be a good loser in these
Yel the press still insists on it picture of un entire population Left Guullisis]
the threat
THE Harris-'Express opinion poli
predicts 51 per cent of the vote going
to the major left parties and 45 per for a PCF vote.
cent to the right. The remaining four
per cent would go to the far left, the
fascises, the ecologists and various
Trunslated into purliamentars
seuls this would mean 257 for the left
1176 Suciulist, 81 Communist] aun
PCF electorate. At the same time the PS has picked up organisational
working class, If the PCF capruning leading positions in the CFDT, the second largest union
The PCF has been unable to prevent the far left from sinking deeper. tound. tough still modest, wurking class roots. This has boen combined with the
of workers, mostly young, who are willing to move into action independent of and even against, the line of the PCF leadership
with polls predicting a left victon the PCF faced the prospect of backing a PS dominated government without any of the expocted benelits in terms of
So the party leadership decided on a tactical change, bringing to bear its most powerful weapon: irs continued strength in the workers movement Hence the atracks on the PS for th Social Democrats open advocacy of
according -10. its leadership, is the party ot the working clan; only if the PCE is srong will
GILLES GIACOMIN reports from Paris on the closing stage of the Communist Party campaign, RICHARD KIRKWOOD an MURRAY SMITH present two rather different views of the fa left campaigns, and, below, RICHARD CARVER asks what is a
communisat, selling its francs and
sewing gold ingots into its mattresses
— which leaves your wondering who
exactly is going to be left to vote for
these ruhid revolutionaries.
The fear is not entirely misplaced.
For more than a year and
especially since the big left gains in
the municipal elections last spring
the Union of the Left parties have
been telling workers to hold off the
industrial action and apposition to
after these legislative elections.
This has dampened down strugales
so far, but there is always the danger
[from the point of view of the major
parties] that the workers may take
this promise literally. A left victory
threates to unleash a militant
For all the reformist moderation it
remains Ukely that a left win would
usher in a new period of mass
struggle greater than anything seen in
Frunce since 1968.
Hence the vision of a terror-
stricken nation and hence, too, the
cany Deed so put a socialse
Party-Communist Party government
Whatever their policies these
BUTE ON I NEER CUE LES
hungers-on in the Left Radicals and
organisations uf the working class social change be possible. Even of the work fore, And the anou Georges Seguy, the leader of the COT. compensation hill for those compani the largest union federation, has been called upon to pitch in, calling openly than 1300 million
The PCF leaderabip has wrongh itself in a contradiction. Is radie implied that in will allow tbe present talk, in the contest of a rise in worki goverment to stay in power if its own vote is not enough. The legislative stimulating a further upsurge clections are held in two rounds. Al absolute majority is needed to b elected on the first round; on the second a pluraliry is enough.
The PS has alseady announced that its candidates will acand down on the second round wherever the PCF gets a higher vote on the first. The PC refuses to da the same
does not command enough support on the first round Marchais has said, social change i ruled out and there is no point in trying to settle the question of the second
The PS is putting itself forward a the lender of the battle against the righ and the most consistent champion of the unity of the left. boping that the workers" aspirations for whity can he transformed into PS vores
The PCF campaign, sectariao in tbe most literal sense, is unlikely to resolve the party's difficulties, even though it will temporarily boost party patriotism among working class meibers. For [which will favour the right) where despite the leftist" rbetoric, its policy is as reformist as ever.
CONTRADICTION since
Its cconomic prosramme: for example, apart from the cmpty slogam ancat making the rica pay', call for right the the of companies more has the fight-wing rate worth nore than a the nationalisation of on 0.38 ca ployees, which accounts for only 14 per cent or production and 1s per cent allowed to vote.
INTE
and focus the hopes and aspirutio
of the workers
Their election would create
isone favourable condirions
advance the struggle against the n
attacks aguins!
undemocrutic legal lagauge, and 1
the interests of the mass of exploit
and oppressed.
The split between the ine worke
parties and the sectarian attitude
SHEES Nades ones hamper th
development.
This Is not hecause we are
favour of some abstract unity
any cost. but Decuuse as GiE
Giucomin explains on this page
INCENCE party puts forward
programme which goes begund i
most timid reformisms.
And predictions? The split ans
the right-wing parties is less likely
be reflected in vistes, since both t
Giscardians and Jacques Chirac
Gaullists huve agreed to stand don
in the second round if the otber
higher placed on the first.
LEFT
Bat it now looks probable that, 1
all the bomhast, the left parties +
rounds.
If chat is so, and ahe opinion pu
are to be beliered (and that's alwa
a big If, Francois Mitrerrand w
he heading a left government withi
fortnight that are nationalised comes to mo
Joe PCh leadership is thus mirir
class militancy and consciousness.
combativity which is in conflict wi Ebe leadership's thoroughly reform programme and strategy
Sooner or later the PCE bureaucra will hase to confront that contradictio - whether in poverament or opposition.
GERRYMANDER IS
ALIVE AND WELL... DESPITE the left's substantial lend in the opinion polls the right still ha a mussive gerrymander in its favour
*It hus invented three new oversea lund generally right-wing) seats
*French citizens abroad [gain usually rightists] now have the righi to choose where they vote by prusy. Or course they all opt for marginal
There is a new seat in Corsica
cheating is rife: "Apart from these there has been ne redruwing of electoral bounduries
195H. This meuns disproportionnte welghting in furour of (consercutive; rural seats. The left tends to hald ihe larger seats, the
making
Immigrant warkers are nol
Page 9 scan of this page
FRENCH ELECTIONS
ITIONAL
The divisions and problems of the French revolutionary have emerged clearly in this election. Faced with divisions on the established left and a demagogic 'left turn' of the Communist Party there are possibilities of revolutionaries gaining an audience, RICHARD KIRKWOOD.
Last year three major groups Luite Ouvriere, the Revolutionary Communist League (CR) and the Soft Maoist" Communis Workers Or-
Iran a joint state and did relatively well.
This time there are two main states Lutte Ouvriere is running in every seat Joint slate of the LCR, the OCT and a lees for Self-Management (CCAl, are Tunning in rather lewer.
One difference was over grammie. LO correctly claimed" Joint programme was too soft on the Union of the Left.
ILLUSIONS
At the heart of the LCR's campaipa Sh a belief that a victorious left 'would HOLESTUT BUICE bourgeols fighting alternative, writes MURRAY SMITH. But the impact is unfortunately weakened my lie presence or two or nore far-left candidates in most 18L13 The LCR (French Section of the pint campaign with twp other far left ander the name For socialism, for
The CampaIen 15 belding over 250 candidates, 150 ol lem from the LCR.
Its political basis is threefold - to splain constantly the class collaborFionist nature of the Common Programme (in either its Communist
Socialst variant), to present a lass struggle programme, and to call he second round to kick our the right.
THIRST
Thete are still differences within the impaign. For example, the OCT caller Curd PS, bur for the Left Radicals, a These difterences are indicated in he lexe ot the common pator, ra
Two views of the revolutionary left
Missing its chances'
This is based on the exper
left the 1936 Popular Front which led to
mass strikes. The illusions of the mass o workers can lead to a mass movement which will go beyond the limits imposed parties. But much of the propaganda
Communist and Socialist Parties in Power can en tact De pushco Lo sae el. argues Thus pages of Rouge, the LCR paper,
Presumably the idea l
struggle to win over erstwhile PCF and PS supporters,
INTERLUDE
But, as LO pointed out, the problem may be elsewhere. They see a more likely scenario as a lelt government a la Callaghan - using its working-class credibility to win acceptance of an austenty proprantme
pra- In this case the problem is railying
the АПТКІПИ class established leadership to fight on basic INUES Thus it is central to denounce the Lion ol the Let as a bourzeng government and not illusions that it could ever workers" povernment.
Equaily they argued that clections were mercly an interlude, the main
'A great success'
The 1978 revolutionary campaign is bigger than ever. In almost that night, mostly miners and every constituency militant workers will have the chance to express heir distrust of the reformist parties and their support for a
cach organisation's candidates stand on their own programme as well.
The CR campaign centres on the need for a urited workers front, and for a goverament of the Communist
not to carry out class-collaborationist poises but to smoiement workers demands and break with the raling class, its parties and its state.
