- • AUSTRALIA $2.00 • BARBADOS $2.00 • BELGIUM BF60 • CANADA $2.00 • FRANCE FF10 • ICELAND Kr150 • NEW ZEALAND $2.50 • SWEDEN Kr10 • UK £1.00 • U.S. $1 .50 INSIDE Vote for the Socialist Workers candidates THE See list, - Page &-9 A SOC I A L IS T N E WSWEE K LY P U BLI S H E D IN T HE I N T E R EST S OF WO R KI N G PEOP L E VOL. 56/NO. 40 November 6. 1992 Miners and November elections will supporters protest pit bring no relief from crisis Vote for the socialist alternative in 1992 closures in BY DEREK BRACEY Many working people are looking to the U.S. elections in hope of some relief from I Britain the devastating effects of the social crisis created by the depression that we are in, said BY ROBERT HIGLEY James Warren, Socialist Workers candidate Tens of thousands of miners, their fami­ for U.S. president in an interview. "But that lies, and other trade unionists and supporters is because they haven't begun to see the arrived in London October 21 for a demon­ place of their own actions, the struggles of stration called by the National Union of workers that are our only way forward." Mineworkers (NUM) to protest the planned Looking at the three big-business candi­ closure of 31 pits, which would throw dates, George Bush, William Clinton, and 30,000 coal miners out of work. Ross Perot, working people do not see any March organizers said that the crowd saviors, the socialist candidate said. Many numbered 200,000. Trains were hired from are planning to vote for someone other than Sunderland in the northeast and from Barns­ Bush, however, most for Clinton in the ley and Doncaster in South Yorkshire. About hopes that change is better than no change. 800 miners and their supporters came from Perot, on the other hand, is getting most Grimethorpe, a mining village where the of his support from those in the middle class local colliery is threatened with closure. who are in a state of panic, said Warren. Kellingley, a pit not yet threatened with They are looking for a saviour, and they closure, sent seven coaches. really believe that Perot can be the one. Militant/Dave Wulp This protest also had the participation of "In my discussions with workers as I Militant/Salm Kolis miners from the Union of Democratic Min­ campaign," Warren said, "This question of James Warren, Socialist Workers presi­ Estelle DeBates, Socialist Workers vice­ ers (UDM). The UDM was set up with the Continued on Page 9 dential candidate presidential candidate support of the coal bosses to help break the 1984-85 miners' strike. Two hundred miners attended from Silverhill, a pit where Roy Lynk, a leader of the UDM, had staged an Cubans determined to resist as new underground sit-in. The previous week a demonstration of 5,000 people took place in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, organized by wives of miners in both the NUM and UDM. U.S. law tightens economic embargo Among the hundreds of union signs pres­ ent at the October 21 action were banners BY MARTIN KOPPEL George Bush signed the bill, known after its Union until this year. lt is currently suffer­ from British Aerospace workers, who are AND MARY-ALICE WATERS sponsor, Congressman Robert Torricelli, ing from a severe oil shortage. threatened with factory closings; car work­ HAVANA, Cuba- The new law aimed October 23. Castro added that Washington even tries ers at the Ford plant in London; and rail at tightening the U.S. trade embargo against "I know this law will affect me. I have a to disrupt "every effort by Cuba to form workers from across the country. At one Cuba has been met here with widespread young daughter, but I'm not going to let joint enterprises with capitalist companies,'' point during the day, some 50 nurses indignation among working people, as well myself be humiliated. We are all going to thus bringing much needed investments into marched through the subways around Hyde as determination not to submit to Washing­ resist it,'' said Xiomara Pozo, a shoe factory the country. Continued on Page 12 ton 's latest aggressive moves. President worker, when interviewed by the Cuban The Granma editorial noted that Bush daily Granma. signed the bill in Miami "surrounded by A weekend of political activities Dozens of demonstrations against the Torricelli bill, including one by thousands NOVEMBER 7 - 8 New York City of students at the University of Havana, • Bush signs bill-page 6 have taken place across the island in recent PUBLIC FORUM weeks, following the U.S. Congress's ap- • Cuba's foreign minister proval of the measure. . speaks at UN-page 11 HOW THE 1992 ELECTIONS HID THE REAL The day after the law was signed, people POLITICAL ISSUES AND PREPARED in the streets of Havana were angrily dis­ • Editorial-page 14 cussing what a front-page Granma editorial DEEPENING AGGRESSION BY WASHINGTON on October 24 described as a "new Platt servile Cubans without a country, in the Amendment." Hear Jack Barnes, context of the U.S. election campaign." National Secretary, Socialist Workers Party This is a reference to the U.S.-irnposed 1901 amendment to the Cuban constitution 'This is not only a means to get votes, • Why the •cotturaJ war" and "pooiticaa character" are the real issues in the 1992 elections. that gave Washington the right to intervene however," the editorial stated, "but the con­ • Wtry the October 1987 stock market crash and the October 1962 Cuban !'missile crisis" . militarily in Cuba whenever it deemed nec­ summation of a new political barbarity. In­ are not historical anniVersaries but portents of the future course of world politk:s. essary. The Platt Amendment became a sym­ ternational public opinion has been totally • Wtry the White House and Congress will attempt to implement more of the social program I. ignored by the arrogant and brutal North." of Ross Perot than those of the two major partfes. bol of Cuba's sernicolonial status and dom­ ination by the United States, which ended The editorial pointed out that the fmal • Is the 75th anniversary of the October 1917 Rossian revolution a mirage? Did a revolution wording of the bill-particularly regarding oocur? Has it been defeated? with the victory of the 1959 revolution by Cuban workers and farmers. the sanctions against those trading with Cuba Saturday,. Nov. 7. Progra~ begins 6:30p.m. sharp. The new U.S. attack on Cuba, the edito­ - was watered down slightly, "not due to 31 W. 15th St. (between 5th and 6th avenues), Manhattan rial said, "increases our anti-imperialism, Yankee benevolence but because of the pro­ . forged by more than 100 years of struggle, tests and threats ofcountermeasures by other VOLUNTEERS NEEDED and strengthens the patriotic convictions of nations that are not willing to allow Washing­ I ton to interference in their internal affairs." to help collate and pack a shipment of thousands of volumes of Marx, Engels, and Lenin the revolutionary masses, who are the ma­ collected wol'f(s. These books were rescued from J:!Uiping by a Pathfinder team that traveled jority." Imperialist rivals of the United States to the former Soviet Union. Anybody wishing to help put shoUld come to the Pathfinder It cited a September 4 speech by Cuban such as Britain and Canada, which seek to Bookstore, 19f7th Ave., Manhattan. president Fidel Castro, who described the profit from trade with Cuba, have sharply Saturday, Nov. 7, starting 9:00a.m. lengths to which the U.S. government goes objected to the Torricelli bill. Government to strangle Cuba through the embargo. "It spokespeople have announced they will CELEBRATE does everything possible to prevent us from take measures to block its implementation the transforming of the Charles St. portion of the Pathfinder Building into a modem factory being able to purchase fuel on the interna­ in their respective countries. The bill has for the party.printshop. tional market, and makes an even greater also been widely condemned by govern­ CLASSES AND SOCIAL EVENT effort to ensure that we won't have money ments throughout Latin America, including Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, Call (212) 727-8421 for information and location of events. to buy and pay for the little fuel our country is receiving" with the hard currency from it~ and Venezuela. Sponsored by branches of the Socialist Workers Party 'in Ba~imore, Boston, Greensboro, Morgantown, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsb!Jrgh, and Washington, D. .C. export earnings, Castro explained. Cuba ob­ As a result, "the coercive measures tained the bulk of its oil from the Soviet Continued on Page 10

'lraqgate' revelations deepen White House crisis - page 4 INBRIEf ______

Palestinian- hunger strikers fight Russians have been denied citizenship and for humanitarian conditions reduced to second-class status, even if they were born in the Baltic republics. More than 4,500 Palestinian prisoners, in eight detention centers run by the Israeli Prisoner can' t be forced into san­ Prison Authority, temporarily suspended a ity for death penalty two-week hunger strike in mid-October after the Israeli government agreed to review the The Louisiana Supreme Court decided prisoners • humanitarian requests. Thousands that an incompetent prisoner cannot be of Palestinians participated in street demon­ forced to take drugs that might make him strations in solidarity with the hunger strikers. sane enough to be executed. The ruling Almost every family in the West Bank and blocked the execution of Michael Perry, Gaza has someone inside an Israeli jail. who was convicted of killing his mother, The prisoners, most of whom have been father, a nephew, and two cousins. The trial jailed for activities relating to the intifada and court had ordered that he be given the drug see themselves as political prisoners, de­ Haldol, forcibly if necessary, to overcome manded better conditions and an end to the his schizophrenia and thus enable the state practice of solitary confmemenl. Of particu­ to execute him. lar concern are I 05 prisoners being held in Meanwhile, Ricky Lee Grubbs lost his underground isolation cells, some of them in appeals to the Supreme Court challenging chains. The hunger strikers have vowed tore­ his death sentence based on his slight men­ sume their protest if their agreement with the tal retardation. Officials in Missouri exe­ Israeli authorities is not implemented. cuted Grubbs by lethal injection October20. He was the nation's 26th death penalty vic­ Discontent rises after Cairo tim this year, making 1992 the year of the Site unearthed in tbe village of Fl Mozote, El Salvador, contained skeletons of 38 cbildreo. most executions since 1962, when 47 peo­ earthquake They were among at leaN 794 people ~ by U.S. trained troops in 1981. ple were killed. Riot police were deployed in force near government buildings and embassies in held elections in Guyana. The voting was and U.S. government officials, dismissing Foreign companies pay more Cairo October 18 after protests and rioting for party parliamentary lists and the winning any criticism of their war against the A report issued by the Labor Department against the government's handling of the party's leading candidate is elected presi­ Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, noted that workers employed by foreign­ earthquake relief effort. Many demonstra­ dent. lagan will now take over the govern­ have long denied that the massacre took owned companies in the United States av­ tors laid direct blame on Egyptian president ment of this English-speaking republic of place. · eraged 22 percent more in wages than U.S. Hosni Mubarak for the crisis. The recent 900,000 people located on the northeast Members of the Argentine forensic team workers in general. Wages for these workers earthquake killed more than 500 people, shoulder of South America who have been painstakingly digging at the also grew faster in 1990-up 6.8 percent, injured nearly 10,000, and left 3,000 fami­ Jagan, who had been prime minister of burial site were shocked at the number of compared to 5.4 percent for the total work lies homeless. Guyana while it was stiiJ a colony of Britain, children killed. "We never thought we force. Government officials are incensed that was the victim of an 11-year effort from would find so many kids," said Mercedes The major industries with the highest Islamic groups are moving quickly to fill the 1953-1964 by the British and U.S. govern­ Doretti. "And so young." percentage of jobs in foreign-owned firms void in disaster relief, opening shelters and ments to prevent him from occupying his were mining with 15.7 percent, and manu­ providing food and medical aid. Stunned by 'government post, because of his stated so­ Few benefit from Union Carbide facturing with 9.9 percent. According to the animosity of the Egyptian people toward cialist views. Jagan now plans on "mending disaster settlement in Bhopal government statisticians these industries the government, officials have tried to lay fences with the U.S., which he describes as provide higher paying jobs and thus made the blame for antigovernment protests on The Indian government has offered com­ one of Guyana's 'traditional friends,' " ac­ the overall pay difference wider. "In the these groups. Responding to this charge, a pensation to relatives of 12 people who died cording to an article in the London Financial service sector, for instance, the pay is about worker who participated in the protests said, in the 1984 gas leak in the town of Bhopal. Times. The poisonous gas leaked from the pesticide the same," said Linda Spencer, of the Eco­ "We did not go into the streets because of nomic Strategy Institute in Washington. the fundamentalists. We went because we plant run by an Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide killed more than 4,000 people and have no place to live, and the government El Salvador massacre uncovered Protests greet Queen in Dresden is doing nothing to help us." injured another 20,000. About 650,000 peo­ Nearly 11 years after U.S.-trained soldiers ple have flJed claims over the accident. The Crowds booed Queen Elizabeth ll when rampaged through El Mozote and surround­ Jagan wins Guyana election Indian government settled the case with she and her husband, Prince Philip, arrived ing villages killing at least 794 people, grave Union Carbide for a $470 million compen­ in Dresden to take part in a prayer service. Cheddi Jagan's People's Progressive sites of the victims are being unearthed that sation fund. However legal and bureaucratic The ceremony took place at a reconstructed Party came out the winner in the recently show evidence of the massacre. Salvadoran tangles are holding up the disbursements, 18th century church that was destroyed in according to the government. Allied air raids during World War ll. Most The awards are to be based on the earning of Dresden was leveled during the bombing, INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN capability of the victims over their lifetime. and at least 35,000 people were killed. 'rANT For instance, the widow of a laborer will Many of the protesters were angry because TH£ I H TO WIN NEW READERS receive about $7,000. the Queen's mother recently unveiled a M'L' statue in London of Sir Arthur "Bomber" Moscow suspends Baltic pullout Harris, who was head of bomber command Russia armounced October 20 that it was for the Royal Air Force during the war. Malcolm X Speaks temporarily suspending withdrawal of its troops from the Baltic states - Estonia, Lat­ Japan industrial output declines Nut_.,, 'Millltmt' via, and Lithuania - on the stated grounds Japan suffered its largest monthly decline that there is inadequate housing for returning of industrial output on record for the month I'Wprilttlll rirtluiUy officers and soldiers. According to Moscow of August. The Ministry of International rdll:un~widl some 40,000 troops, many with families, still Trade and Industry reported that industrial M~X COIIIIMCI«lbe remain in the Baltics. Thousands of Russian production in the month dropped 4.2 percent Lo1t4o1a ill F.._, troops withdrawn from Eastern Europe ear­ from July. This figure surpasses the dismal lier still have no decent housing. economic performance of Japan's industry 1965. M~ t:OIUIIIII6 Further, Russia has threatened to halt the during the oil crisis ofthe 1970s. The figure is .. ..,.,. departure of its troops because it contends further evidence that the Japanese economy /lw4DM iiiA,/rll:tltllldllw the political and human rights of ethnic has fallen into a recession,joining its rivals in UrtltalS**'-TIN Russians are in jeopardy. In Latvia and Es­ Europe and North America. 'Mililalrt'CONn 1/w tonia, the substantial population of ethnic -PAUL MAILHOT illfptlt1lllrt611wggkl of wttiw1'«11* «

2 The Militant November 6, 1992 Serbia, Croatia carve up Bosnia territory

BY NAOMI CRAINE Tudjman and Dobrica Cosic, president of ing their control, was captured when mem­ Bosnia have reportedly agreed to free some Forces led by the governments of Serbia the rump "Yugoslavia," consisting of Serbia bers of the Croatian Defense Council sud­ 10,000 prisoners being held in camps under and Croatia are in the final stages of carving and Montenegro, signed an agreement Octo­ denly pulled their troops out of the town. severe conditions. The release is being held up most of the territory of Bosnia and ber 20 that would supposedly ease fighting in up, however, because borders of the United Herzegovina among themselves. the regions. The pact, part of the continuing 'Betrayal of historic proportions' States ~d countries in Western Europe re­ Governments in Europe and the United "peace conference" in Geneva, calls for open­ "There is already an actual cease-ftre be­ main closed to the prisoners. States continue to stand firm in their refusal ing the main road between Zagreb and Bel­ tween the Serbs and Croats," said a Bosnian Washington, which has been demanding to accept the hundreds of thousands of ref­ grade and the establishment of liaison offices government official after the takeover of the camps be closed down and helped initi­ ugees displaced by the war. in the two capitals. Bosanski Brod. "This is a betrayal of hlstor­ ate a United Nations Security Council res­ Until recently, the Croatian regime of Before this round of negotiations, Tudj­ ical proportions by the Croats." Some have olution calling for an investigation of al­ Franjo Tudjman claimed to be alJied with man said that he expected an agreement maintained that Bosanski Brod was traded leged atrocities in them, has said it will forces loyal to the government of Sarajevo establishing a formal cease-fire between by Tudjman in return for Serbian forces allow only tOO sick or wounded refugees seeking to defend Bosnian territory against Croatian and Serbian nationalists in Bosnia. pulling out of the Prevlaka peninsula, astra­ from Bosnia to enter the United States. Serbian rightists who were carving off as He also stated that the "Muslims," meaning tegic piece of Croatian territory on the Dal­ A U.S. diplomat in Zagreb said that much of the territory as they could. Since the the Bosnian government, may have to ac­ matian coast that includes an important Croatia should accept all of the refugees start of the war, these Serbian gangs have cept retaining only a small portion of the deep-water port. fleeing the fighting in Bosnia. "We certainly seized more than two-thirds of Bosnia, while republic, with the rest being annexed by Tensions are also increasing in Kosovo, hope that the Croats will do their duty," he other Serb-based forces have taken over areas Serbia and Croatia. in southern Serbia. Serbian police broke up said. in Croatia. The Zagreb government of One incident indicating Croatian and a demonstration of ethnic Albanians in the There are now more than 700,000 refu­ Croatia is now more openly making clear its Serbian agreement to divide up Bosnia is the capital, Pristina, with tear gas and clubs gees in Croatia, which has a population of intentions to negotiate a deal with the Serbian fall ofBosanski Brod to Serbian nationalists October 13. The demonstrators were de­ just 4.7 million. At one center there, refu­ warlords and consolidate its hold on most of in early October. The town, strategically manding the opening of the Albanian-lan­ gees are crammed 12 or 15 to a room in the remaining portion of Bosnia and located in a corridor across northern Bosnia guage schools and university. dirty, unheated dormitories with rooms Herzegovina. The Bosnian government holds where Serbian forces had been consolidat- Meanwhile, the Serbian nationalists in meant for two or three people. less than 10 percent of the republic, mostly centered around a handful of cities. Fighting has broken out between Croat forces and the Bosnian army in Vitez and 10,000 protest Oregon antigay measure Kiseljak, towns to the northwest of Sara­ jevo. Vitez is one of the sites where the UN warehouses relief supplies for Sara­ BY FLOYD FOWLER jevo. PORTLAND, Oregon - A battle is on in "Radical forces on the Croatian side are Oregon against an initiative on the ballot for trying to provoke a conflict ... radicals who the November elections, known as Measure are trying to make a state within a state," 9. On October 4 more than 10,000 people said Bosnian President Alija lzetbegovic, rallied in Pioneer Courthouse Square in referring to this fighting. Bozo Rajic, a downtown Portland against the measure. A leader of the Bosnian Croat nationalist growing number of liberal and conservative forces, charged that the combat was caused politicians have publicly condemned this by "merciless attacks by Muslim extrem­ ballot initiative, including Oregon governor ists" on the Croatian forces. Barbara Roberts and Arkansas governor and The Croatian Defense Council, which has Democratic presidential candidate William been leading Croatia's war moves in Bosnia, Clinton. Arkansas is one of the states where receives weapons, troops, and leadership homosexual acts are illegal. from the Croatian army. It has taken over a Measure 9 would amend the Oregon con­ large portion of Bosnia and western stitution to outlaw the use of any state funds Herzegovina. or property to "promote, encourage or facil­ "The Croats have proclaimed a Croatian itate homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism, or state within the state of Bosnia and masochism." It would mandate the teaching Herzegovina," said Emir Fazilbegovicofthe at all levels that "such behaviors are abnor­ Muslim Council in Mostar, a town in Cro­ mal, wrong, unnatural and perverse." Mea­ atian-held Bosnia. "Muslims now see no sure 9 is being promoted by the Oregon difference between the policies of the Serb­ Citizen's Alliance (OCA), a rightist group ian and Croatian leaderships." founded in 1987 that claims 3,000 members Militant/Hilda Cuzco statewide. In 1990, an OCA-sponsored mea­ Participant in October 4 'No on 9' rally in Portland, Oregon. sure to ban abortions in Oregon was de­ feated. The OCA has ties to Operation Res­ and it's about taking away human rights," em Oregon, has been a working-class com­ cue and recently received a $20,000 dona­ Norman emphasizes. munity dependent mainly on one product: tion from Pat Robertson's Christian Coali­ timber. The world economic depression is tion. Churches urge ' No' vote hitting workers in this area hard. Peggy Norman, a leader of the "No-on-9" In a statement last month to all U.S. bish­ Between 1980 and 1990 more than 1,100 campaign, said recently "we underestimated Jajce ® ops, the Vatican described homosexuality as wood product jobs were lost in Springfield ® the intensity of this campaign. It's not a "an objective disorder" akin to mental ill­ alone. Between 1990 and 1991, revenues of Travnlk normal ballot measure." Measure 9 backers ness. But a Gallup poll last spring revealed Oregon's 100 biggest private companies continually lump homosexuality together 78 percent of U.S. Catholics favor equal job were up 3.2 percent, while employment fell with sadism, masochism and pedophilia, at­ opportunities for homosexuals. The Ecu­ 2 percent. Workers bore the brunt of the tempting to disorient gay rights supporters menical Ministries of Oregon, and its mem­ crisis, losing their cars and homes. Social and draw those who have not yet made up ber denominations, including Roman Cath­ services were cut to the bone. their minds into this false debate. Pedophilia olic, are urging a 'No' vote on Measure 9. Jeanne Miller, a former mill worker, refers to adults who seek to have sex with The OCA is distributing a million flyers voted for the OCA initiative last May. She children. The initiative raises a second calling for "no special rights for homosex­ now regrets it. "No special rights sounded equally false issue. It would prohibit the uals." One leaflet entitled "Homosexuality, good to me" she said in an interview with state from applying "quotas, minority status, the Classroom, and Your Children" is filled the Oregonian newspaper. Only after voting ~ Serbian-controlled areas affirmative action or similar concepts" to with references to the North American did Miller discuss the issue with coworkers. homosexuals. In fact no such legislation r-. Bosnian Government Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), "Gradually, it dawned on me this person is • \!! control exists or is being proposed. which advocates sanctioning sexual rela­ gay. I don't know much about gays or les­ 0 Croatian-held areas "Measure 9 is really about government tions between adults and children. The bians, but here's this guy, and he's just a intrusion. It's about requiring discrimination charge is "a scare tactic" says Peggy Nor­ regular person." A neighbor who is Mexican man, "the sleaziest kind of politics possible. influenced her thinking as well. "By voting NAMBLA not only has been denounced by the way we voted, we caused a lot of people SPECIAL TO MILITANT READERS ' No on 9,' but it has never been a part of any to be fearful when we have nothing to fear organizing here." from them," Miller said. Half price, 5 copies or more in any language The OCA cites pseudoscientific facts to "prove" that homosexuals are dispro­ Two gays murdered New from Pathfinder in English, Spanish, and F(ench portionately homicidal, that homosexuals Incidents of rock-throwing, vandalism, are predisposed toward child molestation, threatening phone calls, and burglaries have CUBA CONFRONTS THE and that most gay men are wildly promiscu­ been reported by a number of "No on 9" WORLD CRISIS OF THE '90s CHE GUEVARA AND THE ous. This is an attempt to give superstition offices. These attacks culminated September FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM TODAY and prejudice a respectable veneer. In par­ 26 with the firebombing and murder in Sa­ ticular, fear of AIDS is played upon. The gay lem, Oregon, of Hattie Mae Cohens and by Mary-Alice Waters rights organization, ACT UP, pointed out in Brian Mock, both gay. The four suspects $3.50 a statement that Measure 9 could lead to the arrested are all avowed white supremacists. elimination of AIDS hotlines and AIDS ed­ Kathleen Saadat, chair of African-Ameri­ Order your bundle of Che Guevara and the ucation programs at schools and universi­ cans against Measure 9, said that the initia­ ties, and would exacerbate the discrimina­ Fight for Socialism Today at the 50% discount tive being on the ballot "allows hate-mon­ tion people with AIDS already suffer. gers to feel more comfortable in pursuing rate ($1.75 per copy). Add $3.00 for shipping their activities." She added, "Many people and handling. Why the OCA gets a bearing understand not just that this measure is un­ In May 1991, an OCA antigay initiative fair, but that it is dangerous." failed in Corvallis, but passed in Springfield, The October 4 statewide rally was held a Send to Pathfmder, 410 West St., New York, NY 10014, or Oregon. Why the OCA initiative passed week after the killings. Irving Fletcher, pres­ visit the Pathfmder Bookstore nearest you (addresses on there is a question that comes up in discus­ ident of the Oregon AFL-CIO, was among p.l2). sions with gay rights activists. the featured speakers. At a press conference Springfield, like other towns across west- Continued on Page 4

