DECEMBER 29, 1972 25 CENTS VOLUME 36/NUMBER 48

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY/PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE -United antiwar. actions must answer Nixon

The Nixon administration's deceit­ ful promise that "peace is at hand" has been replaced by the open threat to annihilate the Vietnam­ ese if they do not accept Wash­ ington's demands. Nixon's deci­ sion to suspend negotiations with the Vietnamese in Paris and to in­ tensify the bombing to unprece­ dented heights has been met by the people of the world with shock and a new sense of outrage and indignation. Massive, unified protest demon­ strations throughout the U.S. and around the world must be the re­ sponse to Nixon's outrageous new aggression. With the arrogance of a Hitler, Nixon unleashed the U.S. air fleet over Vietnam to ensure, as his aides told the New York Times, "that the North Vietnamese leaders would comprehend the extent of his anger." While the details of the secret negotiations are not known, it is absolutely clear that the latest de­ velopments stem from Washing­ ton's determination to compel the Vietnamese liberation forces to ac­ cept the Saigon regime's "right" to maintain its rule over South Vietnam. The U.S. demanded key nomic exploitation. portray himself as "the real peace on Moscow and Peking to con­ additional concessions, above and The Vietnamese struggle is a civ­ candidate." Kissinger's notorious tinue to put the squeeze on Hanoi. beyond those already extracted il war between two unalterably op­ Oct. 26 promise that "peace is at He confidently expects that the bu­ from the North Vietnamese in the posed forces whose interests are hand" was clearly calculated to reaucrats in the Kremlin and their nine-point draft disclosed on Oct. irreconcilable. The United States, further enhance Nixon's fortunes counterparts in Peking will. con­ 26. with all its military might, has in­ on election day. tinue to follow the course of sub­ The talks broke down over pre­ tervened on the side of the op­ On Nov. 1, Linda Jenness, the ordinating the needs of the Viet­ cisely the question that has been pressors in Vietnam. presidential candidate of the So­ namese revolution to their own at the heart of the armed conflict· But this civil war, between op­ cialist Workers Party, declared, narrow, nationalistic diplomatic throughout the war: Who is to posing classes each with armies in "Nixon's top aide Henry Kissinger objectives. rule in South Vietnam? The U. S. the field, cannot be resolved says that 'peace is at hand' in Last May, when Washington has been, and remains, committed through negotiations. Diplomatic Vietnam. This is a lie." She ex­ dramatically escalated the war by to preserving the regime of the accords could lead, at most, to a plained that "the nine points rep­ mining the ports of North Viet­ landlords and capitalists. The temporary truce. ' They cannot resent a formula for maintaining nam, Moscow and Peking, instead masses of Vietnamese have been overcome the profound conflict be­ the capitalist system and a foot­ of coming to Hanoi's aid, stood fighting to oust that ruling class tween major social forces. The hold for U.S. imperialism in Viet­ silent. They privately urged Ha­ and its U.S. master and to install United States, as its bellicose ac­ nam. And Washington is pressing noi to settle the war through "ne- a government that would be on tions throughout the peace talks for even more concessions." gotiations." . the side of the workers and peas­ make clear, cannot be "negotiated" While unleashing barbaric When the Soviet leaders decided ants of Vietnam in their fight for out of Vietnam. bombing raids to force the Viet­ to proceed with their plans to host land reform, democratic rights, in­ Nixon successfully capitalized namese to accede to his terms, Nixon's visit to Moscow, it was dependence-, and an end to eco- on the preelection diplomacy to Nixon is simultaneously counting Continued on page 5 Escalation of war shows need .for U.S. 'OUT NOW!/'a In Brief L.A. MOVEMENT CENTER FIREBOMBED: On Dec. 7 side of premeditated mur·der cases," a spokesman ex­ THIS the Long March in Los Angeles was firebombed by un­ plained, "but the states might decide that other cases known assailants. A similar attack on the Long March would come under the death penalty." WEEK'S was carried out in 1970 by Cuban counterrevolutionary exiles. Office equipment, films, and film equipment esti­ ABOLISH HISC NEXT?: Peace in Vietnam will not put mated at $5,000 was destroyed, in addition to heavy an end to activities by "hard-core revolutionaries," says MILITANT damage to the building itself. The Long March will be the chairman of the House Internal Security Committee. 3 Nixon asks Brezhnev & holding its regularly scheduled events at the Unitarian Representative Richard !chord (D-Mo.) predicts that rev­ Mao to pressure Hanoi Church of Los Angeles until it can reopen. olutionaries will "try to find new issues to exploit." 4 Fitzsimmons scabs on !chord explained that revolutionaries seek to organize farm workers arou'nd issues "with which a large number of people that 5 Campus rights victory are loyal to the U. S. will agree, just as the issue of the war iri Vietnam was one." For !chord's information, the for YSA war still is an issue, as he and Nixon will soon find out. 9 Insurgents win miners election 'TEAMSTER REBELLION' REVIEWED: Among the 10 Abortion and respect for many reviews of Farrell Dobbs's new book on the Min­ life neapolis Teamsters strikes of 1934 is one by H. W. Benson in Union Democracy Review. Benson writes that "the 11 Nat'l pressure forced La. reader must keep reminding himself that Dobbs's story investigation occurred a lifetime ago; he has a knack of stripping away 12 Nat'l oppression in the those four decades and writing as though it took place Soviet Ukraine · last week. That's the charm of this book; you hear them 13 Ireland- anti repression coughing in the meeting hall from the cigarette smoke." fight needed "Teamster Rebellion," Benson concludes, "is a valu­ able first-hand account of heroic battles led by rebels 14 1972: good year for of another day, men who faced martial law and two bosses Long March movement center after it was firebombed killings to open the road for mass unionism." 15 Cuba, U.S., seek hijack agreement ANOTHER SAILOR FACING SABOTAGE CHARGES: 16 Mass-transit financing James Wesley Fields, a naval reservist and a former Chomsky, others hit boon to capitalists crew member of the Norfolk-based USS Chilton, has been 17 Mexican prisoners ex­ charged with damaging the shaft bearings of the Chilton. Fields pleaded not guilty on Dec. 18, and his trial will anti-Semitism charge pose Echeverria begin March 1. Another sailor who was stationed at Nor­ NEW YORK- A number of prominent figures have signed 18 Russian revolution and folk, Jeffrey Allison, was recently sentenced to five years an open letter to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of the Europe in prison after pleading not guilty to charges of starting B'nai B'rith. Professor Noam Chomsky, writer Murray 19 SP-DSF urges Dems to a fire aboard the USS Forrestal. Kempton, literary critic Dwight Macdonald, Rabbi A. move to right Bruce Goldman, and others are demanding that the ADL 2,500 RALLY FOR BLACK POLITICAL PRISONERS retract its charge that the Socialist Workers Party is "anti­ 21 Memorial meeting for IN N.C.: On Dec. 14, 2,500 people attended a rally spon­ Semitic." Florian Pattock sored by the North Carolina Political Prisoners Com­ A delegation headed by Linda Jenness, 1972 presidential 24 Indictments hit Attica mittee in Charlotte, N.C. Speakers at the rally included candidate of the Socialist Workers Party, will picket the inmates Owusu Sadaukai, head of Malcolm X University in Greens­ ADL's New York offices on Dec. 21 and attempt to present boro, N. C.; Jim Grant, a reporter for the Southern Pa­ the letter to AD L officials. triot and an organizer for the Southern Conference Ed­ The ADL charged in a Nov. 20 report that the 1972 SWP presidential campaign "engaged in bitter anti-Israel 2 In Brief ucational Fund who faces a total of 35 years in prison for his movement activities; and Elizabeth Chavis, the appeals." The report asserted that in calling for "the out­ 6 In Our Opinion mother of the Reverend Ben Chavis. Ben Chavis faces right destruction of Israel," the SWP had crossed the line Letters 34 years in prison for his political activities (see By Any into outright anti-Semitism. 7 National Picket Line Means Necessary, p. 7). The rally was also addressed Disputing this charge, the open letter says, "While we By Any Means Neces­ by Angela Davis, who spoke by telephone from Atlanta, do not necessarily agree with the program and policies of the Socialist Workers Party we believe that their oppo­ sary where her plane was fogged in. sition to Zionism cannot in any way be equated with 8 Great Society If you subscribe to The Militant and plan to move anti-Semitism.... We expect your immediate retraction Women in Revolt of these charges." soon, don't forget that the post office does not for­ American Way of Life Other signers include: Joseph Ben-David, executive direct­ ward newspapers. Send your old address label 20 In Review or, Humanist Society of Greater New York; Ruth Gage­ 21 Militant Gets Around and your new address into The Militant business Colby, United Nations representative, Women's Interna­ office at least two weeks before you move to ensure tional League for Peace and Freedom; Ed Goodman, sta­ that you will not miss any issues. tion manager, WBAI; Jerry Gordon, national coordinator, National Peace Action Coalition; Mary Kochyiama, Asian­ WORLD OUTLOOK Americans for Action; Sidney Lens, author; Conrad Lynn, 1 Socialist confronts big­ BLACK STUDENTS HIT RACISM AT RUTGERS: Sev­ National Conference of Black Lawyers; Paul Massas, business candidates in eral Black student groups at Rutgers University in New president, Student Government, Brooklyn College; Tqronto Jersey have charged that institutional racism continues David McReynolds, War Resisters League; Dr. Sidney Peck, to function at Rutgers. They have demanded the removal professor; Jane Tam, District 1 community school board; 2 Why the Labor Party of two deans, the hiring of Black head coaches in all and Robert Van Lierop, Africa Information Service. won in Australia sports, more Black professors and staff members, and 4 Pyotr Yakir reported an all-Black student dormitory. The demands were issued YSA CONVENTION REPORTS PRINTED: The January to have recanted on Dec. 15, coinciding with a speech at Rutgers by Stokely issue of the International Socialist Review contains the Carmichael. reports on the women's and Chicano liberation move­ ments given at the twelfth national convention of the Young Socialist Alliance. The report on the women's move­ RACIST FRAME-UP FALLS APART IN HOUSTON: ment centers on the fight around the New York abor­ THE MILITANT After more than two years in jail Aureliano Silva was tion law, while the one on the Chicano struggle is an eval­ VOLUME 36/NUMBER 48 acquitted of murder charges on Dec. 15. Silva, a 22- uation of the Raza Unida parties in the Southwest. DECEMBER 29, 1972 year-old Chicano, was arrested in 1970 for the mur­ CLOSING NEWS DATE- DEC. 20, 1972 der of a saleswoman who had been found dead in a

Editor: MARY-ALICE WATERS model home near where Silva had been working as a Managing Editor: DOUG JENNESS painter. Business Manager: SHARON CABANISS Militant reporter Paul McKnight reports that shortly Don't blame your mail carrier Southwest Bureau: HARRY RING after Silva's arrest officials produced a signed confession The Militant will suspend publication for one week. The

Published weekly by The Militant Publishing Ass'n., saying that he was guilty. Silva said the confession had next issue you receive will be dated Jan. 12. 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Phone: Ed­ been beaten out of him by sheriff's deputies. A Silva De­ itorial Office 12121 243-6392; Business Office 12121 fense Committee was formed that publicized the case in 929-3486. the community and organized a march of more than THE. MILITANT GETS REPRINTED: The Ontarion, Southwest Bureau: 11071/2 N. Western Ave., Los 400 people when Silva first came to trial a year ago. Angeles, Calif. 90029. Phone: 1213! 463-1917. the student newspaper at the University of Guelph in Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. Sub­ Canada, reprinted the article by Baxter Smith on the scription: Domestic, 55 a year; foreign, 58. By first­ ATTORNEYS GENERAL CAN'T WAIT FOR NEW killings of two students in Baton Rouge in its Nov. 30 class mail: domestic and Canada, 525; all other coun­ issue. Smith's article appeared in the Dec. 1 Militant. tries, 541. Air printed matter: domestic and Canada, DEATH PENALTY: The National Association of Attor­ S32; Latin America and Europe, 540; Africa, Australia, neys General voted 32 to one in favor of the reinstitu­ An article by Lee Smith in the Nov. 24 Militant dealing Asia (including USSR), $50. Write for sealed air postage tion of the death penalty on Dec. 6. The association made with Akwesasne Notes, an Indian paper currently under rates. a partial list of 11 separate offenses for which the death attack, was reprinted in the Dec. 11 Great Speckled Bird, Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily penalty might be made mandatory. "We did not go out- published in Atlanta. -DAVE FRANKEL represent The Militant1 s views. These are expressed in editorials.

• •..... • .... •• J r Nixon-Kissinger lies e~sed Air war Without limit' against Vietnamese By DICK ROBERTS .., · _ f DEC. 20- The massive indiscriminate bombing of the Hanoi-Haiphong area of North Vietnam is entering its third day as we go to press. Following almost two months of consistent lies about the negotiations, symbolized most clearly by Henry Kissinger's Oct. 26 statement that "peace is at hand," Washington's fe­ rocious escalation of the war is en­ raging the world. "President Nixon's intensification of the bombing ... is drawing harsh criticism from U.S. political leaders and from governments around the world," the New York Post declared Dec. 20. "Editorial comments in Eu­ rope and elsewhere were mainly criti­ cal of the intensified U.S. bombing campaign," said the Post. Never in the history of the war has it been clearer that the only way to bring peace to Southeast Asia is the complete withdrawal of all United States military forces. As long as Washington maintains a military presence in the region it will seize any pretext to reescalate the war. The living proof of this is the ' present hail of bombs, the biggest by far in the history of the war, raining down on North Vietnam's two most eight months. Until the heavy raids the secret talks were deadlocked. At live in peace with each other and that populated areas. began on Monday, the huge jets ... issue was Washington's demand for neither side would impose its solution ·From Saigon, Associated Press re­ had never flown into the Hanoi area guarantees that the proimperialist re­ on the other by force.' ports that the U.S. Command is and had never been ·used that far gime in Saigon would remain in com­ "In other words," said Gwertzman, "maintaining one of the densest news north in anything like the current 100- mand. "the United States was seeking some blackouts of the war." plane raids now going on." New York Times reporter Bernard acknowledgment by Hanoi that the Nevertheless, the fact that the Penta­ The Post continued, "The B-52s are Gwertzman stated on Dec. 20 that high Saigon government had a right to gon has already admitted to the loss viewed as a terror weapon by many - officials told correspondents in Paris exist." of three of the striking B-52s is testi­ U. S. officials. The crushing raids that "Hanoi had balked at any lan­ Xuan Thuy, Hanoi delegate to the mony to the intensity of the U. S. at­ have been cited as a psychological guage proposed by the United States peace talks, on Dec. 19 charged that tack. Only one of the giant jet bomb­ depressant. ... Almost 100 B-52s that would give Saigon a basis for the United States had demanded 126 ers has been previously acknowledged and about 25 F-Ills a day are hitting claiming that it had sovereign right revisions of the Oct. 26 draft agree­ lost in an attack on North Vietnam. the North. . . . Neither plane has a over all of South Vietnam." ment. According to the Dec. 20 Wash­ "Recently," the Dec. 20 New York reputation for pinpoint bombing. n This is the central issue in the civil ington Post, Thuy "charged that the • Times stated, "... the North Vietnam­ (Emphasis added.) war in South Vietnam. After pre­ 126 changes sought by Kissinger were ese, instead of aiming at a sp~cific tending to ,_be open to some kind of 'attempts to seek modifications of plane with a missile, as they used i:o, Kissing.er' s lies future "coalition government" in South substance' aimed at 'perpetuating the now often fire barrages- something Despite Kissinger's claim that Hanoi Vietnam that would supposedly not division of Vietnam.'" like a hunter using a shotgun to kill is responsible for the collapse of the be tied to the Thieu regime, Washing­ The question of "two Vietnams" is birds. They hope for a lucky hit as Paris secret negotiations, it is clear ton now insists on guarantees of the question of Washington's "right" the missiles explode into hundreds of that the sole responsibility for con­ Saigon's sovereignty. to impose a regime on South Viet­ pieces of jagged metal." tinuing the war lies with the Nixon Gwertzmari continued, " . . . on Sat­ nam, which it did in 1954 in viola­ According to the Dec. 20 Washing­ administration. The White House never urday [Dec. 16] Mr. Kissinger said the tion of the Geneva Accords. So long ton Post, "The B-52s have attacked abandoned its goal of securing the United States wanted some language as this capitalist government continues around Haiphong only once ... and Saigon regime's power over South 'however vague, however illusive, how­ to exist, backed by the armed might of have ventured above the 20th Paral­ Vietnam. ever indirect,' that would 'make clear U.S. imperialism, the civil war in Viet- lel only about six times in the past It was not over minor issues that that the two parts of Vietnam would Continued on page 22

Nixon asks Brezhnev & Mao to pressure Hanoi By ED SMITH war. And Moscow consistently refuses Most glaring of all was Moscow's clared that Nixon's election strength­ DEC. 20-"Will Red powers twist Ha­ to supply Hanoi with adequate air refusal to cancel Nixon's trip when ened the prospects of world peace. noi's arm?" This headline on the front defenses to deter the U. S. bombers­ Washington opened the heavy bomb­ In an interview Nov. 11, Chinese page of the Dec. 20 Christian Science although the Soviet Union has the ing of Hanoi and Haiphong last April Premier Chou En-lai stated, "For us, Monitor pinpoints a key ingredient most advanced antiaircraft technology and May. The Monitor singled it out our attention is on having the Viet­ of President Nixon's escalated bomb­ outside of the U. S. These acts have "The failure of Moscow to respond nam war settled and peace realized ing attack on North Vietnam. left an indelible impression of the will­ to the U.S. mining of North Vietnam­ according to the agreement already Washington's aim is to demonstrate ingness of the bureaucratic rulers of ese harbors, for example, indicated reached [the Oct. 26 nine-point plan].: to Hanoi that no matter how ferocious Russia and China to sacrifice the Viet­ that the Russians were not willing to Asked if President Nixon's election the U. S. bombing of Vietnam, Mos­ namese revolution to their own global jeopardize the impending summit was a good thing for China, Chou cow and Peking can be counted on diplomatic interests. meeting with the Americans. It also declared, "Yes, because he did play to continue their treacherous policies "There is no doubt that both of Ha­ caused strains in Soviet-North Viet­ a role in improving relations between of pressuring Hanoi to settle the war noi's aid suppliers advocate a nego­ namese relations, although Hanoi the United States and China." on terms favorable to Washington. tiated settlement of the Vietnam war," knows that the Kremlin must demon­ Meanwhile eyes are focused on Mos­ So blatant are Nixon's aims in this the Dec. 20 Christian Science Moni­ strate good faith to the Communist cow, where the ·Soviet Union is cel­ respect that they were stated to the tor stated. "Ever since the U. S.-So­ community so that it cannot cut off ebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its Ne:w York Times and carried on the viet summit meeting, Moscow has pub­ aid." formation. So far the response has front page of that paper Dec. 18. "Pres­ licly exhorted all parties, including The Monitor believes, however, that been comforting to Washington. As ident Nixon is considering a number Hanoi, to reach a political solution. "the North Vietnamese may not be expected, Tass issued a statement con­ of diplomatic measures designed to Peking likewise is on public record as sure now of the eagerness of Mos­ demning the bombings. "The Soviet put pressure on North Vietnam to as favoring an early settlement." cow and Peking to support them to Union comment yesterday was con­ reach an early cease-fire agreement," The Monitor continued, "Even when the war's ·bitter end and this in itself sidered cautious and moderate," said the Times stated. These include "Pri­ North Vietnamese negotiator Le Due exerts a pressure on them." the Dec. 20 Washington Post. vate diplomatic efforts to have the Tho recently transited through Mos­ Moscow's and Peking's craven ef­ "The mood in Peking, for its part, Soviet Union, China and other na­ cow after the breakup of the Paris forts to reach understandings with the was restrained as of early Tuesday tions try to use their influence to get talks, a Soviet statement on the visit imperialists were underlined by their [Dec. 19]. The New China News Agen­ the negotiations 'back on track.'" expressed hope that the 'enemies of favoring Nixon's election and prais­ cy issued a brief report on the re­ Earlier this year Moscow and Pe­ a settlement' would not succeed in frus­ ing his election victory. A Nov. 13 sumption of the bombing which was king held summit meetings with Nixon trating one. Significantly, the North Associated Press dispatch from Mos­ on the whole straightforward. It con­ as he carried out the heaviest bomb­ Vietnamese did not pick up that cow reported that Soviet Communist tained no editorial comment . . . " the ing of Vietnam in the history of the phrase." Party leader Leonid Brezhnev de- Christian Science Monitor reported.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 Teamsters chief in alliance with growers Fitzsimmons scabs on farm workers union By MILTON ALVIN ported that sources close to Fitzsim­ Nixon's wage-control board, led by convention Fitzsimmons tried to avoid LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13-A disgust­ mons said it is almost certain the AFL-CIO President George Meany, re­ charges of being too chummy with ing exhibition of scabbing was staged drive will be pressed. signed from that body in protest the growers by making some here yesterday when Teamsters Presi­ The Teamsters intervened in the against its antilabor policies, Fitzsim­ criticisms of their antilabor record. dent Frank Fitzsimmons offered the farm workers' field about two years mons remained. By doing so, he ex­ But his sharpest attacks were directed convention of the American Farm Bu­ ago. They signed a number of "sweet­ tended the life of the board, which at the United Farm Workers Union. reau Federation an "alliance" directed heart" agreements with growers· who would have had to give up its exist­ Not all Teamsters leaders have the against the United Farm Workers were anxious to keep the United Farm ence if it had no labor representative shabby history of Fitzsimmons and Union. Workers Union out The signing of on it ·Nixon simply had four out of two of his predecessors, Daniel· 'ro­ The American Farm Bureau is a these toothless contracts behind the the five business representatives re- bin and Dave Beck. While Fitzsim­ giant conglomerate with $4-billion in backs of the workers led to jurisdic­ mons gets by on a salary of $125,- assets and represents the most power­ tional fighting between the unions. 000 a year, a private jet plane and ful agribusiness elements in America. This added to the already imposing expenses, others at one time provided It was the principal organizer, spon­ number of difficulties that confronted quite a different picture. These weJ:e sor, and financial supporter of Prop­ organizers in the farm areas. the Minneapolis Teamsters leaders of osition· 22 on the California ballot If Fitzsimmons goes ahead with a the 1930s whose story is told in Team­ in the recent elections. This proposi­ major organizing drive in competition ster Rebellion, by Farrell Dobbs. This tion would have hog-tied the United with the UFW, he will be doing the book can be obtained from Pathfinder Farm Workers and effectively pre­ labor movement a good deal of harm Press, 410 West St, New York, N.Y. vented further organization of farm and the wealthy growers a big favor. 10014. workers in California. It lost despite Bernstein quotes Robert Fleming, support from Governor Ronald Rea­ secretary-treasurer of the Farm gan and the expenditure of hundreds Bureau, as say~g, "of course farmers DEC. 14-A raiding operation by the of thousands of dollars by wealthy would be more favorable to the Team­ Te~sters on the United Farm Work­ growers. sters than to Chavez' outfit" ers Union appeared inevitable as Fitzsimmons's appearance before the The rich growers like the kind of Einar Mohn, head of the Western Con­ convention was arranged lly Under _ contracts they have with the Team­ ference of Teamsters, announced that Secretary of Labor Laurence Silber­ sters. These were not approved by the a decision has been made "to renego­ man, a Nixon appointee. In his speech workers nor are the provisions in tiate the contract it has with more Fitzsimmons falsely described the them enforced, according to Chavez. than a hundred growers covering ap­ UFW, led by Cesar Chavez, as "a The victims of the Farm Bureau­ proximately 30,000 farm workers in revolutionary movement which is per­ Teamsters alliance will be the field California, Arizona, and Colorado." petrating a fraud on the American workers, who labor under horrible The ann·ouncement followed the ap­ public." conditions of low pay, backbreaking parent failure of peace-making efforts The UFW, which has won only a work, rotten housing, poor schools or by Roman Catholic clergymen. foothold among agricultural workers, none at all, and the need to keep The UFW responded through a has improved conditions to some ex­ moving from place to place as the statement today by Vice-president Do­ tent and is now engaged in a bitter seasons change. In addition, they do lores Huerta, who said the Teamsters' struggle to extend its organizing ef­ not have rights to unemployment com­ Teamsters president and growers were decision '\vill not deter us from our forts, especially among lettuce work­ pensation when there is no work or for 'four more years' of Nixon. struggle to bring the benefits of real ers. other reforms won by unionized work­ unionism to farm workers." While Fitzsimmons was telling the ers many years ago. "The Teamsters said," she continued, 9,000 growers, "I am most happy to Fitzsimmons's offer to the Farm Bu­ sign, ·and the remaining business mem­ "they were willing to get rid of the be with you here today," a picket line reau is an admission that the Team­ ber, Fitzsimmons, and five so-called pieces of paper they negotiated with of hundreds, sponsored by the UFW, sters cannot organize the farm work­ public members have constituted the the growers two years ago just after marched outside under the leadership ers into their union through their own board since. we had started an organizing drive of the union's vice-president, Dolores efforts. By appealing to this reaction­ In the recent presidential campaign among the· lettuce workers. Huerta. The pickets protested the ap­ ary boss outfit the Teamsters' head Fitzsimmons supported Nixon for re­ "It is significant to us that the new pearance of the Teamsters president is only saying that if the growers will election. This was thought by many move to reaffirm those 'sweetheart' at the reactionary gathering of weal­ sign up with him, they can be assured observers to be a payoff to Nixon agreements between the Teamsters and thy growers. of the same kind of sweetheart con­ for paroling James Hoffa, former growers comes the day after Frank. According to Harry Bernstein, Los tracts that some of them already have. president of the Teamsters who was Fitzsimmons addressed the American Angeles Times labor writer, Fitzsim­ Such treachery is consistent with sentenced to a prison term during the Farm Bureau convention in Los An­ mons is sponsoring a drive by his Fitzsimmons's record. When four Kennedy administration. geles and publicly called for an al­ union against the UFW. Bernstein re- union representatives on President In his speech to the Farm Bureau liance with the growers." Victimized L.A. journalist receives support By HARRY RING At the press conference, Ridenour's He said that in current negotiations justice." She characterized his prose­ LOS ANGELES- Support is being attorney, Neil Herring, pointed out with his own paper, the Long Beach cution as of the same cloth as the con­ marshaled here in behalf of Ron Rid- that the prosecution. conveyed to the Independent, the Guild is seeking such tempt jailings of various journalists enour, the radical journalist who faces jury that Ridenour was not really a a clause in its contract. who have refused to divulge their news a year in jail for photographing cops working reporter because he didn't "We don't need the police to tell us sources to juries. All of these prosecu­ beating a paralyzed Vietnam veteran. have an official police press pass. tions, she declared, repre!;l_ent an "ex­ At a Los Angeles Press Club news This fact was emphasized by a clear- treme assault on First Amendment conference Dec. 12, support for Rid- ly hostile presiding judge. Twice he freedoms." enour was urged by George Laine, pointed out to the jury that not only John T. Williams said he supported chairman of the Freedom of Informa- had the L. A. police denied press cards Ridenour as a Black person, a union­ lion Committee of the Los Angeles to Free Press staff members but that ist, and an antiwar activist For Black Newspaper Guild; Ramona Ripston, when the paper appealed this denial people, he said, police hal'assment and direetor of the Southern California to the California courts, the cops were intimidation has long been a way of Civil Liberties Union; and John T. upheld. life. As a unionist, he added, experi­ Williams, Los Angeles Teamsters The judge refused to explain to the ence has also taught him that the union official and a national coordi- jury, as the defense requested, that a police club is "always a deadly weap­ nator of the National Peace Action police pass only has the legal function on to attack our picket lines." Coalition. of permitting the bearer to cross police As an opponent of the Vietnam war, Ridenour was arrested during a or fire lines. The First Amendment he concluded, he stood in solidarity demonstration last May protesting the right of reporters to cover a story is with Ridenour, who has written and mining of Haiphong harbor and the in no way contingent on police license, acted in opposition to the war. renewed bombing of Hanoi On the or at least should not be. Attorney Herring announced that in scene as a staff reporter for the under­ the appeal of Ridenour's conviction, ground weekly the Los Angeles Free This factor was emphasized at the friend-of-the-court briefs are being filed Press, Ridenour was grabbed while press conference by George Laine, by the Los Angeles Newspaper Guild, photographing cops knocking Ron who said that journalists are increas­ the Southern California Civil Liberties Kovics from his wheel chair and beat­ ingly resisting this police encroach­ Union, and Sigma Delta Chi, the jour­ ing him as he lay helpless on the ment on their rights. He said reporters nalism society. ground. on Chicago and Seattle papers are who is an accredited reporter," Laine Inquiries about the case and fi­ Ridenour's film was exposed and already making it Newspaper Guild said. nancial contributions to aid the de­ he was taken to jail. Later he was policy that they not use any accredi­ Ramona Ripston said the Civil Lib­ fense should be sent to: Ridenour De­ charged with "interfering" with an of­ tation other than that provided by erties Union regarded the attempt to fense Committee, 3440 Wilshire Blvd., ficer. the paper for which they are working. imprison Ridenour as "a travesty of #608, Los Angeles, Calif. 90010.

