Socialist Action No. 41, 20 January 1984
The scan: 041-jan-20-1984-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
MODERN
TIMES
HiL Reagan's for world peace? The next thing we'll hear that Kinnock backing
Wus Benn
No. 41 20 January 1984 30p
TONY
BENN
MUST
WIN!
THE CHESTERFIELD bye-election will be the most important for twenty years.
It will be important because it will be the first bye-election since Thatcher's victory last June. It will be important because it will be the first opportunity to test Labour's surge in the opinion polls.
And it is even more important because the candidate will be Tony Benn.
This is not a question of the personality of one individual or his ideas. Tony Benn chose his words very well when he said after being selected, I am the standard bearer for
SoCiAList
ACTION
Chesterfield.'
The Labour movement as a whole is infinitely more important than dividual member. whether the Labour movement wins or loses its strug gles depends quite literally the future of democracy, peace, and social justice in Britain.
What is at stake in Tony Benn's campaign is not his politics alone. forced to agree with all Tony Benn's views.
But what is at stake in Chesterfield is an attempt by the Tory Party and the capitalist press to wipe out socialism as a legitimate ' Labour in political current
editorial
any in-
On
cess.'
No-one IS
and protection.' and
political subject in Britain.
The Sun said this is its
on Tony Benn's selection, We wonder if, on his record, he has any real role in our democratic pro-
The Times was more Labour sophisticated when it called defends the for, 'the eventual extirpation from Labour politics of the kind of politics known as Bennism. Labour must, ties, that is to say, discard the rag-bag of leftist, Militant and Trotskyite attitudes to Nicaragua, which Mr Benn, from his position inside the party's left wing establishment has world. been willing to give shelter That,
But all the phrases come
Save our cities.
Demonstration against the
abolition of the GLC and the
Metropolitan councils
Assemble 11 am 24 January, Speakers Corner
Speakers include Ken Livingstone, Frances Morrell
down to the same thing.
There is, unfortunately, no threat in Britain today from the Militant, Trotskyites, Marxists and so on - and the Times knows this.
But there is a threat of a Party which NGA, which wants all nuclear bombs and bases out of Britain, which defends democratic liberwhich opposed the Malvinas war and which opposes American action in EI •Salvador, Lebanon and a whole series of similar places in the
whether he wanted it or not, is very largely what Tony Benn has
come to represent for millions of people in Britain. And that is why the Sun, the Times, and the whole of Fleet Street will be running the most hysterical campaign in the last twenty years to make sure Tony Benn loses in Chesterfield.
And that's why Tony Benn must win. Not as an individual. Not as the 'darl ing of the constituencies'as the press so charmingly puts it. Not even as defender of particular ideas.
But because a victory for Tony Benn in Chesterfield will be a great victory for Labour and for every Socialist in Britain.
Page 2 scan of this page
No expulsions!
2 Reagan's 'thaw gimmickery
rived: newspeak.
what it actually says.
that the underestimate our strength or
opposite.
agression, the
long time. based on violence safe for the doctor or threatened by militias.
by Reagan's anti-communist crusade.
the danger
nuclear warheads a day
ble
with'. No one should be taken in
Central America,
should be
resort
Sandinistas some other way.
re-elected Reagan can
smashing liberation and
weapons.
warmongers.
movement.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN
last week of December.
editorials.
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
ACTiON SOCiAliSt
LAST MONDAY night Ronald Reagan showed that one aspect of Orwell's 1984 has ar-
distortion language to mean the exact opposite of
In his 'peace through strength broadcast Reagan argued: 'America's deterrence is more credible and it is making the world a safer place, safer now there is less danger
Soviet leadership
our resolve'. The truth unfortunately is the
Because of the United States' massive armaments drive and world-wide military
world is a much more dangerous place than it has been for a very
In the first place it is much more dangerous for anyone in the third world who has the temertty to question the domination of a social order
and exploitation.
Salvadorean trade threatened by the death squads, the Nicaraguan
teacher under threat from the 'contras' or the Palestinian refugee in the camps
the murderous
All the reactionary forces in the world have had their military and politicat strength boosted
But the world is a much more place from a still more fundamental viewpoint. Reagan's Pershings and cruise missiles make
of nuclear war much greater. The United States is now constructing nine new
guaranteed, course, to make the world a safer place!
At the beginning of this election year, Ronald Reagan wants to make a tactical turn from being seen as an out-and-out hawk to being a reasonal-
person who the Russians can 'do business
On the very same day that Reagan made his
residential broadcast, his new chief advisor on
Henry Kissinger was saying openly that aid to El Salvador should not be tied to human rights improvements, and that force
used in Nicaragua 'only as a last — ie only if the US cannot overthrow the The tactics beings prepared for this election
year are a Reagan cover up — filled with 'peace through strength' rhetoric. After the elections, a
get on with the job of socialist movements and with stuffing the world with more nuclear
Next June the world economic summit, the
successor to Williamsburg, will be held in Britain
with Reagan in attendance. It should be used for
the most massive demonstrations against the
With the world's media present
this could be a tremendous blow for the peace
Published weekly except two weeks in August and the
Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily repre-
sent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in
for will The question on Tony
to say,
Trotskyist
CIL-Wille has been
Labour
tant meetings.
Much less
tant
unionist
Phalangist
the
dangerous
witch hunt.
was elected leader.
was local its real causes lie in national polities.
The Daily Mirror ran the expulsions on its front
June redone Militant plotters sackec
bia to oust an MP
Times editorialising Benn, linked this to the Militant
'the eventual extirpation from Labour politics of the kind of posture known as Ben-
'Labour must, that is
discard the rag-bag Jenast Villall allu attitudes which Mr Benn. Irom his position inside the party's
establishment, willing give shelter and protection.
The expulsions also follow the decision of the
Party year to ban sales of Mili-
al Party
Conflict
The expulsions firm the new tactics in the witch hunt which are being
pursued. The majority of
CLPs are today sufficiently against witch hunts that a centralised purge against
Militant or the left would
meet massive resistance in-
side the Party. Four fifths
of CLPs voted against the
expulsion of the five Mili-
editorial board
members at the Party con
ference. The witch hunt is
therefore being pursued in
two ways.
The first is to set up in Labour Party the
mechanisms for witch
expelled?
SIX SUPPORTERS of the Militant have been expelled from Blackburn Constituency Labour Party. JOHN ROSS looks at the background to the new
The expulsions are the most important witch hunt to be launched in the Party since Neil Kinnock
Blackburn is the first CLP to have expelled individual supporters of Militant.
However while the initiative for the expulsions
hunts to be pursued locally by right wing parties.
This was the meaning of the ban on sales of Mililant. It is also wny a new appeals committee been established NEC packed winders Neville Kenneth Cure, and Michael Witch hunter in chiet John Golding has also been appointed as Neil Kinnock's personal trouble-shooter.
This is the mecnanism which was set up to create cases like Blackburn. The six Militant supporters will appeal to the NEC.
raising
the paper.
newspaper revenue. comes down to one thing.
views in the Labour Party.
is!
Should Peter Keliner
NEC can t appeals.
ported
left.
sellllig
has Committee. by the wille with right ahead Hough, Roy Evans Hadden.
With
Militant's fund
ONE OF the chief charges against Militant Blackburn is that its supporters raise money for
This charge is pure hypocrisy. There is not a paper in Britain which can get by on income from sales. There are only two sources of income a
has to survive. One The second is fund raising from readers and suporters. With its political views Militant, needless to say, is not going to get the type ol advertising revenue from capitalist firms enjoyed by say the Guardian, the New Statesman or other publications of the Labour right.
The charge that Militant is acting improperly by raising money from its readers and supporters in which the bourgeoisie is prepared to advertise should be allowed to exist and campaign for their
A superb example of democratic socialism that
actually against
Militant Lallaulsill.
tion controls,
issues.
fought
have
Witch
News
majority the be confidently expectea to turn down lie
As the sole charge against the six expelled in Blackburn is that they sup-
Militant such NEC decision would be a green light for right wing CLPs to go ahead and expell Militant supporters -
well as otners on tic
The secona Dnase Il
generalised witch hunt is the role of the Labour Coordinating
right CLPs have expel Militan
this is still only a minority of parties. An expulsion of the left which had to be accompanied by disbanding
whole series of CLPS
vould still be too exper
ive for Kinnock and Ha
/ out The role of the LCC is therefore to break the left inside the CLPs.
claims to speak for the left Photo. Militan
Militant editorial board members leaving NEC meeting That only those papers the only force the LCC has
been organising the so-called hard left. If the LCC were to win control of CLP: away from the left then the way would be open for a central purge of the left.
Expelling individual supporters and
left wingers costs the NEC witch hunters no price
the LCC wins in the CLPs then the witch nunt can go
forward from localised ex-
hulsions to a central witch
stakes the
Blackburn expulsions are
therefore very high indeed.
Militant has undoubtedly
alienated many in the left
wing of the party by its sec-
undemocratic manipula-
of organisations
wing policies on many
But the politics of the
Militant are not the point.
