Oct. 11 march aids Hormel fight ...... • 3 TH£ Demands to rehire air controllers ...... • 5 Visit to Manila's 'strike zone' ...... 9

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PliBLISHEI> IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKI~G PEOPLE VOL. 50/NO. 37 OCTOBER 3, 1986 75 CENTS Mexican quake victims Unionists vow to win demand new housing support for

BY MARTIN KOPPEL MEXICO CITY- A river of torches lit rights fight the night as 50,000 people poured into the Z6calo square here to mark the anniversary BY CATHERINE FRASER of the earthquake that devastated this capi­ NEW ARK, N.J. - "Our goal is to take tal city on Sept. 19, 1985. this campaign to the labor movement and Most of the demonstrators were working make it a campaign of the labor move­ people left homeless by the quake. ment," John Studer, executive director of Thousands of them carried candles, flow­ the Political Rights Defense Fund (PROF), ers, and wooden crosses in memory of their told a meeting of more than 50 trade union­ dead relatives, friends. and neighbors. No ists here September 20. one knows exactly how many were killed Called on short notice by PROF, the in the disaster; estimates range from the of­ two-day meeting was held in the union hall ficial 6,000 to 45,000. of the Service Employees International The angry demonstrators came to de­ Union Local 617. It brought together mem­ mand that the government build more bers of 11 unions from 29 cities across the housing for the homeless and that it ex­ country. Over the course of the weekend propriate housing lots from landlords to they discussed the significance for workers provide additional housing to needy and their unions of the August 25 federal families. court ruling that government spying, dis­ Cuauhtemoc Abarca, leader of the ruption, and harassment of the Socialist United Commission of Earthquake Vic­ Workers Party and Young Socialist Al­ tims, which called the march, told the liance were illegal and unconstitutional. crowd that one year after the quake only Those present responded enthusiasti­ 10,000 out of 110,000 families left home­ Militant/Martin Koppel Garment workers at Mexico City earthquake anniversary march cally to a proposal to launch a broad and less had been given permanent housing. ambitious campaign to win the support of Some 30,000 families are still in temporary thousands of trade union activists and their camps throughout the city, living in subhu­ district were taken over to provide housing They should take it over and give us credit unions for the next round of the court bat­ man conditions. relief; landlords were paid compensation to rebuild it." tle. The marchers chanted, "Justice! Jus­ for the expropriated lots. That same day, de la Madrid had com­ The significance of Judge Thomas tice!" and "Meet the needs of the home­ But residents of Tepito, a working-class Griesa's August 25 ruling was outlined in a less." In hundreds of hand-painted signs neighborhood that was flattened by the dis­ plained that. while the government was doing what it could, it faced a shortage of report presented to the meeting by Craig they demanded "Decent housing" and aster, complained that many landlords Gannon, a national leader of the Socialist "Broaden the expropriation." The latter re­ were getting exemptions or reversals of the funds. Some of the signs in the demonstra­ tion had an answer to that: "Don't pay the Workers Party. By expanding the constitu­ fers to a decree that President Miguel de Ia takeover order. One elderly woman told tionally guaranteed right to privacy, espe­ Madrid issued on Oct. 11 , 1985, in re­ me, "Because my home was damaged but foreign debt," "Money for housing, not for the debt." cially in relation to organizations, Judge sponse to continual protests by earthquake not destroyed, the government hasn't given Griesa's ruling puts new restrictions on the victims. Seven thousand lots in the capital us any aid. But the house is uninhabitable. Mexico has a debt of more than $100 bil­ actions of the political police, Gannon lion to foreign banks, which have pres­ explained. sured the Mexican government to impose But, he emphasized, the fight isn't over harsh economic austerity measures on yet. The SWP's lawyers will soon be going Farm activists' meeting workers and farmers. Government-owned back to court to pursue the question of plants have been shut down, and subsidies which of the millions of pages of files the on staple foods and services have been cut. FBI has on the SWP and YSA were ob­ debates deepening crisis Prices and unemployment have skyrock­ tained illegally and what should be done eted. with them. The $3.5-billion cost of the earthquake Griesa's ruling states that the SWP and FmHA [Farmers Home Administration] BY JOHN GAIGE destruction, which devastated schools, YSA are entitled to injunctive relief that loans are delinquent in Missouri, and in all ST. LOUIS - Some 1,900 delegates hospitals, water pipes, telephone service, will bar the FBI from using illegally ob­ counties in Northern Missouri the farm and observers from nearly 50 states met and electrical power, has added to this tained documents. debt far exceeds the assets for ground, here September 11-13 to discuss the devas­ enormous debt misery. This is an important battleground be­ equipment, and buildings." tating attacks against farmers and to con­ cause the breadth or narrowness of this de­ "According to official estimates," he After the earthquake, dozens of neigh­ sider proposals for fighting back. This was cision will affect how broadly the overall said, "6,900 farms will go out of business borhood organizations mushroomed, as the biggest gathering of farm activists in ruling is interpreted. several years. this year. Our contention is that double that Mexico City's working people struggled to The delegates to the United Farmers and many will go out." rebuild their communities and their liveli­ In the framework of this fight, PROF is Ranchers Congress adopted a package of Allison noled that 17 counties had been hoods. Many of these new groups swelled launching a new campaign to publicize the resolutions that include a call for an end to declared by a physicians' task force as the ranks of the march, with names like case, win broad sponsorship, and raise farm foreclosures and for higher prices to "hunger counties" where many farm Guerrero Neighbors Union, El Centro Ten­ money. farmers for their produce. families live in poverty and need food ants Committee of Struggle, and Emilio At the heart of this perspective is the Farm Aid, Inc., directed by country Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 6 music star Willie Nelson, financed the meeting. Leading up to the congress, 500 rural re­ gional caucuses elected delegates, the United antiwar actions set for 12 cities majority of them farmers. They discussed BY LAURA GARZA conference will hear a report on Nicaragua preliminary drafts of resolutions that ad­ Opponents of the U.S. mercenary war in from American Indian Movement leader dressed the farm crisis. Nicaragua are mobilizing for regional ac­ Wabun-Inini (Vernon Bellecourt). Adverse conditions have plagued work­ tions in 12 cities on October 25 and Wabun-Inini will also be a featured ing farmers and driven tens of thousands November 1. off the land in the last decade. speaker, along with a representative of the Prices paid to working farmers have Over the last few weeks, in response to a African National Congress, at the October been far below skyrocketing production national call for coordinated actions issued 25 rally. costs. A national farm debt has piled up to by the National Actions for Peace, Jobs A letter inviting people to a regional more than $220 billion. Land and machin­ and Justice, many organizations and indi­ planning meeting for the Atlanta march ery values have plunged 50 percent since viduals have joined together to form coali­ was signed by a representative of the 1981 , shrinking the collateral farmers have tions and plan marches and rallies. Freeze and Jobs with Peace Campaign; the available to borrow on. Meanwhile interest There are now regional actions set on president of a large American Federation of on loans has climbed. The outcome has October 25 for Austin, Texas; Atlanta; State, County and Municipal Employees been bankruptcy and forced farm foreclo­ Chicago; Miami; Minneapolis; New local; a Student Coalition Against Racism sures. Haven, Connecticut; New York; San Fran­ representative; and the Southeast regional Roger Allison, a Missouri farmer dele­ cisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. director of the Committee in Solidarity gate and coordinator of the Missouri Rural November 1 actions are scheduled for With the People of El Salvador (CISPES). Crisis Center, told the Militant, "In Mis­ Boston and Los Angeles. The Southern Christian Leadership Confer­ souri the agricultural base has just about In Atlanta a coalition is planning a ence has also added its name to the list of Militant/Nancy Cole been destroyed because of government-en­ weekend of activities. A march and rally endorsers. August 30 Chicano action in Austin, forced low farm commodity prices." on the 25th will be followed that evening A coalition to bring people from the Bir­ Texas, protests U.S. aid to Nicaraguan Allison said, "More than 50 percent of by a fundraising event. On the next day a Continued on Page 2 'contras.' Auto workers support Alberta meatpackers BY BEVERLY BERNARDO September 15 the union received an EDMONTON, Alberta - The cross­ anonymous phone call informing it that , Canada tour by 20 members of United tainted Gainers' Eversweet ham had been Food and Commercial Workers union identified as the source of food poisoning (UFCW) Local 280P continues to build of three people in the eastern province of support for the 1 ,080 meatpacking workers Nova Scotia. on strike against Gainers here since June 1. Gainers' managers and officials of the The September 13-14 Canada Council Health and Safety Board of Agriculture of the Canadian Automobile Workers Canada worked together to insure that the (CAW) voted to donate $2,000 to the strik­ story did not get cross-country publicity. ing local. CAW President Bob White UFCW spokesman Ed Seymour says called the fight against Gainers the strike of conditions in the plant are atrocious. The the year and urged the entire labor move­ union has a tape of someone explaining ment to help defeat Gainers owner Peter how they've seen meat on the floor picked Pocklington's attempt to bust t~e union. CAW Local 222 at the large General up and then processed, but they can't get Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario, has also the media to play it. Gainers workers' ef­ contributed $2,000 and many CAW locals forts to put a stop to deteriorating health are organizing plant-gate collections. and safety conditions is one of the impor­ tant issues in the strike. The Gainers strikers received a heroes' welcome in the eastern Canada island of The federal Conservative government's support to Gainers' union-busting activities Newfoundland where 5,500 government is nothing new. Since the strike began it workers in the Newfoundland Association of Public Employees (NAPE) have been on has been forcing unwilling federal meat in­ spectors to cross the picket lines under strike since September 3. threat of firing. On September 11 some 75 NAPE strik­ ers marched through a shopping mall in the The government-funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has run commer­ island's capital city demanding that Gain­ Many Gainers strikers and supporters have been harassed by the cops. ers' products be removed from supermar­ cials advertising Gainers' products, calling ket shelves. Gainers strikers also addressed it "normal business practice," but has re­ a mass NAPE rally. And many NAPE fused the UFCW' s ads urging a boycott of workers now proudly wear Gainers solidar­ Gainers as too controversial. On Sep­ ity buttons alongside their own. This sym­ tember 19 Prime Minister Brian Mulroney United antiwar protests set bolizes the determination they share with did his friend Peter Pocklington a public re­ the meatpackers: to wage· their battles lations favor by attending a televised char­ Continued from front page As word of the regional actions has got­ against boss and police attacks on both ity game featuring Pocklington' s hockey miilgham, Alabama, area has been formed. ten out, other cities have made plans to par­ strikes through to the end. team the Edmonton Oilers. This type of broad support is being ticipate in the day of national actions. Not to be outdone in the granting of fa­ shown for actions across the country. The In Denver, a coalition formed to protest The solidarity being generated by the vors to a fellow big businessman, Safeway protests are being built in opposition to Reagan when he visited the city on Sep­ cross-country tour, which is being con­ public relations manager Larry McLennan U.S. intervention in Central America, tember 8 now plans to organize a local ducted with the aid of Canada's largest announced September 17 that three Food apartheid, and military spending, and for event on October 25. labor federation, the Canadian Labor for .Less stores that it owns in Edmonton an end to nuclear weapons. Congress, is important to UFCW Local would begin selling Gainers' bulk bacon A coalition in Cincinnati also formed re­ New national endorsers of the action in­ cently is planning a rally there on October 280P's capacity to win. without identifying it as such. clude the National Farm Workers Ministry, On the other hand, Gainers' manage­ Public pressure forced the company to 25. National Rainbow Coalition, Palestine The National Actions for Peace, Jobs ment is receiving the full backing of big put up a sign noting the presence of Gain­ Human Rights Campaign, and the Pres­ business, its governments, and media. On ers' products. and Justice can be reached at 853 Broad­ byterian Peace Fellowship. way, Suite 418, New York, N.Y. 10003, War veterans who have been conducting (212) 533-0008. a fast to protest Washington's aid to con­ Earthquake victims demand housing tras plan to lead off the Boston march. The regional actions have sparked ef­ Indiana protesters forts to organize in surrounding areas. In Continued from front page a line of coathangers on the wall. A sym­ Milwaukee, for example, a coalition was turn backs on Rehnquist Carranza United Front of Residents. bolic coffin was draped with a scroll listing But the organization that stood out most formed to organize buses for the Chicago the names of "our fallen comrades." The BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A protest was the September 19 National Sewers action. union also led a march to the presidential here against U.S. support to the apartheid Union. Dozens of militant garment work­ Tom Turner, Metro Detroit AFL-CIO house to demand better working conditions regime in South Africa September 12 also ers formed a contingent and chanted, and an end to victimization of union sup­ president, is one of the signers on a letter encouraging support for the Chicago action turned into a protest against racism and re­ "Meet the needs of the sewers." porters by the employers. and inviting people to a meeting on Sep­ pression at home. The union was literally born out of the At the march at the Z6calo, half a dozen tember 27 to lay plans for getting people By coincidence the 12th was also the day ruins of the earthquake, which killed more seamstresses crowded around me to ex­ there. The meeting will be held at the Inter­ that now Supreme Court Chief Justice Wil­ than 600 garment workers in the sweat­ plain their struggle. They were part of a national Association of Machinists head­ liam Rehnquist spoke at a dedication cere­ shops that crumbled. The workers them­ group of 47 garment workers from six fac­ quarters. mony for the remodeled IU School of Law. selves had to organize efforts to rescue tories- some of which are owned by U.S. The Detroit Nuclear Weapons Freeze Nearly 150 people attended the rally. their coworkers trapped in the rubble and companies such as Playboy - that, alleg­ has also made its office and phone avail­ Demonstrators marched from the IU anti­ then to keep the bosses from moving the ing bankruptcy, still refuse to pay compen- able for organizing this effort. apartheid shantytown, which had been the equipment and shops to other locations or sation to workers left jobless. · In New York, a student at Bard College scene of several racist attacks including out of the country. helped to form the Northern Duchess one by arsonists a month earlier, to the IU Bertha Bustamante, a leader of the sew­ County Coalition for Peace, Jobs and Jus­ auditorium where Rehnquist was sched­ On the day of the march, in an aban­ ers, said, "We used to do anything the boss tice to organize support for the New York uled to speak. A number of demonstrators doned building where 74 garment workers told us. But we learned to defend our City action. Two buses have been reserved went inside, booing and turning their backs had lost their lives in the quake, the union rights. Now we're not afraid of the boss or and plans are under way to sign up students to the speaker when Rehnquist was intro­ organized a heavily-attended photo ex­ even the cops. at an anti-apartheid event on October 11, duced. Several protesters were man­ hibit. It narrated the story of their strug­ "Today we're different people," she and to have regular tables up on campus handled and ejected from the auditorium by gle on cardboard shirt patterns strung along added, flashing a proud grin. and in area communities. police.

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At the plant gates, mine portals, and Closing news date: September 24, 1986 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO , Horrn~ 1 picket lines; at antiwar actions and {a\\S rei'!:'' and DOUG JENNESS strn•l' 111 demonstrations against apartheid in Circulation Director: MALIK MIAH sur~e ,.,u•~·" South Africa; at schools, the Militant is Nicaragua Bureau Director: CINDY JAQUITH \)Ornu.arU.\l .. • ·· there, reporting the facts and par­ Business Manager: JIM WHITE .. --· .. ticipating in the struggles. Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Ernest The Militant is written in the inter­ Harsch, Arthur Hughes, Harvey McArthur (Nicaragua), ests of workers and farmers. Every Ruth Nebbia (Nicaragua), Harry Ring, Norton Sandler. . -·. week it tells the truth about the war Published weekly except one week in August and the . \~d\tl last week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026- ""'"'~ r"<'\\~ ~:,r.,\\ Washington and the employers are ~~:~~' "'~"'~"'" 3885), 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Tele­ waging against working people at phone: Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; Business Of­ home and abroad. It provides firsthand :.::- fice, (212) 929-3486. coverage of important struggles in Correspondence concerning subscriptions or other countries, such as Haiti, the changes of address should be addressed to The Mili­ Enclosed Is Philippines, and Nicaragua. Regular tant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, 0 $3.00 for 12 weeks on-the-scene reports come from its Nic­ N.Y.10014. Save $6 off the cover price aragua Bureau. Second-class postage paid at Neyv York, N.Y. POST­ AND MASTER: Send address changes to The Militant, 14 0 for only 50(: more, get the pamphlet Take advantage of the special intro­ Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Subscriptions: ductory subscription offer (good only U.S. $24.00 a year, outside U.S. $30.00. By first-class Address until Nov. 15, 1986): 12 issues for $3. mail: U.S., Canada, and Mexico: $60.00. Write for air- City ______State ___ Zip ___ Plus for only 50¢ more you can get mail rates to all other countries. · Telephone-=-~-=-- Union/School/Organization------~­ Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily rep­ n Oneyearfor$24.00 the new pamphlet "The 1985-86 Hor­ resent the Militant's views. These are expressed in edito­ SendtoTHEMILITANT,l4CharlesLane, New York, N.Y.10014 mel Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, Minnesota" by Fred Halstead. rials.

The Militant October 3, 1986 Oct. 11 march aids Hormel fight Day of solidarity celebrates role of Austin support group

