MAY 28, 1976 25 CENTS VOLUME 40/NUMBER 21

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY /PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE

Gov't moves to end busing ieooardize 20-vear_ struggle against segregation -PAGES 4, 10

An interview with Peter cameio, Militant/Ginny Hildebrand SPRINGFIELD, 111.-More than 8,000 answered National Organization for Women's call to join socialist May 16 march and rally for ERA ratification. See pages 6-8. workers presidential candidate -PAGE 16

Militant/Pat Hayes In Brief THIS MOTHER'S DAY MARCH FOR JUSTICE: Juanita Harris, McCain Prison, Box 58, McCain, North Carolina Tyler, Hattie Dunn, and Helen Magee commemorated 28361. WEEK'S Mother's Day by leading a solemn march of forty Black women through the streets of New Orleans May 9. ROSENBERG TRIBUTE: "It is twenty-five years since MILITANT Juanita Tyler's son Gary is in a six-by-eight-foot cell on our parents proclaimed their innocence with their lives but death row in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. the government still shows the need today to cover u~ the 3 4,000 protest threat record of their frame-up," stated Robert and Michael to shut down Hostos · He was framed up for a murder he did not commit. Hattie Dunn's son, Richard, was shot and killed last March by two Meeropol in a news release announcing plans for the 4 Blacks hit Levi's moves white racist night riders while on his way home from a Twenty-third Tribute to Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. · to axe busing decision benefit dance to raise funds to win Gary Tyler's freedom. The Meeropol brothers, sons of the victims of the Helen Magee's son, Stanley, allegedly committed suicide infa~ous gove.rnment-contrived "espionage" frame-up, are 5 Crystal City says 'no' while in the St. Tammany Parish Prison. seekmg to gam access to all government files on their to gas-utility swindle At a widely covered news conference, · the protesters parents under the Freedom of Information Act. The June 15 tribute at Carnegie Hall will launch a 6 Thousands say: announced that the march would "focus attention on petitioning drive to collect 500,000 signatures demanding 'ERA Now!' mothers and wives of the overwhelmingly Black male victims of racist violence from the police, the courts, and the release of all files on the Rosenbergs and Martin Sobell, 9 The 'Guardian' opens white persons in the general population of Greater New who was jailed in the same frame-up. China discussion Orleans." For further information see ad on page 27. 13 Rubber strike: crucial NEW HOUSTON SWP BRANCH OPENS OFFICES: battle for all labor STILL ANOTHER VICTIM: In an attempt to harass Gary Tyler's family, cops arrested Terry Tyler on Monday The new Northeast branch of the Socialist Workers party 14 Judge orders gov't to morning, May 17, on trumped-up burglary charges. Terry opened its campaign headquarters and bookstore with an release more SWP data Tyler is a leading figure in the defense campaign to win open house Sunday, May 9. The area of Northeast Houston freedom for his,brother. The day before his arrest, Terry and where the new socialist headquarters is located is mostly 15 Socialists expand lawsuit his mother had just returned from a weekend trip to Detroit, Black, but there is also a large Chicano community nearby. against FBI where they had gone to gather support for Gary's defense. The highlight of the day was a short meeting to familiarize people with the party. Gene Lantz, socialist 16 Socialist discusses issues In St. Rose Parish, Terry has orgaRized the Gary Tyler candidate for U.S. Congress in the area, chaired the facing Chicanos in 1976 Freedom Fighters, a group of teen-agers who raise funds and publicize his brother's case. Terry is expected to be meeting. SWP National Committee member Malik Miah 18 Plans under way to win released from jail on $5,000 bond. and Rachel Knapik, a new party member, also spoke. Calif. ballot spot GOOD NEWS FROM THE POLLS: In recent years, a 23 How safe is firm majority has come to support the right of women to nuclear power? June 5: Put SWP abortion and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment 25 Unions, Blacks set march even though many have been hesitant to endorse th~ to save Phila. hospital on Mass. ballot women's liberation movement as a whole. But now, reports The Massachusetts Socialist Workers Campaign will kick a UPI dispatch, "Public acceptance of women's liberation is 28 All-white jury finds off its ballot drive on Saturday, May 22. A team of twenty increasing gradually and now finds favor with 60 per cent J.B. Johnson guilty full-time volunteers will initiate the effort to gather well of adult Americans, a life insurance industry study over the 37,000 signatures required to put SWP presidential said.... " 2 In Brief and vice-presidential candidates Peter Camejo and Willie A New York Daily News poll taken last month found that Mae Reid, as well as state candidates Carol Henderson 63 perc.ent of New Yorkers replied "yes" to the question, "Do 10 In Our Opinion Evans and James "Mac" Warren, on the November ballot. you thmk that homosexuals should be accepted in society Letters Evans is opposing Edward Kennedy for U.S. Senate, and and treated the same as anyone else?" Warren is running for Congress in the predominantly Black And in the same poll 58 percent said that they opposed 11 Capitalism in Crisis Roxbury section of Boston. iLa Raza en Accion! the March 29 Supreme Court decision allowing states to Several weeks of petitioning by the team will pave the outlaw homosexual acts between consenting adults. Only 18 12 The Great Society way for the first special target day for the drive Saturday, percent said they agreed with the court. June 5. Hundreds of socialist campaigners will fan out in By Any Means Necessary -Ginny Hildebrand American Way of Life Boston, Springfield, Worcester, New Bedford, and other Massachusetts towns and cities to petition and hand out 24 In Review thousands of pieces of campaign literature. In preparation for the June 5 target day, a rally featuring Peter Camejo WORLD OUTLOOK will be held in Boston on June 4. A second target campaign 19 Growing opposition and petitioning day is scheduled for the following weekend. to Franco's heirs TWO HUNDRED MARCH FOR UFW IN UTAH: Some 21 World news notes 200 people took part in a May 8 march and rally in Salt 22 Britain: 10,000 march Lake City, Utah, to demand that the Utah State Liquor for abortion rights Commission stop selling Gallo and other scab wines. Commissioner Gerald Hulbert had met with a delegation from the UFW Support Committee May 3. Utah AFL-CIO Director Hank Inskeep was among those in the delegation. THE MILITANT Luis Fuentes, spokesperson of the support committee, demanded that the state "stop buying Gallo wines and VOLUME 40/NUMBER 21 nonunion wines to honor the United Farm Worker boycott." MAY 28, 1976 Hulbert alleged he "sympathized with the problem," but CLOSING NEWS DATE-MAY 19 later announced he wouldn't honor the boycott because the

Editor MARY-ALICE WATERS state had to remain "neutral" in labor disputes. Managing Editor: LARRY SEIGLE At the May 8 rally Fuentes charged that Hulbert's Busmess Manager: ROSE OGDEN "neutrality" was a cover-up for aiding the growers. "We Special Offer Southwest Bureau: HARRY RING know why Mr. Hulbert refused," the Chicano activist said. Washington Bureau: NANCY COLE "Big business stays together." Published weekly by The Militant Publishing Ass'n., For New Readers 14 Charles Lane. New York, NY. 10014. Telephone: CHAVIS ON HUNGER STRIKE: Rev. Ben Chavis Editorial Office (212) 243-6392; Business Office began a hunger strike on April 30 at McCain Prison This _week So~thwest Bureau head Harry Ring continues (212) 929-3486. Southwest Bureau: 1237 S. Atlantic a_senes. on Ch1cano struggles in the Southwest, based on Hospital in North Carolina. In a statement to Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90022. Telephone: (213) r~leased dtscusstons with leaders and activists there. Raza Unida 269-1456. Washington Bureau: 2416 18th St. NW, supporters, Chavis charged that guards put him in chains party . . . . farm workers movement .. . . . bilingual Washington, D.C. 20009. Telephone: (202) 265- and leg irons and transferred him to the prison sanatorium e~ucat1on ... fight ag~inst deportations ... Keep up 6865. •as part of "a systematic plot to silence me." This is the Correspondence concerning subscriptions or wtt~ the struggle for Ch1cano liberation. Subscribe to the changes of address should be addressed to The second time prison authorities have transferred Chavis M1l1tant. Militant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, New who has been speaking out for prisoners' rights since hi~ York, N.Y. 10014. incarceration in February. Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. At McCain, Chavis is exposed to diseases and given The Militant-10 Weeks/$1 Subscriptions: U.S., $7.50 a year; outside U.S., roach-infested food. He has vowed not to eat until he is $13.00. By first-class mail: U.S., Canada, and Mexico, ( ) $1 for ten issues (new readers only) $35.00. Write for surface and airmail rates to all other transferred back to a regular prison. countries. Defense lawyers for Chavis and nine othe~ prisoners-the ( ) $4 for six months ( ) $7.50 for one year For subscriptions airmailed from New York and Wilmington Ten-are appealing their 1971 conviction on ( ) New ( ) Renewal then posted from London directly to Britain, Ireland, and Continental Europe: £1.50 for eight framed-up arson and conspiracy charges stemming from Issues, £3.50 for six months, £6.50 for one year. civil rights protests in Wilmington. Name ------Send banker's draft or international postal order The National Wilmington 10 Defense Committee urges Address (pllyable to Pathfinder Press) to Pathfinder Press, 47 The Cut, London. SE1 8LL, England. Inquire for supporters to send letters demanding that Chavis be City State Zip air rates from London at the same address. transferred to: Gov. James Holshouser, State Capitol, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014 Signed art1cles by contnbutors do not necessarily Raleigh, North Carolina 27602, and McCain Supt. E.C. represent the Militant's v1ews These are expressed m ed1tona1s

2 CUNY unionists rally 4,000 protest threat against pay-cut plan to shut down Hostos By Naomi Vega in the South Bronx, serves a 98 percent NEW YORK-More than 4,000 peo- minorities student body, about two­ pie, mostly young Puerto Ricans, thirds of whom are Hispanic. It is the marched May 10 to protest the planned only bilingual college in the Eastern closing of Hostos Community College. United States, and is uniquely geared The march started from Lexington to serving the needs of the Hispanic Avenue and 116th Street, the center of community. El Barrio, Manhattan's main Puerto Many at the protest called the Rican ·district. Marching past Gracie scheduled closing "un abuso" -an Mansion, Mayor Abraham Hearne's abuse against the Puerto Rican com­ swank East End Avenue residence, the munity of New York. ·demonstrators ended up at the offices "They have stepped on us enough," of the Emergency Financial Control said one woman. Board in midtown Manhattan. Many of the schools in the City Along the four-mile route the march- University of New York system, which ers shouted "Hostos unido jamas sera includes Hostos, were represented on vencido" (Hostos united will never be the march. Queens College and Brook- defeated) and "No cuts, no way, Hostos lyn College brought two busloads of college is here to stay." students. The march was one of many activi- A rally followed the march. Speakers ties initiated by the Community Coali- included Evelina Antonetti, director of tion to Save Hostos. It was also United Bronx Parents; Rev. Antonio Speakers platform at May 14 rally. AFSCME's Victor Gotbaum is at right. sponsored by the Committee for the Stevens Arroyo of PADRES; Demo- Democratic Rights of Puerto Ricans, cratic city council member Luis Olme- which includes a broad array of Puerto do; Ramon Jimenez, spokesperson of By Kendall Green The leadership of the Professional Rican leaders. the Community Coalition to Save NEW YORK-Two thousand em­ Staff Congress, the union of CUNY Among the members of the commit- Hostos; and Alexis Colon, president of ployees of the City University of New faculty, after joining some student­ tee are U.S. Rep. Herman Badillo; New the Hostos Student Government and a York and their supporters rallied at the initiated protests earlier, is now asking York State Rep. Luis Nine; Jose leader of the Federacion Universitaria board of higher education May 14 to its members to accept the same pay Velazquez, New York Zone secretary of Socialista Puertorriquena (FUSP- protest a two-week pay cut demanded "deferral" and other concessions. the Puerto Rican Socialist party; and Federation of Puerto Rican Socialist by CUNY Chancellor Robert Kibbee. Victor Gotbaum, head of District Catarino Garza, Socialist Workers University Students). Kibbee's budget-cutting plans in­ Council 37, spoke to the demonstrators party candidate for U.S. Congress Colon said the march symbolized clude "deferring" two weeks' pay for before going into negotiations. He from the Eighteenth Congressional "the beginning of a mass struggle all CUNY employees, along with praised the "sacrifices" AFSCME District. against the policies of the financial closing Hostos and another commun­ members have made. His only words of Hostos Community College, located control board." ity college and ending open admis­ encouragement were that he would not sions to the university. Supposedly the give up anything more than other money will be repaid in a couple of unions had already given up. years. An hour later Gotbaum emerged The rally was sponsored by District from negotiations and proposed that Council 37, American Federation of his members work one week without State, County and Municipal Employ­ pay. This was greeted with a loud ees. A small number of students and chorus of "No!''s. The "compromise" is faculty were present. But no effort was contingent on the faculty accepting made by AFSCME to join forces with their two-week pay cut and the state the thousands of students and faculty giving additional money to CUNY. who have demonstrated against Union delegates are scheduled to CUNY cutbacks in recent months. vote on this proposal May 21. Migrant workers held as slaves in Florida By Jose Perez this camp I'm gonna put every one of Militant/Andy F. Corriette "He had some of us beat like dogs. them [bullets] in you.'" . I've seen his henchmen beat women in Norris explained how workers were the fields with rubber hoses. And entrapped into slavery by Wilson. "I what's worse, he thought he owned us worked nine days for him up in North and wouldn't let us go." Carolina," Norris said, "and he didn't UFW campaigns for fair Clayton Norris, a sixty-five-year-old pay me all the money I earned. Black migrant farm worker, was "He told me to come with him to speaking to a Florida official investi­ Florida where he would pay me off. He elections in Calif. fields gating charges of slavery and involun­ lured me, that's what he did. I ain't By Arnold Weissberg Los Angeles UFW staffer Linda tary servitude against a labor contrac­ never seen a penny from him-only LOS ANGELES-The United Farm Garcia told the Militant that the UFW tor, LL. "Ivory" Wilson. balance-due slips." Workers union has begun to recruit recruitment drive is focused on the Wilson and two of his brothers None of the pickers were ever paid volunteers to work for passage of a campuses. She said the union is operated an illegal labor camp in Lake by Wilson for their work. Wilson would farm labor initiative. The union filed seeking students who can spend their Wales, Florida. Wilson's camp is one of tell workers that they owed him money more than 700,000 signatures April 30 summer working for the initiative. seventeen unlicensed camps that offi­ for food, housing, clothing, and liquor. to put the initiative on the California Garcia said that the volunteers will cials acknowledge exist in Polk County Nor was their pay the only money ballot. work on publicizing the initiative by alone. The camps are used to house the stolen by Wilson. Will Carmichael, The UFW collected the signatures in organizing community meetings and migrant workers, most of them Blacks who lost a finger in a grove accident, only twenty-nine days. About 310,000 through other activities. and Chicanos, who harvest citrus and explained. valid signat11res are required to place This is not the first time that other crops. "I got my finger cut off in a goat the measure on the ballot. California voters have been asked to State and federal officials took [automatic fruit loader] right here in · .. UFW President Cesar Chavez an­ take sides in the farm-worker-grower statements from eleven former "em­ Florida and Ivory Wilson took me to pounced that the union had "gathered battle. ployees" of the Wilsons. All of those the doctor and got my money," Carmi­ the largest number of signatures in the In 1972, the growers succeeded in giving statements agreed that Wilson chael said. ~hortest period of time in the history of placing an anti-farm-worker initiative and his foremen would not permit the "I got $5,000 in workmen's compen­ /the initiative process." on the ballot, but despite the millions workers to leave the camp, and never sation for my finger and all I got was ·A farm labor law, which was sup­ the growers spent on it, the UFW paid them for the work they performed. five one-dollar bills. He made me sign posed to guarantee union representa­ persuaded the voters to turn the Joseph Stevens described how he 'X' on the check and he took the tion elections, went into effect last fall. initiative down, piling up a margin of had once tned to leave the camp, only. money." But after a long string of UFW election nearly 60 percent against it. to be brought back by Wilson and his Wilson has been in the slave busi­ victories over the grower-supported goons. ness for several years, recruiting work­ Teamsters-, the Democratic-controlled The sides are the same this time. The "I was walking along highway 27 ers in North Carolina for the sweet legislature refused to appropriate mon­ UFW, despite resources far slimmer when Ivory drove up behind me in his potato harvest there in the summer. ey to hold any more elections. None than the growers', have already shown Lincoln Continental," Stevens said. Then he moves to Florida citrus in the have been held since February. the depth of their support. "Wilson told me to get in the car to winter. The initiative, like the current law, Although the battle won't be easy, go back to camp. He then reached in Two of the workers finally escaped would allow union representation elec­ the union can win again if its many his pocket and .pulled out a gun and April 22 and told officials about it. A tions. But it would strengthen certain friends and supporters around the said ... 'You Black s.o.b. You see this raid by a squad of FBI agents freed the key provisions to ensure that the state are mobilized to defend the basic . . . 38? Next time you try and leave others at the camp . elections are fair. rights of farm workers.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 3 Black leaders assail Levi's moves to axe busing decision District 1 By Baxter Smith stone buses, nor gasoline to those who for faculty desegregation. parents& BOSTON, May 18-Attorney Gener­ would start fires, nor sticks to those Last year the Supreme Court refused al Edward Levi's announcement that who would seek to chase American to hear arguments to overturn the he might attempt to strike down school citizens off of constitutionally protect­ Phase One aspect of the order. It is desegregation here -has drawn friendly ed ground." considered unlikely that the court, teachers backing from busing foes and sharp Reaction to Levi's proposals came even if it decides to do so, will hear opposition from busing supporters. swiftly and caustically from the N a­ arguments on the Boston matter before Civil rights leaders are trying to tiona} Student Coalition Against Ra­ the fall. A decision, it is believed, hit closing block Levi's attempt to join-through a cism, a group that is preparing for a would not be forthcoming until next friend-of-the-court brief-the legal ef­ May 29 meeting here of its National spring. fort by the Boston Home and School Steering Committee, which will discuss Meanwhile, in light of Levi's propo­ ofP.S.122 Association to swamp the two-year-old ways to defend busing and school sal, busing foes here have been grab­ By Nelson Gonzalez desegregation order. desegregation. bing for anything to bolster their NEW YORK-On the corner of Roy Wilkins, the executive director of "It is quite apparent that the Ford claims. Ninth. Street and First Avenue in New the NAACP, in a letter to Levi, rapped administration and Levi are declaring South Boston State Rep. Raymond York City's Lower East Side stands the his proposal: war on the Black community with Flynn and a South Boston doctor are "little red schoolhouse." This is how "Seeking Supreme Court review of a these moves," Maceo Dixon, a national preparing a list of what they claim are parents and community residents of case of a record so marked with defi­ coordinator of the student coalition, instances where anxiety over busing in the area refer to Public School 122. ance, recalcitrance, and violence by said. "I agree with the New York South Boston has produced 111 medi­ · The central board of education has school officials and street mobs practi­ Times's characterization." cal disorders, chiefly ulcers and bowel issued lists of schools to be closed in cally insures continued undermining of In a May 17 editorial the Times irregularities. They plan to present this order to meet the cuts in education that the judicial process." termed Levi's plan "reckless, foolish information to Levi to strengthen his the Democratic administration of May­ Thomas Atkins, the head of the and destructive." case that busing is detrimental. or Abraham Beame demands. P.S. 122 Boston NAACP, the group that "From every possible point of view," South Boston antibusing bigot and is one of these schools. brought the desegregation suit on said the Times, "it would be an act of city council President Louise Day But the Committee to Save P.S. 122 behalf of Black parents, also decried monumental folly for the United States Hicks hailed Levi's plan and said that is determined to keep the school open. Levi's plan, which includes a proposal Department of Justice to proceed in Boston needs such a "powerful friend As a result of committee pressure, the to challenge the 1971 Swann v. this way against the law and the in court." district school superintendent and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, North Constitution." Mayor White termed Levi's possible District One school board, which Carolina, court case, which was the Currently, there are four separate intervention "welcome news" that administers the school, are also first to clear the way for the use of appeals before the Supreme Court might end the "traumatic ordeal on against closing P.S. 122. busing for desegregation purposes. against the Phase Two plan. They this city for two years" that busing has On March 31 a busload of parents, Atkins charged that Levi's plan were filed by the Home and School brought. teachers, and school board members "will rekindle the flames of violence Association, Mayor Kevin White, the Levi's proposal came at the end of a went to the New York City Board of that have racked this city." He added Boston School Committee, and the relatively uneventful week here. Education in Brooklyn to present their that Levi and President Ford "should Boston Teachers Union, which is chal­ Of note is the fact that Judge W. case. But the board refused to reverse not be giving rocks to those who would lenging that aspect of the order calling Continued on page 26 its decision. The parents then organized a rally and picket line to call attention to the plight of their school. A May 5 meeting unanimously voted to protest in front of the school the following morning. At the meeting were District One school board members, local Democratic party politicians, teachers, parents, and leading community activists. The next morning 150 people gath­ ered outside P.S. 122. As the picket line grew, it spread into the street, forcing police to detour traffic for about one­ half hour. Then the demonstrators held a rally on the school steps. Constance Romily, a spokesperson for the Committee to Save P.S. 122, told the crowd that this action is just one of many that will take place to save P.S. 122. She announced a meeting to plan future actions. Other speakers included Elizabeth Colon, a community-elected school Black leaders Roy Wilkins, Maceo Dixon, and Thomas Atkins (from left) spoke at May 17, 1975, probusing rally in board member; Catarino Garza, Social­ Boston. All have rebuked Ford administration's encouragement to segregationist violence and resistance to ist Workers party candidate for Con­ educational equality. gress in the Eighteenth District; and a representative of U.S. Rep. Edward Koch. Mayor Beame and his cronies have made it clear that they are out to balance the budget on the backs of the May 29 meeting in Boston set children and parents of this city. But as parents realize that the needs of their children are not on Beame's to assess desegregation fight list of priorities, they are beginning to fight back. By Baxter Smith schools m Wilmington, Delaware; "Desegregation and Why It Is Worth The parents of District One have BOSTON, May 18-Where does the Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia; Fighting For." been in the forefront of the fight fight stand to desegregate schools in and other cities where there are busing Principal speakers will be Eric Van against discrimination and budget Boston and other cities? What is the struggles. Loon of the NAACP, who is the chief cuts. meaning of Attorney General Edward "The meeting will give us a chance attorney for the plaintiffs in the de­ As Catarino Garza put it: "The Levi's announcement that he is consid­ to regroup prodesegregation forces." segregation effort here; Percy Wilson, parents of District One will not allow ering backing legal moves to overturn The two-year-old student coalition head of the Roxbury Multi-Service the bankers and their servants in city court-ordered busing here? was the initiator of the projected April Center and a central figure in the hall to put their profits before the These topics will be discussed when 24 desegregation march here. That Boston busing dispute; and Maceo needs of the children of District One." supporters of school desegregation march was called off a few days before Dixon, a national coordinator of the gather here May 29 for a National it was scheduled to be held because of student group. Steering Committee meeting of the an upsurge of racist activity and the National Student Coalition Against lack of any assurances of safety from The rally and steering committee Racism. the mayor's office for the sponsoring meeting will be held at the Boston Black Scores of activists are expected from groups' right to demonstrate. University. Confetence Auditorium in major East Coast and Midwest cities. the George Sherman Union. The even­ Liberation "The steering committee meeting," McCutcheon said that many activ­ ing rally will begin at 7:30 p.m., and student coalition staff member Hattie ists in the student coalition would "like the steering committee meeting will McCutcheon told the Militant, "will to see another national action." She begin at noon the next day. Further and socialism give us an opportunity to lay out.and said the steering committee would be information on the rally and meeting Edited by Tony Thomas. 207 pp., discuss where the struggle for school discussing that possibility as well as can be obtained from the National $10.00, paper $2.45 desegregation here in Boston is, and making projections for the summer. Student Coalition Against Racism, 612 Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 where it is going. We will also be On the evening prior to the steering Blue Hill A venue, Dorchester, Massa­ West Street. New York, N.Y. 10014 laying out an educational campaign to committee meeting, the student coali­ chusetts 02121. Telephone: (617) 288- aid in the effort to desegregate the tion will be hosting a rally entitled 6200.

