'Nuke Threat Shows We Need Labor Party'
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APRIL 13, 1979 50 CENTS VOLUME 43/NUMBER 14 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY/PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE By Doug Jenness MIDDLETOWN, Pa., April 4-The nuclear accident and near-meltdown at Three Mile Island have profoundly shaken the lives of working people here. For them and their children, things will never be the same. Hundreds of thousands in central Pennsylvania-and millions more throughout the country-have had the danger of nuclear power seared forever into their consciousness. Virtually every aspect of their lives has been horribly disrupted-and they are drawing deep -I lessons from the disaster. They have learned that the utilities, the t 0 ,.~ nuclear industry, and the Democratic and Republican politicians lied to them. Not once, but over and over. Lied as a matter of course ~ when they promised that nuclear power was safe, that the accident was under control, that low-level radiation was harmless, that food and water were not being contaminated. For millions, confidence in the capitalist government has been shaken more than any time since the Vietnam War and Watergate; and even more so for those most directly affected. The lesson has been driven home that nu clear reactors are inherently unsafe. As one nine-year-old boy told us, "Me and my whole precor family think the plant should be shut down for In the shadow of the nuke: King family of Middletown, Pennsylvania·, good. They should all be shut down, all of them!" tells of their ordeal. See page 3. Also inside: special section on the People have learned that the government cover-up at Three Mile Island, pages 13-20. Continued on next page 'Nuke threat shows arroquln we need labor party' goes. on trial Worki people keep_ tountry runntng--- tor his lite work· pe shoul n Deportation hearing country opens in Houston - Andrew Pulley, Socialist Workers Party candidate -PAGE 9 for mayor of Chicago. See pages 6-8, 13. In Our Opinion VOLUME 43/NUMBER 14 APRIL 13, 1979 CLOSING NEWS DATE-APRIL 4 government's crass disregard for the mental government-is being discussed by many an anguish, health, and economic losses of tinuke groups. Some are weighing a march on workers and farmers, who are the overwhelm Washington for later in April. Abolish the ing majority in this heavily industrialized Major local or regional actions are set for area. April 28 in Colorado and New Mexico and for death penalty! Three Mile Island has been a shattering June 3 in Cincinnati; Cleveland; Shoreham, The 480 people on death row in this country experience. But it has also been a radicalizing New York; and many other cities. are constantly tortured by threats of execution one. Opinions have been changed overnight as A central task now is to win support for and last-minute reprieves. But for John Evans, anger mounts against what has happened. these actions in the labor movement. Antinuke the appeals have just about run out. As we go The massive, rapid growth of antinuclear groups can solicit union endorsements and to press, he is scheduled to die in the electric sentiment-the determination by millions that offer to provide speakers to interested unions. chair April 6 at the state prison in Atmore, they and their families should never have to Local union activists can introduce resolu Alabama. The capitalist media have tried to face this danger again-has thrown the Carter tions, propose that their unions sponsor de ignore what may be the first execution in the administration and the giant energy corpora bates or other educational activities, and orga United States in more than two years. But tions on the defensive. Carter has reportedly nize their co-workers on the biggest possible working people have a vital interest in the fate felt compelled to drop from his upcoming scale to join the protests. of John Evans. "energy crisis" speech proposals for faster Employer arguments that nuclear plants are Murder by the state-and that's what it is licensing of nuclear plants. Other capitalist necessary to provide jobs will have to be is a weapon of terror aimed against the labor politicians have for the first time-under this patiently exposed for what they are-as fraud movement and the oppressed. intense pressure-expressed "reservations" ulent as the claim that nuclear power is The ruling class tries to obscure the real about nuclear energy. "clean" and "safe." ISSUe. But while the administration's plans for A powerful working-class antinuclear move It denies that racism is involved, because driving ahead with nuclear power have suf ment will put the responsibility on the govern Evans happens to be white. But Blacks are fered a major blow, the fact remains that