BY FRED FELDMAN the plant and accept applications for scab other family members stood in a line out­ The Austin United Support Group has labor on September 23. Local 1218 Presi­ side. They carried placards with messages called for unionists, farmers, students, and dent Harlan Johnson told the Militant that such as "We support our husbands." other activists to come to Austin, Min­ day that "maybe half a dozen union mem­ Flyers were printed up for another meet­ nesota, October 11 for a day of solidarity bers crossed the picket line and returned to ing. That meeting adopted the name Austin with the meatpackers' struggle against work. The company also brought in some United Support Group. George A. Hormel & Co. office personnel. The rest of the 550 union Because of an earlier arbitrator's ruling The meatpackers demand restoration of workers are solid." that Local P-9 could not strike until August their jobs and a decent contract. The com­ Many of those who came to get applica­ 1985, the union meeting decided against a pany has refused to recall some 800 work­ tions were persuaded to tum back by the walkout. The local submitted the wage cut ers in an effort to starve out resistance to its pickets, who were reinforced by carloads . to arbitration, believing that such a unilat­ antilabor actions. of workers from the Dubuque plant eral cut was barred by the 1981 contract. An initial schedule for the October 11 More than 100 cops were mobilized to An arbitrator ruled, however, that the cuts action, which will celebrate the second an­ confront the pickets. They arrested 17 were legal. It turned out that the provisions niversary of the founding of the support workers. barring wage cuts, which had been in­ group, has been announced. The next morning the cops attacked cluded in the summary of the contract At 1:00 p.m. participants will gather again, even more violently. One union Local P-9 voted on, did not appear in the outside the support group office for a member was dragged away and badly final version Hormel signed with top offi­ parade ending with a rally at 2:30p.m. at beaten. Four workers were arrested. cials of the UFCW. the Austin Community Center. A variety of Johnson said that company threats of When the local went on strike in August speakers from unions, farmers' groups, and violence have been increasing. "Two days 1985, the support group stepped up its ac­ other supporters of the meatpackers' fight ago, a company driver taking a shipment tivity. It expanded to include spouses, will address the rally. out of the plant pointed a shotgun at pick­ other family members, and other support­ ers of the Hormel workers. This will be followed by a concert ets." featuring Larry Long, a labor singer and United Support Group Raising funds musician from Minneapolis; John McCut­ Since the beginning of the strike, Bell­ cheon, who plays the hammer dulcimer; From the car caravan around the Hormel plant to solidarity with the embattled FDL richard explained, the support group's ac­ and singer Charlie King. Jan Butts, president of Austin United strikers, the Austin United Support Group tivities have centered on helping the meat­ At 8:00p.m. a dance will conclude the Support Group, which has played vital has been at the center of all the activities of packers resist Hormel's efforts to starve day's activities. role in organizing solidarity and provid­ them into submission. When UFCW offi­ The events provide an opportunity for the Austin meatpackers who .are fighting ing desperately needed aid for embattled Hormel. cials placed P-9 in trusteeship in May of union activists and others to meet with the Hormel workers. this year and called off the strike, the sup­ Hormel workers, learn more about the cur­ The October 11 action will celebrate its port group continued to aid the 800 work­ rent stage of the struggle, exchange experi­ vital role, which began even before the supporters headed for Rochelle, Illinois, Austin meatpackers went on strike against ers Hormel refused to call back, as well as ences, and discuss the next steps in fighting on September 23 to offer support to the their families. the employers' takeback and union-busting Hormel in August 1985. picket lines of striking FDL meatpackers. Cindi Bellrichard, an initiator and leader The Austin United Support Group oper­ drive. About 1,750 workers at plants in Rochelle of the support group, told the Militant that ates a food shelf, collecting donations and The meatpackers and their supporters and in Dubuque, Iowa, have been on strike it originated in October 1984 when Hormel distributing the food to meatpackers. are stepping up other activities as well. since September 11. They are members of unilaterally imposed a 23 percent wage cut The support group also raises funds for Judge James Mork terminated prosecu­ United Food and Commercial Workers on members of UFCW Local P-9. the Adopt-a-Family Fund, Emergency and tion September 20 of some 200 unionists (UFCW) Locals 1218 and 150A respec­ On October 10, the day before a union Hardship Fund, Legal and Defense Fund, and their supporters who faced criminal tively. meeting to discuss how to respond to the and the Hormel Rank and File Fightback charges for peaceful picketing at the Hor­ The two locals rejected an FDL offer in­ company attacks, "a few of the wives got Fund. mel plant. The unionists agreed to do be­ creasing their wages by $.50 over two together," said Bellrichard. "We wanted to The support group has reached out to in­ tween 8 and 40 hours each of community years to only $8.50 an hour. FDL is closely do something to express our support for volve other unions, farmers, American In­ service work, while affirming that this im­ linked to Hormel by a marketing agree­ whatever the union decided to do." dian organizations, students, and other plied no admission of guilt. A few of the ment. When the union met at a local high forces supporting the fight against Hor­ aq:used rejected the community service FDL had announced that it would reopen school the next day, some 25 wives and mel's union-busting. proposal and are still contesting the charges against them. Sixteen unionists still face felony charges. Meatpackers win help from. unionists Vehicle caravan Postal Workers Union. The leaflet ap­ from South Carolina, Kentucky, and else­ About 45 vehicles circled the Hormel Seattle tour pealed for funds, and money was collected where. plant in Austin the next day for more than in buckets from the Boeing workers. Minnesota Steelworkers were glad to see an hour. The procession of cars and trucks BY DAN FEIN Merle Krueger attended astatewide con­ fighters from Austin at the convention. A carried signs demanding, "Where are our SEATTLE - The Labor Day picnic ference of the Association of Paper and number of these locals had submitted reso­ jobs?" and white crosses bearing the names held by the King County Central Labor Pulp Workers Union held in Tacoma where lutions calling for support to the struggle of Hormel workers who have been denied Council was the first stop in a month-long he received a standing ovation. Hundreds and to the boycott ofHormel products. The their jobs for participating in the struggle. tour of this area by Merle and Madeline of dollars worth of hats, buttons, and T­ convention Resolutions Committee headed Krueger. shirts were sold. off a floor discussion by referring the reso­ Two carloads of Austin meatpackers and Merle Krueger, who has worked for 43 lutions to the International Executive years at the Hormel plant in Austin, Min­ Board. nesota, is a supporter of the North Ameri­ Steel convention Cain also dropped in at a reception can Meat Packers Union. Madeline is ac­ hosted by USW A Vice-president Leon tive in the Austin United Support Group, BY ELLIE GARCIA Lynch and the Labor Council for Latin Socialism which raises vitally needed material aid for LAS VEGAS- "We help you guys." American Advancement. He had discus­ the Austin meatpackers. "Our local sends you money." "We don't sions with several of the Black and on Trial At the picnic the Kruegers spoke to pain­ buy Hormel." Chicano Steelworkers who attended. ters, machinists, restaurant workers, car­ These were some of the responses that Delegates from Local 1938 at the by James P. Cannon penters, letter carriers, longshoremen, and Cecil Cain, a supporter of the North Amer­ Minntac mine on the Minnesota Iron Range others. A painter who was on strike at the ican Meat Packers Union (NAMPU) in hosted a reception for Cain. The Minntac A clear and simple explana­ time of the picnic said, "I've followed the Austin, Minnesota, got from delegates at mine, owned by USX, has locked out tion ~f the principles and aims Hormel struggle carefully and I feel you the 23d Constitutional Convention of the 1,400 USWA members. of socialism. An excellent in­ have done a great service to the labor United Steelworkers of America (USWA) troduction for those looking movement." held here August 25-29. Cain presented an update on the meat­ into socialist ideas for the first During the tour the Kruegers attended a By attending receptions of District 31, packers' struggle, which was followed by a time. meeting of the International Association of District 33, and District 35 held during the lively three-hour discussion. James P. Cannon, as na­ Machinists (lAM) Lodge 289, which convention, Cain met with LTV workers In two days nearly $200 in T-shirts, but­ tional secretary of the Socialist raised $200 for the Hormel workers who from Gary, Indiana; shipyard workers from tons, and pamphlets were sold from the Workers Party, was placed on are being denied their job by the company Newport News, Virginia; and members NAMPU table. trial in 1941 for "conspiring to because of their participation in the 1985- advocate the overthrow of the 86 strike. U.S. government." He used Local I 002 of the International Union of Anti-apartheid victory at Utah school the platform of the witness Electronic Workers donated $100 to the Hormel workers' Emergency Legal Ap­ stand to present to the Ameri­ peal, and adopted a motion calling for the SALT LAKE CITY, Utah-Students at ties removed, claiming they could not be can people the ideas of dropping of charges against 16 Hormel the University of Utah won a victory for protected against vandalism. socialism, which the U.S. gov­ workers facing felony charges because of free speech on August 29 when a federal The shanties were erected in February to ernment sought to suppress by strike activity. court judge issued a permanent injunction protest the university's refusal to divest jailing socialist leaders. At a meeting of 10,000 Boeing aircraft preventing the university from removing from companies doing business in South 184 pages, $4.95 workers in Seattle September 9, held to shanties built by anti-apartheid activists. Africa. Students staffing them had A vail able from Pathfinder hear a report from lAM officials on con~ U.S. District Judge Aldon Anderson gathered 4,000 signatures for divestment. bookstores listed on page 12, or tract talks, the Kruegers and several union ruled that the shanties are a form of sym­ Mark and Ruth Nelson, members of Stu­ by mail from Pathfinder Press, members distributed copies of a leaflet sup­ bolic speech and therefore protected by the dents Against Apartheid, told the Militant 410 West St., New York, N.Y. porting the Hormel workers' struggle. It First Amendment. A lawsuit had been filed that the ruling should be seen as a prece­ 10014. Please add 75 cents for was signed by Gary Peterson, president of by University of Utah Students Against dent for anti-apartheid activists on the 60 postage and handling. lAM Local2202, and Lou Truskoff, presi­ Apartheid and the Coalition to Stop Apart­ campuses across the country where shan­ dent of the Seattle chapter of the American heid when the university ordered the shan- ties have been set up.

October 3, 1986 TheMDitant 3 Detroit supporters sell subscriptions on the job

BY JOANNE MURPHY against Hormel, Militant support­ can't reach. there, where we think we can ers on strike or locked out. • DETROIT - One third of the ers here expect these discussions We've gotten a good response catch workers not only from the While campaigning in western 150 new subscribers here are co­ to result in many more new sub­ at the Chrysler Sterling Heights Lake Orion plant but from two Michigan, Kaku met strikers at workers of Militant supporters in scribers in the next six weeks. assembly plant where Kate Kaku, other auto plants in that area, too. We're trying to back up this ef­ Bronson Plastics, where the com­ plants organized by the United Socialist Workers candidate for Meatpackers in two companies pany is using scabs and a union­ Auto Workers and United Steel- fort in the plants with teams at the governor, works. The local, al­ here recently went through strike busting security outfit, Nuckols. ready working under concessions, battles and lost ground. They're After discovering that the socialist is negotiating a contract, and inter­ interested, too, in the Hormel bat­ candidate supported their fight, SELLING OUR PRESS est in the recently published Path­ tle. Fifteen workers at one plant the Bronson workers were eager to finder Press pamphlet on the Hor­ have bought the Militant or the discuss ideas for turning back mel meatpackers' struggle is high. pamphlet on the Hormel workers' union-busting, and one is now AT THE PLANT GATE Only one team has gotten out to fight in the first three weeks of the reading the Militant regularly. the General Motors Lake Orion subscription drive. Steelworkers, also hit hard by workers unions. plant gates. We sell each week at a plant where socialist candidate for These kind of fightbacks seem takebacks,' are concentrated in two couple of the auto plants - Ford U.S. Congress, Andrew Pulley, to be cropping up more and more. When you work with someone mills 30 miles south of here. Since Rouge and Cadillac Clark St. - works. And the company guard So while we're working to get every day, you find the pos­ we haven't had good results trying more teams out to regular plant­ sibilities are almost endless for and sporadically at three others. forced us to leave after 10 min­ utes. But in that time, one worker to sell as cars drive into these gate. sales each week, we also discussions that can lead to the At the two regular gates, we signed up for a subscription, and workplaces, we're planning to try want to continue to get out to strik­ need to get the Militant. Whether have a few people who pick up the another gave a $4 contribution. a check-cashing day team there, ers. We think the more regular we it starts with the truth about Nica­ paper each week. And we get too. are, the more workers we'll be ragua, South Africa, or develop­ campaign literature out to workers We plan to organize a team that Because of the union-busting signing up as new Militant sub­ ments in the meatpackers' battle whom Militant supporters inside can get to the Credit Union out drive, we've been meeting work- scribers. Terrific response spurs higher goals for drive

BY MALIK MIAH fense rally. ing people. Some 40 copies of the recently Supporters of the Militant and the published Pathfinder Press pamphlet, "The Spanish-language monthly, Perspectiva International campaign 1985-86 Hormel Meat-Packers Strike in Mundial, have raised their subscription The campaign to win new readers to the Austin, Minnesota," by Fred Halstead goals in five more cities: Houston, Dallas, Militant and PM is also international. were sold during the second week of the San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. There are Militant subscribers in over 30 West Virginia-Virginia coalfield subscrip­ Since the subscription drive officially countries. These readers are from Asia, tion team. opened on September 6, supporters of the Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific. The team sold 165 single copies and 30 two socialist publications in more than a This includes 59 people in Canada, 53 in Militant subscriptions, as well as most of dozen cities have raised their initial goals. Britain, 20 in Sweden, and 16 in West Ger­ their literature on the fight for women's This reflects the better-than-expected re­ many. Other readers are in Bolivia, Brazil, rights. sponse the two publications are receiving Iran, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, Switzer­ According to team member Mary Mar­ from working people and students seeking land, Iceland, and Nicaragua. tin, 6 subscriptions and 49 single copies of the truth about the struggles of workers and There are three subscribers in the South the Militant were sold at a protest of some farmers here and around the world. Asian island nation of Sri Lanka. Support­ 500 students blocking a Ku Klux Klan As we enter the fourth week of the sales ers there regularly receive a bundle of 10 march near the Radford University campus campaign, a grand total of 4,115 Militant Militants. in Radford, Virginia, September 20. and Perspectiva Mundial subscriptions In London, Pathfinder Press is the dis­ Three days later at a campus meeting on have been sold - a giant step toward tributor of the two socialist publications in "What Socialists Stand For," 15 Militant reaching our national goal of 10,000 new Britain and Ireland, as well as for Conti­ singles and 4 subscriptions were sold. Five readers by November 15. nental Europe and Africa. Until the end of students also asked to join the Young A big chunk of the new subscribers are November, a special introductory subscrip­ Socialist Alliance. industrial workers. For example, members tion of 15 issues for only £5 is being of­ The team sold at three mine portals of of the United Auto Workers in several fered. (Pathfinder Press-London is located Massey Coal strikers in 1985. Militant the Peabody and Massey Coal companies cities have taken in-plant goals. As of Sep­ at 47 The Cut, London SE1 8LL, Eng­ coalfield sales team found these former in Van, West Virginia. They sold 1 Mili­ tember 20, auto workers in Dallas have land.) strikers receptive to literature about tant subscription, 22 single copies, and 2 sold 15 of their goal of 20; in the Bay Area In Asia and the Pacific, Pathfinder struggle of Hormel meatpackers. Hormel pamphlets. of California, 7 of 16; in Kansas City, 18 of Press-Australia is distributing the Militant In Mateman, West Virginia, members of 30; in Atlanta, 14 of 40; in Detroit, 44 of and PM in Australia, Asia, and Oceania'. In a- recent trip to Mexico City, Martin the United Mine Workers of America 105; and in St. Louis, 18 of 50. Some 80 people in Australia have Militant Koppel, editor of PM, and I sold four PM (UMWA) Local 2248, who have been de­ The "problem" of having too low goals subscriptions. A one-year subscription is subscriptions at the lOth anniversary cele­ nied their jobs by the Massey Coal Co. is being experienced by salespeople in a $60 (Australian) and can be ordered from bration of the founding of the Revolution­ after a bitter strike, bought four copies of number of cities. Karen Ray reports trom Pathfinder Press, P.O. Box 37, Leic­ ary Workers Party (PR T). the Hormel pamphlet. One miner told the Seattle of surpassing their initial goal of 10 hhardt, Sydney, NSW 2040 Australia. One of the new subscribers took a bunch team, "We don't eat any Spam around Perspectiva Mundials this past weekend. Pilot Books in New Zealand is also ser­ of subscription blanks and sold four more here," referring to the national boycott of Ten PM subscriptions, including four one­ vicing subscriptions to the Militant. Write subscriptions before we left town, giving Hormel products. year subscriptions, were sold at the found­ to Pilot Books, P.O. Box 8730, Auckland, us a total of eight. At the Big Ben Coal Co., UMW A min­ ing convention of the Washington State New Zealand, for rates. ers bought 30 Hormel pamphlets and 10 Farm Workers Union attended by some Perspectiva Mundial's international Team sales Militants. Some miners gave $5. "We are 200 people. readership is also growing. There are PM Interest in the fight of Hormel meatpack­ all union here," said one worker. "And Two Militant subscriptions were sold at readers in 15 countries, with the largest ers in Austin, Minnesota, continues to we're with the Hormel workers all the an Oakland, California, political rights de- number in Mexico and Nicaragua. draw the attention of serious-minded work- way." After six days on the road the Illinois­ Wisconsin team got a similarly warm re­ sponse. At an Oscar Mayer plant in Beard­ Fall Subscription Scoreboard stown, Illinois, the team sold 100 Militants to workers entering and leaving the plant in the early morning. According to team Goals Sold Goals Sold member Mitchel Rosenberg, the team sold Perspectiva Perspectiva % Perspectiva Perspectiva % a total of 37 Militant subscriptions, 245 Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold single copies, and 37 Young Socialists. The Southern California team sold 21 Atlanta 140 10 63 3 44 New Paltz, N.Y. 5 2 40 Militant and 16 PM subscriptions in its first Baltimore 120 5 32 I 26 New York City 500 250 227 120 46 week out, reports Jeff Jones. Fifteen of Birmingham !50 3 53 0 35 Newark 375 125 140 65 41 these subscriptions were to farmworkers in Boston 225 50 74 I3 32 Oakland 200 30 55 12 29 the Imperial and Coachella valleys. Capital District, N.Y. 125 10 40 3 32 Philadelphia 175 50 86 6 41 Anotfier 22 were to students at the Univer­ Charleston, W.Va .. 100 38 38 Phoenix 100 60 30 IS 28 sity of Redlands and San Bernardino Val­ Chicago 300 50 77 23 29 Pittsburgh 100 5 32 2 32 ley College. Cincinnati 90 10 24 3 27 Portland, Ore. 105 15 49 I 42 To join this challenging campaign to win Cleveland 125 15 60 3 45 Price, Utah 50 5 ll 0 20 thousands of new readers to the Militant Columbus, Ohio 20 3 15 Salt Lake City 105 15 31 2 28 and Perspectiva Mundial, order a bundle of Dallas 225 75 45 22 22 San Diego 85 45 30 23 41 the socialist publications by filling out the Denver 135 10 34 3 26 San Francisco 170 80 42 24 26 coupon below. Detroit 230 20 llO 6 46 San Jose 200 100 75 34 36 Greensboro, N.C. 140 10 50 4 36 Seattle 140 35 32 2 19 * * * Houston 290 60 96 I9 33 St. Louis 235 5 82 0 34 0 I would like to order a bundle of ___ Kansas City 150 10 74 7 51 Tidewater, Va. 60 5 4 0 6 Militants and ___ PMs. Los Angeles 300 200 89 80 34 Toledo, Ohio 100 5 32 2 32 0 I would like to take a subscription goal Louisville 115 10 26 1 22 Twin Cities, Minn. 250 20 81 2 31 of ___ Militants and ___ PMs. Miami 100 15 48 6 47 Washington, D.C. 160 40 56 II 34 Name Milwaukee 100 5 44 20 61 National teams 489 168 Address ______Morgantown, W.Va. 100 47 47 Other 660 6 City, State Zip ____ New Orleans 90 10 26 4 30 Phone ______Totals 8,500 1,500 3,399 7I6 41 Mail to: Militant Business Office, 14 to be on schedule 1,700 300 20 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Or phone: (212) 929-3486.

