Socialist Challenge No. 38, 23 March 1978
The scan: sc-n38-mar-23-1978.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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No 38 23 March, 1978 15p Socialist Challenge ZIONIST TERROR CONTINUES
SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
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Abortion? Forget it, say Labour and the
HOME NEWS
Editorial 01-359 8180/9.
Polluted France
their demotracy We've won, Lat's strino up Marchais
gerrymandered
Labour Party in Britain.
two-fold: first it antagonised many Socialist voters, might have atherwise voted for the CP. prevented the of tailending elther of the mass parties. number of correct points during their campaign.
неривію вто шну demands will have now to be concretised into
CP. There will be templations towards
Of bans and
We shall summarise these briefly.
political. DUE TU
SCINE method. have
demobilise our offensive
that hinder the organisation of local are fighting against and why.
Our main thrust must be to bulld a mass against racism and tascism in this country.
point cannot be stressed enough at this perlod.
my area.
bover costa.
[Dolete if not applicable)
NAME .....
ADDRESS
Editorial
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1.
Distribution and Advertising 01-3598371.
IT WAS somewhat symbolle that just as the French right-wing parties won the parliamentary giactions, the shores of Brittany wore struck by a masaive slick from a maxing ou tanker. Polution reignoo supreme in paris as well. Hundreds of young ruling ciass bloods demonstrated for Giscard and Chirac by chanting a slogan in the name of
The election result was a deteal for the left.
Structures of the French Filth Republic however, gave the appearance of a big victory for the Right. Thie is clearly not the case. The numerical majority was only 300,000 votes. The popular vote of the left was 49.5 pe
A post-mortem will clearly reveal that the main reason for the defeat was the sectarianism of the French Communist Party towarde the Socialist Party. For the last six montns the leaders of the PCF put their own narrow party interests before those of building working class unity against the Right. They concentrated their fire on the Socialist Party and flirted with the 'left Gaullista'. The net result of this wae
DOLONDIS of a serious governmontal alternative. The CP should not be allowed to get away with
Giscard will probably grant some reforms and try to construct a centre altemative. In the process he will try and aplit the Socialist Party by pressurising ita right-wing to loin the government over the next few months. In retum, he could offer some important reforma (such as proportional representation). There will be shifts in French politics in the coming period. Thore will also be both political and economic struggles. The revolutionary left must avoid the twin temptations of retreating into militant syndicalism or
ber of Correct pote during en campagne a stressed the importance of a workers goverment; the also challenged the undemocratio structures of the Finn
aroued for workers unity. Those
campaigns, This must involve continuing discussions and debates with militants at the base of both the SP and the lamentarist cretinism. We are confident that these will be ARTSOSE
their consequences
WHAT IS our position on the state banning fascist and extreme right-wing activities? The lessons of Hyde and llford stare us in the face and necessitate some answers.
We must not, in any way, Imply that the fasclats should be fought through state bans. Everyone appears to be convinced of this. The dangers are obvious (banning of all
substitute in Ite place the demand for 'selective bans" is to continue to rely on the
light mobilisations. If as a response to these the state bans the fasciats, well and good, provided that wo do not allow it 10
Weremain in favour of local councils preventing fascists from using courell halls and the like, but we must not let anti-racist activity at the same time to demonstrate what we
NORMANI Reformists tend to oppose such a development because of their whole approsch to politice. They would prefer the State to do theirl Tob for them. But the State is more concerned by those who threaten capitalism in the long run than racists or fascista. If it does, on occasion, ban the fasciats land them stone! we are naturally not going to oppose such a ban. But we will continue to argue for an independent. mobilisation. This
Il you agree with these principles and want to be
Involved in activities by Sociallet Challenge supporters
In your ares, IllI in the form below and sand it to us:
I am Interested in more Information about activities in
I would like additional literature and enclose 50p to
Sand to Sociallet Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London N1.
It has no facilities, no jobs, no who scheme was completed, it was discovered that the schools had been forgotten. They were later inserted in the backoourts of the tenements.
La blustery Saturday morning, shoppers along, looking berrused at the leaflets proferred them election campaigners. out of place is Donald Dewar, a Labour candidate, and a cluster 01 Labours Temme OcE councillors.
STAUNCH
Dewar is an identi-kit Labour candidate. lawyer and ex-MP, well known on TV and radio (he hosts a Radio Clyde char show), Dewar combines staunch support for Callaghan with concern over social issues.
Labour is campaigning under
shadow They Soattish National cod Labour's caciden. The SNP has all the energy. Is candidate is Keith Haver for his delenoe of civil liberties, includins tew Challenge supporiers in the past.
VACUOUS
Bovey is our to capture tbe scat Like the rest of his party, he is in favour of any vacuous slogan - the mixed conomy, social justice, progress above all he is in favour of more votes for the SNP.
As soon ns the election was called, he sudden espousal for restrictive abortion surprise of all. The reason? Garscadden's large
Indend Borures not the pris sudden convert campaiea. Garscadden consti
Labour Party is in the LULUILT tight control of a Catholic group. William Small, whose death caused never opened his mouth, like
талу other Labour MPs. But be was sure 1o turn out to vote against
the labour
Glasgow by election
nationalists
DRUMCHAPEL LOOMS, in a literal sense, over the Garseadden constituency in Glasgow, Il is a product of sium clearance - when the slums were simply moved eight miles out of the city centre. Drumchapel sums up the record Labour is defending in the Parliamentary by-election on 13 April.
hurry
by Looking 40-year-old know the Party will fiel in Gars-
-a lawyer well known
Sociulist But
abortion rights.
announoed his tradition ONEL legislation to the Apostolate Catholic prononent Labour Party
This growing campaign are
for family Glasgow
rest.
OUR POLICES
Lapitalem a in crois. The lesar ul u Labour lamy and the Inades unons olle solicions shar are in the wilmesis, not of the mirler, but of the capitalist dus
To baild hread-lawd chies Strigzie irnier tis in opposition to rlass-cullaboentiosion in
nen-exclusive in thumcier grouping hueth Felicants balding & wide saage af poble
To begie to fight tor ihe rodion of a un orgealsaine which con, throngh an applicali Fauted Prunt tactics, begin po be been un s Herealise he thousandeuf weekers engaged il
such an angannation shoold be haad un the
thai this Crozier and won't change.
Crozier, vice person of the Scottish Catholic
Council ind vote against member The Dumbarton take them near Glasgow. His first target is tomards to reverse Inst year's conference decision supporting teee abor Taylor. tion on demand. And behiod
LE-COUEU the familiar CRONIES themes of right-wing populism
life, against the need for "firmaess on crime and lie one
The stranale Tor socialism beeks00 1 unse the foght of the worsers againt the boses with thal ed ober oppres sed lasers of sodriy-wince. black rupiling Foe thrir liberatipa This socialien can valy de schieved hy strati eary miceas the pourr uf the capitali 2 ralie chut u hat ezie in Britain «ith fult richts for all publica HBd carreste that do not lak
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 2 WWHE
by CHRIS BAMBERY
The the rally.
It remnains to be scen how long
bis cronies will remain inside the Labour Party. Their present inclination — especially that of urgie a
Many pro abortion Labour candidates, are Likely to
but of the party
populism of Tories Jike Teddy
Croser just failed in gelting
ni his Donald Dewar triumpbed but
only once he made it clear he
TELEILLIE legislation. He gave this
Dewar was MP for Aberdeen South he voted for the 1967 Abortion Act.
PETITIONING
National Abortion Caapaign is determined to show that the working folk ol Garscadden will stand up for women's rights. They are petitioning lor out-patien abortion clinic in Glasgow, un abortion "no-go' ureu.
At least one of every two whio stop to sign are in favour of a woman's right to choose. One woman signs deflancy under occupation "housewarker" another housewife, unpaid
NAC is trying to ensure thal the anti-abortion stance of the Labour, SNP, Tory and even the SIP candidates does bot go unchallenged. On April. campaigiers will be holding a public rally. All candidates will beinvited. On the same night at
Catholic secondary school, the Society for the of the Unborn Child plans to hold a rival meeting
Mass leafleting by pro-choice campagner is being planned and Women's Voice has agreed to back NACk activities. The Socialist Workers Party candi date, Peter Porteous, a shog steward in the nearby Yarrow shipyards, will speak at NAC'
DREAD
Standing on the need for socialist policies are hoth th Socialisr Workers Party and th Communist Party Sammay Barr is the CP candidate Pater of le c worki and the boulermakers union
Alone of all the candidates. Barr is dreading the carpaign There l the Tenders of UCS. likelihood thai onc of the standing in the heart of prole tarian Clydeside, will win less support than the supposed 'middle clast fringe croup' candidate of the SWP. who stand for fullupporters Socialist Unity rights and are ready to figh
CESSITES have only oue choice if the people of Drumchapel are to have any future vote PortCous. Socialist Workers Party,
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School students more militant than teachers
HOME NEWS
denial of school meals over the past week.
Schools Action Union in the early "70s.
The risht-wing press reacted predictably: MATERN
SCROOLS Hally Telemanh. Police dos move in on young rioters said
Ine arestin or tae movemca!
in virtually every part of the country.
In Birmingham, as many as 5.000 students from 30 schools have been involved in strike
thousand pupils marched to the local education offices demanding a resump tion of school meals. schools we occupa night by students demanding at the minimum a room to eat their sandwiches in.
STRIKE
In Manchester, pupils at ten schools look strike action. Hundreds of school students From Peel Mount and Reddish Vale schools in Stockport marched on County Hall chanling: "We want our meals.
School keepers
take action
WITH THEIR wage increase now five months overdue, school caretakers and ancillary workers in the Inner London uren decided to take industrial uction last week, reports RAY VARNES
Selective strike action LEGOOS North London resulted in several closed. The only school which attempted to stay open was Highbury Grove in Islington, the farmer domain of Rhodes Boysan.
The striking workers mounled a picket of the school and members National Union of Teachers refused to cross
strikers in leafleting members
HE COCKRACE LEALEHIEUEEUIL
Over two hundred school
students also refused to cross
the picket line and demanded
TENS OF THOUSANDS of school students were involved in protests and against lock-outs and the
REDMOND O'NEIL.L reports on the biggest wave of action by youth in the schools since the days of the
Seven schools o Lecestershire were affected by strikes the and demoostrations In Ports-
mouth. hundreds of women
the local education authority while in Bradtord the town hall was besciged.
STONED
The Daily Telegraph was quick to grasp the significance of these evens. Last Thursday's editorial stated:
The teason was The TIDas industrial action is depressing is that it suedests that ine young are learning trade union ways and all that they signifv." The movement had no clear
demonstrators stoned
Hillock school in sparkm! -a mixed black and Irish area of
towards teachers changed to support after the whole school debated the issue with union CHEESEINE in assemblyMany school students made it information about tbe strike, which the beadmaster of the school had failed to provide. They encouraged the by joining the picker line and SHENUE BULLS The school keepers ancillary workers women cleaners and meals attendants being most militant section of school
workers. The women have all LUSCO OCTOSS DESCE BECA even though they and they are not highly paid to begin with, Although • the arimarily over pay, it has also seen sparked off by attempts ittipose лем description which would result in redundancies and increased work loads cuts planned for Inner London schools.
KAY TAINES IS a caretaker member of NUPE and a shop steward.
teacher militancy sanctions wich hit hardest at them, Terry, age 15, from East London pur it like this to his
If you went on strike, we'd all back
and needed supporters, wed come out with you need more money. marched on we're getting into trouble with
the Old Bill Just having poxy linle strikes for
The attitude of the leadership of the has been a barrier to the development of any firm alliance between teachers and pupils Their archy and 'outside extremiss have planed straight into une hands of the right-wing press who want to use the caused by the teachers action as a stick to drive them back to
STERLING local» The leaders of the National At the Goldon
Union or teachers dave bouc as far as to argue that the pupils - initial hostility
stering strikers
Find mainiy school are the
lose pay
strike
job
all part of the
school
but against ing discipline
Lies.
more itself to issues of wapes
a march tions, and ideology.
'cos you
and media provacation.
FACILITIES
full support for
"an-
"chace"
ties.
the International WOrk that Group.
about sixty people.
May, by the strike committee, will produce a solution.
trade WUNDESSEC uschulness
Council
Parliament teachers periorm in 'maintain - during mica] times and after-school activi In the year.
For the left-wing opposition inside the teachers unions, the
condiIt must vicorously defend the right of school students to organise in up. the face of police harassment SHARE
share More than that, it must give Students" right to use school fa- activity, cities outsade school hours.
And it must insist that in dis en's demands.
BEEN AKIE DECE DOE the responsibility of local edu CanaD autootsues to preside Tacilities for meals at lunch-
By taking up and encocragErn students to orwanise theirs selves in the schools, the left in the NUT can win many school students to an effecrive alliance against the education authori-
REDMOND O'NEILL Is the national student organiser of Marxie THE MASS PICKET of Grunwick, which APEX called on Tuesday 14 march, was neither as militan! nor as large as the picket in this scene from last summer. The picket called by apex divisional conding absence of any dance pupile forehe vent. The local trades council did not However the low tumoul was not surprising know that the picket had been called until a lew days before despite the fact that APEX had decided about it at least a month ago. The lack of any effective response from the union has left the strike commitiée at rather a loss as to the next step in the struggle. Hopefully the conference called tor 14
Wider
horizons for
Women's TUC
THE WOMEN'S TUC discussed issnes that ranged far beyond its traditional concern with equal pay. taking up the questions of abortion, nurseries and taxation. JUDE WOODWARD reports.
Ibere has been criticism un the past of the Women's TUC on the grounds that its separale
allowed male unionists ignore
Certainly, the specilic problems of women at work and in the trade unions are general problems that are of concer to all working people, and not singly to women. But, this said, this sear's Women': TUC on 9 and 10 March did show its
A pro-abortion motion caling on the TUC General
to suppost the campaign for a woman's right to choose was carried unanimously. It pointed out that the alament cad a tap they
disappeared, and demanded that the TLC call a demonstration larer
There are suggestions tha
he Women's TUC should t extended to three days. and that one of these should br allocated to workshop discussions on how the issues raised by the conference can be taken
This would enable women bo
their experience DE working in the unions and build support for campaigning
including placing greater pressure on the TUC 10 mout actions around wom
As it is, many women leave despite wide ranging discus
Trade union
abortion conference
THE NATIONAL Abortien Campaign announced at the DER Women's TLIC its Jotention of holding a trade union conference on abortion in the
-NIONAL
ILO
by
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 4 cions and a general atmosphere of militancy, they have been lett with Jittle iden of what they can actually do
This sear's canterence 150 discussed the importance of childture for mollis want? to work, and supported the proposa put forward in the recent TUC report on unde
RESENTMENT
There was discussion whether the married man's las allowance should be abolished. Delegates were united in their resentment of chis discrimini natory system of texation, but
were concerned wbether it would be right to vote for a measure that would decrease the size of many men's pay packets.