4 NPAC, SMC call January actions WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 20- As escalated bombing took the form of runs very deep in this country, as correspondingly." angry reaction to Nixon's renewed immediate protests in many cities. A every poll has ind,icated. The U. S. Gordon stated that "the basis has escalation of the war began to mount, number of additional demonstrations antiwar movement will respond to this now been laid for the resumption of the National Peace Action ·Coalition are planned for the coming days, in­ new escalation by mounting appro­ massive antiwar street demonstrations held a news conference here today cluding Christmas Day. priate actions. As illusions of the war's in major cities all across the country." to announce renewed antiwar protests. Rich Robohm, representing the Stu­ imminent end are dispelled, the pos­ He said that a date in January for Jerry Gordon, one of NPAC's na­ dent Mobilization Committee to End sibility of involving large numbers coordinated nationwide protest actions tional coordinators, told the news me­ the War in Southeast Asia, also ap­ of people in antiwar actions increases will be announced by Christmas. dia that NPAC would be organizing peared at the news conference. He street de.-nonstrations in major cities said, "The Student Mobilization Com­ across the country in January, on mittee calls on students and young or before Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. people from every part of the country "The American people have been lied to unite in active opposition to Nix­ to ,pnce again," Gordon said. "Instead on's stated policy of unlimited aerial of peace being at hand, there is in­ and naval assaults against Vietnam. tensified war. Instead of the slaughter The SMC is encouraging the broad­ in Vietnam ending, it is escalated. In­ est possible united response from the stead of the POWs coming home for student movement to thes'e escalations, Christmas, their detention continues which are intended to deny the people and their ranks increase. Instead of of Vietnam the right to determine their U. S. warplanes being withdrawn, own future." warplanes fly in greater numbers, Robohm said that the SMC will co­ dropping more bombs and killing operate with NPAC in "organizing and more Indochinese than ever before. building demonstrations in cities "During the past several months across the country as they are called Richard Nixon has frequently claimed in the days and weeks ahead." to be the architect of a generation of peace. As the world knows there has In announcing the new protest ac­ not been a single day of peace during tions, Gordon said, "Today we serve his presidency." notice on the Nixon administration The response to the breaking off that its latest atrocities will not go of the Paris negotiations and the re- unchallenged. ·The antiwar sentiment

'YSA wins victory in campus charter fight By SAM MANUEL jority of delegates present abstained. (student government at New York Uni­ student government. These were ac­ NEW YORK, Dec. 20-An important Revocation of the charter occurred af­ versity); Marilyn Chin, student body tually signers of a petition in defense - partial victory has been won in the ter Richard Hoyen, a national leader president at Barnard College; Jim Fit­ of the YSA's rights.) fight to restore the campus charter of the Young Workers Liberation zer, president of Hunter College eve­ "Attacks on the democratic rights of of the Young Socialist Alliance at Bor­ League, accused YSA members of ning student body; and the day stu­ any students simply open up the en­ ough of Manhattan Community Col­ being "counterrevolutionaries" and dent government at Hunter. tire student movement to attacks from lege (BMCC). At a BMCC student "agents." · Those who have endorsed the YSA's school administrations and the government meeting tonight, student After the Nov. 29 student govern­ right to· a charter from Boston include government," Joseph Harris noted. He . government official Dave Sanders told ment meeting, where the YSA appealed Tony Pl"ince, Northeastern U student pointed out that on Dec. 15 the BMCC YSA members and supporters that "the the decision on its charter, Will Stan­ senate; Peter Dominecio, U of Mass. school administration sent letters to charter was never officially revoked." ley was physically attacked by Hoyen College One student senate; Marilyn the YSA and the student government · Joseph Harris, chairman of the and two other persons who are mem­ Leving, U of Mass. all-university sen­ requesting a meeting. It also requested BMCC YSA, said after the meeting, bers of the Third World Coalition. ate; Becky Cheston, Boston University a report on the denial of a charter "We feel that this is a victory for the Since the attack, more than 30 stu­ Liberation Front; and Charles Wilson, to the YSA and information on a YSA and for democratic decision­ dent leaders in New York City have president of B U Umoja. physical attack on one YSA member. making in the student movement as a joined a campaign in support of the At the University of Houston, Paul The YSA responded with a Dec. 18 whole. We also feel it will be necessary YSA's right to be chartered at BMCC. Rodgers, president of the student body; letter to the administration stating: to maintain vigilance against further Former Panther 21 defendant Lonnie Jan Serene, vice-president; !!nd Ed­ "Because the Young Socialist Alliance attacks on the rights of students at Epps and Carolyn Johnson, a member ward Castillo of the Mexican-Ameri­ believes that all student affairs should BMCC." of the BMCC Youth Organization for can Youth Organization (MAYO) be under student control, and because Will Stanley, another YSA member Black Unity (YOB U), attended the have endorsed the YSA's right to a we feel that the undemocratic denial at BMCC, said that "two days ago, Dec. 20 student government meeting charter. The YSA national office also of the YSA charter at BMCC is. a mat­ student governmtmt members-forced to support the YSA's rights. received a petition supporting the ter to be resolved by the student body the YSA to take down its campus Additional suppo;t for the YSA's YSA's rights signed by 100 students as a whole, and because we oppose literature table, claiming we did not rights has come from Robert Hassin, at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, the administration's intervening in the have a charter." Stanley explained that a founding member of the Third S.D. affairs of students, the YSA will not at a Nov. 22 student government meet- World Coalition; La Union Estudiantil (The Dec. 22 issue of The Militant prepare any reports for, or have any -ing a motion was passed to revoke Pedro Albizu Campos at Queens Col­ incorrectly listed student leaders as meetings with the administration on the YSA's charter although the ma- lege; the Washington Square Council signers of an open letter to the BMCC this matter." ..• united antiwar actions needed Continued from page J Nixon is also calculating that the The antiwar movement must tell the Americans in opposition to the war. crystal clear to the whole world that antiwar sentiment has been sufficiently truth: the hope for an end to the war But this dispute among antiwar they would not lift a finger to oppose disoriented by his "peace" campaign can only be realized through massive forces should not stand in the way Nixon's aggression. to prevent a major reaction here in action in the streets to force Nixon of united actions against the war. Anti­ the U.S. But antiwar forces must re­ to get out of Vietnam. war organizations must appeal to all Now, while the Soviet Union keeps spond to this new escalation with a There is an urgent need for united those who want an immediate end to in its own arsenals the sophisticated loud and resounding cry of "U. S. Out action by all forces opposed to the the slaughter in Vietnam and are anti-aircraft missiles that could extract of Vietnam Now!" Nixon's hand must war. Sharp differences of opinion have willing to act together for that goaL a heavy price from the U. S. air forces, be stayed by the mobilization in the arisen within the antiwar movement An immediate and unified response by the Vietnamese people, North and streets of masses of American people. between those who have put forward the antiwar movement can evoke a South, stand with completely inade­ the demand for Nixon to sign the significant response from the Ameri­ quate defenses before the saturation The shock and anger at the lies nine-point draft agreement and those, can people. Within the context of bombing being carried out by U.S. and the realization that the U. S. gov­ including ourselves, who have argued united actions, everyone can present forces. By refusing to make these ernment is determined to continue the that the demand for complete, total, their demands and points of vtew. weapons available to the Vietnamese, war indefinitely can provide the basis and immediate withdrawal of all U. S. these bureaucrats are encouraging for renewed united mobilizations by forces is the only demand we can The call for united antiwar demon­ Nixon to continue his plan to terrorize the antiwar movement. make on Nixon that is consistent with strations to take place around the the Vietnamese into making further The belief, encouraged by Kissinger the right of the Vietnamese to self­ country in January, issued by the Na­ concessions. and Nixon, that an end to the war determination. tional Peace Action Coalition and the These traitors to the Vietnamese rev­ was only a matter of days or weeks We believe that the new escalation Student Mobilization Committee, can olution are clearly willing to let the away served to heighten and encour­ of the war and the light it sheds on provide an initial focus for unifying heroic fighters of Vietnam be bombed age the antiwar sentiment of the over­ Nixon's real objectives in the negotia­ all antiwar groups and individuals. into submission before they will "an­ whelming maJority of the American tions confirms our view that the de­ These demonstrations, which must be tagonize" Nixon and endanger the dip­ people. The. shattering of this illusion mand for "Out Now!" is in the best built on short notice, require the full lomatic detente they have worked out can provide the momentum for re­ interests of the Vietnamese people and and enthusiastic participation of all with Washington! newed activity and demonstrations. can mobilize the maximum number of opponents of the war.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 5 In Our Opinion Letters

LIRR: strikers Reply to a reader hen that's the way it'll be. It was quite impressive to me, As a Black person who needs the a person acquainted with self­ and commuters weapon of truth at all times, I am serving newspapers that are not grateful for your paper, which bold­ Negotiatim• .,; in the three-week-old Long Island Rail Road able to admit a follower of ly presents what is happening in I strike have apparently reached an impasse. The coalition their philosophy could be wrong, the world. It is a refreshing expe­ oT 12 unions of nonoperating employees is holding to its to see that you also spare no rience to read a paper that is not demand for a 28 percent wage increase to bring them closer words in pointing out shortcomings afraid to present the facts. of the major socialist regimes. to .Parity with wages of operating employees. Contrary to the opinion of Richard Keep up the good work. Your The employers are intensifying their pressure on the unions Kujoth in his letter to The Militant through all means available to them. Their anti-union tactics (Dec. 8, 1972 ), there was little you report on the vote counting in the are the same that have been used across the country against could have done to have prevented Dec. 1 issue was quite an eye-opener, many other unions, especially public employee unions. One Richard Milhous Nixon from be­ although I have always suspected this. pressure tactic is to demand a productivity deal. That is, coming president of the USA. You did all that could be expected of R.C. they say the striking workers can't expect a significant wage Goleta, Calif. increase unless they can get more work out of fewer workers. you-you put the facts on record. The reason Nixon became president But the railroad is already cutting back on the work force is because it was the will of the ra­ through attrition from resignations and retirement of 9 per­ cist capitalist-imperialists and their cent of nonoperating employees. Such cutbacks-which will cohorts. throw people out of work as well as decrease safety on the Again, as a Black man, I know Bolshevik 'totalitarianism'? trains- are not in the interests of railroad workers or work­ that one has to be an absolute fool I have found The Militant to be ing people in general. to believe in the promises of Nixon both informative and interesting. But On another front, the company is demanding binding ar­ or McGovern. Nixon will operate I must take issue with you on an bitration. One proposal is to force the unions to accept arbi­ with legalized immorality, legalized article printed in the Dec. 8 issue. In 'Why the Bureaucracy Arose," tration through special legislation similar to the state's Tay­ violence, and with continued sup­ pression of the poor, the Blacks, Dave Frankel seems to overlook the lor Law (which prohibits strikes by public employees). The the Chicanos, and the Indians. There fact that what really caused the So­ employers would not be demanding binding arbitration unles3 is no reason to believe that McGov­ viet bureaucracy was not only they are reasonably assured of a ruling in their favor. A ern would· do differently. economic and social conditions fac­ presidential emergency board has already lent its authority I do not know why many of my ing Russia at the time, but also to the railroad's side, declaring that the workers should not Black brothers and sisters continue the very setup of the government get more than a 6 percent wage increase. to have faith in these political par­ from the beginning. The very fact What is there to "arbitrate" anyway? The demand of the ties. Continue to print the truth in that a totalitarian government was nonoperating employees for wage parity with operating em­ your paper. set up from the start doomed that ployees is completely just. People who work as clerks, elec­ L. Francis Griffin Sr. nation to be ruled by an elitist class, who, not faced with the im­ tricians, metal workers, or in other nonoperating jobs need Farmville, Va. mediate possibility of the loss of just as much to live on as the engineers and trainmen. their positions through popular elec­ Another major offensive of the employers has been to try tions, could rule as they saw fit. to turn the commuters against the striking workers. Their What this did was to form a break story is that the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which runs Hospital workers between the rulers and masses, there­ the railroad, is broke, and any wage increases will neces­ Thirty-six members of the striking by forming a corrupt ruling class. sitate fare increases. They have even threatened to double Hospital Workers union Local 1199 Frankel fails to point out that all the fares! were beaten and arrested Nov. 18 totalitarian nations are doomed to Commuter concern over these threats is totally justified. when Boston police broke up their follow the anguished road of the The LIRR has already raised fares by nearly 17 percent mass picket line in front of the Mas­ Soviet system. this year. But railroad workers' demands for a decent stan­ sachusetts Rehabilitation Hospital. P.H. Bronx, NY dard of living are not to blame for the financial mess of the The hospital workers have been wag­ mass transit systems in this country. As is pointed out in ing a militant strike to gain bargain­ ing rights for their union. Dave Frankel replies- An examina­ the article by Dick Roberts on page 16, the financing of transit They have faced not only police tion of the early years of the Rus­ systems and other public services through tax-free municipal repression and vicious red-baiting, sian revolution shows that Stalinism bonds is a method of soaking the public and siphoning off but government intervention. The was not the logical outgrowth of high interest payments to banks and big business. Selective Service Board (at the re­ B9lshevism. For the few years that Most commuters are working people who cannot afford to quest of the hospital bosses) has it functioned, the system of elected shell out a big chunk of their weekly pay simply for getting ordered six Conscientious Objector councils-the Soviets-was the most to and from work each day. They need safe, comfortable, strikers back to work. democratic on earth. It drew into and free mass transit systems. The severity of the repression di­ political consciousness and activity millions of the most oppressed and There is no reason why public transportation cannot be rected against Local 1199 flows downtrodden working people and financially solvent and at the same time provide transit work­ from the fact that only two of Bos­ ton's many hospitals are unionized. peasants- people who had never be­ ers with a decent inco~e. The striking Long Island Rail The hospital bosses fear a success­ fore had any say over their lives. Road empioyees can win broad support for their demands, ful strike by the·Massachusetts Re­ The murderous hardships that and put the company on the defensive, by raising the de­ habilitation workers could ignite a gradually exhausted the population, mand for federal funding· of mass transit. They can demand city-wide organizing drive in Boston and the bitter disappointments as the that the MTA open its books so the public can see exactly similar to the one that made New revolution in the rest of Europe were how much of their fare money is going into interest pay­ York City hospitals union shops. defeated, were not due to Bolshevik ments to big business. B.M "totalitarianism." What is needed is a campaign by the 12 striking unions Easton, Mass. It was precisely the attempt by to rally support for their just demands from trade unions Stalin to impose a totalitarian regime representing other working people in the city and from com­ on the Bolshevik Party and on the country it led that resulted in the muters. The way to meet the employers' offensive is to turn formation of the left opposition- an the pressure of public desire for efficient mass transit with no opposition that took its inspiration fare increase against the transit authorities and the govern­ Militant subs. I would appreciate it if you would from the program and tradition that ment. apply the enclosed check toward our reader has labeled "totalitarian." gift subscriptions for my brother and my roommate's sister. I think it is fitting that the money comes from a check I get every month from the government D. C. Teachers Union for being a "light ·casualty" On Nov. 27, the members of the (loss of use of left arm, partial Washington, D. C., Teachers Union paralysis of left leg, loss of Local 6 of the American Federation peripheral vision on left side) .in of Teachers decided by a vote of Vietnam.· 64 to 44 to drop charges against The government should be respon­ two members of the union's executive sible for getting the truth to board. They had been charged with the people. If it has to be through "conduct detrimental to the best in­ a newspaper that is able to uncover terests of the union" for signing into the total corruption of govern­ their schools during the recent teach­ mental structure in this country, ers strike.

6 National Picket Line Frank Lovell

Union President William Simons opposed the move, and sought the advice of union attorney William - Speedup cuts into mail service Peer on the legality of the charge. Peer's opinion, which was distributed About 680,000 postal employees will be looking that the new management would be more efficient to the membership by mail, held for a pay raise when present contracts with the U.S. and less costly. It has proved less efficient and more that the charge was ''legally defec­ Postal Service expire next July. These men and wom­ costly. tive" due to the fact that the union en are among the lowest paid and most overworked The present operation- still federally financed but constitution nowhere mentions strike­ in public service. privately managed- is a quasi-independent $10-bil­ breaking or any penalty for it. Since the United States Post Office Department be­ lion public utility. The enterprise started in July 197 1 Nevertheless, a seven-member com­ came the U. S. Postal Service on July 1, 1971, new with assets of more than $2-billion in buildings and mittee elected by the union member­ machinery has been introduced to "computerize" mail equipment, and with cash assets of approximately ship to conduct a hearing on the delivery. The work force has been reduced and the $1-billion for investment purposes. charges recommended that the mem­ work load increased. About 100,000 fewer workers are employed today bership request the resignation of The service has deteriorated badly. Letters and than in 1969. Last March a hiring freeze was im­ the two executive board members. packages cost more to mail, take longer to deliver. posed. The price of postage has gone up 33 percent This motion was defeated at the Many are lost in transit. Yet the financial condition of the mail system seems membership meeting. to be in bad shape. In a U. S. News & World Re­ The attempt to remove the two The daily operation of U. S. business depends on port interview (Nov. 13) Postmaster General Elmer members of the executive board rapid mail service to a far greater extent than is Klassen, former president of the American Can Com­ from their posts reflects a division generally recognized. For many years the U.S. Post pany, admitted that "Congress gave us an annual that exists on the committee. The Office was so reliable and developed such an efficient public-service subsidy of about a billion dollars for majority supports Simons, but the service for such minimal charges that it came to be 1972, which is to he scaled down gradually through dissident minority considers him taken as one of the natural endowments of this coun­ 1984. "too conservative and too autocratic." try, like rich soil and clean air. But in recent years "I have a rough idea," Klassen said, "if the business The two charged executive board . the mail service underwent a change for the worse people and the Congress and the public generally members are in the Simons wing. like everything else. give us a half a chance-we could break even before Union elections for all elected of­ Big Business yearns for the "good old days" when 1984." ficers will take place in May 1973. the two-cent stamp brought twice-a-day deliveries, Klassen blames the present difficulties of the postal Although he ran unopposed in the when an airmail special-delivery letter was sure to ar­ service on the workers, "an element who couldn't care 1971 elections, this time Simons is rive the next day from any part of the United States. less." expected to face opposition from the A Washington wag recently pitted a pony-express The unions have charged that greedy management dissident board members. service against present-day U. S. mails between Phila­ is the cause of the breakdown of the postal system. As P.S. delphia and the Capitol. He said the ponies would the Christmas rush began Moe Biller, president of the Washington, D. C. get there faster (they did), and "also bring back fond Manhattan-Bronx Postal Union, led news reporters memories of the days when the postal system used to a parcel center and showed them pat:kages un~ to work." delivered for almost a month. The present manage­ Washington bureaucrats and business leaders once ment refuses to hire additional Christmas-season took the mails so much for granted that they forgot workers as has always been done in past years. 'Right to lifers' . all about those who sort and carry. They were re­ In Los Angeles on Oct. 9, Branch 24 of the Nation­ Often in discussions about the right minded that these are people too when the postal al Association of Letter Carriers organized a dem­ of women to an abortion I've heard workers struck in most major cities for the first time onstration for a better postal service. A leaflet dis­ references to the "Right to Lifers." t on March 18, 1970. That was the day the ruling tributed by the· organizing committee said, 'We are think Linda Jenness in the Dec. 1 class discovered how much it depends on the mail insisting that postal workers' just grievances be cor­ Militant article on the New York carrier. rected by management, and that we be allowed to abortion rights struggle referred to Before the strike, postal workers had a starting give the public the service to which they are entitled. these people more accurately as the pay of $6, 176 a year, and if they lasted 21 years We are NOT protesting for higher salaries-we want anti-abortion forces and the enemies they could get $8,442. The strike changed that, but to be allowed to give BETTER SERVICE." of women's right to abortion. not much. Postal workers won a 12 percent raise. This can only mean more workers and shorter The right of women to terminate Shortly after the strike Congress voted to turn the hours. But decent wages ought to help improve ser­ an unwanted pregnancy is being ag­ mail service over to private enterprise on the promise vice too.. gressively fought against by well­ financed organizations, backed pre­ dominantly by the Catholic Church hierarchy. These people want to make their personal religious beliefs the law of the land. By Any Means Necessary The best known of these groups calls itself "The Right to Life." Their Baxter Smith name for themselves is a deception we shouldn't help them put over. They are not for the rights of the living. If they were they wouldn't be fighting for more restrictive abor­ Ben Chavis & ~southern justice' · tion laws. And one reason they would sup­ News of Ben Chavis's release from prison on Dec. of the First African Congregation of the Black port legalized abortions if they were 9 was warmly greeted by all who know the repres­ Messiah, and his church was the frequent target of really for the right to life is that sion that has fallen on this brother. The executive vigilante attacks. even the present liberalized abortion council of the United Church of Christ provided During this conflict a white man was killed near laws have substantially helped lower the $50,000 cash bond for his release pending ap­ the church. Black residents claim he was a vigilante the maternal death rate. peal of the conviction. However, nine other defen­ and was shot after he aimed his gun at Blacks inside In the two years the liberalized dants in the case are still in prison under a total the church. laws have been in effect in New York bond of $350,000. It was not until a year after these events that Chavis City the maternal death rate went Chavis is a field organizer for the Commission was indicted for allegedly murdering this man. At down by 28 percent. And in Los for Racial Justice, an affiliate of the United Church. the same time he was hit with the arson and conspir­ Angeles County, where legal abor­ He is also a member of the North Carolina Black acy charges. The murder charge was later dropped. tions have been relatively easy to Assembly and the board of directors of the Southern His bond originally totaled $120,000. After the ar­ obtain since 1967, the maternal death Conference Educational Fund. rests, the Wilmington police chief told reporters, "I'm rate is ·down 50 percent! the happiest damn police chief in the country. In Priscilla March He was convicted Oct. 17 on charges of arson and conspiracy for the burning of a grocery store my opinion we have the majority of the people who Los Angeles, Calif. and conspiracy to assault firemen and other emer­ gave us trouble in 197 1." gency pe:r;sonnel. For this he was sentenced to serve When the trial opened last May it was argued 34 years. The nine other defendants, most ranging that it could not be held in Wilmington because of in age from 18 to 22, were charged with similar pretrial publicity. Hence it was moved to Burgaw, The letters column is an open forum offenses. The lighest sentence was 10 years and the 20 miles away. Then, after a jury was chosen con­ for all viewpoints on subjects of gen­ others range from 22 to 26 years. sisting of 10 Blacks and two whites, prosecutor Jay eral interest to our readers. Please These charges grew out of a Black upsurge in Stoud claimed he was ill and that no one else could keep your letters brief. Where neces­ Wilmington, N. C., in February 1971 during which take his place. Tbe judge agreed and declared a sary they will be abridged. Please in­ police killed a Black youth and white vigilantes mistrial! A new jury of 10 whites and two Blacks dicate if your name may be used or cruised the Black community. Chavis is the minister found Chavis and the others guilty. if you prefer that your initials be used instead.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 7 'The Great Society Harry Ring

