Socialist Challenge No. 203, 25 June 1981

Socialist Challenge · 25 June 1981 · 16 pages, 17,855 words read by machine

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Page 1 scan of this page

Challenge FOOT SLANDERS BENN CAMPAIGN

JOBS NOT BOMBS. CARDIFF 4 JULY

No. 203 25 June 1981

Foot, elected as the 'unity candidate' for

To do this he is resorting to sectarian slanders.

BBC TV's 'Panorama' on Monday night. Deputy leadership

UNEMPLOYMENT

4 JULY

ASSEMBLE: 11 AM NATIONAL MUSEUM RALLY: 1.15 PM PONTCANNA PARK

25p Unemployed and strikers 10p

Socialist

MICHAEL FOOT is desperately trying to stop Tony Benn's campaign for the Labour Party deputy leadership by heaping slander upon slander upon Benn. His arguments are becoming more and more right wing.

party leader, is now leading the campaign to 'unify' the right and centre of the party against Tony Benn.

This was glaringly evident in Foot's interview on

IT WAS A SLANDER for Foot to claim that Benn's campaign is responsible for making 'deeper' the 'gulf between the parliamentary party and the

NATIONAL MARCH

AND RALLY AGAINST

CARDIFF

abide by conference policy. Big support out this Thatcher government'.

abstaining in the vote.

the Tories sabotage this fight? Tory defence defy a Labour whip Labour's vote to a post-war low.

party outside'. The basis of the Benn campaign is quite the reverse - it is to bring the parliamentary party in line with the party as a whole, and with the policies of the conference. It is Denis Healey. Benn's main opponent for the deputy leadership, who has repeatedly stated his unwillingness to

That is why Tony Benn has overwhelming sup. port in the constituencies. It is Michael Foot who, by championing the Healey campaign, is separating the parliamentary party from the party outside.

IT IS A FURTHER SLANDER for Foot to claim that Benn's campaign hinders the battle to 'throw

Take one of the more recent attacks Foot made on Benn - when Benn voted against the Tory defence proposals. Foot publicly attacked him for not following the line of the shadow cabinet and

Just how does abstention 'throw out this Thatcher government? And how does voting against

What make's Foot's hypocrisy all the more sickening is the way he is constructing one law for the left and one law for the right.

For example, Tony Benn was carpeted for voting against the Tory defence proposals.

But on Monday, when the Tories Bill to prevent Irish political prisoners standing in elections was given its second reading in parliament, although the shadow cabinet has decided to oppose the Bill, Michael Foot allowed Labour MPs a 'free vote' because various right wingers had threatened to

IT IS YET ANOTHER SLANDER for Foot to claim that Tony Benn could 'cost us the election'. When has the type of left wing policies Tony Benn is advocating ever cost Labour a general election? The most radical programme Labour ever stood on - in 1945 — won Labour its largest ever parliamentary majority. The most right wing policies Labour has ever implemented - from 1974-79 - plunged

Obvious conclusion

Adding all this up there is an obvious conclusion. Every time Michael Foot opens his mouth these days the more whining and untruthful he becomes. There is one merit only in his whimperings - they show how necessary the Tony Benn campaign for deputy leadership really is.

4.5m unemployed by 1985? Never! Kick out the Tories

FACT: This month's official unemploy ment figure stands at 2,680,977. By the mid-80s it is estimated that there will be 4.5 million unemployed.

FACT: There are ten millionaires in That. cher's cabinet, including the prime minister.

These two facts are not unrelated. Quite the con• trary. This Tory govern business, high finance and the millionaires, the land owners.

For example, Lord Serington is the foreign secretary, former director of Barclays, Hambros Bank and Rio Tinto Zinc, and owns f2m worth

agricultural land, spread over 25,000 acres.

Privilege

This millionaires' government fully intend to

Waves privilege. And if it's at the expense of the rest of us tough.

But workers have this nasty habit of fighting back — lney go on strikt and occupy their factories

- to demand a better ite for themselves and their rates

So .the ruling doing its best to defend its profits by attacking the working class. Divide and Tute Dase nat! and white men and

skilled skilled, young and old

Now we have employ-

and unemployed Workers who are concern ed about their pay and conditions, continually look over their shoulders

the 3 million ployed outside the gates EVel come fighting for their own jobs there is a sense of hopeless LICOS Tasks

But there are signs that the working class is not prepared to see its hard

organisation TO19O mantled before its eyes

Laurence Scott, Cardners

to fight back. Buttney also clearly indicate our LaSKS full support and solidarity from the rest of the work ing class

The labour movement leaders, the trades unions, the TUC, , and the Labour Party, should be leading these struggles to kick out the Tories. The march for jobs in Cardiff on 4 July should be the springboard for mobilising the strength of the work ing class.

Wrong

Let's show those who claim there will be 4.5 million unemployed by the mid-80's that they're wrong

Let's show the economists, the millionaires and this vicious government that ther all left out one thing were es in bo allow ourselves trampled on. We're fighting back to get rid of the Tories once and for all.

Page 2 scan of this page

Setting the Laurence

NO CLOSURE!

"Editorial'

PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.

Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)

Tories in a mess

Is a U-turn

coming?

THE GAP between crisis meetings of the Cabinet shortens. Last week the Tories came

even monetarism.

Five hundred million pounds, is going into the "austry. and allocated for electrification of the railways, and other projects.

Does this give the labour movement hope that there is light at the and of the tunnel?

Does it justify the line being pursued by Len Murray, and supported munist Party and many left MPs, of fighting for government to 'change course', instead of trying to confront it and throw it out?

The Cabinet's stupidity of monetarist Wholesale slaughter of jobs and industry isn't necessary. If the government can put f500m into the coal industry now, why couldn't they do it last year?

Why couldn't they stop the decimation of the steel industry and the rundown of BL? There are two and a half million on the dole because the government took a political decision to put them there.

The argument that the country can't afford it is so much rubbish. Every worker on the dole costs the treasury £3,500 in benefits and lost taxes. This means the present unemployment costs taxpayers nine billion pounds year from the pockets of every worker in the

This is 18 times what it will cost to save jobs in the pits. So why not use the rest of the cash to save jobs in steel, cars, computers, rail and engineering?

The answer is obvious: it's because the Tories' economic policies are simply the excuse for an all-out drive to break the labour movement. And that's why a 'U-turn' won't helpi we can force cash out of the Tories -like the miners did that's fine. But miners got results because the Tories knew they had to give in or get smashed.

A U-turn on the wets' terms would look very different, as we can see from the policies which they are canvassing.

They would not spend money to save jobs and services. There houses, new hospitals, or new schools, and Heseltine is still brandishing his axe over local authorities as fiercely as ever.

What's more, another attack is looming. If the government loosens control of the money supply it will have to clamp down on wages,

Era margins will stay in the doldrums. we're ab incomes policy. stand against the civil sery... of what's to come.

The first prong is a major as: sector wage rises. The second to use state firms like BL to enforce wages policy on component renegotiating contracts every year and dicte ing wages and productivity policy as part of the contract drove Benn from office because he backed state intervention in industry!

Finally, we are hearing ominous noises about 'pay rises only in line with productivity, which always herald an wage increases.

The union leaders will have a line whict fits comfortably into this strategy: go easy witn tne pay rises, and well persuade Tories to give us jobs. dangerous answer of all.

The lesson we learnt from the social contract is that if you give way on any front, money, doesn't go to save jobs but into the bosses' pockets. We have to take the money weaken their resistance - not ours.

Of course, we should put forward our own alternalve SCHOOS. missile madness. We want a proper plan for energy, social services and industry.

But the way to pay for it is to take thet money from the tiny minority of parasites who run the system - not the vast majority of working people.

Socialist Challenge, 25, June, 1981 ; Page 2

dropping hard-line

been

the com-

decisions do show the arguments. £500 a by industrial action, are no plans for new hearing loud noises Thatcher vindictive ry a taste

: on public 3is attempt

suppliers by

- this from the people who

attack on

Tne This is the most save jobs from the bosses and

We want hospitals, houses We want to destroy the Tories'

By Pete Clifford AFTER ten weeks sitting-in, the strikers at Laurence Scott and chester, have learnt a great deal about how to fight redundancies.

organised engineering plants. In 1972 it was the first of over 20 factories in the area to occupy.

Dennis Barry, toolroom steward, was involved at that time: 'From that sit-in came forward the activists who are now today's stewards. They established a closed shop and strengthened their organisation but 'in those days, when you sat-in, least everyone knew they would be going back to a

Scott example

Electromotors, Man-

The factory is one of Manchester's better

job; now it's different.'

Now all 650 jobs

threat. Laurence scolde unluc We've got f2.7m worth of work here,' plains Dennis. "Any other orm of action would let LIC OWICh DIDC cal away at that and re-direct our orders.'

Peter Rowen, chairperson of the joint stewards

-Home News

committee, stresses 'that the sit-in has to be a base for organising and a base for unity. We have a rota system for the sit-in', he explains, involving the entire work force. "The sit-in itself is like a nerve centre.' The sit-in is run by various rank and file controlled committees for finance, delegations, publicity, security and food. Base But the strikers know that the occupation won't win by itself. They have "to get financial support' as

Fight for the Right

ČSEU

SITIN

STRIKEF

Dennis Barry explains. 'But that still won't win.

‹We have to get sup• port from other workers to

lack Snipe's company. Mining Supplies.

The sit-in is from which to escalate the dispute even further. So in the next week Laurence Scott strikers will go to Doncaster, Norwich, and Wolverhampton plants owned by Snipe.

Peter Rowen explains their 'We're going for supportive tion and eventually we will by picketing Snipe's factory in Doncaster

In the Manchester area

• Work

the strikers are calling for a special meeting of shop stewards throughout the Confed engineering unions to raise further support.

No one at Laurence Scott has any illusion that it will be an easy battle, but they all agree by sitting-in, they are in the strongest position to fight back.

'None of us should sell Dennis Barry. 'We've go

setting the Laurence Scott example whenever there's a closure

"There's no alternative but to occupy.'

Support/ Donations to 1 .S.E. Workers Appeal Fund C/o George Fryer, 20, Roundcroft, RONIILY, Cheshire, SK6 4LL.

Page 3 scan of this page

By Toni Gorton

ing in April.

Scarman's role as police in Brixton.

What we are more likely to see is an even-handed evaluation of the problems leading to the uprising.

