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A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 52/NO. 40 OCTOBER 14, 1988 $1.00

1,000 women meet in Cuba Frame-up victim Curtis at int'l wins new labor backing conference BY MARGARET JAYKO OCT. 6-Mary Brown, president of In­ BY CINDY JAQUITH ternational Union of Electronic Workers AND RONI McCANN Local 829 in Des Moines, Iowa, partici­ HAVANA, Cuba, Oct. 5- More than pated in last night's meeting of the Mark I ,000 women from nearly 40 countries have Curtis Defense Committee. According to gathered here for the Third Meeting of the defense committee activist Steven Fuchs, Women's Continental Front Against Inter­ vention, which opened here October 3. Hosted by the Federation of Cuban Wom­ As we go to press, Stu Singer, coor­ en (FMC), the delegations have come to dinator of the Mark Curtis Defense discuss the struggle for self-determination Committee, said, "We are urging all sup­ and against imperialist intervention, the porters of the Curtis defense effort to act status of women's rights in their countries, on the assumption that the trial of Mark the foreign debt throttling Latin America Curtis on charges of assaulting the cops, and the Caribbean, and many other ques­ which was scheduled for October 10, tions. will not open next week. Many support­ The majority of delegates are from Latin ers were planning to come to Des Moines American or Caribbean countries where to attend the trial. Instead they can help Spanish is the main language spoken: build support for Curtis in their local Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cos­ areas." ta Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hon­ while Brown had known about Curtis' ar­ duras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, rest and conviction from the local media, she first ran into the defense committee at and Venezuela. Coming from the English-speaking the recent IUE convention. Caribbean countries are women from Anti­ Brown was one of more than 200 con­ gua, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and vention delegates who signed petitions on Trinidad and Tobago. behalf of Curtis. In addition, several dozen There are also women from the Dutch­ union officials and staff members endorsed speaking countries of Aruba and Suriname; the Mark Curtis Defense Committee for the from Haiti, where French Creole is spoken; first time at the convention. Brown took and from Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Del­ some petitions with her from the defense egates who are Indians also speak indige­ committee meeting to circulate. nous languages. Hector Marroquin, a Mexican-born po­ There is a large delegation of more than litical activist who just won his permanent 70 women from the United States. Dele­ residence visa after an !!-year fight against L gates are also here from Australia, Czecho­ government efforts to deport him, worked slovakia, East Germany, West Germany, Continued on Page 5 Mark Curtis speaks at international rally before conviction and jailing Sept. 14 Italy, Namibia, the Philippines, Spain, and the Soviet Union. Women from Panama welcomed At the opening plenary session where Kentucky miners appeal conviction each delegation stood up to be introduced, several received especially enthusiastic BY NORTON SANDLE-R rately and acquitted in federal court early put an ad in the Williamson, West Vir­ applause. The women from Panama rose to CINCINNATI - Oral arguments were this year. Before he could leave the court­ ginia, paper urging supporters to attend the cheers and waved a big Panamanian flag heard here September 29 in the appeal of house, Smith was rearrested by Kentucky appeal hearing in Cincinnati . chanting, "We will never sell out our coun­ the frame-up conviction of four Kentucky cops and charged with murder. Wives, relatives, and other supporters, try!" The Puerto Rican delegation chanted, coal miners. Smith's attorney has filed a motion for including half a dozen UMWA members, "We are a Latin American country!" Twenty of the miners' supporters made dismissal of the case because it constituted waited nearly three hours for the appeal to Women from Chile, Nicaragua, and El Sal­ the more than five-hour trip from the east­ double jeopardy (being tried twice on the come up on the docket. vador got warm welcomes. When the ern Kentucky and southern West Virginia same charges) . A ruling on that motion has The hearing was held in the ornate 6th Cuban delegates stood up, the crowd coalfields to be present at the federal ap­ been pending for several months. Circuit Court of Appeals courtroom, which chanted, "Cuba yes, Yankees no'" peals court here. is decorated with a thick red carpet, fancy Welcoming remarks were given to the Donnie Thornsbury, David Thornsbury, Appeals court hearing wooden walls complete with wood carv­ gathering by FMC President Vilma Espin, James Darryl Smith, and Arnold Height­ Citizens for Justice, a group of miners ings and cushioned benches. who is a member of the Cuban Communist land were convicted last December on and family members that has been raising During the trial last year, the miners Party Political Bureau. She urged all the trumped-up charges of violating interstate funds for the four jailed UMWA members, Continued on Page 13 women to use the five days they will spend commerce laws. here to get to know each other's countries The coal company- and government-or­ and struggles and to learn how the Cuban chestrated operation was cooked up after revolution has advanced women's rights. scab coal hauler Hayes West was killed Activists jailed for refusing Conference participants will have an op­ during the 1984-85 United Mine Workers portunity to meet with Cuban workers, of America (UMWA) strike at A.T. Mas­ peasants, and professionals, and to visit sey Co. mines. to testify before grand jury child-care centers, hospitals, and schools. At the 1987 trial, attorneys for the min­ Part of the U.S. delegation is participat­ ers explained that the coal operators, with BY FRED FELDMAN against alleged members and supporters of ing in a daily seminar with FMC leaders to the help of various government agencies, Vernon Bellecourt, a leader of the Amer­ the People's Committee for Libyan Stu­ learn more about Cuban women in the staged the shooting. This was done so the ican Indian Movement, and Robert Brown, dents, eight of whom were indicted on July work force, how the media treats women courts would issue injunctions that would a member of the All-African Peoples Rev­ 28 for violating the 1986 federal regula­ here, problems of sex education and birth force the UMW A to take down its picket olutionary Party, are serving indefinite tions that forbid travel to Libya or transac­ control, and the ideological challenges in lines. sentences in Alexandria, Virginia. tions with it. The eight pleaded not guilty overcoming prejudices against women in­ The four miners were singled out for vic­ Brown was jailed September 15 and Bel­ to all charges. herited from capitalist society. timization because of their role in helping lecourt on September 21 following a Sep­ Brown and Bellecourt were called to tes­ It was the Cuban revolution in 1959, and to defend their jobs, the union, and the tember 14 ruling by a federal appeals court tify because of their participation in trips to then the Nicaraguan revolution in 1979, membership's right to strike. In August upholding a contempt citation against Libya and in protests against the March that laid the basis for the formation of the 1987, some 27 months after West's death, them. The contempt action stemmed from 1986 U.S. bombing of that country. Bel­ Women's Continental Front, said Doris FBI and Kentucky state police SWAT their refusal to testify July 25 before a Fair­ lecourt charged that federal prosecutors Tijerino, a longtime Sandinista National teams swooped down on the miners' homes fax, Virginia, grand jury. have also been attempting to use the grand Liberation Front leader and Nicaragua's and arrested them in the early morning Bellecourt faced an additional contempt jury to implicate others who had partici­ chief of police. Tijerino gave the major ad­ hours. They were held without bail until proceeding because he presented himself to pated in these activities. dress to the opening session. She has been trial. Donnie and David Thornsbury, be imprisoned two days later than had been "The grand jury subpoena is just another serving as the Continental Front's presi­ Smith, and Heightland are currently serv­ scheduled. That citation was thrown out way of harassing Native Americans and dent. ing 35-to 45-year sentences at the federal October 3. Afro-American people who are insuffi­ Tijerino said that the Continental Front prison in Ashland, Kentucky. Potentially, the two men can be held in ciently hostile to the Libyan people," said was founded in 1982 in Managua to meet A fifth miner, Paul Smith, was arrested jail until the grand jury completes its work. attorney Ron Kuby. Kuby is fi ling a mo- Continued on Page 13 on the same charges. He was tried sepa- The grand jury was hearing evidence Continued on Page 13 What Miami was like in the era of right-wing terrorism BY PETE SEIDMAN up from 5 percent only I 0 years earlier. (Second of three-parts) This growing population began to sink MIAMI - One way to appreciate how roots in the United States. much the political climate in Miami has Atthe same time, especially after the un­ changed for the better in just the last few successful 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and years is to briefly describe what it was like the U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba follow­ previously. ing the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, In the years immediately following the U.S. policy makers began to recognize that victory of the Cuban revolution in 1959, their counterrevolutionary army in Miami Washington helped build up a counter­ was not capable of achieving the main job revolutionary force in Miami that contri­ for which it had been created. In early 1980s, right-wing Cubans operated this camp in Florida Everglades to train buted to creating a murderous atmosphere Nonetheless, the CIA continued to un­ Nicaraguan contras. in the city. leash its mercenary forces to conduct sab­ In the two years after the July 26 Move­ otage and assassinations. And this was not These agreements were quite popular Such a systematic campaign could only ment took power on Jan. I , 1959, some only limited to Cuba. with many Cuban exiles in Miami. More be carried out with the consent of the ter­ 280,000 Cubans fled the revolution. Most The CIA-backed terrorists carried out than 100,000 visited Cuba in 1979. Are­ rorists' sponsors in Washington. of them were from the privileged layers numerous violent attacks in the United cent survey of 6,000 Miami Cubans by Miami's leading political figures also that benefited from the U.S. -backed tyr­ States as well. These were aimed at in­ Marazul Tours revealed that more than 42 gave a green light to the violence. anny of Fulgencio Batista. Most of them timidating anyone who defended the Cuban percent had traveled to Cuba more than When Omega 7 leader Eduardo Arocena came to Miami. revolution or even argued for normalization three times since these flights began l 0 was finally arrested in July 1983, Xavier The U.S. CIA organized these exiles into of relations between the U.S. and Cuban years ago. Before the flights were sus­ Suarez, who was then running for mayor, a counterrevolutionary force that could be governments. pended in 1985, about 350 Cubans made donated money to Arocena's defense fund. used to try to crush the new Cuban govern­ the trip from Miami each week. Suarez said Arocena was a "freedom ment. Terrorist bombings Increasingly frustrated by their inability fighter," not a terrorist. By 1962, Miami had the largest CIA in­ One of the earliest victims was Luciano to maintain Cuba's isolation, the terrorist In 1983 the City Commission also pro­ stallation in the world outside of the CIA's Nieves, a writer for the exile weekly minority launched a brutal campaign against claimed March 25 Dr. Orlando Bosch Day. Langley, Virginia, headquarters itself. magazine Replica. In 1974, Nieves wrote supporters of the Dialogue and anyone else Bosch is a notorious Cuban terrorist who The CIA had also put together what an an article suggesting that Cuban President who collaborated with the Cuban regime. has been implicated in dozens of bombings anonymous agency source told the Miami Fidel Castro could and should be brought • In April 1979 Carlos Muniz Varela, a and possibly assassinations. Herald was "the third largest navy in the down not through exile armed struggle, but 26-year-old founder of Areito and Di­ But the decision by the Reagan adminis­ Western hemisphere." Southern Air Trans­ by organizing a political challenge capable alogue participant, was murdered in San tration to prosecute and convict Arocena port, which would later fly covert missions in of forcing him into an election he would Juan, Puerto Rico. signaled a turning point in this process. Vietnam and Central America, was born dur­ supposedly lose. • In November 1979 another Dialogue Arocena was finally convicted in 1985 on ing this stepped-up aggression against Cuba. After the article appeared, someone participant, Eulalio Jose Negrin, was 71 federal counts. Hundreds of pieces of Miami real estate broke a chair over Nieves' head in a restau­ gunned down in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since then, the level of Cuban exile coun­ were purchased - some for use as safe rant in Miami's Little Havana. • The offices of El Diario-La Prensa, terrevolutionary violence here has plum­ houses, others with waterfront facilities In February 1975 Nieves was shot and a Spanish-language daily published in meted. from which terrorist attacks against Cuba killed. New York, were bombed in 1978 after The shift in ruling-class attitudes behind could be launched. In 1976 radio commentator Emilio Mi­ the paper carried an article favoring the this dramatic change has been further con­ exile family visits. firmed by: CIA's secret army lian had his legs blown off by a car bomb outside WQBA-La Cubanisima. Milian • Similarly, in 1979 the TWA terminal • The widespread outrage at a March More than 50 business fronts were had suggested in a series of editorials that at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York 22, 1986, right-wing riot against peace created to service this secret army, includ­ factional murders among exiles was coun­ was bombed after TWA made planes demonstrators. This marked another open­ ing gun shops, boat shops, travel agencies, terproductive. available for charter flights going to ing for opponents of U.S. foreign policy in and real estate agencies. An exile group calling itself Omega 7 Cuba. Miami. Since then, no violent attacks have The CIA-organized contra attacks, also organized a series of bombings at this • Also in 1979, Omega 7 twice been made on a peace demonstration here. which inflicted serious damage in Cuba, time: in 1975 and 1977 at Venezuela's UN bombed the Cuban and Soviet missions to Mayor Suarez' visit to a March 26, were centralized and led by top officials in mission and in 1976 and 1978 at Cuba's the United Nations. 1988, protest in support of the Central Washington, including then attorney gen­ UN mission. Omega 7 also took responsi­ • In 1980 Omega 7 assassinated Cuban America peace process was intended to eral Robert Kennedy. bility for 1978 bombings at New York's UN attache Felix Garcia Rodriguez in symbolize that a decision has been made to While the big majority of Cuba's people A very Fisher Concert Hall and at a sporting New York. It also attempted unsuccess­ permit such actions to take place peacefully mobilized to defend themselves against goods store near Madison Square Garden. fully to murder Cuba's UN representa­ for the time being. these attacks and move ahead with the But terrorist violence began to intensify tive, Raul Roa Kouri . The steadfast refusal, so far, of federal work of the revolution, a small minority ­ after the Dialogue that began in the fall of • From 1979 to 1983, a number of authorities to release Bosch, despite re­ again largely made up of professionals and 1978. bombings were also carried out in Miami. peated demands from many of the tradi­ These were at the Mexican and Venezuelan tional right-wing exile organizations, is higher-paid skilled workers - opted to de­ The Dialogue was initiated after one of consulates here as well as at various busi­ another message to the terrorists. part from Cuba in a second wave of emi­ Miami's most prominent and wealthy Cu­ nesses rumored to be sympathetic to Cuba. Bosch himself has written that the U. S. re­ gration. Cuba has a longstanding policy of bans, Bernardo Benes, was approached by Omega 7 took responsibility for all these fusal to offer him "mercy" is intended to "send permitting anyone to leave who wants to. representatives of the Cuban government. From 1965 to December 1973, some bombings. a message of warning and chastisement to 273,000 people came to Miami via Camo­ Ultimately, a committee of 75 participa­ Omega 7 was also charged later with all Cuban combatants and belligerents." rioca, Cuba, under the terms of an agree­ ted in a series of meetings with Castro in Ha­ planting at least five bombs at the Miami This process has culminated in the new ment between Washington and Havana. By vana. These talks led to the release of some offices of Replica from 1981 to 1984. situation that exists in Miami today, de­ 1970, Hispanics (mostly Cubans) made up 3,600 Cuban prisoners and an agreement In 1983 the headquarters of the Socialist scribed in the fi rst article in this series. 23 percent of Dade County's population - permitting exiles to visit relatives in Cuba. Workers Party here was firebombed. (To be continued)

The Militant tells the truth - Subscribe today! The Militant "For 11 years the Militant has given full and accurate Closing news date: October 5, 1988 Coeditors: MARGARET JAYKO and DOUG JENNESS coverage to my fight for the right to live and be politi­ Circulation Director: NORTON SANDLER Nicaragua Bureau Director: LARRY SEIGLE cally active in the U.S. Business Manager: JIM WHITE Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Seth Galinsky "The paper is an exemplary campaigner for political (Nicaragua), Arthur Hughes, Cindy Jaquith, Susan LaMont, Sam Manuel, Harry Ring, Judy White (Nicaragua). rights for both foreign-born and native-born. It is an in­ Published weekly except one week in August and the last week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 dispensable tool for me today in winning support for West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 . Telephone: Editorial Of­ frame-up victim Mark Curtis." fice, (212) 243-6392; Telex, 497-4278; Business Office, (212) 929-3486. Nicaragua Bureau, Apartado 2222, Managua. Tele­ _ _ ~ Hector Marroguin phone 24845. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes of Enclosed is ~~~ I address should be addressed to The Militant Business Of­ I 0 $4.00 for 12 weeks, new readers o~r~""" fice, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. 0 $9.00 for 12 weeks, renewals ~~~ Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMAS­ TER: Send address changes to The Militant, 4 10 West St., New 0 $17.00 for six months I York, N.Y. 10014. Subscriptions: U.S., Canada, Latin Amer­ I 0 $30.00 for one year D $55.00 for two years """ : ica: for one-year subscription send $30, drawn on a U.S. bank, to 0 For $3.50 additional, send New lntematlonal issue """ above address. By first-class (airmail), send $65 . Britain, Ire­ Name No. 6 with my six-month or longer Militant subscription. land, Continental Europe, Africa: £22 for one year, £1 2 for I six months, or £6 for three-month renewal. Send check or inter­ national money order made out to Pathfinder Press and send to Adme•• ------Pathfinder, 47 The Cut, London SEI 8LL, England. Aus­ City State Zip ------tralia, Asia, Pacific: send Australian $60 to Pathfinder Press, 1 Telephone Union/School/Organization P.O. Box 153, Glebe, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia. Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent Send to THE MILITANT, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 the Militant's views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant October 14, 1988 Warren swings through Appalachia on tour

