Socialist Challenge No. 257, 19 August 1982

Socialist Challenge · 19 August 1982 · 12 pages, 15,251 words read by machine

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Page 1 scan of this page

Challenge Solidarity can win

Nó. 257 19 August 1982

Socialist

YCND

Conference See page 5

JAIL SOMEONE

FOR SUPPORTING

ELECTRICAL NURSES?

TRADES Sean Geraghty

INSIDE

Jobs not Bombs March to Labour Party

seem - have

was founded ... The trade .. °

It took as its motto and inspiring siogajury to one.

And for the workers ment that is just as valid iodar as it was then.

At Congress however, people seem to have forgotten why movement is

to think something to viding soft beauraucrats and seats in the House of Lords for pensioned off officials. To them solidari. ty has become a dirty word

general, and health workers in particular, people Geraghty still believe in the principles of trade unionism He along with his fellow print workers was not prepared to stand by whilst carved up the NHS and the health workers. miners, steel workers, and the other workers struck in support of the 12 per cent claim,

put to spineless cowards of the TUC who sold out ASLEF and will fail the health workers if left to their own devices.

trade unionist should say right on Sean Geraghty, you showed the labour movement what trade about, and you showed how the health workers can win

take a leaf out of the book of Geraghty and their rank and file. Let them demand the TUC organises: —

Solidarity strikes with the rec.:" workers Collections in every workpic.::. support the 12 per cent ciair. Bring forward demonstration to early Sepiem.="

д. is an injuric a move

House

La trade union needed They it has do with pro. jobs tor

Fortunately for workers in

like Sean

the Tories

Like the

who have

the electricians shame the

Every socialist and every

unionism is all

The lefts on the TUC mus:

the profess

Page 2 scan of this page

traindrivers strike

-Editorial

PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

Phone 359 8180 (Newsdesk), 359 8371 (distribution)

THE DECISION to only fine print electri-

cian Sean Gerachty

represented a clear climbdown by the

Tories and their courts. So too was the

decision of the Newspaper Proprietors

Association to refrain from seeking civil

damages - which, under the Tory anti

union laws,

£1m plus.

TUC tops or to Albert Spanswick general

secretary of the Confederation of Health

Service Employees (COHSE).

Gerachty was araigned in front of the

courts for contempt of the 1980 Prior

anti-union legislation which have forbid-

den solidarity action of any sort. As such

it was a test case for every single worker

that responded to the TUC's call for

solidarity with the health workers week

of action.

to this blatant attack. Albert Spanswick

even appealed for all the newspaper

unions to call off their action after the

NPA had recieved an injunction under

the terms of the Act.

Frank Chapple, leader of the Electricians

union, not only refused his members any

backing but more or less called for the

courts to imprison his member.

body blow to the Act, ensure the victory

for the healthworkers and threaten the

existence of the Tory government was

lost. The Tories have backed off. They,

however, not only live to fight another

day, but have

precedent.

TUC, the Tories did not think they could

carry the day. The health workers fight

has stirred up broad

shown the underlying weakness of the

Tories, despite their successes of the

past couple of years.

way. But most sections of the labour

movement have taken some action -

like the 1300 Scottish steelworkers who

came out despite

revenge closure of their plant.

miners' vice-president for a Scotland-

wide conference of shop stewards to

prepare a one day general strike in sup-

port of the healthworkers has

shown by this affair to be appropriate to

the depth of feeling against the Tories. It

should be supported.

should go out in other areas.

thing to be left in the hands of the TUC

tops. They must be forced to act through

the rank and file taking things into their

own hands.

JOIN THE FIGHT FOR

SOCIALISM 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 Bok 50. London N1 2XP

Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982 page 2

£350 plus

would have netted them

This outcome was no thanks to the

Brother But the TUC did nothing in response

The despicable

So a glorious opportunity to give a

established a certain

Yet despite the tacit support of the

solidarity and

The miners have, of course, led the

the threats of a

The call by George Bolton, Scottish

been

Similar calls

War against the Tories is too serious a

Fred Orton is the Saltley depot in Valerie Coultas about the state of the battle between the labour movement and the Tories following the scandalous betrayal of his union in General Purposes Committee of the TUC. "The ASLEF members at Saltley feel sadly

', he said. 'We didn't get support was an attempt to worsen CORCELON In lie Tallwa) industry. It was felt that the F&GP committee had ignored that side of things

accepted management's arguments about flexible rostering.

Different

Fred was reluctant to make any criticisms of the left wing of that committee: ' Although the aeci SOS that committee were unanimous, we felt that this was with the particular support of the right wing. Alan Fisher and Marie Patterson has been there, there would hopefully have been a difIcicul resul

discussion took place about the right wing in the unions and how they should be fought. 'What I believe', said Fred, 'is that In cose umons wiere me leaders make decisions not

® OR

PREAD FLATER

After the

chairperson of ASLEF at Birmingham. He talked to

the recent rail strike by the Finance and

in line with the membership, attempts should be made to ensure that the leadership is in the hands

membership. In ASLEF, we are very democratic. The facts are put before the membership and a vote is taken.

many the membership have been le COWI We've had Birmetals and their leaders

Ansells area. Fighting this government, yUu uSe powers, not part of them.'

Fred's view, democratising the unions

WildLey linked democratising the Labour Party. porter of Tony Benn: My is a firm

own personal view is that I would support the ideas of Tony Benn because it is the only way we can get the sort of society I want to see in this country. But Fred was of the opinion that Michael Foot

to supported until after the

election, Labour would be returned

it root thei doesn't carry through Labour Party policies, the

-Trade Unions.

12%

0004

LIVE ON •

Leadersbike guestion should again: 'You've got to make your policies clear to the electorate and the Labour Parmust go forward and not rat on them. Once the Labour Party does that, then the problems start.

The TUC's role also came in for dose of 'Powerfu of workers like

seamen are being placated

BLAENAU GWENT

LODGES

DIED WE STAND

DIDED WE FALL

UH WALES AREA

CO.H.SE

Orall all to

Saltey depot traindrivers picket together with health workers

by the government. But until we get a TUC that 1s prepared to stand behin any group of workers, we won't be able to hold onto what we've got, let alone

go forward

The TUC should be fighting for a 35 hour week and retirement at o0 as a solution to unemployment This type of proach would have peopl Nocking back into actio

to defend jobs.

Fred is a member of the

NEWORK®

Pat Kane

* Area Manager

Saltley Labour Party, but his main concern at the mo ment is his union work. don't accept it's necessary to have witch-hunts. People should have free speech the Labour leadership are not leading people along democratically decided lines they have be removed. Witch-hunts play right into the Tories hands because takes people's minds off the real Issues.

Page 3 scan of this page

EVERY MORNING on the week of action from 9 to 11 o'clock the street outside Selly Oak hospital was lined with ancipary staff out on strike for their 12 per cent

claim.

Elizabeth, where the Central Sterile Supply Unit out for three days causing a reduced service at Solihull, as well as the East Birmingham. were pushed into the city centre, high streets were leafleted.

Dudley Road hospitals had all come out. anne was among health workers. In Coventry the Central Sterile Supply staff have been out for a full five weeks. GRAHAM COULTAS report.

Strong organisation in the hospitals will obvious-

influence the response of the workers to any call trom TUC the regional co-ordinating committee but the picture from the picket lines was not one of NHS staff wanting - in

SCHE

NU.FE.

- 18% FOr JOLES

7% FoR NURSEs

MAGGIE SHoug

BE

ARRESTED!

A good message from strikers

We need

12%!

ECOHSE This is what is needed - joint solidarity to beat

On the picket line in Brum

domestics

Lightning strikes took place at the Queen

at the East Birmingham Hospital, came

Beds

By Friday the Good Hope, Rubery Hill and

The one of a rising curve of activity

TOPPLEY and VALERIE

gencial - to hold back om a condone w the government The Co-ordinating Committee were the ones seemed MOIC CUllcerned about 'holding back' on the action than the pickets. According to Alan Clark the regional

committee did not call a

city-wide rally this time

round because they

wanted the TUC to call a

national rally.

However, as Dave Selby

Rowley. a porter al

Oak Hospital pointed out

this meant neither

took place, saying.

we're not having

demonstrations we're

getting the support from

other unions we did have

Need

Missing from this week

of action has been a clear

lead either trom the TUC

the Regional Co-

ordinating Committee

the West Midlands. As late

week

regional committee

colo besssue go ccarl•

structions for what co-

ordinated the

health unions should take. This had it's inevitable says health worker Janet Maguire

of action. willingness to take

prepared to support our claim.

The electricians in Fleet Street set an example of working class solidarity that inspired every striking health worker, But instead of welcoming this Albert Spanswick appealed to the print unions not to take in-

action. The National Graphical Associa-

uno mater responded to his appeal, but luckily for us, the electricians led by Sean Geraghty ignored Spanswick and came out, shutting Fleet Street aown.

Never has dispute been so finely balanced On one side we have the growing support tor our case from big sections of tie tade umon movement representing millions of

On the other hand we have a Tory Thatcher

Solidarity

result. Flare ups of

millancy by aomeslics al

Selly Oak, Porters and Cen-

tral Sterile supply staff at

wast outingh every die

every

ferent ancilliary worker at

of the day

at the Queen Elizabeth

Dul essenuar •it was lett

with the local branches to

take the

Pickets not suprisingly

were divided about the

need for all-out action.