On the one hand, Scarman will no doubt conclude, have deprivation discrimination sultered black youth in Brixton. On the oct, we Have immature ponct officers, possibly out of trol, and that the decision launch Swamp was judged.

But most importantly, whoever was to blame, violence can't be condoned.

In the past, Lord Scarman has made 1ccomuuchuaulons walchi have been nored by governments. would seem that this time the government does intend to conSUC Care ly the proposals that he makes. According some legal experts, the rapidity with which Scarman was appointed is ditterent from his other two inquiries - into Red Lion Square and Southall.

Explosions like those in St Paul's, Bristol year and Brixton are awkward for government. First because they make Britain look bad internationally, occall Carib bean countries and India and Pakistan.

But more importantly, they increase the danger of 'law and order' collapsing entirely SUlC Dalto particularly in the densely populated inner-city areas.

The rising levels unemployment which increase social tensions is especia lv evident among the youth. In March, youths were registered at the Brixton careers office

trying to do?

I WAS told as a child to always agree with the police. It's the safest course,' joked Lord Scarman on the fifth day of the official inquiry into the Brixton upris-

We would be underestimating the situation if we take the above comment at face value and consider

simply to cover up that of the

and 18 jobs were available. This statistic doesn't measure those who didn't bother to register.

More and more youth are being forced we streets, out of control of their and families, ally discipline, or community care.

con- Sensitive ill- If in somo of the big cities, whole areas are dominated bv The cool see on vi control their quality of policing is of utmost

Possibly proposals on politically 'sensitive policing cutenaned.

But to look for a 'military' solution in Britain at the moment is to admit that they have lost a poncal valie to convince an important part of the remain and law abiding'.

Much of Scarman's job will be to convince local community leaders that the get justice from courts and police and that they should try to keep their young peopie under control.

This will be some of the truth is told about the police activities in Brixton. in It is a delicate line to tread which is why the government has enlisted such skilled and sophisticated judge. of One of the delicacies in this situation that may not more Brixtons there is also a campaign being conducted by the police and

What is Scarman

to live on the

work-place own will

will be Whitelaw to politically prepare the ground will provide for a more heavily armed and force.

of giving a little to gain a lot, to 'decent achieve policing, Scarman some of the truth about Brixwill British establish the authority traditional black Courtney Laws Webb.

facilitated if Dialogue

black youth in

a politically hopefully winning

said about while opting the leaders of the youth want into new authority. at inis time.

the participation of four of the Red Lion Square - Scarman laid blame on the militants

Home News

Problems of Brixton can't be solved by more black police

for new laws that militarised police Isolate

By using the age-old tactic

adjudicator. degree of selfwill admit not any one part of it. attempt to reof the Tenders like tative and and Renee well-being munity and to head of black self-defence

He will try to engage the

dialogue tary of the llows tsupe what he allows to the police and co- blems relations of

relationships with Working

Scarman has already won

five main black organisations

Scarman isn't an impartial

He is there in the interests of the entire state -

A major part of his job will be to isolate the militants, to condemn them as unrepresen-

dangerous to the of the black comoff any possible moves in the direction

This is not a fact-finding exercise. As Chris Sutton,

Lambeth Trades Union Council said: "The pro-

police-community are correctly documented in Lambeth council's recent Final Report of the

Party into Police /Community Relations

'We see little point in going over the argument again.

- for a labour

movement

and community

inquiry

PLANS are well underway for an independent inquiry based on the labour movement and community and there be a meeting rangements.

in May. said that 'the Trades Union Council has continually called for more money to tackle these major problems and the government's recent cuts have only made things worse. needs of Brixton community and want the Labour Party and the TUC to support our initiative.' man which will bring out the racist nature of the police, use the evidence Council report on police/community relations; bring out the social conditions and most importantly to lay the basis for campaigning for changes after the in. quiry is over. Stratham ambeth bentral and Vaughall construed London Labour cy Labour Parties added their voices and the GLC is expected to make a big contribution.

and Lewisham Trades Councils are boycotting Scarman, which is the major umbrella group for black organisations in the area.

those arrested and to lead the campaign.

to Scarman during phase two of the inquiry in order to highlight the deprivation in the area

The Brixton Legal originally saying, about the nature of the evidence presented to the in. quiry over the past four days, and feels that the in. terests of defendants should be safeguarded by hav. ing a legal presence at the inquiry.'

evidence to Scarman in his personal capacity.

For further Campaign c/o Abeng Centre, Gresham Road, London SW9. Legal Defence Campaign c/o Lambeth Community Law Can. tre, Brixton Road, SW9 tel. 01-733 4245.

Socialist Challenge

Boycott Scarmar

on 2 July to finalise ar-

Lambeth Trades Council which issued the call early

'We are calling for an independent inquiry into the

The purpose is to provide an alternative to Scar-

provided in the Lambeth

Norwood

The Greater London Council, Lambeth, Southwark

along with the Brixton Defence Campaign

The BDC was set up to support the legal defence of

Some organisations have agreed to give evidence

Defence Campaign which supported the boycott changed its mind 'The defence group has become concerned

Ted Knight, leader of Lambeth council has given

information contact the Brixton Defence Donations to the legal defence can be sent to Brixton

25 June 1981 Page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

Labour executive plans factory branches

Healey's turn exposes left's

By Paul Lawson

with these resolutions,

and circulated them

tions.

However, serious pro-

blems are raised by the

parameters set GOWn

the NEC in its proposals.

two key paragrapis in lic

consultative document

read as follows:

'Branch Business. To

flict between the role

de workdace orance did By Phil Hearse 'THE CAMPAIGN over the Labour Party deputy leadership is not about personalities, but about policy. theme of Tony Benn and his supporters and rightly so. It was inevitable then that Denis Healey should make his move on this front, and predictably his recently presented programme has a distinctly 'left' flavour.

He refers to policy, public investment' and growth of imports' - unabashed by the fact that he followed policies when he was chancellor of the Exchequer.

These policies are put ¡orwara in a context ol a priority of 'returning to

'rebuilding of our social SCIVICES Smartly to outflank his left opponents on other key issues, Healey calls GIOT moves to "restore the sovereignty Britain from the control of the Common Market and for 'genuine disarmament internationally, including the need to cancel the Trident missile system' notwithstanding the fact that he was a member of a working group of the last Labour government that prepared the plans for Trident.

Fraud

The response to this Stenent o pollcy trom the Tribune left has been

manoeuvre, cover and a fraud. Absolutely true. Healey's policy statement obvious demashe benn allempting to lulow the campaign off guard.

But the fact that Healey is able to carry out this manoeuvre at all is symptomatic of a weakness left's programme, and in particular the precise meaning of the 'alternative economic strategy' (AES).

For some in the Tribune group, the alternative economic strategy involves more public ownership, with comCUISON planning Sociali it Challenge 25 June 1981.

AT THE 1980 conference of the Labour Party, two resolutions proposing the establishment of workplace branches were adopted. In line

the National Executive of the party has drawn up proposals for the establishment of workplace branches

to affiliated organisaComments on the proposals have to be sent to the NEC in the next couple of weeks.

that of the trade union branches in the workplace, the rules of the workplace branch should clearly confine branch business political Italicis. so that there no overlapping with industrial Hallels that are only pertinent to the trade union branch.

An Horeover

programme

This has been the constant

'our alternative economic calling for a 'massive increase in

'ceilings On the

precisely the opposite

with maJor and so forth The problem is that the 'alternative strategy' according to Len colorill

Murray, Tom Jackson and other right wing bureaucrats supported by the Communist Party means first and foremost import controls.

Step

At the Hyde Park rally in support of the People's March for Jobs, Icaullg members of the Shadow cabinet Foot, Healey and Stan Orme, hammerce away al ure locae that import controls were essential towards solving the economic crisis.

To be an accredited of the alternative economic strategy it

Hence to import controls, and Healey has now much claim to members of the AES supporters club as does Len Murray.

The left is finding itself programmatically outflanked by Healey because it's not basing itself firmly on demands with an anticapitalist thrust. would put the cost of the sis no l capitalsı class.

In particular, demands like those of a 35-hotr week will no loss or pay. and for massive programme of public works to mop, mould draw a sharp line of unemployment

divide against the proPage 4

"To comply with the

Conterence decision and

in order to conform to the

objectives proposed,

essential for a workplace

branch to be made up only

of individual members

the Party employed in the

workplace.

Encapsulated in these

two proposals,

not mentioned at all in the

conference resoution, . is a

limiting conception of the

role factory branches

which would effectively

sabotage their most useful

function, and prevent the

industrial/political

being overcome.

To tactorv and

workplace branches may, capitalist Labour right.

nealey s change of line on the Trident system is another slick move. On the issue of nuclear weapons the key line of divide is that of unilateral nuclear disarmament. Tony Benn does support this demand.

But Healey has exploited the fact that much of the left, even the BenAHTe left, conducts debates on this question within the tramework trying to define what is the most 'rationa" and 'ettec tive' defence policy, withchallengin British military the foundaLIONS policy alliance NATO

Even if Healey's new-found opposition to Trident doesn't yet match Benn's position for unilateral disarmament, it in-

Home News

of course, Increase part.

membership. But unless

the worko act

have a role in the work-

place, then there is no ear-

thiy reason why they

should meet separately

from the constituency par-

ties. Point

The whole point of

organising in the factories

is to link up the 'political'

struggle and 'in-

dustrial' struggle and

understand

"industrial' matters are in

this period cabitails.

crisis eminently political.

Let's take an example. serts an effective wedge into the left's debate

Healey's position thai we should 'restore the sovereignty of Britain from the control of the

Market COTTON pinpoints the weaknesses of the Labour left's programme.

Almost without exception the labour left has opposed the Common Mar.

the not thesis that

ICOICOCHLS alliance of capitalist states in the service of the multinationals, but because the institutions of the Common Market are challenge to the 'sovereignty' of parliament.

Once the key objection to the EEC becomes the defence of parliamentary sovereignty, then there are innumerable schemes short of withdrawal from

In a British Leyland fac-

tory, like Rover Solihull,

ace a Cose because

of the Edwardes plan, it

would be ludicrous for a

Labour Party branch not

Lo OSCus the ciosure of

the plant because it was

'industrial'

Labour Party branches

in factories must have the

right to draw out the cation antises

plications Issuer

which affect people in the

Very LITC

branch is supposed to

Equally, the workplace

or factory branch should

take these issues affecting

the workplaces the

constituency DalLy the EEC which can lessen the of the institu-

the Brussels LOTS bureaucrats to override the power of the British parliament.