BY NORTON SANDLER Morgantown, West Virginia, had been CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Socialist campaigning on the campus since the open­ Workers Party U.S . presidential candidate ing of school a few weeks earlier. James Warren's September 28-0ctober 3 In the course of building the meeting for tour of West Virginia and southern Ohio the SWP presidential candidate, they sold was covered extensively by local papers 80 copies of the Pathfinder pamphlet, Ac­ and on television and radio. tion Program to Confront the Coming Eco­ A highlight of the swing through this re­ nomic Crisis, which has proposals pre­ gion was the meeting at Ohio University in sented by the Socialist Workers Party and Athens, where 145 students turned out to an introduction by Warren. More than 25 hear the SWP leader speak. The Athens subscriptions to the Militant and the Span­ meeting was one of four campus engage­ ish-language Perspectiva Mundial had also ments hosted by Young Socialist Alliance been sold. These publications feature regu­ members during the six days in Ap­ lar coverage of the SWP campaign. palachia. After the two-hour meeting ended, 15 Warren's tour kicked off at a news con­ students stayed around for informal discus­ ference at the campaign office here in sion with Warren and SWP campaign Charleston, West Virginia's capital. backers. Several purchased introductory · The headquarters was packed end to end subscriptions to the Militant, copies of the with reporters and equipment from three Action Program, and Pathfinder books and TV stations, a couple of radio outlets, and pamphlets . three newspapers. Commenting on the meeting the next Warren reminded those present that day, the Athens Messenger wrote, "The nearly a year has passed since the October Militant/Eric Simpson three cornerstones of the socialist platform 1987 stock market crash. Warren in Charleston, West Virginia. The candidate said raising minimum wage­ - enforcing affirmative action, the 30- which now stands at one-third the average manufacturing wage -is affirmative ac­ hour workweek, and canceling the Third "Our starting point for discussing and tion measure that should be fought for by all working people. thinking about politics in the framework of World debt- are based on the idea that the upcoming election flows directly from defending the oppressed is the best way to our understanding and appreciation of the the needs of working people. First and people are among the 40 million in the defend oneself." significance of the crash," he said. "To the foremost what we advance with this cam­ United States who now earn less than Warren's next stop was Morgantown, Democratic and Republican party politi­ paign is the necessity of the cancellation of $11,000 a year .. West Virginia, where he held a press con­ cians, the crash is a non-question" and few the foreign debt," Warren emphasized. "We must address a comprehensive af­ ference attended by two television stations. have bothered to even mention it since the In the imperialist countries, he con­ firmative action program to these layers At a public meeting sponsored by the primary election period last spring. tinued, millions are already being driven that begins with raising the minimum wage Militant Labor Forum, a coal miner told The Socialist Workers Party, Warren out of the productive process. Workers liv­ significantly," Warren said. "Not this Warren that he had been trying to convince said, believes "the crash announced a crisis ing in depression-like conditions in the phony debate in Congress between $3 .35 his coworkers, who are being paid $15 an in this society similar in scope and scale to United States are commonly referred to as and $3.75 an hour." hour, that they have a stake in fighting for the crisis of the 1930s." Its effects, he said, the "homeless" or the "permanently un­ Portions of Warren's remarks were the interests of workers around the world. employed." "Many of these 'permanently broadcast on television and radio that even­ "will be devastating for tens of millions Coal miners 'part of class in the world' here and throughout this world. unemployed' are part of the two genera­ ing in much of southern West Virginia and "The implications of such a catastrophe tions of Black youth who in their vast also in parts of Ohio and eastern Kentucky. Coal miners, Warren said in response, are already being felt in the Third World, majority have not been able to look for­ For the next several days, socialist cam­ set an example for all workers by fighting where the vast majority of humanity re­ ward to securing any kind of job," said paign supporters in Charleston and other against the employers attacks in strikes in sides," Warren noted . Warren. cities reported running into people who had 1977-78 and 1981. Other unemployed workers, he said, are seen the coverage. Throughout the first half of the 1980s 'Debt is monster that drains resources' labeled "gang members, dope dealers, the On September 29 Warren spoke to the their union was the only one that didn't The debt collected by bankers in the backward and ignorant of Appalachia, or largest audience of the tour at the Ohio turn and run when the employers de­ wealthy capitalist countries "is turning into babies having babies. These women aren't University meeting. Members of the manded big givebacks. While miners a monster that drains the resources of the babies; they are young women who are Young Socialist Alliance in Athens, and haven't registered big advances, continued oppressed countries so they cannot address mothers ." He noted that these working campaign backers from Charleston and Warren, they held their own at a time when the rest of the unions were being pushed backward. But today, he said, a perspective of "coal miners defending only coal miners Inquiries stream into campaign office won't solve anything. Miners and other workers are part of a class in the world," BY MAREA HIMELGRIN cialist Workers Party's Action Program to The campaign gets a regular stream of Warren emphasized, "and your occupation NEW YORK - "I have recently moved Confront the Coming Economic Crisis. inquiries. So far almost 300 have been can and will change, especially in the con­ to Oklahoma and would like to help out Soon after, the phone rang at the cam­ answered. text of a crisis." here," began a postcard recently received paign office and it was the Oklahoma sup­ Responding to these endorsements and That's why it's important "for miners by the Socialist Workers 1988 national porter calling to order more materials. requests for information is part of the ac­ and all workers in Appalachia, a region campaign. It continued, "I have a small He explained, "I have a photography tivities organized out of the Pathfinder that has been hit especially hard by un­ business and would be happy to put some shop on Main Street in Norman, and stu­ Bookstore in lower Manhattan every Satur­ employment and layoffs, to begin address­ posters up and also leave literature, bumper dents from the university here snapped up day. In the morning campaign supporters ing themselves to the demands like cancel­ stickers, and buttons, etc. for my custom­ the materials. I had to fight to keep a copy gather to hear and discuss a short presenta­ lation of the debt, which is in the interest of ers to pick up if you would send them to of the Militant for myself to read." tion on the international circulation drive working people everywhere." me." When asked how he'd heard about the currently taking place for the Militant, Per­ Warren also spoke at West Virginia Uni­ Campaign volunteers promptly sent campaign, he replied, "An article in the spectiva Mundial, New International, and versity in Morgantown. The meeting was brochures, a few buttons, several copies of Chicago paper. I guess one of the candi­ the Action Program. Then, carrying porta­ covered by the city's daily paper. Post the Militant, and the pamphlet with the So- dates was on tour there." ble tables, and boxes filled with Pathfinder Dominion reporter Jeff Morris wrote, "The books and the communist periodicals, the purpose of the party's campaign is to pre­ volunteers drive off in cars or catch sub­ pare workers for the future, a future that ways to street comers throughout the met­ likely holds worldwide depression unless Socialist Workers 1988 Campaign ropolitan area. they defend themselves ." Four or five hours later the sales teams He quoted Warren as saying, "We think Campaign volunteers begin returning to the bookstore. Some un­ the only way these [depression-like) condi­ needed! pack boxes, keep track of the number of tions can be fct~ght against and can be subscriptions and books sold, and begin changed is through the massive action, the D I endorse Warren-Mickells cam­ preparations for the night's Militant Labor political action, of the working people paign Forum. Others sit down to answer the cam­ themselves." paign inquiries. The final stop was Marshall University Send me candidates' biographies. D When the Militant announced that a in Huntington, West Virginia, where War­ English __ Spanish __ . campaign button had been issued, a small ren's speaking engagement was covered by D Here is $4 for a subscription to the Militant. avalanche of mail arrived at the national a local TV station. campaign office. A note from Burnsville, D Here is $3 for a subscription to Perspectiva Mundial. Minnesota, read, "I fully support the Ac­ D Send me Action Program to Confront the Coming Eco­ tion Program . . . please rush me three nomic Crisis. $1 each; 10 and up, 50¢ each. Specify En- campaign buttons. Enclosed is $3 to cover Coming in our glish or Spanish. Enclosed is$ __ . costs." next issue ... In addition to requests for information D Send me campaign button (pictured above). $1 each; 10 or and materials, financial contributions ar­ more, 75¢ each. Enclosed is$__ _ rive regularly at the national campaign of­ Tomas Borge D Enclosed is my $ contribution to the campaign. fice . Many of them come as a result of the discusses challenges ads in the Militant, Young Socialist, and D I want to join the Young Socialist Alliance. the Action Program pamphlet. Thirty-three facing Clip and mail to Socialist Workers 1988 National Campaign, supporters of the campaign have sent in a total of $1,010 so far. Sandinista Front 79 Leonard Street. New York, N.Y. 10013. Tel. (212) 941-1174. A note from a supporter in Pittsburgh Our next issue will carry ex­ Name ______written on the side of a coupon from the cerpts from an August 27 speech Address ______Militant read, "I was very impressed with by Tomas Borge, Nicaragua's Kathy Mickells' talk here at the Pathfinder minister of the interior, that takes City------State _____ Zip ______Bookstore last Saturday and found the up some of the issues facing the Phone Union/schooVorganization ------­ 'Call to Action' statement to be very Sandinista National Liberation clearly argued, focusing on the key issues Front following the defeat of the Paid for by the 1988 Socialist Workers National Campaign CommiHee and from an illuminating perspective." En­ contra war. closed was a check for $250.

October 14, 1988 The Militant 3 Gov't probe spurred immigration raid at Swift packing plant

BY MARGARET JA YKO legal use of confidential information dis­ (Second of a series) closed by undocumented workers on their DES MOINES, Iowa- It's no mystery amnesty applications in order to victimize why the cops called Mark Curtis a "Mexi­ them. What the INS, Justice Department, can-lover" as they beat him on March 4, and Swift management apparently didn't 1988, the night he was arrested. In the 10 count on was that Swift workers and their hours before he was picked up, Curtis had families and neighbors wouldn't take this been deeply involved in protest activities attack on their rights lying down . with coworkers against the immigration Marian Carr, a union member who raid earlier that week at the Swift packing works in the slaughter department at Swift, Militant/Linda Marcus plant where he works. Seventeen Latinos described what happened at the plant the Ellen Whitt (left) talks to coworker (center) September 10 outside Swift meat-packing -one Salvadoran and 16 Mexicans- had day of the raid. Carr, who was born in plant in Des Moines, Iowa. Mark Curtis' brother John collects signatures on petition been rounded up, charged with felonies , Scotland, has had her own experience with protesting frame-up of Mark. and thrown in jail. the INS . She had to wage a public cam­ Ever since he was hired at Swift in late paign to counter INS threats to deport her 1986, Curtis, who speaks Spanish, had in 1979 for her political activity . one Salvadoran worker. They threw them ney's Office, resulting in the raid. been a fighter for unity and an advocate of "The INS had come into the plant before into jail and charged them with using false "It is our understanding that the IRCA and arrested a couple of people," she re­ work documents - a felony punishable legalization application process has di­ called. There had been no organized re­ with imprisonment, not only deportation. rectly led to the revelation of falsification The sponse to those raids . This time, said Carr, "This opened a big discussion at the made by the 17 undocumented individuals many Swift workers were angered and plant, with some workers for the arrests and their being arrested, charged, and in­ carcerated," MALDEF explained. Mark wanted to do something, especially Latino and a growing number against, in which a workers. She attributed the more militant communist who speaks English and Span­ In a letter responding to these charges, U.S. Attorney Hagen denied that the infor­ Curtis response to the large number of people ar­ ish can play an important and critical role rested and the government campaign at the in helping to unify and lead ." mation on the 17 Swift workers came from time to encourage undocumented workers their amnesty applications, or that Swift Story to apply for legalization in the form of am­ Following the raid, family members and had contacted the INS about the seven nesty. Seven of the workers who had been friends immediately gathered outside the workers who had applied for amnesty. union power in a plant where the union's arrested had applied for amnesty. Polk County Jail in downtown Des Moines "Amnesty is for illegal aliens, not to pro­ presence was weak and divisions among The cops came in, said Carr, and began demanding the men's freedom . But they tect from prosecution those illegal aliens workers along nationality, race, and sex grabbing people, handcuffing them, and were not allowed to speak with them. The who have committed felony crimes," said lines were great. dragging them off to jail. Some workers prisoners were then dispersed to county James Cole, district director for the Iowa jails around the state, including to Knox­ Immigration service plans raid said the cops came around asking everyone and Nebraska office of the INS, in defense who looked Mexican, "Where's your green ville where Mark Curtis ended up. of the raid. "These are serious felonies," he After he was arrested and targeted for a card?" Others said the cops clearly had a The Mexican American Legal Defense warned. Conviction on a felony is grounds frame-up, Curtis filed a Freedom of Infor­ list of people they were looking for. and Educational Fund (MALDEF) sent a for ineligibility for amnesty. mation Act request asking for any files in When the cops picked up a couple of letter to U.S. Attorney Christopher Hagen the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern guys behind her, said Ellen Whitt, who nine days after the arrest highlighting the Can't trust INS District of Iowa about the March I , 1988, was working as a bagger in the fabrication threat posed by the raid to those who had "We were told by INS that, 'You can raid at Swift. He received a response on section of the plant, a foreman came up to applied for the amnesty program. trust us , we wear the face of understand­ September 16 from the Department of Jus­ the Chicana working nearby and laughed, "The Immigration Reform and Control ing,'" said Lorenzo Sandoval, a member tice in Washington, D.C. saying her buddies had just been arrested. Act of 1986 (IRCA) ... bestows certain of the Des Moines Human Rights Commis­ A cover letter signed by U.S. Attorney In her area of the plant, a small group of rights," the letter stated, "including the sion. "Now they're showing the image that Margaret Smith explained that most of the workers cheered the arrests. right to apply for citizenship, upon a class we've dealt with for so long- one of in­ records connected with the raid are not le­ of aliens who are clearly in this country il­ sensitivity and a penalizing attitude. They gally available to Curtis. These include, Mark Curtis worked on the kill-floor at legally and without proper documentation. ask us to trust them through the amnesty Smith wrote, Federal Bureau of Investiga­ Swift before he had to take a medical leave This point is imperative and must be em­ program and then something like this hap­ tion and Immigration and Naturalization as a result of the beating injuries he suf­ phasized. The intended beneficiaries of the pens. This action fuels the distrust that al­ Service (INS) materials. fered at the hands of the cops. Most of IRCA legalization section are individuals ready exists ." She did send Curtis a little bit of the "re­ those arrested were from the kill-floor. who entered the United States unlawfully, An article in the March 18, 1988, Wall leasable information" in government files . "The INS cops would begin weaving their continue to reside here unlawfully, and Street Journal, reporting on the nationwide It included letters to U.S. Attorney Chris­ way down the line," described Curtis in an who most likely had to commit other tech­ lag in amnesty applications, used the raid topher Hagen protesting the raid from the interview that appeared in the September 9 nical violations, such as providing false at Swift as an example of how INS efforts Mexican American Legal Defense and Militant. "A boss was with them. They documentation (false social security card to "change its image from one of hard­ Educational Fund and U.S. senators Paul would just come up to somebody and grab numbers, false immigration documents, nosed enforcer to that of a trustworthy ser­ Simon of Illinois and Thomas Harkin of them." etc.), in order to secure employment. This vice agency" had been going awry. Iowa. In a speech to a Socialist Youth and Ac­ was widely understood by the United Among those arrested at Swift, it re­ Also enclosed were press releases from tivists Conference in Pittsburgh on April 2, States Congress when passing IRCA into ported, "was 23-year-old Martin Castillo U.S. Attorney Hagen's office in Des Curtis described the significance of the law .... of Chihuahua City, Mexico, who was re­ Moines about the raid . A March I release raid: "Obviously," the MALDEF letter con­ leased on a $5,000 bond. 'I'm confused reported that the attorney's office, "as are­ "The people who work at Swift come tinued, "the congressional policy behind about everything because they say we fal­ sult of a joint investigation by Immigration from many different countries: the United IRCA would be directly contravened if sified our Social Security cards,' Mr. Cas­ and Naturalization and the Office of the In­ States, Mexico, Laos, El Salvador, and IRCA encouraged qualified aliens to come tillo says. 'I don't deny that, but why did spector General for Health & Human Ser­ Thailand. Des Moines is like the rest of the forward and reveal their undocumented they encourage us to apply (for amnesty) vices, have arrested 17 suspected aliens on country that is experiencing a changing status only to have that very information, and say they wouldn't prosecute us for indictments sealed since February 18, composition of the working class. There directly or indirectly, serve as grounds for what we did in our past?' 1988. All those arrested had worked or are more and more immigrants, exercising prosecution by the United States Govern­ "Responds Michael A. Went, an INS dep­ were currently working at the Swift Pack­ their right to travel, work here, and live ment." uty district director, 'Just because you are ing Company in Des Moines, Iowa. here. And they are more confidently de­ The MALDEF letter went on to charge an applicant or have been given amnesty, it "The allegations against the individuals manding equal treatment with their fellow that Swift had contacted the U.S . Attor- Continued on next page include false use of social security num­ workers born in this country. bers, possession of counterfeit alien regis­ tration cards, and false statements on the 'Defend rights of immigrants' employment eligibility verification forms ." "Defending their rights is an important How you can help The raid was widely viewed as a feder­ part of defending the rights of all workers ally organized probe to legitimize the il- in this country -born here or not. And be­ • Raise money. At a meeting of the viction on rape and burglary charges, cause the Socialist Workers Party holds Mark Curtis Defense Committee in Des are available. this view, and because I have been able to Moines, Iowa, on the evening of Oc­ Buttons that read, "Justice for Mark Mark Curtis is a packinghouse work­ learn some Spanish, I became more and tober 5, activists decided to appeal to Curtis! An injury to one is an injury to er, unionist, and political activist in Des more in the center of the struggle at Swift Curtis supporters around the world to all!" can be gotten from the committee Moines, Iowa. On Sept. 14, 1988, he was to build a union of all workers to fight for raise $60,000 by the end of the year for for $1 each. convicted on sexual abuse and burglary our rights." Curtis and many of his co­ the defense effort. In a telephone inter­ Representatives of the defense com­ charges, and is currently being held in workers at Swift belonged to Local 431 of view, committee coordinator Stu Singer mittee are available to speak at meet­ the Marion County Jail, waiting to be the United Food and Commercial Workers. said the money is urgently needed for ings. sentenced. Sentencing is scheduled for "The companies and the government legal fees, publicity costs, office ex­ • Endorse the Mark Curtis De­ October 21. don't like that idea- erasing divisions be­ penses, etc. fense Committee. Send your name and Unionists, farmers, and youth around tween workers," he continued. "They are Contributions should be sent to the how you'd like to be identified to the the world recognize that Curtis is one of the source of the anti-immigrant pro­ Des Moines defense committee. Checks committee. those workers who are starting to stand paganda. Not because they want to deport for tax-deductible contributions may be • Write to Mark Curtis. His ad­ up and fight back against the employers all immigrant workers, but to use fear of made out to the Political Rights Defense dress is Mark Curtis, Marion County and their government. In their thou­ deportation to pressure undocumented Fund, Inc. Jail, Knoxville, Iowa 50138. Copies of sands, working people are beginning to workers to accept lower wages and other • Get out the truth. The defense the letters should be sent to the Des join the fight for justice for Curtis. conditions of second-class status. committee is preparing new literature, Moines defense committee. The Mark Curtis Story is a multipart "That is why the government hoped to which will be available soon. As a tem­ Contact the Mark Curtis Defense series that describes what happened to set a precedent in Des Moines on March 1 . porary measure, new leaflets with the Committee at Box 1048, Des Moines, Curtis, where it fits into the class strug­ The Immigration and Naturalization Ser­ facts about Curtis' fight, as well as ex­ Iowa 50311. Telephone (515) 246- gle, and the big stakes for working peo­ vice and federal marshals came into the cerpts from messages protesting his con- 1695. ple in the fight against this frame-up. Swift plant and arrested 16 Mexicans and