Rose Leech, NUPE

branch secretary at Selly

salu uncle was no

afford to lose she that domestics could

from an all-out strike. But

there was not unanimity

on this point. Other

domestics Selly

wanted . all-out action

arguing that they'd win the

claim, and the back pay,

more quickly through that

action. Alan Heard,

NUPE shop steward at the

*We can win

The health workers have fought another week Once again they have shown their on the government. Likewise other workers have shown how much they value the NHS and how much they are cares about the health or government neither

the working people, nor

about the living standards

of the health workers.

Nevertheless, this govern-

ment could be forced to

pay our claim if the labour

movement was called into

direct action.

Unfortunately the

TUC and its health com-

mittee is more rightened

of the mass labour move-

ment than it is of Thatchel

and Fowler. Instead of

calling for a wave of coor-

dinated solidarity strikes

they have sat on the

sidelines trying to look

statespersonlike. They

have not organised any

mass secondary picketing

to show we ae

serious about winning this

dispute

break her legislation if

GENERA

East Birmingham wanted to see lightning strikes by key groups of workers on a continuing basis thought this was the most effective tactic. Ken, an operating assistant took

the same view as the

Challenge bulletin that was handed on savag Our regiona committee have ignored all

feeling alone the membership for an all-out strike. I'm operating assistant, a so-called pro fessional job and I take home £52 a week. ' He saw an all-out strike as the only way dispute. Many other pickets said that this was how it should have been done in the first place.

The TUC i for some also came stick from the picket

When we took 24 hol emergency action people they try and us it against

Neither have the leaders of the TUC launched a public appeal for funds so that key workers could take permanent selective strike action Truly with friends like these who needs enemies? Sad to say we still do have lots of enemies and these are sitting in the ch oy cabinet. This buncl hardfaced people will not be swayed by public opinion appeals for fair play

Lancet, a medical journal hardly noted for its left or liberal opinion, has accused rowe looking for a death to onscreal our suike The, only thing that will make this government pay up is strike action on a national scale by health workers in alliance with other workers.

The call by George Bolton, the Scottish NUM addressed a rally of 5000 when

moaned the emergency cover. The TUC have said all children must covered, and geriatrics, emergen

cies ... We're in a catch .22

leave enough cover for the pa tients your action's not ef fective. If you don't the Dalicils suffer Every government we've over had has used the health service in this way. They'r using again Loudy Victims

Despite the escalation of the action towards the end of the week the strike wasn't as widespread as the last days of action in Birmingham. Alan Clark, one of NUPE's regiona organisers said the reason for this was the lack of strong organisation withir the hospitals. 'Manageworkers last week

Glasgow, for a conferenc

of all Scottish stewards t organise a one-day general strike shows the real way

The unike the TUC, Govan builders, have done something about raising money by

yor week for the heali

week The actions of Govan ship yard workers and the workers at Clydesdale Tube Works who downed tools for a day of solidarity with us shows that we could get a massive response George Bolton's call.

This kind of action can

win our claim and this

would be a giant step for-

ward in the defence of the health service. • Such a vic

tory would also show to

worker suffering from the effects of That-

cherism that there is a way forward and that this

be call

defeated.

STMRYS

HOSPITALS

THANK

FEET ST

SPARKE

Socialist Challenge

ment here are trying to crack down on the shop stewards for having time off to discuss strike action, they've been trying to stop their pay. This hospital, the East Birmingham, the one Kenneth Clark came to when he started to crack down.

Action

There's a lot of antagonism with the management here and the porters

Gulle militant. The idea that it's battle

the governmen

level 1 you actually get down to organising strikes, the TUC can make any amount of militant noises. , but it's often decided by local circumstances, local personalities If we called for all-out action in a lot of areas we wouldn't get support.

Pay the

Health

Workers

Pay the Health workers badges available at 25p each

Orders for 10 or mor badges - 20p each Orders for 100 or more - 15p each

Cheques payable to 'Car

dinal Enterprises' and sena

to 'Badges Box Lon

don NI Why not get your

trade union or Labour Part!

branch to order some? Health workers say thanks to Fleet St. 'sparks'

19 August 1982 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

Defeat the witch-hunt

Bob Mellish or the everyday life of a local MP

by Tessa Matthews The right wing-leaders are determined to have a real showdown at this year's Labour Party conference. The idea of a Labour Party commited to unilateralism, to withdrawal from the EEC and to taking over control of large sections of investment to them is intolerable. And the idea that they should be accountable to the labour movement is something they can never accept. Their accountability is to the establishment and its state, and they know you can not be accountable to two masters at the same time.

The battle over registration going to decide the future of the Labour Party for many years to come. If the left are hounded out of the Dally then Will have been made safe and the right's SHEKSLOS Call sleep safely in their beds at night. Labour's mOTe radical measures will be ditched, and there will be more of the ASLEF betrayal.

The working class and its alles have too mucn au stake to dodge the issue of regist alon The Campaign for Labour Party democracy has circulated proposals amongst its members tor a plan al this year's party to prevent any action on the report about Militant. CDLP describes any action to specifically the

BOB MELLISH has served the people of Bermondsey for 36 years. Now he is under attack. A motley collection of lefts and troublemakers have ganged up on him.

Challenge, takes up the defence of this much misunderstood MP by replying to a constituent's questions.

Is it true bob Melisa

always fought for the dockers in this area?

Oh yes. When he was

first and coming

UV I

MP under Attlee Bob

Mellish was very worried about the reds and the

Trots who were trying to

subvert the portworkers.

He even joined with three

other MPs to work WILL

M15 - he knew that the in-

telligence WaS

devoted to the cause of the

defeat the

LUCKCIS 1949 dock strike. In 1951

he supported the Labour seven dockers on trial for government when

striking for higher wages,

Bob knew the strike was

led by reds.

always had the

support

Well most important

he had the support of Ar-

thur Deakin who was the

boss of the TGWU and

Arthur's right hand man,

rGWU organiser Bert

Fry. They promoted Bob

from being an office boy

into a full-time official for

the TGWU docks section,

where some unkind people

claimed was still Mr

Deakin's oftice boy.

Because Arthur and Bert

always knew what was

test for the dockworkers

did not bother

holding an

Mellish, they simply ap-

pointed him.

1946 when the

parliamentary seat of Ber-

mondsey and Rotherite

vacant his two

Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982

report as 'tactically irresponsible'. They favour the proposal which sug gests conditions be down in the party constitution under which groups could operate and this would mean that the party execuave woute nave lo prove to delegates at the annual conleierce any alleged infringements of these conditions.

If all else fails and is defeated, then Socialist Challenge would urge vote for the CDLP-backed amendment. But our

Is wrong begin by accepting that the right will be allowed establish the principle of a register. The register has a

kick out the left and to make the Labour Party a safe and reliable ally for British capitalism and its BOB PENNINGTON for Socialist

mates made sure he got

Lae TGWU VOte which

assured him of a seat at

Westminster.

Surely Mr Mellish was

not just interested in south

VOTy

terested inte malonal

affairs.

Dead right. He liked

Franco and Salazer. These

two men had got rid of all

those people who wanted

to mess around wILD

Christian values. That is

why he was for a time the

deputy chairman of the

Anglo-Spanish

which tried to make

Spanish fascism more ac-

ceptable the British

public.

In 1954 he even left his

neloved sermonasey lu zu

Angola where he was report that For-

tugese fascism was doing a

good job of keeping the

order,

IlaLives Mellish said he *saw

signs of repression'

For his honest and

candid defence of catholic

standards the Roman

church made him a Knight

of St Gregory.

He has done a lot for

local people hasn't he?

100 right. He gave his

support to a call for the

release of Charlie

Richardson who

Lon-

home-grown soutn

doner who made torture a

profitable profession In

the fifties he favoured the

release of one 'scareface'

Parsons. Maybe

"scareface' was a hoodlum

and a gangster, but as Bob

page 4

1980 Blackpool conference imperialist allies

I nIs Is why Socialist Challenge is against any form of witchunt whatsoever the a meds we are against registration.

support without any reservations the right of Militant to be in the Labour Party. At present the Mili. Bob Mellish - local lad made good knew he was a local lad, which is more than you can sav for all these immigrants.

Mellish is not like those

left. Surely he believes in the mixed economy and

that nationalisanot tion?

Quite right. Bob has been prepared to befriend

the economy e of oliver

was a big mate of

Cutts who made a fortune

bv developing property in

Bermondsey and Dept-

ford. Cutts used to treat

Bob to a meal twice

week at the Savoy. He

even put up £4000 of the

£7000 that the Mellish

family needed to buy their

pad in Deptford.

When Bob's eldest son

was 21, Cutts spent £280

on his birthday party, but

Cutts did not like the cake

destroyed the

caterer's car - that's what i

Labour Party

will left gains be repeated tant is the main target of the right wing and any hesitations or equivocations about defending Militant will open the door to further purges of the left. Building tor the conferences called by Militant and Hackney North CLP are important ways of mobilising the widest call having a loyal friend!

Eventually Mellish got Cutts an MBE. However the courts convicted Cutts of malicious damage, per-

and conspiracy to pervert the course justice, so a lovely friend ship came to an end.

But surely Bob Mellish kept on trying to make the mixed economy work?

Oh, he was not easily

discouraged. He was

friend of T Dan Smith, the architect John

Poulson, and the property tycoon Eric Miller.