4 The Militant October 3, 1986 -CAMPAIGNING FOR SOCIALISM------son on the November general elec­ utah candidate tion ballot. 'Mountain Eagle' donates hay to Hillson told supporters here at a interviews rally two weeks ago he'd run as a southern farmers write-in candidate, "as if my name Alabama socialist and that of my party were on the SALT LAKE CITY - More ballot, because our ideas are more BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The than 1,000 tons of hay were col­ important than this formality." Daily Mountain Eagle, a newspa­ lected by the Utah Farm Bureau per in the coal-mining community for shipment to drought-stricken The Hillson campaign turned in of Jasper, Alabama, featured an farmers in the Southeast. David 7,980 signatures for ballot status interview September 2 with Hurst, a coal miner, came to a col­ -more than double the 3,423 re­ Andrea Baron. Baron is a textile lection center at Spanish Fork, quired by state law. worker who is the Socialist Work­ Utah, where he donated three­ But local election commissions ers Party candidate for the U.S. quarters of a ton of hay from his in the 8th C.D., which includes Senate seat held by Republican family's farm in Carbon County. about a third of Boston and several Jeremiah Denton. Hurst is the Socialist Workers surrounding cities, claimed that all According to the Jasper daily, Party candidate for Congress from but 1 ,393 names were "out of dis­ Baron "describes herself as a Utah's 3rd C.D. He issued a state­ Militant/Don Gurewitz trict," "unregistered," or "illegi­ union activist and touts 'working­ ment denouncing the callous disre­ Jon Hillson, socialist, and George Bachrach, Democrat, at Boston ble." class political power.' Her oppo­ gard for the drought victims congressional candidate's debate. "If you're a Democrat or Re­ nents, Republican Denton and shown by the Reagan administra­ publican," Hillson told support­ Democrat Richard Shelby, don't tion and demanded immediate where his family members were solidarity with the Hormel meat­ ers, "they check your petitions 'represent working people.' emergency relief for the farmers. migrant workers. "You move. I packers, TWA flight attendants, with their eyes closed. But if a "'What we'd like to see in this "The Reagan administration has lived in a house with no gas or and local strikers such as the ADM candidate is a communist, a radi­ country is a government based on Co. grain-elevator workers. "The no trouble finding $100 million to water, and next door, four families cal, or independent candidate of the workers and farmers in this send to the contras trying to over­ lived together. The conditions of real fighters for workers' rights the labor or Black movements, country.' " throw Nicaragua's government," undocumented workers are even will not be found among the they suddenly have microscopes. Hurst said. "A government that worse." Carrillo called for an end capitalist politicians in Washing­ And. they lie. The paper reported Baron's bails out huge corporations such as to deportation and other harass­ ton, D.C., or at the state capital, "The reason for this blow is comments on the August 25 court Chrysler and failing banks has no ment of undocumented workers, but among the meatpackers of wholly political," he said. "The decision declaring FBI actions right to deny emergency aid to and for guaranteeing them un­ Austin, Minnesota; the farmers of rich who run the elections basi­ against the SWP as unconstitu­ those who keep food on our ta­ employment compensation, social Chillicothe, Missouri; in Soweto, cally reserve the ballot for the two tional. "The issues involved here bles." security, and other rights. South Africa; and in Managua, parties, which are their vote-catch­ were basically the rights of organi­ Carrillo was in the U.S. Air Nicaragua." ing machines. They didn't want to zations, not just our organization, Force in Thailand during the U.S. allow a revolutionary trade union­ that could be subjected to this kind Vietnam vet: U.S. war in Vietnam. "I felt the U.S. ist who has lived and worked in of harassment." on wrong side was on the wrong side in Vietnam 'They didn't want Nicaragua and supports the Cuban Meanwhile, the Alabama Board and is on the wrong side in Nicara­ revolution to challenge their can­ of Elections announced that Mar­ in Nicaragua gua. I support the Nicaraguan rev­ a candidate who didates before the working tin Boyers, the Socialist Workers olution that has given the people told the truth' people." Hillson continued, "They Party candidate for Congress from KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Al­ their human dignity and the right didn't want a candidate on the bal­ the Birmingham area, will appear vino Carrillo, an auto worker and to control their own country. It is BOSTON- Working people in lot who told the truth - that prog­ on the ballot in November. Vietnam War veteran, announced South Africa that should be em­ the 8th Congressional District here ress takes place in the streets, in Boyer's supporters had gathered August 28 that he is the Socialist bargoed, not Nicaragua." will have a choice in November, struggles, in strikes, in mass dem­ more than 3,000 signatures, twice Workers Party candidate for Con­ Carrillo has worked in the Gen­ despite the refusal of state and onstrations, in action, and not the number required by state offi­ gress in Missouri's 5th C.D. eral Motors Fairfax plant in Kan­ local officials to allow Socialist through choosing between the two cials, on petitions calling for him Carrillo was raised in Texas sas City since 1970. He expressed Workers Party candidate Jon Hill- capitalist parties every two years." to be placed on the ballot. Drop in air safety spurs call to rehire controllers

BY FRED FELDMAN ment' s union-busting. of the American Federation of Government A proposal to lift the blacklist against re­ The government's estimate gives a false Employees, the ATCC is one of the groups hiring air traffic controllers who were fired picture. In contrast to the 14,000 qualified seeking to unionize air traffic controllers in August 1981 for going on strike was de­ "full performance level" controllers who since PATCO was busted. feated in the U.S. Senate by a voice vote guided aircraft in 1981 , the Federal A via­ Hunt told Airline Executive magazine, September 17. It had earlier passed the tion Administration (FAA) admits there are "the system is less safe than it was during House of Representatives as part of an ap­ only 10,000 controllers who actually han­ the PATCO days." propriations bill for the Department of dle the soaring volume of traffic. The "The level of safety has diminished," Transportation. others, with a lower level of training and conceded an official of the GAO. The Reagan administration fired the experience, are not permitted to guide air­ "Management is two-faced," an air con­ 11 ,400 air controllers and barred them craft but assist other aspects of traffic con­ troller told the Washington Post. "A disas­ from future employment by the govern­ trol. ter is waiting to happen." ment in order to break their union, the Pro­ Edgar Hunt, an air controller for 30 The government is responding to these fessional Air Traffic Controllers Organiza­ years, told Airline Executive magazine that problems the same way it responded to tion (PATCO). of the 10,000 controllers, only 5,000 are PATCO- with intimidation and threats. Support for rehiring the controllers full performance level controllers. Norbert One example was the highly publicized gained impetus after the August 31 midair Owens, a top FAA official, places the fig­ witch-hunt against 34 air traffic control collision of an airliner and a small private ure at slightly less than 9,0oo. workers suspected of using illegal drugs. plane killed 67 on board and an estimated Joe McGrail, an official in the U.S. • Some were eventually fired. All were de­ 20 more on the ground in the Los Angeles General Accounting Office (GAO), told nied legal representation, and tests show­ suburb where the planes came down. Airline Executive that the number of con­ ing no use of illegal drugs were dismissed The air traffic controller handling the trollers is further inflated by counting in some cases. "Everyone assumes we're airliner had to divert attention to another trainees at the FAA academy in Oklahoma guilty," said Dennis Cottle, one of the 34. plane for several moments just before the City. Half the trainees never become full This harassment and invasion of the pri­ collision. performance level controllers. vacy of air controllers was an effort to di­ It has not been determined whether this The result is dangerous understaffing of vert attention from the measures needed to played a part in the accident, but the inci­ control towers. The O'Hare International establish safety in the air lanes. The first of dent highlighted the overworking of the Airport in Chicago, the world's busiest, is these is the unconditional reinstatement of controllers, the overioading of the system, authorized to have 94 fully qualified con­ the fired air controllers. and the hazard these conditions pose to air trollers. It has 52. travelers. French-language Marxist Rising death toll Overwork journal just off press Demands of air controllers in 1981 strike The number of experienced controllers In a column in the September 1 New for shorter hours would have benefited York Times, university professor Arthur is continuing to decline, noted Shostak, "as The second issue of Nouvelle lnter­ safety. Government broke strike by fir­ nationale has just been published. Shostak cited the estimate that 232 people overworked controllers eagerly seek retire­ ing 11,000 air controllers. Nouvelle lnternationale is a journal of have died since 1981 because of break­ ment." downs in air traffic control. Air controllers had to put in 900,000 Marxist theory and politics. It is the The number of operational errors in­ terioration in the air traffic control system. hours of overtime in 1985. FAA officials French-language counterpart of New Inter­ creased from 457 in 1981 to I ,250 in 1985, The government's union-busting action in claim they are trying to get the figure down national, five issues of which have ap­ he pointed out. The number of near midair firing them, the air controllers predicted, to 700,000 in 1986. peared up to now. Nouvelle Internationale is an inter­ collisions jumped from 395 in 1981 to 777. would mean accelerated deterioration and According to the Airline Executive arti­ cle, the GAO found that "both controllers nationalist journal that takes up the most in 1985. eventual air disasters. important questions of program, strategy, The air controllers who went on strike in The Reagan administration claimed in and supervisors feel that the ongoing over­ and organization being discussed by com­ 1981 were primarily responding to the re­ 1981 that hiring replacements for the fired time is negatively affecting the controllers' munist parties today. jection of their proposals for a shorter controllers would bring the system back to ability to do their jobs." workweek, earlier retirement, and other normal in January 1984. Hunt noted, "People are already display­ The second issue includes an article by measures aimed at reducing the stress of But events have proved the air control­ ing symptoms of physical burnout. They Jack Barnes, "The Coming Revolution in South Africa"; "The Alliance of Workers their jobs and making the airways safer. lers were right, not the administration. are saying such things as 'I don't know and Farmers in Canada," by MichelDugre; They insisted that more controllers - not Even government officials concede, five how much longer I can do this' .... The and "Agrarian Reform in Cuba," a speech ever-increasing workloads were years later, that it will take another 12 to 18 potential exists for a serious disruption of by Fidel Castro. needed. months to bring air traffic control up to pre- the system, which is already happening at 1981 standards. certain high traffic locations." The journal can be ordered for $5.00 The strikers charged that onerous over­ And airline passengers have paid - Hunt is interim president of the Ameri­ from Nouvelle Internationale, 14 Charles work imposed on them was spurring de- some with their lives - for the govern- can Air Traffic Controller Council. A unit Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014.

October 3; 1986 The Militant 5 Longshore official halls rights victory

BY ERNEST HARSCH tral American refugees. "According to this ruling, this is illegal," that they committed civil rights viola­ ''The legal victory of the Socialist Work­ Ellwanger described the intimidation Dillon declared. tions." ers Party against illegal government activ­ that the sanctuary movement has faced A signed column by the Daily Califor­ ities is a victory for all who believe that the from the FBI and the Immigration and Press reports nian's editor-in-chief, Howard Levine, ap­ United States Constitution means what it Naturalization Service, including break­ The case has also continued to receive peared in the September 5 issue of that says," declared Albert Lannon, president ins, the investigation of personal bank ac­ important press coverage. Articles on it paper. He called the suit "one of the most of Local 6 of the International Longshore­ counts, and the placement of informers in have recently appeared in the San Fran­ important constitutional rights cases in two men's and Warehousemen's Union. "The Bible study groups. cisco Chronicle, New York Law Journal, decades." rights of all who dare to think for them­ "All these tactics, according to this deci­ National Law Journal, Buffalo News, and "Incredibly," Levine wrote, "this marks selves or who exercise their prerogatives to sion, are illegal," Ellwanger stated. "I am St. Petersburg Times. the first time that a federal court has dissent are safer today." grateful for the Griesa decision and want to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette featured an explicitly said the FBI's longtime practice Lannon's comments came in a message work together with other groups to raise the interview with SWP National Committee of spying on and disrupting people who are sent to a September 20 meeting in Oak­ profile of this decision." member Barry Sheppard, one of the plain­ exercising their First Amendment rights land, California, held to celebrate the re­ Similar points were made at a Newark, tiffs in the suit. was illegal because it violated both the cent victory in the SWP's suit against the New Jersey, meeting by John Dillon, an Sheppard noted that the SWP had re­ First and Fourth Amendments." FBI. It was one of more than two dozen activist in a local coriunittee in solidarity jected FBI offers of millions of dollars to Levine stressed that the court decision such meetings and rallies that have been with the meatpackers in Austin, Min­ settle out of court. "They wanted us to drop applies not only to the SWP, but should be held or are scheduled around the country. nesota. Many of the Austin workers, he the constitutional questions," Sheppard of interest to all those active in the Another message to the Oakland meet­ said, were followed and filmed on picket was quoted in the Post-Gazette interview. sanctuary movement, the anti-apartheid ing (and to a similar one held in San Fran­ lines and suffered other kinds of harass­ "If we had done that, then they would struggle, and the campaign against nuclear cisco that same night) came from Kendra ment. never have been confronted with the fact weapons. Alexander, chairperson of the Communist Party of California. "On behalf of the Communist Party, California District," she wrote, "we want to congratulate the Socialist Workers Party Drive launched to get union sponsors on the landmark victory iri your harassment suit against the FBI. Your victory is a vic­ Continued from front page in order to actively involve as many trade tory for all democratic forces in the strug­ proposal to take the campaign into the unionists as possible in the campaign," gle against government repression." labor movement. "We think that it is possi­ Studer explained. They will also be avail­ In her presentation to the Oakland meet­ ble to qualitatively increase the number of able to speak to union meetings, jour­ ing, Jessica Mitford, a well-known writer unionists who are sponsors of PROF and nalists, and others on behalf of PROF. and a former member of the Communist are part of this fight," Studer, a member of To help build the campaign PROF is pre­ Party, referred to this message as an ex­ the International Association of paring a number of written materials. pression of solidarity in the struggle for Machinists, explained. "We want to draw Judge Griesa's 210-page court ruling has basic freedoms. "Unity now is very, very in union activists and union officers at the already been published in booklet form and important," she stressed. local level as well as national union lead­ is being sold for $10. Thirty copies were Mitford is a longtime sponsor of the Po­ ers." bought by the trade unionists participating litical Rights Defense Fund. The other He pointed out that there have been big in the September 20 meeting. Sponsors' speakers and many members of the audi­ changes in the United States since the case cards have also been printed. Although ence also became sponsors of the fund, was first launched in 1973, and even since they are only available in English at pres­ which is raising money and support for the it came to trial in 1981. "The year of the ent, it is planned to also print a Spanish­ SWP lawsuit. trial also saw the smashing ofPATCO, the language version. air traffic controllers' union, by the Reagan Continuing FBI harassment administration. Since then the offensive A fund-raising letter from PROF, which FBI harassment of political activists is against the labor movement as a whole has outlines the key points in Judge Griesa's not just a thing of the past, speakers at sev­ deepened. decision and their significance in the fight eral of the meetings on the suit pointed out. to defend democratic rights, is also being "This case and the protection it has won sent out. Those opposed to Washington's interven­ for political activists and organizations is tion in Central America have been particu­ therefore increasingly useful to the labor PROF's plan of action met with over­ Militant/Holbrook' Mahn lar targets. movement," he pointed out. whelming support from the unionists at the John Studer, executive director of the In a message to a Detroit press confer­ "In this new situation we will find that meeting. As one of them put it, "This is a Political Rights Defense Fund. ence on the victory in the suit, Amy Good, there are hundreds of unionists around the victory for all of us. Let's make the most of a member of the Central America Solidar­ it." country who are ready, willing, and able to broadest discussion on civil liberties I've ity Committee, said, "Detroiters who have take part· in the fight to defend democratic been active in Central America human Discussions in workplaces ever experienced," one unionist said. rights. PROF is confident that they will "Workers understand this question better rights work have experienced, over the past adopt this campaign as their own and will Many of those present had already been 18 months, countless instances of harass­ involved in discussions with their cowork­ than anybody. They realize that it's aimed themselves sign up hundreds more support­ at the unions." ment, including visits by FBI agents, mail ers," he concluded. ers about the significance of the case. A disruption, phone service interference and member of the International Union of Elec­ "We should take the information about blatant telephone surveillance, death Over the next few weeks PROF will be tronic Workers in Boston described how a this suit and PROF campaign to every threats, office break-ins, home break-ins, working with local unionists to select a number of workers at his plant had cut out union that is taking on the fight against etc." number of labor spokespeople who will be the newspaper article on the SWP's court mandatory drug testing," a Los Angeles One of the featured speakers at a meet­ able to help build the fund's campaign in victory and brought it into work. "They unionist told the meeting. In her own area, ing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was Joseph their areas. thought it was neat," he commented. she explained, that meant going to the city Ellwanger, pastor of Cross Lutheran "These spokespeople will be able to call "They hadn't realized that it was possible bus drivers and air traffic controllers, Church, which provides sanctuary to Cen- together meetings like this at a local level to take on the FBI and win." among others. One coal miner from Pittsburgh said that The discussion on PROF's plan of action there had been a lot of discussion at her over the next weeks made it clear that the mine about the case, ''The people I work unionists at the meeting believed that it was with immediately drew a parallel between possible to completely transform the char­ Political Rights what ·the FBI did to the SWP and all the acter of the support that has existed for the cases of secret police cops being used to fund up to now. harass miners," she said. In their judgment it was possible to sign Defense Fund Another worker pointed to the spy ap­ up thousands of trade unionists as PROF paratus that the post office has planted sponsors and that many of these would also Help us win more victories for democratic rights among postal workers. "This court ruling be eager to become active in the campaign provides an opening to fight this," he - organizing public meetings, arranging Now that a federal judge has ruled that the FBI's spying against the pointed out. "It links up with the whole for PROF speakers at their union local Socialist Workers Party and Young Socialist Alliance was illegal, the question of the rights of organizations and meetings, preparing articles on the case for case is going back to court to determine what will happen to the mil­ the right to privacy as it relates to unions." their union journals, and helping with the lions of secret files the government spies accumulated. Judge Griesa ruled that the govern­ fund-raising efforts. ment's claim that it was acting "in defense In explaining why she believed it was Every supporter of democratic rights has a stake in helping bring about of national security" was not sufficient jus­ possible to be so confident about what another victory against the FBI in the upcoming hearings. The Politi­ tification for spying on or harassing a could be achieved, one unionist from the group such as the SWP. A member of the Bay Area who has been active in the cam­ cal Rights Defense Fund needs your endorsement and your financial paign to build solidarity with the striking help to make the next stage in this battle a success. International Association of Machinists at the meeting explained that this ruling rep­ Hormel meatpackers in Austin, Minnesota, told the meeting what she and fellow activ­ D I want to be a sponsor of the Political Rights Defense Fund. resented a victory for all workers in plants that had contracts with the Defense Depart­ ists had learned from that experience. D Send me a copy of the federal court decision against the FBI. ment. "We were confident that the fight being Enclosed is $10. Workers in these industries are con­ waged by Austin meatpackers' was some­ thing that our coworkers would under- D Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to keep up the fight. stantly being snooped on by Defense Inves­ tigative Service spies. "The idea that taking . stand, learn from, and use," she said, "and $500 $100 $50 $10 other __ we found out that we were more than right. Name ______a job in this industry means you have to give up some rights doesn't sit well with We need to have the same confidence in Address ______my coworkers," he commented. our work around the suit." In summing up the discussion, one City ______State _____ Zip ______unionist from New York pointed out that Opposition to drug testing PROF would be approaching the labor Telephone------Organization ______Speaker after speaker described the dis­ movement with a victory, an advance in Signature ______cussions going on in their workplaces as the fight against government interference. private companies follow the lead of the "All too often we find ourselves under at­ Send to: Political Rights Defense Fund, P.O. Box 649, Cooper Station, Reagan administration in introducing and tack," he said, "so winning support for a New York, N.Y.10003. extending mandatory drug-testing pro­ step forward in defense of our rights should grams. "The drug issue has opened up the be easy."

6 The Militant October ,3, 1986 ...... Ulf11"£D STATES COVERNMEHT Many years of FBI Mernorandum

TO ~Ire DATE: July 12- f 1963

electronic intrusion PICOM Jlre

IUDJECT: qOCIAI.JST \\"ORI\ERS PAR'I'Y into socialists' lives INfERNAL SECUIU'lY - S•\"P · This memorandum is submitted to recommend approvnl of a microphone surveillance (misur) to provide coverage of the So:ialist Excerpts from federal court decision Workers Party (Sii"P) National Convention, July 18-21, 1963, at the Empire Hotel ln Xew York City.

