Socialist Action No. 19, 22 July 1983
The scan: 019-jul-22-1983-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Debate grows in labour movement Britain out of
THE WEEK of clashes between youth and police in Derry, Northern Ireland's second city, has further demonstrated the failure of the Tories' attempts to subdue the nationalist through repression.
withdrawal to be placed at the centre of public debate. This should provoke a necessary discussion on the alternative policy that the labour movement must develop if it is to pursue its aim of a united Ireland.
Benn's statement came after a week where security forces in the North suffered their worst casualties this year and reactionary Loyalist mobs forced Catholic familes from their homes in Donemana near Derry auer week's sectarian Orange pardues. Advances
The Tories' response will combine a stepping up of repression with new ad vances to the Southern Irish government to achieve joint collaboration
security and new political initiatives.
Southern Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and Margaret Thatcher are due
at the end of the year to this end.
In the North Sinn Fein have continued to make
No. 19
Ireland
population of the North
Tony Benn has called for the question of British
political gains for their
message immediate
British withdrawal. These developments have had their infpact on the labour
Resolutions his year's Labour Party ference from Brent East. Islington North, Oxford Hast, Birmingham dington and others call for
dialogue between the Labour Party and Sinn Fein, and lor a break by the Parliamentary Labour Party from its traditional bi-partisan support for the government's policies the North.
Clarify
Some resolutions like that Hackney also call for the Labour Party to clarify that it will not abide by the principle that the British government accept unionist veto on its policies for the North.
Kensington CLP has also put forward a resolution Ireland Their delegate the Labour Party conference this year
Tony Benn, who therefore likely to play a prominent role in the conference debate the topic.
Benn's article in the Guardian last Monday applauds those who have
British withdrawal against charges thev supported terrorism.
His own five point plan for withdrawal calls for
The setting of a date for withdrawal 'two or three years ahead' • A United Nations peace-keeping force
• A tripartite agreement between the DELUSI governal, the South
July 1983 30р
SociA ist
ACTION
Army snatch squad Tony Benn and new Northern Ireland government' • An amnesty for prisoners • Financial aid to the new government from Britain. But Benn's policy thoroughly deficient. The call for withdrawal after a period of 'two or three' years concedes the right of British troops to be there in the first place. Opponents of his plan will reasonably ask why two or three years. Why not five or ten?
Secondly, the proposal for Ireland government would inevitably, given • the artificially drawn boundaries of the North, mean
Garret FitzGerald Loyalist government with
interest in dissolving those borders in the cause of a united Ireland.
Thirdly, the proposal for United Nations peace-keeping force in this context would be to learn nothing of the lessons of the Lebanon where such a force was completely inetfective in preventing the terrible consequences the Israeli invasion, worse the reactionary role that such troops have playea i Counse like Cyprus, the Congo and Korea.
In the debate in the labour • movement only a policy which starts from
the fact that British has no right to be in Ireland in the IrSl place ane supports
as a determination can begin to
wrongs done Ireland in the name of the British people
That's why the alternative policy that the labour movement should develop to the cause of a united Ireland should be:
* Troops out Now! * Self determination for the Irish people as a whole
• A carnival of reaction - see page 4
National demonstration
No more Chiles -
hands off Central America!
Sunday 11 September in London
Defend the workers of
El Salvador and Chile!
Sandinista Soldier
Nicaragua
NICARAGUAN interior minister Tomas Borge reported earlier this week that 12,000 Honduran troops had been assembled along the border between the two countries.
Claiming that among them unit of the US Special Forces' - the 'Green Berets' - he said that 'war is noW inevitable'.
Sources close the the counter-revolutionaries in Honduras claim that an invasion of Nicaragua is being timed to coincide
the Nicaraguan revolution - 21 July.
A sure sign that the US intends to step up its destabilisation attempts against Nicaragua is the appointment of a special commission to advise Ding an om munion ping communism'
Central America. The commission will be head. eu Dy Henry Kissinger an old hand at covert operations. When inger was US Secretary of State . ке mover in the destabilisa. tion the Allende government in Chile.
Last week antiCandinista rebels in nonduras claimed that thes
contacts with the British government and that Margaret That cher was 'taking a keen
Central America'.
In fact, Britain is the only Western govern. ment to give port to the Us role i Central America. A fur-
invasion imminent
ther sign of the stance of the British government is the visit to Britain this week by Salvadorean expresident Napoleon Duarte, who being given the red carpet treatment by foreign office.
The imminent threat 'to Nicaragua, and the complicity of the Tory government must be raised immediately in every labour movement body and in the peace movement.
The latest threats to Nicaragua underline the need for a massive tur nout for next September's demonstra tion in solidarity with the people of Chile and Cen-
• Fourth Anniversary
Nicaraguan revolu tion - see page 8.
MODERN
TIMES
The difference that Hattersley wants to ditch the policies and step up the witch hunt, wherea Kinnock wants to step up
witch hunt and then ditch the policies...
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Ousting of Golding big step forward
2 LAST WEDNESDAY saw a significant advance against Labour's witch hunting right wing, when the new Post Office Engineering Union executive voted 10-7 not to renominate John Golding MP to the Labour Party NEC this year.
This decision follows a motion calling for renationalisation without compensation British Telecoms is sold off by Thatcher's government.
boln unese moves give hope that the union's new Broo en coater executive means business.
It represents a strategic gain for the left in the fight for socialist policies.
Since his election to Labour's NEC in 1978. Mr Golding has been the chief architect of the right's ofTensive be a blow for their plans and morale.
In a letter to POEU branches. also issued as a press statement, the POEU executive point out that Mr Golding will condale roTe a spoll sored MP. But the deciSOnI represents cica. break with the union's complicit support for the witch hunt.
No Labour Party NEC nomination has been made this year and the same letter points out that a full report of the executive
wil be made the union's reconvened annual conterence
Photo: ION SARRON'A
Eric Heffer
Socialist Action 22 July 1983 November.
At the same time a proposition will. 'be put delegates allow the membership to decide the union's nomination to the Labour Party NEC in the future.
By Carol Turner (POEU, London
West Branch)
The decision Golding is a bold one by the new executive. tacıng a frontal fight with the Tories on one of their central policies - privatisaLOn.
Support
Constituency Labour Parties and POEU branches should send letters of support for this decision, and should urge the new POEU execuave to confirm its implicit opposition to a witch hunt by:
• supporting anti-witch hunt resolutions this year's party conference
Why the left should
support Heffer / Meacher
• submitting an amendment to this effect
• supporting Heffer and Meacher the ship/deputy leadership. election the only candidates opposed to the
Mass meeting of POEU engineers discuss fight against privatisation — see page 4. witch hunt
Ousting Mr Golding is the first important step in the left tightback Tory policies and against * Labour's own ranks. Such undercover lories in
is a vita.
tion of the candidates' manifestoes. published this weike toes manifestoes tribute little to clarifying the choices in front of the labour Neil
Hovelicall Kinnock regards withdrawal from the Com-
Market as 'last 111011 resort, favours strong na-
tional security by conventional
Dal Hick. declares himself in Pavana with NATO and of Britain ridding itself of all nuclear weapons.
By the Editor
He has invented a new euphemism for incomes policy calling it 'a reason-
ed and practical policy for
ewards However the message is that he will con'tinue to play a Foot-type balancing role as leader, while revising certain of Labour's key policy positions.
Roy Hattersley demonstrates his manifesto why he would be a natural successor for Healey in the role of Deputy bcauer nike medev ne would aim to have an effective veto over Kinnock, continually helping him or his road to the right. manifesto, mixture of radical verbiage on democratic rights and right wing policies, calls straightforwardly for all
deren, sinning usin
defence spending, welcome. what he calls Kinnock's 'conversion to
EEC accolauct
step forward.
* Letters of suppor should be sent to POEt Executive, Greystoke nouse, 150 Brunswick Road, Ealing, London • W5.
IT IS THE MARK of the apolitical character of the leadership elections in the Labour Party that the result was a foregone conclusion before the publica-
membership.'
. He also aims sideswipes at his right wing rival attacking Peter Shore's strategy of 'borrowing out of the crisis.' Shore, not in serious contention for either leader or deputy leader, himself with decrving the advances in constitutiona reform and policy made by the Labour Party over the last period, and calls for an offensive against those who have chosen a revolutonary strategy.
The only candidate with policy to take the Labour Party forward is Eric Heffer. His manifesto deplores the expulsion of the Militant editoria
and calls for DOCTO defence of the status quo
constitutional cucs tions in the Party. On policies Heffer calls for a nuclear free Europe, but in his objection to the Common Market does not make it clear whether he objects to the institution as such or merely the
of Rome. which elsewhere he has called to be renegotiated.
There are mountainous deficiencies in all the manifestoes. None address
problem how Labour Party is going to act alongside the trade «non movement and all those fighting the Tories, to get rid of hatcher betore she has a chance to intlict five years damage on Oul basic rights. None have the
John Golding Neil Kinnock perspective of building a mass campaigning party that can do it. But becaus
The effer santand ins
Switch hunt defence of the constitutional and policy gains made by the left of the last three years, the left must • Organise alla campaign behind him.