Coexistence and Christmas-We've Two from Group A ••• -Among the Conversation piece- For that dressed­ Fly yourself- A roomy, two-seater checked out our Neiman-Marcus other Chinese items offered are a up feeling at martini time, a neck­ fiberglass sailplane, . jet-powered for Xmas catalog and are pleased to re­ pound of tea or an authentic Chinese lace of black opals clasped by a large those still moments. $32,000. Shipping port it reflects the president's coexis­ ping pong set. Either item $6. Also, diamond. $90,000. So the neckpiece cost not listed. tence spirit by featuring a variety of a jade pendant on a braided silk cord. doesn't look conspicuous, a 16-karat items from the People's Republic of $2,000. emerald ring. "It shimmers with un­ China. The opening section is entitled earthly light." $150,000. Don't catch cold-' For those nippy "Door into China." Outsize pin cushions- This year's moments while soaring around in that "His and Her's" special: Life size Stocking stuffers-Numerous little sailplane, his and her sweaters in cam­ Peace and prosperity- For openers, models of you and your companion, items for those dratted nephews and el-tone dyed mink. His $950. Hers the N-M catalog offers a Red Dragon wired for sound to laugh at jokes, nieces. Like a canvas bike bag. $50. $950. Court Robe with embroidered pat­ etc. Excellent substitute when one of terns including traditional symbols of you is traveling. Price, exclusive of peace. $1,500. costumes and sculptor's air fare to your home, $3,000. Post-Xmas R&R-Pooped out from too much holiday? Spend a week at N-M's Texas Greenhouse. Rest, relax­ Drip dry- We reported previously N­ ation, exercise. Daily massages and M's special offer of a Russian sable facials. Lectures on astrology. "A glo­ overcoat, ~42,000. But we didn't rious renaissance not only of the body know you could get a nice shirt for but of the spirit." The entire week underneath. Natural pearl mink. Gold only $825, plus 15 percent in lieu cuff links and monogram included. of tips. $1,995. Postage, $1.15. light but durable. Cotton webbing luggage, trimmed in suede. 885.00 dollars the set.

Women In Revolt • • • Cindy Jaquith Matern1ty 1ssue ·worries bosses For many women who work, getting pregnant confronting personnel men these days." Thus, in nancy to become the rule. For one thing, it means means quitting your job at the date set for you by its Dec. 1, issue, the Wall Street Journal devoted shelling out millions of dollars that have up until the boss (not your doctor). It means forgoing all a long article to the debate over pregnancy leaves. now been profits for them. For another, yielding. pay while you are on maternity leave and getting Women have begun to win impressive victories on the maternity leave issue opens up the door no health insurance payments to cover the medical in this fight. In Ohio and Virginia, federal appeals to challenges on other aspects of their discrim­ costs. And when you are ready to return to work, courts have overruled school policies that forced inatory policies toward women. often you find out you no longer have a job. women teachers to stop working early in their The pregnancy issue is also a delicate one be­ Is this the way it should be? Should having a pregnancies. In 1965 four out of five companies cause the employers have always justified their baby be treated differently from other operations set the limit for how long a pregnant employee discrimination against women on the basis that or from accidents? Most companies think so, but could remain on the job. Now polls show that the primary role of females is in the home, raising their female employees are more and more chal­ six out of 10 firms allow women to make this children. Now women are saying they should be lenging this concept. decision themselves. able to have children and work too, with no loss For example, seven women at the General Electric of pay. plant in Salem, Va., along with the International A number of large businesses, such as Du Pont James Hoose, director of industrial relations at Union of Electrical Workers, are suing GE to and the National Can Corporation, are presently Michigan Seamless Tube Co., sums up the com­ win disability pay in maternity cases. One of the in court on government charges of sex discrim­ pany attitude well: "To pay a woman a salary women, 27 -year-old Alberta Smith, explained why ination because of their policies on maternity during that period, when maternity is a matter the lack of these payments constitutes sex discrim­ leaves. In addition, several unions have gotten of her choice, grates a little bit." ination. "If a man hurt his finger," she says, "he'd involved in fights for the rights of pregnant work­ The idea that maternity is always a "matter of get paid weekly disability benefits." Smith lost ers. The United Auto Workers, for example, has choice" will undoubtedly grate many women more $1,000 in wages last year wqen she was pregnant. filed sex discrimination charges against General than a little bit. As Alberta Smith put it: "Nobody Suits like the one at G E are making maternity Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. is going out having babies to get a couple of pen­ leaves what one official in the American Society The bosses can be expected to put up a fight nies. Even with birth-control pills, women do get for Personnel Administration calls "the hottest issue before they allow disability payments for preg- pregnant." The American Way of Life Michael Baumann Mass transit blues Each weekday morning more than two million and are illuminated by bare light bulbs. class it represents have in mass transit is keeping people fight their way into Manhattan. Ninety Here's where the tax money went. From 1947 it barely tolerable. If you can somehow get to percent use public transportation, and a new sub­ to 1970 the government spent a total of $77.4-bil­ work, that's all that counts. No matter if the train way line on Second Avenue is supposed to help lion on transportation: $58-billion for highways, is an hour late, the subway is dirty and over­ relieve some of the crowding. If completed as sched­ $12. 6-billion for airports and airline subsidies, crowded, or the bus doesn't come anywhere near uled in 197 6, it will be 51 years since city officials $6-billion for waterways, but only $795-million your house. first announced the project. (about 1 percent) for urban mass transit. As far as they're concerned it's tough luck for This, unfortunately, is not an isolated example. What little money the government does make old people on pensions, those who aren't old A recent Associated Press survey confirmed that available for mass transit comes on terms far less enough to drive, working people who can't afford most transit systems are suffering from "years favorable than funds for highway construction. a car. Pollution? Don't be too hasty, they say. of neglect, underfinancing, and poor planning." "Suppose the city has 10 bucks and it wants to It's not peeling the paint off the walls yet. Express­ The millions of working people who have to get some money for moving people," James Mc­ ways crowded? We'll build more. use them every day, the survey concludes, are Connon, head of the Philadelphia transit system, There are signs, however, that the government's "abused by antiquated equipment and forced to told a reporter recently. "With that 10 bucks it can arrogant dismissal of our need for efficient, com­ pay a sharply rising double charge-part into get $100 of highway money, and it can only fortable, and cheap mass transit is going to meet the fare box, the rest in taxes levied for transit." get $30 of mass-transit money. Now, how are the stiffer resistance. In October, angry Long Island Anyone who rides to work on a bus or subway cities going to invest their money? I mean, there's commuters, stranded by a breakdown, halted an must wonder where these taxes go. In the last no contest." express train and refused to budge until it picked nine years at least 100 bus systems ceased op­ That's because the small handful of people who up all 400 of them. erating altogether. Philadelphia's subway cars, control the oil, steel, and auto industries want A month later a White Plains, N.Y., jury refused built in 1929, are older than most of their riders. highways, the more the better. Private automobiles to convict a Penn Central commuter who declined Twelve hundred of New York's 7,000 subway in the U.S. may kill 55,000 people a year and to pay for his ride on a hot, crowded train that cars "lack passenger amenities," as one Transit disable another two million. They may pollute lacked both water and toilet facilities. Mter all, Authority official gingerly put it. He went on to the environment and clog the street. But they are as he explained to the jury, "if you shipped ani­ explain that this meant the cars are 40 years old, very profitable to manufacture. mals under these conditions, you would unques­ noisy and uncomfortable, lack air conditioning, The main interest the government and the ruling tionably be arrested."

.a ' . ' ~ . . \.)_ ...... -.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 SteWardesses protest sexist Defending ~the right to abortion treatment Abortion &respect for life by airlines By CINDY JAQUITH This is the second in a series of ar­ death rather than be forced to con­ mese. It is the capitalist system that in NEW YORK- The "I'm Linda, Fly ticles dealing with the most common tinue an unwanted pregnancy. This effect throws old people on the scrap Me!" ad-part of the disgusting ad­ arguments of anti-abortion groups is why women resort to illegal abor­ heap. It is the U. S. capitalist rulers vertising campaign run by National against a woman's right to control tionists or attempt self-induced abor­ who are responsible for hundreds of Airlines-is just one of the reasons her reproductive life. tions. years of racial oppression. It is this that stewardesses have begun to rebei The third false aspect of this argu­ government of the rich that has money against their treatment on the job. By CAROLINE LUND ment is its attempt to draw a parallel for bombs but no money for quality Four stewardesses held a news con­ Anti-abortion professor Robert Byrn between the dependency and helpless­ mental hospitals and care for the ference here Dec. 12 to let the public argues that the prime consideration ness of the fetus with the dependency handicapped.· know they intend to organize against in the abortion controversy must 'be of the old, the sick, those on welfare, When Robert Byrn says the abor­ the discrimination they face from air­ "the protection of life in the com­ etc. Using this parallel, the anti-abor­ tion rights movement wants a society line companies.. In ·particular, the women want to combat the stereotyped munity." "If that is abandoned," he tion people conclude that abortion will in which "only those who contribute says, "then the whole community value set a precedent for eliminating sectors to society have the right to live," he image of stewardesses as sex objects. With this goal in mind, they · of life is in danger of breaking down. of the population who are dependent is really describing this society, where announced the formation of two new And the next step is probably on society. only those who are able to sell their This argument turns reality on its groups: Stewardesses for Women's euthanasia, or the idea that only those labor power have even a chance for Rights and the Stewardess Anti­ who contribute to society have the head. Women who want ·the right to a decent income. (While those who Defamation Defense League. right to live." abortion are not threatening the lives contribute nothing- the richest cap­ of the old, the ill, and Blacks, Chi­ Joanna Chaplin, founder of the This is one of the favorite argu­ italists-have control over everyone League, told reporters that books such ments of the anti-abortion forces- and canos, Puerto Ricans, and Native else's lives.) as How to Make a Good Airline one of their most demagogic. They Americans. If you are too old to work, or too Government experimentation on sick, or have too many children to Stewardess have "slandered and de­ say that if people get used to "extin­ famed every girl working as a guishing human life for convenience" Black people as in the Tuskegee care for, or find yourself among the syphilis study, forced sterilization and unemployed- then this society con­ stewardess." This type of literature,. (that's what they call abortion), then as well as films and sexist airline ad­ they will soon move on to killing population control schemes aimed demns you to poverty. Just as it con­ against welfare recipients and Black demns women to bear unwanted chil­ vertising, will be targets of her group. off old people, the mentally ill, or Chaplin also described other forms racial minorities. and Latino people, and anti-abortion dren if they are not rich enough to laws forcing women to bear children pay for an illegal abortion or travel of discrimination, including the fact This argument appeals not so much that stewardesses often lose their jobs to an abstract concern for the "sanctity against their will-these are all poli­ somewhere to get a legal one. cies aimed at controlling people's lives. Anti-abortion speakers compare the after taking maternity leaves. The air­ of life" of the fetus, but rather to peo­ lines refuse to even hire women who ple's well-founded concern about the The struggle of women for the right abortion rights movement with Hitler's to control their reproductive lives can policies of mass murder, euthanasia, are already married, she ass_erted. A callousness of this society toward the stewardess for 11 years, Chaplin is lives of old people, the mentally ill presently on maternity leave herself. or handicapped, and Black people and Stewardesses are also required to other oppressed nationalities. Through take makeup and posture classes and this argument the anti-abortion forces to double up in accomodations during try to turn this concern against the layovers, Chaplin said, but male air­ abortion rights movement. line employees each get their own What's wrong with this argument? room. First, it assumes that it is humanistic Judi Lindsey, a member of Stewar­ and pro-life to equate fetal life with the desses for ,Women's Rights, described lives of human beings. The falseness the "underwear inspection" that women. of this equation was dealt with in last ")a are subjected to. Male and female week's Militant. By using slides and ' ll) () r supervisors "check" stewardesses to see bottles of pickled fetuses to conjure among other things if they are wear­ up feelings of horror at abortion, the ·we ha.vc ing bras, she said. anti-abortion people try to cover up Another member of Stewardesses for the horror that anti-abortion laws can Women's Rights, Toby Gelband, said, mean for the lives of women. t\tead 'We can be 'written up' for conduct They don't talk about the cal­ The airlines back the customer every lousness of driving women to secretly EJ\l'" time. He's paying." Chaplin added seek out illegal butcher abortionists, that stewardesses who fail to respond or to attempt the desperate step of ,..ys--·· warmly enough to the ''familiarity" of self-abortion. According to medical 1-het'\ e 4 customers may be reported as being authorities, thousands of women die q "unfriendly" by their supervisors. each year from botched illegal abor­ Recently Chaplin placed an ad in a tions. local magazine, asking stewardesses The anti-abortion forces don't men­ Militant/Caroline Lund Alan Mercer who wanted to change their situation tion the misery of battered, unwanted Women who wont the right 'to abortion ore not threatening the lives of the old, the to contact her. She said she has children. They don't mention the psy­ ill, and Blocks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans, contrary to the claims received 25 answers. chological damage to women wrought of the anti- abortion forces. ' There are 60 charter members in by the fear of an unwanted pregnancy Stewardesses for Women's Rights, that could destroy their aspirations which held its first meeting in Novem­ for their lives, in terms of education only complement and aid the strug­ and experimentation with human ber in Washington, D. C. The group or life-work. gles of others who are denied control beings. But they never ment10·' the plans a "national workshop" for New What kind of "respect for life" is over their lives. For example, it com­ fact that Hitler outlawed abortiv•. bOd York City in February or March. it that justifies making women into plements the struggle against forced contraception, declaring that women's breeders against their will? The real sterilization, which prevents women place was with children, kitchen, and "disrespect for human life" is the harm from controlling their own lives by church- kinder, kilche, kirche. done to women, to whole families, denying them the choice to bear chil­ Policies such as Hitler's exte1.nina­ and to unwanted children by anti­ dren. tion camps; U. S. genocide in Vietnam; abortion laws. It is absurd to imply that women the destruction of lives through pov­ The second false assumption in this will naturally move on from aborting erty, racism, and exploitation; and argument is that women only want fetuses to eliminating old people and the controlling of women's lives abortions for "convenience." Can the others. Women are fighting simply to through anti-abortion laws all flow desire for personal liberty be reduced control their own lives, not other peo­ from the capitalist system of control­ to a matter of "convenience"? What ple's lives. Terminating a pregnancy ling people's lives for profit. about the desire of women to be able does not threaten any human being's to control their destiny? Are the Con­ life. When anti-abortion politicians and stitutional rights to personal liberty It is not women who are the threat church officials try to link women's and the pursuit of happiness limited to old people, Blacks, and others. It aspirations for freedom with policies only to males? Would men be willing is the inhuman capitalist system and of extermination of oppressed sectors to give up these rights as simply the U.S. capitalist government-the of society, they are only attempting "conveniences"? same government that declares abor­ to divert attention from the crimes Women want the right to abortion tion illegal. presently carried out try their capital­ because it matters very much to them It is the rulers of this capitalist so­ ist system. Their absurd logic shows to be able to make decisions over ciety who have such a low regard that their real concern is not with their own lives. It can matter so much for human life that they carry out a protecting life, but with controlling the that many are even willing to risk war of genocide against the Vietna- lives of women.

10 Cogs should be tried for murder National pressure forced La. investigation By BAXTER SMITH The Black People's Committee of unbalanced menus, incompetent staff, attempt a building take-over. A state The state-appointed commission of in­ Inquiry, composed of nationally and or an education designed not to stim­ police lieutenant is known to hiwe quiry declared Dec. 14 that the blame locally known figures from the Black ulate student initiative but to dampen tossed the first tear gas. It is known for the shotgun deaths of two South­ community, played a major role too. it. that the students were unarmed. And ern University students Nov. 16 falls This committee, which was independent The state investigating committee the sheriff's deputies were specifically squarely on the shoulders of the East of the state-appointed committee, had was not given the power to indict the told to load their guns with buckshot. Baton Rouge Parish (county) sheriff's a large impact by swiftly conducting sheriffs deputies. Instead, it has Both the state-appointed panel and deputies. Its latest findings revealed an accurate investigation and ascer­ turned its findings over the the East the independent Black People's Com­ that Sheriff AI Amiss ordered his men taining the guilt of the law enforce­ Baton Rouge Parish district attorney, mittee of Inquiry have established who to load their guns with buckshot shells ment officers. Ossie Brown. Brown will then deter­ is guilty. The first step to be taken if in addition to a tear gas shell. It Despite the findings of their own mine "if there is a need to prosecute" justice is to be served is for district also claimed to have narrowed the commission, however, Louisiana of­ guilty bodies. attorney Brown to fully prosecute the field of deputy-suspects to six, several ficials are reluctant to draw the proper Students may be indicted because sheriffs and all others found complicit of whom have refused to take a lie­ conclusions. Governor Edwin Ed­ the state committee claimed in its find­ in the murder of the two students and detector test. wards stated that despite the com­ ings that the students "improperly" pre­ drop all charges against the students. This is the first time that a state­ mittee's evidence to the contrary, he vented the normal use of the campus appointed investigating committee in still believes the first tear gas canister administration building. (Four stu­ The second step to be taken is for the the South has found white law en­ was tossed by the students- even dents arrested the morning of the state to grant all the demands that the forcement officers virtually guilty of though the committee verified through slaughter are already charged with students died trying to win. murder in their attempts to repress film that it was the police who threw "obstruction or interference with an edu­ In order for this to be accomplished, Black student protests. the first canister. cational institution." One is charged pressure will have to be mounted. In 1968 at Orangeburg, S.C., racist During the protests on the Southern with criminal trespass. Three others Pressure similar to the kind that state highway patrolmen killed three University campuses of Baton Rouge were charged with · disturbing the originally forced the state to investi­ Black students and there was no and New Orleans, Edwards tried at peace and criminal mischief.) gate the murders and find the sheriffs investigation or indictments. In 1970 times to maintain that the students Who are the guilty bodies? Office guilty. The sheriffs deputies must not at Jackson State College in Jackson, were armed or arming. So when the personnel in the administration build­ be allowed to go free in face of over­ Miss., two Black students were killed events broke on Nov. 16, Sheriff ing stated that the students did not whelming evidence proving their guilt. by police, and both a state and county Amiss automatically claimed that his investigation called it justifiable homi­ men were not at fault. Amiss originally cide. maintained that the students may have Louisiana Governor Edwin Ed­ been trampled to death or killed when wards was compelled to open a state other students threw fragmentation gre­ investigation of the murders in order nades or homemade bombs filled with to maintain an image as a fair-minded buckshot at the deputies, which ex­ governor, especially in light of the ploded killing the two students, angry reaction to news of the sheriff's Denver Smith and Leonard Douglas involvement. Brown. Black student groups and other or­ Edwards now feels that the best thing ganizations played an important role he can do in response to the in building support through rallies, committee's findings is to assemble letters of protest, contribution of finan­ a "highly specialized riot squad of cial and other aid, as well as state police and National Guardsmen" organizing visits to Baton Rouge to to handle situations like this in the meet with the student organizers and future. But Edwards knows quite well Militant/B. R. Washington obtain accurate information to take that a specially trained riot squad is D'Army Bailey (I) and Owusu Sadaukai were members of Black People's Committee back. no answer to dilapidated buildings, of Inquiry, which helped force 'official' state investigation. USLA demands freedom for Bolivian prisoners MIT professor Noam Chomsky, Ms. ernment of Colonel Hugo Banzer Sua­ Banzer at Palacio Nacional, La Paz, oners escaped from the prison on Coa­ editor Gloria Steinem, and Ramon Ar­ rez on April 4, 1972, and tortured Bolivia. ti Island and arrived in Cuba on bona, first secretary of the U.S. despite her age and health. Three of Nov. 6. In the Nov. 12 Granma and branch of the Puerto Rican Socialist her ribs were broken. She was then Also joining this call for support the Nov. 20 Tricontinental News Ser­ Party, have joined with other prom­ confined to the cold and isolated Acho­ to Burgoa are columnist Nat Hen­ vice, the prisoners described the re­ inent individuals and groups in urg­ calla prison. toff, cartoonist Jules Feiffer, drama­ pression carried out against political ing a special Christmastime effort to tist Julian Beck, and Paul Sweezy, prisoners in Bolivia. win freedom for Bolivian political Burgoa remains at Achocalla and editor of Monthly Review. All the prisoners who escaped had prisoner Delfina Burgoa. A campaign is ill. Christmas day will mark her Under the present state of siege in been subjected to torture; beatings with in defense of Burgoa's rights was sixty-eighth birthday. She is still de­ Bolivia, civil liberties have been sus­ rubber hoses, burning of the testicles, launched in September by the U.S. nied legal counsel, and relatives who pended. It is now 16 months since and driving of pins into the genitals Committee for Justice to Latin Amer­ have inquired about her have been all the country's universities were are common practices. Several of the ican Political Prisoners ( USLA). arrested. closed down. The government has ar­ prisoners had had their ribs broken. Burgoa, a 67-year-old woman, The Christmas period is a tradition­ rested 1,000 workers, students, and Cases of castration and electric shock worked for many ye·ars as a member al time for granting amnesty to po­ professionals. Despite this repression, treatment have also been reported. of the Committee for the Defense of olitical prisoners. Therefore, USLA is the workers have mobilized in strikes For further information, contact Human Rights. In that capacity she urging all supporters of civil liberties and demonstrations in the face of Ban­ USLA at 150 Fifth Ave., Room 737, visited prisoners and helped them find to send letters and telegrams demand­ zer's devaluation of the Bolivian peso. New York, N.Y. 10011. Telephone: lawyers. She was arrested by the gov- ing freedom for Burgoa to Colonel Sixty-seven Bolivian political pris- (212) 691-2880. Mpls. teachers 'action slate' wins union post By KEN PETERS The recently organized slate wanted men and women. as 1,000 teacher aides, and working MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 18-A well-or­ the union to become more involved in Under the heading "politically active for their full seniority benefits. ganized "program for action" slate social and political areas as well as teachers," the program called for run­ The program also called for an edu­ picked up an executive board seat in to continue to improve the educational ning a "teacher candidate on a plat­ cational program for filing grievances the Minneapolis Federation of Teach­ standards and the standard of living form written by teachers" in the up­ within the union and developing ties ers (MFT) election held here Dec. 6. of Minneapolis teachers. The slate's coming school board elections. with community groups for united ac­ The three other slate candidates lost backers kicked off the campaign a It called for "membership participa­ tion on educational issues. It called for by narrow margins in the balloting, month prior to the election by sending tion in union-initiated activities broader orientation to union and so­ which saw the largest turnout in years copies of the program to more than designed to bring an end to wage cial issues in the union newsletter. despite sub-zero weather. 150 members, building stewards, and controls." The slate's winning candidate, Greg current executive board members. The Teacher unity [merger with the Min­ One slate backer, Greg Cottle, said Cain, said of the elections, "It shows result was more than 160 endorse­ neapolis affiliate of the National Edu­ after the election, "The program was that the union membership wants the ments from one-half of the school cational Association] has previously broadly endorsed and well organized. union to become more involved in buildings in Minneapolis. been openly opposed by the Local 59 I think the program for action gives social and political issues as well as leadership. The "program for action" the membership some sense of direc­ bread-and-butter economic p<;>licies." The slate's "program for action" called for a "full discussion on the issue tion in what the union ought to do." called for the establishment of a wom­ and a referendum of the membership Greg Cain, another MFT executive The slate included teachers Ann en's rights committee to work for un­ to determine if members wish to pur­ board member, and one of the slate Burns, Greg Cain, Marianne Christ­ restricted maternity leave for women sue this issue." backers appeared at the Twin Cities ianson, and Brian McKinley. All of teachers, elimination of disparities in Under "organizing the unorganized," Militant Forum on Friday, Dec. 15, them are active in either the women's pay between men and women athletic the platform called for organizing into to discuss the topic "The Teachers liberation movement or the antiwar coaches, and elimination of education­ the union 700 Minneapolis teachers, Union and the Struggle for Better Ed­ movement. al materials that stereotype roles of tutors, and reserve teachers, as well ucation."