The LCR's local meetings are
campaiens, but the audiences are now
For groups froii the same workplace
discussion on everything from the PCE-PS split to che struggle against
proCes or mom nanomales. PCF militants are coming to many meetings, bot just to put the party line but to discuss. When the LCR's Alain Krivine spoke at a meeting in a Lorraine mining community near Forbach (the French equivalent of Bandey) the mayor, an old PCE militant, finished the town counci meeting carly and came along Krivine addressed a meeting of 60
struggle was elsewhere and this should governmental programmes was elec?
the reformist
TRAP mepression that one
he trap of calling for workers unity
in a way that sounds like calling for
PCF-PS unity.
call on the reformist parties to unite
without being clear on the content of
аву unity and
revolutionaries in it.
has seemed to echo PS attacks on the
PCF.
constitution has pointed out the
"strong state" elements that make i
undemocratic:
positive plans leads it to prospose an
alternative bourgeois constitution
rather than using the opporturity to 222L0S1 ItS denounce bourgeois democracy as
such.
number of other issues.
their promise of a clear revolutionary to encourage campaiga. From rejecting programmes
sumed at at the government they have
moved to having no progranune at all.
1o vote for them bocause an including many PCF members, A PCE meeting in Forbach the same night, with a big-name paity speaker, dres slightly less.
examples, but all over the country revolutionaries ure fisding a new audience of militant workers. Many voled for Then is tast soar's municipa elections. scored 8-10 per cent in several towns, and 12 per cent in Drieans
The other major far left campaign i Latte Duvricee's. Last year 1.D formied part of the revolutionary slate in the monicipal elections along with the ECR and OCT.
IMPROBABLE
The name was the same, socialism, for workers' power and sc
vas the political basis of the platform and the campaign, and a massive one at that,
Whereas the LCR OCT-CCA bist concentrates on towns where 10d organisations already have some
dares into the most improbable places
with the other organisations,
LO's explanation that they have major differences, mpecially with the
member To put it betrayed the workers
Many of LO's criticisms have catens movement
• their
It is got the job of revolutionaries to
in the past. the of At times Rouge never had The LCR's denunciation of the
clear articies
But its emphasis on
The same can be said about a different
But LO have done little to carry put
workers governmen:
LO has called on ordinary people
LO a government.
We shouldn't exaggerate these
parties.
But from. propaganda when a revolutionary isr
Yes eisewltere For campaign.
For PCT in the first round
canuidates wil
LCR soldier candidates hold first press conference - despite state attempts to gag them. of parliament denounce the Union of the Left when
AIM
They have pointed out how many worsen are standing on their ticket but have had little to say about women's problems in derail or about the
They have relied on the image of Ariete Laguller, whe has been meaded fornier Strike leader from her Pare constiucney lo one m central France with which she has no
- CLEANSCERELUNSRI things high vote there for the revolutionaries
In many cases they are running candidates in places where they have
basic any activity all.
On the otber hand LO has published
- for instance showing the anti-parliamentary nature of the early PCF's electoral Interventions. SAD
In terms of presenting simple propaganda for some revolutionary ideas LO has ser an excellent examble But in the end it has succumbed to a
kind of clectoralism.
INAPPROPRIATE
We are pot on the verge OL 2 revolation so programmes for
are largely inappropriate. But equally the simple prupaganda of we are the real lefts LCR. and over their atticade towards the PCT and PS now and if they form
There are differences. LD land OCT de nol share the LCR's view of the united workers from and the letr. call for a government of the workers!
its own electoral there is very little difference in how it soes the reformist parces and its propaganda for class
The real reason for LO's behaviour
primarily aused at building its own
I hopes to reassemble the 600.000 voles won hy its candidate in the 1974 Presidential election, Arlene Laguiller. Those votes were won by a highly personalised and rather populist
Destle its efforts it is unlikely that LO will repear that success on Sunday. The uncertainty of the outcone and the division of the left, purs a massive pressure on workers to vote for the PS
This will redace the far left sore, and the corfusing presence of two or more
not hein the centris PSU and an alliance of two Macis
Hat the importance of electione for revolutionaries Like everyone else
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 9 would trust us is not enough.
Both are substitutionist in essence. LO does have a full programme the
1938 Transitional Programme) which it will presumably raise out of nowhere at some paint.
The must be twotold Propaganda against parliamentary clections as such, and 1or 09s10 socialist principles. Agitation around
workers can orginisations they can build to prepare the fight aguinst a left or -right) government. The latter, linked to
socialist argument, is the contemporary meaning of transitional polities"
In a period when the tensions in the Union of the Left and the PCE's shifts give real possibilities it is sad that bouc of the material that reaches here from France shows much sign that the revolutionary left is making this preparation
Richard Kirkwood is a leading member
Workers International Socialists Coordinating - is that they give a chance to debate policies. The nood for an alterostive programme for class strugele is made event sharper by the political crisis, particularly the leadership crisis on the
Judged in those terms, the campaige of the LCR and the joint slate is undoubtedly a success.
CONSTITUTIONALLY
INCAPABLE
THE 1958 constitution is ose of the
mean weapons the ruling class can
use to block uny reforms it doesn't
like. The muin working class purties huve refused to raise any ohjections
lo it, but the Trotskrists of the LER
use cleir manifesto to argue the need to get rid of this reactionary junk;
**For the abolition of the Constitution and the emergency
powers it gives to the President of the
Republic.
*Far the suppression of the Senute
and the Presidency of the Republic
*For the election of u single Constituent Assembly, combining legislative and execulive powers, elected by proportional representatio. and whose members receive the salary of a skilled
Page 10 scan of this page
Paisley trial reveals secret police deal
Workers must control
IRELAND
TOM MARLOWE.
Paisley's acquittal was in no smal measure due o the quality of one of his defence WILSOLS bone other than Jack Harmon, constable of the Royal Ulster
Both Harmon and Paisley sumea to te cour tal tney had made a secret deal by which Paisley would arrested and he then would use his influence to see 1o it that Loyalist barricades in the town were laken down.
It was, said Paisley, 'a Face saving situation" in that once Paisley had become a 'martyr" his followers would feel
Paisley testified that he had
SUCI Incennya Harmon to work "DESKILLING" is a trendy
it means anything is it important?
Responsibility in Science [BSSRS] explains:
Usually the idea of deskilling • process is that part of it is
viously done by a worker, using her or his skill and power, is taken over (ar least partly) by a
the worker needs less skill (and
Mechanisation has around a long time of course, so what's special about it now? Traditionally, capital's main way increasing productivity (output per worker) and making the product cheaper. It did this by both reincine the numher af workers and increasing the out por oreses amo were en
Deskilling there, sen as a side-citect. Besides new skills developed to replace dying crafts so that there was always a section of skilled
and sometimes shrinking.
POLITICS
Many now believe thar this economic impulse has been
By relaining skills,
workers alo relain power. which hinders capital. Capital's response is to appropriate (miental knowledge combined manual dexterity) and embody it in machines which it owas Tiener Termale o ceitas capital. to this way of looking atit:
1. Ir is simple minded to say that technological chang: and mechanisation was ever driven Tener aleas Dee
has always been strugele for power in which che ability of capitalises to change the nature of work and rhe organisation of the workplace by technological change has
Dile weapons,
2 The removal of any skill is still, as always, associated with
creation although these lower skills creativilyl.
Deskilling is better described as reskiling. One aspect of this
call the shift from mane-
Loyalist leader Tan Paisley was acquitted af the weekend of impeding the police in Ballymena, Antrim, during last May's Loyalist strike, reports
details of the plan. Harmon restried: "My purpose was te restore normality, peacefully it Dossible and
chief of farce', He emphasised:
This differed in no way with the views expressed by Dr Paisley The trial exposed thie level of co-operation which belween the RUC and Paisi Harmon told the court that he
to remove the harricades, but he thought lis woud have 'a dastardly effect". He also declinea to barricades ar night, because this 'could have been readily mesconstrued."
Such low profile attitudes
ATLE arc absent in the RUCA
dealing with Republicans, but
Deskilling and reskilling
word, which some socialists have taken to putting in their sentences as cooks add salt. What, if anything, does it mean and if
TONY FLETCHER of the British Society for Social
facturing to service industries.
pre- 3. A contradiction in this
process (and one of senior management is uncomTortably aware) is that higger machines, assembled into ever Tactories. aperators, and, bowever skilled been
stop the whole
of
but
the
loa way, reskilling can give a section of workers more power (which employers have tried to subvert by ungrading them into with managernent.)