It is mistake for Michael Meacher, the only candidate among those
for deputy Standing une leadership, fail to
himself Heffer's campaign: Meacher will not be able to co-exist with Kinnock unless he declares his col ours beforehand - thal includes declaring long and loud his preferred choice of running mate.
News
How often must the
Labour left fall into the trap of thinking that winning office is the key thing,
without regard to the pro
blems that await the VIC tor?
The Heffer/Meacher slate should be discussed and supported throughout the entire rank and file of the labour
HOVCHCEL That the way to politicise the trade union membership. That is the way to start to rebuild the Labour Party and its policies to fight the Tories And it is in that discussion that the revolutionary socialist alternative, which is missing from all the candidates manesives, can be put forward.
Page 3 scan of this page
How should the left
News
Photo: JOHN HARRIS
Labour NEC elections
FOR A number of years pressure groups in the Party have put out 'preferred lists' of candidates for positions on the NEC. However, last year the left decided that more drastic action was needed to save the NEC' and it was agreed to run slates in an attempt to maximise votes for the left candidates.
Consultations took place through the ill-fated Labour Liaison '82 and a number of comrades who had stood for the NEC in the past (without success), stood down in tavour of the slate.
number of people had doubts about the slates, least for the Women's Section, but compromise was reached and the slates were supported. This support was
part LIC
inderstanding that this was a 'one-off' exercise to cope with exceptional circumstances.
This year, however. we have been presented slates again, and a numse of worrying features emerge from them. For instance, who has them up? Unlike last yea:. no attempt at rank and file consultation has been made. all IL: taults, Labour Liaison '82 did at-
draw LOCCLICI representatives from wide of organisa-
Durham miners' gala
The parade for the Durham Miners' Centenary Gala passes the platform.
choose its slate?
tions on the left in open discussion that has not happened this year
It appears that there is self-appointed elite on the left who nave sel 'fixing' things, which the rank and pected to accept.
By Mandy Moore
Instead of discussions taking place and then Slates being drawn up. unic asser the fining aks lace after the fixing has done, and consequently, unles we want to 'rock the
• 4c nave lo go along with it.
conprinciple of Ihave
argariates pretenti but
number oi probletas with fixed siates
The first of these is lack of choice for constituencies. Democratic choice should be available
to constituencies not only between left and right (or soggy centre), DUL also within the left itself.
Not all people believe the same things and it is important that comrades standing for the NEC get genuine support for their
and record from constituencies, not blind support just because they are on a slate.
second problem is that by limiting those standing for election on the left to those who we hope will win, no new candidates
grass TOOLS support. In the past comrades have bullt un the support over years and as vacancies have •asse they views changed, so have been elected. This is not possibie l pressure Is exerted to stop comrades standing who are not on the slate.
example of
Tente ICT
the NEC.
So where does the 'extra' person the slate come from? Answer, out
of the heads of the self-appointed elite who fix the
Now the person chosen may be highly acceptable
but that is not the point The people who should be choosing are the raw cand new candidates file members in the constituencies.
Fix
There are more general Poo instance, in ass emp. ting to fix slates in the Constituency Section anc the C, is Sectior of
we are not deal ing with the real source of the problem. Left to own devices. the Consti tuency Section, as in the past, would turn up a left majority with perhaps smattering of softies. and
arasional ie:
Ine move the left could make to deal with this would be to campain forcefully for
CHRIS
Dhoto.
Renée Short
Nomen's Section by th Women's Conferenc Women s decision OI the
Conference could be as bad as the present situation and believe it would actually b a hell of a lot better!
Howerer. far from mounting ar effective
Take chis are =2=
T me
- TE =*-2
Frang upporter of in
Leggin it for peace
THANKS to the
courage and endur-
ance of the Greenham
Common peace
women everybody
knows that this is the
year of the missiles.
With unemployment
in East London running
at 20 per cent (and that's
governacil
figures!) young people in
area where
Thatcher's priorities lie.
By Sue MacDonald
The fight for jobs,
Lne campaign against
weapons mass
destruction and the ex-
posure of the civil
defence farce is the pur-
pose of a two day march
we're organising called
'Leggin' it for Peace'
The march on 17-18
September, will I start out
from Kelvedon Hatch
a civil defence HQ. The West London Youth March for Peace
FROM GREENHAM
COMMON to
Greenham Fields in
Hounslow that's
the route of an August
Bank Holiday Youth
CND march for
peace.
Hounslow Youth
CND hope to have 50
young people marching
the fifty mile route from
27-29 August 'passing
through Reading and
Slough.
By lan MacDonald,
Feltham
Heston YS
The June election
result has made youth ir
West London
determined than ever to
mobilise azalils. the
Women's Organisation standing, was on the slate.
This year • Frances ha been left off because those men on the left fixing the slate don't like her. Instead they have drawn up a slate which is a joke as far as radical policies fo women in the Party is con cerned
Some of the women on that slate may be perfectly acceptable - but it should have been drawn consultation with as wide a group of women on the left as possible not by a few men
Further, we need to campaign to widen eligibility to stand for the NEC. Until we break the Terence to sand we li delegate not be able to elect - except in exceptional case
grass rood members to he NEC
7273
effe number of
Socialist Action 22 July 1983 3
London youth march
for peace and jobs
first day will finish at the Wanstead bunker - - 106 'control' for East Lon don until the GLC closed
down. We hope open it up for a disco!
The next day the
continue through East London to
Fields Haly. Tony • where we wil •rally Benn and Ken Livingstone are invited speakers
The best way that you can help is by joining the march it vou are youn or helping us financially if you're not!
All individual donations • will be gratefully received, but try to spon-
trade SUL marcher union, political your organisation or community group.
Together we can stop the bomb! * Further East tondon CND, 3S details
Road, London
E17.
Tories' war plans, and Cruise missiles in par ticular.
Support for the march is pouring in from the labour movement Tony Benn, Jo Richard son Syd Bidwell and four local Constituency Labour Parties have sponsored the inar. ch. Every Young Socialists branch in the area has been contacted and Feltham & Heston branch agreec sponsor a marcher.
we need more support and more costs about er for tood and accommodation). * For messages of support, money or more information, aplease con. tact Judi Well ington Rd North, Hounslow. Ring 01-577 34(
organisations have decid ed not to accept the slates
in the Constituency Section the Labour Co ordinating Committee supporting David Blunket! instead of Normal Atkin SOlI and in the : Women's Section they will not be supporting Rene: Shor state instead or France (the woman put
Morrell!)
The Women's Actior Committee will only sup
those candidate:
both the Constituency Sec tion and the Women's Sec tion who support the con stitutional charges for
women in the ri Labour Against the Witc Hunt will not support he Women's Section slate but will support a slate draw] up by women in the Par
If the left is concernes about state NEC ther wide angry
disassion
code 3: =70L
acie:
DEEDEDE
- iar io left to the fixers:
Page 4 scan of this page
'We are starting the fight
Socialist Action 22 July 1983
IRELAND
UN FREE
Carnival of
hatred
By Phil Casey IN THE North of Ireland, 12 July saw the ritualistic celebration of King William's victory over James Loyalists taking to the streets at nineteen separalt venues.
The emphasis in the press is on the carnival atmosphere of the demonstration were a spectacular festival enjoyed by the entire population of the six counties. further from the truth. The '12th' celebrations are a time for reaffirmation of Unionist superiority, discrimination and bigotry. was capital punishment. Ian Paisley, Martin Smith maior theme at and Harold McCusker, to mention but a few, formed their audiences that they for the restoration of hanging. testament' style the Rev. Martin Smith said: I will be voting for the availability of capital punishment as one of the penalties God has given in his word for the punishment of evildoers'.
Prior to the marches on 12 July the traditional lighting of bonfires took place at which effigies of the Pope are still burned "The Sash My Father Wore' sectarian stuff!
Realising that the decision on capital punishment might go against them, a mob of Loyalists attacked an isolated Catholic house in a Protestant estate in the Co.
Guardian in all its liberal wisdom practically laid the blame at the door of those being attacked for There is nothing ed talle
is nothing unusual Unionists have suffered such attacks for years and it is because of them that Catholics migrated to West Belfast for safety in 1969 and 1970.
One interesting fact is that during this incident there were no arrests, and after the mob moved onto a small Catholic estate where the police did pre-
from burning down all homes (God bless 'em!) four people who were arrested were later released without being charged.
During allowed an estate, obviously intimidating the residents who had come close to having their houses gutted the night before. banned totally from entering the city centre of belrast wilhoul reason.
Pub crawl
THE SPECIAL Criminal Court in Dublin
has cleared four RUC men of all charges. The
RUC men went out for a drink in plain
clothes, but fully armed with Lugar Magnum
revolvers.