4 The Militant October 14, 1988 Guyana opposition leader signs Curtis petition

Mark Curtis is a unionist and September 29 showing in Harlem issue of the New York-based week­ dicated was his goal." political activist in Des Moines, of the Cuban documentary, "Re­ • ly Hai"ti Progres ran an article on "This week has been busy for Eleven members of Iceland's Iowa, who is in jail on frame-up sponse to the South African Esca­ Curtis' conviction on charges of Mark, answering letters from two largest unions, the Icelandic charges of rape and burglary. lation." He is an opposition mem­ third-degree sexual abuse and supporters. He had received 17 on Federation of Labor and Federa­ The Mark Curtis Defense Com­ ber of the parliament of the Carib- first-degree burglary, along with a one day, 8 another, and 25 on Fri­ tion of State and Municipal Em­ mittee is leading an interna- picture of Curtis addressing his day," she said. He had received two ployees, signed a protest to Des supporters in the courtroom after letters from Amnesty International Moines Chief of Police William the judge read the jury's verdict. members who met a team of Curtis Moulder. "It is my strongest belief defense supporters at an Amnesty DEFEND MARK CURTIS! that workers, as all others, have rally and concert in Philadelphia. the right to speak freely and be ac­ • Sandra Nelson, a volunteer in Also visiting Curtis that evening tive in solidarity with others, with­ tional protest campaign to de­ bean country of Guyana and a the Mark Curtis Defense Commit­ were Holly Harkness, Paul Curtis out having to face brutal treatment fend Curtis. To contact the com­ leader of the Working People's tee office in Des Moines, visited (his brother), and Virginia Ange­ and serious threats by the police or mittee, write P.O. Box 1048, Alliance . Curtis, along with some other sup­ les. The three had just returned other authorities ," wrote the Des Moines, Iowa 50311. Tele­ Kwayana convinced several other porters, on September 23 at the from a team that traveled around unionists. phone (515) 246-1695. Guyanese activists to sign peti­ Marion County Jail . Iowa winning support for Curtis. tions as well. Lawrence Lucas, She reports that Curtis was "alert, Marian Carr, a coworker of Curtis' Eusi K way ana signed a petition pastor of Resurrection Church m • in good spirits" and "appeared to at the Swift packinghouse in Des demanding justice for Curtis at a Harlem, also added his name . The September 28-0ctober 4 have lost some weight, which he in- Moines, was also able to see him. Frame-up victim Curtis wins new labor support

Continued from front page There are big stakes, insisted Singer, in call him a "Mexican-lover" and a "colored­ tenced to 25 or 35 years. with IUE members at the convention to the battle over the assault charges, because lover"? Judge Perkins set a hearing on the state's gather support for Curtis. He also thanked they are a key piece in the frame-up of Cur­ It was precisely the beating and what the presentence investigation for the day be­ delegates for the support they've given him tis . cops said to him when they hit him, con­ fore the sentencing. He is supposed to take during his long fight. On March 4, 1988, the day Curtis was tends Curtis, that indicates that this is a into account Curtis' background and "This shows the potential for winning arrested, he had participated in a protest political frame-up designed to silence and character in deciding on the sentence. This broad support in the labor movement for meeting against an immigration raid at his intimidate him and other working-class also can have an impact on Curtis' future the fight for justice for Mark Curtis," said workplace, Swift packing. During the raid , fighters. So some of the most important de­ eligibility for parole. defense committee coordinator Stu Singer which took place March 1, one Salvadoran fense evidence wasn 't allowed to be intro­ in a telephone interview from Des Moines. and 16 Mexican workers were arrested and Since no appeal bond is permitted for the charged with felonies for having false duced at the trial. crimes Curtis was convicted of, he was This exclusion of key evidence will be The committee also decided at its meet­ documents. This sparked outrage among taken to jail as soon as the verdict was an­ ing to launch a drive to raise $60,000 for Swift workers and in Des Moines' His­ an element in the post-trial motion for a nounced. He will be moved to one of the the defense effort by December 31 . "This new trial that Curtis' attorney , Mark Pen­ panic community. state penitentiaries after his sentencing. money is needed to pay for producing liter­ nington, is scheduled to file on October 14 . Federal officials were compelled to The hearing on this motion was originally ature and other expenses involved in doing schedule two meetings on March 4 to an­ Small-claims court suit more things such as what was ac­ set for September 30 but was postponed ror swer questions about the raid and cool Another court date that is part of the complished at the IUE convention. It's also things off. Curtis was one of several Swift two weeks. fight over this frame-up is October 17 . needed for the legal fees to finance the next workers who attended. He spoke at the sec­ There were several irregularities in the That's when there will be a hearing on the several legal moves the defense will ond meeting that day , in Spanish, about the trial , according to Curtis supporters who complaint filed by Pathfinder Books owner make," said Singer. (See box on page 4 for need to involve the union, United Food and attended it. Jason Redrup against Keith Morris, the more information on what people can do to Commercial Workers Local 431 , in the Among the defense evidence that was father of the woman Curtis allegedly raped. help the defense effort.) fight to defend the workers who were excluded from the trial was: On the evening of July 15 , Keith Morris broke the three large plate-glass panes in the Charged with assaulting cops pi.::ked up. • Testimony on Curtis' beating by the A couple of hours later, Curtis was ar­ cops. front of the premises that the Mark Curtis Curtis is a unionist and political activist rested and charged with trying to rape a • Testimony that the prosecution's Defense Committee shares with the Path­ who is currently incarcerated in the Marion young woman . Later first-degree burglary chief witness, arresting officer Joseph finder Books bookstore in Des Moines. County Jail in Knoxville, Iowa. He was was added on. Gonzalez, has a record of violence against The bookstore and office were closed at convicted on September 14 of trumped-up When Curtis was taken to the city jail to prisoners and lying under oath, for which the time. Morris was trying to attack Cur­ charges of third-degree sexual abuse and be interrogated, cops called him "a Mexi­ he had been disciplined by the police chief tis, who was inside with two of his support­ first-degree burglary. A trial on the mis­ can-lover, just like you love those col­ and threatened with firing . ers. Morris began kicking and pounding on demeanor charges of assaulting the cops oreds" and beat him, fracturing his cheek­ • FBI spy files on Curtis as part of the the windows. After climbing through the who beat him the night he was arrested is bone. He was taken to the hospital, re­ federal government's campaign against the broken glass, he smashed the remaining currently scheduled for October 10. ceived 15 stitches on his face , and then Committee in Solidarity with the People of unbroken windows. "The prosecutor's office faces a real taken back to the jail and thrown naked into El Salvador (CISPES). Curtis and the others escaped through problem with this trial," said Singer. a cold, bare cell overnight. His supporters Irregularities concerning the jury in­ another exit and called the police from a "All you have to do," he continued, "is raised the $30,000 bail and had him out by cluded: nearby phone. look at the picture I took of Curtis on the next afternoon. • Not one Black person was in the orig­ Curtis' neighbors had seen Morris March 5 - the day after he was arrested on In order to cover up the cop attack on inal jury pool of 40, and only one Latino. pounding on the door of Curtis' home frame-up rape charges -to see that it was Curtis, he was charged with assaulting the While the Latino, James Garcia, was orig­ shortly before his attack on the bookstore. the cops who assaulted Curtis, not the other cops. Their story is that he lunged for one inally picked to be on the jury, he was Morris had physically threatened Curtis way around . Thousands of working people of the cops' guns while they were inter­ excluded by Judge Perkins right before the several other times. and youth in the United States and interna­ rogating him and had to be subdued. jury began its deliberations. Garcia said he County Attorney James Smith has re­ tionally have sent messages to Chief of Prior to the September trial on rape and had some knowledge of two places that fused to arrest and file charges against Police William Moulder and County Pros­ burglary charges, Judge Harry Perkins had were mentioned in the course of the trial­ Morris for this violent attack, instead turn­ ecutor James Smith demanding that all the ruled that Curtis couldn't introduce into Los Compadres restaurant and bar and the ing it over to the Neighborhood Mediation charges against Curtis be dropped and that evidence at that trial the beating he had re­ United Mexican American Cultural Cen­ Center. Redrup filed the small claims ac­ the cops who beat him be prosecuted. The ceived at the hands of the cops the night he ter. tion, demanding that Morris reimburse him 'crime' of assaulting a cop's billy club with was arrested . The key question, according • One juror was seen fraternizing with for the $2 ,000 it cost to replace the plate­ your skull is one that a lot of workers and to defense committee leaders, is what did the family of the alleged victim. She was glass windows. farmers are quite familiar with." the cops know about Curtis that made them not disqualified. Prior to the September trial, Judge Per­ The jury was unable to reach a verdict kins had ruled that there could be no tes­ after two days of deliberations. At that timony about Morris' attack on the defense point, Pennington made a motion for a mis­ committee office and attempt to assault Immigration raid at Swift plant trial, saying that the length of the jury's de­ Curtis. liberations suggested it was deadlocked. A Dismissal or postponement Continued from previous page fused about what was going on later began verdict under those circumstances, he had doesn't mean we are going to forgive your saying the cops and the company were warned, would be the product of undue The October I 0 trial of Mark Curtis on past sins.'" wrong. Some said they had watched the pressure on the jurors to reach a unanimous misdemeanor charges of assaulting cops A lot of Swift workers had talked about television coverage of the raid and had also decision . Judge Perkins denied Penning­ "either will be dismissed or it will be con­ applying for amnesty, Ellen Whitt said. seen reports of the protests by the families ton's motion. tinued," that is, postponed, said defense at­ The deadline was May 4, and Washington of the arrested workers. In addition, during their deliberations, torney Pennington in a telephone interview was complaining about the small number Others defended the raid on the grounds the jurors had asked for the trial testimony from his Des Moines, Iowa, office this of workers who had filled out the forms. that Latinos and other immigrants are "steal­ of the two cops who were prosecution wit­ morning. "I've been informed that the But even if you did have the proper ing jobs" from U.S .-born workers, and nesses to be read back to them. The attor­ county attorney's office is considering dis­ documentation, the fees and payments to "don't pay taxes like the rest of us." Some neys for both the prosecution and the de­ missing" the charges, he said. "But the of­ lawyers made the cost of amnesty applica­ claimed the "immigrants make the union fense asked the judge to grant that request. ficial paperwork" for dismissal hasn't yet tion prohibitive for many workers. And a weaker." Iowa is a "right to work" state But he refused. This was after he did agree been filed. lot of workers had been ripped off by attor­ and only about half of the workers at Swift to let the jurors rehear two tapes that had If the charges are not dropped, Pen­ neys. So, Whitt said, some workers got are members of the union. been introduced into evidence and played nington will file a motion to postpone the discouraged and didn't apply. The INS argued that the outrage over the during the trial. trial. "I haven't been preparing for trial," raid was based on misunderstandings. But he said, because of the report from the Swift workers discuss raid Judge Perkins will rule on the motion for anger mounted, especially in Des Moines' a new trial. If that motion is denied, Curtis county prosecutor's office. The day after the raid, many Latinos Hispanic community. So federal officials will appeal his conviction to a higher court. Assistant County Attorney Catherine didn't come to work at Swift, said Curtis. were forced to schedule a meeting for Fri­ Thune is the prosecuting attorney in this "The company had to slow down the line day, March 4, at the United Mexican­ Curtis' sentencing is scheduled for Oc­ case. She wasn't available to comment because so many workers were out. That's American Cultural Center for Swift work­ tober 21 . The burglary charge carries a today on whether the charges are being when the discussions about the raid really ers and others who wanted to protest the mandatory sentence of 25 years; the sexual dropped . No other attorneys in the county began to take place." The second day fol­ raid and get some answers to their ques­ abuse charge, a mandatory sentence of 10 prosecutor's office would comment on the lowing the raid, however, most were back tions about the arrests and the amnesty pro- years. It's up to the judge's discretion matter. A secretary in Thune's office, how­ on the job. gram. whether they run concurrently or consecu­ ever, said, "As far as I know, right now he Many workers who were at first con- (To be continued) tively, and therefore whether he's sen- is scheduled to go to trial on October 10."

October 14, 1988 The Militant 5 French-language magazine boosts drive

BY NORTON SANDLER At the White Consolidated Industries The recent publication of a new issue of plant in Edison, New Jersey, Joan Paltri­ the French-language magazine Nouvelle neri sold three copies of Nouvelle to Hai­ lnternationale is helping boost the interna­ tian-born coworkers who are members of tional circulation drive. Local 401 of the International Union of This drive aims to introduce 10,400 new Electronic Workers. These are among the readers to the Militant, the Spanish-lan­ 25 copies of the magazine that have already guage Perspectiva Mundial, and the Marx­ been sold by Newark, New Jersey, dis­ ist magazines of theory and politics New tributors. International and Nouvelle lnternationale In Miami, distributors have been selling by November 19. At the same time, dis­ the magazine at a series of demonstrations tributors have projected selling more than called in response to events in Haiti. Thir­ 21,600 copies of the pamphlet Action Pro­ teen were sold in a week. gram to Confront the Coming Economic The overall international sales drive is Crisis, which contains proposals being put almost on schedule. But that's a little mis­ forward by the Socialist Workers Party. leading since some subscriptions and indi­ The issue of Nouvelle lnternationale just vidual copies of Nouvelle International and off the press contains an article by Steve New International are counted but were Clark titled "The Second Assassination of sold before the drive officially kicked off Maurice Bishop." Bishop was the leader of on September 9. the 1979-83 Grenada revolution. Also in Staying on schedule the remainder of the the issue is "The Rectification Process in way will require a conscious, well-or­ Cuba, Two Speeches by Fidel Castro." ganized effort by all our distributors. These articles and other material are avail­ Next week we will print a scoreboard Distributors in downtown Stockholm selling Militant and Swedish-language pam­ able in English in issue No. 6 of New Inter­ that shows how every area is doing on sales phlet with Fidel Castro's 1987 speech on Che Guevara. national. of the Action Program. Distributors will In the United States and Canada, dis­ want to make sure that their totals are re­ tributors are finding a particularly good re­ ported to our business office by I :00 p.m. sponse to Nouvelle among workers born in on October 12. Sales drive scoreboard Haiti. Supporters of Nouvelle in Montreal have • Drive New Perspectiva sold 28 copies. In the garment district on Distributors Aaron Ruby and Margrethe Goals Militant International* Mundial Chabanel Street, where shops organized by Siem from Omaha, Nebraska, were able to subscriptions single copies subscriptions the International Ladies Garment Workers' spend a few weeks recently in Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. In Norway, where % Union are located, distributors carry out a Area Goal Sold Sold Goal Sold Goal Sold Goal Sold regular weekly sale. At a recent noontime Siem was born, they sold 26 introductory table, they sold a Haitian-born worker the subscriptions to the Militant and 13 to Per­ UNITED STATES current issue of Nouvelle as well as the pre­ spectiva Mundial, along with six copies of Philadelphia 240 123 51 160 92 30 18 50 13 New International. vious two issues. A man born in Peru also Portland, Ore. 140 65 46 100 51 25 11 15 3 purchased a copy of Nouvelle and a copy of Some of the subscriptions were sold at a Cleveland 145 64 44 110 44 20 16 15 4 the Action Program. demonstration protesting the Pinochet dic­ Newark 500 196 39 275 115 110 42 115 39 tatorship in Chile. Others were purchased Oakland, Calif. 215 80 37 120 61 45 0 50 19 by activists in the Nicaragua solidarity Morgantown , WV 175 60 34 135 58 30 1 10 1 Marroquin's attorney movement. Kansas City 120 40 33 75 27 20 4 25 9 In Sweden they were able to join our dis­ protests racist abuse Des Moines 210 69 33 150 60 40 3 20 6 tributors there on sales at a telephone parts St. Louis 220 69 31 170 44 40 23 10 2 company and at a plant where cable is man­ by customs official Los Angeles 700 217 31 375 ll3 125 15 200 89 ufactured. A total of three subscriptions Birmingham 185 57 31 145 46 30 11 10 0 and 16 individual copies of the Militant Claudia Slovinsky, attorney for Hector Atlanta 220 66 30 160 54 40 20 11 were sold. Pittsburgh 250 75 30 185 58 45 14 20 3 Marroquin, has filed a complaint with the Ruby and Siem joined Militant dis­ U.S. Customs Commissioner protesting Seattle 275 79 29 200 53 25 8 50 18 tributors in Iceland in selling II papers and New York 1,200 343 29 600 218 300 51 300 74 racist abuse Marroquin received from an two subscriptions at three factories. inspector. Marroquin recently won his fight Chicago 460 130 28 300 97 60 8 100 25 A highlight of their visit to Iceland was Boston 350 98 28 230 72 50 10 70 16 for permanent resident status after defeating participating in a slideshow and discussion a decade-long government effort to deport Miami 300 82 27 185 38 55 26 60 18 on the Nicaraguan revolution at a high Detroit 265 71 27 200 64 40 4 25 3 him because of his political activities. school in the capital city ofReykjavik. During the final stage of his battle for Charleston, WV 105 27 26 85 27 15 0 5 0 permanent residence, on August 31 Marro­ Omaha 135 32 24 90 27 25 1 20 4 quin was harassed by U.S. immigration of­ Greensboro, NC 145 34 23 110 31 20 3 15 0 ficials. St. Louis SWP activist Phoenix 160 37 23 80 20 25 0 55 17 Marroquin, a Mexican-born National San Francisco 350 80 23 200 60 75 4 75 16 Committee member of the Socialist Work­ Helen Savio dies Twin Cities 350 74 21 270 63 50 7 30 4 ers Party, was at the Toronto airport follow­ Helen Savio, a member of the Socialist Washington, OC 250 52 21 150 36 50 10 50 6 ing a meeting at the U.S. consulate in that Workers Party for 15 years, died Sep­ Milwaukee 170 34 20 110 28 35 2 25 4 city. The State Department had granted tember 28 of cancer. She was 66 years old. Price,Utah 70 14 20 50 9 10 2 10 3 him an immigrant visa, signifying its ap­ Savio joined the party in 1973, when a Houston 215 42 20 140 29 30 6 45 7 proval of his green-card application. branch was established in St. Louis. She Austin, Minn . 110 18 16 85 13 15 0 10 5 When Marroquin presented his Mexican had been an active supporter of the SWP Salt Lake City 125 17 14 90 14 20 2 15 1 passport to the U.S. customs inspector, the for many years before. Baltimore 215 21 10 175 21 30 0 10 0 official yelled, "So you're a mojado [wet­ Savio was the SWP candidate for gover­ National teams 203 57 130 53 23 0 50 4 back] aren't you? You're a mojado in my nor of Missouri in 1976, for mayor of St. Columbus 25 0 0 25 0 country." Louis in 1977, and for St. Louis School Louisville 5 0 0 5 0 In her letter to the commissioner of cus­ Board in 1983. Other U.S. 16 13 3 toms, Slovinsky explained that Marroquin She worked as a teacher in the St. Louis U.S . totals 8,803 2,539 29 5,670 1,809 I ,553 306 1,580 424 pointed to her and indicated that she was school system from 1964 until her retire­ AUSTRALIA 50 21 42 35 19 5 2 10 0 his attorney. The official then yelled at ment last January. BRITAIN Slovinsky, "So you help these mojados to A meeting to honor her life and political London 145 51 35 75 31 30 6 40 14 get into my country, don't you?" activity will be held on Sunday, October 16 Nottingham 61 21 34 35 19 20 2 6 0 The lawyer demanded "to know the at 4:00p.m. at a location to be announced. South Wales 80 9 ll 40 8 30 0 10 1 identity of the inspector and what discipli­ For further information call (314) 361- South Yorks 90 10 11 50 8 20 0 20 2 nary action your office is taking. " 0250. Manchester 70 7 10 50 7 5 0 IS 0 Other Britain 54 9 25 5 20 3 9 1 NEW YORK CITY Britain totals 500 107 21 275 78 125 11 100 18 CANADA Montreal 275 79 29 125 37 75 28 75 14 Pathfinder invites you to celebrate Toronto 400 98 25 250 74 75 13 75 ll Vancouver 45 11 24 30 10 5 0 10 1 the publication of Other Canada 4 4 Canada totals 720 192 27 405 125 155 41 160 26 THOMAS SANKARA SPEAKS ICELAND 32 16 50 25 12 5 4 2 0 THE BURKINA FASO REVOLUTION 1983-87 NEW ZEALAND Auckland 100 48 48 84 41 12 1 4 6 Christchurch 70 29 41 60 29 8 0 2 0 Sunday, Nov. 13, 1988 - Wellington 80 21 26 68 21 10 0 2 0 New Zealand total 250 98 39 212 1 2 p.m. reception, 3 p.m . program 91 30 8 6 PUERTO RICO 30 6 20 5 4 2 0 23 2 Harriet Tubman School, 127th St. SWEDEN and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., Manhattan 50 21 42 30 13 10 1 10 7 Other International 44 28 3 13 Totals 10,435 3,044 29% 6,657 For more information: 2,179 1,885, 369 1,893 496 Drive Goals 10,400 6,630 1,895 1,875 Pathfinder Bookstore, 79 Leonard St., N.Y. Should be 3,234 31% 2,063 584 587 (212) 226-8445 or 741 -0690 *Includes Nouvelle Intemationale