November 6, 1992 The Militant 3 George Novack Reconstruction Fund Milestone nears in printshop renovation T he George Novack Recon­ week on completing the skylights in the next few months. Among the struction Fund was launched in and the ceiling, and has set Novem­ books being reissued are Notebook August at the International So­ ber 7 as a deadline for finishing this ofan Agitator, a collection of writ­ PLEDGED PAlO % PAID cialist Conference at Oberlin, entire section of the building. ings by James P. Cannon, one ofthe S1101Adlle6a Ohio. Novack, who died July 30 To mark this accomplishment, a founders of the Socialist Workers UNITED STATES at the age or 86, was a leader or celebration is scheduled for the Party, and Problems of Everyday NEW HAVEN 500 500 100 the socialist movement in the weekend of November 7-8. There Life by Russian revolutionary SAN FRANCISCO 12,530 6,465 52 DETROIT United States for more than half will be a social event as well as leader Leon Trotsky. 7,000 3,016 44 ST. LOUIS 6.500 2,635 41 a century. classes and a major political talk Sat­ The Long View of History, a SALT LAKE CITY 6,500 2,631 41 urday, November 7 by Jack Barnes, The aim of the fund is to raise pamphlet by George Novack, will LOS ANGELES 15,000 6,142 41 more than $150,000 by December national secretary of the Socialist also be republished. In addition, WASHINGTON, D.C. 4,950 1,715 35 1. The Novack Fund finances the Workers Party (see advertisement on three bulletins that are part ofPath­ ATLANTA s.soo 1,900 35 reconstruction proj ect currently page 1). Part of the weekend's activ­ finder's Education for Socialists BALTIMORE 4,500 1,485 33 taking place in New York,s Path­ ities will be a project to collate and series will be reissued. These in­ MORGANTOWN 3,000 970 32 finder Building, which is pictured pack for shipment to a warehouse clude: Countermobilization: A CLEVELAND 4,200 1,325 32 at the top or the graph to the thousands of volumes of the col­ Strategy to Fight Racist and Fas­ SEATTLE 6,000 1,845 31 right. lected works of Karl Marx, Freder­ cist Attacks; What is American PHILADELPHIA 4,000 1,141 29 ick Engels, and V.I. unin. These Fascism?: Writings on Father PITTSBURGH 4,500 1,250 28 BY J OHN COX books were rescued from pulping by Coughlin, Mayor Frank Hague, CHICAGO 6.500 1,775 28 The reconstruction project is a Pathfinder team that travelled to and Sen. Joseph McCarthy; and HOUSTON 6,000 1,630 27 nearing an important milestone: the the former Soviet Union. Fight Against Fascism in the BOSTON 6,000 1,578 26 completion of a large section of the The physical restructuring of the U.SA.: Forty Years of Struggle TWIN CITIES 9,865 2,580 26 first floor of the Pathfinder Building, printshop will greatly enhance its Described by Participants. These GREENSBORO 3,000 775 26 where the printshop that produces ability to produce high-quality revo­ bulletins are particularly timely MIAMI 3,250 700 22 Pathfinder books and the Militant is lutionary, working-<:lass literature. given the rise in ultraright and fas­ NEWARK 11 ,000 2,201 20 located. The international brigade of Pathfinder Press will be publishing cist activity in the United States NEW YORK CITY 15,000 2,604 17 BIRMINGHAM volunteer workers that makes up the new editions of a number of impor­ and Europe. 3,000 305 10 reconstruction crew is working this tant works by revolutionary leaders DES MOINES 3,500 326 9 A total of $ 14,680 was sent in CINCINNATI 1,500 0 0 to the fund in the last week, bring­ PORTLAND 750 0 0 ing the amount collected to U.S. TOTAL 154,045 47, 494 31 $55,595. This was the highest I pledge ... GERMANY 1.429 1,429 100 amount sent in yet for a single BELGIUM 1,100 1,100 100 week. A supporter from Welling­ 0 $1000 0 $500 0 $250 0 $100 0 $other_ FRANCE 1,030 1,030 100 ton, New Zealand donated $1,060 PUERTO RICO 100 100 100 NAME ______after reading the Militant column NEW ZEALAND 1,777 1,607 90 about the reconstruction project. AUSTRALIA 650 388 60 ADDRESS ------Supporters of Pathfinder Press . SWEDEN 2,450 1,250 51 CITY ___ ZIP ____ COUNTRY ______and of the Novack Fund in New­ CANADA 2,905 897 31 PHONE ______ark, New Jersey, as well as in a BRITAIN 1,860 300 16 number of other cities, are plan­ TOTAL $167,346 $55,595 33 Send to the George Novack Reconstruction Fund, 406 West Street, New York, NY 10014 ning special events in the next month to raise funds. 'lraqgate' revelations deepen White House crisis

BY BRI AN WILLIAMS in early October, CIA officials told Con­ player on Washington's side in attacking the cials operating out of the National Security New revelations in what has come to be gress that at the urging of the Justice Iranian revolution, the triumph of which in Council in the White House to secretly sell known as "lraqgate" expose an ongoing Department they had deliberately withheld 1979 dealt a powerful blow to imperialist arms to Iran to fund and arm, in defiance of crisis for the Bush administration. What information about this case from federal interests in the Middle East. The capitalist decisions of Congress, the mercenary contra began as a cover-up by the Justice Depart­ prosecutors in Atlanta. ruling class in Iraq feared this massive rev­ army, which was waging war against the ment and Central Intelligence Agency of While the CIA and Justice Department olutionary movement across its border that Nicaraguan revolution. some shady financial dealings by a major quarreled in public over who was responsi­ was inspiring working people throughout Special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh an­ international commercial bank operating in ble for this cover-up, the FBI announced that the region. nounced September I 7 that he would be the United States is evolving into one of the it was opening an investigation into both the shutting down the five-year investigation biggest political scandals to rock the capi­ CIA and Justice Department's conduct in U.S.-backed war against Iran into the Iran-contra scandal and planned to talist rulers. this matter. The Justice Department fired In 1980, with the full backing of Wash­ seek no further indictments. Former De­ In August 1989 the FBI raided the Atlanta back by opening its own counterprobe of ington, Iraq seized territory from Iran and fense Secretary Caspar Weinberger still fa­ branch of Italy's government-controlled ethics violations by FBI director William launched what turned into an eight-year war ces felony charges of having concealed in­ Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL)-one Sessions. that Washington hoped would succeed in formation from Congress about this affair. of Italy's largest commercial banks- and Meanwhile, Christopher Drogoul, who rolling back the Iranian revolution. The U.S. Clair George, a former top CIA official, shut down the highly secretive and quite had previously pleaded guilty to the rulers helped finance Iraq's murderous faces a second trial after his first ended in a profitable operation of loaning billions of charges against him, announced he was eight-year onslaught against Iran, which mistrial at the end of August. dollars to the government of Iraq. The At­ withdrawing his plea and now planned to was one of the costliest in human terms lanta branch manager, Christopher Drogoul, stand trial. since World War n. Some one million peo­ This p ublication is available in ple lost their lives in the fighting. microform from University had concocted a scheme in which he used Seeking to calm the growing storm of Microfilms InternationaL BNL's high credit rating to borrow from criticism, U.S. Attorney General William Writing in the Washington Post, Brent Call toll frM (800) 521-30« or mail inquiry to other banks and then lend these funds to Iraq Scowcroft, the national security adviser to University Microfil.Ju International 300 North Zeeb Barr on October 16 appointed retired federal Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 at higher interest rates. judge Frederick Lacey as special counsel to President Bush, explained, "There was a In February 1991, at the height of the U.S. investigate the Bush administration's con­ broad bipartisan consensus behind the military onslaught against lraq, the Justice duct in this affair. open U.S. policy of providing political and Antigay measure Department indicted Drogoul, alleging he Hoping to create some political capital for economic support to Iraq during the latter masterminded a scheme to loan more than the Democrats out of these revelations, stages of the war with Iran. The U.S. Navy protested in Oregon $5 billion to Iraq while concealing this op­ Democratic vice-presidential candidate Al­ openly intervened in the gulf ... Congres­ eration from the Rome-based bank. Drogoul bert Gore stated, "I believe what we're see­ sional intelligence committees reviewed Continued from Page 3 wa<; also charged with tax evasion and ille­ ing right now is George Bush presiding over and concurred with our activities in the officials from eight other labor unions gally selling Cuban sugar. a cover-up that is significantly larger than region. joined Fletcher in urging a "no" vote on In an effort to keep the true scope of this the Watergate cover-up. Watergate was de­ "Most of the money still owed by Iraq to Measure 9. "If Measure 9 passes, individu­ scandal under wraps, the Justice Department scribed as a two-bit burglary. Iraq-gate by the United States," continued Scowcroft, "is als could be terminated from their employ­ and CIA covered up facts about the Rome contrast includes the largest bank fraud in for credit guarantees extended during the ment for what the boss thinks they may be bank's involvement in the scam while de­ the history of America." Iran-Iraq war." doing in the privacy of their own home," li berately misleading those prosecuting the The Wall Street Journal called for extend­ Pointing to Iran's influence, once again said Mary Botkin, of the American Federa­ case. Citing "national security concerns," ing the investigation to include Congress. growing in the Mideast, the Wall Street tion of State, County and Municipal Em­ Justice Department officials in 1990 also "We'd like to know what role, if any, mem­ Journal October 19 commented, "The tilt ployees (AFSCME). Madelyn Elder of the tried to block an investigation of BNL by bers of Congress played in pressuring the toward Iraq [during the 1980-88 war Communication Workers of America the House Banking Committee. administration to avoid cracking down hard against Iran] was not a result of anyone's (CWA) noted that most employers of CWA The U.S. rulers feared the political fall­ on BNL's Iraq loans. And we'd also like to love for Saddam, but grew out of the fear members hold state contracts. "Measure 9 out that could result from a full-blown know more about the links between BNL that Iran, a country with three times the could reach at their jobs as well as their scandal involving BNL. "If the Rome bank and BCCI, which had imponant cross-deal­ population of Iraq, might win the war.... personal lives." - and therefore the Italian Government - ings." Bush's decision not to wipe out Saddam All working people have a stake in op­ was somehow involved, the scandal could BCCI - the Bank of Credit and Com­ when he had an opportunity at the close of posing Measure 9. Such rightist attempts to have damaged Italy's banking system and merce International - has been at the cen­ Desert Storm was based in part on the con­ scapegoat homosexuals for the social crisis toppled the Government of Prime Minister ter of one of the biggest banking scandals cept that Iraq still is needed to shield the engulfing working people will continue, and Giulio Andreotti," wrote the New York in history. At its high point the bank operated Gulf oilfields from Iran." grow more vicious. A layer of people, espe­ cially youths, have accumulated important Times. in some 70 countries, engaging in bribery, lraqgate comes on the heels of the Iran­ experiences through this battle in Oregon. In a July 30 letter to the head of the extortion, gunrunning, slush funds, grand contra scandal, the impact of which contin­ They will bring these experiences into the House Banking Committee, Robert Gates, theft, and murder. ues to rattle the U.S. rulers. In fact, at the fights to come. director of the CIA, insisted that his The U.S. government carried out a bipar­ very same time that Washington was arming agency was fu lly cooperating with the tisan policy of funding and arming Iraq Iraq to fight Iran, a covert operation was Floyd Fowler is a member of International BNL investigation. But two months later, throughout the 1980s. Iraq was an imponant being carried out by top government .offi- Association of Machinists Lodge 1005.