Bogus

The whole argument of the Labour left is a bogus one in any case, since the real power of the EEC in. stitutions to determine anything fundamental about the course of British capitalism is extremely limited, and because contrary to the dreamland myths OI the likes of Michael Foot the 'sovereignty of

the ability of parliament, parliament to make the fundamental decisions about the economy and even the law, has been made progressively more

which they are affiliated

This precisely ine

way overcome the in-

dustrial/political

Otherwise, if the NEC has

its way, the factory bran-

ches could be reduced to

impotent discussion clubs

with no rationale. Levy

The same question is

involved with the composi-

tion the workplace

branches. 10 effectively

overcome the artificial in-

•usa Douca

the best way to organise

would be to allow all union

members wac pay the

political levy to participate

in the branch. marginal for decades

Denis Healey, of course, has no intention whatever of being member of a government which even begins to im. plement the programme which he has outlined

Hitosition left heroic in

OOPOSING anyone any harm. His sudden conversion won't fool many activists at the base of the Labour Party.

But what his does do is provide the

leaderships with an argument for supporting Healey and oppos ing Benn. After all, il the policy statements aren't so different, then maybe it's a question of personalities after all - and why upse the apple cart for a fen policy differences?

finds itself outmanoeuvred by

This would be a really effective way of organising political levy payers, who are ritually counted in the Labour Party's 'six million members

If the objective of the NEC is Dulla a mass party, then rather than attempt recruit new members to factory discus-

they should take this golden opportunity to organise their affiliated mass membership One sues walcined them in their day-to-day struggles.

Affiliated organisations and constituenc

SHould that the NEC rethinks this question.

Healey's move, then it will

purely and simply because

of the left's own political

weakness. salutory

lesson.

TONY

BENN

FOR

Tony Benn for • Denutv

'The fastest selling badge

thi People's March,

(Morning 1 June

You too can have a copy of

this hot property for just

20p (plus 11½p postage)

Give-away bulk rates

are available. Write to: Isi

ington Research Group

c/o PO Box 50, London N1

Page 5 scan of this page

The Benn movement rumbles through

EVER conscious of their self-appointed role as benefactors of the working class, bureaucrats have 'guidelines' for establishing local unemployed workers' centres.

big SICO forward, even though a trifle late, you might think. This is not the case.

When the TUC's plan was first revealed in

against unemployment, organised bv Newcastle Trades Council, the 250 delegates threw it out in disgust.

Among the instructions in the guidelines are:

Unemployed COlLICS should only concern themselves with counselling and advice; organising contact between the trade unions

moting Manpower Ser-

moting Manpower

schemes, and wringing a few and recreational facilities for the unemployed.

• The need for such and the level of resources would be deter-

mittees composed entirely of Teresculalve from regional TUCS, trades councils, and full-time officials.

Iron

ference last week.

ISTC, the largest steel

union, is one of the most

right wing and

undemocratic.

Only a handful of na-

tional conferences have

been convened 1n its 50

year history, and these

have no power to make

policy.

Last year's conference,

following a 13-week strike

and 50,000 redundancies,

was cancelled because of

alleged lack of funds.

General secretary Blll

Sirs is a proud supporter

of the right-wing Labour

Solidarity Group and

through the union's jour-

nal, The Banner, he has

built a campaign to reverse

the Wembley decisions on

electing the party leader-

Silly The headlines of the

journal's conference issue

trumpetted: *Michael Sid Weighell to speak at Gormley and

Core ence

But this time Sirs

didn't get all his own way.

His passionate speeches on

behalf of the

could not stop the over-

whelming votes in favour

Managing the

unemployed,

TUC style

TUC

recently devised

• Centres • once established, with local authority help on funding and premises, would be managed by committees composed equally regional TUC nominees and local representatives.

Other groups such voluntary bodies might be

inviday deers it the

also • representatives ot clude representatives the unemployed', the TUC adds.

• Running the centres will be the job of 'full-time

and 'other experienced officials conjunction with the TUC and local authorities. Action

Should the ployed begin to take action outside the control of these officials, the TUC demands to be informed of any activities 'outside the TUC guidelines... which could damage the interests of the unemoloved or the trade

the steel union

THE Labour Party leadership battle shook the and Steel Trades Confederation con-

of the campaign for

unilateral disarmament

and for 'the union to ac-

tively campaign for the

withdrawal from the

EEC'.

Defend

Even with the big guns

of the Labour right plat-

formed for action against

Wembley decisions.

the resolution to defend

wal

defeated with a vote of 110

or and o dealst

Many delegates conthat this shift

showed the impact of

Benn's campaign for

deputy leader.

Sirs' conference address

reflected

with his demands for

'radical alternative

for

vorces shone.

working week and restric-

101 1 CO

nationalisation without

compensation' for a plan

of public works, and the

scrapping of the 'costly'

Trident missiles.

Confirmation of these

By Malcolm Richardson

union movement, or put at risk the public funding of the centres'.

Rumour has it that the TUC hurriedly cobbled together these rules with the MSC, when Tory unemployment minister, Prior, threatened to cutoff MSC funds to politic. ally active unemployed workers' centres. Policed

In return for "Tory gold' TUC bureaucrats gave a guarantee of gooc

'non-political behaviour'

behalf of the unemployed, union officials and backed policed

by threats of loss of fun-

ding for conduct 'outside

TUC guidelines'

What could be more convenient for the Tories than having the TUC

policing The unemployed

nd doling out 'safe ad-

Cus ita more and more workers join the dole queues?

The TUC circulated trades councils and other union bodies with its proposals.

Militants should reject

the TUC's corporatist approach and demand that:

• The TUC campaign for right

By Celia Pugh

shifts to the left came at

the first day's fringe

machings Supporters of

Benn's campaign drew

over 50 delegates to their

meeting, in spite ot denun

ciation of the

from the conference plat-

form as 'having nothing to

do with the ISTC.

There were also veiled

threats from Sirs of an in

vestigation into the spon-

sors ol lie mccungs

Labour Solidarity's Denis Healey, drew only half this

number, despite the glossy

ference officials on the

seat of each delegate.

the left's mayti Davies member

Ray from the

Llanwern Steel Action

noted:

Jobs

"There is a demand for

change in our union. This

was felt today with the

Market. The democracy

Jight spilling into

trade unions. The call for

democracy has come clear-

ly from the constituencies.

The biggest obstacle to

change are the full-time

Home News

to work based on the implementation of the 35-hour week and full support for all workers taking action over closures and

given trade union officials, who

worried that their jobs will be threatened and their seemingly god-given right

to take decisions for us will be taken away-through accountability.

Warned

on the jobs chair Scunthorpe ISTC Joint Cro is wa medi

"This make

break conference. We will

go back from here to fur-

ther decimation of the in-

dustry. There's talk of

more slimming down, but

the only slimming down

left major plant

closure.

Drawing the meeting's

attention to the absence of

a jobs fight, he continued:

'Let's look at the Lure

ference resolutions. - how

many are there _opposing

closure.

Triple Alliance coming in

behind us in the fight for jobs? .

'It's all very well talking about nationalisation

compensation,

like Sirs did this morning, Something about it? Ain but

needs is a statement from

membership rights, including representation On local trades councils and at the TUC.

• That unemployed workers' centres be set up

every locality, run by

the platform that there will

be opposition to closure -

this will

response.

Executive member Bill

Irvine, who proposed the

successful anti-EEC

resolution, told the

meeting: support the

policies of Tony Benn.

The best way to get these

policies through is to fight

for them. There are plenty

of channels to do this. We

should not be frightened back into the Lab ur ar socialist policies

ty and the trade unions, where ger elet the fringe

meeting with illu-

sions that this campaign

democracy and

socialist policies in the

ISTC will be an easy task.

Tide

The failure to adopt

connerence

make full-time officials

electable and accountable,

and the absence of a real

fight closures,

show what a long way

there is to go

But a ball has been set

rolling and Bill Sirs and his

co-right wingers

find it easy to turn the tide.

the unemployed, with active support from the local trades councils branches, and CLPs.

• Local councils and the government through the MSC, urban Sirs - veiled threats

Socialist Challenge

aid and similar schemes -should provide funding and premises for such centres. with 110 strings attached, in addition to the resources mobilised by the local labour movement.

25 June 1981 Page 5

Page 6 scan of this page

THE ISSUE of Oxford

left-winger ted Heslin's

expulsion from the Labour

Party remains unresolved

after a meeting of the local

party last week.

Transport

Union shop steward was

expelled from the party

over liz years aro 101 suu

Portier Socialist Longue

Socialist League

sell press.

(WOL) alu

paper Socialist

After hearing his appeal

the NEC decided to

admit him in May 1980. Monday 15 June. Committee meeting in morning (Socialist Challenge the TO OSCUSS LIC and situation in how should respond. The general assessmelt Is Ina the mood is continuing to worser. wile rumouls ual the plant committee has rejected improved redundancy terms, result all the plant closure

TURNER terms will be lost.

It is clear also that some of the shop stewards cannot handle this situa· tion. Over the last 14 monthe of defeat and passivity they are not used to

Photos mobilising their sections.

mass meeting theretore essential to aispel these rumours, assure the members that all major decisions will be taken b mass meetings and reaf firm support for the cam-

paigne ains closure.

will call a shop stewards meeting tomorTOW and recommend mass meeting be hela on Wednesday.

We organise three coaches, one for the lobby of the national automotive committee on Thursday, in Brighton. and two for the lobby of the Transport

biennial delegates conference Monday, also in Brighton.

Tuesday Shop stewards meeting held dinner time. Fairly thorough discussion of the present situallull.

A move to abandon the Calibaltil in favour OI pressing tor more reaundancy easily quashed. The shop stewards are behind a tight

but the main question

whether they will be able to night tor thal posion In their sections.

There is considerable

doubt as to how the mass

meeting will go. The

pressure for a 'make

break' decision at the mass

meeting disappears in the

light of this situation.

we agrce a resolunion

affirming the position of

and support for continuing

me Cambad

In the evening I meet

shop stewards from Long-

bridge and it won:

Cowley confirms it won

oc accoune ally lausicil-

ing of work from Rover.

Wednesday The date of

the national conference,

stage DIO-

redure. is set for 6 July.

Rumours abound that

Socialist Challenge

Now the ball is firmly back in the NEC's court.

