Cuba's UN representative TH£ addresses U.S. role in Mideast Pages4-S A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 54/NO. 43 NOVEMBER 9, 1990 $1.50 Campaign against war drive Washington is accelerating preparations for war in Mideast The following statement by the National against Korea and Vietnam. Committee of the Socialist W.rkers Party Every anti-apartheid event, demonstration was released by SWP National Secretary for Korean reunification, and meeting to Jack Barnes November 1. defend the Cuban revolution can address the need for such mobilizations and educate on Working people, students and other youth, why the imperialist war drive is at the center unionists on strike, and everyone resisting of world politics. the employers unremitting assault; Gls, re­ At the center of this effort is selling news­ servists, and veterans; farmers; and all oppo­ papers and pamphlets that offer the facts on nents of U.S. military intervention around the war preparations - on its roots and its the world must put at the center of their implications for working, people - to co­ political activity campaigning against the workers, students, social protest activists, to horrendous war Washington, London, Paris, workers and youth wherever they gather. and their allies are preparing in the Middle The U.S. government and its imperialist East. allies are not backing off their demands on We can have no illusions. The war prep­ the government of Iraq. They are closing the arations are now accelerating. doors to any peaceful resolution. This course All those who oppose the coming war has been put in motion with the backing of should seek to organize more actions like the the Soviet government and other Warsaw October 20 demonstrations that drew thou­ Pact regimes and many governments of cap­ sands of antiwar fighters into the streets. italist semicolonial countries in the Mideast Millions saw them on TV demanding: Bring and elsewhere in the world. thetroopshomenow! U.S. out ofthe Mideast! The Oct. 29, 1990, United Nations reso­ Let the oil monopolies fight their own wars! lution demanding Iraq pay war reparations Educational meetings, picket lines, and to Kuwait and other countries is another step other events are a crucial part of mobilizing in the drive toward war in the Arab-Persian the broadest numbers possible against the Gulf region. Like many other resolutions bipartisan march toward war - a war that passed by the Security Council since the Militant/Robert Kopec would result in massive slaughter on a scale August 2 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, it pro­ Antiwar protest on October 20 in San Francisco. Some 5,000 people demonstrated. not seen since the U.S.-organized wars vides cover for the bloody war being pre­ pared against the peoples of the Gulf region. The government ofCuba has been the only member of the UN to consistently and force­ fully raise its voice - both in the UN and Antiwar fighters need 'Militant' elsewhere- against Washington's military moves and to point to their devastating im­ BY RONI McCANN litical direction on a weekly basis. picket lines, at factories and mine portals, on plications. Cuba's representatives voted Supporters of the Militant who are on an A special sales target week began October college campuses, at antiwar meetings, and against the criminal blockade of food and eight-week drive to win thousands of new 20, the day national and international protests at workplaces. medicine to Iraq and Kuwait and the denial readers to the socialist press are putting cam­ against the U.S. war drive were held. Results Throughout the target week, supporters in of basic necessities to hundreds of thousands paigning against the coming U.S. war in the of that effort show that the best way to win a number of cities took big steps forward in of immigrants who worked in Iraq and Ku­ Mideast at the heart of the sales effort. They new readers to the Militant, Perspectiva the circulation drive and are now organizing wait prior to August 2. are using the publications to build activities, Mundial, and Lutte ouvriere, and sell copies to make their goals by November 17. From the start Cuba took a principled educate about, and encourage participation of the Marxist journals New International Supporters in Salt Lake City and Price, stand against the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi in events opposing Washington's war drive. and Nouvelle lnternationale is by placmg the Utah, kicked off their target week by fielding forces as a violation of Kuwaiti sovereignty, while keeping a spotlight on the steps being Selling subscriptions to the Militant, along U.S. drive toward war and the coming eco­ five regional teams that, together with regular taken by Washington and its allies, who are with copies of the