There something new, BowereE. Kecenuy mechenisa tion has Eccore more sprcad and bas accelcrated. Sc much so thar new skills are nor being CICLO numbers and what new skills there are need only be repre sented by a lew workers.
The result Si a shift towards a few clite, hishly skilled workers and amass of unskilled or semiakilled workers pr uneng oyed. The technology involved in this
Balance of changing skils, is Itaini Ler's look at one arca of
work to see the impLications of this happening — secretaria] wark in offices.
Olles often WORD PROCESSING
There's one plase a tieb all the techoical and managerent jousnals use to describe the cransformation in otrice work: word processing. Ir describes
then Harmon might as Co have boen a character wittes
lor Paisley when he declared Mr Paisley bad been
Loyalist leader's sole alm wa
Considering that Pais! leading an strike in the North ol at the time, It seenied a curious stalement: but then the police appeared to be themseives to be helpful to the existed Loyalist chief
delence witness for Paisley was the RUC'S
All this was enoughi to secure Paisicy's acquittal, and when temove the The verder was announced bo
led a rendering of the himn "Oh God our perp un ares pas, wor hope for years to Whether the RUC is now claiming divine status is uncicar the replacemens of filing clerk.
writer by a keyboard, a printing achine, a computer (surprise) and 'operator'.
With this sel up the cost of a Jetter dives from 13 to 18p, and а турівʼя increase ACIDE Times, 3 May 1977), For the
which fast, clicap, reliable (as long as
tE Operator co operalen) and compact. It embodies all the charms which clectronics holds need for them.
The new skills it creates are: tbese men and the operator (whose work is
very similar to the typist, bor much more exhausting bechuse the machine is incredibly quick and desanding): maintenance workers (very wakited because the chite
can repaired unplugging one wide plugging in a new one); and the
designer and builders of the machines. sufficient
BRITISH FIRMS But there are fewer jobs here teo, bepause the same sort of changes are laking place in their Tactory. Plans are under way co build a machine cool plant co produoe with a dozen people what it now takes N00 t0 take (Financial Times 15 April 1973)
British General rickets and Roll-Ruyce, i conjunetion with the povern menr's National LADOTAKE too, Ir's only the bie firms who can attord Inent, and it is no coincidence
Change is 1
and that falling over
another
Chiel Superin-
come' monopoly
Jenis for socialisis.
productivity
(Fimancial
potentiaily
and for society
within
poisoned
the direction
capital.
Stewards! one answer, taken un hy industries
factorics and money
products in a the dole quenes
diversion
few and CONTROL
We need to Just and part
society. but big keeping British and development
Physical bours. are working on it
this sor of invest- British
Responsibility DEUDULE: appening in the era Challenge.
of the transnational and the
Change of this speed and mismae poses mank proo
. I's mayhe
Luddites opposed mechanisa tion in the carly 19th century. For a start, the Luddites Lost and besides there is much in these new techniques which is
traly liberating, both for individuals ax workers the cate THE techoologies are nor completely
by the fact they
which their EAST Levelonient lakes wuch well expresses the interests of
The Lucas Acrospace Shop
Corporate Plan is which is being workers in other Their argument is singly that with all its reserces
- Lucas COUR DC BAKENY SOCIALY USCILI
more humane factory, instead of adding to
tes of priduction ele t0
fight around this plan is politicisin many people, but there is a danger of incorporation of this initasive and its becoming a
worse.
link similar initiatives in different firms as
struggle fot production for use (instead of peofil at the level of the whote solound cantes in ther Workers faced Tactorios or ollices can put severalinumeciate demands:
1. Control of the wass new techniques ace introduced
Workers monitoring of the physical and psychological risks of new processes, before and after their introduction, or
working week a suarabrocd full pas. as a way al
down redundancies
could benefit everyhody hy reducing working
• This is part of a regular serles of monthly columns which the
Science Socialis
political status for Republican prisoners in the North of Ireland last week. Seen here la a 'blanker protest' hald on 1 March in London's Floet Stroot, symbollsing that Hepubilcan prisoners who refuse lo accept criminal status have only blankets or towels to weer. Among other activities in England were pickets of Leicoster jails and Army recruiting offices in
What's
Left
Oranges listom Disco and Iccd. Admission Landen miting Open tu mancor
OTHER CINEMA ostribution 12 Manch ar 7.0cm Hanry Con Bet Baltan urc Ens
LONDON Socia-al Unise Public Meeting in the culs
2 We 15 mar Q0
Hackriey on Wed 22 March ardum,
MEETINOS ON Homewurnurs to be CRITIQUE Seminar on The Working насл, 8.11.50pm.L Lss Angeles, Califom a BiDiD. US/ REVDLUTIONARY Communiet Ten
ano the cabour Vereme-
ACTV GX* Cheques and POs paysble CANA TE PARAIC BATICART
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 10 SECTAOTOT -In Maron-
Top nach pios ip copt
enga publis mesting en 21 March
Kansan muselis: and academid. Venus te ibe fixed NORTH LONDON SocIale
Socialist Unity suppcelema anicame
usetul Tal: 01--016405
il Contenc
- a mas
tres a pampaign Mar
BELT& BRACES Roaderon Co. nee 2Cer50n10
BRENT TRADES COUNCIL Publ
Veeting- E- Contiels, End PEOPLES NEWS SERVICE has lus publisted te listin sans
storice in communils newspapere tor Ja-car 19тe, Papen
who wan le recete I
30pm BROADSIDE
cooperation alt Landoe Sit EJ Tol: 01 450 0902 c
sine causes
Page 11 scan of this page
Basque women take to the streets
INTE
THE PERUVIAN work-
ers' movement passed a new milestone last week,
writes BOBJOHNSON.
Tateren most nk Perus
paratry an Monday paralysed
Tuesday comes only seven
nontha after th coentry's
econd ever general strike last
July.
It reflects the movement's growine abilty te transtorm a traditionally localised combativity into nationally centralised actions with widespread support
At the same time it marks a new stage in the fight between the Peruvian Communsr Party aind class struggle tendencies in the main trade union federation, the CGTP.
UNDEMOCRATIC
The fact that the strike took
ethack for the CP. leadership bf the CGTP,
The stoppage was originally called by the confederation's national assembly
TIA LA
HUELGA
Hunger sirikere in a church in Lima. movement is beginning FAIRBAIRN reports from Bilbao.
CAL ELEu ProsT of the "red-light" district of BIlbaO WEnE demonstrated in thestreets with TUCHO SO AOBCESEO and supporters COPEL (Commitios Strigele). A youne woman had been burned to dearb in her bed in prison in circumciances thar have still not been properly claritied.
The prostitutes argued that she should never bave been in prison — abe bad been arrested on a minor shop-bfting offence
held because she was a prostitute" dencunced police herassment and called for the repealing of the "Ley de Peligrosidad Social" ELaw or Soci und Voral Dangerl, s catch-alt law which covers the persecution of gays pot-smokers and ausone eise Suspected 01 behaviour.
Perhaps rhe most important
developmients taken place in the province of
The crisis inPeru
Workers strike
despite CP
300-strung delegate body — for 23-24 January.
Ar the last minute it was Gala Oula undemocratic fashion by secre tary general Eduardo Castilio, who continues to believe in and usue win the matar!
TREACHERY
Castillo provided the movement as a whoie with an object lesson in Stalinist teachery that WI DoL De quicKiy torgoten The CGTP TATIK showed their disgust by overruling the leadership and renewing the strike call for the end of February The workers" main damend was for the reinstatement of the 5000 who lost their jobs at government instigation the July general strike. They are also démanding board pay rises to offset the 50 per cent decline in the buying power of wages since 1973. signiticant such as Castillo's own Bank Employees Federation, failed to join the strike, Acne H was IU PEr cent solid,
HAM BRE
The womens movement got off to a slower start in the Basque country than in other industrial areas, notably Barcelona and Madrid. However there have been some signs in the last couple of months that this new
catch ap. FRED
Guipuzcoa. Alter a number of rapes and assauils on women in the suburbs of Renteria, demonstration was called in the town. This drow some 6,000 people, maitly women, of all social types and ages, despite the fact that the Civil Governar had refused his permission for the march. The demonstrators
ment in the dilapidated state of the suburbs.