After a visit to Oxford by organisation chair Eric Heffer and Te mon Hughes, the NEC wrote to agent David

Uxiora party saving •ther would accept Heslin back if the organisation mittee would terview

Save Rovers, sack Edwardes:

diary of a BL deputy convenor

All decisions e

will be

taken at

mass

By Pat Hickey, Deputy Convenor SD1 Rover, Solihull the company are going to ofter an extra six to eignt weeks pay to buy off the opposition to closure.

firming that this is

confirming that this quite likely but is totally unacceptable in the face of many years on the dole.

The mass meeting gets a 100 per cent attendance. the Lucculls. with an assurance that no otters have been rejected by the works committee, and that any offer and all

Socialist Challendel

MIKE TURNER

25 June 1981 Page 6

NEC must reinstate Heslin

him, seeking

assuleites from him that he would not repeat the actions nor critical statements made by him against the party.

But even this backtracking was not enough for the Oxford right wing.

The Oxford party will only accept Heslin back 'on the understanding

meetings'

major decisions will be

taken to mass meetings.

Mick Clarke the con-

venor the convenor gives a

long speech which is well

received, explaining the

campaign so far and the

15 August. There is a good

deal of applause

We conclude with

call for united stand.

jobs WelC

Longbridge or Cowley

the ONCS we have to de-

Home News

gives assurances that he

refrain from the ac no tions for which he was ex. pelled - ie. supporting the TOT WSL, selling its paper and distributing its literature'.

The NEC will have to interview Heslin ana acciac do about the conditions. Socialists in pall)

fend.

The meeting ends with

an almost unanimous vote

of support

than we had at the first

meeting.

In the evening a

meeting with delegates and

otticers from the engineer

ing and automotive district

begin

organise the 15 August

ricter that, attend

district aral chale

members and supporters

By Mike Picken (Oxford CLP)

should be campaigning for

restrictions the membership of Heslin and

unconditional reinstatement by the NEC. ditions Tories

This would involve a conflict with the right wing majority in the Oxford

NOW!

Socialist Challenge

20p plus postage.

of Socialist Challenge. It i vell attended and I explai

ine neca to gull 1o

occupation of the plant and the opportunities that exist for revolutionaries throughout engineering in

the Birmingham area.

we agree to organise Socialist Challenge sales at

REC as been reluctant to which tar the engage in.

If the NEC places conon Heslin's membership, such as his selling then this w be a old boosulu the right wing and should be fought by all those on the left.

UNEMPLOYMENT:

A 35 HOUR WEEK

BY PAT HICKEY

pamphlet on unemployment available from Birmingham Other Bookshop, 137 Digbeth, Birmingham.

all the major car and car component factories in Birmingham.

Thursday The coach for the lobby Brighton leaves. I stay at the plant and the shop floor collection goes extremely well.

Eric Heffer

20p

Shop stewards are a lot happier with the feeling amongst the membership

Friday Those who were orlac obuy • 1CLULI worn out. The TGWU na-

gave its full support and the SDI Siluallol should figure largely in the automotive report to the TGWU bien nial conference.

In the afternoon, Mick Clarke, anc l attend meeting of the newly established car council al county hall. We are given a briefing which includes, in addition to Rover Solihull, items on the general state of industry in the West Midlands.

The meeting is attended by Labour MPs, councillors, as well

Mathers, the secretary of There are also Tory MPs and councillors and the regional CBI

established and a press statement issuea

This body is going to be a problem for us later, or we are going to be pro-

chem We will have to make sure that it is the latter.

Page 7 scan of this page

in industry 27-8 June, London For a new leadership in the labour movement

By Pat Hickey (Deputy convenor, SD1 Rover Solihull)

THE Industrial Workers Conference organised by Socialist Challenge is a milestone in the development of our movement. It will register the first fruits of our struggle to have a majority of our members in the main unions and industries in Britain, and will prepare the next stage. of the struggle.

Our task at this conterence is to members and supporters for the struggle against the Tories and a allot those misleaders of the labour movement wie

organisations of the working class.

She removal of the

that the removal the Tories does not lead to Labour government of the Wilson-Callaghan type, devoted to austerity measures.

Jobs

Resolving the crisis in Britain in the interests of the working people needs socialist unshakeable commitment and

the struggle capitalism. The fight build a revolutionary party is an essential part of this struggle.

Unemployment has reached three million and

'For

accountability

and democracy'

Ray Davies, Iron and Steel Trades Confedera-

tion,

tion Group

Challenge Industrial Workers Conference:

played a vital part in building the campaign for

democracy and accountability in the Labour Party

one are unions.

and assistance in the calling of fringe meetings at

Labour Party and trade union conferences up and

down the country has been of great importance.

ly important. The

steel industry in the last five years have led to

nothing but disaster. I believe there is an alter-

native but this can only be attained if we organise

for a trade union movement which is completely

accountable to the rank and file.

tional changes in the ISTC. Some of them were

victimised. But for everyone victimised there are

others to take their place.

now more confident to say, enough is enough.

in the trade unions will grow as rapidly and en-

thusiastically as it has inside the Labour Party.

crucial

primacy inside the Labour Party will be the vital

continuing component to prevent the Labour Par-

ty from declining into just another bunch of arm-

chair socialists.

are falling. The social sees Real wages are falling. vices are being slashed.

Unemployment benefits are being screwed down to subsistance levels.

With official encouragement, through SUCUr measures as the Nationality Bill, racism attempts to shift the burden of the crisis on to black DCODIC.

The advances that

chairperson of the Llanwern Steel Ac-

sends greetings to the Socialist

There is no doubt that Socialist Challenge has

The unselfish way it has provided its resources

paths we have travelled in the

Some years ago people organised for constitu-

The rank and file are

The demand for accountability and democracy

because the trade unions

women have made after long struggles are being taken away, as unemployment forces women back into the home and makes them dependent on men.

The reactionaries who welcome unis development as right and tempt to reiniorce it bi tacking abortion and 3б. placing the burden SOCC on the family.

millions of young people the crisis has taken away the possibility of independence from the family. In Ireland the brutal colonial war waged by Britain attempts to supPress he desire fore the

people for national independence.

Unemployment is the biggest single problem facing the working class. For

The fight for socialist policies

those of work capitalism offers years of hardship. For those in work the threat of unemployment is being us ea by the empiovers to attack® don mages as hold wages force through speed ups.

Support

The massive support for the Liverpool, Glasgow, London demonstrations against pact or the the pact the People's March, the

Occupaluis against redundancy at Gardners, Lee Jeans and Laurence Scott show that workers saying enough is enough, and are seeking the policies and leadership neededfor fightback.

STOR

THE NA

But the policies ; they are seeking are not those the right wing leadership have offered for years. The Labour government came to power on the back of big working class struggles against the Heath government. Under Wilson and Callaghan tha governmen the prorext of case and

working class and turned to incomes policy and attacks on trade ANTOSS

Their policie paved

he way for the Tory vic tory.

Under the Tories these policies have been carried much further but the right wing leaders have made nace task case.

The shop stewards organisations which were born in the '50s and '60s

found it more and more difficult to respond to the changed conditions.

The old shop stewards organisation found that their traditional response ot lactory and. sectional struggle was longer capable of winning ine

support of the member:

In the successive wave of redundanev tha

dustry the

Hilally layer of shop stewards have disappeared

Remains

But the organisation remains, and an new layer of stewards has begun to emerge. They have emerged in conditions that demand a national answer national leadership and national political clout.

By Elsie Broad, Royal Pride Strike Committee, Furniture, (FTAT)

WE'VE been on strike • 17 Royal Pride, Salford, for week TOT union recognition and our jobs.

time attitude 10 unions has changed complete-

ine most serious reason why my attitude changed was because the factories

i't one tha wasn't involved in some kind of struggle as far as their jobs went

And yet, everyone of them was willing to help us financially. I realised then that the fight wasn't just going on at Royal Pride

It was a fight that involved evervooar against ine tactic.

Socialist

Challenge

REVOLUTION

Industrial

Workers

Conference

London 27-8 June

50, Lo by tic N1 2XIY tom PO Box

This means that the question of who leads the union can no longer be left on one side. Part of the

shop floor organisation is the fight to conquer the official structures of the union And if the official structures are important for the day to day struggle they are even more impor tant in the class wide struggle against the Tories. the working class looks for a fight against ELSC Tories, leaders are trying to channer unis Illitalicy peals to the Tories change course.

They refuse to lead a struggle to get rid of the Tory government, preferring to wait for the nex election.

Remove

Such leaders must be removed. The new layer of shop stewards and rank and file militants direct their struggles into

trade trions. Thes stop

stewards organisations will be recomposed around the big questions of nationa politics.

The crisis of leadership of the movement is seen auSO hane fight in the Labour Party around the policies of the next Labour government and the control of the PLP.

Here again Socialist Challenge supporters must be part of this fight and take it into the unions for control of the bloc vote. If accountabllly impor tant in the Labour Party it

unions.

The struggle in the Labour Party will stimulate similar developments in the unions. We must be part of that light

Why I'll be there

Timber and Allied Trades

whole thing right in his pam oner when ne wowswenal the we've got the , But have we go the leadership?

LOOK at the trade

she are is to a Our • job is to change tha cuts are affer ting more thar one ese, I enkero see wome oroanise „more in une union and in the Labour Part:

Why useful is that it is a charce. nose same about the unior ecs:to ger together

Page 8 scan of this page

FOR the first 17 days of his hunger strike Bobby Sands, later to be the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, kept a diary. This was smuggled out of Long Kesh prison and last week printed, in full, in An Phoblacht/Republican News.

We reprint an edited version which attempts to capture the flavour of what is a remarkable document.

The entire diary can be ob-

An Phoblacht/Republi 44 rarel, Dublin Send 30p plus 20p for postage.

DAY 1: I am standing on ine unresnola or anomel trembling world. May God nave ce on my soul.

My heart is very sore because I know that I have

healt, and my home s

heart. my nome struck with unbearable anxiety.

But I have considered all the arguments and tried every means to avoid what has become the unavoidable: has been forced upon me and my comrades by four-and-a-

years of stark inhumanity.

am political prisoner. I am a political DESOICI casualty of a perennial war that 1s being fought between the oppressed Irish people and an alien, oppressive, unwanted regime

to withdraw from our land.

Rate the statutory weekly bit of fruit last night. As fate had it, it was an orange, and the irony, was bitter food is being left at the door. My portions, as expected, are quite larger than usual.