Mr Smith and Mr Poulson were

given free board and lodg-

ings by the Queen, and Sir

Eric blew his brains out

before he too was taken to a state hotel. You see poor

Bob was let down by his friends again.

Unlike those lefties Bob Mellish is not a sec Taran. he wur work witt

possible numbers from lav value aralls the plans of the right.

I ne leit or course cannot hope to win in the long term if the working class is defeated. The half-hearted leadership of the TUC over tne nealtn strike anc their dreadful action over the ASLEF strikers serves

for the common good enr

Most definitely. In January 1962 he started a Sunderland Tory MP call. with Contal

ed Paul Williams. fee this company was willing lo act as industrial peacemakers. Again Bob's motives were misunderstood, and the

suspicious members of the

Sunderland Labour Party kicked up. à fuss about

him working with a diehard Tory who later

became chairman the

Monday club, so Bob had

to pull out.

Well you have to admit

that Bob Mellish has done

«or to nouse condoners.

that's something you can't

deny.

You are right there. When he was parliamentary secretary to the ministry housing

weaken the fighting capacity of the trade union movement. In contrast the aeterminanon or tne tall drivers and the health workers shows the fighting capacity that does exist in une worker movelcul

It is on this capacity for struggle that the lett must base themselves Faced with declining living standards, threatened by unemployment and living under the shadow of a nuciear nolocaus people want a solution. The left has to show that it does have such a solution and

porters in the Labour Party

5PW.

ty Hall Westminster.

don N16.

worked really hard to promote the industrial

building of tower blocks.

But things went wrong

withın 4 vears a lot 01

these estates were being

However

DulCU down

Bob is an honest man and

he admitted that building

these blocks was

palling blunder'. Who else

would owit up

By Jane Kelly

before his local party in

Lewisham kicked him

out. The revelations in

the press about

Mellish's past has

strengthened the deter-

mination of the local

party to re-select Peter

Tatchell as their

parliamentary can-

didate.

Although the time-

table for Bermondses

has

selecuon

not yet been agreed Mellish could resign nls

seat endorse

ment of Tatchell if it suits

him. Mellish is no longer

position

Foot's arm, nor can he

nersuade the Labour Parti

to keep on attacking Tat-

chell, and it looks almost

certain now that

will get endorsed by the

Labour Party national ex-

ecutive.

But it is on the cards

that either Mellish,

candidate WITH

port, will stand as an in-

dependen against

that an important part of that solution . 1S breaking the grip of the right-wing trade union and Labour Party leaders.

Only by involving itself in the great battles of the WULKCES Cal the left push aside the right and turn the Labour Party on the road to winning the next election. To comway over the witchunt will reverse the gains made in the last two years and seriously damage the interests of the real labour movement.

Get delegated!

Socialist Challenge urges all its sup-

and trade unions to get delegated to the Labour movement conference against the witch hunt on 11 September at Central Hall, Westminster. Credentials from 23 Iron. side House, Hometon Rd., London E9

Ditto for the Hackney North organis. ed conference on 30 September at Coun

Details from Hackney North CLP, 28 Beatty Rd., Lon-

wastage of millions of pounds of public money and to sticking people in homes that started to tall down around the inhabitants ears!

Well readers, you cal recorc BOD Mellish speaks for itself.

Would you buy a second. hand Labour candidate from this man?

More rather than

less support for

Tatchell in

Bermondsey

Labour. wannes Dellg touted are, Coral Newmar the independent Southwark councillor, who Mellish supported ir the local government elec tions, or John O'Grady who is the ex-leader of the Southwark council and is still in the Labour Party Support for Mellish 1 noW restricted to two wards and he badly needs a aereement SDP/Liberal Alliance, which would make sure ine anti-laicnel VOLe not split. This is however a LOURI propositiol Although the he politics of Mellish, th local Liberals are not at a happy about him and hi record Over the last months the Bermondsey, left and Tatchell havi been out

in the mina. in the las

Seven mores Ta che has the area. visited over 4000 homes and has had a great He has fought response against the closure of Olaves hospital and is bitterv onposed to the lae of it being used as a centre police riot training

Page 5 scan of this page

Support the YCND march

By Redmond O'Neill IN 1983 the first Cruise missiles are due to arrive in Britain from the USA. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher will have thoughts millions of demonstrations in Europe.

For all those who stand for nuclear disarmament, will OC decisive year. Youth CND are campaigning to make 1983 the •year when the

Movercill azallist the missiles shows its teeth.

That 1s why they Youth march for Jobs noi organising four-day Bombs' to this year's Labour Party conference in Blackpool.

Already the march has won wide support. is nacked Committee of YCND; the North West Region of the TUC; the Lancashire

of races Councils; Labour CND;

of HU DIOCI Labour MPs including

Benn together 1Ul1 with many Labour Party and trade union bodies.

Ignore

The August meeting of the NC of the LPYS will also be giving sponsorship

"sympathetic consideration' Why has

event taken off dramatically? Simply because it tits into the bur. ning need to take a new

forward in the scale SICU and power of the mass movement against nuclear weapons.

It is already clear that Thatcher will 9OC 0onion polls and that evel

of demons rauous quarter of a million are not yet enough SLOU LICI missiles. In 1983 what will

NO NUKES is yood

STOP THE MISSILES IN '83

no second about trampling on the wishes of people, expressed through mass Britain and throughout

be necessary is united action of the most powerful organisations British

— the trade unions SOCICLy and the Labour Party.

It was the Labour Party's demonstration in June 1980 that started off the

the missiles in Britain. Since then this movement has grown to involve the biggest demonstrations in Europe since the Second World War. July this year the demonstration of over one million people against nuclear weapons was the biggest political demonstration in US history. March

The message of Yout! CND's to this year's Labour conference will be: 1983 is the year when resolutions TOI unilateralism must be

by millions of workers and youth.

The Labour party and lave the power to stop Thatcher's

government in its tracks

vc i oc marchlie lo say 'now is the time to use this

Youth CND will be hand in hand with the LPYS on this march because you have to stand together for nuclear-free future.

Within the Labour Party and trade unions,

HS

101

AESA

nukes a

youth whose future is at stake, have a special right and responsibility to have their voices heard against nuclear re-armament and

This of course is exactly why the witch hunt organised by the right wing of the Labour Party and the trade unions is aimed not only at the left but also against the youth wing of the Party.

Opinions

It is the youth who will be the cannon-fodder future the Halklands war. It is youth whose future is at risk on

nuclear arms race. These vouth will be the most determined fighters against those who threaten their annihilation.

They will be the first to take a stand against any sell-out Labour government

There debate within CND about how to stop the missiles This march will in the direction of mobilising the ranks of the Labour movement against this Tory

and for government committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament.

The war mongers won't be disarmed by 'sitling in missile bases, still less by picking the missiles up and lobbing them into the sea, as some 'direct actionists seem to

So the youth march will supporting those who will fight at this

COLe Cle for a manifesto commit-

disarmament. For LIC

YCND

Stop the missiles

right wing witch-hunters nike healey, Foot and Shore such a commitment would be disaster.

SDP split the party precisely because they understood that the bankers of the City of London and Wall Street will throw everything

sucy ve Labour Booking

Labour government from coming power.

For the Labour Party conable bour the only conceivable government is one that gets its stamp of approva not from the of LNe labour movement but 110111 the City and fleei Street.

they are trying to drive out those who want a fighting Labour Party, one that organises all-out action against

How you can help:

1 Participate as a sponsored marcher. 2 Ask your trade union,

group,

march.

at f25 each.

march in your area.

march passes through your area.

and its aims,

7 Arrange transport to

demonstration in Blackpool.

8 Join CND.

Trident in '83 and commits itself to scrap all nuc car weasons as sool as it comes to power.

The youth march part of the fight to stop the witch-hunters. It will start from Manchester morning of 23 September and pass through Bolton, Chorley and Preston, riving Blackpool on Sunday 26 September. our Parties, rolle Labour TUs and CND groups will organising receptions public meetings and social events. In Blackpool the marchers will join the Labour CND march on Sunday, and lobby conference delegates on the Monday.

Money is needed to finance the march. union and Party should apLabour Party, CND club or community organisation to send a delegation onto all or part of the

3 Get them to sponsor one or more marchers

4 Distribute leaflets and other publicity for the

5 Take part in the events organised where the

6 Arrange meetings to publicise the march invite a speaker to your organisation (YCND will provide speakers).

the Labour CND By Brian Grogan THE REAGAN

US 'capability against the Soviet Union'. The plan provides for: * 20 million US dead How many al C projected for the Soviet Union and the rest of Europe is not revealed. • A nuclear war fought over a period of 6 months. £11.5bn has already been committed provide communications system ma come endure suck a war.

The explicit idea is that such war with such casualties and destrucitor could still end with one the WILS enough of its resources population allu stall again'

In reaction to the revelation of this plan many commentators have declared such a policy to be 'mad' or "insane'. Of course this is true from the point of view of ordinary

proached now to sponsor the march. Youth CND tour local factories Lais winning sponsorship. Tens of thousands leaflets sponsorship Jetters and financial appears are available trom the addres below.

This march is a tremen-

address below. Please fill out the order form.

I/We (name/organisation)

Address ....

Please send me: • Details of how I can participate as a marcher leaflets, fl per 100. f. • Acknowledge of the enclosed donation of £ • Acknowledge of receipt of f. marchers. f25 per marcher : A speller on dace collection sheets • More information

YCND

Gorton, Manchester. Telephone: 061-236 4905.