SOCCKIY provision of adequate streel lighting PATROLS
They
However Lhe nat content to leave matters there uncil all these problems were solved. In Ihe micantime they convinced the neighbourhund association of Galaxaraburda district to organise its own scal parrots. operate fram 5-7.30 morning and 8-10 and 10-12 a:
have sigh..
R has also taken steps to see
NATIONAL
The upward trend of popular straggles In Peru continues.
Whether any immediate con a agrantly cessions will be Torlicoming
emaim to be seca san IMi delegation is currently visiting
Bither way the strike will have the widening the limited margins for working LASSUD constituent assembly elections
and file In particular the forces to the
left of the CP — who recently formed a common front for intervention in the lections -can expect to make a somew hat AFSLEE BELOGEE
MANIPULATE
In Peru, as in neighbouring across-the- Bolivia and Ecuador — which
8x0 have lections this year degree to which the regime is wons, able
proceedings current relation of forces. hut in the Last week's strike will have
The bod to shill this balance in the workers" favour. that all women going to work in the morning when it is dark form up in groups and go together, Similar weTe aiso deciccd upon In anther suburb, Berami,
DISREPAIR
Tus moyemeni converged with that protesting
disrepair anc Tack of amenities IE Tbe tovo A lales sirike dus hegen, and on 5 Februaty there wis a 10,000 strong demonstration.
Neurhy, demonstration was convened by the residents association of Egma (San Schastian). Despite appelling weather, about 3,000 people turled out. Here top a call was nade
women were pickers. Anther proposal was
to genounce spocilie altempl: i rape oe assauit. not just to Ine POnEC. •DUT ry-posting and wall-painting campaigns. nasing where possible.
These will On the industrial front the
in the situation is more varied. When
tle Juree fint declared redundancies hmong
police.
positive effect of group affered bo ta chass embassy
The The
hunger Februars
DBATY-SOORSC
- the precise
manipulate the to divulge depends ontbe The seven
Marchand
two,
Torres,
hospital. world treatinent strikers.
Fither way
STEUST SIMTE force
immediately, measures donle.
Ien, independentiy. solidarity:
DOW
strik- in SERCH SAICDE
the streels in support
strike romains anther anti-rape
SETBACKS
for the of self-delence
by massive JD list order Danles
ol Echevarria problemas,
Brits
boot
out
militants
THE BRITISH Embassy in Lima has handed & group of militant workers over to the
The embassy claims that the
Again politicul asylum, though the worker say they went to the
to. stage a hunger
Britsh reluse to say wether Peruvian police entered embassy premises, which are technically Britshterritory.
A wave of hunger strikes surted on 28 January in protest at the muss sackings which had followed last July's general
military governme hure scrers un n
SUTHErS
On 20 February sevea people entered the Britsh Embassy to hand in u letter, the contents of which the Ambassador refuses
were Raul Rendon. Neill Rivera de Marchand, and thelr
reaching three children aged six, four MARK
Plascenia, and Daniel Colos •ECUTE ALLESE ports.
After they were handed over to the police Acosta was held in a stale security prison and the other three adults in military
The reusees for their choice
unclear. One suggestion is that are closely H WNS OCCAESE TOE OUICES OI Amnesty International are in has
Anther is that top Foreign particulariy Office officials were in Lima for discussions with Argenting over the Faliclund Islands. This would he a way af drawing
attention CUISI the hunger Since
they counted Iwa Factions. willwut the culiousness of the
FACTION The wonen related lo these men began no organise Bilak
just as their sisters at Babcock-Wilcox had
The women have not simply trailed along behind the
have organised to promore
Soon after this wornen came to the forciront in a cleaners
Vizcaya. Large contingents composed mainty ef wormen have swept through
of thei! pay-and-conditions claim, the
solid ar il approaches ibs third week.
However theee have been some serbacks. At Cranefisa -a firm of about 500 workers threatened with lay-offs mass meeting decided tha: it these materialised, the first to gu shoule be marnied women, single women, and young men,
Although there ace wuren's
shoo ide wenst int women:
which bas been matched by a low level of union membership among women.
Czechoslavak
party crisis
SUSIAY HUSAR: SOon s0 dupar
Husak to be
kicked out?
THERE will soon be a hid to remove Gustav Husak from his position as First Secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, according to reports just
the West.
JACKSON re-
Husak, who had supported the liberalisation that led to the Prague Spring in 1968. brought in to head thie party in April1969 because he would be more acceptable than any of the party leaders who were too
identified with the Soviet invasion forces,
Over the last nine years he
lost that credihility,
acquiescence in the purge half'a million supporters of the Prague Spring from the Party and cheir jobs, and in the trials of political oppositionists. He is reported to bealcoholic.
1970 -the party leadership has been split into
•The issues in dispute are what to do abour the opposition and whether to bring back soite of the expelled ball mulion, who inclade many of the country's best administrators and technicians,
One faction, headed by Vasil
BENUL. SISY concessions on the grounds that Czecboslovakia bas never been properly normalised.
The population would nor C SICE see the concessions as proof of the party's henevolence, bust as the a sign that the party leadership was in retreat. The Pandora's box of demands raised in 1968 would then reappesr.
ALLU This
LUBOMIR STROUGAL
The other faction, headed by
SUITES isolate the hard core opposition Ww making muiDr concessions
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1973 page 11 to those expelled, who form a large laver of malcontents on which the opposition can hase itself.
This group also favours a modification of che rigidiy centralised planning system.
Strougal is able to usc the Croch burcaucrats" discontent at the gains of their Slovak counterparts Husak NovAk and Hilak a Ekranian Fram Slovakia. The Bilak Taction has so far kepi a slicht edee over its opponents. DUBCEK
The relationship between TT HUTSe BOuCD SE one hand this creates a pressure TOE BEEs B COG SCaUcabEP, DE the principie of hang topether
nans separately On the other hund there is a feeling that something has to be done That the party needs a new direction.
Bur the natural beneliciary ofthe second pressure would be nesther Bilak not Strougal, but Alexander Dubcek, the party's
. DIrine Prasie Spring. Sa the ADTESTE IS IKO LO DIEPSL. L least in the short lerm.
Ene ArealEn bureaucrats wil be thinking alone similar lines Mosco has had some contact with the Duhcekiles, evidently contemplating W-TERE new initiative. But they have always drawn back from any move that might upsei the shuky equilibrium in Crechoslovakia.
Thus a compromise candi date must be found. Sull. the
URLSIL ASIELDE bave decided to throw Husak to the Jous wall be taken as a sign that
pressure on the party Teadership is causing problems. SCAPEGOAT
The cconomic situation is gelling to the point wbere it threatens an attack on living SLALILHTLS wOICh nave Fs stadily since 1970 and have
CEELO] maintaiaing stability. Husak WH De a segaeocet for Uui problem ns well as for the party's boching of the Charte T7 issie.
But the compromise candidate will be in no stranger position and will bave just as Little trust-from the masser
will ony sharpen the problema that Husak's replacement would be designed to
Then Mascow will mare senousiy consider the need ln bring back some Dubcekites
*ai lhe ONTDOETS LaH would pose for the present party leaderslip.
Page 12 scan of this page
«We were eating dust off the belt"
The Sting
The signatures
leaders Muzorewa and Sitbole do not HECTIC SCENTED ARSE ENTA control in the hands of Smith
True, the functions of Prime Minister are ostensin y takeo over by a new Executive Council composed af and three black politicians; and the CLENCEL includes promise for the clection of a Parliament with black majorily within the year.
But there is more than enough 'small print to undermine such liniled pledges. For
white minority - only 10 per cent of the population will hold 28 out of the 100 Parliamentary seats, giving them considerable balancing power if the black membersTemain diced
They will also be able to retain "entrenched" clauses 30 the Constitution which, among other things, provide judges will bave 'security of tenure and their "independence and qualifications fixed; that "the public service, police force, serene will he maintained in a defence forces, and mustate or eriency and tree from political interference that tandon bod will control *appointments
from, the public service: and that there will be from deprivation of property unless adequate compensation is paid promptly.
What bese add up to is a firm guarantee that there can be no serious attack upon the central bastions of while power and privilege in the state or the COOTEIVE
Zimbabwe con-trick
Episode 2:
After months of protracted negotiation lan Smith last week managed to get his 'internal settlement" signed, sealed and delivered. ROY ALEXANDER reports.
