25 <' - IN T.HIS ISSUE INTER'IIEWS : JOHN WATSON .MOVEMENT CHA CHA JIMENEZ. NEW MEXICO JULY 1969 •• YOL.5 NO.E. CORNELL
•
BULK RATE. ,- THE MOVEMENT PRESS U. S. POSTAGE PAID • ...." F ,."ciooco, Calif. 330 Grove Street Permit No. 8603
San Francisco, California 94102
nr. & Mrs. Grant Cannon 4907 Klatte RQad Cincinnati, mli0 1,5244 " SUR'VIVAL a lesson on gas learned in berkeley
What foUows below 11iay be and other affected' areas. Mine USed as a practical, do-it-your ral oil breaks down the gas. If self hcmdbook. you don't have mineral oil and It is ~ outgf"Ot«h of the can't fmd a medic with any, chemical warfare waged by po immerse all exposed areas in lice against students and other water and then wipe the entire Berkeley citizens this May. If area except the eyes with Iso you want a guide to first aid in phopyl or rubbing alcohol. Al case you are gassed or maced, cohol sets up an evaporation clip it out. Paste it in your me process, cooling the stinging and dicine cabinet, or carry a copy subsiding the pain. with you. . If you don't follow the im The article is reprinted from mersion in water with alcohol, the May 25, 1969, Instant News the stiriging will last 30 min. to Service, a bulletin issued each .2 hours (depending on amount day during the Berkeley Peo of exposure), but if you use it 't ~ ple's Park crisis. It is based the stinging will sUbside in 5-10 til til on an interview with Chuck Mc minutes. Q) AUister, coordinator of the med .Protection. A rubber tear gas ::!l til ,ical first aid groups in Berke mask is the best; in place of ley and member of the Medical that, use wet towels or surgical Committee for Human Rights. masks. J There are·five kinds of chem eN TEAR GAS Z! ical riot control agents used in Dispensing. CN is packaged .B Berkeley in recent months, as the same as CS. . ~ can best be determined by per Properties: The mildest form sons treating the injured: 1) of tear gas used, CN smells like BLISTER GAS to be blistered. Anyone blis mately 70% general propellant CS 2) tear gas, CN tear gas, apple blossOms and is water Dispensing. Comes in a tered is advised to stay off the (whatever it is that ma1l:es it na~ea ca· 3) gas, 4) blister gas, soluble. nister. streets since the pigs could'con jet out), 3) approximately 10% and 5) mace. ceivably pick you up for sport kerosene (this causes the burn Symptoms. Same as CS minus Properties. White powder ing blisters. ing) , and other things. Be aware that the police use the nausea an~ stinging - all which, like CS gas, is fat soluble. some canisters that blow up in symptoms are milder. You can Symptoms. Severe pain in your hand when you try to pick Symptoms. Blistering - in- . be exposed to CN for a longer MACE eyes (feels like hot poker stuck them up ... Do not use vase - stant or within 48 hours - si period than CS without serious Mace differs from the chemi in eyes), watery eves, tempor line for any gas because gas milar to Second degree burns. ary blindness, reddening and side effects except in the case Generally does not affect tear cal agents given above in that adheres to· vaseline and causes of a heavy concentrated dose burning of exposed area. If more severe burning; vaseline ducts or nose membranes. it's not a crowd control device which can be lethal. - it's used more on person-t& sprayed into a person's mouth, can be used for mace, which is it can cause convulsions. liquid. (see below) .. .A Treatment person contacts with one blast a Treatment rubber gas mask Is an: ideal Same as CS except for getting felling inaybe 4 out of 50-100 Treatment Pat exposed area with sterile persons. 1. Heavy irrigation of eye'S for protection against any C gas ex the gas (Iff your skin. With CN, gauze saturated in mineral oil ~ cept nausea gas (see below) ... immerRing the exposed area Dispensing. Mace Is a direct period of 15-20 minutes with Wet paper towels can be used with plain water is sufficient (or, if not available, salad oil) stream liquid dispensed in pro boric acid solution (see CS) or for breathing more easily with yOu doo't need mineral 011 or. 'and treat as second degree pellant canisters. Reportedly. plain water, including all of af· any of the gases. . Surgical Jllcohol.. . burns (wrapping in sterile gauze, the N.Y. Police Department is fected area. • padding, keeping away from masks, which are good protec Protection. Same as CS. working on packaging mace in 2. Wipe affected area except tion against. the two· tear gas air). See a doctor. . grenades, which would .make eyes with isopropyl or rubbing (CS and CN), can be pic~ed up NAUSEA GAS Protection. Rubber gas mask mace a crowd control device. alcohol to dilute the kerosene from a medic ... Do not rub Dispensing. As far as known, (surgical mask isn't sufficient), Properties. Mace is a liquid and subside burning, your eyes after being gassed or this gas has been dispensed gloves, cotion hose (nylon prob composed of: 1) Approximately 3. Apply eye drops. maced but dO carry and use eye locally only in canisters. When ably isn't enough), long pants, 10% CN tear gas which, in a ProtectIon. Ski eye goggles. drops ... Do not try to 'get jZa') it lands, the canister lets off shoes, neck wrap - i.e., cover direct stream, can do severe Also. va'laiine can be apolied or mace off your face with a small puff of smoke and then ing up as much as possible since damage (temporary or perma prior to exposure and wiped off soap because it might run and ... nothing. It looks like a dud whatever is exposed is liable nent) to the eyes, 2) approx:- immediately afterwards. get in your eyes, irritating but it'. not. them further ... The long-term Properties. Clear, col()rless, effects of gas and mace are not odorless. It does not affect the ~~~w~_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ knoWn. tear ducts and is, therefore, not ".\1't ,•••• ,.~•••••••,••~••••••, ,•••t ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••, •••t •••••, •••e:;:••••••,•••t , •••tt;.;t a tear gas. I ~~ ~~ Symptoms. Projective vomit CS TEAR GAS ~U~ TIllS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO THE 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIlE ~U~ ing, in which the contents of the 1I .. • .. Dispensing. The gas comes in « ~ various kinds of canisters, in stomach are forcefully ejected ~U~ several feet. (Projective vomit Iuj ATTACK ON THE MONCADA BARRACKS, JULY 26, 1953. plastic grenades, in pepper fog r.s -' . '-Y"-II! ing COUld ~ake a person tear ft.· ·••·.,·••·.·4.·.·••·•·••·•· ·••·•·••••.••·••·•·••••·••·•·••·.·4.·.·••·•·••·•·••·•·••·•·••·•·••·•· ... machines; it is also sprayed !.,;e,t2.t!l!.,~..2..!1!.t;:.t;:.,~ ••;e••?..;:.,2.,:l:.,~.,~,.~t,:;:.,~.,;:"~,.;:,.~t,:;:,.:;:t,~";:.,~,.;:t.:;:••:;:••;:,, from helicopters. his stomach or esophagus lin ings). Instant diarrhea (within. Properties. CS is a very heavy, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~';n~1 2-3 minutes) with severe st& ~~~~~~~~~~~======~~~~~~~.~~~~~~~ potent tear gas which contains f1'!f-:;:..,:;:••~..5!t.!'+:tt:;!••~••~••~••:;:t.~., .•.•.•.t•.•.•, t tt t t, ",, ~: burning and nausea agents, in mach cramps. (Severe diarrhea could cause rectal hemorrhag ~U~ THE MOVEMENT is published monthly by THE MOVEMENT PRESS, 330 Grove ~U~ addition to normal tear g~s ing). Upsets mind balance-you F ~ Street, San Francisco, California 94102 -- (415) 626-4577 ;: agents. CS, along with blister SUi SUbscriptions - $2.50 per year; $3.00 foreign POW: Jeff Segal ~U~ gas, is a fat soluble gas with have difficulty functioning which in battle is a bum trip. Pain and ~~ ~~ a peppery smell. ~..~ Joseph A, Blum, Editor ~u:. heat sensations in lungs .,.... per ~,.~ ~t'" Symptoms: Harassing sting, ~~ .. nausea, reddened exposed area, sons with upper respiratory dif ,n~ Staff: Arlene Eisen Bergman, assistant, ed,itor; Barbara Baran ; Lincoln ~U~ ficulties (asthma, bronchitis, ....~ Bergman; Renee Blum; GRIMSHAW. Ct-eCtvYI.:t¥ Jerry Densch; ~u~ burning feeling, tears, runny ~,~~ '~, etc.) are the hardest hit. ~.."l Trenal:3eagle COMALA/'&l1 $~fTH Terry Cannon ~ ~ nose, tightness, coughing, and ~~ ~~ in some cases sneezing. T....tment ~U~ Chicago staff: Room 204, 162 N. Clinton, Chicago, nllnois 60606 -- (312) - eU5 See a physician if symptoms ~u~ 327-3681. ; ~ Treatment ~~ M~ 1. Irrigate eyes, preferably do not disappear or if they .. EU~ ~U~ come more pronounced (i.e., if Los Angeles Staff: Ken Cloke, Morgan Spector, Bob Niemann, Mike Davis, with a.diluted solution of boric ~U~ breathing becomes labored or Ju,dy Davis. 1657 Federal Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90025. - (213) - e5 acid (3 parts water to r part ~ ~ 478-9509 ~u~ boric acid) or - if not available if diarrhea persists for, say, " New York Staff: SDS Regional Staff. 131 Prince Street, New York, New York ~U~ - with tap water. two days). .. ~n~ 10012. - (212) 674-8310. Fu~ I: . ~.,.. 2. Clean eyes with standard, Protection. The only thing to ~U~ Detroit: NOC. c/o Jim Jacobs, 1215 Coplan, Detroit, Michigan 48215 FI~~ over-the-counter eye drops (such do is run like hell in the .~ ~t~ (313) 823-2387 't~ ~,~.: HC~ as Murine), putting in the drops posite direction. Do not pick up ~U~ from the inside (i.e., the nose -the canister. Do not wear a ~ Bulk orders at special rates available at all offices. JJ" ~ :, Printed in San Francisco and New York ~ side) toward ti,e outside. ber gas mask becouse you .~~~~~~~~~~d~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. 3. Get the gas off your skin. might choke on your own vomit !••!1!••!1!••I!••I!••!I..~••;:..Zu,..!&.!!!..!i!••!i!••;:.,;:.,;:..;e..5!.,:I••5!.,;:t,ie••~t.~.'5!.,2.,!i ..;:.,2"5:u:.r..S!., e best way is to apply mine (the gas Is absorbed by tile al oil (with a sterile gauze pad skin). If wearing a mask, rip or sterile cotton ball) to the face it off and run.
PAGE 2 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969' PRESIDIO MUTINY admired Huey Newton, turned to his by Fred Gardner fellow prisoners and said: "You were SUICIDE DETAIL LIBERATION News Service right to tear this place up. You got a right to protest about a dude being shot. "Very few people went to this," Paw lowski says, "because we knew it was SAN FRANCISCO (LNS)-Two key participants in th~ Presidio If you clean it all 1JP now you're going back on yourselves." Stephens was im complete hypocrisy. At that very for "mutiny," Walt,er Pawlowski and, Keith Mather, are alive and well in mediately sent to the box for this re mation Woodring and Yamauchi had gone around ripping off the armbands some of the North Country Fair. mark. His detention there for the next few days deprived the 10 black prisoners us had dyed black with shoe polish as a of their most dynamic leader--and the way of mourning. And Woodring had made Sixth Army law officers considered them leaders of the October a joke about Bunch's death. He said, Pawlowsk~ only one who was on good terms with 14th sit-down-a logical conclusion, since it was who the whites. 'Well, one guy made it, one got zapped. Since there weren't enough boxes to That means you all have a 50-50 chance. stood up to read the group's grievances and Mather who demanded There's the gate.' Cohen, a guard, said lock up all the men involved in this out civilian counsel for everyone. break, Woodring made a shrewd move to he wished HE'D shot Bunch so he couId get transferred to Fort Dix. We heard The two of them-Pawlowski, a tall, articulate New Yorker, take the others out of action. He listed the violations they had committed- that the guard had already been court Mather, a powerfully built Californian-escaped December 24th, Kight, for instance, was told he had martialled and fined a dollar for the incited to riot, participated in a riot, shell--so any other prosecution would several weeks before the trials began. In their absence the prosecution be double jeapardy.- and transferred to destroyed government property, dis has tried to identify other leaders (for special punishment) by such obeyed a lawful order and showed dis a post of his choice. And of course we respect to an NCO--but promised not lmow that the killing WASN' T justifie
JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 3
.:%<- 'Workers' take power • In.
appalachia this time. There's lots of women that YOUR OWN BOSS left simply because they .didn't have rne money. There wasn't anytning else to do~ they had to leave. ' "Here YCil're your own boss. We each own a part of it and we all Things look real good for us now, help decide how it should be run. We 'we're making our payments and meet have a board of nine people elected ing our' payroll. We've paid off an by the women on the line, but they awful lot of bills that built up while don't get anything special and they work on the machines too. They make In August, 1966, the Levi Strauss Blue Ridge plant in Georgia was we were trying to karn on the dresses. -We've not had to have any help decisions but if we don't like them we struck for higher wages and better.working conditions. 56 weeks later recently from anybody. We've got less can change them. We have a manager that strike was finally broken. Rather than giving up the struggle the than a year's working days put in, and 'and a supervisor but they make the I think any business would do well same amount we make, $1.60 an workers formed a co-op corporation called Appalachian Enterprises. to be where we're at." hour. They just oversee the whole In May, 1968, the MOVEMENT carried an interview with three of thing 'and help out whenever a bottle neck develops." the former Levi workers about their plans. The f~llowing is the story PROBLEMS of their efforts, since that time, to make the co-op work., It is re Later that evening we were talking printed from WILDCAT, a new newspaper dedicated to workers' A young blonde woman' who was with some of the women who had snipping the thread and extra mater come back after supper to work. We struggles. ial off the finished dresses stopped got to talking about what their factory work for a minute to allswer some 'meant and why' companies like Levi questions. "What is your biggest at the court house up at Blue Ridge or any other are allowed to treat their A few of the women who used to problem now, at Appalachian ·Enter· 'and we'd have discussions of ways we workers as they do. Brenda M.ull had iwork for Levi Co. have. set up their prises?" own factory. It took months of hard could go. We began to think that we some ideas. "People have been taught !Work and many setbacks but they are could set up our ow, factory and run "Well, we've been having quite a to do what (hey can for themselves ~ucceeding. Appalachian Enterprises, it the waof we wanted it: We talked' bit oj trouble with the Labor Board. and it doesn't matter what you have 'nc. is located' just off the main street to some people from the Southern We work' overtime most days, we to do to somebody else to get what Mineral Bluffs, a small town just a :Christian Educational Fund, a Civil come back after supper lots of times. you want, just so you get, it. It's ew miles from Blue Ridge. The fac Rights organization that helps both rhey've really gotten on us about really rough, that's what big business ~ory occupies the back half of a single black and 'white, and they loaned us working overtime without pay. We uses now-that way they don i have Ftory building about half the size ora four thousand dollars. We started re told them that was the only way we anybody combining together to fight pty block. It is well lighted and nO-vating and working on the building had to get these dresses out so we them. We're too busy fighting each aciOUS' the new modern sewing 'in September with about 17 or 18 could --stay open. T~en they decided other, so big business just sits back and makes the profits offof us. " achines contrast with the tables and 'women. By January.we had nearly 60 ,IuIt we IuId to pay ou, mafUlge' and helves' built by the women and their members working on the machines. "supervisor more than the rest of us usbands. In many respects it seems 'get. We don't do that, we all get the At Appalachian Enterprises at least, ~ LEARNING NEW THINGS that doesn't happen. The profits are . e any other small factory. It's not. same pay." going to the women who do the work. The thing that makes their factory The woman working next to her One of the women hit the nail on We all had to learn new things" ro different ~ .that they run it: They commented that the Labor Board only the head when she said, "If we sew, make the declSlons, not some bIg shot all most people had ever done was sticks to the rules when it chooses. we get it. If we don't: we won't. " ktuck off in -an office somewhere work on pants at Levi. We've learned We asked her 1'0 explain. "The Labor passing down orders. How many times to change patterns and how to put Board didn't stand behind us when we The biggest problem with a factory has a guy on the line had to follow dresses together. We didn't know how tried to draw our unemployment, they like Appalachian Enterprises or any some fool order passed down from the '0 ship out, so we got a man to come let Levi knock us out of it. They've other small factory is that no matter ~lnd top that he knew .wasn't right? The tell us how. not stood behind us on any qf our how hard people work it's impossible women at Appalachian Enterprises do cases we've had with Levi or anyone. " to compete with the large corporations Our first contract was set up by that control the economy of this 'the work, and they know how the a man by the name of Van Bible. We walked around the' factory for country. The solution to this is not' 'plant should be run, what production We worked lor 2 or 3 months before rates are reasonable, what machines a while, just talking to people and' only workers controlling their factory, we realized that we had been taken, but workers controllinf,l society. are best, and whe~ and how to 'somebody was taking a cut out. We watching them work. The atmosphere expand. No one's work is considered were getting seven dollars per dozen is fritmdly and casual, the women Reprinted from WILDCAT more valuable than another's; they all .dresses and they were giving eight talked and moved about but the work get the same pay, they alFtake part and a halfat a place in Murphy. Then , never stopped. We asked some of the in making decisions. That only makes we found out t"at Van Bible did not women what it"was like working there. sense. Just because a guy wears a own the machines he was selling us. white shirt and works. with paper A middle-aged woman who used to instead of' machines doesn't mean his , We had to shut down and pile out sew for the Levi Co. told us how work, is worth more than the ne," ~is machines and start trying to get different it was to work at a factory ~ I- 55 guy's. ' rhe money up to make a down pay like Appalachian Enterprises. "It's a ... Z C'i ~ent for the machines we have now. lot easier working here and I think Brenda Mull, a young mother who We had to hunt another contract by you do your work a lot better with O:: ..... (;A- had picketted Levi ·Co., told us about ourselves this time. Meanwhile every c~t wmep'ody breathing down .your U:E~ Appalachian Enterprises' ~nd how they body was out ofwork, we were paying neck all the time, wanting you to do ~ got started. our overhead with the mon~y we'd more... more every day. " ...... "Well, when the union was voted gotten and hoped to pay salaries with. t/J=-~ ·out we quit the picket line. because Instead, because of these people tak "I worked once in Greenwood, ~=~ that was the quitting place jor us. We ing us like they did, we just barely Miss. for a piano company," Brenda knew after a year of struggle (lad managed to pay' the overhead and told us. "They had a fairly decent ;J :IE .~ going hungry that we'd better start keep things going. We kept working union, reasonable rates and $0 forth. ,thinking of a way for people to earn without pay for the three months we It was much better than Levi, but you "f/J o~ C"J a living. We talked things over and were closed down. Since we've come still...you still had a certain way to ...... - ,decided to start a community. pro back we've had plenty of work but go and that you'd better do this, 'bram. We held m,eetings pretty regular we don't have near as m/lflY people this way or don't do it at all. "
PAGE 4 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
.... J r " ~ TI In the past 30 years industry has :Created many new hazards, 'but none as grim as ·the mounting death rate ~om lung diseases. Everyone warns us 'i1bout cigarette smoking, but on-the lob causes of death have been hushed up.