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 11 10ae11 Divis lanores n1e1 lor oollllcll arlsoners lational oppression in the soviet Ukraine By PETER SEIDMAN the Soviet Union. This practice has Communist Party of Cuba, Oct 8, Since the beginning of 1972, more halted the growth of the Ukrainian 1972.) than 150 fighters for socialist democ­ population within the USSR. Further­ But in fact, the fighters for socialist racy and national rights have been more, Russians have been moved into democracy inside the USSR are not arrested in the Soviet Ukraine. Some the major cities of the Ukraine to "anti-Soviet." Davis must know this have been sentenced to as long as take skilled jobs and government because their documents have been 10 years in prison. These prosecutions posts, giving them disproportionate made available to her by the Com­ underscore the existence of a growing weight in these centers of culture and mittee for Defense of Soviet Political movement among the non-Russian policy. Prisoners. peoples of the Soviet Union against The central budget of the USSR, For example, in the introduction to the Kremlin bureaucracy's policy of Dzyuba proves, is designed in such his book, Ivan Dzyuba says: "I am Russification. a manner that it unjustly drains re­ firmly convinced that the anxiety felt On June 15, 1972, the Committee sources from the Ukraine. This pro­ by an ever-widening circle of Ukrain­ for the Defense of Soviet Political Pris­ cess is complemented by planning pro­ ian youth is the inevitable result of oners, an organization of students in jections that will give the Ukraine a grave violations of the Leninist na­ Canada and the United States who are slower rate of industrialization and a tionalities policy, or more precisely: primarily of Ukrainian descent, ad­ faster rate of agricultural growth than· a total revision of the Leninist nation­ dressed an appeal to Angela Davis. the USSR-wide averages. alities policy of the Patty carried out The committee congratulated Davis on Dzyuba also gives many figures by Stalin in the 1930s and continued her court victory and asked her to showing the infringements on the by Khrushchev in the last decade. exercise her authority as a prominent Ukrainian language through unequal "I am firmly convinced that for the Black leader of the American Commu­ book publishing rations and the lack cause of building communism, for a nist Party to focus attention on the of educational facilities available to future communist society, and for the trials of these Ukrainians. teach the-Ukrainian language. fate of world communism, it is diffi­ Since that time, Angela Davis has Dzyuba's findings, which were pub­ cult to fmd today anything more use­ made no reply to the committee and lished in 1965, were confirmed in a ful, noble and imperative than the no direct statement on the prosecu­ 1968 report prepared by a delegation restoration of the Leninist national- tions under way in the Ukraine. But from the Canadian Communist Party, in a New York news conference on whose large Ukrainian membership her return from a six-week tour of was concerned about the Russification the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, of the Ukraine. Lviv prisoner and Cuba, Davis praised the treat­ ment of national minorities in the So- If the bureaucrats in Moscow were viet Union. indeed carrying out Lenin's policies commits suicide Her remarks were reported in the as Angela Davis claims, they would A young Ukrainian afraid of Nov. 4 Daily World Magazine: "There seriously consider such charges. They breaking under the pressure of po­ are of course 130 different national-, would seek a public discussion of lice interrogation recently com­ ities living within the Soviet Union; whether a policy of Great Russian mitted suicide inside Lviv prison, 15 different national republics and a chauvinism is being carried out rather according to the Nov. 12 Ukra in'­ variety of other forms in which na­ than a policy of "bending over back­ ske Stove, a Ukrainian-language tional self-determination is prac­ ward" to help establish the Ukrainian newspaper published in Paris. nation as an equal component -within ticed .... Katala, aged thirty, an engineer, "We learned that books were pub­ the USSR. was a close friend of the artist Stec However, the Kremlin knows that lished in scores of languages in the fania Shabatura. Shabatura was Russification is taking place in the Soviet Union and we learned about separate if they chose to do so. In recently arrested for oppositional Ukraine because it is their official pol­ the very marvelous uses of culture fact, Lenin saw ·the need for the Rus­ activity. Katala was under inter­ icy- no matter how honeyed-over which occurred since the triumph of sians within the new USSR to "bend rogation by the Soviet secret pO­ with speeches on the fiftieth anniver­ socialism." over backward" to make up for the lice (KGB), who repeatedly de­ sary of the founding of the USSR this What· is the truth about the status years of bullying that characterized manded that he give evidence policy may be. So they have· re­ of the Ukraine within the Soviet relations prior to the revolution be­ against her. sponded to these charges by arresting Union? tween Russia and the nations op­ Under continuous pressure from and imprisoning those who make This year marks the fiftieth anni­ pressed under the czar. the secret police, Katala feared them. versary of the founding of the USSR, Flowing from this approach, many that psychological torture might The most recent wave of arrests, the Union of Soviet Socialist Repub­ languages were given written form for "break" him and that he would which began at the end of 1971 and lics. The central leaders of the Russian the first time, newspapers and schools turn police witness against his is still continuing, seems to be sparked revolution, Lenin and Trotsky, saw were created to develop national cul­ close friend. by the continued appearance in the the USSR as a union in which the tures, and a conscious policy of de­ On April 28, Katala managed Ukraine of Ukrainsky Visnik. Since nations of the former czarist empire veloping non-Russian leadership was to break free of his interrogators April 1970 this publication has car­ would exist under conditions of full begun. and run into a corridor. There, ried news of the struggle for Ukrain­ equality but would have the right to with a loud cry of protest, he drove However, with the rise of Stalin to ian rights. It is written from a pro­ a knife into his heart. By the time power, this Leninist policy of defend­ Marxist point of view, yet is forced to the KGB officials had reached him, ing the national rights of the non­ be published in underground, samiz­ Katala was dead. Russian peoples was replaced with a dat form. ( Samizdat publications are policy of Russification. In the Ukraine, circulated hand to hand and repro­ for example, under Lenin a policy of duced by each reader for further dis­ "Ukrainization" had fostered the tribution. Samizdat means "self-pub­ ities policy, since the fate of entire growth of the Ukrainian language, lishing.") nations lies in the balance." culture, and national pride. But in the The more that 150 arrested Ukrain­ Why has Angela Davis remained 1930s this policy was reversed, and ians include, besides Dzyuba, Vyache­ silent on the plight of these Ukrainian many of the "Ukrainized" cadre and slav Chornovil, whose book The fighters for socialist democracy? It the apparatus designed to carry on Chornovil Papers, which also docu­ would be a simple matter for her, their work were purged. ments national oppression in the given her prestige and leadership posi­ Since that time, the basic policy of Ukraine, was published after his re­ tion within the Communist Party, to the Kremlin has been to strip the lease from an earlier prison sentence investigate the massive arrests taking Ukraine of its national roots, to Rus­ in 1969; and Nina Strokata Kara­ place in the Ukraine. One must take sify its strategic centers, and to dis­ vanska, wife of Svyatoslave Karavan­ her silence, coupled with her state­ perse the Ukrainian population. sky, who was arrested in 1965 for the ments praising Moscow's "solution of However, beginning in the 1960s, third time for his activities in defense the national question in the USSR," opposition to Russification, along with of Ukrainian national rights and who as complicity with the Kremlin's cam­ other manifestations of revolt against is still imprisoned. Nina Strokata Ka­ paign of Russification of the Ukraine. bureaucratic rule, began to develop ravanska was arrested only because Davis's acquiescence in the crimes both within the Ukraine and in Rus­ she refused to denounce her husband. of national oppression committed in sia. The Ukrainian dissidents pro­ Prison terms for those arrested have the Soviet Union does grave harm to vided detailed proofs of the results. of been very heavy, ranging as high as revolutionary movements everywhere. Russification. This and their stuggle 10 years imprisonment and five years In the Russian revolution it was the against the policy caused the Krem­ of exile. internationalist policies of Lenin and lin bureaucrats to have them arrested. The Moscow bureaucrats justify their Trotsky that won the oppressed na­ For example. using official Soviet arrests of the Ukrainians by charging tions of czarism to the banner of so­ sources, Ivan Dzyuba, one of the ar­ them with anti-Soviet "slander" and cialism. Today, the lessons of that rested dissidents, documents the na­ ''bourgeois nationalism." In a speech victory hold great importance for na­ tional oppression of the Ukrainians given in Cuba during her tour, Angela tional liberation fighters throughout in his book, Internationalism or Rus­ Davis echoed these slanders by claim­ the world. But these fighters can only sification? (London, 1970). ing that critics of the USSR are: be turned away from the successful Dzyupa exposes how it is the official "pseudorevolutionaries who try to use example of the early years of the Rus­ policy of Moscow to torce the emi­ anti-Sovietism to divide and confuse sian revolution when Davis equates gration and cultural assimilation of the anti-imperialist movement" those policies with the Stalinist prac­ Ukrainians into other nations within (Quoted in Granma, newspaper of the tice of Russification within the USSR.

• J .., ; J t ~ • t r 1 • '• ' • . f 1 ~ ,·_1 f ' ! ' • l:. '. , - •• f ~ ' t l "<. .:. • \ • ·-. , • ( .) ~ '-J I '. J J J ~ ) L t t .• : f I . ., f t ' I· A weekly international supplement to The Militant based on selections from Intercontinental Press, a newsmagazine reflecting the viewpoint of revolutionary socialism.

DECEMBER 29,1972

"Politics is participation. If you want campaign." a hand in how your neighbourhood Henderson alone spoke to more and your city is to be planned and than 35 meetings during the six week run for the next two years, you will campaign. Thirty thousand campaign have to get involved with the candi­ brochures were distributed, and 4,000 dates, particularly those running for posters were pasted up in the city. The Socialist woman confronts mayor." socialist candidates spoke directly to But there was one problem. The more than 7,000 people in election Star had decided in advance which meetings, and 20 interviews on radio candidates the voters could become and television stations took their plat­ big-business candidates involved with; only three of the seven form to countless others. Henderson candidates for mayor had been in­ spoke on all major Toronto radio vited. and television stations. The socialist campaign decided to The three major daily newspapers in Tor onto elections challenge this blatant discrimination. were openly hostile, but it was a dif­ Their leaflet continued: "The Star has ferent story with the student and "un­ decided that only candidates spending derground" media. As an interviewer over $50,000 may speak. Only mem­ for York University Radio put it, "In bers of the Conservative party ( Crom­ my opinion Jacquie does represent the bie and Rotenberg) or the Liberal real alternative in this election." York party (O'Donohue) are 'serious.' Jac­ Radio interviewed Henderson twice; quie Henderson is campaigning to end the first time it was a debate between big business control of City Hall ... her and David Rotenberg, the candi­ The Toronto Star opposes the social­ date most identified with the devel­ ist program. And now it has excluded opers and big business. Jacquie Henderson from the Forum. Guerrilla, Toronto's underground "This is pure discrimination ... newspaper, ran a full page spread on The Toronto Star is opposed to de­ Henderson for mayor, and described mocracy in civic politics." her at one of the initial campaign When the three "major" candidates meetings as "by far the most knowl­ were introduced, someone called out, edgeable and articulate speaker of the "Where is Henderson?" But the three evening." proceeded; all supporters of big busi­ "She declared," they went on, "that ness, friends of the developers and it was time to kick the corporate bums Socialist Jacquie Henderson insisted on her right to participate in Toronto Star forum. landlords and members of the two out of City Hall and based her cam­ From left: Conservatives Rotenberg and Crombie, Henderson and Liberal O'Donohue. big business parties, they delivered paign on the need to bring rank and their indistinguishable speeches. file labor into the political arena." Then a pause came. A mood of an­ The way this will be done, the so­ ticipation swept the audience of 1,000. cialist candidates emphasized, is by [The following article is reprinted the field open to the parties of big J acquie Henderson had arisen from masses of people organizing around from the December 11 issue of Labor business. It was in order to present the audience and mounted the stage. their needs, against the 2 percent who Challenge, a biweekly published in an alternative to the capitalist parties She calmly took over the centre stage presently control the city. "That is how Toronto. It describes tne campaign that the LSA and YS fielded a partial microphone and appealed to the au­ we will successfully fight and stop the of the League for Socialist Action and slate of six candidates for mayor, al­ dience to let her speak. cutbacks in education," Heather the Young Socialists in the Toronto dermen, and board of education. "You have heard one speech," she Thomson, Young Socialist candidate municipal elections held December 4. [Despite a virtual press blackout and said. "I am here to give the other. I for Board of Education, told a meet­ [Winner of the mayoral contest was lack of resources, LSA-YS mayoral urge you to let me speak." ing of Women for Political Action on Conservative party "reformer" David candidate Jacquie Henderson polled The chairwoman attempted to stop November 19. Crombie, with 81,000 votes. His op­ 1,557 votes (.8 percent), and others her, but when the audience responded This meeting, held for all women ponents in the supposedly nonpartisan on the LSA ticket received up to 6. 7 with calls of "Let her speak" and "Free candidates in the civic elections, gave elections were' Liberal Anthony O'Don­ percent of the vote. speech," she was forced to allow Hen­ a particularly enthusiastic hearing to ohue, who came in second, and "Old [Communist party member Nelson derson to continue. the three women candidates of the Guard" Conservative David Roten­ Clarke ran as an "independent," say­ Henderson spoke, not merely about League and the Young Socialists. berg, who was soundly defeated. "Re­ ing that the Communist party was "participation" or a "hand" in how the "They're so strongly for women's formers" also won a slim majority "opposed to the entry of political par­ city is run; she spoke about the need rights," said one woman as she left. of aldermanic seats on the Toronto ties into the municipal arena." He for power in City Hall- power for "They've certainly got my vote." City Council. polled fewer votes than Henderson.] working people, for tenants, students The best response came at the No­ [A major issue in the election was and women. She spoke, not about vember 21 rally against the cutbacks the environment. Establishment poli­ keeping Toronto the way it is, as in education organized at Queen's ticians who supported unbridled de­ the others had, but of changing it Park in Toronto. Five hundred stu­ velopment of highrises and highways from top to bottom, to meet the needs dents from Toronto and across south­ with no consideration of environment­ By Joan Campana of the vast majority of Torontonians. ern Ontario heard Henderson and al needs or the need for mass transit "I am here to give real answers to Mack describe a socialist solution to were voted out. Lesser-known capital­ the questions you have," she con­ the crisis in education. They outlined ist reform candidates were able to win Outside the large Eaton Auditorium cluded. And with that, she seated her­ how a labor City Hall would tax the seats by appealing to popular desire a small white leaflet was being cir­ self at the table with the other three corporations and use the money for for urban development designed to culated. "Jacquie Henderson is the so­ mayoralty candidates. She answered free education and a living wage for suit people's needs. cialist candidate for mayor. Her name the questions, ranging all the way students. [Only a few members of the New will appear on the ballot. But she is from how a labor City Hall would It wasn't the only demonstration the Democratic party (Canada's labor not being allowed to speak tonight." fight to repeal the abortion laws to socialist candidates addressed. They party) ran for aldermanic posts, and The event was the traditional "Star how it would end the corporate stran­ spoke as well to the November 18 all ran as individuals with no Forum," hosted by Toronto's largest glehold on the city. antiwar rally in Toronto's City Hall common program. An article by Jac­ circulation daily, The Toronto Star, At the end of the meeting Henderson square, to a demonstration calling for quie Henderson in Labor Challenge on November 22. In a huge ad in was interviewed by Ryerson campus civil rights in Ireland, and Henderson explained that because the NDP- the their paper, entitled "Meet Your Next radio. "The warm response we got announced her candidature earlier in party of the trade-union movement­ Mayor," they elaborated the purpose tonight," she said, "is typical of what November at a rally to repeal the abstained from running a slate, it left of the evening: we've been receiving throughout the Canadian abortion laws. D World Outlook W0/2

rights, including child care, equal pay, and abortion. More significant than the activities of the WEL were the activities of the reactionary forces opposed to femi­ Interview with Dutch socialist Why the Labor Party nism. The DLP emphasised its role as "the party that really puts the family first." The reactionary Right to Life Association viciously attacked Whit­ won in Australia lam for his promise to vote for a bill legalising abortion in the Austra­ By Sol Salby the results of the strike wave that fol­ lian Capital Territory (ACT). The Political repres lowed his arrest was a decision by the anti-feminist campaign reached a cli­ National Executive of the Australian max with the candidature in Canberra After 23 years of conservative gov­ Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) to of Arthur Burns, a longtime member ernment rule the Australian Labor instruct all unions not to pay any fines of the ALP, as an anti-abortion Labor party (ALP) ended its period in op­ imposed under the Arbitration Act. candidate against the endorsed ALP and resistance position. The result of the December candidate, Kep Enderby. 2 elections was so overwhelming that That policy has been carried out [The following are major excerpts After Enderby's massive election vic­ even outgoing Prime Minister William fairly consistently. from an interview with a correspon­ tory even Burns was forced to admit McMahon was forced to admit it was Employers believe that because of dent for the Dutch socialist weekly a "magnificent victory." the working class's allegiance to the that "If and when Mr. Enderby votes De Groene Amsterdamer. It appeared in Parliament for abortion on demand The 3 percent swing to Labor gave ALP, the Labor leadership will be in the French revolutionary socialist in the ACT and Commonwealth Ter­ it 49.9 percent of the vote, compared able to restrain and perhaps even turn newspaper Rouge. ritories, he will be doing so ... in to 41. 1 percent for the outgoing Lib­ back the tide of the working class [Schumacher, the correspondent, is movement. accord with the ACT majority." eral-Country party coalition. Labor's one of the few journalists who has Another consideration of the employ­ The huge turn to Labor in Victoria majority will be at least 13 in the been able to visit the notorious prison ers is that the Liberal party conserva­ 125-member parliament. had much to do with the antiwar up­ island of Buru. tives bel.ong to the old "free enterprise" surge and mass mobilisations in May Of the minority parties the extreme [The translation is by Intercontinen­ school, believing in minimum state 1970, September 1970, and June right-wing Democratic Labor party tal Press.] intervention in the economy. They still 1971. The participation of ALP figures (DLP) suffered a continuing loss, its consider "incomes policies" such as in the Moratorium was a major factor national vote being reduced to 5.1 those introduced by Heath and Nixon percent. explaining why the Melbourne demon­ Rouge: Often the only thing that to be "socialistic." Needless to say, strations reached the size of over 100,- On the other side of the capitalist comes to mind when one thinks of these views are rejected by the bulk political spectrum the radical bour­ 000, while in more populated Sydney, Indonesia is military dictatorship. of Australian capitalists. only 25,000 participated. Draft resister geois party, the Australia party, What exactly is the case? The Liberal party conservatism car­ Barry Johnston, unable to campaign which campaigned strongly on social ries through to its foreign policy. They while being underground, polled ex­ issues such as the environment and Schumacher: Officially it is not a still haven't appreciated the important tremely well as the endorsed ALP can­ abortion rights, more than doubled military government. But the reality role trade with the workers states plays didate for Hotham. its vote, polling 2.4 percent. is otherwise. The military completely in interimperialist competition. Less The Socialist Workers League and The Labor party swept into power controls the country. In the smallest than 24 hours before Nixon an­ Socialist Youth Alliance, sympathising on the basis of its progressive policies, village, for example, there are sol­ nounced his impending visit to Peking, organisations of the Fourth Interna­ including the withdrawal of Austral­ diers ready to intervene at the least McMahon publicly ridiculed the idea tional, mounted a vigorous campaign pretext. Any form of protest, even ia's remaining "advisors" from Viet­ for the return of the ALP to power of making any deals with the Chou the most limited, is immediately sup­ nam, the immediate abolition of con­ En-lai regime. and at the same time fought to win scription, a universal health insurance pressed. The radicalisation of Australian Labor to a fighting socialist platform. system, a National Compensation There is no law. Anyone suspected youth, women, and workers bore its The SWL and SYA distributed 45,- Scheme, aboriginal land rights, free of having communist sympathies, or mark both on the election campaign 000 election broadsheets in all the universities, equal pay for women, of being connected in any way with and the results. Issues re_lating to major population centres at ALP ral­ and recognition of the People's Re­ the events of 1965, is arrested. There women's oppression played a prom­ lies and elsewhere. Sales of their news­ public of China. is no recourse against such arbitrary inent part. The Women's Electoral paper, Direct Action, increased con­ The first act of new Prime Minister acts. Lobby (WEL), a loose group of re­ siderably during the election period, Edward Gough Whitlam was the re­ formist feminists, confronted all candi­ with 400 copies sold at the final ALP lease of all draft resisters from gaol Rouge: How many political prison­ dates with a questionnaire on women's rally in Melbourne. D and the immediate suspension of the ers are there and what are their living draft. Steps were also taken to repeal conditions? the reactionary 27.5 percent "entertain­ ment" tax on contraceptives, one of the Schumacher: There is some confu­ Liberals' anti-women measures. sion about the number of prisoners. A sizable section of big business The most "optimistic" estimate would also supported the ALP this year. This put them at 50,000. But some esti­ was reflected in the endorsement given mates speak of 100,000. Numbers of to the ALP by the nationwide Aus­ political prisoners are held throughout tralian, and by the Melbourne Age, the country, but the main prison camp which speaks for an influential section is on the small island of Buru in the of the Australian capitalist class. Molucca Islands some 3,000 kilo­ Traditionally, big business and the meters from Java. Some 10,000 pris­ capitalist press have supported the oners who have never been tried and Liberal party. never will be tried are wasting away The reasons for the sudden switch there. The government says that there were similar to those on previous oc­ is not sufficient evidence to prove they casions when the ALP was elected: participated in the 1965 events but the worsening economic and political that they are dangerous to society conditions on an international scale. anyway because of their membership Many businessmen feel that any im­ in organizations banned since then provement in the position of the The Labor victory in Australia parallels the results of the November 25 New or because of their sympathies with Australian bourgeoisie vis-a-vis its Zealand elections. This photograph appeared on the front page of the New Zea­ the PKI [Partai Kommunis Indonesia overseas counterparts will depend on land Otago Daily Times. It shows Labour Party chief and New Zealand's new -Indonesian Communist party]. three things: a) the setting back of prime minister, Norman Kirk, passing up a seller of Socialist Action outside a Most other political prisoners are in any working-class upsurge in response Labour Party campaign meeting prior to the elections. the same position. But there is a small to the employers' offensive on the During the election period, Socialist Action promoted a Socialists fo~ Labo~r category of prisoners consisting of a few thousand who are supposed to be workers' living standards; b) a more Campaign, urging a vote for Labour but criticizing the Kirk lead~r~h1p for 1ts tried. After seven years, fewer than200 dynamic intervention by the state in conservative positions on many questions. The impact of the Soc1al1sts for La­ of them have come to trial. And these the economy, including "indicative bour Campaign was demonstrated by the fact that in his final election sp_ee_ch trials are nothing but propaganda de­ planning" and "incomes policies"; c) the day before the elections, Kirk devoted two minutes to an attack on Soc1ahst increased trade with the workers states, vices aimed at discrediting the com­ Action. in particular the Soviet Union and munists and presenting them as people The Socialist Action League-the group that initiated the Socialists for Labour China. dangerous to society and to the popu­ Campaign-was the only group on the New Zealand left that seriously attempted On all three points the ALP appears lation. far more likely than the Liberals to to relate to the Labour Party campaign. According to a report from New Zea­ I spent a day and a half on the implement those policies designed to land in the December 18 issue of Intercontinental Press, "Ultraleft student forces island of Buru, taken there officially help the employers in their current and the remnants of the Communist party combined in formations with grand by the military authorities. So I was difficulties. sounding names such as the 'Radical Election Campaign' and the'Red Federa­ able to see only what they wanted to Employers see the tremendous re­ tion.' The aim of these forces was to prove to the people that parliament w~s show me. But despite these restrictions, sistance the working class has put a 'fraud' and a 'farce.' The means they selected to enlighten the voting pubk what I was able to see on the condi­ up in the past to the penal clauses was to disrupt the meetings of the major parties." tion of the prisoners made a big im­ of the Arbitration system. They wit­ In contrast to these tactics, the Socialists for Labour Campaign was able to pression on me. The prisoners are not nessed the mass upsurge in defense introduce socialist ideas to wide layers of Labour Party supporters, and the cir­ dying of hunger, but the conditions of gaoled Tramways' union official culation of Socialist Action doubled in the course of the campaign. of their existence are frightful. They Clarrie O'Shea in May 19G9. One of are especially in need of medicine, W0/3

Golkar) won almost all the seats. The students were essentially on the side of the new regime in 1965-66. They played an important role in the overthrow of Sukarno. Most of them have, however, become disappointed. They hoped to see the corruption dis­ World news notes appear, but it has become even greater. There have been some stu­ • dent demonstrations these past years against corruption and more recently Support for Argentine prisoners ;1on against the lucrative tourist-attracting schemes of Mrs. Suharto, who has The following report is taken from the December 1 issue of the been nicknamed "Mrs. 10 percenf' be­ New Zealand biweekly Socialist Action: cause of this. But they were harshly "The Mayor of Christchurch, six Labour MPs, the General Secre­ in Indonesia suppressed. Today meny students are tary of the National Council of Churches, the Presidents of the in prison; others were given a choice Wellington and Canterbury Trades Councils and National Execu­ since the island is extremely unhealth­ between prison or a scholarship to tive members of the Federation of Labour and Labour Party, were ful. Also, it must not be forgotten that study in another country. Thus the among the signatories to a petition presented to the Argentine Con­ most of them are condemned to stay student opposition has been silenced sul-General in Wellington November 27. The petition protested the there for the rest of their lives. temporarily. imprisonment and murder of political dissidents and the general The PKI and other currents on the denial of human rights in Argentina. Rouge: The military dictatorship left still carry out clandestine activity, "The petition was circulated in New Zealand in answer to a call corresponds to the interests of but limited and scattered. For example by the United States Committee for .Justice to Latin American Po­ imperialism in that area of the in the central region of the island litical Prisoners for international protests following the murder by world ... of Java, traditional stronghold of the the Argentine military of sixteen political prisoners who had been recaptured after an escape attempt at Trelew airport last August. 'Dozens of trade union officials, clergymen, academics and student leaders put their names to the petition, which was presented to the Argentine Consul-General by David Cuthbert, president of the New Zealand University Students Association, and Terry Marshall, a leading antiwar activist. A picket line was maintained outside the building housing the consulate while the petition was presented, and leaflets were distributed to after-work crowds passing by. The protest received national radio and press coverage."