These can and should be
against by
democratic means. To ac-
and witch puige
hunts in the Party will not
merely harm the left wing
but tear Labour apart. The
expulsions in Blackburn
be
throughout the Party.
Labour Against the Hunt and
CLPD conference, which
starts this weekend, should start that fight. Chief witch hunter John Golding
Page 3 scan of this page
News
Step
Sear
MAL
ORDER
Thank heavens CECIL Parkinson is probably quite pleased that
girl.
While the vast majority of procreating humanity apparently longs for boys, it will be less easy for the press to compare the child as it grows up WILd LS mOtoROuS Taner.
Sara's called the baby Flora Elizabeth after, her sisters, which leads me nicely mio tae lolowing joke...
Joke YOU'VE heard of a certain margarine for men?
Well
all alunlyuvus benefactor. donated the following joke to Male OTter
'I changed my husband to Flora, and now Out of order A WORD of warning to women wanting to go drinking in islington, especially if they dare to hold hand and kiss in OlBIL
ting in the Three Weat- Ju alt uz wee SIsheaves when they were approached by the pub manager who tried to
Sara Keays
he's sueing me in a lesbian custody suit!'
Do you KnOW good feminist jokes you've been keeping to yourself? Send them in and win popular acclaim (по, Inis is noi a new brand of car).
take their drinks off them because he found
benaviour 'offenSive • . He then had to be held off from attacking them when they challenged his right say how they should det.
The rest of the predominantly male,
trendy pub regulars joined in with thé abuse and threats.
ber i
Eventualh Liz and Jo were Kings Cross police on
making statements against their
awackes. Only to find that Liz was being arrested for being drunk and disorderly on orange juice!
Jo was told that she couldn't prosecute the bloke who her black eye, and when she persisted she was told by
nysenea inspector that she would have to exchange adresses will him first! Presumably that he could finish the job off.
They were eventually released at 5.00 in the
This is just one example of the narassment that lesbians face day in and day out for having the affrontery to be open about their sexuality, and refusing to conform to 'normal' heterosexual olalua ts, WUHCI should boycott the Three Wheatsheaves and make sure their sisters do the
preferably letsallic ting the manager know why! (Helen MacDonald) DRIVER. Send contribu- Compiled HILARY tions to reach us a week before publication to Male Order, Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1.
ing to combat Labour's inertia on racism.
Party should lead the fight against the Police Bill. BRITAIN IS a racist society. Labour Party members are afraid to face up to their racism, and afraid to confront prejudice within the CUllmunity.
National politicians made fine-sounding speeches, look on the ground not a DIRE when yUu
lot's changing.
Black people
among the most disadvantaged sections of the community. They live in the worst nousing and have job prospe es. They sulted worst education police harassment and day to day racism.
More black brothers and sisters are joining the Labour Party. looking for tangible support for the struggles of the black communits. But oftes there's a
[arBoret ID Berbership becaese Bo sia tac presence is iggored.
Is the ead they tara off political activity.
But the
Olily THE & 4 A1 Frie*
IS TUSE I SHINE E the the suffis! of dee onginal
Pick ae.. i to grass no: rampags like the Vewham a. Burue want to make sure it's not based just on local, grass TOOL involvement, but also national vlcansalon. like the trade unions and the NCCL
By Cecil Gutzmore (Secretary, National Campaign Against the Police Bill)
Reading the bourgeois press one gets the impression that major changes have been introduced in the new Bill. This is not so
The police discretion
searches remains. And the Bill gives the state the right
peruse confidential records for the first time
Far from regulating and defining police powers, as Metropolitan Police Commissioner
plays tck T
plays a trick. police wollL co sone oo sall or some obscure common law which allows police to do something everyone knows is wholly inappropriate
It ney argue that since the law is ill-defined and contains such minor outrages, should be regularised. The following
an example from the Home Office report justifying the Bill. In areas sur-
Labour must fight
• the Police Bill
RUSSELL PROFITT is one of Labour's few black councillors, and a leading member of the Black Acțivists Group within the party. The group is organis-
Russell told Socialist Action why the Labour Change in this country is by black people will
working in a political con-
WillI progressive
forces.
The struggle against
police harassment has
ucei warcra0eD
black people than by the
labour novellel The
Scrap Sus Campaign in the
70s increased awareness
that the police were pick-
ing on black youth using that black youngsters are disadvanlaged to criminalise them.
That issue has beer brought to the fore again by the Police Bill. It's yet another attempt manage rebellious youth the most rebellious etement of *hich is black youth. of course. That's
black Kading the campaign reais the Bill
Tee Labour Party isa't
Laborr MPs look a strad aquinest it first time roend.
It's sor au issae that strikes home to them.
Mugger's charter
In preT Bail to nez In IMpeR I iDIOter
sotlar.d there are provs rigorous searc:. o: Erode found there. io protes: ine eggs.
The Home Office tries say since such
powers exist, they should
be extended to the streets of our major cities!
everyone blacks, unionists, Greenham omen are as, nationalists groups most at risk
For example, the Bill links a provision for arrest and search to the 1936 Public Order Act. This will take place if a person
organised demonstration at which a breach of the taken place, or is organising demonstration which such a breach of the
peace might take place
You don't need mucl imagination to see that any event might be said by some ungenerous police officer to be such an occa sion. There is no limit to the people who might be affected given the powers and direction of the Bill.
From Commissioner Newman's point of view, the Bill fits nicely into his overall policing policy. He's developed certain ideas from
Lolliull! policing - the notion that the police should be assisted by the communities themselves
Socialist Action They have no direct experience of police brutality; none of their kids are criminalised and brutalised in the way that happens
They have no concep. tion what's lake.
That needs to be put right.
That's why we need more black people involved in all levels of the Labour Party.
Labour leader Neil Kinnock recently said the Bill should be 'heavily amended'. That's not enough. Such comments Plain clorhes police observing a demors Eco Trade unionists, blacks, Irish nationalists, gays, Greenham women - these are the groups most under theat from the Police Bill and argued that govern ment departments. like th Department of Education and local social services departments, should also be involved in spying on the community. All this would be done simply on
20 January 1984
depoliticise Ladernes
Party. If me manied s par
WIll Sals a
we'd have
something like tee :DP
Kinnock
recognise the
dimension of this strage
and speak fos
against it. or to ditale I. H
he can't do thai. de I inse
the suppor mise: pu
people in this contr
kader
speak for the peopte di ite
sharp end of the strage in this countr. aad iTME
demn the Police Bil
Yalla
police needs as they define them.
In all these ways, the Bill extends state encroachment into the rights
ordinary citizens. must be fought every inch of the way.
Page 4 scan of this page
Rate capping problem
IRELAND
UNFREE
Gifford report
indicts informer
tactic
PUBLICATION of Lord Gifford's report on informers should be highlight the absence of justice in the 6 counties and the irreformability of the state which inevitably throws up mechanisms.
The report — Supergrass, The Use of Accomplice Evidence in Northern Ireland was commissioned by the Cobden Trust. It claims that in the last analysis it is the judiciary who are responsible.
The system is guaranteed by judges turning blind eye to obvious abuses, just as they did in the 70's over Castlereagh. policy decision to adopt the informer tactic had been made by the RUC with political agreement at a ministerial level.
Jim Allister, DUP Chief Whip said Gifford's report relied on 'tittle-tattle' relayed to him by 'discredited terrorists'. It is true that in actually going to interview defendants, their lawyers and relatives Gifford broke with a certain status quo in the eyes of the loyalists who regard any such 'dabious elements' with suspicion.
Asked by journalists tow he could rely on the ase of men like Robert Lean — the informer who escaped from RUC custody to a Sinn Fein called press conference to denounce system and expose the ducements made to him — Gifford calmly replied he could see their point.
'But did they not see' he continued 'that it was evidence like this that has convicted 86 people in four supergrass trials in the past year and holds 200 people in custody awaiting trial'.
He added mischievously that he personally would not support the prosecution of any police officer for conspiracy to pervert the justice based on the uncorroborated testimony of a supergrass. Recommendations coming out of the report include — legislation making corroboration of accomplice evidence compulsory; the end of immunity deals offered to grasses; a maximum of ten defendants in any one trial, in the "Black trial, 35 were convicted.
In particular, Gifford focussed on the need to return to jury trials.
Diplock courts had been prejudicial in supergrass trials especially since the circumvention of pre-trial hearings — an unnecessary delay for the conveyorbelt-type legal system preferred.
Informers are not the 'converted terrorists' that the RUC claim. Men like Robert Lean are held against their will, bullied, and bribed into signing statements drawn up by the RUC against people they have never heard of.
Informer John Grimley, prestige as supergrass extraordinaire than 40 convictions for forgery, petty theit, sexual assault and robbery. After three attempts to join the British army under false pretences, doctors diagnosed him psychopathic.
After bumbling his way through his contradictory evidence scripted by the RUC, the judge was moved to admit he could 'place reliance on Grimley's testimony'. Nevertheless, it was sufficient in the eyes of the same judge to convict 11 people and hand out more than 50 years of prison sentences. the abuses of the so-called legal system in the North, the better. Only a democratic society can have justice. The legal system will be used to pursue the war against democracy as long preserved. Let's not make it easy for them.
