Socialist Challenge No. 283, 4 March 1983

Socialist Challenge · 4 March 1983 · 12 pages, 16,650 words read by machine

The scan: sc-no283.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)

Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Page 1 scan of this page

Challenge AFTER BERMONDSEY.. WHICH WAY FOR LABOUR?

MINERS' STRIKE... ... see back page

No. 283 (final edition) 4 March 1983 was the direct result of sabotage of Peter Tatchell's campaign by the right wing of the Labour leadership: * for organised to force his Labour Party to select a different candidate; * Bermondsey's electoral address and first press conference were scrapped by Party officials: * Militant's editorial board was expelled the day before polling.

The sabotage shows the bankruptcy of attempting to compromise with the right wing. The right wing of the leadership does not want to win an election on Labour's socialist conference policies. They will pull any stunt to sink the possibility of socialist victory.

Yet the derisory vote for O'Grady in

25p Unemployed and strikers 10p

Socialist

ship's right wing.

biggest leaders who:

of the right wing

stead of

conference.

the voters had no loyalty at all to the old Labour machine politicians.

The press smear campaign against Tatchell would not have been possible without the witch-hunt and harassment he received from the party leader-

Bermondsey showed that Labour's

liability is those right wing

* Divide the party with expulsions, attacks on local parties and interfere with democratic selection procedures, in-

leading a united struggle against the Tory government; * Discredit Labour by openly stating that they will not carry out the overwhelmingly carried decisions of party

These same leaders will take the

redouble their attacks on the left and on socialist policies. It was the leaders like these - Healey, Shore, Hattersley et al - who dominated the last Labour government and who led that government to defeat by breaking its links with the trade unions disastrous incomes policy. social expenditure and passivity in the face of rising unemployment.

Today they would even coalition with the Liberal/SDP Alliance to a Labour government that fought the British establishment to carry through socialist policies adopted by Party conference.

The peace treaties in the party have been entirely one-sided. The left can no longer afford them and neither can the Labour Party.

Inside•

with their cuts in over pit closures.

prefer a

clearly as

ment and

tion laws.

left.

responsibility

the basis for a

right for years. leadership

Listing policies membership!

tory:

ment

people -comes policy • For full employment

week. • For women's rights

Fighting for

ward.

INTERNATIONAL

WOMEN'S

DAY

SUPPLEMENT

See pages 5,6,7,8 Tories, but it is not by the Labour party keeping quiet about the socialist alternative. The Thatcher government is on the defensive over nuclear weapons. They have just suffered a defeat at the hands of the waterworkers. Now they are being challenged by the miners

There is an enormous well of disgust and hatred for the Tories which Labour can tap - by siding with those in struggle against the Tories, by coming out

the champion of the unemployed, the peace movement, trade unionists fighting for a living wage and for jobs, the women's move-

the black communities harassed by the vicious new immigra-

But the right wing will have none of it, and Foot himself capitulates to them at each crucial turn of events. Instead of a bold fight against the Tories we have only the witch-hunt against the

If Labour voters are confused, then no wonder! Instead of a party united around a clear alternative which offers a way forward from Thatcherism, they see a vicious war, which is entirely the

of the right wing Capitulating to the right will not win Labour the election - and it will create

continuation of the witch-hunt and the dominance of the

The existing policies, and membership hopeless slogan - a whole section of the leadership is trying to smash the ex-

and the existing

After the expulsion of the Militant leaders and the sabotage of Bermondsey the left must re-organise around the fundamental plans for a Labour vic-

• For a full and unequivocal commitment to unilateral nuclear disarma-

• For a Labour government which raises the living standards of working

no cuts, no statutory in-

La Labour government must introduce a 35 hour

• Against Tory immigration laws.

these policies and defeating the witch-hunt is the way for-

Page 2 scan of this page

Why Tatchell lost

By Carol Turner

morning, leader Michael Foot returned to haunt him.

In the aftermath of the Bermondsey defeat, rumours are circulating that Foot will lose the party leadership to Labour's right wing. Why did Tatchell lose in Bermondsey? And what does this signify

Chances

he general election!

ITOl ally angle, the Bermondsey® result is a massive defeat tor Labour. Ine big question now facing the

this round.

Advice

It's obvious that the tactical advice from Fleet Street near the end of the campaign paid off. In the last week of by-election campaign recent history' the O'Grady vote collapsed, leaving the field clear for the Tory Party to unite its vote around the Allance candidate and to clinch a crushing defeat for Tatchell.

Tory voters were openly advised 'vote Hughes to Keep Labour's extremist out' O' Grady supporters did likewise and so did many other Labour voters. The derisory vote for all olner showed the whole campaign as a straight tight for or against

Throughout the last 15 months, the best ally in the keep-Labour-out paign has been the Labour Party's own leadership. Since Ther dead-body speech of Michael Foot,

Water Workers

Smash the Four

Per cent

By Pat Hickey

16.

Although the deal is well below the full claim, and leaves comparability, it has opened the door for the gas and electricity workers whose Pipeline and have been re claims are now tered 4 per cent.

The union leaders have no excuse for not going tor the full claim.

The water workers have shown that the Tories al C not invincible. The negotiators took a harder illc with the employers because the workers occupied the ACAS offices.

The start of a rank and file organstion, seen in the all-London strike committee and the contacts made with other Darts COT the country around the

ACAS lobby, now need to

be built on. The deal in¿ludes some productivity strings which are to be negotiated in the next few months, such as flexible working and further effisicily licasulco

The water workers will have to be on their guard

Sacialist Challenge : 4 March 1983- page 2*:

'PETER TATCHELL will go to parliament over my dead body.' In the small hours of Friday the 15 month-old words of Labour

the witch-hunt hasn't let

It continued throughout the Bermondsey campaign, reaching dramatic climax with the eve-of-poll decision to expel five members of the Militant

cantonal Labour's leadership has OCer COUS SICILEY NOTe concerned to fight the Labour left than to win the election.

The main responsibility for Labour's defeat in Bermondsey must be laid at the door of the national Labour Party.

Of course, the personal smear campaign against

helped.

But this whole press cam

Foot's public opposition

Tatchell. Such smears best take hold in a witch-hunting climate, like that created by Labour's leadership.

Fierce

During the by-election, the Bermondsey Party, and activists

LaDUul throughout London, fought fierce against big national odds. Support for Tatchell came first and foremost from activists committed to defending a candidate who stood against the witchhunt and in favour of implementing party policy.

DUCI SUDOOrL wasn't enough to counteract the Haliulia vices lined up against Labour.

There were weaknesses THE UNITY and militancy of the water workers has paid off despite a Tory hard line and a weak union leadership. The settlement gives 9 to 10 per cent over 12 months, and 12 per cent over

to make sure the deal is not undermined by job-loss and worsened working conditions. With a nationally organised rank and file capable of taking the initiative the comparability claim Call fought again next year.

it can also ensure that any deal is put to a full

ballot of the membership and not merely accepted on their behalf by the officials.

The Tories will not take this defeat lying down. They will now move against water workers by disbanding the national localise negotiations. Yeb localise negotiations. DITS strikes in essential services

cannot be treatea as simply 'sour grapes'.

The union leaders have done nothing to stop his,

attacks the

unions and this gives him

the signal to go ahead.

This is why rank and file 1s now needed.

too in the Bermondsey Party's campaign. in the circumstances, concentrating on Tatchell's credentials as a local candidate LOCCUICI with keeping too low a profile on issues such as nuclear disarmament was the WOTSI possible campaign to wage. But the real prothe party, and newspaper cil leader Ted Knight was witch-hunt. Here he

rent witch-hunt.

letter to Mortimer from Islington Central. Norwood will be one of the constituencies fected by the NEC's decision to expel the five editorial board members OT Militant. Has the party taken a position on this yet?

Our executive committee will recommend to the General Management Committee that the expulsions be noted We will campaign for the reversal ol the expulsions, and the dectsion on the register, by the next annual conference.

You have experiences of witch-hunts in the past, don't you? What were they?

The campaign against Socialist Outlook, a leftwing rank and file paper in the Labour Party first started around 1954. The paper was proscribed by

dorsed C, and this a sen-

dorsed annual conference.

Three members of Norwood, including myself, were charged with being supporters of Socialist Outlook. And other charges were brought against me. 1 wa secretary of the local Labour League of Youth then, the forerunner of today's Young Socialists.

Labour Party

BERMONDSEY

LOOKS LIKE AN INSIDE JOB TO ME SARGE...

blem was the fact that their candidate wasn't seen to be backed by his national party. Tatchell has never seen presented publicly as part of a national Labour alternative to the Thatcher

This approach of the Labour leadership was simple. They would rather

How we fought witch - hunt

DURING the 1950s the right wing launched a witch-hunt against the Bevanite left wing of

particularly against the Socialist Outlook. Lambeth Couna victim of that talks to Socialist Challenge about that experience and the cur-

Socialist Challenge does not agree with Knight on the recognition of expulsions by local parties. Our position is expressed in the article facing by Alan Freeman and the

I'd written an article advocating the abolition of the monarchy and the House of Lords. was charged with "political amorality, and with 'corrupting the local LLY branch' by spending €10 on an Xmas party!

We had to appear before a sub-committee to answer the charges. We weren't allowed to have witnesses, nor were the acmembers of the CUSCIS -Norwood Labour Party -present. They were allowed to remain anonymous throughout for 'fear of any repercussions'

We duly found guilty, and the NEC voted to expel us from the party.

Norwood instructed to endorse the NEC's deci-

It refused. kepresentatives from the NEC reconvened the meeting, and again the GMC refus ed to expel us I know they finally did the Socialist Outlook supporters. did they How manage to get round the GMC's resistance?

All this took many months. It took about a year to finally expel us.

They then went through the whole process again

WALWORTH RD lose the election than come to office on Labour's preSCIL OCC - Bermond. sey's result is a shot-gun Labour left. Tatchell's campaign ha UliC thing clear. Soft-pedaling on Labour's programme 1s no road to victory at the next election. We face a Ted Knight, veteran of 1950s witch-hunt

and again, until eventually they got the decision they wanted How did all this effect the party? Did you campaign outside the party to build support for

Throughout all the whole of the party's

was absorbed by the fight with the NEC We attempted to argue our case publicly, but the press took the side of the right wing

Over the next couple of years, there were further suspensions trom the bar.

Well not exactly ... O'Grady was thrashed at the polls clear-cut choice: dump Labour's policies or fight to present a real alternative.

The left must campaign now to take Labour into the next election on a manifesto committed party policies, supported by a leadership 100 per cent behind it. The result ty. Some 180 people were expelled trom Norwood over this period including my mother. who they said 'obviously supported her son!