4 The Militant November 6, 1992 Socialist candidate speaks to hundreds in Sweden

BY LASSE JOHANSSON 1928 with the Stalinist perversion of com­ they, together with sol­ STOCKHOLM, Sweden- Five hun­ munism. In the Soviet Union, in Europe, and diers from Angola and dred students at Farsta High School here in the United States since then this move­ SWAPO [South West greeted Socialist Workers presidential can­ ment has been fighting against Stalin's fal­ African Peoples Organi­ didate James Warren with long and warm sification of communism and its attacks on zation] at the 1988 bat­ applause. The October 16 meeting was part working people, Warren said. In the early tle at Cuito Cuanavale, of a two-day stopover in Stockholm by War­ decades of this fight communists like him­ defeated the invading ren. self were hunted, put in prison, or killed all South African army. Since mid-August, members of the over the world by the Stalinist murder-ma­ This changed the rela­ Communist League in Sweden and other chine. tionship of forces in supporters of Youth for Warren and De­ "That's why we celebrated the victory southern Africa, Warren Bates in high schools and workplaces in when the Stalinist regimes were overthrown said. It was a key factor the Stockholm area had been building War­ in East Germany, Eastern Europe, and the in Pretoria's decisions to give independence to ren's tour. Soviet Union," he said. Namibia, to free Nelson Warren told of how the SWP has run in "I have come here not to hunt votes but Mandela, and to legal­ the U.S. presidential elections since 1948. to discuss with thinking workers and youth, ize the African National "We have never experienced greater open­ who are the people capable of acting to Congress (ANC). War­ ings for our ideas than in this campaign," he change the world," explained Warren. "We ren noted that Cuba added. don't bring promises. We bring a view and sends more doctors and an understanding of the world, and a pro­ One of the ftrst questions was, "what teachers to the Third gram in defense of working people through­ do you think of Cuba and Fidel Castro?" World and educates Militant/Lars Johansson out the world. Because of this approach, Warren said that Cuba is the most demo­ more students from the '· Warren talks to students at Stockholm high school meeting what we say to workers in the United States cratic country in the world, where working Third World than any is what we say to workers in the rest of the people had the biggest opportunities to other country. Warren's world." play a part in directing their own destinies answer received strong applause. Warren replied. Warren began his presentation with a his­ and helping other people do the same. He One journalist, Sven Oste, wrote an arti­ A student said that 5 percent of Black tory of the movement he belonged to, ex­ explained that Cuba sent 300,000 troops cle about the event in Dagens Nyheter, one men in the United States were murdered by plaining that it originated from a break in to Angola between 1975 and 1988, where of the main newspapers here. Oste ex­ other Black men, so he wondered if the right pressed his surprise that a communist pres­ to arms shouldn't be restricted in the United idential candidate could get such support, States. Warren responded that it was "a Massive job losses in British mines especially for his defense of the Cuban rev­ breakdown in solidarity among people, due olution. to lack of a social movement for change, are 'capitalism at work,' says Warren Before the meeting IT, the Swedish press that caused such violence, not the existence agency, made a 45-minute interview. of weapons themselves." The meeting at the high school was cov­ The headmaster intervened to end the BY NAOMI CRAINE Members of the South African Students Or­ ered by a regional television station, which discussion because some students were get­ "We shouldn't be surprised by the an­ ganization and a representative of the Cuban also made a short interview that was nouncement that 30,000 miners in Britain embassy attended. The African National ting late for their next class. More than 40 students continued the discussion for an­ broadcast that evening, reaching 2 million are to lose their jobs," Socialist Workers Congress, although unable to attend, sent a viewers. other hour in a nearby room. candidate for U.S. president James Warren message of encouragement to the campaign. A local meeting with 20 people, mostly told 70 students and campaign supporters What do you think about abortion, an­ workers from Sooertiilje, was covered by at a meeting at Queen Mary College in Doreen Weppler in London and Susan other student asked. "If someone tells you the local paper Liinstidningen. London on October I 4. "This is a decision Smythe and Anne Howie in Sheffield con­ he is for equality between men and women Elias Bakk, a student at Norra Real of the worldwide depression we are living tributed to this article. Weppler is a member but is against abortion he is not for equal­ High School, welcomed James Warren at through today, and moves like this will of the Transport and General Workers ity. How can a woman be equal without become more, not less, commonplace. Union at Air Canada in London. deciding what happens to her own body," Continued on Page 13 These massive job losses are nothing other than capitalism at work- dividing us in the most fundamental way, between those in our class who have jobs and those with­ Candidate denounces attack on day-laborers out." Two days earlier it had been announced BY GINA MARCH that 31 collieries were to be closed, with a ALPINE, California - We arrived at the loss of 30,000 mining jobs. Warren spoke at river bed at dusk. Several workers were a Militant Labour Forum in Sheffield the being interviewed on television. Joel day of the announcement. There he ex­ Britton, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. plained, "There is no in between, either we Senate from California, introduced himself share the available work or we cut each to Julio Perez and five other workers who others' throats. We should reject the rulers' were preparing to sleep on a nearby tarpau­ framework, and shorten the workweek with lin. no cut in pay. Britton denounced the brutal assault that "The rulers' reaction to the crisis of the had taken place here on October 1. Half a capitalist system is to put it on the backs dozen thugs wielding baseball bats ram­ of working people with no regard for the paged through this day-laborers' encamp­ impact of their decisions. This is capitalism ment, seriously injuring Jose Luis LOpez, at work." Oscar Mendoza, and Leonardo Zarco. "I am While in Sheffield, Warren joined a Mil­ demanding the arrest and prosecution of itant sales team at Thoresby colliery in those who carried out this despicable at­ North Nottinghamshire where Paul Gallo­ tack," said Britton. way, National Union of Mineworkers mem­ Sheriff's deputies "did find witnesses ber and political activist, works. Warren ex­ who saw the attackers," reports The Daily pressed his support for the campaign that Californian, a paper printed here in eastern Galloway and his supporters have been San Diego County. The attackers were An­ waging against a recent politically moti­ glo men; their victims were workers whose vated physical assault on him. residences are in Mexico or National City, Militant/Nancy Blyth Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Senate Joel Britton (left) meets with day-laborers The Queen Mary College meeting was California. in AJpine, California, after racist attack the previous week. the highlight of Warren's London campaign­ As of October 21 , no arrests have been ing. It was sponsored by the college's Afri­ made. The Federal Bureau of Investigation can Caribbean Society, which mobilized to says that it is investigating the attack to Mexico. They get $5-an-hour jobs available workers would sleep that night. Those make the meeting a success. see if the victims' civil rights were vio­ some days on the street here as landscapers sturdy limbs from trees, he noted, would In the discussion, Warren pointed to the lated. and construction laborers, not enough to be enable them to defend themselves should the role of the struggle in South Africa as "the Press accounts have linked tht attack to able to afford the high rents in this upscale thugs return. highest level of political functioning on the an alleged rape of a white woman said to community. Britton called on unions to join Latino face of the earth today. Nelson Mandela, have QCCurred a week before the workers Speaking with the workers, Britton com­ community and civil rights groups in con­ who leads the struggle, understands that were beaten. Newspapers have said that pared the attack to assaults on immigrants demning the assault on the workers and history is not made by 'great men'; instead, the attack was believed to be a retaliation. by rightists in Germany. He noted that as demanding action by the authorities. it is made by ordinary human beings in their However, one deputy sheriff told a re­ depression conditions rise and growing Britton later joined a group of strikers mass numbers, organizing, placing their de­ porter that the victims of the beating are numbers of people begin to seek a solution at the National Steel and Shipbuilding mands, and fighting. Those resisting in not suspects in the rape. Another said, "We to the crisis, ultra-rightist and fascist ele­ Company (NASSCO) shipyard in San South Africa lead the world, and all of us can't even say with certainty what the ments will seek to scapegoat immigrant and Diego, where he talked with Iron workers' benefit." ethnicity of the attacker was in the rape other sections of the working class, which local union president, Tom McCammon, The Caribbean Times ran an an­ case." they will try to back up with physical at­ who explained what the 2,800 strikers nouncement of the Militant Labour Forum, Britton said that the alleged pretext for tacks. there were up against. Seven unions struck where Warren spoke the same evening. It the attack on the day-laborers "is absurd and While Britton talked with the workers, a the company October I seeking better described the candidate as "the radical so­ should be rejected. Instead, the media fans car pulled up nearby sporting a "Bo Gritz wages and resisting takebacks in health cialist alternative to the unholy triumvirate the flames of bigotry and intolerance di­ for President" sign. Gritz is a candidate of coverage. of Bush, Perot, and Clinton." rected against our fellow workers here - the white supremacist right. The driver of McCammon also denounced the assault The forum provided an opportunity for documented and undocumented." the car joined another man who glared in a on the day-laborers as "grotesque." The some students, as well as for several workers Perez and his comrades told Britton that hostile manner at Britton and the day-labor­ laborers "are being denied their basic from GE Lighting and British Rail, to visit they are legal U.S. residents and commute ers as they were talking. rights," McCammon said. "Society wants the Pathfinder Bookshop for the first time. weekly between Alpine and their homes in Perez pointed to the tarpaulin where the to scapegoat them for the ills of society."

November 6, 1992 The Militant s New law tightens U.S. embargo of Cuba

BY SARA LOBMAN Kingdom] policy on trade with Cuba," Rich­ human rights and democratic values." statement signed by more than 10,000 The Cuban Democracy Act, or Torricelli ard Needham, British trade minister stated. The Cuban Conference of Catholic Bolivian students, workers, professionals, bill, was signed into Jaw by President Bush He accused the United States of trying to Bishops also opposes the bill, calling it artists, and intellectuals. Many prominent as part of a military spending bill on Oc­ "superimpose U.S. Law on UK companies." "ethically unacceptable" and in violation figures in Latin America have issued state­ tober 23. The bill aims at tightening the London has invoked an existing law, the of "the principles of international law." ments criticizing the measures. Ecuador's 30-year-old economic embargo against Protection of Trading Interests Act, to pro­ The Coalition of Cuban Americans ran a ambassador to the United Nations has op­ Cuba by restricting its trade with other hibit U.S. subsidiaries in Britain from com­ half page ad in the Miami Herald that re­ posed the tightening of the embargo. countries. The measure has been strongly plying with the terms of the Cuban Democ­ printed the full statement of the Bishops' Giuseppe Lubatti, activities director for the supported by Democratic Party presiden­ racy Act Conference. UN World Food Program said that the U.S. tial candidate William Clinton. The European Commission (EC) filed a Protests condemning the bill include a blockade hampers the Program's distribu­ Congress's approval of the bill has pro­ formal complaint with the U.S. State De­ rally of 300 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a tion of food. voked an angry response from Washington's partment on October 7 saying that the tight­ capitalist rivals. ening of the embargo " has the potential to The biJI, which was supported by Jorge cause grave damage to the transatlantic re­ Mas Canosa, cbainnan of the Miami based lationship." Cuban youth meets unionists, Cuban American National Foundation, for­ The Canadian government has also issued bids foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies an order that not only blocks companies to trade with Cuba and writes into Jaw a cur­ from complying with the U.S. imposed trade students during Chicago tour rent U.S. policy that closes U.S. ports to ships restrictions, but also requires them to report that have called in Cuba within six months. In to the Canadian attorney general any in­ addition, any ships carrying goods or passen­ structions relating to the restrictions they gers "in which Cuba or a Cuban national has may receive from corporate headquarters in any interest" would be banned. the United States. Noncompliance with the The biJI also authorizes the president to Canadian order carries a fme of up to $8,500 apply sanctions against any country that or five years in prison. provides aid to Cuba by declaring such Canada has maintained diplomatic rec­ countries ineligible for foreign aid, arms ognition and full trade relations with Cuba sales, or debt relief. It imposes a new civil for the past 30 years, in spite of the U.S. penalty of $50,000 for violators of the U.S. embargo. Canadian fmns sold almost $30 Trading with the Enemy Act. This act is the million worth of products to Cuba last main way the U.S. government prevents year. U.S. citizens from visiting Cuba. Under a section labeled "Support for the Mexico pledges continued trade Cuban people," the Cuban Democracy Act Mexico's ambassador to Cuba, Mario deepens the attacks on Cuban workers and Moya Palencia, stated on national radio fanners already suffering the impact of a that his country would continue full trade worldwide economic crisis and the collapse relations with Cuba. "We will do nothing of equitable trade relations with the Soviet that could harm Cuba," he said. The Mex­ Union and Eastern Europe. For example, the ican congress has indicated unanimous bill allows for the export of medicines and support for a resolution rejecting the Tor­ medical supplies to Cuba only if the U.S. ricelli bill. government is allowed to inspect- onsite Indicating another possible crack in the - how the supplies are being used. It per­ U.S. drive to strangle Cuba, the Miami Her­ mits direct mail delivery to Cuba, while ald on October 10 reported that Russia has forbidding commercial flights that normally been trying to boost trade with Havana. "We . carry the mail. still need Cuban sugar. We still need Cuban Militant/Luis Madrid nickel. We still need Cuban citrus," said William Taylor, president of Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Local 7-507, presents U.S. subsidiaries' trade Vladimir Borodaev, top Cuba analyst at the Cuban youth leader Ibis Alvisa Gonzalez Oefl) with OCAW cap at union picnic. U.S. subsidiaries, mainly in Britain, Can­ Latin America Institute of the Russian Acad­ ada, Spain, Mexico, and other Latin Amer­ emy of Sciences. BY JOHN VOTAVA youth leader Ibis Alvisa's visit to this area. ican countries, carried out $718 million The Torricelli bill has deepened a debate AND LUIS MADRID among Cubans, both in the United States and Earlier that day, Taylor, president of Local worth of trade with Cuba in 1991. The Tor­ CHICAGO, Illinois - "These kinds of ricelli biJI has provoked a sharp response in Cuba, who oppose the revolution. Ram6n 7-507 of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic exchanges are good for the peoples of our Workers union, had invited AIvisa to partic­ from some of these nations, highlighting the Cernuda, a prominent Miami opponent of the two countries," said Wtlliam Taylor in a ipate in and address his union's annual pic­ growing tensions between them and the Cuban revolution, criticized the bill as "a uni­ mes~ age read to the September 12 citywide nic. United States. lateral U.S. action that violates the essential meeting held at the University of Illinois at .During her one-week stop, the Cuban "The British government, not the U.S. rights of the Cuban people," and that "seeks Chicago (UIC), which concluded Cuban Congress, will determine the UK 's [United to starve the people of Cuba in the name of leader spoke to some 250 people. At Loyola University, Alvisa spoke to a meeting of 40 organized by students who are members of Peace, Bread and Justice. She participated Cubans speak on Washington, D.C., campuses in meetings at the University of Illinois in Champaign, at Illinois State University in BY EMILY FITZSIMMONS dation. They attempted to dominate the dis­ as a fighter pilot in Angola, charged that Normal, and in Madison, Wisconsin, as well AND JANICE LYNN cussion period with condemnations of Cu­ Cuban forces intervened in the internal af­ as the citywide meeting in Chicago attended by 75 people. WASHINGTON, D.C.-Ibis Alvisa ban president Fidel Castro and the Cuban fairs of Angola by fighting South African­ Gonzalez was joined by fellow Cuban youth revolution, heckling, and talking down the backed UNITA [Union for the Total Inde­ In every meeting, ample time was alloted leader, Jose Antonio Concepci6n Rangel, on chair. TV Marti and the Voice of America pendence of Angola] troops. for discussion after Alvisa's brief introduc­ hertouroffourcampuses in the Washington, came to tape the meeting. The American Alvisa responded, "I didn't go to Angola tory presentation. "I do not want this to be D.C. area from September 18-21. While University meeting and discussion was able confused. I went to fight the apartheid a lecture," she said. "Instead, I would like here, they spoke to some 400 students and to take place despite the efforts of the dis­ regime." She said that the Angolans have to to think of it as an exchange of views. I also young people about the challenges facing rupters. solve their own internal problems, but that want to learn from you." Alvis a then pro­ youth in Cuba today. The following day. having heard of the the question of the South African invasion ceeded to take up every comment and ques­ At Howard University, where their meet­ attempted disruption at American Univer­ was another thing. "We withdrew when tion raised. ing drew 80 people, they were welcomed by sity, supporters of the Cuban revolution or­ South Africa signed the peace accord. Our The questions at the citywide meeting the DC city council, through a letter sent by ganized by the DC Hands Off Cuba Com­ goal was not to destroy UNITA. If it had reflected a wide range of opinions and Councilwoman Hilda Mason. mittee, and other individuals interested in been we would still be there." knowledge about the current situation in At George Mason University in Fairfax, defending a free and democratic discussion, She explained she was pro ud of the Cu­ Cuba as well as a keen interest in the rev­ Virginia, Alvisa and Concepci6n spoke to a turned out for the final meeting of the tour ban role in helping to achieve the inde­ olution's advance. They included: "After public meeting of 50 students. at George Washington University. The meet­ pendence of Namibia. the fall of the regimes in the Soviet Union At a September 21 meeting at American ing was attended by about 120 people. and Eastern Europe, what are Cuba's per­ University, around 30 of the 75 people who Cuban air force pilot Orestes Lorenzo. Emily Fitzsimmons and Janice Lynn are spectives in world trade today?" "What is attended were vocal opponents of the Cuban who in March, 1991, stole a Mig-23 jet and members ofth e International Association of the situation of human rights like in revolution, including many organized by the defected to Boca Raton, Florida, attended Machinists Local 1759 at United Airlines at Cuba?" "How was racism dealt with in right-wing Cuban American National Foun- this meeting. Lorenzo, who said he served Dulles Airport in Virginia. Cuba?"

FlU students support Should FlU have invited the pro-Castro youth leaders to speak? right to free speech

The Beacon, a student newspaper at Florida International University in Mi­ ami, recently conducted a survey in which students were asked whether two Cuban youth leaders, who spoke there October 1, should have been invited. The meeting, and the attempt by right-wing Cubans to disrupt it, has been an ongoing topic of Yes. A university is a Yes. They l1ave a right No, because the univer­ Tile lecn1re should have discussion and debate. Most of the stu­ Yes. Sharing differing We should be interested plnce to learn and to express their opinion sity should not be used dents interviewed said they did have a opinions is what college been handled differ­ in what they had to say should endorse free even though most as a conduit for such ently. but they should be right to speak on campus. The responses is all about. because most hold speech. people disagree. propaganda. - Fanoe-Luce Benson. 18 to the survey are reprinted as they ap­ able to speak. opposing opiniom. - Angela Caneia. 20 - Brad Cartwright. 24 -Teresita Juame. 21 Creative wnting maJOr Manha Fernandez. 19 peared in the Beacon. - Leo Han. 21 Undecided Engineering major Education major Math ma,or Biology ma,or

6 The Militant November 6, 1992 INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO WIN NEW READERS Effort now can get 'Militant' Perapecthra Muncllal subscription drive on schedule UNITED STATES SOLD .... %lall ...... lUI. Los Angeles 42 125 21 75 18 70 Twin Cities, MN 27 85 1 13 0 30 BY SARA LOBMAN column each week, make it clear that election campaign. Special sales Cblcago 22 75 2 19 3 35 At the end of the second week, there is a greater hunger for the polit­ teams can be organized in those Salt Lake City 18 65 1 13 1 20 the subscription drive has fallen ical perspective that the Militant of­ areas. This is a good time to invite Birmingham, AL 17 65 0 3 0 ~ nine percent behind schedule. To fers than in many years. From coal young activists who have recently Wa5hington DC 16 70 2 20 1 35 meet the goal of winning 2,350 new miners in Britain to auto workers in met the socialist campaign to join Sealtre 17 75 0 23 0 35 readers by the end of November, the United States and Canada, from others in helping out in the remain­ ijouston 14 65 1 13 3 30 some 300 Militant subscriptions opponents ofpolice brutality in Min­ ing weeks of the circulation effort. St,l oujs 17 80 1 3 7 35 must be received in the business nesota to immigrant workers in Ne­ Socialist campaign supporters Cleveland 12 60 0 6 0 40 Detroit 15 office each week for the remaining braska, fighters who resist the ef­ sold 7 subscriptions to theMilitant at 75 0 6 2 35 San Francisco 19 95 2 35 9 60 five weeks of the circulation cam­ fects ofthe worldwide economic cri­ a rally in St. Paul, Minnesota. The New York 33 175 5 50 35 90 paign. This equals the amount of sis need the Militant, Perspectiva event was the last speaking engage­ Miariii 13 75 3 20 4 40 subscriptions supporters have sent Mundial, and New International. ment by Socialist Workers vice­ Pittsburgh 12 70 0 3 4 35 in during the first two weeks of the Cleve Andrew Pulley reports that presidential candidate Estelle De­ Greensboro, NC 11 65 0 5 5 30 drive. Clearly, Militant supporters a sales team from Des Moines, Bates during a brieftour stop in Min­ Des Moines, lA 11 80 1 16 4 40 need to organize a fight to put the Iowa, recently sold 35 copies of the nesota. Dozens of young campaign NeWHtWn; ct 2 15 1 1 1 .6 circulation effort on a campaign Militant and Perspectiva Mundial, supporters and others participated. . ~ NJ 14 125 5 35 9 65 footing to meet the goals. along with 3 subscriptions in Marea Hinielgrin reports that 7 65 0 5 1 c30 This week provides opportuni­ Grand Island, Nebraska. The ..~ 7 75 1 13 4 35 rally organizers had placed enve­ Clttc:l!1nali 1 0 3 5 ties to begin meeting this challenge. Monfort packinghouse in Grand Is­ lopes with campaign endorser cards s ~ 2 ~ 0 6 0 As the Militant comes off the press, land was the site of a massive im­ on everyone's chair. The cards had Boston 2 90. 0 25 11 we are one week away from the migration raid in late September. ~ a place where people could check ~ · tfN 1 50 0 2 5 ~ November 3 elections. Socialist More than 300 workers were ar­ off if they wanted a subscription to ~~ 0 0 0 0 0 4 Workers campaign supporters will rested when hundreds of cops in­ the Militant. Four young people de­ PcortJand 0 12 0 1 0 be trying to convince hundreds of vaded the plant. Workers were in cided to take advantage of the offer, 352 47 youth and working people the one the middle of a union organizing including money for the subscrip­ of the best ways to continue to fol­ effort. The company then forced the tion along with their campaign con­ low and be part of the working­ 1,300 remaining workers to pro­ tribution. class resistance to the capitalist as­ duce documents proving their citi­ Subscribers at the event included sault on our livelihoods after elec­ zenship or permission to work in a young woman from the Racism tion day is to buy a subscription to the United States (see article page Awareness group who had spent the the Militant. Supporters should use 16). Further regional teams to areas day campaigning with the socialist 11 45 24% 0 5 5 40 candidates, a meat-packer, and an 4 35 11% 0 2 4 30 auto worker. 4 35 11% 0 3 0 20 19 115 17% Ten Steelworkers on strike 0 10 9 against Trinity lndustries in Besse­ CANADA mer, Alabama have subscribed to 60 10 the Militant. Supporters in Birming­ 50 20 ham report that introducing the pa­ 60 15 per to workers on the picketline has 3 0 been a regular part of their solidarity work since the strike began in Sep­ tember Supporters in each city should draw up a detailed plan of action for the next five weeks that includes taking a fresh look at door-to-door sales in working-class communities in the city and in the region, polit­ ical events planned in each area, and plant gate sales. Special atten­ tion should be given to sales at high schools and college campuses. Part of the circulation campaign should be organizing teams to call readers, whose subscriptions are about to expire, to renew. In many cases a worker or a young person will be so interested in the paper that they will decide to get a subscription on Militant/Sara Lobman the spot. More often it takes a sec­ Anthony Dutrow, socialist candidate for U.S. Congress, offers 'Militant' ond or even a third discussion. to USAir worker at recent contract vote meeting in Pittsburgh. The Militant's deadline for counting subscriptions for the the last few days of the international with meat-packing plants need to be scoreboard is now Sunday at 3:00 lAM 42 38% 42 target week of the subscription ef­ organized. pm. EST. uru 16 36% f5 fort to pick up the pace of sales and Many of the more than 100 So­ Distributors of the Militant, Per­ UfCW 13 33% 15 gain momentum for the remainder cialist Workers candidates and their spectiva Mundial, and New Inter­ UMW6 5 28% 6 of the drive. supporters are taking time off from national are encouraged to sent in UAW 19 2~ 35 Reports from around the world, work or school to campaign full stories for this column each week USWA 20 22% 30 OCf..W 9 18% 20 some of which have appeared in this time during the last few days of the by Saturday evening. ACTWU 3 6% 26 llGWU 2 6% 9 U.S. TOTAL 129 25% 198 Caravan of aid for Cuba planned SHOULD BE 144 28o/o CANAD~ AClWU 0 10 0% ect. ''It will increase hunger and The volunteer drivers will spend 0 4 BY SARA LOBMAN CAW 0 15 0% 0 8 As the U.S. government tries to decrease health care in Cuba, mak­ eight days in Cuba helping to dis­ lAM 0 6 0% 0 4 tighten its embargo of Cuba, final ing our mission more critical than tribute the aid. The Martin Luther USWA 0 7 0% 0 3 plans are underway for a caravan of ever. We will deliver badly needed King Jr. Memorial Center in Ha­ CANADA TOTAL 0 38 0% 0 19 material aid for the island. Tom humanitarian aid, but we will also vana, and a coalition of Cuban BE 11 28% Hansen, national co-coordinator of stand with our Cuban brothers and churches are organizing the Cuban Pastors for Peace, which is organ­ sisters at a time when our govern­ end of the project. NEW ZEAI.AND izing the caravan, explained that the ment is increasing its hostilities to­ Project organizers hope the MWU 2 50% 1 U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment, as the ward the island." Friendshipment will help provide a UFCW 5 20% 1 EU 5 0% 1 effort is called, will bring powdered According to Hansen, the cara­ national platform for organizing milk, medicine, school supplies, van will include 50 vehicles and against the U.S. embargo. They ·H.l. TOTAL 2 12 17% 0 3 and bicycles to Cuba. 110 drivers. They will depart No­ point to the success of the 1988 SHOULD BE 3 28% Organizers are calling for an end vember 6 from Boulder, Colorado; Veterans Peace Convoy, which de­ SWEDEN to the embargo, an end to U.S. hos­ Detroit; Madison, Wisconsin; Mi­ livered food, clothing, and medi­ Metal Wodrllrs 2 7 290.4 3 2 tilities toward Cuba, and normaliza­ ami; Minneapolis; New York; Port­ cine to children in Nicaragua, then Food ~OI'kers 0 3 0% 1 tion of relations between the two land, Maine; and Seattle. Before suffering under a U.S. embargo. SWEDEN TOTAL 2 10 20% 3 3 countries. meeting in Texas on November 17 To find out more about the 8HOULDIE 3 28% "The Torricelli legislation sim­ the caravans will stop in 90 addi­ Friendshipment, contact Pastors for tional cities for educational presen­ ACTWU - Amalgamated Clothing and Tedile Worker$ Union; CAW - Canadian Auto ply makes the Friendshipment Peace, New York: 402 W. 145 St., Worken; EU - Engineen Union; lAM - International Association of Machinists; ILGWU - more necessary than ever," said tations and aid collections by local New York, NY 10031. Phone: International ladies' Garment Wort.en' Union; MWU - Meat Wort.en Union; OCAW­ Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., Executive committees. (212) 926-5757, or in Minneapolis: Oil, Chemical and Atomic Worl