They went to a disco
Castleblayney
the border in the free state. When their identity
was discovered the unfortunate drinkers had to
draw their weapons to defend themselves against
A ALA deserted the four yet again, and they ran into a mob.
Garda patrol car.
Their excuse for carrying the guns without a
necessary certificate was that they feared for their
safety and that carrying a loaded gun while off du-
ty was second nature to RUC members.
Obviously the Guinness in Castleblayney is$o
good that the four thought that putting their lives
on the line for a pint
someone shouted 'SAS' after them as they left the
Tavern.
the
OUl
Il in 1690, with Ulster
as though Nothing could be
this year's 'celebration'
would be voting In typically 'old
to resounding chants of
Down town of Ballnahinch.
RA member. about 2llil-
the Catholic
the police Orange band to march into the same
Anti-Unionist demonstrations are
at Frank's Tavern in
which just happens to be across
After getting to their car, fortune
was worth it. Strangely,
AS THE second reading of the Bill to privatise British Telecoms goes through parliament BT bosses have started to help the Tories in earnest.
They have sent printed lies in official BT newspapers and pumped out the message that there is no point in resisting. •Privatisation is the will of the electorate,' they say.
But only 31 per cent of
electorate actually voted Tory. And as one of
Datel engineers strike sala: reopic vote for a package and don't agree with all that's in it. you can't say people voter for selling off BT becaus the Tories didn't mention
in their election campaign.
By Marcella FitzGerald (London North Central Internal Branch, POEU)
were the first group to be called out on strike after
POSE
privale
nONC
connect Campaign
But the struggle against
privatisation is just begin-
becoming more informed
are not about whether to
fight the Tories' plans but
for the least cost? What to
Telecoms Bil comes back
positive response to the fl Likewise
National
initiated to bulla up
A QUITE HISTORY
IRELAND
Telecoms engineers say:
against privatisation'
propaganda to our homes,
the strike fund before the action escalates.
The Datel engineers thought the levy a very good laea and one that should be copied by the miners. say. 'We've got to get an alliance going
with the miners and with the rail workers.'
The need for an alliance is clear to Action we took last year
struck too - on separate uays.
givup
private lines for business in
area and
WILl
Industry and a major com-
modity brokers were badly
HOIC
to make a killing if BT is
IRISH HISTORY
DIVIDED
TWO
A RECENT report published by the South West Thames Regional Health Authority, which proposes the closure of five Epsom hospitals and one in nearby Banstead, is the clearest indication since the election of the callous and brutal way in which the new Thatcher administration intends to treat
for the report claim it is a huge step forward in the
ferent. It is the clearest ex-
and benefit of those who can attora
By Geoff Martin, Chair of Sutton Area Hospitals
speculators of the City of
there is no doubt that this
friends who control Ep-
som council, will be only
THE AGENTS
OF BRITISH RULE MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND
Mass meeting to support LNCI Branch's fight against privatisation
Epsom hospital closures
encouragement
pressured into taking them
Those who have no hospitals and whose Social
Wing nomes THE IRISH PEOPLE DEFEND THEMSELVES
News
psychiatric patients sedated by unqualified staff while their fills ring
government money has been diverted away from the Health Service
The loss of jobs involved if the Regional Health Authorities proposals are carried out is the other ared glossed over. that the report Over 5000 has
people are directly employed by the hospitals and union representatives
already planning campaign to fight the proposals at all levels.
The unions and their supporters will run the risk of being accused of taking poltical action by certain sections of the trade union leadership if they strike or take any other direct action. They will be oppos
key part of government's policy and will need all the outside support they can get
If Chapple, Dutty and Murray won't support workers fighting to defend jobs and public services and would rather go an discuss the TUC's funera
with the Chingford undertaker, then let them. But if they expect the rank and file to follow quietly like lambs
the slaughter they're going to be in for a nasty shock.
PART ONE IS
• KEEPING
THE PEACE"
PART TWO,IS OF COURSE TERRORISM
Page 5 scan of this page
News
FOR SOME time now the right-wing has been engaging in an offensive to restrict women's abortion rights.
fection of the Unborn Child and LIFE in Britain are taking advantage women's increased economic dependence on men to refurbish and revitalise their macabre propaganda. But this offensive is an international one and it requires an international response from women.
A brief review of these attacks will serve highlight this point. In the South of Ireland antiabortonists are campaigning for an amendment to the already reacuuld y constitution enshrining the right-to life of the unborn child.
On 5 March in Madrid 150,000 people gathered under the slogan 'No abortion Yes to outside the place visited by the Pope. They were op posing the very limited relaxation in the abortion law being proposed by Spanish government. Israel the AGUDA,
right-wing alla mongos group, succeeded 4 years ago in having the social clause in the abortion law repealed.
Akron anti-abortionists in the USA carried out a wave of violence against abortion clinics. including firebombings Although the Supreme Court ruled on l June that some of the Southern states had gone too far in their anti-abortion mania the Hyde amendment, banning federal funding for abortion, remains on the statute books. Victory
Sandra O'Connor, the Supreme Court Judge wnose rise to power was hailed as victory for women's iberation. argued that the 'fate of the teotus is more important than the life of the pregSal wolla
In Britain since the 1967 Abortion Act became law we have had five attempts evense this legislation.
The fifth attempt succeeded when Parliament
sanctioned an arbitary
change in the regulations to prevent coctors giving abortion on non-medical
grounds. This means tha
doctors can be prosecuted
under the Offences
Against the Person Act
1853 if no medical reasons
for abortion are given. Already professor one gynaecol-
ogist, Hun-
tingford, has been inter-
viewed by the police and
cautioned.
It is very difficult to get
an abortion in Britain to-
day later than 20 weeks of
pregnancy. Lack of abor-
tion facilities in the NHS
have forced many women
International
assault on a
woman's right
to choose
The anti-abortionists of the Society for the Pro-
to turn to private clinics and the latest round of swingeing cuts in the NHS will make it even more dif-
eligibility for treatment, as overseas who have been in months are forced to pay charges for medical treat-
By Valerie Coultas
It's not simply abortion rights that are under attack. abortion comes out of the struggle LICE (Ultraception and this is too under local.
Oxford Area Health
Authority intends to remove contraception from the NHS. The new "morning after' pill has been officially approved, but aboded Eric verbora babies an very year. ulation every. three i physical healt ars testify that he favour of case, aor doctors are openly i pral to can every see i healin overtime heade dirty nappies and
baby, there are love to adopt it).
A women are son once prent baby's heart is be
nine weeks it can suck its th
the likes of Keith Joseph
who is very concerned about the irresponsible behaviour of young women • atre reluctant lu encourage its use.
Women's access to fertility control is a prime target for Tory privatisation. Rich women will continue to have access to the highest standards tility control. It will be the working class woman who faces the butchery and trauma of the backstreet abortionist.
It is with this in mind that we have to view SPUC's latest offering, national newspaper advert headed women nau glass tummies would they ever have abortions?' and their two million leaflets
LWO million 'unborn children'.
The Abortion movement has to counter these a cuculo and counter them in a far more effective way than the 'Ladies Against Women' (DOV did two weeks ago when SPUC had 20,000 on the SLICCLO
We have to crystal e arguments clear. Human beings are socia animals. A woman's life ana ner control over her own body is a right and a
that society should fully respect.
To compare the 'rights
of the foetus', suggesting Itwomen had glass tummies would
they ever have abortions?
colord. can't face the thought o
To co
that it is simply a smaller version of an adult, to the rights of pregnant only deliberately misleading Is all Insult lo womell as a sex.
Women do not take decisions to have abortions lightly. They are programmed daily to sacrifice themselves their fathers,. brothers, lovers, husbands and sons. When women come to take this decision they come to it because they have no other option.
Adoption why should not alternative. women suffer nine months of pregnancy and the psychological pain of giving up their child to satisfy the moral rantings of Mary Whitehouse Lord Longford and the Catholic hierarchy?
Millions of womer who follow the Catholic faith live in fear of their the baby
Is alicady las itso living Forninimon raby is born it has bee
Who have phases But because we
And would like to see this trend reversed.
e one of them there is something you
money to hate ance
- Parishing and ventualy to set the Ve hope you will consider this an importan
We think it'sa matter of life and death
No complacency — we have to fight the anti- abortionists at every stage lives because totalitarian strictures of these bigots. Women don't campaign for laws to sterilise men. Why should
and right-wing women campaign for laws that force pregnancy on women? If women Take the decision to have an abortion it should be tree ly available, safe and legal.
ter of life and death, it's a question of the dignity and freedom of women's lives, particularly the lives of ordinary women.
The National Abortion Campaign in Britain and the International Campaign for Abortion, Sterilisation and Contraception have a big task ahead of them.
Unnecessary
cuts
RECENT report
published by Maternity
Alliance has revealed
the number of
caesarian. births has
doubled in the past ten
years. One woman
nine can now expect to
have her baby by
caesarian section.