Fi aso means that whateve the changer in the cast, it will be Smith who continues to run the show behind the soenes.
But what Smith is secking is a secure transition domination multi-racial neo colonial order which will mean making real concessions the majority exchanged between Smith and Thus the representatives of imperial ism - Owen and Young rather like the recent heated exchanges* between Smith and Suzorewa: born not disagreement, but rather of a
finds rather embarrassing.
Alreads there that Owen, reflecting CLEANS of the Govertment to extricate itself from Zimbabwe, is going soft an Smith. The more concerned with relations in the rest of black Africa, are holding a firmer
But it Smith and his black collaborators can summon up serious mass backing among the black population for the settlement, Owen and Young will fall into line The main concern of those to. figbting for the real liberation
of Zimbabwe itust he to ensure that such support is not forth coming.
And that requires an intensification of political agitation Throughout the country around a clear programme for political and social liberation. programme that can show up
thing it is,
American public.
•WE WERE eating dust off the belt. The boss had turned off the water that koeps the dust down because the belt was slipping. It was slowing down production, so he just turned the water off. We complained
But if the state inspector comes in it's a different story.
all right. That'sa pretty typical day in a Us mine, and it give: some idea why the strike which nas been going since t December fiercely supported.
Anyone who's been down a pit will be familiar with the sort of callousness that coal bosses - state or private towards safety.
What is less familiar is the
Donna Ratulowski Waynesburg. pe of a growing number o omen cubes. The balle fo acceprance of women in the mines has been difficult, but the strike has been absolutely salid The strike started over the demand health and pension benefits and recognition of the tight to strike over safety.
Theonal bosses cut the United Workers healh fund arguing that wildcat strikes had Cut into their resourees. prevent the right to strike over sacre molanons A month ago UMWA leader STaDIO THE contract with the from white Coa Operators
which conceded all the hosses demands rights in safety cases.
Miller was elected in 1972 on black shich bored out old words which booled
gangster Boyle. Although Miller and the - are bureaucracy
sharply to the right, the Miners for Democracy gains remain. of real Central to the platform was
contracts. In this TOLCHLIC WASO CHOUCES and file pressure forood the are reports
the Labou reject the
whelmingly without it going to the members Americans The latest deal Miller their Carter worked out in the White
House is a same tbeme. Ibe bosses have traded pay cises for acceptance of their conditions on safety
CEN CHOCUITE AEL
themselves.
US miners strike over safety
Jimmy Carfer has invoked the Taft-Hartles Act line against the US miners' strike. This requires a return to work for an 80 day cooling-off period. This was done, said Carter, 'to protect the health and safety of the
But RICHARD CARVER asks, what of the health and safety of the American miner!
and the right to strike.
01 1L Again democracy have Quite.
has heen
In
shipments bave security guards Retired from
pickets.
a1 one Di bandling scab coal.
The for restoration of TESTS injunction. to retten to of America last summer, financial vention.
This was a ploy lo
agreed a draft Bituminous PSSOCIATION
probahly leadership of Tony
have moved
julice. ratification case the
sections. contract over-
and the US biters" spirit. variation on the Steclworkers
have responded militancy
- KENATA
PETALS NEVE
SCENE NOTO A PICKET outside the Kenyan High Commission last Friday demands the release of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the internationally known novelist held by the Kenyan Govemment under the Public
Under this Act detainges can be held definitely without trial, without charge, and without the right to defend
ahead with
The miners are having nons
which has saved
them from the deal accepted by Miller, whose standing in the
union is at an all-time low
The coal bosses have theit
own view of how the union is
run: "Democracy will destro
unionism," said one. None of the major uncons that are well
Many democracy:
Despite its impertial pose the Carter administration has been concerned to end the strike
rom the moner t started.
Indiana the National Guard is protecting scab coal
and already two pickets have been shot dead by
miners' pensions Ehrlich. have been cut or n a Did to turn them against the strike, It has Jailed, will nians nid and disabled miners backing the
In Indiana agaio State police intervened to arrest 194 pickets products,
the few docks
mubers have already the signalled their intention to
Carter's Tall-Hartley income tax.
The injunction requires them
work: Relusal
henefits such as food stamps effect and could face military inter- exports,
But Carter's unming and of ahhing over whether to invoke trading Taft-Harricy shows his trepi european
and the dation. And with good reason.
The last President to try that one on the miners was Harry S Truman in 1950. The miners laughed in his face, continued their strike with massive labour moversent backing... and won.
In the new atmosphere of Class struggle in the US they can associate
similar
Meany of the AFL-CIO (the equivalent of che TUC) saying he favours Taft-Hartley and the miners canstew in their own
The UMWA. like the British miners, has a special place in the labour movement as one of the roughest and best organised
stringent.
The 13-month struggle for uniDe recognition in Stearns, Kentucky - a sort of Grunwick with guns — is an indication of
and car warkers" branebes in particular
this with financial RELEASE ORAL DETE continenta. [Vol. 16. No. 9]. BLOOD A Porin
revolutionary
support and help on the picket
Tbese links between the
various sectors will become
more important if the bosses go
their apparent
strategy of layoffs because of
real or imagibed coal sbortages.
General Motors is cutting ins
Israel helps racist
exports
Made in
South Africa
WATCH OUT for that next tin
of Israeli fruit, because it may
the main result of a visit to
South Africa by 20120-010 Israeli economic delegation led
Finsnce Minister Simha
The deal Is that Israel will package and re-export South
African goods as its own. In certain instances Israell firms will also finish South African
If the value added in such cases is more than 40 per cent,
South African company will not be liable for Israeli
Unfuvouruble tariff harriers and the reluctunce of the western public to buy South African have had a serious
South African
This deal is designed to make
vile isruel's privileged status with the Market United States. For examole tiere 27.10 Kinds oi products Israel can export to the Us tree of customs dots
The Israell paper Ma'aris comments: In the wast israe used to deny emphatically that it was "hiring" its position as an
member of the Common Market to other countries. But this offer made by the high-level Israeli delega tion to South African businessmen confirms these rumours.
has offered Israel a good deal in retorn,
organisations to take money DUE DEALTALATER, South Alrican currency regulations але авин Boe wonos mos
Israel has long been one of South Africa's major trading
Intercontinental Press
TEXTS FROM the debate in
left on the French elections ure reprinted over 12 p&p,
week's InterPress/Inprecor
Also included in this issue
International ou Internationul issues. Women's Day: a feature on women workers and unemployment; u stulement by the Socialist Warkers Party ILS) world
*For Solidurity with the American Coul Miners Strike' a further analysis of the tasks of
Mursists In Argentina: and reports
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE & March 1978 page 12
operations and Chrysier
threatens a total sbutdown
Steel companies such as US
Steel and Betbleher Steel are
represented on the coal Owniers
negotiating body. It, as seems
unity betwoen steciworkers and
THE DUDES AIRYIN
partners, hut this new deal
confirms a rise in trade between
the two countries at a time
shen the white racist regime Is
Teeling increasingly embattled.
Co-operation goes beyond
the economic sphere. When the
Uniled Nations voted for an
arms embargo of South Africa
last year, the initial Israel
Defence Minister Mushe
Duyun corrected this when he
met a visiting delegation from
the US Congress, though it wus
noticed at the time that brael
could continue provide
expertise through the Zionist
Federation of South Africa
Now the CLUSH CIN Post reports that Israel is continning •arme exports to south Afro
the grounds that the embargo only applies lo new contracts decided since the EN
Eren the L.5 State Depart-
ment has been forced to admit that Israel is the only country to
hase biterpreded the emburgo in this way,
astados so su conjunto, las luchas w
Subscibele ya, a00pa lu prena 1С потніся . E3.50
ambre de Combete Cheques a
pusces escrip a: P
combined wah, hiprecor
Colombis, India and Kenya.
Single coples are Mip plas 10p
whil not take advantuge of the lavourable subscription rites: 49 for ene year 148 issues]. for montls |24 issues], or £2.50 for an introductory offer of 10
All new suhseribers before 31 March will also get a Free copy of Inprecor No. INew Series devoted to the
economic situation.