Gifford's report makes an ideal subject for local Labour and trade union meetings which expose the barbarity of the Northern Ireland state.
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
used by Labour to
such self-protective
NCCL-sponsored
continuation of the 'supergrass'
alleged torture in Gifford also suggests that a the supergrass intimidation and incourse of He said that the no-jury before his had more
absolutely no
The more exposure given to
partition
THE TORIES' PLAN to abolish the Greater London Council and other Metropolitan Councils is very unpopular. It is rightly seen as an attack on local democracy and a political manoeuvre to avoid trying to vote the Labour authorities out of office. Another aspect democracy is the planned 'rate-capping' bill to stop councils putting up the rates above a certain level. However this piece of legislation looks like being a lot more popular. And that in a nutshell sums up a big problem of strategy and tactics for the Labour Left.
In recent years Thatcher has made it increasingly councils (usually Labourcontrolca even their present inadequate services. let alone to finance any expansion or improvements. Government subs oes mave eet cut and harsh penalties introduced wherebv councils lose up to f2 or £3 of grant for everv t they spend over central government's ceiling for expenditure.
This is all part of a cynical drive by the Tories to run down council services and lower working class living standards.
Debate has raged inside the Labour Party on how to respond to this. have been dreamed up to get around the problen
Creative accounting', clever cost-cutting oeuvres, and David Blunkett's plan to force the DHSS to pay higher rents for the unemployed Sheffield council tenants have all been investigated.
By Davy Jones (Islington South CLP)
Others have toyed with the idea of mass resigna. tions by Labour Councillors, but all too often the councils have fallen back on the easy option of putting up the rates. The result is that the rates have recently spiralled upwards way ahead of inflation • IT many Labour-controlled boroughs.
While it's true that rate rises hit working class people less rent rises, and that much of the rates fall on larger business and government offices, nevertheless big rate increases are an attack on working class living standards. And they are rightly unpopular with working people and small businesses as a result.
Rate rises discredit the Labour councils who im-
"When a French philosoph-
ical journal devoted an
entire issue to Anglo-Saxon
thought, the writer be
wildered the Oxford dons
by asking each of them
what they were doing
about the prisoners" H-block Me Guardian Walker
H-BLOCK?
H-BLOCK?
for Labour left
Thatcher's attack on local plement them people see them as "just the same as the rest' attacking living standards. They also pro viae an casy locus for op position to the progressive Lucasuits LaK CL U' SUllIC Labour councils to finance 'unpopular' causes such as black, wömen and gay community projects. Half sne outcry about these measures comes from basic racial and sexist prejedices, but the other half comes from people feeling that is the reason why their Tate. dic shooting up which it isn't.
Penalties
This year local Labour councils and parties are again faced with what to do about even bigger penalties and the threat that by next year the rate rise loophole will have been shut by the Tories through the planned rate. capping law. UnfortunateLabour the response of most cluding many good socialists on the left, is to sale, trous so his year, 'let's somehow mud-
and prepare for a huge battle with the Tories next year over rate-capping'. The argument goes that we neve to Conserve energy this year for next year's 'final showdown'
The problem that they are walking straight into the trap the Tories nave carefully laid them.
Because after a few years of big rate increases inflicted on them, local working people even on the estates where Labour's vote is strongest, will not take kindly to another big rise UnIs veal wine 'final showdown' is prepared. Another round of rate rises will be just the ticket for the Tories and completely undermine the chances of a mass campaign against 'ratecapping'.
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
NOT A CATEGORY WITH WHICH I AM IMMEDIATELY FAMILIAR....
OH! IRELAND! AH, YES, QUITE:. QUITE....
Who Will get thusiastic over a campaign to defend the right of local councils to keep putting the rates up?
to this trap, but it isn't easy. it's been made more difficult by the practice of Labour councils in recent years in putting up the rates rather than taking on the government. Such an alternative would mean a massive and thorough propaganda campaign in conjunction with the unions towards the local community to explain that tne Tories have stolen the
local services, causing improvements to be scrapped and services to deteriorate.
It would mean linking
N
10 BINS
For
nalgo
OFFICIAL
PICKET
¿ LEFTY FROG CAN COMF KAREND
with other councils across the country and national unions ir dinated protest campaign culminating in the refusal to cut services and a confrontation as the Tories try LE C .commissioners to make the cuts.
Support
Only a protest move. ment with massive support rooted in the unions and the communities could force the government to back coff some say unal such d confrontationist approach would not guarantee vic tory. But slow death through Dosing wuse in working class support
AUEW
Council workers in Bury fight privatisation and cuts in services
1 THINK THE PROBLEM 3 BASICALLY ARISES FROM A LINGUISTIC/SEMANTIC CONFUSION - OR TC § PUT IT IN TERMS THAT EVEN A JUMPED-UP
News
rate rises is a guarantee of
defeat.
Already • Liverpool
council have begun down
the road of confrontation
will une lones. some On
the left have criticised
them for 'going it alone'.
But the responsibility for
them stallull. alone lies
with those other Labour
councils and parties who
have failed to give a similar
fighting lead Or col-
laborate with Liverpool to
form a national campaign.
If Liverpool is left to
fight alone and is defeated
by Thatcher the right wing
Fi the Labour Party will
use its defeat to discredit
any idea of confronting
the Tories' attacks on local
government financing
nolg
OFFICI
PICK
BORING
WHEN CONTEMPLATINC ETERNAL VERITIES...
...WHO COULD CARE A TOSS ABOUT A FEW DEAD PADDIES?!?
Page 5 scan of this page
International
Britain
IF YOU are a telecommunications worker in El Salvador, you can be court martialed for taking industrial action.
'disappear' and lose your life.
Nine thousand trade unionists were last year.
ANAYA faces the horror of death and torture every day of his life for his trade union activity.
leading graphieal union of El Salvador and is touring Britain on behalf of the FSR - the revolutionary trade union federation.
He is accompanied by Rosa Rivas representative of
major federation Comite de Unidad Sindical - CUS. She is the secretary to the clandestine 'FUSS trade union federation in El Salvador.
They have been invited to meet general secretaries
from zel national mices
national unions and will have discussions with Labour leader Neil Kinnock, member of the Parliamentary Labour Party and Labour's NEC.
in three weeksus and
January, the and FSR delegation will speak at workplaces, union and trade council meetings in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Sheffield, York, Carsitt Manchester Sheffield, Swansea, and Birmingham.
Salvadorean trade
unionists visit
power, sewer, port or
If you are an active trade unionist you could
murdered El Salvadorean, print worker GERADO
member of the industrial
Miners' union president Arthur Scargill will join John Willats, National Granhica Association officer and the Fire Brigade's union general secretary Ken Cameron in a rally to greet the delegation to London.
By Sian Hughes
Throughout the tour Rosa and Gerado will collect messages of solidarity to take back to tel union rederatons They will culou are statements to the British and US administration calling for end of aid the Salvadorean the condemnation its human rights record and the reversal of Thatcher's plans send British
RALLY COME AND HEAR LEADING TRADE UNIONISTS
FROM EL SALVADOR Rosa Rivas a leading member of CUS, El Salvador's largest trade union federation Gerardo Anaya
a leading member of the graphical union of El Salvador
Arthur Scargill NUM President Ken Cameron FBU General Secretary Tony Benn Speakers invited from the executives of NUPE and NGA Monday 23rd January 7.30pm
County Hall (near Waterloo Station) London
Organised by the El Salvador Solidarity Campaign
US military advisor in Honduras ooservers the rigged
residential elections March this vear
The British labour movement will be asked to consider fact finding delegation to El Salvador to counter the disinformation of the Kissinger commission and Us advisers.
A fund raising appeal tor the zones under movement control will be
special
dus with be a. Topted be
this Will labour movement bodies and that much needed funds can be sent direct to El Savador in 1984. • If you are interested in hearing the Salvadorean Trace Coniuce the El Salvador Solidarity
29 Islington Campaign:
Park St, London NI for
of agenda.
Tel: 359 3976. • As a result of the tour it is hoped that funds can be sent to the FSR and CUS unions Salvador.
this happens, the £3000 plus costs of the visit have to be covered. Trade union and Labour Party branches and individual members can make risks of Rosa and Gerado's va wornwme ov cored ting money and sending it to ELSSOC, marked trade union tour.
likely to be repeated soon in El Salvador.
interests in the region.
As the coffins return trom the Lebanon. tear grow about Centra
People remember when over 50,000 US Vietnam wal soldiers were killed.
Reagan has now got a boost with the report of the bipartisan commission on Central America, headed Henry direct Vis This direct military intervention closer with the blessing of leading Democrats, like commission member Robert Strauss and right wing union leader Lane Kirkland
The commission mumbles about human TOOLS Du LIS is lus face-saver to cover up for US imperialism's aggression supported by Republican and Democrat commission members alike. Depend I lo will depend on Kissenger said how Central America comes out. It we cannot manage Central America
impossible T W1| convince threatened natons in the Persian Gulf and in other places that we know how to manage the global equilibrium'
The commission dorses this sayıng "The advance of Soviet and Cuban the American mainland affects the global balance'
It concludes by saying the US Congress and administration have failed to do enough militarily
and adds, "The worst possible policy for El Salvador is to provide just enough aid to keep the war going but too
US helicopter
the Nicaraguan border on 12 January.
observation flight. They say he was disorientated
and blown off course by bad weather conditions
sources believe that the helicopter crossed into
Nicaragua.