There was debale about possible change in the Equal Pay Act to change the sense of
equal work' to work of oqual value*. Although the conterence was in no doubt that the present Act did not solve all problems, a change of this nature would probably leave the determination ol equal rather than uniuns fighting for equal pay-
In general, women felt that whalever the criticisms of the Women's TUC annual
provide women great opportunity 10 Icar from each Cotier and to thrash out the andas where they need to apply pressure on the trade union movement.
asturin, writes ANN FIAN
NAC hoper that this will provide an opportunity for delegates - from discuss ways of bringing the struggle for a woman's right to choose into the mainstream of the activities of their union
The Labour Abortion Rights Сатрвідо has also endorsed NACE call for a trade union conference. At then annual conference, held on 11 March, they alse decided to campaign far more day care facilities for abortion on the NHS and committed themselves to securing mone made won marooner in the camphien.
SPONSORSHIP
Altbough the conference is
Noveltber. work abould start now to ensure that it is a suooss. This can be dooc
campaigning in , union
branches for sponsorship anc financial support; hy inviting
NAC
ALECHL
branch melings; and through advers and articles in union journals.
As many trade utens
possible bond to endorse chi
Women's TUC'S call demonsitation of the whole m the lahour movement against restrictive legislation on abor
tion.
Trade onion branches are
invited to send delegates ca the planning meeting for the NAC
conference al 7.30pm DE 4
April at 30 Camden Road. London NWI. Tel: 01-485 4303
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Class size is top of agenda
Why schools are a class battleground
NUT Conference
claim.
writes BETTY HUNTER.
The problem leadership of the National
question this is already raising
many members" minds.
If the executive can institure
cent on top of the employers
class size. the E16000m cuts and the 40,000 unemployed teachers?
The left in the union can use
annual conference Blackpool to build an alternalive strategy out of this
FULL CLAIM
The Selle Teachine Al
Tiance be fighting defend the full claim. It will be arguing for a special salaries COLICICIC autumn that the membership
deter and how to can i.
needs and how to win
The Blackpool apenda shows the predccupations of teachers. Motions on class size, salaries, cuts, racism, women's oppression and the content of debates. Five of the top hi are hkely motions put forward proposals apported by the STA
The exocative will certainly
these resolutions with winteranda — wash sake precedence over motions the same topic
anD TICH amendments.
Guest speaker Shirley lams, the Secretary of State
HOME NEWS
For Fred Jarvis and his fellow executive members, the priority at the National Union Teachers' conference this week is to ratify a settlement of the teachers' pay
The present ban on voluntary duties is the first national action that teachers have taken for years.
to sweep the 40,000 unemplayed teachers Canci Boo lie teachers un behind yet another round of wage restraint.
The right-wing Icadership of the union can be counted on to acquiesce in this, guise of leave it to us and the
TUC to de our best for you-
The Socialist Teachers mance desales will argue Coat teachers must organise them-
wage restraint, education cuts, racism and attacks on the curriculum. And they will draw lessons from recent wave of school student untest to explain the need to invoive pupils, purents and the Iabour movement in discussion what happening education and win their active support. can CLASS SIZE The Labour Party erence and the Trades Union Congress smaller classes. There enough teachers available to achieve this. But the NUT leadership has done nothing.
Top of the agenda is a call for
The Association their motion for a union campaign to cradicate racism on schools. This takes up both the content 1930115
Wil- with local and 2,500 teachers attended a rally against racism and fascism in Central Hail, Westminster on 16 March. The meeting was organised by ALTARF [All London Teachers Against Raciem and Fascism| and represented the most powerful response lo
an end to immigration controls and a ban on the National Front's use of schools.
Delegates
discussing the TUC Women's Charter and amendments on
The STA socks to commit the union to setting up a delegate advisory under the Irom areas to develop consis
tent activities and The debate on the control of the curriculant could prove to
under the
In reality there are two crises in education: theirs and ours. Their crisis is that schools "delivering the goods.
The right number of the correct workers eager to fit into their slots in the factories and offices are not being produced, conf HATCHER.
Their crisis for a crisis of education as suchi Are It's crisis But if you think capitalismt is
them class size, teach for when Westminster wrong tabled That's why education Just
respond the From the industry is the common refrain
and the Williams throogh to Rhodes
It also Boyson and the Confederation
of British Industry.
Our crisis is more seniods. Ir the classrooms of today is the
also he
contraception. government.
radical alternative clected LIED labour policies determine
needs
NUT Conference
are not
the working class. sort oF and other basic
taught badly. writes RICK
really MALC of capitalism.
They uru can naming is the medicine you go
noods
Shiriey and set The organisers of the rally decided to call a conference on 20 May to discuss ways in which the fight against racism in
be one of the most decisive this
LETENE executive leaders' including Communist Party
defend education through a partnership" between teachers and the
people.
The STA will be proposing a
based taking this crucial debate Into lanie haci
movement to an educational programine based on working
and interests: working class of tomorrow. What they learn there plays a
A DEEDING part in determining the Tate of the British revolution. Unfortunately, at the moment, this is understood better by the bosses and their government than by
The schools teach rending
skills. Bur
Ibeir class sizes are anyhow far too large IC overcome the built-in advanlage of middle class pupils who gread the path to success and a
while working class children fail by comparison and drop out at 16.
are taught to read, which is good. But they are taught to read Ladybird readers which are sexist and racist and
nationalism and class colla
The days of 'all pulling together' to abolish the il plus
comprehensive, schools are over. It didn't solve their problems and it didn't solve ours. Education is now as
battleground TREE SHHI 1978 TENE
for those When the they
Lion.
done Bothing executive's
what they settle voluntary HISEL HI
In the face of the NUT
to tie
teachers to closer collaboration
with the Labour Goveroment
and TUC policies of curbing
the living standards of working not
unity of the left is
The Socialist Teachers Al
united
meetings with Rank and File to
huild a coherent ICIE WEED
yention at the conference. The Jaunt Dre-Conterence meeting opposed class interests as is the
The cuts are not shared out
pupils hardest. When they talk
aboul Scoris in the curcu Jum they mean anti-working and
class measures.
When they talk of higher
standards are more resting.
they mean concentrating on the so-called academic minor-
My and giving the rest enough
of the three R's to work out
their time shoote sod follow the bosses' orders.
In other words, despite the
Conference meetings
ara: Dick North Rank and
Teçan ISTAL 24 Ma:
рона пно каті"
Ghand
LAMBETH NUT meeting on Women's
Wrong lesson
on pay
IN PREPARATION for its
pay claim, NUT leadership drew up a document last autumn which concluded that leachers needed increuses of between IN and 50 per cent to regain their 1975 pay levels. Yet the NUT — like the other teachers" organisations - B8: now demanded only 124 per cent. And they are likely to accept even less, writes KEN
The employers have treated
teachers' claim with contempt. They offered u mere 7 per cent pius extra support
on bigh salaries teachers objected once referred the matter ln compuisory arbutra-
The NUT caught somerhat off gourd. It had
membership for action was propelled Into taking it parily hecause of inter-bureaucratic rivalry with the National Association of Schoolmasters /Union of Women Teschers. which tries to cultivule a more militant" reputation.
The action which was hastil derided on was geared to the mildness of the claim and the
Assumption that coulde't possibly win more thun 10 per cent, which is New
will undonhted for. Lunchtime and clivities are sapstop measures which fall short of refusal to toke over the classes of absent | London NI.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 5 and the mecting on lighting
racism oo-sponsored by the bind me AnD Nazi League represent positive step
nue the conference wi
mark a decisive turn to WORKINA Class POUCILS strengthening of left unity can he regretted only by the right wing leadership.
BETTY HUNTER is
Wandsworth delegate to the ThUTconference barrage from politicians and the press to the contrary, there is no more a classless "bational interest' in education than anywhere else.
The task of socialst teachers
the broader labour movement is to identify and develop working class interests THE SCHOOL DARE IN BURNE how it's taught, who teacbes it,
equipped, its relation to the worldoutside
Socialist Chullenge, will be examining these questions in STA Busts mong 24 March,
migh Hote 26 March, -eigh Hote STA MEETING AFter bonterenoe
clude 20 Manch,
2.30om Holmleigh Halel teachers, and lead away from an allionce with stadents and purents.
The bureaucracy is afraid of launching a struggle which the Coversens and teachers against the give a boost to their militancy and crass roots organisation
understunduble.
Union meetings have been very large und several associations have culled for strike action for BIE HE CHang
KEN JONES is a delegate from Barking to the NUT conference.
ALLIST
TELES
Spring
1978
No.4
CLASS SIZE 300
issue of Socialist Teacher(No. 4) now out. 30p plus postage from the Other
328 Upper Street London NI. Balk orders fron Top Flut, 13 Bloomfield Road
Page 6 scan of this page
Labour lefts fail to against closures
Union democracy at risk disrupt flights
HOME NEWS
wait in TURNBULL
Twelve r cent of Merseyside's workforce, a staggering ฿5,000 peopic. are
The sackings and closure have not been in small isolated factories. branches of major national and international firms like Triumph (3250 redundancies), Lucas (1410). Courtaulds (1700), CBC-English Electric (560), (400)
Cammell Laird (11D).
STARTLING
A startling pattern emerged of management provoking strikes which have then been used to justify closure. Documents in the possession of the Runcorn Guardian show
begun to gather momentum in the union.
HICKEY
elected offices bave signed a
statement supporting the con-
Ference, to be held in Oxford
on 8 April. They are calling for
'maximum pressure to be put
on the relevant regional
national bodies"
disciplinary measures.
At Rover Solihull, the 5/909
branch and tbe TaG
Hewards have voted to send
delegates.
DETERMINED
The union officials appear
determined pursue
present course of pulline the
eleven on trial for "bringing the
union into disrepule. They are
attempting 10
the charges, but are trying to
get motions of support ruled
out of order-on the grounds
that the matter is sub
the properly constituted bodies
of the unicat.
In any case, they point out,
the Cowley members have the
right of appeal to the appeals
comunittee. In effect, they are
saying that the memocramp
should now be involved in the
12pc unemployment on Merseyside
build action
THE BIG topic of conversation in Liverpool pubs the last pay night was not how the team would play at Wembley, but which factory would next announce it was closing and shifting production to the Midlands.
In the past month, more than 7,500 workers have been told they will lose their jobs. Theres MARK
queues, writes
that Leyland bosses deliberately caused the I7-week strike ar Speke plant purpose.
OMINOUS hit Birds Eye workers have been given the same treatment. A strike by engineers led to the lay off of and all the Just before they settied the engineers claim, insisted that 456 production workers tave to accept redundancies a has of the return to work.
Ominously for future trade union organisation, include tive bf the seven stewards, together with
Defend Cowley militants
in Leyland
THE CAMPAIGN to defend the 11 Cowley militants under attack by the Transport Union bureaucracy has
The conference called to discuss the vicimisation
senior stewards and dranch of from shorite PAT
senior stewards and branch officials, writes
More than ninety holders of | issue. The union structures can deal with it.
In this way. the effectively hope with laying the conducting the inquiry, hear and ing case, stop appeals, The membership will sentence and then be expected to accept the result in silent reverence.
SNOT But the membership is not prepared to accept this attempt to curt the power of the shop Порг.
The union policy at Leyland is one of complete support for management, which is threatEbeir ened by independent activity from the shop floor, The union leadership knows that it cannot continue Justify Jiving standards, dundancies, and impose speed So the independence of the shop stewards judice Lions aod the branches has to be reduced.
DEMOCRACY Becuuse the shop stewards organisations element of direct democracy, the officials want them to have
convenor. CELC workforce of 12,000 rallied to fight the redandancies In the face of management threats to close the plant, however, shop stewards backed down, and agreed to accept thie original redundancies
ERIC HEFFER
closure it a Tune, lar
pool Trades Council agroed to call a conference to discuss the
steadily conference has been extended to cover the local unemploy ment situation as a SETIC TRIE The invited
workers. hardly be relied upon to give
Many lead. Top of the bill will be Liverpool's Labour lefts: Eric manageCEI women would dale, their contribution to the Hefter and Eddie Loyden. To
fight against closures has been Catchen, Varley and Michael restricted Edwardes, and 456 ment debate at
plant's Heffer considers the situn
tion so serious that he calls Saturday, Centre, Oxford.
an little power as possible Even the weak and ineffectual Leyland Combine Committee is pot given official recognit10n.
Defence of
officials members priority for all 1&G members mILS 1o get away But wider issues are raised by
charges, this atlack. The bodies of the
union have for too long been passing thie able to ignore the wishes of tbe rejecting the
Icmосга. full-time sbould be and recall and made accoun
EARL DEMAND WE
WITH DECENT
PENSION
idefinitely to cut
accept re-
for a Minister for Merseyentire side!
Merseyside factories to win trade unionists to mass action against the closures. They haven't organised Labour Party.
The Trades Council ference will not stop the tot through cosy corridors of united action on the ground
Production of the grown, without sort AbOVE available work. everyone whole. speakers of their own crisis.
with ment: Sunday, an adjournWestminster.
Street, Liverpool l "Democracy under threat in the IGWU"
Conference open to all T&G members Conley Community Centre, Oxford & April, 1pm, at Cowiey Community
Conference details from: P. Cullen, 23 Overmica Green, Blackbird Leys, Oxford
table to the ENCELLYCH
tbe Cowley officials be first present, Any emerging from its task, organise the tight officials subject to cloction to defend the Cowley
HE
RETIREMENT FOR
JTH N
INDEE DUNDEE: 5000 workers responded to the call for a 2 hour strike against unemployment which is currently running at over 9 pe cent. The protest was organised by Dundee Trades Council and becked by the Scollish Trade Union Congress.
These lefts" haven't visited
the
Con
chats in power Only against all redundancier would do that. Action which needs to centre on such policies as ans
working week to share ali, bine concerned should irresponsible* insist the bosses bear the brunt
twe years.