Nuclear war, practica

option' - Reagan

administration now consider nuclear war to be a 'practical option'. A recent Pentagon plan leaked to the Los Angeles Times overturns all previous ideas and proclaims the of winning a protracted war

people. But for Reagan and his Pentagon , such thinking is the only way they see of hanging onto their privleges and power in the face of the rebellion of workers and peasants against the exploitation and oppresThe lengths to which imperialism is prepared to go has been proven by the unimaginable barabrity of the Israeli rape of the Lebanon and destruction of Beirut. It is to prevent serious solidarity develop ing against such aggression that Pentagon plans have been elaborated Revealing serious con-

masterpian co-incided Washington's sion step up activity against the revolution Nicaragua, US backed Socialist Challenge

YOUTH MARCH

jobs not bombs Mancheste sept 23 > Blackpoo sept 26. dous opportunity to bui unity between the YCVI and the LPYS. It is an of portunity to make voice of youth opposed i war and nuclear weapon ring out loud and clear it the British labour move ment. We say to Socialis Challenge readers: Bulli the youth march!

Leaflets, collection sheets, details of the march itself an speakers, can be ordered from the March offices at the

Tel. No

_enclosed

_ enclosed to sponsi

Details enclosed

Please make cheques payable to: Greater Manchest

Return to: Greater Manchester YCND, 48 Swindon Clos

Honduran forces already attempted one i vasion recent weeks According to the Interno Herald "The two week US Honduran operation volved pilot mechanics, air traffic col trollers, and two US C-13 are all helping transport a Honduran ba! a cw vascu north of Nicaragua!

It has now been rever ed that the US con templating militars actio to destroy any . MIG-17 supplied by Russia Nicaragua A similar threat to destroy Russia supplied Cuban missile : led to nuclear wa in 1962 It is in the framewor of ensuring the US's abili ty Intervent militaril where ever and when eve

plans are drawn up by U! . It is by Hocialisill ing humiliating US defeat as witn Vietnam, inal w can push back their plans 19 August 1982 page 5

Page 6 scan of this page

COUNTER REVOLU

Statement of the Revolutionary Communist Group, Lebanese Section of the Fourth International

'JUST BEFORE 5pm there is a barrage of artillery fierce, so extensive, positively horrifying in its intensity that (we) are stunned into silence. Building building COMES down. Great flashes light up the sky. A crescendo

noise like some dreadful thunder rolls across the city'. So reports the chief Time correspondent in Beirut William Stewart.

What has happened in Beirut has been the most concentrated destruction of a city in warfare, the savage attack

population, American bombing of North Viet-

and before that destruction of the Pyongyang during the war.

The International Red has claimed that 'at least 80 per

of civilians. Other sources put the civilian guerrillas causualty ratio at something like 80 to one.

The extent of the Israeli air, sea and land bombardment of Beirut can be easily seen just from the figures. The death toll in Beirut is

2000. The Sunday reports that over the past nine weeks the Israelis have hit five UN buildings, embassies diplomatic residencies, hospitals or clinics, one mental institute, the Central Bank. hotels, the Red numerable private homes and office blocks.

There is absolutely no doubt

make the whole of the population of West Beirut pay for the Palestinian presence, presumably with the aim of driving a wedge between ine muslim Lebanese and the Palestinians.

But if that was the objective, it Tales

According to William Stewart: 'Since the attacks began on Sunday there has been a remarkable transformation of opinion in this beleaguered city. desperately wanting the PLO to COMRADES and Fellow Fighters,

'to surrender with honour.

American sponsors presence trom Beirut.

a graveyard.

openly or officially proclaimed, leaderships of the Lebanese national movement.

- as the Independent Masserian movement (the

political views,

HOwever Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982

The destruction of Beirut

fire SO so

after have been crashing from the of fire whole areas,

phospherous bombs.

entered the

on the just go on burning.

the US volved twin phospherous city of Korean

Cross still smouldering. are The plight

regularly Israelis.

their

Times to relatives homes

six water, the hundreds tive Cross and incholera. The rat

the Israeli threatens.

Red Cross

Moves establish

To all who refuse to capitulate

The last days have shown to those not already convinced that the official PLO leadership was serious about seeking a way

It is in fact public knowledge that this leadership is prepared to accept the principal condition of the Zionists and their

that is, to remove the Palestinian armed

It is also obvious that new Jarashes and Ajluns (1) to which the Palestinian fighters will be led if they follow the orders of the leadership to surrender will at best be a giant prison and at worst

We must emphasise that a very great responsibility for the present state of affairs, in which defeatist proposals are being

falls on the majority of the

If the main fighting organisations of the national movement had adopted a firm patriotic attitude, rejecting the Zionist conditions, and insisted on keeping the Palestinian fighters in Beirut

nave done till now - no Palestinian leaders, regardless of their

would have been able to accept surrender. the majority of the leaderships of the National Liberation Movement have shown that they are not only ready to countenance a withdrawal of the Palestinian resistance from Beirut but that they are even anxious to see this, and are bringing pressure to bear to assure that it is done as soon as possible,

-e 'e case 'etex. na. is necessary to save beirut.

¿amrades and Fellow Resistance Fighters, time is running

page 6

leave in order to avoid further bolldshed, Lebanese civilians we talked to all over West Beirut now want to see Israel defeated'.

The butchery and calculated savagery of the Israeli attacks

extraordinary. Apart random shelling of the main aeriel weapons of the Israelis have been cluster fragmentation bombs and

The ohospherous bombs cause horrendous casualties. Fragments of phospherous cannot be stopped from burning when they have

human body. For many victims of phospherous attack nothing can be done - they

One widely-reported case inbabies killed in a attack. Because they continued to burn they had to be placed in a bucket of water overnight. The next day they were

of the ordinary 1976. civilians has been terrifying. The electricity and water have been

disconnected by the Food is in short supply. Manv civilians have suttered the tragedy of having their homes and

belongings destroyed.

Some have been forced to move

those homes destroyed as well.

Above all this mayhem hangs the threat that the lack of fresh

destruction and the of bodies still in the ruins of the bombed building, will create an epidemic of typhoid or

population of West Beirut is multiplying rapidly. A catastrophe even greater than

slaughter HOVe

Another aspect of the Israeli barbarism has been the treatment of PLO prisoners. A French doctor has reported to the International

This eveness count of the summary execution of 20 PLO fighters. There are many other reports of executions and

are

crimes tribunal to bring the full horror of the Israeli actions to the attention of world public opinion.

resistance from Murabitus)

We will win!

THE ISRAELI invasion of the Lebanon has wreaked the most appalling destruction.

The Palestinians and the Lebanese left have their backs to the wall. Should the Palestinians agree to withdraw? And what are the United States, the Israelis, the Soviet Union and the European powers up to. ROS KAPLAN argues that any Palestinian withdrawal, any agreement worked out which disarms and scatters the Palestinian resistance would be a capitualtion to Israel and imperialism.

The seige of West Beirut is now into its eleventh week. Over the last two months we have heard non-stop contradictory reports on the progress of accoulations. while the Israelis have continued their non-stop extermination campaign, cynically violating all the cease-fires with further bombing raids. What's really going on? What are the objectives of Israel and imperialism?

Israel invaded Lebanon to crush the Palestinian national liberation movement and to drive them out of Lebanon. Israel demands the evacuation of the guerrilla forces from West Beirut, where the majority are, and from the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon along with the Syrian forces stationed there since the civil war in

What kind of withdrawal has still to be worked out • whether an unconditional surrender and total defeat IsTael werence Sharon would like to see) or a phased withdrawal where the Palestinians and their allies would be replaced by a multi-national 'peace-keeping' (mainly of French, Italian and US troops) which America and the west is

in all this it is everyones concern that the Palestinians should get out — instead of Israel! All the powers want to see the defeat of the Palestinian revolution.

Reagan, Thatcher and even social democrats like Mitterand in France support the Israeli invasion.

oppression of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, the bombing campaigns it has waged against Lebanon and the Israeli invasion in 1978, the illegal annexation Syrian Golan Heights in 1981 Their supposed 'anger' at the continuing attacks on Beirut and Israeli breaches of the ceasefires doesn't mean they've stopped supporting Israel (for example the US vetoed the Soviet-sponsored motion in the UN for sanctions against Israel) but that out, and we have to begin taking measures to block the surrender before it is too late. In order to do this, we have to bring together all the parties, forces, groups, and currents that are determined to fight on to victory and which reject the shameful

Beirut would represent. national accord that can be the basis for a Lebanese-Palestinian Patriotic Resistance Front. Such an accord must include the following points: -withdrawal of the Palestinian resistance from Beirut L. Continuation of an unrelenting struggle against the Zionist ar my of occupation, denying it a moments respite, making it pay very dearly for every moment it occupies our land. 3. Announcing the decision to oppose militarily any attempt, by the American army or the official Lebanese army, to enter Beirut in collusion with the Zionist army.

This, comrades and fellow resistance fighters, is what we think represents & genuinely patriotic platform in the present

A historic responsibility falls on those forces that refuse to surrender. This responsibility demands that they demonstrate their determination and join their forces for the battle in which our national destiny is at stake.

Ever onwards to the victory!