This confirms
helicopters supplying Contras inside Nicaragua.
Central America:
Kissinger
commission
UNITED STATES President Reagan woke up with a major headache in 1984. The Cuban revolution was celebrating its 25th year and its example has inspired revolutions in Grenada and Nicaragua now
As a matter of urgency, Reagan has to consider direct military intervention to maintain imperialist
But in election year such involvement faces mounting opposition as people contrast economic cutbacks at home with increased military spending.
little to wage successfully'. It recommends aid to Central American regimes of $ billion for the next five years.
The cosmetic clauses in the report about human rights can't hide the reality that these conditions apply after guaranteed years of uninterrupted aid increase to the El Salvador regime.
By Celia Pugh
Kissinger has already opened the door for the administration ignore the human rights sections of the report with the view that, 'Neither the Congress nor the executive should interpret conditonality in a manner that leads to a Marxist-Leninist victory in salvador major escalation or rae uS This report heralds war drive in Central America. Following the invasion of Grenada and the stationing of 25,000 US army personnel off the coast and borders of El Salvador Nicaragua the administration is preparing cise min, Honduras terHonduras June, codenamed Big Pine III.
It will use the bipartisan agreement of the Kissinger commission defuse opposition to direct US military intervention in El Salvador and Nicaragua in election year.
The labour and solidarity novelett Europe and America will need to be on ful alert to respond to stepped up agdualist popular revolutions unfolding in El Salvador and Nicaragua.
enters Nicaragua
A US helicopter pilot was shot down and killed on
Official US statements claim that he didn't
enter Nicaragua and that he was on a routine
But Tegucigalpa airport in Honduras say that
wind at the time was not more than 15 knots and
2SN feet. Honduran mintar
previous reports of US
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
threatens invasion
The Reagan administration making new approaches to turo pean governments to avoid the kind of diplomatic em-
the Grenada invasion.
In the next few months ine brush labour move. ment has a vital job. It SHUS stop the Thatcher government from giving ng support lo
US AID • $ millions
1981 1982
El Salvador:
$81.0
$35.5 $179.5
$104 0
Guatemala:
nil $1.0
$18.7 $23.8
Honduras:
$31.0 $8.9 $75.6 $38.5
*Nicaragua:
nil
$59.7 nil $59.7 $ 3.0
support 12,000 to 15,000 contras.
5 Reagan's war drive. •Op position should be built to the sending of British government observers the Salvadorean presiden tial elections March The Labour Party lead this attack on Tory policy. The present tour of Britain b Salvadorean trade unionists can be used boost these appeals for solidarity.
Military
Economic
1983
$81.3
$227.0 $10.5
$102.6 $58.2
$93.1
$93.1 nil nil
*The annual cost of the US covert war against Nicaragua was estimated at $30 to $50 million for 1 1983. The CIA wants $80 million for 1984 to
Page 6 scan of this page
LENIN'S LA
THIS WEEK is the 60th anniversary of the death Lenin. His life and work have been misrepresented decades by the rulers deologues of both East and West. Here PHIL HEARSE looks at Lenin's against bureaucracy in Soviet Union.
NEIL KINNOCK recently said that be Militant tendency in the Labour Party was incompatible with the Party because it was 'democratic entralist, not
cialist'. Leaving aside the queson of the politics of Militant, Neil
anock's statement reflects a very
mmon misconception that has
en fostered by social democrats,
archists and cold war warriors
ke - that Lenin's method of
My organisation was dictatorial
I a precursor of Stalinism. -Lenin recovering after his first stroke
of
Communist for and any interest
struggle ter battle
the
Secretary. 'democratic
order to achieve this. • Socialist Action 20 January 1984
The idea that Stalin merely continued Lenin's work was of course argued for decades by the official
Parties themselves.
Very few political tendencies have
in revealing the Russia. historical fact that during the last years of his life Lenin waged a bit-
against growing bureaucracy inside the Soviet Communist Party and the Soviet state, that he proposed a political bloc to Trotsky to fight bureaucracy and tually that he intended to drive Stalin from his position as party General
and
Furthermore in the 1930s, when Stalin was consolidating his position in the Soviet Union he had to execute all the remaining members of Lenin's Central Committee in
During the last two years of his life, from 1922 to 1924, Lenin suffered several strokes, which made his political activity intermittent
tens
WaN which
and physically difficult. Yet during this time he waged a bitter and growing struggle against development of Stalin and the rising power of the bureaucracy in
The situation in which the Russian revolution found itself at the beginning of the 1920s was one of an economy which had been wrecked by war and the foreign invasions of 1918-20. Russian industry vir-
collapsed. While economic life of the country was dislocated thousands of the best
most self-sacrificing munists were killed in the civil war. The organised working class was itself dispersed as industrial enter-. prises ceased functioning. Strangled
Outside Russia the Democrats — the equivalent of the Labour Party - in Germany had strangled the revolution. First they had voted for the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, under which Bolsheviks had been forced to lose one third of Russia's industrial areas to the government Kaiser. Then, when the German working class rose up and over-
the Kaiser's regime 1918/19, the Social Democrats had allied with the fascists to murder
of thousands of German workers and maintain capitalism in Germany.
By 1921 the Russian revolution
internationally isolated blockaded both economically and politically. Around ten people had died through the direct and indirect effects of the foreign invasions of the country.
In this period the Soviets, the elected worker's committees from
the Soviet government theoretically derived its authority, progressively ceased operating. The Bolshevik government became more and more based on the state apparatus. The apparatus of the Bolshevik party became more anc more intertwined with the mainlucracy, itself composed mainly the old bureaucracy. A danger appeared of the creation of a bureaucratic layer whose interests would be separate and apart from the interests of the ordinary workers and peasants.
At the Eleventh Party Congress in March-April 1922 — the last national conference at which Lenin was able to speak - he devoted
much of his contribution to warning of the
the bureaucratism.
Lenin saw the bureaucratic threat coming from outside the party, a danger of the state apparatus direc. ting the Communist Party, rather than the other way around.
In his Political Report he spoke of the huge bureaucratic machine, gigantic heap'. He asked: 'who is
the directing whom?
much whether it can be truthfully said that the Communists are direccom- ting that heap.
they are not directing, they are being directed'.
Social
• the
of the
in
and
million
Further he machine 'was like a car that was not going in the direction that the driver desired, but in the direction that someone else desired as if it were being driven mysterious, knows whose, perhaps of a profiteer, or a private capitalist, or both.
Until November Czarist still saw the problem in terms of
putting able and responsible communists in key positions to fight the bureaucratic danger. He maintained his confidence in the party ap paratus. there was a sudden change, as proposed political monopoly of foreign trade, which
dangers of leadership.
But at this stage
Wing of the
Union
state bureaucracy as 'that
that
doubt very members and
To tell the truth,
Lenin, Trotsky and Kamenov in discussion at the Second Congress.
said the state within the
by some lawless hand, God tryside,
1922 Lenin the Soviet
But in December 1922
the … to Trotsky a
bloc to defend the state
was under threat inside the party
Then between December 1922 and January 1923 Lenin dictated a scathing critique of Stalin's hand!-
problem of the non-Russian nationalities in the Soviet •
and proposed Stalin's removal from the post of General Secretary. In addition Lenin called for a general reorganisation of the state apparatus, enlarging the party Central Committee to 50 or 100
strengthening the role of central state planning.
The struggle inside the party leadership over the state monopoly of foreign trade has to be seen
context of the New Economic Policy (NEP) which was introduced into Russia in 1921. During the civil war, given the breakdown. of normal relations between the town and the coun-
the Bolsheviks had resorted to forcible requisitions of food from the peasantry to feed the towns. With the end of the civil war
government sought to boost productivity in agriculture and stabilise relations between the workers in the towns and the peasants in the countryside.
To that end they proposed strengthening market relations in
countryside. The peasants would be subject to only a very limited tax paid in agricultural products. The rest of production the
Page 7 scan of this page
STRUGGLE
ST
peasants could sell on the market
- and keep the profit. As private agriculture reasserted itself, a new layer of wealthy ('Nepmen') came with their own private capital, employing other peasants.
For the Bolsheviks troduction of the NEP necessary retreat. The strengthening of capitalism in the countryside unless severely controlled threatened the creation of a rural class opposed to socialism.
It was in this context that the debate OVCH the monopoly foreign trade erupted. In October 1922, the Central Lenin and Trotsky's absence, passed a resolution aimed at weakening the monopoly. Its removal would have enabled Russian capitalists to establish direct links capitalist world market, determining imports and exports on the basis of their own profits rather than the needs of the socialised economy. Lenin supported monopoly of foreign trade and his opponents were Stalin Bukharin.