DAY 2: Much to the distaste of the screws we ended the no-wash protest this morning. We moved to 'B' wing, which was allegedly clean.

We have considerable tolerance today.

Men are being searched coming trom the toilet. At one point men were walting three hours to get out to the toilet, and only four or five got washed. which typifies the eagerness (SiC) of the screws to have us off the no-wash.

There is a lot of petty vindictiveness from them.

saw the doctor and I'm 64 kgms. I've no problems....

DAY 3: I'm feeling exceptionally well today it's on-

the third day, know, but all the same I'm feeling

great had a visit this morn-

with two

David Beresford

Guardian and Brendan O'Cathaoir of 'The Irish

Times. Couldn't quite get my flow of houghts together, I could have said more in a better fashion...

They put a table in my cell and are now placing my food on it in front of my honestly couldn't give a damn if they placed it on my knee.

They still keep asking me silly 'are

you still not eating?'

Got papers and a book today. The book was Kipl-

allist Challenge 25 June 1981 Page 8

ing's 'Short Stories' with an sth From on of some

Somerset Maugham. I took an instant dislike to the latter on reading his comment the rish people during Kipling's prime as a writer:

*It is true that the Irish were making a nuisance of themselves'. Damned too bad, I thought, and bigger the pity it wasn't a bigger nuisance!!

DAY 4: I have not felt too bad today, although notice the energy beginning to drain. But it is quite early yet

got showered today and had my hair cut, which made me feel quite

Ten years younger the boys joke, but I feel twenty years older, the inevitable consequence eight years of torture and imprisonment....

Noticed a rarity today: tam way the sa, and by

Way the screws are glaring at the food,

Page 9 scan of this page

obby Sands unger strike diary

increasingly worried and would quite well be an are of the fact that there tempt at a later date to pull the carpet trom under our feet and undermine us — if HOI defeat LOUS hungerstrike with the concession bid in the form of our own clothes as a right'.

This, of course, would solve nothing. But allowed birth

WITN the voice of the Catholic hierarchy,

SCIOUS CU age our position.

It is the declared wish ot these people see humane and better conditions in these Blocks But the issue at stake is not 'humanitarian' • Or abou better or improved living conditions.

purely political and only a political solution will soive it.

We wish to be treated 'not as ordinary prisoners'

for we are not criminals. We admit no crime unless, that is, the love of one's people and country is a crime.

Would Englishmen allow Germans to occupy their nation or Frenchmer allow Dutchmen to do akewiser

Must go as I'm getting tired.

DAY 11: I received a large

today. Some from people I do not know....

I was trying to piece together quote rom

Connolly today which I'm ashamed that I did not succeed in doing but I'll meagre lew lInes Call remember.

They go something like

this: a man who is bubbling over with enthusiasm (or patriotism) for his country, walks through the streets among his people, their degradation, poverty, and suffer ing, and who (for want of the right words) does nothing, is, in my mind,: fraud; for Ireland distinc Irom is peopie is out d mass of chemical elemen

There are still too, too many who walk among the people bubbling over with

alse enthusiasm, false

Political magpies and political opportunists and parasites, the Fitts, Devlins, Humes Sticks, Haugheys, FitzGeralds and the rest of those disgusting band of

aLL"

DInous unscrupulous

Total equality and fraternity can't, and never will be, gained whilst these parasites dominate and rule the lives of a nation. There is no equality in a society that stands upon the economic and political bog of only. the strongest make it good or survive.

Compare in any decade in history, compare it tomorrow in the future, and it will mock you. here are no luxuries the H-Blocks. But there is true concern for the Irish people.

DAY 12: ...Physically have felt very tired today between dinner time and later afternoon. I know I'm physically weaker, it is only to be expected. But I'm okay. I'm

still getting the papers alright, but there's nothing heartening in them.

I heard of today's an-

that Frank on hes wistrike on me

hunger-strike on day have

the greatest admiration and confidence in Frank and I know that I am not alone. How could I ever be with comrades like those around me, in Armagh and outside

...I have poems in my mind, mediocre no doubt,

of HUBCUBKE and MacSwiney, and everything that this hunger-strike has stirred up in my heart and in my mind, but the weariness is slowly creeping in, heart willing but my body wants to be lazy, so I have decided to mass all my energy and thoughts

into consolidating my resitate is most impor-

That tant. Nothing else seems to matter except that linger ing Constan reminding thought 'Never give up No matter how bad, how black, how painful, ever how heart-breaking *Never lose hope 'Never despair'

Let then bastards

let ham grill and wine,

them grIn and jibe, allow them persist in their humiliation, brutality, deprivations, vindic meens, let petty ments them laugh now because all of that no longer important or worth a response

I am making my last response the vicious inhuman atrocity they call H-Block. But unlike their laughs and

• will be the joy of victory and joy of the people, our reveng wise the Hoermon oa and the final defeat of the oppressors of our aged na-

DAY 13. : ...I was not so tired today, but my back gets sore now and again sitting in the bed.

...The birds were sing-

inged bread of tot tys

threw out of the window. At least somebody was eating!

I was lonely for a while this evening, listening to the crows caw as returned home Should hear the beautiful lark, she would rent my heart. Now, as I write, the odd curlew mournfully calls as Briel, I must leave ofe fly over. like the for if I write more about the birds my tears will fall and my thoughts return to the days of my youth

They were the days and gone forever now. But

enjoyed them, and least I haven't forgotten them. They are in my heart

- good night, now.

DAY 14: Again, another

uneventful somewhat

Headworth (soclaist Challenge ing day. My weight is 58.25

kgms, and medical complaints. read the

papers, which are full of trash.

Tonight's tea was pie

and beans, and although

hunger may fuel my imagination (it looked

powerful sized meal),

COME chaggerate the

beans were nearly falling

off the plate.

It was inviting (I'm

human too) and I was glad

to see it cave u cell,

ever would I have touck

ed it, but it was a starving

nuisance. Ha! My God

it had have attacked, I'd

have fled.

On a closing note, I've noticed the screws have

been really slamming the

in par-

ticular my own.

good indication

mentality of these people

always vindictive, •always

full of hate. I'm glad to say

am not like that Well I must go to rest

up as I found it tiring try after a bath.

DAY 15: Frank has now joined me on the hungerstrike. Mass today saw which the vUys I en-

joyed.

boringain it had a bie ty Again it was a trouble to get slopped out tonight and to get water.

I have a visit tomorrow and it will be good to see my family. I am also look. ing forward to the walk in the fresh air, it will tire me out. hope weather is good. I must go.

DAY 16: I had a wonderful visit today my mothe father Marcella. Wonderful, considering the circumstances and the strain which indeed they are surely under.

I've noticed the orderlies slices of bread for bits of Care substituting

cake, etcetera stealing the sweet things (which are rare anyway) for Thense ver

I don't know whethe it's a case of 'How low car you get?' or •Well, could you blame them'. But they take their choice and fill of the food always, so it's the former....

There was no mirror search going out to visits today pleasant change. Apparently, with the ending of the no-wash DIOLESL the mercenary screws have lost all their mercenary bonuses, etc., notwithstanding that they

also losing overtime and . SO 011

So not to be outdone they aren't going to carry outate or scarce dul more, and its accompanying brutality, degradation, humiliation, , etc

Why? Because they aren't being paid for it!

DAY 17: ...I saw one of the doctors this morning,

ill-mannered SOLL me. My weight was

57.50 kgms. I had no com plaints.

The governor was in

with me and gave me some lip. He said 'I see you're

good thing it isn't a long one for you won't finish

it!

That's the sort of peo-

ple they are. . Curse them! I

don't care. It's been a long

day

I was thinking today

about hunger-strike

People say a lot about the

body, but don't trust it.

I consider that there is a kind of fight indeed

Firstly the body doesn't

accept the of food

and it suffers from the

temptation of food,

from other aspects which

gnaw he loder tents back

The body fights

sure enough, but at the

end of the day everything

returns to the primary con

sideration, The mind is the

mind.

most important

If you don't have

strong mind to resist all

won't last You

wouldn't have any fighting

spirit.

But then where doe

this proper mentality sten

from? Perhaps from one'

desire for freedom. It isn't

certain that that's where it

cortes from They e aren't able to

destroy desire for

freedom, they won't break

you. They won't break m

because the desire for

freedom, and the freedom

of the Irish people, is in my

heart

The day wil

when all LIC OCONCU

Ireland will have the desire

for freedom to show. It is

then we'll see the rising of

the moon.

Socialist Challenge 25 June 1981 Pag

Page 10 scan of this page

Where you can buy

Socialist Challenge

Scotland ABERDEEN: SC available at Boor

284. St. For more into

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5.30pm, F

GLASGOW: SC

• Also at Barretts, Byres Rd; Clyde High Hope on sale 8-11

17 Clyde View or John at 54 Eliot St, Hamilton.

Wales BANGOR: Sat 10-12 town centre.

misbury And all: 10-5 Books.

MI: every sat in town centre ONTYPRIDD: SC sales every Sa

Co-op, -Ipm, Saturdays England

Labour club. Cieveland st leonids. Sat 11-12 outside -50 sat 10.4. For

14 Southgat BRISTOL: SC on sale 1i-1, 'Hole in

BURNLEY: SC on sale every Sat morBookshops BANGUR: Roac BRAD OR Bang or Cry Bangor, Gwyned. Hollyhead

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ALFORD: Sour Esse Ebookshop, 335 85a New Elve

To Care Set, Waterer Bos.

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What's Left

to publication. Payment in advance. Phone 01-359 8180. BOOKS for Southern Africa. Funds

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ngev Histor Group, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.

IMG notices

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• 00 1 1 1 co y cuc

Sociaiis: Chal-enge a June to

Woodhouse Lane.

From save bro. archapel and S on se from Bank, Right, at BURY in the shop

brary m sir cicr Bookshop. Tel: 061-236 4905 for fur

It Days of Hope bookshop SHARON: Sc on Sail Makesa

sola every satur delivered,

on sale Sat lunchtime His Bal

London BRENT: SC sold Willesden Junction

NG: 50

Ealing iewsagents,

rade shopping centre.

Squars, and Thursday Co, Peck.

Books, Walmgate.

Sat 27 June 8pm London NI 2XP.

Conference of

Socialist Economists 1981

On the theme of

Exploitation and

Oppression -

Rethinking Socialist Strategy

Bradford University,

July 17-19 Booking/details: CSE 16 St

Alphonsus Rd, London

SW4

ISLINGTON:

Southwark LP concillor).