Because of this total disregard for' lives, hundreds of thousands of wo~k ers are being quietly crippled or killed by lung diseases' in industry after industry.
In the steel industry, foundry work ers have a staggering rate of lunQ di!fease. ,. This is particularly true 'of moulders and grinders. The metal dust and toxic fumes concentrated .in sec tions of the mills are almost as deadly (and less merciful) as if the company used a machine-gun.'
In many plants the company is :introducing MIG weiding, a new high speed continuous. welding process. This means more production for the company, but dangerous exposure to ozone gas for workers.
Cotton mills are another example. 'In many of the mills conditions are no different than they were at the turn of "-ecentury. While your eye is caught by the obvious hazards from exposed belt drives and such, the ever-present lint_in the air is slowly' destroying the ability to breathe.
The two main diseases caused by these on-the-job conditions are Sili cosis and Emphysema. Silicosis is the destruction of lung tissue caused when dust particles (ljke metal or rock) are constantly inhaled. Over time they literally slice the walls of the lungs to pieces. People with this disease can easily catch TB, and many have died from the combination of both.
'Emphysema is the eating away of the lining of the' lungs, leaving scar tissues which gradually throttle off the supply of oxygen. Starting with feeling "short of breath", Emphysema slowly progresses until the patient is an invalid, fighting for just enough oxygen to stay alive. Unless caught early, this disease is incurable. WORKING. MAY BE Although smoking is a big factor, ' ...... 0· medical science has proven that the US 10 , rate of Emphysema is much higher in .. industrial Cities, and higher still in workers in certain p/~rlts. The death ,..te for these two dis ,eases has grown faster than any other cause of death, increasing more than YOUR ---. :rH! four times over since 1952. 'In 1962 the Social Security Administrati9n dis nickel processing, and uranium mining As long as they can keep it quiet, The only publicity any of this has covered that these two industrial dis have developed lung cancer at an the, corporations won't have to pay gotten has been in the 'Coal mines, eases accounted for the overwhelming abnormally high rate. Asbestos, for any damages to employees whose lives where West Virginia miners took majority qf people on Disability Al example, is so dangerous that when they've destroyed. They also -won't things into their own hands and chut lowances. Another study that year improperly installed in homes it have to pay for the ventilation sys down the industry for three weeks. .found 37,000 men discharged from threatens the health of those living ~ems, protective clothing and respir l'hey formed th8ir own organization, V.A. hospitals with these conditions. there. These and other industrial ators, rotating work assignments and fought off the coal companies and the materials are, proven cancer-producing speedup restrictions that health rules United' Mine Workers union, and wot;l Lung cancer is another "extra" that agents. would require. If they can save a few at leas~ some protective legislation. the companies hand out free of charge. Years ago a study was made of lung bucks, ' why should they worry if it Since 1954 it has been the leading cancer among chromate workers. In kills us? Even thOt,iah over 8,000 miners type of cancer among men, and has formation was gathered from life in die and 80,000 minei's art= disabted' every year through this deadly "black increased 15 times in the last 35 years. surance records, and compared to the And the companies. have gotten a lung" disease, the Union. had the nerye Again, while the role of cigarettes is records of similar workers in the same lot of help in this dirty conspiracy. to call the striking miners "finks'~ drummed into us over and over; there cities but in different industries. While The Government and the unions have That's a real lesson. It's our lives and is complete silence when' it comes cancer was the cause of death in 1.4% been glad to keep their mouths s,hut. .our family's welfare that's at stake: ,to lung cancer from work conditions. of the other workels, among chromate After all, none of them have to run And our liv~ are a damn sight .more workers the cancer rate was no an.y risks. And y~_ know how much than 21%. important than the somebody's bank. Docotrs have known for years that help the company docton are~ men exposed to asbestos, chrome and account. Reprinted from W'ILDCAT ~'cJULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 5 by La Simpatica At the end of last March, a Chicano Youth Liberation Conference was held in Denver. It was held at the headquarters of the Crusade for Justice, a Denver Chicano organization headed by Corky Gonzales. It was an impor tant .conference, despite recent rumors that part of the expenses were indirectly paid by the C.I.A. The results of many new leaders meeting each other for the first time, and dis cussing what they have in common, may in time outw~igh whatever eavesdropping. and disrupting the C.I.A. agents managed to do. The Chicano Youth Liberation Conference was the first nationwide conference of Chi cano In;ilitants and organizers ever held. (The word "Chicano," by the way, is from Pachuco . slang. It is a shortening of "Mejicano," or "Mexican.") It was a reflection of the tre mendous surge forward in the Chicano and Latino movement in the U.S. in the past year. Many local organizations have arisen allover the country. There is now a Chicano Press Association, consisting of fourteen papers photo by Karl Kernberger which exchange articles and information. This surge forward is mostly due to the worsening conditions of Chicanos as a superexploited part of the 'working class (average income below that of Negroes), but partly due to the gains they see being made by the militant black movement. . Many of the young militants are newly -emerged grass-roots organizers, many had never been out of their own areas to meet with other organizers. Though no open split between groups or individuals developed, many local militants were exposed for the first time to the Chicano movement as a whole, brought face-to-face with many of the trends in it. As they talked with their counterparts from all over the country, several trends emerged. .one' that is now important is a tendency toward what might almost be called cultural nationalism, as exemplified by the host Crusade for Justice. Here is the first Point from a Program that they put out for the conference: "Nationalism" Nationalism as the key to organ ization transcends all religious, political, class, and economic factions and boundaries. Nationalism is the common denominator that all members of La Raza can agree upon. At this point in the Chicano movement, however, reactionary nationali~m has not yet clearly emerged. Many who might be considered nationalists are sincere in wanting to develop their own movement before rushing into what they consider to be pre: mature alliances with non-Chicano groups. The rest of the points in the Crusade fo r Justice Program, for instance, deal quite concretely with armed self defense and other realities. Therefore a call for a return to "Chicano culture" is in itself not reac tionary, but simply a way of trying to draw back photo by Karl Kernberger those who are losing their identity as Chicanos. The other important trend is that of young revol utionaries. They see the futility of relying solely on cultural nationalism, as most of them have been actively working organizing poor people and know that the basis of their problems is economic and not cultural. Developments in the Chicano movement are moving with lightening speed, as they are in the movement in general all over the country. At this point, there is no national grouping of Chicanos, and no revolutionary organization for Chicanos. But there is a blinding rush toward this national'unity, and there is a rad ical left quickly' emerging in the process. Where do these grass-roots organizers come from? How do they develop and come forth? One center of the Chicano movement has been New Mexico. While the movement is becoming unified, there is still to some extent a separate rural movement or'small farmer-peasants in this area. What is the present state of that movement? Many people know of it only through Reies Tijerina. Actually, the movement has now broadened beyond its initial land-grant beginnings.
RURAL MOVEMENT Through a century of oppression the rural, Spanish speaking. people have managed to tenaciously hold on to some of their land and way of life. The last vestige of the bartering, communal economy (primitive com munism) are st111 there. Each summer and fall, farmers sell chili, apples, corn and other produce in town or from door to door from the backs of , ancient, weathered pickup trucks. In their lifetimes, , many of them have seen the change from self-sub sistence to degradation. Their communal way of life has been wiped out by the encroachment of capitalism into their isolated mountains. The people who live there never chose to accept the American way of llfe. As with the Indians, it was shoved down
PAGE 6 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
\ , I VIVA bA ~Z~! their throats. Until 20 years ago, itwas the assumption One small settlement had its entire populace rounded class backgrounds--in fact, many are coupon clip of the rural people that they could make a living off up and put into a sheep corral overnight with no food, pers--and embrace philosophies of anarchism, ideal the land. Now they are neither able to make a living water or sanitary facilities, just to make sure they ism, and mysticism. off the land, nor participate in the U.S. economy- wouldn't harbor any of the suspects. Strategic hamlet? The present influx of influences also includes that of there are few jobs in the countryside. During the As can be seen from this, the Alianza has sup Cuba. Anyone with a cheap shortwave radio can get past 20 years, about half of the population has fled porters in the rural north. Most ofthe active members Radio Havana loud and clear, in English and Spanish, these rural areas, going to the larger towns in the and supporters are old men, grizzled men who have seven days a week. Many listen to it. Recently, several Southwest or to the big cities, especially on the West lived on the land all tjleir lives. The Alianza itself local movement activists have travelled· to Cuba. Coast. With the rising costs of living and the advent does virtually no organizing, although sporadic at The Cuban influence turns people on to the idea of of agribusiness, they could no longer afford to hold tempts were made in this direction when Tijerina socialism, being built by fellow Latinos. It shows on to their small farms and communal grazing areas. ran for governor. There are indications that Tijerina them that when the people take things into their own Many small farms have been split into smaller and seeks to exclude younger, more militant local people hands, quick progress can be made. This is strongly smaller parcels as the land is divided up among from the Alianza. Tijerina's popUlarity seems to positive. There may be some negative aspects to heirs. The people who are left are conciously clinging be on the wane In the North. Some activists charge the "Cuban mystique,,,, a mystique of "Debrayism" , to their land because they do not want to leave their that Tijerina runs the Alianza more asa personality which stresses the forming of a small tough band of home, and because they believe that the land will ul than as an ideological force. Ideologically, he wavers fighters or engaging in adventurist activities, and timately be worth more to them than welfare or a from anti-communism in New Mexico to support of neglects getting people organized anI! raising con job in the city. the Panthers on the West Coast. (though not recently). sciousness in day -to-day work--preparing the people The ones who are left live by bare subsistence for struggle. farming, usually supplemented by construction or LAND TO THE PEOPLE There are also U.S Communist Party-types who service jobs that only last part of the year. Some have been working in the area for years, and are times the father of a family is forced to go out of On the positive side, the land grant movement was still active. Their influence cannot be underestimated. the state to work part ofthe year, leaving his family in the first crystallization of anti-government feeling Mainly, they are disruptive; drawing militant groups New Mexico. The aged and others unable to work in New Mexico in many years, and initially it set a into all,1ances with reformist groups and then sab must sell their land in order to receive welfare. positive example by its armed anti-Forest Service otaging the militancy. This goes on mostly in the towns, Essentially, the rural people of northern New Mexico activities. The Alianza raised a demand which is but, its effect has been felt in the countryside. and southern Colorado are farmer- peasants-- going basic to rural poor, a demand which has gone beyond Ever since the Courthouse Raid, there have been in debt part or all of the year (to loan companies and the narrow legal confines of land grant descendants. rumors that Cuban guerrillas were trairiing in the country stores) and trying to m3.ke it up when there The demand is WE WANT OUR LAND! Tijerina mountains, that • Reds" were arming the PeoPle. is work. They are a proud, warm people, whose had a positive effect on the land movement he helped EVidentally these rumors were started by the local traditional culture binds them closely together. The get started. This positive effect has now diminished. ruling class. Cuban influence is there, although average family is large and closely knit, and may Until the last few weeks,Reies was spending most of Cubans aren't. The truth--much harder for the include several generations under one roof as part his time away from the rural areas-he has been local pigs to face--is that an indigenous, militant, of the extended family system. travelling around the country speaking or staying and (to a certain extent) ARMED local movement This is one of the areas recently nationally pUb in Albuquerque. is growing very rapidly, led and organized by LOCAL licized by Government rePorts as having widespread The Alianza as it is now is essentially a primitive people. These are country people who have always malnutrition. Meals consist mostly of s~rch ana spontaneous rebel organization, like the early Peas- had guns and have always known how to use them. fat, especialfy in the winter wheli'there are no fresh .ants' Leagues in China. The membership is absolutely These are people who know how to fight and are not vegetables to eat. In Rio Arriba County, the only sincere and genuine. The role of the Alianza and of afraid to. And these people are becoming politically doctor for 90 miles was drafted and sent to. Vietnam! Tijerina ,in northern New Mexico is undergoing a conscious. That is what their oppressors are afraid Other counties in southern Colorado have no doctor at rapid change, and the next year or so should determine of. Even though in an industrial country like the all. its outcome. The initial enthusiasm around the land U.S. most of the population and power lies in the The current land movement is an outgrowth of the grant movement has died. It doesn't relate to the cities, the countryside may still prove to be one robbery of land that has been taking place for 100 VATOS on the streets, who are an important new of the weakest links for the powers-that-be. years and still goes on today. (See the MOVEMENT political force. Many new, young leadersare privately Aug. 1967 and Feb. 1961J). The Alianza Federal d.e critical of Tijerina himself and consider him an URBAN/RURAL BRIDGE los Pueblos Libres (Federal Alliance of Free City opportunist. They are critical of him for not putting states) was originally formed by Reies Tijerina forward a better program, one that more people could In August of 1968, a newspaper was started in and others in hopes of getting back land from the relate to. Santa Fe: EL GRITO DEL NORTE (The Cry of forest Service, and forming "free City-States" like the North). Beverly Axelrod and Elizabeth Mar the Pueblo of San Joaquin on this land. They hoped PEOPLE'S CO-OPS tinez were its founders. The object of thepaperwas to do this legally, using the Treaty of Guadalupe The Alianza is not the only force in the north. For to serye the community and to get local poor people Hidalgo as a basis. For years they drew up petitions involved as much as possible in writing stories and worked out a vague legal case based on ancient some time, other local people have been quietly or ganizing. The Tierra Amarilla Co-op, which began and criticizing the paper. At first, EL GRITO was documents, to no avail. Then they staged a couple of centered on news of Tijerina and the Alianza, and events--which aroused people. The first was a simple operation this summer, is one result of this organizing. Its aim is to be a real people's co-op and notoneof Tijerina's campaign for governor, but has now broad confrontation with Forest Rangers at a campground. ened to include reportage of struggles both in Albu The second was the famous Courthouse Raid. the fake agricultural co-ops that abound all over the country. Real co-ops of this type would be a boon to querque and Santa Fe, and in the countryside. There are articles about Latin America, especially Mexico, COURTHOUSE RAID this area, in which the individual farmer is too small to be able to make a living, but all the small farmers and news of the movement in the U.S. in an area could pool their resources and machinery The paper started out with the idea of serving What became the Courthouse Raid was originaliy the people, and it has been a success. The staff to_ have been a perfectly legal citizen's arrest of and begin to be self-sufficient. They want to recapture the practical elements of theirold communal culture, has moved to Espanola, a small farming town north Alfonso Sanchez, a much-hated D.A who was out of Santa Fe in Rio Arriba County. The influence to break the Alianza. Ironically, it turned out that while moving into the future with the development of political 'power. of a paper like this in Santa Fe and in rural areas he was not there at the time. For a couple of days cannot be under-estimated. New Mexico is fainy' before the raid, Sanchez' harrassment of the Alianza Other contradictions have arisen in the area which may prompt a resurgence of the local tradition of isolated; it does not have the extensive news cov had been building up. Alianza members had been erage that big cities have. The local press, radio blocked from meeting at Coyote, and fourteen people resistance. Texas money is buying up much land in the mountains. The land is