6 The Militant October 14, 1988 Supporters of mural in New York step up fund-raising effort

BY FRED FELDMAN had the opportunity to see "the fascinating NEW YORK - A photograph of the mural. " South African artist Dumile Feni standing Material for the Arts, a division of the alongside his portrait of imprisoned Afri­ New York City Department of Cultural Af­ can National Congress leader Nelson Man­ fairs, donated nearly $17,000 in painting deJa greeted readers of the New York Daily materials. The New York State Council for News September 30. the Arts Decentralization Fund, adminis­ The photograph accompanied an article tered by the Cultural Council Foundation, by Claire Serant, describing the six-story provided a grant of $1 ,205. mural now going up on the Pathfinder "The contributions so far have been a big Building here. help," commented mural supporter Chris Rayson. "But they still leave the project far The mural depicts a printing press churn­ short of what has to be raised." Militant/Selva Nebbia ing out pages with the portraits of revolu­ "Many of the expenses stem from the Ann Erpino, one of many artists who have helped to create Pathfinder mural. tionary and working-class leaders ranging fact that this is an internationalist project, from Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to involving artists from many parts of the Ernesto Che Guevara and Mandela. world," Rayson stated. "Bringing Ricardo "This mural reflects the efforts of the Carpani, the artist from Argentina who is Pathfinder to publish the ideas of Nelson now painting the portrait of Che Guevara Mandela, Malcolm X, and Nicaraguan into the mural, to the United States is one Inquest verdict aids leaders whose ideas are important to work­ example." ing people," Serant quoted Mike Alewitz A letter signed by filmmaker Emile de as saying. Alewitz designed the mural and Antonio, poet Sonia Sanchez, muralist Eva British gov't cover-up has painted many parts of it. Cockcroft, and folksinger Pete Seeger urg­ The coverage in the Daily News came ing donations to the project is being distrib­ nine days after the San Diego Union picked uted in many areas. BY AILEAN O'CALLAGHAN British officials had testified that they up, in condensed form, an article that had "A project as ambitious as this is expen­ LONDON- By a 9-to-2 vote, the jury were unable to detain the Irish Republican appeared in the September 7 New York sive," the four artists wrote, "Scaffolding at the inquest into the killings in Gibraltar Army members when they crossed from Times . six stories high , travel for touring artists, of three unarmed Irish Republican Army Spain to Gibraltar, because they did not The growing interest in the mural that, reprinting the brochures, in Spanish, and volunteers found the killings to be "law­ know when the three would do so. An offi­ although not yet completed, already consti­ the unexpected legal expenses [stemming ful." Mairead Farrell, Daniel McCann, and cer of the MI5 secret police agency said the tutes one of the outstanding landmarks on from harassment by city officials] will re­ Sean Savage were slain March 6 by mem­ IRA members were not under surveillance the city's West Side, has meant expanded quire tens of thousands of dollars. bers of the Special Air Services unit of the in Spain. British armed forces. opportunities for the mural's supporters to "We urge you to join us as sponsors­ But Detective Chief Inspector Joseph raise the estimated $100,000 needed to fi­ and defenders - of this mural," they con­ The September 30 split decision in favor of the SAS gunmen clashed with the tes­ Ullgar of Gibraltar's Special Branch told nance it. tinued. "We need your financial support." the court the plan all along had been to About 300 people have made donations The Pathfinder Mural Project urges that timony of medical experts and eyewitnes­ ses. allow the three into the colony and arrest to the mural project so far. Two people checks be made out to Anchor Foundation, them there. He testified that a Gibraltarian who learned about the project from the ar­ and contributions sent to the Pathfinder This testimony revealed that Mairead Farrell and Daniel McCann were shot down officer had been assigned to the Spanish ticle in the Times left a note with their $50 Mural Project, 410 West Street, New side of the border and furnished with de­ contribution expressing pleasure at having York, N.Y. 10014. after they had raised their hands in surren­ der and that Sean Savage was finished off tails that included the aliases that Farrell, with a fusillade of bullets into his brain as McCann, and Savage were using. Ullgar he lay prone and wounded. was in constant touch through a specially The three were struck by 27 rounds of established computer link with the Spanish Letters froiD prisoners voice bullets at close range. All three had bullets authorities, who tailed the three to the bor­ in the back. der. need for Pathfinder books Coroner Felix Pizzarello conducted the Eyewitnesses to the killings who tes­ inquest, which opened September 6, in tified included Carmen and Maxie Proetta. BY CINDY JAQUITH holding back the small amount of pay he Gibraltar, the British-ruled part of a rocky They said they saw McCann and Farrell The Pathfinder office in New York re­ gets each month. "So what I'm saying is, I peninsula extending from Spain into the halt and raise their hands over their heads ceives a dozen or more very special letters have no money. Usually I try to send some­ Mediterranean Sea. The jury foreman was before the SAS force opened fire . · each week . They come from prisoners thing, but due to circumstances I can't send a former senior civil servant there. Josie Celecia, who saw the shooting thirsty for literature that enables them to anything," he wrote. In Belfast, in British-ruled Northern Ire­ from her bedroom window, insisted shots learn more about the capitalist system of The success of the Pathfinder Fund, which land, Danny Morrison, an official of the were fired at McCann and Farrell as they injustice that landed them behind bars. has $189,755 pledged to it and $34,422 sent Irish republican organization Sinn Fein, lay on the ground. In many cases, these sisters and brothers in so far, will make a difference in fulfill­ stated, "The decision comes as no surprise Stephen Bullock, a British lawyer, tes­ explain they cannot pay for the Pathfinder ing the requests of prisoners like these. given the dependency of the Gibraltarians tified that two other SAS gunmen watched books they would like to read . They rely on on Britain and the withholding of informa­ the killing of Farrell and McCann before the solidarity of other Pathfinder support­ tion by the Spanish authorities who were running off in pursuit of Sean Savage. ers, those in a position to give to the Path­ involved in the conspiracy." They then heard another "massive volley" finder Fund, to cover the costs. $250,000 Testimony at the inquest provided evi­ of shots. A selection of letters from prisoners in­ dence supporting charges that the killings Witness Robert Murdue described see­ dicates that books by and about revolution­ 250,000 were political assassinations planned in ad­ ing Savage brought to the ground, and then ary leader Malcolm X, who himself read vance. hearing more shots. voluminously while in prison, are among Path­ the most popular. "I'm very, very interested in books con­ cerning the Black man and it is my conclu­ Job-cuts pact forced on rail workers sion that the books by Malcolm X . .. are finder the best ones," wrote a prisoner in Texas. BY JIM MILES immediately eliminated the 700 jobs. This An inmate from New York wrote that CHICAGO - Both houses of Congress was part of the September 9law, which also the Pathfinder pamphlet Malcolm X on dealt a major blow to rail workers Sep­ stipulates that the UTU is barred from strik­ Afro-American History "opened up my Fund tember 9 when they unanimously voted to ing over violations of the contract for three mind concerning this man .. . .I 'm hungry impose a contract eliminating at least 700 years. All disputes will be handled by bind­ to learn more about him." Deadline: Dec.1 jobs of striking workers at the Chicago and ing arbitration. Some prisoners also request books on Northwestern Railroad (CNW). The strik­ Although part of the contract provides struggles of workers and farmers outside ers are members of the United Transporta­ for money settlements for those who lose the United States. One wrote that "I al­ tion Union (UTU), which organizes some their jobs as a result of the reductions, the D Enclosed is ready read the pamphlet you sent me, $ ___ 2,400 brakemen and switchmen on the company has been granted a six-month called Israel' s War Against the Palestinian CNW. These workers are responsible for period before having to pay. The CNW for the fund . People , and yes , it put me up on a lot I Collected the safe movement of trains over the car­ says anyone fired in the next six months $34,422 didn't know ." He went on to ask for Land D I pledge rier's 6,400 miles of track in 10 states. will be ineligible for the settlement. Mean­ or Death: The Peasant Struggle in Peru $ ___ The strike only lasted nine and a half while, the railroad is already proceeding and America's Revolutionary Heritage . to the fund. hours before it was halted by Congress' ac­ with the elimination of job positions. Fir­ Others ask Pathfinder's help in provid­ tion. The act was signed into law by Presi­ ings for minor rule infractions will increas­ ing reading about the U.S. labor move­ dent Ronald Reagan. ingly become the norm, and the rate of ac­ ment. A letter from a New Jersey prisoner The process that forced CNW workers cidents will rise. asked if he could receive free of charge the Name------out on strike began in May 1987 when the As one yard switchman noted a few days following: The First Ten Years of Ameri­ Address ------­ railroad filed notice to alter the union's after the strike, "I've been here 18 years can Communism; the two volumes of Rev­ contract so that "nothing would require the and I always thought things were supposed olutionary Continuity; America's Revolu­ City------use of any ground personnel" on the car­ to get better and better and now this hap­ tionary Heritage; American Labor Strug­ State ____ Zip/Postal Code __ rier's trains. This would have gutted the pens! But I've learned something else too. gles; The Great Labor Uprising of 1877; Country ______union. We don't have any friends in Congress." Racism, Revolution, Reaction; and W.E.B . After a year of fruitless negotiation, DuBois Speaks. Clip and mail to: Pathfinder Fund, 410 West supervised by a federal mediator, an emer­ Jim Miles is a member of UTU Local577. This reader went on to explain that in a St., New York, N.Y. 10014. gency board appointed by President Reagan He is a yard switchman in CNW' s Chicago punitive measure, prison authorities were proposed the "compromise" solution that Freight Terminal.

October 14, 1988 The Militant 7 Cuban video on key battle in Angola's war with S. Africa "I can assure you of one thing. The his­ significantly strengthened its position tory ofAfrica will have one very important against the Angolan government. moment. But it must be written before Scenes of initial strategy sessions of Cuito Cuanavale and the other after Cuito Cuban military leaders are soon followed Cuanavale. Because the powerful South by the portayal of the extensive scope of Africans, the whites, the superior race, ran the Cuban reinforcements sent to help re­ up against a small piece of territory de­ pulse the South African offensive. A last­ fended by Blacks and mulattos - I call all ing impression of the documentary is an Cubans mulattos -from Angola and the appreciation of the scale of Cuba's com­ Caribbean. mitment. Still attempting to overcome the "When you meet a white South African, a backwardness imposed by centuries of col­ Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, left, and Fidel Castro during Cuban racist, the only thing you have to ask him is: onial rule and imperialist oppression, with leader's 1986 visit to Angola. What happened in Cuito Cuanavale? What little more than 10 million people, and it­ happened in Cui to Cuanavale? That's all self under siege from Washington for al­ you have to ask him." - Fidel Castro most 30 years, Cuba did not stint in sending Numerous interviews with Cuban sol­ crete material assistance, political and dip­ modem weaponry and experienced troops to diers are presented, each of which testify to lomatic support. We wish to pay special BY DAVID DEUTSCHMANN help defend Angola's sovereignty. the political conciousness that lay behind tribute to the Cuban armed forces who have The Cuban president said this in Defeating the South African regime's at­ the military capacity of Cuba to help re­ traveled thousands and thousands of Havana, Cuba, on May 30, 1988, to a tempt to capture Cuito Cuanavale also pro­ spond to the South African invasion. High­ kilometers to come to Africa to assist prac­ closed meeting of representatives of mem­ vided the impetus for the combined Ango­ lighted is the fact that the Cuban force in tically those of us who are still languishing ber countries of the Movement of Non­ lan-Cuban-South West African People's Angola is made up of volunteers, known as in the chains of colonialism, imperialism, aligned Countries. The Cuban leader was internationalists. More than 300,000 Cu­ and foreign domination in this region of presenting the historic significance of the bans have served in Angola as inter­ southern Africa." defeat of South African government forces nationalist volunteers- doctors, teachers, in Angola in March. His remarks are in­ technicians, as well as soldiers - since Importance of showing documentary 1975. cluded in the final moments of a new tele­ The events of Cuito Cuanavale are not vision documentary on the recent events in Considerable footage chronicles the de­ well known, if at all , in most countries out­ southern Angola. cisions and strategy discussions in Cuba side of Africa. Most big-business newspap7 The Cuban-made documentary, "Re­ between Fidel Castro and other members of ers have shown a noticeable reluctance to sponse to the South African Escalation," the Cuban military high command as they refer to, as Fidel Castro put it, "this really was first shown on Cuban television in follow the battles in Angola day by day. In historical battle of great importance." three parts July 13-15 and repeated twice one scene, Castro becomes actively in­ Some even present the current round of in the following days. Copies of the video volved in a detailed discussion of the daily negotiations as a diplomatic victory for the - including with an English-language diet of the frontline combatants. United States. translation - are now available in the United States and several other countries. Political education "Response to the South African Escala­ Prepared by the film and video unit of Obvious stress is placed on political edu­ tion" is a video that must be widely shown. the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of cation within the Cuban armed forces , It answers convincingly, and at times Cuba, some 50 correspondents contributed seeking to explain the political nature of dramatically, the distorted coverage in the to the three-hour documentary. It vividly the fight against South Africa's apartheid capitalist press that seeks to camouflage the portrays the events leading up to and im­ regime, as well as provide political reports 13-year war against Angola. The video mediately following the battle of Cuito of diplomatic developments or negotia­ also makes available the views of Cuban Cuanavale in southern Angola. tions. The viewer is left with the conviction leaders as it describes the events in south­ that this . is a politically strong military em Africa. It is difficult to imagine a more South African invasion force convinced that history is on its side convincing rebuttal than this video in an­ In late 1987 the apartheid regime of - an immeasurable advantage when com­ swering the propaganda campaign against South Africa launched a major invasion of bating the reactionary conscript army of Cuban involvement in Angola, which Angola, just as it had on other occasions South Africa. seeks to present Cuba as the threat to since 197 5. In that year Angola won inde­ It is "by acting with determination, by peace and stability in the region - a cam­ pendence after centuries of Portuguese co­ acting serenely, wisely, and, above all, paign that has gained new force in recent lonial rule. Militant/Sam Manuel firmly" that the "racists and bandits" of months. In a letter to Cuban pilots in southern The 1987 invasion began with a major Amputee, victim of South Africa's war South Africa can be defeated, Raul Castro, Angola, who had flown more than 1 ,000 drive to capture the town of Cuito against Angola. Cuban minister of the armed forces, tells a combat missions over a period of several Cuanavale, some 150 miles into Angolan contingent of young volunteers moments weeks at the height of the battle of Cuito territory. From there, the South African re­ Organisation (SWAPO) forces to drive on before they are to depart for Angola. gime hoped to provide a strategic base for toward the Angolan-Namibian border. The Cuanavale, Castro wrote of the need for the U.S.-backed forces of UNITA (Na­ fi lm features footage of actual battle scenes Women combatants history to one day "publish in indelible tional Union for the Total Independence of as well as interviews with field command­ print the pages written by you with unsur­ The role of women combatants among the passable boldness and courage" in the fight Angola). ers of the Angolan army and the Cuban Cuban internationalists is highlighted in the against racist South Africa. This video - The documentary starkly presents the armed forces. documentary. Women soldiers making up stakes of this latest development in South It was a stunning victory over the South in its dramatic visual form - begins that antiaircraft units were among those who task. Africa's "undeclared" war. A South Afri­ African troops, one that qualitatively actively participated in the battle of Cuito can victory at Cuito Cuanavale could have changed the relationship of forces in the Cuanavale. war to South Africa's disadvantage. It Shown speaking to a batallion of women marked a turning point that led directly to antiaircraft fighters from Guantanamo on 300 pack auditorium New video! the current negotiations between represen­ the day before their departure from Cuba, in Harlem, applaud tatives of the Angolan, Cuban, South Afri­ Castro said: "I asked myself, in cir­ can and U.S. governments. The negotia­ cumstances such as this one in which tens video on Angola victory tions have resulted in the withdrawal of of thousands of fellow countrymen are South African troops from Angola and may there on the frontline fighting the South Af­ NEW YORK - Three hundred people Cuba lead to a settlement based on the im­ rican enemy, could we exclude women? filled the Harriet Tubman School au­ plementation of UN Resolution 435 , which Could we deny women the opportunity of ditorium here September 29, in Harlem's would end the South African occupation of also participating? This is why , comrades, first showing of the new Cuban video Namibia. the decision was made - based on the documentary, "Response to the South Af­ and The documentary demonstrates the ex­ principles in which they have always been rican Escalation." tent to which this is a modem war, with made - to also send women contingents, The screening, held on two day's notice Cuba being able to provide the military on an absolutely voluntary basis, to fulfi ll as soon as the English-language version hardware necessary to meet head-on the the internationalist mission to Angola." became available, drew neighborhood Angola powerful South African army. A signifi­ "We do things as if we were all Cubans residents as well as Black and Caribbean cant increase in the scope of the Cuban mil­ A 3-hour Cuba n TV doc­ or all Angolans," an Angolan soldier re­ activists from around the city. itary presence was made in the final ports in the documentary. Angolan, Cu­ The audience frequently broke into ume nta ry , Response to the months of 1987 and early 1988 in order to South African Escalation, ban, and SWAPO forces are repeatedly applause and cheers, especially at scenes meet this challenge. Convoys of tanks and depicting heavy blows the joint Angolan, is now av aila b le in the U .S . It seen training and fi ghting together in inte­ trucks are seen heading toward the battle grated combat units . "The ties between the Namibian, and Cuban forces struck shows the decisive turning fl ashpoints in and around Cui to Cuanavale. forces have become stronger through this against the South African armed forces. point in the 13-year-old w a r common experience," comments the nar­ The crowd also warmly applauded in Ang o la : the battle of Cuito Human factor rator. Cuban President Fidel Castro, especially C ua nav a le in M a rc h 1988. However, "an action of this kind does Another expression of this comes from his comment summing up, that the South Inc ludes excerpts of ta lks not depend on techniques, on money, on Sam Nujoma, SW APO president, when he African invasion of Angola had been de­ b y Fid e l C astro a nd Ra u l resources, or anything else; it depends on said, "SWAPO and its military wing, the feated "by Blacks and mulattos - I call Castro, inte rview s with com­ the human factor; and the human factor People's Liberation Army of Namibia, all Cubans mulattos - from Angola and b atants, combat footage. was decisive," Castro said on July 26 this PLAN, has created confidence in the mass­ the Caribbean. " Available in English or Spanish, or year in a speech, that, in part, reviewed the es of the Namibian people that they are The video was introduced by Elombe English/Spanish dual soundtrack (latter recent developments in Angola. self-liberators . . . . We, in the liberation Brath of the Patrice Lumumba Coalition, requires hi-li stereo VCR). $100. It is this very "human factor" that makes movement in Africa, are indeed gratefu l to which sponsored the showing; and by Order from Pathfinder, Dept. M, the three-hour documentary an insight into the leadership of the Central Committee of Monica Nashandi, deputy permanent ob­ 410 West St. , New York, NY 10014. revolutionary Cuba today as much as it is the Communist Party of Cuba, and in par­ server to the United Nations of the South about the military conflict in Angola. ticular to Compafiero Fidel Castro, for con- West Africa People's Organisation.