SUBVERT Holiday!

etc. Hu i broke One, Cordon Wi

Page 10

By Yvonne Taylor, Socialist Challenge business manager FOR most of the year, socialists lead extremely hectic lives. No wonder then that we look forward to the summer as a time when we can slow down the pace for a few weeks.

¡vost trade union oran ches, trades councils and Camoads up shop during August. And while

go away for our holidays this vear. we will all want to have a few weeks respite from the usual round of political activity.

Unfortunately, for the newspapers or ine lell, tne summer can spell financia trouble. We depend totally upon the commitment of our supporters to sell Socialist Challenge regularly each week to workmates, fellow students and muenos as wet as. in saes

at regular pitches outside factories. in shon ping centres, at bus and tube stations.

Holiday

With both sellers and buyers taking their holidays at different times all through the summer, many of the regular sales we rely on can go by the board, losing hundreds of pounds.

Socialist Challenge recognises that our sellers need an annua break and the paper itself will be closing down for two weeks

OLUTION

Hear speakers from : YOUTH

French re

1.30pm

50p unemployed

One paper more.

(last issue 13 August) when we issue zS July next reckon most of our supporters will be holidaying.

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Page 11 scan of this page

Abortion campaign

Get away from

the wedding

Lewisham Socialist

Challenge offers you a

chance to escape

royalty on a day-trip

to Boulogne at the in-

credibly low rate of

£10 London retrun.

Wednesday, July 29

Please ring 01-691 8791

La.s.p. attack on abortion rights is taking place. ' the proposed legislation goes through, abortion. and some methods could be defined as murder.

In Spain the law courts are threatening sentences oI up lo years women 'procuring' abortions.

In country after country, Tne rulng class attempts to control the lives

women through trolling their bodies.

nut we ave seen successive attempts to curtail driven back by the combined strength the women's and labour movement. Ihe National Abortion Campaign (NAC), which has always been in the forefront of this, held its national conference Gavs ago debate the key problems facing the movement.

Delegates

On 1 July the abortion facilities bi parliament. The conference delegates discussed how to use the publicity and support around this to go forward with a campaign on positive legislation, and the role of the law achieving woman's right to choose.

The conference decided to hold a forum on facilities in the coming year open trade unionists, women's groups and Labour parties to monitor the attacks on abortion wights and to

what of OSCUSS positive legislation is needed to could right to choose in reality as well as in theory.

Aims

However, much of the debate centred on whether or not to change the aims of the campaign. Conterence voted against do. agreed to organise a na- ing Nevertheless, tional contraception campaign. This means that the ight for positive legislation will not now be in the forefront of the activities of NAC.

Of course, it's true that

he Tory government cu

ack in all social facilitie: including contraception. In the Brighton area, for example, familv Bannise clinics are being closed. In

not available to young people without parenta permission and Depo provera, the contraceptive drug, in an ploitative way on black and working class women in particular.

We have to highlight these issues.

Labour

Womens

Conference

meets

of contraception

But given the extent of the ns lives, we have to attacks wollens choose the main issues on which to fight back. measures attacking abortion rights in Corrie's proposed bill last year are being implemented through the back door.

Now is not the time to diversify our campaign on abortion rights. If we lose the fight on a woman's right to choose, then we

the fight on everything else

The conference failed to prioritise the fight for abortion rights in this Coulill y and solidarity with similar struggles abroad.

Socialist Challenge

By Penny Duggan

by Judith

Arkwright

wrong track

supporters and others argued that this we had was mistake, and that to affirm that the campaign on abortion rights was the crucial issue, whatever else NAC might take up as a subsidiary issue.

Unfortunately, the conference did not agree with us.

Many positive things were proposed at the conference. But over the next year we have to take them out to NAC's broad based

support, especially in the

labour aLIC than ward lo cang a ud in in-

looking anc somenamed rather fruitless discussion.

Women's Rights

women's sections and trades unions met for

the Labour Women's Confernce in

last week. The growth in women's involve-

ment in the Labour Party and trades unions

was reflected in the number of new and

younger delegates present.

taken by the conference should have a real ef

fect on Labour Party policy and activity

Two of the speakers at

the conference rally

on the

CARODERLES TATNOMERCANAS TWO BIRTH

JERILISATION

PARTOUT

delegates from constituencies, Buxton

They were determined that the decisions

mood of the conference. A Sunday night caught the

SO TERATIONA

ABORTiON

RIGHTS

COLOMBIA 000*1500 CEATHS FROM BACKSTREET E ABORTIONS

DAY OF ACTION

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ANCE

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leading woman member of the ANC spoke movingly of the struggles of the peoples of South Africa for liberation and the new offensive which their struggle has taken.

Jo Richardson was greeted with rapturous applause when she argued strongly for the need for the Labour Party not only to adopt policies on women's rights, but to implement them through

Socialist Challenge

legislation when it next forms a government.

The conference discussed many topics, rang. Ing from the traditional

Causch mitting the Labour Party

campaign for women's right to work Debate

The most lively debate of conference was on the role of women's organisa• tion the Party. As delegate after delegate asked - what is the point of the conterenci when neither the conference itself CHOI the National Committee of Labour Women has the authority or the resources to decide policy initiate campaigns?

I ne whole conference seemed to be agreed over the need for the women's stronger role in the Party. organisation nave

red on the practical means

achieving this. Two simple steps put forward, the right for women's con ference to put five resolutions on the agenda of an.

and for the National Women's Committee to be elected from conference were defeated after a stormy aeDale

Policy

At present the resolutions from the conference simply go to the Women's Committee which in itself can only pass them to the NEC

For the resolution to affect Party policy or even to zel ancarine amore uc Party as a whole, women members nave to nave a separate fight to get them

conference

cies The National Commit-

tee of Labour Women is at present elected through a secret ballot of constituencies for regional reps. . The constituencies rarely know the WULICH that are nominated and there is no

hear their political views before

Election at conference would introduce the no tion of accountability of the committee to the women members in the women's organisation who they are supposed to represent. Voice

Replying to the debate Gould, Nataonal Womente platform Joyce

pointed out step that had bee taken strengthen the voice of women in the Party.

The new journal 'Focus', the setting up of a

disCus policy documents, dropping the word 'Advisory from the name of the Committee were examn es

But these cosmetic changes hardly allow the rank and file women members to right to influence Party

poncy and ensure unal In!

Labour Party wins mor women members through its campaigning support

for women's rights.

Delegates went away determined to come back next year and win the commitment of the conference to a national demonstration for a woman's righ:

work.

25 June 1981 Page "

Page 12 scan of this page

Apartheid's

chocolate

bars

THE article of N 'Ndabeni on 'South Africa's republic day' (11 June) was wrong to assert that

the Rowntree WULACIS al chocolate factory 'near Port Elizabeth' are strike 'demanding pay increases and better conditions'.

There is a dispute at the Wilson Rowntree plant, which is in was n

February nearly 500 black of the South African Allied Workers' Union (SAAWU) were locked out. They have since been replaced with newlyrecruited labour.

SAAWU began organas. Until then the only the factory last Workers'as the Sweet

Union, iated to the whitecontrolled Trades Union Council of South Africa (TUCSA). By October SAAWU had enrolled 753 out of 1,140 black workers.

The lockout followed the refusal by three workers the toffee department to

They macullie. previously been given writ-

without permission. When they were Sacked a caes

sympathetic LOOK Diace.

Management claimed that the workers had dismissed themselves by walking of ine Job. reality it was a welcome chance one dosses lo ur

rid themselves of

Inal ilau last

Maggie Thatcher died one day and with her neck of brass she thought that through those pearly gates that she was bound to pass. St. Peter slammed the gates tight shut, and stopped her with a grin, 'Now if I open up for you the devil i let in. 'And heaven is the home for souls, good deeds and kindly things, and Maggie, you have never earned a harp or angel's wings. 'Look how you stopped the children's milk, but don't you seem well-fed a fitter corpse I never saw for one who should be dead.' Socialist Challenge 25 June 1981

begun to stand up for the maioritv ot the worktorce Rowntree's admitted much when they said that

40 ycals of SWU orcamusalon thev never had a dispute, whereas in five months SAAWU had Decl stoppages responsible and 45 for other 17

disputes! ent company here in York

given full backing to local management. It also

analost lie trend by increasing its stake in the South African operation from 53 per cent

100 DCI Most multinationals prefer

minority shareholders: that way they can reap all the profits from management contracts, supply of technology,

still disclaim any responsibility for the

Rowntree's is the big. gest employer in York and

COCO branch organised a picket of the shareholders AGM which attracted con-

coverage the local media. We are now issuing a challenge to Rowntree's management

take part in a pudic debate on the question.

The local trades coun cil has given its backing to plans for a public meeting and we are actively I trying to build support among activists in the factory. The majority unions involved at the factorv have sent messages of support to SAAWU. TONY SOUTHALL, York

Maggie meets her match By Freddy Anderson

Page 12

Letters

TESSA van Gelderen (18 June) is quite right to point out that when Women are attacked, murdered they are usually blamed tor ine violence used against tem. This is particularly so when women have had any relationship with the man concernica.

Only last week a man was jailed tor tive years atter twice rapina a woman. He had held her for seven hours, 'threatened her with a hand grenade and a carving knife. woman was nocke unconscious, stripped naked, tied up and forced to perform sexual acts' (Daily Star, 16 June).

Horrific, and the sentence seems a bit lenient by most people's standards. But wait for it... the judge told the man that he took 'into account the fact that you lived for over two years and | reduce the sentence substantially on that account.'

Whether St. Peter read the Doomsday Book, he read the pages through, 'Oh, Maggie, I see Tory tykes, but none as bad as you. "You helped the rich get richer, you trod upon the poor, so heaven has no room for you, not even at the door. 'You raised the prices in the shops, the unions you'd destroy, and heaven is a friendly place of peace and love and joy. 'You tried to ban Olympic Games, you'd spoil the World of sport, and Maggie, we've no halo here for any of your sort.

Shock! Woman had lived

with her attacker

raped,

for women.

concerned

The think it's with this Challenge

Mary Jacobs, London long jail sentences

WANTED

FOR SETAMAL OF REL SCI ON DEBALT OF HER CLASS 'But if it's war and hate you want, a place to suit you well is hotter regions down belon where you can kick up hell.'

Poor Maggie took her bags and climbed down the golden stair, and stopped her coming there. 'Oh Maggie, we have heard of you from every kind of source, and though our hell's a wicked place, you'd make it ten times worse.