Alarmingly. this
trend is beginning to
the US where the figure is
one in five.
Caesarian sections
are needed when com-
plications make
possible for women to
give birth normally, but
nowadays it seems to be
becoming a hobby with
doctors.
• One Birth in Nine -
Caesarian Section
Trends Since 1978
available from Maternity Town Road. 309 Kentish
Town Lorder
Socialist Action 22 July 1983
backdown on abortion by the National Executive of the Labour Party in their manifesto to a promise to restore cutbacks and 'women's existing right to choose' shows how vital it is that the pro-choice lob. by and alert, particularly within the labour movement
Facing up to this task will involve rallying women behind the pro-choice slogans of the Na tional Abortion Campaign
Uver ine pas period NAC hasn't really
response to the anti-abortion lobby in Britain
because there has been no major legislative attack there has been a certain
ORDER
NWS, £2 inc postage (Information from City Limits) Whale
warning
play was shown on last week called Whale Music, about a student who is
pregnant and decides to
have the baby and give it up for adoption
The play involves the student ana ne four friends discussing life, sex, mell and so. ou
The TV bosses ob. viously decided that this was all too much, and so has tilled yvar 'warning' was issued announcer before the play started: 'Music - the drama of a 'And now, Whale young student who finds herself pregnant
university Viewers
should know that the
5 complacency among
about abortion rights.
The so called right-tolifers never give up They are always vigilant, always ready for an opening to
their anti-women goals.
The National Abortion Campaign's national conference meets on 1 and 2
Don't be placent. Get your Labour Party, trade union NAC group to send delegates and make sure they are affiliated to this Callaril,
• For details of the NAC national conference write to NAC at 374 Grays Inn Road, telephone 01-278 0153.
women's attitudes
towards men in a frank and explicit manner
Wow, they are getting touchy!
But will they start broadcasting warnings before most of the rub. bish on TV, 90 per cent of which reveal men's attitudes towards women?
Women's
control
THE International Con-
traception, Abortion and
Sterilisation Campaign
(ICASC) are organising
an internationa
women's tribunal and
meeting on reproductive
rights 1984 entitled
•Women's control not
population control'. Then tintive will be
held day
period in Mexico in the
summer of next year
It is being organised
by ICASC group
Europe, CIDHA and
women's groups in Mex-
ico with the support o
ISIS and the Bostor
Women's Health Collec-
tive
• For further informa-
tion about ICASČ or the
National Abortion Cam-
write to 374 Grays
Inn Rd. London WCI
01-278 Ó153.
Compiled by HILAKY
tions 'Male Order
Socialist Action, Streel. London 2kPr
arrive not later than Ther
das a setti price to sanio
Page 6 scan of this page
IN DEFENCE O
By Leon Trotsky THE NEW LAWS proposed by Employment Secretary Tebbit aim to do away with the compulsory unions. In this article, 1926 under the title of 'The Trade Unions and Bolshevise, ussian Trotsky, leader revolution, comments parliamentary debate on the same question of the political levy to finance the Labour Party. histormally datedhe sunteas the Some reference to recent trade union support for the Liberals. essence of the argument exactly applies today.
THE TRADE UNIONS have as their object the improvement of the working and liv-
conditions labourers. For this purpose, the members of the unions contribute certain fees. political unions have been considered - at least in form neutral; in actual fact, they have often followed in the train of the Liberal Party.
Needless to Liberals, as well as the Conservatives, who sell honours of all kinds to the rich bourgeois in return for generous contributions fo treasury, have not needed the financial aid of the trade unions, but only their yotes.
The situation changed as soon as the workers, through the trade unions, had created the Party. Once having brought the latter to life, obliged to finance their party. Additional contributions were needed for this purpose from the trade union organisations workers.
The bourgeois parties unanimously raised a howl against this 'crying violation of individual liberty'. "The worker is not only a worker, but also a citizen
nd a man', MacDonald profound! instructs us. 'Precisely so', is the ech from Baldwin, Asquith and Lloyd George. In his quality as a citizen, the worker, whether he supports the trade unions or not, has the right to vote for any party he likes. Compulsion
To collect from him a compulsory contribution to the Labour Party is a violation not only of his purse, but also of his conscience. And finally, it is an outright violation of the democratic constitution which forbids any form of compulsion in the matter of support given to this party or that!
As a matter of fact, these conclusions must have considerably impressed the leaders of the Labour Party, who would gladly have renounced the compulsory anti-Liberal, almost Bolshevik methods of the trade union organisations, had it not been tor this cursed need of shillings and pounds, without which it is impossible representative's mandate even in the Arcadia of democracy.
And the democratic principles that shillings and pounds are the weapons that give black eyes and bloody noses. Such is the imperfection of this best of all worlds...
If we may believe the report in the Times (March 7, 1925) about 10 per Leon Trotsky cent of all the members of the trade
Socialist Action 22 Julu 1983
refuse to pay tions.
Norman
political levy in the
collected written in contribute...
Leon
anti-Liberal,
context
But the liberty'
ties.
of wage
of In matters, the trade
- as
say the
their party
very badly.
Labour
the trade unions were
For inis through of the unions.
the more unions,
state.
uisten,
political
tion is
socialist.
sad destiny of
dividual
union organisations of the workers have taken advantage of their right to
the political Thus the principle of individual liberty has been saved at least in part. A full victory of 'liberty' would be attain ed only it the contributions could b
only from those who should declare their willingness to
an essence or me maters o course in the fact that the organisations, having established their
'despotic', Bolshevik rule of compulsory collection contributions, are in this fighting for an actual, real, not merely metaphysical possibility of a parlia-
representation while the Conservatives and Liberals, who advance the principle of 'personal
are actually attempting disarm the workers materially and thus to drive them over to the bourgeois par-
is sufficient to consider the distribution of roles: the trade unions are for the unconditional right of compulsory collection of political contributions; the House of Lords is for the unconditional prohibition of such collections, in the name of the sacred pinciple
personal liberty; finally, the House •i commons rorces a concesson non the trade unions, which amounts in fact to a rebate of 10 per cent in tavour oi the principles of liberalism
Even a blind man can here perceive the purely class character of the principle of personal liberty which in the present concrete conditions means nothing more or less than an attempt ov the possessing classes to expropriate the proletariat politically, by reducing its party to nothing... Tyranny
The Liberal Cobden once declared that he would. rather live authority of the Bey of Algiers than under that of the trade unions. Cobden was thus expressing his Liberal indignation against the Bolshevik tyranny involved in the very nature of the trade unions. From his standpoint, Cobden was right. The capitalist who falls into the hands of the trade unions will fare
The Russian bourgeoisie can tell a tew tales in this connection
But the essence of the matter is that the worker actually has over him a permanent Bey of Algiers in the person of his employer, and the tyrannical power
Bey can weakened only the activity of the Of course, the worker must make some sacrifice for this purpose, not only in money, but also personally.
However, individual liberty will in
Again incomparably than it loses through termediation of the trade unions is the class point of view from which it is impossible to get away, and which is the basis of the right to collect political contributions.
The bourgeoisie, in the mass, at pre sent considers it necessary to itself with the existence of the trade
but it wishes to keep their activities below the line where the struggle with the various groups of capitalists becomes a struggle with the capitalist
The Conservative member, Macq-
pointed out in Parliament that the refusal of the trade unions to pay
contributions chiefly in the small and scattered branches of industry while in the concentrated branches of industry, he regrets to say, there is observed moral pressure ana mass inuridalion. This observa-
extremely interesting characteristic of the English Parliament that it should be spoken by an extreme Tory, the author of the proposed prohibitive legislation, and not
i nis observanon means that the refusal to pay political contributions is found in the most backward branches
of industry, in which a powerful petty-bourgeois tradition and consequently also petty-bourgeois conceptions of in-
liberty, are coupled with voting for the Liberal and even for the conservative Partv
In the newer, more modern ches of production, class solidarity and proletarian discipline are found, which
impresses the capitalsis ana tneir ser•
members
workers
manner
labour;
to as terrorism..
political contributions,
opposition
al ever workers liccule Elucidating
tions of the trade unions,
trade
tributions fund of 250,000 pounds.
the in- strong
This
Resources
reconcile
frank recognition
proletarians! should be sufficient to observed
These very How of strike. Members'
workers are engaged in
usually with strikebreakers who
of the right to work.
bran- In any
AN UND Trotsky was denied political asylu
vants, the deserters from the workers,
During the debates concerning the
, the author of the prohibitive legislation, Macquisten who has already been mentioned, made a remark on the subject of this same democracy which was received by the
with gay laugnter. but which should, as a matter of fact, not only be engraved on the walls of Parlia ment, but proclaimed and expounded
with figures the significance of the political contribu-
Macquister declared that before the Liberal Bill of 1913, the trade unions had expender annually only about 10,000 pounds for
the legalisation of the political con-
thev have in their hands a Of course, says Macquisten, the Labour Party has
When you have 250,000 pounds of annual income, you can create a party for any purpose.