cheap, because the and T. V. are reactionary, and keep news of pro connected with the Alianza were arrested when they tests out of the news "so as not to spread unrest" . tried to protest this violation of their rights. The poor cannot afford to hold onto it; the state legis courthouse raiders also wanted to free these people, lature also gives these outsiders considerable tax who were imprisoned there. . breaks. They have bought up land around Truchas CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Tierra Amarilla is a small, very isolated town. and El Rito, two mountain villages in which there It is the county seat of Rio Arriba, which reaches is considerable pro-land movement feeling. Ski resorts to the Colorado border. Rio Arriba contains several and condominiums for the wealthy would be built small towns like Tierra Amarilla which were init here. In 'El Rito, when the announcement was made ially pretty solidly pro-Alianza, or at least anti that a large amount of land was to be developed, Forest Service and pro-land movement. at the same time came the • mysterious" development A group of Alianza members headed by Tijerina that the town high school and vocational school Hl1bbETtN moved in on the courthouse. Several members were had run out of funds and would be closed! It was carrying rifles, but not Tijerina. When they could all too obvious to the townspeople that the developers The Alianza, Brown Berets and SNCC were not find D.A. Sanchez, what followed evidentally was attending a four-day "San Joaquin Liberation not planned. There was a scuffle between an Alianza ~:~l:rs:a~~~dc:~at:e~o;:wt~~\~l:~':~t i~~~~~r~;~~ Seminar" in early June to celebrate the second member and a deputy. The deputy was shot and The local Chicano vendidos are working for the state, anniversary of the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse severely wounded. Other courthouse officials were which wants to let the town die. Their influence is Incident. The seminar was located near the San rounded up and held at gunpoint until the raiders very strong, and the forces that want to save the town Joaquin land grant (600,000 acres), now occupied could find a hostage and make an escape. They are having a hard time rallying support. While there by the U.S.Forest Service. slipped away into the forests and mountains of the is not much direct organizing going on, there is a The seminar had decided to attempt a citizens north, and a panicked liberal Republican adminis rapid psychological change going on among the people arrest of the Governor of New Mexico, Cargo:He tration called in the National Guard. ,of the north. Any movement activity is subject to escaped, but pig arrest came anyway. The con Within a few hours, an incredible scene ensued. overreaction by the pigs, and there is a general frontation came when Patsy Tijerina (Reies' The raiders had completely disappeared. Small, upswing of spontaneous, sporadic activity on both Wife) set fire to a large redwood sign in the peaceful villages like Coyote and Gallina were sud sides. Santa Fe National Forest. As she lit the fire, denly garrisoned by hundreds of soldiers with fixed she said, • The land belongs to the people. I bayonets. Tanks lumbered down dirt roads, stared OUTSIDE INFLUENCES feel signs have to go down. If I don't do it at by wide-eyed children. Helicopters hovered over someone else will. All signs have to go dow~ head. The administration had evidentally underestim Many hippies are moving into northern New Mexico. and all fences. ated the popularity of the land movement in the Some live in "communes" or other \groups, while At that point the Rangers moved to arrest north. They not only didn' t find the raiders right others live among the local people in the villages her. Chief Evans held a gun on her and when away, they didn't find some of them for several and towns. By and large, they keep to themselves Reies attempted to make a citizens' arrest weeks. Almost all of them voluntarily gave them and do not mix with the local people. This has caused of Evans, a scuffle ensued. Tijerina went to selves up, one so that his own impoverished mother some friction to arise between them and the local his car for a rifle and 15 armed Rangers ap could collect the reward. Tijerina remained hidden for people. Some of the hippies are parasites, 'while peared on the scene. Finally, Reies and 6 others a couple of weeks, until turned in by a service others work hard and supportthemselves. The sincere were arrested for interference, and, in some station attendant and captured at a road block. groupswhowant to work the land must eventually unite cases, assault and resistingarrest. Later, sever What had begun as a search operation for the with the local Chicanos and learn from them, in orde·r al SNCC people were also busted for "conspiracy Guard turned into an intimidating operation. The to succeed. Standing in the way of this now is the fact to commit a crime" (driving without a license). local DODulation became the target of the attack. that many of the hippies come from middle or upper All are now out on bail. JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 7 People know what's going on in their town, but may a prison.: no jobs, no opport'unities, nothing to do. the economy ofthe state stagnates, population declines, not know what's going on in the next town or in Santa The concerts and gallery openings of the rich Anglos and conditions get worse..Even in a time of "boom", Fe. The paper bridges the gap between rural and urban did not interest the poor Chicanos. New Mexico is economically depressed. The parts movements. The founder of the Brown Berets InSanta This impression was strengthened when I moved of the economy that are booming are doing so at ) 'Fe energetically distributes EL GRITO, as ·,well as out to a small farming valley near Santa Fe for the the expense of poor rural communities all over the continuing to organize in Santa Fe. His route takes summer. The most commonly expressed sentiments country, which are being drained. These drained him allover northern New Mexico and southern were of despair abOut lack of jobs and opportunity, areas are like colonies within the U.S. An economic Colorado, and puts him in touch with other organ coupled with an intense political interest and desire recession now, as called for in business and admin izers who are working in the rural areas. ·He is to do something. Even the inhabitants of a small istration plans, would hurt people in areas like New working to make EL GRITO a community newspaper, nearby pueblo, who were pretty sharp about managing Mexico most. not just a "movement" newspaper. Many small gro their collective financial affairs, seemed to have no cery stores, barber shops, cleaners, and other small hope for their future in the Valley. All. their sons- STREET LIFE businesses carry the paper and sell 35-50 copies the only heirs who could work the land--were leaving a w~ek. The paper has been instrumental in drawing for the city, the army, and a more promising way of With these worsening conditions as background, together the movement in northern New Mexico life. I began to meet and hang around with some young and southern Colorado. It wasn't apparent on the surface, but contradictions Chicanos. I learned of the life of the streets, and were ripening. There is a contr.adiction between the many of the poor of Santa Fe. Here, as in other SANTA FE poor people and the state: state and federal government oppressed areas, hustling is an accepted way of are supposed to be the second largest economic life--legal and illegal hustling. It just means that Santa Fe combines typical elements of town and factor in New Mexic.o, after tourism. The state every day you have to find something to do to make countryside. It has about 45,000 people, and is the government represents the ruling class which keeps a couple of dollars. If you have a pickup trUCk, you state capitol. It is 66 miles from a large town- people out of jobs and then tries to keep them pacified go into the hills to chop pinon and cedar wood to Albuquerque--and is fairly isolated in some re with Welfare. In Northern New Mexico, Chicanos are sell to the Anglos for their fireplaces for $10-$15 spects, having a "small town" feeling. Everybody jUdges, local cops, politicians and other represen a load--a load that may have taken you a day or two knows' everybody else and what he's doing. In some tatives of the ruling class. Here, Chicanos are to gather and half a day to split. You go out to the ways, it also has the feeling of a "metropolis". It oppressed by membEirs of their own"Raza" in lower pueblos to sell booze, trade beat-up furniture for is seventh in the nation in per capita income, because echelon positions of power, with the Anglos at the blankets or jewelry. of the large number of millionaires living there. very top. This is good, because it makes the class The cost of living is a much as, or even more than, Many of these are liberal coupon clippers who,dabble nature of the state more apparent. .that of California. In the Bay Area, a half gallon of in the arts. New Mexico has long been a refuge for Since there is very little industry anywhere in milk cost 47~; in Santa Fe it is 62~. In Santa Fe, a oddball artists and retired "radicals" of one kind New Mexico, there is no large "middle class" of truck driver makes$l.80 an hour--he'd be making or another. It is also a havenJfor national socialites, relatively well-paid workers and technocrats, except $3.50 or more in the Bay Area. '. in the league with Scottsdale, Arizona and Aspen, in certain concentrated areas of federal government The federal government, to' apply a Band-Aid, Colorado. All this results in a fairly grejltI!ll1!l~r work like Los Alamos or Sandia Base near Albu has large Poverty Programs in northern New Mexico. of wealthy corporate liberars and other liberals. querque. Poor and working class· whites, who live 'For a couple of years, Headstart, Model' Cities, They exert some influencein certain 'areas ofcity mostly in the towns, live pretty much like poor VISTA Volunteers, and CAP programs have taken and state politics. For instance, their infiuence' is chicanos: most hold service industry jobs. The a large, active role in the community. Northern felt whenever industries try to move into northern a verage wage for even unionized workers is $200 New Mexico was one of the original "target areas"- New Mexico: wealthy liberals move to block them, $350 a· month.. At that, one is lucky to have a job areas recognized by the federal government ashaving so that "theirH air won't get polluted. They also at all. In northern New Mexico, Anglos and Chicanos such bad poverty thatifthey didn't pourin some money control and run Santa Fe's unusually large number . intermingle fairly freely. But in Southern New Mexico ·immediately,.they'd soon have an insurre,ction on their of museums, most of which are tied in to the state -:"Little Texas"--there ·is more overt prejUdice. hands. As usual, these programs attracted all the government. M:any bars and restaurants have "No Indians or worst opportunists in town--and, as everywhere, Santa Fe also shares many features with towns . Mexicans" signs. (One Chicano from Northern New scandals developed about misuse of funds. These of its size all over the southwest: a large impov.., Mexico told me that he first became aware that he programs were supposed to buy off mUltant local erished Chicano population, almost complete lack was "different" from other "Americans" when he leaders, attract slave labor "volunteers" (or Model of industry, low salaries, almost no union' represent left the area and joined the ·army.) Cities and Urban Renewal land grabs, cause faction:" ation. All in all, it is two towns: one of the rich and And who controls the state?In northern New Mexico, alism among poor people, and generally be palli- one of the poor. It is new state capitol bUildings sur': there is a contradiction betweenout-of-st:J.!~,interests 'ative for the horrible poverty of· the area. rounded by ancient bartio. It iswealthy artists making and in-state interests, as there is in ~ semi While somewhatlimited successwas made in achiev a living as cultural parasites by painting pictures of colony within the U.S. In general the out-of-state ing these goals, the programs have made many sincere the quaint and picturesque slums, of the-quaint and interests want no development to take place, such as people who 'naively participated in them aware of the picturesque Indians. It is rich Indian traders and new factories or anything that would raise the wages fiasco of government aid. The"slaves" became aware poor Indians. It is dirt roads in the barrios that and taxes. The in-state interests want to encourage that they were being used. The younger brothers freeze into tire-slashing ruts in the winter, melt into new industries,' because they would benefit by it. of the militant leaders who were bought off became mires in the summer. It is many families within city Many working people also favor attracting industry, aware of the bribe, and swore never to take it. limits living in crumbling adobe shacks with wood as they want to stay in New Mexico and.be able to make Some VISTAS who started out as liberals soon stoves as the only heating and cooking facility, only a living. Out-of-state interests are those such as became radicals after a year or two of living with cold water to wash in, and no indoor plumbing. insurance companies, which control or own large the people and discovering the futility of trying amounts of land and mineral rights; mineral concerns to help them within the system. Actually, the poverty CONTRADICTIONS RIPENING like Anaconda, Phelps-Dodge, El Paso Natural Gas, programs have moved many people to the left. Molycorp. "Texas money" is also in this group: When I carne to Santa Fe in 1966, there was no it controls land, cattle, mineral rights, resort de TEATRO DE LA CALLE movement of any kind there, except fpr a very mild velopment, and various tax-write-off businesses. "Vigil for Peace" once a week. The Alianza'was busy, D~las is the financial center of the Southwest, Last summer, some radical VISTAs started a but its impact was not directly felt· in Santa Fe; and its influence is felt everywhere. project called ".Teatro de la Calle" It was street it was still narrowly limited to the land grant issue. These are arrayed against a variety of in-state theater and they were looking for local people to People talked about it, though; most people seemed businesses and light industries (like lumber com participate in it. A friend of mine--a truck driver to think that the Alianza did not representthem because panies) that want to build small plants to exploit who was soon to develop into a n excellent organ they were not land grant descendants. On the surface, cheap labor. izer--became part of it, and, as one of the most the town seemed as it had for a hundred years: Within the state government, some of the pol dynamic members of the group, soon dominated it adobe; sunwashed and tranqUil. The white liberals iticians are on the side of national money interests, with his ideas and energetic acting style. Soon and artists liked being there; it was their haven away while many others want to attract industry by means we (independent leftists, mUltant Chicanos, radical from the strife of the "Big City". It was where they of cheap labor and low taxes to develop the state. VISTAs, and the people) managed to take it over. carne to escape. I got a distinctlydifferentimpression, Many pages of the local paper are taken up with All summer we brought anti-war, anti-establish however, talking to Chicanos. I had to look for a job, the squabble in the legislature between these two fac ment, anti-mayor plays to poor neighborhoods all and jobs are very hard to come by there. My job tions. National money interests still have the upper over the city. Our audiences usually consisted mostly hunting treks put me in contact with many people. hand, as they have had for some time, and "Texas of children and teenagers, who took great·delight in Fo.r most Chicanos, the town was not a haven, but money" continues to buy more land. Meanwhile, the slapstick comedy and exaggerated gestures of the skits. The plays were all written collectively by the participants. Local Chicano musicians and dancers also participated, and the program usually ended with everyone dancing in the streets. By the end of the summer, we had gotten respect and popularity in the barrios. Our skits especially attacked the mayor, a Chicano ·who was elected by Chicanos on a program of "helping the poor", but who showed his true colors soon after taking office. Although he got blue in the face--after all, it was a VISTA program!--not one line of a skit was ever changed. Later in the year, we were indignantly told by a poverty program official, "The atre in the streets has been cancelled for next summer!" "Good", coolly responded myfriend. "We've already planned to go ahead on our own. Government money would ruin us." The Santa Fe local ruling class consists of medium size businessmen --Jaycee types, and local repre sentatives of national firms who exercise a lot of local power. It is a mixture of anglos and Chicanos. The Chicanos are mostly small or middle business men who have become politicians or who exercise political power through the Democratic machine (which elected the mayor). These Chicanos are known as "vendido" and "lambes", or "sell-outs" and "brown-noses" . Even the lowliest of state jobs are handed out as direct political favors. This is how the state political machine works. In this aspect of corrup tion, New Mexico resembles Old Mexico. In an I area of such poverty, these secur'e jobs are eag ~ erly sought. In the north, most of these jobs go to Chicanos--even bus drivers and 'janitors get ~ their jobs because they have "friends". 'Even though ~ they may only make $250 a month, they are often 0; the highest-paid workers in their villages, if they 'g -:'live"'in the countryside. -In return for their jobs, 0; ·they ,owe their political allegiance to the local ruling em -class·- and' 'exercise their Clout, wherever they are, 0; to 'keep Chicanos divided. There is a strata of
PAGE 8 THE MOVEMENT ,JULY 1969 .\