November 6, 1992 The Militant 7 Vote Socialist Wor-kers November 3! SWP fields 115 candidates in 25 states and Washington, D.C.

The Socialist Workers candidates for FLORIDA president and vice-president, James Warren Daniel Fein - U.S. Senate* and Esrelle DeBares, will be listed on the Jill Fein - U.S. Congress, 17th C.D.* ballot in 13 states and the District of Colom­ Laura Garza- U.S. Congress, 18th C.D. bia. Ln addition, the Socialist Workers Party GEORGIA* is fielding 113 local candidates for election Miguel zarate- U.S. Senate* in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Ed Hill - U.S. Congress, 3rd C. D.* Their names and the offices for which they Virginia O'Riley- U.S. Congress, 5th are running are listed below. C.D.* The SWP candidates are in the forefront of Susan LaMont - U.S. Congress, 6th C.D.* the resistance that working people the world Bob Braxton - U.S. Congress, lith C.D.* over are beginning to organize against the ef­ fects of a deepening world economic depres­ ILLINOIS** sion. They include students and unionists in Kate Kaku - U.S. Senate** Ellen Haywood - U.S. Congress, 12th C.D. the garment, textile, meat-packing, steel, Patricia Smith Chiloane - University of auto, oil, chemical, and electrical industries. lllinois Board of Trustees** Socialist Workers candidates have walked Margaret Savage - University of IUinois the picket lines of auto workers on strike Board of Trustees** against General Motors and airline workers John Votava- University of ntinois Board striking USAir. They have joined thousands of Trustees** of young fighters from Buffalo, New York to Houston, Texas, in defending abortion IOWA** clinics from right-wing attack. They have Cleve Andrew Pulley - U.S. Senate** participated in protests against police bru­ Militant/Dave WuJp Militant Ruth Nebbia - U.S. Congress, 4th C.D. tality. Priscilla Schenk- State Senate, 36th dist. Willie Mae Reid (left) is a national chairperson of the Socialist Workers 1992 campaign. Maurice Williams - State Representative, The socialist candidates have campaigned Due to undemocratic election laws Reid wiU stand in for Estelle DeBates as candidate for in defense of the Cuban revolution and have 72nd dist. U.S. vice-president in some states. DeBates is 32 years old. Michael Goldwater (right) is Mike Galati -Polk County Supervisor celebrated with others the advance of the running for U.S. Congress in California's 8th C.D.. Mitchel Rosenberg - Polk County Auditor massive revolution unfolding in South Af­ rica. MASSACHUSETTS Because of undemocratic election laws de­ Ellen Berman- U.S. Congress, 12th C.D. Kevin Jones- U.S. Congress, 38th C. D. Danny Booher - U.S. Congress, 5th C.D.* signed to keep working-class candidates off Andrew Hunt- U.S. Congress, 16th C.D. Albert Grigorian - State Senate, 21st dist. Lisa Boehmer-U.S. Congress, 6th C.D.* the ballot, most of the SWP candidates will Kim Allen - U.S. Congress. 27th C.D. Georges Mehrabian - State Assembly, Margo Storsteen- U.S. Congress, 8th not appear on the ballot. Votes can be regis­ Juan Villagomez - U.S. Congress, 30th 13th dist. C. D.* INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE EN- tered by writing in their names. ln some cases C. D. Karen Ray - U.S. Congress. 9th C.D.* DORSED BY SWP: states allow "official" write-in status for can­ Carole Lesnick - U.S. Congress, 32nd C.D.* Milton Chee - San Francisco Board of Su­ MARYLAND* didates who pay certain fees or fulfill peti­ Gale Shangold - U.S. Congress, 33rd C.D. pervisors** John Gaige - U.S. Senate* tioning requirements: these are indicated by Virginia Halstead - U.S. Congress, 34th Traci Castro - U.S. Congress. 2nd C.D. an asterisk (*). ln a few cases, SWP candi­ C. D. CONNECTICUT* Robert Miller- U.S. Congress, 4th C.D. dates have been able to meet the petitioning Eli Green - U.S. Congress. 35th C.D. Will Wilkin - U.S. Senate* Glova Scott - U.S. Congress, 7th C.D.* requirements and fees for ballot status: these Tbabo Ntweng- U.S. Congress, 37th C.D. Peter Krala - U.S. Congress* Continued on next page are indicated by double asterisks (**). An asterisk or double asterisk next to a state's name indicates that Warren and De­ Bates are on the ballot or official write-in Defense organized for Nebraska socialist candidates. Reactionary laws often prevent young people from participating in the elections. BY JOHN STUDER terviewed by Gateway, the newspaper at the cialists' petitions in Lancaster County. National campaign chairperson Willie Mae DES MOINES, Iowa - "Being denied University of Nebraska at Omaha, by the "Then I got a call from an officer Reid will serve as a stand-in for vice-presi­ Ballot Spot Doesn't Deter Socialists," read Associated Press in Lincoln, and by radio Duckworth down in Lincoln," Lee-Regier dential candidate Estelle DeBates in states the headline in the October 16 Omaha station KAFB. told the meeting, "who told me he wanted where such laws prevent her name from World-Herald. The article reported on a trip Ttm Rohwer, news editor at Gateway, had to 'interview' me. Well, I thought of lawyer appearing on the ballot or as an official to Omaha by Estelle DeBates, Socialist written an atticle about the socialist petition Mark Cohen right away and called him. He write-in candidate. Worlcers vice-presidential candidate. De­ drive at the end of July. He interviewed told me that I dido 't have to talk to them, Bates took time from her national campaign petitioners on the campus, and reported on because they hadn't charged me with any­ * * * tour to travel to Nebraska to protest efforts how they got signatures, by explaining the thing. by state officials and police in Lincoln, the political stands of the socialist ticket and the "Then I called the Pathfinder Bookstore ALABAMA** state capitol, to harass and victimize cam­ need for an alternative to the two capitalist in Des Moines, and we discussed putting a Frances Farley - U.S. Senate paign supporters. parties of war, racism, and economic depres­ political defense together. It was a great Daniel Furman - U.S. Congress, 4th C.D. Alyson Kennedy - U.S. Congress, 6th C.D. DeBates was joined by Doug Lee-Regier, sion. relief to me to have comrades willing to John Hawkins - U.S. Congress, 7th C.D. ** a long-time supporter of the party and polit­ The AP reporter who interviewed De­ stand beside me and defend me," Lee-Reg­ Raul Gonzalez - Public Service Commis- ical activist in Nebraska. State authorities Bates also told her that he had been ap­ ier explained. sioner have alleged that Lee-Regier forged signa­ proached by petitioners for the Socialist He related how the cops then got a court Denise Mcinerney - Jefferson County tures on the party's nominating papers, a Workers Party in Lincoln. He was impressed order forcing him to report to have his hand­ School Board felony charge that carries 25 years in prison with the way they approached people, ex­ writing analyzed. Accompanied by Cohen, and a $25,000 fine. He had helped circulate plaining that political issues, not personali­ he went to Lincoln. CALIFORNIA petitions to get the party on the ballot, and ties, were decisive, and asked people to help Joel Britton - U.S. Senate (full term)* submitted those in Lancaster County, where put the socialist alternative on the ballot. 'Charge is ridiculous' Joe Swanson - U.S. Senate (short term) Lincoln is located. Based on his own experience, he told De­ "The cop who is in charge of this ' inves­ Michael Goldwater - U.S. Congress Under court order, Lee-Regier was sub­ Bates, he found state officials' charge that tigation,' Officer Duckworth, is one of four 8th C.D. jected to a two-hour session at the Lincoln Lee-Regier copied petition signatures out of in Lincoln's 'white collar crime division,' Omarl Musa - U.S. Congress, 9th C.D. police station and forced to provide hand­ a phone book absurd. which is located in the office of the Election writing samples of his name and others Commission. This is the office where the which were on the petitions. Socialists fight harassment charge that I committed fraud came from," ELECTIOR DAY With DeBates and Lee-Regier were AP had already put one story on the na­ Lee-Regier reported. Derek Bracey, a national chairperson for the tional wire reporting on the attack on Lee­ 'The charge is ridiculous," he said. "Our OPER HOUSES Socialist Worlcers campaign committee, and Regier. DeBates reported that she saw it in goal, after all, is to go out and talk to people, TUESDAY John Studer, coordinator of the Political the daily paper in Birmingham, Alabama. to introduce them to our politics. You can't NOVEMBER 3. 8 PM Rights Defense Fund, who has been helping DeBates's visit was followed by a public have a political discussion with a phone to pull together a network of political rights book. The Socialist Workers campaign will meeting Saturday night in Des Moines, be sponsoring election day open activists in Nebraska and Iowa to organize Iowa. October 17. Lee-Regier was joined by 'The only thing we are guilty of is oppo­ houses across the United States. support for Lee-Regier. Bracey and Hector Marroqufn, another co­ sition to the two party system. That's the real Supporters will be able to follow the The World-Herald article reports that chair of the Socialist Workers I 992 Cam­ reason they are going after us. election results and discuss the DeBates's visit was aimed at launching a paign Committee, at a public forum spon­ "We are going to win this fight. And here meaning of the elections with social­ campaign to halt the attack on Lee-Regier. sored by the Political Rights Defense Net­ and now J volunteer to head up the next ist candidates and supporters. The It notes that Lee-Regier and his supporters work. The Network is a group of defenders SWP petitioning drive in Nebraska," Lee­ open houses will take place at ad­ strongly deny having committed fraud. In­ of political rights who have come together Regier concluded. dresses listed on page 12. Call for stead, the article reports, Studer "said au­ to publicize the attack on Lee-Regier and more information. He asked people to send messages to thorities have ' targeted' party members 'for raise the funds to pay Mark Cohen, a prom­ Nebraska secretary of state Allen Beerrnann, HEAR SOCIAIJST WOUERS CANDIDATES: harassment and potential victimization."' inent civil liberties lawyer who has agreed State Capitol Suite 2300, Lincoln, Ne­ The attack won't stop the socialist cam­ to represent Lee-Regier, in an effort to pre­ braska, 68509, urging that this campaign of NEW YORK LOS ANGELES paign, u»Regier told the paper. "It doesn't vent any charges from being filed. harassment and threats of victimization be keep us quiet.," he said. Lee-Regier told the meeting how he had stopped. JAMES ESTELLE DeBates explained, "We believe that the helped gather the signatures in Nebraska to Activists at the meeting contributed $55 WARREN DeBATES central question facing working people is fight to get the socialist ticket on the ballot. to help get the defense fight going. for U.S.president few- u.s. ~ident the worldwide depression and the drive to­ He explained he had petitioned at a rally Further contributions, and copies of mes­ 5 p.m. 7 p.m. ward war that is the result of the economic against the death penalty in Lincoln as well sages to Secretary of State Beerrnann, can 191 , 7th Av.• 2nd ft crisis in the world today." as other times. He housed other petitioners be sent to the Political Rights Defense Net­ (comer 21st St.) 25-46 W. Pico Blvd. In addition to the interview with the when they came to Omaha, and helped in work, c/o Doug Lee-Regier, 3815 Charles, World-Herald, DeBates and Studer were in- every way he could. He submitted the so- Omaha, NE 68131.

8 The Militant November 6, 1992 MICHIGAN Mark Gilsdorf - State Representative, 30th Diane Sarge - U.S. Congress, 13th C.D. dist. Rose Ana Berbeo - U.S. Congress, 14th Valerie Libby - State Representative, 31st C.D. dist. James Harris - U.S. Congress, 15th PENNSYLVANIA C. D.** Deborah Liatos- U.S. Senate David Alvarez- U.S. Congress, 16th C.D. Mark Wyatt- U.S. Congress, 2nd C. D.** Arlene Rubinstein - Detroit School Board, Joanne Kuniansky - U.S. Congress, 14th At-Large C.D.** MINNESOTA** Anthony Dutrow - U.S. Congress, 18th Jo Rothenberg - U.S. Congress, 4th C.D. C.D.** Josefina Otero- U.S. Congress, 20th C.D. Chris Nisan - U.S. Congress, 5th C.D.** Mark Mateja - U.S. Congress, 21st C.D. Militant/Angel Lariscy Libby Suzanne Derby - State Senate, 61st dist. Arnold Weissberg - Attorney General Gerardo Sanchez - State Senate, 66th dist. Kate Kaku (le.ft), Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Senate in Dlinois, and Mark TENNESSEE** Gilsdorf, SWP candidate in Ohio's 30th district, campaigning. MISSOURI TEXAS David Sandor - U.S. Senate Jerry Freiwirth - U.S. Congress, 18th Deborah Lazar - U.S. Congress, I st C.D . NEW MEXICO** NORTH CAROLINA* C.D. Mary Zins - Governor Bruce KimbaU-U.S. Senate* NEW YORK** William Lambert - U.S. Congress, 22nd Jane Roland- U.S. Congress, 6th C.D. C. D. Ed Warren - U.S. Senate** NEW JERSEY** Matthew Herreshor- U.S. Congress, 25th Olga Rodriguez- U.S. Congress, 2nd C.D. Nancy Rosenstock - U.S. Congress, 12th OHIO C.D. Simone Berg - U.S. Congress, 6th C. D.** C. D. Brian Taylor - U.S. Congress, 1st C.D. Patti liyama - U.S. Congress., 29th C. D. Jason Redrup - U.S. Congress, 8th C.D.** Melissa Harris - U.S. Congress, 14th C.D. Emily Roughen Wood - U.S. Congress. Raymond Parsons - U.S. Congress, 9th Mary NeU Bockman - U.S. Congress, 15th 2nd C.D. UTAH** C.D. C.D. Peter Thierjung- U.S. Congress, lOth C.D. Patricia Grogan- U.S. Senate** William Leonard - U.S. Congress, lOth Dennis Richter-U.S. Congress, 16th C.D. Ronald Garmez Parks - U.S. Congress, Eileen Koschak - U.S. Congress, 2nd C.D.** llthC.D. C.D.** Jane Harris - U.S. Congress, 13th C. D.** NORTH DAKOTA** Don Mack.le - U.S. Congress, 19th C. D. Nels J ' Anthony - U.S. Congress, 3rd C.D.** Eleanor Garcia -Governor** William Arth- Lt. Governor** Elections will not end economic crisis VERMONT** Continued from front page Bush, he didn't fail in the eyes of the bosses. conditions, you must defend the conditions intending to vote for the lesser evil is very "No matter who wins the election," War­ of the entire working class, the need to fight WASHINGTON D.C.** common. I tell them that if you plan to limit ren said, "the White House and Congress for those who are the worse off under capi­ Sam Manuel - U.S. Congress, Delegate* your choices to those three, it doesn't matter will implement Perot's austerity social pro­ talism - many workers and youth accept Aaron Ruby- Council, At-Large Ellen Whitt- Council, At-Large who you vote for. gram, rather than the pronounced program these concepts," Warren said. Margrethe Siem - Council, Ward 2 "This is the worst time to practice lesser of either of the two major parties." "Another example of the serious consid­ evil politics. Each of these candidates fully eration our ideas are getting is that many WASHINGTON** Warren reported that the Socialist Work­ intends to continue the assaults on workers reporters in the print and electronic media, Mark Severs - U.S. Senate ers campaign has received a very wide hear­ in an attempt to prop up the bosses' system. are reporting our ideas much more factually David Warshawsky-U.S. Congress, 7th ing among workers and youth. "The most In this period, all the policies workers hope and clearly, despite views of the the editors C.D.* important aspect of this campaign is that the to avoid are endorsed by both parties. Going of these major newspapers. Many reporters Kathleen Wheeler - Governor political perspectives we are presenting are with the lesser evil will get you evil. have themselves experienced the types of getting the most serious response we have WEST VIRGINIA "What the socialist campaign raises is that attacks and cutbacks that our campaign is gotten in decades. This is especially true at Chris Rayson - U.S. Congress, 1st C.D. the question for workers is whether we begin discussing. Bernie Senter-Governor now to organize resistance to the plan of the workplaces and in the high schools," he said. On October 26, Warren addressed more "Myself, my running mate, Estelle De­ Curt Jayne-Secretary of State boss to make us pay for their crisis," Warren Nancy Burroughs - Attorney General stressed. An important first step is joining than 100 high school students in Kentucky Bates, and our local candidates," Warren just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. concluded, "plan to continue to reach out to Maurice Peret - House of Delegates, 44th the resistance taking place today, as seen in dist. "I have found that many of the ideas we workers and youth aggressively, going to struggles from Caterpillar to Ravenswood, Jeanne FitzMaurice-House of Delegates, raise-not looking at the world as 'Ameri­ workplaces, college and high school cam­ the Pittsburgh Press, among airline workers, 44th dist. coal miners, and more. cans,' the need for basic solidarity among puses, and reaching out to those in struggle, Part of this perspective is also joining workers, the idea that to defend your living on through the election." WISCONSIN** social protests that are taking place, such as the fight to defend abortion rights: the battle in Oregon against Measure 9 and a similar measure in Colorado, which seek to legalize Where socialists stand on state referenda discrimination of homosexuals; the fight against police brutality; and other fights. The initiative would reduce Aid for De­ of serious fetal deformity, abnormality, or pendent Children (AFDC) payments, elim­ genetic defect. "Workers need to tum to this resistance CALIFORNIA inate any increase in payments when addi­ as part of the process of a generalized rejec­ Antiabortion forces in Maryland col­ tional children are born, reduce Medical tion of the bosses' perspectives," Warren Right to die with dignity lected more than 33,000 signatures to force Assistance Programs, and eliminate cost-of­ noted. "Voting for Socialist Workers candi­ Proposition 161 would authorize termi­ a referendum on the bill after it was ap­ living adjustments that are now automatic dates is also a part of this process. No matter nally ill, mentally competent adults to re­ proved by the State Senate and signed into in AFDC and Social Security payments. It who you vote for, however, what is impor­ quest "aid in dying." In such cases it autho­ law by the governor in 1991. They are cam­ restricts how much assistance someone new tant is what you do in the streets, on the job, rizes the physician to terminate life in a paigning to have the bill overturned, while in the state can receive (or the first year they or in your school." "painless, humane, and dignified manner." pro-choice activists have been campaigning live in California. Warren also tallced about the appeal of The primary opposition to the initiative is vigorously for its passage. Clinton for the capitalists. Growing numbers being organized by the Catholic Church and of business leaders and capitalist commenta­ the American Medical Association. IOWA OREGON tors have turned to the Democratic candidate. Joel Britton, Socialist Workers candidate Equal Rights Amendment "That is because Bush has failed. Now for Senate, explained that in supporting the Vote ' no' on antigay Measure 9 The Socialist Workers candidates in Iowa most of them see him as useless. That's why aid in dying initiative his campaign also The SWP urges a no vote on Measure 9, demands decent health care for all. "Even are urging passage of Amendment l, which there is such favorable coverage of Clinton which aims to foster discrimination based when this demand is won," Britton pointed will add to the Iowa state constitution a in the big-business media," the presidential on sexual preference (See article on page 3). candidate pointed out. "They need a conser­ out, "there will be people who decide they section on equal rights for women. "The vative Democrat, one who is committed to do not want to go through the final months legal recognition, by the state of Iowa, of the same policies that Bush tried to carry of a debilitating disease. In such a situation, women's equality, can only strengthen the WASHINGTON, D.C. out, to give the impression of change with­ having the right to decide how and when to hands of the thousands of young men and out any change actually taking place. die gives the greatest value to human con­ women who have mobilized in cities across Oppose the death penalty "They can't do what they need to accom­ sciousness and the ability of a person to the country to defend abortion rights and to The initiative being proposed by Con­ plish in the next years with Bush. He is too control decisions regarding his or her life." fight against the oppression of women," said gress entitled "Mandatory Life Imprison­ connected with the failures they have expe­ Ruth Nebbia, Socialist Workers Party can­ ment or Death Penalty for Murder in the rienced recently, including the fiasco with No on anti-welfare initiative didate for U.S. Congress, in the 3rd District. District of Columbia" would be the most Iraq. So they believe they are in a better "Proposition 165 is part of the current sweeping death penalty law in the United position to try to advance their interests with budget trimming efforts in California that MARYLAND States. It would broaden the type of murder Clinton. scapegoat those working people who are for which someone could be executed and "The problem with Clinton," Warren con­ suffering the most under the impact of the Abortion rights referendum sharply restricts the right of appeal. tinued, "is that he isn't a very attractive capitalist economic crisis," said Joe Swan­ Working people should vote yes on the ''The death penalty is reserved exclusively choice. The character flaws he brings with son, socialist candidate for U.S. Senate. referendum on Senate Bill (SB) 162, which, for working people, especially Blacks, Lati­ him and the scandals that come from them, The SWP candidates call for the defeat of if enacted, will place the fight for abortion nos, and Native Americans," said Sam Man­ erode confidence in him. As president, Clin­ this measure, which points away from the rights on stronger ground. SB 162 gives uel, Socialist Workers candidate for Delegate ton will have less authority to carry out the fight for jobs for all. "What working people women over the age of majority sole deci­ to the House. "As depression conditions necessary austerity policies against workers. need to do is fight to shorten the work week sion-making power over whether or not to deepen, prompting more struggles on the He will go into the White House weakened with no cut in pay," Swanson explained. have an abortion prior to viability of the parts of labor and oppressed nationalities, the from these character flaws, as Bush points "This would spread the available work fetus, and thereafter in cases affecting the rulers will use the death penalty even more out. But despite his problems, Clinton is not around. life and health of the woman or in the case broadly to silence and intimidate us."