the ment not only to shut the nukes down but also: represented on death row at a rate almost five government has not ordered the shutdown of a • to provide accurate, truthful information times their proportion in the population. single nuclear plant. It is still determined to on the continuing danger from escaping radia Like others before him, Evans says he keep these deadly plants open and to build tion; prefers to die rather than suffer the torture of more. • to grant full compensation-including Alabama's brutal and inhuman prison system. medical care, moving expenses, lost earnings, Under cover of a blue-ribbon inquiry, a few But the issue is not Evans's "right to die." It is and property-value losses-to workers, more token "safeguards," the government whether the state has a right to kill. farmers, and small businesspeople victimized clearly hopes to let the public furor blow over It is no accident that the capitalist rulers are by Three Mile Island and other nuclear acci and then proceed with business as usual. trying to quietly reinstitute the barbaric death dents; and Until, of course, the next catastrophe. penalty at the same time they are stepping up • to provide jobs at full union-scale wages Those who favor an end to nuclear power their attacks on the working class in every and retraining where necessary for all workers and nuclear weapons now have an unprece displaced by the shutdown of the nuclear other area. dented opportunity and historic obligation. From the Haymarket martyrs, to Joe Hill, to industry. That is to vastly step up education and action, The steelworkers, Teamsters, auto workers, Sacco and Vanzetti, the death penalty has to organize the burgeoning antinuke sentiment and other unionists in this area are more than been used to terrorize all those who dared to into an effective political response that can ready for such a campaign. So are their stand up for the rights of the exploited. halt this deadly peril. brothers and sisters across the country. Capitalism's answer to those who demand That means above all carrying the educa The Militant, the only working-class news social justice is the hangman's noose, the gas tional campaign against nukes to the Ameri paper to respond to the Three Mile Island chamber, and the electric chair. The labor can workers in their millions and to their mass crisis with an emergency effort to get out the movement should demand: organizations, and unions. The challenge is to truth, will continue to spread the word about Stop the executions! link up with the growing antinuke forces the nuclear danger and what strategy is Abolish the death penalty! inside the unions and begin to rally the power needed to fight it. of the labor movement-the only power that A campaign to get this and future issues of can stop the nukes-into this fight. the Militant into the hands of working people In the weeks ahead local protest actions is one of the best answers we can give to the have been set for scores of cities. These are an ... nukes ongoing cover-up of the nuclear peril, the important initial step toward getting out the Continued from front page capitalist peril, to humanity. knew far in advance about safety hazards at truth and drawing new forces into action. Three Mile Island-and hushed them up. They Their impact can be magnified by coordinat have gotten a better idea of who this govern ing and focusing the actions nationally. Help get out the truth: Order a bundle of ment serves; that it is dedicated to defense of This imperative political need-to mount a Militants to distribute to your friends and co corporate profits, not to the safety and lives of united show of strength that gives expression workers. Send $1.75 for a bundle of 5; $3.50 for ordinary people. to the new rise of antinuke sentiment and 10; or $8.75 for 25 to Militant Circulation Office, This has been especially shown by the directs it squarely into demands on the 14 Charles Lane, New York, New York 10014. Militant Highlights This Week The Militant Editor: STEVE CLARK Associate Editors: CINDY JAQUITH ANDY ROSE 5 Tributes to Evelyn Reed Crossroads, South Africa Business Manager: ANDREA BARON 6 Andrew Pulley campaign Editorial Staff: Peter Archer, Nancy Cole. Fred Ernest Harsch reports from inside South Africa on the fight by Feldman, David Frankel, Osborne Hart, Shelley 10 Texas rally backs Marroquin Black squatters to survive racist attacks. Pages 21-22. Kramer, Ivan Licho, Omari Musa. August Nimtz, 12 Actions demand abortion rights Harry Ring, Dick Roberts. Priscilla Schenk. Arnold Weissberg. 13 Special nukes section Published weekly by the Militant, 14 Charles Lane, 23 Ernest Mazey: 1929-1979 New York, NY 10014. Telephone: Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; Business Office, (212) 929-3486.