1. In 1970, after the resistance had been evacuated from the towns in Jordan, it was concentrated in the Jarash and Ajlun plains.

the US and becoming increasingly worried about the of army.

US plans for consolidating alliances with the conservative Arab regimes, notably Suadi Arabia (potentially a new replacement to the Shah's Iran as imperialism's main police force in the Gulf area and Egypt.

Certainly this more closely with reactionary Arab

has created Washington between favour stronger support to Israel and the European allies on the one hand and those who favour prioritising imperialist relays like Saudi Arabia and Argentina.

The split in which strategy to adopt in future foreign policy blew Malvinas war Lebanon and led to the resignation of

HaCompared with their reaction to

the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan or the Malvinas, imperialism's response to Israeli's muted. understand that if Lebanon the situation would be very favourable to their aims in the region.

The proposed 'stable regime' in Lebanon means in fact a semi-fascist government of the Maronite Phalangist militia; which will become an ally of Israe and Turkey to the north, and which will oppress all progressive forces in Minister the country.

reactionary Arab regimes deeply worried about giving political force asylum to the PLO guerrillas. shouldn't come as a shock. Although they have used (and financed) the Palestinian liberation movement to set themselves up as pions' of this cause and used the rallying call of anti-zionism and 'we're all western Palestinians' to distract the workers and peasants from the fight against oppression in their they have consistently They Palestinians when it came to the crunch.

For organised the Palestinians in Jordan in 1970 (Black September) aided of the America, and

the Palestinians Lebanese left in 1976 in the civil war.

Regimes like Syria and Jordan are well aware that the presence in future of Palestinian guerrilla forces and the thousands of refugees who forced to leave Lebanon with them, will create the potential for great instability inside their countries - they

Western powers are

Israel's occupying

They are worried this will threaten

policy of allying

split those who

Washington Over

up over the and the invasion of

InvasIon of the

been very All the imperialists powers

the PLO left

setting up of a

: Christians backed by their

government uprisings

are oppressed.

The silence is defeaning from the

They are

This

great 'cham-

Own countries, sold out the the regime.

King Hussein trontation massacres of the telegrams to by Israel and escalation Syria intervened and the ability to

will be sion

could provide the catalyst for mass

In countries where the regime's power rests on a minority

and where such Kurds, Palestinians, Shi'ite muslims

The reactionary Arab rulers will undoubtedly try to prevent any effective regroupment of the guerrillas in their fight against the Zionist state We should not deceive ourselves that asylum in Syria, Jordan, Egypt or any other Arab country will permit the Palestinians the freedom to organise and recover from this war. It will undoubtedly mean for the majority of them either imprisonment or other forms of repression, coupled with an attempt to turn them into puppets of

And what is the Soviet Union doing? The Kremlin will not risk a con-

with the West ove Lebanon. Their near-pleading in the

Washington over the of fighting in Lebanon shows their embarrasment at their in-

Fact This may well have lasting effects in the Middle East the Arab workers and peasants will draw the conclusion that communism and socialism has failed - - yet again

• in the face of imperialist aggres-

With this in mind the oppressed masses in the Middle East could turn

Page 7 scan of this page

TION IN LEBANON

to more traditional forms of struggle, for example through religion, and this will be a serious set-back to the future socialist revolution in the area.

Out of all this, the only optimistic signs are coming from some sections of Israeli society who are joining the

move call thousands.

I ne largest demo in the world against the Israeli invasion came from inside Israel when 100,000 marched in Tel Aviv on 3 July.

Although the majority of people supporting this movement are still Zionists ther Zionist state, they no longer accept the government's argument that they had no choice but to launch a full scale war agaulisl the i ney beneve Inere was a pontical op

• that of bringing the Palestinians into the negotiations over the future of the Occupied and leading on from what was started at Camp David, the possibility of a mini-Palestinian state.

But this is precisely what Begin's government didn't want. sion has accelerated the polarisation between the right and Zionists which has been rumbling under the surface since the last invasion of Lebanon in 1978.

The PLO pushed on by the leaders of the Lebanese National Movement

some dubious

their try, long honourable

Lebanese people support the

shed West Palestinians. t'alestinlans to slay.

the

Territories evacuate,

bogged down

The inva- and more against Israel.

left-wing

prospect of areas of Lebanon for years.

are entering into the negotiations for their withdrawal trom the Lebanon. It would appear that leaders such as Arafat are trying to arrange a deal with the US where they will be given

political and dinlomatic concessions in return Ior leading their forces out of the coun-

like surrender to retain credibility with their guerrilla forces.

murdering al c civilians deliberately to put pressure on the PLO to go — and to turn the

away from Palestinians. But, this is now having the opposite effect, with the majority of the civilians caught up in the blood-.

Beirut the

The longer the PLO forces stay in

and do not the longer Israel will endless discriminate brutal attacks while the for opposition to the war at home grows and international opinion turns more

The alternative is for the PLO to agree to leave and be replaced with an imperialist occupying army and the

Israel occupying vast

Then the plans Sharon has in store for the Palestinians in the Occupied

Territories will probably become a reality. If they win in Lebanon their attention will turn to these areas for a Illassive campaign to expertne llajonty of Palestinians and annex the area as they did with the Golan Heights.

The PLO fighters should abandon Beirut. The opinion of the Lebanese masses in the capital is firmly on their side. To accept any imperialist plan for dispersing resistance around the Middle East would be to put back the struggle against Zionism for decades. It may well be that if they refused to leave Beirut the PLO fighters would have to make a last ditch stand against a massive Israeli attack. Military politically such an attack would be immensely costly for Israel. The guerrillas will certainly give a good account of themselves in hand-to-hand fighting. If they leave Beirut they are finished as a military force anyway. The task now is to prepare the basis

military and political resistance, which cannot be done by tamely going off to the four corners of the Middle East.

International solidarity more than ever needed to ensure that the maximum amount of pressure is

Israel, the United States exerica on and the Western powers to halt the bloody atrocities of Begin Sharon.

Solidarity in Britain

Lebanon!

Despite the deafening silence of the labour and trade union leadership over Lebanon murderous act carried out by the Zionist state to date people in more horrified destruction in Beirut and solidari. Lebanese Wit the

people Despite the cynical report in the Guardian that patriotism in Britain is growing -ed for the Lebanon appeal nothing compared to the funds for

Falklands and lifeboat we building support in movement. 7,000 Trafalgar Sq. on the 31 July national demo against the invasion, the largest to Many Labour Parties public meetings and forums and Palestine solidarity broad fronts against the invasion are being organised country.

But to organise solidarity for the heroic struggle of the Palestinians and Lebanese is no easy task Zionism has a strong

Solidarity Events

Birmingham

Solidarity Campaign with Palesti-

nian People not 5904 or (021) 692 1765 for details of activities.

Demo against Israeli invasion 4 September (details later). the

Coventry

Demonstrate against Zionist

genocide of Palestinians

(Palestine Solidarity Campaign).

Sat. 21 August. Assemble Ipm

Edgwick Park,

Cathedral Sq., 3.30pm. and

London

Labour Committee on Palestine

(LCP), open meeting 3 September,

County Hall at 7pm

Tabour Party Conference — LCP

meeting at Queens Hotel, South

cronerdoc.

Brent East CLP public meeting,

September 7pm, Anson Hall, Anson

Rd., NW2.

ingstone,

Davis and Alf Filer.

Palestine Solidarity Liaison

Committee meets every Tuesday

6.30pm at Oxford House, Der-

byshire St. E2

Manchester and Campaign for Peace in Lebanon

Demo, 21 August.

Oldam Socialist Challenge public

meeling israe out or Lebanon

August 4pm, Bengali Cultural Cen-

The anti-war movement in Israel is now into a new phase. Mass mobilisa-

tions are no longer being organised as the war drags on, but the anti-war ac-

tivities are still gaining support.

Committee

Lebanon was formed by the Bir Zeit

Solidarity Committee and the Women

Against the war

demonstration

August drew 5,000 people in Tei Aviv

to protest against the proposed inva-

sion of West Beirut, and 3,000 march-

ed on a recent

demonstration to Begin's office in

Jerusalem.

concentrated on specific

tivities. In Jerusalem last week there

was a hunger strike outside Begin's

office, which lasted for a week ending

in a demonstration calling for an end

to the war and horrors of Beirut.

this

Israel hands off

standing

See Saveson

the most immoral,

working feminist Britain are becoming

at the scale of ticles many.

Palestinian and bravely

growing. gression and nOT that the money rais- Zionists' was threats.

Penlee

will carry on the labour marched to

date in Britain. are calling for the government. groups and

Around the people!

and long

tre, Main Rd.,

phone (021) 643 mond MP.

ties for

Soles Hill Rd. Rally

Palestinians.

tours.

Palestinian,

28 September, 6.30pm

15

Speakers, Ken Liv, Chris Khamis, Nira Yuval-

22

News from Israel

Women Lebanon cycl

Against War ir

Committee. they organised on 7

Peace Now night

The protests are now smaller and

Line

of Sharon

Many people who participated in

from any political army

base in the British Labour Party and the intimidation

violence against people speaking out against the Zionist invasion is growing. Outwrite, the

newspaper has had threats against them for their ar-

condemning Israel and people who are standing up and saying being Jewish does WaNt are receiving similar

We strongly condemn the murder of Jewish people in Goldenbergs restaurant in Paris last week and any other acts of terror against Jewish communities around the world _ they are not responsible

actions of the Israeli This campaign is just disguised anti-semitism using the Israeli war as an excuse for a

campaior Jewish Such actions will only convince more Jewish people of the need for an exclusive Zionist state to get away from this. The Labour movement must suppor them against such acts of terror.