8 The Militant October 14, 1988 :\~. Ju I.· )· sr Nicaragua autonomy law celebrated on Atlantic Coast 'Beacon for indigenous peoples' Militant/Larry Seigle Rally in Puerto Cabezas on September 2 celebrates first anniversary of autonomy measure. Sign reads, "Autonomy is like the Wanki [river], it's unstoppable."

BY LARRY SEIGLE Borge, in his speech, also stressed the been to find the road to overcoming racial of the concept of regional autonomy for the PUERTO CABEZAS , Nicaragua - international impact of Nicaragua's au­ divisions and mutual suspicions. The solu­ coast peoples. Nicaragua's fight against imperialist domi­ tonomy project. "It is important for you to tion eventually reached was the Autonomy The Autonomy Law guarantees politi­ nation and the struggle for democratic know that the Autonomy Law is like a Law, which was adopted by the National cal, economic, cultural, and religious rights for the country's Indian and Black gigantic beacon for the demands of the in­ Assembly in 1987. rights of the coast peoples. It also provides communities are inseparable, said Tomas digenous peoples of the Americas." for the election of regional autonomous Borge at a rally here marking the first an­ Like most of the countries in this hemis­ Sandinista 'Historic Program' governments on the Atlantic Coast. niversary of the Autonomy Law. phere, Nicaragua has several distinct In­ This statute, Borge told the crowd here, The autonomy plan, Borge stressed at Borge is Nicaragua's minister of the in­ dian and Black peoples who have histori­ "has its history." That history began, he the anniversary celebration, "seeks to place terior, and president of the National Au­ cally suffered theft of their lands, suppres­ said, with the decision of the Sandinista authority of the nation in the hands of the tonomy Commission. sion of their language and culture, and de­ National Liberation Front (FSLN), to in­ working people, of the peasants, the In­ The door was opened to "the solution of nial of their own history. They have also clude "a special plan for the development dians, the workers, the women, the stu­ the ethnic question," Borge said, by the faced systematic discrimination in jobs, of the Atlantic Coast" in its Historic Pro­ dents, and the intellectuals." 1979 victory of the Sandinista revolution education, and other spheres of social ac­ gram. This program was drafted in 1969. It The enactment of the new law "reaf­ over the Somoza dictatorship, which had tivity. pledged, among other things, to "encour­ firmed the coast peoples' identification ruled Nicaragua with Washington's back­ The majority of Nicaragua's population age the flourishing of [the Atlantic Coast's] with Nicaraguan nationality by placing in ing. "There can't be respect for the specific of somewhat more than 3 million people local cultural values, which flow from the their hands the exercise of authority, the rights of indigenous peoples in a society are Spanish-speaking mestizos. They are specific aspects of its historic tradition." exercise of local government." that doesn't have respect for sovereignty concentrated in the western part of the It also stressed the need to "wipe out the The solution couldn't be based on any pre­ and national dignity," he stressed. country. odious discrimination to which the indi­ conceived schemas, the Sandinistas found. genous Miskitos, Sumos, Zambos, and Delegations from 45 communities through­ Most of the country's Indian and Black Borge explained, "We went through the in­ Blacks of this region are subjected." out Nicaragua's North Atlantic Coast came people live on what is called the Atlantic evitable analysis of the social relations and here for the September 2 anniversary celeb­ Coast, an area that actually includes the en­ Nonetheless, Borge continued, when the relations of production, and of the effects revolution triumphed, "a group of cadres ration. Leaders of Indian and Black com­ tire eastern portion of Nicaragua. of the capitalist expansion on the com­ munities throughout the area were present. These include an estimated 80,000 Mis­ arrived in this region, who, while self-sac­ munities of the Atlantic. The class struggle rificing and possessed of the Sandinista Chants oC'People's power!" in the Mis ~ . kito Indians, who speak their own indige­ and its form of expression on the coast al­ mystique, were noftetheless poorly placed kito language punctuated the speeches. nous language. There are also about ways had particular characteristics. But for dealing with such a unique reality." The "Autonomy is like the Wanki - it's un­ 30,000 Blacks, who speak English. these weren't alien to the general rules of stoppable," said one placard. Wanki is the In addition, there are 8,000 Sumo In­ "historic demands" of the coast peoples social development. Miskito name for the Coco River, along dians, with their own language. The l ,500 were not understood. "Nonetheless," he continued, "an old­ whose banks live many of the country's Garffonas and the 800 Rama Indians are In a recent interview with the Spanish fashioned or narrow examination of the Miskito Indians. English speakers. newspaper El Pais, Borge said of this early class character of the contradiction would period, "We committed serious errors on have been incomplete. We learned in dou­ Part of the security for the event was An estimated 120,000 mestizos also live the Atlantic Coast, where we gave priority ble time that the communities of the Atlan­ provided by a militia unit composed of on the Atlantic Coast. to institutional violence instead of to polit­ tic Coast had specific features. And we Miskitos who in earlier years had fought Until 1979, the Atlantic Coast peoples ical persuasion." learned that their demands required an ap­ against the Sandinista army. With the ad­ were dominated by U.S. and Canadian cor­ The mistakes were costly, allowing the proach without straitjackets." vance of the process that led to the adop­ porations, with the complicity of the U.S.-backed contras to gain a foothold by Regional elections provided for in the tion of the Autonomy Law, however, they Somoza dictatorship. The capitalist rulers claiming to be the true defenders of the Autonomy Law, Borge announced at the and many others like them reached an ag­ fostered prejudice against Indians and rights of the indigenous peoples. rally here, will be held in about six months, reement with the government. Blacks, and kept the working people from Learning from their mistakes, the San­ possibly around Easter. The National As­ They turned in their weapons and were the two parts of Nicaragua isolated from dinista leaders changed course, and began sembly has recently adopted a law regulat­ issued new ones by the Sandinista armed one another. working together with Indian and Black ing local elections for the country as a forces . Now they work in collaboration One of the challenges confronting the community leaders to develop guarantees whole, including the elections of the au­ with the Sandinista People's Army to pro­ workers' and peasants' government that for the rights of the Atlantic Coast peoples. tonomous regional governments on the At­ tect the villages and towns in the region came to power in the 1979 revolution has This new approach led to the development lantic Coast. from the contras. International guests Joining Borge and the Black and Indian Takebacks voted down at Eastern Airlines leaders on the platform were several inter­ national guests. Prominent among these BY ERNEST MAILHOT aircraft service. New mechanics would Earlier this year, the unions also went to was Norberto Hernandez, Cuba's ambas­ NEW YORK - By a 7 ,596-to-90 mar­ begin at $10 an hour; top pay after three court to block Eastern 's attempt to spin off sador to Nicaragua. gin, machinists at Eastern Airlines voted years would be $12.10. its profitable northeast air shuttle - a Cuba provides considerable economic mid-September to reject the company's Eastern also demands the right to lay off move engineered for its "maximum shock aid to the Atlantic Coast, including direct latest contract offer. The vote by Interna­ workers currently employed in these value" on the unions, according to an inter­ food shipments. In June the Cuban govern­ tional Association of Machinists members categories and rehire them on a part-time nal company memorandum. The sale was ment announced that it will help Nicaragua came after almost a year of negotiations be­ basis. stopped. complete a major lumber mill project near tween Eastern management and union offi­ Eastern is owned by Texas Air Corp., here. cials. which several years ago broke the unions at The company has amassed a $400 mil­ The project is expected to provide jobs "I just read the first page," said one its other major carrier, Continental. lion war chest to finance its drive against for more than l ,000 people. The Atlantic mechanic at LaGuardia Airport here. In addition to the contract concessions it the unions. At the end of September, East­ Coast has vast forest resources. "That's all I needed to know I could never is demanding, Eastern has carried on a em asked the government for permission to Also participating in the celebration support this contract. If we support it, we campaign of intimidation and harassment defer $105 million in pension payments. were representatives of an organization of give up the union." aimed at union members. Hundreds of Ma­ The Machinists' union charged that the Indians from l I Latin American countries chinists' union members have been disci­ move was to "finance full-blown labor The first page of Eastern's proposal combat." Some $30 million in payments who are elected members of parliaments. states that the company can contract out the plined or fired. This has been accompanied They were participants in the Second As" by a major effort to tum public opinion and $40 million in loans have also been di­ work of mechanics, technicians, and ser­ verted by Texas Air and Eastern to Conti­ sembly of Indian Parliamentarians, which vice employees whenever it chooses. The against the Machinists and other airlines was held in Managua at the end of August. unions. nental for strikebreaking services in the proposal also demands pay cuts of up to 56 event of a strike at Eastern. One of them, Victor Hugo Oirdenas, percent, cuts in pension benefits of up to 50 Earlier this fall , Eastern announced the from Bolivia, addressed the rally. Opening percent, and cuts in vacation days and holi­ layoff of 4,000 workers. The unions went his speech in his native Aymara, he ex­ to court and won an initial ruling blocking The Air Line Pilots Association is now days. also in negotiations with Eastern and is plained to the crowd that in his country, as the layoffs. Eastern appealed, however, being asked to take major concessions. in Nicaragua, native peoples have been The company wants new hires in less and the ruling was reversed. The company struggling to defend their cultural heritage. skilled job categories such as ramp and air­ has moved ahead with the layoffs. The Cardenas stressed the importance for all craft service to begin at $5 an hour, rising owners of other major airlines submitted Ernest Mailhot is an aircraft servicer at of Latin America of Nicaragua's decision to a $5 .75 ceiling after two years. Cur­ friend-of-the-court briefs backing Eastern Eastern Airlines at New York's LaGuardia to guarantee language and other cultural rently, top pay for ramp workers is $15.60 management's right to lay off thousands of Airport and a member of International As­ rights to the peoples of the Atlantic Coast. an hour, and slightly less for cleaners in workers. sociation of Machinists Local Lodge /018.

October 14, 1988 The Militant 9 'From passive objects to makers of our own history'

This is the concluding installment of a speech I deliv­ nomic Community, meanwhile, has frozen or in some What good will unity serve if it does not hold out the ered to a public forum of more than 200 people on Carib­ cases slashed the quotas of agricultural products they buy promise for more social and economic justice and equal­ bean and Central American Unity. It was held at Hunter from the OECS countries. ity, if it does not guarantee more human rights, more College in New York on Sept. 9, 1988, and was spon­ More and more, the political and economic technocrats · democracy, more cultural and intellectual sovereignty, sored by the Coalition for Caribbean Unity of New York recognize that it is illogical for each of these ministates to higher living standards, and a better quality of life? City. compete with each other for a shrinking share of the It is perfectly legitimate for the man in the street, the world capitalist market, and equally illogical to compete woman in the marketplace, the farmers on the land, the * * * for aid, foreign investments, and contributions from in­ workers in the factories, the youth in the schools, to ask Maurice Bishop used to say that when the economies ternational donor institutions. They recognize a certain the simple question of their leaders: How is political of the United States and Western Europe catch a cold, we objective necessity for unity. unity going to better my lot in life? - and to demand a in the Caribbean catch pneumonia. Neocolonialism has In a recent study commissioned by Caribbean Commu­ satisfactory answer. tied us into an almost total dependency on U.S. and nity (CARICOM) titled, "Caribbean Development to the Western European capital. Escaping that stranglehold is year 2000 - Challenges, Prospects, and Policies," a The first West Indies Federation failed not only be­ going to be very difficult. group of these prominent Caribbean intellectuals reports cause of the petty insularities of certain Caribbean lead­ Poverty throughout the Caribbean is higher today than that real per capita incomes in seven of the 13 CARlCOM ers, not only because it was created by the British Foreign in the 1960s and '70s when independence was won in many countries are now lower than they were in 1980. In all of Office as a convenient colonial administrative tool, not the other countries, income growth has slackened. only because it was a federation of colonies and not of The prospect before the region, says the report, (not sovereign, independent states. It failed most importantly written, may I remind you, by a group of leftists) is an because the West Indian masses were never fully in­ unemployment problem of high proportions and with volved in the process. CARIB NOTES grave social implications. The study concludes: "Only Subsequently, the CAR ICOM and OECS have been bold and informed leadership in all spheres, and cooper­ limited in their successes because they have excluded ation can set the foundation for the region to successfully Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other Carib­ Don Rojas meet the major development challenges on the eve of the bean countries; and because they have operated primarily 21st century." as vehicles of cooperation and coordination for transna­ But where can we find this "bold and informed" tional capital and its functionaries in the region. They countries in the region, betraying the vision of the anti­ leadership anywhere in the Caribbean, save Cuba? We have failed to meet the basic human needs and legitimate colonialist fighters of that period. The social problem of are yet to hear from the proponents of unity any realistic economic and political aspirations of the majority of the drug abuse, particularly among young people, is getting or creative strategy for economic development and social people. worse. Unemployment is hovering at anywhere from 25 progress that stresses the democratic involvement and And so, in conclusion, in our struggle for a true and to 40 percent. participation of the region's masses. meaningful unity of our peoples we should abandon once Budget and trade deficits are growing at an alarming Development is ultimately about people, and the peo­ and for all the ridiculousness of who's better off than rate, leading the governments to deeper indebtedness to ple must recapture the struggle for development from the who, who has lighter skin color and better hair than who, both local and foreign creditors. Per capita, the Carib­ proimperialist technocrats and the five-year economic who is less poor than who, who is more sophisticated and bean is the most indebted region in the world. Moreover, planners. Development must not only be for the people · developed than who, and so on and so on. We should re­ we import US$1 billion in food every year to keep our but, more importantly, it must be of and by the people. member that we all came to these parts we call the Amer­ people from starving, in a context where our agricultural The masses must be democratically involved in all as­ icas on the same ships 400 years ago from Africa and and fishing potential is immense. pects, in all projects, and in the planning and implemen­ India and other countries. Today we are still in the same Foreign export revenues are falling for the Organisa­ tation of the program. ships. Oppression and exploitation is our common de­ tion of East Caribbean States (OECS) countries as com­ The current leaders of our countries have so far fai led nominator. modity prices on the world market remain depressed. to project a commanding vision of a new, united Carib­ We must set our ships' bows toward that day when our Year by year, the U.S. government slashes sugar quotas bean. They have failed to define our common destiny in peoples' unity will become real, when this unity will give for the Caribbean. such a manner as to inspire, excite, and convince the them back the power and the dignity robbed from them Aid and investment from the United States and West­ masses that unity is in their objective interests. What use by the slavemasters of yesteryear and by the wage em Europe are contracting. U.S. aid is down by 45 per­ will unity be if it cannot combat and vigorously confront slavemasters of today, the capitalists; the day when our cent this year. Reagan's Caribbean Basin Initiative, the misery and despair, the hopelessness and alienation, peoples' unity will transform them from passive objects launched in response to the 1979 Grenada and Nicara­ of the poor, the oppressed, the exploited Caribbean peo­ into conscious subjects and makers of our own history guan revolutions, is a dismal failure. The European Eco- ples? and proud masters of our own destiny. Pacific Northwest woodworkers ratify contracts