TRADES COUNCIL
Liverpool Trades Couscil jols conference against unemploy-
April, 10.30am, Everyman Theatre.
Hope Street, Liverpool Dele SEYCHEES gate applications 1o: Liverpool
Council, VICTORS the membership Policy making must cease to be
sole property of the and conference and decisions carried out by the
-not flouted an ar Гастоту. defence committee the DErand conference should, as part of
consider such
questions. But the first job is
mem
bers. The fight has just begun ment
DEMAMO
35 HR
WEEK
the
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 197B page B THE LUCAS Aerospace Com- deferred.
Stewards Committer condemned as socially
management plans to suck 2000 of their 12000 workforce over the next
sedition to the Victor works in Liserpool where suBe
are threatened Lucas plan to close their nubi mitter
factory at Hemel Hempstead and the foundry in The stewards point aut that Lucas made E72m in profits whatever Tast year and had 15om of tax
Oil rig strikers
torigs
THE MATHER AND PLATT oil rig electricians, who have been on strike for two months. stepped up their action last week when they gathered to picket their employers' headquarters in Manchester, report DICK DAY and PAT KANE
Support in the Mather and Plant works had dwindled due to the lack of backing from the union leadership in the plant
strike-breaking from the bosses. The strikers followed the picket with a taken accupation of part of the
but despie these
efforts there was little respanse
trom the workers in the plant.
TEMPTATIONS
The oil companies hase been
able to prevent the develop
shop steward
organisation on the ries in the
past by the simple expedient of
shipping troublesome workers
Back to shore and bringing in a
rew team of workers.
temptation of high salaries anu
the problem of high unemploy
ment has made it easy for the
contractues to recruit scabs
But by refusing to go away.
Mather and Platt cie-
ticians have become a test case
for the future of trade umorism
in the North Sea. Their action
in picketing Aberdeen Airport,
the normat wanst point for
flights to the rips, has forced
the oil companies to find
alternative arrangements.
So far only 12 scabs have been
taken out to the Brent and
Dunlin rigs, where the clectri-
cians were working. And they | King. Street, Aberdeen
had to be flown was from
JOHN STOREY. Time Out
Manugement consistently refused to discuss the stewards 'alternutive corporate plan which proposes new socially useful products to compensate for the decline in defence airders.
With the present level of unemplasinent Lerpool area', says a Combine Com-
spoke person. *the company's decision is nothine shurt of indestrial sululage. The Combine Committee will sapport the sites incolved in
action they STEENS necessury"
Ginsgow via Bergen in Norway
Strike support commilices inal
existin No way CHIS
contacted to build solidarity
action.
SUPPORT
Ine absence of real support
hom the BETPU (as the strike
goes into its eighth week it is
still unucficinty leaves it op to
the rank and file trade unionist
to make the suke a succes
Trade - 17 InL ail
industry. and distri
to throw their
weight beind the trike.
Support committees have
been ser up in Manchester and
Aberdeen can
contacted at- 12 Moorland,
Jarrow. Тупе •and Wear, Tel:
Baldon C/0
Boomtown Bookshop, 186
Page 7 scan of this page
Letters to and from the SWP
ANTI-RACIST IN BRIEF
4
March
1978
Dear Comrades Socialist Workers Party,
Tha South Wesk London IMG
discussed the Lambeth Central by-election ang the matter of standing a united socialist candidate.
The resurgence of racism, the defeats suffered by the J rumen end ine mineis betrayal by the TUC of the
Grunwick Strikers, continuing unemployment. Increasing cuts and the renewed attacks
the serious situation facing the working class: and its allies.
This by-election however, provide an opportuniy to snow iat inore 15 a Bocialiat alternative to LEDOU gaverinent s TORAN DOlC RS 210 A80 aVr. the left a real chance to bulid local SULAICE racism, cuts, unemployment etc
A joint candidate, enjoying the support all militants and organisations -WaRO CanaR & unHOd light back, could be a real step forward in this area
The IMG therefore proposes that the SWP organisen with Socialist Unity, other organisations and as many independent militants as possible = meeting in Lambeth Central to discuss the adoption of such a candidate. At this meeting
people nominaled could put forward their programme
after democratic BS0-a THC ECODe marE coulo vote tor a candidate of
choice The meeting COE 0120 elect a steering committee to organise campaign Such a committee
would be respons/ble
who support campaign.
The IMG assures comtades of the SWP that it would abide by the majority vote at this meeting and if the comiade elected was from the SWP, or any other revolutionindependent litant, i would organisation, DUt Is Ju! resoUrceS politically and organisationally, behind the Nor would we insist on that candidate on Sociallst Unity ticket. would suggest that candidate adopted should Biand 83 a 80ci8hs1 but he or she would of course be able in the manitasto, to state what it
mombers of,
Next Thursday 9 March at
porters in this area are holding a publ meeting in the late CanuB rorary, brixton uval.
standing candidato in the election. LIA LEONADES OELASF support the idea of having candidate backed by ail tha HICH HABICH THNH SII propose to the meeting that a speaker trom the SWP HIVEI advertised speaker, who Is Bob Pennington, a member ot па носто селпіло оп assures us that he wil prepared to give half the time AHO CO TIM TO SCHAR
from Pleaso contact us at the abov a0mie8s 10 lel us mick yout attitude to this letter.
regards, Lambeth Area IMG
OPEN FORUM
10
March
1978
the LASTWEEK's Socialist Worker
announced that we would be TanGa OI BorUCs ooil0 of Flamel, as a Flame/Socialist Worker Party candidate In TOnCOm D Central by-alection. As there will almost certainly be two other black anti-asolst candi detes standing IW.
Block and a Maoist we would the
standing and our attitude to Socialist Unity, In fact we sen! 8 delegelon from the Brixion
ElP o hp su mein n
SWP Brixton on Thursday to do just that, but thanks to police intervention the meeting shambies. So we would like to dors. use thia opportunity to make
ourposition clear.
The SWP has a stronger base reac- Lambeth
BoOCmOnC0O wO WODEg branches] : than any revolutionary ROO NOnAR BOOn Om nORTEn struggles over racism, police narassment, unemployment. RAG N MOLSHA AS0UOs. EUI those we also share the concern of
Racialist Unity supporters and of thousands of uncommitlod socialists that we should avoid splitting the forces of the left in Geretor been distubed by the possible. We Ny onsa BooraRcn0 L v-election. Take Bob Per ningion's letter in last week's 006I8I55 Gha lenge @xample. Heinites the SWP to discuss the question of a joint CorIol. Yot noony dwee! before this was printed we had already agreed to meet the IMG
Nor is this the first time we have had such discussions. In the the GLC elections of last year
we met the SU and SUSPO TICI candidate Piers those Chat ime wembs Cinte oul Corbyn in Lambeth Central. the
Inar we intended to contest the constituency urselves at the the Parliamentary:
and we hoped that we would be able to avoid running gainst each other.
So when we agreed to meet the IMG we expected a serious BESGISSHAI WETTLI CROT7 stand. Instead we were faced
with a virtual fail accompli. We were informed het the MG had already been conducting negotiationa with the West THEM BOOK ON CrEons0on the which describes Itsolf as
'social mavement" and which TREDE
Beir cindito had g rhed
thair candidate with ihe SU. Tha IMG 1011 us In no doubt that they would be supporting the WIB, and there-
taking the discussions any further. Anyone who attendec •TO OU MaCune In DAOn. Bd heard the WIB candidate speak could also be in no doubt that .OCEN backing.
We find this a little ditticult to understand. TOT AC also quite clear from the WIB candidaies spoach, and from teir annoncemene In
WIB's politics RAG CORUSRO OR IRR CHECE be issue of black
they nave nothing to say. to a on leland which was one of the SWP. three points of agreement with
SU that the IMG stressed to us, the WIB comrade equaled the IRA with the Unioniste. If SU DACKS geinst the clear revolutionary position represented by Tony
Bogues,
interpret this as a soctarian manouevte which will make the buliding of real socialist unily Sha MuCh maTA oCUl We were also astonished at the procedure adopted for the 'selecilon" of SU candidatas No attempt was made to find out who
whether they had any connection with the area, or had any SEnOUS MENnOn Doa for the candidate selected. We noticed that nearly hall of the LOOCHE people wnd signeo me contac
Sheet were from outside ambeth, and that there wer SAVORNI LODOUr PaRY MOmDEn
Prem Latei Cen cal Hoor
Lambeth CAN MAY CECIOO WO SOUl stand against their own party?
travesty of democracy. meeting in Our position is that wo are
not propared to stand joint candidates with SU, or enter
was SU and its unique 'democratic'
CCOU CS But prepared to enter iscussions with SU and oth SOCIETE avoid standing area IwO ther. The logic of this is the
we are prepared to withdraw or
other NOT TO SAne n CICUMSARCs organisation, where we are convinced tha
(anther candidale with a beller base in the area and whose politics we Com SUPPOr
aRe me nappy
have agreed to
election
should
agreed
Preston
pickets
PRESTON Trades Concil is Dromised SU
March many local trade unions are WONS already boycotring, is a meeting
Place and activity centre for the National Front, that the The trader counci decisian reformist Foliows six monchs of debate on
sell-defence
and
AS ANTICIPATED, the Middesbrough by-election ended in victory for the 1 abour candiDue wete masarer deertace majority aver the Tory runner up.
Communist Party reccived L.5
wel Central must approaching Tony was at the meeting current Dy-election represented, LINDA QUINN DANNY PHILLIPS (Lambeth SWP)
the
whole procedure is a
Star
WY U nto serioi
organisations gains! gach
Dear Comrades, appears Thursday's socialist Morning
GROUP
Mb ALEW
Aircraft Corporation.
Activists in Scor's pub, Friargate, Preston.
Middlesbrough
altd. 1.7
Socha ie Losad the per cent.
It is on this basis that our Sammy
will be Socialist Unily МАНТІН and other sociallat organies.
Tor the general gloction, and ir the same light we call upon the
tenge in Lamoein to leke e principled position and sup-
Bogues in the meeting
whether
An open
DVISIOn
letter to
Morning
From Petar Porteous lo the TOUC SCU. editor of the Morning Star. 60nMa1S
Monday's trom last CReSTInn SENF. left Star that the Com-
munist Party will be standing a candidate in the coming
by-election the principle of No platform The NF is running a very active campaign in the area agains the trades council and the belt i the Engineering Union, fronte
mensber Michael Scou, a fitter ar the British
union deportarion branch have responded to his recent unsuccessful altempt to pet elected ta the trades coule; by launchine a campaige for his
Picket assembles at 6.30pm on LEDILE SLICH country30 March outside the Warerloo
BPIC. 301 Following London Wil. active campaten by loca anti fascists and Socialist Linity, the NF cote was held down Io 4.5
Barr convenor shop stewards at Scotstoun
Just over three weeks ago,
wE
scottish secreler or ine Com munist Party urging & joint
Not Scot:
TOMONA CACTUNOO tish committees, lo discuss
should the Communist Party dec ide to stand a candidete, lo
display of di sunity on the left.
It seemed to us, then and now nat in view or the lodr bf unemployment, increasing attacks on shopf|oor organisation and on women's rights,
growth of the National Front. coupled with TEE HITAC MQ DSMA TOBE wing leadership of the trade union movement to mount a serious lightback on any these issues, that a united left was and is essentiel If further defeats are to be avoided.
Unfortunataly no reply was
Now coording Party SLOTSE secretary Jack Ashton fin las
Glasgow Herald)
NA O COSIVSOR CILIE
Garscadden only candidato of tha lelt with long-lerm strategy
Like Sammy Barr, 1
Deportation threats
THE BLACK People's Informalion Centre in West London is circulating an open lester demanding that Home Secretars Merlyn Rees revokes his
Pander against Sarah Tindu Kusuh. Sbe has livew an antaen woce ner cmohood und has twe childres aged 14 and 12. botb bora in this
CUMERE SITESNS TACOS ration laws, ber hushund's decision to leave Brituin in 1974 after some 23 years' residence SENES HEATSNY HEAT TCId here. Further information from
Portobello Road.
ALSO UNDER threat froin Britain's race laws in Verghese Vackii, a Lahour candidare in London's forticomins local concil elections. Varkii, who
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 7 ECTS SHOu SWAin Yanows and a member of the Glasgow Central EETPU aneT ComE ILSE ilher San SNP' neither the candidațe ACI BOYC right-wing Labaur LATICE H
aiso a lawyer
- TNS an Hie LOOT V rIC people of Garscarden on the real issues chat affect thair
unemplayment. Da housing, a woman's right to choose and so on
For this rason, I would appeal to all Communist Party TETA1O consider BUILE agein the possibility DE Ar ungent meeting of the executives of our twa organisations
TSELSS •ROTIOE during the campaign
discussed COUR InC We SOnans woman's right to choose — as Bovey has alrady made
on an anti-abortion platform the rise in Glasgow bus tanes during the campaign, already the highest in Europe, and a
light youth unemployment
Left unity is more than lust & slogan t i casendar Ir inc working class ig not to suffer further defeats
Tours roternany
Peter Portebus, SWP pariamentary candidate, Garscad. is stadiog in the Belsize Ward
SWAHCE NI voluntary community worker.
Verghese Varkii and his wite Meena were served with a denoraton order 19s AuguSt two days betore they would have boen resident for five yeats and immune from depor tation. The Varkiiy" Britishborn -SOR Sonu was hospi talised for 6 months on a vuit CID InUl mysterious feser. This orly disappcared on his retum to Euland
Appeating before a hame
ICK VIT HERH LERICIE deporlation to India could Ease further diascous effects on his son's health. The appeal was adjourned for independent I medical evidence
Page 8 scan of this page
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page B LAST week's events overshadowed the 11 March Palestinian commando operation which served as their pretext. But the raid on Tel Aviv is important because it reveals the depth of the crisis in the Palestinian movement, argues M. JAFAR.
Presumably the PLO leadership saw the raid as a way of asserting its existence and forcing the Israelis to retaliate thereby undermining Sadat's diplomatic initintive.
The PLO coming into
With the raid it most have sought to reverse the disillusionment in
own ranks marginalisation after the defeat in the Lebanese civil war.
At the same time it needed to prove
WHETHER through ignorance or for political reasons, press has not released details of the Palestinian raid Into Israel on 11 March. In this report from Tel Aviv HEL WARSCHAWSKY explains that many of the civilians dead were killed by bullets.
The Palestinian commando, including at least two women, managed to
nflatable cances.