CP, SP gain in Japan elections The December 10 national election in Japan resulted in unex­ pectedly large gains for both the Socialist and Communist parties, reflecting the deepening radicalization in that country. Although Premier Kakuei Tanaka's Liberal-Democratic party was returned to power, it dropped from 297 to 282 seats in the 491-seat House of Representatives. The Socialist party increased its representation from 87 to 118 seats, and the Communist party went from 14 to 38 seats, the high­ est number it has ever won. A major issue raised by both Socialists and Communists was opposition to a proposal pending in parlia­ Police stand guard over suspected members of Communist youth group during the ment to double Japan's military spending over the next five years. massive repression and massacres carried out by Indonesian government in 1965.

Schumacher: It is more and more Communists, there are cells of op­ Peking military aid to Japan? evident that Indonesia is dependent, in positionists here and there organized a neocolonial sense, on the economies in a very decentralized manner. These The lack of proletarian internationalism on the part of the Moscow of the Western countries and especially activists see their work as a prepara­ and Peking bureaucratic regimes has been tragically apparent in on the Japanese economy. Hundreds tory stage of the struggle. their refusal to form a united-front defense of Vietnam against U. S. of millions of dollars are invested in On the other hand, in another re­ aggression. If a report in the December 14 New York Times is true, Indonesia each year by the imperialist gion of the country, the West of the narrow nationalistic conflict between the Peking and Moscow powers. Kalimantan (Borneo), ·near Ponti­ regimes has reached a new level of betrayal of the traditions of It is clear that one of the basic con­ anak, the situation is considerably dif­ Marxism. ditions demanded by imperialism for ferent. Seventy-five percent of the pop­ Times correspondent William Beecher cites ''well-placed Japanese such investments is political stability; ulation there is of Chinese origin and and American officials," "both diplomatic and military," as affirming thus the military regime's policy of most of these Chinese are peasants, that ''Premier Chou En-lai has informed Japanese officials that he systematic repression is aimed at pre­ which is rather unusual since in other could conceive of circumstances in which his nation would come to venting the development of all social areas they are generally merchants Japan's aid militarily if Japan were attacked by the Soviet Union." struggle. The massive investments of ( 80 percent of the commerce of Indo­ Chou En-lai is said to have told this to Japanese Premier Kakuei the Western countries have brought nesia is in the hands of the Chinese Tanaka when Tanaka visited Peking in September. about a certain economic progress; minority, which comprises 3 percent According to Beecher's sources, Chou also told Tanaka that the industrial production is being de­ of the population). Chinese regime would not object to Japan's plans to double its veloped. But only a tiny layer of the These people were very politicized military expenditures in the next five years, saying that a ''reason­ population profits from this progress: in the Sukarno period when he devel­ able growth" of Japan's military strength could act as a counterforce the clique of generals and technocrats oped his policy of confrontation with to Soviet "aggressive designs" in Asia. who hold power. The vast majority neighboring Malaysia. This left its Japan, as an imperialist country, will only use its military might of the population remains outside this mark. Recently guerrillas have been against the Japanese working people, as well as to aid the United development. The price of rice -which organized based on the region's Chi­ States in attempting to crush popular uprisings throughout Asia. is the basic food of most of the popu­ nese community. In fact, the same article by Beecher notes that Washington ''has long been urging Tokyo to do more in bolstering its military capa­ lation-has risen by 100 percent this Rouge: What can we do in solidar­ bility." year. The general rise in prices, added ity? to the growing social inequalities, has And yet, Beecher says, the United States ''has been urged by the produced a very tense situation. Schumacher: We must arouse the in­ Chinese to go slow in any plans to remove forces from the Far Chances of an explosion have consid­ terest of the population, especially in East after a Vietnam cease-fire," and has been "cautioned ... about erably increased and repression can Europe. Today there is scarcely any rushing headlong into troop withdrawals in Central Europe in forth­ only be on the rise in the period ahead. perception of what is happening in coming negotiations with the Soviet bloc on mutual reduction of Indonesia except in Holland, for his­ forces." Rouge: What forms has the social torical reasons. Perhaps this is because A four-paragraph Reuters dispatch from Tokyo reported December unrest taken? of the war in Indochina. 14 that a spokesman for the Japanese government had denied the We must break this wall of silence Times article's assertion that Chou had offered military aid to Japan &:humacher: I don't know of any and circulate information. In all coun­ if it were attacked by the USSR. powerfully organized opposition. tries we must create committees against Whatever opposition exists is on a the repression in Indonesia. very small scale. The decisive struggle will take place The parliamentary opposition is al­ in Indonesia itself, but the knowledge most nonexistent. The parliament has of an organized international solidar­ no real power, and at the time of last ity effort will give the Indonesian mili­ year's elections the fraud was so great tants confidence and energy to contin­ that the governmental party (the ue their struggle. 0 World Outlook W0/4

have not been verified in any state­ ment by a member of the opposition Kremlin intensifies re12ression movement. Nor has the Stalinist press published any statement of recanta­ tion by Yakir. The information is said to come from "reliable circles" or to be "circulating" in Moscow "among dis­ Pyotr Yakir reported to have recanted sident groups." The entire episode thus could be a KGB fabrication designed to demoralize and intimidate the dem­ rumors that Yakir, as a Marxist, has father's execution, Pyotr (then four­ By Marilyn Vogt ocratic opposition. taken the position that he "cannot con­ teen years old) and his mother were But even if the rumors are not true, done the non-Marxist aspects of the interned in a concentration camp, "If I commit suicide, that means they the fact that they are being circulated movement. Therefore, he has con­ where she died and where he remained have murdered me, and if I confess, indicates that Brezhnev and company fessed his confined for seventeen years. that means they tortured me." This own guilt and that of are stepping up their campaign to others." He was released from the camp fol­ was the statement of Pyotr Yakir, crush the opposition movement- a A release from Agence France-Presse lowing the rehabilitation of his father prominent Soviet dissident Communist campaign that has already reached in the December 4 Le Devoir of Mont­ during the de-Stalinization period in and civil rights leader, prior to his intense proportions this year with the real stated that Yakir confessed to be- the late 1950s. In his "secret speech" arrest June 21, 1972. He was arrested arrest of hundreds of activists and to the Twentieth Congress of the So­ under Article 70 of the Russian Crim­ the sentencing of many to harsh terms inal Code, which deals with "anti-So­ viet Communist party, Khrushchev re­ ferred to Pyotr Yakir as one of the of confinement. viet agitation and propaganda." (See The reports of Yakir's alleged "con­ Intercontinental Press, July 3, p. 762.) innocent victims of Stalin's repression. Yakir was instrumental in the for­ fession" also point toward a revival Separate dispatches by Moscow cor­ by the Kremlin bureaucrats of prac­ respondents for the London Observer, mation in May 1969 of the Initiative Group for the Defense of Human tices utilized by Stalin during the London Daily Telegraph, Washington 1936-1938 Moscow trials, when well­ Post, and Agence France-Presse re­ Rights in the USSR. As a member of that group and as an individual, known Communists and revolution­ ported during the first week of De­ ary heroes were first physically and cember that Yakir, who has under­ he signed numerous statements pro­ testing against the trials and convic­ psychologically broken under inter­ gone almost constant interrogation for rogation and then paraded forth as the past five months in the notorious tions of opposition activists and against what he saw as a growing witnesses in show trials where they Lefortovo prison, had allegedly re­ "confessed" that they had betrayed the canted. They state that Yakir has re­ revival of Stalin's methods of police terror. revolution- the repentant witnesses nounced his activities against the So­ In a letter to the Twenty-fourth Con­ subsequently being used to establish viet bureaucracy's suppression of fraudulent links between the anti-Stal­ gress of the Soviet Communist party democratic rights and has called for inist opposition and imperialist agen­ Yakir wrote, "For the last few years the dissolution of the democratic op­ cies. D position movement. a dangerous tendency toward the re­ The reports generally state that Ya­ birth of Stalinist methods of govern­ kir's daughter (Irina, also an activist ment has become apparent, and there in the democratic opposition move­ is a tendency toward the rehabilita­ ment) has visited him in prison and tion of Stalin himself- one of the reported to h'is family that he stated greatest criminals of the 20th century. he had been wrong in his activities and now calls for the disbanding of Yakir, with oppositionists Vladimir the civil rights movement. Bukovsky and Andrei Amalrik, gave Pyotr Yakir Robert Kaiser's report from Mos­ a filmed interview in July 1970 to tele­ cow in the December 6 Washington vision correspondent William Cole of Post stated that "Yakir ... is coop­ ing an editor of the Chronicle of Cur­ CBS [Columbia Broadcasting System, erating with Soviet authorities and rent Events, a samizdat journal that a major U.S. network]. In it, they dis­ providing information about former has appeared bimonthly since 1968, cussed the struggle for socialist democ­ colleagues according to reports circu­ reporting on the activities of the dem­ racy in the Soviet Union. Both Bu­ lating in reliable circles here." The ocratic opposition movement and the kovsky and Amalrik are presently same report indicated that twenty-five Kremlin's efforts to suppress it. An serving prison sentences after being people had been brought in for ques­ attempt by the Soviet bureaucrats to convicted on charges of "anti-Soviet tioning by the KGB but that no ar­ link Yakir with the Chronicle would activity." The television interview was rests had yet been made. Some of not be surprising. The KGB has en­ part of the evidence used to convict those questioned reportedly held of­ gaged in a year-long campaign of Bukovsky. ficial or academic positions and, al­ arrests, searches, and interrogations Until his arrest in June, Yakir was though they were acquainted with Y a­ in an attempt to crush the Chronicle. one of the few members of the Initiative kir, had not seen him for "a long But the underground journal has so Group who had not been jailed in a time." Some had "personal, officially far eluded repression and has con­ psychiatric hospital-prison. The KGB supervised confrontations" with Yakir tinued to appear. Yakir allegedly had obviously been reluctant to arrest in which he is reported to have said named other "editors," whose arrest him previously for fear that a legal that it was best to admit what went is said to be imminent. case involving Yakir would revive too on in the past and that he now saw The reports state that the Kremlin many memories of the 1936-1938 e FOR GRYNSZPAN: Against the the error of his ways. "Yakir reported­ authorities are planning to use Yakir purges. However, his flat had been Fascist Pogrom Gangs and Stalinist ly said he realized he had gone too as the star witness in a "show trial" searched repeatedly and the authori­ Scoundrels. far in his dissident activities by es­ to implicate a large number of dis­ ties had warned him to terminate e Interview with the Copenhagen tablishing connections with emigre sidents in "anti-Soviet" activities. his activities, which he refused to do. Sociai-Demokraten, 1932. groups in the West," Kaiser wrote. Pyotr Yakir is the son of Iona Ya­ The rumors that this militant fighter e Letter to the Communist League Dev Murarka, reporting in the De­ kir, a Soviet army general who was has recanted, although they have been of China (section of the Internation­ cember 3 London Observer, told of executed by Stalin in 193 7. After his widely publicized in the Western press, al Left Opposition). e How the Workers in Austria Should Fight Hitler. e Polish Fascism and the Mistakes of the Communist party.

These are just a few of the articles cember 10 issue of the New York Span­ jority of the teachers as 'incompetent' and letters by leon Trotsky that In­ ish-language daily El Diario-La and pedagogically 'illiterate' persons tercontinental Press has published. Prensa, "lost all its strength the day as far as exercising their profession Most were translated from the orig­ before yesterday when hundreds of was concerned." inal Russian and appeared in the teachers returned to their classrooms The teachers' demands included a pages of Intercontinental Press for Dominican in anticipation of a harsh move on the salary increase, a wage scale guaran­ the first time in English. part of President Joaquin Balaguer." teed by law, allocation of 30 percent For any of those listed above, Balaguer had threatened to close the of public expenditures to education to send 50c for each article desired. teachers schools indefinitely, suspend the teach­ help correct, among other things, the Or, if you want to follow the im­ ers, and place responsibility for main­ shortage of classrooms, and the con­ portant news of the world each week taining public order in the hands of vening of the National Education and get features like these, send the armed forces if the strike continued. Council (in which the teachers have in a check for S7.50 for six months end strike While they voted to call off the strike, voice and vote), which would seek or $]5 for a year to: A strike that virtually paralyzed the UP I reported, "the strikers also decided solutions to the crisis in education. public educational system in the Do­ to 'condemn' the speech in which Bala­ The government appears to have re­ minican Republic ended December 9, guer threatened on Tuesday [Decem­ sponded favorably only to the de­ INTERCONTINENTAL PRESS twenty-five days after it began. ber 5] to use forceful measures to mand on a wage scale, asserting that P. 0. Box 116, Village Station The strike, according to a United deal with the educational crisis and in it planned to make the wage scale New York, N.Y. 10014 Press International dispatch in the De- which he also characterized the rna- official in 1973. D Ireland= protests tail to stop anti-IRA bill: a massive anti-repression tight needed From Intercontinental Press The government party voted down the government with the same tactics. was obviously a test case aimed at es­ By GERRY FOLEY line for it. The opposition party ab­ "Now they recall the part played by tablishing a precedent for interning "Irish trade unionists are anxious stained. the northern civil-rights movement nationalist fighters in the South. Any­ that their country should not be listed Lynch's victory over the broad bloc prior to the IRA's own involvement, thing that could be done to block m: with South Africa, Rhodesia and the opposing the bill was anticipated by in bathing the North in an internation­ discredit this legal attack by winning Portuguese territories at the top of the Economist, one of the most al spotlight, forcing London to focus the support of sections of the popu­ the repressive legislation league," the authoritative voices of British big busi­ its attention on the North and provide lation that have not yet developed Irish Transport and General Workers ness. Its Dublin correspondent wrote the IRA with an opportunity to capi­ a clear national consciousness, or of Union said November 28 in a state­ in the December 2 issue of the weekly talize on Catholic resentment." sections that for various reasons may ment criticizing the Dublin govern­ magazine: Before the last crisis, moreover, the have divided loyalties, was in the best ment's new bill against the Irish Re­ "Despite the public demonstrations Irish commentators saw a shift oc­ interests of the Irish nation and the publican Army. of sympathy with Mr MacStiofain, curring in the policy of the Provision­ exploited and deprived people of Ire­ The Amalgamated Transport and there are no signs of the massive re- al republican movement. In the Irish land. General Workers Union denounced the Likewise, participating in elections bill also, referring to the statements can be an opportunity for reaching of protest it was receiving from its out to sections of the population that various branches: still have illusions about the Southern "The resolutions see in this Bill, government as well as for offering should it ]Jecome law, a threat to all the people a chance to use what re­ trade unions, tenants' associations and mains of the democratic rights they minority political groups, and demand won in 1916-1921 to protest against that the Irish Congress of Trade the corrupt proimperialist Free State Unions and the Labour Party resist parties. Electoral activity, in a way, this legislation by calling a general is very much like legal defense in strike." court cases, in which persecuted revo­ On November 29 most of the news­ lutionists have to take advantage of papers in Dublin did not publish. The - the contradictions in the ruling class's National Union of Journalists (NUJ) hypocritical legal codes to expose the declared a one-day strike in protest system and thereby hamper the ability against the Lynch government's ac­ of the dominant minority to carry out tions intended to terrorize the press repression. (which included firing the board of The Provisional leadership has seen the state broadcasting network, RTE). from the whole development since On November 28, some 300 journal­ April that the Dublin government's ists marched through Dublin to make ability to repress them depends on its a public demonstration of their pro­ winning either active or passive sup­ test. The NUJ statement said: port for such measures in the general "We understand and accept the re­ population. Lynch did not launch an sponsibility which rests upon us to all-out attack while the struggle of report the increasing unemployment, the Northern nationalists still had a weekly rise in redundancies and fac­ clear mass focus and international sup­ tory closures and continuing increase port. Furthermore, thi~ onslaught · in the cost of living affecting partic­ Unemployed march inside the walls of Derry City in Northern Ireland after the occu­ came just after publication of the Brit­ ~b' tll.e poorer members of the com­ pation by British troops in 1970. Mass actions are needed that can: i~olve broad ish government's "green paper," which D:turtity. We believe that we must draw sectors of the population· of the Republic of Ireland in the fight against thot govern­ gave Lynch a chance to hold up the attention to those issues in the nation­ ment's repression. prospect of peaceful reunification of al inter-est, that is, in the interests of the country over the long run. all the people of this country. The Lynch government needed the "Reluctantly, therefore, we have action expected by the IRA and Sinn Times of October 31, Dick Grogan December 2 bombings to ram its un­ stopped work and come to Dail Fein organisations!" wrote that the Provisional Sinn Fein popular repressive legislathm through Eireann [the Irish parliament] to tell The Christian Science Monitor's seemed to be orienting toward par­ parliament. the Government and Opposition Dep­ Dublin correspondent Jonathan ticipating in elections in the formally The bombings seemed expressly de- uties that we fear intolerable restric­ Harsch claimed also in the December independent part of the country, at tion on freedom of expression in the 1 issue of the Boston daily that the least at the local level. Even leaders Bill which has been circulated and protests had been a relative failure: most identified publicly with the mili­ which is to come before the Dail to­ "Clearly the IRA leadership has been tary campaign in the North seemed morrow. We fear further imprisonment dismayed by the poor response to its to be turning in this direction: for our members if they, like Mr. calls for massive protest demonstra­ O'Kelly, refuse to abrogate their tions North and South. In IRA eyes "Mr. Mac Stiofain's statement [to an words as journalists and to become there were ample excuses for such pro­ October 29 Sinn Fein meeting ( ard­ part of public prosecutions." tests. There was an opportunity to fheis)], it was said, stressed the need On the same day, 5,000 people dem­ protest the Dublin government's firing for increasing emphasis on political onstrated at the Dail against the bill. of the Irish radio and TV board of work, to parallel the military cam­ directors and the sweeping new 'of­ paign, . and the whole tenor of the ard-fheis seemed to hold some indi­ Inside the Dail, deputies opposed fenses against the state' legislation. Protesters could, and some did, join cation that this was the way the tide the bill from a wide range of posi­ with openly IRA groups demanding is turning in the Provisional Repub­ tions. Neil Blaney, a former minister lican Movement- as in the Official purged from 'Lynch's cabinet because the release of IRA chief Sean Mac­ Stiofain. Movement before them." of an alleged attempt to import arms Furthermore, although Mac Stiofain for the Northern· Catholic minority "But despite this opportunity to show sympathy with the IRA indirectly, conducted himself after his arrest in in May 1970, argued against the gov­ relatively small numbers joined in the accordance with the highest traditional Sean MacStiofain ernment's legislation in these terms, protests. And in those which were held, ideals of the IRA, he also departed as summarized in the December 2 from past practice in one imporfant protesters were often outnumbered by signed to convince the Southern popu­ Irish Times: respect- he defended himself before his police and troops in riot gear." lation that they were facing a cam­ "He said that it was a fact that the persecutors. This caused a reaction paign of apparently uncontrolled vio­ I. R. A. was defending the minority in among some members. the North. The proposals of the Bill Harsch drew this conclusion: "The lence such as the people of Northern Ireland have experienced this year in could only have one connotation for message was clear. The IRA's strength "Mr. MacStiofain's decision to defend the oppressed minority there- to take lies in its ability to mount limited himself before the three-judge Dublin particular. The fear of such seemingly away the only vestige of defense which guerrilla attacks. It has not found panel, breaking with tradition, has useless carnage spreading to the South the minority had against the maraud­ the key to mobilizing large numbers been greeted with derision among could be depended upon to stampede the majority of the Southern Irish peo­ ing hardliners in Belfast. The I. R. A. of people." younger men," Bernard Weinraub had made it quite clear that they had In response to this situation, the cabled to the New York Times N ovem­ ple who are not yet convinced of the no intention of engaging in a cam­ Monitor correspondent wrote, the Pro­ ber 29 from Belfast. possibility or even the desirability of paign of violence south of the Bor­ visional republicans were rethinking Regardless of the feelings of Pro­ a national revolution, into accepting der- 'They have been telling us that their strategy: visional fighters who may h~ve suf­ repression. "As a rapid reassessment takes place fered jail terms as a result of refusing The problem was that despite the Nonetheless, except for Blaney, two within the IRA leadership, voices not to recognize the courts of either the support they won by their bravery other independents, Sean Sherwin of heard since 1969 are reemerging. Irish states established by the capitu­ and daring, the Provisionals did not Aontacht Eireann [the United Ireland "IRA 'provos' had credited their lationist treaty of 1921, it seems clear seem to have a program for orga­ party], and two maverick members guerrilla campaign with the overthrow that Mac Stiofflin's decision was a nizing the masses of the Irish people. of the major bourgeois opposition of the North's provincial government wise one. Their political platform called for re­ party Fine Gael, the entire body of at Stormont, Belfast. They came to The Lynch government's prosecu­ gional decentralization and democ- the parliament accepted the legislation. believe they could topple the Dublin tion of the reputed Provisional leader Continuecl on page 22