What lessons do . YOU draw for today's situa tion?

The difference today is that during the 50s and 60s we were in period

boom and the militancy of the labour movement was a its lowest point.

The witch-hunt was able to go ahead because of the general climate

TO JOHN O GRADY

THIS IS THE

LABOUR PARTY

BERMONDSEY

WANTS

BEKERS

of the Bermondsey • cam-

, makes organising a

socialist campaign for

wavour victory even more

urgent.

In the words of Peter

Tatchell: 'We've lost the

battle, Don't mourn the loss of . but not the war

Bermondsey

Ul gallis

now for a Labour victory.

which had been created by

the cold war. Oppositior

was limited

Todav's witch-hunt 1

taking place during an

economic crisis. The work-

ing class is certainly not ac-

quiescent. leader

ship at the TUC and

parliamentary leve

retreating before a Tory

Coveranci Therefore

it's necessary for them to

silence conscious socialists

within the party.

The attack on Militant

is a forerunner of other

such attacks. I believe we

can fight this

but it requires widening

our support by taking the

fight into the trade unions,

as well as the constituency

parties as a whole. The im-

portant thing is to take up STORMER the political issues : which

tion. Defeating the witch-

politically

defeating the right wing of

the party.

Do think parties ö should b prepared to

disentater rather

than carry out expul

sions?

We should be very

wary of being trapped into

adventures which would

Tacate the right-wing

witch-hunt. Personally

we should

open the door to parties

being disbanded and to

socialists being excluded

11011 membership by

technical breaches of the

constitution. Getting

out

the party won't help.

The NeC want us to

to distan e pates the oppose the expulsions

role of socialists is to con-

duct the fight inside the

Labour Party.

Page 3 scan of this page

Expulsions 'sabotage i needeance says Bermondsey

Bermondsey Labour Party wrote to Michael Foot on 10 February asking him to get the expulsion of Militant leaders deferred until after the by-election, Anne on 28 February.

She was speaking on a joint platform arranged by the three constituency Labour Parties who have been asked to expel Mili-

from their talll Cullul. ranks. Two of the three parties Islington Central and Hammersmith North will not do so.

Line expusons seemed to us like a calculated act or sabolage sne wenl

Anne explained that Ull. the NEC campaign against Peter Tatchell played signinicant part In nis neat hysterical overthrow' beginning with Foot's condemnation of Tatchell in the Commons; the refusal, based on no evidence, to cuuuise Tatchell, leaving Bermondsey without candidate for a year; their failure allyllllg about Mellish's attacks; Tner about O'Grady and finally the pulping of f400 worth of leaflets which, she added

Fleet LECV ulauc SuIC Street knew about'

Reg Race, MP, outlined the campaign which Labour Against Witch-Hunt has launched tor pubnc declarations, In Tribune, that parties will advertisement

By John Shutt

resist 15,000 redundancies.

BR management sav thei

wish to relat cae rounary ano

spring shop at the plant. But

eaks from management show

ing. Their aim is complete

CLOSUl C by lalCi

cosure hangs ove ouner

Engineering

Limited (BREL) workshops

: Shildon, Durham and Tem. Mills East London.

HOrwICh Works

committee told Socialist

Challenge:

'We are not going to ac-

cept this plan. We have been

monume tor over a vear now to

YOU STILL PLAYING WITH THAT VIDEO GAME, SON?

IT CALLED? PACMAN?

Bermondsey party secretary Coltart told a packed press conference

not expel, nor recognise the expulsion, of

Rally Labour Party member or group of members arising from political disagreement with the NEC'.

Catapult

The advertisement is so CLPs and 200 individuals backed by over including NEC members Dennis Skinner and Audrey Wise, and AUEW Bob Wright.

The first half of the advert appears in Tribune this week and the sponsors will campaign for more signatories for a second instalement on the eve of the LPYS conterence.

Militant's Tony Saunois rejected charges that these actions were in defiance the Labour Party's democratic procedure. the NEC which has acted in defiance of the will of the

majority he said May of Vasu members, sure that if a conference were neo mowine made unions would overwhelmingly reject what the NEC has done.

As Reg Race explain-

Railworkers plan fightback

Workers at the British Rail engineering workshop in Horwich, Lancashire have voted overwhelmingly to the workshops are in the front

save Horwich and once

management are

deliberately divide

the BREI

united opposition

are as determined as ever to

resist. Only eight people at the

mass meeting voted against

the resolution to fight

'What need now / is to

unite with Shildon and Tempie illis in order to wage a

joint campaign. We are look.

WUIASIIOUS ¡ ucouds

We need immediate industrial

BAD TASTE

NO, DAD NOT PACMAN... IT'S NEW ONE CALLED TUCMAN!!

COOKSON

GM

ed, 'conference voted for a

register. It never voted for

these expulsions. More-

over the NEC

is attempting unilaterally to change the proceaure ior expulsion: previously it has been

the right of CLPs to deter-

mine wno snail and snail not be a member of the

The stand taken by Isl ington Central and Ham.

'As far as I'm concerned

une tollowing ine serpell In

uiry. If they close us the wa

of the remaining and

massive throughout BR mediately, not just from all •We need solidarity LIC cancela WOrKSIODS out trom everv Nuk branc

wich and Shion sat try

and Shildon know the are not going to be left to fight alone

Messages support should sent to: Works Committee Horwich Loco Works. Horwich Lancashire

THERE'S CALLED THE RANK AND FILE BEFORE THEM OUT GROUP

Labour Party

Anne Coltart and Peter Tatchell at Bermondsey rally

mersmith Central puts the battle against the witchhunt onto a new plane. If the NEC walll to press ahead with its divisive and destructive aton party members and party policies, it will have to take on the constituency parties itself, expelling whole parties and groups of parties in an election year. The defence

Scottish YS meets 'WHAT HAVE women only marches do with

was the response

one 200 strang Sakerist

200-strong Scottish negional cryo converence Glasgow last weekend to the resolution moved by Linad women's oppression.

This resolution, focussing on ue surals ul a wulllall s right to work and a woman's right to choose, formed the pivot for the debate over the weekend.

It forced Militant supporters into a corner where their policies on women are concerned.

A key debate over the two days was the question of the fight against the witch hunt. conterence was umica on inc question of fighting against the purge of the left and left

THIS

WHO HAS STOP THE TUCMAN

CAN SELL GET

ANOTHER CALLED THE

of Militant and the parties who are standing by them is an urgent priority for the whole labour movement.

Has your CLP backed the Tribune advertisement yet? Every CLP in the country has been mailed with the text of the advert, which will appear this week. Get a copy and ensure it is discussed at this month's GMC.

policies

ordinatunately, Commitee Labour Coordinating members called and got sup

for expulsions of the right wing from the party

The strength of Militants

the witch hunt was marred by open sec. taranism toward. Laboul Against the Witch-Hunt (LAW).

They opposed resolutions calling for maximum unity of the left and in particular af Halon to tie two all-wilk. hunt campaigns, LAW and the Labour • Steering Committee Against the Witch-hunt.

Decisions taken at conference on women's oppresSOl. went against the left and in effect make the fight against the right LO G witch-hunt much more difficult. THE HANG OF TE GET

DOESN FEASIER 'OLDER Y°

O0

is needed

On the facing page Ted Knight,

whole parties.

We think Ted Knight is wrong. First let us consider the constitutional argument, put forward by the party right wing and by the present leadership of the CLPD Labour Party members, they say, must accept all decisions of the party they WIll flouting democracy.

Sas s an vosce cow logic. Party democracy in a tederal organisation does

mean that the membership obeys every instruction of the leadership; it means the leadership obeys the membership. Suppose the party's new manifesto, in defiance of conference, pledges us

an incomes policy. Should the unions, as affiliated organisations campaign in favour of com-

Compliance with constitutiona decisions doe. not extend to those deci sions which interfere with the most basic rights of individuals and groups.

Conference never voted for expulsions. The decision expel supporters of Militant, as Reg Race explained at Mon day's press conterence. is the NEC's and the NEC's alone. • Those who defy the NEC's expulsions are at tempting to save the party, save members, its policies and its prospects of vice CL PD if it values its name, should be foursquare them anything is to be left of the constitution they prize sc highly.

What about the prac tical arguments put forward by Ted Knight? Four months ago Militant argued the same policy. In the pages their paper they denounced the CLP: who voted, at the 30 October Cullet cul which founded Labour Against the Witch-Hunt, for non-recognition of expulsions.

Now Militant have changed their tune - nong too soon. A balance shee can be drawn. If the CLPs had accepted their advice, first, Tariq Ali would longer be a party member and second, they would not today be able to turn

or help to the very CL they lenounced i Oc. tober.

the Labour Party.

Wing me of the exclude from caucsday u

editorial board.

various passed

which

with the polic

do not recog

CLP.

members of the General Committee.

Norwood's chairperson explains why he wants his party to accept the expulsion of Militant editors Clare Doyle and Lyn Walsh. He argues that the alternative is disbandment and the expulsion of

Witch-finder genera John Golding But thirdly, and mos importantly, the list of CLPs signing the Tribune advertisement would not number forty a good start but well over a hundred. And in the face of defiance on this scale, the NEC in an election year- - would be unable to proceed just as Ted Her was made or ceed with his Industrial Relations Act - becaus in their defiance the CLPs would be proving what everyone already knows, that the majority of party members are defending the democracy of the Labour Party by implementing its decisions not to have a witch-hunt.

Militant leaders are now in a posinon — line choose to make up for lost ground. They should put all their energies into building the defiance they now endorse into an unstoppable movement They should campaign openly, on their platforms and through their paper, for a massive response to the Tribune advert and for the vigorous defence of Islington Central and Hammersmith North and if it changes its tune Lambeth Norwood This is not a policy for disbandment, but a policy to make disbandement an imprac tical option for the NEC in an election year.

And this why Tec Knight The witch-hunt cannot be stop ped by giving into it. Sup pose Militant supporter: go, but Norwood - and Labour Herald - remain For how long? Does one think the NEC • all wil stop at five editors? The less resistance there is the further they will go

Text of Letter from Central Islington Labour Party to Jim Mortimer, General Secretary of

'Thank you for your letter of 24th February, inform.

• decision taken by • the NEC last membership of the Labour Party tne tive members or tne militant

'In reply to your letter, the Officers of this CLP nave instructea me to draw to your attention tne

periodically), and to inform you that, in accordanc

and in

Taafe and continue to regard them as full members of this •WIl

Consequently we are unable to accede to your request that the names of these two com rades be deleted from our membership records

'We shall be conveying this correspondence to

Socialist Challenge : 4 March 1983 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

Greenham Common

Youth CND supporters will march from Oxford to

Greenham Common on the weekend 19 and 20 March.