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these vendidos or petty-bourgeoisie in every town of the agenda,. so that they wouldn't come up unt1l process of expanding their program and including and community in northern New Mexico. In some 11 o'clock at night, or later. more of the people's demands in it: community areas, they have severely retarded the growth of . At the same time, my friend and a couple of his control of schools, etc. And. they are becoming the movement--especially in the rural areas. buddies were starting a group of Brown Berets. aware of the the shortcomings in some of the otlier Many of the smaller local businessmen, however, They knew almost nothing of the nationwide program Brown Beret firoups across the country: lack of are caught in the squeeze between the local big or the activities of other Beret groups, except the organization, lack of ideology, personal in-fighting. boys and the national companies. They are being one in Albuquerque; they liked the military look of They want to overcome this among themselves. driven out of business. They work long hard hours the uniforms and the militant image. and often make no mor.e than an ordinary working The trial of Tijerina for his part in the courthouse NATIONAL POTENTIAL person does. In our'skits, we attacked the.local raid was coming up. A statewide unity meeting was · power structure--especially the vendidos--and tried held,' in Tierra Amarilla. We decided to have a This is the medium in which Chicano leaders · to bring out the nature of the local class structure, series of statewide demonstrations in support of are emerging from the towns and from the country which uses brown people to oppress their own Raza. chicano Justice, and for ,the leaders of La Raza. side in New Mexico. They are emergingfrom the ·We attacked the national ruling class mostly through Even though many at the meeting did not support rising struggles of their people; they are the pro the war in Vietnam, and also by portraying rich Tijerina or the Alianza, they felt that demon ducts of a people's movement. For.the most part, Texans and. tourists who sightsee in quaint New strations were necessary to keep him and the olhers they are not intellectuals. They are trUck drivers, ,Mexico while helping to oppress it. We also made from beingrailroaded~ (Tijerina evidently did not farmers, ex-gang leaders, housewives. a great deal of fun of the government poverty pro- feel this way himself, although he was acquitted. As local struggles grow, there is a movement · grams and their pompous officials. But we did not For most of his trial, he acted as' his own defense. for national unity of Chicanos. The young revolu ,attack the majority of the small businessmen--we He got off on the grounds that he had tried to stop tionaries are looking to the example' of the Black wanted to try to win them over to our side. Many the use of guns andviolence.) Panthers, and see the need to develop ideology, of them had donated materials and money to the The demonstration in Santa Fe, led by my friend strategy and tactics--the lack of which has hampered Teatro. and other Brown Berets, was the first demonstra local movements considerably in some areas. Many By the end of the summer,. my truck driver tion there in years. It wa s a great success. As Chicanos will be attending the Panthers' Revolu friend had developed into a good public speaker Chairman Mao says, "It is good if we are attacked tionary Conference for' a United Front Against through his experience in the Teatro. He saw the by the enemy, since it proves that we have drawn Fascism in-July. . futility of trying to work for change within the a clear line of demarcation between the enemy and Government plans for crushing the movement in system, and now wanted to organize. But how? The ourselves." Now pigs and narcs followed us every New Mexico are in the making. Latin-American only community groups that then existed in Santa where, harrassed our neighbors, employers, land trained CIA agents are routinely used along with F'e were funded by poverty programs. Therewas much lords, friends, and families. We received indirect FBI agents to keep track of people and activities. discontent, but as yet none of it had crystallized death threats. We were followed down lonely country In small rural communities and in towns like Santa around specific issues. Should he try to work within roads. Fe, everyone is involved, everyone knows what's going one of these existing groups to recruit people, or This was the start. Since then, Santa Fe has gotten on with everyone else. There's no place to hide. should he immediately form another group? As it used to demonstrations, which have grown in mili The actions of the pigs are educating the people. turned out, he was to do both at once. He had become tancy and attendance. Local issues. have come to Northern New Mexico is becoming tense. Even if so popular within the poverty program that it now the forefront, ·such as bi-linqual education and the a wave of repression succeeds in temporarily el tried to buy him off. At this time, contradictions welfare system. Medicaid was' suddenly cut off by iminating leaders, it can never succeed'in wiping were coming to a head within the programs; Urban the state legislature, leaving many poor people with no out the people's drive for control of their own Renewal and Model Cities were becoming increas means of paying their medical bills. Santa Fe, as destinies. Power to the people! ingly unpopular. Using his leverage within the pro state capitol, had three days of demonstrations. "Everything reactionary is the same; if you don't grams, . we put out a couple of leaflets. The first • The purpose of these demonstrations was to make hit it, it won't fall. This is also like sweeping the urged. the public to participate in an • open" Urban clear the identification. of the enemy", said my .floor; as a rUle, where the broom does not reaCh, Renewal meeting. The local bureaucrats quickly friend, who helped organize them. The Brown Berets the dust will not vanish of itself" cancelled the meeting--the last thing they really have gotten a Catholic priest to donate a church Mao Ts~- Tung wanted was public participation. We had shown people building for a bilingual day care center,' to be run in the target neighborhood that they were being by the community. A house has been donated for the Contributions of money and goods are needec. .... manipulated. People began to show interest in what summer for the use of Theater in the Streets--in the Tierra Amarilla Co.,.oP. Things needed are: · we were doing. exchange for rent, repairs will be done on it. large pressure. cookers' for canning; a Jaar-type Cops are now commonly called "~l ·perrO"--"the canner; .jars; a canner ··for cans and cans to go with BROWN BERETS dog" in Spanish. .This change has 'come about in it; welding equipment; cutting torch; shoe sewing just the past few weeks. .' . mllchine; heavy sewing machine for work clothes; We decided that itwas time to completely sever There are only a few membe'rs in the Brown saw mill equipment; a mill to grind grain for the our relations with the programs, and came out with Berets, but each member is very active. They feedlot; and bedding--sheets, cots, mattresses. If a leaflet attacking the .programs, exposing them, already have .a great deal of solid community sup you can send money or know where any of the above and urging people to go to the City Council meetings port. .They 'are well-known iIi town, and people .things might be obtained, write to: and demand to know where all the money that was respect them: they come from the barrios. They supposed to go to them was going. There were sev appear to be on the verge of building a solid com COOPERATIVE AGRICOLA eral packed City Council meetings, during which the munity organization on the basis of their present c/o Cruz AqUilar .Mayor showed people that "redress of grievances" program--day care centers, bi-lingual education, General Delivery was. futile: he relegated their questions to the end welfare rights, police brutality. They are in the PArkview, New Mexico
JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 9 VENCEREMOS BRIGADE l for ten million "tons !
"Create two, three, many Vielnams/f --- Che \\ V!e will d~sh~y ~5 imperialism &om -I-he outside" th~y will destroy .t from the Inside." --- Cuban poster \'Como..guey- Ute Monc.ada for Toda:f5 Youtk~1 ---Cuban poster Internationalism, the. movement in of Pigs. The Cuban revolution con a year on the "free world market". the usual trips dedicated to radical side the U.S. and revolution-the Ven tinues to serve as an example to all The 10 million tons is of decisive tourism. People will be going to Cuba ceremos Brigade is one way to tie people in the Americas. The Cuban importance because with that sugar to work--to work hard. Members. of these three things together. revolution is a continuous process in Cuba will be able to liquidate her the Brigade will be expressing their Che's call to create many Vietnams which the Cuban people must persist foreign 'debts. From then on the fruits solidarity with the Cuban people in was a call for people's war around the ently struggle to maintaintheir achiev of everything she produces can be a political sense, but their work will world to defeat U.S. imperialism. Viet ments and press them further. returned to the Cuban people. This also materially support the Cuban peo nam proved that a determined, well will greatly strengthen the revolution. ple. organized people can weaken, and in THE ZAFRA In addition to liquidating the foreign Representatives of a wide spectrum the long run, defeat U.S. imperialism. debt, sugar will also provide molasses o f movement organizations are par With the United States on the defen The Cuban people, in order to fur to feed the cattle and chickens-two ticipating in the project: The Black sive in Vietnam, to create more Viet ther their reVOlution, must continue important burgeoning industries in Cu Panthers, La Raza, SDS, National Or nams would so overextend the forces to defend themselves against the im ba. Then, with the debt gone, Cuba ganizing Committee, New University of imperialism that those forces would perialist economic blockade and threats can spend her foreign exchange· on Conference, High School Student Union, eventually be defeated decisively. .of invasion. They must conquer un advancing her own technology. Fidel Committee of Returned Volunteers an<:l We inside the monster have an im derdevelopment at the same time they estimates thatwith advanced technology several others. They have formed an portant role t.o play in this process. are building a com munist conscious 70% of the people who now work in Executive Committee responsible for The .struggles of the peoples of the ness and the new socialist man. (For the sugar industry could' be freed pUblicity about the purposes of the world against imperialism weaken the details of these processes see the for other productive activities. Brigade, recruitment and selection of domestic position of monopoly cap MOVEMENT Nov.1968 and Jan.1969). The Cuban people will have to make brigade members andarrangements for italism, enabling our struggle to ad This is why they say that Camaguey a heroic effort to harvest 10 million the trip. vance. Likewise, whatever we accom- . is the Moncada of today's youth. tons. The Vietnamese are their ex The Venceremos Brigade will begin plish against the monster from the Camaguey is a frontier province of ample.If the Vietnamese can fight its work in late November, 1969. One . inside creates more 'favorable con Cuba where sugar production is crit against the Americans 24 hours a group will leave then, another in Jan ditions for the struggles outside the ical to conquering underdevelopment: day and, at the same time, maintain uary. The Brigade will include an equal monster, that is, our struggles are So that while the gereration that at their economy; the Cuban people can number ofblack, brown and white move complementary. In addition to building tacked the Moncada barracks in 1953 work the fields for 24 hours a day, ment people and working class youth. our own movement on domestic issues, initialed one stage of the revolutionary , if necessary. They willlive in temporarycamps inthe our ~Qvement gets a tremendous thrust struggle, those who attack the swamps fields. In addition to the support they from.';our brothers overseas. In turn, of Camaguey today are initiating an VENCEREMOS BRIGADE give to the Cuban r,evolution, they will we .must support revolution in the eqUally \important stage in the strug also learn about the realities of revolu .r~st of the world in whatever way gle to make the revolution successful. A group of Americans have decided tion first hand from their dally exper ··\,::w ecan. The Cubans are now making the to initiate a p.:oject which will enable ience. . Cuba is the most important bastion decisive effort to overcome under movement pGople here to give more Those who are thinking about applying against imperialism in our hemisphere. development. Everything hinges on the than lip service to international sol for the Brigade should brushup on their The 'Cuban revolution seriously weak 1970 sugar harvest.(Zafra) They have idarity. The Venc'ei'emos Brigade will Spanish and write to the following eneu u.S. imperialism when it kicked promised to produce 10 million tons be a group of nearly 300 Americans address for more information and ap out· Am'erican enterprise, and later of sugar--twice the normal harvest and who spend 2 months in Cuba helping plications: The Brigade, PO Box '643, repelled the U.S. invasion of the Bay much more sugar than circulates in with the 1970 sugar harvest. Cathedral Station, New York 10025. This trip to Cuba will not be like Applications are due September 20. PAGE 10 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969 ';. .J' .~ CORNELL- ASHES OR ,BLAZE
/
working 'with high school kids and closer' together. The occasion was a raising a demand that the university, university-sponsored symposium orf' which runs Ithaca like a company South Africa. The symposium was set town, fund 1000 units of low and middle up after the South Africa campai!in income housing, the money to come of the previous spring as an "appro from the sale of the Cornell Aeronaut priate means of discussing this vital ics L'ab, a counter-insurgency spec issue.· But the symposium did little. ialist. While SDS moved into the com to calm the movement on the campus. munity this fall the AAS, although still First, it was hopelessly stacked. The working with Ithaca's black, youth, keynote address was given by a South placed more and more emphasis on African who supported apartheid. The working towards the establishment of 'revolutionaries were relegated to a the black college. morning papel, and all the bally-hoo The AAS, rhetoric became increas about understanding "this delicate ingly separatist. SDS did little to try problem" couldn't disguise the univer and deal with this other than to note sity's ties w.ith racism and imper the tendency with some scorn. The ialism. The symposiumwas continually more isolated the blacks felt, the disrupted by AAS and SDS people who more they retreated to the separatist demanded that the university deal with position. Thus, when the black college the reality of racism rather than con question came to a head in December, tinue to pretend that it was an abstract the AAS went it alone. subject with which it had no copnection. They staged a number of guerilla ./# demonstr.ations aimed at dramatizing <'~""" '-_.-.." TOGETHER AGAINST CHASE ~,,;M~:-"~~' their demands. (checking out thousands of books at the library because none The week reached a stormy climax ;, .. ~. When armed blacks marched out of Cornell's Willard Straight Hall were relevemt to black people etc.) as Perkins was pulled from the mic even their strongest supporters were uneasy. Until then it had been The demonstrations accomplished their rophone by. an AAS member when he aim. FearfUl 'that he would lose his refused to speak to the issues directly. easy for white radicals on this idyllic Ivy League campus to talk reputation as a leader in handling Throughout the symposiumweek the two about armed struggle and revolution. But now the thousand whites campus race problems President Per groups were infrequent contact and kins agreed to set up the college. some trust began to develop again. who stood outside the Straight with fists raised in solidarity with the However, the university also began This continued with the announcement blacks were no longer faced with theoretical problems. The attempts judicial proceedings against six blacks that Chase Manhattan Bank was going involved in the demonstrations. It was to recruit on campus. AAS and SDS of the movement, both successful and not, should be instructive for both the university's insistance on decided to stop the recruiting. In a the entire movement which will face similar problems in the coming pushing the cases and --the AAS' re unique move for Cornell, the two groups fusal to admit the jurisdiction of the cosponsored the demonstration with six years. judical body over political acts which marshalls from each group leading. led to the Spring blowup. SDS, then When the march reached the build To understand what happened at Cor Italism and imperialism the dominant completely immersed in its housing ing where the recruiter was the doors nell this spring we must trace the appeal was still a liberal one--"the program, ignored the whole thing. were locked. The AAS members held growth, development and interrelation university shouldn't be complicit with However, at about this time the issue back. They were already on the line ship between the black and white move immorality." As the campaign came of South Africa surfaced again and for the December demonstrations and ments at the school over the past to a head the AAS pledged support served to begin to bring the two groups they were dubious about SDS' willing several years. The Afro-American ness to risk anything. If a move was Society (now known as the Black Lib made SDS was going to have to go eration Front) became visibly active first. It did. The doors and the cops about a year-and-a-half ago. Its devel guarding them went and so did the opment was speeded by a growing num r~cruiter. ber of ghetto youth who entered under Although suspicions. wer e still har the university's disadvantaged groups bored by both groups, the Chase fight program. brought them together in struggle for These students tended to be more the first time and at last a working politically concious than the older relationship was developed. The AAS members of AAS who m they began to announce d support for the SDS housing replace in the leadership of the organ program and SDS in turn denounced the ization. The changing composition of , judicial proceedings against the blacks the AAS led to a number of programs as a fraUd. The stage was set for the centering on the black community in confrontation. The day after repri Ithaca. The AAS was active in organ mands were handed out against the izing high school students and worked blacks they moved on the student union. closely with adult black groups in trying to secure better housiing for ARMED TAKEOVER the community. On the campus the AAS strategy was not one of "making" The takeover was brilliant tactically. the university a better place'" .but It was Parents' Weekend and the union rather was one of trying to use the was to be the center of activity, sothat school. the administration not only had to deal with the blacks but hundreds of hungry BACKGROUND TO STRUGGLE and bored parents who had nothing to FollOWing this line the AAS began CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 to design detailed plans for a black college ,which would fit them with the skills they would need to organ for the SDS demands and actions. But ize the· ghettos. This strategy was nothing happened. The chapter was almost 'contradictory to SDS' which stalled until the end of the year ,by was almost completely campus' cen a number ·of "high level" committees. tered. With few exceptions, the chap 'SDS' failure to act isolated it fUrther ter was' heavily influenced by a RES ,from the AAS, most of whose meql- ISTANCE mentality; leaning heavily bers felt that white radicals were all 'on pacifism and individualistic moral talk and no action.- SDS people tended pleas. The militant blacks, although to "disregard the, AAS as J>eilJg with they' opposed the war and took part out politics--strange logic for a group 'in an ad hoc sit-in against 'marine w~i.ch generally objected to 'phrases 'recruiters during the fall,' saw little like, imperialism ,as being .too ,heavY, in SDS -to attract them) feeling that most of the chapter members' were . BLF-5.DS SP,LIT , into martyrdom. However, in the wake of: the King The split between the. two ,groups assassination the SDS chapter broke continued over the summer with almost out of its exclusive anti-war men no interplay, although large numbers tality and began to question the univer of both stayed in Ithaca' to work for sity's relationship to racism. Demands the movement fUll-time. The summer were raised that the school divest did some good for SDS. For the first itself of stock in banks which sup time chapter members began' to dis ported the South African regime and cuss politics. The resistance mentality that University President James Per began to fade, and groupings around kins resign from the Board of Dir the N. Y,-Philly Labor Committee and ectors of the Chase Manhattan Bank. the Anti-Imperialists began to develop. Although the South Africa campaign The chapter also became involved with began to raise questions about cap- the community for the first time, JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 11