Write now to Intercontinentul Press/Inprecor Box su, London NI 2XP. All chequer/ POs should be made out to intercontinental Press,
Page 13 scan of this page
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Page 14 scan of this page
COMMENT
Gutted
WHAT A fool David Widgery is to use Glasgow as a yardstick for Socialist Workers Party. Glasgow might well have 30 members with five years membership, but what about Birmingham, Liverpool and Coventry: During the last two yeats, these three major cities have heen gutted of
I think comrade Widgery would do better to have a look at the latest SWP bulletin in which alism and the 'we are the greatest" type of sectarianism was condemned SWP. Chest beating is for foes and ALL DOYS.
And 1 am sure David Widy not do this after he has read the SWP bulletin.
TOMMY HEALEY [Liverpool]
Conference
on politics
of
education
THE SOCIALIST Teachers" Alliance is organising an
The Politics af Education in London on the weekend important move at a time whe there is
ULUSCULES DECOLLIDE demoralised by the profound changes in coucomon that have tollowed 00 from Jim Callaghan's so-called Great Dehate'
We hope that, by trying to develop a serious understanding of the role of capitalism, the conference will help cances to apprac what Bicy can hope to achieve. So it should make nosable more contident, aggressive interventions from the Left in current debates aboul elicatin. even, hopefully, redeline their terms ol tclchence.
In order to understand the ideological context of the Labour government's present educational тиска. опе mas Iheme or Lic conference will be the relationship between social democracy and state education. Different aspects of this will be examined in papers by Dan Raymond Williams. discussion relating Labour's "indusexpenditure to changes in the content and contra! vill he mitated discussion
In order to ensure that there is real debate, all these papers will be distributed before the Groups or individuals will be able to read them in advance. There will be no long set speeches from the - platforin, no star turns. However, portant that 'theorists" (many of them members of
Socialist
Challenge
EVENTS
NORTH WEST
Bey Per steal Ben Fre
cois wary Wodnescas
плавател сосна сава
GREATER MANCHESTER Socialist
DURHAM Socialist Challange sc
TJ Fox, 41 The Arena, Dothun
academic context. the raised in
cities like
uselully undertake
in education
triumph-
and thus position.
progressive
Radical SLUMBER RUN.
JAMES DONALD (London)
Ilford-
-open
view
cause, The political
the 'fullest freedom', FEsland and
of the anti-fascists
Again.
by Simon
banning ruciulist conference.
requites them to do, marches therehy
peter can be intact als porters can be contacted De cine
Challenge celse
LIVERPOOL Socislial challenge group meets torinighty on Whene New Road days at the Dolphin, Canning Pas
sales Rita. challenge
inessagoril in Lininers Shast.
WALES SWANSEA Socialisi Challenge greup Thursday. 16
the Conference of Socialist Economists) are given the chance to address teachers in a political, and nor just an
The practical implications of the ideas that
СТОСУС ОСОДІСЬ WIL DU considered in workshop sessions
detasled topics.
These sessions could also define areas
and suggest campaigns that the STA could
Another encouraging feature of the conference is the way that it i drawing together socialist tendencies
who bave too often worked in isolation from cach other
weakened the left's Union militanis have concentrated on matters of pay and
OUCHESS what should be taught and how
taught have boen left to teachers. This con-
lity (and danger) of such distinctions.
Rocca sponsore: 03 Education and Teaching
Tickets for the conference including the distribution of pupers] will cost t2 lor El for students/unemployed). For information and booking details, write to STA Education Group, 25 Highgate West Hill, London, No.
fore, In
a different
1 MUST protest against your lack of balanced judgement ou the ilford
the National Front, but a qualific
the MeNgels indiscriminate ban might
Challenge, however, found nothing and clearly regard them as a defeat, to which the ANE contrhuted. BaaT Grogan even says that the fasciats had "the milest tresdom 1:1 Whie the len had the "biggest repressive force for ANY CUTLOR RICT WAACE
To say as you do, that the ban was
judgement. Everybody chows that it was the NE who wanted to march in llford. Far from having
ENCY stopped from doing so. In stopping he NE, the police, as even you admit were acting under the pressure, not of some movement to ban all demos, but
those who fought at Lewisham and Ladywood, those, including MPs, demanding a baron racist marches, and the 10,000 people who threatened to turn up if
NF were allowed to go ahead
But the police are not yet ready to concede us that point. So instead of Spirit i nee the letter of the law tit marches,
chey ban all pretending to be "neutral'. By wildly lashing out against marches of every description for the next twa months, they aim to damage the labour movement. Yet
YORKSHIRE
300 3151 Been Wall-am Clubi, Norte
Eaten Shese latin:
SCOTLAND
Challenge
UNDEE: Intermatiorabout Sociali go activities lon
031-346 0465
1 01 43595 1aher 6071.
Socialist Teachers Alliance Open Conference
THE POLITICS OF
EDUCATION London, April 28-30
does this han reveal their strength or their weakness? Everybody knows there is normally no reason to expect marches, other than racialist ones, to cause violence. Paradoxicalty, There-
the long run, MeNce has indiscriminate ban. The pressure for increase in the future. At the same time it will ref harder for anvone lo defend an NE march anywhere from
Your contributors see none of this. They get very worked up about the military hardware in ford, the public display of new toys and gadgets. Bur the show of military strength conceals the deeper political dilemmas and contradictions that the police are now in over the NF
Of course cuca a ban or racialist marches, under thie Race Relations Act or whatever doesn't mean ther would he stopped, The mass action of the labour movement is the guarantee we have. This point is well made against the CP. and the reformists. But we shouldn't create some absurd principle that we are opposed to turning legal means and arguments to our own advantage You however, seem on the verge of doing just that
Indicating the next steps, Brian Grogan says: A campaign against the the labour movement to impose "No Platform* free reign(?). To join in the call for a ban does. In otber words, awe sort of ban compromises the movement, And he then goes on to trace the allegen failures of the ANT on the picket fine to the fact they have so far refused to oppose all bans
Because of the AND atticade, we are told, they were not 'prepared fo the way the police reneged on their deal with the ANL 1o allow a mass
It i true that
the League should have asserted its right to bold the mass picket putting the blame for any violence that ensued on the police. If the police had moved in, we
SOUTHEAST DOLCHESTER upperie indumtas SITE
the darte
cup 10 be ant bested, come a
Gluser SOUTH WEST
Chattange 15 Cows next on 21 MuS
Swil Stokes Crott, Bristol
would have been able to mobilise the whole labour cicace crand shown paard means to rely on the State to do our job." (my
In other words. by a heroic stand our criticism of the ANL deniand any sort of ban whatever is to create illusions abour the state would have been made for us. The hospitalisation of the pickets will resaive Bil further
But the police harassment of the picket was not the inevitable result of the alleged folly of those demanding hans of one sort or another. Of course the police are capable of acting in bad faith, but in Ilford, as you know full well, the police dismerse the bickeis when tbe Egs London People's Front appeared to cal Di us to break throneh the Dollo cordon and lined up ANL stewards for that purpose.
If violence had occurred, what point would have been made? Not that the ANL was wrong to call for 'a" ban. Something important: that the form of McNee's ban was justified after all, 1 can hear his precise words on News At Ten: •We have to have this two-month ban DEVIL 5 1131 even when the NF don't march, the lett stEl police. In other words, a brawl on the picket libe, far from pointing the way forward, would have piven McNee bis only TCa. indiscriminate ban ngainst which we are now fighting
No. will Saturday having peaceful activities within the terms of MeNce's instructions, avoidine the ELPF's mundless muitarism, doing a mass canvass of Ilford, and in laying the foundations for a fight against the form of the present ban.
DAVE BAILEY (London]
Examine
yourselves
only render off, hate been farsurancy AS A impressed by the level and vigour of
expression, especially in contrast to biber secialist papers.
your suide and naive comments on the tcaction headmistress, Ms disturbing a mock First, the reader is told that the girls 'were amused by the ludicrousness of the whole situation', thus implying an explicit, or implict, awareness on their part that i doube Licy had.
As a teacher anyself 1 think it was more probable land 1 am not being derogatory) that they had not done CENE revision noccasary. particularly care about being entere
n the external exam
More importantly, Ms Fisher is criticised, in a rathei way, for making all of the examiners re sir the exam. supposed to do? Ar a paper that normally attempts to be objectivels and constructively absence of such a criticism implie that the girls abould have been
MIDLANDS
Catera
LEICESTER
GOLEHESTER Socallel Challeng
LONDON
movement in our
accepted
- that to of the
argument. de
the process.