Their aim was to land at Tel Aviv and to take hostages at one of the hig hewels to be relcased in exchanee for five Palestinian political prisoners. For reasons which are still unclear they landed about 60 kilomelres from Tel
Deciding to carry operation, the Palestinians hijacked two buses and, ficiog all along the
PLO raid on Israel
have
of the Sadat initiative.
resistance intransigence. The
was on the
The Isracl
settlements and an hard
The truth on the bus killings
TOULAS. they the kilometres full Tel Aviv.
MICcommando's advance
Isracli •DUCE WCTE
included the Tsraelis held The Isracli
wounded.
which,
Including many children.
with the
still unclear.
A desperate move
itself militarily to its new found allies in the Front of Steadfastness and Rejection' (an alliance of Libya, Iraq,
Algria and the Palestinian organizations) established in the wake
The problem was mat the pee calks between Egypt and Israel had already broken down because of Isracu
Bonus the breakdown was clearly on Begin who weaton, but also inside Traly delensive
cabinet was seriously split on the question of the Sinai
underswell popular irritation at Regin's positions was developing even inside Israci
Tbe PLO's mud changed all this in one fell swoop. Il gave Begin the opportunity he sa desperately needed.
LOCO casualties. soutbern Lebanon
covered 50 berween the Michael kibbutz and the outskirts of
The roadblocks put up by the Isracli forces were unahle to stop them for more than an hour. It was only when they arrived at to Ave mar
was halted. the Palestininns entering Tel Aviv by any means necessary. Any means necessary
sacrilios of dozens of hostage the bus. authorities announced nearly 40 dead and more than 100
The great majority were hit by the bullets of the Isracli soldiers who fired for more than ten minutes on the bus
nearly cilians.
A number of them were killed when the bus blew up for reasons which are
occupied, destruction of all PLO bases
the south, and hundreds thousaids of new Palestinian and Lebanese refugees. Thir is just the begioning of the price the Arab masses are having to pay
The question is bound to he asked: was it worth i? The ANSWEr 15 categorically: no.
The 11 March operation was crudely conceived is part of an 'armod peoples struggle TOt the liberation Palestine.
But hopeless and desperate suicide missions are a long way from the mobdisation of the masses in their hundreds of thousands to struggle for a common aim.
ISOLATED
The PLO is seriously isolated from which it still has forces
Many villagers in southern Lehanon who bals yesterday fought with the PLO in the civil war, are loday arming themselves and barricading villages against the entry of the PLO
helpless and Palestinian refugees.
The Lebanese mass movement and Jeft organisations, who were pulverised blanse
In Beirut during the civil war the PLO acred more like an Lebanese passes have not Targotten these things.
PRIORITY
The burning priority of every
responsible Palestinian evolutionary is ta mend the bridges that have been
cu: between the Palestinian masses, and the rest of the Arab population.
For, It this problem is not tackled in
Jordan, Egypt and the rest of the won't be a Palestinian movement worth speaking about.
powers have
ISRAELI occupation of southera Lebanon is now well under way. In the early hours of 15 March infantry brigades and heavy armoured units comprising some crossed along the whole length of the Israeli-Lebanese broder, M. JAFAK reports.
naval and air bombardment of the Lehanese coastline north as the camps of Damour and Ouzai Just south of Beirut.
casualties and vel anather exodus 10 the north of 160,000 new refugees to be added on to the 200,000 Palestinian refugees from previces wars and the 250,000 Lebanese made hanseless by the civil war in Lebanon
people,
DESTRUCTION
The PLO 11 March operation on. Tel Aviv furnished the Zionist state with the Jaunching a project bat must have been planned from the days of the civi war, if not before.
could not have been organised in a fou daTie Zionist Icadershit seems to he going for an all-our destruction of the
last remaining Palestinian bases ano stroopholds in the south of Lebanon,
Solidarity
homeless WTTHIN days of the Israel Ivasion of southern Lebanon Arab stadents and socialisis were London to condemn the aggression. PLO. Already there successful pickets occupying Embassy, with over 50 people on each The
Next week we
appeal hy
Committee for further actions. It is hoped these will include a mass rally und a campaign in the National Union of Students to secure the release of Ramas Al-Rhase, & former Presideer of the Lebunese Stadent Union who was sounded and detained by the Isracli army. volumes For the nature of the Isrueli state. It is vital that Zionism is made to suffer political Resastance intermationally labour anovement.
ISRAE
MURD
EXPA
As we go to press Israeli troops are still pushing northwards already far beyond their self-proclaimed "buffer zone", shelling and murdering the Palestinians and civilian population as they go
It is an act of such flagrant aggression that even the Western
felt obliged lo make
But they will do nothing to stop the murderous march Zionist state is their creature.
the
25,000 soldiers changing DOUCHE Lebanon, in a
The invasion was backed by heavy Zionist state.
reaching as lar TELL
This
Latest reports speak af aloost 1000
and Palestinians presence there
All this in a country of 2.5 million
militia Bul it is
Pierre cacuse for
A military operation on such a scale
DOUBTS
Already
Its very
La classica
organising in The PLO have been two apparatus.
will report on the Palestine Solidurity Arab left — result of the civil war.
The occupution of Lebanon speake
defent, and in the British
INTERN
disapproving noises - for the Only the solidarity of the
which the Syrians had found politicall convenient to lense more or less sota En the aftermath of the civil war an
initiative Israel seems to be aware that it objectives cannot be achieved in single short ten military operation.
towards permanentl; what was an unstable status quo in southe direction comparibl will the long term interests of the
STALEMATE
what Israeli premier Heg nicant when he spoke on 15 March O the creation of a "security belt" in th south of Lebanon and the need to come to a diplomatio arrangemen about getting rid of the Palestinia
There do not appear to be man could negotiate a political pact. Thi extreme right wing of the Christia
forces lod by Camille Chamous, is one possibility
unlikely they would b Joined by the much larger Phalangi militia units led by the more astute
Gemayel, whose politic ambitions are more far reaching political stalemate is therefore likely
The PLO will continue its atlemp to wage a guerrilla war of attritio against the occupying Israeli am
the Palestinian milita command is gearing itself up for thi with the assistance of the Syrian a
to this the PLO really has no cho
existence
There must he - serious doubrs on thi ability of the PLO to sucosshully wi
Torm of rural guerrill war lare for any time
is an organisation full-tine professional fighers, with top-beasy urban based hureaucrat
sympathy of the lebanese popularis
their actise
This sad fact Frequently been overlocked by
the heavy-handed which the Pl.O conducted itself dur
HELPLESS
Even before the civil war the PLO support among the southern peasan bad been steadily 1C2odina as the villages were exclusively used to laund
while th population was left helpless to face i THELENDE IRAND
Page 9 scan of this page
MHIONAL
L'S
Palestinian masses căn do that.
zone never seen before in this country.
The prodictable result is the almost COER ISCH8T3OO OI TDC FLO TrOa al
sectors of the Arab 1 евилол, Joouan, ао Lay u-
TOKEN
Even among the Palestinian refugees
the active support enjoyed
NUPSELIUIRUI organisations
1967 and 1970 has become much more
passive. Ias striking, Tor example, that
in 1972 and 1573 the PLO
could call upon handreds of thousands
to demonstrate in the wreets of Reirul,
the best it could mester in the wake of
Sadat's vinit to Jerusalem was a pititul
4-6,000.
Tho prospocts for guerritla warfare
in such circumstances cannot be much
of Syrin and the other memhers of th: a wory Isracii
ETOn DE SicoTas ness and Keconen
will give token support to the PI.O.
WONE gu any:
Its reaction lo the invasion and even
Iesir senes soun o deirut tas beeo
Boticcably mild.
SCIEE DURS
building up its military arsenal from
EROUS
NSION
International labour movement and the resistance of the Arab and
On these pages M. JAFAR, NIGEL WARD and MICHEL WARSCHAWSKY assess the importance of this latest episode in Israeli expansionism, accompanied by pictures from the battle
atrerapring massesin
the question
all the Probably this will follow DELWEEU "diplomaric
Israeli territorial expansion.
ZEALOTS
pointed oUt
ancient Israelites Penrua ever Wiss
PUCLACT.
their ariDy wil concentrate 0b
the Sovier Union and simultaneausly
reap benefirs of Sadat's failure to make any ncaawas wan tac soonis enactsap ou
of settlemsent.
so faur the Zionist estan isluoenl ha. sparod us referencos to the pro-Biblical land of the ancient Isractites exrending
ly his wil toled aben tee
when arcangement' falls through, just as it has in every other
Southeri Lebanou. i should be
Jor those whose knowledge of the old testament is not what ic used to be, was much more integral a component of the land of the
the Sinai 30.M) years aga!
The archacclogists, Biblica] scholars end salets of the Gush Emunim will no doubt be following in the wake of
with much invaluable documentation on this subject as new Tactf grow old in Southern Lebanon.
1947
"THEY take our land. Why? For security reasons!
*They take out jobs. Why? For security reasons!
Why not? For security reasons!"
Walter Schwarz, The Arabs in Israel, 1959 A glimpse of the map of the Middle Fast over the lust thiriy years shows une thing very clearly - the emergence and continuing expansion of Israel, writes NIGEL WARD.
ln its carly sears, this expansionism had two motives. For the Zionists, the aim was colonisation. Swollen by the horrors of fascism in. Europe, mosement had ils chance to bepin to realise its goa the creation of an exclasively Jewish state.
The Jewith population grew from under 100,000 in the 1920's to 700,000 by 1948 and then doubled in three years in the arca of the state of Israel at that time.
EXPULSION
As Joseph Weitz, head of the Colonization Department of Jewish Agency, said. *It should be ceapies to tive in thi gountror boh popes o ame ms couy une (Arab) village. not one tribe must remain. They must he moved to Irag. Star ee Tandrin.
Arab inhabitants
Palestine thas incant carante ni repression and the disappearance nearly hall their settlements within the boundaries of Israel.
1948
The foundation of Israel:
No room for the Arabs
*And when we ask them how it happens that we, our lands and our jobs threaten the security of the state — they do not tell us.
At the some time, US imperialisen took the opportunity to and a state which was prepared to act, out of it Dwn interests as g block on the rise a the Arab national movement.
RAIDS this After the carly colonisation, the expansion of the Isracli scate continued under a further pressuTe. inevitable that it would confront the IREUBH!
Since the 1950s, the Israeli state has conducted regular villages. With the backing of Moshe Dayan, special units were created for this purpose, operations being the dynamiting of the dozens of Arab houses in the village of Kibye in 1953.
AGGRESSION
Such operations continued for vears of and provided the backdrop to the Suez war and the war od 1967 The invasion of southern Lebanon today is also defended from the point of view of 'security". It'is just the larest
ageression
Claics.
COlOnialE neriod of
For, given the conditions Arab masses.
T'ITSLI-
liberation struggle
of great value.
raids Arah
OEUISCIE first River,
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March. 1978 page 9
1967
example of the Bracli Zionist cat chasing its own tail in a never ending spiral of expansionismn and military
A Zionist state in permanent and ocroie conic aien. Ene surroua ding Arab population is incapable eyen
Ouly wbee the Zionist V0ot 0 the cortici defeated will there be a future for the Hebrew speaking population
There are also very specific reasons why the Israelis. interested in dominating the south of Lebanon up to the Litani River, beyond their desire to me a msay deicar oa te Palestinian liberation foroes and hand Oul aDore om00y Tecson
the Israelis bave always Taced a shortape of fresh water, s0 a major river such as the Litani would be
EXPANSION
Secondly, religions Zionists claim a biblical iustitication for their occu-
In 1956 David Ben Gurion had a plan for re drawing the map of the
envisaged the expansion of lirael to include the West bans ame Lcoaton souto or toc Lhan
along with the creation of u SIRE MIRTORHC EI CHNCSCLIITISILI
With the changing situation in the region today, this scheme no longer H3S0 CLICURPS
Page 10 scan of this page
The strange confessions of the barracks bombers'
IRELAND
John Joseph Burke.
1 THE QUESTIONING OF JOHN JOSPEH BERKE ANYONE famitiar with interrogation tactics in the North of Ireland knows that from time to time prisoners jump out of windows, beat themselves up. and burn themselves with cigarettes.
as do their counterparts in South Alrica when they are asked to exo ain injuries received by prisoners in their
But in the questioning of 17-yearold Burke a new variation of familiar theme was offered by the police. According to identical statements made by Detective Constables George Richardson and Robert Miller this is what occurred on 17 January last year.
'During the interview at 3.45pm, I (Miller) informed Burke bombs .E Ebringion Barracks in July 1916 when a soldie will under caution and Be teplied s still under caution and he teplied had nothing to do with it"". point Burke appeared to get very nervous and started shaking. "He started shouting that his father was dead and that he heard noises in his head. At this point he suddenly jumped out of the chair and dived with his head at partition SHEET VIEW subsequently smashing it.* According to the police, Burke was then taken back to his cell. TOO ATOR signed a statement which the police ANICE NES CIAL UP DEL DEESE was later to withdraw his confession and in court he pleaded not guilty. claiming he had been forced to sign the statement. The "confession" was the only substantive evidence offered against Burke.
EDMUND HARRIN GOE THE AS WITH BURKE, Harkin was to sten a confession drawn up by the
What's
Left
Han April: Pant Poor a Vera on BROADSIDE
State terrorism in Ireland
EDMUND HARKIN received jail sentences totalling 165 years last month in Belfast. It was the largest cotal handed out in the last ten years in the North of Ireland. The judge recommended that Harkin should serve a minimum of 25 years. He and two other men were found guilty of various offences involving explosions and the blowing up of a soldier.
By studying documented evidence produced by the prosecution at the trial and talking to various witnesses, Socialist Challenge has pieced together the story of the interrogation and trial of Harkin and the two other accused men, Thomas Joseph Murray and
It is a salutary tale of how justice is practised in the North of Ireland, GEOFF BELL reports.
police, but
complete lack of detail facts which
wish to
statement said. can't remember
we were
Military
At this two days after his confession':
LARGE BRUISE
the plate glass room,
The and
spine.
understand me.
man TOr
told to leave.
And
Harry Moshare intreduction 10 Capital and of Tany Chitt on Lenin. from 17 Hornsey Park Riced. Lenden NO.