The following is from the August 25 partment which had been using wiretaps, The SI\'P is a communist actio:"~ organizntion which has been ruling by U.S. District Judge Thomas was merged into the FBI. The Bureau of designated pursunn~ to EO 10-150. Th~ SWP is holding its Nnti.onal Col)vention a! th~ Empire H~tel in.New York Ci!Y, July 18-21, 1963. Griesa in the lawsuit against the FBI by Prohibition continued to use wiretaps after ThlS Convent1on IS of part1cular Importance since there should l>e the Socialist Workers Party and the the merger. The policies of the FBI and the c~nsiderablt; d~bate con~erning .n chon~e in leadership in the orgnniza­ Department were then changed by the At­ tlon. 'fh~ Nattonnl Cluarman of the Si";P, James P. Cannon, has annolmced Young Socialist Alliance. These excerpts ~i.!! r~tuemel)t nnd hns su~;gested thnt other old-time leodcrs of the are taken from the section on electronic torney General to allow wiretapping by the ::,hr Lll~O 1·t.:i..1.1·c ~u L:iat y\,W.ii;iC:" :&.:::;.be:-:; :::::j· t:!:: c':~; !h':' !~•tl"'r-.:hi n., surveillance. The subtitles are the Mili­ FBI upon approval of the Director of the 'l'ho! change in leadership in the S\\"i> is bound to produce many conflicts at the ~ntion~l C~nvention wllich, of course, are of pnrticular importnncc tant's. FBI and an Assistant Attorney General. in our 1nvestigat1ons. In the 1930's two events took place bear­ ing upon this policy. First, Congress The Bureau will have some coverage of the Com•enti.on tl1rougl1 The FBI's use of electronic surveillance attendnnce of li\·e informnnts. Full coverage of the ~ntional Convendon in its investigation of the SWP involved passed the Federal Communications Act of however cnn be nssured through misur coveraf'e in the ballroomsot the both wiretaps on telephone lines and 1934, which provides that "no person not Empire flo tel wl1ere the Convention is to be held. New York has con- being authorized by the sender shall inter­ 1Juctec.l a survey nnd determined that a mi sur can be installed i.n the microphones ("bugs") installed in rooms. \lapro'?ms with full s~curi tyi however,. n trespass wi 11 be involved •. The first wiretap occurred in June 1943, cept any wire or radio communication and 11us miSur can be mon1 tored 1n a room 1n the snme hot:cl at a cost ot when the FBI tapped the telephone in divulge or publish the existence, contents, $6 per day. SAC, Ne.v York, requests nuthority to instoll n mbmr in substance, purport, effect or meaning of the ballrooms at the Empire Hotel ami requc.st> that the New York Office [SWP leader] Farrell Dobbs' hotel room in .be lld\'ised by telephone todny. 11'./ _..,,, J I c~ II I . Milwaukee. The first bug was planted in such intercepted communication to any £!!.1 ~~~ - (JL Dllt. Dy. . (\ t· the same month at the SWP's Detroit of­ person ...." The Department interpreted fice. The FBI's electronic surveillance op­ the statute as requiring both interception A 1963 FBI memo recommending bugs be placed to tape the proceedings of a Socialist erations against the SWP and YSA con­ and disclosure before there was a violation Workers Party convention. tinued until 1963. of the statute. During the years 1943-1963, when Moreover, the Department took the view security. The Attorney General went on to against actual or potential attack or other these operations were taking place, the FBI that the statute would be violated only by a state that "not infrequently the question of hostile acts of a foreign power, to obtain had wiretaps in place for a total of about disclosure to some person outside of the trespass arises in connection with the in­ foreign intelligence information deemed 20,000 wiretap-days, and bugs in place for executive branch. Therefore, under the De­ stallation of a microphone," and "whether essential to the security of the United about 12,000 bug-days. Almost all of this partment's view, interception and disclo­ a trespass is actually involved and the sec­ States, or to protect national security infor­ occurred between 1943 and the early sure within the executive branch did not ond question of the effect of such a tres­ mation against foreign intelligence activ­ 1950's. There was no wiretapping at all violate the statute. pass" must be resolved in each case "in the ities. Nor shall anything contained in this after 1954. There were isolated instances The second event was the Supreme light of the practical necessities." The At­ chapter be deemed to limit the constitu­ of bugging between 1954 and 1963. Court's decision in Nardone v. United torney General concluded: "I recognize tional power of the President to take such In 1960, 1961 and 1963 meetings of the States (1937), which held that under the that for the FBI to fulfill its important intel­ measures as he deems necessary to protect SWP National Committee were bugged. Communications Act evidence or informa­ ligence function, considerations of internal the United States against the overthrow of These occurred at the SWP's headquarters tion obiained by use of a wiretap was not security and the national safety are the Government by force or other unlawful at 116 University Place, New York City. In admissible in a criminal trial. The Supreme paramount and, therefore, may compel the means, or against any other clear and pre­ 1963 the SWP National Convention was Court extended the scope of this ruling in unrestricted use of this technique in the na­ sent danger to the structure or existence of bugged. This took place at the Empire the second Nardone v. United States tional interest." the Government." Hotel, New York City. Both the ballroom (1939), which held that evidence procured As of this time the policy of the Govern­ The meaning of this language was con­ and a conference room were bugged. In through the use of knowledge gained by in­ ment allowing telephone wiretaps for pur­ sidered four years later in the landmark de­ 1962 the office of an SWP leader, James P. tercepting communications in violation of poses of national security remained in cision, United States v. United States Dis­ Cannon, was bugged for about 40 days. the Communications Act was inadmissi­ place. trict Court (1972). The Court defined the This office. was lpeated in His residence in ble. As already described, wiretaps. against issue: Los Angeles. In early 1940 Attorney General Jackson the SWP ceased in 1954, although isolated "The issue before us is an important one The installation of bugs generally re­ reinstated the former policy that the FBI instances of bugging continued until 1963. for the people of our country and their quired a surreptitious entry into private would not engage in wiretapping. That pol­ The parties presented evidence about legal Government. It involves the delicate ques­ premises. Both the wiretaps and the bugs icy was short-lived. On May 21, 1940, developments occurring subsequent to tion of the President's power, acting involved the overhearing and recording of President Roosevelt sent the Attorney Gen­ 1963, presumably in reference to plain­ through the Attorney General, to authorize private conversations on political, organi­ eral a memorandum stating that in the Pres­ tiffs' claim for declaratory and injunctive electronic surveillance in internal security zational and personal matters. ident's view the Supreme Court did not in­ relief. matters without prior judicial approval. The FBI policy concerning the use of tend to have its decision apply to grave Successive Presidents for more than one­ electronic surveillance changed over the matters involving the defense of the nation. Johnson authorized wiretaps quarter of a century have authorized such years, as did Fourth Amendment law af­ The President noted that certain foreign In a memorandum of June 30, 1965, surveillance in varying degrees, without fecting the legality of certain practices. As­ nations were engaged in sabotage and President Johnson reaffirmed the authori­ guidance from the Congress or a definitive sociate Deputy Attorney General Robert "fifth column" operations, and that preven­ zation of wiretaps "in connection with in­ decision of this Court." Keuch testified at the trial about the history tive steps by the United States were essen­ vestigations related to national security." The particular activity involved in the of the FBI's policy concerning the use of tial. The President directed the Attorney The next major development was Katz v. case was wiretapping but the Court's dis­ electronic surveillance in national security General, in such cases as he should ap­ United States, (1967), where the Supreme cussion was clearly broad enough to cover investigations. The following discussion is prove, to secure information by listening Court held that there is no requirement of microphone surveillance as well. As the based largely on his testimony. devices directed to the conversations of physical penetration into·premises in order Court explained, the precise issue related persons suspected of subversive activities for microphone surveillance to be unlaw­ to the use of electronic sqrveillance against Evolution of wiretapping against the Government of the United ful, overruling Goldman v. United States, domestic organizations, defined as groups When the FBI was created in about 1920 States, including suspected spies. (1942). In Katz, a microphone was in­ or organizations (whether formally or in­ the policies of both the FBI and the Depart­ In 1946 President Truman affirmed the stalled on the top of a telephone booth. The formally constituted) composed of citizens ment of Justice prohibited any use of policy of having the FBI use wiretaps in Court held that this installation, without a of the United States and having no signifi­ wiretapping. Ten years later the Bureau of "cases vitally affecting domestic. security." warrant, was a Fourth Amendment viola­ cant connections with a foreign power, its Prohibition, an agency of the Treasury De- tion. Katz was a criminal case, not dealing agents or agencies. Microphone surveillance with a national security investigation. The Court held that [the 1968 Crime A similar policy developed regarding the However, the decision contained signifi­ Act] is not a provision enabling the Federal FBI's use of microphone surveillance - cant comments on the latter subject. Foot­ Government to engage in electronic sur­ i.e. , this technique could be used to protect note 23 to the majority opinion stated: veillance in national security cases, but is against persons or entities thought to be "Whether safeguards other than prior au­ simply an expression of neutrality on the subversive of the national security. thorization by a magistrate would satisfy part of Congress with respect to this issue. In 1954 the Supreme Court decided Ir­ the Fourth Amendment in a situation in­ The Court went on to hold that electronic vine v. California, where a defendant in a volving the national security is a question surveillance against domestic . organiza­ state criminal case claimed that evidence not presented by this case." tions in national security matters could not obtained by installing a microphone bug in At the time of the Katz decision, Con­ be carried out without a warrant. It was ob­ his home was improperly admitted into evi­ gress was considering legislation intended vious from the opinion that the Court con­ dence. The entire Court agreed that the sur­ to deal with electronic surveillance, among sidered that Congress could provide a sys­ reptitious installation of the microphone in other things. In 1968 Congress passed the tem for the issuance of such warrants. The a home and the overhearing of conversa­ Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Court did not address the issue of the use of tions there constituted a violation of the Act. Title III of the statute contained provi­ electronic surveillance with respect to the Get the full text Fourth or Fifth Amendment. However, sions relaxing the ban on wiretapping con­ activities of foreign powers within or with­ five of the justices relied on Wolfv. Col­ tained in the Communications Act of 1934, out this country. of SWP v. FBI orado, to hold that the state court was not and providing regulations regarding the use In 1978 Congress passed the Foreign In­ constitutionally required to exclude the of both wiretapping and microphone sur­ telligence Surveillance Act, which pro­ court ruling- $10 evidence. veillance in criminal investigations, on the vided for a court composed of federal The complete text of Judge On May 28, 1954, Attorney General condition that such surveillance be ap­ judges to rule on applications for warrants· Thomas Griesa' s ruling in the Brownell sent a memorandum to the Direc­ proved by prior court order. Section 3 of in foreign national security investigations. Socialist Workers Party lawsuit tor of the FBI, discussing the significance the Act discussed the power of the Presi­ No legislation was passed then, or has been against FBI spying is now available of the Irvine decision with respect to na­ dent to use electronic surveillance in na­ passed since, regarding electronic surveil­ in printed form for only $10. tional security investigations by the FBI. tional security investigations. lance in domestic national security investi­ Order your copy today from Polit­ The Attorney General expressed the "Nothing contained in this chapter or in gations. The Department of Justice and.the ical Rights Defense Fund, P.O. Box view that the Irvine case, dealing with the section 605 of the Communications Act of FBI now believe that they have no author­ 649, Cooper Station, New York, investigation of gambling, did not require 1934 shall limit the constitutional power of ity to conduct electronic surveillance in N.Y. 10003. the FBI to abandon use of microphone sur­ the President to take such measures as he domestic national security cases, and they veillance for the protection of the national deems necessary to protect the Nation do not do so.

···October <3;s 1986 The Militant 7 The struggle for 'people's education' in South Africa Students, parents unite

Students marching to funeral of slain member of Congress of South African Students (COSAS) in KwaMashu, near Durban. COSAS has been banned by the apartheid regime.

BY ERNEST HARSCH oversees some 7,000 African schools, until condemned Washington as "an accomplice Another reflection of "people's educa­ (Second of two parts) there is "genuine power-sharing in this of apartheid." tion" has been the renaming of schools. In As the South African student movement country." Noting that 1986 was the lOth anniver­ many townships students have named their has evolved over the past few years, its sary of the Soweto student rebellions, the schools after Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, fight against the apartheid regime's dis­ In July, the 26,000-member Union of NECC delegates called for a national gen­ Elias Motsoaledi, Solomon Mahlangu, and criminatory education system has become Teachers Associations of South Africa - eral strike on June 16, as well as one on other leaders or martyrs of the ANC. increasingly coordinated with the struggles the main organization of Coloured teachers May Day. (Several million Black workers of other sectors of the oppressed Black - likewise withdrew from all official edu­ and students subsequently participated in Schools or 'concentration camps'? majority. cation bodies and urged other teachers both those strike actions.) Pretoria's response to the struggle in the "Since 1976, the people have recognized groups to do the same. schools has been the same as to other popu­ that apartheid education cannot be sepa­ 'People's education' lar struggles: detentions, school closings, rated from apartheid in general," noted Education summit The Durban NECC conference also physical attacks, and new repressive laws. Zwelakhe Sisulu, a prominent anti-apart­ As students and other sectors of the stressed the need to develop "people's edu­ Student activists have been common heid figure, at a national education confer­ Black population have drawn closer to­ cation" - winning greater control over the police targets. In a few cases, entire stu­ ence earlier this year. "Where the youth gether, they have engaged in numerous dis­ schools in order to use them as anti-apart­ dent bodies have been detained. Politically had previously waged the struggle alone, cussions. This has brought greate~ national heid organizing centers and to begin chang­ active teachers have found themselves whole communities now became in­ organization and direction to the education ing the content of education itself. fired and blacklisted. volved." struggle. It has also encouraged student ac­ This echoed the broader campaign in the To break student strikes, police and This has been reflected in the formation tivists to seek new ways to fight for their Black townships to replace Pretoria's local troops have in some cases actually herded of numerous local parents' committees, as demands, to move beyond their previous administrative structures with popularly students into schools and forced them to sit well as in greater political activism by tendency of relying almost exclusively on elected street committees and civic associ­ in class at gunpoint. Black right-wing vig­ teachers unions and associations. class boycotts as their main weapon of ations. ilante groups have been organized in some In Cape Town, for example, more than struggle. Molefe Tsele, a conference convener, townships, with police backing, to beat and 1,000 parents, teachers, and students from In late December 1985 representatives appealed to students to occupy schools that kill student activists. the African townships in the area met in of 161 student, parent, educational, politi­ had been shut down by the authorities. With the growth of "people's educa­ September 1985, pledging support for the cal, and youth organizations from around "We must use our presence of students at tion," Pretoria's main goal has been to pre­ students' demands for "equal, free, and dy­ the country met at the University of the schools for building and regrouping of stu­ vent the classrooms from being used to namic education." Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. dent organizations and implement an alter­ promote anti-apartheid struggle. A month later the Soweto Parents Crisis Initiated by the Soweto Parents Crisis nate educational program," Tsele said. In mid-July, the Department of Educa­ Committee (SPCC) was launched at a Committee, the conference was preceded Following the conference, activists or­ tion and Training unveiled its "Great Secu­ meeting of 2,000 people, mostly parents. It by discussions between an SPCC delega­ ganized mass meetings to report on and rity Plan": the introduction of special IDs has played a key role nationally in helping tion and representatives of the outlawed discuss its decisions. Although some stu­ for all students and the posting of security coordinate the efforts of parents and stu­ African National Congress (ANC) in Ha­ dents favored a continuation of the guards and police at all schools. "They're dents. rare, Zimbabwe. SPCC member Vusi boycotts, most decided to return to their trying to turn our schools into concentra­ Khanyile reported that the ANC had vowed tion camps," one student responded. The 54,000-member African Teachers classrooms. In Port Elizabeth, for exam­ to support the conference's decisions. ple, nearly 60,000 students packed into a Association of South Africa (AT ASA) held DET officials argued that such measures At the conference, delegates expressed local stadium to endorse the NECC'sback­ a conference in January. Founded some 65 were necessary to stamp out "violence," concern that an indefinite prolongation of to-school call, as well as the struggle for years ago, it is one of the oldest teachers "intimidation," and "hooliganism" in the the class boycotts could become counter­ "people's education." groups in the country. In a significant shift, schools. But the real target was "people's productive for Black students' immediate In some areas, such as Cape Town, al­ the conference called on AT ASA members education," as one top DET official made to stop being "apolitical" and to support the education. And with the schools closed, it ternative "people's education" classes had would also be more difficult for students to clear when he declared that the SRCs "are struggle for "people's education and the already been launched in 1985. But in the not the ones who should decide school pro­ meet and organize. Weighing such consid­ liberation of the oppressed." wake of the Durban conference they spread grams, which textbooks to use, and which erations, the more than 1,000 participants "We dare not stand aside in the mistaken much further. The elected Students Repre­ teachers to appoint." appealed to students to return to their belief that the disturbances are not educa­ sentative Councils (SRCs) have played a schools and to continue the education tional matters and therefore of no concern central role in drawing up courses of study, ID cards burned struggle by other means. to us," declared ATASA President Randall working in conjunction with some The DET's crackdown was met by wide­ They also demanded that Pretoria unban Peteni. "We must also concern ourselves teachers. Lessons are taught by students spread protests. Teachers and principals the Congress of South African Students with the political struggle of the masses." and teachers alike. condemned the new regulations and many (COSAS), lift its repressive state of According to a report in the April 18-24 Two months later, AT ASA declared that refused to comply with them. Students in emergency, and release all detained stu­ Johannesburg Weekly Mail, such classes it was withdrawing from direct involve­ Soweto, Alexandra, Tembisa, Lamont­ dents. are held in some schools every Wednesday ment in all committees of the Department and Friday afternoon. Topics include his­ ville, and the townships of the East Rand of Education and Training (DET), which 'We must aim for national action' tory, culture, religion, and social studies. and Eastern Cape launched new class boycotts or held demonstrations to burn the When the schools reopened for the new new ID cards. In many schools the au­ term in January, thousands of students Workers' history thorities found it impossible to impose the heeded the conference call and streamed In the Johannesburg area, the Transvaal IDs, and quietly dropped them. From back to their classrooms. Students Congress (Trasco) organized At the same time, the SPCC and the classes on workers' history and the Con­ The DET arbitrarily shut several dozen Pathfinder Press many groups working with it sought to use gress of South African Trade Unions. "We schools, locking out some 300,000 stu­ the momentum of the December confer­ hope that by doing this we will be sharpen­ dents for the rest of the year. This pro­ Apartheid's Great Land Theh: ence to draw in even broader forces. "Our ing the students' understanding that work­ voked new struggles by students,_ parents, The Struggle for the Right to position is that the schooling of our chil­ ers are the vanguard of the struggle," and teachers to reopen the schools. The Fann ln South Africa by Ernest dren is a community problem and should explained Jabu Khumalo, a Trasco leader. Congress of South African Trade Unions; Khumalo continued: "We are striving Harsch. be resolved by the community as a whole," the country's largest labor federation, also SPCC spokesperson Molefe Tsele stated. for an education system that is free, dy­ demanded that the schools be reopened. Tells the story of the fight over land, "We must aim for concerted national ac­ namic and democratic; hence our demand The entire leadership of the Transvaal which has been at the center of the tion, rather than sporadic local efforts." that the doors of learning and culture be Students Congress was either detained or struggle between South Africa's open to all." Out of this came the National Education forced underground. But new student lead­ white rulers and its subjugated Black Apartheid education, he went on, ers stepped in to take their place. Crisis Committee (NECC), which or­ majority. "doesn't say anything about the people's A report in the August 8-14 Weekly Mail ganized another national conference, held history. The history taught in schools This pamphlet is an important tool to in Durban in late March. It drew 1,500 del­ commented that "the refusal of students in doesn't say why the African National Con­ Soweto to heed the DET's regulations indi­ help build the movement to break all egates, from a broader range of groups than gress and other political organizations were cates that far from having thrown the stu­ U.S. ties with the apartheid regime. attended the Johannesburg gathering. banned, why some people are in exile or dents in disarray, the regulations have seen It is available at the Pathfinder Book­ The participants reaffirmed the earlier why Nelson Mandela and others are de­ the emergence of a new layer of student store nearest you (see directory on appeal to students to return to school. They tained. leadership, especially in Soweto." page 12) or from Pathfinder Press, blasted the apartheid regime for refusing to "It is a kind of history that serves the in­ Despite the stringent new measures, the 410 West St., New York, N.Y. unban COSAS or meet any of the other de­ terests of the ruling class in this country report went on, "people's education" class­ 10014. 56 pp., $1.25. Please in­ mands of the previous conference. They and to get rid of this type of thing we are es were continuing in some Soweto clude $. 75 for handling. likewise demanded a withdrawal of all for­ presently striving for the introduction of schools, "right under the noses of the Secu­ eign investments from South Africa and People's Education." rity Forces."