Reprinted from the FIFTH ESTATE
,,··tothe'point. II of
.. ~ .. ' .~ production
Editors' Note: John Watson, editor of the Wayne 'SllSpensions from anywhere from three to thirty days. especially the black workers. As a result, in the State University South End, has been involved in ;In response to the racist attack which the company .foundries for instance almost 95% of the workers in Detroit revolutionary politics for a number ofyears. laid uPQn black workers after the first strike. DRUM those plant~ ,have' some .sort of induitr,ial illness, .Former editor of the black community newspaper, organized a number o(other"strIkesat that partiCUlar usually siij(:osis or some sort of other lung disease. In The Inner City Voice, Watson was one ofthe original piant.:'" the stamping'plants-allkinds of guys are walking founders of the League of Revolutionary Black With the development of DRUM and the successes around with two or·three ,fingers missing from oneof Workers.' He is currently serving as a member af the which we _had in terms of organizing and mobilizing their hands because of the unsafe machinery. . Central Committee ofthe League. the wol'kers at the Hamtramck AS!ij:mbly Plant, many People are regularly killed in the automobile other black workers throughout the city began to ,plants in a wide variety of different kinds ofindustri3I Fifth Estate: What is the history of the League of come to us and ask for aid in organizing some sort ...... :..-.or .R~volutionaryBlack Workers?Why was it formed? accidents which take place th~re. The air is foul, it's of group in their plants: As a result shortly after the hot, the noise level is extremely high, the environment John Watson: The League of Revolutionary Black formation of DRUM, the Eldon Axle Revolutionary Workers is a fed~ration of several revolutionary union is almost intolerable and it gets worse every day Movement (ELRUM) was born at Eldon Gear and because of the constantly increasing 'production movements that exist in DetroiLIt was originally Axle Plant of the Chrysler Corporation. Also, the formed to provide a broader base for the organiza standards of the company. Ford Revoiutionary Union Movement (FRUM) was Besides .the problems that black workers have tion of black workers into revolutionary organizatio'ns formed at the Ford Rouge Complex, and we now. than was previously provided for when we were with productivity and safety standards, they have have two plants organized within that complex. the added problem of overt racism, which exists orgaruzmg on a plant to plant basis. Since that time 'the organizational activities have The beginning of the League goes back to the under these monopoly capitalist corporations. In the been expanding. We've moved, into hospital industries first· place most of the supervisory personnel, white beginning of DRUM which was its first organization. ~ith the' HOWRUM, NEWRUM for the newspapers The Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement was collar personnel, skilled trades are all white. It's almost in Detroit, an UPRUM which stands for United impossible for the average brother who gets a job in formed at the Hamtramck Assembly Plant of the 'Parcel Revolutionary Union Movement for black Chrysler Corporation in the fall of 1967. It developed an automobile factory to be able to move' into one of Teamsters who work at United Parcel. There's a these positions. out of the caucuses of black workers which had JARUM which is Jefferson Assembly Revolutionary formed 'in the automobile plants to fight increases in . Besides that those white foremen generally have Union Movement and there's the development of a very degrading attitudes towards black people. Every productivity and racism in the plant. .' CRUM, which is Chevrolet Revolutionary Union All the caucuses which had developed previous to day there are instances' in which there are clashes Movement. Other. automobile plants and other in . between black workers and white foremen because of DRUM had been co-opted, either by the company or· dustries are in the pro<;ess of being organized now. by the union. In other words the company had either racist remarks or racist actions on the part of com fired the leadership of these caucuses:or 150lJght them PLANT CONDITIONS pany represe,ntatives. offby giving them jobs as foremen or supervisors, or ~E: What types of conditions exist in the plants that The racism of the company presents itself not oi1ly in the form of verbal abuse and in the form of the union had managed to buy off the leadership one are being organized by the League? way or anotheL,- JW: Working conditions are deplorable. What's been • various kinds' of disciplinary action which are laid on The organiza~ion of DRlJM was in direct response happening over the last fifteen or twenty years in the heads of black workers, but also on the very to numerousaHempts by black workers, over the last industry in general,but especially in the auto industry basic level of the allocation of jobs. In almost all several years in the Hamtr.amcK A~mbly Plant to is the increase in productivity. A lot of people describe plants you.find the black workers on the hardest jobs organize a movement wnich could resist racism and , the increase iriproductivity' as meaning that there's in which you have the heaviest .. work and in which oppression both,on' the part of the union and the automation or' somethirig like' this'going on. But in . ,you'have to work the fastest and inwhich the condi ,company. We wanted to be a revolutionary organiza Inost of the automobile plants, what's been gOing on tions arernost unsafe, whereas you frnd.white people tionWhich wou,ld not •.~ 'co-opted by the moneyed is "nigger-mation." . .with less seniority are generally employed at lighter forces.' . ., "Nigger-mation" is simply when you hire one jobs which don't have the same sort of safety hazards . Briefly, tfi~ history of DRUM began with a ~ries ,; black man to'do the job which is'previously done. by which the black workers must face. Moreover,' white of Wild-cat strikes which we held.around: the issues Qf . two' or three or four white men. There's a constant workers, are not .. subjected to':the kind of racist productivity, production:'standardS' ahd overtfacism. 'struggle which' is going on inside the automobile insults and harassment that black workers constantly' The· first strike .was held when. Chry'sler CorporatiOn . pllints in whiCh the foreman and the general foreman find themselves subjected to. speeded up tlle''1)(oduction line six cars an hour, duUfJ.& . and the supervisor are constantly attempting to work FE: How do you organize the plants you are working the UAW Conve'ntion last May; the men harder; Th6¥ are constantly attempting to in? What kin4s of things do· you frnd necessary for After this strike in which both black and White , speedup the production line. They are constantly organizing a plant? workers pirt~~pated, the (;ompany inlposed disCi attempting to cutdown the number of people who JW: Black t'evQlutionaries in Detroit have a Marxist plinary action on those who they considere4 to be work on ~he lines. Leninist position and have recognized the necessity leaders of the strike action. This disciplinary action 'In their insatiable drive to make greater profits for of organizing in the working class for a number of was taken primarily upon black workers. A number of the company, they have negated all considerations of years now. ~We had made attempts a number of black worke~ were fired, and quite a few received the welfare and .safety of the workers in the plant, , times to begin to move in the direction.ofmobilizing . the black worlcing class; but up until this point those PAGE 14 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
-\~ '---"
attempts had been pretty futile, although they had workers slaving on the assembly lines in automobile taneous development that as factory workers begin to given us a lot of experience into the things that are plants in the city of. Detroit, the automobile com get organized, support elements within the community necessary to successfully organize. ' panies would not be able to produce cars in the first
course, support any progressive action on the part of tween revolutionary and reactionary nationalism and harangue, then it is still going to be necessary for us any workers, white or black, who are moving to if so, what is that distinction'! to fight for our freedom. If we are involved in an organization which is composed of a majority of resolutely confront this racist capitalist system. JW: ' Oh this question of the Progressive Labor white people, a majority of whom are white racists, it I think that there's going to have to be an awful Party, and the criticism which it has leveled at us, in will just be a simple vote for the white racists in the lot of, discussion over the next few months over the first place our activities'are based upon reality. movement to say, we no longer need to struggle for the relationship between the League of Revolutionary They are based on a,n analysis of the real world, not black liberation. What we're· going to do is fight Black Workers and the variou.s white organizations some sort of subjective wishes about how we would against crime in the streets or something like this. We which are beginning to organize among white workers. like the world to be. , will not allow ourselves to be put in a position where The National Organizing Committee (NOC) has begun The real facts .of the matteL are that this is a our futllre depends upon the good faith of the white to implement a very positive program in this city racist society, it is a monopoly capitalist so.ciety, the community. among the white working class, and all indications are entire society is divided up according to class and The Progressive Labor Party which hasn't organ that it is going to be a fairly successful effort. Our according to caste. This is a fact. Black people don't ized a worker, has no right at all to attack the League relationship with that organization at this time, unite with the white working class simply because of Revolutionary Black Workers or DRUM or any Progressive Labor says that that might be a good other component part of the League. They are -although unofficial, is very good in that both of us .another one of these little groups which have a understand the positions which we're coming from thing. White workers don't eliminate their racism simply because Progressive Labor says that this might conception of themselves, a very egotistical and and we both understand who the enemy is 'and what be a good thing. ethnocentric conception of themselves, as the van the nature of the enemy is. Therefore, we're not If you look at the history of the black liberation guard party. attempting to dominate one another; we're 'attempt movement over the last 200 years, you'll find that If you're the vanguard party, it means that if ing to begin to coordinate out activity for a more . there have been numerous coalitions, alliances, merg anybody else is moving in a revolutionary direction solid-attack. . ers; between black and white workers. Almost every and mobilizing, masses of people into revolutionary I think the black people who aie involved in the time .that this type of organization has developed and organizations, there must be something wrong with organization of the black working class should moved tG--the point where it was actually threatening the program they're following because the only recognize that· the theoretical conceptio'il ~f-black tIle system, the system resorted by attacking the correct program is the program of that particular party. As a result of this particular kind of outlook people- ,being the vanguard of revolutionary. sJruggle movement through racist campaigns. they find it necessary to attack anybody who is ~a I think the Populist Movement is one of the is not just conception which is ,meant to be laid thi~ trying to do anything for whatever dogmatic reasons everyone'~:'head. clearest examples of where you had millions of in the clouds somewhere above It· black and white faImers united in a movement against they can find. Either you're a nationalist which is' can be applied in a vefy practical and proghmuIiatic the. monopolies' and trusts which 'rVere oppressing counter-revolutionary or you're backwards or you're fashion. What it simply means is that aipolitical them in tNs country. In the 1880's and 90's and the just developing or something else. beings we have 'to understand that the development early 1~OO's all the segragation codes were passed, the From their point of view, you reach the pinnacle of the white movement has been retarded" that it,has mass media in 'this country invented most of the of revolutionary development when you decide' to not developed as rapidly as the black movement has .; Amos'n'Andy and Sambo type stereotypes which you become a' member of Progressive Labor. We're, not had to develop, that it doesn't l):ave th~: kind of have towards black people. ' members of the Progressive' Labor Party and we're experience of struggle that we have had. " This type of massive propaganda campaign had a not about to become members of the Progressive Therefore, even though many of these white radio. telling effe.ct upon the mentality of the white farmers Labor Party or my other existing white orga'nization who were a~gned with the black workers. Essentially because none of them are doing anything which cal organizations have resources in terms of money- and' what h~ppened was,. that. the whites who were shows us that they're capable of organizing a mass . manpower which far exceed ours, because of their originally directing their hostility towards the ruling revolutionary struggle in this· country, among blacks lack of experience most of them ate unable to put class were convinced that fhe ruling class wasn't really or whites. these resources to 'work in a positive fashion at 'this their. enemy, that black people were really their As far as the question of black nationalism is particular time. As political animals, we have to enemy. And you had the formation out of move concerned, the League of Revolutionary Black Work- realize that it is necessary for us to prOVide them with ments ,like the Populist Movement of organizations \ers recognizes that black nationalism in and of itself the kind of leadership which they lack at this such as the Ku Klux Klan ~hich instead of moving represents. a broad politiCal spectrum from left to moment and to begin to do all that we can to help towards the liberation of all people directed its right. There are black nationalists who are essentially efforts toward the further subjugation of black them to develop that leadership to the. point where it black fascists, and you have other black nationalists peopk. ' who are essentially black Marxist-Leninist Communist can be self sufficient. Therefore, we have learned time and time again revolutionaries. that w.'.1en we are involved organizationally with We understand that there are black nationalists PL CRITICISM white people who are susceptible to racist overtures who simply feel that they as individuals have not from the ruling class, we can get messed with. What been getting a big enough piece of the pie of black FE: Speaking about the white radical organi this lesson tells us is that we have to have indepen exploitation ·and who are not moving in the interests zations, recently there has been criticism from the dent organizations which can act on the behalf of of black people. We oppose the idea that the solution Progressive Labor 'Party on t.he basis that there should black people and in the interests of black people to our problem is the establishment of a new not be separate unions for black and white workers, regardless of the kinds of positions which white economy in which you have black capitalists, black as this splits the working class. The accusation is that organizations or white people are going to take. factory owners, exploiting black workers the way the separate black unions are a form of nationalism, If white people~decide they are going to take a white people have. We see the solution to the which has to be considered· reactionary in all its counter-revolutionary position because of the Detroit problem not simply as one of establishing a national forms: What is the League's outlook on the question News and the Detroit Free Press ana' TV-2 and WWJ ist organization -or a nationalist community, but one of nationalism'!. Does it recognize a distinction be- and NBC, and the mass media goes onto a racist in which all forms of exploitation and oppression are
he-:=:
PAGE 16 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
~- eliminated within that community.
