Thin letter has been receired from a Mecican and is signed by oner 70 political prisonIr Bra striking display of solidarity and we bud to publick te Open letter to the Blick Panther Party and the President of the United States, Richard M. Nis As political prisoners in Lecumberri prison of exico City, We exprei our complete sappor id solidarity with the mificints of the Bud bather Party now beg viciously attacked der and imprisoned in the United States.
He present the following demands to the ent of the United States, Mr. Richard M.
That the Chicago 7. Huey Newton and Bobl Be release mediately and unconditionin taken aguinst the Panther Puny by the Government of the d States for go. police officials Sovolved in the betel murder of Panther leader Fred Hampton, be taken public office and be held for trial as ressible for this premeditated political assassi We will perist in these demands until meet and we cal upon all forets of the Thied forld to follow our example.
For the right of Self-Determination in the rack Community!
Lagrace.
the Gield.
* Marxist cannot approach the problem in tal and sect an a fashion.
Communist or extraThis is shy the CLC Tenants are sti -they Tave faith in themselves, in their self-determination". Here Rawience abanthe notion of conscious intervention in the coonrmic struggles of the class. mately allied with this mistake is the bessary by some automatic mechby which economic demands will tum in ical ones. in the face of the inability of left to advanse a transitional series of deas against those of the "pure trade-unionthis isa tempting thesis and for those who sperlence of th • months socialists have the A referendum is the favourite tool of a dictator: when the Corporation of London, the local goremment body which controls City affars. announced that It was going to put forward the scheme for a 600ft, tower block in Bishopsgate - the proposed new headquarters of National Westminster Bank -to the public, in order 1o solicit their opinion, it did not need much imagination to realise thut somethise sinister soa afoot.
SUPERFICIAL NEUTRALITY Superficially, at least, the Corporation was neutons heptico was sapposed to be one of tral ming it to make up its mind as to ons it had to make to the GLC rested bodies but it is widely prient Peri to The City, and as the ational bier Bank we us the sky scruper bock at p Gardens, onto the market, there was and by the Be ak, which stands in Dras chey sent my titoe Corporation s SEIFERT'S LAW Another factor was that Seifert was the anchitect: truditionally, there has always been fric tion between architects and developers. Archicis invested with any honesty are intereste i putting up worthwhile buildings. Developer want minimal cost, maximum floor area, and easy maintenance, and that is all mands, forget about the rest, and he would become the most successful commercial architect He did just that. Planned new commissions or building projects in Britain have crashed from $625th. in 1964 to last vear slow of 5430 abscription IT 10s post free 16 lauc s21 5/- per cops 1 Group.
Woekty of the Ligae | Slogar L Has no, Room 1, To the Ko Lenion BETNAM monthl auber Rocher writes on the cinera novo, and its e relented pogular cuttar of Lotting Til are Up 10022 106 king the ctiv tovolutioner RMI and his partner fred to arrange a sureptitious showing of his plans for the 6000. lower, and rish it though un the quict.
What they had not bargained for was an up: tour in Parliament, questions about further contamination of London) skyline. rumblings frown the GIC about further concentration of offices in Central London, and a wail of protest from the Chy Club -which was housed in a shons troady ugly carly Victorian bulding by Philip Hardwick, the demolition of which would ap: pear to be the sky-scraper's one redeeming fesThe City Club anir was the least of Selfert's worries: as Private Eve revealed at the timo, the preservationist tag so loodly vaunted by the Club, was a ploy for increasing compensation (What cise could one expect of City business menT) and it filed. to grin the necessary sup port from the Ministry or the Corporation.
What was far more worrying was the continMetal oftory from the public. ow. there in a wor well-known technique for aichitects who wish to demonstrate lo tbe ministrics, the GLC and other interested partics that the public is solidly behind them, and Selfort proceeded to use it in the most blatant ashion, to suppress the clamours from thos who were against his schemo-and it appeared that he had the Corporation's support. "ALTERNATIVE"
He went back to his drawing board, produced an "Itemative" plan, involving a 500ft. tower. and set up models and maps of both schemes in the Royal Exchange in the heart of the City, under the sponsorstip of the Corporation.
The 500ft. alternative was blatantly inferior: it incorporated a second, smaller, ancillary ower which sell-evidently increased groun ungestion, blocked out light, and -choked this over-built area of the City Next the Corporation called a Press Confercharies, including the then Chaim offe ince, and surrounded by Punning and Communications Committee, Mr. Peter Revell Smith, Seifert revealed his masterpieces, and told the assembled Press men that the public would have a fies choice between the two, eifert himself spoke only of the ments le 600f. bock. The City Architect. M "handier, wito was also present on this cocas in, was asked if it would make any differenc the Corportion Would technend the since recommend the scheme or not, and would only say that the public's spinion will be considered, He would no laborate in any way. or say how much influ once it might have.