Oxford youth CND is organising this sponsored

Cruise and for jobs not bombs.

Cathie Brown, Oxford

Since NO Fire started

first started organising the march, we've had a tremendous amount or support from individuals and organisa

ranging from MP's Holls, who have sent messages to young people localy wo

want to go on the mech

WIOLe Michael Heseltine, the defence secretarv. because between Abingdon and Dideot we'll be marching through his constituency. We asked him to debate the marchers, but he's said he'll be too busy! We'll

EAR FREE

Greenham peace

camp under attack

HIGH COURT ACTION is being taken against the Greenham Common women. Two court attacks are planned to break up this popular focus for the anti-war movement.

On 22nd February the High Court in London adJourned an eviction case against 59 named women

9 March. because there were too coDe with. This headache will get worse as hundreds of women add their names to the list of defendants by signing statements admitting they have been to the camp.

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983

Youth march to

have to get him to send one

of his acolytes instead.'

Labour MP Neil Kin-

nock, chairperson of CND

Joan Ruddock and Anna-

joy David, national

organiser of Youth CND,

are among the march

backers, which include the

Southern region the

Party Young

Socialists. Action

The march organisers

make a special call for young women to come

along, to applaud the

Cemencons protest of their Greenham Common

Rallies are taking place

as the marchers wind their

wav through Oxtord. Ab-

ingdon, Didcot and at the

Greenham Calls Free

food, accommodation and

a disco are on orel

Peace camper Helen John appealed, 'We want as many people as possible to come forward with their

The courts are going to have to cope with thousands of wilo ao 1ut walt case sues o ul couldn Common _anywhere else.

More threatening is the

Newbury council. In January secret meeting of a council

cullilloc Clanced the legal status of the common land. From anyone walking Inere is a trespasser. People living in Newbury should now app ly for a special license walk their dogs!

The council has applied for injunction

page 4

Stop the missiles,

everyone who signs up.

Helpful hands are still

needed distribute

leaflets, build labour

*N-ENHAM COMMU

against 21 This would prevent them trom stepping on the land or 'conspiring with others' to do the same

If the women speak at a meeting anywhere in the country calling for support Ior ine Greenham Common camp, they would be in contempt of court and could be put in prison. So much Tory sentions about freedom of speech.

This intimidation has nat from the they will now women step up their action building for 31st March twelve hour blockade of the base and the women's day of action on 24 May.

YOUTH CND STOP CRUISE IN 9

Oxford Youth CND march to stop cruise in December '82

movement sponsorship,

collect the £20 needed for

each marcher and to be

there on the day.

Scottish women

picket Faslane

Holy Loch in the west of Scotland.

March has Peace, International Women's Day.

The event has the sup-

port of CND, the Anti-

Trident campaign, women's movement and large sections of the labour and trade union movement in Scotland. The Day of Action will consist of a blockade linking the three main gates to the base, from 10am to 4pm

In choosing this as the central focus for Interna 2 tional Women's Day, women in Scotland intend

take disarmament

The idea for a Day of Action at Faslane

December Greenham Common. The lially from Scotland who travelled to Greenham felt it was im-

Scottish highlight the or nuclear concentration nuclear weapons Tne west Scotland and to aid the

women in Scotland who

support butwere unable attend Greenham.

The concentration of the population in the wes of Scotland and its cen trality to the government's nuclear • strategy make Faslane important. Apart from the concentration of Polaris submarines con-

veen laking place on the Trident missile system for the last year at Faslane

The aim is to have this work completed by the late 1980s, but action to oppose this project is crucial

Contact: Cathie Oxford Youth CND, Oxford. Tel: 0865 52590 THE LEAD that women are giving to the disarmament movement continues to grow with women in Scotland this weekend taking part in a picket of the nuclear bases at Faslane and the

The Women's Day of Action on Sunday 6 been organised by Women for a Glasgow based group, to celebrate

As Tricia Benzie from the Anti-Trident Campaign explained: 'With Trident the UK is increasing its target capability from 64 to 896, and its explosive power by three times that of Polaris. Trident, will bring the curacy of the missile down to derween ivv and 200 metres. While Trident has been called strike, that is a 'defensive' missile, it can actually be targetted agains missile ystems in the USSF and so can be used as a first strike missile.

Trident would Britain's be nuge leap in nuclear capacity. Opinion polls in Scotland have consistently shown a large majority of people supporting unilateral nuclear disarmament, with 13 recent ent giving percent specifically opposed to Trident.

The 6 March action will also publicise peace camp of about twenty women and men which has been based there during the last year. The camp has recently been given a allancie status Strathclyde Region by charging it rates and has had support from the local council maximise the impact of this initiative it is crucial that it gets the support of all the : forces involved in the peace move. ment.

For further information contact Glasgow Women's Centre on Saturday afternoon, 041-221 1177.

CND Diary

CND Diary Socialist Challenge,

before publication.

Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, 2XP.

OUR congratulations Hamilton Road,

uce succi was borl

2 St. Helen's Street, Ipswich, Suffolk.

for a sheltering and

melt-down, where's the iodine pills?!"

formation:

the crisis cash is going ...

ment • speakers bruce kent a l om beny Fri 18 March Meeting 'Cruise missiles and

*Sed 2 March 1.00-.00 Sur 120 March Fastane Peace

Sat 2 April Scottish CND Marc 268724

festival vi

will be a regular column ir giving a useful facts, news and dates of forthcoming events in the Anti-Nuclear movement.

The listing of events is free and the details

Send to London N1

the inhabitants Reading, who recently declared themselves to be Britain's first nuclear-free street! Hundreds of people turned up to a party to declare the street a nuclear free zone. The local CND during its campaigning discovered that a majority of the residents were anti-nuclear, and so the nuclear-

IF you want an update on the situation at the Sizewell 'B' inquiry (covered in last week's SC), you could do worse than to subscribe to the East Anglian Alliance Against Nuclear Power's fortnightly magazine. It's called 'Sizewell Reactions' and subs cost ₺5.00. More details from EAAANP,

The Atomic Energy Authority's plans for cop ing with a nuclear reactor releasing radioactivity into the atmosphere were revealed last week at the Sizewell inquiry. They're going to hand out iodine tablets! They would also consider evacuation and sheltering. Seeing as there are no funds earmarked

evacuation programme suspect that we will have to make do with the iodine tablets. I can just see it: "My god there's a

THE cost of the Falklands war is going up again. Members of the House of Commons Defence Committee who have just returned from the South Atlantic have informally let slip the following ina) the Ministry of Defence has underestimated the cost of keeping a military presence on the Islands. b) A political or military solution is the only thing that could cut the cost, and such a solution is not in sight. We, of course, could tell them how to solve

- get out and stay out.

WHILE on the topic of the Defence Committee, there are apparently rumblings from some of its members about the fact that the Ministry of Defence seemed 'to be spending money as though there were no tomorrow' (quoted in the Financial Times). Next time you have to wait for overworked hospital staff to treat you remember where the

Deals from (0 57 340y Council/Hounslow CND Anti-Nuclear Week

Library, FEes dway Crestent, Naised by Islington

HaMarch 310 Film "From Hitler to MX at the Rio Cinema Daiston, Lon mate yo Herm eat and Daring at Toil march from Oxford to Greenham Com ILio, lo cannie close, uxror and the Town Hall in support of th il Defence From dream Common tal urgh and llowed by a festival at Aldermaston

ting House, 16 Newton Terrace, Glasgow G3. Dotail

A Bol dEnional Peace Camp at Wycombe. Contact Bot

April Nuclear Free North Atlantic Conference Mitchell Theatre, ans Trach, i be el in let Mary Cole Conference Against Cruis

set (only for the fits. Details from Stephen Hugget Tenslye ant demons on om man key are rake parmaid

Page 5 scan of this page

Challenge Supplement INTERNATIONALWOMENS DAY The origins of our

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY has a rich and lively tradition in the history of women's struggle for freedom and liberation.

importance of 8 March for women the world over.

American women socialists organised the first ever 'Women's Day' on 28 February 1907 to demand political rights for working women.

But it was not until the anniversary of an uprising of the Prussian proletariat

first International Women's Day celebration took place.

Was proposed bv Clara Zetkin at the second

Conference unc hallunaı of Working Women 1910, and she suggested that it should be an annual celebration. Spark

In 1913 the date was changed to 8 March which was the anniversary of an

strike by hittall women textie workers. New York in the 1880's. It has remained on this day ever since.

The spark that ignited the Russian revolution was lit by WUINHY wollck Petrograd in 1917. They

determined WOLC March (23 February under celebrate usual the old Russian calendar). But the social democrats (the revolutionaries) felt that the time was not right for strikes.

At the time the city was in ermerr dro LHev kcv that a strike would lead to

revoit which workers were no1 well enough prepared for.

Women textile workers, however, went on strike and called on the metal workers for support. This event led to the February revolution and from there to the famous October revolution of

The communist countries continue to celebralt International Women's Day, but style more reminiscent of Mother's Day in the West than of the militant traditions of the early years.

In the early 1970's the women' s movement again began to organise around 8 March, celebrating our

Socialist

celebration

LEONORA LLOYD explains the origins and

growing strength and our understanaing or tne Inlportance of international links.

Today those links have becomt TOUCN stronger through such struggles

DOHE aDoruol rights and the growth of the peace movement, both led by women.

This year women have leapt into the news as the most committed and militant campaigners against nuclear weapons. The ence camos ar weendam • Common and other US military bases have been the focus of a growing moverenl stop Loe missiles in 1983.

1984 will see the first international conference ot the Internationa Contraception, Abortion and Sterilisation Campaign (ICASC) in Mexico, just a few months before the population control agencies hold a conference there.

And in 1985 there will be a conterence in Nairobi to mark the end of-the

United Nations Decade of Women, when governments will put on record the advances made in the posinon of womel We know that any such gains will have been made despite governments and because them..

Gains have and will be won bv women lighting in their homes, in hospitals, offices SCHOUIS. alLULICs. and on the streets We muct continue to fight against attempts controlling our bodies, to force us back into the home and to turn the clock back as the present Tory Government to the wollu Have Il days when we started to ce eo aie International Women's Day The need for a strong international movement has never been greater. We have honourable historv to bulld The events planned all over the world around March give us the chance celebrate and IC gain strength together to carry on our struggle. (Leonora Lloyd is a member ACION Labour Party Women's Sectio campaign tional Abortion steerine commutee ana ICASC).