4 tfighwaY. robberY. in Texas ,Crystal City says 'no' to gas-utility swindle By Harry Ring Lo-Vaca put their lawyers to work. · · · CRYSTAL CITY, Tex.-Four million So far two courts have upheld Lo-Vaca people in Texas are the victims of an and the railroad commission. Crystal incredible rip-off by a gas utility. Many City is now appealing to the state poor people are now paying more for supreme court. gas than for the food they cook with it. The story behind the Lo-Vaca scan­ Some are paying increases as high as dal is a case of corporate sleight of 800 percent! hand. The swindle is being carried out with It turns out that Lo-Vaca-which the collusion of the Texas Railroad sells gas but doesn't produce it-is a Commission, a state body that is wholly owned subsidiary of the Coas­ supposed to regulate utilities and the tal States Gas Producing Company. prices they charge. But, curiously, Lo-Vaca does not buy The Lo-Vaca Gathering Company its gas from the parent company. sells natural gas to 400 Texas cities Instead, Lo-Vaca buys its gas from and towns, large and small. other Texas producers at whatever In 1973, Lo-V aca went before the price they ask. There is no ceiling on railroad commission and explained gas prices within the state, and the that the price it was paying for gas cost is passed on to the consumer. was going up and it wanted permission Meanwhile, Coastal States sells all MilitanUJoel Britton to pass on the increase to its custom­ its gas outside the state; in these Lo-Vaca rate hikes of up to 800 percent fall hardest on poor families in Crystal City ers. The commission agreed. dealings there is a federally imposed and other small towns throughout Texas. Since then, every month, Lo-Vaca ceiling on the price. simply has added to its bills what it Behind this is apparently a secret says is the increased cost it is paying. deal between Coastal States, Lo-V aca, against passing on that particular gas for thirty-six cents per thousand The result is a backbreaker. During and the other oil producers Lo-V aca price rise. cubic feet and resold it to the people at the winter, people who use gas for buys its gas from. A glimpse of this Lo-Vaca then said that if the deci- the same price. heating and cooking are getting bills appeared in March when it was dis­ sion isn't reversed it might have to go With the railroad commission deci­ as high as eighty dollars. closed that Lo-Vaca and three of its out of business-a development that sion that Lo-Vaca could pass on A fight is being waged against this suppliers were engaging in some shady would be welcomed by many. increased costs, the rate started jump­ highway robbery. It is being led by the bookkeeping in order to pass on a price .I recently talked about Lo-Vaca with ing by the month. Soon, Guzman said, Raza Unida city council in Crystal increase to the consumers. Esequiel Guzman, the city manager in it was up to $1.47 and people were City. They refused to pay, and some In that instance, the accounting was Crystal City. coming into city hall to say they twenty other municipalities have since so phony that even the Texas Railroad In 1973 Crystal City had a contract couldn't pay. followed suit. Commission felt compelled to rule with La-Vaca under which it bought The city council met and voted it would pay Lo-Vaca the thirty-six cents agreed to in the contract and no more. The council said the consumers' bills Zavala Chicanos aim to shift tax load off poor should go back to the original price. Lo-V aca canceled the contract and CRYSTAL CITY, Tex.-In the their true value. . went to court to get its money. November 1974 elections, La Raza "We're looking at every piece of In September 1975, a district court Unida party won a majority on the property in the county," Gutierrez said that Lo-V aca could either collect Zavala County Commission. Crystal said, "every piece of ranch land, City, an RUP stronghold, is the seat every tractor, every horse, every or shut off service. The court said no· facts were to be of Zavala County. cow. " considered except what the law said. In addition to two commissioners, They have found stud horses The law says the railroad commission the RUP elected Jose Angel Gutier­ and bulls commanding stud fees as has the right to regulate the price of rez county judge. The judge is a high as a thousand dollars listed as gas. member of the county commission. ordinary stock at a fraction of their For generations the commission value. "We felt there were two other things had been controlled by well-to-do In tackling the tax dodgers, the that should be considered," Guzman Anglo ranchers who used it to commission is taking on some weal­ said. "Such as the fact that people ensure that the tax burden was thy, powerful forces. There are land can't pay the price of gas. And the fact placed not on themselves but on the holdings in the county as big as that the price isn't being regulated. It's poor. 88,000 acres, Gutierrez noted. A being deregulated." During. my visit here I talked with company like Del Monte, which has What did he think of Lo-Vaca's Judge Gutierrez about what has a canning plant in Crystal City, recent threat to go out of business? been happening in relation to the operates 30,000 acres of farmland in "I wish they would," Guzman re­ county tax situation. the county. plied. "I don't think they should be in For the past six months, he told Gutierrez said he could not say that business. I think it should be me, the commission has been con­ exactly what will be in the commis­ controlled by the government. A natu­ ducting a detailed study to deter­ sion's study, which is due in May. ral resource should be available to mine if all the land and real property However, he did think it was safe to everybody. I don't think profit should in the county was actually being predict that "finally, the tax burden determine the availability of a natural declared for tax purposes and if is going to fall on those it should resource-especially things like gas properties were being assessed at GUTIERREZ: Tackling tax dodgers have a long time ago." -H.R. Continued on page 26 RUP faction tops rival in Crystal City polling By Harry Ring Barrio Club as a right-wing grouping To confirm this, Gutierrez recalled Guzman added, "Personally, that was Two competing factions of La Raza that would strengthen the hand of the an issue of the Barrio Club campaign one of the things that hurt me:--that Unida party competed in the Crystal Anglo forces in the area. paper, La Verdad, which ran a photo people were taking that attitude.... " City, Texas, municipal elections this Gutierrez said that more than 500 of the Central Committee of the Cu­ He said he rejected the idea that past April 3. A slate fielded by the Anglos had voted in the election, and ban Communist party with the names what he saw as Gutierrez's bureaucrat­ Barrio Club defeated a "Gutierrista" charged that the bulk of their votes of Gutierrez and members of his slate ic practices had been imported from ticket, -representing supporters of had gone to the Barrio Club. The superimposed. Cuba. "Some people made comments Judge Jose Angel Gutierrez, founding Barrio slate won with a margin of A differing view of the Crystal City like that to me," he said, "but I always leader of the party in Crystal City. about 200 votes. elections was offered by Esequiel challenged them, because-I didn't feel The Barrio Club won control of both "The gringos are voting for them to Guzman, the town's city manager and it was true." the city council and the school board, destroy our party," Gutierrez asserted, a leader of the Barrio Club. with 55 percent of the approximately "and these people don't seem to care. In a telephone interview, Guzman Regarding the Anglo vote, Guzman 2,600 votes cast. They feel they can receive their sup­ said the election results showed that said, "I think we got most of it. He Prior to the election, there were port and everything will be rosy. I "the people are thinking more inde­ [Gutierrez] got some too. He had some sharp disputes between the two fac­ doubt it. The gringos are not for them; pendently instead of thinking that Anglos backing him, but less than we tions, focusing mainly on issues of the gringos are for themselves. ·What Angel Gutierrez is the person that did. school personnel and school board they want is the destruction of the should be doing everything." "They've been interested in getting policy. party." He said that in his view this was a him out ever since he came here," In addition, the Barrio Club charged Gutierrez also charged that the central issue in the campaign. "People Guzman continued. "It was the lesser Gutierrez with one-man rule in the opposition had engaged in red-baiting wanted to see a broader control in the of two evils for them, l think. They party. over his having led a Raza Unida party," he said. would like to have the Democratic Both contending factions declare party delegation to Cuba in 1975. He Guzman acknowledged that some party back in power here in Zavala their full commitment to La Raza said this was used as "evidence that I people had voted against the Gutierris­ County. They saw us as two evils and Unida party. was a communist and was trying to ta slate because of the trip to Cuba. chose us as the lesser of the two. I Following the elections, in a tele­ bring dictatorial methods allegedly Explaining that he was one of those think that's how they made their phone. interview, Gutierrez branded the practiced in Cuba into Crystal City." who had gone on the Cuba trip, choice." THE MILITANT/MAY 21. 1976 5 THOUSANDS SAY 'ERA NOW!' By Ginny Hildebrand As marchers passed under a train trestle, they struck up a new song to the tune of "When the Saints Come Marchio' In." The march Oh when the states come marchin' in "Two, four, six, eight; ratify in every state!" For equal rights, the fight to win The more than 8,000 demonstrators chanted and Oh Illinois should be in the number sang songs for women's rights from the moment When the states come marching in. they began assembling in the bright morning sun As the contingents neared the capitol steps, the in Springfield, Illinois, May 16. long line of marchers melted into a sea of signs, They had traveled from every corner of the "ERA YES!" country to bring the demand of the majority of American people to Illinois legislators. Their message was loud and clear: "What do we want?" "ERA!" The rally "When do we want it?" "Now!" Militant/Ginny Hildebrand "We are here today from every segment of society As the first contingent of Illinois marchers spilled and from over thirty states. . . . Our presence is a ontO Capitol Street, the front line raised its banner, signal to this nation that we can tolerate the pain of "National Rally for Egual Rights." inequality no longer." The National Organization for Women called this With these words, National Organization for mobilization to demand that the Illinois senate Women leader Mary Jean· Collins, chairwoman of ratify the federal women's rights amendment. the demonstration's steering committee, opened the Victory in Illinois would break up the logjam that May 16 national ERA rally. has kept the ERA four states short of final ratifica­ The crowd gave NOW President Karen DeCrow a tion for more than a year. hearty welcome as she stepped up to the podium. Waves of contingents from thirty states kept "We have in the United States a very long and pouring into the street behind their own banners: proud history of moving around the country for Chicago NOW; Coalition of Labor Union Women; justice," DeCrow began. "We had the underground Coalition of Atlanta Public Employees; Black railroad. . . . We had the Susan B. Anthony Women Support ERA; Utahans for ERA; San Amendment train. We had the Freedom Riders .. ·.. Fernando Vailey, California, NOW; Ratify the And today we have the ERA Freedom Train ERA, Vote Socialist Workers party-Linda Thomp­ riders.... son for Gov. of Illinois; 200 Years is Enough-Pitts­ "We are told that we have laws that protect burgh; Colorado for the ERA; Woman Power; women and guarantee us equality," DeCrow contin­ Teachers for ERA; Maryland NOW. ued. "Those are piecemeal laws. And we know that "I came down because I though there would be a come a bigger recession or a depression and those lot of women's energy and I am supportive of will be gone, there will be no more equal-pay laws." passage of the ERA," Christine Howe from the Sheli Lulkin, a national executive board member University of Illinois in Champaign told the Mili­ of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) tant. and cochair of the Women's Rights Commission of And she was right. The swelling crowd produced the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), began an electric charge that transformed exhausted her speech saying, "Organized labor has learned travelers into exhilarated demonstrators. that we need the ERA. "The Freedom Train was fantastic," said a "At its October 1975 convention, the AFL-CIO woman from Philadelphia. She had traveled all passed a resolution on women workers," Lulkin Friday night and part of Saturday with 500 other said. "They endorsed the Equal Rights Amendment ERA supporters. 'as a clear statement of commitment to the "It was a long trip, fourteen hours, a tired trip, principles of equality of the sexes, and we urge all but I'm glad I'm here," said Connie Dewitt, a affiliates to work for ratification .... member of American Federation of State, "The Coalition of Labor Union Women," Lulkin County and Municipal Employees Local 1164. She continued, "was founded to get about the business and twelve co-workers from the University of of solving women's problems at work and in the Minnesota hospital had traveled on one of the six labor movement. And the Coalition of Labor Union buses from Minneapolis. Women too has voted to make ERA ratification ''I'm here because I'm a working woman and I'm their first priority." also a union worker with the Coalition of Labor Messages had been sent to the rally from AFT Union Women. And I think it's a beautiful move­ President Albert Shanker and Jerry Wurf, president ment," said Linda Parks from Detroit's United Auto Militant/Pat Hayes of the American Federation of State, County and Workers Local 900. Parks was one of the hundreds Municipal Employees (AFSCME). of auto workers who came on seven UAW buses Lulkin led demonstrators m a chant of from Midwest cities. determination-"Failure is impossible! ERA will "This kind of demonstration is what we need to win!" The shouts drowned out the dull buzz of a put our ideas and our desires forward," the Black small propeller plane that was circling the state unionist told the Militant. "This is the only time capitol and trailing a streamer that read, "Illinois that we really get to express ourselves and our women oppose ERA-libbers go home." needs. Other than this, no one ever listens to us . . . In between the speeches, Mary Jean Collins we're lost in the shuffle.... introduced dozens of guests seated on the speakers "I feel the ERA will help all women of every platform-including Eleanor Smeal, chairperson of nationality. Until the women get together and move the NOW national board; Liz McPike, Illinois forward, we'll still be in the background." coordinator of AFSCME; Frank Mingo, internation­ "I came to represent the Chicago Teachers al representative of United Auto Workers Region 4; Union," Flora Mortell told the Militant as her Peter Camejo and Willie Mae Reid, Socialist contingent prepared to leave the assembly point. Workers party candidates for president and vice­ "Within our union," she continued, "we're trying to Militant/Jean Vertheim president; Florence Criley, international representa­ work to change some situations which we feel are tive of the United Electrical Workers; and represent­ unequal for men and women, such as insurance atives of the Illinois Welfare Rights Organization, coverage ... methods of promotion, etc." Illinois Nurses Association, Illinois Education She wanted to march in Springfield for the ERA Association, National Alliance of Black Feminists, because "there is strength in numbers. And with a and several state legislators. largely displayed system of support like this, we Messages had been sent to the rally from have a better chance of ratifying." President Ford and Betty Ford; Sen. Hubert A group of students from Lakeview High School Humphrey (D-Minn.); and Democratic presidential in Chicago passed by and shouted out, one after contenders Jimmy Carter and Morris Udall. Illinois another, their reasons for marching: Gov. Dan Walker addressed the rally. "To stand up for women!" Heather Booth, a founder of Chicago CLUW and "To tell them what we want!" a central organizer of the rally, told the crowd, "To support the ERA!" "Rights are not given, they are fought for if they are "If you don't stick up for what you want, you to be won." won't get it." Participants were reminded of last fall's defeats You didn't have to stop and take a survey to find of state ERA referenda in New York and New out if this sentiment was widespread in Springfield Jersey when Booth said, "Cautioned to put our trust that day. in others to get things done for us . . . we did not As Linda Parks put it, "I think we should push for a time. organize to march on the different capitals. If we "If we had listened to those others," she contin­ can pull women from all over the country to our ued, "we would not be here today." own individual capitals, I think we'll really have a NOW's call for the May 16 national march gave big effect." Continued on page 8

6 -:%. AfBCIIE ~ERA WEST Denver $1/PPoRTS In answer to right-wing forces in Colorado, who are attempting to rescind that state's ratification of the ERA through a ballot referendum, 150 people EOUAL gathered at a solidarity teach-in in support of the ERA in Denver May 14. Sponsored by the Denver ERA Action Committee RIGHTS and the University of Colorado-Denver Women's Center, the teach-in featured a broad array of speakers. Marie Mendoza, representing HEMBRA, a newly formed Chicana feminist group, said, "We need all the legislation we can get to fight the double barriers of sex and race discrimination that we face." Sharon Menard, of the Colorado Commission on the Status of Women, blasted the ERA opponents: "These people are not just opposed to the ERA. They're opposed to the entire Constitution and its Bill of Rights. If they are successful in defeating passage of the ERA, there's no telling what demo- cratic rights they'll attack next." ., "These same forces voted against collective bargaining rights for teachers in Colorado," added Mary Fox, representing the Colorado Education Association. -Ruth Getts San Jose "We can't let our sisters in the unratified states carry the battle alone," said Carol DeBerry, alter­ nate National Executive Board member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women. "The labor THE ERA FREEDOM TRAIN movement has a big stake in the ERA. The anti­ By Clare Fraenzl the media please come to the front of the train." ERA forces are antilabor, anti-equal pay, and anti­ "What do we want? ERA! When do we want it? "Minority women will have a discussion at child care." Now!" midnight." DeBerry was addressing a spirited ERA solidarity The Thirtieth Street train station reverberates rally of 100 people held May 15 in San Jose. Other with the message as Philadelphia supporters "I'm really glad I bought a subscription to that speakers were U.S. Rep. Norman Mineta (D-Calif.): eagerly await the ERA Freedom Train. Camera paper," a woman named Martha comments as I Davlyn Jones, National Board member of the lights glare. Film crews scurry through the lay a bundle of Militants on the table and flop into National Organizaticn for Women; Dave Reiser, mounds of luggage. a seat in the dining car. Retail Clerks union Local 429; Bea Robinson, "Where's Tracy?" "I bought it at the Eastern Regional NOW Women's Alliance; Claudette Begin, ERA Coalition "She can't go. Someone in her family is sick." conference. It really connects feminist issues to the "There will be an empty seat." other struggles that are going on. I think it's really of Santa Clara County; and Sandi Sherman, "Wait!" A woman runs to her friend. "Tell my important that feminists get involved in issues Socialist Workers party candidate for San Jose City husband I'll be a little bit late. I'm going to like defending the Black community in Boston." Council. -Rich Stuart Illinois!" Socialist Workers party candidates and support­ Cheers go up. The train is coming. Seventy-five ers distribute campaign brochures up and down women and men surge down the stairs to the the aisles. platform. A song starts: "What's the socialists' position on child care?" a Los Angeles member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teach­ Five hundred marchers with raised fists, shouting We are women; ers asks. "ERA now!", demonstrated for the Equal Rights We are marching,· "Could we get together and have a discussion on Amendment in Los Angeles May 15. Bella ciao, bella ciao, socialism and feminism on the way back?" anoth­ Academy-award-winning actress Lee Grant deliv­ Bella ciao, ciao, ciao. er woman asks. Discussions swirl around us into ered an bspiring speech at the rally that followed. We are marching for liberation; the night. "Twenty years ago a middle-aged woman sat down We want the ERA passed now. in the front of a bus and refused to move to the "We'll be in Chicago in fifteen minutes!" back," she said. "That act of resistance ended the Philadelphia was the third stop on the Freedom "Get the ·banners!" years of ugly and archaic laws that spelled out Train's journey to Springfield, Illinois, to join the "What did you think of the demonstration?" I inequality for Black people. These same laws must National Rally for Equal Rights, called by the later asked a group of students from State College, be updated for women." National Organization for Women. In all, more Pennsylvania, as we sat bleary-eyed, sipping Yolanda Nava, public relations director for La coffee, the scenery flashing by. than 500 ERA supporters boarded the two sections Comisi6n Femenil Nacional, pointed out that Chica­ "Terrific! Organizing for the ERA was some­ of the train. One originated in New York, the other nas face the same problems other women face­ in Washington, D.C. They met and joined in thing up in the clouds for me until this demonstra­ tion. But yesterday you could really understand discrimination in education, employment, housing, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. and the courts. "There is a myth that Chicanas Women came from as far away as Maine. Some what it meant with all of us united." drove more than seven hours by ·car to meet and "I wouldn't have missed this for the world," a board the train. member of the National Black Feminist Organiza­ "Women were disappointed by the defeat of the tion from Washington, D.C., said. "I really liked New York State ERA last fall," Joy Hipp, a what that Black woman speaker said about member of the Coalition of Labor Uniori Women, getting out a pamphlet relating the ERA to Black told me. "But it made our women's committee women. This is our issue too, and we've got to more determined to fight for the ERA. It's some· organize more Black women to get involved." thing we have to do." "This is historic. We can tell our grandchildren Support for the Illinois demonstration was we rode on this train." nearly unanimous in her local of the American "We'll have to get the Freedom Train down to Federation of State, County and Municipal Em­ Virginia next January when the ERA comes up ployees. She and several other New York again there!" - AFSCME members were sent by their locals to "Where's the discussion on feminism and social­ participate in this demonstration. ism going to be?" don't support the women's movement," she said. Diane Bull's husband and six-year-old daughter "That is not true. Chicanas in California and Sarah also rode on the Freedom Train. In addition Pittsburgh. First load off the Freedom Train. throughout the Southwest support the women's to being a member of Central Bucks County NOW movement and support the Equal Rights Amend­ and coordinator of the Pennsylvania train, Bull is "Goodbye! Goodbye!" ment." the · founder of Housewives for the ERA. "We "Failure is impossible!" boomed Diane Bull over Jo Della-Giustina spoke for the Los Angeles organized the group to respond to Phyllis Schlaf­ the megaphone, quoting Susan B. Anthony. Coalition for the Equal Rights Amendment, which ly's charges that housewives don't support the "Failure is impossible!" shouted the departing initiated the action. Laura Tackett, president of the ERA," she told me. passengers. Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization "The problem is people ·don't know what the for Women, also spoke, as did actress Jane Fonda. ERA is. A demonstration would help clarify who Philadelphia at last. "Welcome back, ERA Representing the Coalition of Labor Union Wom­ supports the ERA." Freedom Train riders," reads a placard. en were Ruth Miller, president of the Los Angeles "What do we want? ERA! When do we want it? CLUW chapter, and Rita Gillman of San Diego The eighteen-hour trip gave Freedom Train Now!" CLUW. riders ample time for discussion. "Will NOW state Applause and cheers. from the passengers await­ Gloria Gutierrez, of Poder Femenino; Victoria ing trains on the other platforms, as we dragged coordinators meet in the middle dining car?" Yanez, University of Southern California MECHA; "Anyone interested in discussing women and ourselves up the stairs to go home. Continued on next page

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 7 ... rally HOW MARCH WAS BUILT Continued from page 6 In the hectic weeks before the May 16 national tion" rally took place May 11 in response to ERA supporters a chance to visibly demonstrate march, a flurry of local rallies, debates, and threats from right-wing forces to rescind the that the majority is behind ERA ratification. teach-ins helped fill the buses for Springfield. ERA in Michigan. Sponsored by the Wayne Three hundred people gathered at Boston County chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union To win the ERA, Booth continued, "We must put University May 7 for a teach-in on the national Women, the rally heard speeches by Tom Turner, aside the past differences that have divided us: ERA fight and the campaign in Massachusetts president of the Metro-Detroit AFL-CIO Council; differences of style, of language, of dress, of age, of to pass a state Equal Rights Amendment, which Olga Madar, national president of CLUW; Odes­ organization." will be on the ballot in November. sa Komer, international vice-president of the The right-wing forces, she stressed, "have the Judy Berkowitz of the Action Coalition for the United Auto Workers; Herman Coleman, execu­ power of money.... We have the power of the ERA, the teach-in's sponsor, said: "I am not tive director of the Michigan Education Associa­ people." afraid of masses of pro-ERA forces marching, tion; and Mary Ellen Riordan, international vice­ rallying, debating. What I am afraid of is president of the American Federation of The banners and placards that waved against the ignorance surrounding the ERA, causing a Teachers and president of its Detroit affiliate. Springfield sky symbolized the unity that Booth breeding ground for horror stories anti-ERA One hundred people at an ERA speak-out in called for. They were emblazoned with the names of groups are known to tell. Cleveland May 3 heard Doris Pecherow of the NOW chapters, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and "We must not let another New York happen Cleveland National Organization for Women say Butcher Workmen, Black Task Force of Georgians here. We must not try to sneak equal rights past that the May 16 march "marks the first nation­ for the ERA, University of Minnesota Students, the voters." wide event that will be part of a series of events Lesbians for the ERA, Teamsters, Young Socialist Hattie McCutcheon brought greetings from the that will characterize the last stretch in the effort Alliance, Moms for the ERA, Housewives for the National Student Coalition Against Racism. to ratify the ERA.'' ERA, Chicago Typographical Union, and Irish "Our enemies are the same," said McCutcheon. New York NOW sponsored "An Evening for Feminists. "The same racist, antibusing, anti-Black forces the Equal Rights Amendment" May 6, featuring During the collection, demonstrators sang along in this city who are organized to stone and beat Vivian Gornick, feminist writer; film critic Joan with a tribute to Rosa Parks, the Black woman who Black youth in the streets and schools, to drive Mellon; Billie Lou Watt, actress on the TV serial triggered massive civil rights protests when she Black families out of predominantly white neigh­ Search for Tomorrow; and a slide show on refused to move to the back of the bus. borhoods, and to terrorize the Black community "Suffrage and the ERA," presented by Dianne and white supporters of our civil rights are the Feeley. The next speaker, Dr. Arnita Boswell of the exact same forces organized to stop the ERA. ERA Central in New Orleans sponsored a May League of Black Women, spoke of the long tradition "A defeat for Black rights will make it easier 6 meeting featuring Willie Montgomery, AFL­ of Black women in the struggle for equal rights. for racist scum all across the country to attack CIO consultant to the Louisiana A. Philip "The question is frequently asked," she said, further the gains of women as well as the labor Randolph Institute, and Cheryl Epling, executive '"What's in it for Black women?' And my answer to movement," she warned. vice-president of the United Teachers of New that-the same thing is in it as there was for me In Detroit, a "Labor Defends ERA Ratifica- Orleans. when I marched in Mississippi, in Washington, in Boston, in Chicago. . . . We're talking about liberation and freedom." "Black women have suffered all of their lives," Boswell emphasized." ... Whenever possible we try women into another-one of dominance, one of to rally together to the cause of all oppressed people. submission-with the weight of law behind such "However, we now feel we need to organize ... ERA West inequality.'' Continued from preceding page around our own priorities as Black women, against Yvonne Wanrow, the Colville Indian facing a Margaret Mora, Socialist Workers party candidate racism and sexism." twenty-five-year sentence for defending herself and for county board of supervisors; and Omari Musa, Thousands of the demonstrators were students. her children from a sexual attack, stated, "I am SWP candidate for U.S. Senate, also addressed the from around the country. They enthusiastically here in support of the ERA because I see a need for greeted the speaker from the Illinois Campus Task rally. -Margaret Mora change in this country and in the attitudes of men Force, Betsy Soares. and women. Women have suffered too long." The response of students to the May 16 call to Capturing the spirit and determination of the action, Soares said, reveals the hollowness of the Seattle: marchers, Kate Daher, a Seattle Central Communi­ media's claim that students are "apathetic ... Chanting "Equal work for equal pay, Ratify the ty College student, said, "This ma:n:h, this rally don't care about issues." ERA!", more than 400 women and men marched should be a mere snowball in an avalanche to come. Soares pointed out that the anti-ERA groups "are through downtown Seattle May 15. also the enemies of equal rights for Blacks and The rally following the march was chaired by Other speakers included Shelley Fernandez, na­ other minorities. These anti-ERA groups have Rita Shaw, coordinator of the Washington State tional board member of the National Organization opposed busing to achieve school desegregation." Coalition for Ratification of the Federal ERA, for Women; Ross Rieder, of the International The U.S. government and the anti-ERA groups, which organized the action in solidarity with the Federation of Professional and Technical she said, both say, " 'We're in a recession now and May 16 national march in Springfield, Illinois. Engineers, AFL-CIO; Patricia Bethard, Socialist we can't afford the luxury of equal rights for Keynote speaker Eleanor McGovern told the Workers party candidate for governor; and Marvin anyone.' " Blasting Congress's cutbacks in child · crowd that if the ERA were law, "Our culture would Durning, one of the Democratic party candidates care, she added, "Once again, the government has no longer decree that men fit into one role and for governor. -Louise Armstrong put bombs and tanks ahead of the needs of working women and their children." The crowd roared when she declared: "We say child care, not warfare!" "To win this fight," Soares concluded, "we need to rely on our own power-the independent power that we mobilized to win the right to vote, the right to abortion, and an end to the war in Vietnam. "We need more demonstrations like this one today, and bigger demonstrations . . . to make our demand heard in every state capitol and in Washington, D.C." The final speaker was NOW leader Betty Friedan, who stated that the majority support for the ERA has even spread to her hometown. "The ERA plays in Peoria," she said. "This is a day we can be proud of." The demonstrators cheered the final speaker with the same enthusiasm they had sustained through­ out the two-and-a-half hours of speeches and songs. Some speakers had stressed electing pro-ERA politicians as the strategy to ~in, but the loudest applause of the day greeted the calls for more marches and rallies like May 16. At the end, women weren't ready to leave without a promise that this march was just the beginning. And what a beginning! May 16 was the most broadly sponsored women's rights action in decades. The active involvement of CLUW chapters and trade unions set an example of how labor can unite with the women's movement, bringing union power to bear in the fight..for equal rights. The demonstrators left inspired with a new sense of their power as a united movement. Their chants, cheers, and songs gave a resounding "Yes!" to Mary Jean Collins's closing words: "I know we will meet again. We will meet in Militant/Jean Vertheim Indiana. We will meet in Missouri. We will meet in Socialist Workers party candidates Peter Camejo and Wiltie Mae Reid joined Springfield march along with Nevada. We will meet wherever it is necessary until many of their supporters. our purpose is accomplished!"