Lenin appealed to Trotsky for a common bloc to defend the existing state monopoly. During meeting on 12 December he proposed to Trotsky a bloc not only on the monopoly question, but against "bureaucracy in general' against Stalin's
Bureau in particular. losing confidence machine controlled by Stalin. peasalls into existence
'nationalities' question the inwas Soviet state.
Socialist
federation
of
Committee, in
in Moscow.
with the USSR) who
undermine
of the right determination. the
and Bolshevik leaders to abuse, in Moscow violence.
their
and Orgainsation
Lenin was in the party
After the dispute on the state which monopoly of foreign trade, Lenin's next clash with Stalin was over the
- the rela- Stalin tions between Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian and other nations in the
The Union of Soviet Republics was only established on 30 December 1922. Before this there was only a loose
between the Russian Socialist Republic and five other national republics. Stalin, who was in charge of the nationalities question, proposed a new federation in
Led
had Lenin with Trotsky non. which central power would reside
This was rejected by the Georgian Bolshevik leaders (a nation in the South West of the
thought it would their position in Georgia, and that it was a violation
to national self- Stalin
Stalin and his hatchet man Ordzhonikidze subjected the Georgian
'exile'. and even physical When Lenin found out the facts of Stalin's action he again formed a bloc with Trotsky to defend the right of the Georgians to and autonomy and self-determination. Kamenev noted 'Illich is going to war to defend independence'. This time Stalin attempted to fight.
Lenin now prepared to launch a fight at the 12th party congress, scheduled for March 1923,
was delayed until April. Fotieva, Lenin's secretary, Trotsky: 'He (Lenin) does not trust
and walls come out against him in front of the whole party. He is preparing a bomb.
The basis on which Lenin proposed to intervene in the party congress was against bureaucratism in the party, defence of the rights of nationalities, and the importance of state planning in face of the rise of the 'nepmen'. He provided Trotsky, from his sickbed, with notes and correspondence to use in the fight if he was too ill to attend himself.
In the event, Lenin was recovering from a new stroke. The party
• was dominated by emerging triumverate of Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev. Trotsky, making a major error, compromis-
with them, rather detonating the 'bomb' which Lenin
prepared. AS newcomer to the Bolshevik Party Trotsky felt that, without Lenin's presence, he was unable challenge the 'old Bolsheviks'.
Removed
• Lenin was now effectively removed from the inner-party fight. But in his last writings, and especially his article Better Fewer, But Better he returned repeatedly to the question of bureaucratism. He proposed a 'purging of our government machine, especially the Workers and Peasants Inspec-
This body, he argued, had been set up to control bureaucracy, but had become one of the prime culprits.
The proposals in Better Fewer, But Better have to be put in context with his "Testament', written December 1922-January 1923. His proposal in this document that
be removed as General Secretary because of his rude and overbearing behaviour represents a growing awareness that the StalinKamenev-Zinoviev faction was the political representation of growing bureaucratism. Lenin's political alliances and struggles were aimed at blowing up this bloc,
rooting out 'the cancer of bureaucratism.
At the end of 1923 46 party leaders published platform against the growth of bureaucracy.
but
told the
than Executed
relative
to
Execute
The statement heralded the beginnthe Left forerunner of the Trotskyist movement. This was the real continua-
in tion of Lenin's last struggle.
In 1927 Lenin's widow, skaya, ventured the opinion that if Lenin had lived he would be in one of Stalin's prisons. Lenin did indeed intitiate the struggle against bureaucracy in the USSR, but this struggle was too brief and too difficult for him to fully grasp the last topic theoretically
through to its end. The Bolsheviks had the privilege and the 'misfortune to lead the first socialist revolution in the world. They had no previous experience to guide them. But Lenin characterised the USSR as 'a
Lenin's central committee in 1929. Rakovsky and Radek later disappeared
Opposition,
rule Krup-
Isolation
Evasion.
bureaucracy
or carry it
the world. successful
from the time
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
Executed
worker's state with bureaucratic deformations' in 1918 he showed how grave a danger he regarded the processes that led finally to Stalin's
It was not Leninist organisation which created bureaucracy but the
of the revolution, the poverty of the economy, and the ravages of civil war and foreign in-
Lenin fought the rising Stalinist bureaucracy in Russia — a
later hailed as "realistic', and even as an ally, by capitalists and reformists arounc
Lenin's programme remained that of control of the state by the masses and control of the party by its membership. That is the very essence of democractic socialism.
7
Page 8 scan of this page
KILL THE POL
NO POLICE BILL • KILL THE POLICE BILL • NO POLICE STATE
8
DIARY
(These listings are free for all nor opour movemen ano campaign activities - • 40 I0
taximum of 50 words. Semi-
overusemens CO.
Sp per word and must be paid
advance. Send Diary,
328 Upper SocIalsI ACHOn, Street, London NI 2XP to arrive not later than
one week orior to publication).
International
• The Politics of Health in Zimbabwe Hour long video
meetings or tl0 pavable in advance). Send to Books for South Africa Fund, PO Box si London NI.
Sri Lankan Research &
nation Group will ponde speakers on tne Cerent situation there for
Write to 9 Grays
Buildings, London EC1.
•o Intervention in Ceatral America (NICA) is
AcTioN
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
BILL!
NATIONAL MARCH AND RALLY
Brockwell Park (Brixton) to Trafalgar Square
Route: Brixton, Clapham, Stockwell, Vauxhall,
Scotland Yard, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square.
Speakers from: Labour Party, NGA, Indian
Workers Assoc (GB), GLC, Newham 8, Greenham Women, Relatives for Justice (Ireland), National Campaign Against the Police
Bill, Young Liberals, Communist Party.
Assemble: Brockwell Park 11.30am (Herne Hill BR station - Buses 2 and 68). Contact: London Campaign Against the Police Bill, 50 Rectory Rd., N16 7QY. 01-249 8334.
SATURDAY 21 JANUARY
La broad based coalition of solidarity groups, human rights orgs, aid agencies and political parties. IVore uclalls TOm NICA U/LI Compion Terrace, London N1 01-226 6747.
Far a Reagar-free
•
Reagan Free Caribbean badges in yellow, black and red. 25p each (plus ostage); bulk orders 20p each. Money with orders o PO Box 36. 136 Kingsland High St, London E8. Cheques/POs Payable to Hackney Book
• From War in the Third World to the Third World War new ball bullci
Solidarity Campaign, , 50p.
Order from ELSSO
Name .
Address
Tel
Age Union/CLP (iftany)
If you want more information about Socialist Action or to be put in touch
with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1.
Islington Park si, London N1 01-359 3976. ELSSOC have also produced a 1984 calencar showing scener from life in the liberated zones, £3 from same adaress • Central America and the Caribbean A series of open cuucallunals with videos and speakers at Peckham Labour Club, Lansbury House, 41 Camberwell Grove. Londor SES: 31 Jan El Salvador; 7 Feb Evening of Central Hunchican culture. Admission zl/UB40 iree: Organised by Sth London Central American Group contact Edwin 01-733 7706 for details. • Guatemala benefit with new mum aboul Jualculaid and an eye-witness report from Nicaragua by Stanley Clinton-Davis Rio Cinema, Daiston. I nur zo january. 7pm.
Trade Unionists from El
leaders from El Salvador will speak at a rally with Arthur
Benn • Ken Cameron, Fire Brigades union general secretary and a representative of the NGA. Mon 23 January, 7.30, County Hall, London.
NATIONAL BOOK
SALE
14 January - 4 February at 25 Years of the Cuban Revolution • Britain-Cuba Resource Centre Information abou activities, subs to Granma weekly review and newsletters from 29 Islington
Womens study tour of Cuba 4-20 April, information from BCRC, 29 Islington Park St, London N1.
Lesbian & Gay Liberation • Nottingham Labour Campaign for Gay Rights
15 Feb, 8pm, Salutation Inn Maid Marion Way. Details:
Chris Richardson. 2.
Devonshire Promenade,
London Labour Campaign for Gay Rights new office at 39 Chippenham 1Rd, W9 2AH 01-286 9692 11am-7pm. (Westbourne Grove tube. Bad access, help available).
The Other Bookshop
328 Upper Street London N1 Open: Moed -1521 - 106 Thurs Fri - 11-7
New pamphlet: Politics in the TUXE's — Nhe British Crisis.
Articles reprinted from Socialist Action and International John Ross, British politics in the 1980's; Alan Freeman, How Labour Can Win; Steve Marks, the 1983 Election; John Ross, Facing 1984; Alan Freeman, Rebuilding the Labour Party.
Available from The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St, London N1, price 35p.
bor Movemen Lesbians is a new organisation of lesbians in support each other and organise initiatives on issues ual alickl Icouldlis , Nex meeting 28 Jan, A Woman's
Place, Hungerford House, victor monkment London WC2, 2pm. Further information from Sarah c/o tennist ciorary Hungerford House , Victoria Embk, London WC2.
Ireland • Day school on Ireland Sat 28 January, 1lam Chetwynd Room, Kings College, Cambridge Organised by Cambridge and Norwich Troops Out Movement. Creche available.