London

Come and Celebrate International Women's Day at County Hall, SE1.

Saturday 5 March Assemble 11.30am County Hall for march across Waterloo Bridge, the Strand, down Trafalgar Square, up Whitehall, over Westminster Bridge

for Conference starting 1.30 'Third World

Women's Struggle is First World Women's

Struggle'.

All events women only.

Tuesday 8 March Women and Peace Convention Panels, Films. 12.30-1.30 What War means to Women in London

with Valerie Wise, WONT, Peace Groups. 2.30-3.30 Fermenting War with women from Greenham, Czech women, Russian women, Latin

American and Middle East women. 6.30-7.30 Money for Arms or Money for Peace?

Francis Morell, Selma James, Nomen from South Africa, Namibia, Phillipine:

• and Ghana.

OST C:

DEMANDS

Birmingham Saturday 12 March

Demonstration and rally around the theme of

'Women and War'

Assemble 12.30p at Chamberlain Square (in front of Central Library) for march to Digbeth Civic Hall. Rally in Assembly Hall with speakers, creche

and stalls.

Speakers include Clare Short (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Handsworth); Pat Muddeman (West Midlands City Council); Helen John (Greenham Common Peace Camp); speakers

also invited from Women and Ireland, Youth

CND, and El Salvador Solidarity Campaign

SCOTLAND Sunday 6 March Women's Day of Action at Faslane.

Women's blockade of Faslane Naval Base.

10am-4pm. Tel: 041-221 117? on Saturday for

detaiis

Special

tion Youth and celebrating 1983.

pany, talked to us about the play.

f young woman

and link up with other women.

housework, wagelessness, and WEEPS

the stand on jobs.

attitudes that women have to

harassment they get.

groups: to Deptford think we go over the top.

Tas Vens

One union we've

campaigned STEWAROS

full-length show.

Come to the ralli

invited from

Cinders and the

World of Work

CINDERS, IGNITE or Cinders and the World of Work is a play that Broadside Theatre Group will be performing on Friday 4 March at County Hall to join with Revolu-

Socialist Challenge International Women's Day

LINDA, a member of the theatre com-

The central character, Cinderella, is a who goes from unconsciousness about her oppression to a state where she's learning that she's got to stand up for herself both at home and work

As a young woman she learns a lot about life and we can try and highlight the need for women to organise together to control their own lives. The play deals with questions like

YOPS schemes

It is based on the experience of women in the Hoover dispute in Merthyr Tydfil when

men refused to support the women's

It's about the way women are organised within a union and the sexist and patriarchal

confront in order to get the unions to fight for them

It also looks at wagelessness and how women are treated by the DHSS, the kind of

Our group is a mixed group and we've shown the play to lots of labour movement

Unemployed in the Albany, to two NUPE schools for women, two to three ASTMS branches, lots of Labour Party womens sections, Brabant Road Trade Union Centre, for BIFU and the CPSA

We've also done a general performanc e at Battersea Arts Centre but mainly we like to serve local gróups. Most male trade unionists have taken the idea that male behaviorr is similar to the way we portray it but some

Generally the reaction is quite positivt but one argument that often comes up in a defensive way is that women aren't interestr:d in

rather than that men should change the unions to accomodate wom an.

peformed a lot for is NUPE. They seem to be the best because they seem to have done a lot more than any other union to involve women. They ve had a ot of schools, appointed women training officers,

for women to become shop

We're a part-time group, many of us work as well as doing the play since the Arts Concil cuonu grants. his is ur first

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Revolution/Socialist Challenge Celebration Rally Greenham Commor Youth CND leland Nicaragua El Salvador women Adainst Abartheic

Com anden brae anod and ocal Damas ns ligh ing

Friday, 4 March 1983, 7.00pm County Hall, London SE1 (Waterloo Tube)

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983 page

Page 6 scan of this page

WOMEN AND THE

IN

Clara Zetkin GREENHAM COMMON has startled the left and the Campaign Nuclear Disarmament leaders. In the breadth of its support and militancy it has rekindled the fire of the early actions of the women's movement.

The women Greenham have that they are the most militant fighters unilateralism, being willing to go to prison for a cause they consider to be just.

Their actions boosted the confidence of the disarmament movement, making easier to argue for a mass action orientation in the labour movement and pushed forward growth and development

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983

Tradition One

Decades of consistent agitation by Clara Zetkin in Die Gleichheit, at women's conferences meant that the partly latent, partly aoute dissatisfaction

felt by many women had already been formulated theoretically and activated politically. The war policy brought them into open conflict

with the party.

Werner Thonnessen, The Emancipation of Women, p78)

1. the present disaster (the First World War) will,

in the course of years, decades and centuries,

emit a sanguinary radiation, in the light of which

future generations will view their own fate, just

as Europe sensed the radiation of the great

French revolution and of the Napoleonic wars ...

Yet how small were those events ... in comparison with what we are performing or experiencing now, and especially what we are heading for.

Trotsky, The Psychological Puzzles of War, September 1915.

women's movement. for

its the stakes Millions of

modern liberation

at any shown

for. VALERIE

that, in

have

to it

WHEN England declared Toria the that swept through

page 6

These deputies

other.

formal

of a mass autonomous

In the struggle against the imperialist war drive today women know that

are high. people in Europe and America now realise that a nuclear war

their would be more horrible and more terrifying than

previous threat to paper. world peace we have experienced this century.

COULTAS takes a look at the struggles of women in the First World War to show be

the long run, jobs. only those women who take a clear stand against ideas capitalist war will be able

within

consistently fight for the cause of women.

August 1914 war on the Wal.

eaders of the Second Internationa crumbled before the wave of jingoism

Europe. They

voted for the war credits of the capitalist parties in government at that time.

Out of the window went the watchwords and symbols that the International had been committed to at the Congress held in Stuttgart in 1907.

mandated the parliamentary to vote down war credits and, urging the working class of all countries to unite, said that it was a

to shoot each Come ol WULACIN

An irreconcilable attitude to the class struggle had long given way in practice to peaceful bargaining and parliamentary reformism.

Now the world was at war even

reference to such aims was dropped as the mass workers parties tripped over themselves in urging the working classes to go and die for the

Such was the context for women's movement in Europe to respond to World War I.

The formal commitment socialism, and the practical adaptation to capitalism, is always strikingly evident in the field of women's rights.

The majority of leaders of the Se cond International, in parallel with

overall attitude the struggle, were quite willing to commit themselves to women's liberation on

But when it came to confronting the male chauvinism of movement, such as male workers' tear that women would take their

obs, they backed down

Lasalle took this view to its mos extreme point when he argued tha

vomen should stay at home

allowed to compete with workers particularly for skilled

It was in arguing against such

that a powerful prolelallal women's movement had been built up

As e Tentio Democracy. Their journal, Zetkin and was selling 110,000 copies Gleichheit Wal edited by in 1912 just before the outbreak of

At the 1907 Socialist Women's - conference also held in Stuttgart, International bureau had established 10 lead the work

the

to

class

socialist women throughout the Interlaund Die Gleichhet Werman simocial paper Democracy but throughout the and not whole. male And perhaps because of the disen-

chantment that women like Zetkin had experienced with the majority of the German women's issues the leading women in the German Party were some of the Social key left-wing figures in building up

Die the minority opposition in the InterClara national

imperialist war.

In the case of Rosa Luxemburg it was because of the diffidence shown towards a woner been position as editor

of paper, Die Arbeiterzeitung in 1898.

Germat the

led women International had

Clara open

Party over

against the support for the

discipline.

by Social

being. the psychological

of the Leipzig

Two traditior

'Decades of consistent agitatior by Clara Zetkin in Die Gleichheit an at women's conferences meant that

partly latent, partly acute dissatisfaction felt by many women

already been formulater theoretically and activated politically. The war policy brought them into (Werner Thonnessen, The Emancipa- conflict policy.' tion of Women).

Right up until issue number 16 Die Gleichheit was to emphasise women's desire for peace despite the re quirements of the censor and party

It reported peace demonstrations

•Democratic women pointing out that women had to "bear the

burdens wives, mothers and sisters of soldiers. as housewives facing the difficulties

Page 7 scan of this page

IRST WORLD WAR

s in feminism

of food production and as mothers of small children growing up their fathers.

demands women, like all those who stayed at increasing shortage of food were now

evCI physical psychological exertion at work.'

Increasing amounts of blank space were to appear in its columns as the war drew on. The editorial board allowed this to occur to reveal to their members the democracy perialism at war. Lines ran from the offices of Die Gleichheit Switzerland, England, France and the United States

In 1915 Clara Zetkin organised the International Women's Party leaders. Women from all the

without

which pacifism.

LelKIn

rested in August. The began prepare

and measures against

women.

in Germany had

of im-

to Louise Zietz, Sie Greichheit thas Pised Gleichheit was used against this expulsion onference

thorn in their side.

tual'.

Led in 1919.

open.

about

belligerent countries participated and voted through a resolution of opposition to the war, after a big debate on

returned only to be party leaders their Conten the left-wing

The oppositional social democrats

THe cenci oppose the party line and formed the Social Democratic Working Group' reduced This tendency was condemned by the

policy, Chen the majority moved to expe minority left-wing Executive. protest but then the Party leaders moted against the real

neglected.

Zetkin was forced out of editor-

ship of the paper and the 18th issue bore a new sub-title: 'Magazine for une terests or workers' wives and women workers'.

The magazine now had a totally different flavour. The paper was to become less popular, "intellec-

Its report of the 1917 Conference of German Social Democratic women gave political content to these suppos-

questions of style. reported: "The conference was not completely drenched, as such conferences usually are, in radical verbiage.'

The 'radical verbiage' that gone of course was the opposition of

German Social Democratic women's movement to World War I.

Clara Zetkin was thus forced out

party into the Independent Social Democratic Party, only going over to the Spartacus League set up by Luxemburg and Liebknecht after Social Democracy had committed its final betrayal of the German workers

The attack unleashed Zetkin and the movement of women behind her is very relevant today. The leaders-of the social democracy were afraid to bring the debate out into the

bringing Gleichheit into line with 'the needs of the masses who

no intellectual political background' , they hoped to obscure

Ture tient over August 4th policy and the clash between left and right within the party

They denounced Zetkin for the decline in circulation of the magazin when the real cause was the decline ir

L Was ove ment because of their craven support for the war.

In fact the party had deliberately

the circulation Gleichheit because of its anti-war

encouraging, through trade unions, women to read Gewerkschaftliche Frauenzeitung (Women's Trade Union Paper).