November 6, 1992 The Militant 9 What led to 1962 'Cuban missile crisis' "One other thing is whether we should otage and counter-revolution organized by also think of whether ... there is some other the U.S. 3) The end of pirate attacks. 4) The way we can get involved in this - through end of violations of Cuban air space and Guantanamo bay or something or whether coastal waters. 5) Withdrawal by U.S. forced there's some ship- you know, sink the from the base at Guantanamo. Maine again."- Robert Kennedy, U.S. at­ These are minimum points and most rea­ torney general, October 16, 1962. sonable. Kennedy advances the argument that "Soviet weapons" in Cuba are threat to BY ARGIRIS MALAPANIS the U.S. By his own logic then, how much A provocation, such as that suggested greater is the threat to Cuba of U.S. weapons above by Robert Kennedy, is what top U.S. at Guantanamo? That base is the first thing government officials seriously considered that should be removed and no United Na­ as they prepared their war plans against tions inspection team is required to accom­ Cuba 30 years ago, bringing the world a plish that task. The U.S. should just leave hair's breadth away from nuclear catastro­ and let the Cubans have their own territory phe. In the last two weeks U.S. television back. networks have aired numerous documenta­ Ln addition. the U.S. should restore nor­ ries on what is referred to in the United mal diplomatic relations with Cuba. It States as the "Cuban missile crisis." on the should agree to negotiate directly with the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary. Maga­ Cubans on all outstanding differences. It zines and newspapers have also been filled should restore normal trade and restore the with articles and opinion columns on the U.S. destroyer intercepts Soviet freighter at peak of crisis. Top U.S. officials had earlier right of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba. It same theme. discussed how to stage provocation to draw Cuba into war. should provide economic aid to Cuba to help Millions of people heard Robert Kennedy her in the building of her economy and making his outrageous proposal, quoted invasion of Cuba. One of those was a mock States reached a settlement behind Cuba's raising the living standards of her people. above, to stage the sinking of a U.S. ship, military assault on the island of Vieques, off back." Cuba has never been a military threat to on the ABC documentary "The Missiles of Puerto Rico, with the stated aim to over­ As part of a series of articles on the the U.S. and it has armed itself only because October: What the World Did Not Know." throw a leader named "Ortsac"-Castro October 1962 events, we are reprinting be­ the U.S. government organized continuous, The show, narrated by Peter Jennings, was spelled backward. low a Militant editorial, written at the apex overt, military acts of aggression in an at­ first aired October 17. PBS, NBC, and the Under these circumstances, the govern­ of the crisis. Titled "Cuba and the Road to tempt to crush the revolution. A friendly Arts & Entertainment networks ran similar ments of the former Soviet Union and Cuba Peace," it appeared in the November 5, policy by the U.S. government toward Cuba documentaries. Jennings played an audio entered into a military pact, which included 1962, issue of the Militant. would automatically eliminate any possibil­ tape of the October 16, 1962, meeting of the the deployment of 40,000 Soviet troops in ity of military confrontation. That is the only Executive Committee (ExComm) that then Cuba, and at the suggestion of Moscow, 42 solution to the "Cuban crisis." President John F. Kennedy had handpicked medium-range nuclear missiles. 'Militant' editorial The manner in which President Kennedy to hammer out government policy during the The Cuban leadership urged that the mil­ brought the U.S. people to the brink of "missile crisis." itary agreement and the existence of the from November 1962 nuclear war was frightening and criminal. Robert Kennedy, an ExComm member nuclear weapons in Cuba be made public, Kennedy took a gambler's chance of precip­ The Cuban Revolution remains in grave and the president's brother, proposed that but Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev in­ itating nuclear was and he did so on his own. danger. the U.S. government stage an attack on one sisted on keeping the matters secret. Kennedy's objective is still the destruc­ As James Reston said in the Oct. 26 New of its own ships in order to use it as a pretext On October 22, 1962, the U.S. govern­ tion of the Cuban Revolution. York Times: "The President did not assemble to launch a military invasion of Cuba. He ment charged that there were "offensive It was not "offensive Soviet weapons" the National Security Council or the Cabinet was referring to the sinking of the USS missiles" in Cuba. President Kennedy or­ which started U.S. imperialism on its drive into formal session to debate the selective Maine in Havana harbor by the U.S. military dered a fuJI naval blockade of the island, to strangle and crush the Castro government blockade of Cuba. He discussed personally itself on February 15, 1898, during the Span­ placed U.S. armed forces on war alert, and but the example which Cuba affords to the with some members of his Cabinet and staff, ish-American War. threatened military action against Cuba and oppressed millions of the rest of Latin Amer­ made up his mind, and then called them into The U.S. government used that fabricated the Soviet Union. ica. Cuba is living proof that by dumping formal session to tell them what he had incident as the excuse to begin its war Tens of thousands of U.S. troops moved U.S. corporations off their backs, these peo­ decided to do.'' Reston points out that Ken­ against the Spanish colonial rulers of Cuba. into position in Aorida and Georgia in prep­ ples conquer illiteracy, wipe out racial nedy did not consult with Congressional Following the defeat of Spain by Cuban can aration for an invasion. Almost 300 U.S. discrimination and provide adequate food leaders or with the ambassadors of the gov­ independence fighters, Washington, which Navy ships steamed towards Cuba to en­ for all their children, however humble their ernment's military allies before making the had considered annexing Cuba as a colony, force the military blockade. Three U.S. ma­ birth. decision. dominated the Caribbean island for more rine battalions arrived to reinforce troops Washington's drive to crush the Cuban He did it on his own. There was no check than half a century, until a successful revo­ already stationed at the Guantanamo naval Revolution began long before Cuba was on his power to risk nuclear holocaust lution overthrew the dictatorship of Ful­ base, which is still occupied by Washington, forced to get arms from the Soviet Union. against the sentiment of the majority of the gencio Batista on January l, 1959. U.S. on the southeastern coast of the island. The removal of a few weapons from Cuba American people as shown in numerous marines landed on Cuban shores in 1898, Wives and children of military personnel is not going to satisfy Wall Street or the polls published shortly before Kennedy 1906, 1912. and 1917 in order to maintain were ordered to evacuate Guantanamo. Pentagon or Kennedy. made his decision. The bi-partisan Con­ imperialist domination of the island. In an October 26 letter to Soviet leader Kennedy has demanded the removal from gress, before it adjourned, gave Kennedy a Many commentators today attempt to Nikita Khrushchev Cuban president Fidel Cuba of what he deems to be offensive blank check to do just that. portray Cuban president Fidel Castro's gov­ Castro warned that a U.S. military assault weapons. The attacker demands the right to This points up the need to take the power ernment as a warmongering regime, one that could be imminent. lf "the imperialists in­ say how his intended victim shall be armed. to make war out of the hands of these irre­ initiated the crisis that brought humanity to vade Cuba with the goal of occupying it," Is there any doubt that for Kennedy all arms sponsible politicians who are blinded by the brink of nuclear war. Nothing can be Castro wrote, "the danger that that aggres­ capable of effectively staving off an attack their desire to defend the profit system. Let further from the truth. sive policy poses for humanity is so great are to be defined as "offensive"? the people vote on war! A national referen­ Following the 1959 overthrow of the that following that event the Soviet Union Kennedy, in effect, demands the disarm­ dum should be required before this country's U.S.-backed dictator by Cuba's working must never allow the circumstances in ing of Cuba in return for a vague promise military forces can be committed to any act people, the Cuban revolution became the which the imperialists could launch the first not to invade -at least not right now. of war or on any foreign battlefield. target of Washington's unremitting hostility. nuclear strike against it.." Khrushchev's action under pressure of As long as U.S. politics is monopolized In April 1961 the U.S. government organ­ After an agreement with Kennedy on Oc­ Kennedy's nuclear-war threat still leaves by parties controlled by big business, which ized an invasion of the country by counter­ tober 28, Khrushchev ordered the missiles posed the question of the reliability of Ken­ is adamant on defending the profit system revolutionary Cubans at the Bay of Pigs. It withdrawn from Cuba in exchange for nedy's word-a badly tarnished item anywhere and at all costs, the American was quickly defeated by Cuba's revolution­ "promises" from Washington to lift the where invasion of Cuba is concerned. people will risk being dragged into war and ary armed forces. Washington then made blockade and not invade Cuba. The Cuban The Cubans, fully aware of this - and nuclear destruction at the whim of such contingency plans to attack Cuba directly. government was not, however, consulted. In from their record, not the kind of leaders to people as Kennedy. Throughout the spring, summer, and fall an October 31 letter to Khrushchev, Castro panic in a tight spot - have pointed out that Only independent political action by the of 1962, the U.S. military conducted a series "expressed sorrow and bitterness over the "the guarantees of which President Kennedy working class, the social force whose inter­ of highly visible exercises simulating an manner in which the USSR and the United speaks against invasion of Cuba will not ests are not tied to the profit system, can exist without the elimination also of the eliminate this terrible threat. The road to naval blockade ... and adoption, among peace is independent labor political action. Che Guevara and the Fight for Socialism Today other, of the following measures:" Support for the Democratic or Republican I) The end of attempts to strangle Cuba parties is not only political scabbery, it is economically. 2) The end of espionage, sab- courting nuclear suicide. Hear: MARY-ALICE WATERS Editor New International, just returned from Cuba. .p Cubans determined to resist embargo

MONTREAL • Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. Continued from front page alone, are sustaining alone, and will carry Celebrate the publication of Che Guevara: Economics and Politics In the threaten above all the weak countries," the through to victory." Transition to Socialism by Carlos Tablada, In French. editorial notes, "those that can be forced to Liliu Perez Gonzalez, a bread vendor in give in by promises to decrease their foreign 6566 boul. St-Laurent. For more information call (514) 273-2503. Havana, told Granma, ''We aren't surprised debt, threats to reduce aid," or other forms by this Yankee position, even though it's an of pressure. outrageous injustice. But we'll be able to Sunday, Nov. 15, 4:00 p.m. get out of these bad times by working." NEW YORK CITY * Protests against bill A report back from Waters's recent trip to Cuba. "Every country has the right to choose its Location to be announced. For more information call (212) 727-8421 In the face of these attacks by the U.S. rul­ way of life, and we chose ours many years ers, Granma asked, "Do they think Cuba will ago," said Heriberto Denis Morales, who let itself be intimidated and will give up being works at the lndustrias Locales de Cerro MIAMI • Saturday, Nov. 21 free, sovereign, independent, and socialist?" plant. "We decided to pursue a just, humane, Celebrate the publication during the Miami book fair of the new Path· It answered, "Cuba will maintain its gains and revolutionary existence and we're not finder book To Speak the Truth: Why Washington's 'Cold War' Doesn't under the most difficult conditions, will con­ going to change our course. The Cubans End. Waters Ia the editor of this book. front the harshest adversities in an exem­ who are fighting for the revolution are going Location and time to be announced. For more information call (305) 756-1020. plary manner, and, without wavering, will to keep working for it, even under the most defend the revolution that we carried out difficult conditions."

10 The Militant Novem ber 6, 1992 'Cuba's only true wealth is its people' Cuban foreign minister Ricardo Alarcon speaks at UN on the U.S. embargo