The infuriated Tory said somewhat more than he intended. His remark is a
that parties can be made, that they can be made with the aid of money, that funds play a decisive
Must we point out that the financial resources of the bourgeoise are incom parably more plentiful than those of
This fact disperse the hypocritical vapours of democracy
Every wide-awake English worker should sav to MacDonald: it 1s not true that the supreme criteria for our movement are the principles ot democracy
principles are under the thumb of financial resources, and ma! be distorted and falsified at will.
The trade unions are • in spite of all the subtleties of Liberal casuistry -a class organisation of wage worker: for combating the greed and avarice of capitalists. One of the most important
the trade unions is the contributions go support strikes. In times of strikes, the
fierce struggle are the product of another Liberal principle, that
general strike, the union needs political support, it must turn to
the parties the parliament.
The hostile attitude of the Liberal press
Page 7 scan of this page
F THE POLITICAL LEVY
IRABLE. y a Labour government. coward the trade union struggle was one of the causes impelling the latter to create a Labour Party.
If we examine the history of the
rally, become clear that from the new of the trade unions. the nartv is their political section. It needs a strike lund, an organisation of reliable men, a gewspaper, dependable Parliament. Expenditures on the elec-
cabour
NO
postal
ballots
unions is a conscious class)
Of course,
against
course breaches torn in the USS OV 1913. Education
Generally speaking, hold that any honest, worker, regardless religious, and other
and as a school of political
favour, as a general rule.
ty of opinion, liberty of con
rom considerations of expediency.
others because they
wnere only disregard the Labour Party, becomes necessary
point of
as strikebreakers.
members of ly ne picases,
ele
tion of members of Parliament are for these unions as legally necessary and obligatory an expenditure as that which goes to clerical and secretarial work.
The 10 per cent rebate obtained by the bourgeoisie is by no means such an innocent matter. It signifies that one out of every ten members of the trade
political (i.e.
some of these may be won over, but the remainder may be a priceless weapon in the hands of the
bourgeoisie, in the case of a real strugTherefore inevitably fort, in the further workers. We must
struggle, against wall of the trade
we Marxists straightforward of his political, convictions, may be a member of a trade union. We consider the trade unions, on the one hand,
economic organisations, education.
Although the admission o backward and non-a b! workers to the trade unions. we do no: start trom the abstract prinepie ei But these very consideration 2. 3 that in England, where 90 per := the workers organised in trade ur..-:
ay the political contributions because of their direct desire to de :
do not disere the spirin of solidare
decide open appea a systematic struggle against these 10 per cent. They must be made to teel that they are deserters, and the trade unions must be given the right to exclude them
In the last analysis, if the abstract citizen has the right to vote for any par-
the orzanisa- time. very
• that
• For
Weighell
• for
leadership
USDA W
up mese
tions have the right to refuse to admit
to their ranks such citizens as show by
their political conduct that they are
hostile to the interests of the worki,
class.
The struggle of the trade unions fo
the exclusion of unorganised workers
from the factories is already known as a
manifestation of "terrorism'
present-day parlance
Precisely in England, these methods
can and should be transferred to the
Labour Party, which is a direct con-
tinuation of the trade unions ...
The anti-Liberal,
despotic collections
tributions contain, as the future stalk
and ear are contained in the grain,
those Bolshevik methods against which
MacDonald tirelessly sprinkles the holy
water of his aroused mental limitations.
The working class has the right and du-
ty to place ifs deliberate class will higher
than all the tictions and sophisms of
bourgeois democracy.
It should act in the spirit of revolu-
tionary self-confidence with
Cromwell filled the young
bourgeoisie. Cromwell exhorts
Puritan Sun, as fellows: a will not cozan yoy recruits, we have already
perplexed expressions in my com fighting for King and
Parliament. If the King chanced to be
in the body of the enemy, I would as
con discharge my pistol upon him a
pon any private man; and if your con
-ence will not let you do the like, I ad
ice you not to enlist yourselves under
These are not the words of blond -- * despotism but
00*:***:: ...=
Throughout this article Troisk, in commor
with the useage of the time, uses the terms
sneaken when terene to reviou nade unionists or political ee tivis.
have chosen change
Decense
distort the lene: of conscares
workers and revolute AS THE fight for the Labour leadership hots up, Street are back on their old hobby horse - the need for postal ballots in the unions and the Labour Party:
ALAN FREEMAN argues that the way forward to democratic control of working class organisations is the
opposite of postal ballots.
SOCIALISTS have always argued
many trade unions undemocratic. We've pointed this out on many occasions when Fleet Street was strangely silent.
example, when the unlamented rail workers' leader Sidney
unilaterally sabotaged train drivers' strike by refusing to back
against tne wisnes or mis execulive and his members.
the gentleman used his block vote at the Labour Party conference, again on noone's authority but his own, to help saddle the Party with a witch-hunting
under right-wing John Golding.
• For example, when the leadership ol unions like the TGWU, GMBATU an
voted for the witch against Militant, despite the votes their own conferences against any witch hunt. Fleet Street on that occasion held
moderation and democracy.
OF — IN Bolshevism.
all
which English
This
:0=-
sexist
Fleet Street is of course Fleet silent about democracy in other parts
of British society.
We haven't noticed any demands for a postal ballot or a referendum on whether to bring cruise missiles to this country, or whether to push the button to start a nuclear war!
Or what of those elected, like the House of Lords, who inherit powers over us? Faceless
And what of that whole array of establishment elected but make most of the vital decisions which affect our lives
are bankers, the faceless people who
industry and finance, the judges? And what about the owners and editors of WaSS circulation are they going to be elected?
So perhaps we ought to be a little cautious about Feet street's concert for democracy. more democracy for movement they do it in a very particular same way
but he establishment and the pres establishment and favour the postal ballot for the simple reason that at home workers hear only baron one voice the
Money speaks through the newspapers, irough une television, unrouga specia management circulars, through a hunhunt dICU
which the workers movement cannot possibly rival.
In their homes workers cannot hear contending arguments, and above all cannot put their own point of view in
strangel!
There are voting ballots
who are not that the
OI the
figures who are never
run bosses.
newspapers? When
When they propose
the workers'
- not more democracy in general,
the press
vote money.
devices
overthrow bureaucrats
argument and denis!
What is the atternate: Tet rani: union reform is to marimive partripa tion and discussion with voting
many Rays in can be organised - branch workplace ballots. conferenc votes. But it is around conference vote:
participation the union membership is most fully reflected.
The lett in the unions has to figh for the most democratic possible conduct of union conferences. Discussion:
motions local level. and the mandating of delegates is vital.
In general, voting after a discussion with the right to put contending views i always more democratic than a postal vote dominated by the media and the
Democracy
If any rival point of view to Flee Street's is heard during a postal ballot, it is onlv the voice or the union barons who the press vilify. Rank and file workers never get a look in.
And that is the real reason that Fleet Street favours the postal ballot. Not to clip or silence the union baron's power, but to use it for their own ends.
This is not democracy; it is a travesty of democracy. We should resist the postal ballot and use our own kind of democracy the democracy of the workplace and the meeting hall, to challenge and
both the union and Fleet Street, Whitehall and the City barons.
Socialist Action 22 July 1983 7
Page 8 scan of this page
NICARAGUA four years of revolution
8 A TINY COUNTRY of just three million people has become a focal point in world politics.
that country, led by the revolutionary Sandinista Front for (FSLN) overthrew the pro-American dictator Somoza, and swept out his murderous National Guard.
people of Nicaragua as the revolution has deepened and consolidated. But in July 1983 the Nicaraguan revolution is under siege — not from the people but from the remnants of the Somoza's national guard, from the Honduran army and above all from the United States.
Nicaraguan revolution tionary process throughout Reagan is determined to destroy it.
Nicaraguan revolution.
Somoza turned Nicaragua into his
fiefdom. His family ruled the country from 1936 he
ower after the death o nis uncle in 1967
But post-war economic growth and partial ur-
Screwed new working class and middle
strained by the personal rule of the Somoza dvnasty and his praetorian Na-
After the earthquake
valineud 1970 Somoza stole virtually all the aid funds. A new middle class opposition crystallised around the Democratic Liberation Union (UDEL) in 1974.
The assassination of opposition leader Pedro Chamorro in 1977 led an explosive growth of opposition.
From the beginning of 1978 the FSLN began armed actions against the regime. The FSLN's final offensive took place bet-
March and July 1979.
The National Guard mounted determined resistance. he fight tor
Socialist Action 22 July 1983 Four years ago this week the people of
National Liberation
Four vears have brought immense gains to the The US knows full well that the example of the
has spurred the revoluCentral America.