TRADE UNIONS AND APARTHEID
1.305
ROADGANG (Socialist Feminiet міти сетриту годалев
experienced Touch Tapist or someone
allegedly based information freely given by Harkin. This confession' is remarkable for its
- Important Harkin 'couldn't
Harkin couldn't remember" who told him to make up the bombs, or where he made them up, but this it could be argued is because he didn't
implicate otters Yet according to the statement be also 'couldn't remember' whether be bad made the bombs in a house or a shed, what type of equipment he had used in him making them. 'I gave the bombs to the boys who were to plant them,' the
*All they had io do
exactly whar
Now of course it could be that Harkin had simply a bad memory, but consider the extreme vagueness of this
in the contert or the following statement which has heen made available to Socialist Challenge by the first person to visit Harkin after his questioning on 2 February
'Edmund did not recognise me for a few minutes and he appeared to me to be under the influence of drugs. His eyes were dazed. He sat down at a morning table and 1 asked how he was. He showed me a large bruise on the top of his shoulder, at the base of his neck. When he pulled up his shirt there was extensive bruising on his ribs and
"His hair appeared to have been AULICE LOSe CLEAT IT ST and was soaking with water... Tasked Edmund if he had complained about bis treatment and be did not seem to
extremely sleepy. I asked the police-
explanation Edmund's state and at this point I was
No other visitor was allowed to see
willing to leem. 35 hour week, 55e
Mander's alanding Stane about 20I00001 DETER oming monihs. Marr 3,4,5 in Ecut Lanchesie 25,24 in workaline and 27,8s dune an
maicings un
EDMUND HARKIN Harkin for three days. He was later to tell friends that during questioning he was shown a list of charges and
isked to take your pick of the ones
ic was to confess to. Harkin was late to withdraw bis confession, claiming ill-treatment, and that he signed a statement which he had no part in writing or giving details for. would certainly explain the vagueness
withdrawn confession was the only substantive evidence ottered against
3 THE QUESTIONING OF THOMASJOSEPH MURRAY
THE PICTUKE presented in the questioning of Murray was of a young man who had been forced to carry the
'confession", dated 1B January 1976,
am not in any way connected with the IRA. I feel much happier now that 1 have got this cleared up and off my
So the impression is of a willing oonfessor pouring our all he can to the police. But the following day Murray
He was alleged to have said: 1 forgor to tell you last night that 1 cook anotber bomb into Ebrington. As E told you, I took in the first bomb that
and left it beside the workshed
"Well at dinner time the same day 1 went back out of Ebringion Barracks and went to the same house 1 collected the first bomb from.
Murray's statement then goes on to But does a planted are und to th mage presented in Murray's first
our all he knew as soon as he coult?
had forgotten planting a sscond homh. Conven-
for the police, this is exactly what the second statement says Murray, too, was later to withdraw his "confession.
ensicalng
suppanars an urged te on San, 26 Maros
teachers
INTERNATIONAL Socialists Ferolut one
4 THE TRIAL
WHILE THE three remand, Edmund
Mason, Secretary other things of the length of time i was taking for the case to come to court. She received a reply from the Northern Ireland Office, which read: *You say you were informed that it could take a year for your brother to be brought to trial. unlikely. There have been cases where a long delay has occurred and this is very much regretled, but the majority of cases are dealt wich in under six months. Many more are cleared up in a matter of a few weeks In fact it took exactly a year for the case to be heard.
Usually they police think they will have difficulty proving a case against, but who can b locked up more Police uncertainty appears to be present in the Harkin case.
PLEA BARGAIN
Socialist Chullenge understunds rhat during the trial, Harkin's lawyer was approached by the prosecution who prontised that if Harkin would plead guilty to the explosion charges. charge of murder for the soldier killed in the explosion would be dropped.
The cugeestion was also made that it Harkin co-operated, the police would speak an his Harkin refused the offer, but Murray
Po
about
wanty-onD Mrs voted against
howay doose to siscuss gran
Tues. 26 Manch lon Stract opposite Kilburn Scuare,
ART
Longer Tickots ao 1.50. 51 forclaiment
Unity o-l8 meters and elmers by Siven Marks. 2.30pm, 1 April at Swanhmore
men were on Harkin's sister than Harkin, of State
operate in the
This is most
INJURIES
Such long remands police surgeon
apply to suspects the his questioning.
on remand for a year and
certainly plausible" were self-inflicted
longest
the
been cauico
when asked by our
reporter wh
been deported, Mr Rees replied:
"Watch it, mate, or you'll be next.
In Parliament the Prevention of Terrorlam Act was renowed last wook.
THE CONFLICT in the Hernaf Afre
railed the area and will lead th
Rukennues 2о warn 3 0-00
17128 Percanello Foad Laun
Fi Canters
at dom on 24 March Entrance
RESISTANCE:
Mech 23.28,30 Marth Chile
Wilson
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 10 did change his plea to guilty. While it
was made by the prosecution with Murray. he did get a lighler sentence
and Police Inspector Riddle dic testify on his behalf.
The trial itself was presided over by Judge MacDermon Thanks to the odd standards of justice which
North of Ireland, the Judge was also the jury, He found all three men guilty; Harkin and Burke on the strength of their "confessions'; Mutray on his guilly" plea. Evidence which provided an alibi for Haikin was pot called by his defence lawyer, apparently because he dida t wish co implicate the witness,
But two doctors including a
did testify that Harkin had received injuries
Dealing with the allegation that the police had caused these injuries, the judge made the
. In his opinion, the injuries
And chat is how Edmund Harkin entered the record books for the
total sentence HITY "terrorist" in the North of Ireland Convicled on the strength of a confession that was withdrawn — is spite of prosecution uncertautly that the charpes would stick, and despite SNESS WHICh were Can mauser he caused by his interrogators
Just one more thing, It vou happe to visit a police station in the North of Ireland and see a smashed glass partition, rest assured that it wall have
who suddenly dived tbrough it head first.
the 21 MPs had
right
Racismo
FIGHT RACISM begger, self them tr committe
1, 8C. Bades, F.O.50 Lorcen Ni Cheques payable 10 1
Page 11 scan of this page
Like Dodge City on
crat leader Aldo Moro. Just a small indication of the | with the left parties. mindless hysteria the state Is fostering. The capitalat press is Tall of appeals for working class and anti-fascist unity!
against the Red Brigades by implication. the far-left in general.
The day after the kidnapping all the papers compared the event to an assassination at-
Commantst Party Jeader Togliatti in 1948L (Anna Libera's report from Rome on tis page shows how the most militant workers are not ready to he se casily hoodwinked.) SPECULATION
There has been the inevitable speculation Kidnapping was carried out by police or fascists as a pretext for military intervention and that the Red Brigades ure either a Tas cist organisation or the onwitting dupes of the lascists
There are precedents Arned Proletarian (NAP), an aried group which the Red Brigades base links, has been well infiltrated by the right.
And there is the example ol
'GRAPO, the shady Spanish group which kidnapped wo prominent figures a vear apo.
But without evidence specuTation is pointless. There has
been no 'official" Ked. Brigade
statement discimming respon-
sibility so presumably
approve of the set
EX-STUDENTS
I les the pattern. The Red
Brigades originated in che carly
1970s, mainly made up of for
met students who had taken
part in the struggles of the late
19605 and acre disillusioned
INTERNATIONAL
Italy after the kidnapping
On nearly every wall in Italy is a poster bearing the
photos of 12 Red Brigades suspects wanted for
questioning over the kidnapping of Christian Demo-
Of the 12, two have already come forward and
proved that they have no connection with the Red
Brigades; two are already in prison; one is a known
police agent; and one picture appears twice under
different names, writes RICHARD CARVER.
To start with these dispensers of popular justice had soing limited support in the factories and calleyes, but that soon began ta diss pare af their sraand, tegy became to provoke a fas cil coup to stimulate a revival st the left.
DEFEAT So, whether or not the Red Brigades are infiltrated by the • ripht. they are setting out with a counter-revolucionary goal •a conscicus bid to inflict a massive deleat on the workers" movereit.
Sol, their despair is explic able, if not delensible decade of the Red Brigade has also been one of chronic confusion on the far more importantly, rightward deft by the Comminist Party (PCİs It is hardly coincidence that the kidnapping The closely on the foretal cotry of Nuclei the PCi into the government with majority.
COMPROMISE
The "lucoric with Christian Democracy has been the party' aim ever since general ICI5I1Berkriguer, EECE LESS EAC tallere of the Chilean Popular Unity Governmeal was cause of its desire to move t00 thes fast, abenacing the capitalisa class and scare He resolved that this mistake should not be repeated in baby.
So keen was the PC to ente the governmental bloc that it coesn't care that it has no tepreser tatives in the soverement itself. This alone has angered many PCI supporters Hu: the problem is the go
a sunny Saturday
vernment programme and the Tact that the major workers' party is ready to govern alongside the captaine partyinged counterery This been the PCI's stock in trade for a while now, as it has supSUREL workers' johs and pay used its union confederation to stamp down on members who want to organise resistance.
But austerity strengthening to deal wi working oppositon, and it is the repressive clauses mental agrcement which have the most direct bearing on the The Moro case:
STRONG STATE Teft, and. of a rapid
This gutsuingers gives police almost unlimited power lo use firearms. It inTollowe creases judges power to Ictusc
attack arrested Ironically the PCI apposod the use of confine" compromise Like leuda banishment to a dis-
tant sland against the Maria. Then it was
Enrico an attack an civil lihernier.
Bat it's quite alright now its being used agains; lefi-wing (AC- STENCINE
PRETEXT
But if is hardly
Son with rhetoric about
public.
demonstrate
fortnight
still ar liberty.
LUNATIC
The Red has manner thrcats against the accacks Party. and
But ai50 means state powers class
goverla cage inside thie court.
gunmen
charler the PCI.
Red Brigades bail and police powers to arrest | back!
no the riches of those
rightist takeover which 3s The only
and isolated. when it was used
TERROR
velopine.
The Rod Brigade attacks do nothing to Mett Chese represe rather ches give a small in number, pretext lor strengthening state
surprising that people should despair of the possibility of calvanising the working ciass toro action
Traly
this one was
of the state,
killing
from Rome.
Toeling
tbose
rights still further.
on their
Lions
tools to bectings agains the state, for the PCI largest cloaks its backing for repres-
defending the democratic Re- TOE ERIE The Republic had a chance to Naples,
Tespect democracy in the Red Brigade case ially mial that opcaed in Turia a composition.
and was the immediate cause of the kidnap.
The trial opened after a wave lost in the crowd. of steria fostered by the state Afler Caided by the Red Brigades themselves) ahout the threat to justice posed by the guerillas
events:
Lists too.'
Brigades TEVE benaved in the most tunatic had hoped to use their martyr
parliculatly Radical smal! civil grooping) because one of the judges is a Radical meriter.
notbing jessities the state's treatment of the Red
They are raken to and fram the courtrooms chained together round the neck like slaves and kept in
There is no security rationale for this: there are more polico
thao City on a sunny Saturday. It is just an arrogant display state strength, fully backed by
And wey re turposed the
decided to hit
The Red Brigades have no. thing to offer the working class but a dead end tat best or a l
worst). reassuring thing
socialists
There is an opposition de
especially the - militants who stam!
for class struggie against the
class collaboration of the P'CL socialists,
still relatively Parly.
was forward for the working
The trapody is that shet the ones who will be hit hardest if the gate is allowed to get those
away with its terror can paign.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March. 1978 page 11
'Aldo Moro is
not one of us'
KIDNAPPING has become part of daily life in
over the past few vears. But the reaction to
different, not merely because it was aimed at the highest levels
but siso because it involved the
of five police.
ANNA LIBERA reports
Everywhere one goes there is
that time "somerbing has got to be done But then people are immediately divided between chose who favour draconian measures and
Teal authorities will simply use this opportunity to limit democratic
The massive reaction of the working class left no room for The ambiguity on this score. There was no sense of solidarity with Christian Democracy and state, but rather a feeling that behind this event lay an attack
democratic rights 30 yenrs DOWNED TOOLS
Without waiting for instruc
from their leaders workers everywhere downed
hold Immediate
On Thursday afternoon the
for several years took place in all
centres: 100,000 in 30,000 in Bologna, Milan, 20.000 In new 30.000 in Florenice...
These demonstrations were
working Rome, Lo: UNITY instance, the few white fags of the Christian Democrats were
all, Christian Democrats had condemned the general strike, and their leaders were furious at the turn of
WAS good
opportunity for sis.and then
the trade unions have to ge involved...and the Commun
The Christian Democrats arisen to improve their image. But it
The Moro family with the Holy Father In 1985
E Europe campaign
THE LABOUR mosensent and
should take the
defence of jailed dissidents in
Eastern Eerope out of the
hands of the right wing. This
was the message from the trade
founding meeting of the Fas
European Solidarity Campaige
on 6 March. wide spectrum fromo Comman Parts.
Socialist Workers Paris International Marxist Group
begin systematic defence of all Facing repression Eastern Europe and the Soviet
was an impossible task ever with the willing assistance the Communist Party leaders
"Aldo Moro is one of us?" the Communist mayor of Turn told demonstrators — Instead of the anticipated applause there came nothing but catcalls from sections of the crowd ant silence from the rest.
SILENCE
In Rome, where most of the
had COLLE straight from the factories and offices
silenice was still more impressive. Trade union leat ers reboubled their efforts to
tribute to Democracy, and apain there was no applause even though the sympathies of most of the crowd clearly lay Communist Party
predontinant feeling We Red Brigides me their was: certainly we are
- their terrorist methods, but we are also against the state and its party which has nurlured all the tetrorist enterprises of the last
*No, Aldo Moro is nat ane of us*, was the common response. •He an enemy. but оле against whom other netbodi of political struggle are called for than those emplosed -this
The truth of this has been shown by subsequent events not merely the gigantic police operation, but also the hurried vote of confidence given to the
Andretti Government without any discussion of its progranube.
National unity was invoked
by everyone from Berlinguer of
the Communist Party to the
neb-fascist Almirante, with the
only dissenting voices from the
handful of Radical Party and
Proletarian Democracy MPs
As a well-known Talian
Jourpalist recestly commented:
*If the Red Brigades had not
by themselves. -the
Talian bourgeoisie would have
had toinvent them.'
Union because they hase tried
to exercise democratle rights.
The campaiga hopes to guin
afflintion From socialist org
anisations, Labour Purts an
uniou branches anions. Individual
socialists can also Join
Eventoally the campaigo hupes
there will be local committees the Labour! throughout the countrs
The loading meeting deelded on immediate activits defend dissidents. Tiest be conference on and labour movement defence Fasters Europe on the leath anniversary of the Czechoslovakin.