Ohviously. half-decided to
valid
much more that our TELLS STDEDIL LESLEI we had every interest on
absolutely which your political position and its headline
so why COILETIS Fisher, to girls
from them
political
bery
For didat
academic supercilious
What was she
critical. the
Touche! — Ed ANTON
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1978 page 14
allowed to talk, and presumably alse
allowed to swop answers. Logicals los means that His 1500 M
practice in external CARES 01 38 WE Such candidates at bee
candidates would automatically disqualitied. course, if this happened cationally. examinations would have to be severely questioned as an educational and social practice, but to attempt to
this without altering the LISTIE DUE SELLOUT! education would be futile and self-defeating. wind ano leave many casuastics Ju
the competitive ethos they promote maintain must be guestioned and criticised. Bur this should be done from a political position that offers
Fund viable aiternatives. and I'm sure many other socialist teachers, have had to take the same kind of action as Ms Fisher. Does this imply we aren't socialists or
polities are discredited an
devalued? The logic of this approac is to categorise every person who WUSSUEALERS ALLUS EA there are a few others around) can b accused of helping to maintair capitalism or its ideology
The inclusion of Rhodes Boysor and St. Jobin Stevas to snipe at Ms Fisher was cheap and intellecually dishonest: Itsbould be deplored. The report constituted an apolitical and sectarian anack on the Communist Party and smacks of the leftfunctionalism and political dogma that has made me recoil from other Felt babers Such tenors can ant undermine the intellectual
whole aspires lo achieve.
BRIAN CONNOLLY (N. 10] Point taken. Wo have received numerous complaints from socialist teachers on the same report •ED.
Touché!
The 23 February issue of SC has an article on the French eleccions with a
scut in an article on a subjeci no
-France also acquired a Frenchi
Most peuple in England don' understand French, even when it's a line from a weil known French song.
use it in arucest our siste paper Socialist Worker would not make such a mistake — in matters of style and presentation we should learn
SC is playing a very important role
on the left at the moment, and it is
lively and entertaining paper, but somelimes i shows an unfortunate
We live in a class society in which few people pet the chance to de A-evels or 0o to universie we ar
to win workers to our posit
- pretentious headlines and us
C'conjunctise "Ditgoing situation", ete) quite rightly put them olf, and even encourag
itist posturine in our dun ranks Surely clarity must be our fust aim?
GREGOR BENTON (Leeds]
HANCEY Sociallet
For deals red Ra
Page 15 scan of this page
marked by that political upheaval.
used in the film.
A CLASS ROOM in a secondary school, Papps goout so or Er years
The
The Headmaster: Here is your new history master, Monsieur Perly, who from now onwards will cake the place of Monsieur Genthod. Please make him welcome.
The headmaster goes out. Marco is carrying a suitease which he puts on his desk and opens. From inside it, he takes out a long blood lausage, a
chop in trade bach obe te
oks up to th astonished and mased class.
Marco: You should know that my tasber is a butcher and my t
sausage] on the chopping bourd, starts the metronome, and hrandishes the knife.
Marco: Would somebody like 10 come up here and cut the boudin in time with the metronome?
A boy comes forward und starts to de exactly that. The sausage is several metres
The boy stops cutting, Marco picks up several pieces of the hoadin
Marco: These are bits of history What shall we call them? Do you want to call them hours or decades centuries? It's all the same, and it never stops. Boudin should be calen with onions and mashed potatoes. We are taught that time is like a boudin.
That's how Darwin saw it. except that lie wanted to prove that, sausage continued, the meat changed! Mark thought that one day everybody would stop cating boudin. Einstein nd Max Plan tank the skin off the
Does anybody here know what th ‹in ors boutin is made from!
A girl: A pig's bladder.
Mowel excelent Marco slows down the metronome. Tie how once more euls the soususe Into pieces, but much more dowly, in THIS HIS SOCH UPIEL.
Marco: OK. Let'sstop the butchery now. And the burns too. please Let's look at the houdin which is still uncil. You can see thal il folds and
And that is interesting. Are there such things as folds in time?
The Ontology of Social Being
1. Hegel
2. Marx
together will be sent post free (E3.60).
Jonah who will be 25 in the year 2000
A history lesson
The starting point of Jonah who will be 25 in the year 2000. the latest film to be scripted by John Berger and Alain Tanner, is the events of May "68 in France. In various ways, the eight characters have each been
This text of the history lesson in the film has been translated and elaborated by JOHN BERGER especially for Socialist Challenge. It corresponds generally, but not word for word, to the text finally
In rural agricultural societies people believed that time was cyclic, HONESTED LEE SHERE CHE SERCORE Mid winter's day every year consisted
Marco mother as the
The Other Bookshop
328, Upper Street, LONDON N1
Two new Lukacs books
from Merlin Press
Special offer to Socialist Challenge readers. Both ordered
individenl grew older bur that was because he or she wore themseives out. His or her elfort and the erforts of all other people were used to keep the wheel — the wheel of the seasous
time as a motorway, the motorway of The progress was that the conquerors, the victors, had not just won a hattle but 1 Ала ване в веретону по had been chosen meant to outlast all sensons the pauling can became ind the thread of a corkscrew, but the sharp thrusting point of the corkscrew win always the conqueror's. And the corkscrew opened bottle afier bottle JACQUES DENIS as Marco Perly, the history teacher. 01 226 0571
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Capitalism introduced the idea of
escritial idea without terrifying bistory ai
cycles
were considered inferior
Fiftyear of fane and saramanu Anita binty medie an the palin of he And be sourt arang sised
hoat beach, of rain ne or pesett About Burgindest grahat Vietnam Aed All a and Watercae He jun neveceutiplus ricd she Fonin car ras, est and Dear, can cu Prouch the strangles and bruit of He-d ig aboar Chrecus and kept on
The conquerors drank from the bottles until they were no longer thirsty and thee they threw the bottles away, always making sure that in doing so, they broke them. A new farn of violence was born and this was It. Arrows and swords had killed people before, but what killed no was the verdict of historical progress
With this new form of violence created by the conquerors, the same conquerors discovered a new fear: a fear of the past anenging atself. If th boudin past one day caught up with th conquerors t would show as ittle pity for thein as they had showa?
In the nineteenth century this fear of the past was turned into a sciemific law. Time became unilinear, a road
hends of turnings and infinitely long. Its endless length was
abstraction The nineteeath century was hausted by it.
But abstractions have nothing to avenge, Which is why most nineteenth century thinkers chose to transform their fear of the past into a purely folds. mathematical verligo. The endless
placed with
centuries, days, working hours al clocked in on their cards. All cut up
HE NEVER COMPLAINED
бу КАТРИ РЕДСОСК
said NO.
Joelet Never!
They alms corsplained.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 9 March 1979 page 15
like the boudon.
Cut to street scene. Workers going to work. Return to class room
Marco: Al last today we can se thal the motorway. the motorway oi CAPISTS DOWN DO DRE BE CIS There are far more reasons for this than I can explain in this litle bit of boudin which is our first lesson. But let's go back for a moment to the fold
pointed our to you Marco holds up the uacut purpl
Marco: In an acorn tome is already folded in such a way that the fugure form of an onk tree is already present in it. What you are, each of sou different, was already partially there
bee your conception. Tam not a determinist, but in your first cell there was a message wiuch you are still reading today. There are things which make holes in time, and sometimes these holes align rhemselves, thanks to the Marco mukes a drawing in the bluckhourd:
through remember my father is a butcher Time folds to make the alignment of the holes possible. Why is nobody a propbet in his or her own country? Prophets find themselves between the boles, pierced but without a skewer!
Nobody listened to what Diderot had to say about sexual psychology WIIIISENCEAI CUETCMIOAAECEE everybody said Freud was a monster to propose that there was such a thing as child sexuality. Some of you surel IT CIRCE.
The holes that propbets make with their ideas are the same holes through which, later, historians poer 10 look back at the past. You can see tbe historians now peering back an eighteenth century through the holes Jean-Jacques Roussean made to glimpse a postble future:
Ahal You are looking watches. All right. I'stinse. We'llend Like the rhythm of the heartbeat. WISHES OH AS BRIES his desk like a drummer.