Here, PHIL HEARSE looks at four years of the
power was completed by a week-long insurrectional uprising Managua, which Somoza's troop resisted bv anuscotale bombing raids against the WUIKLIE class barrios Tens of thousands were killed. Armed
The FSLN formed a 'Government Junta of National Reconstruction' (JGNR). While the FSLN were in a small minority in the Council of State, they held sway in the government "junta' despite the presence of bourgeois opposition figures lIKe Violetta Chammorro and Altonso Robelo
Among the first acts of the revolutionary government was the creation of huge public sector of the Decree no 3 of the JGNR decreed tionalisation of the finance system and in industrial, agricultural and commercial enterprises belonglag to the Somocistas.
But a large private s c-
FSLN fighter during 1979 uprising
tor was allowed to stay in
The FSLN existence. tempted to use the private
re-build the economy, while keeping
bourgeoisie Lilli supervision and control.
At the top of the Sandinistas' agenda has been
of the re-moachlg state apparatus, basing
all organised and armed people
In addition to the half-million strong Sandinista militia, led at the time • O| its founding by Eden Pastora WHO a How deserted to the revolution the government created the CDSs, ine Sandinista Defence Committees. Literacy
Based on the local network
Fi callisations created during the fight against Somoza, the CDSs are responsible for the organisation of local securily. organisation, education, propaganda,
communly WORK and so on.
addition the Sandinistas created a network of other Hass organisations, the most important
which were Ine dinista Workers Federation (CST), the wortel s
organisation (AMLAE)
and the Sandinista Youth
Movement.
In the spring and sum-
FSLN leader Ortega speaks in front of portrait of Sandino
of 1980 the FSLN launched the Literacy Campaign. One hundred thousand volunteer youth and students were sent to une countrysiac In tempt wipe out il. literacy. Apart from literacy being an immense
.to economic reconstruction, the camPaign was a nuge process of politicisation and self-
Despite aid Cout offs, despite cut-backs
War threat grows
Nicaragua.
States.
on behalf of imperialism.
The
their rule.
The counter-revolutionary
since January of this year.
Sports and despite the cost of financNicaragua's ot huge foreign debt, great social progress has been recorded.
Food consumption has
since Somoza's time. ent
since Somoza's time literacy has fallen from over 50 per cent to around 12 per cent. rree Dublic medical and dental care is available Lose WINU need it.
HONDURAS is preparing for war against
The country has an immense foreign debt — and the debt repayments are financed almost entirely by the United
General Alvarez, the country's strong man, went to the US last month and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour for services to
That 'service' is the decision to go to war
difficulty of using US combat troops makes the use of a surrogate vital. The oligarchy in Honduras realise that in any case the advance of the revolution in Central America threatens
The revolutionary FMLN in Salvador is on the advance and looks invincible, unless US combat troops are sent. The most decisive blow that the US could strike would be to overthrow the FSLN
'contras have been carrying out an offensive over the border
But this has been thrown back and defeated. Now, roads are being built to carry Honduran military vehicles to the
Nonetheless the economy is still beset by problems. The first blem which the Sandinistas had to confront
sabotage the private sector the clonelly
During the first two years of the revolution immense amounts of currencv were illegallv sent out of the country. Industrialists and farmers refused to invest or to maximise cultivation of the land The FSLN has been forced into harsher and harsher measures to stop these abuses
As the revolution has gone more and more in a socaust orrector. secuon. of the bourgeois oppost-
somoza nave gradually split away from
creasingly in counterrevolutionarv direction
The first defection came in March 1980 when Robelo and Chammorro left the government This was the response of sections of the bourgeoisie to the laws against economic sabotage and decapitalisation.
In April 1980 the FSLN that it would take a working majority in the Counci State, to revolutionarv hegemonv in the state apparatus.
Crisis
Robelo's MDN (Nicaraguan Democratic Movement) was trying to break any alliance between the Sandinista and sections of the bourgeoisie. Despite these events, the employers federation, the COSEP,
LOOK the Council of State in Iviay 1900.
Throughout the summer of that year, the anti•Sandinista bourgeois intensified its campaign. It culminated with a series of
strations Novembe supported by the MDN the Church and the COSEP.
border.
pis. Honduras has just instituted a mitary cal
up.
When Honduras goes to war,
push over. Its fighting forces are smaller anc
less motivated than those of Nicaragua. But the
Hondurans will have superiority.
Their crucial disadvantage is that they will be
if tittie emplebers a network of points
members, organisations prepared to fight to the end. One military asset Nicaragua does have — a rifle fol nearly every adult member of the population.
revolution is international solidarity. The labour movement must be prepared to act decisively against any all-out attack on Nicaragua
can be a powerful demonstration of the Britist
abour movement against the US plans for Cen tral America.
International
demonstration in Managua on 9 November which was banned by the FSLN. MDN offices . were sacked by Sandinista youth. On 12 November the bourgeois tatives left the council of state
The crisis reached its crescendo November when Jorge Salazar, COSEP vice-chairman, was shot deac by Sandinista police while trying to smuggle arms in to the country. Two days later in response an FSLN appeal 100,000 peo. ple took to the streets of
Managua. Mass mobilisadon ac calcu unc countci revolullonary call•all.
Aid
The last two years of the revolution have been characterised by a deepening class polarsation, lul ther inroads into the
of private capital, and above all the massive escalation of the imperialist build up against the country
Nicaragua has far from overcome the quences 'under. development' The berlanst economic squccrs on the country and the huge foreign debi have made the development of industry very difficult.
Nicaragua needs massive foreign aid to sustain the investment process
Cuba has given substantial aid
But here and now, the vital question is the very survival of the revolution. After the devastation the war waged by 1 Somoza against •FSLN Nicaragua faces a war with Hondura
backed by the United States.
Despite all difficulties and setbacks the Nicaraguan people know that the revolution has laken lnem a glan sle! forward. Its gains will not
• surrendered vader without a bitter fight to the end Alvarez will soon take possession of fighter and armoured vehicles from the
it will be no
the advantage of air
network popular
The key weapon above all of the Nicaragua
As a start, the 11 September demonstratior
Page 9 scan of this page
REVIEWS
I'VE NEVER understood the popularity of Chariots of Fire. I struggled to stay awake as our heroes puffed bravely away for god, king and John Gielgud.
athletes — this time women. It doesn't offer the for-
to-run-or-not-to-run on the Sabbath.
for what it's worth, it certainly kept my attention.
Young aspiring runner Chris (Mariel Hemingway)
successful pentathlete Tory - short for Victoria! — (Patricia Donnelly). They strike up an intense relationship lovers, friends and cocompetitors.
The film takes us through their four years together. Much time and energy is devoted to developing Chris as all athlete of Tory's calibre.
1 ne relanonsmp Is lallly conventional it is all consuming, self-absorbed but also satisfying and supportive.
But eventually the tensions of the inequalities in the relationship cause it to
Chris collabst. becomes independent and confident as an athlete and as a person,
Tory feels threatened. She becomes jealous demanding. They split up in bitterness and slience
Despite the disgusting advertising for the Ilm -'How can you compete in Indonesia, Peter Weir's film tells two stories.
Guy,
reporter, is on his first big
His sincere
warmth extends to faking
defeat in a swimming race, losing to the true Brit
military attaché who
played the bagpipes while
embassy burnt.
But Guy's liberal con-
cern is slave to his ambition and Willingly
betrays his lover to get a
scoop on arms shipments,
said to be destined for the
communists. There
The thrill of victory — Patrice Donnelly, Mariel Hemingway and Jodi Anderson in 'Personal Best'.
Personal best
Persona! Best is also a film about two competing
midable background of Cambridge University. It doesn't ponder over such lofty moral dilemmas as
And you can bet it won't win eight Oscars. But
with a body you've already surrendered to your opponent' - the relationship is portrayed with surprising sensitivity.
Reviewed by Pam Singer
The weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the women are handled very sympathetically, even through Tner break-up.
This alone makes the film worth seeing.
But Hollywood being Hollywood couldn't leave it at that. Enter what's-his• I honestly don't Chris's new lover. He's a handsome non-clily who adds nothing to the story His gratuitous addition to the plot conveys the insiduous final message that, really, relationshit with Tory was all very well Now that Chris is a grown-up,
Year of living dangerously
SET against the rise and fall of the Sukarno regime
The least interesting has a hero and a happy ending in a rerun of the very worst newspaper movies.
sunset reunion Guy flees from his own confusion and the confusion of the counter-revolution in Jakarta.
Reviewed by Martin Collins
He leaves collegones
ford an sae had to die,
Salt haven Saigon in 1965.
But the real star of the film, the guy who has set
she's ready for the 'real thing'
Tory's reaction 'He's kind of cute • for a guy!' - just about sums it
There is much discussion in the film about the "killer instinct needed for competitive sports. But the competitors are all very supportive and
GAYNE IS GOOD FORYO
An illustration from a cartoon thriller called
ton. diminutive all Guy's breaks,
photographer, Billy portrayed by Linda Hunt.
Through Billy, WC oCC the misery of people whose destiny no longer lies in shadow puppets of navalcot mysticism but in
puppets of a more powerful evil.