Pathfinder pamphlet U.S. nomic depression at the heart of discussions Saturday sales, won 35 new subscribers. On Hands Off the Middle East! Cuba Speaks Out with workers and young people -on the Continued on Page 7 Continued on Page 14 at the United Nations, helps arm working people, trade unionists, students, and others with the truth about the threatened U.S. war and high stakes involved for all of hu­ Eastern strikers get warm response manity. This is because the Militant presents a BY JERRY FREIWIRTH News strikers." Some 50 Eastern strikers and forts of the bosses at the DailyNews, and the clear explanation of the facts about the war NEW YORK- On October27, motor­ supporters from other unions staged a immediate linking up between the two drive, and a broader view and analysis of the ists traveling along the expressway that "human billboard" on the 94th Street bridge strikes, was largely responsible for the highly world in which Washington is preparing for passes by La Guardia Airport here were that passes over the eight-lane expressway favorable response. war. The .Militant helps to organize and mo­ treated to the following message: "Don't Fly near the airport. Following the airport activity, about a bilize people against the war and offers po- Eastern" and "Eastern strikers support Daily Solidarity with workers at the New York dozen Eastern strikers and others piled into Daily News who had been locked out by the the union's van and other cars to fonn a bosses and forced on strike just two days caravan to the Daily News picket lines in before was a prominent feature of the action. Manhattan and Brooklyn. Curtis attorney questions cops Hundreds showed their support for the Eastern battle by honking their car horns, Over the last I 0 months, Eastern strikers and unionists at the Daily News have joined BY PRISCILLA SCHENK to the hospital. Mter he was treated, they told waving their fists, or flashing the "thumbs­ up" sign. This outpouring of solidarity was in common activities and rallies. On the first DES MOINES, Iowa-On October 29 him to walk back to the ambulance to be met by cheers from the strikers as they raised night of the Daily News strike, a contingent attorney George Eichhorn questioned six po­ returned to jail. When he complained of their fists in reply. of Eastern strikers marched with a banner to lice officers under oath in a federal civil rights nausea, the officers told him to keep walking. the picket line at the printing plant in Brook­ lawsuit filed against the city of Des Moines He became sick and threw up. Later, the unionists and friends marched lyn. Their display of solidarity received sus­ and the police by Mark Curtis. Once back in jail, Curtis was thrown naked to the Eastern tenninal for a walk through tained cheers. into a cell and kept there overnight. There the airport to make their presence known. Curtis, a unionist and political activist were no towels, bedding, or furniture in the Wearing red strike T-shirts, and chanting A similarly warm response was offered the here, was arrested March 4, 1988, and was room. "Don't fly Eastern" they passed by the nearly car caravan of Eastern strikers when they framed up on rape and burglary charges by empty ticket counter. Almost no passengers arrived at the Daily News picket lines fol­ police. Just prior to his arrest, he had been Civil rights suit tiled were to be seen, illustrating the continued lowing the airport action. Ideas and sugges­ involved in defending coworkers - 16 On May 5, 1989, Eichhorn and attorney inability of the carrier to attract customers. tions were exchanged between the unionists Mexicans and one Salvadoran - arrested William Kutmus, filed a lawsuit in federal as they discussed how to strengthen their during an immigration raid at the Swift meat­ On strike for over 600 days, the cleaners, court charging the city and the police with respective strikes. packing plant where he worked. ramp workers, mechanics, and other mem­ beating Curtis and violating his constitutional bers of the International Association of Ma­ Striking Machinists in the New York area After his arrest Curtis was taken to city rights. It asks the court to award Curtis chinists at Eastern continue to press their are planning more activities over the next jail, denied an attorney, and stripped naked. $300,000 in damages. fight for jobs and a contract. few weeks. An expanded picket line has been Police officers cursed at and beat him, calling The suit specifically names police officers Although this was not the first human scheduled for November I to protest him a "Mexican-lover, just like you love Daniel Dusenbery and Charles Wolf as par­ billboard organized by lAM Local 1018, Eastern's start-up of additional flights at the those coloreds." He suffered a fractured ticipants in the beating.