Westward, Oldham.

Speakers include Nadir Hussein, Mr M Anan (tres. Dangiauts Assuc.) Michael Meacher MP and James La.

What Socialist Challenge Supporters can do:

• Campaign in your Labour par-

public meetings in sup. port of the Palestinians and

Lebanese people • Push for emergency motions to the Labour National Con ference demanding unconditional withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon and support for the

• Organise factory

/meetings in solidarity with Palestinians and Lebanese with

Lebanese and anti-Zionist Israeli speakers. (Phone Socialist Challenge if you need help with this). • Organise Socialist Challenge public forums and let the paper know about activities in your

Who to get in touch with for national information:

Palestine Solidarity Liaison Committee, c/o THIS, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2. Labour Committee on Palestine, c/o 28 Carlton Mansions, Holmleigh Ra., London NIb group. In Tel Aviv a group called

Against the Invasion of Campaign holds pickets Tuesday and these are supported by about 60 women each time.

In Jerusalem Women Against the War is organising a conference called 'Palestinian and Israeli women talking during war time' to be held at the end of the month.

Two significant groups of soldiers have been set un One comprises of reserve soldiers who haven't yet been sent to Lebanon and they are demanding that they not be over the Green Line (Israel's 1948 borders).

other 'Soldiers against Violence', and is made up of soldiers who have returned from Lebanon. They are demanding the resignation

and that the silence is broken inside Israel about the crimes being committed in Lebanon by the

Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982 page 7

Page 8 scan of this page

'We're the fourth

Where you can

buy Socialist

Challenge

Scotland ABERDEEN: Sc avaladle at boom ring Bit 89o in St. For more info

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de the Roman Baths. Phone 20298 for more details.

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Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982

MANSFIELD:

Shopping 2 Westgate. Fou 10.30-12 NEWCASTLE: SC on sale every Sat

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STAFFORD: SC on Sale Markei S

phone 483 SWINDONES TEESSİDE: SC Newsfar. dlesbro

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EALING: sold thur, cann

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YORK: Community Books, WalmBalt.

Order from SC, PO Box 50, London N/ 2XP. Set prior to publication. Payment porte. la pore los 13P postage, 10-99 20p post free. I00 + prises, PO Box 50, London Ni 2XP*rFundraising do it in Bacon Dina redates d. London Ni, Saturda 31 July, &l (SOp unmaged)

Star rub, Glossap, DAbshit,

Glossop, Derbyshire

Ernie Ros MP DrUit Davies and PLO

THE LEFT

page 8

/ between 1-z an‹ Polytechnic bet-

High Stree bout local ac

Saturday

Sanchez, Workers

• ]I-1 every

La Mid-

Lary and disputed results.

British Rail

beal real war in& The main PR, set up PRT,

tion districts.

WCIC

quickly,

would be.

and the official

Then they offered 'estimates',

partial results based.

protests

were given, rural

add sales Fri 6.45am at given by the

WelC

opposition parties. formations

opposition lollowing

(PAN-the for t-we Mexicay for the

CP) 6%; for 3.5%;

the

15%, PSUM and the PRT Democrats

the King

curacy.

tall. Speaker

was massive fraud?

Ad-Hoc Com-

the state of

cites muse country

HOUI stations opened, poll watchers sent. They ballots in them.

Mexican PRT

Below we reproduce an interview with Edgar

Fourth International. striking political breakthrough made by the PRT in its election campaign. It's more inan a week now since the elections and the

still published only fragmen- the

apparently

Since the polls closed, a

of figures and percentages has been rag-

opposition including the facilities to tota the results trom significant number of pollIng stations in various elec-

These totals published quite along with estimates, based on them, of what the final outcome

As for the government

party, the PRI, they first kept quite

some but without indicating on what specific

they were Finally, the pressure increased and the

multiplied, Ine results for some districts

but only TOT districts, which should take the longest to

up than for others. Needless to say, the figures for

government markedly different than those released by the

Could you explain precisei what you are referring

For the to five bites

others

he opposition gores

gave the esummates. For the PRI, 60%; for the Par-

Accion Nacional traditional party), 25%; United Socialist Party (PSUM.

the PRT, the Social Democratic Party, 3%.

DASS ot its 'estimates', the PRI claims

about 5%, and Social 2% each. All these percentages reier the presidential vote. The vote for the senators and deputies is much more difficult to estimate with ac-

So, do you think that there

That's a tradition of the Mexican political system. There was a lot of fraud, on the polling day itself. In

Puebla and in day the city or ruedla ilsell, which is one of the largest of polls were installed an a u

before the polling without being pre already had

largest party'

a leader of the PRT (Revolutionary Party) the Mexican section of the Sanchez explains the

In a lot of rural districts, the PRI by itself organised the 'vote' and

'count'. There are

crude 'sophisticated'. But would take too long to list PRo Cool shape is the

. coming out of the elections?

We now are ical artis

the political parties regard this as an accomplished fact. The government does as well despite its refusal to release the results

Our organisation now considered the fourth largest party in the country. Among the manipulations going on now is the shifting of some vote to the Social Democrats, make it look as if we are only the fifth largest. But this is basically a silly game.

The campaign not only made the PRT and its program known IN laid the basis the entire country.

La Ted national which in country large and decentralised Mexico represents qualitative

forward We now have organisations in 29 of the 32 states. Innumerable nuclei of sympathisers are working with More than 4,000 of these sympatchers her spent the watchers / spent the day at the polling stations

kept scrupulous counts, which they relayed That is one of the most Our ciccuoll offices tangible signs of our increased support

Our biggest failing up to now has been our conservatism about recruiting We have not opened the doors of the organisation wide enough for those who participated in the campaign and want to come into the party

A lot of people today consider themselves members of whom have not yet

real members. They are

HulliOus today than the actual members of the party. The challenge that faces us in the next weeks and months is to turn this situation around, to bring these activists into our ranks

The tasks and responsibilities that fall on us to-

are incomparably creater thar they were before this campaign. To

) LIC SLIC gles of the workers and the

who have been hard hit by the government's policies, to represent these masses at the national level and in parlia-

_Central America.

and people. ment, build sondarily COUN rades in Central America,

Above, scenes from the PRT eve-of-poll march and rally 'for a

peasants government which attracted 50,000 The PRT aot one million votes.

Mass to build the party of need, for all these tasks com- revolunonists tnal the ex- these new forces are ploited people of Mexico desperately needed.

Page 9 scan of this page

The revolutions of 1848

Standard Oil versus Sandinistas

John Ross continues his historical explanation of the emergence of the major forces in world politics, the essential background to the development of revolutionary marxism. This week he deals with the revolutions of 1848, the transition of the capitalist bourgeoisie from being a revolutionary class to being a reactionary class, meant by 'Permanent Revolution'.

By John Ross FOR 300 YEARS the capitalist class led revolutionary struggles against feudalism in Europe. Each of these went far further in its methods and international impact than the one before.

first successful capitalist revolution was the eighty years struggle of Holland for independence

Spain (1567-1648).

HONE This had a revolutionary

on thinking thoughout But Holland was too small a country for its revolullul to shape the face of the continent.

The second capitalist revolution, the English Civil War of 1642-48. however created the state which was for two hundred years to be the most powerful in the world. It layed the basis for the industrial revolution and therefore for all modern society. revolution of 1789-99 Finally French

was the greatest upheaval the

So woria naa ever secu. great was its force that for more than 20 years France was able to fight the combined force of every other major state in Europe. The modern political system is

largely a product the French revolution.' The scope of its struggles was to have no comparison until the Russian revolution of 1917.

As each capitalist revolution was far stronger and more powerful in its impact than its predecessor what was

more natural than to expect that the next one after

From Andy de la Tour in

Managua

OUR LAST DAY in

tionary Nicaragua.

the headquarters of the San-

dinista Workers

the CST, to buy

books, posters and badges as

we could carry. In the reception area enormous pictures of Marx, Engels

look down on us.

One of the CST comrades gives us

a copy of a leaflet run off that morn-

Wing. At 4pm there is a picket of the privately owned Esso refinery on the outskirts struggle going on over unionisation.

The management in line with the company's international policy are trying workers want the CST recognised in Luc laill Tired as we all are from a hectic two weeks there is no question of not going down to show solidarity. When arrive the 200-strong crowd is in WC full voice. , Speeches, interrupted every half minute by militant slogans, denounce the role of the management also accusing it of fuel shortage which has torcea petrol rationing to be introduced.

We are warm v welcomea. ana a Spanish-speaking comrade is invited to address the crowd. Two minutes of

and what Marx and Engels France would be more powerful still? By the middle of the nineteenth century: when Marxism was coming into existence,

understood in was widely Europe where une bourgeois revolution would be. Germany

Was becoming a great economic power. But politically it was hopeless-

ly divided into a ser ies of small feudal kingdoms oi which the most important were Austria and Prussia. Strikes

The result of this contradiction between economic and political

was rising Germany

which burst into political activity in 1817 and 1830.

By the 1840s a farming and trade depression was

leading to rising social

This included casaco.