BY JOHN CHARBONNET Champion International. Some of the new are also demanding new concessions. In Some 200 strikers and supporters held a PORTLAND, Ore. - Woodworkers in contracts are for three years; others for Springfield, Oregon, where 300 workers candlelight vigil and rally outside the plant the Pacific Northwest have ratified new four, a first in the industry. The agreements are out, Morgan-Nicolai Co. has begun hir­ September 17. Two days earlier, a contracts with most of the large forest include $1 ,400 bonuses the first year and ing scabs. Two of the other struck com­ Women's Hardship Auxiliary ofMillwork­ products companies where strikes began in small wage increases the following years. panies have threatened to do the same. ers was organized, with the help of women early June. Some 700 workers at four small Two of five holidays lost in 1986 were re­ The contracts were generally adopted by involved in earlier lumber and paper companies remain out. stored. Two-tier wage scales remain in the narrow margins, except at Weyerhaeuser. strikes. Almost 9,000 woodworkers- members new contracts. Members of the IW A Local 3-436 at "The women have been going all over town of the International Woodworkers of More than 7,200 workers who were not Champion International's plywood mill in to increase community support," explained America (IW A) and the Western Council on strike at Weyerhaeuser and Georgia­ Roseburg voted 180 to 150 to accept the a striker who was staffing the union hall . of Industrial Workers - have been in­ Pacific also ratified similar contracts. new agreement. Most workers were not Merl Bates described the local's efforts volved in the strikes. Their aim has been to A strike is still possible at the largest happy with it, but felt it was the best they to reach workers at other Morgan-Nicolai regain cuts of more than $3 an hour in company that has not yet settled, Roseburg could do. plants. She was part of a team of roving wages and benefits lost during strikes in Lumber Co. in Roseburg, Oregon. The "It's about half enough," said local pickets that shut down a door plant in Port­ 1986. company is demanding further cuts from its member Casey Johnson. land in mid-July. The pickets then traveled The companies struck include Wil­ 5,000 workers. "That bonus isn't worth anything," to the Wisconsin-based company's plant of lamette Industries, Boise Cascade, and The four remaining struck companies added Ralph Houston, a 30-year veteran in 700 in Oshkosh. That plant was shut for the mill. Richard Johnson expressed con­ one day. cern that agreeing to contracts that expire at Morgan-Nicolai has threatened to fire different times would weaken the unions. every officer and steward in the Oshkosh "There's a limit to how long you can local if workers there honor another Local "The Second Assassination stay out," said C.L. Malone. He pointed to 3035 roving picket line. the modest gains won by the strikers, and of Maurice Bishop" added, "I think it was worth it." Meanwhile, 230 paperworkers remain by Steve Clark on strike against Smurfit Newsprint Corp. in Oregon City. The workers, members of What led to the murder of Maurice the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Bishop, central leader of the Grenada rev­ Workers Local 68, have been on strike for olution from 1979 until its overthrow in more than three months. 1983? What are Bishop's lasting political SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - Some 300 contributions to revolutionary thought? striking paperworkers at the Morgan­ This issue of Nouvelle Intemationale, Nicolai door plant here are reaching out for a French-language magazine of Marxist support. The workers, members of Lumber and politics and theory, also contains the two Sawmill Workers Local 3035 of the West­ speeches by Fidel Castro that launched em Council of Industrial Workers, have the current rectification campaign in been on strike since July 11. In mid-Sep­ tember the company began hiring scabs. Cuba, and a speech by Thomas Sankara, Pickets in front of the plant's main gate leader of the revolution in Burkina Faso explained that Morgan-Nicolai is out to 1983- 87. 232 pp. US$8, Can.$9.50, break the union. The company made a take-it-or-leave-it contract offer that cuts FF50. wages for most workers about $3 .50 an hour, slashes benefits, and guts the senior­ Available from the Pathfinder bookstores listed on page 12. ity system. Workers now average $9 an Or by mail from 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 • PO Box 9300, hour. The union estimates the proposed MilitanUJohn Charbonnet Station A, Toronto, Ontario, MSW 2C7, Canada • 47The Cut, London SE18LL, England • PO cuts would cost workers $7,000 per year. Lumber and Sawmill union pickets at Box 153, Glebe, Sydney NSW 2037, Australia • P\lotBooks, Box8730, Auckland, New Zealand. Only four union members have crossed Morgan-Nicolai are among 700 North­ the picket line. west woodworkers still on strike.

10 The Militant October 14, 1988 Fight for shorter workweek is part of S. Korea labor upsurge

BY SUSAN LaMONT have made some concessions to the popular A powerful labor upsurge is sweeping movement, including granting the direct South Korea for the first time since large­ elections last December that resulted in scale industrialization of the country began Roh Tae Woo becoming president. during the 1960s. In the past year, workers At the same time , the government and - many of them young- have carried out employers are trying various means to curb thousands of strikes, sit-ins, demonstra­ the growing strength of the new labor tions, and other protests. movement. After decades during which company In July the government put 71 com­ unions were the only legally recognized panies on a list of "important defense in­ labor organizations, workers in all indus­ dustries" in order to try to stop workers tries are demanding independent unions . from organizing unions or going on strike. "Don't interfere in the union!" de­ According to a "reformed" labor law manded workers from one metal products enacted in October 1987, workers at "de­ factory last year. "Wake up, company fense-related" plants can be subject to spe­ union. Make common cause with our de­ cial restrictions. Included are Hyundai Pre­ mands," they asked at another. At a motor cision, Daewoo Precision, and Samsung company, workers requested that the exist­ Heavy Industries. ing leaders of the labor union "retire." In other cases, workers are met with In many cases, workers have succeeded police repression and arrest. At Hyundai in pushing aside or transforming the old Engineering and Construction Co., the procompany outfits. "Ignoring the existing company even kidnapped a union official labor unions, laborers themselves have de­ and held him for five days earlier this year. Striking women textile workers demonstrate in Taejon last year. Textiles is one of cided on and staged the strikes directly, In late July , 4,400 railroad engineers on South Korea's biggest industries, employing many young women who come from and have made negotiations with the com­ South Korea's National Railroad went on ru~al areas. They live in dormitories in or near factories, work long hours, and are panies," notes A Research Report on Re­ strike, paralyzing the national rail system. paad $150 per month. Women workers are part of rising labor struggles. cent Labor Disputes in Korea. The report The engineers, who regularly work 58 is published by The Christian Society for hours a week, demanded a shorter work­ the Projects of Industrial Development in week and higher pay . The strike began South Korea. At least I ,500 new unions after their union leadership had accepted a NEWS were organized last year, and union mem­ deal to only cut work hours from 245 to -WORI.D BRIEFS-- bership has grown to 1.3 million- 22 per­ 224 per month. military installation at Pearl Harbor. Of cent of South Korea's work force. Progress made in talks After two days, massive police action on Angola, Namibia those interned, 17,000 were Canadian Shorter workweek forced the strike to end. Thousands of riot citizens. They were transported to deten­ police dispersed sit-ins by strikers and their tion centers throughout the country. Demands for wage increases are also The latest round of negotiations be­ supporters, nearly I ,500 of whom were ar­ Japanese living in the United States common to all industries. Although strike rested. tween Angola, Cuba, South Africa, and action has forced many pay hikes, the aver­ the United States ended September 29 , also suffered the same fate . In August Another of the I ,000 strikes and job ac­ President Ronald Reagan signed a bill age wage is still only $2 .30 an hour. This tions that have taken place this year oc­ reflecting progress being made to end also helps explain why South Korea's aver­ the 13-year South African and U.S.­ that provides $20,000 to each of curred at Tandy Corp.'s factory in the 120,000 Japanese-American survivors age workweek is one of the longest in the southern industrial city of Masan. Some sponsored war against Angola. The talks, world - more than 54 hours in manufac­ held in Brazzaville, Congo, include a of the internment in the United States. I ,600 workers there - mostly women - Until this month the Canadian govern­ turing. assemble telephones, computers, and other plan for South African withdrawal and Although the legal workweek is eight independence for Namibia. ment had opposed individual compensa­ electronic equipment for Tandy's Radio tion and had offered only a $10 million hours a day, six days a week, most workers Shack outlets in the United States and else­ Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the have to put in many hours of overtime just first week of August, the four countries fund to support educational, social , and where. During the summer, the women cultural activities in the Japanese-Cana­ to make ends meet, including working on began refusing to wear company uniforms agreed to ,a general timetable. At that the few vacations and holidays they may meeting the South African government dian community . A study conducted for to protest Tandy's suppression of efforts to the Canadian government by a Toronto have. Basic wages cover only 60 percent of organize a union . agreed to withdraw its troops from An­ workers' living expenses. gola by September I, begin implementa­ accounting firm estimated the 1986 In many strikes, workers are calling for In early July, union activists, including tion of United Nations Resolution 435 value of the farms , fishing boats, homes, shorter work hours. "Readjust the standard union President Chong Min-ja, were at­ for the independence of Namibia by and other property seized from those in­ working hours ," demanded 2,000 coal tacked by gangs of Kusadae (Save the November I, and withdraw its troops terned at $330 million. miners in one mine. Some I ,500 workers Company Corps). The Kusadae are anti­ from Namibia by Feb. I, 1989. UN-spon­ in an electronics factory requested "limita­ union, thug outfits created by South sored elections for independence in tion of overtime work to less than two Korea's employers to intimidate and attack Namibia would take place in June 1989. Panama seizes U.S. hours." Workers in a shoe factory said, workers trying to organize. South Africa withdrew its troops from arms shipment "Keep the working hours exactly." For several days, groups of workers Angola on August 30. Workers are also demanding bonus pay­ were beaten and tortured by management A timetable for the withdrawal of The government of Panama seized a ments, family allowances, paid vacations, personnel and other men armed with clubs, Cuban troops in Angola was not set at U.S. ship and its military cargo at the observance of legal holidays, an end to un­ steel pipes, and heavy boots. About 20 the Geneva meeting. The apartheid re­ end of September. Panama's attorney fair personnel moves, premium pay for shift workers had to be hospitalized. The police gime had demanded that Cuban troops general, Carlos Villalaz, said at a Sep­ work, better food in company cafeterias, refused to take action, claiming it was an be withdrawn before the June 1989 elec­ tember 29 press conference in Colon that and other improvements. "internal company matter." Outraged, work­ tions in Namibia. Angola and Cuba of­ the seized equipment had been bound for Strikes and job actions have taken place ing people from the city organized a protest fered to cut the time for withdrawal of the U.S . Southern Command. The South­ at hundreds of plants in the auto, shipbuild­ and sit-in at the plant's gate. Cuban troops from their original propos­ em Command, which is based at the ing, heavy machinery, electronics, leather, al of four years to three years. At the Panama Canal, oversees all U.S. mili­ mining, and rail industries. Taxi drivers Women workers most recent meeting all four countries tary operations in Latin America. and bank workers have walked out. Korean Women workers are often a special agreed to a two-year timetable. Panamanian customs agents found a workers at the embassies of France, Cana­ target of the Save the Company Corps. Ac­ Cuban troops came to Angola at the 120-millimeter tank cannon and other da, West Germany, and other countries are cording to a report on the activities of these request of the Angolan government in war materiel in sealed cargo containers trying to form unions. The unions repre­ gangs issued by the Korean Catholic 1975 to help repel a massive invasion by during a routine inspection of the U.S.­ senting the more than 20,000 Korean Church, "The male managers have a child­ South African troops. registered ship Ambassador. A Southern workers employed by the U.S. army in ish prejudice against women, following the Command spokesman claimed that the South Korea are also demanding higher old Korean saying that 'if a hen clucks, the The South West Africa People's Orga­ cannon was "totally useless" and had pay and better conditions. family is destroyed.'" nisation, which has been fighting South been sent to Panama to be used in a test­ The strikes have forced some of the giant Many women in South Korea - 43 per­ African troops in Namibia, is not a par­ ing center, where the "effects of tropical conglomerates that dominate South Ko­ cent - work outside the home, mainly at ticipant in the negotiations but had an conditions on munitions storage are rea's economy, including Hyundai and low-paying jobs in the electronics, gar­ observer present. Following the meeting tested." He would not identify the other Daewoo, to grant wage hikes of 15 to 20 ment, and textile industries. More than SW APO spokesman Hidipo Hamutenya materiel confiscated. percent. one-third of the country's work force is said, "The process is in motion. We A two-year campaign against the Pa­ women, who earn an average of 43 percent don't believe it is reversible." namanian government by the U.S. ad­ Democratic movement of what men make while working longer ministration and Congress has included The current labor upsurge is part of a hours. Ottawa to compensate cutting of economic aid, blocking inter­ broad movement by South Korea's work­ Wages of $150 per month are not unusu­ national loans, an economic embargo, mil­ ing people and youth for increased demo­ al in garment sweatshops, where women interned Japanese itary threats, and indictments against Pa­ cratic rights, economic improvements, and often toil more than 12 hours a day . namanian officials for drug smuggling. national sovereignty after decades of U.S.­ Last spring, a fire at the Green Hill Tex­ The Canadian government has agreed From the start, Panamanian govern­ backed military-dominated governments. tile Co. in Anyang killed 22 of 28 young to pay the equivalent of US$17 ,325 in ment leaders have said that this campaign Opposition to the presence of more than women workers as they slept in their "dor­ compensation to each of 12,000 surviv­ is the result of Panama's refusal to back 40,000 U.S. troops in their country is mitory" in the factory. Stairways were ing Japanese-Canadians who were forc­ Washington's efforts to overthrow the growing. Support for improved relations locked or blocked by heaps of sweaters. ibly interned and deprived of their prop­ Nicaraguan government. Panama has with North Korea is widespread, and there There was no fire exit. erty during World II. also stood firm in its demand for the im­ have been large-scale student demonstra­ Such conditions help explain why South Just under 22,000 Japanese in Canada plementation of treaties signed with Wash­ tions calling for reunification. Korea has the world's highest industrial ac­ were forced from their homes in the ington in 1977 that would tum the Faced with these developments, South cident rate. Last year, 142,596 workers months following the December 1941 Panama Canal over to Panamanian sov­ Korea's rulers- who have grown rich off were killed, injured, or disabled by indus­ attack by Japanese forces on the U.S. ereignty on Dec. 31 , 1999. the country's rapid industrialization - trial accidents or diseases.