8 "Japan does not have adequate defense forces today. Japan is dangerously vulnerable to Soviet attack. The Soviet navy and air force are constantly maneuvering in the Sea of Japan. Until Japan is able to build up adequate defense forces, it is necessary for the Japanese people to continue to rely on the alliance with the United States.... "The same thing holds true for Europe. There is no European country that can stand alone against overt and covert pressure from the Soviet Union. Even if the European countries united, their collective strength would not today be sufficient to hold off a Russian attack. Therefore it is necessary for them to maintain their NATO alliance with the United States. And this will remain a necessity until their own forces have been developed to an adequate level. "The Philippines are demanding that the U.S. vacate its bases one by one. This is a prudent policy. Complete withdrawal would leave the islands vulnerable to Soviet incursion." Bolster NATO Peking's insistence that the imperialists bolster their military forces against Moscow was under­ lined May 6 when British Foreign Secretary Anthony Crosland met with the highest Chinese officials in Peking, including newly appointed Prime Minister Hua Kuo-feng and Foreign Minister Chiao Kuan-hua. Immediately following the meeting Crosland held a news conference clearly designed to call attention to the top-level agreement between Britain and U.S. Air Force in West Germany. Peking's call for strengthening U.S. military triggers new discussion of China. According to Reuters, Crosland said "that Chinese foreign policy. he had been questioned about the reliability of the American commitment to use a nuclear deter­ rent.... "Peking's leaders had hammered home their concern about the Soviet military threat to Europe and the need for West European unity, Mr. Crosland said. . . . 'Guardian' "Mr. Crosland added there was agreement on the need for a strong NATO and for the United States to 'remain committed and determined."' Peking's stand raises far-reaching questions involving virtually every arena of political struggle. China diseussion Should American revolutionaries, for example, support Reagan? Should they campaign for greater military spending, more bombers and tanks, and to 'By Dick Roberts Peking's propaganda about "superpower rivalry" keep American forces stationed around the world? The Guardian newspaper has opened up an was often clearly directed more at Moscow than Should European revolutionaries give up the important discussion on one of the central issues in Washington. campaign against NATO? Should they support the world politics today: the character of Chinese But it is one thing to warn against the supposed most outspoken capitalist politicians who favor foreign policy. . "Soviet danger." It is quite another thing to NATO? This is a discussion to be welcomed by serious­ advocate supporting imperialism against the Soviet The fact is this switch is already being carried out minded revolutionaries everywhere. Readers of the Union. This is Peking's position. by West German Maoists. The Maoist KPD (Com­ Militant will want to follow it closely. It is difficult to overestimate the profound impact munist party of Germany) calls for an end to the For some time the Guardian has expressed that this naked justification of Chinese foreign struggle against NATO bases as sites for military disagreements with various aspects of Peking's policy will have on revolutionary-minded people the maneuvers. "No protest actions against the con­ foreign policy. During the recent war in Angola, for world over, many of whom look to Peking as "more struction of sites for NATO troop maneuvers; instance, the Guardian called for victory to the revolutionary than Moscow." strengthening the independent West European MPLA while Peking campaigned primarily for the According to Hinton, Peking's slogan in the defenses is the correct military-political line for withdrawal of USSR and Cuban support to the previous period was "Mobilize the third world, unite today," the KPD states. MPLA. with all those forces of the second world willing to The Japanese people have conducted a long and A significant new development has put Peking's struggle and oppose the two superpowers." massive struggle against the U.S. nuclear forces foreign policy into even further question, the The slogan corresponding to Peking's present line that occupy Japan. But Peking calls on Japanese Guardian believes. This is Peking's open declara­ is "Mobilize the third world, unite all the forces of workers to ally with those who dropped the A­ tion that between the two "superpowers," the the second world willing to struggle, neutralize the bombs and to fight for continued U.S. occupation of United States and the USSR, the Soviet Union is United States and strike the main blow at the their country. the main danger. Soviet Union." In the Philippines, Peking had previously sup­ The boldest statement of this turn in Peking's ported the rebels who fight the dictatorship of foreign-policy declarations appears in an interview 'Heath against Wilson' President Ferdinand Marcos as a puppet of "Ameri­ with William Hinton that the Guardian reprinted Hinton leaves no doubt about the meaning of this can imperialism." But last June Marcos established May 5. Hinton is national chairman of the U.S.­ slogan. "China," he says, "judges world leaders by diplomatic relations with Peking, where he met Mao China Peoples Friendship Association. The inter­ how well they understand this new relationship of and Chou En-lai. Apparently Peking now favors view resulted from Hinton's recent visit to China. It forces. Thus they prefer Heath to Wilson, Strauss to Marcos against the anti-imperialist fighters in the is safe,to assume as the Guardian does that Hinton Brandt and Schlesinger to Kissinger." Philippines. accurately expresses official Chinese policy. The comparisons hinge on attitudes toward arming the countries against Moscow. Discussion 'Main danger' • Britain's Tory leader Edward Heath has a The editors of the Guardian raise these and other "Do the Chinese consider the two superpowers to public stance of being more anti-Soviet, and more in questions: "Is the Soviet. Union the 'main danger?"' be equal dangers to the people of the world?" favor of the imperialists' NATO miHtary alliance they ask. "Is the united front against superpower Hinton was asked. against the Soviet Union, than Labour party leader hegemony to be scrapped in favor of a front against "Not any more," he replied. "Ther~ was a period Harold Wilson. the Soviet Union? . . . Are American Marxist­ when the superpowers were seen as more or less • West German right-winger Franz Josef Strauss Leninists to agitate for a U.S., China et al alliance equal enemies threatening not only the emerging (who was warmly greeted in Peking last year) is a against Moscow, doing their best to convince the nations of the third world, but also the indepen­ more outspoken critic of Moscow and supporter of American and all peoples of the world that they dence of the lesser industrial nations of the second NATO than Social Democratic party leader Helmut have to direct their main blow against the USSR world. What China called for then was a worldwide Schmidt. and, apparently its allies?" united front against the two superpowers. . . . • Former US! war secretary Arthur Schlesinger, The Guardian editors promise to write further on "Today," Hinton continued, "there is still a major critical of the Pentagon's arsenal as inadequate to these questions, and the May 19 issue carries initial contradiction between the people of the world and compete with Moscow, is publicly anti-detente, while contributions from Guardian readers. Such an open the two superpowers, but as between the two Secretary of State Kissinger is the main architect of presentation of divergent views on this important superpowers, one-the Soviet Union-is more dang­ the detente. question can only be of help to serious revolutiona­ erous than the other. It is, in fact the main danger Hinton stresses China's concern with increasing ries. confronting the whole world today." (Emphasis in the military strength of the capitalist countries The Militant also plans to pursue this discussion. the original.) allied with Washington against Moscow. He is In future articles we will take a closer look at the Such a posture has been implicit in Peking's asked on what basis. "unity" between Peking and recent course of Chinese foreign policy, examine world strategy at least since 1972 when Mao Washington is possible. Hinton answers, "[On] such Soviet foreign policy, and discuss the governments Tsetung welcgmed Richard Nixon to China at the issues as the defense of Japan, the Philippines and in Peking and Moscow that lie behind these height of Nixon's bombing of Vietnam. Further, Europe." He elaborates: policies.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 9 In Our Opinion Letters

RUP story boosts sales which they seized and repatriate the Ford's assault It was good to see the center-page Palestinians whom they expelled from article on the Raza Unida party in their homes. Robstown, Texas (Militant, May 14). This is an ominous revelation on Black rights At the fiesta Cinco de Mayo, which indeed. If the Israelis can resort to [The following statement was issued May 19 by celebrates the revolution and nuclear means in order to defend their independence of Mexico from French acts of conquest, excision of people en Socialist Workers party presidential and vice­ rule, the North Side branch of the masse, and expropriation of property, presidential candidates Peter Camejo and Willie Mae Houston Socialist Workers party sold the time cannot be far when the Reid.] over fifty copies in two hours. victims of such acts shall find We need more articles like this one themselves desperately driven into the President Ford has thrown the full authority of his office prominently displayed for Militant nuclear arena. behind racist opponents of school desegregation. sales in the many barrios we are now The Palestine problem seems to have He has instructed Attorney General Edward Levi "to look for moving into. Keep it up. Adelante. reached a stage where everybody must an appropriate and proper case to ask the [Supreme] Court to Arturo Ramirez share the burden of a solution for it that would remove all chances of a reexamine busing as a remedy.... "Even while this announce­ Houston, Texas universal catastrophe. Every one of us ment was being made yesterday, Levi was already at work has the obligation to use every means carrying out his boss's orders. available to expel nuclear weapons Levi is reported to be "seriously considering" intervening Rah rah Robstown from the whole region and to uproot all before the Supreme Court on behalf of a challenge to Boston's Congratulations to Harry Ring for causes for need of them by contending court-ordered busing plan. He also intends to ask the justices to his excellent coverage of the Chicano parties. reconsider their 1971 ruling upholding a Charlotte, North struggle in Robstown, Texas. Having Ahmad Manna Silver Spring, Maryland Carolina, busin~ order. been born and raised there, I never In that landmark decision, the Supreme Court gave its stamp considered it much of a distinction to of approval to busing as a means to achieve desegregation. The claim it as my hometown. court called busing "a normal and accepted tool of educational Fate, apparently, has turned the tables on me. Robstown has now taken 'Militant' used in classes policy~" its place alongside other symbols of Here at Rikers Island Correctional As a result of the long struggle of Blacks for equal rights, Chicano resistance to racism and Institution, we have found your racially segregated school systems-like that in Boston before paternalism such as Crystal City and newspaper to be a great asset to us in the busing plan-are today illegal. The anti-Black forces Delano. conducting our political education seeking to stop busing are clearly on the wrong side of the law. I hope to see the day when Robstown classes. becomes the first site in Nueces County The one copy a fellow prisoner was Ford is asking the Supreme Court to turn back the clock: to receiving is not being delivered due to give de facto legal sanction to dual school systems by outlawing to open a branch of the Socialist Workers party. his transfer. the only effective means of desegregation. If the court Thanks again to Harry for all the I hope you will find time to answer acquiesces, the cause of Black rights will be set back many good publicity and better luck next my request. The Militant is of utmost years. time to Ricardo Gutierrez against value to our classes. I really would An editorial in the May 17 New York Times voiced alarm at "Papa Doc" Berryman! appreciate a subscription. the possible social consequences of Ford's moves. "Black Ameri­ G.W. A prisoner New York cans will be put on notice that the Department of Justice ... West Long Branch, New Jersey has concluded that there are no remedies for their rights and that the last 22 years have been nothing more than a cruel hoax." Gary Tyler frame-up Whatever Levi's final decision, these reports and Ford's Israeli nuclear bombs Just a word to express my feelings statement have already delivered a blow to Black rights. The recent disclosures about Israeli on the Gary Tyler frame-up. Brother The anti-Black mobs will take heart, believing their goal of a nuclear status are very disturbing Tyler's frame-up is being perpetrated reminders of the high disproportion permanent end to desegregation may be within reach. by racist city and state officials. between the actual prospects for a This and other similar frame-ups are Ford evidently hopes the timing of his move will slow down meaningful resolution of the Palestine used to instill fear in Blacks and Ronald Reagan's challenge for the Republican nomination by problem and the rapid deterioration revolutionary, conscious people to casting the president as the more "effective" antibusing into what seems to be a fatal deadlock. attempt to intimidate us from fighting candidate. Ford's stock has undoubtedly risen among his The possession, as we are told, by against racism, discrimination, and party's die-hard right-wingers. the Israelis of ten to twenty nuclear police brutality. The Democratic contenders hold out no hope of a different bombs and their deployment to be used Now the hoods are being placed on course. All have either campaigned against busing, their during the 1973 war is a clear the heads of the cowardly, racist imps indication that they would rather lead positions hardly distinguishable from those of Ford, Reagan, who are probably responsible for the the world to destruction than cold-blooded murder of Richard Dunn and Wallace, or else steered clear of the issue to avoid relinquish territories and properties [a Black youth shot by white night alienating racist whites. Front-runner Jimmy Carter's defense of white "ethnic purity" sums up the stance of the Democratic party. What can be done to stop this anti-Black onslaught? This much is certain: waiting to see who is elected next November is no solution. Opponents of equal education have waged an unrelenting offensive against school desegregation. Their mob attacks, violent confrontations, and frequent demonstrations have put the Black community on the defensive. In December 1974 and May 1975, probusing forces mobilized by the thousands in Boston to demand that the government enforce court-ordered desegregation. After each of these success­ ful marches, the antibusing movement was momentarily stymied. Each time it rapidly bounced back, however. And the inability of probusing forces to mount another major street demonstration for more than a year has clearly taken a toll. A powerful and united response to this latest attack could begin to turn the situation around. The stakes are greater than ever. On May 29 the National Student Coalition Against Racism will hold an open meeting of its steering committee to assess the current tasks of the probusing movement. [See article on page 4.] We urge all supporters of Black equality, whatever party or candidate you back, to join in this important meeting. Together we can defeat the government's attempt to wipe out the fruits of more than twenty years of struggle.

10 Capitalism in Crisis Andy Rose riders after leaving a benefit concert The key to ~recovery' for Tyler's defense]. I say to all Gary Tyler's supporters, When the April unemployment report was released margin improvement since the end of the Great do not let these or any other obstacles last week, government economists hailed the figures Depression," said stockbrocker David Levine. persuade you from struggling to free as proof of the success of administration policies. The Journal continued: "Mr. Levine says this year's him as well as continuing the struggle Seven million people were officially counted as surge in profitability reflects the success of industry's to free all. For when one Black is jobless, the same as the .month before, and nearly pricing strategies amid relatively high joblessness. executed for a crime he didn't commit, twice as many as were out of work two years ago. 'High unemployment is depressing wage rate press­ then every single Black person For Blacks, the unemployment rate increased from ures relative to the corporate sector's ability to price its becomes a victim. products,' he says." A prisoner 12.5 percent in March to 13.0 percent in April. In plain English, this means that the capitalists Kansas The White House was correct in citing this as a success-for the capitalists. kept on raising prices while unemployment pushed The persistence of unemployment at near-depression wages down. levels a full year after the economic upturn began is The booming auto industry is a prime example. Last Prison support for Camejo the cornerstone of the recovery in profits. For the January the Wall Street Journal reported that the What is the best in life that we can capitalists and their government, that is the only hope for-for a better job, for better recovery that counts. medical care, for better education, for From their viewpoint, the 1974-75 recession accom­ JOBLESS RATES the right to control our own affairs, for plished a change of historic significance: it pushed a better way to control inflation, for a unemployment higher than they ever thought it could · Official unemployment rates, 3rd quarter way to loosen the grip of U.S. go without sparking resistance from the labor move­ 1975: capitalists oppressing poor and ment. United States ...... 8.6% working-class people here in America In a recent column on Volkswagen's decision to and in Puerto Rico? build an auto assembly plant in the United States, I Britain ...... 5.6% Because I'm Puerto Rican, what cited the fact that wage increases here have been Germany ...... 4.6% more can I hope for? drastically lower than in other major capitalist I'll telf you what more we can hope countries. This victory for the U.S. capitalists is France ...... 4.4°/o for-a man whose influence can directly related to maintaining unemployment higher protect the rights of the poor, Italy ...... 3.6°/o oppressed, and working-class people. than in other countries. Japan ...... 1.9°/o I'm speaking so proudly about a High unemployment is now expected to be a permanent feature of the American economy. Adminis­ Spanish brother-Peter Camejo-who Source: Economic Report of the President is running for president. tration analysts say the jobless rate, now down from It's_,your decision to win or lose. Join the recession peak, may go up again in the next few the socialist campaign and vote for a months, even as production increases. (The rapid layoff of thousands of auto workers "is expected to pay better future. Vote for Peter Camejo for increase in productivity, or output per worker-hour, off handsomely as production gains are realized president and Willie Mae Reid for vice­ makes this possible.) · without further significant auto worker recalls." president. This is a message from a Before this economic slump, 6 percent unemploy­ That is exactly what has happened. At least 28,000 lonely man in prison to help the ment was seen as maximum. Anything higher was auto workers remain on layoff while others are Socialist Workers 1976 campaign. thought to be politically dangerous. Now 6 percent has working heavy overtime. Reporting on this apparent A prisoner become a minimum-the level implicitly set by the contradiction, the May 10 New York Times explained Pennsylvania government as "full employment." And nobody that "it keeps total labor costs down." [The Militant's special Prisoner expects even that target to be reached until the end of Workers tell of company time-study experts pushing Fund makes it possible for us to send 1977 at the earliest. for speedup on the assembly line. "They'll add a screw complimentary or reduced-rate The misery of millions is the foundation on which here and bolt there for a man to put on and next thing subscriptions to prisoners who· can't the profit boom is built. Evaluating economic develop­ you know they've eliminated one man's job," says the pay for them. To help out, send your ments in 1975, the Wall Street Journal last December president of a United Auto Workers local. contribution to: Militant Prisoner 31 pointed to the phenomenal leap in corporate profit Speedup ... low wages ... unemployment-that's Fund, 14 Charles Lane, New York, margins. It has been "the most rapid rate of [profit] what the "recovery" is all about. New York 10014.]

Helps your focus iLa Raza en Acci6n! The perspectives on political, economic, and social realities presented in the Militant are a refreshing and-I'm confident-a more Miguel Pendas truthful addition to the views put forth in the 'establishment media and those not-so-subtly conveyed in my academic Raza Unida gains in Calif. community. As a student in an elitist, somewhat LOS ANGELES-Recent elections in the Los An­ The local news media have been forced to treat them oblivious bourgeois institution, it's geles suburb of San Fernando demonstrate once again as serious candidates. sometimes hard to maintain an the potential of La Raza Unida party. The only reason that there aren't Raza Unida untainted outlook on just what is going RUP candidates Marshall Diaz and Xenaro Ayala members on the San Fernando City Council today is on in this not-so-ideal world. finished fourth and fifth among seven contestants in a that the elections are rigged to deny Chicanos the The Militant helps to focus that race for two city council seats. right to representation. outlook. The winners, two Anglos, received 1,100 to 1,200 . In San Fernando, there are no city council districts; J.S. votes each. Diaz got 424 and Ayala 385. This is a good all council members are elected at-large. Even if the Amherst, Massachusetts showing for what is still a small nucleus of an entire Chicano population voted in a block, this could independent Chicano party. The important thing is still be overturned by the Anglo majority. Only one the support that the partido received in San Fernan­ Chicano has ever been elected to the city council since do's Chicano community, which makes up about half its founding more than fifty years ago. of San Fernando's population of 17,000. Furthermore, only two or three members are elected Exchange student Among the candidates Raza Unida had to oeat was at a time to the five-member council. Another neat I'm an exchange student and lived Luz Marquez; a Mexican-American Democrat running trick. If all five were elected at the same time, a already eight months in the United with the full backing of the church in the barrio. Last­ minority segment in the city, such as the Chicano States. Finally, after eight months I minute plugs from the pulpit and everything. Raza community, could put in two candidates by fil'lishing found a newspaper I was so long Unida activists told me that one of Marquez's fourth and fifth. looking for-the Militant. campaign tactics was driving a car with loudspeaker In fact, this is precisely what happened in this U.K. through the community extolling her virtues as an election. Diaz and Ayala finished fourth and fifth. The Burlington, Wisconsin activist in the church and insinuating that her RUP Chicano community made its choice, and the Anglo rivals were dangerous radicals. It didn't work. majority vetoed it. Despite the baiting, Diaz carried the three most This underscores the importance of waging a heavily Chicano precincts in town, with Ayala coming struggle to have the San Fernando City Council in close behind. elected by district. The Chicano community should The letters column is an open The RUP chapter in San Fernando is composed of a have at least two out of five districts in such an forum for all viewpoints on sub­ relatively small group of dedicated activists. Had their arrangem~nt. jects of general interest to our resources been greater, they would undoubtedly have The greater Los Angeles school board is also elected readers. Please keep your letters reaped even greater results from the election. on an at-large basis, thus denying representation to brief. Where necessary they will The good showing made by the RUP was mainly the the Black and Chicano communities. Yet enough be abridged. Please indicate if result of its consistent activity on behalf of Chicanos pressure has built up that a proposition has been your name may be used or if you for the past several. years. The party has become placed on this spring's ballot to create school board prefer that your initials be used widely known and respected in the community, and districts. In light of this development, now is a good instead. has had an impact on city politics outside of elections. time to press for similar changes in San Fernando.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 The Cireat Society Harry Ring.