ROLE OF WHITE RADICALS FE: 'How do you feel that white radic"als should relate to revolutionary black union movements and ,also how do you feel they should relate to white workers? JW: As far as relating to our movement there are a number of thIngs which are needed to continue to carry out a program of organizing the entire black working class. There are ~ll sorts inputs into the movement, of which of course the first and primary one is money. We 'are constantly in need of funds to , fight the legal struggles which we have, to put out the publications, to hire organizers, to run our offices, etc. ' Second, there are a number of specific types of projects whi'ch white radicals can work on which so far most of them have been quite hesitant to do. There's a great need for an expansion of-and this is just one, particular project-printing facilities within the black community. , We've heard that over 50 SDS kids will be coming to Detroit this summer who want to become involved in the organization and the development of a revolut~nary union movement. It seems to me that- , these.students could put their time to better use by attempting to set up print shops which had multillth and mimeograph machines, letterset presses and other types of equipment throughout the city, than if all of them simply went into the automobile factories and worked next to the workers for a few months. Tl,1ere ,~re, other kinds of inputs, which the movement needs~ For instance, ,we need"some per manent, fund-raising apparatuses ~ound' here. Some of the more progressive whit~ radicals in the city have already moved in this direction of setting up legal . ,self-defense, which provides a regular fund for people who are-in need of-legal'-assistance'and bail money. ' , We are in bad need of photographic equipment. , The League would like to begin to move into the , production of films so we can 'have; more vehicles for the reeducation of black people to the true nature of the system. However, at the moment we don't havt; the resources, and the administrative staff doesn't' have the time to put into that kind of project. White radicals who are really interested in doing,something could get together and 'figure out how to beg, borrow or steal these'kinds of photographic equipment. We could go on and on and on and talk about all the kinds of inputs which we need on that level. Second, of course, I think that white radicals who want to support DRUM and the League should politically support us every chance they get. For instance, they should not tolerate organizations like. the Progressive L'abor Party or anybody else deni grating the kinds'of political positions we take. There has been an awful lot of,talk not only among PL but within organizations like SDS which have distorted 'both the history and the positions ofDROM. I think that some of the things which SbS said were said in a patemal light. They misconstrued the political sophistication of our movement, in terms of us havipg a clear understanding of racism, monopoly capitalism and imperialism and also having an understanding ofhow to move to attack these evils. I think that white radicals who want to do something for us should do that it is extremely impOrtant that they, push that, union leaderShip takes toward us because of the fact all they can, for instance, to let people who they have position whelt1hey begin to organize white workers. that we/have $\Jch a mass base of support in the plant'S connections with know about the existence of the ,I think that once these kinds ofconceptions are which we have 'Organized. Many of the union leaders League of Revolutionary Black Workers, what our understood that we'll begiri to make great progress find it impossible to openly oppose us because their program is, what, we're doing in practice and,the ,both in the further organization 'of black workers an~ membership' wouIn go against them. Most of these kinds of needs we have. stimulating the organization of white workers. union leaders are, \\1st existing bya thin thread Of course, the major role of white radicals anyway since they dQn't represent the interests of the should be to organize the white workers. A lot of the UAW RESPONSE workers, but generally Jhey represent the interests,of same sqrts of inputs which are needed in terms of the cornpany. They are'~very afraid of further develop FE: How have tht: UAW and other 'unions ment of a revolutionary organization among black organizing black workers are, needed in terms of generally reacted to the formation of black revolu~ organizing white workers, 'i.e., print shops, photo workers. ,tionary, union movements in places under their I think that it can be reasOnably assumed that graphic ,equipment, other types of communication jurisdiction? networks, fUJ:1ds, 'etc. , there will be a great struggle.over the nextsix months to a year between the League..of Revolutionary Black There is a developing' need for organizers to JW: They have reacted with total hostility, and actually go into the plants to mobilize people. The Workers and the union bureaucracy that exists within Vicious, attacks upon our movement. The UAW, for the UAW, the AFL-CIO; and the Teamsters, es. reason that I' sort of shy away from emphasiZing that iristance, is going around selling an awfJ..il lot of wolf particular, point" however" is thit "no workers need pecially the UAW and the AFL-CIO. Exactly how tickets about what. they are going to do to black these struggles will come out is difficult to say right simply missionary people to come into the plants militants within a plant. For instance, there has been who think they got to do missionary work. Ifyou've now since in a: legalistic sense the~W always has the a lot of talk within cireles of the UAW that they are upper hand. got five students who want to work in the plant it going to form goon squads, which are going to would probably be best if two of them went inside You'll notice that even thm,igh the" over physically expel us from the various automobile whelming majority of the rank and file\at ,the Sterling and three of them stayed outside to support those plants. Emil Mazey, the Secretary-Treasurer of the two who are in there. Plant wehton strike against the conditions that UAW called us a greater threat to unionism than the existed out there, the UAW was able'10 meet this If students consider themselves sufficiently so Communists were in the 30's and 40's. I guess this phisticated and aware of the problems and conditions particular rebellion by simply placing the unio'n under means that he wants all the right-wing liberals in the administ~tor in the plants and decide to move into the factory, trusteeship and sending down an from ' VAW to mobilize themselves to go for a concerted the Solidarity House to fUn the union. Therefore, they should push to educate the white workers along attack against us, perhaps even on a physical level. even if you take over the union on the local level, the a certain political line. That line, and this is very The UAW sent out 350,000 'letters to their International has such power according to the ruling important, is the position that black workers are the membership in the Detroit area branding u~as, class's law that they can move 'to administratively, vanguard of the revolutionary movement. segragationist peOple who' are trYing· to_ divldethe stop the workers from exerting their own power.' Now I know that many white radicals have espous working class and are working again,st the interests of But the .thing that we h~ve which the UAW ed this position as a slogan, but it is more than a workers as a whole. They have also publicly stated doesn't, have is the support of the worker.s on the slogan - it's true. Therefore, white workers should that they will refuse to support any black workerS primary level, that is, the support of the workers' at prepare to accept leadership from the most advanced who are fired when we are carrying out DRUM the point Q( production. The niost, importanLpowet... 'activi~ies, which is, of course, a violation of their own that you have is the power to be able to close down section of the proletariat. constitution. They have a responsibility .to their ent~r the plant. The union can run down all the rules' and White stUdents who intend to organizing membership, to, anybody who is fired or disciplined ·regulations and laws, articles in the constitution and work in the plants should think that position through by the company,. but they have stated publicly that contracts that it wants to. But if you can pull a large very rationally and carefully. If they expect to do they won't to this any longer. any serious political work in the plants they must On a local level within the unions there are a lot explain the concept of the black vanguard. We believe of contradictions between the kinds of positions CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 17
" r~ , \ that George Sams was not found in the and some firearms from the office.There office. Nevertheless they charged 8 Pan was shooting throughout the night and thers who were there with harboring about 8 pigs were wounded, though none a federal fugitive. They stole a strongbox seriously. Some people were injured and that had $3000 in cash to be used for a about 40 people were busted. free medical clinic, stole petitions with OREGON-The Deputy Minister of In 15,000 signatures demanding the release formation of the Oregon chapterwas busted of Fred Hampton, stole lists of financial for draft' evasion. Bail was set at 10,000 contributors and lawyers, and 13 firearms, dollars. several typewriters, thousands of news SAN DIEGO-A Panther Lieutenant, John papers, leaflets, and pamphlets. Charges Savage, was murdered by Tambuzi, a' of possession of unregistered firearms member of the US organization which were later dropped when the gestapo raid works for the pigs. ers were forced to admit that they had no LOS ANGELES- - Within one month 42 search warrent. Panthers were arrested 56 times. The Bobby Rush said that the Chicago bust total hail for these busts was over and raid was only one of a coordinated ser $100,000. ies of raids on the Panthers. Similar busts KANSAS CITY-Deputy Minister of La with similar pretexts took place in Detroit, bor, Tommy Robinson, was framed on ;New York, Connecticut, Indianapolis, Des charges of extortion and two counts of Moines, and Denver in a space oftwo days. robbery. In New Haven, Connecticut Brother Alex INDIANA-Deputy Chairman of the In Rackley who was a Panther member in diana Chapter, F red Crawford, is in good standing, was found murdered. Sub jail on another frame-up, supposedly for sequently 8 Panthers, including Erica assault and battery. Huggins (the wife of murdered John Hug DENVER-Panthers, LandonRobertWil~ gins) were charged with kidnapping their liams and Rory Hythe were busted for ,brother Panther and also with conspiracy "unlawful flight to avoid persecution". to cpmmitt murder and kidnapping. The They were supposedly fleeing from Con racist news media said there was a necticut and were said by the FBI to "direct link" between the murder in New be connected with the murder of Alex Haven and the arrests of the Panther 21 Rackley, but no charges were pending in New York. There is. The same pigs against them. in Connecticut. that murdered Brother Alex conspired And so it has gone. And one wakes up to frame the Panther 21 and are cur and rubs his eyes and more than likely rently conspiring and attempting to an looks in the paper and finds another new nihilate the Black Panther Party through frameup, another injustice, another at out the United States. tack on the Panthers. Throughout the THE AMERICAN WAY Twenty of the Panther 21 remain in country...in the many cities and towns jail in New York. The ransom Is over where the Black Panthers have estab 2 million dollars. (See MOVEMENT,March lished offices and support...there local 1969). The 21 are being held in cells spread and F'ederal pigs are moving. Deal with out across the five borroughs of New York some of the recenfcharges in your mind.. OF JUSTICE??? to make it impossible for' them to see the murders and the long prison terms. their lawyers together to make a col'" For a long time now people have been A day hasn't passed in the last few Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther lective defense. The trumped up charges talking about repression, and as many of months without a pig attack on the Black Party, sentenced to from two to fi ve years of conspiracy to blow up department our ideas have taken root, so has re P anther Party. The partyhas had to strug for the alleged robbery of $71 worth of stbres and botanical gardens are pat pression increased. Now the bars and gle for survival since its earliest days, Good Humor ice cream. Two years ago ently ridiculous. Yet so far the pigs guns and jangling keys are on our door- had to defend itself, but the last few some brothers on the block were out have gotten away with effectively removing steps. ' months have seen a shift to an all out playing basketball...they wanted some ice 21 Panthers from political activity, and The Black Panther Party has called a and many. fronted attempt by the U.S. cream, but didn't have the bread. They with whipping up as much hysteria in Conference for a United Front Against government and its various agecies to ripped off some ice cream and beat up the city as possible. The trial has begun Fascism for July (see Registration form totally destroy the Black Panther Party. the vendor. Fred Hampton arrived on the and has so far dealt with defense pre on facing page). At the time ofthiswriting An attempt to kill and imprison leaders, scene about the same time as the pigs. trial motions including motions to sup much of the meaning of this conference the raiding of offices across the country Fred was charged with robbery...and was press wiretapped • evidence" , a motion to remains to be worked out. Some people on any pretext and usually with no excuse tried and convicted by the same judge dismiss the entire case because of pre have raised questions about the confer at all. Possible Smith Act prosecutions. who let off a Mafia member for mur judicial publicity, motions on the con ence: What would a United Front be? Grand Jury investigations. Congressional dering fifteen year old. dition of the jailed Panthers, and a mo Are we facing fascism? What are the con "investigations". Trumped up bullshit Fred Hampton was one of the most tion that the Grand Jury which imagined crete methods of the enemy? How be-st to charges involving murder, kidnapping, important leaders of the Panthers in the indictment is not composed of the combat repression? sabotage, robbery. Pig infiltration. One Illinois. Bobby Rush, Deputy Minister peers of the accused. A demonstration No one could argue with the hard facts can engage in academic debates about what of Defense of the Chicago chapter said, and rally by about 350 Panthers and of massive 'planned attacks on the black Fascismis or is not, about resistance to about Fred, "He's a very articulate supporters took place at the courthouse movement and the Black Panther Party repression...but people better realize that spokesman and he can move people justby on thE! first day of proceedings. and the repression against the white move absolute and fascist methods are ,being rapping to them." The pigs have refused In Sacramento pigs moved on the Oak ment--all the way to shotguns in Berkeley. used in an attempt to eliminateoneof the to release Fred on bail pending an appeal Park ghetto allegedly to quiet groups The conference may initiate some ans most effective voices, teachers, arid doers and have secretly moved him to a new o f black youths who had gathered in a wers, or it may not, but it will certainly that has ever developed in the entrails jail to make it harder for his lawyer park in the area as they had on many spur debate and put these questions out of the monster. Better realize it, and ed to see him. previous weekends. 'More than 150 pigs in the open. ucate people to the shitthat' s coming down, After jailing Fred Hampton the pigs came to the area, harassed people in the One thing remains clear. The govern and learn to resist it. moved to destroy the Chicago Panther community and people responded with ment has spearheaded its current at Bobby Seale, the Chairman of the Black office and leadership. They surrounded rocks. Then...police said they thought tack on the 'entire movement with a brutal Panther Party faces a possible five,year the office...armed with machine guns, someone fired at them from the Black attack on the Black Panther Party. We sentence...he along with seven white lead and called for everyone inside to come Panther Party office. 'They used tear gas who seek to defend and expand this move ers is charged in Chicago with conspiracy \ out. They forced their way in under on the groups of people in the' street... ment must understand this and work as to cross state lines to incite a riot at the pretext that they were looking for and massive doses of tear gas on the hard as we know how with whatever org the Democratic Convention last August. George Sams, a Panther wanted by auth Panther office. They found no one in anizational and educational tools we can Fred Hampton, Deputy Chairman of the orities in Connecticut. The FBI admitted side and confiscated money, records, develop to help protect and aid the Black Panther Party...--..-.-.. rPEOPLE'S--TRIAL FOR FRED HAMPTON ~ De~ty Chairman of the minois driving a Good Humor ice cream attorney, proceeded to pOiht out nesses above testified in the es Chapter of the Black Panther put], truck and the alleged robbery re differences in the testimony when tablishment trial as well.) Fred Hampton was tried by a jury ~ulted in the loss of 710 cold and he cross examined pig Duff. One discrepancy in the testi of his peers in Maywood during a tastey ice cream barswith a whole Hampton' wanted to know why if in mony of Jones and pig Duff was es people's trial at the Village Hall, sale value of $71. fact there had been a foot, print tablished by Mrs. Black and relates May 24 and 25.' The Saturday and Jones testified that Fred Hamp on his shirt the police didn' t con to the ages of the, children on the SUnday sessions' were complete ton held him down by the neck with fiscate the shirt and preserve the playground who were between 8and ivith jUdge, jury, attorneys, wit- ' one hand while other blacks pro foot print. 13 not 15 to 19 as they had testified. ,iiesses and, of course, Fred Hamp- ceeded to take the ice cream. Hampton 'also wanted to know Fred summed up his case stat ton himself. At least 150 specta Jonp.s' testimony was to the effect: why, with all those people eating ing the aims of ending political re tors were on hand at each of the that he finally forced Hampton off ice cream on the playground, only pression and the freeingofallpeo ..:- sessions that lasted about 2 hours by putting his foot on Hampton's :he was arrested. pIe from the capitalist tyranny. each. chest and pushing. Defense witnesses called by the The case was then turned over to Following the selection of 12 Charles Duffy, playing the part of accused were Mrs. Florence the jury, which deliverated and )ury members opening statements Patrolman Duff ("pig dUff") of the , Black, Secretary to the summer found Chairman Fred not guilty. The proceedingswere proclaim I ~ere made b~ the"state" and by Maywood Police Department, tes program of"Operation He,adstart" ~ Fred Hampton acting as his own tified and contradicted what the at the school where the incident ed a victory for the people by Fred, defense attorney. "victim" had stated happened. Pig occurred; Murphy Wade, in charge and by Maywood's newly elected 5th The first per$on called by the Duff stated they went past ap 'of recreation inside the school district village trustee, Tom Strei prosecution was John Robert proximately 40 teenagers on the building; and Gene Moore, an ac ter. Streiter then asked for dona Jones, played by William Der playground near where the truck quaintance of Fred Hampton's who tions to the Political Prisoners ringer, Jr. As inthe establishment was parked and observed all rode with him just prior to the Fund and over $230 was collected. trial of Fred Hampton, the prose persons in the areawere ea~ingice time of the alleged theft. Moore Donations continue to be accepted cutor attempted to establishthe al cream, and picked out FredtIamp 'was still in Fred's Volkswagon at for this tundby Bob Walker, 1518 leged tact that a rOObery'had oc tom as the leader and assailant of the time the police dragged Fred st. Charles Road, Maywood; Tom curred on July 10, 1968, in May Jones. off to jail. All witnesses testi Streiter, 1600 S. 14th Ave., May - wood. Mr. Jones at the time was Fred Hampton acting as his own fied they did not see Fred com wood; or at the Panther Headquart - mit the alleged crime. (All the wit- ers, 2350 W. Madison, Chicago. R,:printed from the BLACK PANTHER PAGE 18 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
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JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 19
c STRUGLE IN MOZAMBI· UE