A people whose spirit is ground down and whose bodies are sold for money. Sukarno seemed to offer a new hope. We are lifted as a gravel lorry is overturned to provide rocks enough to for all to stone the United States embassy.
The clandestine Com-
comradely.
Even when their frustrated male coach tries
set up competitive suspicion and distrust between Chris and Tory, he doesn't succeed.
Yes, it's the predictable heterosexist cop-out. But as a positive attempt treat women seriously, it's worth a glance.
Stanley and the Mask of Mystery by David ShenPublished by Gay Men's Press, £3.50 munist Party of Indonesia has hit lists drawn up has no intention of of tak-
murdered. His banner, un-
feed your people!' As h lies dying Sukarno, turned
arives past l d
it was 'the danger-
For Billy and thousands more, there was no escape. Definitely a film to look out for.
Letters
Greenham protest
WE FELT we had to write to Socialist Action to protest strongly at the absence of coverage of the week-long blockade at Greenham in the issue of the paper coinciding with the action.
The national press were clearly determined to only give the events at reemen coverage, always emphasising the success of the police tactics.
It was a pity that Socialist Action, which has had a high reputation for consistent reporting on Greenham, could only
END, where
we stand
THE British coordinating committee for European Nuclear Disarmament has recently convened a constitutional conference with a view to establishing a permanent organisation
As founders of this committee, , we have therefore had to decide how to relate to the new
We have vi callisallul considered this carefully, and it is our agreed decision not to participate further in the work of
We feel that a structured British organisation of this kind Goes not flave all! particular function. There exists arcoicoculaLIve international committee for European Nuclear Disarmament in the daison Committee which convenes the European
Nuclear Disarmament Conventions.
There are also a . variety of other international coordinating mechanisms, grouping both general and particu ar interests
At home, in Britain, it is difficult to see what the new grouping will seek to do that is not already being covered by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament or other specialist bodies.
When we established the co-ordinating committee it was agreed that it would offer no
organisations, and that it served only to present the idea of European Nuclear Disarmament to the peace movements as they already embodied themselves
The initial project when we need car an idea, not an elaborate apparatus. Such a structure absorbs purposes. energies anc resources which might
manage one short article on page five
we tell tnal tne event. at Greenham merited the front page, but if not, they at least deserved a high level of coverage inside the paper
While we do not think that blockades are the answer to stopping the missiles this does not justify ignoring them wiel wey occur:
Particularly when no other forces in CND or the labour movement are organising any other kind of action against the
Indeed, the week of better by deployed for
without actually advancing the cause tor which the committee was originally established.
proposed to create will be a purely British organisation, and obviously this cannot aspire to direct a European movement. • Many of the members of the British committee do not seek any such European role, but there is sufficient ambiguity about the proposals to cause unnecessary confusion
The strength of END in Britain lies in the many groupings to which it has given birth. These now have an independent life as the europear perspective within the overal disarmament movement and as the British input to a growing range of European latera committees
It was always envisaged that lateral committees (of Churches, trade unions, women's groups, protessional
bodies) i would grow to torm links on a curopean scale, but it is not at all evident that such work of international liaison derives any practical support from a purely national framework.
there is a danger that such a
framework may lead its supporters into a decame l 'style of work, submitting 'expronouncements for real Calcula exchange and dialogue.
For these reasons, we
Socialist Action 22 July 1983 9 the blockades was just the time for Socialist Action to carry a serious article explaining its strategy for stopping cruise, in dialogue with the forces örganised around the blockades.
We hope that this absence of coverage is not the beginning of a trend in Socialist Action and that future events at Greenham will get the coverage they deserve LINDA WONGSAM, Jude Woodward, Kay Bastin, Martine Bonadona Manchester It doesn't. See SA no 18
NOPORSTU
KLETTERSTU
END leader EP Thompson do not wish to continue our formal association with the British END committee now that its character has been changed.
However, we remain al all limes reaay le exchange ideas with others interested in the original aims of the END Appeal, and will maintain all our contacts with the regional, local and lateral
groupings with whom we
have been privileged to carry on joint work up to
The Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation Racism election issue
THE general election confirmed the fact that
the Labour Party made a colossal mistake in using
mass unemployment as
the main issue. It ought
to have made racism the main issue and the result
would have been very
enlightening
ALBERT ELDER, Eastbourne
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action
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A TOUR around the
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PICKET
LINE
work HEALTH authorities will be another government circulal telling them how they can privatise services such laundry, cleaning and catering.
John Patten, parliamentary secretary
for health, unveiling the CuCuar chanengca
amate unions to give ex
amples
WIiCT privatisation didn't work.
Well, Mr Patten:
• St. Stephen's Hospital, London domestic services contract ended due to bad supervision and management
• St. Albans City -Dick Turpin rides again THE FIRST government service Gloucestershire to go private will change hands later this
Wages will be slashcycaf • ed and there are fears that dozens of jobs could be at risk.
Catering and housekeeping at the Fire Service Training College in Noreon-ln-Varsi will be taken over by Grandnel ou 30 August. , 140 workers are affected and they have been invited to apply for jobs with
Grandmet. There however, no guarantee that they will get them.
I nose Slaylng on will Grandmet will see their Nving standards lal Dack to 1975/76 levels. Most wil sutter cuts in pay of between f20 and f30 per week
The Home Office, the ministry responsible for the training college, is expecting to pay out between £150,000 and £200,000 in redundancy payments. That will only compensate most
ON 13 JULY demonstration of • over 150 healthworkers from all over Manchester occupied a Regional Health Authority meeting discussing the closure of the Jewish Hospital - a small local hospital which originally just served the Jewish community, but now is open to all.
The Jewish is one of several small hospitals facing partial closure, 'change use the area. All the workers nave been promised ioh. elsewhere but as one health worker put it 'jobs are like biscuits, there to
IN AN interview for a job at the Smith's Foods factory Swansea divorced was
wonlas questioned depth about care arrangements for her teenaged son.
Eventually the interviewers offered a job saying that as her son was 13 they were confident that
WOltd not be unreliable.
They added that they
Diary/In the Unions
Privatisation doesn't
domestic services conyet tract cancelled owing to
poor work quality
• Lister Hospital, Hert-
fordshire - laundry con-
tract cancelled and giver
to NHS laundry which the was cheaper
• Paddington and
North Kensington
AulnorIu saved
£100,000 by going inCROUSC
For another 16 ex-
alllolc ingham NALGO Health get the Birm-
Branch Pamphlet Profi
out of Health, , price £1
Avallahlé from 6h
Floor, ,Trafalgar House, Paradise Circus, Queensway, Birmingham,
2BQ.
those who stav for les than twelve months. As Luc moncy ruIo oue • LIC| living standards will fall dramatically.
The Managing Direc. tor of Grandmet Catering in London none other than Mr Dick Turpin. 'His name fits his job' said Jack Dromey, the national officer for the Public Services lrade Groun of the Transport and General Workers' Union WILOS members at the. college is, are affected
.The IGWU has written to the new Home Secretary, Leon Brittan, asking him to intervene.
protest has been supported by the Fire Brigades Union. The matter is also to be raised
parlamentar. group of the TGWU in the House of Commons
'The first Dick Tur Rowadays the weapouns used the fear . the dole Times may have changed but robbery doesn't', said Jack Dromey.
Manchester hospital
all heathe
heads health-
JO0 loss
of North Manchester
premises for mass ICCLY of health-
or
But the
(Kay 'ASTMS
No mothers at Smiths
were not taking on any more women with young children in line with Tory plans for the family to encourage mothers to
stay ft came
Canned through this policy would mark an about-turn for Smith! who have relied heavily on a female workforce in the JaSL
(A Smiths worker)
Page 11 scan of this page
Save Marylebone
In the Unions
ERPELL SIBIN
Photo: JOHN HARRIS
CONSION SI
10 т
. T workers on the march against Serpell
WORM'S
EYE
VIEW
SEL
Eye of the beholder
reader,
study the accompanying
picture careruly. and
form your own judge-
ment
depicts. According
Times it's
'Police dealing with
demonstrators
Yops deaths
AS LAST WEEK'S TV
Eye revealed, , there have
You been Ipportunis
Opportunities
schemes, including seven
last year.
In nearly every case,
the employer was found
to be at fault, and fined a
couple of hundred quid.
of the accents
have been truly horrify
and it barell old
youth killed aided by
Joan Maynard MP
- 1S
bringing legal Casc
Walton jail'.
The Guardian 'Police tackle
outside Walton goal'. For once the Jun was a little more accurate: 'Copper puts the boot in'.
against Norman Tebbit.
The Manpower Services Commission. while 'regretting' any Lundic accluenls, that nevertheless the YOPs schemes are twice as safe as the rest of in dustrv. Which is evident. ly not something to. be proud of.
Meanwhile the number of factory spectors continues to be cut to save money - but obviously not lives.
LONDON TRANSPORT DIST
Honour VETERAN Trotskyist Charlie van Gelderen will be 70 in couple of weeks time. In order to honour this event, the South African ment has once again included him in its recently published list of 'banned persons'.