Including the Bible?-Bemoaning and (b) to stay in bed with her, Basic education-Elaine Edwards, going on," he sniffed, apparently the lack of reading of basic church catering to her emotional and sexual wife of the governor of Louisiana, says alluding to such bicentennial items as works by priests, Bishop James needs." she always was very self-confident but toilet seats and coffins. Rausch said, "There are priests and now is even more so as a result of a bishops who haven't read a serious SSRAGMS-Cleveland's Mayor $475 charm-school course. She learned book in forty years." Ralph Perk asked the army to lend him that "it's the tone of your voice that Thought for the week-"Just why its new "nonlethal" crowd-control counts," and, even more important, "I should the U.S. Postal Service pay its Now there's a switch-Grant grenade. Called, simply, the Soft-Sting didn't realize I didn't know how to get own way? The Defense Dept. doesn't Keehn, a retired New York banker, Ring Airfoil Grenade Munitions Sys­ in and out of a c~r." pay its way to the tune of $90-odd obtained a separa1ion from his wife on tem, it looks something like a dough­ billion a year and neither do Agricul­ grounds that she beat him up repeated­ nut and features tiny pockets on the Buycentennial dept.-A posh Los ture, Interior, Commerce, Housing, ly, demanding he cater to her sexual outside that can be used for tear gas. Angeles jeweler is offering a red, white, Education and Welfare and State. Why desires. The judge asserted she made The mayor said he didn't have any and blue ring replete with rubies, not make Henry Kissinger pay his no bones about it. "His function was particular reason for the request, it's diamonds, and sapphires for $1,776. "I way, and both Houses of Congress, (a) to take her shopping and traveling, just in case there are crowds to control. don't like a lot of the shmaltz that's too?" -Columnist Carl Riblet, Jr. By Any Means Necessary Baxter Smith· Uptight G-men Uptight about something? Your baby sister ate all film's conclusion is that racial discrimination will attacking the "nihilism of the extremists who are the cornflakes and spilled sugar on the floor? Put continue and must therefore be combated. shrilly and insistently espousing apartheid; racism, your tooth under your pillow and there was no dime Those parts of the memo covering "Operations including anti-Semitism; intimidation and viO­ the next morning? Under Consideration" against the film are blanked lence." Well, you're not alone. Our trustworthy, loyal, out. The new files also include information that courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, Other new documents reveal once again the Hoover kept on the Ku Klux Klan and other such clean, and reverent FBI is uptight over Up Tight. bureau's intense fear of Black militancy, and racist groups. His purpose for doing this, however, New documents from the bureau as a result of a illustrate how the FBI has tried to exploit nearly was to deliver a message to his co-thinkers. Freedom of Information Act request by several every political difference in the Black movement news organizations show that the FBI was hot and among moderates and militant nationalists. "Every time a self-appointed crusader," Hoover bothered in 1968 when the movie Up Tight came An April 4, 1968, memo from the Cleveland FBI once told an American Legion convention, "starts out. office to Hoover reprints an editorial in the Black beating the tom-toms of racial hatred and prejudice, A memo from the Cleveland bureau to FBI chief Cleveland Call & Post criticizing Martin Luther he makes it that much more difficult for the J. Edgar Hoover reported that the movie was filmed King's "Poor People's Campaign." It is now known · constituted authorities to carry on.... The preser­ in Cleveland, and noted, sorely, that "many of the that Hoover held an almost personal vendetta vation of our internal security is a duty too sacred extras [appearing in the film] have been identified against King, and the FBI's intention was to use to be toyed with by psychopathic publicity seekers as members and sympathizers of Black Nationalist the editorial to undercut King's influence among or to be used by greedy self-seeking politicians as a groups." Blacks. means of attracting attention." The movie, according to the FBI memo, showed a But here's the prize in the Crackerjack box. After "militant and violent" Black group having more Still another Cointelpro ("Counterintelligence collecting information and racist literature from sway over the community "compared to the peace­ Program") plot involved the FBI's circulation of a such groups, one memo recommends that it be "sent ful group." The memo remarked bitterly that the 1968 article in the NAACP's Crisis magazine anonymously to selected Negro leaders."

The American Way of Life Spanish and gibberish I remember what it was like walking into a I remember a thousand and one indignities from a new memorandum sent out by the Department of fourth-grade classroom in a strange country at the those days. One of the first things you learn is that Health, Education and Welfare. age of nine-seeing row upon row of children your name is not your name. I was "Joe." Carlos The Supreme Court in the Lau case wasn't staring at you, having the teacher turn to the door, was "Charley." Maria was "Mary." asked-and didn't say-what should be done to smile, and start talking gibberish. They told you that everything you'd ever learned remedy language discrimination. The court only She speaks English, I thought. Not knowing what before was wrong. That you and your people are said it had to stop. else to do, I asked, "?,Habla espanol?"-Do you stupid. That your language and culture are worth­ So picking up on that, HEW sent out an order to speak Spanish? less. its regional civil rights investigators telling them "Un poquito"-a little-she said in an accent so That was in 1960. There were millions who went not to hassle school districts that don't provide exaggerated that I thought she must have worked through the same thing before p1e, and millions bilingual education. HEW said there might be other for years perfecting the mispronunciation. afterward. remedies to language discrimination. Then she talked gibberish at me some more. Then A couple of years ago the U.S. Supreme Court You might think that's a little unlikely. If you at one of the other children in the class who finally got around to looking at the problem. The can't teach children in a language they don't immediately translated. court said that to dump children who don't understand, the obvious thing to do is to teach them This is America, and you always have to talk understand a word of English into English-only in a language they do understand. English in school, he explained. classrooms is to deny them an equal education. But HEW isn't interested in overcoming language It was very strange. Nobody said anything you And that's in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights discrimination. They're interested in overcoming could understand. And if you tried to make yourself Act. Because it is a scientifically proven fact that the Lau decision. understood, the teachers would let you know in no you can't learn a damn thing in a language you It is the same with school segregation and the uncertain terms: This is America. You have to talk don't understand. Brown decision. Everybody from Ford on down English. That decision-Lau v. Nichols-was hailed as a says, "Of course, you can't segregate Blacks into I had always been a good student before. I would milestone, as comparable to the court's 1954 Brown inferior schools. Unless you have to transport them be again. But not for a couple of years. Based upon decision, which had outlawed segregation in public to a different school. That's (gasp) forced busing." school records from my homeland, at first they put schools. Now they're doing it to Lau. "Oh, you can't deny me in the room for the "brightest" kids-almost all Just as Brown had been viewed in the fight for children an education just because they don't speak Anglos. desegregation, the Lau decision was seen as a some language. Unless, of course the language they It didn't take long for the authorities to see I was powerful legal tool to be used in the struggle for don't speak is English." in reality an idiot. I was dumped into class Four-D, bilingual education. They haven't come up with a catchy code word with all the other morons. Mostly it was all the Just how hard that struggle is going to be was like "forced busing" yet, but I'm sure they will. Spanish-speaking kids, and a few Blacks. brought home to me a few weeks ago by reading of -Jose Perez

12 favors from the Democratic and Re­ refusal to bargain seriously, the union publican parties, and anxious to ac­ has shifted its tactics from previous commodate to the needs of the corpora­ years. Instead of striking only one tions, has allowed the once-powerful "target company," the strike this time United Rubber Workers to decline. Its is industry-wide. bargaining power has been eroded by With the support of the AFL-CIO, divisions among its different depart­ the URW has also announced a con­ ments and regions. sumer boycott of Firestone products. Each department of the union bar- The union strike fund is near deple­ . gains separately with each major tion and a special URW convention corporation. In past negotiations they has been called for May 27 in Chicago RUBBER for action on an additional dues have made special concessions to "financially threatened" plants to assessment to raise more money. forestall shifts to low-wage areas from STRIKE: the old center of the industry in Akron. The union wage scale varies in Taft-Hartley injunction? different parts of the c6untry, depend­ The employers' hopes for crushing ing on prevailing wages. There is a the strike were voiced in the May 24 A CRUCIAL vast differential-which the companies issue of Business Week. are now seeking to widen-between It pointeq out that "the strike has wages in the tire plants and other not shut off the companies' income. sectors. The union has failed to orga­ Each of the Big Four has plants, either BATTLE nize thousands of small shops produ­ nonunion or covered by other con­ cing rubber and related goods in all tracts,· that produce nontire products parts of the country. such as garden hose. Firestone and The most damaging blow fell in 1973 Uniroyal eaclv··'bas nonunion tire FOR ALL plants still m"'production. . . . when union negotiators, in compli­ ance with Nixon's Phase Three wage "One rubber executive thinks that controls, signed for a small wage the auto companies will not bother to increase and no escalator protection apply pressure on the rubber compa­ LABOR nies when they run out of tires-as the against inflation. The result was a 10 percent drop in real wages. URW apparently assumes-but in­ stead will demand a Taft-Hartley Recover lost ground injunction. Indeed, the Ford Adminis­ Union members are out to recover tration is already considering a T-H some lost ground. They are determined back-to-work order if the strike causes to win a cost-of-living allowance disruptions in the auto industry." (COLA) at least as good as those won URW officials appear to be expecting by auto workers, steelworkers, and and counting on govemment imposi­ miners. These generally provide a one­ tion of a settlement somewhere close to cent increase for every 0.3-point in­ what the union is demanding. But the crease in the Consumer Price Index. present political climate is not favor­ By Frank Lovell over three years. "They aren't going to This formula d~es not keep wages able to such hopes. The rubber workers' strike that get the kind of money they're talking fully abreast of rising prices because The outcome of the strike will depend began April 21 and now approaches its about," a rubber executive declares. the government's price index is not an on the determination and ability of second month is a war of attrition. In an effort to demoralize the union accurate reflection of the declining URW members to strengthen and This was expected. ranks, the corporations have cut off all purchasing power of the weekly pay­ extend their strike, popularize their When 60,000 union members closed Supplemental Unemployment Benefit check. demands, and win new allies among most of the tire plants of the four payments to 1,700 workers who had Also, the COLA wage formula ad­ other unions and other sectors of the major companies-Firestone, Good­ been laid off before the strike. Bom­ justs wages only quarterly. Wages are working class. year, Goodrich, and Uniroyal-United marito charges that this amounts to frozen over each three-month period, Rubber Workers President Peter Born· declaring "war" on the URW. while prices rise constantly. There is Showdown approaches marito said, "I think the strike will be The union president also accuses no provision to compensate for this As the showdown approaches in the for some time. At this point I'm not Firestone of trying to "circumvent" periodic loss. strikebound rubber industry, it be­ optimistic." bargaining by sending letters to strik­ Despite COLA's present weaknesses, comes clear that this is a contest that "I don't care if they don't settle for ers, urging them to "reconsider" the rubber workers see the escalator of affects the fate of the union movement. six months." That's the way Kenneth company offer. other basic industries as far superior to At stake is the future of some of the Phillips, a fifty-seven-year-old rubber what they have. once-powerful industrial unions that worker in Akron, Ohio, put it. Phillips Union power eroded They need to catch up in other ways were part of the great CIO movement is a veteran of thirty-four years and Not all the rubber industry is orga­ too. Uniform wage scales in tire plants of the 1930s. The electrical workers' eleven strikes at Firestone. In 1967 he nized. A total of 275,000 workers are is a basic demand. This, along with negotiations opened last month in the was out for three months. employed, only 183;000 of them in the equalizing wages in all sectors of the shadow of the rubber strike. Nor will "I just want living costs and a better URW. There are'about 85,000 workers industry, and organizing the unorga­ the auto workers union escape the retirement," Phillips said, "so when I in tire plants. They are reported to nized, would discourage the shifting of consequences of this battle. do get out I don't have to beat my make an average of $5.50 an hour. plants in search of lower wages. What is being tested is the class­ collaborationist approach of the brains out figuring out how to live." Other rubber workers-in footwear, Compared with average wages in present-day union officials. These The URW is demanding an immedi­ garment, hospital supplies, and other manufacturing industry, the rubber methods have always worked to the ate "catch-up" wage increase of $1.65 products-average a dollar an hour workers are far down the ladder. Their disadvantage of the unions, but under an hour and an open-ended cost-of­ less. present demands for parity with other present economic and political condi­ living clause to keep wages abreast of Much of the industry ha:s shifted to organized workers are very modest. tions, corporate management is ques­ rising prices. open-shop areas of the South and Yet there is no optimism at any level tioning whether it is any longer The companies have not budged Southwest in the past twenty years. of the union hierarchy that these from their offer of $1.15 an hour spread An inept leadership seeking political demands will be accepted. necessary for them to maintain the President Nathan Trachsel of URW former "cooperative" labor-manage­ Local 9 in Akron commented, "I don't ment relations. know of any other time in the history Som:e are determined to destroy their former "labor partners" in the unions. of the union when we had more coming to us and when the time was worse for getting it." Traschel is negotiating with General Tire, the number five tire producer. BOUNCY Profiteers are united· PROFITS The rubber corporations are united In the rubber industry, as else­ in their opposition to union wages and where, there is no question that the working conditions. They are pressing corporations have the money to pay their advantage, claiming that union higher wages. demands are exorbitant and a threat to On April 26, less than a week general economic recovery. after the strike was called, Good­ Concem for the economy is echoed year announced first- quarter net by other sectors of big business, the profits of $43.7 million-double their capitalist press, and govemment re­ profits of a year earlier. presentatives. The New York Times B.F. Goodrich showed a 145.9 claims that "whatever contract eventu­ percent profit gain. Goodrich offi­ ally emerges in the tire industry will cials admit to "questionable" pay­ contribute further to reviving inflation- ments of $124,000 in bribes in recent ary pressures." • years. This l!'tandard assumption is based Profits are up 13 . percent at on the false premise that wages cause Firestone, 63 percent at Uniroyal, prices to rise. The depressed living and 269 percent at General Tire. standard of rubber workers, who have Their big profit gains are due to been without a wage escalator for three low wages and high productivity. years, proveS!' the opposite: prices Corporate management intends to continue tg rtse while wages are frozen. keep it that way. In the face of arrogant company

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 13 Ruling_bv.Judge Griesa Gov't must release further data on SWP. By Diane Rupp "I assume whether it is in a safe or in a file (t£5T 701.1~ drawer or in a closet, those files will be checked," CON5TITilTIONAL IQ t U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Griesa told the SEE If" YOLl C.AN government lawyers on May 5. SPoT lllf SIIBVER$1VE Griesa ordered the government to turn over a IN iHI5 PICTUR.E mass of new files to the Socialist Workers party and (ANSWER tii.OW) Young Socialist Alliance in their suit against the government. Griesa ordered the government to comb through J. Edgar Hoover's "official and confidential" files and "personal" files and safes maintained by Special Agents in Charge (SACs) of FBI field offices. He also ordered the CIA to turn over all of its records on the Fourth International. In protesting the judge's order as too burdensome, the FBI admitted that it has eight million docu­ ments on the SWP and YSA in its files. In January 1975 Griesa had ordered the govern­ ment to turn over everything about the SWP and YSA. "The main thing is get the documents," he demanded. "Get everything in hand. . . . If they have got file drawers and file drawers of material, just make it available, because we have to have it." The government did turn over thousands of pages on Cointelpro programs and other illegal activities against socialists. But the FBI refused to turn over !ANSWER~ RIG.flT. 1Ts THto H.kLDIJ owl~Eo n .. ooR V Wm-1 T~~ f'[NC.II... BEI'"'EEo"( HIS TuR- THO everything. HiS fbi.!TiCAl- ~R,Ty' IS j..EGrAj.. ENO!lEM, HIS fAANTIC­ On March 28, 1976, records on ninety-two FBI ATTI'I-It!'l ToGE.T Hal' IS ClEA.RL..'tAC.Of\1~!'!~)' burglaries of SWP and YSA offices came to light. Th DISI

FBI role hig.h!ighted AAUP blasts regents in Starsky case By Diane Rupp and 250 faculty members. Starsky was conclusions, or their decision to dis­ "failed to meet his obligations 'to The prestigious American Associa­ fired from the department of philoso­ miss Professor Starsky.". promote conditions of free inquiry and tion of University Professors (AAUP), phy on charges of unprofessional be­ The report also describes as "shock­ to further public understanding of in a new report on the firing of havior. ing" the FBI's undercover crusade to academic freedom.'" Professor Morris Starsky by Arizona When ASU refused to accept a get Starsky fired. The AAUP found that Starsky was -state University (ASU), charges that federal court decision that the universi­ Cointelpro documents released to the victim, not the villain, of this "the Board of Regents infringed upon ty should rehire Starsky, the AAUP, Starsky under the Freedom of Informa­ crime. The report points out, "The [Starsky's] rights as a citizen and representing 85,000 members, decided tion Act showed that the FBI sent an right of members of the academic prevented him from exercising his to conduct an investigation and "bring anonymous letter to five members of community ... to involve themselves academic freedom." this matter fully to the attention of the the ASU faculty review committee in in controversial matters is fundamen­ The report is based on an indepen­ academic profession." The report is 1970. "The bogus letter, signed "A tal to academic freedom on any and all dent investigation conducted by the published in the spring issue of the concerned ASU alumnus," urged that campuses." AAUP's Committee on Academic Free­ AA UP Bulletin. Starsky be driven off the campus. The AAUP findings will give a boost dom and Tenure. The AAUP sent Richard Adams of FBI agents refused to speak with the to Starsky's continuing fight to be The AAUP also suggests that still­ Tulane University and Richard De investigating team. The FBI continues rehired at ASU.. secret FBI documents may contain George of the University of Kansas to to withold at least four documents on In 1972 a federal district court ruled more information on the FBI's role in Arizona. This investigating team read Starsky. that Starsky's firing was illegal. An the firing than has been revealed to available documents, interviewed ASU appeals court agreed that the firing date in the Cointelpro papers. faculty members, and attempted to "Whether COINTELPRO had more was political and violated Starsky's Starsky was fired in 1970 because of discuss the issues with the board of influence on the initiation of the constitutional rights. However, the his political views and activities. He regents and the Phoenix office of the proceedings and on their outcome is appeals court ordered the district court was a supporter of Socialist Workers FBI. The regents and FBI refused to not so easily assessed, pending release to hold a trial on the technical issue of party election campaigns, faculty discuss the case. by the Department of Justice of infor­ whether Starsky gave up his right to sponsor for the campus Young Social­ The AAUP team examined the mation that it continues to keep demand reinstatement· and collect ist Alliance, and organizer of free­ regents' complaints against Starsky, secret," the report says. damages when he agreed to accept a speech fights and antiwar rallies. which were supposedly based on · The report notes that as early as year's sabbatical after his dismissal. The ASU regents ignored a faculty AAUP policy statements on profes­ July 1968 the local office of the FBI Those who support the socialist committee's report describing Starsky sional ethics. Their report concludes, was "predicting" that the regents professor's right to teach at ASU are as a superior teacher and scholar and "The investigating committee has would fire Starsky. urged to send messages to: Arizona closed their eyes to petitions backing found no evidence in the. record that Ironically, one of the regents' Gov. Raul Castro, Statehouse, Phoe- the professor signed by 3,000 students would justify the Regents' findings or charges against Starsky was that he nix, Arizona 85007. ..

14 Demand files on Dobbs, Hansen Socialists expand lawsuit against FBI By Larry Seigle conspiracy to disrupt and persecute the 410 West Street, New York, New York taken its distance from some of the The Socialist Workers party and the SWP goes back to 1938, under the 10014. most flagrantly illegal kinds of FBI Young Socialist Alliance have ex­ Roosevelt administration. The earlier These FBI attacks culminated in the actions, such as the burglaries, but it is panded their landmark suit against version had traced the conspiracy back 1941 conviction in Minneapolis of not retreating an inch on its claim that the government, based on the massive to 1948, when President Truman or­ Dobbs and seventeen other members the FBI has the right to use informers new evidence of government crimes dered the creation of the attorney and leaders of the SWP and the Team­ against the SWP and YSA. that has emerged from the govern­ general's list of so-called subversive sters under the notorious Smith "Gag" Although the use of informers has ment's secret archives. organizations. Act. been upheld by court rulings in crimi­ The updated suit is substantially However, the socialists' attorneys Dobbs resigned from the Teamsters nal cases, the issue has never before different from the original version filed now believe that they can prove in staff in 1940 to become labor secretary been confronted in a political case. in July 1973. It adds new plaintiffs and court that the attacks on the SWP and of the SWP. He ran for president four The amended suit asserts that "by defendants, and it brings into sharper other organizations branded as "sub­ times on the SWP ticket and was the maintaining secret government agents versive" began in 1938. party's national secretary from 1953 to and informers as active members of In October of that year, FBI boss J. 1972. During these years, the FBI the SWP and the YSA, defendants Edgar Hoover submitted to Roosevelt repeatedly broke into the party's na­ prevent plaintiffs from forming apd "suggestions for expansion" of FBI tional office, and illegally photo­ operating an independent association operations against "activities of either graphed Dobbs's correspondence and free of government influence . . . in a subversive or so-called intelligence personal and political files. violation of the First Amendment." type." Roosevelt approved the plan. The revised suit adds Dobbs as a The following year, Roosevelt au­ plaintiff in the case. The party is now thorized the FBI to "take charge of' demanding that the FBI produce all of government efforts to combat "subver­ the documents in its files on Dobbs, sive activities." including those covering his years in These measures were taken at a time the Teamsters union. when the U.S. ruling class was prepar­ ing for American intervention into the International activities impending world war. The Roosevelt administration was determined to The suit now also asserts that SWP clamp down on the most militant and YSA members have the right to sections of the labor movement and to travel abroad, to meet with political eliminate any source of potential oppo­ activists from other countries, and to sition to the war. participate in internationally coordi­ nated political activities and discus­ sion without interference or surveil­ lance by the government. FBI vs. Teamsters The suit charges that government agencies, in particularly the CIA, have To accomplish these ends Roosevelt acted illegally by "disrupting" SWP took steps to move the FBI more and YSA members "as they travel to directly into the role of a political foreign countries to exchange ideas police force. One of the first assign­ with foreign citizens and gather infor­ ments handed to the bureau was to mation for use in formulating policies launch an attack on the Teamsters and programs concerning internation­ union in the North-Central states. The al issues." Teamsters in that region were carrying Documents that have come to light Militant/Howard Petrick out the union's first organizing drive of since the suit was first filed show that FARRELL DOBBS over-the-road drivers. the CIA has carried out intensive Among the leaders of this union surveillance of the SWP and YSA and effort was Farrell Dobbs,. a member of has shadowed U.S. socialists in travels the SWP. Dobbs and other Trotskyists The suit also breaks new legal around the world. In addition, the had played a decisive part in organiz­ ground in its challenge to the FBI's ing the Teamsters in Minneapolis. government has admitted that the "interviews" of landlords, employers, super-secret National Security Agency Now they were expanding Teamster parents, and friends of SWP and YSA power through class-struggle union monitors international telephone and members and supporters. cable communications. policies. The FBI insists that this kind of FBI boss Hoover with Roosevelt The FBI went into action to disrupt The government claims that it has activity is a legitimate "investigative the right to investigate not only the technique." The suit, however, charges the Teamsters with a series of frame­ ups of union militants. Unio.Jl members SWP but also the Fourth International, that any such activity is a violation of the international Trotskyist organiza­ constitutional rights. involved in strikes were prosecuted on tion. The SWP is barred from affiliat- focus the kinds of government spying spurious charges, including interfer­ . ing to the Fourth International by the Cointelpro victims and harassment that will be outlawed ence with interstate commerce, "mali­ reactionary Voorhis Act. However, the When the suit was first filed, the if the case is won (see box). cious destruction of property with party collaborates with the interna­ scope and nature of the FBI's Cointel­ It also boosts the amount of money explosives," and kidnapping. tional on a fraternal basis. pro program were unknown to anyone that the SWP and YSA are demanding, (The antilabor role of the FBI in this The suit also adds Joseph Hansen as outside of the government. The allega­ from the original $27 million to $37 period is described in Dobbs's book a plaintiff. Hansen, a longtime leader tions in the earlier version of the million. Teamster Politics, the third of four of the SWP, has been one of the central complaint were based on scattered and The amended complaint, filed on volumes on the Teamsters union, avail­ leaders of the international Trotskyist incomplete pieces of evidence, rather May 11, charges that the government able for $2.95 from Pathfinder Press, movement for decades. than on information from the FBI's Hansen served as secretary to Leon own files. Continued on page 26 Trotsky when the exiled Russian revo­ lutionist lived in Mexico from 1938 What lawsuit is demanding until he was assassinated by a Stalin­ A favorable ruling on the SWP informers or other _government ist agent in 1940. Gov't dilemma and YSA suit will constitute a agents to pose as bona f1de members At that time, the FBI was the covert charter of political rights and free- of the SWP an~ ~he Y~A or to ~irect, action arm of the United States in Last week the Milita,nt reported doms for all groups subject to gov- c?ntrol or _part1c1pate m ~n~ dls~us- Latin America, and the SWP is de­ that the Justice Department was ernment spying and harassment ~wn,. meetl_ng or other a?t1v1ty w~th- manding that the FBI turn over every­ caught in a dilemma over whether because they choose to exercise m or relatmg to the said orgamza- thing in its files on Hansen, including to defend the FBI agents who partic­ their constitutional rights to dis- tions; materials compiled when Hansen was ipated in burglaries against the sent. "(5) wiretapping or otherwise in- part of the Trotsky household. SWP and the YSA. Three agents The amended complaint specifies tercepting the oral communications Attorneys for the SWP have also have been added as defendants in the following practices to be barred of the SWP, the YSA or their mem- demanded that the government return the SWP and YSA suit. by an injunction: hers; the contents of eighty-nine packages On May 13, the New York Times "(6) singling out, opening, reading that Joseph and Reba Hansen mailed reported that the Justice Depart­ "(1) mterrogating, surveilling, or copying the mail of the SWP, the from Paris to the United States in ment has decided to take the middle threatening or affecting the employ­ YSA or their members; 1965, but which mysteriously never ground. It won't provide govern­ ment of members or supporters of "(7) recording the names of corre­ reached their destination. The pack­ ment lawyers for two of the bur­ the SWP and the YSA because of spondents of the SWP, the .YSA or ages contained files, correspondence, glars, George Baxtrum and Arthur their affiliation with or support of their members, or otherwise moni­ and articles in preparation. These Greene, but it will authorize the use the SWP and/ or the YSA; toring plaintiffs' mail; missing parcels are apparently among of our tax money to hire private "(2) inducing or attempting to "(8) breaking into plaintiffs' the items that the government has lawyers for the two. induce members or supporters to spy premises; stolen from the SWP over the years. The third man, John Malone, who and inform upon the SWP and/ or "(9) disrupting or interfering with, was head of the bureau's New York the YSA; or attempting to disrupt or interfere Use of informers office when the burglaries took "(3) infiltrating the SWP and/or with the lawful foreign travels and The amended version of the suit also place, apparently poses more of a communications of representatives the YSA for purposes of surveillance focuses in more precisely on the gov­ problem. No decision has been made or any other purpose; and members of the SWP and ernment's use of informers. about providing Malone with coun­ "(4) authorizing or permitting YSA. ..." -L.S. The Justice Department has publicly sel.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 15 [Following is an interview with English and Spanish. But when these Peter Camejo, presidential children enter school, they find only standard-bearer of the Socialist one language-English-is permitted. Workers party. Willie Mae Reid is Also, I think it's obvious we need the vice-presidential candidate. teachers that not only understand and [Camejo, thirty-six, was born in know the languages that the children New York of Venezuelan parents. learn at home, but also understand He has been a socialist and activist their culture and values. for more than fifteen years. (While It's interesting that the majority­ living in California in the late the Anglos-believe in this idea. They 1960s he was denounced by Ron­ very carefully worked their culture into ald Reagan for being "involved all our education-from what pictures in every large-scale demonstra­ are used to what the textbooks say, tion" in the state.) and so forth. [Camejo's campaign has been But when another group-like different from those of the double­ Latinos-wants to have our culture talking Democrats and Republi­ expressed through education, Anglos cans. He has forthrightly support­ say it is "alien." ed such causes as the Equal Rights I think clearly we are entitled to Amendment, the United Farm have education that meets the needs of Workers, busing for school de­ children, and the need is bilingual­ segregation, and release of politi­ bicultural education. It should be done. cal prisoners in the United States The tragedy is that all education is and around the world. being cut back. At the same time the [In an introduction to an inter­ government is spending $100 billion on view with Camejo published in its war. They claim we're having a big May issue, the San Antonio Chica­ recovery. The stock market's broken no magazine Caracol described the 1,000. The gross mitional product is the highest ever. And yet they're cutting socialist candidate this way: Graphic from 'Caracol,' a Chicano magazine "Young, energetic, controversial, back all over the country. get-it-on, sarcastic, ironic, funny, militant, concerned, leftist, very Q. What about the relationsnip be­ human: Peter Camejo is all these tween busing and bilingual education? and more.... ["Above all, Mr. Camejo dis­ A. Now, as I've campaigned I've cusses openly the cositas (little noticed that there is confusion about things) that democrats and re­ what busing means. Occasionally, publicans don't even whisper. We PETER CAMEJO, Democratic and Republican politicians don't know whether Peter has a have tried to say busing would destroy chance of winning the presidential the existing bilingual-bicultural chair, but by far he seems to be the SOCIALIST WORKERS programs-meager as they are. most tog.ether person on this elec­ First we should be clear on what tion year."] busing means. It means that students who w~re not allowed to enter the Question. What do you see as the PARTY CANDIDATE better schools because of their race central issues facing Chicanos this have the right to enter them. That's election year? all. It's just transportation. For Black FOB PRESIDENT, and other minority children to go to Answer. Money and jobs. better schools-schools that were pre­ Chicanos, when they have jobs, have viously all-white. It's a way of moving to work harder than the average Anglo toward equality in education. worker because Chicanos get the worst DISCUSSES: Bilingual-bicultural education pro­ jobs. Yet they earn qualitatively less. grams are precisely another step in the Unemployment is running at a much same direction. Not a contradictory higher rate among Chicanos and other step, but a complementary one. minority groups than among Anglos. In Boston, where busing is a very Chicanos are suffering the most hot issue, the racist school committee from cutbacks in education, medical tried to pit the Black community care, food stamps, and other social against the Puerto Rican community. services. They consciously proposed plans for In general, Chicanos face all the carrying out busing in such a way as same problems that working people in to destroy the bilingual program that this country face, only more so. ISSUES exists. But leaders of the Puerto Rican Q. What is your position on the community and of the Black communi­ deportations of undocumented work­ ty came together and achieved a clear ers? understanding. The Black -organiza­ tion that had originally filed the A. This is a particular problem that desegregation suit supported in court all of us of Latin American descent are FACING the Puerto Rican parents' demands for facing in this country. The racist bilingual education. discrimination against those who are They didn't fall for the trap of not born here is something that has having Blacks and Latinos divided characterized all American history-at over this question. Both were fighting one time against the Irish, later for the same thing-an equal and against Italians, and today against decent education. Latinos and especially mexicanos. OBIOANOS I am absolutely opposed to deporta­ /, Q. What do you think it means for tions or any idea that a worker is any Chicanos that Carter has become the less of a person-has less human front-runner for the Democratic nomi­ rights-because they were born in one nation? Is there any candidate in the country rather than another. Democratic and Republican primaries I feel personally very strongly about INt97G that is addressing the issues of concern this issue. I come from a family of four to Chicanos? brothers. Two are "legals" and two are "illegals." A. The fact that Carter has become We have to recognize that mexicanos the front-runner is widely misunder­ who are in Texas or California or New stood. Most people see it as a matter of Mexico are in part of what was Mexico. his having won a number of primaries. They have more right to be there than But the big business media announced the Anglos. provide jobs. But instead they are exploiting mexicanos, Chicanos, and that Carter was the front-runner before This whole issue has been created to taking advantage of divisions within all Latinos. he won any primaries. That's how fast make the so-called illegals scapegoats our people and the working class to history gets covered up. for the fact that rich corporations in blame unemployment on undocument­ Q. What about the fight for bilingual Then it's also true he hasn't won this country are creating massive ed workers. and bicultural education? very much in the primaries. That's unemployment. because nobody's voting. We had a What we have to do is unite in a Q. What do you think of the Rodino perfect example in Texas. massive movement to struggle against bill, which would make it illegal for an A. I believe the need for bilingual, Almost every paper in the country the deportations and discrimination employer to knowingly hire undocu­ bicultural education in this country is ran banner headlines about the faced by the "illegals." mented workers? enormous. Recently a government "sweep" of Ronald Reagan. But Rea­ We have to concentrate our attack on official said there may soon be as gan won with 3 percent of the adult the people who are causing the A. I oppose the Rodino bill. Its goal many as 20 million people in this population of the state voting for him. problem-th,e politicians ruaning is simply to strengthen the antiforeign, country of Latin American descent. What does this prove? Nothing. Washington and the corporations they chauvinist attitude that exists in this And their children often learn Spanish Except that there are 3 percent who are serve. They are the people who can country. It will end up hurting and first at home, or they learn both tied to the Republican machine or are