The emphasis of this trade union Beeper was versication pro

political education Some social democratic women began to explicitly counter-

Christabel Pankhurst pose it to Die Gleichheit.

It sided with the majority in the party and it was left free from the censor's pen.

Coinciding with the massive infrom 9.5 million to 15 million its cir- crease women's culation rose to 100,000 a year after it launched War Gleichheit and the membership of the women's section began to decline Many party leaders were forced to admit that the split with Zetkin and left-wing women Kater toning had Mrs. Kahler,

gave her explanation as to what had happened:

They (the women) have increasingly moved to the left-wing of the Party, and therefore, attitude of the USPD more acceptable to we tell them During the Malvinas war socialists and feminists in Britain gained a sense of what it means to stand up Clara argue against a war being carried out

directly by your own your own ruling class.

At the Labour Conference in Newcastle last the platiorm took minutes to try

withdrawal of the fleet and yet, by a

for such a stand TENe The feminists who backed their

capitalist governments in waging th First World War paid a price. sacrificed their patriotism.

In Germany Democratic Women's became a shadow of its former militant self, reduced to state supportive Die work when its militant

chopped oft

the the USA, the Women's Party continued to cam-

Wiste House with sison that core

trasted 'Kaiser Russia' where women had the vote after 1917 On the other hand the Nationa American Women's Suffrage Assoc

Tradition Two & The Brittania, Christobel's new journal, harangued the cabinet for not persuing a hard enough line against the Germans. All campaigning for the vote ceased as the Women's Social and Political Union mounted demonstrations calling for compulsory national service for women, demonstrations financed by that well known

feminist Lloyd George!

paigning for

protests unemployment

1916 while Die no bounds.

The

mans. women had weakened the

speaking in

service for

Sylvia, even today, the tion • seems muci WSPU them than what road.

and

government,

Party Women's June, men qualification over twenty and explain i why the

should not call for

La victory was gained The women in

feminism for

the Social Movement

These head was feminism

the left-wing

picketing the

Wilson' women.

On Day

iation prioritised war work over cam-

June voe dissociating themselves with women's party tivists who were sent to jail for their

In England when the war broke Pankhurst's anti- German zeal knew Christobel Emmeline

Brittania, Christobel's new journal, harangued the cabinet to take a stronger stand against the Ger-

All campaigning for the vote ceasPolitical Union mounted demonstra Women's Social tions calling for compulsory national

women financed by that well known feminist lovd George.

whose East End Federahad been expelled from the took a completely different Not only did her The Dreadnought, campaign against the war but she continued to fight for the vote and for maximum protection for the rights of women workers in the new jobs they were forced to take up

Ironically enough in 1916, after years of campaigning for women to be given the vote on the same terms a

on the basis of a of a property - the leaders turned full circle and said that women were quite willing to forgo their right to vote to allow soldiers and sallors to have the vote'

of the struggles of World War I are crystal clear and have a burning relevance for women today involved in the disarma ment and the feminist movements.

The feminists who stood up their imperialist rulers and fought ought most consistently for the

most consistently demands of women.

are traditions in one that bases itselt or class struggle and one that bases itself ON CRES CORDO LOR

Only a resolute struggle by women on behalf of their ser and all the op pressed will achieve the liberation of

this International Women's March 1983 Socialist Challenge will be celebrating the former and not the latter tradition.

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983 page 7

Page 8 scan of this page

Women's number one enemy

day of women's mass action against cruise!

Imperialism

SOLIDARITY with liberation struggles movements around the world is an important part of our celebrations and reflections on International Women's Day.

ROS KAPLAN reports of women in the colonial and semi-colonial world against imperialism and their own oppression as women.

Solidarity perhaps

evel MOTe WrZCRI year as the west. and in particular the US. carries out and backs wars in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. These

rapidly escalate Wals call to horrifying proportions, as we saw he Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

Important questions

ale belllg raised as to the nature of our support, our understanding and how we as feminists in the west identify with women strug. gling in the 'third world'

It has been argued that too much importance is placed what side take, when supporting national struggles, instead of letting. women these struggles speak for themselves. Mistaken

'Coverage of internationa isses. otten revolves

around su, orpeciallyh in

especially regard to particular libera-

"The problem with this is, that it's recording struggle in an unnecessarily polarised way.

'For example, 'Western/British feminists must (or, must not) support armed struggle' - rather then reflecting une voltes those themselves

eratea (Roisir Boyd,

(Roisin Spare Rib, March 1983).

I would approach this differently and say that it is of fundamental imporLallle that feminists do take sides, do support national liberation struggles.

This is directly related to our politics on western imperialist domination and subsequently its effects on une wonens

with other

May 24th. we are asking all women everywhwomen ment, muao easièr. action oris labour movéss

forwar s

pushed growth and develop.

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983 page 6

women in the national

and revolutionary

on the dual struggle

movement internationally. The unwillingness Take noes dne a ConTusic over western imperialism Silling Lue fence' attitude over the debate over the Israell inof Lebanon, some ot the teminist press. Zionists were deman ding equal voice when articles started appearing on Palestine, some complaining bitterly about the antiSCHUUSON woner WnG dared raise the question of solidarity WiLD PalestiHidls.

On the , other hand Jewish women Israel were the most active in the anti-war movement. The anti-Zionist feminists were physically assaulted in the streets as they marched in DACK protesting azalls. the attempted genocide in Lebanon If the historical and present day effects of western domination in the third world is not adequately. ехрютса Inen we can fall into a dangerous trap of concentrating solely on the oppression of women by the male society they live in. This leads to a aue to suooorl nalulal struggles because they do immediately raise IUU seperate demands for wullic Women in lne • UnIre world are the most pressed section the world's population.

Thev are oppressed as nemioers of national groun or ethnic minority. as black and Asian women in South Atrica (and this and as ei sal vadoreins. Palestinians Their countries are exploited economically, providing cheap labour, raw materials, used as markets

Women all out for peace

May 24th - International Women's Day for Disarmament

AFTER the success of the December 12th and 13th actions, women from Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp together Women's Peace Groups throughout Britain and Europe are calling for a women's day of action for peace on

silent vigils in town centres to simply ompesing Locuci women to discuss our feelings about nuclear weapons/show slides videos/put UIl ritions.

To make this an efL oBed ig women need to day aCTon

lal lney can Icave 's for the whole [861 UE of the day ar of redun, 4918 s oi pay We king of the to make ay OI AC Unions

Lateral

want to you brothers t we did not cheet you, ut the society has cheated us e oppressors have sown ads of oppression within us, o that you oppress us and we oppress you

We wanted to show you our brothers whan we took the child on one shoulder, thể gun on the othar that we have broken with them and that yau must do the same

Wa wanted to cry to you pur brothers yau must lift us our fe lifted goi aght yo

TOT western consumel COOCS Lesulng grounds for the latest arms anu uuas

This and much more leads the whole society into poverty, starvation and military and political repression. The greatest burden of this falls on w ulcll Women's oppression

within a society is often used to justify western domination and colonisation.

Blockade of Greenham airbase nuclear disarmament should move resolutions in support of this.

Send for the information pack about 24 May which includes a model resolution, list Ieglal Colladis ana a blacklist of construction

We anted to ask you

But now we demand of you our comrades not to take part any more

not to allow yourselvas to strike us wben they strike you

We demand of you that we go together on the same road and in the same step How otten do we hear

of the 'benefits' the west is

bestowing on the 'third

world', the liberalising ef-

fect it has on the situation

of women, pulling them

out the traditional

home- - and into the sweat

shops as cheap labour.

Benefits such as cheap

consumer goods, make-up

and western films showing

women as sex objects.

At the same time, the

west has propped up tradi-

tional institutions such as companies working at Greenham.

further information about

Women' s

•oj AcTor for Peace please contact:- Carmel Mc Connel, (0273) 60426

to take your part of our burden e3 we have taken our part of yours

in the game of the opprassors, Ile (Popular Front for the Liberetion ne loumnal (PFLP) )

the family, the tribe, ac-

UVCV encourazed sel

tarian divides in order to

and with

lUIC JUDICSS

greater ease, thereby in-

creasing the exploitation

and domination of

women.

Faced with an occupy-

ing foreign power, the op.

pressed group will aiso res-

pond by a gathering in of

peopie mio wilal is secuie

and familiar - the family

allu I Cucll Womer

ON 24 MAY women's

peace groups are calling

for a day of European-

wide action against the

missiles. They have ask-

ed that women from all

occupations - paid and

unwaged _ strike for

the day and participate

in various protests and

activities.

Is a call for a women's

strike

The experience of

• the 1981 women's strike in

Holland is the most strik-

ing example of how effec-

tive such actions can be

Holland has fewer

l onger faet en ral

country.

thousands or women lelt

their jobs for the day on 30

March 1981

The strike was

response lo bill being

discussed by the Dutch

Parliament the following

day on abortion.

It ne cali lor a genera.

women's strike

nounced on 8 March dur-

traditional society and its values.

This becomes especially evident wnen In a com munity like the Palesti-

inside Solar. 'Israel's' 1948 borders, the continuation of village and home life is necessary for the of the

contulualius r alesumar identity and daily survival.

So it is not surprising that 'feminism' can often become equated with western influence and domination. during ee shake n hite example, Iran revolution' women's veils were forcibly removed ir public as a 'westernising measure' humiliating Inem, forcing them back into the protection of the tamily.

Western feminism was equated with sexual pro

misculty, another import trom the west

It is these effects on the women's : participation their

liberation struggles that we perhaps don't pay enough • aLLCiILIUll LU

Women in countries E like Vietnam, Nicaragua • ала cuda • nave Decome radicalised as part of the DOWNS ant- nochals movement in their counPtry. % and their growing involve- Through this struggle e ment in politics, once the & sole domain of men, they see the liberation of their

E adine in remele bot

ridding themselves foreign domination and as a revolution within society.

SONC national movements women organisc as woluch. lalsc seperate demands for women and fight for more participation women such as in El Salvador and Nicaragua

But this very much depends on the conditions under which people are struggling

Palestinians, the overriding question is the liberation of Palestine. nel parapahon in tne

Is a women's strike possible?

ing a celebration of Interna OHd Women' s Day and advertised mainly by word mouth via c Cononc caul around the country

From 8 March strike committees - were formec up and down the country

Help to aid the success of anc sunke callc Ironl socia. welfare organisations anc

sympatheti who organised childcare.