So Maggie wanders round the world, still burdened down with sin -for Pete or Nick are not the fools who voted Maggie in.

Letter letterS: TES

should be demanded in such cases is not really the issue here (although I think Socialist Challenge should take up the debates that have taken place in the women's movement on this question). What cases like this show is that society has a total contempt

The daily papers were tar more

with the 'titillating' details. Where thev did mention the remarks of the judge it was only in

that the woman COncerned had obviously brought this norrendous attack on nerseur.

In fact, papers like the Daily Star were more concerned with pointing out that the stigma of the would mean that the man could never return to his home town.

good that Socialist reports these kind of cases but let's have more in-depth reporting as to why they happen. but Old Nick stood with his pitch-fork

Letters

WRITE TO US!

Think of this page as a noticeboard for your comments, criticisms, or even con gratulations. Be brief, to leave space for others - maximum 400 words. Write to: Letters, Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper St, Lon. don N1 2XP. (tel 01-359 8180/9)

Unilateralists want unconditional disarmament

ALISDAIR Beal's persistent assertion (latest exam ple, Letters 11 June) that il

is possible to support both uniateral and multilatera nuclear disarmament contains a tundamental taw

The distinction between me twos nor sumo

whether 'only one country disarms'. nol countries disarm' The question is: What concrete acton should we be trying to force the British govern. ment to take?

•HOI unilateralists the answer is simple. We want

nounce nuclear weapons,

of what

other country does. For

us. disarmament is uncon ditional.

Multilateralists, however, want the government

Cule with other governments

with view to bringing ADOU proach is therefore condi- disarmament Their tional.

The two approaches

Contrary to what Alisdair Beal says, it is impossible

to support both positions. You have to choose!

ZAID MARHAM,

Oxford Youth CND

No mention of arrest

H Block prisoners.

reason they jumped on her and dragged her away.

JULIAN WHITLEY,

Newcastle

Trades council's policy on Ireland and riguis demand

Stale

in was almost evenly split

for the trades concil to argue for abstention at

Dy only two votes for a hodge-podge of CP proposals was a defeat for the right, but hardly left and the camp the

abstention

hope there'll be a better motion on Ireland up for

ALAN THEASBY, Right on SOMEONE brought home from a meeting a copy of your paper and! greatly relished the atMilitant and its policy on

Every week a friend sonas me curings on the Irish News, a Belfast nationalist paper, and it occurs to me that you might cull the odd grain of wheat from that. I'l send you the cuttings.

FRANK SHORT, Birmingham

I WAS disappointed that the article on the Faslane to Glasgow CND march (11 June) made no mention of the disgraceful arrest of someone who was collecting for the

At the rally the police were looking for trouble. They moved through the crowd until they found this person collecting for the prisoners and then for no apparent

Page 13 scan of this page

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Page 14 scan of this page

The witch-hunter's dilemma

By Tom Martin in New York City THE SHADOW America today. The witch-hunters are back, and though the code-word has changed from 'communist' to 'terrorist' their enemy is the same: all those who oppose the imperialists' drive for war.

shadow cast by the witch-hunters is just that: it has no substance. America has moved on. Nowhere was this pearance of a shrivelled old man in court here last week.

Herbert Brownell once struck terror in to the hearts of millions Americans. As President Eisenhower's Attorney General, he more than

was responsible allyulle for sending Ethel and Julius Rosenberg to the electric chair in June 1953 alter ineir irame-up conviction for passing atomic secrets to ine kussians Thunder

It was Brownell who stole McCarthy's thunder by accusing President Truman himself of having covered up for comMEUUSIS Brownell who once boasted that he had 10,000 naturalised citizens under investigation for subversion: Brownel who publicly compared 'Communists and fellow subverSuves 'mad dogs' who should be 'put away'.

Fallen

But how are the mighty fallen! In the 1950s it was the United States government which went after

Today it aulilusto. the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and the Young Socialist Alliance (YSA)

the government.

Their suit now being heard here demands $40m colocusaLol LOI ilegal

the and other agencies. and an injunction against such acts in the future And Brownell was reduced lu avocallll ao a WiLlcos for the defence.

'HANDS OFF THE

POLISH WORKERS!'

Thursday 9 July 7.30 pm COUNTY HALL

SPEAKERS:

A Speaker from Poland, Wlodzimierz Brus,

Eric Hoffer MP (Labour Party NEC), Ken Liv-

ingstone (GLC Leader), Bernard Dix (NUPE,

Labour Party NEC), Norman Jacobs (CPSA

Executive), Tariq Ali, Frank Hansen

The Polish Communist Party Congress is due to

open on 14 July amid efforts by the Soviet leader-

ship to undermine the movement for reform in the

Communist Party and disrupt the

preparations. The 'Hands Off the Polish Workers

Campaign' is organising the rally as part of its

campaign in support of Solidarity and the move-

ment for socialist democracy in Poland.

Hands off the Polish Workers Campaign,

c/o Graham Bash, 158 Thorold Rd, Ilford.

Tel: 01-514 0060.

Socialist Challenge : 25 June 1981

Socialists take US government to court of the 1950s hangs over

Yet this time something is different. The

clearer than in the ap-

Brownell's testimony was intenaca to back uD what is now the government's only defence in this trial: that it had every right to do what it did to the SWP and YSA. That is, to get party members fired

rom their jobs, to burgle SWP and YSA offices,

their mail, lau their phones, and generally to disrupt their politica activities all for years, and without uncovering evidence of single criminal act!

Wire

Brownell explained that it was all because the were 'subversives'. How did he define the term? There was

need to, he replied. "There was in general Consensus opinion on what it meant.

Citing the President's authority 'not only as the commander-in-chiet of the armed forces, but also as the person in charge of our foreign relations', he ex-

the constitutional

Amendment when it came

wiretaps and ilegal break-ins to install bugging devices. Outlaw

Nor was it just a question of flouting the Con-

Brownell futher SOLUTIOn. testified that as Attorney General he had given the FBI the go-ahead to use these methods even when court rulings appeared to

pre-Congress Page 14

The real 'terrorist international.' outlaw them. And this was supposedly the nation's chief law-enforcement of-

Brownell was followed onto the stand bv Robert Keuch, a top official in the Justice Department.

Keuch had earlier been called by the SWP/YSA to testify the

CONSTITUTION

UNITED STATES OF THE

COF AMERICA

FBI

International

GrA

ment's authority for inrestigating them. Exposing him for a second time turned out not to have been such a good idea for the defence.

Already one contradiction had occured to Judge Griesa. When asked whether the FBI had beer authorised to disrupt the

CIA

Fos activities as well as just insaid ate the mine Keuch had said that, Justice Department was not aware of those activities'

But Brownell's testimony included pro. duction of a 1956 report to a White House meeting by FBI Director Edgar Hoover which specified that the agency 'sought to infiltrate, disorganise and desrapt

disrupt the Communist Party. Splinter

Did that just apply to the CP, asked the judge, or did it extend to what Brownell had described as 'splinter 81 ps cluding the SWP? 'I would

the latter', replied Brownell. So much for the Justice Department being

-The Italian connection

IT'S HARD on the US government, but

real life has a way of backing up key

points in the trial testimony of SWP ana

YSA leaders.

Ihor instance, they

over and over against that it's not the

socialists who want to take up arms and

use violence. But they predict that the

minority ruling class will 'seek to over-

throw with force and violence' any free

expression of the majority will, and they

advise the working class to prepare itself

accordingly.

The court hasn't seemed too convinc-

ed about this.

himself part of the capitalist state ap

paratus. But what happens in the midst

unaware of any disruptive activities

Keuch could probably have survived this single blow to his credibility. But Inen more serious

matter was raised by

SWP/YSA attorney

appearance, Keuch testi-

the of OTIC

responsible on an how FBI

had been

1976.

No names

one figures a certain

Bag

This individual had attended a meeting about the SWP case on 30 January 19 /9 The report quoted one of the agents present

saying: agents discussed bag jobs in veil-

under the broad label of

confidential investigative Tecturoues that it was his impression He statec

that the section chief, in particular understood what was being said

is inal section chief yourself? Winter asked Keuch 'Yes, is', replied

Nevertheless, the SWP and YSA gradually forcing the facts of yet another cover-up into the open. A report on the matter is now being prepared for the judge, who will then decide what action to take. Meanwhile Keuch's credibility as a witness has taken a dive.

Attorney

This is rather unforlulalt which didnt hary. for the ment, t have much of a case to begin with. Indeed, its defence almost stopped before it

very first witness, SWP leader Caroline Lund.

Defence attorney •Edward Williams was determined to prove that the party kept a secret file of

uncovered Cabinet ministers,

have explained

ruling class

(28 May)

After all, the judge is course, through elections.

Fourth International minutes. Judge Griesa . wasn't really interested. 'Let's gel to the merits of the case he kept on saying.

Still Williams nagged away. Suddenly the judge exploded: 'I'm not going to have this. • t vou don'

I'm cast declare you to have restec (your case), Mr Williams and I mean that' 'But we don't have anything on the merits Williams responded. He could hardly have put it minutes later Lund was allowed to step down.

Merit

The real merit of this case is that it is exposing before the public the way in which the capitalist state Watergate was no WULAS something out of the ordinary; Keuch and Brownell testilied that this is hos less

the ruling class has always gone about its business.

And as they also explained, the new guidelines and other public restric tions on FBI activity came about not because anyone

change of heart about what was permissible Lucy um t leramare the 40-year-long investiga tion of the SWP becaus they thought the party had suddely changed was _ because as Keuch testified, 'there are different periods and different times and different needs'

1976 was working were deeply about

Spy about way the dragged

War. voice

made whole

Now class

Working want

US in E Salvador. is the dilemma.

away.

of the trial? A secret Masonic Lodge is

in Italy which includes members of parliament, generals, bankers, judges, journalists and other leading members of the

Its purpose? The New York Times

quoted 'a ranking Western diplomat' as saying: 'If the membership list is even partly true, the organisation seems to have been created as a contingency structure to prevent the Communists from coming to power the way Allende did in Chile.' Which was, of

Makes the socialists seem like the only sensible ones around, doesn't it?

Page 15 scan of this page

South Africa-to the last drop of blood The reality is different

Faceless men of military intelligence THERE are so few programmes on television which resisting apartheid in South Africa, that Peter Taylor's "To the Last Panorama change.