16 racists-so backward they would vote people-not those phony Democrats­ for someone like Ronald Reagan. act and vote in legislatures and city The fact is that all three candidates councils. That would be a very power­ who are "front-runners" are basically ful example. Capitalist profit greed the same. Carter has gotten support from a number of Black Democrats, Q. As the first Latino to run for but he's no different. president of the United States, have despoils Puerto Rico You don't even have to wonder about you met an unusual response? what he meant by "ethnic purity." All By Andrea Morell, director, How wf!!re doing you have to do is look at the state of A. I certainly have and I'd like to 1976 campaign committee Human needs before profits: a simple Georgia, where Carter was governor comment on it. But first I'd like to $10,000 June 30 for four years. The schools are more explain why I'm the first Latino. It concept at the heart of what socialists segregated today than they were be­ tells you a lot about the Democrats and stand for. $9,000 fore. The income of Blacks in Georgia Republicans. Those parties have a very To Ferdinand Perez, a fisherman on is lower today than four years ago. The odd way of picking their candidates. the Manati River in northwestern $8,000 Puerto Rico, "human needs before unemployment is higher. It is one of They start by excluding the over­ $7,000 the states with the antiunion "right-to­ whelming majority of people in this profits" has a deep personal meaning. work" laws. country-women, Blacks, Chicanos, The son of a fisherman, Perez has $6,000 May 15 In the last few days California's Native Americans, Jews. In fact they made his living from the Manati River $5,000 Jerry Brown has been played up in the reject everyone except Anglo males. for forty years. Now his economic future and those media as a major candidate. He is Then within this minority of Anglo $4,000 trying to present himself as being males, they reject most people. They of other fishermen are being ruined, as different from the others. But the only pick their candidates from a tiny select $3,000 group-businessmen or rich lawyers­ difference is that he is more of a 12,000 demagogue. people who generally don't work for a Brown is the only capitalist candi­ living but live off the labor of others. $1,000 date who has made an effort to portray So the Democrats and Republicans himself as pro-Chicano-by talking don't pick their candidates from the 0 about the support he gave to the law in American people. They pick them from the river turns from emerald green to California allowing farm workers to a special social layer-the ruling class murky black. The fish in the Manati select a union through voting, a law and its trusted servants. are dying. And townspeople in Barcelo­ supported by the United Farm Work­ Our party, on the other hand, repre­ Puerto Rico has resulted in widespread neta, his home, refuse to buy the few poverty and an estimated unemploy­ ers. sents the overall majority of the fish Perez does catch for fear they will But what has happened is this: as population-working people. We ran ment rate of 40 percent. As long as die too. Puerto Rico is culturally, politically, soon as the UFW started winning the first Black for president in 1964. The problem flows from the pipes of elections, the Democrats sabotaged the We ran a white male in 1968, a woman militarily, and economically dominat­ eleven huge chemical and pharmaceu­ ed by U.S. corporations, people there election law by not providing any in 1972, and I'm running this year. tical plants that arose on the banks of money to enforce it. And Brown went We don'~ think too much about will continue to live in poverty." the Manati in the hite 1960s. Ferdinand Perez, for one, would along with this. He stabbed the farm whether were the first. Because our _Chemical wastes and dyes dumped workers in the back. party is a part of Blacks, of women, of welcome the plank in Camejo's cam­ in the river eat away at the fisher­ paign platform that states, "Workers Brown, Carter, all of them are only Chicanos and Puerto Ricans, of all the men's clothes and boats. A new $450 interested in one thing: how to ad­ different kinds of people who live in have a right to halt industrial pro­ net that Perez and others purchased cesses that contaminate the air and vance their own careers. this country. So we chose our candi­ was destroyed by the' industrial They have no dedication to princi­ dates from among party members and water and endanger the environment." wastes. Red sores now dot the arms Help Peter Camejo and Willie Mae ples or to any social layer except those we have ended up with tickets that and legs of the Barceloneta fishermen. people who can promote their have included all different kinds of Reid campaign even more widely in Recently, however, Mr. Perez and defense of the working people's rights ambitions-the people in power in the people. Not just our national ticket. other fishermen have begun to fight country. The same is true of our candidates all by contributing to the Camejo & Reid back. For a start, they are demanding '76 Campaign Fund. Supporters boost­ I think we would be fools to choose a across the country. that the U.S. Environmental Protec­ Brown over a Carter or a Carter over a However, putting that aside, there ed the drive last week by $812. The tion Agency revoke Du Pont chemical current total stands at $6,150. Brown. We have to reject the Carters has been a very interesting response. corporation's permit to dump an esti­ and the Browns and tum to people In Latin America, the news media Use the coupon below, and make mated 76 million gallons of contami­ checks payable to Socialist Workers from our pwn social layer-working have shown a lot of interest. There nated water into the river this year. people, oppressed nationalities. Be­ were big stories published when I first 1976 Campaign Committee, 14 Charles The plight of Ferdinand Perez and Lane, New York, New York 10014. cause it is only from us that solutions announced. the other Manati fishermen highlights to our problems can arise. I received a warm reception in not only corporate disregard for the Puerto Rico. I think I was the first earth's environment, but also the ------Enclosed is my contribution of$ ___ Q. Some Chicanos have expressed presidential candidate to go to Puerto superexploitation of Puerto Rico's Name ------­ doubts about participating in elections. Rico. I don't know of another case resources and labor by businessmen Why are you, as a socialist, running where a presidential candidate went to who take advantage of its status as a Street ------­ for president? visit the colonies. And I was well U.S. colony. received because of my support for City A. We have to use every tool avail­ ending this colonial relationship and Industrialists are pressing for even State _____ Zip ______able to fight oppression. We use the recognizing Puerto Rico's right to inde­ more leeway to rape Puerto Rico's Occupation Bill of Rights, freedom of speech, pendence. environment. They are lobbying in freedom of assembly, the right to put I've been all over the Southwest and Congress to eliminate all currently Business address out newspapers and organize meetings Midwest and East. And I've spoken to existing federal environmental regula­ many Puerto Rican groups, Chicano tions on the island. and protests. A copy of our report is on file with the Federal Using every tool includes running in groups, farm workers organizations. While touring Puerto Rico last month, Socialist Workers party presi­ Election Commission and is available for pur­ elections-they're an excellent opportu­ And even though everyone doesn't chase from the Federal Election Commission, nity to speak out, to reach people, and necessarily agree with the program of dential candidate Peter Camejo Washington, D.C. Chairperson: Fred Halstead; to help organize. the Socialist Workers party, the fact charged, "U.S. economic domination of treasurer: Arthur Hughes. I don't believe elections in them­ that a Latino is running for president selves will solve the problems people is received very well. Because it says face. The problems will be solved when that Latinos not only have equal working people themselves are orga­ rights with Anglos, but ·that we also nized and mobilized on all levels. I see have every right to participate in election campaigns as one way to help society at all levels. accomplish this. I run as a socialist because the Democrats and Republicans represent Join campaign the corporations. A voice must be heard that stands up for the real needs for socialism of working people, of the oppressed D Send me a free copy of the "Bill minorities, of women. of Rights for Working People" in The Socialist Workers party is cam­ English D, Spanish D. paigning very hard on the concept that D I want to campaign for Camejo working people should break from the and Reid. parties of the capitalist class and form D I want to join the Socialist their own political organization. That Workers party. the Chicano movement, the Black Clip and mail to: Socialist Workers movement, the labor movement should 1976 National Campaign Commit­ form their own parties. tee, 14 Charles Lane, New York, La Raza U nida party is one of the New York 10014. best recent examples of what we mean. But, of course, the· RUPs are still very Name ------small, and Chicanos themselves are a Address ______minority in most cities and states. But were the Raza Unida groups to City become mass parties of the Chicanos State ____ Zip ______throughout the Southwest, I think Telephone ______you'd see something interesting. The . MilitanVJim Little Blacks and. the labor movement would SWP presidential candidate Peter Camejo toured Puerto Rico last month. His notice that example. They would see Chairperson, Fred Halstead; treasurer, Arthur platform takes strong stand against industrial processes that contaminate the air and the way real friends of working Hughes. water and threaten lives.

TH£ MILITANT/MAY 21, 1176 17 Calif. Socialist Camggign Summer Plans under way to win ballot spot for SWP By Steve Wattenmaker Libertarian party, Prohibition party, signature requirement than the legisla­ For the first time in thirty-six years, • and Socialist Labor party in a federal tors had planned. a working-class political party will be suit against the California law. "California's ballot requirements-are petitioning to get its presidential Sponsorship of the suit was. assumed still written to lock in the Democrats candidate on the California ballot. The by the Committee for Democratic and Republicans and lock out smaller Socialist Workers party will mount a Election Laws (CoDEL), a civil liber­ parties," said California CoDEL secre­ major ballot drive this summer for ties organization formed in 1971 to tary Byron Ackerman. "But now we've SWP presidential candidate Peter coordinate and publicize challenges to at least got a foot in the door, and we Camejo, vice-presidential candidate unfair ballot laws across the country. plan to keep pushing until all the Willie Mae Reid, and U.S. senatorial During the 1972 elections, two other discriminatory laws are off the books." candidate Omari Musa. legal actions were launched against The California petitioning drive will The project, dubbed California So­ the California law. Thomas Storer, an begin in July. If you want to help make . cialist Campaign Summer, will be a independent candidate, and Gus Hall, this historic effort a success, write: national focus of SWP activity in the a candidate of the Communist party, Socialist Workers 1976 Campaign, coming months. Petitioners will gather filed challenges that were heard by the 4040 West Washington Boulevard, well over the 100,000 signatures Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Suite 11, Los Angeles, California required for ballot status. Plarn; call for postponed a final ruling, but did cast 90018; or phone (213) 732-8197. For the wide distribution of the party's plat­ substantial doubt on the constitution­ locations of SWP campaign offices form, "A Bill of Rights for Working ality of the California law. throughout the state, consult the So­ People." Camejo and Reid will tour the Arguments in CoDEL's California cialist Directory on page 27. state during the drive. suit were heard this spring, and a Camejo, Reid, and Musa will be decision is pending from the federal designated on the ballot as "indepen­ district court. dent" candidates. Provisions of Cali­ Faced with these legal challenges Help petition fornia's election law-the most dis­ and growing public opposition to the criminatory in the nation-make it undemocratic laws, the California in Texas extremely difficult for a smaller party legislature began discussing lowering Socialist campaigners in Texas to be on the ballot under its own name. the independent petitioning require­ have now collected more than 11,000 Any party other than the Democratic ments. ACKERMAN: 'CoDEL plans to keep signatures to secure ballot status or Republican party must gather CoDEL spearheaded a broad publici­ next November for presidential and 640,000 signatures or register 64,000 pushing until all discriminatory laws are ty campaign on the proposed legisla­ off the books.' vice-presidential candidates Peter voters into the party. tion. In addition, it pressed for the Camejo and Willie Mae Reid, U.S. Until this year, statewide indepen­ normally closed legislative conference senatorial candidate Pedro Vasquez, dent candidates had to gather 320,000 committee hearings on the bill to be and other candidates. signatures. The SWP's decision to In 1970 the SWP filed suit against opened up to the public. If you can· help petition, contact petition in California is an important unfair requirements of the California At the hearings, representatives of the Socialist Workers Campaign, partial victory in a long fight to knock law. State courts rejected the suit. But CoDEL and the American Civil Liber­ 3311 Montrose, Houston, Texas down the state's undemocratic election in 1973 the Socialist Workers party ties Union successfully argued for a 77006. Call: (713) 526-1082. laws. was joined by the Raza Unida party, more significant reduction in the NCLC hits ballot rights of four N.J. parties By Lucy Burton tors do not meet some unspecified legal undemocratic challenge to the rights of basis as in New Jersey-extensive The National Caucus of Labor Com­ requirements. the four parties. forgery. There the socialists had filed mittees, a bizarre right-wing political A hearing on the New Jersey chal­ The New Jersey Committee for nearly 50,000 .signatures-thousands sect, has challenged the New Jersey lenges has been scheduled for June 4. Democratic Election Laws (CoDEL) is more than the 30,000 required. The nominating petitions of candidates of urging prominent individuals around NCLC failed to appear in court on the the Socialist Workers party, the Com­ New Jersey SWP campaign support­ the state to send telegrams and letters appointed date to back up their scurri­ munist party, the Socialist Labor ers filed 2, 700 signatures to place to the secretary of state demanding lous charges. party, and the Socialist party. candidates on the November ballot: that the four parties be placed on the According to George Bloom, a repre­ 2,3oo· for the presidential ticket of Peter ballot immediately. Previous to the trial date, members sentative of the secretary of state's Camejo and Willie Mae Reid (1,500 of the NCLC made midnight visits to office, the NCLC challenge states that above the required 800), and 400 for The NCLC action in New Jersey is the homes of several SWP presidential the parties' petitions "do not have the Larry Stewart, candidate for U.S. the latest in a string of challenges that electors, banging ·on their doors and required number of valid signatures" Congress in the Tenth Congressional this organization has filed over the subjecting them to verbal abuse. and that "obvious and extensive for­ District. Stewart's petitions were not past two years against the SWP's and More recently, several NCLC provo­ gery indicates that many signatures challenged. the CP's ballot rights. cateurs attempted unsuccessfully to are invalid." The NCLC further alleges In a statement released to the press, This year the NCLC challenged the disrupt the petitioning efforts of an that the SWP petitions are invalid Stewart called on trade unionists and Pennsylvania nominating petitions for Idaho team of Socialist Workers cam­ because the party's presidential elec- civil libertarians to oppose the NCLC's Camejo and Reid on the same false paign supporters in early May. Judge gives death sentence to Stanton Story By Mark Zola refused to exclude prospective jurors member of the Nation of blam. PITTSBURGH-"The government who said they believed Story was The Stanton Story Defense Commit- has been successful in railroading either involved in the killing or guilty tee has begun to win wide backing for people into jail, or exile, or death only as charged. This denied Story the Story's demand for a new trial. when they succeeded in isolating them constitutional right to be presumed Citing the broad support mobilized from their supporters," Stanton Story innocent. in the successful defense of Hurricane told the Militant. The Black youth is The judge permitted the prosecution Carter, Story told the Militant, "It was appealing for support in his fight to to introduce an unsigned "confession" the dedication of the people and the save his life. attributed to Story, but admittedly support of the masses of people ... On May 7 Judge Samuel Strauss written by a cop. that's what moved the government." condemned the twenty-three-year-old The entire trial was marked by Story also said he believed his fight Story to death for the 1974 murder of procedural errors and clear violations was linked to other struggles against Pittsburgh Patrolman Patrick Wallace. of Story's constitutional rights. These racism. "What's happening in Boston An all-white jury had convicted the provide the basis of Story's appeal to has a whole lot to do with me," he said, Black youth in March1975. Sentencing the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for a referring to the school desegregation came after his appeal for a new trial new trial. battle there. was finally denied last month. Jerry Paul, attorney for Joanne "The success or failure of the racists Story has testified that he was in Little, has agreed to join defense in Boston will affect my case and North Carolina at the time the cop was attorney Paul Gettleman in the prepar- others like it around the country. We shot .while making an arrest. ation of the appeal. can't back up in Boston. If we let them Pretrial media coverage was inflam- While in Western Penitentiary, Story get away with what they're doing, matory and prejudicial. Despite this, is also fighting his segregation from we're going to see the racists here in the judge denied a motion for change the general prison population and Pennsylvania begin to get stronger of venue. restrictions that prevent him from Condemned frame-up victim Stanton too. It will make it harder to get justice Presiding Judge. Albert Fiok also fully practicing his religion. He is a Story with mother during prison visit. in my case."