THE-MIUTANT/-DE.CEMBER-29, .. 1.972 . \ -· • ( I • ~ I · l t -·l:f ~'ll /1.lit')"-:>'~ll1 •·: j~ ,_, -- ._,_1.3 Prices ·and grofits ug Actions 1972= good year for the bosses aero~ By FRANK LOVELL percent. This reduction in labor costs, The paycheck may be slightly larger Italy hit As the year 197.2 closes the U.S. em- combined with price increases, spells now, but because of rising prices it · ploying class appears to be riding superprofits. buys less. high and headed for greater heights. • Stock market. This reflects the If some workers feel left out in this Valpreda Most of their economic indicators are state of the economy and measures bountiful capitalist eco.nomy, it i~ only pointing up. the confidence of the capitalists in their natural for them to thrnk that w1th the · e Profits. Dearest to their hearts. system to produce greater profits. The abundance of goods and all the frame u· p Corporate profits for the year (before Dow Jones index, a standard daily money there must be some way to • taxes) will probably exceed $90-bil- recording of major industrial stock raise the standard of living and im- lion and may go over $100-billion, movements, broke the 1,000 mark this prove the quality of life for the work- Demonstrations marked by police vio­ the highest in history. After-tax prof- year for the first time. With some ups ing class. That is not what the em- lence took place in numerous Italian its are expected to be around $50- and downs (for profit taking) Dow ployers and their government in Wash- cities on Dec. 12. The demonstrators, billion. They never had it so good. Jones averages continue to rise. ington promise. mainly students, were protesting gov­ Third-qU;arter profits this year went All this fortifies the ruling-class sense Next year union contracts covering ernment violations of civil rights. up almost 16 percent from the record- of well-being and smugness. about five million workers will expire. The occasion for the nationwide breaking profits of a year ago. Workers, however, have no reason They are in key industries: rubber protest actions was the third anniver­ (April), electrical manufacturing- GE sary of a bombing incident author­ and Westinghouse (May and June), ities used to frame up Pietro Valpreda, over-the-road trucking (June), rail- a 40-year-old ballet dancer and an­ WE road (July), postal service (July), and archist. auto (September). According to the December 13 New Wages in these industries average York Times, demonstrators built bar­ about $4.50 to $4.80 an hour. Wages ricades in Rome but were dispersed of workers whose contracts do not by huge police forces with tear gas. expire in 1973 will increase an av­ At least 20 persons were injured. In erage of 5.4 percent under the terms Naples an outdoor protest meeting of these contracts. The "inflation fight­ by left parties and unions was dis­ ers" have also declared their intention rupted by a bomb. Protests in Milan to hold new wage agreements to the led to several battles between police 5.4 percent figure. and students. Every industry expects to get more Popular protests against the frame­ production in 1973. Old plants are up of Valpreda have become so strong being phased out, some new ones built. that the ·government has moved his The new plants run faster, hire fewer trial- scheduled to begin next spring workers, produce more. -to Catanzaro, a small city in the Without exception, each industry ex­ south of Italy. The authorities fear pects to raise prices to more than "disorders" would break out if it were offset any wage increase. held in Milan. In other areas, the federal govern­ Valpreda is accused of responsibil­ ment has indicated that the 1973 bud­ ity for the bombing of a Milan bank get will trim funds for welfare pay­ on Dec. 12, 1969. More than a dozen ments, public works programs, persons were killed by the bomb, and Long lines of jobless seek unemployment benefits. There are still five million officially schools, mass transportation systems, many more were wounded. Valpreda out of work and millions more living below the poverty level. public housing, and environmental and 11 other anarchists were arrested control projects. for the deed. Many in the Italian labor • Gross National Product. This is to feel the same way. Five million The conditions of life in this affluent movement believed, however, that the measured by total prices of all ser­ are still officially unemployed. And society will not improve in 1973. The bombing had been carried out as a vices and commodities and supposed­ if those "discouraged" and unregistered standard of living of the working class provocation by neofascists. Valpreda ly shows the rate of economic growth. job seekers plus the part-time workers will continue to decline. There are 80 has been held in jail awaiting trial The pieture is distorted by the rate of earning less than $50 weekly are in­ million workers who won't like that, ever since. inflation and devaluation of the cur­ cluded as 'jobless," the actual number who think they are entitled to some­ Under pressure from a popular cam­ rency. GNP exceeds $1-trillion, con­ of unemployed is about 15 million. thing better. paign in defense of Valpreda, some tinues to climb. Welfare recipients are another 15 mil­ police investigators began an inquiry e Prices. The employing class wor­ lion. The number of people-men, I neglected to mention some clouds into the case and turned up conclu­ ries about inflation, but welcomes women, and children -living in ab­ on the economic horizon- the unre­ sive evidence that two neofascists had price hikes. The steel industry is rais­ ject poverty in this country exceeds solved world monetary crisis, the un­ purchased the timing mechanisms at­ ing prices. Auto prices advance. Long­ 50 million, a quarter of the popula­ favorable balance of U. S. import-ex­ tached to the Milan bombs. Last Au­ distance telephone rates can be raised tion. port trade, and foreign competition. gust these two ultrarightists were for­ by $145-million a year. Interest Full-time workers are not rich either. These give the U. S. ruling class bad mally charged with the bombing, but charges on home loans have been A recent report of the U. S. Depart­ dreams. Valpreda was still not released. quietly advanced to 7.5 percent by the ment of Labor reveals that in 1970 May they rest in peace. Melvin Laird banks. Rents are climbing steadily. average yearly earnings of union gave assurances before departing his All this is dutifully approved by the members were $8,609 (about $165 post as defense secretary that annual appropriate government agencies. a week before taxes); unorganized full­ military expenditures will not drop Prices went up "only" about 3.2 per­ time workers averaged $7,452 yearly. below $80-billion. cent for the first 7 months of this year, but the Consumer Price Index for No" - vember showed a jump of 0.6 per­ cent for an annual rate of 7.2 per­ cent. This is even higher than the rate of inflation in August 1971, when the government wage-freeze edict came down. We are now told that inflation has been checked, but prices continue to rise. I e Productivity. This is the real thing, output per hour of labor, the key to competitive advantage and greater profits. An increase in the rate Further investigations exposed the of productivity means more products fact that high officials in the Milan in less time by fewer workers. This is police department and Italy's Interior what every capitalist looks for. In the Ministry had concealed evidence past 12 months the productivity in­ against the neofascists. In addition, crease for the economy as a whole Antonio Allegra, head of the political was 4.5 percent, and in manufactur­ office of the Milan police, was involved ing it was 5.4 percent- both far ahead in an inquiry into the death of another of the normally hoped-for long-range anarchist, Giuseppe Pinelli Pinelli re­ rise of about 3 percent. portedly "fell" or "jumped" from a win­ In the third quarter of this year dow in the Milan police headquarters productivity in manufacturing ad­ while being questioned about the vanced at a 5. 7 percent annual rate, bombing. Later the police officer in moving considerably ahead of wage charge of that investigation was mys­ increases for the same three months. teriously assassinated. The result was a reduction in unit­ Popular outrage over the Valpreda labor costs in manufacturing of 0.6 case has even forced the Italian par­ Militant/Tom Vernier liament to pass a special law permit­ ting the judicial authorities in Catan­ zaro to release the defendant on bail

14 Rumors of broader accord denied Cuba, U.S., seek agreement on hijacking By CAROLINE LUND ern Airways DC-9, which the hijack­ Negotiations on the question of hi­ ers threatened to crash into a major jackings began Nov. 25 between the U. S. atomic energy plant. On Nov. ~ U. S. and Cuban governments. The 15 the Cuban and U.S. governments talks are taking place through the announced their decision to open the intermediary of the Swiss embassy in talks. Cuba, since the U. S. has refused dip­ On Nov. 14 the Cuban government lomatic relations with Cuba since issued a declaration detailing its po­ 1961. sition on the hijacking question. The A major development in the nego­ declaration, published in the Dec. 1 tiations was announced Dec. 5, when issue of Direct From Cuba, a press the State Department acceded to Cu­ service of Prensa Latina, states that ban demands that the accord should "U.S. imperialism invented and en­ apply to hijacked ships as well as couraged the hijacking of airborne planes. In the past, the U.S. govern­ aircraft during the fifst years of the ment has taken no steps against Cu­ [Cuban] Revolution when it first put bans who have hijacked Cuban ships into practice its plans to subvert and to take them illegally to the U. S. In­ attack our country. . .. " stead such hijackers- many of them It points out that at the time of the counterrevolutionaries- have been Bay of Pigs invasion, the U.S. govern­ promptly. released and granted refu­ ment recruited people for the attack gee status. and "offered 100,QOO dollars to any The U. S. also reportedly agreed to pilot of the Cuban Air Force who take a tougher stance against Cuban brought a MIG plane to the United. counterrevolutionaries who use Flori­ States." da as a base for armed raids against Noting that "no technical solution, .Cuba. It remains to be seen, however, no legal or political recourse, has been whether this agreement, if signed, will found to efficiently solve the problem," mean anything in practice. The U.S. it asserts that: claims that its neutrality laws have "No international agreement has always banned such raids, and yet been able to go into force, or will be the U.S. governme:q.t and CIA have able to, amorig other things, because · given moral and material support to the world today is living in a general counterrevolutionary raids in the past climate of illegality, terror, and vio­ Havana, 1970. Demonstration against hijacking of Cuban ship by counterrevolutionary -going so far as to organize the Bay lence which constitutes the official poli­ Cuban exiles, 'gusanos' (worms). Poster reads: 'The children of the people are not of Pigs invasion in 1961. cy of the United States in many parts exchangable for worms.' The main outlines of the draft agree­ of the world, Southeast Asia among ment proposed by Cuba in the cur­ them." The Cuban government's declara­ som money brought into their coun­ rent negotiations are the same as those In this context, the declaration tion notes that hijackers are 'hlo­ try by hijackers in order to get back proposed. by Cuba in 1969, the last states, "the problem could not be tivated by many different reasons, some of the $60- to $70-million in time U. S.-Cuban contacts were made solved by Cuba alone, in a unilateral ranging from political motives to the Cuban assets Washington impounded over the hijacking question. At that way, without reciprocal action by the committing of common crimes and to when it broke diplomatic relations with time the U. S. had insisted that the United States in relation to similar mental illness." There has been no Cuba. accord only cover aircraft and not acts that have affected our country." report that Cuba would take special In another development, the State ships. It goes on to propose a bilateral agree­ measures in relation to radical hi­ Department said Nov. 30 that the air­ The hijackings have increased since ment similar to that proposed by jackers. lift of refugees from Cuba to the U. S. 1968, with 79 planes taken to Ha­ Cuba in 1969. In the Nov. 19 New York Times ''will be resumed in the near future." vana since that year. The specific in­ On Nov. 20 the State Department James Reston cites Swiss diplomats The airlift was suspended May 12 cidents leading to the current nego­ announced it had been informed by as saying Cuba is suspicious that when Cuba stated that there were no tiations were two hij ackings in a pe­ Cuban officials that the three hijackers some hijacking operations 'hlay be more people ready to leave. "Asked riod of less than two weeks. On Oct of the Southern Airways plane would used by the United States as a means whether this Cuban move had broader 28 an Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 be put on trial in Cuba on charges to spy on what's going on in Cuba." significance for Cuban-American rela­ was hijacked to Havana, followed by of felonious acts both in Cuban air­ According to Reston's sources, the tions, a (State Department] spokesman the Nov. 10-11 hijacking of a South- space and on Cuban soil. Cuban government is keeping any ran- Continued on page 22

Answer to Asian PoP-ulation Conference Problem is imperialism, not overpopulation By M.P. SAHAND in the urban and rural labor mar­ Bertrand Russell explaining how the sistant managing editor, visited Iran On Nov. 10 the Christian Science kets- are direct effects of the maldis­ Iranian oil income and other natural during the "2500th Anniversary of the Monitor published an article entitled tribution of the wealth of the nation resources are spent. Russell's views Persian Empire"- a multimillion-dol­ "Asia's booming population studied by among a handful of the comprador were that the "revenue from oil is en­ lar banquet. Snow recorded his UN conference." ruling class. tirely absorbed by the military elite. reminiscences in the Globe of Sept. According to this article, the Second I also challenge the statement by the They swallow, as well, the taxes taken, 26, 1971. Asian Population Conference de­ executive director of the UN Fund for the profits from the proceeds of land Among other things, he recalled that termined that: Population Activities ( UNFPA) that sold to the peasants, allocations for in 1962 "President Kennedy's puckish 1) Iran, together with 21 other Asian "the population problem in Asia is various fake projects of development, personal aide Dave Powers ~as asked countries, is faced with the "most 'of utmost concern.'" Indeed, the real and bribes for protection and favor. for his impression of the Shah after critical problem- mushrooming popu­ question "of utmost concern," is, as it Newsweek gave an interesting account a White House meeting. Said Powers lation . . . "; and ought to be, the "problem" of the "popu­ of this process in its issue of 16 April simply: 'Well, he's my kind of Shah.'" 2) in this country, "maldistribution lation": the economical and political 1962. Not surprisingly, eighty-five If there remains any doubt about of the population, coupled with domination of the imperialists through percent of the population exists on an the ''kind of Shah" that Powers and dwindling water resources, has created their colonial and neocolonial policies. average annual income of $70." the class he served enjoy, Marilyn a crisis.... " It is merely an attempt to stultify Rafael Salas, the executive director Berger has surely clarified this in the world opinion to pretend that such a of the UNFPA and a former Philip­ April 17, 1972, Chicago Sun- Times: It is utterly absurd to propose that "crisis" as mentioned earlier could be pine cabinet minister, has maintained "In the words of one former U.S. maldistribution of the population ''has solved by a $1.6-million UN fund for that "approaches to the population official, the best way today to assure created" a crisis in Iran. In the "family planning, research, communi­ question are still in their early stages continued supplies of oil would be to twentieth century - the Age of Im­ cations, improved census-taking, and and that the Asian meeting- the first 'try to preserve good relations with • perialism- maldistribution of popula­ three maternity hospitals" for a nation in nine years- 'will be valuable if the oil states, watch the situation and tion as well as maldistribution of most of 30 million. only to deepen our insights into it.'" back the right horse.'" other social entities are not causes to On Oct. 8 George Ball, an American In this respect, I believe Russell's As such, I agree with the executive create_ crises but are direct or in­ diplomat and former assistant to the views of the problems of the Iranian director of the UNFPA that there is direct effects. secretary of state, in a ceremonial masses are immensely valuable con­ "no prospect of reaching concrete solu­ What are then the causes of such speech given in the Plaza Hotel of tributions - if only to "deepen the tions during the UN-sponsored con­ effects? New York, said that Iran's income insights" of the members of the Con­ ference." But, I would add, neither In Iran, the crises being created in from oil alone will reach $1 0-billion ference. in the second nor in the nth conference general and the maldistribution of the by the end of this decade. But what do all these have to do as long as the UN Asian Population population-:- that is, the concentration In November 1964, Minority of One with the imperialists? Conference tries to stand up on· a of the armies of jobless proletarians published an article written by the late Crocker Snow Jr., Boston Globe as- wrong foot.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 Mass transit financing is boon Soviet for capitalists, fraud on public physicist By DICK ROBERTS the biggest financial institutions­ following letter to the New York The strike against the Long Island banks, insurance companies, holding Times: "It would be of great value stripped of Rail Road raises a question that often companies, etc. to New Yorkers, in considering the comes up in labor disputes involving Suppose the Long Island Rail Road question of subway fares, for you to municipal workers. This is the so-called (which is a subdivision of the New publish information on: citizenship loss involved in operating city ser­ York Metropolitan TransportationAu­ "1) The original costs of the By MARILYN VOGT vices. Whether it is commuter trains thority) issues bonds for $10-million. subways, how they were owned and Valery N. Chalidze, a prominent ac­ or hospitals, every city service always Further suppose they are purchased financed and how they came under tivist in the democratic opposition seems to be run at a loss to begin with. by the Rockefellers' Chase Manhattan control of the transit authority; movement in the Soviet Union, has And if the city workers win a raise in Bank for its trust funds. There is no "2) The amount of funds that have been deprived of his Soviet citizenship. their pay, this will add to the loss, and way of knowing the bonds actually been raised and the amount that has Chalidze, a noted Soviet physicist the price of the service will have to be held by bank trust funds because there been repaid on subway construction and legal expert, was a co-founder hiked. are no laws forcing banks to reveal and maintenance; in 1970 of the Committee in Defense Thus the Long Island Rail Road, these figures. "3) The incremental cost in the an­ of Human Rights in the Soviet Union. according to New York State Control­ Now, in our hypothetical case, the nual budget of the subways that goes In conjunction with the Human Rights ler Arthur Levitt, has had an oper­ LIRR has raised $10-million to help to repayment of debts. Committee and through his own sa­ ating loss of nearly $140-million be­ cover the so-called loss. But what "Sincerely . " mizdat journal, Social Problems, he tween 1967 and 1971, an average of about the bonds in the Chase Man­ · Of course the letter was never has issued numerous statements de­ $28-million a year. Furthermore, hattan Bank trust funds? These are printed. nouncing the Soviet. bureaucrats' A portion of the answer, however, mounting campaign of repression of appeared in the Dec. 4 Times article the democratic opposition movement. already referred to. This revealed that In August 1970, Chalidze was de­ the 34 public authorities of New York moted from his position as head of have $8. 9-billion in debts outstanding. a polymer physics group at Moscow's Controller Levitt said this includes Plastics Research Institute "on ideo­ debts "which in the mind of the finan­ logical grounds" because of his out­ cial community the state has a 'moral spoken. defense of arrested dissidents, obligation' to support whenever au­ This fall, Soviet authorities granted thority revenue becomes insufficient." Chalidze an exit visa to visit the In other words, not only do the fares United States for one month at the go to pay off the bonds of the "finan­ invitation of the New York University cial community," but state tax payers and Georgetown University law also are "morally obligated" to pay schools to deliver lectures on civil interest when the fare revenues are rights in the Soviet Union. He ar­ insufficient. The greed of the ruling rived in New York Nov. 23. class knows no bounds. On Dec. 13 at 11 a.m., Yuri Ga­ This massive fraud of public debt lishnikov, a Soviet consular secretary charges is an issue that is just as im­ from Washington, and an unidentified portant to the people who pay fares, man called on Chalidze at his New and city and state taxes, as to the York City hotel. Galishnikov asked striking workers themselves. They to see Chalidze' s passport "to check have a common interest in getting at his identity." When Chalidze handed the truth. "You're operating at a loss? his passport over for inspection, the Prove it. Open the books and show us "officials" kept it. They then informed who is actually losing from this fraud him that by a decree of the Presidium and who is gaining." of the Supreme Soviet passed on Tues­ day, Dec. 12, he had been: stripped of his citizenship on grounds of hav­ ing committed "acts discrediting a So­ viet citizen." In a press conference on Dec. 13, LIRRstrike Chalidze denied these charges: "In the DEC. 19- The strike of 5,000 United States I have been occupied nonoperating employees of the with conversations with jurists and Long Island Rail Road entered its with lectures on human rights in the twentieth day today, with no pros­ USSR and, in particular, speaking pects for a settlement. The 1,500 about acts of authorities which have operating employees of the LIRR discredited the USSR-for violations are honoring the strike, thus of human rights discredit the state." paralyzing the busiest train system He stated that he would attempt to in the country. return to the Soviet Union, where the The coalition of 12 striking law provides for stateless residents. unions is demanding a 28 percent However, if this right is denied him wage increase to bring their he would not apply for any other salaries closer to parity with the citizenship. He asserted that he would New York commuters are often forced to walk when trains break down. Commu• ,rs wages of operating employees. The and transit workers have common interest in exposing the fraudulent financing of mass continue to speak out against the re­ railroad has contended that this pression of the dissidents in the Soviet transit through municipal bonds. wage increase would require doub­ Union. ling passenger fares, thus attempt­ In depriving Chalidze of his citizen­ ing to turn commuters against the ship the Kremlin rulers hope to elim­ "Losses increased each year to $54.7- repaid at interest. That's why the bank strikers. inate yet another troublesome activist million last year, when expenses of bought the bonds to begin with. On Dec. 14 the unions denounced who points out their hypocrisy and $152.5-million far outpaced income Income to the LIRR that is taken the management's claim as "calcu­ their crimes against Soviet citizens. of $97.8-million," the New York Times from commuters mainly ends up pay­ lated to scare and anger our com­ This action underlines the stepped-up reported Dec. 4. ing off the interest rates on these mu­ muters." The unions is-sued a report campaign Chalidze describes as the Now, assuming that these figures nicipal bonds. And these bonds are contending that their contract de­ Stalinist bureaucrats strive to crush. are correct, and they might be, how usually tax free! Follow our hypo­ mands would only mean a three­ the democratic opposition movement is the railroad run in the first place? thetical example even further: the cent fare increase per ride. in the Soviet Union. Where does the extra $55-million or Rockefeller bank is paid an annual A presidential emergency board so come from? It is paid for by munic­ tax-free interest rate, let's say, of 5 had earlier recommended only a ipal bonds that are backed by the percent This means that every 20 6 percent wage increase in each state government years the entire investment is paid year of a two-year contract, retro­ This is not a losing proposition to off. active to Jan. 1. Confident because the ruling class. It is an important This is an important consideration. of this government backing, the source of capitalist income and it in­ Many of the municipal services were railroads have pressed for binding • volves a major fraud that is perpe­ built years ago. New York subways arbitration, but the unions refuse. trated on the public. were built in the last century. That In a new development, sergeants means the holders of the bonds that and lieutenants who supervise col­ Here's how it works: In order to financed these subways- despite the lection of tolls at the city's bridges finance city projects (the same is true talk of loss year after year and the and tunnels voted Dec. 18 to of many state and federal government abysmal conditions of the subways­ authorize a job action, although projects) bonds are issued. These are have regained their initial investment they set no date. They are mem­ usually in very high denominations, many times over. .. bers of Local 1308 of the State, not available to the average person. On Sept 28, 1971, when New York County and Municipal Employees They often begin at $1,000 and high­ was faced with a new subway fare union, AFL-CIO. er, and they are bought mainly by hike to pay the banks, I wrote the