Interview with Artur Vilanculus-of FRELIMO-May, 1969 Mr. Vilanculus i~ a spokesman for the Mozambiquan Liberation They know that Portugal is a fascist ourselves militarily as well as politic· government _and they have 'access to ally. To fight the system of colonial Front in North America. He was formerly the head of the Front's what they want in Mozambique, Angola, power in Mozambique. radio communication for the education of the Mozambiquan people and Guinea. JIM: The armed struggle began in Moz ,and is now petitioning for FRELIMO at the United Nations. The END EXPLOITATION ambique in September, 1964. How was interviewer was Jim Savage. this struggle prepared for? And in what JIM: So they fear that if the African way is the struggle carried out? JIM SAVAGE: I understand the Por We nave a whole complex of oil com Nationalists won their independence that tugese control Mozambique and other panies in Mozambique, Angola ang Guinea their economic interests would be lost? MR. VILANCULUS: First of all we had parts of Southern Africa politically. Are which are really American owned com to mobilize the masses of Mozambique they also the primary economic power panies. For instance, the Mozambiquan MR. VILANCULUS: Yes, because if you and therefore we had to send, in a hidden in the area? Gulf Oil Co., Hunt International Pe look at the history of Africa coming way, our nationalists to go inside Moz troleum Co., Texaco, Mobil, Caltext; to independence the imperialists thought ambique to explain to the people about ARTHUS VILANCULUS: Portugal con all American companies. You know they that they would still be able to exploit the party and its goal, so the people trols the richest countries of Africa, give the name Mozambiquan but they as they did before, but that exploitation can be ready by the time we start to Mozambique and Angola, so one expects are all American. must end. That is why the colonialists fight for independence. We told the people that Portugal will lte rich. But Portugal want to maintain that part of Southern what we were trying to do, to first is the poorest country of Europe and is JIM: So the Americans are profiting Africa because it is one of the richest speak out in the world organizations the most underdeveloped with 40% il from the resources of Mozambique, An areas of the continent. They know if we like the U, N" and that we have African literacy. Then' where are all the re gola and Guinea. Do they also give aid get independence they will lose lots of states in favor, of our independence. sources taken from Mozambique going to the Portugese in opposition to the interests. But more important, and this depends to? Portugal controls Mozambique, An struggle of the African people? We in Mozambique have put it very on the masses, they had to be ready for gola anil GUinea~Bissau politically, but clearly, just as did our neighboring struggle because by trying through the economically I have doubt that they ben MR. VILANCULUS: Yes, no doubt a African states suchas Tanzania, inwhich U. N. does not mean that we will get our efit from it, and if there are Portugese bout -it, otherwise how can Portugal when independence came they made it independence that way. The masses had who benefit economically it is not a big still be the only country that has col clear that the money and resources .to be ready, they had to prepare and number. There are very few indeed who onies in Africa? The British, French, must not get out but must help to develop produce more food so that when the time benefit from the resources of our coun German, Spanish and Belgian colonial the country. Because the businesspeople comes when we take guns and fight there try. empires have all been defeated by the go and take from those countries and is enough food to feed the nationalists African nationalists. In the Portugese ignore the development of those areas. who will be living the revolution. JIM: The great oil deposits in Mozam colonies there has really been a revo We don't want to make the same mis The revolution is against the oppres bique, who are these controlled by? lution. As of 1963, Portugal has been take as has been in Latin America, in sion which of course they know about waging war on Angola and Guinea- Bis which some countries have been more and therefore they must prepare them MR, VILANCULUS: Why is Portugal. sau, and since 1964, when the Mozam than 100 years independent and they ar.e seLves to join in the struggle and to in so poor when she controls the richest bique Liberation Front declared war, still- poor people and they can't develop form the militants when,they start to countries of Africa for more than 400 Portugal has been fighting three wars, themselves because of the continuation fig-ht where the enemy is and try to years? Because lots of companies belong and they are really wars; though they , of exploitation. hide as much as they can the movement to foreigners. Because the Portugese are very little pUblicized in the U.S. We in FRELIMO are making it clear of the nationalists. Who provides the help to Portugal? It government, an underdeveloped nation that independence means the end of We nave to explain to the people what unable to develop the economy in the is the Americans who have their own exploitation and we must develop our is the goal of independence. For the cowiti'1es they control has to ask people interests within the colonies who give, economy. The businessmen can continue party the goal is of course to throw off wno are skillful to come to those areas. loans to Portugal including military to do their business but they must realize the colonial power and get independence. We have Americans who have been asked help. And you have to realize - that that they cannot take things out; that This is a primary goal, as we started by the Portuguese government to come Portugal is a member of NATO. They they must help the country economically, the revolution; to be free from colonial and exploit resources, such as oil, in are helping portugal mostly because educationally and in other ways. oppression. our country. of economic interestswithin our country. JIM: Isn't that a contradiction? If cap JIM: What form is armed struggle taking italism itself signifies exploitation how in Mozambique? can they continue in Africa without ex ploiting the peoples of Africa? MR.. VILANCULUS: We use the guer rilla system because this is the best MR, VILANCULUS: We have to realize way _for people like us, because we have that when I say the businessmen can be to fight against the mostly heavy col in some areas it does not mean they can onialists who have mostly inhumane de be there for good, as it has proven they vices, and guerrilla war is resistant were not there for good in some inde to this. We started our war in 1964 pendent states, such as Tanzania, where with only 250 well equipped national the government controlled the major in ists, but because of the help of the dustries and the main resources of masses we were able to succeed, be income within the country. cause the masses were prepared. They But we must be very careful not to knew the date in which we were going run so fast we can do harm to our to strike in which area, and because of selves. We feel this is a stage trying that we were able to succeed. to organize ourselves when we get in Today we control one fifth of the dependence. We don't want to just kick country and the system is going very out the businessmen but they know we well because it is not only the guer will not let them stay and this is why rillas, the masses have realized that the they want to maintain the Portugese war is for all of us Mozambiquans who colonies. They know that real independ have been oppressed. And therefore ence means that they may stay for a everyone is willing to have guns and fight few months or years but they won't and this includes women. The women stay forever. They have to get out be in Mozambique are very tough and they cause we won't continue capitalism in do a very good job. Once, in 1967, the our country because capitalism means women detachment killed twenty-five exploitation of our people. Portugese in one spot with no losses FRELIMO themselves. So the form of struggle in the revolution is a guerrilla system JIM: How did FRELIMOcomeintobeing? because otherwise you can' t do it. MR. VILANCULUS: FRELIMOwasform.' This is a people's war. The people ed in 1962 out of three major political have realized and known this despite parties of Mozambique. These three pol the Portuguese propaganda on the mass itical parties were formed by Mozam media that the people who were fighting biquans who ,were working in Tanzania, when the war began- were not really in Malawi, in - Zambia and ZimbabweBut Mozambiquan, but people from outside after Tanzania got independence in 1962 who have come to invade Mozambique. we decided to form one political party We have to work hard to explain to and because of that we had our first more people. That was my job on the conference in June, 1962 to form one radio and of course many people knew front, the Mozambiquan Liberation Front. me from home. And everyone was ready This part was formed in Tanzania, in to fight the war. Because of them we Dar-Es-Salaam. The reason why we had have been very successful. And because to have FRELIMO in Dar-Es-Salaam as of our success the Portuguese have well as in Mozambique is because the asked for direct military help from the Portuguese don' t allow political activity. United States in December, 1968. To Anything that smacks of politics in Moz fight in Mozambique, Angola and Guinea. ambique as well as in Portugal itself is a crime. Therefore we had to org LIBERATE THE SOUTH anize in Dar-Es-Salaam. JIM: What are the objectives of the JIM: The struggle has been progressing party? in all three countries very well? MR, VILANCULUS: First of all, -the A school in the liberated zone idea of the party is to try and organize -ILANCULUS: Yes, in Guinea-
PAGE 20 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
~ Bissau Africans now control two thirds reauze that there was nothing to do of the country and the Portuguese can't but to take guns and fight. But even do.anything ,In Mozambique we now con though they do it against their own trol one fifth of the country. The Por wishes they have to do it to protect tuguese can't touch these areas. And and liberate themselves. we are marching south. We started from the northern part of Mozambique SOCIALISM which shares a border with Tanzania and we are marching ahead--the Por JIM: What are the long range goals of tugese each time go back, toward the FRELIMO? south, where there is a border with South Africa. In Angola also, there has MR. VILANCULUS: FRELIMO must fight been a very good fight. So it is pro against ignorance as we are doing now gressing. That is why the Portuguese and have many schools which will not are asking dIrect help from the U. S, only benefit the European and Asian children, but also the African children, JIM: Do you think that part of the re and we have to keep the idea of political sistance of the counter-revolutionary freedom within the people to express forces is because, if the Portugese their own opinions. And letting our colonies become independent, they fear people realize that our system will be that .other areas of Southern Africa a socialist system, which is, by the way, will come under the control of Africans? a traditional African way. A socialist system within our country MR. VILANCULUS: Yes, in Zimbabwe in which we can develop our people and which Ian Smith control and South Africa the people have freedom of expression and of course the Portuguese--these and do things which can benefit them people are a common enemy for the in selves. And to be part of the world rev dependence of Africa. olution, this is one of our goals. This In 1965 the government of Ian Smith will be one of the goals of our country. sent troops into Mozambique and South And we have made it clear that our Africa sent troops into Mozambique, but government, when we get independence, as of now the people of Zimbabwe are must be a revolutionary nation. It must fighting againstIan Smith, and because of open its hands to assist any peoples that all troops which were in Mozam who are trying to free themselves from bique from Rhodesia have to go back and any kind of oppression. This of course fight within their own country. includes South Africa where we will have South Africa has sent troops in Rho to help the African nationalists. desia and Mozambique because the in To help people wherever they are being dependence of Mozambique and Zim exploited. We will speak in favor ofthem babwe is key to the independence' of and if they ask us to shed our blood South Africa. So they have to try to hold we will do that and of course sacrifice us and work with the western imperial our life because having boundaries with ists in controlling that area because South Africa they will try to bomb us. they know when you .open one area that's But from our own experience Tanzania the end of them. was bombed by Portugal and Tanzania told them if they do it again that means JIM: What are the 'major diffiCUlties you Tanzania will declare war and therefore are facing now in the front itself? they didn't do it again. We have to sac rifice ourselves. Independence of Moz MR. VILANCULUS: In the guerrillafight ambique means the beginning of a strug ing a major difficulty is the means of gle in which we help other people. transport, because it is very dangerous JIM: And in your own "counfry? to use cars, but they are so needed in . the semi-liberated areas which we con MR. VILANCULUS: Of course you have trol because they can facilitate our na to raise the standard of living. And of tionalists to go from one place to an course education. We started the Moz other. ambiquan Institute in 1963 and today we There are difficulties in communica have over 200 university graduates who tion; radios, walkie-talkies are needed came from this school. Portugal, in for our nationalists to communicatewith almost 500 years did not produce even each other from wherever they are. And one Mozambiquan university graduate. we have to proyide clothing and we are And this leadership, within our party still fighting so how can we provide this today--any student who finishes under in the areas we control, but we need graduate studies goes back towork with more to prepare our people for education in the Mozambiquan people, among the and we need financial help to provide people. And can only continue their more what we call bush schools--we have studies after they have been with the to have books, pencils, ink, ·chalk. We people and helped the people and seen have to have clothing and medicine be what the proble~s are that are going cause we have our own clinics. These on. So that these educated ones must are difficulites that confront us in the not be exploiters of the people but must front-lines as well as in the ·semi live with the people and help them as liberated areas of our country. much as they can.
JIM: In the semi-liberated areaswhat WHAT' WE CAN DO kind of changes have there been in the life of the people? JIM: We in the American movement want to support your movement in any MR, VILANCULUS: Under the colonial way we can and would like to know how power therewas persecution of the people we can support your struggle. and the people were not given the rights' f for any kind of political expression and . MR. VILANCULUS: I think the U.S. also in the areas controlled by the Por owes us so much because of their tuguese there are no facilities for edu aid to the Portugeuse government and cation, there are no facilities for clinics, because of what American friends and or for a fight against disease. sympathizers with our struggle for in In the areas we control we are pro dependence in Mozambiuqe, in Angola ducing more food and there has been and in' Guinea- Bissau can do il) many a big change to allow the people to w'ays. make their own decisions and to select First of all you can contact your their own leaders within their regions. own congressmen. I know this sounds To do this by themselves; to run this funny but it is very important because by themselves without having somebody the congressmen must know what's go to tell them what to do. ing on and so the State Department will know that you people know what is going JIM: Are there any .traditions which on, because the Portugese government impede or set back the revolutionary in cooperation with your government is struggle? If there are, what happens trying to hide what is going on within to them? the Porguese colonies, so that your people won't do anything. MR VILANCULUS: One of the traditions Another thing which you can do to which has been very difficult' in Africa help the Mozambiquan people. We need which may be one reason the African more food, we need more clothing. No, people have been the last to get their the clothing that you people throw out, independence is that traditionally we don't throw it out because we have many are more humanitarian and this is a thousands of refugees and people in bad thing to some extent when you go into semi-liberated areas. Also we need a revolution. Although it's also good. transistor radios, medicines, financial It's been rather difficult to convince help for education. somebody to take a gun and kill some And most important is to educate the body. American people to what is taking place. It was necessary to change the people I hope you can do that. and with our contemporary experience New York Newsreel chicago Newsreel, San Francisco Newsreel where many young Africans have been 28 West 31st Street 162 North Clinton St. 450 Alabama Street killed by the Portuguese, innocent as New York, N Y. 10001 Chicago, Ill. 60606 San Francisco, Calif. 94110 they were, the African people had to
JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 21 CORNELL CONTINUED FROM PG .11
wasn't just because there weren't lieved--now everything would be all moved on. In response, the university blacks on it. SDS people pointed out right again. . cracked down hard, arresting ten of the impossibility of a just judical the demonstrators for criminal tres system under capitalism, but most STUDENT POWER ORGY pass. The next day 400 people marched of the time was spent discussing tac through the administration building de tics and the politics of the situation Yet the average student still felt manding the dropping of the charges never became too clear. still the hours that something more could be accom and an immediate end to ROTC. The of talk exposed many people to the plished. He had learned a lesson during BLF pledged full support for the SDS movement for the first time and in the past few days; the lesson that by demands--a measure of how far things the struggle context they were much banding together he had power. What !lad progressed in a matter of months. more open to discussions of imper followed was a student power orgy. But the SDS chapter fragmented even ialism and racism than they would Students began to feel they should further. Along with the labor committee normally have been. have a say in everything. Very little faction, large numbers of people who . At this point a theoretical split talk about changing anything, just a said they felt ROTC was an important in the chapter came to the fore. piece of the action. Discussions of issue argued that this wasn' t the right The labor committee faction began the relationship of the university to time to move, that the campus was to argue the supposedly apolitcal nature capitalism and racism--the issues eXhausted, and that action now would of the '" black" demands and urged which sparked the crisis--were shunted isolate and crush the movement. the broadening of the struggle. Others aside. What they wanted was restruc The struggle faction wondered how pointed out that the phrase "black" turing. Plans for a mammoth Con-' the chapter could support the blacks demand was phony in this context stituent Assembly were drawn up. When on their reprimands and then fail Pecause what the blacks were fighting it was pointed out that the CA would to support their own people busted for--the refusal of revolutionaries to have no power to change things fun on criminal trespass. They pointed kccept bourgeois justice--was in the damentaly' they paid little attention. out that even liberal groups on cam interests not only of revolutionary The majority of the students weren' t pus were condemning ROTC and the students but of all working people; interested in fundamental change;they arrests, and that the size of demon white as well as black. After sharp felt that the university was essen strations and meetings showed that once debate the idea of eXPanding the de tially a good place. SDS moved they would be able to mands was defeated. The administration was quick to see galvanize a huge following. At an ear SDS, which had taken over the un the possibilities of stopping dissent ly morning meeting the vote went 2 iversity chapel as a base of operations, through the assembly. The Ford Found..; to 1 against militant action. The BLF continued to picket and agitate through ation gave $25,000, while liberals in was incredulous and angry after having out the campus in support of the the faculty hailed the CA as a way gotten its whole membership up at ~lacks. That evening as hundreds pre of stopping violence on the campus 5:30 'in the morning. The plan had pared to spend the night in order to once and for all. been for SDS to take a building and ~eep picketing shifts going, the news Both the BLF and SDS were in a for the BLF to picket and mobilize broke that the blacks had armed. Con state of confusion. As soon as it be support outside-'-the reverse of the sidering the nature of the group the came obvious that the mass of students earlier seizure. The fact that this kind response to this news was very good. were now more interested in student of support action by a black group on Most of the new people recognized power than attacking racism the BLF a clearly anti-imperialist issue would the need for self-defense and felt withdrew into semi-isolation. Leaders have been unprecedented and would that under the circumstances there was were upset that the motion they had have served as a cue to other black little else the blacks could do--a far created had begun to go astray, but groups in the country who now look cry from the reaction this sort ofthing they were at a loss as to how they to .the BLF as one of the campus would have produced in the chapter a should procede. They had already used vanguards was overlooked by most year before. their .maximum tactic, and now other people. SDS again settled on a semi The following morning a rally and people were using them for their own militant tactic, another m.arch through march to a faculty meeting drew a selfish ends. And they had to deal the administration bUilding. The fu thousand people who demanded the with repression. The local DA began tility of the march changed many peo immediate dropping of the charges. an investigation. McClellan subpoenaed pie'S minds about the need for serious do but wander around bitching about The combination of the guns and the records and eventually 21 indictments action but at another meeting that night how the university was being ruined; growing white support convinced the came down. militant action was again voted down, SDS, having been alerted the day before administration that it had to settle SDS regrouped and raised demands ~his time by a very narrow margin. the seizure, immediately began a pro qUickly. They agreed to drop the char for open admissions·and an end to The failure of SDS to act over ROTC tective picket in front of the union. ges and the blacks marched out of the ROTC on campus. They pointed out and political suppression has put a The number of supporters grew steadily union. that allOWing in working class youth strain on its relations with the BLF. throughout the occupation, reaching to a school which at present has less Throughout the year the BLF has shown over a thousand by the next day. PRESSURE ON FACULTY than 3% of its student body from a willingness to listen to SDS politics, The right wing was almost as qUick laboring backgrounds and ending ROTC as long as they think it is serious. to mobilize. Usually dormant, they The next day the faculty reversed would do more to "restructure" the The BLF has proved its seriousness were incensed that the parents had to the decision. An SDS meeting called university than worrying about the . and has shown that it is quite capable see such a U disgrace". Within two that evening and attended by 2500 size of the professor-student ratios. of rapid political development. The .