Marco: Between cach heat there's time, isn't there? Time is the fact that you know that the second heat isn' the first. Time consists of this
opposition, this distinction
The pupils start to beat their desks i time with Murco. There are shouts and cries loo.
Marco Time i reduced by synthesis!!
The pace of the drumming becomes now faster and louder and Manen is forced to shout at the top of his surice.
Marco: ASTERS cmbryn's witistle the huntan wary of evolution! Darwin the old The class is now completely ont of CUTLET the drumming frenetic. Marco shouts
Marco: In a total synthesis time itself disappears!
The schoul bell rings to indicate the cod of the lesson Jonah who will be 25 in the year 2000 has lust coened in London at the Paris Pulman and Picenix cinemas. It will be showing in Oxford in May. Fincherhave those whi stood up and
Fard tador Be peu in verse or to song the nemple who tried tralone of this weene He never him prished Bab Hope pr Isha Wüsne Pursunpochipe calves where borone woold
And now that he's destined for heaven Whill movemen? Chel Ha? Maron Lether?
Page 16 scan of this page
SOCIALIST UNITY
Registered with the Pust Office as a newspaper. Published hy Reigncrest Ltd. for Socialist Challenge, 328/0LipperStreet, Street, LondoN. Printed hy Goodhead Press Limited, 25 Murduck: Rosd, Recester
After Ilford
reports.
Merlyn Rees has accused Thatcher of being a recruiting sergeant for the National Front, Peter Walker has said that It B Denis Healey who is
cally siding the growth of
But for socialists the
Socialist Challenge.
The SWP has already made it ci0a7 In81 Where we are not standing our nwn candidates then we will be supporting the candidates of Socialist Unity and othor paries standing to the left of Labour,
We also rocognise that the rocent negative experience of running candidates in pana senatone in byBiectiona must not be repeated
OUR FUND DRIVE
A MUCH improved week for the fund drives. The tower benefitted by a furber t155.50 and the emergency appeal to the tune of £122.15.
Several weeks ago we made
that one appeal as £27.05 which includes both stamps and philatelic items. This piece of enterprise has been organised by our supporters in Leicester. On their behalf we again appeal for both British conmemora-
MORE VITAL
THAN EVER
IT 1S A sign of the times that Labaue Party lentord to ce bot machine
were not really too upset by their defeat at Ilford North last week. After all the Tory majority and the fascist vote could have been higher. It could have been, but the reasons for that are the combined impact of Labour's social and economic policies. BOB WEST
problem ishow we can take our solutions La caporalism's crisis to the mass of working people.
The coming local elections in May offer a real opportunity 10 take our socialist alternative to the people. stronghold such is Middles.
A LETTER FROMTHE SWP
Ten writing to clear up one at the General Election, The
arising from your Time SWP will nat be Tinalising out
couple of manths, but as adon as we do begin to draw up a liet of actual constituencies. most certainly do and make sure that divnive clashes are ava bed STEVE JEFFERYS Elections Sub-Committee the Socialist Workars Party
live and foreign atamps.
Tatin them out carefully and rush them to the stamp appeal.
Having seen the success of the stump appeal, other local groups could take similar initiatives. There are numerous possibilitics
Socialist Challenge
labour works. Penly intrigues and corruption are rife, docades of meglect the voters are polarised between apathy and Labour.
EMBITTERED
ATesome are have, Brothe Thus socialists the Socialist Unity campaign 1150 embinered tenants. ahour
fascist propoganda by explain ing that there are other optices vote galled but the experience gained will Bases toes in May will lay the An elfective and andtfier
basis for au intervention in the geperal elections. The jetter we ther want
We should try and implemen: it in the Lambeth by-clection where discussions between 60 and the SWP are already in progress. in some arcas a joint backing by the SWP and Su for independent socialist
Cut coupons, trading stamps, and
old collis. So what about it?
Two large donations helped put this woek's total above the average we need. One arrived anonymously for E50 to help us avoid havine to cigarette Leyland documents. While the
supporters London, A smaller amount, but equally welcome, came all PENNIES from heaven more precisely, from a North London supperler who conver bed a Ib coffee jar into a vault donated us the lot. working out the total Surice Our accountants for now to say that we have added the Immediate conversion coffee jars. programme. Unite with that!
struggles.
Dee to chable systematically
way
strugele
House of Commons
LONELTE
clection extremily
defeat fuscists. In any SWP B real and lasting unity and positive step
15, Rising Free CandE- Street, London Ni. from Finland, Canada
That's the
self-censor 100St.
Irom Tatlin tower donstions: in South East
Camdon supporters H. Asgarian Southampion mader
Yoko Takada, Japan Anon.
Wandsworth reader Leicester stamp sale J. Masters K. Harding B. Connelly
OXIDrO DOI NUJ Wandsworth readers SE London supporters Wall, Name
Address_
for *or the
SOUF action
dales with a strong local base will alsobecome nocessary:
It has often been argued that elections are a waste of time for revolutionary, socialista. The
experience we bave accurslated over the last year disproves that argument. In Stechford, Ladywood, Soulh all and Spitalfields we haveseen how an electoral Intervention actually aids the development or bobbcal Cammmens
Furthermore. the election of evolutionary left councilors or MPs would represent a tremendous sten forward for the catire revolu Sonary movement. If would
to inservene in politics. A recent example is the
Bernadetie Deviat (MicAliskey) projected the Irish
throughout Britain when she was a member of the
THE
It a trac that the present
makes the unlikeiy Harold Wilson's call to raise the figuro
or cloction deposits to defen
be NF is a pathetie way 1 Will not affect them too much ecceptance given the titancial sapport they can obtain from sources inside and oursde this country The groups it will affoet witt be the organisers socialist left. tE would he inonic If shortage of finances rather than politics forced through a
If you would like in heip the Socialist Unity candidates. In Mant more i rein ten want more information, write 1ot Socialist Unity, Box
182 Uppe CARDICAM supported
the way trom Japan. in recent
the United States and France
sort of internationalist we appreciale the
require.
This week our thanks for
4.50 Total. 1.00
U.30 Hull collection C. Creighton
DECIDE
49.00 MEANWHILE the emergency
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
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Tenclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of
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Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London Nt.
1 key Calischan solen clathes, Maggie. having mine
A LETTER TO THE SWP
LAMBETH TO-HOUGH will he taking place at a time
when the racists are launching a new chensive a also comes in a period when the trade union buresucracy has been ableto nasure the defeat of the Fire Brigade Union's strike, the
productivity schemes in the mines and the
wade the
the workers movement. like the Tel: MPs
unions, are either supporting the anti-working ciass policies
abnolutely refused to organise any united action agains: these
Socialist Unity is of the opinion that a unites socialist
TAECEUSDN organisations of the Jell, ang
by nonpendent
received a welcome boost: A Birmingham support et dug deep into their pocker and contribured t100. That has taken us une step nearer to the printing press we so urgently
Other donations week's lots to E122.15. We have now
Cur thanks to:
London IMG members 6.28 Anon birmingnam 100.00
Adrian and Judith Mellor
.00 1.00
SPECIAL
GLASGOW TEACHERS hase Found the Russian revoletion Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to 'Socialist Challenge'
but you're not
way the need tar buiding a socialet a tamelive
CH TOTE campagn would to able to pur forward an alfernative sociel a:
encouraging the development
local Biruggles on racism
munt and around women's nights, Furthermore we
tha! campaign involving Soo ais Unity and the SWP would cras chi lar wider torea than separate campaign rur by each individual organisation
Socia ist Unity suggests lo the SWP that we hold a meeting discust Lambeth Centra with the aim
Din candidate BOR PENNINGTON, Socialist Unity Nationa Organiser
special u real hargain ar 25p. Just thie joh for wall displays or explaining to school students ahis great munment in history Going ar half price, this is a real bargain. especially us contains a previously unpah. lished text by Isaac Deutscher ten the revolution.
So if you are a teacher or know somebody who Is, then not our burgate copies now. Are Landon schools more reactionary Glasgow: You know low in answer that
Many of our readers will have seen the 1978 calendar Socialist Challenge produced. This is made up of 13 posters from Mas 68 in France. Outaf the 3.001 priated less than 16 remain. As we enter March you can now hey one of these calendars for half price. Send 50p ples 29p postage dodus.
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