The following is an excerpt from the against Cuba. Part of its territory is still Then as now the oppressor found accom­ September 28 speech by Cuba's Foreign occupied by a U.S. military base, a source plices. Then as now they tried to starve our Minister, Ricardo Alarcon, to the United of frequent provocations. Our air space and people, and they succeeded in killing a sub­ Nations General Assembly. The subheads, territorial waters are the site of constant stantial portion of our population. and the translation from Granma Inter~ military maneuvers by the power threaten­ nacional, are by the Militant. ing us. More than 1,500 hours of hostile Painful epoch radio programming are beamed into Cuba The Puerto Rican patriot Eugenio Maria I am addressing this assembly at an ex­ each week, and they have tried without suc­ de Hostos described that painful epoch in traordinarily difficult time for Cuba. cess to invade our television frequencies as Cuba's history with these words: The economic, commercial, and fmancial well. U.S. territory is used shamelessly and "You have to put yourself mentally in that blockade the United States has imposed on openly -with the obvious complicity of terrifying situation, the most tragic that any the Cuban people for more than 30 years is the authorities - to launch terrorist attacks people has ever confronted. They had noth­ today being intensified and widened. against Cuba. And a systematic campaign of ing, their enemy had all the strength and While speaking hypocritically of peace lies has been launched against Cuba in an resources of civilization. They were aban­ and international cooperation, Washington attempt to distort the image of a country that doned, their enemy was well supplied. They bans the entry into U.S. ports of foreign refuses to give up its independence, were scorned, their enemy was buttressed vessels involved in any kind of trade with Since it cannot make us surrender, the by the complicity of many others. You must Cuba and seeks to force companies based in United States threatens us with extermina­ be capable of feeling all the agonies of those other countries to observe its anti-Cuba pol­ tion and seeks to force the rest of the world years of agony to know what a revolution icy. Such actions not only grossly violate my to take part in its genocidal infamy. The U.S. endures, to know how much time has people's most elementary rights; they also blockade is a brutal violation of the rights passed, to understand the feat of the amaz­ violate the sovereignty of other countries UN photo 178393/M. Grant of all Cubans, of international law, and of ing resistance put up by the combatants, to and the fundamental principles and norms Cuba's foreign minister Ricardo AlarcOn the sovereignty of other countries. It is appreciate their heroism, to be worthy of of international law. above all an enormous moral outrage. admiring those admirable men .... At a time when former adversaries have our hypocritical critics? Those who think they can bring Cuba to "You would have to live in an infamous become partners and when Washington is There is no better proof of the strength of its knees are mistaken. Our people traveled time like this, stumbling in the shadows of applying economic sanctions against a our social system and of the unshakeable a long road to win their full freedom. injustice, in order not to identify with those shrinking number of countries, the budget determination and unity of the Cuban people They began along that path completely men who raised themselves to a level where and resources of the government office in in defense of their revolution than their he­ alone more than 120 years ago. For more than they had the dignity of complete men; you charge of enforcing these sanctions is being roic resistance to the imperialist assault. three decades, on a small island, without al­ would have to live in an infamous time in increased. Furthermore, it is publicly ac­ How many other countries could have with­ lies or material support from any govern­ order not to feel all the enthusiastic rever­ knowledged that this is being done to ensure stood such a test? ment, they fought a superior military force ence, all the impulsive admiration that those that the blockade against Cuba is tightened. larger than the army Spain had used to con­ capable of heroically representing the high­ The United States harasses Cuban eco­ Unites States attacks front rebellion in all its other colonies com­ est virtues of humanity inspire." nomic and commercial activity throughout This genuine, full-scale war on the eco­ bined. Then as now an attempt was made to The times Hostos described were certainly the world. In an obstinate and criminal effort nomic front is not the only weapon aimed isolate our people from the rest of the world. even more difficult for our people. Today we to starve our people into submission, it tries face an enemy more powerful than Spain, but to prevent us from acquiring fuel , food, and our people are united, steeled, and worthy medical supplies; it applies pressure against heirs of those fighters who never backed investors and businesspeople; and on more Company attempt to frame up down when faced with the greatest adversi­ than one occasion it has succeeded in intim­ ties. We will never betray their memory. We idating others and bringing entirely legiti­ will never surrender a nation we liberated mate operations to a halt. Yellowknife strikers weakens with rivers of blood and sacrifice. Never before has a people been attacked We can also count on the solidarity of the in such a severe, prolonged, and full-scale BY NED DMYTRYSHYN and voted to donate $2,000 to the striking peoples. We know that many of the op­ way in peacetime. VANCOUVER, British Columbia­ CASAW members in Yellowknife. pressed, the exploited, and the victims of What they are attacking is a small, poor Safety inspectors who went through the The Vancouver District Labor Council, discrimination in this world are placing country with scant territory, extremely lim­ Royal Oak Company's Giant gold mine in representing 150,000 union members in the their hopes in Cuba's survival. ited natural resources, and no significant Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, after a Vancouver area, is organizing a solidarity We will continue to resist for the sake of sources of energy. They are attacking a September 18 explosion that killed nine re­ meeting October 27 for the Yellowknife our dead and for the sake of those who country whose possibilities for development placement workers, found bags of explo­ gold miners. The battle in Yellowknife and aspire to a life worth living. We will not are inexorably linked to foreign trade, a sives with blasting caps in more than 20 the outcome of the fight against the bosses' betray the mandate of those who came be­ country that receives no loans or financial improper locations, reported the Vancouver frame-up has big stakes for the entire labor fore us nor the trust of the peoples. We are assistance from international organizations, Sun October 16. Dave Turner, chief mining movement in Canada. capable of resisting and we will resist. and one that is even subjected to limits as to inspector for the Northwest Territories, ex­ Send messages of support and donations We will continue to fulfill our most sacred what types of humanitarian assistance it may plained that the company was given until to CASAW, Local 4. P.O. Box 1628, Yel­ duty: defending the country, the revolution, receive. And now they want to prevent us October 23 to clean up the mess and that no lowknife, NWT. XIA2P2 and socialism. For that we will continue our from engaging in trade as well. charges were brought under the Mine Safety struggle, without hesitation, in face of all ob­ Act because regulations are too vague. Ned Dmytryshyn is a member of Interna­ stacles, however harsh and difficult the cir­ Difficult economic situation The Royal Oak mine in Yellowknife has tional Brotherhood ofTeamsters Loca/213. cumstances may be, ever onward to victory. The blockade is being intensified just as been the battleground since May 23 of a de­ Cuba is going through an extremely difficult termined strike by 240 gold miners, members economic situation stemming from the dis­ of the Canadian Association of Smelter and NEW PATHFINDER solution of the socialist camp, the disinte­ Allied Workers (CASAW) Local4. From day gration of the Soviet Union, abrupt and one the strikers have come up against the radical changes in relations with the coun­ company's use of replacement workers to tries with which we conducted 80 percent of break the union, as well as cop violence and TO SPEAK SPECIAL THE TRUTH our trade, and abrupt elimination of the fair intimidation. One hundred and ten strikers PREPUBLICATION and equitable prices under which that trade face false criminal charges related to picket Why Washington's took place. For Cuba this has meant a loss line activity. The main issue in the strike is the 'Cold War' against OFFER Cuba Doesn't End of70 percent of its purchasing power, which company's demand for concessions on health ON TWO NEW BOOKS feU from $8.14 billion in 1989 to $2.2 billion and safety and seniority rights. BY FIDEL CASTRO this year. In reality, Cuba faces a double A hysterical frame-up campaign blaming L\ AND CHE GUEVARA blockade that is becoming tighter and more the striking miners for the September 18 ex­ Using the forum of the implacable each day. plosion has been promoted by the mine United Nations, the two Today we face situations that are extreme! y bosses, the cops, and the big-business media. 25% central leaders of the Cu­ critical and enormously harmful to our econ­ The latest revelations go in the direction ban revolution explain to omy, situations that have an inevitable impact of exposing the frame-up against the striking DISCOUNT the world why the U.S. on people's living standards and levels of miners and point to company responsibility TO MEMBERS OF government is determined consumption, as well as on our plans for pro­ for the September 18 tragedy. to destroy the example sel duction and development. In these difficult Despite this new evidence, the Royal Ca­ PATIIFINDER by that revolution, and conditions, the imperialists hope that making nadian Mounted Police has continued to ha­ READERS CLUB why this effort will con­ the blockade harsher and more oppressive rass and question striking union members and tinue and ultimately fo il. will create conditions of such poverty and their families about the explosion and other L\ With on introdudion by Mary-Alice Waters. $16.95 hunger that our people will surrender. picket line activity. Some 50 members and JOIN THE (special offer $12.95) Such a hope is born of stupidity. Those their families have now been questioned. who seek to annihilate us are ignorant of the 'Harry Seeton, president of CASAW Local Pathfinder SELECTED SPEECHES OF fact that Cuba's central resource, its only 4, said in an interview that support for the FIDEL CASTRO true wealth, is its people. striking local members is picking up. Readers Club r.m ·c;~Tms ''owsouA '·".,1' Speeches from the 1960s and Only a people united, informed, strong, "So far we have received $18,000 from r~ ~ ·:,· (: l O HI: (HIS ;;, l 1970s and prepared to fight for its victories - a various union locals for the 'adopt a striker' For a $10 annual fee you can take F1del Castro recounting important ch op ters in I he people whose social relations are governed family program. Five are Canadian Auto advantage of special offers like this, and get a IS% discount on Cuban revolution_ New edition in­ by equality and solidarity - could confront Workers (CAW) locals. cludes Castro's 1961 speech, "I all other Pathfinder titles. Avail­ this difficult period, pull themselves to­ "Over the next week a representative of Sholl Be a Marxist-Leninist to the gether, and fight to move forward. Only in CLASS [CASAW Ladies Association for able from your local Pathfinder End of My life,· explaining why a society like Cuba's could it happen that Strike Support] will be in Ontario speaking bookstore listed on page 12, or only a socialist revolution con bring despite such terrible conditions not a single to unions about solidarity," said Seeton. write Pathfinder, 410 West St., about the changes working people school has been closed; not a single child, The Hospital Employees Union (HEU) in New York, NY 10014. ore fighting_ for. $14.00 old person, woman or man has ben deprived British Columbia, representing 30,000 hos­ '---=-.:__.....::...:.c...... :"-' (special offer $1 0.50) of medical care; and not a single citizen has pital workers in the province, adopted a OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 15 , 1992

been left destitute. Can any of our most resolution of support at its convention Oc­ AVAilABLE AT YOUR lOCAl PATHFINDER BOOKSTORE (SEE PAGE 12) OR FROM PATHFINDER, 410 WEST ST., NEW YORK, implacable enemies say the same? Any of tober 5-9 in Richmond, British Columbia, NY 10014. IF ORDERING BY MAll, ADD SJ.OO POSTAGE FOR THE FIRST BOOK AND $0.50 FOR EACH ADDITIONAl TITlE.

November 6, 1992 The Militant 11 Miners protest pit -MILITANT LABOR FORUMS------MINNESOTA economic collapse? Speaker: Susan Berman, sociation. closures in Britain Communist League, and member of Canadian Free Thade and Protectionism. Sat., Nov. 7, St. Paul Auto Workers Local 303A. Sat., Oct 31, 7:30 I :30 p.m. Klapparstfg 26. Tel: (91) 17513. Spon­ Continued from front page Columbus, Capitalism, and the Conquest of p.m. 827 Bloor St. West. Donation: $4. Tel: (416) sor: lntemationalist Forums Association. Park chanting, "Sack [British Prime Minis­ the Americas. Sat., Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m. 508 N. 533-4324. ter] Major, not the miners." The day after Snelling Ave. Donation: $3. Tel: (612) 644-6325. SWEDEN the demonstration, it was announced that Translation to Spanish. ICELAND five more hospitals are to be shut down. Stockholm WASHINGTON Reykjavik Tbe Trial that Exposed the FBL Speaker: More than I ,000 construction workers at Seattle Thade Unions: Their Past, Present, and Fu­ Birgina lsaksson, member Metalworkers Union. the Sellafield nuclear power plant downed Labor Resistance Today. A panel discussion. ture. Sat., Oct. 31, I :30 p.m. Klapparstfg 26. Tel: Sat., Oct. 31,4 p.m. Vtkingagatan 10 (f-bana St their tools and staged a mass meeting in Sun, Nov. I, 4 p.m. West Coast SeaTac Hotel. (91) 17513. Sponsor: Internationalist Forums As- Erik.splan). Tel: (08) 31 69 33. support of the miners' action. A further thou­ Cascade Room, 18220 Pacific Hwy S. (Across sand workers at Drax power station in North from entrance to SeaTac Airport.) Donation: $5. Yorkshire walked out for the day, as did 600 Tel: (206) 323-1755. Translation to Spanish. Socialist election campaign rallies workers at a power station in Nottingham­ shire. Under present law, all these strikes • CALIFORNIA Bates, Socialist Workers vice-presidential can­ were technically illegaL didate. 2105 Forest Ave. Donation: $5. Tel: LOs Angeles (515) 246-8249. The demonstration also attracted young BRITAIN Stm., Nov. I , dinner at 2 p.m., rally at 4 p.m. people and students in large numbers. A London Speaker: Estelle DeBates, Socialist Work.ers No Closures! How We Can Defend Jobs in the NORTH CAROLINA delegation of 30 students from Southwark vi~presjdential candidate. 2552-B W. Pico Depression. A panel discussion. Sat., Oct. 31, College in south London left their classes .Blvd. Donation: $5 dinner, $5 rally. Tel: (213) Greensboro 7:30 p.m. 47 The Cut, SE L Tel: 71-928-7993. 380.9460. Translation to Spanish. Sun., Noy. 1, 4 p.m. 2000-C S, Elm-Eugene and joined the protest. Manchester San Francisco Street. Tel: (919) 272-5996. A New Stage in tbe South African Revolution. Government changes plans Sat., Oct. 31,6 p.m. 3284 23rd Sqoear Mis­ Speaker: Shellia Kennedy. Sat., Oct 31, 6 p.m. sion). Donation:. $3,. Tel: (415) 282-6255. PENNSYLVANIA On the day of the demonstration, the gov­ 60 Shudehill. Donation: £1. Tel: 061-839 1766. Pittsburgh ernment announced a different procedure for ILLINOIS Fri., Oct. 30~ 7 p.m. 4905 Penn Ave. Donation: closing the pits. They have now called in CANADA Ghi~o $3. Tel: (412) 362..fJ767. consultants to advise on the "viability" of Montreal Sun., Nov. I , 4 p. m. Speaker:' James Warren, 2 1 of the 31 pits earmarked for closure. In Giant Gold Mine Strikers Under Attack: Eye­ Socialist Workers presidential candidate. . 545 the meantime these pits will remain opera­ witness Report from Yellowknife. Speaker: W. Roosevelt Rd. Donation: $5, Tel: (312) • tional. The consulting firm hired for this is Roger Annis, just returned from a visit to Yellow­ 829-9815. the same one advising the government on knife, member of Canadian Auto Workers. CANADA coal privatization. Thurs., Nov. 5, 7:30p.m. 6566, bout. St-Laurent. .IOWA Montreal Donation: $4. Tel: (514) 273-2503. Des Moine$ Sat., Oct. 31, 7:30p.m. 6566, boul. St,Lauteot. Under this new plan the other ten pits, Toronto Sat., Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m. Speaker: Esteile De- Tel: (514) 273-2503. which originally were to have been shut After the Referendum: Will a 'no' vote lead to down within a few days, are now scheduled for closure at the end of a 90-day period. Arthur Scargill, president of the NUM, called these measures a "swerve by the gov­ Farm workers in Washington win strike ernment, not a U-turn." The government's "concessions" were sufficient to persuade a brothers and sisters we'd have to set up number of Conservative Party members of Continued from Page 16 States. "We Mexicans come here to work," parliament to not vote against the govern­ wouldn't have to pay them anything. Many picket lines. Before I got that far the boss said one" We're just workers. So why do ment on a motion on the pit closures. The people thought everyone would be fired be­ called us back to talk." they always mistreat us so much?" "We're government won the vote in parliament on fore the picking was over so we walked out." The growers are more vulnerable to strikes from Los Angeles," said another woman, its plans. Six Conservatives voted with the Some of the workers reported other griev­ this sea<>on. In past years, with the use of the "but there's no work there now. Especially Labour Party and a further five abstained. ances taken up by the walkout. "The foreman chemical alar, growers were able to control after the riots. A Jot of the factories and fires people for no reason," said one, "If they the pace of maturity of the fruit. Since the shops were burned down." Miners were seething over the govern­ want to fire someone they just say we're banning of alar at the end of last year's har­ The resistance shown by the farm work­ ment's so-called concessions. Vince McCul­ bruising the fruit." Others commented, '"The vest, and with unusually good weather, the ers here is inspiring, and a good example of lough, a miner from Rossington Colliery, foreman's wife is a checker and she insults apples this season are maturing at about the what's possible when workers stand up to explained, "we don't want it done in three and shouts at the Mexican workers for noth­ same time on all the farms. This has made for the bosses. months, six months, or a year." ing," and "The day before the strike the fore­ a shorter picking season and a shortage of la­ Securing a majority in Parliament by no man insulted one woman who workers here. bor on farms that pay the lowest wages. Kathleen Wheeler is a member of United means helps stabilize the John Major-led He called her 'stupid.' When we walked out As a result of the work stoppage all 25 Transportation Union Local 845, and the Conservative government. Articles in the be had to apologize to her." workers were hired back on the spot and the Socialist Workers candidate for governor of major dailies focus consistently on the manager agreed to immediately pay the bo­ Washington State. On the morning of the strike the workers "slump-like" conditions facing Britain. The nus for the Reds and Goldens. In addition, called the United Farm Workers of Wash­ Sunday Times last week led with a banner workers won a dollar-per-bin pay raise and ington State (UFWWS) union hall. "We all headline declaring, "Recession leads to De­ agreement that no wages would be withheld walked out to the highway but the boss PENNSYLVANIA pression." for the rest of the year. refused to talk to us," said one worker. Philadelphia Only a month ago, the government was "Yeah, this strike was great," said one of "Then Tomas [Villanueva, leader of the Celebrate the Life of Pearl Chertov: 56 thrown into crisis after Britain's withdrawal the leaders of the walkout. "The growers do UFWWS] came from Granger and negoti­ the same thing with our bonuses every year. Years in the Struggle for·Soctalism. Pearl from the European Exchange Rate Mecha­ ated for us. We got a settlement." Chertov, a founding member and Jo~gtime nism (ERM) and the subsequent devaluation This time we all stood up together and that's "In the beginning the manager refused to what made it possible. I'm owed $350.00 in leader of the Socialist Workers Party, died of the pound. The popularity of the Conser­ October 15. Come and panicipate in this negotiate with us," continued Villanueva. vative government, which was elected in bonuses and my wife about the same. We celebration of her life. Sunday, November "He said he would only talk to the perma­ would have lost it all." April of this year, has dropped massively. 1, 3 p.m. Friends Center, Rufus Jones The opinion poll firm MORl reports that nent workers. I told him 'that's fme. They're Several workers at the orchard won­ Room. 1501 Cherry St. Donation $5. Tel: John Major is now the most unpopular your apples on the trees, they're not mine.' dered why they were confronted with such (215) 546-8218. prime minister since opinion polls started. I started back to the highway to tell the discrimination and abuse in the United In the face of this deepening crisis, the government not only did not retreat from its course of pit closures, but has reiterated its - IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP--- intention to drive ahead with a pay freeze Where to find Pathfinder books and NEW YORK: New York: 191 7th Ave. Zip: Tel: 071-928-7993. on public sector workers and further job cuts distributors of the Militant, Perspectiva 10011. Tel: (212) 727-8421 ; 167 Charles St. Zip: Manchester: Unit 4, 60 Shudehill. Postal in other industries. Mundial, New lnternatioiUll, Nouvelle ln­ 10014. Tel: (212) 366-1 973. code: M4 4AA. Tel: 061-839 1766. ternationale, and Nueva lnJernacional. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: 2000-C ShefYleld : l Gower St., Spital Hill, Postal Hundreds of thousands march in London S. Elm-Eugene St. Zip 27406. Tel: (919) 272- code: S47HA. Tel: 0742-765070. UNITED STATES 5996. On October 25, hundreds of thousands of ALABAMA: Birmingham: Ill 21st St. OHIO: Cincinnati: P.O. Box 19484. Zip: CANADA miners, other workers, and young people, South. Zip: 35233. Tel: (205) 323-3079, 328- 45219. Tel: (513) 221-2691. Cleveland: 1863 W. Montreal: 6566, bout. St-Laurent. Postal undeterred by a torrential rain storm, 3314. 25th St. Zip: 44113. Tel: (216) 861-6150. code: H2S 3C6. Tel: (514) 273-2503. marched through the streets of London. The CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2552-B W. OREGON: Portland: 2310 NE 8th #l. Zip: Toronto: 827 Bloor St. West. Postal code: police estimated the size of the crowd to be Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380-9460, 97212. Tel: (503) 288-0466. M6G IMI. Tel: (416) 533-4324. 200,000, while the march organizers esti­ 380-9640. San Francisco: 3284 23rd St. Zip: PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 1906 Vancouver: 3967 Main St. Postal code: V5V mated 500,000. The demonstration was 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. South St. Zip: 19146. Tel: (215) 546-8196. Pitts­ 3P3. Tel: (604) 872-8343. CONNECTICUT: New Haven: Mailing ad­ called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), burgh: 4905 Penn Ave. Zip 15224. Tel: (412) dress: P.O. Box 16751, BaybrOQk Station, West 362-6767. ICELAND the union federation to which all trade Haven. Zip: 06516. Tel: (203) 772-3375. Reykjavik: Klapparstfg 26. Mailing address: unions in Britain are affiliated. Originally TEXAS: Houston: 4806 Almeda. Zip: 77004. FLORIDA: Miami: 137 N.E. 54th St. Zip: Tel: (713) 522-8054. P. Box 233, 121 Reykjavik. Tel: (91) 17513. called to protest the planned pit closures, the 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. UTAH: Salt Lake City: 147 E. 900 S. Zip: MEXICO march had broadened out into a general GEORGIA: Atlanta: 172 Trinity Ave. Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) 355-1124. protest against government economic pol­ 30303. Tel: (404) 577-4065. Mexico City: Apdo. Postal27 -575, Col. Rom a WASHINGTON, D.C.: 523 8th St. SE. Zip: Sur. Mexico D.F. icy. ILLINOIS: Chicago: 545 W. Roosevelt Rd. 20003. Tel: (202) 547-7557. Zip: 60607. Tel: (312) 829-6815, 829-7018. The marchers were trade unionists in their WASHINGTON: Seattle: 1405 E. Madison. NEW ZEALAND IOWA: Des Moines: 2105 Forest Ave. Zip: Auckland: La Gonda Arcade, 203 Karan­ overwhelming majority. Led by banners of Zip: 98122. Tel: (206) 323-1755. 50311. Tel: (515) 246-8249. gahape Road. Postal Address: P.O. Box 3025. Tel: the NUM, the march included contingents WEST VIRGINIA: Morgantown: 242 MARYLAND: Baltimore: 2905 Greenmount Walnut. Mailing address: P.O. Box 203. (9) 379-3075. from many other workplaces. Two banners Ave. Zip: 2 12 18. Tel: (410) 235-0013. Zip: 26507. Tel: (304) 296-0055. Christchurch: 593a Colombo St. (upstairs). were present from agricultural laborers, and MASSACHUSETIS: Boston: 780 Tremont Postal address: P.O. Box 22-530. Tel: (3) 365- there was a large contingent of hospital St. Zip: 02118. Tel: (617) 247-6772. AUSTRALIA 6055 . workers. Local government workers, teach­ MICHIGAN: Detroit: 5019\.-2 Woodward Sydney: 19 Terry St., Surry Hills, Sydney Wellington: 23 Majoribanks St., Courtenay ers, and civil servants, all of whom are Ave. Zip: 48202. Tel: (313) 831-1177. NSW 2010. Tel: 02-281-3297. Pl. Postal address: P.O. Box 9092. Tel: (4) 384- facing a possible wage freeze, turned out in MINNESOTA: Twin Cities: 508 N. Snelling 4205. Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: (612) 644-6325. BARBADOS large numbers. Bridgetown: P.O. Box 891. Tel.: (809) 436- MISSOURI: St. Louis: 1622 S. Broadway. 7723. SWEDEN Zip: 63104. Tel: (314) 421 -3808. Stockholm: Vtlci.ngagatan I 0 (f-bana St Robert Higley is a member of the Rail, NEW JERSEY: Newark: 141 Halsey. Zip: BRITAIN Eriksplan). Postal code: S-113 42. Tel: (08) 31 Maritime and Transport Union in London. 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. London: 47 The Cut. Postal code: SEI 8LL. 69 33.