• Day School on Ireland County Hall, London 28 Jan. Urganised by Laboul Committee on Ireland Agenda: Republicanism and socialism: Republicanism and feminism; Irish and British trade union
Party. Open to LP and LCI
10.30am-5pm lickets at i from LCI. Box 42, 136 Kingsland High Road, London E8
Civil Rights • Campaign against th Police Bill National marct and rally Sat 21 Jan brockwel rark. condon Penis from CAP her events from NCAPB, Rectorv Rd. London N16 01-249 8334
Against the Police Bill pre march public rally, Fri 2 Jan. .su. duv atnews Ivil!
, Brixton Hill, London SW2. Speakers includ Jeorge Jerrom NGA. Paul Boetang GLC, Ted Knight, Newham 8 Campaign,
NUPE, National UNIDALU Police Bill Campaign, Relatives for Justice
• Stop the Police Bill Hounslow public meeting, 19 Jan, 7.30pm , Town Hall, Treaty Rd, Hounslow Speaker: Suresh Grover
Diary
(Chair anonal Campaigr against Police Bill). For details of local transport to acmonsualon of elsat phone Hilary Driver 01-560 8800.
Yiddish lessons. Learn
the language of the
Jewish labour
movement. Beginner and intermediate classes
commence weekly in
January, Central
London. Teacher, Barry Smerin, organised by the :
Jewish Socialist Group
cultural and anti-fascist
project. Further details from JCARP , Southbank
, Black Prince
Road, London SE1.
Miscellaneous • GLC workshops Employment and training for the future. 26 Jan Greater London Training Board; 9 Feb Greater London enteronise board 23 Feb Cooperatives. Black Women's Centre Brixton 4A blockwen ureen London, SW9, 7-9.30 pm
• Islington Labour Briefing meeting with Keg Race or "what way iorward for the Left?' Thur 19 Jan, , 7.30pm, Town Hall, Upper St
Theatre workshops at the Drill Hall, 16 Chenies St London WC1, led by actres.
Jan, 6.30-8.30pm. Every Friday until September : 1984. Booking 1el. 01-901 905g
Anti-cuts campaigns • London Health Service Campaign. 34 Dalston Lane, LOndON CO JALUI-L4
• Hayes Cottage Hospital wuruvaton cute uranit Rd, Hayes, Middx 01-573
Page 9 scan of this page
Is Greenham fighting
REVIEWS
Danger,
men
at
work!
YES.
NCCL
The Clever Princess
The Clever Princess
The Clever Princess, Diana Coles, Sheba Feminist Publishers £2.50 By Anna (11 years)
The Clever Princess is a really good book. Its a really interesting story and very lively too. It's about a princess who was a bit too clever and got sold to Boax a wicked magician for a box of jewels. However she does win in the end and shows her father and everyone else that brains are an advantage and not a disadvantage.
It's fun to read and there's a lot of imacination in it. i like it best at the end when Boax gets knocked out and dies. I think its one of the best stories I've ever read.
the
'THE EMPLOYER is sovereign over the persons and charms OI his discharge suffices to overcome all resistance in nine cases out of ten.... If the master is mean enough, and the official report mentions several such cases, his mill is also his harem; the fact that not all manufacturers use their power does not in the least change the position of the girls.'
•Women library staff at the Financial Times travel a long devious route to deliver files to journalists in the reporters' specifically to avoid the smutty, sexual remarks in the messenger section of the newsroom.?
These two quotes are from Women and Harassment at Work, a new Pluto Hadiboriou. Engels wrote handbook Nathalie
opening passage 1892, while the second is from a union journal ninety years later.
By Hilary Driver
As book clearly shows, while women have made some real gains over the last century, the basic
and material conditions still exist continually push women into subservience, passivity and powerlessness. Sexual narassment Is one per nicious expression of society's view of women's role as sex objects — a bit
haht from more serious matters of life.
Women and Harassment at Work provides an extremely useful and detailed guide which explains what sexual harassment is, why it exists and now to compal It.
Sexual harassment can take man forms. Dul cal broadly be defined as beBREACHING THE PEACE is a collection of radical feminist feminists to withdraw Greenham women. Germaine Greer, writing in the Daily Mail recently, added lesbian-bashing to audience.
What a time to attack Greenham! The women at the camp are virtually banned from Newbury.
They are attacked by
groups who throw stink bombs, maggots and rotten eggs into their tents, and are arrested day trumped up charges.
By Judith Arkwright
The pamphlet uses three challenge the VIew that Greenham feminist issue. The main one is that women's solidarity is not feminism.
In her open letter, Sophie
concicer that Greenham women are
part of the women's liberation movement and should not be allowed advertise their activities in WIRES (The Women's liberation newsletter).
It's true that the Women's Institute is not feminist, even it's women's organisation.
The demands and activities of a movement, as well as its membership,
Do the demands of the Greenham
Hovelicall defend the interests of women? Has this movement helped more women understand the aspirations of feminism?
employees. The threat of room. The detour
ing any unwanted attentions of a sexual nature
interfere with the job, and
behaviour that denigrates woman's role as
Not the easiest tackle, given that much of world the behaviour_associated with sexual harassment is seen as normal and everyday part of the 'battle of the sexes, harmless fún (for men). and so on.
The handbook points out that it is very difficult to do anything as an in dividual if you're being harassed, and concen-
collective campaigns, taking up the issue
the union, collective agreements and how to use existing law. Specific campaigns are examined detail, such as a campaign against pin-ups in a council's direct labour organisation.
While I wouldn't agree with al the advice civen in the book, Nathalie herself
that the DOLI 0U1 recognition of sexual harassment as a political issue and valid trade
for women?
papers which tries to persuade their support from
used similar arguments but
gratity the paper's
The idea of womenorganisation WILD! broader movements come:
pamphlet equates the Peace Women of Northern Ireland with Greenham. This is false.
The protest against cruise is in the interests of women, and against the interests of imperialism Of course the main job of
women's liberation HUSI fight for the specific
of •crudures against Tory attacks. By their the Greenham women have
boost campaigning on all other
The a stage takes tre
further. aLLack Greenham is dangerous to the women's movement. Perhaps the authors joined by other left sectarians and pickets against the
Greenhem wo of ?
A group revolutionarv teminists in Lon don go to the extrème of comparing Greenham with the attempts of Betty Friedan to recast feminism in a reactionary mould
Finally feminist
history is distorted to pro
point. Trisha Longdon states: 'the suffragettes' leaders were coODICU movement. This is simply Socact
not true.
FiND
FUNNY
FRATTERING
WEDONT OR
ENTE
L
union concern is fairly re. cent. Effective campaigns against sexual harassment at work have been few and far between, leaving precious little experience to draw on.
The achievement of
The main suffragette leaders sold women's demands down the river with their support for the imperialist war, not their support TOI peace. Socialist suffragettes con
fight women's demands and oppose the war.
Greenham is denounced for campaigning on an issue which men, and for defending the family. I didn't hang nappies on the fence when
Greenham. think the farily is an institution which
Socialist Action
DEGRADING
STUpiD
BORiNG
FiND
SEXY
this handbook is that it
particular awaltics
understanding of the
issues by the reader, but at
the same time it provides a
comprehensive guide
No cruise
THERE ARE BETTER
AYS TO PROVE YOUR VIRILI
MAT INCLUDES YOU MAGGIE
perpetuates women's op-
pression want no
part in glorifying it. But I
understand that
women become feminist
and socialist for all sorts of
reasons, women do have
interests with
other oppressed groups:
children blacks and the they sh clad : class. Therefore
they make com-
mon cause with them.
The authors are really
atraid of any mass move.
ment. Frankie Green says:
'I understand the appeal
of numbers.. but I find it a
false appeal, as well as be
20 January 1984 9
SOMETHING
ABOUT
guide that every union branch should buy and that everv militant should read. • Woinen and Harassment Hadi Work, Work Nathalie
Press,
PLEASE
ing male, straight method O1 organising! "The London group argue
build a big movement than
fight 'the door'
I disagree. It is very difficult and very necessary to build a mass movement of women fighting for our liberation The steps towards this are many and difficult. Despite dif ferences we cannot stand aside from Greenham. All feminists must stand together with the women of Greenham.
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action THE GOVERNMENT Greater London Council must disappear on 1 April 1986. It is a purely political move aimed at reducing public spending to a minimum.
24 January will see demonstration against this attack. The organisers, SERTUC's 'save ILEA' campaign and the GLC anions' 'save democracy'
London teachers to strike. The GLC's own staff association has voted 2-1 to strike.
However two problems still confront the campaign. The GLC Campaien Committee sees objective as informing the ciectorate of the government's to
Milcutiol deprive them OI their democratic rights, exposing the political nature of the proposals, and highlighting the loss to the dectorate as users of the services.
oFILi will this be abstract 'campaign for democracv' walct oooes politely the House of Lords — or will it organise London's unions for coordinated industrial TOR.