8 The Militant October 3, 1986 A visit to Manila's 'strike zone' reveals workers' militancy

BY RUSSELL JOHNSON So they were picketing the plant around the MANILA, Philippines - In the six clock to stop him from removing the months since the overthrow of Ferdinand machinery and opening up business else­ Marcos, strike action by Filipino workers where in Manila. This meant that 20 to 50 has mushroomed, running at almost twice of them had to sleep under the shelter each the rate of the same period in 1985. night. I had an opportunity to learn firsthand I inquired whether they had attempted to the issues behind the strike upsurge when I establish a union during the Marcos years. visited picket lines in the Malabon "strike Twice, the pickets explained. But Que had area" in July. Malabon - a major concen­ links with the dictator, so he easily got help tration of sweatshops owned by U.S. , from the Ministry of Labor and the police Taiwanese, and Filipino-Chinese busi­ to break their efforts. nessmen, and a center of the current strike They were supposed to be paid 53 pesos wave - is part of the northern industrial ($2.61) for an eight-hour day. But Que had belt of Metro Manila. (Metro Manila is the forced most of them onto a piecework sys­ Johnson name given to a contiguous urban area of tem whereby they could only earn 40 pesos Filipino plastics workers on strike for union recognition. When working, their wage more than 7 million people consisting of ($1.98) while working a 12-hour day. The is only one-third that of official poverty level. Manila and its surrounding satellite cities.) officially-estimated poverty line is 114 Isagani Lucido, a 25-year-old garment pesos ($5.62) per day. worker whom everyone called Gani, Some of the workers were wearing T­ There were at least three other strikes in proached the owner, he told them he accompanied me. Since the beginning of shirts sporting political slogans. I asked the immediate neighborhood of their fac­ couldn't recognize them because they were 1985, Gani has been a full-time organizer them what they thought· of Corazon tory, we were told. One of the workers of­ already represented by the Association of for the May 1 Movement (KMU) union Aquino's government and the efforts of the fered to take us down the road to visit the Trade Unions (A TU) and had been since federation in Metro Manila. pro-Marcos loyalists to destabilize it, such strikers at Manila Plastics. 1961. Arriving in the "strike zone," we first as through the July 6-7 takeover of the Manila Plastics turned out to be a con­ stopped off at a plastic-covered shelter in Manila Hotel. The consensus was that siderably bigger factory, employing 425 Right to choose union front of the gate of a high-walled building. workers should support Aquino against workers, 225 of them women. Outside one The ATU is affiliated to the Trade Union Above the shelter was a plaque that read: loyalist efforts to destroy her government. of the three gates where 24-hour pickets Congress of the Philippines, an organiza­ "Carlque Plastic Incorporated." were being maintained I spoke with 22- July 4 demonstration tion whose leaders were linked to the Mar­ The two dozen pickets beneath the shel­ year-old Raquel Hernandez, assistant sec­ cos regime and who were notorious for ter invited us in to hear about their strug­ Some of the pickets said they had par­ retary of the Manila Plastics Workers signing "sweetheart deals" with employers gle. Their story was similar to that of strug­ ticipated in a July 4 demonstration outside Union, and union President Samson over the heads of the workers. "The work­ gles all over the Philippines today. the U.S. embassy organized by the KMU Zaragosa, also in his early 20s. ers did not even know the ATU existed and other anti-imperialist organizations. here," Samson added. Background to strike The action called for the removal of U.S. Basic pay at Manila Plastics was 37 pesos per day. Under these conditions, a When the union representatives per­ Prior to the strike, 12 men and 60 military bases from the Philippines. The group of workers decided to try to organize sisted, they were fired, forcing the workers women had worked in the factory, making demonstrators were teargassed and clubbed a union in the plant and contacted the out on strike May 26 to fight for their right toothbrushes and combs. But on April 16, by the military. to be represented by the union of their less than two weeks after they had formed "It was like Marcos was still in the coun­ KMU. "Workers knew them as the only real union and sought them out," Samson choice. the union, the owner, Geronima Que, fired try," explained one participant. He added I asked how they assessed the change their t,mion representative. This triggered that Juan Enrile, minister of defense in explained. They signed up 286 workers, and the Manila Plastics Workers Union, af­ with the ouster of Marcos. The principal the strike. both the Marcos and Aquino cabinets, was filiated to the ~MU, was born. change is the democratic space, was the Que, they explained, preferred to close primarily responsible for the attack and for general response. "Workers produce the But when the union representatives ap- the factory rather than recognize the union. the protection of the loyalists. wealth, but we have no wealth," said one worker. The new government is "very nice," replied another, "but we don't know the future." 'Smoking Mt.' symbolizes squatters' plight "How could working people defend their democratic gains against the threat posed MANILA, Philippines- On our way to ila alone - almost one-third of the capi­ selves from ongoing military repression. by the military?" I asked. "By organizing Malabon we stopped at the port city of tal's population. This organization belongs to the National and mobilizing the people to demand that Navotas to visit "Smoking Mountain," a "Smoking Mountain" itself was a small Congress of Urban Poor, an affiliate of the all elements of the dictatorship be disman­ vast mound of garbage located on the fishing village that became a garbage dump mass-action opposition coalition Bayan, tled," came the reply. "So far, the person­ waterfront of neighboring Tondo city. after World War II, a community ac.tivist which is led politically by the Communist nel of the government has changed. But the "Smoking Mountain," which is both home explained to me. Facing declining catches Party of the Philippines (CPP). basic issues of the Philippines remain the same." and livelihood for 5,000 people, has be­ and expanding population, the villagers The dump gained its nickname from its come a symbol of the conditions of life for­ took to scavenging the dump for scrap met­ tendency to catch fire and smolder for eign economic and political domination als, plastic, bottles, cardboard, and other weeks and even months on end. On one KMU at center stage has imposed upon millions of Filipino toil­ materials that could be recycled and sold side of the track rose the garbage moun­ The young union fighters and leaders I ers. for a few cents. tain. On the other stretched the shanties, met during my visit to Malabon were typi­ Tondo is the largest squatting area in As the economic crisis deepened during themselves pieced together from cal of many of the KMU organizers I met in Asia, I was told. Landless peasants coming the Marcos era, however, and joblessness, scavenged materials and each with bundles the Philippines. While some of the KMU to Metro Manila in search of work or work­ high rents, and landlord evictions in­ of cardboard and baskets of cans stacked leaders are veterans of labor and democrat­ ers evicted from their lodgings because creased, thousands of families began to outside. ic struggles as far back as the 1960s, many they can't afford to pay the rent "squat" in squat on and scavenge the dump. Children especially suffer in these mis­ more are in their early and mid-20s. ramshackle shanties alongside creeks, rail­ In 1982 Marcos drove them out and flat­ erable conditions. Lung diseases, diarrhea, Some of these leaders had been part of way tracks, or other vacant areas of land. tened their shanties. Within a year, 80 per­ and malnutrition are common. Ninety per­ the revolutionary student movement and According to the government, there are at cent of the squatters had returned and cent of the children cannot attend school, had been attracted to the KMU as a way to least 5 million such squatters throughout begun to organize themselves into the "Or­ our shantytown guide explained, because devote themselves to the workers' and the Philippines, 2.2 million in Metro Man- ganization of Squatters" to defend them- the whole family must be involved in the peasants' struggles. Many more of these competitive struggle to be the first to pick youthful organizers, however, are work­ over the newest truckload of festering gar­ ers. They were recruited out of the militant bage. labor battles that have characterized the spectacular growth of the KMU from a mil-' The Aquino government has appointed itant minority of 35,000 within the or­ Mar Canonigo, a leader of the Socialist ganized working class in 1980 to the major Democratic Party of the Philippines and union federation of more than half a mil­ former shantytown organizer, to head a lion members and national pole of attrac­ Presidential Commission on Urban Poor tion for working-class fighters it is today. and has promised to use part of Marcos' ill­ Until a few years ago, most young fight­ gotten gains to rehouse some of the mil­ ers like these would have headed into the lions of squatters. But, as a government of hills to join the peasant guerrilla move­ the landlords and capitalists, it is unwilling ment, the New People's Army, led by the and unable to make serious steps toward Communist Party of the Philippines. solving the basic problems of landlessness, Today, many youths are veterans of the unemployment, and starvation wages that difficult and dangerous task of labor or­ constantly reproduce new "Smoking ganizing in the factories and plantations Mountains." under the Marcos tyranny. This was symbolized by a recent visit to Hundreds paid for this experience with the "Mountain" by Cecelia Laurel, wife of their lives. Hundreds more were jailed and Aquino's vice-president. Laurel expressed tortured. Their sacrifices helped place the considerable concern over the plight of the KMU in the position it is in today - squatters, the shantytown activists pushed forward to center stage as the explained to me. But her only tangible con­ Filipino working class seeks to give or­ tribution was to leave an image of Santo ganized expression to its ongoing battle for Nifio (the boy Christ) for the squatters to democracy and against all forms of exploi­ Scavengers of "Smoking Mountain." pray to. - R.J. tation.

October 3, 1986 The Militant 9 Unionists picket Eastern Airlines Airline workers face layoffs, union-busting threats

BY STU SINGER ing cars and trucks waved and honked government help. He was inspired by MIAMI - About 1,000 machinists' horns in support. International Association Reagan's breaking the air traffic control­ union members demonstrated outside the of Machinists (lAM) Local 702 at Eastern lers' union, PATCO, two years earlier. Eastern Airlines hangars during their lunch is one of the largest unions in Miami, and If he gets final government approval, break September 19 to protest attacks the labor battles at Eastern are front-page Lorenzo and his Texas Air holding com­ against their union. Five hundred Eastern news almost daily. pany will soon control Continental, East­ union members have been laid off, and fir­ em, New York Air, Frontier, and People ings and disciplinary action has escalated. The lAM members carried signs attack­ Express. This has been described as the The company is making open threats to ing Frank Lorenzo, who just won final largest airline operation in the world after break the union. government approval for taking over East­ the Soviet government-owned Aeroflot. The picket line stretched four blocks em. Lorenzo destroyed the lAM and other along busy NW 36 Street. Drivers of pass- unions at Continental Airlines in 1983 with A number of the signs carried in the demonstration compared Eastern to the Geo. A. Hormel & Co. Hormel worker Rod Huinker was part of the demonstration Nicaraguan government moves and some participants wore boycott Hor­ mel T -shirts they had gotten at a Local 702 volunteers from war zones meeting a few days earlier at which Huinker had spoken. BY CINDY JAQUITH The decision to move the foreign volun­ MANAGUA, Nicaragua-Foreign vol­ teers was first announced at an August The same morning as the demonstration, unteers working in this country in zones of meeting of 700 European and Latin Amer­ Huinker and lAM members supporting the intense military conflict have been relo­ ican volunteers held in Estelf in northern Hormel fight collected funds outside East­ cated to safer areas by the Nicaraguan gov­ Nicaragua. Carlos Manuel Morales, presi­ em. Including money contributed at the ernment. The decision followed stepped­ dential delegate for the region, explained to union meeting, over $700 was raised. up terror attacks on the volunteers by mer­ the group that Nicaragua is determined to At the picket line a special leaflet was cenaries armed and financed by Washing­ maintain the international cooperation pro­ distributed titled "Why ~astern workers ton. grams that have aided the revolution and should support the Hormel fight." Although some non-Nicaraguan volun­ involved thousands of volunteers from Militant/Stu Singer teers have been attacked by the counterrev­ other countries. "We are going to make Other picket signs denounced the rip-off Diana Pitts, one of 500 Eastern Airlines olutionaries in previous years - in 1983, sure the cooperation continues," he said. by top Eastern officials at the same time workers laid off in September. More both a French and a West German doctor "And in order to do this, we are taking the these executives accuse union members of union-busting attacks are threatened. were murdered - the number of victims necessary steps so that the terrorists don't being overpaid. For example, Frank this year has risen substantially. In Feb­ murder one more internationalist." Lorenzo was paid $20 million cash to get ruary, a Swiss agronomist was killed by a Volunteers working on projects in him to buy the company, and Eastern Pres­ One Eastern worker, Diana Pitts, who landrnine; in May, a Spanish nurse was Jalapa, El Jicaro, Quilalf, and San Juan del ident Joseph Leonard recently got a was to be laid off two days later, pushed slain when another mine exploded; in June, Rio Coco - all to the north of Estelf - $50,000 a year pay raise, up to $225,000 a her infant daughter in a stroller in the dem­ a Belgian civil engineer was gunned down; were relocated to projects in the Somoto, year. onstration. The baby carried a sign, "Don't and in late July, three volunteers - a Estelf, and Ocotal areas. Morales also said lay off my momma." Pitts is one of the 500 French radio technician, a West German the government is taking steps to organize Other signs in the demonstration de­ workers, almost all aircraft servicers, who water technician, and a Swiss construction all international work projects into a single, nounced the company plan to defer $60 are being laid off. The only company plan engineer - were murdered when mer­ centralized program. million in payments to the lAM pension for making up their work is speed-up for cenaries opened fire on their car. fund because of a "cash shortage." Eastern those still working and job combinations Most of the attacks have occurred in Similar relocation has taken place of for­ workers assume the money is needed to that violate the contract. northern Nicaragua on the Pacific side of eign volunteers in Region 5. The majority buy People Express and have no intention the country. Nicaraguan civilians have also of workers there are from West Germany of jeopardizing their pensions to expand Stu Singer is an aircraft servicer at Eastern been killed in these assaults . and Spain. Lorenzo's empire. in Miami and a member ofJAM Local702. .The clear objective of the mercenaries in targeting the volunteers is to terrorize the many thousands of people who travel to Nicaragua to help on health projects, con­ Fund drive to aid publishing program struction, education, and other programs Nicaragua desperately needs. BY HELEN MEYERS tember 20, a total of $4,300 has been re­ of such a great revolutionary leader as Nel­ In Region 5, in south-central Nicarag.ua, Pathfinder Press is urging support to the ceived. But much more is needed to reach son Mandela." eight West German volunteers building Fall Publications Fund, with a goal of rais­ the $100,000 target. Another special publishing project for housing for peasants were kidnapped by ing $100,000 to enable Pathfinder to con­ Pathfinder Press is the largest publisher Pathfinder is the publication of a series of mercenaries in May. They were held for 24 tinue its publication and promotional ef­ and distributor in the United States of the books on the history of the Communist In­ days along with Nicaraguan peasants, until forts. This special appeal will run until speeches and writings of Cuban leader ternational during the years in which it was an international protest campaign suc­ November 15. Fidel Castro; Malcolm X; the leaders of the led by Russian revolutionary leader V.I. ceeded in winning their release. Since the fund was launched on Sep- Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua; Lenin. This series brings together for the Maurice Bishop, the Grenadian revolution­ first time in English the rich lessons of an ary leader who was killed in 1983; and important period in revolutionary history. Do you know someone who reads Spanish? other working-class and revolutionary fighters. . The third volume in the series will be Two important books published this year completed this year. This new volume will Fidel hits aid to Apartheid by Pathfinder are Fidel Castro: Nothing contain the proceedings and reports from Can Stop the Course of History, the text of the Founding Congress of the Communist "My view is that the United International, held in Moscow in 1919. It States and the major European in­ an interview with Castro by U.S. Con­ gressman Mervyn M. Dymally and Profes­ also includes evaluations of the congress dustrialized countries are respon­ by Russian revolutionary leaders N. sible for the survival of apart­ sor Jeffrey M. Elliot, and The Struggle Is My Life, by Nelson Mandela. Bukharin, V.I. Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and heid," said Cuban President Fidel Nicaragua lucha por el G. Zinoviev. Castro during an interview he The book of writings by the imprisoned The Publications Fund will also help gave to Congressman Mervyn derecho a vivir en paz South African anti-apartheid leader was Pathfinder reprint titles that have been un­ published as part of the worldwide cam­ Dymally and Jeffrey M. Elliot, a ( available for some time. These include ~ paign to win the release of all political pris­ North Carolina professor. OI!Niwdela! Speeches for Socialism, by James P. Can­ "As long as South Africa," _..,.... oners held by the apartheid regime. non, documenting 60 years of activity in added the Cuban leader, "con­ The Publications Fund will aid in Path­ the labor and socialist movements in the IMdlaallllla..... finder's expansion of Spanish-language United States, and Empiricism and Its tinues to receive technological, latlonllel books and pamphlets. Recently published Evolution: A Marxist View, by George economic, and military assist­ titles include: Habla Nelson Mandela (Nel­ ance, it will remain unaltered, Novack, an introduction to the Marxist son Mandela Speaks) and Sudafrica: Ia method in treating the history of ideas. adamant, and continue its revoluci6n en camino (The Coming Revo­ blackmailing position." lution in South Africa). Hot off the press is The $1 00,000 fundraising campaign will The interview, published in the pamphlet "La huelga de los obreros de help enable the Militant and the Spanish­ English by Pathfinder Press, in­ la came contra la Hormel en Austin, Min­ language monthly Perspectiva Mundial to cludes a wide range of issues. nesota 1985-86" ("The 1985-86 Hormel continue getting out the truth and bringing The latest issue of Perspectiva Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, Min­ working people the kind of coverage they Mundial includes extensive ex­ Subscriptions: $7 for one year; nesota"). can't get anywhere else. It will also help fi­ cerpts from this interview on the $4 for six months; Introductory The increasingly large section of the nance New International, a journal of demand for sanctions against offer, $2.00 for five months. U.S. working class whose first language is Marxist politics and theory. South Africa and the presence of D Begin my sub with current Spanish makes this publishing project an issue. important priority. We urge all readers of the Militant Cuban troops in Angola. throughout the country to help us raise the Perspectiva M undial is the Name ------Pathfinder's Spanish-language publica­ $100,000 we need. Send us your contribu­ Spanish-language socialist maga­ Address ______tions have struck a responsive chord among tion now, or let us know what you can zine that every month brings you Puerto Rican proindependence fighters. pledge to pay by the November 15 target the truth about the struggles of City/State/Zip ______One of the patriots being unjustly held in a date. working people and the oppressed New York City jail wrote Pathfinder, com­ Contributions and pledges should be Clip and mail to PM, 408 West St., menting on Habla Nelson Mandela. He mailed to Fall Publications Fund, 14 in the U.S. and around the world. New York, NY 10014. said, in part, "It is an honor for those of us Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. who struggle for social justice in Puerto Checks should be made out to the Publica­ Rico to get to know the speeches and ideas tions Fund.

10 The Militant

----~- ~------Indian socialists map out perspectives Congress discusses international struggles, Indian politics