16 ..... 't t 1 • • • . • • 0 -'! • ~ .• '.-; .. ..t \. t ' -"' !- .. • _, t' '\ : _j:. '! 1 Tell Chicanos= ·we face common enemy· Mexican prisoners expose Echeverria· The following is a statement The of Mexico," "... we need to progress must fight as much as under previous students who are innocent in terms Militant received recently from Mexi­ but will not adopt a policy of sub­ regimes. of the battles" as the Poor People's can political prisoners in Lecumberri mission," "in Mexico there are no Another line, " . . . in Mexico there Party has made known. prison. .political prisoners," etc. This cam­ are no political prisoners," is so ob­ Other compafieros are incarcerated · Dated Oct. 22, the statement presents paign by the government didn't begin viously false that it needs no further · in Chihuahua, Oaxaca, San Luis Pot­ the views of these prisoners on Mexi­ with this trip nor will it end with it comment. The last point, "the govern­ osi, Jalisco, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon, can President Luis Echeverria Al­ Recently, government spokesmen ment ought to and wants to represent Veracruz, Tlaxcala, etc. varez's visit to the United States last have gone as far as to proclaim that the workers" is also the height of ef­ We political prisoners represent a summer. "the government should be and wants frontery. How can a government rep­ part of the people's will to fight, and to be the representative of the work­ resent the workers when it is at the we are, so to speak, "examples of ·To our Chicano compafieros: ers." The opportunists have added service of their exploiters? We only punishment." The numerous new . The undersigned- political prisoners their voices to those of the regime, mention two of many possible ex­ compafieros who are being detained held in the Lecumberri prison in the joining the chorus on the greatest of amples: to railroad workers involved are tortured- the usual practice of the Federal District-make the following the lies: that in Mexico we are experi­ in a struggle for union democracy national police and army. They are known to you, compafieros fighting encing a new epoch of "democratic the government has responded with held incommunicado; they are sub­ on the other side of the Rio Bravo: awakening." "Falcons" [armed fascist-like gangs] jected to forced labor; they are extort­ In Mexico the present government We maintain that all of these state- and assassins in Tierra Blanca and ed; they are subjected to physical pun­ of the PRI [Partido Revolucionario ments are nothing more than lies de­ Jalapa, Veracruz, and in Monterrey, ishments. Institucional - Institutional Revolution­ signed to confuse and trick our peo­ Nuevo Leon. The peasant caravan in , And in some cases the government ary Party] employs a double strategy ple. Let's look at the first of them: Tlaxcala and Puebla was suppressed has not hesitated to shoot prisoners by the army. "who are trying to escape." This hap­ This is sufficient to see through LEA pened here at Lecumberri to our and his government of "demogogic compafiero Pablo Alvarado Barrera. awakening." And in Chihuahua, Guerrero, San Luis H under Diaz Ordaz we had the Potosi, and other places it has been massacre of Tlatelolco, under Luis the fate of many other martyrs who Echeverria we have had the massa­ have not been forgotten by the Mexi­ cre of San Cosmo of June 10, 1971. can people and. never will be. H Diaz Ordaz suppressed the just You, compafieros Chicanos, .and we, struggles of the telephone operators the fighters in Mexico, are developing and doctors, Luis Echeverria a class struggle and are facing a com­ drowned in demagogy and firings the mon enemy. You face direct Yankee aspirations of bank workers to union­ imperialism while we face this same ize and of the teachers to increase imperialism and its Mexican associates their miserable salaries. Now as and allies. Exploitation and oppres­ before peasants continue to be beaten, sion are as brutal there as here. We jailed, and murdered. understand that our battle is part of But the unrest has deep roots. The the same process. We feel solidarity protests, struggles, and movements with the objectives you pursue. The continue and are maturing, improving obstacles we must overcome are great, their objectives, programs, tactics, and but ultimately, if we know enough methods, and taking in ever broader to unite with the working class and groups. In some sectors the unrest is the people, we will win. Mexican students jailed in 1968 repression even taking the form of armed strug­ Venceremos! gle, as in the case of the state Fabio Erazo Barbosa of Guerrero, where the ·PoC»r People's Victor M. Hernandez 0. -on the one hand, demagogy, on "I will fight resolutely for the interest Party has initiated it. Enrique Condez Lara the other, repression. With this double of Mexico" and "we need to progress Naturally the movement must pay Mario Rechy Montiel strategy it subdues the people seeking but will not adopt a policy of sub- its quota of blood and prisoners. Thus Vicente A Madrid Zambrano a solution to their problems. One ex­ mission." the number of political prisoners in Ignacio Gonzalez Ramirez ample of the regime's demagogy can The reality of life for workers and this country is increasing. In the Fed­ Raul Ernesto Murguia be seen in Echeverria's trip to the peasants is very different. The deval­ eral District's Lecumberri and Santa Gabriel Pesalta Zea United States. uation of the Mexican peso, growing Martha Acatitla prisons, there are Ezequiel Flores Rodriguez When LEA [Luis Echeverria unemployment, inflation, the closing more than 120 politiCal prisoners. In Pedro Marla Zarate Alvarez] recently visited the United of factories such as occurred in the the state of Guerrero, in the prisons Salvador Aguilar Rodriguez States, he and other leaders of the textile and shoe industries, the policy of Chilpancingo, Acapulco, Iguala, Javier Fuentes Gutierrez system that rules in our country pub­ of massive readjustments, etc., togeth­ and others, there are more than 100. Manuel Rendon Barradas lished a series of lies, such as: "I er make up a situation of misery and In addition, "they have tortured, Lecumberri prison will fight resolutely for the interests exploitation against which workers killed, and jailed women, peasants and Oct. 22, 1972 Political grisoners topic of Houston panel Echeverria bars Chicanos' prison visit By PAUL McKNIGHT including Cantu, Bert Corona, Rodol­ similar political and social situation." spoke to three government classes and HOUSTON, Dec. 15-A panel discus­ fo "Corky" Gonzales, Jose Angel Gu­ Daniel Zadunaisky, an Argentine ac­ one Chicano studies class at Austin sion held here today in a Chicano tierrez, and Raul Ruiz, were in Mexico tive in the movement to free political High School, to a group of senior community center focused on the City at a seminar arranged by pro- prisoners, spoke of the repression un­ citizens at the Centro Chicano, and · plight of political prisoners in Latin ~essors at the University of Mexico. der the Lanusse dictatorship. in Ar­ to an informal meeting of about 30 America. The panel was cosponsored Armed with a list of 400 Mexican gentina. His appearance on this panel Chicano activists. He was also inter­ by the United States Committee for political prisoners, they went to Le­ was part of his national tour for the viewed on the Pacifica radio station Justice to Latin American Political cumberri prison, where they knew 116 USLA. While in Houston he also KPFT. Prisoners (USLA), the Militant Labor of these men and women were being Forum, and the Texas Prison and held, and asked to see them. They Jail Coalition. were refused and referred to one of Fred Cruz of the Prison Coalition Echeverria's top aides. He told them expressed solidarity with-the political a prison visit would be arranged. prisoners of Latin America and with the efforts of USLA. They gave him a list of political Mario CantU,. director of the Cen­ prisoners they wanted to see, includ­ tro Cultural Ruben Salazar in San ing their dates of arrest, charges Antonio, related the recent activities against them, and their cell numbers. of Chicanos in defense of Mexican The next day they were informed by political prisoners. When Mexican .telephone that they would not be al­ President Luis Echeverria was in San lowed to go to the prison. Antonio last summer, he was picketed Cantu said, "I think a lot of work by activists demanding freedom for has to be done in the Chicano move­ Mexico's political prisoners. Echeve­ ment to publicize what is happening rria met with the picketers and invited with political prisoners in Latin Amer­ them to Mexico to see for themselves ica and Mexico- not just for humani­ ·.~ that there were no political prisoners tarian reasons, but for the unity of Militant/Dave Warren there. our people, not just ·our history and Rodolfo 'Corky' Gonzales (I) and Jose Angel Gutierrez were among group of Chicanos A few weeks ago about 50 Chicanos, blood ties, but also because of our denied visit to lecumberri prison in Mexico City.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 J1 THE LEFT OPPOSITION II THE USSR= RUSSIA REIOLUTIO By DAVE FRANKEL The revolutionaries in the Bolshevik Party were well aware of the problems that they would en­ counter in trying to bring the former Russian empire to socialism. A striking indication of the conditions in czarist Russia is presented in Trotsky's book on the 1905 revolution. He cites the statis­ tic that in one province 'in 9.3 per cent of peasant families, cockroaches are not found on account of the prevailing starvation and cold." But the Bolsheviks never expected that a Russian workers state would have to face these conditions in isolation. The whole perspective of the Bolshevik Party was summed up by· Lenin at the end of 1922. He explained: 'When we began at the time we did the inter­ national revolution, we did this not with the con­ viction that we could anticipate its development, but because a whole series of circumstances impelled us to begin this revolution. Our thought was: ... immediately, or at any rate very quickly, a revo­ lution will begin in .the other countries, in capital­ istically more developed countries- or in the con­ trary case we will have to perish. In spite of this consciousness we did everything to preserve the German workers were· ready to fight, but their leaders weren't soviet system in all circumstances and at whatever cost, since we knew that we were working not only for ourselves, but for the international revolution. We knew this, we frequently expressed this con­ Also in 1919 came the massive mobilization of and with the support of 71,000 people the French viction before the October revolution, exactly as the Irish people that led to the bitter war of inde­ expelled from the occupation zone in response we did immediately after it and during the conclu­ pendence against the British empire. In March of to the policy of passive resistance. sion of the Brest-Litovsk Peace. And, generally 1919 a Hungarian Soviet republic was proclaimed While strikes, demonstrations, sabotage, and even speaking, this was right." in Budapest. The next day British Prime Minister guerrilla resistance against the occupation multi­ But the failure of the revolutionary upsurges in Lloyd George wrote to Clemenceau, his French plied, an inflation of staggering dimensions began Europe isolated the new regime. This isolation, counterpart: to eat away at the foundations of German society. in turn, meant that the economic backwardness "The whole of Europe is filled with the spirit In mid-February 1923, one month after the inherited from czarism was to play a crucial part of revolution. There is a deep sense not only of occupation began, one U.S. dollar exch~nged for in the Russian developments. The entire situation discontent but of anger and revolt amongst the 18,000-20,000 German marks. By May the rate would have been different if the Soviet regime had workmen against prewar conditions. The whole was 48,000 to one, by June it had risen to 110,000 been able to rely on the aid of a highly industrial­ existing order in its political, social, and economic to one, and one month later it stood at 350,000 ized country like Germany. aspects is questioned by the masses of the popula­ to one. But this was only the beginning. In August tion from one end of Europe to the other." it took 4. 6 million marks to equal one dollar. But capitalism was able to regain its equilibrium In September the figure was just below 99 million; for a time. In August internal opponents backed in October it surpassed 25 billion, and in November by Rumanian troops managed to topple the So­ it had attained the astronomical figure of 4.2 viet regime in Hungary. The next year, in the fall trillion. of 1920, a mass movement of factory occupations Prices began to change from hour to hour. Work­ and the seizure of mines and estates by the Italian ers would be paid several times each day, and working class subsided after the workers found rush to buy bread before prices rose again. Money no party capable of leading them in a struggle for was carried not in wallets, but in burlap sacks. power. Finally, in March 1921, the German Com­ Savings accounts, pensions, insurance policies­ munist Party suffered a heavy defeat when it at­ all were worthless. Confidence in the established tempted to lead an ill-conceived insurrection. order was shattered. The third congress of the Communist Interna­ Only the rich gained. Industrialists paid wages tional met in July 192 1. Taking note of the tem­ in worthless marks and sold their goods abroad porary stabilization of the European situation, for stable currency. Profiteers bought real estate, it urged the Communist parties to carry out patient jewelry, businesses, and homes for almost nothing propaganda and agitational work aimed at win­ and sold them to foreigners. ning the masses. Street fighting between Communist and Social The New Economic Policy (NEP) in Russia. Democratic workers on the one hand and right­ unfolded within the context of this stabilization wing nationalist and Nazi bands grew in frequency. of capitalism in Europe, one which was furthered One strike wave followed another, as did dem­ in October 1922 when Mussolin'i took power in onstrations by the unemployed and frequentclashes Italy. with the police. Agricultural laborers in the country­ The defeats of the European revolution were an side joined in and organized mass strikes through­ important factor in the retreat from political activity out the months of June, July, and August. of the masses in the Soviet Union. The leaders of the left opposition, and Trotsky in particular, August Thalheimer, one of the leaders of the looked to a new upsurge in the world revolution Communist Party of Germany (KPD) wrote on to reverse this trend. Ultimately, they saw the July 26 that "everyone in Germany feels that we extension of the revolution in Europe as the only are on the eve of a decisive combat between the way that revolutionary Russia could survive. bourgeoisie and the proletariat." On August 11, as a general strike led by the Crisis in Germany KPD began to spread, the Cuno government fell. Inflation in Germany in the early 1920s got so bad The history of Europe since the end of World A new government, one that included the Socialist that it was cheaper to burn money than to buy fuel. War I showed that the expectation of rapid changes party of Germany (SPD), was formed under Gus­ in the political mood and further revolutionary tav Stresemann. Still, things did not improve. With­ upsurges was hardly an unreasonable one. Its in a week the exchange rate had gone from 3, 700- The major reason for the defeat of the European validity was demonstrated once agains by events 000 to six million, and on Sept. 26 Stresemann revolutions that followed the one in Russia was the in Germany in 1923. declared a state of emergency. lack of a sufficiently organized and sizable revo­ Under the Versailles Treaty after World War I, Stresemann and his People's Party were asso­ lutionary leadership. In one country after another Germany had been saddled with heavy reparations ciated with the interests of the big capitalists. They the masses showed their willingness to fight but payments to the victorious Allies. In January 1923 made repeated efforts to abolish the eight-hour were curbed by the reformist leadership of the France occupied the Ruhr Basin, the industrial day and banned left-wing demonstrations. Hugo Social Democrats. heartland of Germany, in response to a lag in Stinnes, the Rhenish steel, coal, and oil magnate, Nevertheless, huge battles took place. In Ger­ these payments. Cuno, the German prime minister, predicted at a People's Party conference on Sept many the insurgent workers brought down the urged the population not to cooperate with the 11 that civil war would break out within two kaiser and his generals at the end of 1918 and occupiers, and the resulting crisis was to dominate weeks. Later Stinnes revised his estimate to mid­ established workers councils. In January and again European politics for the next year. October. in March 1919, they attempted to establish their The German economy rapidly broke down under The SPD began to lose authority because of its own government. The insurrections were crushed, the strain of the Ruhr occupation. Not only was collaboration with the party of the big industrialists however, and the two greatest leaders of the revo­ Germany deprived of the wealth of the Ruhr mines in. the central government and its refusal to place lution, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, and industries, but it was also charged with the itself at the head of the militant protests of workers, were murdered. upkeep of an occupation army of almost 100,000, Continued on page 22

18 coalition against ·new golitics· SP-DSF urges Democrats to move to right By DAN ROSENSHINE number of women, youth, Blacks, and ponents of "New Politics" of challeng- friends of the Soviet Union and Encouraged by the McGovern debacle Chicanos elected as delegates in ing the "principle of individual merit Hanoi") at the polls, the more conservative Miami without regard to inherited status" with The SP-DSF's refusal to adopt his forces in the Democratic Party have Jumping on the bandwagon of the the "idea of proportionalism in accor- position on McGovern caused Har- moved quickly to regain control of anti-"New Politics" crusade within the dance with birth and group origin." rington to publicly resign as cochair- the party organization. Charging that Democratic Party is the Socialist Par- In other words, they are opposed to man in October, charging that the McGovern's "radicalism" and the "New ty-Democratic Socialist Federation preferential hiring or proportional endorsement of McGovern was "sore- Polltics" of the McGovern supporters (SP-DSF) and their youth group, the representation of Blacks or women luctant and backhanded ... that it were responsible for Nixon's victory, Young People's Socialist League or youth. committed the party to the anti-Nix- Southern Democrats, "regulars" in the (YPSL). These right-wing socialists of- The SP-DSF, which is oriented en- on struggle only in the most formal party machine, and labor bureaucrats fer their services in providing an "ideo- tirely toward work in the Democratic sense." of the George IV\eany stripe have all logical" justification for the role of Party, was bitterly divided over which Harrington added that even the "crit- been prominently identified with this bureaucrats like Meany. Democrat to support for the presiden- ical preference" position was "attacked effort. The role of the SP-DSF was evi- tial nomination. by some of the most prestigious lead- The first order of postelection busi- denced in a full-page ad, entitled For years these social democrats ers of the party majority, who refuse ness for the anti-McGovernites was a "Come Home Democrats," in the Dec. have advocated that radicals work any support whatsoever to McGovern successful drive to oust Jean Westwood 7 issues of the New York Times and within the Democratic Party to work and look with enthusiasm upon a Nix- as Democratic Party chairwoman. the Washington Post. for "realignment," that is, to make the on victory." Westwood had been McGovern's "The Democratic Party is in trouble," Democratic Party a "progressive" par- choice for the post after the Miami the ad began. "And when the Demo- ty based on liberals, Blacks, and, the "The historic party of Eugene Victor Democratic Party convention. She was cratic Party is in trouble-America trade unions, while getting rid Debs and Norman Thomas," Harring­ forced to resign at the Dec. 9-10 meet- is in trouble." of Southern Dixiecrats and other con- ton moaned, "is today doing the work ing of the Democratic national com- The ad announced the formation of servatives. of Richard Nixon." mittee. a new organization called the Coali- Needless to say, in the debate over Harrington is still a member of the Texas Democrat Robert Strauss, a tion for a Democratic Majority (CDM) the presidential election, none of the SP-DSF, although whether the party longtime associate of John (Democrat as a "dues-paying, membership orga- SP-DSF leaders advocated a course majority will allow a pro-McGovern for Nixon) Connally, was named to nization" that will help the Democratic of independent working-~lass political "radical" to remain in a leading posi­ succeed Westwood. Party "find its way again." action in opposition to the two cap- tion in the SP-DSF remains to be seen. Strauss immediately began wheeling The 1972 elections provided a "clear italist parties. The SP-DSF majority, along with and dealing, trying to give the im- signal," the CDM statement says, that The more right-wing social demo- other sectors of the Democratic Party, pression that he would be able to uni- the Democrats must return to crats, who have a majority in the are urging that the Democrats drop fy the disparate elements of the party. the "great tradition" of Roosevelt, Tru- party and control the party organiza- whatever minimal and verbal conces­ He welcomed the support he said he man, Stevenson, Kennedy, Johnson, tion, supported the candidacies of sions they made in 1972 to the cur­ had received from George McGovern and Humphrey- and reject the "New Humphrey and Jackson. For exam- rent radicalization and retreat to the and Edward Kennedy. He promised Politics." ple, SP-DSF leader Tom Kahn (who cold-war liberal policies of those rep­ Black Democrats that more Blacks Listed among the sponsors, along has since become executive assistant resented by the Coalition for a Demo- would be added to the Democratic with Democratic Party pros from the to George Meany) wrote speeches for cratic Majority. - national committee. And he quickly Humphrey and Jackson camps, are Jackson and later became an advo- In so doing, they claim they are pointed out that George Wallace's con- a number of leading lights of the SP- cate of the Meany "neutrality" posi- fighting for the interests of the "orga­ stituency deserves "to be heard" in the DSF. Penn Kemble, the executive di- tion. Bayard Rustin wHs prominent nized labor movement." In reality, Democratic Party. Wallace had backed rector of the new group, is a leader in the "stop-McGovern" drive at the however, the interests they are looking Strauss for the job. of YPSL who was formerly chairman Miami convention. out for are the interests of the AFL- Alexander Barkan, AFL-CIO politi- of Frontlash- an AFL-CIO voter reg­ CIO bureaucrats. These bureaucrats, cal director and one of George istration project. After McGovern's nomination, the with a little help from the "intellectuals" Meany's top operators, was also on Kemble is listed as part of the 10- debate in the SP-DSF and its periphery of the SP-DSF, are seeking to main­ the scene as part of the dump-West- member CDM "organizing committee," shifted to whether to back him against tain the subservience of the labor wood campaign. Meany had adopted as are SPers Bayard Rustin, director Nixon. movement to the capitalist Democratic a "neutral" position in the Nixon-Me- of the A. Philip Randolph Institute; Michael Harrington, a national SP­ Party. Govern contest and attacked McGov- Midge Deeter, who recently authored DSF cochairman, and Irving Howe, , Harrington, who is now suffering ern for "neo-isolationism" and advo- The New Chastity and Other Argu­ editor of Dissent magazine, urged "en­ from the severe trouncing his candi­ cating "surrender" in Vietnam. ments Against Women's Liberation; thusiastic support" for McGovern. But date received at the hands of Nixon, Barkan made it clear he wanted to and John P. Roche, a former special in , September the majority of the SP­ offers no alternative to this perspec­ get rid of more than Westwood. "The assistant to Lyndon Johnson who DSF national committee adopted a tive. He, too, believes that the Demo­ crazies have got to go," he said. (Dur- writes a regular column in the SP­ position of "critical preference" for Mc­ cratic Party should be supported by ing the Democratic convention Barkan DSF newspaper, New America. Govern, while attacking him for his all socialists and workers. had complained that the delegates dis- The CDM statement blasts the pro­ "neo-isolationism" and "connection with Both Harrington and his opponents played "too many beards and ponents of "New Politics" for having those currents which on international within the SP-DSF invoke the name not enough cigars.") "derided the organized labor move- affairs have neo-isolationist, and in of Eugene Debs, the leader of the So­ Upon assuming office, Strauss ment, driving it from its traditional a few cases, authoritarian leftist cialist Party in the early 1900s. But quickly invited Meany's participation place in the vanguard of the Demo­ leanings." to reconcile Debs with their politics, in a special committee that is exafuin- cratic coalition," and for advocating (To the SP-DSF, a prime example they have to hide the fact that Debs ing the selection process of delegates "that the United States must withdraw of "authoritarian leftism" within the urged workers to break from both the to the Democratic national convention. from its international responsibilities Democratic Party is New York Con­ Democratic and the Republican parties One of the aims of these forces is to and effect, a serious diminution of its gresswoman Bella Abzug, whose sup­ and to build a party of the working erode or abolish altogether the system own power." porters, according to the Oct. 25 New class in opposition to these capitalist of quotas that had led to an increased The CDM organizers accuse the pro- America, include a "phalanx of the parties.

'Too many beards and not enough cigars.' That was the complaint of AFl- CIO official Alexander Barkan about 1972 Democratic Party convention. The Socialist Party- Democratic Socialist Federation agrees. ,

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 19 In Review

I Am Woman. Capitol Records. Written by He/en Reddy and R. Burton. Sung by HeiP.n Reddy. I am Woman, hear me roar In numbers too big to ignore, And I know too much to go back and pretend. 'Cause I've heard it all before And I've been down there on the floor No one's ever gonna keep me down a~ain.

Yes, I am wise, but it's wisdom born of pain. Yes, I've paid the price, but look how much I've gained. I am strong, I am invincible, I am Woman!

,At the beginning of the year, Billboard magazine (the organ of the record business) made its an­ nual projection of trends in popular music. The main trend it projected for 1972 was the rise of the female singer/songwriter. Women have always been underrepresented· among popular singers, but amol?-g composers they have been virtually ex­ cluded. In past years a third of hit records have been by male singer/ songwriters, but only about 1 percent have involved women singing their own compositions. The effect, of course, is that female artists have had to sing what men have written, and thus to express ideas that men think for them. Billie Holiday, 'lady Day' This began to change in the spring of 1971 with the release of Carole King's "It's Too Late" and her Tapestry album, which had unprecedented Lady Sings the Blues success-with combined sales around ten million in the U. S. alone. The record business doesn't Lady Sings the Blues. A Motown Productions "Strange Fruit," written to describe the way her like to miss a chance to make an extra buck, picture. Featuring Diana Ross. - father died-lynched by white racists. And thus and it smelled a trend. As a result, the industry we have a film on the life of Billie Holiday that reduced its barriers to female singer/ songwriters This film is an attempt to capture on the screen not only includes many inaccuracies but fails to substantially. The- inevitable effect was that the the tragic life of the late jazz-blues singer Billie project the real depth of her oppression. ideas of feminism gained some very significant Holiday. The film portrays the singer's climb to In spite of these shortcomings, the film is well access to the radio stations that the majority of "the top," her relationship with Louis McKay, her worth seeing. If nothing else, we are offered a par­ the American people listen to. second husband, as well as her bout with drugs. tial glimpse of Holiday's life and her battle against Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" is a product of We see her screaming on the floor undergoing racist America. the new women's liberation movement that in just "cold turkey," singing her heart out about 'hly Billie Holiday is still one of the most popular a few years has already deeply affected the con~ man," and working as a prostitute while still a jazz-blues artists. Influenced by Bessie Smith and sciousness of the American people. Reddy is an teenager. Louis Armstrong in her younger years, she re­ activist in that movement. Her song is the first "Lady Day," exhibited all of the scars of racial corded over 200 songs in her career. She was popular hit to clearly identify with feminism. and sexual oppression. She was raped by a neigh­ cheated terribly by recording companies; for many "I Am Woman" was released last May; it was bor at the age of 10 (she, not the rapist, went to years she was never given the royalties for her a total flop. It needed to be played on the radio, a Catholic reformatory for "seducing" him!), be­ songs. and the disc jockeys wouldn't touch it In a letter came a prostitute at age 15 (she was arrested Her book has just gone through another print­ to Billboard, one of them explained why-he had once for refusing to go to bed with a man in the ing and there is even an album out of Diana nothing against women's liberation, you under­ brothel), and she also scrubbed floors for less Ross singing Holiday songs. A good musical about stand, but this record was just plain "propaganda"! than 15 cents a day. her recently appeared at the Brooklyn Academy He plays lots of records that are insulting to wom­ Billie finally broke into her singing career while of Music, and no doubt there will be other plays, en, but that's not "propaganda," of course. offering to audition as a dancer in a nightclub. poetry, and recordings of or about Billie Holiday. According to the song, "no one's ever gonna She went on to reach the height of her career, Some will be good and others bad and exploitive. keep me down again." There may be a long strug­ but found trouble not too far behind. She had But Billie Holidays will continue to exist until the gle ahead, but it's beginning to be true, and Reddy been tricked and cajoled into drug addiction and conditions that drove her and thousands of other was right about her own record. Four full months got arrested for possession of narcotics. After serv­ Black women to lives of prostitution, drugs, and after its release, "I Am Woman" managed to get ing a jail term, she was banned from performing despair are obliterated. For within every Black played on a couple of stations. It was such a in New York nightclubs.. woman there is a part of Billie Holiday. success that gradually other stations were forced Most, if not all, of the songs Billie Holiday sang -MAXINE WILLIAMS to play it. were taken from her life experiences. She lived "I Am Woman" made number one on the charts the blues she sang. The crushing weight of op­ in the United States. Sales are around the million ~ression and exploitation keep bearing down, and mark. Tens of millions of radio listeners are tap­ m 1959, at the age of 44, Billie Holiday died. ping their feet and rhythmically nodding. their The cause of death was said to be a drug over­ heads to the catchy beat of women's liberation. dose. The men who own the music industry know The casting of Diana Ross, formerly of The Su­ a trend when they see one, even if they can't be­ premes, as Billie Holiday left many people wonder­ gin to understand it. May we suggest what's next? ing whether she could actually recapture the great Songs that treat women as prize property, weak s.inger 's life. After all, Ross neither looks nor sings and silly and desiring only to please men are like Lady Day. But she read everything by and rapidly going out of style. Songs where women about Billie Holiday she could get her hands on define themselves- as oppressed and exploited but and listened to Holiday recordings for ninemonths. strong and proud and determined to be free­ In my opinion, her performance is superb. are the wave of the future. But if we still see her as Diana Ross, ~;tnd not -PAT FURL<()NG Billie Holiday, it is because the film contains quite a few inaccuracies about Billie Holiday's life. Al­ though the script was supposed to have been adapted from Holiday's autobiography, many im­ portant sequences were deleted. For instance, Louis McKay was far from being the only man in Holiday's life. We see nothing of her travels with Black jazz musicians of that time and the arguments and brawls she had with 4 -..,:i-bt:A¥&2~~! racist club. owners. The film does not project an. Billie Holiday (played by Diana Ross) and louis McKay understandmg of Holiday's personal protest song, (Billy Dee Williams) in scene from film. .