Page 12 scan of this page
All the tricks in the book
Waiting for the bread package
French elections
primarily the result of a
The bourgeois coalition composed of the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR), the Giscardian Union of French Democracy (UDF), and a
of "independent bourgeois politicians - won 50.5 per cent of the vote (only 300,000 more than the Communist Party (PCF), Socialist Party (PS), and Left Radicals) but will control 290 seats in the new National Assembly, as against 201 for the len.
The right gained by mobilsing extra votes in the second round, where the turnout was two per cent higher than in the previous week. Its crude ante Communist campaign had the support of the mass media, to the extent that the trade unions vision stations protested and threatened to prevent normal news programmes from being broadcast.
SQUABBLING
President Giscard d'Estaing. who according to the constitution of the Fifth Republic Is sial subsing in the real
squabbling in the real world, intervened actively to bolster the right.
And all this "normal" bourgoois clection trickery compounded by a good dose of the abnormal': bribes, fraud, and s0.on.
Bus all these factors, which account for the wide variation in the number of seats held by the two blocs, do not fully
the disappointing showing of the left.
Almost exactly ten years after -SOLOMON Mahlangu of the
African National Congress of tenced to death by the The ANC Bas heid regime.
pointed out that this sentence is aimed at the South African
*Wie of the African National
Congress of South Africa re-
bemently condemn this
hurous conviction und
tence. We demund that the
INTERNATIONAL
The electoral victory of the right in France was
gerrymandered election system, writes GILLES GIACOMIN from Paris.
their betrayal of the movement of the working class in May 1968, the leaderships of the relormist workers parties have again betrayed their followers and suoDoTers.
The six months of Vicious palemie between theer minor leaderships Over details for a class collaborationist programme broke the
huilding up in the factories.
The workers, creasingly believed that their social strugales could find an outlet in the political defeat of cooterame workab formed into spectators at an unprincipled
The last minute pact after the first round came too late to allow a real unitary offensive.
This belps explain the shift off several percentage points between the two rounds The manoevres of realignment began immediately the di results became known Robert TTEE ATIC DOLES Left Radicals, announced that he no longer felt bound by the | 1972 Common revealing the Left RadiIT US cals role in the Union of the Lett was In the event of victory, the BENE Radicals would served as the watchdog of the bourgeoisie within the left government; given the defeat, the need for that role disappears, and the Left Radicals became the first grouping to accept the Giscardians offer of an opening' for a new majority So far the leaders of th PS
Save Mahlangu
Stop the execution of
MAHLANGU
sentenced to death
for fighting apartheid
I racist regime of Vorster complies with the newly introdaced LaCECTA Convention states that guerillus captured in Bas the war of liberation be treated as prisoners of war."
The ANC goes on to call on opposition as a whole and not the widest international soli-
darity to release all prisoners including Solonion Mablange: It is the Vorsten and Krugers and not the free. han- dom fighters who have to be sen- put on trial.'
mass had in
brawl of their 6
(Bocin
Programme, have rejected that opening.
sating that they intend to continue their policy of alliance with the PCF. blaming the PCF for the dehave Tear. Tbe PCF has in turn
blamed the PS.
The results represent a politi-
movement. Despite the Torment programmes of tee
PCF and PS. cary would have strengthened the workers" positions in their struggle against austerity, inMation, uncmployment, the general economic and social offensive of thee employ-
The defeat, hand, will undoubtedly pro voke some at the rural population. FOR Marxists in Czarist Rus sia, China, Cuba and Vietnam, the land question was tightly bound up question But South Africa B unique in this regard in that it has no peasants.
South African Macists and Stalinists talk about "peasants" without ever they mean by the term A Tavourite of the Macists is the small peasant.
Engels defined the small peasant like this: "By a small pea sant we mean here the owner or tenant former — of a patch of land no bigger as a rule than he and his family can till and no smaller than can sustain the family:'
for peasants in South Africa becomes sion and have been so rapid, thorough and complete that wage labour has hecome the precondition political for existence in South Africa.
hi the end Or each moDE countless scores of dependents in the Bantustans (homelands) wait anxiously for the regis tered package from their bread winner in the urhan areas.
→ CONUS DI
simultancously 19 March.
the ideal. The RPR. dominated the outgoing WEEKLE
, a left-wing vic- firmed
and
independent other Caledonia.
Life in the Bantustans
South Africa is the one African country where the stage is set for the proletarian revolution, argues SAM MHIONGO. Here he begins a series on the prospects for revolution in South Africa with a look
with the peasant the farmers.
dening what
The
particularly the tion. This
Rance:
SLAVE WAGE Dispossesproletarianisation
CUTTITS
labour.
The
among those who have beer suffering most from that of fensive and had thought thi they could settle accounts on
Nonetheless, the situation for
Government is far from
which had Assembly, lost some 30 seats. The decline of Gaullism is thus con-
More
The PCT will have 86 scats in clectoral the new assembly, the PS w1 have 104, while the Left Radi- economic cals have lost two seats and will hold ten in the new assembly. voting. The other left scat is held by a
from New
Giscard's UDF made clear gains (22 seats) and will hold
manufactering •border irens
tucen
Naral coast.
Such a package, itself meagre supplements the meagre carnIngs of other members of the family who sell their labour to
The noose of South African
rightes, in the rural areas. Thi
administered white, supplies the bulk of the
force and administ vealed
expropriation of the blacks' land in South Alrica was rapid and ruchless compared eren to England in the time of the Industrial Revolu-
ruthlessness drawa broken down all rural resist-
The
The only escape route front absolute rural poverty is the cave-warehour or the BE pratory labour system. Agri-
catering and pass laws. services all rely on this system.
It is the migratory labour laws too that mean that white workers can afford to hire domestic they may
rural proletariat is con- a privilege lined by law to these sectors
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 197B 137 in all, but the Giscardians still remain a minority in their
despite the weakening of the Gaullists
The RPR has already rejected Giscard's call for an opening of the majority towards the PS and will almost certainly bock implementation of the reforms' the Giscardians pro mised during their campaign.
important scores themselves. however, is the depth of the
social CONs which will be unaffected by the tones
workers will continue their light against the effects of that crisis, ond now the celor mist loaders will he deprived of
Muggles near the Bantustans. Along tre borders be-
Mozamhique and the North Eastern Transvaal, the
the sourhern Orange Free State and the Western Transvaal are large numbers of forcien migrants from Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho.
For political reasons mutualty acceptable to South Africa and these neighbouring black-
stales the extent of foreign labaur is not Te-
This labour plays an impor tant part in the maintenance, and in many respeets the hold ding down, of the native black warkets wapes. Migrants in the urban areas are largels
South Africa's own rural blacks - the only exoption being the mining industry where over 80 per cent is
wages for farm workers and high rural unem ployment drive rural blacks lo the urban areas despite arrests
and deporcations
Migrants live specialls built hostels for single people in ghettos like Seeto. But
not rest the substandard housing in the aren
reserved for the sek urban blacks.
page 12 I must be cooled 50 as not 10 prejudice elecioral chances. -Throughou LILIALI the PCF and Ps showered workers with promises of the gains they could expect from a lell government. Now, after a possible brief period of disappointment, the workers will try to win those very same gains through struggle.
It can he done, provided that the unity that was lacking during the clection campaign. Is forged in reality in the facThe new bourgeois majority political legitimacy. And there
1 incheation that the workers will not grint it any In this way migrants are kept Isclated Tram the urban prole tatiat, where they can and have been used by the police to help crush urhan hack resistance.
Cotil the 1950% migrants lived in poor white areas. The deci sion (for reasons of apartheid) to move them to the ghetios creates greater social inter action with the settled black population, so the task of organising a united black resist ance should have easier.
But this cannot ye happen since the working class has no party of its own.
Nest week: foreign migrants and the urban working class.
Apologies
We inudvertendly forgot do mention that the minutes of the Zimbabwe Internal seitle ment інна рос0 В а week's issee were made availahle to us by Counter InformaLion Services, of 9 Poland Street, Londen W1. Our apo logies THE POLITICAL sitation in the Middle Fast has meant that Mark Jackson's article Czechoslovnk dissident Franti-
Kriegel, promised last week, hus been held aver
Page 13 scan of this page
ectos te de a "In medical school, the common image of disease is
D
assumptions about medicine Inhibit the development of a form of health care more responsive to our needs. We are concerned with doctor:" attitudes lowards patients and other health workers, as well as
beliels aDOSE 10E medicine in health care, about how it should be practised and atost the Here wel medel teolgyd
ideology"Doctors huve authorils aver 9si health
This in justified within the medical ideologs. To challenge the authority of doctors we need to question the underlying ideologs, particularly as it is accepted ly mans ether health workers and peopie generally.
Who Goes to Medical School?
Most medical students have middle class backgrounds, They piten share common assumptions about professional autonomy individual responsibility and their own intellectual superiority. The class bias in entry is largely due to working
cionally much smaller numbers. This arises from inequality in education as a whole, where working class children are not given the same opporsunities co obtain the necessary qualifications to enter medical school and are discouraged frod teachers and parents.
Although medical schooh de bot seem to actively discriminare against working class applicanis. discriminate in favour school applicants and children of
loctors. Thisis untelated to academic ability, since, for instance, candidates from state schools are on average better qualified in terms of O and A-levels.
The narrow class background of medical sudents and the lact that most come directly from school without any Work experience nourishes elitism. In addition to elitist attitades, students come with ideas about health care which are actively spread by media: the "leadership" role of the doctor, the value of high technology treatment, and curative procedures. Medical education does 113.1 thesc ideas: strengihens them.
Doctors' Attitudes Towands Patients and Iliness
In medical school, the common image of disease is that something patient, a problem with their physiology or biochemistry INTEICUTO environmental or social factors, Even whiere external factors are reconiscu. they are underplayed. For example, the therele hicera. bad bouslne conditions and inadequate nutrition are known lo nav a batin the onsco
but the bacteria is
A patent in a teaching hospital is essentially rogarded as a functionting piece of machinery which has to be repaired: This is a bioenpincering* approach to ilness. 11 imples a sharp distinction between the pathological and •ITE which is particularly misleading in the area of mental illness" and chrons
disease. The bio-engincering approach assumes that a person can he understood as a set of systems, one
llEness:
This approach ignores the subjective and emotional aspects of all iliners,
which are just as Creal" as the his
¿hemistry, as well as the
social origin of the complaint The
modical student learns ta consider
patients as n collection Of septoms
from which a diagnosis and a course
ot trestment can be derived.
"interesting patient' is the onc with a
Tare and comnexdis9sc.
Intervention with drogs or surgery is
considered the most efective way of
treatine illness, chough in realicy these
metbods are of limited use with the
increasingly commion chronic,
generative illnesses and are sometiones
dehumanising
patients.
Preveniative rucasures are no longer
totally ignored in medical education
amare uf "risk faciors' influencing the
CUECE DESAS UNESC TAGO
the patient's personal responsibility,
whether the factor is smoking, Lack of
SURPLUS VALUE
patient,
passive objects of care.'
by
public
AND THE POWER FASCIHATED HIM, BINDING HIM WITH SPELL-STRANDS OF DESIRE...
HE BEGAN TO
mal-
SOS CANOSAS HECTALO SCULEL only individual solutions sidered, not the necesite for social change you assited eilher that il was SOLE QUE normal, fault or that sou were geoctically
Medical students learn to regard
The majority of training takes place ir a hospital, where patients are either too ill to be anything but passive or are intimidated by routine and environment, as most of us are. A "troublesome' patient is one who asks too many cuestions. A 'nonpessible compliane" palieni is une who docs
nol take the prescribed drups.
Class distinctions can be seen here. While middle-class patients are given more time by doctors in consultarion The TELEVII SABECECOS EECHELICUE more explanation,
explanation for their treatrient or ace
way. Parients are generally assumed to be ignorant of their Uness and of Haw theis hodies function.
psychuatric Siciology and Psychology
Recently sociaing» have been introdnced no the tibdic9 curriculum. There are several reasons why we do not expi ca lo take much change in medical ase considered in individual terms as | atticades oi la their practice as
First. many accitudes and assumpchercise or poor housing. Even when | tions are already present on entering
that something goes wrong within the individual
biochemistry unrelated to environmental or social
factors...Medical students learn to regard patients as
Where do
doctors
come
from?
EXPERIMENT... medical school, reinforced, as we are con- have argued above, not so much by the curriculom as by the organsation get ill it is often of teaching and the example of other doctors. Students are niten hostile to sociology or psychology, consideone them irrelevant bo opinion many consultants agree with.
Secondly, the asedical course designed around acumulation of Tacts. that cither sociolosy and perchoingy the hospital are taught in a "factual" way and lese any polenta. prevaiting medical ideology or in a challenging way and ane detested the majority of students who foo constrained by the next set of exams and want to avaid ambiguits: and psychology remain bodie tEnC working class medical student relationships between society and Ell health or about the importance of a patronising matient's psychologicalstate. But they de not automatically lead to a prenter solitical conminent lowards chans lor to a preater understanding of th patien: who is ill. There is a dancer of bio-engineerute approach and psychologs where thie doctor is simply aware of mere 'sympiom:"
student Medical Ideology and Women
wolen are an prevailine social attitades spill over
a problem with their psychology or
women patients medicine, an herween doctors
exams and the This means health challenging the
ad nacerlay temin odie ay
perhaps helo the think about the
HIREHEADIIIHE
sociology and psycholony replacing a
laugh 100l.
The actitudes of doctor towards
cumple how
$0.00
The rather In social into medical idcologs. Discrimination and prejudice againsc women are clear in cheir subordinare position in health care work and in the treatment of The division of labour la hospitais
nurses, posindominanlly a sexual one. The doctor (usually male) assumes the dominant role, retainine control over chignosis
well as ircatment, while bther
workers (predominantly other lemale, except for portersi take on
pecific tasks without real autobomy
Until recently, only a small propor tion of medical students wete women In the Last 10 rears, theit entry into modical school has esco te approximately 30 per cent of the intake It is too carly to tell how chis will affect attitudes of the medical profession losas women Aireade 11 Is Cles that women docrors will be sheeled
specialities and will be restricted in their careers by th Science absence of child care facilities ans opportunities lor pacl-time work.