BY MALIK MIAH efiting from the regime's policies are the FAZALPUR, Gujarat, India-Overthe upper and middle classes. independence weekend of August 15-17, What is most striking about cities like revolutionary socialists, including trade Bombay, where hundreds of thousands of union and peasant activists from the states · working people live on pavements, are the of Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and thousands of middle class people driving Kerala, met in this small village to discuss motorbikes and cars, and owning video perspectives. cassette recorders. This was the second congress of the ln­ The gap between rich and poor has quilabi Communist Sangarithan (Revolu­ brought instability and growing conflicts. tionary Communist Organization- ICS), There are constant tensions within the only formed in 1984 after a merger of the Com­ national party, the ruling Congress Party, munist League of India and the Bolshevik as well as between it and the regional par­ Leninist Group. ties. The ICS is the Indian section of the Furthermore, the government and reac­ Fourth International, a world Marxist or­ tionary chauvinist groups - mainly Hindu ganization. based - are fanning the flames of com­ The group is active in the fight for trade munalism. This deflects the anger of the union and peasant rights, the rights of oppressed and exploited masses and under­ women, pavement and slum dwellers, and mines united political action in defense of the rights of the dalit ("poor and downtrod­ their own interests. den") and other oppressed minorities. Communalism - the pitting of one Several major resolutions establishing community against another, generally the political, programmatic, and organiza­ fueled by religion, caste, regionalism, or tional foundations of the ICS were language- is rampant in several states. It adopted. is most notable in the Punjab between Hin­ The world resolution and reports dus and Sikhs, and in Gujarat between Hin­ stressed the ICS's internationalism. In ad­ dus and Muslims as well as between high dition to expressing support for the struggle and middle caste Hindus against low caste of the oppressed majority in South Africa Hindus. ~' Ji' Textile workers' strike, 1982. Indian working class has suffered major setbacks. against apartheid rule and the fight of the More than 80 percent of Indians practice Nicaraguan people against U.S. govern­ or follow the Hindu religion. There are 16 ment-organized terror, the conference sol­ major languages. idariz~ with the ongoing democratic While the Indian ruling class is multi­ struggles in neighboring Pakistan and Sri regional, the ethnic, religious, and regional -WORLD NEWS BRIEFS-- Lanka. divisions continually threaten to tear the Sonia Khan told the congress that the fall country apart, as occurred in 1947 with the Troops used against and after the talks. The Salvadoran gov­ of the military dictatorship in Pakistan separation out of the Muslim areas in the ernment refused to meet this condition. would inspire and encourage other demo­ north and east, which then became Pakis­ strikers in Ecuador cratic struggles in South Asia, including in tan. The ICS makes as a central stand its Demonstrating workers clashed with Nuclear-free policy India. opposition to all communalism and for a police in Ecuador on September 17 dur­ Gopal from Kerala gave a special report truly secular Indian government. ing a 24-hour general strike called by the upheld in Belau on the situation in Sri Lanka. He explained The. ICS allocates sizable resources to United Workers Front (FUT) union fed­ the history of the Tamil minority's fight for publishing materials and newspapers in the eration. A day earlier, the government On September 17 an appeals court in self-determination and why their struggle regional languages. Currently it publishes of President Leon Febres Cordero had the Republic of Belau (also known as should be supported. newspapers in five languages. declared the strike illegal and called out Palau) ruled that a plebiscite held in Feb­ Much of the discussion at the congress At the conference translation was pro­ troops to "keep order." ruary to ratify a "Compact of Free As­ centered on current Indian politics and per­ vided in four languages for the 30-40 del­ According to official reports, nine sociation" with the United States had spectives to build a revolutionary working­ egates and guests. people were injured and 35 arrested dur­ f;Uled to gain the votes necessary to class party in India. India's diversity affects the trade union ing the clashes. FUT spokespeople, overturn the antinuclear provisions in The resolution and reports on politics in and peasant movements too. There are few however, said the real figures were the country's constitution. India today focused on an assessment of national unions and almost all unions are much higher. Belau is one of the four countries that Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's government tied to a political party. The ICS is building The strikers were demanding a 100 make up the northwest Pacific islands since he took office in October 1984 after its own union. Where possible ICS mem­ percent increase in the minimum wage, known as Micronesia. Technically a Indira Gandhi's assassination. bers are active in other independent unions. which today stands at 10,000 sucres (ap­ United Nations Trust Territory, Belau, The resolution, "Rajiv Era- An Histor­ The group is active in the small women's proximately $68) a month. "Twenty like the other nations in Micronesia, has ical Perspective," emphasized that Rajiv rights movement as well, and is in the thousand sucres a month is the minimum been a U.S. colony since World War II. Gandhi's policies are a deepening of the leadership of a cultural group in Gujarat salary a family of five requires to subsist In 1979 Belau gained self-government. pro-big-business, anti-working-class that is widely known for its street perfor­ in relatively decent conditions," FUT But Washington will only agree to its course followed by previous governments. mances against communal violence. President Edgar Ponce explained at the status of Trust Territory being rescinded The working class has suffered major beginning of the strike. by the United Nations if the people of setbacks over the last decade, the report * * * Ecuador has been badly affected by Belau ratify the compact. noted, thus weakening trade union organi­ The Inquilabi Communist Sanganthan' s the fall in world oil P.rices. Inflation is Under the proposed agreement, the zation. Strikes by traditionally strong political resolution is available in English currently running at 20 percent, and the U.S. government would have veto unions in rail (1974) and textile (1982-83) for purchase. Send $3.50 to Antar foreign debt stands at $7.5 billion. Ele­ power over all domestic and foreign pol­ were defeated. Rashtriya Prakashan, Govindrao Dev's ven percent of the work force is un­ icy decisions of the Belau government The only section of the nearly 800 mil­ Wada, Pratap Road, Raopura, Baroda 390 employed, and it has been estimated that that it deemed contrary to U.S. security lion people (80 percent rural) who are ben- 001, Gujarat State, India. a further 34 percent are underemployed. interests, and any part of Belau's terri­ tory could be taken over by Washington for military purposes. Army presence scuttles The provisions of the compact also re­ Castro book launched in Australia quire Belau to cede one-third of its terri­ BY DAVE DEUTSCHMANN African National Congress and the Pales­ Salvadoran peace talks tory for a jungle warfare training area to replace the U.S. Army's recently closed SYDNEY, Australia- July 26 marks tine Liberation Organization. Brazilian priest Frei Betto, whose inter­ Representatives of the Farabundo guerrilla training school in Panama. An the anniversary of the storming of the Mon­ Marti National Liberation Front airfield and amphibious base will be cada Barracks by a small band of revolu­ view with Castro is the basis for Fidel and Religion, sent written greetings to the (FMLN) and the Revolutionary Demo­ built, and Belau is also a possible site for tionaries led by Fidel Castro and is one of cratic Front (FDR) announced Sep­ the most important dates in Cuba's revolu­ meetings, as did a number of Cuban or­ ganizations including the international de­ tember 14 that they would not partici­ tionary calendar. It was celebrated in Aus­ pate in peace talks with the Salvadoran PACIFIC OCEAN tralia this year by a series of meetings to partment of the Ministry of Culture and the Cuban Writers and Artists Union. government scheduled to begin Sep­ launch the English-language edition of the tember 19. book Fidel and Religion. Speaking of Fidel and Religion, Rene ·This decision was made, they said, Sponsored by the Australia-Cuba Rodriguez Cruz, president of the Cuban In­ because the Salvadoran army recently Friendship Society and the book's pub­ stitute for Friendship With the Peoples, sent its Arce Battalion to occupy the lishers, Pathfinder Press (Australia), the wrote: "We are sure that it will arouse great eastern Salvadoran town of Sesori, the book launchings were held in Melbourne, interest, not only among friends of Cuba proposed site for the talks, and the sur­ Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Blue Moun­ but among all honest people interested in rounding hills. The whole area was de­ tains-Sydney, and Newcastle. The largest learning about our experiences and our re­ clared a military zone. meeting - in Melbourne - attracted 110 lations with the church. It is our sincere The Arce Battalion is U.S.-trained people. hope that in the future such ventures might and commanded by Col. Mauricio Sta­ Speakers included Luis Gomez, the be numerous and contribute to the ben, who is identified with the right­ Cuban consul to Australia; John Brother­ strengthening of relations between our wing current most opposed to com­ a Trident submarine base. ton, president of the Australia-Cuba peoples." promising with the guerrilla fighters. These plans run counter to the an­ Friendship Society; and Dave Deutsch­ tinuclear clauses in Belau's constitution. Since its launching, Fidel and Religion To protect the lives of their guerrilla mann from Pathfinder Press. Several of the leaders and civilian supporters during The February plebiscite is the third time has been prominently featured in the news­ meetings also heard speakers from the Aus­ the talks, the FMLN-FDR demanded the compact has been voted on, and each tralian Council of Churches and from five papers of the Communist Party of Australia time it has failed to get the percentage of and the Socialist Party of Australia, and it that Sesori be cleared of soldiers and that Labor Party parliamentarians. a truce be declared for 24 hours before votes required to amend the constitution. Among those attending the launchings was the cover story in Outlook, a Christian were the Australian representatives of the monthly magazine.

TheMHitant 11 .October . . 3, . 1986·' ;· -CALENDAR- ALABAMA Victory rallies: Birmingham Socialist Workers Campaign Headquarters How to Use Ruling in Socialist Workers Party Grand Opening and Rally. Speakers: Andrea Baron, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Senate; Dave Ferguson, SWP candidate .Suit Against FBI to Fight for Political Rights for governor; Martin Boyers, SWP candidate CALIFORNIA ety; Amy Good, harassed by FBI upon return tion Rights Action League, Socialist Workers for Congress, 6th C.D. Sat:, Sept. 27. Recep­ from Nicaragua; Chokwe Lumumba, attorney Party. Sun., Oct. 5, 7 p.m. 4907 Martin tion, 6:30p.m.; program, 7:30p.m. 1306 1st San Jose facing contempt charges in Brink's case; An­ Luther King Dr. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Ave. N. Donation: $3. Ausp: Socialist Workers Speakers: Harry Adams, president oflnterna­ drew Pulley, plaintiff in SWP and YSA law­ Labor Forum. For more information call Campaign. For more information call (205) tional Association of Machinists Local 565; suit; Faith Robinson, president, Detroit Na­ (314) 361-0250. 323-3079. Jody Sleeper, South Bay Sanctuary Coven­ tional Organization for Women; Richard ant; representative of the No on 64 - Stop Soble, attorney in Michigan Red Squad law­ CALIFORNIA LaRouche Campaign; Clifton DeBerry, 1964 suit; Neil Webster, vice-president United TEXAS Los Angeles presidential candidate of Socialist Workers Auto Workers Local 1700. Sun., Sept. 28,4 Houston Party; Sandra Nelson, SWP candidate for Socialist Campaign Rally. Featuring guber­ p.m. Central United Methodist Church, 23 E Speakers: Willie Mae Reid, Socialist Workers Congress, lOth C.D. Translation to Spanish. natorial candidate Matilde Zimmermann. Fri., Adams. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Party candidate for governor of Texas; Ada Sat., Oct. 4. Reception, 6:30; program, 7:30 Oct. 3. Reception, 6:30 p.m.; program 7:30 Forum. For more information call (313) 961- Edwards, leader of Free South Africa Move­ p.m. 46lfz Race St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Mil­ p.m. 2546 W Pico Blvd. Ausp: Socialist Work­ 0395. ment. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Sept. 27, ers Campaign Committee. For more informa­ itant Forum. For more information call (408) 998-4007. 7:30p.m. 4806 Almeda. Donation: $2. Ausp: tion call (213) 380-9460. Militant Labor Forum. For more information FLORIDA MASSACHUSETTS MINNESOTA call (713) 522-8054. St. Paul Miami Boston WASHINGTON, D.C. Speakers to be announced. Sat., Oct. 4. Re­ Speakers to be announced. Sat., Sept. 27. Re­ Ireland Today - Eyewitness Report and ception, 7 p.m.; rally, 8 p.m. 508 N Snelling Speakers: Abe Bloom, peace activist and Video. Speaker: Tom Mullins, supporter of a ception, 7 p.m.; rally, 8 p.m. Church of the plaintiff in Julius Hobson v. Wilson (case Covenant, 67 Newbury St., Arlington sub­ Ave. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more infor­ free Ireland. Video film: Strip Searching: Secu­ mation call (612) 644-6325. against D.C. cops); Michael Gaffney, Na­ rity or Subjugation? Sun., Sept. 28, 6 p.m. 137 way stop. Donation: $2. Ausp: Political tional Lawyers Guild; Rhonda Dahlman, ac­ NE 54 St. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Rights Defense Fund. For more information tivist lawyer and member of Student Coalition more information call (305) 756-1020. call (617) 787-0275. Against Apartheid; representative, Socialist MISSOURI Workers Party. Sat., Oct. 4, 7:30p.m. 3106 ILLINOIS MICHIGAN St. Louis Mt. Pleasant St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Chicago Detroit Panel discussion, including representatives of Labor Forum. For more information call Nicaragua: What Difference Can a Revolu­ Spe~ers: Gina Aranki, Palestine Aid Soci- Coalition for a Free Ireland, National Abor- (202) 797-7699. tion Make? Speaker: Willie Ney, coordinator, Indiana-Rio San Juan Sister State Project. Sat., Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ OHIO Sanctuary Celebration Committee. For more in­ Sept. 27, 7:30p.m. 3455 S Michigan Ave. Do­ mation call (816) 753-0404. formation call (202) 328-0591 or (202) 332- Cleveland 0292. nation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For St. Louis The Sanctuary Movement: Why the U.S. more information call (312) 326-5853. England Get Out of Ireland! Presentation by Government Is Attacking Today's Under­ WEST VIRGINIA Video: Winnie Mandela Speaks on the Strug­ representatives of the Committee for a Free Ire­ ground Railroad. Speakers: Cindy Brennen, gle in South Africa. Showing of recent land. Slideshow and eyewitness account of Brit­ Interreligious Task Force; Christine Schenk, Charleston documentary on Winnie Mandela. Discussion ish occupation troops in Northern Ireland. Sun., chairperson, Sanctuary Committee, Communi­ Grand Opening Pathfinder Bookstore. Sat., to follow. Sat., Oct. 4, 7:30p.m. 3455 S Michi­ Sept. 28, 7 p.m. 4907 Martin Luther King Dr. ty of Saint Malachi; Ed Velez, Young Socialist Sept. 27. Open house from 2 to 6 p.m.; pro­ gan Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Alliance and member International Union of gram, 7 p.m. 116 McFarland St. Ausp: Forum. For more information call (312) 326- more information call (314) 361-0250. Electronic Workers Local 715. Fri., Oct. 3, Socialist Workers Party, Young Socialist Al­ 5853. 7:30 p.m. 2521 Market Ave. Donation: $2. liance. For more information call (304) 345- NEW JERSEY Ausp: Militant Forum. For more information 3040. MARYLAND Newark call (216) 861-6150. Baltimore Nicaragua Report Back. Speakers: Michele Labor's Struggle Against Concessions and Costa, teacher at NICA school in Estell, Nica­ Toledo WISCONSIN the ChaUenges Facing the Unions Today. ragua; Kathy Nease, Young Socialist Alliance "I'll Fight For My Freedom." Hear Connie Milwaukee Panel of trade unionists. Bill Sagle, assistant just returned from cultural tour of Nicaragua. Eason, longtime activist in support of abortion Wabun-Inini (Vernon Bellecourt) Speaks on editor, United Steelworkers of America Local Translation to Spanish. Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30 rights and former director of Toledo Center for Libya. With slideshow presentation. Fri., Oct. 7886, East Alco plant; Milt Kaminski, USWA p.m. 141 Halsey St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Mili­ Choice, and her daughter, Sarabeth, on con­ 3, 7:30 p.m. 4707 W Lisbon Ave. Donation: Local 1245, Eastern Stainless Steel; Joe tant Labor Forum. For more information call troversy over right to free speech at school. $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more in­ Kleidon, Socialist Workers Party and member (201) 643-3341. Sat., Sept. 27, 7 p.m. 1701 W Bancroft St. Do­ formation call (414) 445-2076. USW A Local 2609, Bethlehem Steel. Sat., nation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Oct. 4, 7:30p.m. 2913 Greenmount Ave. Do­ NEW YORK more information call (419) 536-0383. nation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Manhattan more information call (301) 235-0013. La Operaci6n. Film on forced sterilization in PENNSYLVANIA Subscribe to Puerto Rico. Presentation and discussion to fol­ Pittsburgh MASSACHUSETTS low film. Translation to Spanish. Fri., Sept. 26, El Salvador: An Update. Slideshow presenta­ 'Barricada 7:30p.m. 79 Leonard St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Boston tions by Kipp Dawson, Socialist Workers Party, Militant Labor Forum. For more information member of United Mine Workers of America Socialist Campaign Rally. Jon Hillson for call (212) 226-8445. lnternacional' Congress, Ellen Berman for governor. Sat., Local 1197, attended 1985 conference of the Sept. 27, 7 p.m. 107 Brighton Ave. 2nd floor. NORTH CAROLINA FENASTRAS trade union federation in El Sal­ Weekly of the Sandinista Na­ Allston. Ausp: Socialist Workers Campaign vador; Fletcher McNeill, visited ElSalvador in tional Liberation Front. Get Committee. For more information call (617) Greensboro 1985. Sat., Sept. 27,7:30 p.m. 402 NHighland news of the latest political, mil­ 787-0275. Family Farmers in Crisis: A Report from the Ave. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more informa­ itary, economic, diplomatic, United Farmer and Rancher Congress. tion call (412) 362-6767. MICHIGAN Speakers: Ben Layman, Virginia dairy farmer; and cultural developments of Leon Crump, Federation of Southern Coopera­ Nicaragua and Central Ameri­ Detroit tives. Sun., Sept. 28, 5 p.m. 2219 E Market St. WASHINGTON, D.C. ca. Airmailed to you every Government's "War on Drugs"- An Attack The Housing Crisis in Washington, D.C.: the Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For week from Managua, Nicara­ on Workers' Rights. Speakers: Tim Craine, more information call (919) 272-5996. Socialist Answer. Speakers: Dave Paparello, Socialist Workers Party candidate for lieutenant Reception and Book Signing of Fidel Castro: campaign manager of the D.C. Socialist Work­ gua. governor; others. Sat., Oct. 4, 8 p.m. 2135 Nothing Can Stop the Course of History, ers Campaign. Translation to Spanish. Sat., In English or Spanish Woodward Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant with Professor Jeffrey M. Elliot. Elliot is a Sept. 27, 7:30p.m. 3106 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Labor Forum. For more information call (313) political science professor at North Carolina Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Six months $12 961-0395. Central University and a free-lance journalist more information call (202) 797-7699. One year $24 who conducted, with Rep. Mervyn M. Dy­ Demonstrate against U.S. Policy in Central MISSOURI mally, the interview with Castro on which the America, Solidarity March and Sanctuary Please send check or money order Kansas City book is based. Sun., Oct. 5, 5 p.m. 2219 E Pilgrimage. National march supporting to Barricada lnternacional, Apar­ Crisis In the Kansas City Schools. Speakers: Market St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Pathfinder sanctuary for Central American refugees. Sun., tado 4461, Managua, Nicaragua. Rev. Nelson "Fuzzy" Thompson; others. Sun., Books. For more information call (919) 272- Sept. 28, 12 p.m. Luther Place Memorial Specify English or Spanish edition. Sept. 28, 7 p.m. 4725 Troost. Donation: $2. 5996. Church, 1226 Vermont Ave. NW. Ausp: -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP------Where to find the Socialist Workers Party, GEORGIA: Atlanta: SWP, YSA, 132 Cone NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 141 Dallas: SWP, YSA, 336 W. Jefferson. Zip: Young Socialist Alliance, and Pathfinder St. NW, 2nd Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577- Halsey. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. 75208. Tel: (214) 943-5195. Houston: SWP, bookstores. 4065. NEW YORK: Capital District (Albany): YSA, 4806 Almeda. Zip: 77004. Tel: (713) ILLINOIS: Chicago: SWP, YSA, 3455 S. SWP, YSA, 114E Quail St. Zip: 12206. Tel: 522-8054. ALABAMA: Birmingham: SWP, YSA, Michigan Ave. Zip: 60616. Tel: (312) 326- (518) 434-3247. New York: SWP, YSA, 79 UTAH: Price: SWP, YSA, 23 S. Carbon 1306 1st Ave. N. Zip: 35203. Tel: (205) 323- 5853 or 326-5453. Leonard St. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) 219-3679 or Ave., Suite 19, P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: 3079. KENTUCKY: Louisville: SWP, YSA, 809 925-1668. Socialist Books, 226-8445. (801) 637-6294. Salt Lake City: SWP, YSA, ARIZONA: Phoenix: SWP, YSA, 1809 W. E. Broadway. Zip: 40204. Tel: (502) 587-8418. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: SWP, 767 S. State, 3rd floor. Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) Indian School Rd. Zip: 85015. Tel: (602) 279- LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, YSA, 2219 E Market. Zip: 27401. Tel: (919) 355-1124. 5850. 3207 Dublin St. Zip: 70118. Tel: (504) 486- 272-5996. VIRGINIA: Tidewater Area (Newport CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, 8048. OHIO: Cincinnati: SWP, YSA, 4945 Pad­ News): SWP, YSA, 5412 Jefferson Ave. Zip 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380- MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, dock Rd. Zip: 45237. Tel: (513) 242-7161. 23605. Tel: (804) 380-0133. 9460. Oakland: SWP, YSA, 3808 E 14th St. 2913 Greenmount Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) Cleveland: SWP, YSA, 2521 Market Ave. Zip: WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, 3106 Zip: 94601. Tel: (415) 261-3014. San Diego: 235-0013. 44113. Tel: (216) 861-6150. Columbus: YSA, Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) SWP, YSA, 2803 B St. Zip: 92102. Tel: (619) MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA, P.O. Box 02097. Zip: 43202. Toledo: SWP, 797-7699, 797-7021. 234-4630. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, 3284 107 Brighton Ave., 2nd floor, Allston. Zip: YSA, 1701 W Bancroft St. Zip: 43606. Tel: WASHINGTON: Seattle: SWP, YSA, 23rd St. Zip: 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. San 02134. Tel: (617) 787-0275. (419) 536-0383. 5517 Rainier Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: Jose: SWP, YSA, 46 112 Race St. Zip: 95126. MICIDGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, 2135 OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, 2732 NE (206) 723-5330. Tel: (408) 998-4007. Woodward Ave. Zip:48201. Tel: (313)961-0395. Union. Zip: 97212. Tel: (503) 287-7416. WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: SWP, COLORADO: Denver: SWP, YSA, 25 W. MINNESOTA: Twin Cities: SWP, YSA, PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: SWP, YSA, 611A Tennessee. Zip: 25302. Tel: (304) 3rd Ave. Zip: 80223. Tel: (303) 698-2550. 508 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: YSA, 2744 Germantown Ave. Zip: 19133. Tel: 345-3040. Morgantown: SWP, YSA, 221 FLORIDA: Miami: SWP, YSA, 137 NE (612) 644-6325. (215) 225-0213. Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, 402 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. Tel: (304) 296- 54th St. Mailing address: P.O. Box 370486. MISSOURI: Kansas City: SWP, YSA, N. Highland Ave. Zip: 15206. Tel: (412) 362- 0055. Zip: 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. Tallahassee: 4725 Troost. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 753- 6767. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, YSA, P.O. Box 20715. Zip: 32316. Tel: (904) 0404. St. Louis: SWP, YSA, 4907 Martin Luther TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Mike Rose, 7409 4707 W. Lisbon Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 222-4434. King Dr. Zip: 63113. Tel: (314) 361-0250. Berkman Dr. Zip: 78752. Tel. (512) 452-3923. 445-2076.