1& utlook A WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE MILITANT BASED ON SELECTIONS FROM INTERCONTINENTAL PRESS, A NEWSMAGAZINE REFLECTING THE VIEWPOINT OF REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISM

MAY 28, 1976

Interview with Spanish revolutionist Growing opposition to Franco's heirs

[The following interview with a demonstrations and mobilizations the combine hard repression with limited leader of the Liga Comunista (Com­ government's demagogy lost almost all concessions in a confusing way. On munist League, a sympathizing or­ its credibility. It began to show itself the same day they suspend demon­ ganization of the Fourth International more clearly for what it really is-the strations- or charge into a telephone in Spain) was obtained in Barcelona buttress of the dictatorship. workers' meeting, they allow a bour­ April 18 by Intercontinental Press. geois opposition party, or even the [The interview has been slightly Q. There has been talk of changes in Socialist party, to meet. Or they allow, abridged for reasons of space.] the cabinet. What about this? as they have done this weekend, the present meeting of the UGT1 to take * * * A. The events in Vitoria and the place in Madrid. subsequent explosions caused a great They try to maintain all that is basic Question. The strikes and explosive governmental crisis during which even to the dictatorship while giving only demonstrations that have taken place the bourgeois press, which is Fran­ the concessions wrenched from them since January must be causing great coist, openly demanded the resignation by the pressure of the mass movement, problems for the government and must of the cabinet. or by pressure from abroad, which is PRIME MINISTER ARIAS NAVARRO be indicative of a change in the also very important. attitude of the Spanish masses. How It's a question that seems secondary at Q. What would the resignation of do you view the situation? first glance, but a vote on this could be the government mean? Francoist referendum This is the general situation in interpreted as popular support for the Answer. Franco played a key role in king and everything else the monarchy A. This meant the resignation of which they are planning to hold the maintaining stability among the var­ signifies. Arias-not an end to the monarchy, of proposed referendum. The referendum ious Francoist clans and groups in the course-and the formation of a new is a classical Francoist maneuver. The country. The dictator's death last year Q. This may be one of the main cabinet and government that could be history of Francoism is full of referen­ has allowed the specific differences questions? more flexible in the face of the mass dums that force the masses to state an between these groups to come to the movement. opinion on matters that are really surface more readily. This, combined decided beforehand. A. It's one of the points the news­ with the already existent mass upsurge The same government was main-. papers are playing up. Another point tained, however, giving proof positive against the dictatorship and the intol­ Q. What will be voted on? would be on the proposed reforms. erable conditions of the workers, led to of the incapacity of the Francoist Vague questions. Of course everyone a slow buildup of explosive forces groups to provide leadership. wants democracy, but a vote for All rumors about governmental A. No one knows yet; it is a very following Franco's death. It has also ambiguous and confused situation. democracy will be interpreted as popu­ made possible several recent de facto changes include the appointment of One question that is likely will seek lar support for all the government's partial conquests for the mass move­ old Francoist ministers who could not plans. change even the appearance of what a vote in favor of the king and the ment. monarchy, something that couldn't be One thing about the referendum is Given this unstable situation and they have today. certain. It will be a series of well­ So, they decided to keep the govern­ put directly, of course, because the the relative weakness of the new Arias mon-archy is supposed to be prepared questions that will seek a cabinet, the government is trying to ment as it was. But, given the situa­ unquestionable. vote for democracy in general and then give the impression that it favors tion, the contradictions among different interpret it as support to the govern­ Francoist groups have grown, each one But they may have a question on the certain reforms of Francoism, that it is law of succession. That is, whether or ment's maneuvers. going to allow democracy after a two­ pushing for its own specific solution to In any case, the masses have al­ the crisis of Francoism, and as a not the eight-year-old prince should year wait, and so forth. have full rights to direct succession. ready expressed their votes in a differ­ whole, weakening the government ent kind of referendum. The millions of Q. What is the general effect of these even more. oppressed workers who are mobilizing demagogic promises of democracy? In this sense, all the government's 1. Union General de Trabajadores (General today have already expressed a clear plans are paralyzed. They now Workers Union). opinion about the dictatorship, and in A. This kind of demagogy is being their confrontations with it have given used more and more by the dicta­ the proof that this government and torship. But there is not really very these institutions cannot serve as a much talk about it. bridge to democracy. Democracy will have to be won by demonstrations in Vito ria the streets and by the mobilization of Everyone is talking about the cur­ the masses. rent struggles, the most important of So, the referendum, which attempts which, and the most clear, were the to show a popular consultation, avoids events in Vitoria, which began March the main question of how decisions 3 and left five persons dead. The police should be made, who should make fired on workers who were holding a them, and how the people can demo­ meeting and this caused a huge com­ cratically decide what institutions motion within the entire movement. It should form the state apparatus. opened up a general strike against the dictatorship throughout all of the Constituent assembly Basque Country. That underlines the importance of It was [Interior Minister Manuel] the proposal for a freely elected con­ Fraga's police who did the killing, and stituent assembly with full freedom for Fraga had been trying to pretend he all political parties to propagandize was in favor of an · agreement that Workers demonstrating in Barcelona, February 1976. Mass upsurge against and agitate. This would have to be would introduce "democracy." dictatorship and intolerable conditions facing workers has contributed to slow based on the destruction of the basic ~ As a result of these two weeks of buildup of explosive forces in Spain. Continued on next page

19 World Outlook

of the masses to participate and make Q. What kind of government do you their weight felt on all questions propose to resolve the crisis? relating to the state. This is made clear by the new A. Our position is against a coali­ upsurge of the national struggles as tion government in alliance with sec­ one of the key aspects of the mobiliza­ tors of the bourgeoisie. The proletariat tions that have been taking place. will have to gain a position of domi­ Especially in the Basque Country and nance in the struggle and take the also in Catalonia. power in its hands to form a workers The question of how to decide what government composed of the working­ ... Growing opposition kind of state is required is also being class organizations, a government free posed in general. The bourgeoisie itself of Francoism and the bourgeoisie. And talks a lot about constitutional prob­ we will fight for such a government to lems. And even factory committees guarantee the convocation of a con­ to Franco's heirs have taken votes on governmental stituent assembly and make the neces­ proposals-for example, proposals for sary concessions to the needs of the coalition governments, which were masses. It would be a provisional introduced by the reformist parties government. that are in alliance with the bour­ geoisie. Q. This would also require the total defeat of Francoism? Q. What kind of coalition govern­ ments? A. Yes, it would be a government capable of carrying out the struggle A. The strategy of the democratic against Francoism to the end, and of bourgeoisie, and of the whole demo­ convoking a constituent assembly. It cratic left who see that it is absolutely would be a provisional government in impossible in the long run to maintain the sense that it would end with the the Francoist government in face of convocation of a constituent assembly, the mass struggles, is to give the leaving the final word for the people. impression that they are taking their It would be a revolutionary govern­ distance from Francoism and are ment in the sense that it would be defenders of democratic rights against installed by the masses through a Francoism. general strike and would make no But, because of the panic they feel concessions to Francoism or any when the masses are in the streets, government of that type. they try to get agreements with sectors of the regime and oblige the workers Q. Is there any chance that a coali­ parties with which they have formed tion government with some Francoist such broad groups as the "Democratic groups could control the mass move­ Coalition"2 to work for what they call ment for a period of time? a "ruptura pactada [negotiated break]." That is, to win over some A. We already have firm evidence of Francoist groups by means of dialogue what the "ruptura pactada" would and agreement. mean for the masses. Ruiz Gimenez, a They call for establishment of demo­ leader of the Democratic Left, a wing cratic rights, very restricted of course, of the Spanish Christian Democracy, but different from Francoism. They see has set a condition for entry into the this as a viable solution to the problem Democratic Coalition: All decisions 'Government combines hard repression with limited concessions in a ,·.mfusing wav' of pacifying the masses. But this is must be agreed upon unanimously. clearly designed to prevent the masses from taking their own actions. They The line of negotiating with the are trying to achieve this "break" government represents an attempt to Continued from preceding page as a whole. What relation does this through a dialogue with the more open­ have the workers parties in the coali­ organizations and institutions of Fran­ demand have with the Ca,talan and minded Francoist groups. tion, the CP and SP, use their influence coism, because their repressive nature other national struggles in Spain? to keep the masses from participating prevents any degree of freedom. Q. Does the coalition mean a coali­ in the struggles. This is a battle the masses will have A. Francoist oppression has made tion of the Francoist groups with On other issues, the Coalition has to see is necessary, because the logic the national struggle center against formations like the "Junta Democrati- little appeal to the masses. It does not and evolution of Francoism itself does Francoism. Old-timers in Barcelona ca "?. take a position on the current workers not allow for any concession of this still remember when, following the struggles, nor on the national question. kind. It is the battle that has taken civil war, the walls of Barcelona were A. Exactly, a coalition into which Nor does it call for the elimination of form in the recent struggles, including painted with the message: "Dogs, sectors of Francoism can enter and the government's repressive bodies, a the huge general strikes. Speak the Language of the Empire." which can also include the major demand that has been almost as The struggle against Francoism and working-class parties, the Communist central as the call for amnesty in all Q. What about the call for a re­ for national freedom is of first impor­ party and Socialist party. the demonstrations that have occurred public? tance for the oppressed nationalities. in the last three months. All the nationalities should be able Finally, their formula for a govern­ A. Clearly, we are for a republic as a ment leaves all the power in the hands to decide on their own specifically 2. "Coordinaci6n Democratica," the body more democratic form of government national questions, especially on resulting from a fusion of the Junta of the Francoist groups with which against any kind of maintenance of whether to maintain relations with the Democratica (Democratic Junta) and the they can negotiate. It would be an the king by either divine or bloodright. Spanish state. This involves the right Convergencia Democratica (Democratic alliance of the workers parties with The republic is the most democratic to separation, which is in the tradition Convergence), the popular-front schemes in these groups, with the workers parties form possible for a bourgeois regime, of revolutionary democracy. which the CP and SP participated, respec­ subordinated to the interests of the but the slogan for a republic is not now But what is the most democratic way tively. Francoists. in the forefront. The question is not: the Catalan or Basque masses can republic or monarchy? It is rather who decide the future of their nations? It is should decide and what is the most by means of a national constituent democratic way in which they should assembly. We call for a federalized make the decision. state with full autonomy for the nationalities, but in a union freely Q. So you think the central demand decided upon with the participation of to be raised is the call for a constituent all the peoples involved. assembly that is freely elected? Q. Is the demand for a constituent A. Regarding the referendum, we assembly popular among the masses say: Vote against the law of success­ now, or does the majority seem to favor ion, against the monarchy, and con­ more limited governmental demands cretely, if that question appears, for such as a democratic monarchy, the the republic as a superior kind of proposed reforms, and so forth? regime. But we oppose the referendum ag an entirely false consultation. A. The questions that get more However, there is a need for true attention by the masses now are popular participation and this poses freedom of association, freedom for the need for a constituent assembly. political prisoners, freedom for all parties, and amnesty. These are at the fore in all the current demonstrations Q. The proposed constituent assem­ and struggles. Civil Guards, Madrid's stormtroopers. Struggle against Francoism must be carried bly is on the scale of the Spanish state But these demands represent the will out to the end to guarantee convocation of a democratic constituent assembly.

20 Q. What is happening with the CNSJ and the workers commissions? World news notes What about the UGT congress now legally taking place in Madrid. Does this mean that the UGT may become an important factor in the labor move­ 'Honorable agreement'? ment? Prime Minister James Callaghan's Labour government and the top A. The workers commissions were leaders of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) agreed May 5 to a formed in direct opposition to the wage-control policy that would limit raises to a maximum of £4 a week vertical union, the CNS, and all ··it (£1=US$1.83). This would amount to an average increase of 4.5 percent represents as an antiworker, at a time when inflation is running at an annual rate of about 15 government-operated union based on percent. the denial of any union rights or A similar agreement, worked out last summer, put a £6 weekly limit freedoms, such as the right to strike. on pay increases. At that time, inflation was running at 30 percent. Despite the fact that so far this year Thus, British workers are not only losing ground as a result of the there have been four million workers current rate of inflation, but they also have yet to make up cuts in their on strike, every strike was illegal. standard of living suffered under the previous wage-control plan. The workers also created a stable Denis Healey, the chancellor of the Exchequer, was triumphant. organization that unites all the most "This 4.5 percent level of pay increase," he said, "is likely to be below advanced workers in defense of their that in practically all the Western developed countries this year. Even immediate demands. This is the move­ the Germans, with their excellent record, are seeing a rate of increase ment t]:lat came out of the workers of 5.5 percent." commissions and that forced the var­ Having helped the British capitalists improve their competitive ious parties, especially the CP, to drop position at the expense of the working class, TUC leader Len Murray their own little clandestine unions and €P leader Santiago Carillo. Spanish said of his handiwork, "This is a simple and an honorable agreement." help build a movement out of the Stalinists are seeking 'negotiated break' workers commissions. This movement with dictatorship by courting Book burning in Argentina played a major role in the huge 1964-66 'progressive' Francoists. A large quantity of "subversive" literature and documents has been mobilizations. burned in Cordoba by the Argentine army, according to a report in the Despite the CP's line tha( the Instead of building a ·union that April 30 issue of La Opinion. The literature destroyed included works workers commissions should Qe no could divide the working class, they -by Mao Tsetung, Marx, Lenin, Guevara, and Trotsky. more than a vague movement, rank­ should be fighting along with us inside In an April 29 press release on the action, the army described the and-file commissions again arose the workers commissions. books they burned as "evil" and designed to "affect the intellect and during the recent mobilizations. We call on the workers commissions our Christian way of life." These new commissions have won a to join together in a trade-union The army said the book burning was carried out to avoid "the certain de facto legality. In Madrid constituent assembly that should continuing deception of our youth on the true good represented by our they are meeting in the CNS headquar­ include the UGT and other, even national symbols, our family, our church, and finally, our most ters, taking them over and using them smaller, organizations. traditional spiritual estate-God, Fatherland, and Home." as legal cover. There are days when We call for staying in the workers the headquarters are closed down by commissions and building them as an Israeli rightist defends Zionism the government, but this depends independent organization, boycotting completely on the relationship of forces the CNS, pressing for the democratic Yediot Aharonot, a right-wing nationalist newspaper, is one of at the moment. organization of the masses, and Israel's leading dailies. Its November 14, 1975, issue carried an article beginning to act as a union by taking by Aharon Shamir on the United Nations vote condemning Zionism as advantage of the de facto semilegality a form of racism. - they hold. According to Shamir, "those who raised their hands [in favor of the Stance toward CNS We also call for coordination at all UN resolution]-especially the African states-have shown their So the situation of the workers levels between the workers commiss­ stupidity.... " commissions is confused. There is a ions and the UGT to fight for immed­ The vote, he argues, must have been "the result of pressure from the profound tendency in the proletariat to iate demands. Muslim Arab states. For have primitives a mind of their own?" form workers commissions, and they Shamir concludes that Israel lost the UN vote on Zionism because arise spontaneously in the factory. "poor Israel triedto give the primitive Africans something better than They are still very weakly structured, Public activity money: help in acquiring knowledge so as to bring them nearer, if however, especially because of the CP's Q. Some members of illegal political possible, to the civilized and progressive world." line to work through the CNS. groups have publicly announced their This ultraright bigot even has a theory of the master race. "The blow The CP said that by starting with affiliation and function as public we received in the UN," he said, "should not make us think again the election of the lower delegates to spokespersons for their groups. Is such about our Jewish-Zionist essence. It should only increase our national the CNS, we have to begin the con­ a step possible for smaller illegal pride and our absolute determination to establish our rule in our struction of a true working-class union, political groups? fatherland. It should also persuade us again that we are not at all reforming the CNS and throwing out similar to others and this is why our image suffers more than that of the officeholders. As a result of the A. The general situation makes it others." recent mobilizations, they have both possible and obligatory for the changed their tune a bit. The CP now various parties on the left to have their says the CNS cannot be reformed and public spokespersons. The bourgeois Soviet Jews avoiding Israel has to be destroyed, but that we have parties have much better opportunities An increasing proportion of Jewish emigrants from the Soviet Union to use the posts now held in the CNS at than we do, and the SP, as a workers are not going to Israel. In April a record 60 percent refused to go to the lower level to win over sectors of party, has more openings. But the Israel. In 1975 about one-third of the 15,000 Jews who left the USSR the CNS bureaucracy in order to build government has not been able to did not go to Israel. a new union. prevent the public appearance of CP The figures on immigration were released May 2 by Josef Almogi, members either. They count on their the chairman of the Jewish Agency, which is the Zionist organization Now the SP has brought out the great prestige among the masses and responsible for persuading Jews to settle in Israel. "We cannot use UGT, which is basically dominated by on international pressures to back force," Almogi commented in regard to the decline in applicants. the SP. The UGT has taken a radical them up. line against the CNS, supporting the The opening that has been forced by boycott of its elections last summer as the masses must be utilized by the French Stalinists back Concorde a correct demand. They criticize the CP different working-class parties, Both the French Communist party and the Stalinist-led trade-union for the pact it has established with the including even the smallest ones. federation, the CGT, have launched a campaign to support the CNS hierarchy and for the disastrous supersonic ecological monstrosity, the Concorde. The French and consequences this has had for one British governments have announced that they may have to close struggle after another. They counter­ Q. Could a public spokesperson for a down the production line owing to a lack of buyers. pose independent unionism to the smaller organization like the Liga On April 5, the CP held rallies in several French cities. In Toulouse, CNS, calling for a working-class union Comunista get publicity and get a several hundred persons demonstrated with members of the CP 1 built around the UGT; and they speak hearing for its point of view by calling Central Committee and CP elected officials. The rally passed a of a mass, democratic organization press conferences? resolution calling for safeguarding "French aerospace potential, based on assemblies, elected commiss­ preserving employment, and guaranteeing our national independ­ ions, negotiating committees, and so A. Yes, it is possible, if the language ence." forth. All this is completely outside the used is properly guarded so as not to Three days later, Jean Breteau, the general secretary of the CGT CNS framework. endanger the reporters or periodicals Metalworkers Federation, published an article in the CP daily, The UGT is an independent union. that print the statements. l'Humanite. He called for a national meeting in support of the The problem is that its line, which is The opportunities are good because Concorde to be held April 23. Breteau noted that "in Toulouse, it is basically correct regarding the CNS, of the opposition by reporters and common to hear it said that the Concorde is the airplane of the CGT; does not require the formation of a new periodicals to the lack of freedom of we are proud of the plane." organization to carry it out. information. They are sympathetic to He denounced the decision to close down the Concorde production the need for small groups to make their line as an example of the government's unwillingness to fight for 3. Central NaCional Sindicalista (National positions public. The possibilities are "French national independence" and of its "submission to the United Federation of Syndicates), the Falangist also limited, of course, but the risk is States." The central slogan of CGT demonstrations, he said, should be version of a trade union. necessary. "No Concorde in the United States, no Boeing in France."

21 World Outlook

National Association of Local Govern­ campaign inside and outside of Parlia­ ment Officers, and the Amalgamated ment led to a vote February 9 in w.hich Union of Engineering Workers. The a majority of about 150 decided to number of trade unions represented reconstitute the SC. The six minority showed that NAC is beginning to take members of the SC then resigned from the abortion issue into the labour the committee, urging that no 10,000 join movement. members of Parliament in favor of Labour party branches were also women's right to abortion replace them represented on the march, as were on the committee. almost all the groups on the left­ Meanwhile, the "rump" SC, com­ British Communist party, International So­ posed entirely of opponents of the right cialists, International Marxist Group, to abortion, continues to meet. It takes Revolutionary Communist Group, evidence from bodies such as the march for League for Socialist Action, and the Catholic church. In line with the stand Workers Socialist League. of the SC members who resigned, NAC A major focus of the action was the and other supporters of the right to attack on the rights of women abortion have decided to boycott the abortion launched by the SC. This committee sc. . was set up in February 1975 with a The successful demonstration on majority of eight of its fourteen April 3 was part of NAC's response to rights members opposed to abortion. the SC. The next stage in its campaign The anti-abortionists argued that the will be a tribunal on abortion rights to relatively liberal 1967 Abortion Act be held at the end of this year. Dodie By Phyllis Hamilton Weppler, a member of the NAC was being "abused"-that some doc­ 1971 pro-abortion march in London LONDON-Ten thousand persons tors were making excessive profits Steering Committee and of the Inter­ marched here April 3 in a demonstra­ ·from abortion, for example. In fact, ' national Marxist Group, British sect­ tion organized by the National Abor­ there is little evidence of this, and any prevent even tighter controls from ion of the Fourth International, ex­ tion Campaign (NAC). The march was abuses that do exist can easily be being enacted. But this move merely plained the role of the tribunal in the in support of the right of women to corrected by making abortion freely gave credibility to the claims about April 1 issue of Red Weekly: choose abortion and called for free available to all women on request "abuses," and enabled the opponents The Select Committee are a rump of abortion on demand. It urged opposi­ through the National Health Service. of the right of women to control their staunch anti-abortionists sitting in smoke­ tion to the Parliamentary Select Almost all the evidence heard by the own bodies to press their offensive filled rooms in the House of Commons with Committee (SC) set up in connection SC, including that provided by the further. the fate of hundreds of thousands of women with the restrictive Abortion (Amend­ government department which deals The SC asked to be reconstituted in in their hands. ment) Bill proposed by Labour MP with abortion, favored retention of the the new parliamentary session. The The Tribunal will be very different. It will James White. liberalized law. But the SC majority members of the committee who favor be an opportunity to hear evidence collected ignored the weight of the evidence and the right of women to choose abortion over the next six months and to map out The demonstration was supported by plans for taking the campaign forward on women's groups, the National Union recommended further restrictions on did not dissent from this request, the basis of the experience in collecting it. of Students, and branches of such the already limited right to abortion. although they later began to fight, . . . the Tribunal . . . will try to reach unions as the Association of Scientific, These restrictions were accepted by together vith NAC, against the re­ thousands of people who are concerned Technical and Managerial Staffs, the the minority, which argued that accep­ constitution. about the increasing restrictions on National Union of Teachers, the tance of the restrictions was the way to However, the lack of a consistent women's abortion rights.

report featured in the February 15 peared" November 23). The names and members imprisoned at Tres Alamos issue of Agence de Presse Liberation, a dates of the "disappearance" of the have been discontinued. news bulletin published in Brussels. other three are not known. Prisoners are threatened with the Of 482 cases the families were able to Many women prisoners have given cancellation of visits. verify, 187 persons were said to have birth to children in the jail as the Male prisoners are prevented from "disappeared," 4 were officially report­ result of having been raped during working, and the weekly cultural Political ed dead, 1 had been sentenced, 10 were their torture. activities by prisoners have been undergoing trial, 98 remained in jail The 120 · women prisoners have to forbidden. • untried, and 172 were eventually re­ share eighty beds and are kept alive on In one cellblock there are only three pr1soners leased. a diet of boiled vegetables. tbilets for 167 inmates. According to the prisoners' families, Since November, family members At Camp Puchuncavi there are 220 the conditions of detention are brutal coming to visit male prisoners are prisoners and only three toilets and in the extreme. They provided the exhaustively searched when entering four showers that work. 'disappear' following information on one notorious and leaving the prison. Moreover, At the Santiago prison, conditions hellhole, Tres Alamos prison, where visits have been limited to members of are also worsening. conditions are becoming even worse. the immediate family. All sports and other group activities Six prisoners "disappeared" after New prisoners, brought 1n have been suspended, and require­ in Chile intelligence agents removed them from blindfolded, wounded, and bleeding, ments for getting medical attention One hundred eighty-seven persons the facility. Among the six are Hugo are paraded before the visitors, and have been stiffened. arrested in Chile between August and Salinas Farfan ("disappeared" No­ agents of the intelligence services In addition, censorship of letters has October 1975 have "disappeared." This vember 18, 1975), Jorge Quintanilla mingle with the visitors to intimidate increased, family members are tho­ information was provided by the Guerra ("disappeared" November 19), them. roughly searched, and interrogation is families of 1,000 political prisoners in a and Patricio Duran Elicer ("disap- Conjugal visits for couples with both more frequent.

Federation of Miners and leaders and attorneys. During part of their imprisonment, Metalworkers)-Ricardo Diaz Chavez, Diaz Chavez, Ofia Meofio, Ledesma, all six prisoners were held in the Jose Ofia Meofio, Genaro Ledesma, and Salas Rodriguez were never notorious jungle prison El Sepa. and Arturo Salas Rodriguez. charged with any crime. In fact, the The release of Cuadros, Cuentas, and International Cuentas, Cuadros, and the lawyers Morales Bermudez regime refused to the lawyers is a victory for the vigor­ were arrested in December 1975. Al­ admit publicly that they were being ous campaign of protest waged on though none of them were ever brought detained. their behalf inside Peru and around to trial, the International League for the world. protests free Human Rights verified through the Unofficially, government sources Peruvian Foreign Affairs Ministry admitted that one reason for their that Cuentas and Cuadros were release was the protests from the labor Peruvian imprisoned for being "intellectually movement, especially the miners, in responsible for strikes." Peru. Mine workers have been in the Internationally, dozens of labor, forefront of struggles to improve living political, and human-rights organiza­ workers and working conditions in Peru over tions throughout Europe, the United the past year. States, and Latin America participated In addition to arresting leaders of in the campaign. leader their union and their attorneys, the A high point of the defense effort Morales Bermudez regime in mid-April was an April 15 meeting held in Paris Peruvian mine workers leaders Her­ suspended regulations preventing at the Mutualite. Speakers included min Cuentas and Victor Cuadros were mining bosses from arbitrarily re­ representatives of the Socialist party, released from prison at the end of ducing the size of the labor force. Amnesty International, the Interna­ April. This provided the mining bosses tional League for Human Rights, and Also freed were four attorneys for the with a free hand to fire militant~ who the 550,000-member Federation de Federaci6n Nacional de Trabajadores have been leading economic struggles Informations Ouvrieres !'Education Nationale (National Edu­ Mineros y Metalurgicos (National and protests against the arrest of their HERNAN CUENTAS cation Federation), among others.