1844 a major revolt by the

of Silesia one

of the first mass working

struggles in

Class

This in turn led to working

class strikes and

in Berlin,

demonstratorr

Prague, Breslau and other

cites

Marx was therefore ex-

pressing. an opinion

was not just his own when

wrote Tne Manifesto

revoluWe visit

Federation,

Hally

and Lenin union'. The

from

January 1848 that, 'The Communists turn their attention Germany, because that counuy LICI eve oi bourgeois revolution that is bound to be carried out under more advanced conditions of European civilisation, and much more developed proletariat, that England was in the seventeenth, and of hrance ir the eighteenth century, and because the bourgeois revolution in Germany will be oul a preluae lo all Ill mediately following proetana evolul. Manifesto

Marx's view German developing

rapidly was confirmed. A month after

of the Communist Manifesto the population of Paris rose in revolt against the monar-

sparking off a vast chy, revolutionary wave throughout Europe - and

in particular in Germany.

and their possesHustlia sions.

In five days of street fighting Milan from

18-22 March 1848 the

were

defeated by the population and driven out of the most

important north Italian

then rul-

possessions thei

ed. Rioting in Vienna les

to the resignation of the

Austrian chancellor Met-

ternich on 13 March In

Hungary, then part of the

Austrian empire,

parliament adopted laws

self-government in

March 1848 and war broke

out with Austria

sentender From 15-21

March mass rioting raged

In short the revolutions

of 1848 started on a vastly

greater scale precisely

because of their interna-

tional scope, than any May Day rally in Managua his militant speech are shown that evening on national television. distinguishes this scene familiar scenes in England is

addressed by OLIC

OI the govertical.

this nest of counter-revolutionaries. This govern-

What is Trotskyism?

Barricades and debates in 1848

capitalist movement seen

before. The revolution

seemed to be moving

towards logical

culmination when on 18

May 1848, the first all Ger-

man capitalist parliament

history met

Frankfurt. adopted

state in March 1849.

In these struggles of

1848 the capitalist class

even the begining

hesitated ana vacillated

For example it did not

proclaim a Republic but

offered the crown of Ger-

TRABATAU POPULAR ment represents the workers and we

MacDonald (the plant manager) and the rest, that it we respect private property here they cannot be sure that we will do the same tomorrow'.

A better experience could not have been learned by us to understand the

LIBERTE ECALITE many to king Frederick

Prussia

However this kind of hesitation had happened at the begining of other capilalist class nad produced cvolutolal

such as Cromwel and Robespierre who had called massive revolutionary actions, and utterly destroyed the power of feudalism.

This pattern of revolution also developing in Germany when September 1848 armed insurrection broke

knife-edge upon which sits the strainsenior ed relations

today sector.

tative of the International Relations

out in Frankfurt. This was followed in October 1848 by a mass armed uprising in Vienna which drove out the army and liberated the

But now at the decisive moment the capitalist class did absolutely the opposite to what it had done revolutions. Instead of leading revolutionary struggles the capitalist class sabotaged and crushed them.

In Hranku the capitalist parliament called in the feudal armies 0l Tae ecorony. respond popular sector'

of occassion:

SUICELS

prisonment.

coully

armed

are numbered.

hetween the sandinista government and the private industrial Th one ina vie pal inve sentor. tri is becoming impossible' says a represen-

many years.

anc Austria crush the insurrection. the capitalists delivered themselves into the hands of the reactionary monarchies. After the crushing of the Vienna uprising the 'German Parliament Frankfurt absolutely refused to organise any senous resistance or any solidarity at all. moment when the Prussian monarchy preparing its armed fortes physically smash revolution it only allowed passive resistance be usea.

Emboldened this capitulation the Prussian monarchy acted to crush resistance throughout its territory.

Change

Finally when in Ma 1649 the king of Prussia retused the crown of Ger many offered to him by Ine Assembly the capitalist represen tatives simply gave up and dispersed. completely new historical situation had Lucicl previous developed struggles the In

capitalisi class had vacillated on small actions but taken massive revolu-

decisive issues. Now the reverse had happened. The capitalist class was

limited questions. But on UNCi most decisive ones l would now capitualte.

This was a total rever sal of the previous role of capitalist class marked the ending of its position as a revolutionary force. This change was only to be confirmed by later events. Il was on tnc Dast: of this new situation that une uneory perlanch revolution was developed by first Marx and then Trotsky.

Department to develop good rela tions with the bourgeoisie when they sabotage production and destablise

and at the same time to the demands of the

'And we know what the demands of the 'popular sector' are. They are for socialism of that there is no doubt. The workers have no illusions in the Nicaraguan bourgeoisie, as on dozens

they have shown struggles in the factories and in the

But the crunch is coming - the private sector knows that the government is not making idle threats about nationalisations, confiscations or im-

At the same time Il sabotaging production and refusing to collaborate with the Sandinistas in any way. In short it is waiting for the counter-revolution from outside the

win. The fight economic power is taking place on the Honduran border. If the army of the Nicaraguan masses can defeat the

counter-revolution then the days of the Nicaraguan bourgeoiste

At the end of the demonstratior outside the refinery the CST leader again thanks us for being there. Long live proletarian internationalism!' the

crowd shouts, and for tiVe there were hugs and braces all round. A more moving experience we are not likely to have for

Socialist Challenge 19 August 1982 pago 9

Page 10 scan of this page

'Otherwise, they're the same

Rich man, poor man, policeman, thief ?

By Jane Kelly

thev do it and what should be done with them? Par ticularly tions. say. Contrary to the general myth,

effective punishment squashed.

A comparison between 20 men convicted and imprisoned for rape, with 20 men found not guilty, showed that the same

group would commit another

The Sexual 0 Ugramme came down on the side of individual or group therapy as the answer to lave

At least the stereotype of the middle-aged, tall, dark, bearded rapist draped in a long mackintosh who should be sent down for life was laid to rest. sen evidence is a counter to those who

long sentences for rapists and it alsu the claim that only 'abnormal' men commit rape.

Unfortunately this initially progressive slant to the programme was undermined by the answers given lo tne madle and central questions 'Why do they do it'. Despite the fact that their own showed most rapes men, of the ihree rapists committed ordinary they interviewed, it was on Toe "abnormal Peter the programme focussed on. so wc co nold out wil ordinary typical men commit rape, like 'men who

Hetherington,

the story. In fact they issued four

been helping out with the odd article.

Why people should at

tack the director of public

Prose Saturday i wights,

Saturday nights,

without making any claim

ior working unsociable

BONS OCaLS unle

Hambleton, the copper

wRO of

countryman even in-

sinuated it undermined his

enquiries when the article

ne nerpea oui on, claimed

countryman would be 'an

embarrassing and expen-

oniy net a 'few minnows'.

Well Hambleton might right, but he must

realise that any undermin-

ing of Countryman involv-

ed big savings in public ex-

penditure. Surely he

realises what it would cost

prosecute the majority f the Metropolitan police

force, and the mind bog-

gles at the money needed

to keep them all in jail.

All this publicicty the public UlU the allegations

CLULUL. made about the Yard top

brass and even hints that

the Home Office were not

Socialist Challenge

as other men!'

'YOUNG RAPISTS' on LWT Sunday 15 August set out to answer the question: 'Who are they, why do

when discussing the first and last ques-

the programme had some interesting things to

the majority of rapists are not older persons, but are between 16 and 25 years old. Also the idea that long prison sentences

deterrent was

Close touch with reality and convince themselves that unel vicum Is willing to have sex with them'; men wil ice gully aller wards, men who even ask for their victim's telephone numbers afterwards and others who actually ask for another date afterwards.

Peter, one of the minority with sexual problems was the centre of the programme. Described as socially inadequate, but not dangerous disturbed, the stereotype would nave us think, Peter explained now. with the hein of a prison psychiatrist he had started to understand his problems in relating women as being a product sexually repressed childhood. He explained

bed '... us with a scrubbing aust and wakes bold with it when he had been playing aoctors and nurses as a six year old. He told therapy now enabled him to start Te anue to women and to keep his fantasies his his urges'.

Married now and aged 31, his wife goes nearly everwhere with him and

Last week the press were pestering Sir Thomas

director of public prosecutions to find The Observer. Of course Sir Thomas and his press office did not want the other newspapers to think that he favoured The Observer so he flatly denied

statements in all and it was only the last one that did admit he had

keen on the Countryman enquiries, is undermining the new methods our police have perfected to counter crime.

And we have real proof that these methods are working. Two weeks ago on Granada Television's World Action programme, Alf Sheppard a London criminai admitted the ponce were deltalllig the thieves.

He said some police of. ficers had become greedy that crime was becoming unprotitable. you looked at it sensibly, Wee working for the police to give them a lion's share of what you getting. was Alf's sad comment.

A source close to the police tells us that this has nothing to with so. called corrup tion. According to him

Thieves and they do not ge any profit they will mend their ways and stop stealing!

19 August 1982 page 10

while he still has fantasies of 'stroking, touching and rubbing up against

The stops himself carrying out what he correctly describes as sexual assault.

But here is the problem. Peter is presented to us as a statistical minority (imprisoned twice for sexual crimes). - abnormal -but what he describes as wanting to do to women is on v what all men tantasise about, and what a good many of them do every day, on buses, on the tube, at work, and on the street.