20 r Memorial meeting for Florian Pattock A memorial meeting for Florian Pattock, known "In 194 1, while mixing lacquer, an explosion oc­ Chase said, "Pat was luckier than many welfare to many of his comrades and friends as "Old Pat," curred that horribly burned Pat," Chase related. recipients. His special veterans benefits entitled was held in New York on Dec. 18. The longtime His injuries required extensive skin grafts and him to live on $38.50 a week. This is how Ameri­ Socialist Workers Party activist died on Nov. 26 were to have a traumatic effect on his functioning can capitalism treats those who fight its wars and of a heart attack. He was 60 years old. the rest of his life. are literally broken from toil in its factories." Steve Chase, organizer of the Upper West Side "Barely recovered from his injuries, Pat was Chase described how to the end of his life, Pat­ Socialist Workers Party, spoke at the memorial activated into the Navy, where he served hard, tock remained an unfailing party activist meeting. Chase described the hardship of Pattock's dangerous destroyer duty for four years. "Throughout the 1972 campaign he was one of youth during the depression. After. a stint as a our most tireless workers." surveyor, Pattock joined the Naval Reserve where "Discharged from the Navy at the end of the Chase ended his speech by explaining that "Pat's he picked up his lifelong skill as an electrician. war, Pat moved to Chicago. He was an active youth was very similar to any number of our There he met another young Naval Reservist, unionist and party builder. older comrades-talented people, who, when the Charlie Scheer. Together they went to work at "He stayed in Chicago throughout the fifties. economic crisis of the depression was over, could Montgomery Ward in St Paul, where tlrey met These were difficult times for the Socialist Workers have carved out a future in bourgeois society. Ted Dostal, who was the Socialist Party organizer." Party.... Many members dropped out, tired af­ They chose not to do so. ter contributing so much. Pat was not one of those." "Instead they chose to hand on their revolution­ Pattock was recruited to the revolutionary social­ Pattock moved to New York in the early 1960s. ary ideas to a new generation of radicals, just

Every time we hear about some member of the who ride subways are students and working peo­ that up he reports selling 46 papers at a rally Young Socialist Alliance who is an especially good ple, and it's logical that you're going to fmd inter­ of 200 college students protesting the Baton Rouge Militant seller, we try to find out if there's some est in The Militant. And," he adds, "with the pros­ killings a few weeks ago. special approach used that we can pass on to pect of a long subway ride, an interesting paper He's sold a few papers to his co-workers, and other sellers. More often than not, we find that looks especially appealing." although his job setup doesn't allow him to sell the "secret" is consistent selling. By standing in a Using the trial-and-error method, Lieberman has at meal breaks, he suggests it for others. "With busy place and pointing out one or two timely settled upon two street corners to sell at regularly. all the opportunities for sales and the openness articles, you discover that The Militant sells it­ One is a busy street in Greenwich Village within to The Militant, it's not a question of finding places self. walking distance of his home, and one is outside to sell or P.eople to buy, but the best places to Jack Lieberman, a member of the Upper West Columbia University, near the YSA headquarters. sell for the li~ited time available." Side YSA in New York, sells 50-60 Militants a He sells there after work and after weekly YSA week. Last week his sales were especially good, meetings. Please send me a ~eekly bundle of Militants (circle and when I talked to him on Wednesday, he had On Wednesday he sold 26 Militants in an hour one):------­ already sold 56 since the previous Saturday. and a half at Borough of Manhattan Community 5 10 25 other · Recently he has been selling every other day and College. There the YSA is waging a fight for rec­ sometimes everyday. Although he participates in ognition, and The Militant's coverage of that fight Name------sales teams organized by his YSA local, Lieberman made it easy to sell to students interested in finding also sells on his own whenever he gets the chance. out more about it. Address------Articles on the Southern University struggle in Subway entrances provide for sales of an av­ Baton Rouge have recently been the best selling City State Zip--- erage of 10-15 each week. "Most of the people features, according to Lieberman. And to back 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014.

THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 21 into the air on ·a hit-or-miss basis. ic issues. are members of the Organization of These counterrevolutionary policies The greatest achievement of the civil American States, which voted in 1963 ... bombing of Moscow and Peking make it all the rights movement was probably its and 1964 to prolllibit member nations Continued from· page 3 more important that oppone~ts of the ability to reach out to the majotity from having economic or diplomatic· nam will continue; this regime can war continue to fight for the principled of the Irish population North and ties with Cuba. only remain in power by crushing the demand of total and immediate U.S. South and ·discredit the repressive gov­ Chile and Peru had previously es­ revolutionary forces that have been withdrawal from Southeast Asia. ernments in the view of decisive layers tablished relations with Cuba, and, ·struggling against it for a1most two Massive social forces are at war. of the population. Unless a similar according to the Nov. 19 New York decades. That is why Washington also On one side is the armed force of revo­ movement can be built in the South Times, Ecuador and Panama are con­ insists on an agreement, public or in lution. On the other side is the cap­ that can affect the broadest sections sidering taking the same step. secret, that Hanoi withdraw its forces italist, landlord, militarist clique in of the population, even the most mili­ from South Vietnam. Saigon, backed by the most powerful tant and determined actions by a hero­ Kissinger's pretense that only minor military apparatus ever constructed, ic vanguard of thousands of people issues still need to be worked out, the armed forces of the Pentagon. Nix­ may not be able to stop Lynch's re­ when the fundamental issues of the on's new escalation once ·again dem­ pression, backed up as it is with the war are in dispute, has caused un­ ~-opposition onstrates that the struggle in Vietnam pressure and resources of imperialisn Continued from page 18 _ precedented criticism of the Nixon ad­ will continue until the imperialists are agricultural laborers, and the unem­ ministration in the U.S. press. "It is defeated and forced to withdraw. Only ployed. There was growing tension . President Nixon, according to all this will allow the Vietnamese to deter­ between the central government and-c · available testimony, who is now in­ mine their own future. the left-wing . socialist governments in sisting that a final accord somehow Saxony and Thuringia. require Hanoi to recognize that Saigon In contrast to the role of the SPD, is to remain in control of the South," ... hijacking the 300,000 revolutionaries organized the New Y ark Times declared editori­ Continued from page 15 in the KPD led strikes and demonstra­ ally Dec. 19. ... Ireland said 'none at all,'" according to a tions throughout Germany. Their "Peace was not at hand, and Mr. Continued from page 13 United Press International dispatch strength in the trade unions and par­ Kissinger has given no convincing ratization of political and eco~omic from Washington. ticularly in factory committees, which reasons for believing that it was. Be­ life. But whatever its merits as a There ·has been speculation in the most clearly reflected the sentiments­ tween the alternatives of deception and scheme for reform, this project did press that the current negotiations on of the working class,- was growing. naivete, the second Nixon Administra­ not grow directly out of the concrete the hijacking question may be a first Throughout the sum::ner and fall of tion opens on the foundation of a preoccupations of the Irish people and step toward "normalization" of U.S. 1923, when inflation caused a decline formidable ambiguity," the de­ Times their struggles against a socially in­ relations with Cuba in line with in the circulation of other newspapers, · ( clared. iquitous and antinational system. The Nixon's policies of detente with the sales of the KPD paper increased. _ In Paris, Dec. 18, Nguyen Tbi Binh, proof of this is that none of the bodies Soviet Union and China. According It was necessary that the party pre­ t!l_e. P.:rovisional-·R~oTutfona~y Govern­ set up to propagandize for regional to the Dec. 1 Wall Street Journal, for pare itself for a decisive battle. This ment delegate to the talks, declared that parliaments has become a focus of example, "Some analysts believe had been clear to Trotsky since the Washington had made an about-face. the day-to-day battles of the Irish peo­ Russia is pressing Cuba to improve summer, and beginning in July he "They made the October draft agree­ ple against the. immedl.ate effects of the relations with the U. S. so Moscow began to urge that the leaders of the ment voluntarily," she stated. "They colonial system on their lives. can cut its $2 million daily subsidy KPD prepare the party for a struggle weren't even under pressure, they The secret of the civil rights move­ to Havana." for power. What was clear to Trotsky weren't under bombardment as we ment's most spectacular successes was But there have been no confirma­ in Moscow should have been seen even were."· sooner, and more clearly, from Berlin. that it started off from demands that tions of this speculation from either Nixon's new escalation of the bom­ But the leadership of the KPD, in · people could fight for without having Washington or Havana. Nixon is bardment makes it clear that what­ Trotsky's words, "was permeated with to be ready for a national or social paraphrased in the Nov. 17 Christian ever they said in public or in secret, fatalism, (and] sleepy-headedness." revolution, demands that touched the Science Monitor as saying, ''there will the rulers of the United States have Unsure of itself, vacillating and tem­ concrete aspirations of the people and be no change in u~ s. policy toward not given up their goal of pressing Cuba 'unless and until' Premier Fi­ porizing, the KPD was incapable of united the entire anti-Unionist com­ Hanoi and the PRG into giving Wash­ del Castro changes his policy toward inspiring and carrying with it the munity, demands that could also win ington gu~;trantees of a stable proimpe­ Latin America and Washington." mass of the working class. Its leader­ international understanding. The civil rialist regime in Saigon. On Dec. 13 Cuban Premier Fidel ship, unable to cope with the situation, rights program essentially po.sed na­ In this strategy Nixon is counting Castro specifically denied that the hi­ ordered an ignominious retreat, and on Moscow and Peking to continue tional demands in a defensive way. jacking talks were a move toward "we witnessed in Germany a classic That is, it did not call outright for their treacherous pressure against restoration of U. S.-Cuban relations, demonstration of how it is possible to Hanoi, as is discussed in the other abolishing the imperialist enclave and charging the U. S. with "waging miss a perfectly exceptional revolution-· article on this· page. Nixon hopes to reuniting the country, but for abolish­ economic warfare against the Cuban ary situation of world-historic impor­ demonstrate that no matter how heavy ing the undemocratic methods that and Chilean people." He was speaking tance." (Trotsky, Lessons of October, the bombing, Moscow and Peking will were needed basically to maintain dis­ ~o a crowd of 500,000 in Havana at p. 2.) not provide an adequate defense to unity. This was the effect of the civil a rally to welcome Chilean President By the end of the year the oppor­ North Vietnam. The Kremlin's poli­ rights program despite the intentions Salvador Allende. · tunity had passed, and with the help cies of doling out obsolete military of the Communist party and its fol­ of the Dawes Plan the German econo­ equipment to Hanoi with an eye­ lowers, who wanted only reform of On Dec. 12 four Caribbean nations my was stabilized. But the events in dropper have never been clearer than the Stormont structure, and of the ul­ announced they had established diplo­ Germany were to open up a new stage today, when the best North Vietnam traleftists who wanted to drop the na­ matic relations with Cuba. The four in the struggle of the left opposition in can do against a storm of bombers tional issue in hopes of uniting Catho­ are Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and the Soviet Union, one that will be and bombs is fire antiquated missiles lic and Protestant workers on econom- Trinidad-Tobago. All except Guyana dealt with in the next article. Socialist· Directory ALABAMA: Tuscaloosa: YSA, P. 0. Box 5462, University, Ala. 354B6. versity, Bloomington, Ind. 47401. OHIO: Bowling Green: YSA, Box 27, U. Hall, Bowling Green State ARIZONA: Phoenix: YSA, c/o Angelo Mercure, P.O. Box B90, Tempe, KENTUCKY: Lexington: YSA, P.O. Box 952, University Station, Lexing­ University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. Ariz. B52B1 . ton, Ky. 40506. Cincinnati: YSA, c/o C. R. Mitts, P. 0. Box 320B4, Ci~cinnati, Ohio 45232 CALIFORNIA: Berkeley-Oaldand: SWP and YSA, 3536 Telegraph Ave., LOUISIANA: Baton Rouge: YSA, c/o Craig Biggio, 10975 Sheraton Tel: (513)242-6132. Oakland, Calif. 94609. Tel: (415)654-972B. Dr., Baton Rouge, La. 70B15. Cleveland: SWP and YSA, 4420 Superior Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44103. Chico: YSA, c/o Kathy Isabell, 266 E. Sacramento Ave., Chico, Calif. MARYLAND: College Parle: YSA, University P. 0. Box 73, U of Md., Tel: (216)391-5553. 95926. College Pork, Md. 207 42. Columbus: YSA, c/o Daryl Drobnick, 1510 Georgesville Rd., Colum­ Los Angeles: SWP ond YSA, 11071/2 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, MASSACHUSffiS: Amherst: YSA, R. S. 0. Box 324, U of Mass., Amherst, bus, Ohio 43228. Calif. 90029. Tel: SWP-(213)463-1917, YSA-(213)463-1966. Mass. 01002. Yellow Springs: YSA, Antioch College Union, Yellow Springs, Ohiq Riverside: YSA, c/o Don Andrews, 340B Florida, Riverside, Calif. 92507. Baston: SWP and YSA, c/o Militant Labor Forum, 655 Atlantic Ave., 453B7. Sacramento: YSA, c/o Norm Holsinger, B17a 27 St., Sacramento, Calif. Third Floor, Boston, Mass. 02111. Tel: SWP-(617) 482-B050, YSA­ OREGON: Eugene: YSA, c/o Dave Hough, 12161/2 Lincoln, Eugene, 95816. Tel: (916)447-1BB3. (617) 4B2-B051; l;sues and Activists Speaker's Bureau (IASB) and Re­ Ore. 97401. San Diego: SWP and YSA, 43091/2 51 St., San Diego, Calif. 92115. gional Committee-(617) 4B2-B052; l'athfinder Books-(617) 33B-B560. Portland: SWP ond YSA, 20B S.W. Stark, Room 201, Portland, Ore. Tel: (714)2B7-07B7. MI(,.HIGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, Eugene V. Debs Hall, 3737 Woodward 97204. Tel: (503)226-2715. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, Militant Labor Forum, and Pioneer Books, Ave., Detroit, Mich. 4B201. Tel: (313) TE1-6135. PENNSYLVANIA: Edinboro: YSA, Edinboro Stole College, Edinboro, 2338 Market St., San Francisco, Coli!. 94114. Tel: (415) 626-995B. MI. Pleasant: YSA, c/o Rich Ropers, 903 Northwest Apts.; MI. Pleasant, Pa. 16412. San Jose: YSA, c/o Chico Aldape, 453 S. 9th, *5, San Jose, Calif. Mich. 4885B. Philadelphia: SWP and YSA, 1004 Filbert St. (one block north of Mar­ 95112. Tel: (40B) 2B6-B492. MINNESOTA: Minneapolis-St. Paul: SWP, YSA, and Labor Bookstore, ket), Philodelphio, Pa. 19107. Tel: (215) WA5-4316. San Mateo: YSA, c/o Chris Stanley, 1712 Yorktown Rd., San Mateo, 1 University N.E. (at E. Hennepin) Second Floor, Mpls. 55413. Tel: (612) RHODE ISLAND: Providence: YSA, P.O. Box 117, Annex Sta., Provi­ Calif. 97330. 332-77B1. dence, R.I. 02901. Militant Bookstore: BB Benevolent St. Tel: (401) 331- Santa Barbara: YSA, c/o Carolyn Marsden, 413 Shasta Ln., Santo MISSOURI: Kansas City: YSA, c/o Student Activities Office, U of Mis­ 14BO. Barbara, Calif. 93101. souri at Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Mo. 64110. TENNESSEE: Nashville: YSA, 1214 17th Ave. S., Nashville, Tenn. COLORADO: Boulder: YSA, c/o UMC Hostess Desk, U of Colorado, St. Louis: YSA, P. 0. Box B037, St. Louis, Mo. 63156. 37212. Tel: (615)292-BB27. Boulder, Colo. B0302. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Portsmouth: YSA, P. 0. Box 479, Durham, N.H. TEXAS: Austin: YSA and SWP, P.O. Box 7753, University Station, Aus­ Denver: SWP, YSA, and·Militant Bookstore, 1203 California, Denver, 03B24. tin, Texas 78712. Tel: (512)47B-B602. Colo. B0204. Tel: (303) 623-2B25. Bookstore open Mon.-Sat., 10:30 a.m. NEW JERSEY: Red Bank: YSA, P.O. Box 222, Rumso.n, N.J. 07760. Houston: SWP ond YSA and Pathfinder Books, 6409 Lyons Ave., Hous­ -7 p.m. • NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque: YSA, c/o Kathy Helmer, 9920 Leyen­ ton, Texas 77020. Tel: (713)674-0612. CONNECTICUT: Hartford: YSA, c/o Bob Quigley, 427 Main St. *206, decker Rd. N. E., Albuquerque, N. M. B7112. Tel. (505)296.6230. Lubbock: YSA, .c/o Tim McGovern, P. 0. Box 5090, Tech. Station, Lub- Hartford, Conn. 06103. Tel: (203) 246-6797. NEW YORK: Binghamton: YSA, Box 1073, Harpur College, Binghamton, bock, Texas 79409. - New Haven: YSA, P.O. Box 1B5, New Hoven, Conn. 06501. N.Y.13901. Tel: (607)79B-4142. San Antonio: YSA, c/o P.O. Box 774, San Antonio, Texas 7B202. Storrs: YSA, P. 0. Box 176, Storrs, Conn. 0626B. Brooklyn: SWP ond YSA, 136 Lawrence St. (at Willoughby), Brooklyn, VERMONT: Burlington: YSA, c/o John Franco, 241 Malletts Bay Ave., FLORIDA: Tallahassee: YSA, c/o Sarah Ryon, 1806 Lake Bradford Rd., N.Y.11201. Tel: (212)596.2849. Winooski, Vt. 05404. Tallahassee, Fla. 32304. Long Island: P. 0. Box 357, Roosevelt, L.l., N.Y. 11575. Tel: (516) FR9- WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP ond YSA, 746 9th St. N. W., Second Floor, GEORGIA: Atlanta: Militant Bookstore, 6B Peachtree St. N. E., Third 0289. Wash., D.C. 20001. Tel: (202)7BJ.2363. Floor, Atlanta, Ga. 30303. SWP and YSA, P. 0. Box B46, Atlanta, Go. New Yor~ City- City-wide SWP ond YSA, 706 Broadway (4th St.), WASHINGTON: Pullman: YSA, c/o Dean W. Johnsor1, 171B A St., 30301. Tel: (404)523.0610. Eighth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10003. Tel: (212)9B2-B214. Pullman, Wash. 99163. IUINOIS: Carbondale: YSA, c/o Lawrence Roth/Mark Harrjs, 505 S. Lower Manhattan: SWP, YSA, and Merit Bookstore, 706 Broadway Seattle: SWP, YSA, and Militant Bookstore, 5257 University Way N. E., Graham, *341, Carbondale, Ill. 62901. (4th St.), Eighth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10003. Tel: SWP, YSA-(212) Seattle, Wash. 9B1 05. Hrs. 11 a. m.-8 p.m., Mon.-Sat. Tel: (206) 523- Chicago: SWP, YSA, and bookstore, 1BO N. Wacker Dr., Room 310, 9B2-6051; Merit Books-(212)982-5940. 2555. Chicago, Ill. 60606. Tel: SWP-(312) 641-0147, YSA-(312) 641-0233. Upper West Side: SWP and YSA, 2744 Broadway (106th St.), New WISCONSIN: Madison: YSA, c/o James Levitt, 411 W. Gorham.,St~, INDIANA: Bloomington: YSA, c/o Student Activities Desk, Indiana Uni- York, N. ~' 10025. Tel: (212)663.3000. Madison, Wis. 53703. Tel: (608) 257-2835.

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THE MILITANT/ DECEMBER 29, 1972 -28 THE MILITANT

Indictments hit Attica inmates Zadunaisky, By BAXTER SMITH hostages in the attempt to retake D Sweezy NEW YORK, Dec. 19- On Dec. 15 a yard, which rebel prisoners held for Wyoming County grand jury investi­ five days. The commission implicated gating last year's Attica prison revolt Rockefeller for not going to the pris­ address submitted to the New York State Su­ on to mediate the conflict when he preme Court 37 sealed indictments was requested to do so. Latin-America that range from murder to assault. But Rockefeller, after hearing of the To date, 12 people have been named indictments that victimize the prison­ teach-in in the indictments. All of them are ers, had the audacity to praise Robert BOSTON -About 400 people at­ prisoners or former prisoners. None Fischer, the state deputy attorney gen­ tended a teach-in on Latin A..merica­ of them are guards or prison officials. eral who led the grand jury. And here Dec. 9. Held at Harvard Uni­ Reaction to the indictments so far showing utter contempt for the McKay versity, the teach-in was sponsored has been sharp. One member of the Commission's findings, he stated, "the by the United States Committee for Fortune Society, a rehabilitation or­ public has been waiting to see if there Justice to Latin American Political ganization for former prison_ers, were actual crimes committed." Prisoners (USLA). stated, "It's like a Nazi roundup-like Richard X Clark, a leader of the Daniel Zadunaisky, an Argentine a pogrom." Attica revolt, was not named in the activist currently on tour for USLA, Named so far are Charles Perna­ indictments. Clark had gone on and Paul Sweezy, editor of Monthly silice and John Hill, both charged a speaking tour last spring to explain Review, spoke at the event. Zadunai­ with· the murder of a guard who died the significance of the revolt and the sky described the severe political re­ during the revolt. Mariano Gonzalez need to build a defense against the pression in Argentina. is charged with murdering another anticipated indictments. He said, "If It is important to publicize the docu- · prisoner during the uprising. Nine the Man snuffs me out now, don't mented cases of official beatings, rape, other prisoners were hit with charges sit and watch me die; step over me and torture, he said, because "The. such as kidnapping, possession to get him. One thing he's afraid of Argentine government likes to present of weapons, attempted arson, robbery, is solidarity." itself as a progressive, democratic re­ coercion, and assault. Solidarity with those who have been gime, and information leaking out on The 12 were arraigned on Dec. 18 indicted is exactly what's needed. A inhuman treatment causes them great in a courthouse 15 miles from At­ united defense effort is crucial if this embarrassment and puts a check on tica Correctional Facility, where the frame-up attempt is to be turned similar actions." revolt occurred in September 1971. around and the victims freed. All were taken to court shackled hand and foot and heard the indictments DEC. 20- Seven more prisoners were prepared by a special grand jury that named in indictments yesterday by the has been investigating the revolt since Wyoming County grand jury in con­ December of last year. nection with the Attica prison revolt. The victims were informed of the These indictments, like the ones re­ charges against them but were not vealed on Dec. 18, include charges arraigned because most did not have such as assault, kidnapping, and pos­ a defense counsel. Justice Carmen Ball session of dangerous weapons. adjourned their cases until next month. Defense lawyers for those named The grand jury that handed down charged that other prisoners were the indictments was ordered to conduct threatened, coerced, or given prom­ its investigation by Governor Nelson ises of immunity from prosecution if Rockefeller. Rockefeller also ordered they testified against fellow prisoners. that a special body be established to They also criticized the secrecy of the look into the causes of the revolt. indictments and .the pace of the ar­ This McKay Commission, after ques­ raignments, charging that Deputy At­ Monthly Review editor Paul Sweezy tioning more than 3,000 people, found torney General Robert Fischer was the state police and National Guards­ colluding with Governor Rockefeller 1971 Attica revolt men totally responsible for the bloody to obtain maximum political advan­ Sweezy dealt with the conditions of tage in the case. murder of 29 inmates and 10 guard- poverty and unemployment that have created popular upheaval against which governments throughout Latin America have reacted with repression. The two speakers' presentations were Socialists run for rent control board preceded by an afternoon of films and By BRIAN WILLIAMS the rent control board. Meanwhile, housing codes and to cease discrimi­ workshops. Zadunaisky led a work­ BERKELEY, Calif.- The Berkeley several Berkeley landlords have filed nating against tenants on the basis shop on Argentina along with mem­ Socialist Workers Party has an­ a class-action suit against the rent of race or sex. bers of Boston's Argentinecommunity. . nounced a slate of five candidates- control amendment, claiming it vio­ The SWP candidates also call for a Roberto Marquez, head of the Carib­ Froben Lozada, Mary Lou Montauk, lates the state and federalconstitutions. campaign to force the University of bean Studies program at Hampshire Brian Williams, Caryl Sholin, and In addition to the Socialist Work­ California at Berkeley to comply with College, and Elsie Morales of the Katherine Pon-to run for the newly ers Party candidates, there are two rent control. The two other slates have Puerto Rican Student Union led a created Berkeley rent control board. other slates running for the board. ignored this issue. workshop on Cuba. Other workshops A special election to choose the board There is a liberal Democratic slate, took up counterinsurgency research, members has been called for Jan. 21. which includes a member of the So­ UC Berkeley, one of the largestland­ Puerto Rican independence, and Last June 6, Berkeley voters passed cialist Party-Democratic Socialist Fed­ lords in the city, is currently exempt Mexico today. a rent control amendment to the city eration. This slate says that the rent from the rent control amendment be­ Among the speakers at the work­ charter. The amendment called for board should be "fair" to both tenants cause of a provision in the California shop on Mexico was Hugo Morales rolling back all rents to the base level and landlords. There is also a "radi­ state constitution. Since Aug. 15, of the Raza Unida Party, an inde­ of Aug. 15, 1971 and for the election cal" slate, which includes a member 1971, the university has raised dor­ pendent Chicano party. of five commissioners to a rent con­ of the Berkeley Black Caucus. This mitory rents by 11.4 percent. In ad­ Campamento, a film about the MIR trol board. The board would hold slate sees the function of the board dition, students have been forced to (Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucion­ public hearings to determine rent lev­ as mediating between landlords and sign dorm contracts that permit a 5 aria- Movement of the Revolutionary els and criteria for eviction. tenants. percent rent rise during the course Left) in Chile was shown. Sales were Landlords in Berkeley have con­ The SWP candidates have a different of the school year. brisk at the literature tables of the tinued to raise rents despite the freeze. view of how the rent control board The SWP candidates call for a cam­ participating organizations, which in­ The Tenant Action Project, an orga­ should function. The SWP program paign demandill.g revocation of the cluded MECHA (Movimento Es­ nization of attorneys who are coun­ calls for a maximum rent of 10 per­ statute exempting the university from tudiantil Chicano de Aztlim- Chicano seling tenants, has reported many cent of income and for allocating of rent control. Student Movement of Aztlan), the Puer­ cases of violation of the freeze by rent money to repairs and mainte­ For more information, write to the to Rican Student Union, the Puerto landlords. nance, not to profits. SWP Campaign, Third Floor, Eshle­ Rican Socialist Party, Brandeis However, the Berkeley City Coun­ The SWP candidates explain that if man Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, GRITO, the University of Massachu­ cil has refused to implement the rent elected they would support the efforts Calif. 94 720; or SWP Campaign, 3536 setts Spanish Club, Harvard Latin freeze; it decided instead that no ac­ of tenants committees to force the land­ Telegraph Ave., Oakland, Calif. American Student Association, the So­ tion can be taken until the election of lords to comply with rent control and 94609. Telephone (415) 654-9728. cialist Workers Party, the Young So­ cialist Alliance, Goddard Institute, and the New American Movement.

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