The trade unions. however, refused to en-

the CUISC NeSllIKC. savlll,

was a 'political issue and thereforè no concern of theirs! But womer inside the various unions got together organise and subport the action

Women of all ages and backgrounds joined the strike which took on a car-

with hundreds of local activities oreanised over LO f Anh o ge the strike couldn't

Coultcu economic. success : because it didn't bring industry commerce to a nalt. ll was

leadership of the PI.O is as yet token.

Their contribution to the revolution seen ll traditional mothering and supportive roles.

But there are concrete historical reasons for this "backwardness , one being the phenomenal problems

continuingd struggle

when yo arestar eless

younger womnel are becoming more and

- manv have been imprisoned and tortured. Their commitmen to the struggle is immense

The tallure of the Algerian and Iranian revolutions to give equal rights to women has led to a great deal of pessimism toware. anti-imperialist movements.

While I'm not for one

trying minimise the oppression women face in traditional Islamic society, as explain-

above the biggest obstacle to their liberation (and ours) lies perialism and the international ruling class.

Only through the sucCersiml deteal of western domination will women be in a far better position to struggle for full equality with men Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The right to education access to fertility 1 control, the reduction of the rates of infant mortality can on v be achieved with the overthrow of capitalist Conulauou feminists raise in the west The demands have to be drawn out of the anti-imperialist struggle, not imposed in an artificial way isolated from the experiences and consciousness of the mass of women.

Building on our inter nationalist tradition in the wolcu • movcucu. ol ing, the anti-nuclear and aut-moc as HO VC ments in the west is one Malor wav we call SuDOUr and defend women in their struggle for liberation internationally.

very successful in other ways.

It sparked off a big debate in the trade unions about their attitude such issues as abortion and whether they could really neatly neolitical" iae off the

from the

And although the bill did get through

• TOE by a majority vote of one

the strike showed that yy Uslicil Call OL LOHSC together to fight for their demands in a big way.

A majority of women in Britain are against the siting of cruise and Trident missiles here this year Greenham Common captured the imagination

everyone fighting nuclear weapons, and has the direct support of many women never before active on political issues.

pcnea women'. strike could be a big suc cess in broadening the ac tive involvement of WOLCHD ana aown ine country in the campaign to stop the missiles

Page 9 scan of this page

IRELAND

By Steve Roberts KEN LIVINGSTONE'S weekend struck a major media black-out on serious debate on the Irish visit. At the same time Owen Carron, the Sinn Fein MP, called to boost the campaign against plastic bullets.

predictable howls from every section of the daily press. But the message that he brought back could not be blurred over.

He reported that Sinn Fein leaders that he spoke to had indicated their willingness to negotiate a settlement with. OBSII government, but that was the Tories who were refusing to talk.

GLC leader said that the basis of the discussions should be a declaration for withdrawal by the British government. The Unionist parties could not continue to veto political developments in the north.

'I believe that once the British government removes that right of veto, there will greater degree of political realism among ine DolTC representatives of the Uousts ds lo wilat sort of negotiations will be required for Protestants in a united Ireland.'

Instead of backing Livingstone against his press critics, Labour leader Michael Foot attacked him for not meeting working people on all sides.

Unionist

In reply Livingstone explained that Unionist parties have every opportunity to put their case in the media and have free access to Britain.

His purpose was to meet the banned Sinn Fein leaders view was not given a fair wnOsC

UCONS. encouraged Foot to also go to Belfast.

AROLIer Sinn rein leader, Owen Carron MP, addressed

COlICICECC against the use of plastic bullets in Manchester last weekend. He explained how the plastic ouiIcts were used to terrorise the hiatvlasu communities 'I WAS amazed and disturbed home to me the dismissive, racist, anti-worker attitude of Waddington and the Tory government.' That is how Muhammad marised the outcome of his latest attempt to appeal against his deportation.

Amazed and disturbed because after travelling to London with supporters from Birmingham and Bristol, including Peter Snaipe and Arthur almen oeou alul Was dke talking to a Srick lasted just 5 minutes. wall', explained Peter Snaipe, 'he was convinced

Livingstone visit

beatsmedia gag

visit to Belfast last

blow against the

addressed a 300 strong conference

Livingstone's visit was greeted with the

in the north and political protest.

tne conterence also heard a moving plea from Kathleen Stewart. of a 13 year-old killed by a HOLIC

NasuC bullet. Mrs Stewart has fought a seven vear campaen to clear the name of her son, accused by the British army of being a mob leader. Her case against the British government s curreniv betore the European Court in Strasbourg.

The 300 delegates the conference (of whom 124 came from Labour Party bodies and 84 from trade union bodies) also Gererd spaake fromn the

Jreen from West vermany explaln now rubber bullets were being stocked up by police for use against peace demonstrators.

Jonathon Rosenhead spoke on behalf of the joint campaign organised against plastic bullets by the National Council for Civil Liberties and the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science

He said that the myth promoted by the army was We was a cae eroer lead or plastic bullets. In tact it was the Case that both were used and both could be lethal. There were now 10,000 plastic bullets being stockpiled by 19 police forces in Britain.

As Richard Balfe MEP summarising the theme of the conference put it; 'The security forces in. Ireland are now practicing on the Irish people what they will practice the working class in Britain the future.

Muhammad Idrish must stay:

... it brought

Idrish sum-

of his facts to begin with.'

GemaR e Tony Waddington MP Minister State the Home Office, was the latest step taken by the defence campaign.

Muhammad, Bangladeshi social worker in West Bromwich, and a member of Dr. Barnardo's

News

R.

mation on ireland

Carol Kelly was killed by a plastic bullet NALGO branch, was ordered to leave the country after his marriage to his British-born wife broke down. He has been resident in Britain since 1976 when he came to study in Bristol.

Since his separation however the Home Office have refused him leave to stay in the UK. Today he is one of about 250 people

deportation Willl every month because of the Tory immigration laws

Unlike many, though,

1ERLTZR

C1708D

Kelly

:ACE I2

MAY 22. 1981

URDERED BY THE

TISH ARMY

1. P

By Bob Smith

Muhammad Idrish has

decided to fight and won

the support of the labour

movement. 21 MPs are

supporting his case, as are

Clare Short (prospective

candidate for

Laluul

Handsworth),

Bangladeshi Workers

Association, the

Workers Association, Bir-

mingham Trades Council,

and his own union

'NALGO.

His NALGO branch

have decided to send him

as their delegate to their

naluldi conference

Ken Livingstone

Ann

even if it means paying his fare from Bangladesh.

Muhammad says:

will not run away. I will raise the money needed to take the case to the High Court with the help of the detence campaign.

Resolutions of sup port, affiliations (ÊS organisations £3 individuals) and donations

Muhammad Idrish defence campa 3, An Barry Lovejoy, trobus Rd., Handsworth, Birmingham 21.

Dave Cook

Proportional

left advance

Communist Party).

myself and

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The issue of proportional representation has to be set against realities of British politics which cannot be dodged. Labour's share of the vote has continually declined since 1951. In 1979 it was below 40 per cent for the third time running, including a minority of working class votes. The spectre of a cen trist coalition has been placed on the agenda

The question for the ett cannot be reduced to how to scrape a Labour maioritv on a minoritv of votes. It is also how in the longer run . we can build a genuine political majority for change Ill a icilwald direction. Without the acuve suobon o amaonty. Labour will be unable to

significant Hioiciicill social change.

At present that potential majority is made up of Labour voters, plus supporters of the Alliance parties, Nationalist parties, the Communist Party and some Tory voters and abstainers who have opted out of party politics.

The key strategic problem facing the left is how to omnla a pontical majonty that includes part of the CeuLIC UBUC N leadership of the left. My argument is that PR wil force Labour to face up to this question sooner and more fully. believe that if only Labour Some the fights conference policies there wil ne mass swing to the left. But this is a pipe dream. Only by mass politics, of in-

parliamentary action, politicising trade union affiliations, sanand building broad democratic movements outside the Labour Party will a majority for change be built.

Cases in point are CND and the People's March for Jobs. The 'leave it up to the councillor' sort of paternalism will not achieve this kind of mass mobilisation.

increasing their

Debate

representation and

By Dave Cook (former national organiser of the

Communist Party argued (SC281) that 'according to EC member Dave Cook their policy is for a coalition between Labour, Liberals and SDP and Tory wets'.

chances of council and parliamentary representation, PR would give new energy to a whole range of political movements. This would be a major boost to construction of sort of 'active' majority that must be won by a Labour government.

T volinentiv our a

strong incentive broaden its concerns, and facilitate electoral colaDoralOI Delweei Labour and the Communist Party, ending the undemocratic imposition anti-Tory O.IC didate. secauise of British political realities PR would SwenZunel Alliance and Nationalist Dal Lico troduced it would mean If PR were in

on some issues and some circumstances parliamentary collaboration by Labour with parties to its right and to its left. Such a broader based government was a feature of Popular Unity in Chile and of the present Mitterand government France.

Simple class loyalty is proving inadequate for a Labour government com mitted to leftward advance. A lett-led govern ment which will go in that direction requires the kind of which puR mobilisation PR will only encourage.

EDINBURGH. Day school on the struggle in Contral America. 5 March , Societies Centre, The Pleasance. 10am-4pm with speakers Jenny Pearce, Robir Cook MP, video and workshops Food and creche available. Benefit event at same venue from 8.45pm onwards Organised by Edinburgh Latin American Solidarity.

Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983 page 9

Page 10 scan of this page

The rise and fall of rare left social democracy

This week BOB cludes his series democracy, tracing from the formation League in Bevanism in the late fifties and early sixties.

revival of the left inside the Labour Party.

party.

The PLP rejected this out special conference the ILP hand and

voted by 241 votes to 142 to disaffiliate. This made sure that lost its in-

fluence on the majority who stayed inside the LP.

Furthermore it sent it into

a total of 16,773 members

1932 it was reduced by 1935 to 4,392.

The mantle of the new left inside the Labour ParLeague which held its in- fell the Socialist augural meeting on the eve of the 1932 Labour Party conference. Its executive consisted of all shades of left opinion from those hardly left of centre, right across people sympathetic to the Communist Party.

Its members included people like Stafford

Cripps, who in typical British social democratic manner was able to comone cere mism and a with left reformism and belief in a constitutional monarchy.

Others on the executive included Nye Bevan, Clement Attlee, Ellen Wilkinson, and distinguished academics like Harold Laski and G.D.H. Cole. It was under the influence and prodding the Socialist League that

Socialism and Peace, its third programme and its most radical.

Attlee

'nothing

ownership

electricity, gas, iron,

engineer-

sul dlicc...

Clement Attlee, the candidate by

of in

saw

further advances

new 'left'

1935 elec-

154 seats.

could see power at W'estminster beckoning

moderation.