October 14, 1988 The Militant 11 -CALENDAR------ALABAMA Workers Party. Sat., Oct. 15, 6 p.m. 6826 S NORTH CAROLINA Socialist Workers '88 Stony Island Ave. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Mil­ Birmingham itant Labor Forum. For more information call Greensboro presidential campaign The Drought and the U.S. Farm Crisis. (312) 363-7322 or 363-7136. The Economic Crisis in the Caribbean. wrap-up rallies Speakers: George Paris, Federation of Southern Speaker: Stuart Crome, Socialist Workers Party Cooperatives; Sue Skinner, Socialist Workers candidate for governor. Sun., Oct. 9, 7 p.m. Party. Sat., Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 1306lstAve. N. MARYLAND 2219 E Market. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Mili­ In New York Donation: $2.50. Sponsor: Militant Labor Fo­ tant Labor Forum. For more information call rum. For more information call (205) 323-3079. Baltimore (919) 272-5996. Hear James Warren, Socialist The Decline of the U.S. Empire and the Road Workers Party candidate for U.S. pres­ ARIZONA Forward for Working People. Speaker: James Warren, Socialist Workers Party candidate for OHIO ident. Sun., Nov . 6. Reception 4:30 Phoenix U.S. president. Sun., Oct. 9, 5 p.m. 2913 Cleveland p.m. ; rally 5 p.m. 79 Leonard St., Rain Forest Destruction: Its Global Impact. Greenmount Ave . Sponsor: Socialist Workers Drop the Charges Against the Hartford 15. Manhattan. Donation: $5. For more Speaker: Alexander DeMoura King, photog­ Campaign '88. For more information call (301) information call (212) 219-3679. rapher and rain-forest activist. Translation to Independence for Puerto Rico! Panel discus­ 235-0013. sion and video showing . Translation to Spanish. Spanish. Sat., Oct. 8. Preforum dinner 5:30; Defend Women's Right to Abortion. Panel program 7 p.m. 1809 W Indian School Rd . Do­ Sat. , Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 2521 Market Ave . Do­ In Los Angeles discussion of threat to overturn Roe v. Wade Su­ nation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Forum. For more nation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For preme Court decision. Sat., Oct. 15. Dinner 6 information call (216) 861-6150. more information call (602) 279-5850. p.m.; panel 7:30p.m. 2913 Greenmount Ave. Hear Kathleen Mickells, SWP Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. candidate for U.S. vice-president. CALIFORNIA For more information call (30 1) 235-0013. PENNSYLVANIA Sat., Nov. 5, 7 p.m. 2546 W. Pico Los Angeles Philadelphia Blvd. For more information call Apartheid Troops Defeated in Angola: Show­ Unemployment and the Fight for Jobs. Sat., (213) 380-9460. ing of a Cuban Documentary on the Historic MINNESOTA Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 2744 Germantown Ave . Do­ Victory. Video: Response to the South African Austin nation: $3. Sponsor: Militant Forum. For more information call (215) 225-0213. Escalation. In English and Spanish. Sun., Oct. Free Mark Curtis! Speaker: Wendy Lyons, ception 6 p.m.; program 7 p.m. 5517 Rainier 16, 2 p.m. Letter Carriers Hall, 774 S Valencia. Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Sen­ The Nicaraguan Revolution Today. Sat. , Oct. Ave. S. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Donation: $5. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. ate and member SWP National Committee. 15, 7:30 p.m. 2744 Germantown Ave. Dona­ Forum. For more information call (206) 723- For more information call (213) 380-9460. Translation to Spanish. Sun., Oct. 9, 7 p.m. tion: $3. Sponsor: Militant Forum. For more in­ 5330. 407lf2 N Main St. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Mili­ formation call (215) 225-0213. tant Labor Forum. For more information call Korea: The Struggle for Democratic Rights. WISCONSIN FLORIDA (507) 433-3461. Sat., Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. 2744 Germantown Milwaukee Farm Workers Struggles Today. Video show­ Ave. Donation: $3 . Sponsor: Militant Forum. Miami El Salvador: The Struggle Intensifies. Eye­ ing of the Wrath of Grapes. Speaker: Henry For more information call (215) 225-0213. Florida's "English Only" Referendum: At­ witness report by Babette Grunow, leader of Zamarron, Socialist Workers Party. Translation tack on Civil Rights. Speakers: Jon Weber, Pittsburgh Latin American Solidarity Committee at Uni­ to Spanish. Sun., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. 407 112 N Main executive director Speak Up Now for Florida; The Decline of the U.S. Empire and the Road versity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Sat. , Oct. 8, St. Donation: $2 . Sponsor: Militant Labor Fo­ Max Castro, board member Miami chapter Forward for Working People. Speaker: Jim 7:30p.m. 4707 W Lisbon Ave. Donation: $3. rum. For more information call (507) 433-3461. American Civil Liberties Union; Pat O'Reilly, Little, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ Socialist Workers Party. Translation to Span­ St. Paul U.S. Senate. Sat., Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 4905 Penn mation call (414) 445-2076. ish. Sat., Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. 137 NE 54th St. Free Puerto Rico! Speaker: Josefina Rod­ Ave. Donation: $3 . Sponsor: Militant Labor Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. riguez, Movimiento de Liberaci6n Nacional. Forum. For more information call (412) 362- For more information call (305) 756-1020. Sat., Oct. 8, 8 p.m. The Loft, 2301 E Franklin . 6767. • Florida Farm Workers: The Fight for Better Donation: $3 to $5. Sponsor: Militant Forum, Drug Dealing: A Capitalist Business. Speak­ Conditions. Speakers: Randy Cecil, United Committee in Solidarity with the People of El er: representative of Socialist Workers Party . BRITAIN Farm Workers organizer; Marfa Guadalupe del Salvador, others. For more information call Sat., Oct . 15, 7:30p.m. 4905 Penn Ave . Dona­ Nottingham Felix, cannery worker. Translation to Spanish. (612) 644-6325. tion: $3 . Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For Public Meeting on Che Guevara and the Sat., Oct. 15, 7:30p.m. 137 NE 54th St. Dona­ Free Mark Curtis! Speaker: Kate Kaku , wife more information call (412) 362-6767. Cuban Revolution. Speakers: representative of tion: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For of Mark Curtis, treasurer of Mark Curtis De­ Turning Point in the Liberation Struggle in South West Africa People's Organisation of more information call (305) 756-1020. fense Committee; others. Sat., Oct. 15 , 7:30 Southern Africa. Cuban TV documentary Re­ Namibia; Betty Heathfield , Women Against Pit p.m. 508 N Snelling Ave . Donation: $2 . Spon­ sponse to the South African Escalation. Sat. , Closures; Connie Harris, Pathfinder. Fri ., Oct. GEORGIA sor: Militant Forum. For more information call Oct. 22, 7 p.m. Discussion on documentary to 14, 7 p.m. International Community Center, (612) 644-6325. follow on Sun., Oct. 23, I I a.m. In English and 6IB Mansfield Rd. Donation: £1. Atlanta Spanish. 4905 Penn Ave., Donation: $5. Spon­ How Workers Can Fight Layoffs. Speakers: sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ Roberta Freeman and Sandra Minter, laid-off MISSOURI tion call (412) 362-6767. CANADA GM Doraville auto workers; Maceo Dixon, So­ St. Louis Montreal cialist Workers Party and laid-off GM worker. Why We Need to Raise the Minimum Wage. The Coming Economic Crisis and the Road Sat., Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 132 Cone St. NW, 2nd Speakers: William Stodgill, Janitors With Jus­ TEXAS Forward for Working People. Speakers: floor. Donation requested. Sponsor: Militant tice Campaign; Michelle Yellin, member Inter­ Houston James Warren, Socialist Workers Party candi­ Labor Forum. For more information call (404) national Association of Machinists . Sat., Oct. Defend Mark Curtis! Speakers to be an­ date for U.S . president; Margaret Manwaring, 577-4065. 8, 7 p.m. 4907 Martin Luther King Dr. Dona­ nounced . Translation to Spanish. Sat., Oct. 15, Revolutionary Workers League federal election Palestine: A People's Revolt. Video showing tion: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For 7:30 p.m. 4806 Almeda. Donation: $2. Spon­ candidate in Toronto, member United Steel­ of Native Sons: Palestinians in Exile. Speaker: more information call (314) 361-0250. sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ workers of America; Michel Dugre, RWL fed­ Dennis Drake, Socialist Workers Party. 132 tion call (713) 522-8054. eral election candidate in Montreal, member Cone St. NW, 2nd floor. Donation: $2.50. Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ NEW YORK Union. Fri., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. 4274 rue mation call (404) 577-4065. Manhattan UTAH Papineau, Suite 302 . Sponsor: RWL and Young Walkathon for Medical Aid to Central Salt Lake City Socialists. For more information call (514) 524- America. Sat., Oct. 15 . Gather II a.m. at Co­ The Struggle to Defend the Rights of Immi­ 7992. ILLINOIS lumbia University, I 16th St. and Broadway. grant Workers. Speakers: Pat Fernandez, Toronto Chicago For more information call (212) 979-8805. Young Socialist Alliance; Carlos Chavez, Utah The Coming Economic Crisis and the Road Korea: The People's Fight for Democracy Maurice Bishop, Samora Machel, Thomas Immigration Center. Translation to Spanish. Forward for Working People. Speakers: and Reunification. Speakers: Nam Hee Lee, Sankara ... Yesterday, Today, Forever. A Sat., Oct. 8, 7:30p.m. 147 E 900 S. Donation: James Warren, Socialist Workers Party candi­ Young Koreans United; Martin Koppel , Social­ radio program produced by Samori Marksman, $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more date for U.S. president; Margaret Manwaring, ist Workers Party . Sat., Oct. 8, 6 p.m. 6826 S Rosemari Mealy , and Valerie Van Isler. Wed ., information call (80 I) 355-1 124 . Revolutionary Workers League federal election Stony Island Ave. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Mil­ Oct. 19, 7:30p.m. WBAI , 99.5 FM . candidate in Toronto, member United Steel­ itant Labor Forum. For more information call Infantile and Disorderly. A program on the as­ WASHINGTON workers of America; Michel Dugre, RWL fed­ (312) 363-7322 or 363-7136. sassination of Maurice Bishop and the demise Seattle eral election candidate in Montreal, member The Palestinian Uprising. A panel discussion of the New Jewel Movement, featuring leaders The Decline of the U.S. Empire and the Road Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers and eyewitness report. Speakers: Dick Reilly, of Bishop's government and historian James Forward for Working People. Speaker: Kath­ Union . Sun ., Oct. 16. Reception 2 p.m.; rally 3 Palestine Solidarity Committee, eyewitness to Millette. Produced by Samori Marksman. Fri., leen Mickells, Socialist Workers Party candi­ p.m. 410 Adelaide St. W. Suite 400. Donation: West Bank events; representative of Socialist Oct. 21, 1:30 p.m. WBAI, 99.5 FM . date for U.S. vice-president. Sat., Oct. 8. Re- $2. 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12 The Militant October 14, 1988 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------Die healthy - The Santa Fe orful" old chap, on his retirement gristle to hot dogs, baloney, etc. complained, the NAACP pro­ was skeptical about the claim of Natural Tobacco Co. offers "Ameri­ from Old Bailey, London's central without identifying it on the label . tested, and the obscenity was can­ soul-savers Jim and Tammy Bak­ can Spirits," a cigarette made from criminal court. Some "colorful" The proposition is much favored celed. ker that a personal 300-foot water pure tobacco with no additives. samples: To a corrupt municipal by the American Meat Institute. slide and "his and hers" Rolls The standard coffin nail is about official -"You have a wonderful Curiously, Agriculture Secretary Smart enough to be born rich Royces were business expenses. war record .... I simply cannot Richard Lyng is a former president - "I don't think he's profound of the institute and draws a pen­ put you behind bars." To a Black enough to be hypocritical." - Social note - Prince Johannes sion from it. defendant - "Get out and go back Rev . James Burtchaell of Notre von Thurn und Taxis of West Ger­ to Jamaica." Dame, joining the theological de­ many is on a U.S. yachting visit. Unlike bosses - "Employees bate on the morality of Sen. House-sitting, with a staff of 200, 'Labor's friend' - North Harry feel they are entitled to get as Quayle's dodging duty in a war he is his spouse, the former Countess Carolina Lt. Gov . Robert Jordan much as they can with as little ef­ supported. Gloria von Schonburg zu Glachau thanked the state AFL-CIO for en­ Ring fort," complains Arthur Witkin, a ("Princess TNT" to her friends). dorsing his candidacy for governor. personnel "scientist. " No fool he- "I believe in what The prince used to have a 18 cas­ He also reiterated that he would I'm doing. I have no ethical prob­ tles, but a friend says he lost six to 46 percent chemicals, saltpeter, of the workers at take a dim view lems. " - Gary Miller, the non­ the "communists," presumably in sugar, reconstituted tobacco, and his lumber mill organizing a Progress report - For 15 smoking spokesperson for the To­ East Germany. artificial preservatives. (American union. years a school owned by a Baptist bacco Institute, trade association Spirits do have to be refrigerated church in Temple Terrace, of the coffin-nail pushers. after the pack is opened.) Calcium enriched - The De­ Florida, held fund-raising "slave Should have let him be-"All partment of Agriculture is moving auctions" in which students would he wanted to do was watch movies Adorable- British papers sa­ to permit meat-packers to add up work for the student who "bought" Can't get to heaven on foot­ and television." - Former Rea­ luted Judge Michael Argyle, a "col- to 10 percent ground bone and them. This year, a Black student An IRS agent said in court that he gan aide James Cannon. Kentucky coal miners appeal.conviction

Continued from front page "violation of interstate commerce" claim as haul coal and gob (a coal waste product) for his argument, Engel let Walbourn con­ moved for dismissal of the case because the a pretext for taking jurisdiction in the case. away from the Samoyed Energy mine. The tinue for a few more minutes . trucks the scab haulers were driving at the Judge Henry Wilhoit ruled against the min­ coal was taken to a tipple at a processing time of the shooting were not involved in ers and let the trial proceed. plant. After processing, some of it was Government's arguments interstate commerce. Following the trial, miners' attorney later put on rail cars to be hauled out of Arguing against the appeal was Bill The federal government had used the Edwin W a! bourn submitted an appeal brief state . Brown from the Criminal Division of the arguing the conviction should be over­ Walbourn argued that congressional Justice Department in Washington, D.C. turned. He said Wilhoit made an error in legislation enacted in 1984 was not in­ He said the final destination of the coal was r------advertisement------. not dismissing the case on the grounds that tended to give such a wide definition to in­ key to determining whether interstate com­ TOLL-FREE NATIONAL it did not fall under federal jurisdiction. terstate commerce. In an interview after the merce laws had been violated. CALL-IN AND At the September 29 hearing, Walbourn hearing, W a! bourn explained that the 1984 Walbourn stopped to talk to supporters NATIONWIDE RADIO argued the appeal before three of the nine amendments were designed by Congress to of the miners, who were lining the walls BROADCAST 6th Circuit judges. give the federal government control over outside the courtroom. He explained that the facts in this case cases involving "labor disputes that take He said he expects a ruling on the appeal were "hotly disputed during the trial." Un­ place in rural areas where local and state in three to six months. If it is turned down , MARK YOUR CALENDAR- TELL fortunately, he said, the jury had decided to law enforcement might be deemed to be he will petition for all nine 6th Circuit YOUR FRIENDS "believe the United States [government's] weak." But even with these changes, the judges to review the case. If that fails , he version" of the events. coal haulers at the Samoyed Energy mine will try to get the U.S. Supreme Court to PHILIP AGEE ON THE But, he added, there is "no dispute that couldn't be considered to have been in­ hear it. CIA AND the trucks did not travel out of state." Their volved in interstate commerce, he said. A few supporters voiced anger that the COVERT ACTION purpose, Walbourn pointed out, was to Some 15 minutes into his presentation, judge had rushed him during his presenta­ Walbourn was interrupted by Judge Albert tion . "You had more to say, didn't you," Engel, who said, "I don't think we need 30 one woman said . A TOLL-FREE NATIONAL CALL-IN Activists jailed on minutes on this, it is a single-issue case ." "You're in jail for 40 years and they WITH: After the court clerk and Walbourn assured won't let your lawyer have 30 minutes," a EMILE DE ANTONIO, WILLIAM the judge that 30 minutes had been allotted miner added. SCHAAP, ANDREW COCKBURN, contempt charges JOHN STOCKWELL, PHILIP AGEE, Continued from front page AND DR. CONSTANTINE MENGES tion with the U.S . Supreme Court charging -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- illegal wiretapping and surveillance in this forts , constant struggles, setbacks, and vic­ THURSDAY case. tories. OCTOBER 27TH The National Committee in Support of TH£ MILITANT ASOCIALISTNEWSWEEKLY PlJBIJSHED INTI-lEINTERESTSOFTHE'MJRKINGPEOPLE25c World public opinion must be alert to the Grand Jury Resistance, which is rallying 2-5 P.M. EASTERN TiME, Oct. 13, 1978 attempts by U.S. imperialism and its local support for the imprisoned activists, agents to rob the Nicaraguan people of charged September 28 that they are being TRANSMITS FREE TO ALL COM­ The following are excerpts of a state­ their final victory . MUNITY PUBLIC RADIO STA­ held in inhumane conditions. "The jail is ment by the Cuban government that were filled to twice its capacity, and they have to TIONS COAST-TO-COAST. reprinted in the Militant. They were taken sleep on a plastic mat or concrete floor with CALL YOUR COMMUNITY RADIO from the Cuban Communist Party daily their heads resting near the toilet," commit­ Granma. THE STATION MANAGER! tee spokesperson Kwaku Leak said in a SAY YOU WANT TO HEAR PHILIP telephone interview . In view of the alarming reports reaching MILITANT AGEE ON THE CIA: A NATIONAL Leak added that October I 0 protests us of the indiscriminate repression the Published in the Interests of the Working People CALL-IN, WHICH TRANSMITS OC­ have been scheduled in many U.S. cities Somoza dynasty is unleashing against the Oct. 14, 1963 Price Jot TOBER 27TH FROM 2 TO 5 P.M. and several other countries against the jail­ Nicaraguan people in an attempt to crush ings of Bellecourt and Brown and the pros­ EASTERN TIME OVER CHANNEL their struggle for real independence, the UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. Oct. 7- In ecution of the eight charged with violating 7 WESTAR. CONTACT PROGRAM Government of the Republic of Cuba a shameful display of hypocrisy, Adlai the ban on dealings with Libya. Protests wishes to express its militant solidarity Stevenson stood before the UN General PRODUCER are planned, Leak said, for London, Paris, with that people and denounce to the world Assembly today and expressed the "sym­ STUART HUTCHISON AT several Caribbean countries, New York, the genocide being committed against pathy" of the U.S. government to the hur­ (212) 586-6300. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Los Angeles, Hous­ them. ricane-battered people of Cuba. ton, and other cities. The masses of workers and peasants, Stevenson's statement came at the close PHILIP AGEE ON THE CIA AND COVERT AC­ The National Committee in Support of and even the broadest sectors of the of a speech that declared in effect that TION: A TOLL-FREE NATIONAL CALL IN, is Grand Jury Resistance has offices at 2020 bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie, have Washington does not intend to relent in its a RAM'S HORN PRODUCTION, funded in Pennsylvania Ave. N. W ., Suite 274, Wash­ shown their readiness to fight the tyranny . efforts to starve out the Cuban revolution. part by the Funding Exchange/National ington, D.C. 20005 . Telephone: (202) 332- Community Funds; The Pacifica Foundation The United People's Movement and the He was speaking in reply to Carlos and its five-member listener supported sta­ 0822. Broad Opposition Front (FAO), which in­ Lechuga, Cuban ambassador to the UN . tions; the New Jersey Council on the cludes the Democratic Union of Liberation Speaking as the news came in of the Arts/New Jersey Department of State; by Carrel Morgan and by Jane and Zackary (UDEL), are the positive outcome of the havoc wreaked upon his country by the Botsch, with additional support provided by Cuba conference broad unity that now exists. The Nicara­ storm, Lechuga calmly but firmly spelled the Fund for Open Information and Accoun­ guan people look upon the Sandinista Na­ out Cuba's revolutionary foreign policy of tability (FOIA), and by the Interreligious Continued from front page Foundation for Community Organization tional Liberation Front (FSLN) as their continuing opposition to U.S. imperialism. (IFCO). the stepped-up U.S. aggression against legitimate vanguard. He declared that Cuba would not sign the Cuba, Nicaragua, and Grenada. Somoza's ridiculous charges against test-ban treaty so long as it remained the The following stations are com­ The problems women face in most of the Cuba, and his hysterical denunciations of victim of U.S. attack and that it would not mitted as of 12 September 1988* continent stem from the fact that they live an alleged "communist danger," are mere accept any agreement for the denucleariza­ under capitalist systems dominated by the ruses to justify intervention by the most tion of Latin America unless such an agree­ KLC~Euoene OR Spri11_gs OH imperialist powers, said Tijerino. The reactionary sectors of the U.S. administra­ ment includes, as a minimum, the deatomi­ WRF -Atranta G,~ Klli-P"orcu_pine~>D WOR -Madison I KUMD-Duruth N unity of "revolutionary, democratic, and tion, which are propping him up and pro­ zation of U.S. bases in Puerto Rico and the KGN~Boulder C WHUS-Storrs :T progressive women" is necessary to com­ KBO -Portland 0 KPFT -Houston TX viding him with U.S. mercenaries as advis­ Panama Canal and U.S. withdrawal from WOJ ~ayward WI WPFW-Washinoton bat this, she explained. ers, plus criminal counterrevolutionaries of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. KU~~ - an"ta Gruz CA KPFK-~os Angeles KH U- cata CA KPFA- an Franc~co The Continental Front "is not a highly Cuban origin, and are seeking at all costs to He cited the recent series of U.S . -or­ KM ID- arberville CA KRCL- alt Lake Gity structured organization," she added. Its WB 1-NewYork KCMU-Seattle WA maintain imperialism's penetration and in­ ganized attacks by air and sea on Cuban WYSO-Yellow KFAI-Minneapolis goal is to promote "unity in action for fluence in that country . sugar mills, oil refineries, and lumber nonintervention and self-determination" The example set by Augusto Cesar San­ mills, including a September 4 raid by two *For up-dates, contact Stuart Hutchison and the exchange of views and experiences dino has taught his people to identify, planes on the city of Santa Clara in which a among women of the continent. fight , and destroy their enemies. They school teacher was killed and his three chil­ The conference concludes October 7. learned to do this by dint of their own ef- dren wounded.