The film was not only sympathetic to the black struggle, DUlL allowed participants to speak in their own words — we saw

footage of ANC guerilla training values. trade union meetings inside South Africa, as well as discussions with a group of Soweto school students who were courageous enough reveal their identities on film, and in-

with Winnie LOVINNS Mandela and other black leaders.

'Never'

The film also conveyed some of the strength and urgency of the liberation struggle, while showing the nature of the enemy it is up against.

The interview with Foreign Pik Botha revealed ruling class wille lacolog) well, and left no doubt that beyond certain point, apartheid not be tampered with: 'Never' Botha replied, when asked if 'one man, one vote would come to South Africa.

Pione strangline ver

had Onc strong, line defence which is the stock-in-trade of apartheid propaganuists claimed that there isn't democracy anvwhere in Atrica: that there are one-party states, without proper elections. or freedom of expression, where political repression and censorship are the order of the day.

'You people don't understand Africa, he snarled. 'What right have you to criticise us?' Deny

Of course, the lack of democracy in independent Alrica can t oe usca as di. argument to justify apartheid. but nevertheless this

usually throws

liberals the solidarity movement into contusion as they attempt to deny, or

apologise repression in black Africa.

Precisely because there is so little freedom or genuine advancement for the masses in post-colonial Africa, it is important to

present the point of view of those

Drop of Blood' (15 June) came as a refreshing Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for life on Robbin Island

know the extent to which the liberation movement in

ferent political objectives Irom une poncal icauelships of the independent African states.

What, then, did Pete Taylor's film have to say about that? Unfortunatedid say coas superficial and precious little. simplistic when it was not actually inaccurate or misleading. Exile

For instance, the African National Con-

(ANC) was represented as the only significant political force

the black movement, and its ideology was stated to be anti-capitalist.

In fact, while the ANC in exile is by far the most influential organisation, cannot claim to provide leadership of most current mass struggles inside South Africa

Nor it a revolutionary organisation with

socialist programme:

with the support of the South Atrican Communist Party, the ANC claims to unite all class forces opposed to apartheid.

film's political analysis was also revealed by the silly contention that South African is surrounded by 'Marxist states' to the •North.

'Soweto - adapt or die'

Alexandra

Feldman

A more accurate observation, however, was that

organised black labour is more Pretoria than the ANC guerilla struggle.

A briel but interesting sequence on a trade union meeting of black workers showed something of ahe SIGMA car vitality of black trade unionism and workers' struggles in South Africa but the commentary glossed over the implications of this by claiming that the workers and the guerillas were comrades in the same struggle.

reality complex than this. The upsurge of black militancy in South Africa has not only occurred independently of the ANC, but also bears little relation to the ANC's military strategy of confronting the regime. Future

The film also claimed that the Soweto generation of militant youth are crossing numbers to join the ANC the border

guerilla forces.

While some have undoubtedly done so, it is also the case that when forced into exile by the repression at home, little future faces these young militants the inhospitable environment of the neighbouring territories unless they join the ANC which is poised to recruit them.

For socialists, the point is not so much to denigrate the ANC as to find effective ways of supporting mass struggles in South Alrica this task, Taylor's film does not help us very much.

One day Con-

ference on Namibia

oroanised iointly bi

the Africa Centre

and the Namibia

Support Commit-

Saturday, 22

August. Contact

Tony Humphries at

the Africa Centre,

38 King St, London WC2 (01-836 1973)

for details.

Under Review

Winnie Mandela. banished and banned unde 405-re = 5

Art attacks apartheid

By Peter Feuilherode 'PRIME minister' reads the caption to a strik. ing P.W. Botha wearing

him.

hibition, 'Art Attacks Apartheid', which will be on display at the 'Festival of Pro

Africa Centre, 38 King St, London WC2.

The collection provides a powerful visual record of

close-up of white South African leader

bloody butcher's apron and displaying the heads of recently. executed black guerillas on a shelf behind

This is one of the thirty paintings and photomontages included in Martin Lovis's ex-

Some

gressive Art' organised by the African Dawn Group from 21 August to 4 September at The

apartheid and black

the Napower in South Africa 32 Party came years ago. But as Lovis walla can aUSO out. be the symbols and

understood by oppressed people in other countries.

He transforms the standard government hand-out photos of beaming benevolent politicians by blotting out facial detai and emphasising the shadow! and sinister Cal mosphere the ministerial offices

In 'The Future' we see Vorster and Botha looking to each other for mutual support while a wreath in the foreground carries the slogan 'God bless Suid Atrika'

Another montage has the faceless men of the Department of Military Intelligence in front of a background sophisticated military and surveillance equipment

mr sold anticating

South Africa's friends in the West. Glossy

For 'Capitalising Apartheid' Lovis has taken his format the standard glossy group por trait of the board of direc LOS of any successful

multinational; but CLIC faces here are more famiiar to us in Britain Thatcher, Oppenheimer

the chairmen of Barclays

Rio Tinto Zinc, Racal, anc BIS Ed wardes...

This is the third Lon

don showing for 'Art At tacks Apartheid and Lovis is constant v adding to and updating the collection to

developments side South Africa.

called Adapt or Die' has been used as the fold-out cover on a publication by the Interna tional Defence and Aid

South Africa

"The Whirlwind Before the Storm' Lovis

As work reminds us, the black population in South Africa constantly serves and recycles the symbols and images of its

economic and politica

Now, in Soweto photograp: tomorrow's politica poster.

The exhibition deserves a wider viewing than it has received in this country and Martin Lovis is prepared to hire out his work to galleries, , festivals and the like, he can be contacted

through Socialis:

Challenge's accress

Page 16 scan of this page

Islamicreaction threatens gains of Iranian revolution

IRANIAN president Aboihassan Bani-Sadr is now in hiding. At the weekend he was impeached by the Iranian parliament.

Also over the weekend at least 24 people were killed in street fighting between supPorterm Mojaledin, wing,

and supporters the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Khomeini's Revolutionary

sultillarry ecuting 15 people who had demonstrated in favour of Kani aer

Informed press reports from Iran now say that the country is on the edge of civil war.

None of this makes picasant rcaalng. When the impeachment of BaniSadr was announced, parliamentary deputies

'Thank God, America has Deen defeated'.

Support

To put it mildly, that is

misjudgement. The repression which is now an Co yuay Iran will not bother US imperialism lota, especially when directed against the leftists in the Mojahedin.

Certainly, Bani-Sadr has his strongest support among those sections of Iranian society wno dorsed the despotism of the Shah the middle

and corps in the Iranian army.

It is also the case that Khomeini appears to have re-

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Stained his base among the urban poor. but inal does not make Khomeini right and BaniSadr wrong, and it in no way justifies the repression Harrison, published by

Box 50, London N1 2XP.

Cheques and POs payable to 'Socialist Challenge'.

Bani-Sadr and Khomeini in Paris in happier days: will Bani-Sadr end up back there again?

which is being directed against Bani-Sadr's supporters.

That repression, whatever the anti-US rhetoric, till 25 of little benefit to

per cent the population of Iran who are unemployed, nor will it

welcomed by the oppressed national min-

Onles in iran who have

tended to support Bani-

Sadr in preference to Kho-

meini.

Within those

By Davy Jones

FASCIST thugs vicious-

attacked Socialist

Challenge supporter

Malone last

Saturday leaving her in ployment figures, within the continued suppression of the national minorities lies one reason why Khomeini is conducting his campaign Bani-

azallist Sadr. Scapegoats

The name of the game

Is searching tor scapegoat

for the failur the

*Islamic

Icvolulol Iran qualitatively im-

Other Bookshop attacked

Fascists gravely injure socialist

a pool of blood with a

fractured skull.

The fascists struck

at 10.30 in the morning

in The Other Bookshop

Islington where

Preme marial life of

people.

In the past, Khomeini has blamed: left wingers and socialists in Iran; US imperialism, the Soviet Union, and many others.

Ivow it Is ine turn or baniSadr.

Although the ousted president does not represent the interests of the Iranian proletariat; although he wavers between a semi-social democratic Islam and reliance

Socialist

Challenge

If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist

Challenge supporters in your area or would like

more information fill in the form below

Name...

Address.

Age....

Union/CLP (if any)..

Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.

Sheila works. The book-

shop in the same

building as the offices

of Socialist Challenge.

Sheila explained:

'They were pretending upon the armed forces, he is not the vilain of the

piece e

vengeance of Khomeini should be condemned. Not be cause of the politics of Bani-Sadr, but because

abuse OT the democratic gains of the Iranian revolution

Those gains are in

danger, and the source

meini and Islamic

fundamentalists

to buy badges when suddenly I was hit on the head with a lead filled cosh or an iron bar.

The attackers left a gruesome message:

Deathshead NSDAP, Death to IRA lovers and all Com munist scum, God save the Queen, Heil Hitler'. And on a cassette tape left in the shop they announced that all socialists and left wingers were now fair game for similar violent attacks. Others

Even the police admit this was a political

tremists

against Sheila STUCK could easily have killed her caused severe

damage. As we go to press Sheila is to and re an operation and expected to recover fully.

This attack follows in the line of fascist attacks against black people, Jews gays, SOCKIS fact anybody that op

the policies of the fascists.

Fed by rising unemployment and the failure the labour

leaders to fight for a real socialis alternative some young people are attracted to the fascists' 'radical solutions to the crisis. Intent

Socialist Challenge's office and the Other Bookshop both

Have been the object of

fascist assaults, , including fire bombing. This ticularly vicious attack was clearly an attempt

intimidate socialists and anti-fascists and to deny our democratic rights to sell our litera. ture and organise our campaigns Prophetical Socialist last week's Challenge was headlined | 'Attacks on the in-

Defeat the racist onslaught'

But neither the Other Bookshop nor Socialist Challenge have any intention being intimidated. We will redouble our efforts

expose THE TESSE and to continue our campaigning activities. Appeal

In that light the

Other Bookshop has launched a financial ap peal for £500 to purchase more security equipment and to help

finance a convalescent holiday for Sheila.

We would appeal to

all our readers to do the

following:

* Send licoodle of

support/get well card:

to Sheila, c/o The Other

Bookshop, 328 Upper

Street, London N1.

* Raise the issue 01

TascIs

the labour movement

Give generously to

the Bookshop

Appeal Fund (address ations from

donations labour

movement bodies

* If you were in or near

the Other Bookshop

last Saturday morning

please contact us -OL

may be able to help as a

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