22 cause as much as $20 billion in dam­ ages. Calif. referendum June 8 Proposition 15 would cut back each plant's electricity production to 60 Big$$ say: percent of capacity unless the $560 million federal ceiling is removed within one year. It is generally agreed 'Vote no' that a nuclear power plant cannot be According to a report in the May profitably operated at less than 60 15 New York Times, more than $2 How safe is percent capacity. million has already been spent on The utilities and their friends protest publicity by opponents of Proposi­ that nuclear power is so safe that the tion 15. Where is the cash coming liability limit doesn't have to be lifted. from? Advocates of Proposition 15 respond General Electric Company, the nuclear power? that if the plants are so safe, there leading producer of electrical equip­ shouldn't be any problem with scrap­ ment, and Westinghouse Electric ping the ceiling. Company, the leading producer of "Then the private insurance premi­ nuclear power equipment, have ums would be so expensive we couldn't spent a combined total of $209,000 afford them," the utilities retort. on the effort. Pacific Gas and If that is true, the insurance compan­ Electric, California's leading utility, ies obviously don't share the utilities' has kicked in $297,000. And Bechtel optimistic view of the safety of nuclear Corporation, a leading builder of power plants. nuclear plants, has invested $231,000. Nuclear wastes Utilities and financial interests A second part of Proposition 15 deals around the country are evidently with radioactive wastes. worried about the possible impact of Some byproducts of the generating Proposition 15 outside California. process remain radioactive for half a New York's Consolidated Edison million years. One of these substances, has contributed $4,500; Connecti­ plutonium, is an extremely powerful cut's Northeast Utilities, $9,000; cancer-producing agent. One millionth New Jersey's Public Service Electric of a., gram inhaled will cause lung and Gas Company, $13,500; and cancer. Chicago's Commonwealth Edison Unless efforts succeed at unlocking Company, $9,000. In all, more than the secret of recycling plutonium, the thirty electric companies have world will have 10 million pounds of made either direct or indirect contri­ this deadly substance on its hands by butions. the year 2000. That's enough plutoni­ Among major Wall Street invest­ um to cause more than 4 quadrillion ment houses that have pitched in at cancers. least $2,500 each are: Merrill, General Electric recently spent $46 Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith; million to build a recycling plant, but Dean Witter & Company; Salomon the project failed and had to be shut Brothers; and Blyth, Eastman Dil­ down. None will be operational on lon & Company. even an experimental basis for at least five years. As for storing the wastes, that has so far been done quite haphazardly. And ing nuclear plants. The utilities oppose with predictable results. even this elementary precaution, At Hanford, Washington, 550,000 clean, and abundant. claiming their plants are so safe that By Arnold Weissberg gallons of radioactive liquids leaked such a provision would be unnecessari­ LOS ANGELES-Is nuclear power The sums of money involved in the into the ground from "stored" wastes. ly alarming. safe? That question is posed for Cali­ nuclear energy business are enormous. These liquids will find their way into fornians who will vote June 8 on a General Electric, one of the largest in the Columbia River and eventually Other claims proposal to establish safeguards the field, sold $430 million in nuclear into the Pacific Ocean. The utilities also argue that in terms against disastrous accidents at nuclear reactor components last year alone. Kentucky officials have detected an of deaths and injuries, the nuclear power plants. "If [Proposition 15] passes, we will alarming "migration" of nuclear mate­ energy industry has a perfect safety A coalition of environmentalists here have to close down our nuclear rial beyond a burial site in that state record. gathered more than 400,000 signatures plants," said Fred Mielke of Pacific too. ' Yet 150 uranium miners have al­ to place Proposition 15, the Nuclear Gas and Electric, this state's largest The truth is that in the thirty-five ready died of cancer, and scientific Safeguards Initiative, on the ballot. utility. years that radioactive wastes have evidence suggests very strongly that If the measure is approved, no new So, billions of dollars are riding on been produced, no solution to the radiation exposure was the cause. nuclear power plants could be con­ the California vote. But so are a lot of storage problem has been found. What's more, most injuries from structed in California, and output from lives. One major accident could mean Under Proposition 15, if plant opera­ radiation only show up after twenty or existing ones would be scaled down, tens of thousands of radiation and tors are unable to devise a waste thirty years-as cancer. unless stipulated safety features are cancer deaths. The surrounding air disposal system within five years, no Contrary to the claims of Proposition installed and approved by the state and water could become almost perma­ new plants can be built. Existing 15's opponents, nuclear power is not legislature. nently radioactive. plants will have to cut back to 60 the only viable energy source to meet The stakes are high. Although only percent capacity immediately, and by this country's future needs. three plants are now operating in the Four unsolved problems another 10 percent yearly until the Aside from already existing oil-and­ state, four more are under construc­ Proposition 15 addresses four prob­ safety problem is resolved. coal-burning plants, both wind power tion. Twenty more are planned by lems of nuclear power that haven't yet been solved. and solar power could potentially 1995. Emergency systems provide all the electricity the world In the United States as a whole, The first is the present liability A third section of the initiative deals could ever use. But government agen­ fifty-six plants are now operating. limits of power plant owners in the with the problem of emergency sys­ cies and the energy industry have Hundreds more are under considera­ event of an accident. Under the feden~l tems. This is perhaps the bigge.st allocated scarcely any funds to develop tion. Twenty-eight states are consider­ Price-Anderson Act, a utility is limited problem with nuclear power plants. these two power sources. ing legislation that would in some way to $560 million in liability no matter Under certain conditions, the tre­ Why? Ralph Nader answered the limit nuclear power. what the true extent of accident mendously hot radioactive core of the question when he said, "Because you Proponents of nuclear power argue damages may be. reactor can melt through its protective can't put a meter on the sun." that the United States must have it to This $560 million limit is absurdly container. Such a "meltdown" could Nuclear power is being pushed, meet all the country's future energy low. According to the government's leak massive doses of radioactive despite safety considerations, because needs. Nuclear power, they say, is safe, own studies, a reactor accident could gases and water into the ground and it is potentially very profitable­ atmospher~. especially if the nuclear energy indus­ The Boston-based Union of Con­ try succeeds in getting Washington to Socialists back Proposition tS cerned Scientists estimates that as cover more and more of the capital many as 23,000 to 36,000 people could costs. The Socialist Workers party has human lives and the environment." die from an accident of this type. California working people will also endorsed Proposition 15, and calls The candidate also noted that the There has never been a test of an end up footing much of the bill through initiative has some weaknesses. for a "yes" vote. emergency system under actual operat­ higher rates. "One problem," he said, "is that it Omari Musa, Socialist Workers ing conditions. But scale models have Unfortunately, the national AFL­ candidate for U.S. Senate from leaves the decision over safety to the failed each of the six times they have CIO executive board and its California state legislature, which is controlled California, told the Militant that the been tested. and Los Angeles affiliates have lined SWP considers the initiative a step by the two capitalist parties that Failure to demonstrate within five up with big business in opposing the have allowed the utilities to have forward. years that adequate emergency sys­ nuclear power initiative. They argue "The SWP is not opposed to their way on almost every ques­ tems have been devised would also that passage of Proposition 15 will nuclear power plants," Musa said. tion." bring an immediate 40 percent cut in mean the loss of jobs in this state. "But we don't think that profit­ output under Proposition 15. The 10 Another article will examine this motivated corporations are interest­ Until political power is trans­ percent cuts each succeeding year incorrect position, which tells Califor­ ed in building safe plants. The ferred into the hands of working would also apply. nia unionists that their only choice is utilities build and operate these people, Musa said, there can be no The initiative also calls on the between no jobs on the one hand, and plants to make the greatest possible true guarantee of safe use of nuclear governor to publish and update yearly cancer and a possible nuclear disaster profits, regardless of the risk to energy. -A.W. evacuation plans for areas surround- on the other.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 23 In Review

~sTREET WRITERS' Street Writers: A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti. Photographed by Gusmano Cesaretti. Los Angeles: Acrobat Books, 1975.

Sometimes it takes an outsider to notice what is outstanding in our everyday surroundings. Gusma­ no Cesaretti is an Italian artist who came to Los Angeles and noticed the Chicano graffiti. He had never seen anything like it before. He became so intrigued, he began to photograph it everywhere he saw it-on walls, in the barrio, on the freeways, at the beaches-it's everywhere. And when he met one of the plaquitos (writers of graffiti) he tried to find out all he could about what it meant and why Chicanos do it. The result of his curiosity is Street Writers, a Books beautiful book of photographs of placas, (graffiti­ decorated walls) and barrio youth. The text of Street Writers is a transcription of comments by Chas, a perceptive street writer who has · a remarkable understanding of the social dynamics of his art. Gusmano Cesaretti, The thing that first strikes you about placas is Los Angeles Chicano wall art. Top left: Chas writing his name. Top right: Quetzalcoatl, Aztec god. that they are all done in basically the same style Bottom: 'Weed, Martin, Steve, Julian-four soldiers in arms of-the Cosmic Race of East Los with "precise lines, . . . oddly shaped lettering, [Angeles], Aztlan-the year of the Chicanos, 1972-long live La Raza.' [and] elongated script," as Cesaretti describes it. "That's how I got involved," Chas says. "I dug that line." There are some positive changes taking place, too. They will write on your house, garage, or store as It is quite a phenomenon when you consider that There is a new nationalist consciousness that is soon as write on an abandoned wall. The only place the same style has been practiced for decades by reflected in the placas. you'll never find any placas is on the churches. people representing diverse sectors of the barrio "You're seeing an awful lot of 'La Raza,'" he But for all that, Chicano graffiti is the elemental who have· little contact with each other. says, "which hasn't happened before. . . . So expression of potential artists whose capacity for Graffiti is first of all an expression of the gang they're not just talking about individuals, or about individual creativity has been blunted by a racist culture, but as Chas points out in his narrative, it is a gang. They're talking about the whole race.... Anglo society. also a form of personal expression for the artist. They're really trying_ to get together, and they're As Cesaretti puts it· in the introduction: "When Most writers are young, in their early teens. This is excited about it." you think of a kid from the time he's five or six because as soon as a vato reaches the age of Of course, it is only a small minority of writing years old practicing his name for hours and hours, sixteen, cars become the main focus of creativity that reflects this consciousness. Plaquitos act out of not caring about school, just putting all his energy and independence. frustration bred in the poorest, most culturally into his name and how he's going to present it, then Time has brought changes to the graffiti. Chas repressed sectors of the barrio. On the whole they going to the street with a spray can or brush, decries the invention of spray paint and felt have little social consciousness, and the vast looking for just the right surface, then putting his markers, which have all but replaced brushes. The majority of barrio residents hate the graffiti. name on it ... That's really something." tightness of the old days is being lost, he says. Plaquitos have no respect for anybody's property. -Miguel Pendas 'THE DISPOSSESSED' The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. New Women are totally equal. They are engineers, based on private property and the pursuit of profit. York: Avon Books, 1974. 312 pp., $1.75 paper. scientists, philosophers, and everything else as well. There's the nation of Thu, revealed through its It never occurs to anyone that it could be otherwise. newspapers: '"The Thuvian paper is much better Shevek travels to Anarres's twin planet, Urras, to written but it reports only those facts which the As an avid promoter of Evelyn Reed's book, cooperate with scientists there in developing a Thuvian Central Presidium wants reported."' Woman's Evolution: From Matriarchal Clan to scientific theory he originated. There's Benbili, '"a backward sort of country. Patriarchal Family, I closely follow newspaper and Urras is a planet containing various social Always having revolutions."' magazine reviews of her book. One in particular systems and forms of government. It is wrought Within all these countries, however, are groups of fascinated me. In the Spokeswoman, reviewer Jill with wars, racism, and sexism. revolutionaries. Some are Odonians, some syndical­ Sellers writes a fine piece about Reed's book, but it's Upon arrival in Urras, Shevek undergoes what ists, and some are . . . Socialist Workers. The combined with a review of another book, The you might call extreme culture shock. The most Socialist Workers in the nation of A-Io help in Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. Le Guin is a noted incomprehensible aspect of this society is its leading a mass demonstration against the draft, science fiction writer. treatment of women. Born and raised in a society war taxes, and the rise in food prices. Neither knowing nor caring about science fiction, free of oppression, he cannot understand the But it's Odo's theories about social relations in a I was nevertheless curious about what a science degradation of half the human race. classless society, as practiced on Anarres, that fiction novel could possibly have in common with After several days at a wealthy university, full of make the most interesting reading in The Dis­ Reed's anthropological work. men, Shevek naively asks his fellow scientists, possessed. It's safe to say that what The Dispossessed has in "Where are women?" There is complete sexual freedom. "No law, no An exchange takes place, the Urras men becom­ limit, no penalty, no punishment, no disapproval ing more and more horrified at the thought of a applied to any sexual practice of any kind, except Books planet where women are totally equal. the rape of a child or woman, for which the rapist's '~Shevek saw that he had touched in these men an neighbors were likely to provide summary revenge common with Woman's Evolution is: next to impersonal animosity that went very deep. Appar­ if he did not get promptly into the gentler hands of nothing. But, in its own right, Le Guin's book is fun, ently they ... contained a woman, a suppressed, a therapy center." feminist, and intriguing. silenced, bestialized woman, a fury in a cage. . . . Within this atmosphere people formed a variety of The story unfolds -through the space travel of They knew no relation but possession. They were relationships, one of which was a "partnership." Shevek, a physicist from the planet Anarres. On possessed." "Partnership was a voluntarily constituted feder­ Anarres there exists an anarchist, egalitarian We learn that Shevek's planet, Anarres, was ation like any other. So long as it worked, it worked, society. With neither the profit motive nor a settled by anarchist followers of Odo, a woman. The and if it didn't work it stopped being. It was not an repressive apparatus, social judgment and pressure anarchists had led a rebellion on Urras against institution but a function. It had no sanction but are the guiding principles. class society and, although unsuccessful, were then that of private conscience." Child rearing and education, as well as cooking allowed to leave the planet and settle a new one. This book is fun. Read it in addition to Evelyn and cleaning, are arranged communally-though There are several competing social systems on Reed's book but not, by any means, instead of it. always voluntarily. Urras. There's the nation of A-Io, a class society -Linda Jenness

24 Rizzo ~lans another New York Unions, Blacks set march to save Phila. hospital By Harvey McArthur l workers, most of them Black. It was PHILADELPHIA-A march to the largest labor protest in years in "Save Philadelphia General Hospital" Philadelphia. (PGH) has been set for May 22 by Union leaders have yet to break, trade unions and civil rights groups however, with the policy of looking to here. The march will protest the city Rizzo and the Democratic party to administration's announced plans to solve their problems. close the hospital next year. Among Rizzo's staunchest suppor- The march was initiated by District ters is Earl Stout, head of AFSCME Council 47, American Federation of District Council 33, which represents State, County and Municipal Employ- city workers, including Local 488 at ees, and by AFSCME Local. 488. These PGH. Stout calls for Rizzo to save "his unions represent 2,215 PGH workers. members'" jobs at the expense of The union leaders were joined at a nonunion workers. Stout agreed to the May 10 news conference by local February 25 march, but then declared leaders of the NAACP, Operation there would be "no more demonstra- PUSH, and the Southern Christian tions." He has not endorsed the May Leadership Conf~rence. On May 12, 22 protest. the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Central Militant/Jon Flanders The May 22 march coincides with an Labor Council endorsed the march. East Coast conference to save public Philadelphia General is the only hospitals that is being organized by public hospital in the city. It is the Mayor Frank Rizzo's announcement would protect their members' jobs. AFSCME for May 21 in Philadelphia. only hospital that takes patients re- that he would close PGH came as a Under pressure from union members, Among the expected speakers are Jerry gardless of their ability to pay. It also shock to local union officials, most of the officials called a one-day "holiday" Wurf, national president of AFSCME; has special services, such as a rape whom had supported Rizzo for reelec- February 25 and organized a protest Jesse Jackson, head of Operation treatment clinic, that no other hospital tion last year under the illusion that he march that drew more than 5,000 PUSH; and Ralph Abernathy of SCLC. offers. To be sure, PGH is in desperate need of improvement. Dr. Lewis Polk, city health inspector, recently testified that Socialist urges wide backing for protest "not a single bed" in PGH meets PHILADELPHIA-"Only by or­ wise, they can pick us off one by minimum health standards. Many ganizing independent protests like one." wards lack vital equipment. Some this march can we defend our right Austin pointed out that Democrat­ nurses are responsible for more than to good health care," said Tony ic and Republican politicians from 100 patients each. Austin, Socialist Workers party coast to coast are ordering similar Rather than improve public health candidate for lJ.S. Congress from cutbacks in vital social services. care, the city's Democratic party ad­ Philadelphia's Second District. ministration has decided to close PGH Austin was talking to campaign "It doesn't make any sense for us for good, claiming this will save $10 supporters in the Germantown area to build a big demonstration against million a year. of Philadelphia about the May 22 their policies on May 22, and then . The threatened shutdown of PGH is march to save Philadelphia General vote them into office so they can just one in a series of New York-style Hospital. continue these attacks on us. We've attacks on poor and' working people "I hope that many other unions got to begin to think about running here: will join this effort-especially hos­ our own candidates-people from • City officials have announced pital workers local 1199C, which the unions that are fighting layoffs, they will lay off more than 1,000 city has organized many of the private and people from the Black and employees on July 1. '- hospitals; AFSCME District Council Puerto Rican communities who • The transportation authority says 33, which represents city workers; know what PGH means for us. it will lay off 350 employees. It threat­ and the Philadelphia Federation of "We need a political party con­ ens to shut down altogether by May 31 Teachers, whose contract expires trolled by working people so we can Militant/Jon if it doesn't get a 43 percent fare hike. this fall. organize a political fight to carry TONY AUSTIN: 'If we unite, we can • The school board projects an $88 "If we all unite, we can fight for forward from these rallies and pro- fight for our rights. Otherwise, they million deficit for next year, requiring all our rights," Austin said. "Other- tests." · can pick us off one by one.' layoffs and cutbacks in the schools.

Crushing defeat for meatcutters Milwaukee strike betrayed by NLRB, Democrats By Bill Breihan in support of the beleaguered meatcut- employers. Its neutrality is a sham. the meatcutt~rs. The local union brass MILWAUKEE-The longest, most ters. The antilabor rulings of the NLRB only came to the aid of the strikers bitter strike this city has seen in many The strike dragged into its second in the meatcutters' strike were so when forced to by pressure from the years has ended in a crushing defeat year as an apparent stalemate. Then, flagrant that even the conservative meatcutters union and the ranks of for the union movement. The meatcut­ in late April, the NLRB again inter- head of the Milwaukee Labor Council, other unions. Even then the support ters union has been driven from every vened. As before it ruled against the John Schmidt, raised his voice in was little more than tokenism. meat packinghouse in the city. union on every disputed question. It protest. He publicly condemned the It was an election year, the meatcut- On April 25, Amalgamated Meat also ordered that a decertification board and said it should be "run out of ters were told. Large and militant Cutters Local 248 voted to officially election be held to determine whether town" for what it had done to the demonstrations would embarrass }a- end its fifteen-month-old strike against packinghouse workers want the Amal- meatcutters union. bor's "friends" in the elections. Now nine local packinghouses. gamated M~at Cutters to continue, as The second lesson is the dead end of was not the time to "rock the boat." The battle began in January 1975, their bargaining agent. , relying on Democratic party "friends The meatcutters lost their strike. when 760 meatcutters struck against The NLRB said that it no longer of labor." They lost it not because they didn't the companies' attempt to cut wages recognized the existence of a strike and Liberal Democrats in the city admin- fight hard enough or didn't stay out for more than 100 workers by reclassi­ that only those currently employed- istration promised a lot to the long enough. fying them as "unskilled." the scabs-would be eligible to vote. meatcutters-passage of an "antiscab" They lost because the labor move- Within weeks the struck packing­ All strikers would be disfranchised. ordinance to outlaw the use of strike- ment is politically shackled to the houses had recruited several hundred Under these new conditions the breakers, pressure on the companies to parties of big business. It has no scabs from across the country and union decided it had no alternative but end their union-busting, and much political instrument of its own. brought them into Milwaukee to reop­ to return to work. The day after the more. en the closed plants. local voted to end the strike, however, Then came the municipal elections An independent labor party in Mil­ the employers announced that few and all these promises evaporated into waukee would have campaigned for The strikebreakers and their police members of Local 248 would be al- thin air. The capitalist politicians the meatcutters just as Bernard Senter escorts clashed with pickets, and many lowed back in the plants. All strike- abandoned even their lip-service sup- did-but with the power of the trade strikers were arrested. Two court breakers would keep their jobs and port to the union. unions behind it. injunctions were slapped on the union, only a few union members would be The only mayoral candidate who Instead of knuckling under to the and union officials were threatened rehired "when needed." gave full support to the meatcutters' Democrats, a labor party would have with indictment. The supposedly neu­ What lessons can be drawn from this struggle was Bernard SeQter, candi- mobilized the entire labor movement in tral National Labor Relations Board bitter defeat? First, the antilabor date of the Socialist Workers party. action behind the strikers. intervened by accusing the strikers of character of the NLRB was clearly Senter walked the picket lines, cam- A labor party would have tackled the illegal picketing and of threatening shown. paigned in support of the strike, and political obstacles facing the and assaulting scabs. The NLRB is portrayed as a guaran- won the backing of many meatcutters. meatcutters-the NLRB rulings, police Over the next few months the AFL­ tor of labor's rights, and is generally Subservience to the Democratic and complicity with scabs, court injunc-· CIO county labor council, along with relied upon as such by the unions. But Republican parties prompted the cen- tions, and all the rest. locals of the auto workers, electrical like every other agency of the capital- tral leadership of the Milwaukee labor A labor party could well have made workers, and teachers, sponsored ral­ ist government, it is fundamentally movement to continually drag its feet the difference between victory and lies and pickets of up to 1,000 unionists committed to the interests of the in building massive support actions for defeat for the meatcutters' strike.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 25 Courier columnist. Thurs., May 27, 7 p.m. 207 E. Michigan. Room 25. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant 'Militant' is popular at Forum. For more information call (414) 289-9340. NEW YORK Calendar PORTUGAL, THE UNKNOWN REVOLUTION: BERKELEY POPULAR POWER ... AND THE COMING MEDI­ ERA rally in Springfield THE NATURE OF THE SOVIET UNION-DE­ TERRANEAN REVOLUTION. Information forum GENERATED WORKERS STATE? STATE CAPI­ and film. Viva Portugal!, a documentary of Portu­ By Pat Galligan Militant is that it relates the feminist TALISM? SOVIET IMPERIALISM? A special mini­ guese revolution. Featuring Alexandre Oliveira, "Ratify the ERA!" Those words on movement to the other struggles going educational conference. Hear a Trotskyist analysis. former editor of Republica. Sat., June 5, 7:30 p.m. page 1 of the May 21 Militant echoed on," Hardy explained. Speaker: Art Sharon, veteran Trotskyist leader. Sat.. Hotel Diplomat, 108 W. 43rd St. Admission: $2. the chant that rang through the streets May 22. 1 p.m. 1849 University Ave. Donation: $1. Sponsors: School for Marxist Education; Cineaste; While feminist issues were the prime Ausp: Militant Forum. For more information call of Springfield, Illinois, on May 16, at Puerto Rican Socialist party; others. For more concern of many who bought a single (415) 548-0354. information call (212) 569-1461. Proceeds benefit the march in support of the Equal copy or subscription on May 16, the GAZETA, a new popular power voice in Portugal. Rights Amendment. Militant attracted new readers in other THE ERA AND THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S The deep sentiment for women's ways. RIGHTS. Speakers: Laurel Egenberger, NOW; Gail Wixson. CLUW; Joey Rothenberg, SWP. Fri.. May OAKLAND rights was clear. And when the sales The article on Angola in the Mili­ 28. 8 p.m. 1849 University Ave. Donation: $1. Ausp: MALCOLM X: THE MAN AND HIS IDEAS. A for the Militant were all totaled up at tant's World Outlook section caught Militant Forum. For more information call (415) 548- program and film. Speakers: Clifton DeBerry, the end of the day something else was the eye of one Black woman. She 0354. collaborator of Malcolm X, SWP; speaker from clear: Many of the women and men Merritt College ethnic studies. Fri. May 28. 8 p.m. signed up for a six-month subscription. CAMBRIDGE, MASS. who marched that day are interested 1467 Fruitvale Ave. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Mimi Pichey from Milwaukee told us CLASSES ON SOCIALISM. What is socialism? Forum. For more information call (415) 261-1210. in socialism. that she sold a subscription to the Thurs., May 27. 7:30 p.m. 2 Central Square. Ausp: Some 700 Militants had been sold. driver ~f her bus. That made at least SWP. For more information call (617) 547-4395 or SAN DIEGO And fifty demonstrators had sub­ two Milwaukee bus drivers who sub­ 262-4621. WHY DOES LABOR NEED ITS OWN POLITICAL scribed to the paper. Those figures CHICAGO: SOUTH SIDE PARTY? Speakers: John Naubert. SWP; Marc Rich. scribed that day. Both are Black and BLACK WOMEN AND THE ERA. Speakers: Arnita executive board of Graphic Arts Union. Fri., May 28, include both sales during the march both are interested in the Militant's Boswell. president. League of Black Women; Peggy 8 p.m. 4635 El Cajon Blvd. Donation: $1. Ausp: and rally and sales on the buses and coverage of South Africa. Smith Martin. candidate for state representative; Militant Forum. For more information call (714) 280- trains bringing people to Springfield. The subscriptions sold in Springfield Judy Hagans. SWP; others. Fri., May 28. 8 p.m. St. 1292. Helen Scheer from Minneapolis sold will give a needed boost to our sub­ Paul and the Redeemer Church. 4945 S. Dorches­ ter. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more SAN FRANCISCO: INGLESIDE twenty-one single copies at the assem­ scription drive tally. Thus far, we have information call (312) 752-8578. THE GOVERNMENT'S WAR AGAINST THE bly point for the Minnesota contingent. received a total of 4,000 subscrip­ BLACK MOVEMENT. Speakers: Robert Allen, editor She urged demonstrators to "read the tions-that's 600 shy of where we CINCINNATI of the Black Scholar: Clifton_ DeBerry. SWP. Wed., debate between a socialist woman who should be. THE WITCH-HUNT OF THE 1950s AND THE May 26. 7:30 p.m. City College. Ausp: Militant supports the ERA and Phyllis Schlaf­ ROSENBERG FRAME-UP. Speaker: Melissa Sing­ Forum. For more information call (415) 431-8918. We have to receive 1,500 subscrip­ ler, SWP candidate for U.S. Senate. Thurs .. May 27, ly." tions by May 31 to meet our goal. 7:30 p.m. Tangeman University Center. Room 424. SAN JOSE: EAST Several of the salespeople we talked As the scoreboard indicates, 4,688 Univ. of Cincinnati. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant HOW TO STOP POLICE TERROR. Speakers: Ray to told us that the Militant's special copies of the May 14 Militant (head­ Forum. For more information call (513) 321-7445. Gonzales. Committee on Public Safety; Sandra feature "ERA debate: socialist-feminist line: "FBI vs. NAACP: 25 years of Sherman, SWP candidate for San Jose City MILWAUKEE Council. Tues .. May 25, 8 p.m. 1192 E. Santa Clara. versus right-winger" drew considerable spying") were sold in the areas report­ U.S. ROLE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. Speakers: Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Forum. For. more interest. ing. George Dolph, SWP; R. Ato Varney. Milwaukee information call (408) 295-2618. Shirley Pasholk told us that the Stacey Seigle from Portland, Oregon, Militants she sold on the bus from tells us that socialists there sold 150 Cleveland were to women who wanted copies of the issue at a rally in support to read the debate. of four American Indian Movement "One woman decided to buy the activists framed up by the government. paper only to read that debate," said Gutierrez said, it would mean a real Pasholk. "But she didh't want a sub­ crisis for the city. Schools, hospitals, and some places of employment would scription." ... Levi Sales Continued from page 4 "Then she began to flip through the have to shut down. Militant," Pasholk continued. "'Why, Arthur Garrity ordered the city govern­ Gutierrez has a solution in mind. scoreboard There are, he said, two big gas wells in there's an article about Russell Means,' Sold ment, which was pleading poverty, to Zavala County. Crystal City is the she said." last come up with the money to keep the county seat. When she had finished looking City Goal week % schools open until the required June 22 If the court fight is lost, Gutierrez through the paper she had found Cincinnati 75 93 124 closing date. Portland, Ore. 211 121 wants to take over the two wells under several topics that interested her. "And 175 Mayor White and other antibusing Baltimore 90 106 118 the law of eminent domain. Strong after thinking it over,'' Pasholk con­ politicians here argue that Garrity's Minneapolis 225 234 104 legal precedents for such a move exist, cluded, "she changed her mind and desegregation order has "bankrupted" St. Paul 75 77 103 he said. However, there would be a subscribed." the city. White has proposed a special San Jose 125 126 101 property tax levy that will add $100 or problem, he added, with court-ordered She was only one of the eleven new Milwaukee 225 225 100 more to the tax bills of Boston home­ payment to the owners of the two readers Pasholk signed up that day. San Diego 200 200 100 wells. The city has meager funds. New Orleans 175 175 100 owners. The Militant, Pasholk explained, really "But," he said, "I don't know who's sold itself. "Many of the people I talked Indianapolis 40 40 100 Calling his decision "most unpleas­ Chico, Calif. 10 10 100 ant" and "painful for our taxpayers," going to tell us we can't take those to were familiar with the Militant and wells or how they're going to keep us its consistent coverage of the fight to Dallas 10 10 100 the mayor clearly hopes the measure Chicago 400 380 95 from it-except the peopl~ here, if they ratify the ERA."- will fuel antibusing sentiments in this St. Louis 200 187 94 don't want to do it." Terry Hardy, who rode the Freedom city's white neighborhoods. New York City 645 591 92 "It is time a stand was taken against "We could reduce the price of gas," Train from Philadelphia, told us of the Logan, Utah 20 18 90 he continued, "and even sell gas to friendly response the Militant received Judge Garrity's megalomania," city Boston 290 257 89 council President Hicks has chimed in. others. We could become competitors of on board: "When we started going up Berkeley, Calif. 125 111 89 _"If it means jail for those of us who are Lo-Vaca." and down the aisles with the paper, Denver 125 110 88 Lo-V aca, abetted by the Democratic Oakland, Calif. 123 willing to stand up for the people of people would say 'Oh, the Militant,' 150 82 party politicians on the railroad com­ and ask for a copy." Sales on the train Los Angeles 540 435 81 Boston and their pocketbooks, so be Cleveland 175 135 77 it." mission, has certainly caused a lot of totaled 100. hardship for people in Texas. But it is A number of Freedom Train riders Philadelphia 275 205 75 For the moment, however, the in­ San Antonio 22 73 also causing a lot of people to consider had bought subscriptions at the recent 30 crease in antibusing violence that kept Newark 200 123 62 Blacks unnerved in late April has if essential natural resources can be eastern regional conference of the Detroit 300 175 58 left in the hands of rapacious private National Organization for Women. subsided. Boston has returned to the Seattle 250 134 54 normalcy it has known for the past profiteers. What do they think about the Militant? San Francisco 190 91 48 two years. "Several of the women I talked to Pittsburgh 175 84 48 said that the reason they like the Total 5,500 4,688 85 To wit: In the college neighborhoods, students in blue jeans and Earth Shoes, with Shakespeare, calculus, and occasionally a Frisbee under their ... FBI arms, can be seen shambling off to Continued from page 15 final exams. In the Black neighbor­ Since then a great deal has been hoods, y~ung students can still be seen learned about the government's boarding the yellow school buses in crimes, much of it a result of this pursuit of an equal education. And in lawsuit. Each of the original charges the raci~t white strongholds, life goes has been confirmed and reinforced by on as usual: in South Boston last week, the publication of previously secret a trucker was stopped and beaten government files. - because he was Black. The suit adds as individual plaintiffs Morris Starsky and Evelyn Sell, two SWP members who were targets of Cointelpro plots. Starsky, a college professor, and Sell, a schoolteacher ... Lo-Vaca and a member of the American Federa­ Continued from page 5 tion of Teachers, lost their jobs after and oil." the FBI circulated poison-pen letters to I then talked with Jose Angel Gutier­ their employers. rez, the Raza Unida leader who was Also added as individual plaintiffs, elected county judge. along with the SWP and YSA as Gutierrez said they had no choice but organizations, are: Jack Barnes, SWP to resist Lo-Vaca's extortion. "Half our national secretary; Barry Sheppard, people are on fixed income," he said. the party's organization secretary; and Militant/Jean Vertheim "Either welfare or old age. These J:>eter Camejo and Willie Mae Reid, the Marcia Gallo. (left), SWP candidate for U.S Senate from New York, sells the 'Militant' people can't pay." SWP's 1976 presidential and vice­ on ERA Freedom Train en route to Springfield demonstration. If Lo-Vaca-were to cut off the gas, presidential candidates.