12 The Militant October 3, 1986 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------

See, they care - The Oregon out. Wednesday and Thursday, and that A New York luxury condo de­ would put ten guys or more in a Court of Appeals reversed the eventually we'll learn what it veloper is also offering what he pretty small room with no cots, no state Employment Appeals Board No reward for being enter­ was." says is the world's most expensive toilet facilities, straw on the floor and ruled that a grocery clerk was prising? - A New Jersey tow doll house. It's l0lf2 rooms, eleg­ and chains on the wall if they got improperly denied unemployment truck operator and his employee Taking care of business - antly furnished, $100,000. We out of hand," he reported. "And were given a year for pouring oil The Farmers Home Administra­ trust buyers will be able to distin­ today's prisoners think they have on a highway ramp and then offer­ tion may- be sending out foreclo­ guish it from the other condos he's it bad." ing assistance to those who sure notices and using private col­ offering. crashed. lection agencies to lean on those Capitalism solves housing who can't meet payments, but P .S. - Which reminds us of problem - We were skeptical Ask the expert - Responding they're not hard-hearted. For in­ the old wheeze about New York when we read the New York Times Harry to that recent one-day roller coas­ stance, in Maricopa County, apartments being so tiny the leases headline, "Apartment Glut Brings ter stock market drop, a Wall Arizona, they approved a $3.8- are written in shorthand. Concessions to Renters." But Ring Street Journal edit explained: million loan to a business exec there it was, black on white. For "Some market pros believe this who wasn't even a . farmer, plus instance, Eagle Court, a former kind of a drop is merely the market $581 ,000 for a chap in the slam­ The good old days-On a visit garage converted into 128 rental benefits after being fired for eating catching up with what it already mer for bank fraud. to Williamsburg, Virginia, a West units, where one-bedroom apart­ two cookies from a broken pack­ knew. We doubt it. Our hunch is Virginia sheriff was intrigued by ments were recently reduced from age that was about to be thrown that something changed between For Immediate Occupancy - an 18th century jail there. "They $1,725 a month to $1,550. Farm activists meeting debates worsening crisis

Continued from front page ducers on their land and operating." Pro­ can" to support the dairy farmers. He said stamps. posals to accomplish this included debt re­ farmers in Missouri would take some of the More than 200 people participated in the structuring, a new National Homestead milk taken out of production to make it workshop on prices. The proposed resolu­ Act, and restrictions on "foreign, absentee, available to low-income and hungry people tion they discussed stated, "Farm prices are and non-farm corporate ownership." in cities such as Kansas City. A large delegation of farmers from the made in Washington, primarily by the ac­ Helping Black farmers to stay on the tions of Congress and the President, South and Southeast came to the congress, land was discussed too. Black farmers are the majority of them Black. through his Secretary of Agriculture. For losing 350,000 acres a year. A section of all major commodities and milk, our prices Near the close of the meeting, Anne the resolution called for reserving 20 per­ Kanten, assistant commissioner of agricul­ are set by the Commodity Credit Corpora­ cent of reclaimed land for Black farmers. tion price support loan levels dictated by ture in Minnesota and chairperson of the Building support for a federal farm bill plenary sessions, asked all the delegates the 1985 Farm Bill." that would be favorable to farmers was The 1985 Farm Bill has lowered farm who had helped send hay to the drought­ seen by the majority of the participants as stricken southern farmers to stand. Nearly prices by lowering the federal loan rates for the main goal of the congress. farm commodities and in other ways. The three-quarters of the delegates rose. And Senator Thomas Harkin of Iowa and when she asked who received this aid, aim is to try to expand exports by making Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri plan to U.S.-produced farm products more com­ nearly one quarter of the delegates, mostly introduce a version of the "Save the Family Black, stood up. petitive on the world market. Farm Act" in mid-September. A similar The resolution on prices called for rais­ Three Austin, Minnesota, meatpackers bill was defeated last year. came to the conference to express solidar­ ing the federal price support loan rate to At a news conference, Harkin said the parity prices- that is, to a price whereby ity with the farmers' struggle and to gather proposed legislation would establish· fed­ support for their fight against Hormel. All farmers can meet their costs of production eral loan rates at 70 percent of parity with Militant/Holbrook Mahn and have enough to live on too. three also farm. an "escalator clause" that allows the parity They spoke before the Iowa state Jo Bates, a New York dairy farmer, at­ Nearly the entire workshop agreed that if tended St. Louis farm conference. She level to go up. He claimed this bill would caucus, handed out literature to all the del­ this were done, the current program of de­ save "60 to 80 billion dollars." spoke at New York Militant Labor ficiency payment subsidies should be egates, and sold $134 worth of T-shirts, The bill also calls for cutting production _hats, and buttons. Forum Sept. 19. abolished. (Deficiency payments are direct by issuing marketing certificates to farmers payments to farmers, for the difference be­ Some farmer delegates told them they that set production goals. Nationwide re­ were not going to sell hogs to Hormel, in ers were very receptive" in discussing tween market prices that are below a gov­ ferenda would be held among producers of ernment-set target price.) solidarity with the meatpackers. A Min­ where the struggle of the meatpackers is each commodity to approve this. nesota farm couple held a reception for the today and how the struggle is proceeding A workshop on land ownership and con­ Both Harkin and Gephardt, as well as trol discussed ways "to keep existing pro- Austin meatpackers. on the land. Jesse Jackson and Texas agriculture com­ Don, a retiree from United Food and The meatpackers invited farmers to join missioner James Hightower, were featured Commercial Workers Local P-9 in Austin them in Austin on October 11 to express Lee Martindale, 1954-86 speakers at the plenary sessions. who farms 80 acres of com and beans, their solidarity and discuss the next stage of Although there was no resolution on di­ said, "We got a very good response. Farm- the struggle. Lee Martindale, a member of the rect action, a workshop was held on this Socialist Workers Party for more than a theme. The barricade earlier this year of decade, died on September 22 of cancer. FmHA offices in Chillicothe, Missouri, She was 31 years old. that successfully forced the removal of a -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- As a student at the London School of hated loan officer was pointed to as an ex­ Economics in the mid-1970s, Martindale ample of how to fight back. became active in the women's rights move­ A special meeting organized by dairy THE ment there. She also joined the Interna­ farmers was also held. A highpoint of the THE MILITANT tional Marxist Group, the SWP's sister discussion there included learning about party in Britain. the dairy strike sweeping through upstate October 1, 1976 MILITANT Upon returning to the United States, New York and New England. Dairy farm­ Published in the Interests of the Working People October 2, 1961 _ Price lOc Martindale joined the SWP as an at-large ers from throughout the country pledged BOSTON - White students, provoking member in New Haven, Connecticut. She their support. Some agreed to take similar fistfights and brawls with Blacks inside The U.S. State Department once again is later became a member of several different action themselves. South Boston High School, have shattered mounting its campaign to keep China, SWP branches and served as organizer of Karen, a young dairy farmer from Ver­ the tense calm in the schools that marked which has one-third more people than the the branch in Indianapolis, where she was mont, told the Militant that going into the the opening of the third year of court-or­ entire Western Hemisphere, from being also an active member of the United Auto meeting, she thought, "There would be no dered desegregation. represented in the United Nations. Workers union. way I could dump milk." After the meet­ This time, after 10 years of blocking In 1982, Martindale became business ing, she said, "If we get united, I'll go for The racist passions of the white students even a debate on China's admission, the manager for both the Militant and Perspec­ it 100 percent!" Karen added, "We have were fanned September 12 by a South Bos­ State Department has been forced by the tiva Mundial. Until her illness, she also the power," if we just use it. ton rally of nearly I ,000 to rev up resis­ pressure of the newly independent Asian served on Perspectiva Mundial's editorial Allison told the Militant that farmers in tance to desegregation. and African nations to yield. It must now board. Missouri would be "doing as much as they The next day confrontations broke out in permit the question to be put on the Gen­ South Boston High all day long. Five eral Assembly's agenda. But the U.S. dele­ Black and five white students were sus­ gation plans to continue its obstruction by pended. trying to get the question sidetracked from Communist International in Lenin's Time Rest rooms and the cafeteria were the the floor to a committee for "further scenes of white provocations of Black stu­ study." By this strategem, [U.S. ambas­ Lenin's Struggle for a Rev­ The· German Revolution dents on September 14. Nine Blacks and sador to the UN] Adlai Stevenson hopes to olutionary and the De­ eight whites were suspended. keep the UN from voting on the issue for yet another year. Interna­ bate on Soviet As the melee spread through the build­ When the UN was set up by the victors tional: Docu­ Power Docu­ ing, a Puerto Rican student was attacked by of World War II it was stipulated that a gang of whites. A Black teacher was China would be one of the five most pow­ ments 1907- ments: 1918- pummeled by white students and suffered erful members of the body, with a perma­ 19.16, the 19, Preparing facial lacerations as he tried to stop a fight. nent seat - and a veto - in the Security Preparatory the Founding Word of the situation went out over an­ Council. tibusing phone hotlines and within minutes But in 1949 the Chinese people awoke Years. Conference. upwards of 50 ROAR-organized parents with a roar that shook Asia. They kicked 604 pp. 540 pp. marched to the school. They demanded out the warlords, the foreign capitalists, and the corrupt despot Chiang Kai-shek. $12.95 their children be released for "security $12.95 reasons." Since then Washington has cynically main­ tained that diplomatically the Chinese gov­ Available at Pathfinder Bookstores (see directory on page 16 for one A beefed-up squad of state troopers pat­ ernment doesn't exist and that China's UN nearest you), or order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West St., New rolled school corridors on September 15, seat belongs to the overthrown Chiang re­ York, N.Y. 10014. Please add 75 cents for postage and handling. along with an additional 40 school aides. gime, which rules only one-seventieth of Fights were still reported, however. the Chinese people.

October 3, 1986 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Is the demand for a labor party Aquino gets smiles ... and pressure a pipedream? Corazon Aquino's nine-day visit to the United States, that the Philippine people will have no voice in the mat­ which ended September 25, saw no letup in Washing­ ter. BY DOUG JENNESS ton's efforts to interfere in the Philippines. The White House also wants the Philippine govern­ It helps to have some imagination in politics. The Philippine president came to office in February ment to roll back the democratic rights that the Philippine Not the kind that fantasizes about hopeless utopias or when a popular upsurge toppled the corrupt and bloody people won and have been fighting to extend since Mar­ conjures up get-rich-quick schemes. Rather, the sort that dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. The U.S. government, cos' ouster. They fear the workers and peasants are using looks ahead to possible courses of political development which had firmly backed Marcos' regime since it took this breathing space to struggle for gains that will be on the basis of past and present experiences. over in 1966, withdrew its support only when his fall costly to U.S. big business. Take, for example, the question of how working seemed certain. Days before Aquino arrived here, the White House people are going to organize themselves politically. From President Reagan on down, U.S. officials and signaled its view that her administration must crack down Republican and Democratic politicians took the occasion harder on the New People's Army (NPA) and its support­ of Aquino's tour to pose as patrons of Philippine democ­ ers. The NP A won substantial popular support for its racy. Aquino was loudly applauded in Congress and got struggle against the Marcos tyranny and U.S. domina­ LEARNING ABOUT a promise from Reagan "to do all that we can" to help her tion. Aquino says she is seeking to negotiate a cease-fire government. with the rebels. SOCIALISM But not a single step was taken to relieve the deepening According to the Washington Post, when they met on poverty of the Philippine workers and peasants. September 17, Aquino got a lecture from Reagan on the Nothing was done to lift the burden of the Philippines' need to be "careful" in dealing with the "communists." Many Militant readers have, at one time or another, $26 billion debt to U.S. and foreign banks. "Half our ex­ Some in U.S. ruling circles fear that Reagan and heard a Socialist Workers Party candidate speak. And port earnings," Aquino told Congress, "$2 billion out of Dole's crude pressure and the open use of U.S. aid to ex­ they know that one thing the candidate will usually get to, $4 billion, went to pay just the interest on a debt whose tort concessions from the Philippine government will if given enough time, is an appeal that under no condi­ benefit the Filipino people never received." backfire. tions should workers support Democrats or Republicans President Reagan released a paltry $100 million in aid In a September 16 article in the Washington Post Re­ and that the trade unions should take the lead in establish­ already earmarked for the Philippines, and the House of publican Sen. Richard Lugar, who heads the Senate For­ ing a labor party. Representatives voted another $200 million by a narrow eign Relations Committee, called for stronger support to Most workers are favorable to the idea of a labor party, margin of 203-197. Aquino. He voiced confidence in Aquino's "determina­ but it sounds abstract. And with some reason- there's To get even that far in Congress, Aquino had to submit tion to take strong military action at the right time" nothing that remotely resembles even an embryonic labor to being grilled at a private meeting about her stand on against the "communist insurgency." party in the United States today. U.S. military bases in the Philippines. That the Philippines is a sovereign nation, with a right So what is this proposal based on? Aquino has stated that the bases can remain at least to decide its own fate without interference from Wash­ until the current agreement expires in 1991 , and that their Last week we explained in this column that the grind­ ington, is an idea that never turns up in U.S. officials' de­ ing attacks of the employers are going to spur workers to future status will be negotiated. bate about events in that country. On the day that Aquino addressed the U.S. Congress, recognize that no solution to their difficulties can be The U.S. rulers are agreed that the Filipino people found simply on the plant or industrywide level. Only by the commission drafting a new constitution for the Philip­ must continue to be bled dry by Wall Street bankers and pines rejected proposals to forbid U.S. military bases. developing a broader outlook, one that leads them to act other loan sharks, and that their territory must continue to in the interests of the working class as a whole, can a road Sen. Robert Dole, Republican majority leader of the be occupied by U.S. naval and air force bases. forward be mapped out. Senate, found these concessions insufficient. The bases But independence and freedom from U.S. domination "are going to be needed long past 1991 ," he said. is at the heart of what the workers, peasants, students, This process will lead beyond the important, but rela­ Dole warned that passage of the aid bill in the U.S. and others who toppled Marcos are fighting for. tively narrow, economic struggles conducted by unions Senate may be held up because of the Philippine commis­ Washington should cancel the Philippine debt, dis­ to the field of political action. To fight for measures that sion's proposal that any treaty extending the bases be mantle its bases, and withdraw its forces from the Philip­ will advance all workers - increasing government-fi­ ratified by the country's senate. Dole wants guarantees pines. nanced jobless benefits and social security, establishing a national plan to provide free medical care for everyone, setting up a massive public works program to provide jobs, guaranteeing a living income for working farmers, Separation of church and state winning equality for Blacks and women, opposing U.S. intervention in Nicaragua, and many other such questions -requires demands for government action. Female school bus drivers fighting for job equality in The Hasidic group's attorney, George Shebitz, con­ Orange County, New York, have run up against the tends that the issue before the federal court is "the appro­ The development of a broader social understanding claims of a religious group that its rights outweigh those priate balance between the rights of women drivers and leads workers to greater political awareness and the of the drivers. the rights of a religious community." search for effective political instruments. As this process The United Talmudic Academy in the Hasidic commu­ This is a false presentation of the issue. It assumes that unfolds, working people will increasingly see that they nity of Kiryas Joel believes that male and female students ,the rights of the Hasidic community in Kiryas Joel will be have a common enemy. should be separated and will not permit male students to violated or restricted by the women drivers. It is not only their employer who is the problem (this ride public school buses driven by women. They have no The Bill of Rights guarantees the right to practice view can lead to the erroneous conclusion that helping to objection, however, to male bus drivers transporting one's religion without government interference. No gov­ bail out or protect their employer will solve workers' dif­ female students. ernment restrictions have been placed on the Hasidic ficulties). There is an entire class of employers, bankers, The women drivers, who are employed by a public community's right to worship as it pleases. Moreover, it and landlords that is the problem. school district, are demanding that they should be as­ has not been prohibited from organizing its own school signed routes without discrimination according to sex. system that separates girls and boys in keeping with its Despite competition and differences between these State law requires a. public school district to furnish religious views. various exploiters, they all profit from the unpaid labor of transportation to all students in the district who attend Free exercise of religion, however, does not permit workers and farmers. And they are all hostile to the just private schools more than a half-mile from their homes. any group the right to harm other citizens or deny them demands of those who produce the country's wealth. For a number of years, the Monroe-Woodbury School their constitutional rights. Moreover, the handful of ruling families collectively District had been providing buses with male drivers to The Hasidic community in Kiryas Joel receives, at rio dominate the country politically through their control Kiryas Joel schools. Then, more than a year ago, Local cost to them, a service provided by the public school sys­ over the government at all levels, including all of its re­ 836 of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) tem, which is financed by all taxpayers in the area. pressive agencies - the cops, the military, and the filed a grievance on behalf of women drivers who wanted This', ii;~ itself, is an abridgement of the constitutional courts. The rulers' principal political parties, the Demo­ to. be assigned on the same routes as male drivers. The guarantee of separation of church and state. Government­ crats and Republicans, jointly govern the country. schedule of the Kiryas Joel routes allow drivers to work financed public education is a conquest won in struggle As working people begin to see themselves as a class longer hours and earn more money. and all citizens under the law are guaranteed equal access going into battle against the exploiting class and its gov­ The union won the case, but before the district could to it. ernment, the workers' movement will increasingly be­ assign women as drivers, a lawyer for the Hasidic com­ The Hasidic community has freely chosen not to avail come a political movement. Ultimately, this movement munity obtained a temporary restraining order in Orange itself of this opportunity. That is its right. But once it County Court preventing the move during the 1985-86 makes that decision, it should also follow that it will raise will face the challenge of organizing a struggle to replace the political rule of the exploiters. school year. the funds for its schools, including providing transporta­ All of this poses the need for political organization. Subsequently, 32 women who drive buses in the tion for students. It doesn't have the right to receive aid Trade unions, at best, are organizations of particular sec­ school district filed a human rights suit against district of­ from public funds or to dictate policies to the govern­ tions of the working class and can't substitute for a polit­ ficials, the school board, Kiryas Joel, and the Talmudic ment. ical party that aspires to organize and lead into struggle academy for money damages. The suit was filed in fed­ In the case in Orange County, not only does a religious both union and nonunion workers, working farmers, and eral court, where the case is still pending. grouping enjoy the privilege of receiving publicly funded some middle-class layers. Shortly before the current school year began, the school transportation, it demands the right to dictate to Orange County Court lifted the restraining order, and a the public school board that it abide by the Hasidic com­ The struggle, however, to tum unions into effective federal judge refused the Hasidic community's request to munity's religious practices. fighting instruments will become intertwined with mak­ ing them organizing centers for the formation of a labor reimpose it. This goes far beyond the constitutional right to free party. As working-class fighters begin to organize around For the first three days of school this year, three exercise of religion. It, in fact, means denying a section this perspective, they will see that support to the employ­ women drivers were assigned to drive Kiryas Joel boys to of the population its equal rights. It brings harm to ers' political parties is a diversion from this task. school. The 600 male students affected walked to school women bus drivers, who are innocent of any violation of This perspective is not a pipedream; it's based on a rather than board the buses and compromise their relig­ the Hasidic community's freedom to practice its religion. sober evaluation of where the working class has been, ious views. There's no question here of an "appropriate balance." Public school officials responded by abolishing the One woman bus driver noted that many people have what it faces today, and the tumultuous struggles and routes and temporarily assigning the women to other misinterpreted the union's stance. "It's taken that we're shake-ups that are coming. But it does take some imagi­ tasks. They were given an alternative: face layoffs or be anti-Semitic, and that's not the issue at all. The issue here nation. dropped to the bottom of the seniority list. is the lives of the three women," she said. This would mean only 16 hours of work weekly in­ Charges of anti-Semitism and religious discrimination stead of 22, thus representing a substantial pay cut. are red herrings that divert attention from the real issues: Moreover, they would lose all medical and dental bene­ separation of church and state and the fight of women for fits. job equality. Brenda Mercurio, vice-president of CSEA Local 836, The fight of Local 836 deserves the full support of all charged, "This is in order to pacify the Hasidic commu­ defenders of the Bill of Rights and fighters for social jus­ nity and punish the women." tice.