Ignoring Enem oWi

statistics that shows rape is comanted oralary men, the picture the pro-

1s the rapist who is 'different' like the Cambridge rapist who was described as psychopal Ripper the Yorkshire characterised as 'the prostitute hater' to the 'social-

inadequate' Peter the question oI ine orainary man commiting rape is ig-

In a programme of 40 Nute lies ength minutes given OSCUSSIO ot the social

involved. These important minutes. They included a short interview with Carol Topolski from the Canterburv Rape Crisis Centre who defined the problem as one of male attitudes to sex and women. She explained it in the context of how men and women see themselves and how sexuality defined

Even these drastic measures can't completely eliminate crime. But the police have also perfected quite radical techniques

for spin tended com

LOl. how Chief Inspector Cuthbert from the City used to help theives to set up robberies, and how kept other police away from the area - this was done of course to protect other policemen ana lo make sure that they were not subjects of violence. The police also escorted the robbers away with their loot and their guns, this sensible practice

By using these methods

ine wily ponce made sure

they knew what jobs were 'If done,

was kept under a form of

police-control and better

relations were established

between the police and the

criminal community,

which is after all what

liberals have been deman-

ding for years.

Now all this painstak-

ing work being put in if jeopardy, are not

careful our jails will be full

of police, if some fanatics

get their way. Then who is

going to maintain law and

order for Mrs Thatcher?

Under Review,

society. The other part was

pupils who also described the crime of rape as d problem of sexual I COUL CH and attitudes based on domination and oppression.

The other time that the showed that out allie the problem had something to do with the position of women was when it showed two files, the other for Rest one Hibeo tights, Assured Beds with: life written on an image of improve your night

between pink satin sheets.

such comments and clues were rare. Finally any progressive message that might have come out of the programme was smothered by the two closing remarks, again by two sixth formers. One asked: Is it really rape if you know the man?' said: "If a girl accepts a lift and eggs the bloke on, then it's not fair to punish the bloke.'

The programme just did not explain that rape is a socially produced crime and that rape is the logical extension of the relegation

women to a position where they are secondary to men. It never explained that rape is the result of a SOCICLY which oooresser women in every aspect of their lives. as sisters, movers as wives. Nor did is mothers, explain that rape is the inevitable result of a society was

TYPISTS

WANTED

TORTS AND TONG TIGHT. AND TOCINGS"

which does not recognise the crime within marriage!

In the end 'Young

Rapists' was a hypocritical

film, which although posed as stereotyped the

preconceived ideas of the

rapist — ideas which are to

some extent created by the

media itself — it replaced them with a set of ideas which placed the problem within the individual

PoLe

MAKE

CRIME

O JOIN THE MET!

INSER LINE KAYSEI

TIGHTS AND STOCKINGS TIGHTS AND STOCKINGS TIr..-

psyche of men who can be cured of this 'one abnormality' by session of therapy: This hypocricy was driven home by the adverts shown before, durand after the programme. These as usual showed women as stupid, nagging, narcissistic and sexually provocative. Probadly ine daverts snowca us more about the problem we race DIO

PAY!

/HIL

gramme did.

Perhaps the most usetul thing to come out of the programme was wher Peter explained he 'would have run a mile' if his vic tim had turned around and said: 'Look you little go aWay She didn't, she just asked him not to hurt her. • At least his remark gives the lie to the usual advice of don't fight back.

By Bob Pennington

HAVE YOU SEEN/

THIS PADDY

TERRORIST?

BE KIND TC

PIGS WEEK!

Page 11 scan of this page

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Page 12 scan of this page

Solidarnosc challenges Polish bureaucrats

LEBANON

By Phil Hearse

of the seige of Beirut.

conflict and heroic

of Zionism

never sunk so low assembly the Israelis were defeated by votes to two.

The resistance by the

ple of Beirut

been of epic proportions; this example will live on Enroucn Ine next generation of Palestinians and among the Arab people as

whole, and strengthen their fight for the Palestinian revolution.

The responsibility for the death and destruction, for the Hilasoalic

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NO US-

ISRAELI

PEACE'!

IT IS NOW eleven weeks since the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and nine weeks since the start to leave West Beirut.

These weeks of bloody resistance have demonstrated beyond all doubt the character

and the Zionist state - expansionist, brutal and ruthless. Israel's support has

in the general 127

thousands of Lebanese, lies above all with the Unted Gares Despite Reagan's much publicised phone call to Manachem Be bombin him o stest bombing Beirut reality the United States has done not one single thing to put pressure on Israel.

The ending of the devastating Israeli air attacks has always been tied Reagan's comments each 12 month inland subscription to London N1.

with the PLO's agreement

Demands from many countries that the Israelis not be supplied with further weapons have been rejected by the United States.

Even Reagan's phone call to Begin came in the wake of a call from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who made a thinly-veiled threat to cut off US oil supplies.

The United States' attitude is of course no surprise. Israel imperialism's major ally in the Middle East. Whatever the US need to ally with some of the more reactionary Arab states the United States is never going to give up its alliance with Israel.

By Paul Lawson

Gdansk, Warsaw,

police in the 1970 uprising,

The demonstrations occured on the second anniversary of the formation

the Gdansk interfactory strike committee

the precursor of Solidarnosc itself. 200 people were arrested.

Last Monday police carried out widespread ralas against underground newspapers and Solidarnosc leaders operating clandestinity. The Solidar-

leaders have called nation-wide demonstrations, leafletting, slogan painting and other acts of resistance to take place on 31 August -

Devastation everywhere in Beirut Ronald rings up Manachem The major problem for the Palestinians has • beel the fact that they have been fighting alone.

Syrian regime has backed off from any serious confrontation with the Israelis. All the other Arab regimes have made the right noises, but not lifted

support.

has been pathetic - they have hardly bothered even pay lip-service to the need to defend the Palestinians.

Despite their isolation the Palestinians have fought heroically. They

high casuadis oris the

high casualties • Bekaa Varley as well as in Beirua, Israelis, despite the total control of the skies by the Israeli airLAST FRIDAY saw widespread rioting against martial law in many Polish towns - including

Cracow and Wrockaw. Ten thousand workers marched in the demonstration in Gdansk, which after placing a wreath at the monument to those who were killed by the

marched to the headquarters of the Communist Party. In both Gdansk and Warsaw the demonstrators were repeatedly charged by baton-wielding police who fired tear gas and attacked them with water cannons. The workers demanded an end to martial law and the release of Lech Walesa.

the anniversary of the Gdansk agreement.

Friday's HOL were followed up by peaceful demonstrations both Saturday and Sunday in Warsaw's Victory Square, where Solidarnosc banners were unfurled.

The demonstrations on the second anniversary 1 of the formation of Solidarnosc in themselves consulules a aereal TOr regime and a victory for Solidarnosc. Nine months after the imposition of marial law the regime had hoped that the country was returning to normali-

force. But despite the

and determiner resistance of the Palestinlan igniers, me suruggie is in danger of resulting in

bitter ong-term defeat for the Palestinian revolution.

There should be no doubt that the evacuation of West Beirut and the dispersal of the PLO fighters throughout the Middle East, and the im position of a 'peace keeping force' of troops from imperialist countries would mean defeat not on ly for the Palestinians but also for the Lebanese left.

Apart trom the PLO as military force, such a solution will result in the reconstruction

ebanest dominated by the Phalangist Christian

'Release Lech Walesa say Polish workers

ty. Over the past six weeks

something in the order

1400 Solidarnosc activists

have been released from

jail. The bureaucrats

hoped that these conces-

sions' would add

moou ol apalny ana ac-

ceptance among the Polish

The events over last

weekend show

militias.

great deal nonsense has been • talked

tne 'gains can be made by the Palesti-

LUTAS themselves into a 'sensible

a military-political forc But the reality is that th political influence o the

? LO has rested on its abil

deploy serious military force and to harrass the Israelis.

With militias dispersed throughout the Middle East the PLO groups will become mor and more dependent on

in which they take refuge

Of course the tempta tion to end the suffering and casualties people of Beirut is very strong. But the PLO can

Polish workers continue to

resist martial law, that the

underground leadership

remains intact and that

support Solidarnosc

remains strong The

memorv ot a movement of

ten million workers cannot

expunged Dy vulcal

cratic diktat

But the fact remains

nect prepare the ground for continuing the struggle

staying fighting to the bitter end

The of all defeats is that it is im measurably deas with a fight. For the hetter

PLO by razing Wes Beiru to the ground would be to suffer a majo political defeat. It would cost them heavily both in lives and political prestige There is no guarantee that such a venture would be successil

Do not be fooled if the PLO fighters leave Beirut

neroes waving their Kalashnikovs they will be going as the defeated Their real victory would be

stay and fight to •eng

that 31 August will con

stitute a much bigger test

strength between

Solidarnosc and the

authorities. the

underground resistance is

incapable of mobilising a

significant number of peo-

ple in the streets it will

constitute a victory for the

Jaruzelski leadership

Jaruzelski hopes that, aid

ed by the Catholic hierar-

chy, the bureaucrats can

convincent overwnet.

ing majority that further

resistance to martial law is

useless and that Solidar-

nosc has gone for ever

There is no doubt that

the overwhelming majori-

ty of Polish workers con-

tinue suppor what

Solidarnosc stood for, and

want the end of martial

law. But support for

Solidarnosc not the

same thing as coming onto

the streets. If Solidarnoso

callllui mobilise

tens. of thousands on 31

August inen subport wil

dwindle. Either way, there

are still major clashed to

come.