26 SWP Campaign Platform---- Pay Tribute to Ethel @-'julius Rosenberg Fighters for Freedom & Justice, on the 23rd Anniversary of Their Execution

Open All the Files Now! Fight Government Frameups & Coverups! Carnegie Hall Tuesday, June 15, 8 p.m. Hear Michael and Robert Meeropol, sons of the Rosenbergs; Morton and Helen Sobell; Pete Seeger; Ossie Davis; John Randolph; Tony Randall; Vinie Burrows; and Jack Gilford. They lied about Vietnam ... Watergate ... the Rosenbergs and Sobell. Now let the truth come out. .. English/Espanol The Socialist Workers party pro- El Partido Socialista de los Traba- Please send me tickets for the following seats: poses a Bill of Rights for Working jadores propone una declaraci6n de ------"alcony at $3-4 each ___orchestra (A·K) at $15 each People, including: derechos para la gente trabajadora, -----«ddress circle at $5 each ___first tier at $20 each • the right to a job; an adequate incluyendo: __11econd tier at $8 each ___patron seats at $50 each __orchestra at $10 each income; a secure retirement; to free • el derecho a tener trabajo; un medical care and a free education; ingreso adecuado; una jubilaci6n Enclosed is my check for $ ___ • the right of oppressed national asegurada; atenci6n medica y edu- I cannot· attend, but here is my contribution of$__ _ minorities to control their own af- caci6n gratuita; Make checks payable to NCCRC fairs; to know the truth and decide • el derecho de las minorfas na- about the economic, political, and cionales oprimidas a controlar sus Name ______social policies that affect our lives. proprios asuntos y el derecho a Address ______conocer la verdad y poder decidir la politica econ6mica y social que nos CitY----'-----State------afecta. Zip hone ______Available in English or Spanish; 3 cents each or 2 cents each for orders of more than 1,000. - Send to National Committee to Reopen the Rosenberg Case, Room 606, Send to: Socialist Workers 1976 National Campaign Committee, 14 250 W. 57th St., New York, N.Y. 10019; or pick up 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Charles Lane, New York, New York 10014. For further information call (212) 265-7136. Officers of the committee: chairperson, Fred Halstead; treasurer, Arthur Hughes. Socialist Directory ARIZONA: Tempe: YSA, c/o Jessica Sampson, Box GEORGIA: Atlanta: Militant Bookstore, 68 Peach­ East Lansing: YSA, First Floor Student Offices, 43210. Tel: (614) 422-6287. 2235. Scottsdale, Ariz. 85252. Tel: (602) 277-9453. tree St., NE, Third Floor, Atlanta, Ga. 30303. SWP Union Bldg., Michigan State University, East OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, Tucson: YSA, SUPO 20965, Tucson, Ariz. 85720. and YSA, P.O. Box 846, Atlanta, Ga. 30301. Tel: Lansing, Mich. 48823. Tel: (517) 353-0660. 208 S.W. Stark. Fifth Floor, Portland, Ore. 97204. Tel: (602) 624-9176. (404) 523-0610. MI. Pleasant: YSA, Box 51 Warriner Hall, Central Tel: (503) 226-2715. CALIFORNIA: Berkeley: SWP, YSA, Granma Book­ ILLINOIS: Champaign-Urbana: YSA, 284 lllini Mich. Univ., MI. Pleasant, Mich. 48859. PENNSYLVANIA: Edinboro: YSA, Edinboro State store, 1849 University Ave., Berkeley, Calif. 94703. Union, Urbana, Ill. 61801. MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder College, Edinboro, Pa. 16412. Tel: (415) 548-0354. Chicago, South Side: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Books, Bookstore, 15 4th St. SE, Mpls., Minn. 55414. Tel: Philadelphia: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, East Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, 1754 E. 55th St., Chicago, Ill. 60615. Tel: (312) (612) 332-7781. 1004 Filbert St. (one block north of Market). 1237 S. Atlantic Blvd., East Los Angeles. Calif. 643-5520. St. Paul: SWP, Labor Bookstore, 176 Western Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107. Tel: (215) WA5-4316. 90022. Tel: (213) 265-1347. Chicago: City-wide SWP, YSA, 428 S. Wabash, Fifth St. Paul, Minn. 55102. Tel: (612) 222-8929. Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 3400 Long Beach: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore. 3322 Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60605. Tel: SWP-(312) 939- MISSOURI: Kansas City: YSA, c/o UMKC Student Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213. Tel: (412) 682- Anaheim St., Long Beach, Calif. 90804. Tel: (213) 0737; YSA-(312) 427-0280. Activities Office, 5100 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, 5019. 597-0965. INDIANA: Bloomington: YSA, c/o Student Activities Mo. 64110. State College: YSA. c/o William Donovan, 260 Los Angeles: Crenshaw District: SWP, YSA, Pathfin­ Desk, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind. St. Louis: SWP, YSA. Militant Bookstore, 4660 Toftrees Ave. #320, State College, Pa. 16801. Tel: der Books, 4040 W. Washington Blvd., Los 47401. Maryland, Suite 12, St. Louis, Mo. 63108. Tel: (814) 234-6655. Angeles, Calif. 90018. Tel: (213) 732-8196. Indianapolis: YSA, c/o Student Activity Office, (314) 367-2520. TENNESSEE: Knoxville: YSA, P.O. Box 8344 Univ. Los Angeles: City-wide SWP and YSA. 4040 W. IUPUI, 925 W .. Michigan St., Indianapolis, Ind. NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 11-A Central Station, Knoxville, Tenn. 37916. Tel: (615) 525- Washington Blvd., Suite 11, Los Angeles, Calif. 46202. Tel: (317) 631-3441. Ave. (Central and Broad Streets), Second Floor, 0820. 90018. Tel: (213) 732-8197. Muncie: YSA. Box 387 Student Center, Ball State Newark, N.J. 07102 Tel: (201) 624-7434. TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Student Activities, Texas Oakland: SWP, YSA, 1467 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland, University, Muncie, Ind. 47306. NEW YORK: Albany: YSA, c/o Gary Mele, 947 Union South, Austin. Tex. 78712. Calif. 94601. Tel: (415) 261-1210. KANSAS: Lawrence: YSA, c/o Christopher Starr, Strong St., Schenectady, N.Y. 12307. Tel: (518) DaUas: SWP, YSA, P.O. Box 50212, Dallas, Tex. Pasadena: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, 226 N. Sunflower Apts. #23, Lawrence, Kans. 66044. 346-0352. 75250. El Molino, Pasadena, Calif. 91106. Tel: (213) 793- KENTUCKY: Lexington: YSA. P.O. Box 952 Univer­ Binghamton: YSA, c/o Debbie Porder, 184 Corliss Houston: City-wide: SWP, YSA, 3311 Montrose, 3468. sity Station, Lexington, Ky. 40506. Tel: (606) 266- Ave., Johnson City, N.Y. 13790. Tel: (607) 729- Houston, Tex. 77006. Tel: (713) 526-1082. San Diego: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore. 4635 El 0536. 3812. Houston, South-Central: SWP, 4987 South Park Cajon Blvd., San Diego, Calif. 92115. Tel• (714) Louisville: YSA, Box 3593, Louisville, Ky. 40201. Ithaca: YSA, c/o Doug Cooper, 105 Dryden Rd., Blvd. (South Park Plaza), Houston, Tex. 77021. 280-1292. LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Tel: (607) 273-7625. Tel: (713) 643-0005. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, Militant Labor Forum, Bookstore, 3812 Magazine St., New Orleans, La. New York, Bronx: SWP. P.O. Box 688, Bronx, N.Y. San Antonio: SWP, P.O. Box 1376, San Antonio, 1519 Mission St., San Francisco, Calif. 94103. Tel: 70115. Tel: (504) 891-5324. 10469. Tex. 78295. Tel: (512) 732-5957. YSA, P.O. Box SWP-(415) 431-8918; YSA-(415) 863-2285. New York, Brooklyn: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 12110, Laurel Heights Station, San Antonio, Tex. San Francisco, Mission District: SWP, Socialist MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, 2117 N. Charles 136 Lawrent:e St. (at Willoughby). Brooklyn, N.Y. 78212. Bookstore, Libreria Socialista, 3284 23rd St., San St., Baltimore, Md. 21218. Tel: (301) 547-0668. 11201. Tel: (212) 596-2849. UTAH: Logan: YSA, P.O. Box 1233, Utah State Francisco, Calif. 94110. College Park: YSA. c/o Student Union, University of New York, Chelsea: SWP, Pathfinder Bookstore, University, Logan, Utah 84322. San Jose: SWP and YSA, 123 S. 3rd St., Suite 220, Maryland, College Park, Md. 20742. Tel: (301) 200% W. 24th St. (off 7th Ave.). New York, N.Y. VIRGINIA: Richmond: SWP, P.O. Box 25394, San Jose, Calif. 95113. Tel: (408) 295-8342. 454-4758. 10011. Tel: (212) 989-2731. Richmond, Va. 23260. East San Jose: SWP, 1192 E. Santa Clara, San Jose, Prince Georges County: SWP, P.O. Box 1087, New York, Lower East Side: SWP, YSA, 221 E. 2nd WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, Militant Book­ Calif. 95116. Tel: (408) 295-2618. Prince Georges Plaza, Hyattsville, Md. 20788. Tel: St. (between Ave. B and Ave. C), New York, N.Y. store, 1345 E St. NW, Fourth Floor, Wash., D.C. Santa Barbara: YSA. P.O. Box 14606, UCSB, Santa (202) 333-0265 or (202) 783-2391. 10009. Te!: (212) 260-6400. 20004. Tel: SWP-(202) 783-2391; YSA-(202) Barbara, Cal if. 931 07. MASSACHUSETTS: Amherst: YSA, c/o Mark Cera­ New York, Queens: SWP, YSA, 90-43 149 St. 783-2363. Santa Cruz: YSA, c/o Student Activities Office, soulo, 13 Hollister Apts., Amherst, Mass. 01002. (corner Jamaica Ave.), Jamaica. N.Y. 11435. Tel: WASHINGTON: Seattle, Central Area: SWP, YSA, Redwood Bldg., UCSC, Santa Cruz, Calif. 95064. Boston: SWP, YSA, 510 Commonwealth Ave., (212) 658-7718. Militant Bookstore, 2200 E. Union, Seattle, Wash. Boston, Mass. 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4620. New York, Upper West Side: SWP, YSA, Militant 98122. Tel: (206) 329-7404. COLORADO: Boulder: YSA, Room 175, University Boston: City-wide SWP, YSA, 510 Commonwealth Bookstore, 2726 Broadway (104th St.), New York, Seattle, City-wide: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, Memorial Center, University of Colorado, Bould­ Ave., Boston, Mass. 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4621. N.Y. 10025. Tel: (212) 663-3000. 5623 University Way NE, Seattle, Wash. 98105. er, Colo. 80302. Tel: (303) 492-7679. Cambridge: SWP, 2 Central Square, Cambridge, New York: City-wide SWP, YSA, 853 Broadway, Tel: (206) 522-7800. Denver: SWP,- YSA, Militant Bookstore, 1379-81 Mass. 02139. Tel: (617) 547-4395. Room 412, New York, N.Y. 10003. Tel: (212) 982- WISCONSIN: Eau Claire: YSA, c/o Chip Johnson. Kalamath, Denver, Colo. 80204. Tel: (303) 623- Roxbury: SWP, 1865 Columbus Ave., Roxbury, 8214. 221'12 Ninth Ave., Eau Claire, Wis. 54701. Tel: 2825. Mass. 02119. Tel: (617) 445-7799. (715) 835-1474. Fort Collins: YSA, 325 E. Myrtle, Ft. Collins, Colo. Worcester: YSA, Box 229, Greendale Station, OHIO: Cincinnati: YSA, c/o Charles R. Mitts, 6830 La Crosse: YSA, c/o UW La Crosse, Cartwright 80521. Worcester, Mass. 01606. Buckingham Pl., Cincinnati, Ohio 45227. Tel: Center, 1725 State St., La Crosse, Wis. 54601. FLORIDA: Dade County: YSA, P.O. Box 390487, MICHIGAN: Ann Arbor: YSA, Room 4103, Mich. (513) 272-2596. Madison: YSA, P.O. Box 1442, Madison, Wis. 53701. Miami Beach, Fla. 33139. Union, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Cleveland: SWP and YSA, 2300 Payne, Cleveland. Tel: (608) 238-6224. Tallahassee: YSA. c/o Suzanne Welch, 765 El 48104. Tel: (313) 663-8766. Ohio 44114. Tel: (216) 861-4166. Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, 207 E. Michigan Ave., Am. Rancho. St., Tallahassee, Fla. 32304. Tel: (904) Detroit: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 6404 Wood­ Columbus: YSA, Box 3343 Univ. Station (mailing 25, Milwaukee, Wis. 53202. Tel: SV'P-(414) 289- 224-9632. ward, Detroit, Mich. 48202. Tel: (313) 873-8836. address); 325 Ohio Union, Columbus, Ohio 9340: YSA-(414) 289-9380.

THE MILITANT/MAY 28, 1976 27 THE MILITANT Racist 'justice' • • ur n • • nson Ul By Peter Seidman ST. LOUIS-An all-white jury has found J.B. Johnson guilty of first­ degree murder. The May 14 verdict ended Johnson's second trial on charges of taking part in a 1970 jewelry-store robbery during which a police officer was killed. Under Missouri law, an accomplice in such a ~rime is considered guilty of first-degree murder. Johnson will be sentenced June 24 to a mandatory "natural life" (ninety­ nine years and a day) prison term. The verdict will be appealed. Johnson was immediately taken to jail. Missouri does not allow bail pending appeal of a first-degree mur­ der conviction. Johnson's case has become the focus of a six-year struggle by defenders of equal justice for Black people to put an end to the racist frame-up techniques of St. Louis police. The scene in the courtroom as John­ son's verdict was read by the clerk of the court dramatically confirmed how each side in the struggle viewed the stakes. In contrast to previous sessions of the trial, where Johnson's supporters were the bulk of the spectators, court Mary Watkins, J.B. Johnson's mother, and defense attorney William Kunstler await verdict MilitanVPat Hayes officials had filled the front rows of the courtroom with off-duty cops and em­ ployees of the prosecutor's office. John­ the state's case "could not be explained As Krantz spun this web of lies, not at all unusual to uncover lying in son's supporters were crammed into from the record." Kunstler, his face quivering with ang­ high places. the back rows. The contradiction was that police er, leaned over the witness and de­ As the jurors retired to their delibera­ As the verdict was read, Mary Wat­ claimed to have found two stolen rings manded, "Do you know what perjury tions, the question on the mind of kins, Johnson's mother, cried out bit­ in Johnson's shoes shortly after he is, officer? Are you committing perju­ every observer was whether they terly, "Racists!" was arrested. ry?" would heed Kunstler's __ impassioned Another voice in the packed court­ But those two rings are the same as Kunstler asked Fitzpatrick: "You arguments and searching cross­ room shouted, "Nazis!" two rings that were missing from a were handed the photograph at the examination. Or would they l::uckle to As Watkins stood to further de­ tray of stolen rings police had seized at first trial and were asked if you were the flagrant racist appeals by Dittmei­ nounce the judge and jury, Judge the scene of the robbery at about the present the night when it was taken, er to "send a message to every would­ William Corrigan ordered bailiffs to same time as the arrest. and you said yes." be stick-up man that they can't commit "get them out of here." The police said they had seized a car Answer: "Yes, sir." a crime and then yell frame-up." Obviously hoping for a bloody con­ there as evidence and taken it to "Isn't that an outright untruth?" Despite the overwhelming defense frontation, St. Louis County cops headquarters, keeping it sealed until it Answer: "No, sir." case, however, Johnson's supporters poured into the hallway outside the was processed several hours later. "Then what would you call it?" were grim about the final verdict from courtroom as leaders of the National When they opened the car, they found Fitzpatrick stumbled: "It was untrue, the very onset of the trial, given the Committee to Free J.B. Johnson and photographed the tray containing but it was not an untruth." discriminatory and unconstitutional sought to escort the grief-stricken the seven rings. method used to pick the jury. supporters to safety. Clearly, the two rings could not have Secret meetings That process systematically ex­ The frame-up began on January 23, been both in Johnson's shoes and in Krantz. also disclosed under ques­ cluded Biacks, women, and youths. It 1970, when Johnson was arrested at the tray of stolen rings simultaneously. tioning that he had been involved in resulted in a trial not by Johnson's gunpoint. During J ohnson._s second trial, the secret meetings with the prosecution to peers, but by an all-white jury whose Johnson, then nineteen, was the first jury heard a string of police witnesses discuss the discrepancy on the two average age was fifty-four. Black youth snared by police in a try to explain away the contradiction. rings. He said a number of other cops The foreperson of the jury, for exam­ hysterical dragnet launched after the Two of them were officer William who testified at the new trial were also ple, E. Reid Smith, was a sixty-eight­ slaying of their fellow officer. Krantz and fingerprint expert Michael involved. year-old retired vice-president of the The police hastily concocted a frame­ Fitzpatrick. The deffi!Ilse had not been informed Missouri Pacific Railroad. When asked up to prove Johnson was the second of such meetings despite a court order if there were any Black people in the man involved in the holdup. But the Cops change story requiring that the prosecution give the Arkansas town where he grew up, plot began to unravel under pressure Both Krantz and Fitzpatrick swore defense all records of its findings. Smith answered, "Yes, there were from the defense. under oath at this trial that the photo­ The closing arguments put forward servants' houses." It was police suppression of evidence graph· showing seven rings was taken by the government stated the view that As Johnson told reporters from the during Johnson's 1972 trial that led not the day of the robbery, but ten "much more is at stake in this case St. Louis County cell to which he was the Missouri Supreme Court to order in days later! This contradicted their than J.B. Johnson." Prosecuting Attor­ taken immediately following the trial, July 1975 that the Black youth be sworn testimony at the 1972 trial. ney Thomas Dittmeier asked the jury "I won the case in court. I proved my given a new trial. The two cops told defense attorney whether they "could really believe that innocence-it was just that jury." William Kunstler that they had be­ Johnson was the victim of a frame­ The discriminatory methods of jury come aware of this shortly after they up?" selection in St. Louis County will be a Glaring contradiction testified at the first trial. But they In his closing argument, Kunstler powerful element in Johnson's appeal. In hearings before the supreme somehow neglected to bring this "er­ reviewed again the evidence of police To send messages of support or court, Missouri Assistant Attorney ror" to the attention of the authorities frame-up and lying taken from the donations, contact: National Commit­ General David Robards admitted that until just before Johnson's second record of both trials. He noted how the tee to Free J.B. Johnson, Post Office a glaring contradiction in a key part of trial, four years later. "recent past" had shown that it was Box 4713, St. Louis, Missouri 6310R

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