12 The Militant November 6, 1992 -GREAT SOCIETY------Capitalism, it's wunnerful- In The silver shroud -The num­ studies by opening the Chinese a line of all cork clothing. "Cork is Chicago reader says her son carne Tokyo, Nomura Securities, report­ ber ofpeople killed in job accidents Beancurd, a small restaurant. a great product because it sheds home from school with the now cus­ edly the world's biggest brokerage, declined 5 percent last year. An in­ from trees naturally," the company tomary list of classroom needs - crease in safety measures? Nope. See, it's easy to make money - explains. "We have an overabun­ pencils, papers, crayons, etc. And, The National Safety Council says Four North Carolina banks reported dance of it." Which may also ex­ also, toilet paper. She assumed that its the recession. More people job­ a big jump in profits for the first plain why it's so cheap-$230 for perhaps this was needed to wipe up Harry less means fewer on the job to get half of the year. A local news report a skirt, $520 for a raincoat. spilled paint. No, her son assured, it killed. explained, "A steady decline in in­ was needed to serve the function for Ring terest rates has been a major factor Royal roost -In England, for which it was designed. Theory and practice- A dis­ in the banks' skyrocketing income. the first time, common folk will be patch from Beijing said there was Rates paid on deposits tend to go able to sleep in a royal palace (at Country modern - Country "one nagging problem" with the down more rapidly than rates least as a registered guest.) At music is reported as increasingly drive by the Chinese regime for a charged for loans ... Hampton Court Palace, a kings­ focused on the current situation. said it will eliminate 2,000 jobs over "socialist market economy" - sized castle no longer used as a Like, "Them politicians treat me the next five years. Most of those "nobody knows what it means." And get a good return - royal residence, two large rooms like a mushroom, 'cuz they feed me getting the heave-ho will be women. But a Shanghai paper clears it up. "Study indicates well--off give most will be made available for paying bull and keep me in the blind, " and A spokesperson said women tend to Saluting veteran party boss Deng in politics" - News headline. guests. How much per night? Like Why is the rich man busy dancin' quit sooner, usually after marriage. Xiaoping as architect of the plan, they say, "If you have to ask ... while the poor many pays the band? She said women employees work the paper recalled that in the 1920s Green as a $-The Jungle ....They're billin' me for killin' mainly as clerks or sales assistants. in Paris, Deng had financed his Beach Corp. of Honolulu is offering Can't have guns and TP-A me." Pro-choice activists counter antiabortion actions BY NAOMI CRAINE abortion rights at the clinic doors. These Hundreds of supporters of women's right mobilizations, not relying on Democrats or to choose abortion participated in actions in Republicans, are the way forward." A so­ several cities during the month of October, cialist campaign table was crowded with in response to demonstrations by anti -choice young people coloring in their own stickers forces organized under the title "Chain of issued by the campaign that read, "Pro­ Life." Choice," "Defend Abortion Rights," "Stop Nearly l ,200 people in New York at­ Police Brutality," and "Support the socialist tended an October 18 demonstration called alternative to war, racism, and economic by the New York Clinic Defense Task Force, depression." a coalition of reproductive rights organiza­ A campaign table set up at the New York tions in the New York City area. Following rally by supporters of the Socialist Workers a rally, demonstrators marched down Fifth candidates also attracted attention. "I met Avenue chanting "Abortion is health care; your candidate Estelle in Houston and was health care is a right!" Some 300 antiabor­ really impressed," said one young woman, tion protesters formed a "Chain of Life," referring to the defense of abortion clinics shuffling their forces to make it appear that in that city at the time of the Republican their line extended the full 25 blocks of the Party convention. Estelle DeBates, Socialist march route. Workers candidate for vice-president, joined Two weeks earlier, on October 4, 700 the defense lines there. pro-choice activists marched in Cincinnati to counter a similar "Chain of Life." Stepped up attacks on abortion rights The same day more than 100 abortion In Detroit, "Chain of Life" forces num­ rights supporters marched in Williamsport, bering several hundred lined a seven-mile Pennsylvania. Despite .being outnumbered stretch of Woodward Avenue October 4. 20-to-1 by "Chain of Life" participants, the There was no counterdemonstration. pro-choice demonstration was enthusiastic Antiabortion forces in Michigan have and determined, marching behind the l.ine of MilitantNalerie Libby stepped up their attacks on women's right to Cincinnati pro-choice demonstration, October 4. right-wingers and chanting, "Not the church, choose. In September attackers shot at, not the state, women must decide our fate." spray-painted, and stink-bombed­ The Williamsport demonstrators rallied in sprayed with a foul smelling acid - 15 front of a shopping center in the middle of clinics that provide abortions and related -30 AND 50 YEARS AGO--- the antiabortion demonstration. Motorists services. The title of the 25 AND 50 YEARS AGO official slogans were designed to exclude honked in solidarity when passing the pro­ column has temporarily changed, in or­ "taking sides" with Cuba, but they did op­ choice group, many displaying a "thumbs More than a dozen gunshots were fired at der to focus on the Militant's response to pose the blockade. The mood of the great up." a Planned Parenthood office in Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan, September 30, before the the Cuban missile crisis 30 years ago. bulk of the crowd, however, was far more Discussion among the Pennsylvania ac­ critical of the Kennedy administration than tivists centered on how to build more effec­ office was opened for the day. No one was hurt. The facility provides counseling and were the official placards. When speakers tive mobilizations to counter the anti-choice made points scoring Kennedy's policy they forces. medical services, but not abortions. THE The same office was stink-bombed Sep­ received loud applause. Interest in socialist campaign tember 22. Eight Detroit area clinics were The elections were another topic of dis­ also stink-bombed within a week of each MILITANT other. Thousands of dollars worth of equip­ Published in the Interest of the Working People THE MILITANT cussion and debate at the abortion rights f'UeUAMie IN tMI tNf.llfl Of tNt W'OeA .... H0PU ment had to be thrown away, and at least Price 10¢ rallies. While many speakers at the New November 5, 1962 NEW YOII. N.Y. York action pointed to the election of "pro­ one clinic closed for a day. choice" politicians as the way to defend "These people are terrorists," stated Deb­ November 7, 1942 abortion rights, a speaker from the Latina orah Spicer, public affairs coordinator for NEW YORK- Record-breaking dem­ Women's Round Table said that "neither the Planned Parenthood Centers of Western onstrations here over the weekend protested The administration was reported to be candidate [George Bush or William Clinton] Michigan, to the Detroit .News. Kennedy's blockade of Cuba. On Saturday, moving closer to the regimentation of labor offers a serious agenda on women's issues." Oct. 27, 2,000 persons picketed in Ham­ as President Roosevelt today studied recom­ Speaking at the Cincinnati demonstra­ Laura Kamienski in Williamsport, Pennsyl­ merskjold Plaza, near the United Nations, in mendations submitted by the War Man­ tion, Emily Wood, 18, and a Socialist Work­ vania; Valerie Libby in Cincinnati; and Max defense of Cuba against this attack. Called power Commission's labor-management by several organizations, including the Im­ ers candidate for U.S. Congress, said, Monclair in New York contributed to this committee early this week. promptu Committee to Halt World War III "Young people have to take a stand to defend article. WMC Chairman Paul V. McNutt, who and the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, the had previously called for the passage of a picket-line was the biggest ever held at the "national service" bill giving the WMC Socialist candidate in Sweden UN in defense of the Cuban revolution. complete control of hiring and transferring The following day, some 10,000 persons labor, announced that he was fully satisfied Continued from Page 5 Warren summed up, "The Socialist Work­ demonstrated in the same place in opposi­ with the recommendations of his labor-man­ a public meeting attended by 40 workers ers election campaign consists of both ideas tion to the war threat. This peace walk and agement committee. and students. She said, "James Warren has and action. Join the activities, work with the rally, called by a number of peace groups, Although the details of these recommen­ walked the picket line at Ravenswood and supporters of Pathfinder and the Communist was the largest demonstration ever held at dations have not been officially divulged as Caterpillar, and was part of the protests League in Sweden. Raise the perspective of the UN. this issue goes to press, Washington news­ against the release of the cops who brutal­ this view of the world. "Hands Off Cuba!"; "Respect Cuban papermen report that they include the fol­ ized Rodney King." "This program is laid out in the pam­ Sovereignty!"; and "One Line Against the lowing provision: The meeting had been built at eight high phlet Action Program to Confront the War!" were popular slogans on Saturday's That President Roosevelt issue an execu­ schools in Stockholm and two high schools Coming Economic Crisis, and in the article picket-line. tive order establishing the United States Em­ in Uppsala, a city north of Stockholm. Four 'Opening Guns of World War III' in the A meeting sponsored by theN. Y. Student ployment Service, now under the jurisdic­ young supporters of Youth for Warren and New International magazine. This is also Peace Union, under the slogan "U.S. - tion of McNutt, as the sole agency for all DeBates made a leaflet to advertise the what we try to capture in the Militant," U.S.S.R. - No War Over Cuba," was just employment. The only exceptions to this meeting, and distributed it at a demonstra­ Warren said. "We have to resist becoming ending when the "Hands-Off-Cuba" line be­ arrangement would be for union hiring halls tion of 15,000 protesting the government's what they are trying to force us to become. gan. The shouted slogan for unity brought considered "satisfactory" by the WMC. austerity measures. We have to fight against this. lf not we the bulk of the students onto the picket-line Under this provision no worker would be James Warren began by explaining, ''The will lose our humanity." Warren concluded despite objections of a few peace-group of­ able to change his job without the approval most important factor of life in this world is with the call to, "Join the fight; build a ficials about association with persons sup­ of the USES. No employer with a war con­ the reality of the depression that has already different world." porting the Cuban Revolution. tract would be able to hire workers without begun. This is the crisis of capitalism, of the The following day in central Stockholm The line was further swelled by a group the approval of the USES. market system. This is where capitalism a man walked up to the Pathfinder booktable which had marched downtown from an out­ A worker would still presumably be able ends up." and asked, "Do you have a book by the man door rally in Harlem sponsored by the Har­ to quit his job. But obviously, since the only After an hour-long discussion about Sta­ who spoke at Farsta High School and was lem Anti-Colonial Committee. way he could get a new one would be linism and Cuba one student asked, "What on television last night?" He left with a Sunday's demonstration was called after through the USES, his real right to leave the can we do leaving this meeting?" subscription to the Militant. the Saturday one had been announced. It's job would be considerably restricted.

November 6, 1992 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS Who is the Vote Socialist Workers! 'real enemy?' On October 3, Sinead O'Connor, performing on the The elections in the United States on Tuesday, Novem­ Republicans. They explain that world politics will continue "Saturday Night Live" television show, tore up a photo­ ber 3, take place in the context of a deepening economic to be shaped primarily by the deepening depression of the graph of Pope John Paul II. She had just finished singing and social crisis in the United States and throughout the capitalist system; that the response of the capitalist ruling "War," a song condemning war and racism, by Bob Marley. capitalist world. George Bush, William Clinton, and Ross classes and their representatives will be to further attack After the song, O'Connor held up a photo of the Pope. Perot have put forward their answers to the crisis of the the rights and living conditions of working people in every "Fight the real enemy," the singer shouted as she tore up market system: further sacrifices by working people com­ comer of the globe as they prepare for further wars; and the picture. bined with a drive to war, which is always the ultimate that the only way for workers and young people to resist answer of the imperialists to economic depression. this attack is to unite in struggle, recognizing that we have Each of the candidates of the capitalist parties urges a common interests and a common enemy. vote for them as the answer to this crisis, making hollow The socialist campaign rejects the attempts by the rulers to DISCUSSION WITH promises to improve the lot of "middle-class America" or use nationalism to fool working people into thinking we the "American worker." The Socialist Workers campaign have something in common with our oppressors. Whether OUR READERS takes the opposite approach. Socialist candidates explain this comes disguised as the "progressive" opposition of that the solution to these problems will not be found in many union officials and others to the North American Free O'Connor later said that her stunt was a protest against being herded to the polls on November 3 to vote for a Trade Agreement (NAFTA), or in its ultrarigbtist form, such the policies ofthe Catholic Church and that she was trying candidate who appears to be a "lesser evil" than their as Patrick Buchanan's proposal to build a trench along the to expose the church's role in child abuse, as well as its opponent. Nor will the solution be found by viewing the U.S.-Mexico bordertopreventMexican workers from enter­ role in starvation, genocide, and other evils taking place economic devastation and social instability ofU .S. society ing the United States, the socialists have explained that the around the world. O'Connor has also denounced the Cath­ as somehow separate from what is happening in the rest virus of national chauvinism must be combated ifwe are to olic Church's stand on abortion and earlier this year led a of the world. prevent the rulers from dragging us into a third world war. pro-choice march in Dublin. James Warren, Estelle DeBates, and the other socialist The Militant encourages its readers, and all working In an interview in the October 29 Rolling Stone maga­ candidates put forward a perspective of fighting outside of people who can vote in these elections, to vote for candi­ zine, O'Connor says that the Catholic Church is "running the electoral arena and independently of the twin parties dates who represent the interests of our class: the Socialist the world, they're running every government in the world. of war, racism, and depression - the Democrats and Workers candidates. They are the World Bank. I don't have proof of that, but I know that it's true." In a letter printed in the October 23 issue ofthe Militant, Norm Allen Jr. says that an earlier column in the newspaper "handle[d) Catholicism with kid gloves." Allen wrote, "It is just too bad that so few socialists today have the courage End embargo against Cuba to oppose oppressive religious teachings in an uncompro­ mising manner." The so-called Cuban Democracy Act, signed into law and Mexico, resent the infringement on what they see as The Catholic Church hierarchy expresses reactionary by President Bush October 23, is an affiont to the basic their prerogative to make use of markets wherever they political views, and they appeal to those who maintain the human rights of working people in Cuba and the world can. Catholic faith to also adopt these views. They defend the over. It adds to a 33-year campaign by the U.S. government The U.S. ruling class would have working people be­ interests of the classes that accumulate wealth through the to isolate and destroy the Cuban revolution. Ricardo lieve that the embargo is a "peaceful" way to overthrow a exploitation of the vast majority of the world's people. Ala.rcOn, Cuba's foreign minister, was correct when be told brutal dictatorship and enable the Cuban people to fmd the James P. Cannon, a past leader of the Socialist Workers the United Nations General Assembly that the new law road to democracy. But nothing could be further from the Party, once said of the Catholic Church, "[It] exploits the "grossly violates not only the most elemental rights of[the truth. The embargo is part of a violent campaign to punish religious sentiments of its communicants to support reac­ Cuban] people but also the sovereignty of other countries the Cuban people for breaking free of imperialist domina­ tion and oppression everywhere." and the fundamental principles and norms of international tion over 30 years ago. The rulers hope to wipe the example Socialists, knowing this about the Catholic Church, also law!" of the Cuban revolution from the face of the earth. understand that all denominations of Protestantism, Islam, The tightening of the embargo, like the blockade in In their efforts to accomplish this they have been any­ Judaism, as well as other religions, have leaders who just general, was supported in the end by both Bush, and the thing but peaceful. The terrorist groups based in Florida as aggressively defend the interests of the oppressor class. Democratic presidential challenger, William Clinton. In that carry out armed assaults on Cuban territory gain Neither the Catholic Church, nor its central leader, the fact, it is Clinton who took the lead in the anti-Cuba encouragement from the bipartisan drive to strangle Cuba Pope, are the real enemy. It is the capitalist ruling classes campaign, coming out in support of the Torricelli bill through measures such as the Torricelli bill. that launch attacks on workers and farmers. It is the weeks before Bush. The U.S. embargo of Cuba has been This month marks 30 years since the Cuban "missile capitalist governments that lead the assault on abortion carried out consistently by eight consecutive Democratic crisis." At that point, the U.S. rulers, preparing their war rights and other attacks on women, the attempts to crush and Republican presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to plans against the Cuban revolution, brought the world to democratic rights, and the drive to break down the living George Bush. the edge of nuclear catastrophe. standards of the world's exploited masses. The capitalists, not the Catholic Church, are the real enemy. Only a year earlier, mercenaries, trained in the United The bill was signed in spite of the opposition of a Socialists consistently explain the role of religious lead­ significant layer of the capitalist rulers both in the United States, and with the support of the U.S. government, had ers such as those in the Catholic Church hierarchy in States and around the world. Bush chose to sign the bill invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. Cuban volunteer troops supporting the ruling class in their assaults on workers. into law, putting the interests of a faction ofthe Republican repelled the invasion in 72 hours. However, socialists also point out that these religious party ahead of the interests and wishes of a big chunk of Working people and youth around the world should figures do not lead assaults on workers, but fall in behind the wing of the capitalist class be represents. Several demand a repeal of the Torricelli bill and an end to the the assaults that are led by the ruling rich and their repre­ significant U.S. corporations and those in Canada, Britain, embargo of Cuba. sentatives in government. More important in understanding why O'Connor's stunt cannot be the approach of conscious fighters against cap­ italism is that she contributes to a confusion that rightist forces can take advantage of. A feature of the politics of depression, such as we are living in today, is an attempt Miners in Britain continue fight by the capitalist class to blame other forces for the crisis they created. Anti-Catholic prejudice, like anti-Semitism, Within days of the October 13 announcement by British the Major government for being "unpatriotic" and to refer is used in the United States as a way to scapegoat other Coal that they intended to close 31 mines, with job losses to the miners' struggle as a "fight for Britain," staving off forces for the misery that workers are increasingly facing. of 30,000, the British government discovered that coal "the danger of a pit-less Britain being held to ransom by An important aspect of "being an American" is being a miners and other working people were not prepared to foreign supplies." The leadership of the National Union of Protestant. U.S. rulers have historically sought to rally simply accept this assault on their livelihoods. Two major Mineworkers (NUM) has made pronouncements along workers against those who follow other religions, includ­ demonstrations in London, combined with smaller protests these lines as well. ing Catholics. Anti-Catholic prejudice in this country goes in cities and communities throughout the country, have Militant supporters attending the October 21 march back at least as far as the early nineteenth century. caused the government to reconsider how far and how fast found that "what was noticeable at the demonstration was Examples of this include riots against Catholic immi­ they can carry out these attacks. the lack of such sentiment being strongly expressed, either grants, who were primarily Irish, in the mid-1800s, and the But their determination to implement massive pit clo­ in slogans or banners." For example, miners wearing "Brit­ rise of the Know-Nothing movement before the Civil War, sures, throwing tens of thousands of miners out of work, ish Coal" coats had crossed out the word "British" and which had an anti-Catholic character. Catholics were a was made clear on October 21. The government announced written "Not Dole" under "Coal." ("Dole" is a term for prominent enemy of the Ku Klux Klan until well into this a delayed timetable for the closures, which they presented public assistance in Britain). century. as a "concession." O'Connor also opened herself up to criticism from the To wage an effective fight it will be necessary for the right for her misoriented attack on the Pope. Right-wing The mass demonstrations held in Britain last week are miners in Britain to reach out to their brothers and sisters figures like Patrick Buchanan can be expected to seize on examples of the kind of mobiHzations that will be needed beyond the borders of the United Kingdom and to reject O'Connor's action to further confuse the issue, defending to prevent the government from imposing their proposals. the idea that ·they should fight for "British interests." The the Pope and reinforcing his call for a "cultural war" These demonstrations were also powerful examples of the bosses and their mouthpieces will always invoke the inter­ against artists who disagree with his reactionary views. potential to win allies to this fight on a broad front. Trade ests of the "nation" to try to gain acceptance for their It is important for socialists to differentiate between the unionists in industries such as rail that are closely related attacks on workers' rights and working conditions. As leaders ofthe Catholic Church and its followers. We should workers, we have to recognize that our interests are irrec­ to the mines; workers in other industries and vocations, also recognize that the Catholic Church holds less sway including hospital workers and teachers, who are also oncilable with those of the exploiters; a miner in Britain among lay Catholics than ever before. This is evidenced threatened by the government's austerity drive; and stu­ has much more in common with workers in other parts of by growing numbers of Catholics who are openly express­ dents were all represented in large numbers at the October the world than they have with the ruling-class figures who ing views in contradiction with the church leadership. This 21 and 25 demonstrations in London. speak of the "national interest" is important for those looking for other forces to draw into Responding to the widespread anger among working Similarly, workers in other parts of the world, from the fight against the bosses' assault on working people. people to the announced closures, a number of the major miners in South Africa to General Motors workers in the -DEREK BRACEY big-business daily newspapers in Britain came out in sup­ United States, have a stake in this fight. We can play an port of the two demonstrations last week. The form that important role by organizing through our unions to lend this "support" for the miners takes, however, is to criticize solidarity to the miners in Britain.