Picture-slides or pin-ups of mudes are sometimes used al the beginning of'a lecture to establish rapport with the students'. Blatanciy sexist remarks are olien made, raising a laugh al the expense of women students (who
le's not that women aren'1 equal, they're just dumber', DI "ane well-built parient
Text books are still written from an exclusively male point of view, ofen with explicit stercotyping. Obscetrics and synacoology text books are the
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 13
quote from a recent work: The traits" thar compose the core of temas personality are feminine narcisism masochism and passivity;! The sexis in medical educacion becomes transTated into unresponsive, discriminatory medical care for women: the pendency to diagnose many women's complaints as "psychosomatic ig roance shout women siness and
Medical Ideology and the Organisution if Health Care
hospital-based training of medical students not only influences the way doctors consider patients. it also affects their view of health care orgunisation and relations with niber ensidered to be The himal a health workers nospital treatment The comunity it considered, if at all, to be an amorphous mass outside the hospital. which sende mallunctionase individosis lo
Tepaired. Peoplc community are considered to abstract groups ('the elderly, "the disabled') or individual consemers,
than MOLERLIAL participants in health care and in political struggies for healthler bving and working conditions.
CALESCUI organisation and priorities of health is thus reproduced by the hospital based organisation of medica. education
The sexism of many doctors, their narrow: class background and clitist
the barrier bermeen doctors and other health workers. The elitism is reintorced by the total separation of medical frot tursine and (so called) paramedien training, as weli as by tbe hiccarchica! organisation of the teaching hospital with the doctor ar the top antitudes of doctors does not creale the subordination of nurses, physiotherapists, and social whereby the doctors retain control of diagnosis and treatinent This is an SUELO CELLISE social relations and institutional spheres of control
developed bistorically But, a bellef in their own superiority strengthens and justifies the dominaLion giving most doctors attle interest in trying to change the socsal relations of health care:
Prospects of Change
Medical ideology helps prevent the provision of patient centred elective
health care, as well as a wider undersanding of how ilines is produced
But it is not going to he changed by
pressure from within medical schooks For not only does the ideoloay serve the apparent interests of most medical shadems and doctors, DITE
serves those of the medical industrial
complex'. atle curan wal preventon sald rather than
community care encourases expenditure on health related conmodițies
La wider sense. by obscuring the production of illness and
myssilying health tare medical
defleets criticism of a
capilalist economy and reintarces our
lack of control over pur health.
Altough we do not expect medical ideologs lo be transformed within mediclechoos there will always he a minority of medical studenes and
dissatistied with the prevailine
Al the moment tocy arg
isolated. There is a newd for them 10
work rogether and make links with
workers, to anderstand what role thes can play in fighting for
change in lealth care
HEALTH GROUP COLLECTIVE
THIS Is aslightly uhhreviated version
of an article that appears in the current issue of the magazine Science Cor People, produced by the British
Society for Social Responsituity in
issue, entirely deroled to
health, aiso incledes articles on The
social prodaction of il-health"; Siave
the EGA': the role of the state in
determining health provision: alter native forms of medicine: and a
womun's right to choose.
Science Jer People
members of BSSRS [Memhersbig Fees are te tor tan memoers ung
11.50 for unemployed and students]:
or on subscription lor D2, from
BSSRS, 9 Poland Street, Lenden W1
Individes! copies are 30p plus
postage.
Page 14 scan of this page
COMMENT
Palestine:
Where do
you
stand?
Middle East in the recently, we have frequently been
nebers or sumporters of the IMG: You call for support for the
SITC campaien ausr support a people who have the nieht to seit-determinatior id are struggling against imperia. sm, rather than just an organisation Surely, then our upport for the Palestinian people, and not support for the PLO
Wein the Friends of the Palestinian:
position on this clear, and say why a solidarity movement must support the PLO.
DIt is not for us to tell the Palestinians how to conduct their struggle. All real Palestinian forces recognise that the PLO is their only support the political line it takes. We do not support the political line necessarily, but if we support the 883888130338801 PLO because to not support the PLO is tantamount to not supporting the Palestinian people. iD Many comrades are under the misapprehension following Yasser Arafat and Fatah form the PLO. This is not true. The rejection front, for disaerees with the political line of the PLO leadership bur nevertheless
#y What, then, is the PLO? The PLO is the representative body of the Palestinian people, It contains all the major guerrilla groups, such as Fatah, the Popular Front (PFLP). Democratic Front (DFL), the Arab Liberation Front (ALF), Saiga and so on. It also contains the mass organisa tions of the Palestinian people, suct as the Women's Union, 1 Union, the Students Union. It also contains the Palestine Front wien organts Paseans B the occupied territories, and many more groups and organisations: therefore acts mainly as an umbrella for these groupe.
the PLO struggling against Zionism and Imperiaiism? To be honest, there are no real forces. revolutionary lettist Israel) for example, is minute, split and in disarray. Otherwise, obe has only miniseule terror groups flike the Abu Nidal faction) or forces not objectively opposed to imperialism, like some of the "notables" of the West Bank, who also represent no-one but themsselves.
In conclusion, we must be clear that we support real forces in the area, and
mean that anti-imperialist from the PLO that we would no support them. However. this has not
happened and looks extremely unlikely. Nor docs I1 mean that we
Socialist
Challenge
EVENTS
NORTH WEST WARRINGTON Bacialisi
Manchaster er Serai Challenge tes
nieSSCHIN 051-25: 23.2
GREATER MANCHEATER SOCIA!
Contre, ate 14 Picadilly
PRESTON Socialiat Chellange sup
uners can be portacled by
Fresion 04c 10.
SOUTH MANCHESTER
Challenge groub maehr Alber
debate
Zionism Middle East.
Manchester Friends of the solidarity Palestinians
Scottish
slogan must be
football
al as comrades. the
tactics.
INTERS Argentinian people
схатріс
the slander them.
In it's last 36 editions -YOu the Workers
National
36.
outside
PAT KANE (Glasgow)
Matzpen (the Taking
group within
stock
take stock.
its forerunner
major
split niem bership Mandst Group LITENPUUL
YORKSHIRE
6 Acre and turnigeis
La NORTH EAST
Rents proup mees regulanty at Bip
SocimisE Pam t Roch
MIDDLESBOROUGH Socialist
Challenge Ad. 11am 1pm. Socialist Challenge !
support the whole programme of the | These groups, mostly consisting of PLO uncritically, or that we suppor me cadersmp position Doccasanis We support the PLO because it is the its Falcsulan pcopic — no mor, ne less. If we do not support them we end up locking at the alternatives, which at the moment represent insignificant or reactionary (e.g. pro-Hashemile)
on the Middle East Socialt Challenge, and that readers will take thie issue seriously and work groups.
and imperialism in the have
THE EDITORIAL BOARD may be amazed at the views of some Scottish supporters on Argentina, but | for one am more amazed al the way in which the EB has reacted to them. Your statements says, quite correctly, that 'asense of proportion is needed Then to show that we are not all "Social Chauvinists' north of Carliste, you refer to Bambery, Fowler et
What does la sense of proportion" mean? The position to boycott or bor so boyoott is surely a question of Grup)
best isolate the Argentinian tegme and therefore aid the struggle of the
It is unfortunate, but there does not exist in Scotland the same awareness of the repression in the Argentine as there is of the nature of the S. African or Chilean regime. It was in onder to discuss the tactics of this campaign that Socialist Challenge had an Open Forum in the first place. When people put forward tactical positions that are standent fem Toi mot in seine
not in keeping with the spirit on practice of the paper
realise that YOUT comments were a poor substitute for an informed debate on thie whole future of building a movement in suppor of the Argentinian people. 1 faced only hope that you will be able to repair the damage done by the style of your comments by recognising that you over-reacted to the letters in Issue Foung NINE MONTHS after the launching of Socialist Challenge, it is time to
We teel the paper represents a marked improvement on
Red Weekly. In particular, by les operniess it has gained a readership far beyond the wich launched in, the interniticial organisation
As a result. Sociulist Chullenge groups have sprung up in many areas.
SOUTH WEST
Swan, Bonne Croft, Bristor WALES IWANSEA Socialist Challenge anu
stallon! Mescs
SOUTH EAST COLCHESTER san une Furter interme an el
Stunty Seatenas COLCHESTER socuist Cholenge group to bet set up in town, Iyou we ataristes, come aleng to & meste 12, 12 Mach, 1 30р Socialist BRIGHTON Socialist
independent socialisis, recognse the need to build the paper and fight for
central projecis: socialist opposition and a unitied revolutionary organisation.
The ait of the North West conference called by the Wartington Socialist Challenge group is to build on these developments by hringing together supporters of the paper from all over the North West area, morning session will discuss local
experiences lo dale. lIciE future rabe and how the paper should
afternoon we will discus
- hether Socialist Challenge is playin the role it could de in huilcing a socialist alternative. We want to take a critical look at the paper so far and say what are the next stegs
A number of groups and individuals
already been invited
verticipate in the conference, but wi
hink the invitation should po wide lanthis Weareaskine all sisters and brothers in the North-West who have read the poper and sympathise with its general aims to attend, whether or no
hey have been involved in organise Many readers have no expericnce of left groups, soite have bad bad
experiences of the sectarianism of the British left. We appeal especially 1 wone and say what hey thim an to come the paper.
COLIN CHARNLEY (hecretary Hurringion Socialist
Age limits
REVOLUTIONARY Socialises are increasingly realising the importance of strong autonomous lay women's movements which Immediate and direct challenge to the patriarchal family. Unfortunately not enough attention is given to young
who also suffer from the
oppressive role of the family. Ever now a person is considered by law 1o be a child up to the age of 1S. In the past there were serioes disputes over whetber adulthood should begin ar 21 ot 25
A teenager entering the Labour Party or even a revolutionary group
of Consequently it is necessary young newcomers to be able to freely discuss socialist ideas with other
people without intimidated or inhibited.
This raises the question of youth caucusch. The Labour Party Touce Socialists has an age limit of 25
ressouable Ithi branches. Mee attended me
atended by individuals who have outgrown their mem pershin. These Labour Party members continually foet the principle involved: the right of organisation for oppressed groups.
I would make the following points: First, not only should ape limits in vouth caucuses be strictly ad hered to, but esoteric and cxclusive discassions should be avoided. Secondly
existing members should make
conscious effort to encourage ant
mittere the political interest of bew
members, and encourage think for themselves. Thiedly despite
SCOTLAND normation
Bar Post
Glasgo bi
ther Wednesca
031-346 0465 B Socialist Challeman
Challenge Jim on 19005 alter Somi Mice.
MIDLANDS For desara of
cel Binninghu
supporters mess fortnighty calails ning 0639 25254
geneine political divisions. Young
unified discusses theory but attends marches demonstrations and so on as a group. Fach new member should teel thal che or he has a banner to march behind and a group to march with This is essential since many young OLLINESEL altracted totbe Labour Party in order The to involve themselves in practical
anti-fascist activity Finally, the posed above arduous task due to rhe domination cl the Militant group in the YS. But with the crucial importance of recruitibent of young potential militants to the left, it is a task that we cannot and must not shirk. In any case, to state a truism, our task as socialists is not to accept the existing slate of trangs but to change it.
CHRIS WOOD (North Landon)
Of parrots
SUREEY THE LETTER from Steve Jelfervs of Committee (Sociulist Challenge, War hi constilutes 9 Maereot bregcl of his party's pabey slatesthat the sV P hass reade misei it clear that where we are not standing GuT awn Candidates then we will be supporting the candidates of Socialist Unity." On the contrary: The SWP's 1977 conference docided campaigning support would be giver to. Socialist Unity in clections, only the most passive token halloting hy individualS WP mernhers.
For Tollowing the advocated scounge of the deviationists -Shaw was twice suspended by the and SWP are an exilson sinde the nariv cenire doi
nothing in response to his requests to have thie suspension llted A turiner crime of Martin Shan, in the eyes of the SWP, wus that of writing a letter in defence of electoral support for Socialist Unity lo that fer sout, heretical bumal Socialist Challenge. commicted exactly the same crime may we await his expulsion, or at the very least his suspension, Bloody Assizes over which be hamsel! ageism has presided as purger-extraordasary?
Martin Shaw at least had the excuse in writing to Socinlist Challenge. that a letter feeling Sociulist Worker was relused publica-
tion, May we assume Jeflerss is driven to writing to the paper of the IMO because Socialist
correspondence column of strictlyandered. controversy? Perhaps Wi must assume that SW has indeed suppressed his new conversion to joint electoral work Socialists: for no word has reached sell the readership of that paper to the effect that the SWP now regards its
experience Socialist Unin 'negative clearly have Challenge,
all Werker,
Ar all erents, the news of the turn
thems to the SWP's ranks
surprising, since it is a move niken ty
lage Forum.
Sociallst
Challenge Bank
BIRMINGHAM UNDEE: Intmaben ahoul Sockliet
: Dusen exandra Kallante Borne d sale
Rator Chating* LONDON
ISLINGTON KLOU seppers me fertiger liene Tein Commandy Centre Fa
which nor only
West Indian in the mist Jostance
Joint campaigo).
transformation pro
will be an extremely
the SWP
for their SWP Central
on elections. He
that
AUTOCOMOLY policy now BETSHECHE "Judee" Jefterys Martin
and forced into a de facto
there Steve Jefferys has now
movement. by lhe
by him on similar lines to
thar Steve with Cornel
of wenen.
running movement in hy clections SWP supporters will
read Socialist Socialist for news of their party's
neit be ignored
This is hardly Press) 1l, pa mastig enerds 22
Challenge Hurst Sien * Arms le
•Hammingiera Ad. ase 6 tant F
the elsaliens and after
Nantion Dat
Challence
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 14
the leadership over the hends of the members in advance of the party's conference which, in uny other left
Pd decide such a move. Fo example, the SWP in the Bristen election is still planning to pur up a candidate in competition with the
Block (nOA in nepotiation with Socialist Unity for a
Orwell once remarked, a propos of the CP'+ prospective de Stalinisation, that nothing is gained by leaching the parrot a new tune. One can Dis hope, though, that in conducting the policy of unity with other Socialiscs
decreed from abore by their party's hscrarchs, the membership af
will lose some of their cachusiasm for parror-like behaviour.
Socialist Unity groups should a once contact SWP branches and ask
active support in the
local elections and ar Brixen -
Jefferys suggests) for • Genera Election m su down auh socalisi Unity and make sure chat divisive clashes are avoided.