However the Corporation looked on the Press Conference and exhibition, its purpote for Seifert was to demonstrate that public opinion was solidly behind him in his proposals, and that was all. Of course, it could not but conone interested lo forming a RED CIRCLE in are to organise ales of the MOLE and politi dicussion should contect 9 Bishopthorpe Road, York MARCH 100: Film Show -"The Fast is Red", Exb Ntion Hall, Camden Stadio, Conden Strol, NWI 7.30 p.m. (Mornington Crescent Underground)
dergrounds, 8 p.m MARCH 13th: Brazil picket, NFT, 11 p.m MARCH 13U. Hancur Beitiand Russell, A moting Stan Newens MP. Tony Smythe and Raymond WiНарком 1 0, 3g. (m), 5048, 21, kood. 2.00 0 p.m. 6 Collo at the Unity Theatre, I Dollington See 1-k atre, 1 Goldington Street, NW1-00 ther active, stete Bos once 03S 716. Performanoes at 1,45 p.m Strucele in Sourn A 07-853 2457. Serape Nobne, G6 Burtage Reat, S.F.8 MARCH 19h: "Linin in October""
Stady Group celebrates Tenin Contenur 3.15.p.m, at Hothorn Library, Theobolds Rued Sley, Comden Set, V41.8 p. le firm just that. To even the most ignorant obser ver, the 600g, lower was preferable in every respect.
A particular advantage of this technique is that it is cusy lo show that the much valued opinion of the boilding ard allied profestions are even more solidiy in your favour than th general public. After all, professional discrimination will settle for the better schemo, with even greater accuracyTHE REFERENDUM As if playing into Seifert's hands, the Chairman of the City's Planning and Communications Contmittee tade a niosing little speech, pointing out that the 600ft. tower was halfa mile from St. Pul's, and so it could not affect the view, adding that he had displayed some drawines to prove it. and pointing out that the Parti amentary pressert group bad completely misunderstood what was Involved. but of carte. i was entirely up to the public to choos and the Corportion would not express a view!!
Stitert's tittle pian has worked triumphantly The figares show that 77% of all dose who rog istered an opinion preferiod the 60tfr. block Only 15% were actually in favour of the * 500Ft. tower.
Of'egarse, 83% of votes cast by the building industry and allied trides favoured the 600m tower, and only 9% the 500ft. scheme.
The figures ate made somewhat weaker when it is realised that only 1.367 members of the public less than half a per cent of all City workers bothered to register an opinion.
However, Seifert's gimick seens to have dono the trick for his organisation yet again. Officially, the Corporation has still to make its recommendation on the urchitouts plunning upplication, but judging by the former Chairman's Cortnerits at the Press Cosference. and the se uits of the poll, they really have little option.
If they decide against the 600ft. tower Seifert will be able to kick up one hell of a Tuss saying that the City are refusing to give the ratepayer what he wants. The Parlismentary clamours can be effectively ignored.
Footnote: Whichever scheme is bult, i will cost E15m. and an additional 120m. for purchase of the land. The value of the block on completion will be in excess of E1 00m. Some office space nol requireil by National Westminister Bank will be crested and let at the highest rentals in England (the figure of 614 a sq. ft. wis mentioned at the Press Conference), In addition to a vast annuzi incorne, plus capita prawth potentis), immediately cither block B comploted. National Westminster will be f65m. richer. A nice slice of this will go. to Seifert. You can seo why ho is for it.
STOP PRESS Surprisc, surptise. The GLC has withdrawn all objections to the 600ft. skyscraper. Peicy Ingrims AL KARAMER WEEK On the occasion of the 2nd Annivenary of the Battle of Al-Koramch (when Palestiolan 41 Fitzroy Square, W.l.
Mareh 20th-March 26th. 10 a.m.-10 p.m ninty organisatioes radical action minority groupe ography: Tis Die of SaChs is are that a boot publication March 16th order yuur pre pubtication copy now at 15/Tenchne cheque po. tor my prepeblication cops Hume..
LATE NIGHT FILMS AT THE PARIS PULLMAN cate: Clotter Road. Each night at 10.15 p.m. March 5-H1: "THE BLACK FOX" - the the am fall of Hiter.
March 12-18: Polanka's "Knile in the Water". March 19-25:
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