The union campaign is separate from the Labour
20 January 1984
Hands off
the GLC!
have decreed that the
London's first big
campaign expect most
administration and is itself
divided into the
*Democracy for London'
campaign and the 'Save
London' campaign. The
Democracy for London
campaign is being organis-
ed bv unions watch work
within the GLC and in-
CIUC. UnOlS such
NALGO, NUPE,
GLCSA, GMBATU and
TGWU.
By Lesley Catchpole
(GLC NALGO,
personal capacity)
The idea is that the
campaign should involve
outside groups such
pensioners, parents, users
of public transport in
order to bublicise the rok
of GLC/ILEA and how i provides services for Londoners.
The Save ILEA cam paign is led by teaching and non-teaching
UNORS involved in Inner London and
represenilalive. parents' organisations. As
Colivelu. within NALGO I see my part in the campaign spelling out to members that the GLC abolition means job JOSSe means thousands more Joining the dole queues. . Granted it can include a broad-based OPP TD OANID IATOATTOA ting public sympatly, but at the end of the day there
only one way the GLC/ILEA employee going to save his or her job and that is through extraparlamentary activity tively opposing the Bill Ihis is why it is crucial that
tearca prien links up and
Icallls periences of the NHS, the POEU and the NGA printworkers struggles, because at the end of the day their battle is our battle.
Immigrant workers let down by SP-CP ter go back to wherever you came from.
comrades in the Morning Star newspaper.
In an article in the 11 edition of that Jaluary paner Harrv Samson give the "background' to the strike and sit-in at Talbot's French car plant and tells us that workers who fight against redundancies are only playing into the nanos oine right wing. Samson goes on to report Luau rccuneael Inungrant workers 'would be aided if they voluntarily desired to return to their country of origin'. No criticism, no comment.
By Chris Bertram background what the
the dispute? The Mitterrand government did a deal with Peugeot the owners .of the plant. deal that involved 2000 redundancies. The workers at the plant objected to the
OD tosse. and 190 K strike action
December. The ITOI government then used
weapon disposal to smash the workers' Tessnce
The Communist Party led union, the CGT, plained that redundancies would have to be accepted suice management was threatening to close the plant. Howerer, the other main national union federation, the Socialistled CFDT, was forced to support a struggle because of Tine militancy of its members at Talbot. But the division fostered by the CGT had doomed the strike. Under the pretext of preventing violence the govertmen sent police to evict workers oc-
the factory Loyll New Years' Eve.
Far from separating the immigrant workers and the fascist gangs organised in the
IF YOU HAVEN'T got a white face then you'd bet-
That's the message that France's 'socialist' government has got for immigrant workers. It's a message also endorsed by the French Communist Party and their British
union who were attacking them, the 'socialist' police evictea ine workers and smashed up their union office and the Communist Party then sezea lne opportunity to call off the strike but when their supporters. together with the fascist union scabbed on the CFDT, violence erupted.
The Communist Party accused outside agitators
ordinarı working people (white ones?) from earning a decent day's living. Arguing with the bosses only leads to violence and that encourages the fascists claimed the CP. Bravo! The Peugeot family must
ON 7-9 JUNE this year, the World Economic Summit takes place in Britain. This makes a visit by US President Ronald Reagan certain.
CND has a golden opASP BRAI O1 AlIIN1 TOC protest against American missiles — - in the full glare of international publicity and at the height of the European election campaign!
By Carol Turner
Last weekend's Na tional Council of CND failed to grasp this chance when it voted down a pro. OOSd national demonstration in London on Saturday 3 June as the centre-piece CND's European election CamE paign. Instead, Council voted:
'CND feels that a European-wide demonstration
Talbot-Morning Star
whitewashes racism
laughing all the way to the
SocialistCommunist government laye divided worke against worker and black arallisl willle
maintain the profits of big business.
Lapse
Unfortunately isn't HONDCOLO lapse by these people. Dur. ing last year 's SUIIKC Renault the socialist Prime Minister Mauroy explainca lnal ine real proolem was immigrant car WOrKCIS grip of Islamic fundamentalism When the fascist National Front won a local by-election the
coveranell said that French people nad reason to resent beig swamped Suture and that it wauld alien
take measures to tighten up on immigration.
All out against Reagan!
against the new US nuclear weapons sited in Europe should take place prior to the EEC elections. Projects committee to consult with major European movements on the timing of the action.
'We suggest the focus be on the cruise and Per-
Al missile sites in Europe. In Britain we propose discussing peace camps at Greenham Common and Moleswor-
In the light of these discussions, CND woul
Model resolution for CND groups:
and US bases, and for a nuclear-free Europe
Saturday 3 June
tain, as part of CND's campaign during the Euro.
demonstrations throughout
EEC elections.
News
The CP is no stranger to racism. A CP mayor at Ivry led a march noste for immigrants under the pretext that all
Arabs are dope peddlers.
When you make racism respectable and divide and demoralise the working class you open a veritable Pandora's Box The Socialist and Communist leaders are digging their own graves and are releasing forces of reaction that will then from power before going on to
the working class ana ucstroy ils organisa tols
What a contrast with the leaders of the GLC like Ken Livingstone, who have used their office to
to unite black white workers in their anti-racist • vear. Does the Morning Star stand with Ken Livingstone or with the communist' advocates of 'voluntary repatriation?
decide both the location and avent. haracter of our
The visit must be the occasion for labour and peace movement protest against Reagan and his missiles.
Local CND group should make their feeling known, Cano insist that CND's leaders seize this opportunity tor the biggest public demonstration against the
mussies 1984.
This group demands that CND organise a mas demonstration in London against cruise, Trident
ust before Reagan's visit to Bri.
pean elections. CND should propose this to othe burwucall ucate douos ds aa or cooange
Europe during the
Page 11 scan of this page
Solidarity action now
News
AS THE MINERS' overtime ban moves into its eleventh week, the National Coal Board, backed by the government, claims the ban is saving money. With over already lost, this is unlikely.
fordshire winders strike as a blow against union solidarity. But the five North Staffs pits — Silverdale, Florence, Holditch,
MORI poll published on Saturday shows the miners
Socialist Action what's been going on.
Our special branch meeting. unanimously voted for the overtime ban. Last time, we allowed safety work to go winders, O-SCLLCES and loco-drivers worked
This time we've called them out. There are 11 winders in our pit and 43 throughout the North Staffs pits.
We don't have enough winders, and - under an 18-year six-day-week local a calcit they work • regular. overtime. They argued their local agreement allowed them to continue work.
We say it's overtime — they're paid overtime Talco. Anyway, national agreements supercede local ones. e the motos force for were the motor force breaking the action. tried to find compromise.
We said, at the end of the dispute, we'd support
SOGAT in court
PRINT UNION SOGAT '82 is now faced with the same threat
legal action as the
General Bill Keys says his ecutive prepared to
SOGAT's £18 million funds rather than give in to print boss Robert
Maxwell is head of the British Printing and Communication Corporation which produces the Radio Times. With the KRC he has obtained a court junction ordering SOGAT to end restrictions on the print run
imes and its distribution
YTS threats
WHEN the TUC made its wrong decision to cooperate with the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) one of the conditions it made was that there should be no element of compulsion associated with the scheme.
Documents released at the end of 1983 show clearly unal me government Is violating this agreement.
Departmenl of Employment circular 82/128 explains to local social security offices how
stop benefits of unemployed school leavers who do not take up places in the YTS.
School leavers who 'unreasonably' refuse
Pits overtime ban:
NCB four million tonnes of coal
Last week the Tory media hailed the North Staf-
Wolstanton and Hem Heath are solidly backing the ban. On Saturday, the winders voted to halt further protest action. And a
solidly behind their Executive. ROB ANDERSON,
from Hem Heath colliery, Stoke on Trent, told
their six-day agreement, or argue for more winders to be employed. But this failed.
They're the
UlICS who've used threats: to stop the pit if they don't get their overtime.
On Saturday January, they threatened to work, so we pickellea the pit. None came through that Saturday or Sunday. But on Monday Iney Cared one-day revenge strike.
Heart
I've never known feelings so strong as tney are al the Hem Health over this
Nobody's action. was in last year's overtime ban. This time, they feel the winders are letting down the union.
North Staffs has always been moderate, isolated from other areas.
The incentive
in the London area.
SOGAT this action to stop the closure of the BPCC plant in Park Royal, West London.
Talks the weekend of 14 January
reneged on pledges
the guaraniec
This up the
jobs and right organise.
with Life NITA
lie arella labour
the unions.
place or leave programme can have
enefit reduced by 40 per cent Ior sIx weeks
series of other documents including B2, B73 and B74 lay out
details how OLICI benefit may be cut in the Lasc of 'refusal premature termination' of participation in the YTS.
In short, the government is lying through its teeth when it says it is not making YTS compulsory.
• A complete pack of government
on compulsion in th YTS
s available from the Bir mingham Trade Union Resource Centre, Frederick Street, Birmingham BI З HE.
keeps pit wages here artificially high.
But the pressures to act has definitely come from branches. under McGregor, the NCB Everyone can wants to shut down pits • because there's LUC much coal. Monkton Hall
threatened with closure because Bet it was was
one of Europe's foremost pits.
The British coal industry is more technically advancea inan any owner And it has the best safety stancairos.