PETER SEDGEWICK (Leeds)
Radical
Feminism
IN YOUR 4-page article Revolution and Women's Liberation' (9 Murch) you emphusise the importance of an
women's liberation
You ulso emphasise the role of the nudeur family in the oppression of
to the women's movement. However,
FarC of distincl contributions which the women's mosement has made to lelt Dolks which you do not emphasise.
Ir is not only radical feminists who aitempt "to create new lifestyles". The creations of new forms of personal relationships and the building up wEa feminist culture has been a central concern throughout the women's
T think your article tends to play this down. Ii dies not mention the work thut has been done on creating new forms of struggle — asing small gromp Mructures to encourage the dence and participation of ull
moment's oppression, und creuting sell-hels eroupe in all sress De le si that all women cun Teel equalls
strugzle for chunge
Nor do sou describe the analysis of sexuulify ilsell - coming from the wunen's movement which illuminates the failure of most hefert sexual relationships in meet the needs
It is only from within the women's
within lihertarium politics also dating from
made te work ont the organisationui forms that prefigere the sociulistFeminist societs we are crying to huild.
LINNE SEGAL (slington Guller
Londa Tr 33P r3el 0 0050
eignen herer WCCE Neightnu Lavender Hill
Discussion on tro Trbena artist presence in Irelanc
LONDON CPSA
adert me are aympalhetio to Sociallet Challen,
pra POBow 50 LandanN
Page 15 scan of this page
What would it be like under socialism?
feet below.
Watching Liverpool overrun Nottingham Forest was a Dir like watching the lions pawing
ancient Rome. Unfortunately someone had extracted the lion's tallons with the result that Liverpool ran around like a sleek white cat i mue and nao me finishing power of a fat tabby up Iron. une Jesult was the inevitable 0-0 draw.
POLAR OPPOSITES
Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are the polar opposites of English football — reflected
of their managers. Liverpool is dominate the midheld, When they can't see a way forward
ANG OF 20
# ATTARS
aa r
Tom Robinson speaking in defence of Gay News
Media watch
LOCAL NEWSPAPER
which achieved notoriety last
year with Its crudely
reporting is now devoting its
pages to press
North London Weekly Herald
has angered local
groups by puhlishing
thoasand-word accounlol le
Miss Tottenham contest,
ports EMMA JONES.
Written by Edwards peris the
editor, Peter
was one of the judges. the
article on 10 March included
such lurid details
bosoms, small bosoms. Some
bra-less... Thighs encased
tight pants,
wobbling, hips gyrating..
Following a necting of the
National Untion of Journalists
chapel at the paper, 17 of the
Heruld's 24 journalists signed
a leller objecting to the tone of
SUTILE. which
considered contravened
anion's code of conduct. This
UNDER REVIEW
Liverpool 0 Nottingham Forest 0
Most readers would probably not be turned on by stumbling across an undergrowth of beer cans and wading through puddles of piss in order to spend two and a half hours crushed like sardines watching 22 men kick around a piece of leather 100 yards away and 100
Well, like the other 99,999 normally sane, hard working people at Wembley on Saturday for the League Cup Final, I was, writes MICK GOSLING.
they are content to square pass and sling the ball from one side
On Saturday the final thrust for goal, /w25 Liverpool's play skilful, very pretty
Think of Notts Forest and you automatically think
with All for the title of the largest mouth, Clough has Forest, as he did Derby, from the bottom of the second division to the top of the first in successive seasons.
They are now six points cicar ol ine pack and arobably sull will be at the end of the season Their team is voune, tast and They
What the editor fancied
Plays down that sournalists must not originate material which racist encourages sex discrimination.
The journalists asked to be dissociated from the and requested that their letter women's be published in the Heruld's - correspondence column. Tbey wrote that the article T0- the view that women are mere bodies and reinforces
who class citizens with little of value CUTTINUE Editor Edwards, who is not •Big in NUl member. refused to publist the letter: 1301 announcing: "The journalists buttocks job is to report life and events around bim or her jump on every radical crusade and campaign that catches his or ber fancy.
The journalists replied: "We note with regret that they freodom" does not permit such - the free expression of dissenting Views.
forward when they attack, they surge.
Unfortunately overwbelmed by Liverpool's experience in Wembles seen, young DILLYCES Chris Woods, had the chanc to shine with a brilliant display in goal.
*MODELS'
That these
represtor the dominant mod-
8D
for English including the way the game is taught in schools, shows lack of imagination and variety, which
of results from a fear of losing. one time The more money that has been Muhammed
teams have become taken companies rather than clubs,
and the more fiercely competilive football has become.
Far from this competitivenesi leading to a struggle for excellence and experiment, it has produced an increasingly standardised and brutal game, re-inforcing its male exclusiveness and macho image.
The appeal of the band lies in the soods of a new kind of music not yet heard in this country, especially given the relationship of an openly ga singer, controversial large following signing up of the group by a giant of the music industry. EMI.
COURTESY
The EP. includes four live songs which nave made tae Broup known. Martin Take No For An Answer deal with a reality people can casily understand, while Glad To Be
The more on potat
HILARI so They are radical songs, get Back to Edwards, who sad he would journalists" subject matter article and
correspondence is now closed". Members of the local communfosters ity have threatened to occup:
the office if their letlers or
the complaint are not are second this week.
sociely. phenomenon among the Her-
Said management. promptly
NEWELKI Major Windsor-Aubrey asked the mother not to clarify the onion's demand for
scloction
Lists should not be refused jobs press because, for example,
colour or gender. Just because you've never contest".
they were
* so the surge wasn"t midfield
Only the latest of their
18-year old two teams
football, the
(and virtually
substitute for GLAD TO BE GAY, by the Tom Rohinson Band, has been yo-yoing in the top four of the daily top 10 of Capital Radio's phone-in hit-line in London for over iwo months, writes BRINLEY MITCHELL.
mill cational perhaps
songs, a songs are played. - and the The Tom
alternative press
Rising Free
welland Don't
overtly political
(16
class. As ter
is the B8LIGO.U7 have published the letter if the club in warranted it
concluded his memo with
"This mone
formed' massas. published
Misogyny is not an isolated same
house agreement nepociations i
of the chapel to
of editorial staft. been able to
She explained that journal-
professional of their good folk music.
won a beaury the Major replied.
Chris Woods, of Notts. Forest holds a shot from Tarry McDermotl
Not surprisingly, the fans
attitude Especially for young people ald sold. watching Liverpool and Fores battle each other to a standstil squashed
Many orber sporting activity) becomes caged
the lack of prospects and excitement and control over their own lives.
Glad to be Gay
-cate eat. of the
strength of the hand, and the he perception of EMI, that these EMI,
Robinson Band cal talent. sings for its audience, and the At the
forget that. IT EMI will help isolated thers put out their kind music, fine — and it will, since
COMMENT
SALLY FELDMAN, who revie wad the compilations of folk
"ebruary) was interested in the relationsnir of folk music and the working
89. England 030 K virtually been deprived of any role it had to play in the ves
One of the reasons for this
particularly perverse which the music has been preserved' The toik
England watering hole a academics and inteilectuals liable to deem the origins and
important than the vulgar melody or lyric which
The folk clubs have preser
way enemist preserves a specimen in a jarl
member the
Chanter folk band, which has спозвл потто pay protary folk clubs because of all the elitist, Incestuous paraphene lis which surrounds them. Fo
aloet a year now we have
operate almost
band playing This is the aim al the London Folk to
1 would urge readers 10
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March, 1978 page 15
Excitement, like everything else, is something to be bought meaot being prepared to be erded like cows and Goally
like wild animals.
Nevertbeless there was the traditional scouse humour to compensate. If the Liverpoo] it has detected a potentially
Glad To Be Gay when sung in a big sig is a contradictory sight. Here is a gay man. stage, vulnerable in that being
La stepping oppressive norms of behaviour; yet powerful in tha
is backed by reputation,
commercial sumerous followers and musi-
Tom same Koomson a Tea!
gays and informs heterosexuals about the op pression of gay men, ine'
Playing to the folk
come along to a Co-operative concen on tycongsony.
March, at the Archway Tavern,
N19. 9pm to The Other Bookshop 328, Upper Street, LONDON N1
Ideology & Consciousness No 3 €1.20 mf No 1, a new feminist journal -111.20 Andrew Masculinity —£1.95 Olive Schreiner Woman and Labour — E1.95 Terms: Less than £7, add 10 per cent for p&p. E7 and over, post free
team had broken the number of legs they were instructed to during match Forest would have had to field three complete leams. No doubt Forest were instructed by their fans
I can't wait for the replay But 1 wonder what it would b UKE IRACT SOCISI
Right On Sisters is prohably the only song in the history of Te Bus recordly moust that does not put women down 45 enemies bwaro torer wanting a man. While it would he better 1 women sane ti song to large audiences, it i a
male dominated music industry that TOrn pro-woman song to ge out into the High Street it 15 being performed by an all-male group
Nevertbeless, feminists are organising rock groups, and.
'the women's music is march midnight. The bands pertorming are Crannog,
sogul, and Admission TOM PRESHO (London N8)
01 226 0571 Tolson The Limits of
Page 16 scan of this page
GENERALS SENTENCE BHUTTO TO DEATH THE PUNJAB High Court has sentenced Pakistan's talmuden Cartons The
Registered with the Post Office us a newspaper. Published by Relgocrest Tad. for Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street,, London Ni.
capital of Lahore. the people which will flow.
Bhutto was toppled last July
crodiled himself so thoroughly that the people would rejec him in any clection which lowed: Within the next three months they realsed that they had made a mistake. The reason for the change in public mood was not that people had forgorten Bhutto's misdeeds and crimes, Far from It. The had simply understood that the military was worse.
In the weeks that followed the military take-over there was a sharp increase in the eviction of tenants by landlords. there arhitrary meat to factory workers. There cancellations of bonus were a mumber of reports of landlords triumphandly shouting at fleeing Tenants: "Now go and tell your Bhutto to help you!" In the city of Multan the OUR FUND DRIVE
PAKISTAN:
former Prime Minister Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, to
death. He has been transferred to the death cell in Kot Lakhpat jail, some miles outside the provincial The Generals might not yet realise this, but they have probably signed the death warrant of Pakistan
as an independent state. If they kill Bhutto, it will
unleash hidden rivalries which exist inside the army.
It will open the door to more bloodletting and needless to say, in most cases, it will be the blood of
SYMPATHY Fol- The net result of all this was a popular upsurge of sympathy for Bhutin. The military sin Bled out his People's Party for repressions. Its leaders were ar rested and its newspapers vic timised. Despite all these mea ahvious Bhutto and his supporters would still win a General Eloolion. In fact Butto's central manana sace mis arrest has been: "Let us have a free and Tair election,' The Army has consistently refused that de mand, Bhutto's political oppo nents, frightened by his sup port, backed the army all the way.
In September 1977 Photo was arrested. The meeting of army Corp
Socialist Challenge
during his arrest by organising
scuttle and an accidenta killing'. But the opposition of one General in particular, who refused to be a party to 'coldhlooded murder
at that stage. At that meeting
nother leading General said We mude our biggest mistake in July. ham then and no one would that have opposed it."
It is these same Gencrals who today exercise absolute power Zia-ul Hag is himself a weak and lacklustre figure. surrounded by a bique strong men which consists of General Iqbal, General Chishti, General Sawar Khan (sho commands the important Labore garrison), General Fazal Hag and General Gholam Hassan Khan (a specialist on 'Securits. It is these men who Commanders have now suthorised the judi-
Bad
week
for
left
IT WAS a bad weck for the left LRETSUEEEE last French left lost the elections The Israelis invaded Lebanon The Red Brigade nappe. a Christian Democrat politician in Rome.
MAL JULIL HUC reached a new low.
Donacions to the emergency Fund drive slipped E15.11. Given the orber emer geocies in the world comrades probably couldn't be bothered with the thought of this linte one. But don't give up. Our fight stil soci on, The Tailin taper this week received E74.D5. leaves just over E400 to come if we are to paint the comer red by the end of March.
Cut thanks 0.
teled hrutalities Baluchi people, he
political opponents,
could not stopped them
We should have killed
extremely shon-sighted.
CLEARANCE
thon wai He is CIA. He las
omanisod
one thing is clear.
Anon Anon S. Smith OC
TOTAL mock. The
kid-
And, yes. fund drive
dowp to
Name Address
which-stl
cial murder of Bhutto. The instrumen: chosen to rid rhem of this turbulent politician.
We have been strongly op posed 10 Bhutto's politics For many sears. His period in of: fice saw a number of unparal-
against the ers and against all his political
These should not be justified, least of all to have hurts iting to save Bhutto's life. nor should it be made the pretext by which he can be physically eliminated. Rhutto orrainly did not give the masses
promised them (Food, clothing and shelter!)
But he gave chem a feeling o
against landed gentry. And it i that
explains continuing popularity. His
TECH URU could not defeat him Khan
defeat cally, But by allowing him to be killed will not make conditions any better for them or any civilian politician. Their subjectiveness may prosc to be
Bhutto claims thar his over-
organised by the HERE 'Operation Wheelian" (a CIA Pakistani gency military take-over) was wage put into effect by Zis after a meeting with a departing Westers Ambassador. It is impossible lo verily this claim, hut
The Ciener als will only be able to kill Bhutto if they bave the neces
Cardiff Supporters Oxford readers Brighton supporters
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A SPECIAL supplement was produced fast Sunday by the Urdu-language London daily Millet lo protest against the death sentence. The other daily Jang is as usual, supporting the goverment in power.
sary clearance from the State Department and the Pentagon, Whether this pertision comes directly or through the Saudi Aralian embassy i only a question of form
socialists and
Brunot Banging campaigni stop
Whateve differences we have with him and his political party, they do not justify giving even one inch of support for his judicia nur law der. We should demand: 1) An immediate general election
20.00 3.05 10.00 Text 5.00 1.00 15.00 20.00 Alrice, 74.05 Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to 'Socialist Challenge
Pak is thin (as. opposed to a Generals" election) 2) The re lease of Bhutto and all poitical prisoners 3) Lifting of press
Demonstrations and pickers are heing organised daily outside the Pakistan Embassy in Lowndes Knightsbridge, London Telegrams opposing Bhutto's exe. cution should be sent to: Gien eral Zia-ul-Hag. Chief Martial
Administrator, Islanta
brad, Pakistan
SPECIAL OFFERS Prices Slashed!
Russian revolution special.
by -Deutscher, design by David King. 25p thalf
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← Socialist Challenge No. 37, 16 March 1978Socialist Challenge No. 39, 1978 →