The therefore ficially from the

of the Despite

the Spanish Republican

National supin

meant the anti-

by the

Communist Party were

Socialist Chattenge 4 March 1983 page 10

PENNINGTON on British social

its development

of the Socialist 1932 to the rise and fall of

AFTER THE crushing defeat of 1931 there was a

But by 1932 the left had divided. The ILP at conference that year had agreed to stay in the Labour Party but insisted that the Parliamentary Labour Party change its standing orders to bring it more under the control of the whole

stamped on by the Labour

executive who in

disaffiliated the League

and two months later

declared membership of

the League 'to be incom-

patible with membership

When the Socialist

League dissolved itself

under these threats from

the right, Cripps and Strauss

Tribune as the new voice

of the left. Despite its odd

salvoes from the side lines

Tribune did not organise

against Attlee's steady

drift to the right. In fact it

called for a new Lib-Lab DACL policy which

played right into the hands

War

In September 1939 Britain declared war on Germany. 1940 Labour entered into Chur-

coaleon povert. ment and Attlee was made deputy premier and the Labour Party shut up shop having concluded an electoral alliance with the Tories.

Bevan the old left

the enders policies coalition

The others, without prosecuted the patriotic' war

measures home abroad.

But war years began SUI deep

within the OI the people. disappeared, better still

mises made by Cans

Illass

tion ended 1945 the

Tories, the media, and many of Labour

got 12 votes and

majority.

Welfare

The new Labour government nationalised the HONK of England, cable and wireless, coal mining, railways, canals, road haulage, British Airways, steel. Labour also launch- electricity and

eonne welfare state with the NHS its greatest

as seen achievement.

However had happened was that Labour naa nanonalsea mose In dustries that were necessarv to the capitalist economy, but in which the capitalists considered were not profitable enough for investment. Even the war time controls on prices and profits, the controls of the use of raw materials and the monopoly of foreign trade by the state,

measures which were vital for any serious anticapitalist government in tending to change society, were abolished under the pressure of big business

Neither did the left inside the Labour fight for a more radical programme What opposition there was to Attlee came from the MPs who were not strictly speaking left social democrats. but fellow travellers of the Communist Party and their opposition was mainly on issues which affected relations with the USSR.

Won

I V Labour won the election but its reform. ing zeal had run out of steam. Any other measures meant taking on the capitalists whilst allance will Ine usA and the forces of anti-communism could only be financed by reductions in public spending claimed the right wing.

When Gaitskell, Labour's Chancellor im-

Attlee acknowledges Labour's landslide victory in 1945

posed charges on the

NHS, Nye Bevan, Harold Wilson and others took up an attack on the leadership.

had been

democratic programme

the parties and New sai Do Ten kin and new Labour skell, Jenkins and Tony Crossland in alliance with the right-wing union bureaucrats closed ranks against the Bevanites

late fifties the Bevanites had got a new influx support. The Campaign Nuclear Disarmament experiencing massive growth and Bevanites like Michael Foot were prominent in its activities

The left inside the LP got new fillip and

defeated Gaitskell's attempt Clause Four from the Party Constitution Despite Bevan who as Labour's shadow foreign secretary had reneged on supportin

Labour Party Conference, by 1960 the Labour Party Conference was voting for unilateralism. Horrified

The victory was short lived. The right horrified at the decision under Gaitskell's leadership said they 'would fight, and fight again to reverse the decision. The left, unable to capitalise on their victory, lanca to moolise on a olg enough scale in the party and allu year later the Conference reversed the decision

Bevanism and its continuation, the Tribune group of MPs, had passed their peak and the lett was in decline from which it would not recover until the emergence of Bennism in the late seventies.

Wilson and Bevan after resigning from Cabinet over health charges

Reading List

following books:

Parliamentary Socialism,

readable. The Labour Party Docialisi publisned by Press, by David Coates, useful short guide

tarian conclusions.

Conclusion

events of history.

German social

democracy failed to mount

serious challenge to the rise of German fascism and from being the biggest workers' party in Europe outside of the Soviet Union it was swept aside by Hitler.

In France under Leon Blum the French social democracy failed to lead the mass radicalisations of the workers in 1936 to a decisive victory. The price for this was the advance of Hitlerism in Germany which led to the collapse of France in May 1940.

In Spain despite radical programme and having the support of milnons or workers and peasants seeking social

its policies of acChance. commodation to the capitalist politicians pu the kiss of death on th Republican cause.

In Britain despite two pre-war and six post-war governments the capitalist class still remains firmly entrenched and only last

For those wishing to read up the history of the Labour Party in Britain the author recommends the

by Ralph Milliband, • Merlin Press. Easilv the best Marxisi analysis and has the advantage of being eminently

and the Struggle for Cambridae University , but suffers from ultra-leftism. The Labour Party, Myth and naly by vuncan Mallas, a socialist workers pam phlet, is a concise history with good facts but secIN THIS series we have examined Germany. French, Spanish and British social democracy, showing how they have each reacted to the big

week, after four years of a reactorar Tory government, we had the humiliaLO One Honesev Yet these people whose ICCOrU ot deteat remains unblemished and consistent, denounce marxists as utopians and romantics They contrast their practical common sense to the abstract theory of the marxists But it is only marxism, with ls taeory or lne class war and its understanding of the canitalist state thai can provide practical solu tions to the problems of the working class That is why the fight to win the left reformist workers to the programme of marxism is so impor tant. Today in Britain that ligal nas lo be wagea in side the unions and the Labour Party.

If such a struggle is not successful the social democratic leaders will continue to mislead and to sell out to the establishment.

Page 11 scan of this page

Coming on March 16th -

(editor of Socialist Action)

Socialist Asian - is

Socialist Action -

coming out next

month.

It comes into a

Britain which,

perhaps five years

ago, many would

not have believed

possible. Britain

of mass unemploy-

ment, growing

militarism and

economic failure.

It is a Britain whose

labour movement is on

the defensive. Labour is

lagging in the polls, its leadership attacking its

policies and member-

ship, its lett divided and

unsure.

We aim Ievive d

labour movement, in the

hope Call help

resolve this crisis and re-

WREC BUCC the tradi-

tion of Tom Mann, John

Maclean, James Connol-

ly and Sylvia Pankhurst.

We see this as a tradition

of militant struggle by

Why we propose unity to

the WSL

The Socialist

League and revolu-

tionary unity

AT its League, tional, Workers Socialist League for talks aimed at the fusion of the organisations. member of the Socialist committee here explains to Socialist Challenge the reasons for this proposal.

approach general electiol the Labour movement ferment. The result of the Bermondsey by-election will rapidly accelerate the right wing offensive inside the Labour Party. This offensive which has been deepening since the 1981 Labour Party conferenc

WAR IN THE

3ROWOR/T

ANETHIRD

AND

WIRL-

This conference aims to examine the links betwen liberation struggles in Central America, the Middle East and Southern Africa ana Ine Speakers include journalist representative in Britain Salvador Moncada. Organised by

oppressed, without

promise to the establishment its wealthy backers, coupled to an appeal to the labour movement to take on its shoulders the construction of a new society.

We aim to take our place beside those at the

forefront the battle against the Tories. We will join the fight to stop cruise in 1983, to defend jobs and social services, for women's and black

people's rights, to deteat

Thatcher cusuled Labour victory. Success

We believe, however, that the best chance of success does not le with compromise and

to the Labour Party's right

and their counter-

parts in the unions.

do we accept the drive towards coaliton implicit •December conference the Socialist British section of the Fourth Internaadopted a proposal to approach the

Ray Brown, League's political

has opened up important divisions inside the left

we saW the CLPD conference.

Ltc wing bureaucracy tries to overturn left wing policy decisions and impose Healey

leader, and with its other arm sabotages dustrial action, some peo-

peace movements

Fred Halliday and

Palestine Solidarity, Central America Solidarity and Antr-

in the present orientation

Marie Morning Star and

Marxism think success will come through the combination of mass action with balle or accountablty

the unions and the abour Partv

We do not accept the thạt suicida coudliol argues Labour can only defeat the Tories by surrendering its members and Its policies the undemocratic cabal now in control of the leadership.

We say the road to victory and to unity was abandoned with the 'truce' of Bishops Stortford — a truce which only one side has observed. Unless the right wing resisted in bol lne Labour Party and the unions - it will lead us to defeat. An alternative exists Or Me LaDOul Party unite behind those leading the fight against Thatcher: the

the Walki

ple on the left want to tight back and others argue that a fight should be abandoned in the name of 'unity"

The divisions inside the left which have opened up don't divide

reformists, but they do define the

ground necessary united action of the left dealist the right wing bureaucracy and LOLICO

For example, revolu-

supporters Socialist Challenge and Socialist Organiser have fought alongside sup-

of Tribune and JUILCID Labour Herald against the witch-hunt and against Foot's attempts to fudge the manifesto. In the

UNLO OS tionaries have fought alongside those supporters

the Labour left prepared organise support of struggles like the train drivers and water workers against the Tories. Equally we have campaigned with the new Broad Lefts when they have mounted Ted challenges to the rightwing outedicals Cvel when simply at the level of elections Aitken's presidential campaign in the EETPU. Action

In these kinds of united action we nave worked with supporters of the Militant despite the generally ultra-sectarian politics of this newspaper.

In many of these struggles, in the Labour Party, unions and CND, revolutionaries have been able to play an important leading role. In particular the sup. porters Socialist

Challenge and Socialist Organiser have otten worked closely together.

Today these efforts need to be strengthened through a campaign of the whole left to challenge the right in the run-up to a general election.'

For this reason the Socialist League gives its

News.

Greenham Commor women, black people fighting for their rights.

We welcome Briefin and Socialist Organiser's call for a socialist campaign for a Labour Victory. We will seek with them to bulla a unite coalition of Labour Par-

and trade union bodies, to campaign for

manifesto which includes Labour's socialist policies adopted by conference unilateralism and a rejection of incomes policy and for an alliance with extraparliamentary tion which offers the best

for putting these policies into pracLIce Socialist Action will

be an open paper. It will not be the house journal of a select few. It will be open to contributions Irom everyone fighting

Reagan We do not see ourselves as a rival to others on the left, but as the partisan from suboot Socialist

campaign for a labour vic-

1or We believe this

paign should base itself or

Labour Party to the mass movements and industrial

sive. But inextricably linked into this recomposition of the left as a whole there re-alien meness orp re-alignment

outside the

Treachery

The Communist : Party is moving more and more openly to a popular frontist type line and at the Sane time attacks the Labour left for 'ultra-

leftism' when it criticises the compromises and treachery of Michael Foot

But the biggest test for the far left in has been the Malvinas war.