Others are cheaper for that reason, and because
like in Germany, Belgium and France government coal subsidies are much higher. TELL US WHAT YOU
A MINER
Do you wish
Murdoch to
continue
owning the
Sun, News of
the World, Times, Sunday
lere is vour chance to answer. Send thi Murdoch Ballot, the NUM,
St James House, Vicar Lane, Sheffield
Do you think Australian multi-mil-
lionaire Rupert Murdoch should
continue to own the
News of the World, The Times, and
The Sunday Times, influencing the
minds of millions of people?
* Calling all Sun readers
I nink about it. Is it night that kupert mur
doch, who was elected by nobody, should
circulation of 60 million in Britain, America
and Australa:
Or should such immense power be in the
hands of democratically elected people?
The government want to import coal. If they get British code that woll British coal, that smash the of the union. At day, our bargaining power will be nil.
If we stick together we ce meen his supper But need the support of other unions.
Sun NACOD (the supervisory union) should be called out. The Railwaymen should be asked to black coal from the pits, and the dockers should black imported coal.
Then, if the NCB tried to move coal by road, the Transport. and General workers should refuse to
SUN READERS!
REALLY THINK
Ballot form
YES L Do you wish :to continue NO with the ¡ Mineworkers Union ban on overtime?
Sun, the
staftardshie colliriN
apers and periodicals with a
imbers of feet
The NUM's comment (left) on Sun's "ballot form' (right).
handle it.
The longer the dispute goes the blokes will get press is saying the action's not having any effect, and thạt puts doubts in their minds.
The action by the National Graphical Association at the Sun - demanding Scargill's right of rep ly to the editor's call for the miners to return to work is terrific. Their own dispute has raised their understanding of how important solidarity action is.
If other unions supported our action, everyone would know it's working. Now's the time to implement all the steps to make our action a sucCess
MINERS! TELL
US WHAT YOU
REALLY THINK
Stin Ballot form
YES NO COLLIERY WHERE I WORK Send this form to Miners' Ballot, The Sun, Freepost, London EC4B 4NP
this special Sun poll. it is contidential and i
« Yes or No * This is your firs chance to decide whi The Col Boad 32 an overtim oppose pit c cont results as soon as possible The NGA and The Sun
Socialist Action 20 January 1984
MOLES
EYE
VIEW
Figures don't lie
'Kinnock can't dent Maggie' boasted Tuesday's Evening Standard. Oh no I thought as I read 'Poll shows Tories standing steady Labour leader's rating slips.
The poll read Tory
General Election 44 per cent: January 84 4y Der cent. It showed Labour had 28 per cent at thi General Election and now has 37 per cent. So
Mummie's boy
YOU'VE GOT to hand it to Maggie she practices what she goes on about. When she talks about the virtues of the family then she does about keeping together.
There's her lad Mark
who keeps getting lost and
keeps finding him again
- working for Cementa tion Internaional Ltd. Now just coincidentally Mark was trotting round the Sultanate of Oman trying drum up business for his firm at the same time his mam was on an official visit And do you know all those observant reporters in her official party never even knew he was there
This was very helpful to the Premier who would have been just a
Spot the villains
I do hope Tony Benn was listening when Harold
Wilson warned about the
'evil men' surrounding Labour's prospective
for Chesterfield. Harold is an expert on such people. Always anxious to reward honesty, diligence and business sense he knighted two chaps called Kagan and No Comment FINALLY I reproduce without comment the
appearec An
Phoblacht/Republican News on 12 January 1984. 'The British lefties of the Workers Revolutionary Party - LTO1*I the medium of their mealy mouthpiece News Line have declared themselves (again) outraged by the IRA's London bombings.
When things were
quie in Britain, the
that "unreservedly
IRA to struggle agains British imperialism by
Statever mean the see
But when
"means' gets too close to home they tend to forget their 'principles and hurl all kind of abuse the equal of any Plee Street hysteria
Perhaps you could im pathise with thrastic
only drastic like bombs
11 Labour from being 14 per cent behind is now 5 per behind.
Labour's failings continue at this rate even if Maggie holds steady in the next seven months, could be seven per cent in front.
Christ knows what TINA the Standard will do if
Many cesses.
teeny bit embarassed if it had leaked out that her boy was trying to win a contract for his firm a the same time mumsy was using her infiuence to win it for Britain. For
read Cementa tion International Ltd!
Mark is however dead coy answering questions on the matter When COOLICE asked what it was all about he got a bit huffy and claimed it was strictly ween Cementation International and Hou can't blame him you House Mind you getting embarrassed. People think because he keeps getting lost his mum should take him where he is going. Now they might go and get the idea that he needs his mammy to do his job for him.
Miller. The first guy use
o make Harold's rain
Then of Her became a guest of Majesty Mr Miller blew his brains out just before Scotland Yard 'felt his collar' for getting his hands caught
which they object to, but the revolutionaries are ready to scream abuse at any foreign-linked activity which encroaches on Brush comrolls — cycl the price of a cuppa!
In News Line January, they slam the Indian government to restricting tea exports so as to reduce the DIICC U
tea at home, whilst caus ing a rise in price in Britain
Most of us would hardly begrudge the Indian people cheaper tea even if it is a temporar election gimmick by Mrs Gandhi and perhaps we should concern ourselves more with the exploitation of tea plan-
to pro duce our favourite beverale
But not News Line. Claiming that tea prices will 'rocket' by 4p market hat it will hit the packet they pocket' of 'millions of working-class families'
Page 12 scan of this page
IN THE FACE of immense difficulties, the Campaign Against the Police Bill is slowly turning back the tide of ignorance and indifference to the Bill. First, the Home Office produced a barrage of distorting propaganda.
This was unquestioningly regurgitated by the media. Then followed a wall of silence.
Campaigning also has been made difficult by the demoralising effect of the Tory election victory and
rightward shift, particularly by
Despite this, the BECOMES held up and down the country and the
publicity
naterial by the campaign
aided by the publicity from the Newham 8 trial
forced this issue into the
Police advance during Brixton riots
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SociAlist
ACTiON
Next steps against
the Police Bill
public eye. Last Friday's police station pickets in numbers or cites were most successful.
By Chris Guthrie
The slow , patient work of taking the issue into community and labour organisations must continue. We have to sound the alarm against this attack on democratic rights. labour movement conference which should be sponsored by the NGA would be a
SUBSCRIBE
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valuable way of taking the fightback into the trade unions and Labour Party.
The VULC against the Police Bill a Labour Party conference can then be made meaningful. conterence would discuss the threat
activists by the Bill and increased police powers. The political context of the Bill determines what action the labour movement must take to defeat the Bill.
needed to catch the public's And the campaign needs a national tocus such national march, or a vigil when the Bill is in the final reading draw together local work.
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2I MARCH
tion and all the unions involved in education.
The Tories' plans to abolish the metropolitan councils are a massive attack on local democracy. Thatcher's gang are determined to launch an assault on all the strongholds of the labour movement, and their attack on the local government goes hand in
rimes and breaking op
breaking union links with the Labour Party.
But the attack on the councils is not just about democracy. It is a step on the route to a devastating aack oods are service
the localities. will facilitate the Tories plans
cut transport and caucalion, TO CE prices and leading to thousands of redundan-
While the present cam paigns to defend the GLC and the other metropolitan councis of course excellent
there aLauves. massive gap in the opposi-
100% Increase
from
Westminster
Ken Livingstone, Tony Banks and Andy Harris protest Tory fares increases 24 JANUARY will see a massive protest by public sector unions against the proposed abolition of the GLC and the other metropolitan councils. NALGO is holding a national day of action, while in London there will be strike action by the GLC Staff Associa.
tion to the Tories plans the involvement of the unions in plans for strike action and moves towards non-cooperation implementation of the proposals For when the chips are down neither the GLC OI the other councils will be House of Lords, publicity saved lobbying the campaigns public sympathy. All tha Crete has to be turned into action.
Vocal
Thatcher, Tebbit and King have vividly demonstrated their ability to ride roughshod over the most vocal opposition unless they are confronted with direct action. потертаво strike action can only achieved by uniting present campaigns and showing that the democracy issue is linked to jobs and services. Some
London Transport
Save our cities
people in the various campaigns imagine that strike aCOn WIll amenate 'the public' the users i of councils That
SCIVICES
antiCULC government campaigns show that the interests of the 'consumers' are linked with those of the unions.
When the time comes for the Abolition Bill to be implemented anv move. towards non-cooperation 21,376.16. The
to the following who have contributed.
Sheffiel
Pat Hick
PHOTO: GM COOKSON
will be illegal under the Tebbit laws. They will come slap bang up against the Tories the united national campaign involving strike action, and backed by the Labour Party, will succeed • 24 January. Assemble 1lam Speakers Corner for march to County Hall.
Speakers include Ken Livingstone, Frances Morrell, Bill Morris and Ken Gill.
FUND DRIVE
WE HAVE had another success in our fund drive
fortnight has brought But we still have to appeal to ou readers for money to meet our running costs and expenses to move to a new building. Many thank
Ra Total £1.376.16
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