-.-- hours 30 of them made an assault people voted overwhelmingly to take Many agreed. Tired of the student white movement at Cornell is still on a back door of the union. Half militant action if the faculty didn' t . powerites bullshit hundreds ofnew peo on trial. It was new and inexperienced of them got in before the SDS kids change its mind. Plans for seizing ple began to look to SDS for direction. and the events of the Spring would have could stop them, but they soon got another building were begun. The fol Meanwhile, the "non-political" BLF tried any group. Many gains were their asses handed to them by the lowing day the faculty began to re came out with a program of its own registered. The movement grew in blacks inside and they split. As they asses its position. Under the threat denouncing the university as an arm size and sophistication but there is ~eft they shouted that the next time of more building seizures faculty of of imperialism, and demanding an end still something lacking. For those who they came they were going to "burn several colleges changed their pos to ROTC and military research which argued that the timing was wrong .the place down". As could be expected, itions. President Perkins, also fear was used to oppress black and brown there will be a chance this fall when the campus cops did nothing to stop ful of more action, declared a state people at home and throughout the third the trials of the BLF and SDS people the whole thing except threaten to of emergency on campus saying that world. The BLF, sensing that more ~gain refocus the issue. As one leader arrest a couple of the SDS kids. any groups engaging in further dis should be gained from their struggle of the BLF noted "We started a fire Tension increased throughout the ruption would be disbanded and indiv than the annulment of several rep and now it's only smouldering. Its day. The fraternity people held sev iduals immediately suspended. 350 rimands, was anxious to act on ROTC. up to you whether it turns into ashes eral stormy meetings. The leadership state and local cops from several count But SDS would have to make the first or a blaze." tended to be liberal and wanted to cool ies moved into Ithaca in preparation move. As with the Chase demonstra . the whole thing, but among the rank for further trouble. At the same time, tion the BLF was waiting to see if and-file there was a lot of talk about thousands of leaflets appeared on cam white radicals were serious. The BLF revenge. Their mood was further in pus urging everyone to come to the was already in a tough position, but flamed by one professor wh contin sds meeting that night to vote down they were willing to go farther-- if Student power ually refered to the "bravery" of those. action. they weren't alone. ~ho attempted to get into the union.. The meeting was set for 7:30. By in China Inside the building, the blacks were 7 there were over 2000 people there FACTIONS VS ACTIONS being deluged with threatening phone and by the time it got underway in Bar The Cultural Revolution began at calls running the gambit from bombs ton Hall there were between 5-6000 But SDS was deeply divided. The to fire. These threats seemed more people present, aoout half of whom labor committee faction argued that Peking University. Why? How did credible in the wake ofa cross-burning were in sympathy with the black de ROTC was a false issue and that it start and how did it develop? on the lawn of the black co-op several mands. The situation was chaotic.Most moving around it would only alienate In one of the most detailed ac days before the takeover. of the SDS regulars were prepared th e working class. The anti-imperial counts yet to appear, Victor Nee In the light of the attack by the jocks, to take the administration building ists pointed out the fact that an anti describes China's educational the threats, and. the cops' indifference but they were scattered throughout ROTC struggle was in fact pro-work system and the student cam to it all, the blacks decided to bring the huge crowd, and when a young ing class because ROTC is used not paign to revolutionize it. Prior to guns into the building. They had gone only in the oppression of third world professor with a history of sympathy book publication, "The Cultural in unarmed and early in the morning for the left, announced that the fac people but that increasingly the army to avoid violence, buf they were ser ulty was obviously changing its mind will be used to put down the growing Revolution at Peking University" ious about winning their demands and and that if they didn't he would take revolt of black and white workers. appears in full as this summer's about protecting their people. They part in a seizure himself the mood They further argued that the labor double issue. Send for your JIlade it clear from the start that the of the crowd was tempered. They committees' non-struggle attitude ig sample copy now. guns were only for self-defense, but felt they could wait one day. Instead nored the growing movement inworking it was also pointed out that all rev of taking the administration building, class high schools and community col olutionary violence is defensive in several thousand decided to stay in leges. It was also pointed out that the that it is protecting the rights of the Barton Hall, defy the state of emer experience of the Standard Oil Strike MONTHLY people from the oppressor. gency, and wait for the faculty to in California showed that there was a change its decision. possibility of organizing workers a INCREASED SUPPORT In short term, this strategy worked. round anti-imperialist politics. REVIEW With several thousand students ready Because of the split the chapter While the right wing stayed mad, Edited by Paul M. Sweezy to take militant action the faculty decided on a semi-militant action a- and Harry Magdoff ---'.~ general student sentiment began swing reversed itself. The charges were . round ROTC. 300 people marched to ing towa.rds the blacks. The basis .. Dept.8 116 West.14 st. N.Y., N.Y. 10011 dropped. But bad things began to d=: a ROTC review, moved into a re $7 a year students $5 (foreign add $1) of their support was not always the 'velop. As soon as the faculty announced stricted area which housed a naval best. Many felt that the judical system its decision most people seemed re- cannon, held a rally on the gun and PAGE 22 THE MOVEMENT JULY 1969
...... -,. WATSON contil'\ued enough number of workers out of the plant, that stiUggl~ which went down in Santo Domingo. Che of being' able to have national general strike. plant isn't going to run until we decide that we're Guevara has told us that the response to this kind of If a' national general strike reacnes the point of going to run it again. tactic of the ruling class is to spread their forces thin absolute confrontation between us and the system . The AFL-CIO has also been selling us some throughout the world by the opening up of "two, and if the ruling class refuses to capitulate to the tremendous wolf tickets in regards to the attempts of tluee, many Vietnams," so that each local guerilla demands which we lay on it, it would probably resort blacks to organize, especially among the skilled trades movement can deal more effectively with their local tl) the type of tactics which were used to suppress the and construction workers. As you know, it's been a situation. unorganized general strike which was held.in July of historical fact that the construction and building You can relate this to the situation as it exists in 1967 in Detroit. That is, it would probably try to trade unions have been some of the most segregated this country. We have found that in the future when a garrison off the community and starve us out. and racist unions in th~ country. We're beginning to particular plant goes down and the ruling class brings ,A revolutionary organization and revolutionary move to organize black workers into unions which in the police and courts and all the rest of that stuff, leaders siinply cannot tolerate the starvation of our can begin to take some of these high-paying jobs we're going to have to respond in some sort of community and facing that kind of position we which we've been continually denied. fashion in which ,we can bring equal force against would have no choice but to call for the, workers to The AFL-CIO in this area has also stated that thern. By and large this is one of the reasons for the go back into the factories and assume control of the they will attempt to crush us. In the long run it will organization of the League, so that workers in means of production and distribution in order to feett be impossible for the union bureaucracies to crush different industries and different plants could support ourselves and feed the community. our movement. ~ut we recognize that there's a long one another in these struggles. Assuming control of the means of production and bitter struggle ahead of us in dealing with these Given a protracted and intensive struggle, this essentially means that you are at the first stage of enemies of the revolution, kind of development would inevitably lead to a assuming state power. It is from the escalation of this general strike in which it would be necessary for all type of struggle and from the reaction of the ruling LONG RANGE PERSPECTIVE the workers in a particular city or a particular class to it that we see the developmentof an overall FE: In terms of a long range perspective, has geographic area to close down the industries in revolutionary movement which will forever over your experience with League organizing. given you support of any particular struggle. A general strike on throw capitalism and imperialism and racism. some insight or ideas into where the general revolu a local level, of course, can be met by the ruling class tionary process is moving in this country and the on a national level, that is,. they can bring in the FE: In the context of this long-range perspec kinds of things that it will ultimately culminate in? national guard, the state police, the FBI, the army tive where is .the League generally going in the and whatever else might be necessary to suppress this short-run? Is it going to be confined to a local level or JW: We have some definite conceptions of how particular kind of struggle. are plans now being made for national expansion? the revolution is going to be accomplished in this However, I think the development Qf a general country. In the· first place we're organizing in strike here in a city like Detroit over the next two or JW: At the moment we are tightening up the automobile plants on the basis of the local struggles three years would be a very positive development in organization on the local level and expanding to new which black workers are faced with in the industries terms of concretely demonstrating to masses of plants and n~w memberships on a local level Our in which they are working. But we find that any time people their ability to mobilize themselves al).d bring interim medium-range plans are of course to begin to we carry out a strike at a particular plant the immense power and pressure against the system. expand outside of this immediate geograph,ic area to company doesn't simply rely on the resources which In the long run because of the contradictions in organize black workers wherever they might exist. it has at that particular plant to suppress our strike capitalist society, capitalism can't make any kinds of Our ultimate intention is to organize black but moves to bring in outside police, moves'to bring really significant reforms with American industry or workers as a whole, as a class throughout the country in the courts, moves to use the mass media, moves to within the society at large. The process of increasing and proceeding from that basic mass organization to use a number of resources which are available to the productivity standards within the plant isn't just a extend a revolutionary black organization throughout ruling class to suppress the struggle. Therefore, at a simple accident. It has to do with the necessity of the the black community. particular plant sometimes we find that in the expansion of capitalism in an attempt to constantly struggle against the company the workers are over increase profit in relation to overall capital invest whelmed by the amount of strength which the ment. This simply goes to say that given the context company can bring to bear against us. of any kind of general strike or struggle on that level, Persons interested in supporting the work ofthe If you consider this in a theoretical sense it's no the ruling class will be forced into a position of League of Revolutionary Black Workers may send different from the kinds of struggles which are taking suppressing or attempting to suppress that type of contributions to the organization at 9049 Oakland, place on an international level where American activity. Detmit, Michigan. imperialism is allowed to concentrate superior forces Our response to such a repression on a 10calleve1 in a,small area of the world in order to suppress a will obviously have to be to escalate our attack on the libera~on movement. Fox instance; look at ,the national level. I think that we have to think in terms PRESIOI,O CONl'·INUED brushing the cobwebs away so he could floor, leaning against the wall, trying' gether. He asks about the fighting over hands 'is the story of our times. "Yes," see. The FBI brought him to the stock to figure out what to do. We weren't People's Park in Berkeley. "Is this Lindy Blake said, «We WERE street ade with a note from his doctor saying allowed to see the regulations on stock': it, man? There are ten thousand of people. That was our identity in the he had to have his thorozine. Woodring ades, but we had a contraband copy and us up here. Is it time for us to right stockade. Some of us in the 27 had even refused to give it to him because the X (a prisoner yet to be sentenced) went eously return?" known each other when we were AWOL prescription on the bottlewas from a civ through it,markiiigoff the ways in which "Even so," Mather concludes about in the Haight. ~ ilian, it wasn't an Army prescription... the Presidio stockade broke the Army's the blacks, "they left it tentative till The plan was for people to answer There were a lot of sick people: Fields, own rules. Everybody would get up ,and the last minute. If most of the white "Here~ en masse when the first name Lee, Reidel all slashed themselves to tell about the things that had happened prisoners were going out, they would was called at work formation; then they ribbons. Heaston, too. Osczepinski kept to them. Finally I started writing some have, too,~ would all move out and sit down in a talking about cutting out his eyes with down. That's how I got to be spokes circle. a razor blade." man," he laughed. NOT LONG SINH Many of the prisoners had stayed up On Sunday, a young, forceful civil 1'1 wrote down the grievances and an all night, and tension hung thick at liberties lawyer, came to the stockade example after everyone. First, of As the list of complaints was being breakfast; there was a vicious fight in to visit his client, Randy Rowland, a course, we wanted an investigation of complied SUnday night, the exact form which one man's jaw was broken. conscientious objector who had gone the Bunch killing and a psychologicaltest of the demonstration was still undecided. Mather and Pawlowski had reason to AWOL from Fort Lewis, Washington for the guards. Man; they had some sick A few men still wanted to take the com hope, until the last minute, that about and had turned himself over to Mili guards there. Raines took tranqUilizers pound. (Several black veterans of the 100 men--80%--would join the demon tary Police after the October 12 Gl's all the time. He was so high strung, he Long Binh Jail uprising had come through stration. and Veterans March for Peace in San used to scream instead of talk. Damaged the Presidio .stocade , and their story "But only eight or nine people yelled Francisco. his throat. He was transferred to stock was retold now as a possible .plan of 'Here', Mather remembers in anguish. A long line of prisoners formed to ade duty straight from Vietnam, no rest. action.) "It was terrible: 'Here'...'Here' ...1mov see Hallinan--and from this episode Woodring drank a lot and he was a mean At the other extreme was Pawlowski, ed out, and then I looked behind me and stemmed the Army's charge that he was drunk. I smelled alcohol on his breath who thought everybody should take off there were about 20 men startingto move. the outside agitator who in fact in that day he pushed me down the stairs. their clothes and refuse to cooperate Wow! I felt better...But I still feel that itiated the mutiny. Cohen told us he dreamed he was an SS with stockade officials in any way till the first bad moment, when everybody "What happened," Pawloski recalls, trooper. The psychiatrist gave him a the grievances were acted on. The idea wavered, convinced the majority not to "is that Hallinan said a group of law compassionate leave. Whether or not he of sitting in a circle and singing • We take part." yers in the Bay Area were willing to really dreamed that, he DID break one Shall Overcome" had been in the air "When we sat down," says PaWlowski, handle Gl's cases. This news had a guy's back. all week-end. "That's the classical way "it was really a beautiful instant. People magic effect--but it had absolutelynoth ·We wanted an end to shotgun work you have a demonstration," Mather ob were finally resisting, were finally get ing to do with the sit-down, which had details, We wanted the stockade brought serves.. "We had all seen it on TV. ting together and accomplishing some been discussed for days. up to the Army's own regulations. We No one had to suggest it." thing. For me, it was a moment of lib-. "You see, there'd been a vicious wanted adequate time and facilities for When the course of action was finally eration. We'd been so impotent, so up- circle that kept you from getting a visits. We wanted an end to discrim settled--long after many of the partici tight. Now we weren't just going along lawyer. You couldn't write to anyone ination--two guards, Myer and Lunchi, pants had drifted back to their own cell with everything, we were RESISTING. but family (a violation of Army rules), really hated the blacks. And of course blocks--Mather snuck across the com It was a wonderful feeling, singing. Wood yet a lawyer couldn't come unless he pound to building 1212, the low security we wanted our constitutional rights." ring was shoutingJ 'Get back in line! had a letter from you, requesting him. How come the blacks didn't join? bar.racks. to relay the news. "It's ironic," Get back in line! But we were lOUder." That night I went around asking people "There were a couple of reasGns," he says, "That the guys in 1212 de:' . Did they expect to be charged with if they wanted a civilian lawyer. Every Mather thinks. "First, we· had decided cided not to take part because Dounis mutiny? one said yes. You felt--everybody did to be non-violent and they weren't ex and Jones argued against it. They were "No", says Mather. ·We figured the --that a civilian lawyer was the key to actly into non-violence. Second, they .resisters and highly respected. Thh stockade was such a scandal they'd want getting out, a miracle worker". . figured if they were in the group, when thought it just wasn't worth the risk; to hush it up. 'Go back to your barracks, the MPs came itwouldn'tbe justa peace and since they were political, lots of things'll be improved...''' GRIEVANCES ful arrest; it would be gas or billy people took their word. Of course I was Kight adds, "Hell, if I knew it was clubs or something. They also figured in for the same thing..." (Mather, George going to be such a big thing I would have • Because everybody wanted a lawyer, Doun~s and Chuck Jones were among the because almost 100 gUys had signed a they'd get punished worse." joined--even with all that time hanging Blake adds, "I know some of them "Nine for Peace" --nine members of the over me. Yeah, I definitely would have letter Rupert was sending to his Con Armed Forces who chained themselves gressman, because the blacks were talk wanted to, but they had decided that gone out there if I knew it was going whatever they did, they'd do it all to inside a Haight Street church in June, .ip be a MUTINY'" .. ing very tough., we thought just about 1968 to protest the war.) everybody was going to take part in gether. Maybe a few were just chicken PROGRESSIVE Largest selectionof left shit. Some whites were certainly chick It may have been ironic that two of whatever we decided on. We held a sort the highly political prisoners argued BOOK SHOP ~W~p4irlodlcilISiri of meeting in cell block 3 Sunday night. enshit." He turns to punch Kight on the arm. against the sit-down-- but of course the Complete stock of Radical Ed. Project, It wasn't a real meeting with a chair phenomenon of street people taking pol man or anything, just a bunch of people Kight's arm says, "Born to raise hell." Mon,thly Review Press. and.. International. He's a biker, very tough and very to- itical initiative against the restraining Publishers. Write for free catalogue. sitting around on the bunks, on the advice of more experienced movement I 1506 W. 7th St.• Los Anll8les90017 JULY 1969 THE MOVEMENT PAGE 23 ) ( l