14 The Militant October 3, 1986 Lockheed, Pentagon rob $500 million from workers

BY KEVIN DWIRE from the Pentagon. struggle. Do two-tier concession contracts save jobs? Should On August 28 workers found out the truth about their The union leadership has protested the government in­ union members be ready to make concessions every time concessions. The air force charged that Lockheed had terference into the negotiations for the new contract. But a corporation pleads poverty? Do workers and corpora­ pocketed an extra $500 million because of the two-tier all that has been proposed for union members to do is tions share a common interest in making sure that the rip-off. According to the air force, Lockheed's 1983 write to members of Congress urging them to put pres­ agreement with the lAM included "wage structure pro­ sure on the Pentagon to back off. posals . . . far different than the direct labor rates in­ Unionists in the plant want to see an end to the two-tier UNION TALK cluded in Lockheed's proposal for the C-5B." wage and other concessions, and are looking for ways to The air force, however, doesn't think the workers fight back. The discussion on the wage structure has gone company makes a big profit? should get the money that by rights is ours. To the con­ on since the new wave of hiring began, when newer The answer to these questions is no. Concession con­ trary, they think that workers at Lockheed are paid too workers learned they were earning as little as half what tracts in auto and steel have not saved any jobs. These much. They issued a memo to the company advising it to others were making. Many see the two-tier as splitting agreements have only served the interests of the employ­ make "efforts . . . to bring hourly wages . . . in closer the union membership, creating members with conflict­ ers who have fattened their pockets with the money sto­ alignment with the local market." They moan that factory ing interests. One contract with one wage is a way to end len from workers' wages. We have as much in common workers, even with the drastic two-tier wage, make 11 this divisiveness. as thieves and their victims. percent more than the average worker in Atlanta and the Moreover, the unorganized in the so-called right-to­ Workers at the giant Lockheed-Georgia plant in Southeast. work South need to be organized into unions that will Marietta, Georgia, have just received a reminder of this That sounded good to Lockheed, which issued a state­ fight to raise their wages up to our level, not lower our basic fact. The workers, members of International As­ ment saying, "Our customer makes suggestions, and we wages to theirs. And, the $500 million extra profit, sociation of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (lAM) listen to what our customer says." which even the air force admits Lockheed took, belongs Local 709, produce the C-130 and C-5B transport planes What is clear through all of this is that the company to the workers, not to the company or government. that Lockheed sells to the U.S. Air Force. and the federal government are working together to drive As the discussions proceed, many workers are inter­ In tlie contract negotiated three years ago, the com­ down the wages and living standards of the workers in the ested in the example that meatpackers in Austin, Min­ pany demanded and got a major concession in the form of upcoming contract between Lockheed and the lAM. The nesota, are setting-showing how we can use our unions a two-tier wage structure. This setup pays new hires sub­ current contract expires October 1. Lockheed and the air effectively in the fight against the bosses and their gov­ stantially less than those with more seniority, even for force think that lAM members should be paid no more ernment. doing the same work. Lockheed said then that they than unorganized workers throughout the Southeast. needed concessions to get the C5-B contract for 50 planes They want to roll back the gains won through years of Kevin Dwire is a member of/AM Local709 at Lockheed. -LEITERS------Exploitation of women The reality is that the IRA can­ hours a day, but the police have On the book published by Path­ not be called terrorist because it been escorting sealed buses of finder Press titled Cosmetics, never targets civilians (rather, it scabs through the line. Only four Fashions, and the Exploitation of goes to great lengths to protect union members have crossed the Women, it really taught me some them), except where civilians are picket line. lessons. It shed some light on known to be aiding and abetting Strikers are organizing to go to some longstanding truths about the the Crown forces. nearby cities to appeal for union exploitation of women, and Black solidarity and financial assistance. The British Army, on the other Messages of support, contribu­ women in particular. hand, targets civilians routinely­ It helped me as a Black man un­ tions, and requests for speakers especially at peaceful protests and can be sent to International Mol­ derstand some things about what demonstrations. Dozens have this system does to women. I ders and Allied Workers Union been murdered with plastic and Local 120, 73 S. Monroe, Cold­ thank all concerned for making lead bullets. So it is the British water, Mich. 49036. Telephone this book available. who are the terrorists. (517) 279-8101. Ben Stewart But whenever British policy is Miami, Florida M.F. scrutinized, the British knee-jerk Bronson, Michigan response is to release propaganda Chicano delegation ad nauseum against IRA "ter­ I was pleased at your recent arti­ rorists." This is nothing but a New subscribers 'Gin> me ynur rich, .mur famoUJ, your nJing cltulel ... ' cle on the Latin American New smoke screen to divert attention Enclosed is a check in the Song Festival held in Managua in from their own genocidal shoot-to­ amount of $6 for renewal to the celebration of the seventh anniver­ kill terror policies. Since all Militant paper. Will try to get nesses saw the beating, Penn spent of meatpackers in Austin, Min­ sary of the popular Sandinista rev­ Northern Ireland news is censored some new subscribers in support 15 months in jail awaiting trial. nesota, and the 1934 strikes of olution. in London, the British version is of this paper. Teamsters in Minneapolis and all that reaches the capitalist press Defense attorney Milton Silver­ However, you failed to ac­ J.C. man contended that Penn would longshoremen in San Francisco. knowledge the unprecedented par­ here. Thus Mohan's misun­ Brooklyn, New York He winds up with a peculiar asser­ derstanding is generated. have been acquitted on all charges ticipation of a Los Angeles-based had it not been for the prosecu­ tion: "The creation of the CIO Chicano music group, Umbral. The program of the St. Louis unions in auto, steel, electrical, Committee For a Free Ireland is to tion's "outrageous governmental The group was invited as part of 'Low intensity warfare' conduct." This included jury tam­ and many other industries were the the 37-member Chicano delega­ educate Americans about the na­ Jim Harney, a Vietnam War re­ products of struggles by men and ture of British imperialism and to pering and suppression of evi­ tion to Nicaragua, whose major sister recently back from the liber­ dence. women from nowhere." He offers objective was a cultural exchange cut through the smoke screen of ated zones in El Salvador, spoke at no hint as to who these men and of Chicano musicians, poets, and distortion and disinformation. a meeting September 17 in Detroit The evidence is a police women really were. The committee is grateful to the academy transcript that quotes one artists. (We painted a mural.) sponsored by the Committee It would be helpful if the Mili­ Our presence among our Latino Militant for its work in furthering Against Military Intervention in El of the two cops when he was in this end. training as stating it is acceptable tant would give its readers a sisters and brothers in struggle es­ Salvador. glimpse of these men and women tablished our existence and long­ lana Reid Meehan to use racial slurs in confrontations St. Louis Committee for a "The hidden war," he with minorities. The San Diego and tell us about their origins and overdue solidarity on an interna­ explained, "is the most massive air political identities. tional level, with the hope of over­ Free Ireland police department found the evi­ war ever in the Western hemi­ dence in April 1985, but it was James Gorman coming our invisible image due to sphere. One-third of the country, New York, New York U.S. media censorship. We hope "forgotten about" until after the 'We're tougher' the liberated zones, are being hit jury started deliberations. After important media like the Militant For nine weeks, 170 members by 1.6 million tons of bombs a do not perpetuate this "Brown­ the police finally turned over the LaRouchites defeated of International Molders and Al­ year, or 800 pounds of TNT per transcript, the D.A. 's office held out." Sadly, Chicanos are more lied Workers Union Local 120 guerrilla fighter. The so-called Two Lyndon LaRouche sup­ acknowledged abroad than in the onto it for another 12 days while have been locked out of Bronson low intensity warfare is in reality the jury decided Penn's fate. porters were soundly defeated in United States, even in progressive the New Hampshire primary elec­ Plastics. total war against the civilian popu­ Alan Grady media. We look forward to your Bronson is a highly profitable lation, which means the tion. support and future collaboration. San Diego, California auto parts supplier for Chrysler, Farabundo Marti National Libera­ Because of its small population, A second Chicano delegation AMC, and VW. It makes gas tion Front and anybody who will visit Nicaragua December New Hampshire has only two rep­ tanks. The company locked out thinks." Men from nowhere resentatives in Congress. In the 1st 12-22. We welcome Militant the workers after they rejected the M.F. readers to participate. In the September 12 issue of the C.D., Kenneth Bush, the proposed contract but agreed to Detroit, Michigan LaRouche disciple, received only Richard V erches work without a contract until an Militant Doug Jenness explained Coordinator, Chicano delegation that the column "Learning About 3 percent of the vote. In the 2nd agreement could be reached. C. D., LaRouche disciple Steven to Nicaragua Bronson proposed a 12-hour Sagon Penn victory Socialism" tries to "offer glimp­ ses" of labor history. As an exam­ Grycel, a former John Birch Soci­ Los Angeles, California workday seven days a week and Sagon Penn won a big victory in ple, he referred to a piece by Nor­ ety leader, did a great deal better. elimination of overtime pay, San Diego September 5 when the ton Sandler in the August 29 issue Grycel polled 32 percent against IRA not terrorist which is crucial for these low-paid California Supreme Court halted the Democratic candidate, Laur­ workers. This in exchange for a his retrial and agreed to study de­ called "How industrial unions I read with interest the letter by were built: 'men from nowhere.' " ence Craig-Green, a little-known Andrew Mohan (Militant, Sep­ 25-cent-an-hour wage increase. fense charges of prosecution mis­ poet and antinuclear activist, who tember 26), who charges that Irish Management hired the notori­ conduct. A day earlier, the state At the time, I thought the Sand­ polled 68 percent. freedom fighters are terrorists and ous union-busting outfit, Nuckols court of appeals had scheduled the ler piece was strange and when Charles Campbell that poor England, loyal to her Corporation. They put up a barbed retrial despite defense objections. Jenness called attention to it two West Brattleboro, Vermont subjects in Northern Ireland, has wire fence around the plant, in­ Penn, a 24-year-old Black man, weeks later, it aroused my curios­ suffered long from these ingrate stalled video cameras, and haras­ was acquitted in June of seven ity. Who were these "men from terrorists. sed union members even before charges, including the murder of nowhere?" Were they important The letters column is an open Small wonder that Mohan has the contract vote. one cop and the attempted murder figures in labor history? forum for all viewpoints on sub­ the picture reversed. Because of Strike activist Carol Clark said, of another. Sandler's piece about them jects of general interest to our Britain's close ties to the United "The company wants to make us Penn was stopped and beaten by leads off with a reference to the readers. Please keep your letters States, she has been very success­ suffer, to bow to their demands. two cops the night of March 31 , myth that either John L. Lewis or brief. Where necessary they will ful in foisting on the American But they are finding out that we're 1984. Fighting back, he wrested President Franklin Roosevelt, or be abridged. Please indicate if people this very line of prop­ tougher than they thought." one of the cop's guns from him both, built the CIO unions. He you prefer that your initials be aganda. Picket lines are maintained 24 and fired. Though at least 39 wit- goes on to mention the 1933 strike used rather than your full name.

October 3, 1986 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Pretoria's allies resist sanctions Mild U.S. , West European measures cheer S. African rulers

BY ERNEST HARSCH ing to Richard Lugar, the Republican The news of the latest West European chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and U.S. economic sanctions against South Committee, the bill would supersede state Africa brought an unusually elated re­ and local sanctions measures, many of sponse from that country's ruling circles. which are much stronger. At the Johannesburg stock exchange, In addition, Senator Jeremiah Denton gold and coal stocks jumped sharply. Busi­ managed to attach an amendment to the ness Day, one of South Africa's leading Senate bill that called for further "investi­ business newspapers, proclaimed that "the gations" of the aims of the African Na­ fear of imminent disaster has now re­ tional Congress (ANC), which is leading ceded." the freedom struggle in South Africa. (Sev­ At a time of mounting international pres­ eral years ago Denton chaired a Senate sures, the apartheid rulers of South Africa hearing that sought to smear the ANC as a have found some relief in the relative mild­ "terrorist" organization.) ness of the newest sanctions adopted by the Despite the weaknesses of the new con­ European Economic Community (EEC) gressional sanctions bill, it is still too much and the U.S. Congress. Even the limited for the White House. Administration offi­ U.S. congressional bill faces a veto by cials have stated that Reagan will likely President Ronald Reagan. veto it. On September 12 the U.S. House of To undercut any efforts in Congress to Representatives adopted a sanctions bill override the veto, the White House is plan­ that had previously been passed by the Sen­ ning to announce its own package of "anti­ ate. apartheid" measures, including a few of the The bill aims to ban, with some broad provisions in the congressional bill. exceptions, new U.S. investments in South Kohl, Thatcher 'recoil' from sanctions Africa, as well as imports of South African steel, iron, uranium, coal, and textiles. It A few days after the House vote, foreign would also bar South African landing ministers of the 12 European Economic rights in the United States. Community member states also adopted a . Militant But in approving the Senate bill, the sanctions package. It was considerably October 1985 anti-apartheid march in Houston. Demands for divestment are growing. House backtracked from the call for com­ weaker than one outlined by the EEC a plete U.S. divestment that it had made in year earlier. Pretoria have won some momentary relief June. Some congresspeople maintained It included a ban on imports of South Af­ have ~orne before us with regard to sanc­ from stringent international sanctions, they that they did so in order to present a joint rican iron, steel, and gold coins, as well as tions." are under no illusion that their allies in Senate-House bill to the White House be­ a prohibition on new investments there. Thatcher also employed the common Washington and Western Europe can resist fore the current session of Congress ends in But it did not include a ban on the importa­ imperialist justification for rejecting sanc­ them indefinitely. Volkskas, one of the early October. tion of South African coal, as had been pre­ tions, claiming that such moves would viously projected. "cause poverty, unemployment and starva­ major South African banks, recently con­ cluded that sanctions appear to be "inevita­ Holding the line Coal is South Africa's second most im­ tion among many Black South Africans." For some of those who championed the portant export commodity, after gold. But South African Blacks - who al­ ble." Senate bill, the key motivation was not to Two-thirds of it goes to EEC countries, ready suffer from poverty, unemployment, But the longer the major imperialist put pressure on Pretoria, but to hold the bringing the South African mining com­ and starvation- did not share Thatcher's powers succeed in resisting the imposition line against yet stiffer sanctions. Accord- panies $1.27 billion in earnings last year view. The 2-million-member United Dem­ of stiff economic sanctions, the more time alone. ocratic Front, which has been leading the apartheid regime will have to prepare The West German government, openly many of the recent anti-apartheid protests, for them. Already, Pretoria's Department South African miners backed by the government of Portugal, led derided the EEC's "lukewarm" measures of Trade and Industry has set up a special protest accident, call the opposition within the EEC to adoption and blasted the West German and Por­ secretariat to develop ways to circumvent of the coal import ban. tuguese governments for opposing stronger trade and investment embargoes. sanctions. October 1 protest The British government of Margaret One of the focuses of the October 10 Thatcher also reiterated its opposition to An ANC representative said that the South Africa solidarity actions that have South African miners are "very angry" such measures. Following a meeting with EEC's limited sanctions left the govern­ been called for many cities and campuse!> over the disastrous September 16 mining West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, ments of Western Europe covered in across the United States will be to demand accident that claimed 177 lives, declared Thatcher proclaimed that she and Kohl "re­ shame. an immediate end to all U.S. ties with the Cyril Ramaphosa, head of the country's coil from many of the suggestions which Although the apartheid authorities m apartheid regime. largest mining union. Ramaphosa called on the mining com­ panies to shut down all the country's mines on October 1 , so that miners could mourn their slain coworkers. If the bosses refused Congress OKs arll1s to Angolan terrorists to do so, he said, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) would declare a na­ BY ERNEST HARSCH South African military. .For the past 10 asked him to give us something effective tional work stoppage. The House of Representatives has given years it has operated out of South African against the air and against the armor and The accident at the Kinross gold mine, its stamp of approval to the Reagan admin­ bases in neighboring Namibia or locations we got what we asked for." 60 miles east of Johannesburg, was the istration's provision of covert arms aid to in southern Angola that are under effective Post correspondent Patrick Tyler, who worst recorded gold mining accident in the South African-backed terrorists fight­ South African military occupation. got the interview in southern Angola, re­ South Africa's history. ing against Angola. In a 229-to-186 vote With Pretoria's direct backing, it has vealed that these arms were accompanied It began when a fire ignited flammable September 17, a bipartisan majority re­ murdered and displaced thousands of An­ by U.S. instructors. "The CIA training of tunnel sealant, sending toxic fumes jected a proposal that would have blocked golan villagers, destroyed many schools Mr. Savimbi's forces on Stingers andLight through the underground shafts. Most of such aid unless it was openly approved by and health clinics, and disrupted economic Antitank Weapons, or LAWs," Tyler re­ the miners were asphyxiated. All but five Congress. life. Combined South African and UNITA ported, "is said by sources to be taking of them were Black. "It's a tough world," declared Rep. attacks have cost Angola more than $10 place at a secure UNIT A encampment After visiting the site, Ramaphosa Henry Hyde (R.-111.). "Some things must billion in damages. where reporters are not allowed." be done in secret to be successful." Although some sources indicate that the charged the company that owns the mine According to the White House itself, the with negligence, saying the accident could While this vote seeks to keep the wraps arms have been shipped to UNIT A through amount of covert CIA assistance that is have been avoided if basic safety proce­ on the precise scope and nature of the U.S. Zaire, which is governed by the proim­ currently being channeled to UNIT A dures had been followed. He said the NUM intervention in Angola, the fact that Wash­ perialist regime of Mobutu Sese Seko, amounts to some $15 million worth of mil­ had an ongoing dispute with the company ington is directly backing the Angolan others point to South Africa itself. itary equipment. over recognition of union safety stewards. counterrevolutionaries has been openly ac­ In a dispatch from London, the July 18 Though the kinds of arms and the way Although the worst mining accident, the knowledged. South African Weekly Mail reported that a they are being sent is supposed to be secret, When Jonas Savimbi, the leader of the U.S. diplomat told a closed session of the disaster at Kinross is not unique. Last year some details of this operation have recently terrorist group, visited Washington this British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Com­ 528 workers died in the mines, and 592 the been exposed. year before. More than 8,200 have been past January, he was accorded the diploma­ mittee that the U.S. arms were reaching killed in mining accidents over the past tic formalities usually reserved for foreign According to a report in the July 30 UNIT A through South Africa. The dip­ decade. heads of state, including well-publicized Namibian, a proindependence newspaper lomat was identified as Robert Frasure, For working in such dangerous condi­ meetings with Reagan, Secretary of State published in that South African colony, who handles African affairs at the U.S. tions, Black miners in South Africa only George Shultz, and other top officials. U.S. Stinger antiaircraft missiles were first embassy in London and who has made receive an average of $150 a month. In July Reagan again claimed that delivered to UNIT A camps in mid-May. numerous trips to southern Africa. Following four months of wage talks Savimbi 's mercenary army, known as the Savimbi himself, in an August interview The Mail also reported that CIA Director with the Chamber of Mines, the main mine National Union for the Total Independence with the Washington Post, stated, "The William Casey "visited South Africa sec­ owners' body, the NUM has rejected its of Angola (UNIT A), was a "Black libera­ president [Reagan] has promised us sup­ retly around mid-March to make the neces­ wage offer and announced it will hold a tion movement." port and we got that support, and it was de­ sary arrangements" for the arms ship­ strike vote. In fact, UNITA serves as an arm of the livered as quickly as was possible. We ments.

16 The Militant October 3, 1986