The Militant tendency was to the right of Tony Benn,

for the withdrawal of the ALLALLA British fleet. Cather step on the road o chauvinist policy was degeneration 3ILO right-

wing adaptation to British Inochaus! imperialism combined with ludicrous secmarian forma every r movement forward the labour movement such as CND or the Bennite left. Passed

The only revolutionary

organisations that can be

said to have passed that

are the Socialist

Workers' Norkers' Socialist Leagu ralL the

and the Socialist League.

All took a defeatist posi-

tion. That is to say all cam-

paigned the - DONT

movement to recognise

that the of

British government was

the lesser

labour movement should

take advantage of the wai

of a particular point of view deserves a

welcome Tribune's new editorial policy under Chris Mullin's editorship, and the invaluable work of Briefing and Labour Herald We look forward to collaboration with these papers and have agreed to provide members of Briefing's

with a weekly collecive column

We differ with the approach which led Militant to refuse to join the above papers in calling for the British Fleet to withdraw from the South

to bring down Thatcher.

After initial hesitations, including calling for self-determination for the islanders, the WSL in addition took the position that Argentina's claim to the Malvinas was just and Meleon that tionists must support a victory Argentina. The SL fully agrees with this position. In fact we think it marked a major convergence between our organisations against the tide of adaptation British imperialism in the labour movement.

• It was in this context that our December conference discussed the proposal for fusion with the WSL. We have long held the view that many of the divisions between revolu tionaries are unnecessar

roducts ot a long histor! of sectarianism on the British Marxist left. We have long held that the political complement 01 this sectarianism has been a tendency politically adapt to British imperialism. The Militant is a startling confirmation of this view. United

We have long held the position that the wsI allu

British section the Fourth International should be united in a single organisation. Today, we are convinced that this is a burning practical question for the supporters of both organisations. Furthermore, the practical similarity of our organisathis alpens more possible tions'

the more possible to test out in a process of joint work and discussion nationally,

single area where our

forces are active

In our opinion such a

process will attract literally

hundreds of, al present,

unattached, socialists the fused organisation.

This in turn would

strengthen the forces seeking to unite the left-wing

of the trade union and

Labour Party in a com-

SOCiALis

ACTION

Atlantic But this disagreement takes se-

to a united cone blacc defence of their absolute right to remain in the Labour Party

Of what will we be partisan? Of the interests of working. people the world over. We intend to battle against imperialism wherever it sur faces because with Marx we think that 'No nation that enslaves another can ever itself be free'; we

Workin three

people higher aim than national

We stand beside the liberation movements of

mon struggle against the right-wing bureaucracy, which is the chief obstacle to the fight against the Tories

Support mounts

for El Salvador

conference

tional executive will attend

National union back-

ing also comes from

transport TGWU,

civil service union CPSA,

print union SOGAT,

telecommunications union

POEU, union NUPE as well as the OUDI

Sheet Metal and Fire

Brigade unions.

Now local and regional

trade union and Labour

Party branches are sending

for delegate credentials.

With over two months still

go the conference

organisers, the El Salvador

Solidarity Campaign,

confident they will get an

Impressive cull out

The May conference

gives trade union and

Labour Party members a

chance to stop Reagan and

Thatcher's aggression

the third world as strongly as Solidarnosc, and its movement for workers' self-management which

regard as the best model vet Droposcu lo

should seok to tale w

We think the journal closest to the views we shall be ad vocating Socialist Organiser, particularly since amended its previous editorial posi tion on the Falklands war With patient work and discussior we hope

efforts Socialist Action and Socialist Organiser car be united

For all of these reasons

we think our proposal

must be considered

seriously by the WSL and

by all socialists.

THE 14 MAY labour movement conference on El Salvador is gathering support. The January issue of the miners' journal printed a back page article announcing two delegates from the na-

the region and to fight for

Labour Government which will reverse these policies Sessions are organised Took J activ olidarity and aid for th workers and peasants of E Salvador.

Effort is needed to get delegates from labour

movement organisations.

The El Salvador Solidarity Campaign can send speakers, video and tin for branch and workplace

Labour Movement conference on El Salvador. County Hall, London, 14 May 1983 10-5pm

ELSOC Commis sion. 29 Islington Park St. London Ni

Socialist Chattenge ... 4 March 1983 . page 11

Page 12 scan of this page

By Nick Howitt and Barry Wilkins FOLLOWING its decision to close Lewis Merthyr pit the Coal Board has once again come up against the militancy miners.

At the end of last week, miners in a pithead ballot decided to go on indefinite strike from Monday 28 February to save the col-

lier ust over 5s per cent of

miners volca lor te aetion. The real percentage

support substantially higher. Eight of the most militant pits were already on strike, balloting was more difficult for many miners who have to travel long distances to these pits.

Action began on Monday 21 February when 28 miners started a stay down Nake useWs Merthyr.

They included Des Dutfield, WIte lodge secretary and also miners union area vice-president.

The strike rapidly spread to seven more pits - MarPenrhiwceiber on Tuesday Tower and and Trelewis Drift, Johns, Coedely and Britannia on Wednesday.

An area conference on Wednesdav decided hold a pithead ballot on Thursday with the area executive recommending vote for strike action.

Lobby

However, delegates from militant pits and a lobby of •Lewis Merthvi miners bitterly criticised ine area leadersmp or not calling, an immediate all out strike.

They pointed out that the strike mandate from December 1982 still stood.

Over eighty per cent of South Wales miners voted

International

Karl Marx centenary

special double issue

Norman

world economy. on Greenham Common - and much more!

and £6.50 overseas surface.

weater with ine Post vira

Published by Car

Printed By East End Offset (TU) Ltd, London E2.

Socialist

Challenge

of the South Wales

then for all out strike from the 17 January force the coal board into million investment and new recruitment in the coal field.

The strike plan was

understanding that talks with the Coal Board would produce positive. results.

But fact the has happened, and the miners al c now eager to renew the fight. Welcome

On Thursday, the day of the ballot and their fourth the Lewis miners came to the surface. One hundred and fifty. striking miners from neighbouring pits, including area executive member Dai Davies gave

welcome. Cheers greeted Der Dutfield when he spoke about the fight to save the pit. "The •situation is far from hopeless. The seam we've been working will last for years. Over 500 jobs here have to be safeguarded. We're not prepared to let them get away with it and let other jobs follow.

Extreme

'If the situation goes unopposed, South Wales will become the industrial wasteland the Tories want.

This has been an extreme action in an extreme situa-

international

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Duggan, Chris Arthur, John Ross and more on Marx. Bob Sutcliffe on the Valerie Countand more ohn Send for copies to: International, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP or subscribe for £5.50 inland

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tion. been well worth it and we are fully contident that support will be shown in other pits. Closure

The Coal Board classifies over half of the South Wales pits as 'short life'. Their closure pro-

the ingramme threatens dustrial life blood of many valley communities. If they can get away with closing Lewis Merthyr pit.

will follow One such threatened colliery is Britannia.

The lodge secretary Tom Bowden spoke to Socialist Challenge: 'No bloody way will we let them close these pits. At meetings at every shift here the response was immediate. We won't stop the strike closures are withdrawn.

OLIC coalfields to meet discuss and picket with this message "if you can't help us today, god help you tomorrow water workers have proved this government can nudged out of the way. We'll be calling on support from railworkers, seamen, dockers and drivers to stop all movement of coal.'

Serious

The South Wales miners very serious about this strike. They realise that the future of the coalfield is at stake. Ivor England, Mardy lodge secretary told Socialist Challenge that his lodge voted 90 per cent to support the strike. 'We had a lodge meeting on Saturday to organise getting out to other mining areas. We've already

hundred miners from this pit are ready for picketing

'We've got to extend this strike to North Wales, Kent, Yorkshire and other areas to make it a national strike. I am confident that we will get a good reception from miners and other workers who want to see a fight against cher's policies. Long

At Trelewis Drift pit the vote for strike action

Lodge Del Cell.

committee member Paul

O'Sullivan told Socialist Challenge: "This could be

strike because the

Tories think they can beat

4 heretore it is vital lo

escalate this to a national

The prospects

for this are good. It's tremendous that we've already received support

from Kinneil in Scotland.

'We'll De sprcaullig

this strike as from Mon-

day. rank and file

forced a teluctant

leadership into this strike.

Now we must force the

leadership to turn this into

strike beyond just

resisting pit closures and

for guarantees on the in-

vestment and recruitment

Colliery

yorkshire NUI

following Monday.

every coalfield to get solidarity action

tingham, Lancashire, Durham,

everywhere. government made a hasty and humiliating

WC for a secure future.'

Vigorous

The South Wales miners can roll back the Tory offensive over closures and redundancies in the coal industry. vigorous lead from the rank, and tie has turned around the situation in January, when a majority on the area executive retreated from the fight.

Under this pressure, reluctant executive has been compelled to support the strike.

NCB

Nantgarw/Windsor

Pit strikes goes national Withirt hours of the start of the South Wales strike the

announced Ind Yorkshire coalfieid would •join the strike trom the

Coachloads of Welsh miners travelled at once to

Tyne responst was tremendous as NUM leaders from Scotland. Not.

Derbyshire and. Kent acknowledge that this is a tight to detend miners job:

As we go to press a Scottish delegate conference has voted to call strike action trom ivondal Lan cashire and Nottingham executives overwhelmingly recommend strike action to ballots later in the week. With this sort or solidartv the ories cannotrest easy in

In February 1981 Welsh miners led the way with strike action against Tory plans for pit closures.

South Wales miners are confident the strike can be spread na. tionally. It can and must become an offensive battle for the investment and recruitment the industry needs. support already promised from rail, transport seamen's unions and the water TUC movement of all coal, this is a battle that can be won.

The Thatcher Government was dealt a damaging blow by the waterworkers.

Now the miners can go for the knockout.

South Wales miners launch fight

AGAINST

CLOSURES

retreat. Two years later Thatcher and her pals at the Coal Board try it on again. This time too, Welsh miners strike to defend their jobs and call for national backing

Miners Occupy

ON MONDAY, the first day of the strike, over 400 miners from many different pits occupied for six hours the •South Wales NCB. headquarters in Cardiff.

They were in jubilant spirit. Management offices were turned into

The

Coal Board offices

lodge committee rooms and signs such as Tower SLOULC doors, indicating which

tion Terry Davies Telewis

lodge secretary Drift told Socialist Challenge: 'With this occupation we will show

• we mean to fight this strike to the finish.