14 The Militant November 6, 1992 Alaska Airline workers rally against concessions

This column is devoted to re­ something about it." comment as Ford car workers in porting the resistance by work­ The picket line lasted more than Dagenham, London, left a mass ing people to the employers' as­ over two hours in freezing, windy union meeting October 1. sault on their living standard, weather. Workers yelled and Workers at Ford plants working conditions, and unions. cheered, urging passing car and throughout the country rejected a We invite you to contribute truck drivers to "honk for unions." company-demanded wage freeze short items to this column as a Many did. and a 40 percent cut in layoff way for other fighting workers One older woman, an aircraft pay. The company announced September 24 that 1,487 jobs out of Ford's 37,200 British work force would have to be cut. Ford ON THE PICKET LINE also threatened that if workers don't accept the wage freeze and around the world to read about cleaner, kept looking at her watch cut in layoff pay then it will im­ and learn from these important as she waved a sign at passing pose the redundancies on a com­ struggles. Jot down a few lines cars. "Our supervisor should be pulsory basis, instead of asking to let other Militant readers driving by soon," she explained, for volunteers. know about what is happening "and I want to be sure he sees me Ford says it will ignore pre­ at your work place or in your here in the front line." viously agreed upon 'first in, last union. If there is an interesting Further rallies have been sched­ out' procedures for selection of political discussion going on at uled for Seattle, Juneau, Alaska, those who are to be laid off. work, we would like to hear and Portland, Oregon. about that too. "A wage freeze is bad enough, but to have our layoff pay cut by MilitantN a! erie Libby Fischer meat-packers and supporters rally for a decent contract 40 percent when most of us are "This is what it's all about," Fischer meat-packers already only working a three or explained an Alaska Airlines me­ four day week is out of order," one chanic as he pointed to his sign. continue protests Bright, who has worked at Fischer roll checks, they were told the com­ Dagenham worker said angrily. "No wage increase in seven for more than 20 years. "Things pany did not have funds to cover This car plant, with more than "We're back, but they're treating years," it read. "We say: 'No more have been going downhill the last them. The miners walked off the 10,000 workers, is Britain's larg­ us like dogs," said Beverly Johnson concessions at Alaska.' " He was 10 or 15 years. I'm making $2.50 job in protest the following day. est factory. one of nearly 100 Alaska workers a member of United Food and less an hour now than 10 years The miners returned to work and supporters who turned out for Commercial Workers (UFCW) Lo­ John, an assembly line worker ago. Whatever it takes to get a July 21, after being assured they a noisy informational picket line cal227 who has worked 12 years at at Dagenham explained, "The contract, we'll do it." would be paid for their work in at Anchorage International Airport the Fischer Packing Co. in Louis­ company is on a collision course Local 227 members were the future. To this day miners are October 14. It was the first such ville, Kentucky. ''They're trying to with us, once you start moving joined by a dozen Lexington area still owed half their July 17 pay­ protest in Anchorage, but one of implement their concessions con­ into the ball game of concession­ unionists. They passed out boycott checks. several such actions Alaska Air­ tract, and they won't let the union ary bargaining you're on dodgy flyers and circled the grocery with The last day of work for the min­ lines workers have held up and reps do their job." ground, we can't let them get a protest march before returning to ers was July 24. They took their down the West Coast as they face away with it." Johnson was one of about 50 Louisville. two-week vacation and are now big concession demands from the In a statement issued by union members of UFCW Local 227 drawing unemployment. Faced airline bosses. The rally received who traveled from Louisville to leaders representing Ford workers with the alternative of striking, widespread coverage in newspa­ Lexington, Kentucky, September across Britain, Andy Richards UMWALocal6159 opted to work pers and on radio and TV through­ 26 to protest in front of a Randall Pennsylvania miners from Bridgend, South Wales, said, with Shannopin 's creditors and the out the state. market as part of their continued "We will vigorously oppose re­ face mine shutdown federal bankruptcy court to recruit dundancies, if it results in indus­ Last week a federal mediator boycott of Fischer products. a new buyer for the mine. trial action, so be it." declared an impasse in negotia­ UFCW members struck Fischer Shannopin Mining Co. in On August 18 a federal judge in tions between Alaska and the In­ Packing May 8 when the company southwestern Pennsylvania filed Pittsburgh ordered Shannopin The London Evening Standard ternational Association of Ma­ demanded 27 takeaways in the new for bankruptcy protection from Mining Co. into Chapter 7 liqui­ reported that Ford has opened a chinists (lAM) on a new contract contract. The workers voted to re­ creditors in September 1991. Min­ dation bankruptcy, requiring the similar attack on its 8,000 workers for mechanics, ramp, and other turn to work in September hoping ers' medical coverage ended in sale of the company's assets. in Germany. The Ford plant in related workers. A 30-day cooling that a recent ruling by the National May of that year. Shannopin never On October 1, Howley Re­ Cologne has been working short off period began, which ends No­ Labor Relations Board (NLRB) told the miners and their families sources Inc. put down $120,000 to time, which amounts to an 8 per­ vember 9. Under terms of the Rail­ would allow them to go back under they were without coverage. secure its exclusive option to pur­ cent loss in pay. way Labor Act, which governs air­ provisions of the old contract while "There were around 30 people chase the mine for $6 million. line labor talks, the current con­ a new one was negotiated. easily that were over $10,000 (in The ordeal is far from over for The following people contributed tract will then be suspended, the At the Lexington protest, work­ medical bills)," Leonard Novak, miners and their families. Howley to this week's column: Harvey company may attempt to impose ers who had been back on the job president of United Mine Workers Resources Inc. has made contra­ McArthur, member of United its demands unilaterally, and the for a week explained what they of America (UMWA) Local6159, dictory statements, threatening a Transportation Union Local 845 lAM-organized workers will be faced. Exie Anderson, a Fischer told the Greene County Observer­ 30 percent cutback on mainte­ in Seattle; Valerie Libby, member free to strike. employee for 18 years, said, Reporter. nance employees while promising of United Auto Workers Local647 The Machinists' union repre­ "They kept those extra security Paul Peruzzi, a 47-year-old to save all 225 jobs and have ev­ in Cincinnati; Chris Rayson, sents more than 3,000 workers at guards on the job, and the scabs miner, was stuck with more than eryone back mining coal by member of Amalgamated Cloth­ Alaska, including 400 in Anchor­ are still in the plant and they're $30,000 in bills from medical Christmas. ing and Textile Workers Union Lo­ age. For many of those on the making us train them." problems faced by his wife from cal 622 in Waynesburg, Pennsyl­ picket line it was their first time at When Cheryl Ernspiker re­ a spinal cord injury seven years vania; Ken Brown, member of such a protest. turned to her department, the boss earlier. United Mine Workers of America "I didn't know if I should come posted a sign that said, "Under Shannopin continued to operate British Ford workers Local 6310 at the New Warwick here," one reservation agent said. your new contract relief breaks are the mine under Chapter 11 bank­ mine near Davistown, Pennsylva­ "But our shop steward explained no longer recognized." ruptcy protection for 10 or 11 oppose pay freeze nia; and Pete Clifford, member of that we have a right to protest. "If you're not back under a re­ months. Transport and General Workers Besides, we may lose our jobs cent contract, you don't feel like On July 17, when Shannopin 's "We're not going to be pushed Union Branch 11530 at G.E. anyway and it's better to try to do being there," explained James 225 miners tried to cash their pay- down anymore," was a typical Lighting in Enfield, London. --LETTERS------USAir contract tion with the capitalist class. This worse than those which were pro­ kets. But protectionist measures per tegral part of the general capitalist posed by Eastern and that this was se are not the only way the agree­ As a family member of a striking meeting was led by one of the lAM assault on workers' rights and liv­ USAir mechanic, I had the oppor­ [International Association of Ma­ exactly how the whole battle at ment serves U.S. and Canadian cap­ ing standards. tunity to attend one of the last con­ chinists] representatives saying that Eastern began. italists in pursuing competitive ad­ That reality is the basis of oppo­ Laura Kamienski tract meetings before the settle­ after intense negotiation the con­ vantage over their overseas rivals. sition to the capitalist "trade" ac­ Sunbury, Pennsylvania ment. What I learned from this tract which was being proposed NAFTA is also an instrument of cord from the standpoint of socialist meeting is just how deeply the was the absolute best contract that capitalist restructuring, to the mu­ internationalism - advanced, for union bureaucracy is in collabora- the union could get and that it was Capitalist trade accord tual advantage of the U.S. and Ca­ example, by promoting an interna­ the International's recommendation In setting the framework of its nadian ruling classes in waging in­ tional fight for a shorter work week to vote yes. analysis of the North American ternational trade warfare. A main without lost pay. Denying the anti­ If this recommendation weren't Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), aim of the agreement is creating working-class repercussions of bad enough, the same union official the Militant quotes Frederick Eng­ leaner, meaner, more specialized NAFTA, on the other hand, impairs went on to sell the contract to the els: "The question of Free Trade and concentrated capitalist econo­ socialists' credibility in combating rank and file membership with or Protection moves entirely mies on both sides of the Canada­ the deadend protectionist "alterna­ great zeal. On at least three occa­ within the bounds of the present U.S. border. tive" advanced by trade union bu­ sions that I remember, he stated as system of capitalist production This restructuring combines with reaucrats. a matter of fact that this contract and has therefore no direct interest the general capitalist disorder in ex­ Howard Brown would be ratified and told workers for us as Socialists who want to acerbating the jobs crisis. It is Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada when to report back to work. do away with that system." But is linked to austerity measures aimed Many of the workers were very that the only question raised by at driving down capitalist overhead The letters column is an open angry at the meeting and only got NAFTA? costs entailed in social programs. forum for all viewpoints on sub­ angrier as each concession was de­ A main purpose of NAFTA, of NAFTA will serve as a club in driv­ jects of general interest to our scribed. One worker pointed out course, is creating a protected trad­ ing down wage rates in both the readers. Please keep your let­ that this contract was the same con­ ing bloc against Europe and Japan. U.S. and Canada. ters brief. Where necessary they tract that the union told them to Through the accord, Canadian and In short, NAFTA is an instrument will be abridged. Please indi­ strike over only a week ago. A for­ U.S. imperialism consolidate privi­ for intensifying the overall rate of cate if you prefer that your ini­ mer Eastern Airlines worker leged access to the exploitation of labor exploitation within the North tials be used rather than your pointed out that this contract was Mexican labor, resources, and mar- American trading area. It is an in- full name.

November 6, 1992 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Canada auto workers: 'We proved you could fight and win even in a recession'

BY SUSAN BERMAN its. In face of strikes in Lansing, Michigan, tion of its small car plant," and on that basis the trains. In one case, a rail superintendent INGERSOLL, Ontario- "Our union and Lordstown, Ohio, and a threatened Suzuki came to Canada and opened the plant was brought in from Toronto to make sure was born today." "It's a good step in the right walkout in Anderson, Indiana, by United recognizing the CAW. the rail workers did the run. They refused, direction." ''I'm really pleased with what we Auto Workers (UAW) members fighting Many auto workers discount the idea that citing the stipulation in their rule book that won." These were some of the comments by against job cuts, contracting out, and wors­ this was a strike "made in Japan." "General says they can refuse unsafe work. CAMI workers, members of Canadian Auto ening working conditions, General Motors Motors is one of the biggest corporations in Auto workers from several plants at­ Workers (CAW) Local 88, after accepting temporarily backed down on some of its the world. You can't tell me they're going tended a solidarity rally and a family day by a 94 percent vote a new contract offer immediate layoff plans. to let Suzuki call the shots," expressed organized at CAMI during the course of the October 18. The vote ended a five-week Last week, GM board members issued a Graves. Other workers on the picket line strike. CAW local presidents from GM strike against CAMI, a joint venture by warning to General Motors Chairman Rob­ explained that the company mostly manu­ plants throughout Ontario addressed the General Motors and Suzuki. The 2,100 ert Stempel to get tough with the UAW or factures GM cars, and most top-level man­ Family Day Rally. Also speaking was the workers at CAMI fought to win parity on risk losing his job by the end of the year. agement has been imported from throughout president of the Diamond Star UAW local wages, working conditions, and contract Stempel was rushed to the hospital shortly the GM system. in Illinois. language with CAW members working at after the warning was issued. Auto workers here saw the CAMI strike as Many CAW members expressed the idea the Big Three auto companies- Ford, the warm-up for the 1993 contract negotia­ that one of the main things they won in the Chrysler, and General Motors. Official blames Suzuki tions at the Big Three. "They were trying to strike was a union. For many, this was their "This is a step in the right direction, In Contact, the CAW officials' newsletter, set the precedent for what they were going to first strike experience. Sixty CAW Local 88 especially for CAMI, because they were so the union's national president Buzz Hargrove bargain with everybody else," Graves ex­ members had joined picket lines of Cobi adamant about keeping us behind the Big puts the blame for the strike on Suzuki, not plained. The new CAMI contract maintains a Foods workers, organized by the Teamsters, Three," explained union member Debbie GM. "Suzuki has to take responsibility for a two-year lag in wages with the other auto just weeks before their own strike. At Graves. Through the strike workers were strike that's about equality," he explains. In a contracts. "We hope this won't have a bad ef­ CAMI, a plant with a young workforce able to make important advances, particu­ letter to Suzuki chairman Osamo Suzuki, fect on what other auto workers will be fight­ where several couples work at the same larly on working conditions, which were at Hargrove states, "In evaluating its decision to ing for next year," expressed Doddman. plant, many strikers felt the impact of the the heart of the fight. come to Canada, CAMI must certainly have walkout after two weeks. The CAW was When CAMI was set up in 1989, CAW recognized the very real possibility that it Solidarity from other unions able to quickly organize a food bank to help officials accepted a contract inferior to other would become 'Canadianized"' and come CAW Local 88 was able to win solidarity out its members. auto workers. Wages were $4 below the close to the industry pattern. from auto workers and other unionists dur­ "They were trying to starve us out and standard, closing to $1 below standard in the According to the October 15 Globe and ing the course of the strike. Rail workers break us," explained Graves. "I'm very last year of the contract. The new three-year Mail, Suzuki replied that former CAW pres­ were ordered to run trains into the plant to proud that we were able to stand up to them. contract includes wage increases of $.59, ident Robert White "told me he would be pick up autos ready for shipping. They They talk about team concept. Well, I think $.37, and $.66, plus rolled-in cost-of-living flexible in application of CAW national con­ called the CAW to make sure there were that this strike showed there's one big team allowance (COLA) increases equal to the ditions if Suzuki chose Canada as the loca- pickets on the rail lines, and refused to run and that's CAW 88." standard COLA at General Motors. In addi­ tion, they won 108 additional hours of paid time off, including parity with other auto workers on holidays and vacation. The strike won some concessions on Washington farm workers win strike work organization, which was a central question in the strike. A pool of replacement BY KATHLEEN WHEELER workers has been established to fill in for MATIAWA, Washington- In a recent long and short-term absences. CAMI is or­ one-day strike, workers at the Green Acres ganized around the "team concept," which apple orchard in the Yakima Valley success­ aims at forcing speed-up and self-policing fully defended their jobs and wages against by workers. Teams are responsible for all the farm owners' demands. Green Acres, the work in their areas. Before the strike, if which is owned by Seafirst Bank, is one of someone was out sick the team was respon­ the largest orchards in the state. It covers sible for picking up the slack. This put a lot I ,900 acres and employs 450 workers. of pressure on workers to come to work even Farm workers in the Valley are paid be­ if they were sick or injured. As a result, the tween $7.50 and $16.00 per bin to pick injury rate at CAMI is above the industry apples. Typically, part of these wages is held standard. Workers also felt they gained back by the grower until each crop is picked, through winning elected team leaders. and then paid back to the workers in a lump sum "bonus" at the end of the harvest. Defense of seniority "The company told us we would get our Another big issue in the strike was senior­ bonus after the Reds and Goldens [Deli­ ity. The new contract includes a job posting cious] were picked, but they didn't pay us clause. Previously, unlike in other auto anything," one worker at the farm said in an plants, there were no postings for new job interview. "They demanded that we finish assignments, leaving placement up to the the harvest, stay and pick the Criterions and bosses' discretion. As one striker described Granny Smiths before they'd pay the bonus. Then they fired twenty-five workers so they it, "job assignments were used like the carrot Militant/Harvey McArthur and the stick." In addition, layoffs wil~ now Continued on Page 12 Farm workers talk to Militant reporter Kathleen Wheeler, following strike. be done by seniority. Before, workers could be laid off out of seniority for up to 60 days. Other gains made in the contract include increased supplemental pay during layoffs, health coverage (including health care and Monfort packinghouse workers must now insurance payment for same-sex partners); increased pension benefits; and a guarantee produce immigration documents to keep jobs of no mandatory drug testing. Workers scored a small step for human BY CLEVE ANDREW PULLEY tation," according to the Grand Island Inde­ retained a lawyer. dignity by winning the right to wear their pendent. The alternative wr.s to spend two own sweatshirts instead of CAMI uniforms. DES MOINES, Iowa- In the wake of The raid angered many in the community. months in a U.S. jail waiting for a hearing "We made some major gains," said Randy the largest immigration raid and deportation Forty to fifty attended two meetings to pro­ with an uncertain outcome. Doddman in an interview. "We got a lot of at a U.S. plant in recent time, Monfort pack­ test, "whites, Mexicans and Chicanos," ac­ flack from the Woodstock Sentinel, and inghouse in Grand Island, Nebraska, an­ Many workers who were deported have cording to Yolanda Chavez-Nuncio. some other people and businesses for going nounced that it had completed redocumenta­ made their way back to Grand Island to Workers said the effort to organize a union out on strike. They said 'There go those tion of its work force. rejoin their families. Some are married to in the plant continues. Pam Nelson, an orga­ CAMI workers, they don't think auto work­ It has forced the more than l ,300 U.S. citizens or had already applied for per­ nizer for the United Food and Commercial ers make enough money.' They didn't un­ meatpackers who were left working there mission to work. Workers union, said the organizing drive is derstand what we were fighting for." after the September 22 raid to produce pa­ The Monfort plant was seized by more definitely continuing and is concentrating on "Some people said, 'why are you doing pers proving their citizenship or permission than 200 INS and other cops armed with helping fired workers get their checks. this? This is a recession. You can't bargain to work in the United States. Monfort is M-16s and attack dogs. The plant was oc­ Monfort has been advertising for workers in a recession,' " said Debbie Graves. "But forcing workers to undergo redocumenta­ cupied for more than three hours. While they to replace those deported and fired. In three the big corporations keep making money tion at other plants as well. Officials at the abused the entire work force, the Mexican weeks, only three people applied, a company and it's the little people that end up losing. Monfort plant in Des Moines have posted and Chicano workers- U.S. born persons source in Des Moines stated. A starting wage We proved you could fight and win some­ notices, which say that every worker hired of Mexican descent- got the worst treat­ of $7.50 instead of $6 is now being offered. thing even in a recession." after November 6, 1986, will be called into ment. Many workers at the Des Moines plant This fight is another setback for General the office to show their documents. Pablo Ramfrez was held to the floor hand­ are worried that the redocumentation will Motors in its offensive to restructure GM, Of the 307 Mexican and other Latin cuffed, with a rifle to his head and a dog mean people will be fired just as the weather which has announced plans to cut 74,000 American immigrants arrested in the Sep­ standing over him. He wasn't deported, but has turned cold, leaving people with no jobs in order to reverse its plummeting prof- tember 22 raid, 285 "chose voluntary depor- was fired. He said that he and his wife have money to pay rent or to move elsewhere.

16 The Militant November 6, 1992