The 'banned' list which prohibits just about everything cluding the publication
writings those listed, _ Is a very select honour — only about 35 people out of South Africa's thousands of exiled opponents.
True story
YOUR friendly Socialist Action journalist wandering down Upper
Street, with, let it be said, no more evil intention than that of going in the Hare •anO Hounds
nubishancosted behold
accostec policewoman.
'Excuse me sir' says she. "They've got me at last' thinks he. 'We were wondering whether you would like to step inside the police station to join an identity parade'
Questions flashed
mind. Who was the 'we'
WCIC wondering such a thing? And why me?
Gradually, the truth dawned. "This wasn't a special invitation to me arranged bv the Commis sioner It was just that when Upper Street police station run out of line-up fodder they send young policewomen (my inquisitor couldn't have
more than 20) to been lure in the punters.
must sav was sore
ly tempted, but eventual-
iv declined the kind of-
despite the 'Oh, go
on' banter trom mv
If you get picked
OUL. vOu IC knicked regardless. recent events we all know And allyway given
bit too much about what goes on Upper
Street nick, don't we
THE THREATENED closure of Marylebone sta-
their fight to save the industry.
aim to rationalise the system, increase productivity in preparation for eventual privatisation.
Whether the British Rail Board talks about flexible
LOSECTILE olIc person operation of trains 'open station' the closure of depots and lines it all adds up to one thing massive Job losses.
years.
But this is
depot at
grade. can 160
depot be absorbed elsewhere especially
sure the remains
Our in Ilay Geoff
No.1 National of
callic speak at an open
meeting.
We stop closure
same fight
the report which the
which
LuvOlVe.
Marylebone NUR. the
union ASLEF, branches along the Marylebone lines, and Paddington NUR.
tion means that the rail unions will have to step up
workers are at the sharp end of the government's
We also have links with London Transport Underground workers on our line who are also faced with cut-backs and TorY loss through the scheme to take London Transport out of the control of the Greater London councl.
By Jane Austin
the • Labour building
pattern wider response the rail
BR has
break' venture. Sealink, Fare and profitable
line
tracting out track
and the
in-
The assault on the has been
any
had Guards at
track on the MarchSpalding And the NUR General
Socialist Action 22 July 1983
Station!
Meeting voted for industrial action against Serpell, against the British Rail engineering closures
further ductivity and one person operation deals.
Solidarity must
organised with workers in all depots under attack. We must link up at every level with other public sec-
unions workers in STIEST Telecoms, SATISI Steel and the miners.
THE FIRST blow was
struck last week
against the
ment's plans to take
London Transport out
of the Greater London
Council's control.
The GLC
Transport Committee
has sucessfully
nominated five new
part-time members
onto the LT Board -
all Labour supporters
thus giving the
GLC a veto on the
Board.
By Judith Arkwright
(NUR)
The new committee
members are now placed
in the firing line for the
government's plan to set
up a regional transport
authority with their own
Hopefully the new will also
pose LT chief executive
11
The timid, disunited and bureaucratic response of the TUC in the lasi veroo las presented no challenge to the Tories
with the Accollalul Tories will not halt the at-
There must be no more trade-offs by rail union leaders between jobs and productivity deals or bonuses The Dosses never content with this, will return for more
GLC veto on London
Transport Board
Dr. Keith Bright's three
plan for London ycal Transport, which cludes the loss of 6000 jobs and the proposal to privatise certain bus routes.
Unfortunately for LT workers aspects of these proposals are already be-
ing implemented by the
back-door with the sacking of at least 25 workers on the Underground alone to various petty disciplinary
Indeed transport committee's
plan for London OWI Transport no alter. native, as it puts forward the need for a reduction of the workforce.
The new Board
members and the Labour
Group the GLC should come out with a
clear policy of no cuts or
against privatisation, if the
Teals will tans the workforce and the public against the Tories' plans.
Page 12 scan of this page
French union leader Edmund Maire with Walesa MARTIAL LAW is to be lifted in Poland, but the repression against Salidarity and all forms of opposition to the regime is to continue.
General Jaruzelski and his 'Military Council for National Salvation' which took control in December
lift the harsh martial law regulations in a bid to normalise relations with their Western creditors.
By Davy Jones
But don't be fooled by this slick public relations move, nothing is really going to change. At the same time as lifting martial law Lilc Polish parliament being asked to approve series repressive bills which give the government.
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Repression
continues in
Poland
similarly sweeping powers to martial law. which will last till the end of 1985 include lic Oullawillg of independent restrictions on intellectuals and students, making participation banned organisations like Solidarity a criminal offense subject to imprisonment, and a reiniorcement laws against 'anti-state activities'
As former Solidarity Walesa comencer ceci 'If were to menica. choose between regulations and martial law i would take martia
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law. I can only hope that society will not allow Enls to be imposed.' say the Western banks and governments nave no sucr qualms about the Polish bureaucrats regulations: In their haste to reestablish 'normal' economic - relations with Poland the rights of the workers are a small consideration. So much for Reagan and Thatcher's 'concern' for Solidarity.
The real friends of the Polish labour movement are the workers of other countries. Let hear Solue voices protest against the repression by the Polish bureaucrats frọm vul Labour lefts! SPECIAL
OFFER
book in the 'Arguments for Socialism' series by Bob Sutcliffe. The book normally costs £2.50.
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Fire inquest.
longed period of choking.
Nicholas suffered from periodic attacks of violent insanity, the Cause which remained a mystery
When TONS wasn't ill, though, he was described by members oi
pleasant. telligent person.
Violent
On the day of his death he suddenly became violent while watching Iv with his niece. She, not knowing his attacks, investigation into the
police custody
THE INQUEST into the death of Nicholas Ofusu, a Ghanaian who died in police custody in May this year, ended last week. The verdict was 'misadventure'. The Coroner was Dr Arthur Gordon Davies, coroner to the royal household and of the Deptford
Medical evidence revealed that Nicholas had died by 'drowning in his own vomit', and that his death was likely to have taken some time — a pro-
became very frightened
By Tim Wright
Ultimately she ended up on the balcony of their seventh flat, screaming and calling for They arrived the police arrested and handcuffed Nicholas Ofusu and took him away laid flat on his stomach on the floor of a transit van. It was in the yall that he began to vomit.
Police accounts claim that his vomiting was Colin Roach demo - the inquest jury called for a police
treatment of death
SOCiAList
ACTiON
Another death in
slight. But by the time they reached the police station
and
W di close to death. Attempts to revive him failed.
Evidence
The evidence of most of the witnesses was that the police had not acted with excessive violence
Gary Young, • fe claimed that the police had acted with a lot of unnecessary violence had held Nicholas tightly by the neck and flung him into the flat block lift.
Gary was viciously attacked by the coroner who claimed that the unsigned statement he given was 'suspect, untrue and malicious'
The jury were instructed to ignore his
The Nicholas READERS of Socialist Action know about the Colin Roach case, where the inquest jury into his death at Stoke Newington police station called for a police investigation into the treatment of the death.
One notorious case of such an investigation may be of interest.
By Jeff Charlton
Five years ago Mr and Mrs White, elderly black couple were charged with police assault and later acquitted. In May last
the end of a long legal battle, Whites were awarded £51,000
Mr Justice Mars-Jones said the officers involved in the raid on the White's home were guilty of 'monstrous, wicked and
Photo: GM COOKSON shameful conduct'.
Also, 'the most favourable view of the conduct of these officers is that they over-reacted and subjected Mr White to excessive, unreasonable and unnecessarv force.
'Taking a less charitable view they assaulted this defenceless man in his own home and beat him up in a brutal, in-
Ofusu Inquest demonstrated, as the Colin Roach Inquest before it, inal tne coroner s systen works to prevent the truth Deme CONC death in police custody.
The coroner has complete power to decide what evidence presented before the court, and is able to discredit evidence which malpractice. if the Police
Bill becomes law we may be sure that the numbers of deaths in police custody will rise dramatically.
Inquiry
The need for the black community and the labour movement to challenge the verdicts of the coroners' courts and to demand full and independent public inquiries will become ever
Police 'monstrous
and wicked'
human way with the object of inflicting pain and injury on him'
As a result of the case Scotland Yard's Com
Investigation
Bureau looked into the in cident.
compiled hefty files of material afte! a year of delving into the action of the 17 police officers involved.
The chief officer in charge complaints against Hackney officers, Chiet Superintendent Alan Burgess, was
thought that the investigation should be done by an outside body.
Thorough
He refused to answer, saying it was a political decision. But, defending
complaints oresenl procedure, he said:
"The investigation of any complaint is So
and exhaustive that I cannot see any outside body doing it better
The result of the White investigation that : the Director of Public Prosecutions decided that there was less than a 50 per cent chance of i seting, - prosecution
wicked and Shameful' 17!
← Socialist Action No. 18, 15 July 1983Socialist Action No. 20, 29 July 1983 →