October 14, 1988 The Militant 13 -EDITORIAlS------The difference in prices farmers get Cuba: principles, not medals and consumers pay BY DOUG JENNESS Readers who caught some of the coverage of the recent North Korea, worked hard to get backing for this propos­ When a farm family goes to sell the com it has grown Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, will certainly have al . Castro explained that they searched "for a solution to and harvested, it hopes to get as high a price as it can. At noted that the games seem to have reached an all-time the problem so that both Koreas could come to an agree­ least high enough to pay production costs and have record in lavish spectacle , media hype. and di spl ays of ment to share the Olympic Games. We spared no efforts enough to live decently. U.S. imperialist arrogance. in this direction , but nothing was achieved." In the end, But when a wage worker goes to the supermarket to buy An important political statement, however, was being the offer was made to North Korea to hold five of the a box of cornflakes or a bag of cornmeal, he or she looks made by the government of Cuba and several other coun­ games - not cosponsorhsip. North Korea rejected this for the lowest price. (As consumers farmers too are con­ tries by their absence from the games. proposal , and Cuba announced it would not send athletes cerned about exorbitant retail prices . But here I'm taking Cuba decided in January not to send athletes to Seoul to Seoul. in order to protest the International Olympic Committee Castro explained, "It would not be honorable for Cuba (IOC) and South Korean government's refusal to allow to attend. I think it would be a breach of solidarity with North Korea to cosponsor the games. the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We do not LEARNING ABOUT The IOC's decision to schedule the games in Seoul exchange our principles for a few gold medals ." was made to build up the authority and prestige of the At the same time, the Cuban sports officials said that SOCIALISM repressive U.S. -backed South Korean government and they weren't boycotting the games. Athletes from several further isolate and stigmatize North Korea. African countries, for example, trained in Cuba for the up the relationship that farmers as producers have to Washington engineered the partition of Korea at the event. prices.) end of World War II and fought the Korean War to main­ Nicaragu~, Ethiopia, Albania, and the Seychelles also Working farmers own the products they produce, and tain domination of South Korea and try to overturn the did not participate. The Nicaraguan government ex­ the livelihood of the big majority of them depends on government in the north. The U.S. government still has plained that it did not have the financial resources to field selling these products on the market. Thus, their future as more than 40,000 troops and 150 nuclear warheads based a team because of the economic devastation the U.S.­ farmers often rides or falls on fluctuations in market in South Korea. backed contra war has wreaked on that country. prices. Describing the IOC decision as an attempt to "per­ Several members of the Pan American Sports Organi­ Workers paid by employers, on the other hand, don't petuate the division of the Korean nation," Cuban Presi­ zation tried- unsuccessfully- to use Cuba's decision own the products they collectively produce and aren't dent Fidel Castro supported instead the proposal that the not to participate in the Olympics to get the Pan Ameri­ continually haunted by the gyrations of the market. 1988 games be cohosted by both North and South Korea. can games moved from Havana, where they are sched­ Big-business politicians, newspaper publishers, and This suggestion was endorsed by the North Korean gov­ uled for 1991 . Any other attempts to take punitive mea­ the owners of the television networks utilize the question ernment. sures against Cuba for its principled internationalist stand of prices to try to drive a wedge between workers and The Cuban government, along with the government in on the Olympics in Seoul should be roundly condemned. farmers . "If farmers keep demanding too high a price, consumers will have to pay too much for groceries," they charge. "And if workers press for higher wages, farmers will have to pay more for tractors, fuel, and other neces­ sities for production:" But this argu­ mentation errone­ Gang-up against Kampuchea Middleman's delight ously treats "prices" 135 Price• paid to tarrnera & as a specific thing. con•umer food pricM The Reagan administration and leading members of U.S. war in Indochina. Pol Pot's brutally repressive re­ 130 // Prices aren't Congress are weighing plans to step up operations against gime was responsible for hundreds of thousands of 125 things any more /Foodpr~s than debts, rents, Kampuchea, a Southeast Asian country with a population deaths. It was driven from power in 1979 by Kampu­ 120 interest, or wages estimated at more than 6 million. These moves should be chean dissidents backed by a large contingent of Viet­ 115 strongly opposed. namese troops. are things. They 110 represent a social The bipartisan group, which includes Democratic Rep. The U.S. rulers have used the Vietnamese presence­ 105 relationship be­ Stephen Solarz, is considering increasing aid to forces which has been reduced substantially in recent years - seeking to topple the current government of Kampuchea 100 tween people. as a pretext for continued efforts to embargo and isolate The "price" the -from $3.5 million to as much as $15 million. The the people of Kampuchea, and to back forces that militari­ 95 proposed aid is intended to strengthen rightist groups worker pays a mer­ ly attack them. 90 ~/ chant for a sack of headed by Norodom Sihanouk and Son Sann. The proposal to step up U.S. aid to antigovernment 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 At the same time, Washington continues to back ef­ cornmeal is one so­ forces is intended to bring still more suffering to the peo­ It's not consumers who've benefited from the cial relationship. forts to block United Nations recognition of the govern­ ple of Kampuchea. The workers and peasants there are squeeze on fa rmers. Dara: U.S. Departments of ment of Kampuchea, headed by President Heng Samrin Labor ICPI-a/1 food! and AgflcuJrure (pflces pard Quite another is still struggling to recover from the vast death and destruc­ ro farmers. all 11ems! Re·rndexed ro 1980= 100. the "price" a farm­ and Prime Minister Hun Sen. tion resulting from Washington's war there in the 1970s, The rightists are in a coalition with the Khmer Rouge, er gets for selling as part of its aggression in Indochina, and from the blood­ truckloads of corn headed by Pol Pot. In order to block recognition of the bath brought by Pol Pot. legitimate government, the U.S. government supports to a local grain-elevator operator or directly to a big grain­ the UN's recognition of this exile alliance as the official Washington should drop its backing for the Khmer marketing operation like Cargill or Continental. representative of Kampuchea. Rouge in the UN , end all aid to the antigovernment bloc, The price the consumer pays for a farm commodity in­ The Khmer Rouge, militarily the strongest group in the establish diplomatic relations with the government of cludes, not only the costs of producing it, but the portion antigovernment bloc , came to power in Kampuchea for Kampuchea, and provide desperately needed aid for the of the value that represents unpaid labor. In other words, several years in the late 1970s following the defeat of the reconstruction of that country. part of the "price" he or she pays as a buyer covers the profits pocketed all along the line by "middlemen" - capitalist processors, transporters, and merchandisers. The "price" that exploited farmers get as sellers has a different social relationship. They don't get back the full equivalent value of the labor time they and their families have put into producing these commodities. The value The scourge of anti-Semitism from these hours of labor for which they are not paid is appropriated - stolen - from them by the owners of the banks, land, and trusts. Anti-Semitic incidents continue to take place in the tion in August, was revealed to have prepared a list of If they can't get enough income from marketing their Unit~d States. While such attacks are not occurring on a Jewish officials of the Bureau of Labor Statistics for products to make interest and rent payments or meet large scale, actions like the September 17 attack on a President Richard Nixon in 1971. Nixon claimed that a other production expenses, they gp under as thousands do Brooklyn synagogue are an assault on the rights of all "Jewish cabal" at the BLS was plotting against him . every year. The question of raising "prices" then is posed working people. The U.S. ruling class is pervaded with racist and reli­ for them as a way to make a living income. The synagogue was broken into, Nazi swastikas were gious prejudices. They are part of the ideological justifi­ The two different social relationships involved in spray-painted on walls and books, and Torah scrolls - cation for their undemocratic , minority rule. prices paid by farmers and consumers is most clearly il­ sacred in the Jewish religion - were spread out on the The rulers have a stake in preserving, reinforcing, and lustrated by the fact that as farmers' "prices" decline, floor and set ablaze. spreading such prejudices in the population, including supermarket "prices" continue to climb. Within days, two youths were arrested and charged among working people. This is especially true at times Generally, there is a glut today of farm commodities with carrying out the vandalism. when worsening social and economic conditions spur on the world market- that is, more goods than consum­ The destruction at the synagogue was no childish sharper clashes between the employing class and working ers with enough money to purchase them. This has led to prank. If the assailants had been allowed to get away with people. a tendency for agricultural prices to fall, while farmers' it, racist forces would have been emboldened to step up costs have continued to mount. attacks on Jews, Blacks, Asians, unions, or others. Racial and religious prejudices are used to mobilize What protection can working farmers get from this The roots of anti-Semitism lie deep in capitalist soci­ reactionary forces to defend capitalist rule and to obstruct situation, which wili surely worsen with the arrival of the ety, and the main perpetrators are the billionaire families united struggles of working people against their oppres­ next big depression? who rule this country and their Republican and Demo­ sors and exploiters. Anti-Semitism, like racist prejudice, Farmers are told by representatives of the capitalist rul­ cratic political servants. legitimizes violations of democratic rights that all work­ ers that the key to overcoming their difficulties is protect­ In recent weeks, Republican presidential candidate ing people vitally need in order to defend their interests. ing farmers in their own country. U .S. farmers need to be George Bush was forced to purge his campaign staff of The fight against racist and anti-Semitic attacks are a protected from European farmers who need protection several individuals whose anti-Semitic activities and as­ central part of the struggle that working people must from Argentine and Australian farmers. But this is a nar­ sociations had been exposed. wage to defend their rights and eventually get rid of the row nationalist perspective that is a roadblock to farmers Frederic Malek, who managed the Republican conven- reactionary social order that breeds these evils. of all countries joining together in a fight against their common enemy- international grain merchants, bank­ ers, and landlords. Their common exploitation is far more important than what country they happen to live and farm in . New week I'll take up an alternative to this protec­ tionist approach.

14. The.Militant October .14, 1988 Garment workers in Calif. reject longer workweek BY MATILDE ZIMMERMANN hardest with layoffs. Moreover, few workers raised over­ Members of the International Ladies' Garment Work­ time pay as the primary consideration either at the meet­ ers' Union at Koret of California, who have worked a 35- ing or in discussions in the plant. hour week for decades, defeated a company attempt to One cutter told me he remembered the fight for the 35- impose a 40-hour week in our latest contract. hour week decades ago. He thought the two proposals Koret is the largest unionized garment company in would work out about the same in terms of dollars and California. About 500 ILGWU members work at the cents, but that the shorter workweek was worth trying to main San Francisco plant, and at least another 1,000 at keep. "I've worked 35 hours for 25 years," said another worker, "and I just don't want to work 40 hours." This was another theme raised in discussions - we work hard for our money and after seven hours either want to go UNION TALK home or get something extra for our trouble. One argument in favor of the longer workweek was plants in Price, Utah, and Napa and Chico, California, that this was the only way we could compete with imports and at contract shops around the Bay Area. and "bring back our work that has gone overseas." Our contract at the main San Francisco plant expired One union official said at the meeting that she was sur­ August 31, and in negotiations over the summer the com­ prised to hear me talking about the problems of workers pany demanded a 40-hour workweek. in Mexico and China, because "we are American workers At a union meeting in mid-August, ILGWU Manager and we have to think about our own workers first." (Most Mattie Jackson reported on the negotiations and raised people at the meeting did not understand this, however, the idea of agreeing to a 40-hour week on a one-year trial due to its not being translated into the languages spoken basis. This was overwhelmingly rejected. One older in Mexico and China.) Another official argued simply worker said she dido 't have much longer to work, "but I that the 40-hour week would mean more profits for Koret say from the bottom of my heart, don't try this one single and this would eventually trickle down to the workers. month, much less one year. We will work less and they A secret ballot vote was taken on the 40-hour proposal, Militant/Matilde Zimmermann will get rich." with written summaries and ballots in Chinese, Spanish, Mural on wall of garment union hall in San Francisco Speaking in Chinese, one sewing machine operator ex­ and English. The vote was 79 against and 16 for. When depicts workers marching from swamp of "Hours plained that on the fourth fl oor there were women who the vote was announced there was a round of applause Without Limit" to busy factories in the sky labeled made only $3,000 or $4,000 in all of 1987 because they and a little celebration by those who had campaigned "Thirty hours." were laid off so much. How is going to 40 hours going to hardest to keep the 35-hour week. help, she asked, when there isn't even work for 35 hours? We assumed we would still get the wage increases we But there were also workers who campaigned against Workers pointed to the mural on the wall of our union had voted for separately from the 40-hour proposal, but the change, explaining the issues, persuading people to hall depicting workers marching from the swamp of no one was really sure. Then a notice went up for yet go to the union meetings and try to vote down the conces­ "Hours Without Limit" to busy factories in the sky another contract ratification meeting, and workers went sion, and speaking up in the debates at the meetings. labeled "Thirty hours." Noting that none of the 150 or so prepared to have to vote again on the 40-hour week. But These leaders were a small minority of all the opponents workers present had spoken in favor of the longer work­ it was announced that Koret had withdrawn its proposal of 40 hours in the plant, but they included workers in all week, Jackson said she would report to the company's for the longer workweek, with the workers keeping the the main production jobs. Among them were Latino, negotiators that it was unacceptable. wage and benefit increases and other modest contract im­ Filipino, Chinese, Black, and white workers, and they The week the contract expired, however, members of provements that had been negotiated. included some workers with many years in the plant, the union negotiating committee announced that the The company announced that it would be collecting especially pressers. union and company had agreed on a new contract that in­ data for another 40-hour week proposal to present to the The primary reason given for opposing the 40-hour cluded the 40-hour workweek "pilot project," as well as workers in a year or so. The response of one presser was, week was fear that it would mean even fewer jobs and wage and benefit increases. "If they do, we should get everyone in the plant to the more layoffs. But another topic that came up often in dis­ At the contract ratification meeting September 1 most meeting, including those on layoff. And if we vote no, cussions was whether the company should be trusted, workers again spoke against the longer workweek, argu­ then that's it. Don't keep dragging us down here to vote either to bring more work into the plant or to give up the ing mainly that it would mean even more layoffs. The no over and over." 40-hour week after a year if the workers wanted. One company had spread the story that the only ones against How was this victory won? presser expressed the feelings of many when he said, "I the plan were the "highly paid" cutters and pressers who There were several weeks of intense discussion and de­ can't take Koret's promises to the store and buy wanted to keep their overtime pay for the eighth hour and bate in the plant about the 40-hour proposal. Some mem­ groceries." didn't care about the sewers getting more work. bers of the union negotiating committee campaigned ac­ But actually some of the firmest opposition came from tively for acceptance or presented it as basically a settled Matilde Zimmermann is a member of ILGWU Local 213 the sewers, who are mostly Chinese and have been hit question. and works at Koret in San Francisco. -LETTERS------Nelson Mandela to the best working-class news­ duration of their natural lives was End Press). Free Mark Curtis! from Detroit to Mexico City. Free Leonard Peltier! Mark Friedman The September 2 Militant car­ paper. simply the more expedient means Floyd Fowler Detroit, Michigan ried a statement by Socialist Work­ Mark Curtis represents an hon­ to remove them from society. Portland, Oregon ers presidential and vice-presiden­ est newspaper and an honest polit­ If the proimperialist rulers sent tial candidates James Warren and ical party that tells working people Ethel and Julius Rosenberg to their Homeless the truth. That is why he, and all Kathleen Mickells on stepping up untimely deaths without any sub­ Cancel the debt In San Francisco, 53 people are the campaign, on a world scale, to of us, will win this very important stantial proof of their guilt of es­ arrested trying to distribute free free Nelson Mandel a in light of his fight for political rights. pionage, and if Rose Byrd was The proposal made by Socialist food to the homeless. recent hospitalization for tuber­ Craig McKissic kicked off the California Supreme Workers Party candidates to can­ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania cel the Third World debt takes on In New York, officials will culosis. Court solely because she is a com­ chase homeless youth from an passionate, uncorruptible human increasing importance as it be­ People who sell the Militant at comes clearer that the debts abandoned warehouse. The Sani­ the Lion Knitting Mill shift change Mark Curtis II being, then there is no reason for tation chief says the idea is "to anyone to doubt that the U.S. rul­ foisted on these developing na­ put an extra effort into selling that Reading about the frame-up of tions cannot be paid. chase them out to somewhere issue - and the seeds of an idea Mark Curtis and the trial helped ers would have utilized Cointelpro where they can get help." were planted. We began to think me realize how important it is to to inter Bell, Bottom, and Wash­ A recent Wall Street Journal ar­ about what we could do in our fac­ get the truth out to our prisons. ington on trumped-up murder ticle points out that big banks are At Harvard, the university tory. Eileen Koschak charges 17 years ago. starting to give up on many of their erects a barrier to prevent "street After several days of discus­ San Francisco, California A prisoner loan claims, provided they can people" from using "their" heat at sion, workers decided to draft a Marion, Illinois share their losses with borrowing exhaust vents. telegram to P. W. Botha, president nations and with taxpayers in the A prisoner of South Africa, demanding Man­ Frame-up victims Fred Halstead United States and other indus­ Marion, Illinois deJa's release. We found out the Since I am shut away from soci­ I was sorry to learn of Fred trialized nations. cost of such a cable and decided ety myself and am familiar with Halstead's death. I was out of the Banks' attempts to reduce the Correction we could send the message for $1 the facts of the case in which Albert country, so couldn't get a message debt include swapping discounted The article "Trial of North each if enough people signed. Washington, Anthony Bottom, to the memorial service. His un­ debt for investments in Chilean Carolina Indians opens" in the Oc­ We found out Mandela's ad­ and Herman Bell were unjustly ac­ ifying efforts and brilliant insights gold mines and Brazilian paper tober 7 Militant gives an incorrect dress in the clinic in Cape Town, cused and subsequently impris­ were a big contribution to the anti­ pulp companies (intensifying the first name for one of the defen­ and that of the African National oned for murdering two New York war struggle vis-a-vis Vietnam, destruction of the Brazilian rain dants. His name is Eddie Hatcher. Congress in Zambia so we could City police officers, I support their and his book Out Now! the best forests). Banks are offering the in­ send them both a copy. We are efforts to receive a new trial. summary of that struggle yet. debted nations a chance to buy The Militant special prisoner also sending a copy to the local While the proimperialist Un ~ted LeRoy Wolins back their debt at a greatly reduced fund makes it possible to send re­ anti-apartheid coalition here. States was trying to "urbanize" the Pullman, Michigan rate. For example, in March duced-rate subscriptions to pris­ Now everyone is hoping to get a Vietnamese people with its death [A Veterans for Peace activist, Bolivia bought back just under oners who can't pay for them. reply - perhaps even from Man­ dealing military forces in Indochi­ LeRoy Wolins was a builder of the half its $670 million bank debt at Where possible the fund also deJa himself, or the ANC. na, the Nixon regime was busily at movement against the Vietnam 11 cents for each dollar of debt. tries to fill prisoners' requests In all , 32 workers signed the work trying to create or strengthen War.] for other literature. To help this telegram. It said, "Demand uncon­ an incipient New African middle But all these schemes put the important cause, send your con­ ditional release Nelson Mandela. class in U.S. society. Leonard Peltier burden of the debt payment on the tribution to: Militant Prisoner At or about the same time, Bell, backs of working people and farm­ Apartheid government sought to I appreciated the excellent arti­ Subscription Fund, 410 West isolate Mandela. Instead Mandela Bottom, and Washington were ar­ ers - making us pay back a loan St., New York, N.Y. 10014. rested and accused of murdering cle on Leonard Peltier in your re­ that we never saw. This same well-respected and apartheid iso­ cent issue. All of those - includ­ lated. Freedom for Mandela!" the two police officers . It thus be­ scheme corresponds in the United The letters column is an open came expedient to rid society of all ing myself - who are fighting for States to the government bailout of forum for all viewpoints on sub­ Marty Pettit justice for Mark Curtis should Cleveland, Ohio noncooptible, militantly outspo­ failing savings and loan institu­ jects of general interest to our ken individuals. never forget Leonard Peltier. tions with our tax dollars while at readers. Please keep your letters Mark Curtis I Since a task force of federal and Anyone interested in a more de­ same time claiming there is no brief. Where necessary they will It is with pleasure and an ex­ Chicago law enforcement officers tailed account of Peltier' s court money for education, health care be abridged. Please indicate if pression of protest against the had recently executed Fred Hamp­ battle and continuing fight should and jobs programs. Working peo­ you prefer that your initials police and court in Des Moines, ton and Mark Clark in Chicago, to pick up The Trial of Leonard Pel­ ple the world over will benefit by be used rather than your full Iowa, that I renew my subscription arrest and inter these men for the tier by Jim Messerschmidt (South the cancellation of the debt - name.

October.14, 1988 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Canadians debate case of Ben Johnson Olympics incident used to spur compulsory drug testing

BY JOHN STEELE and welcome the opportunity to prove it," MONTREAL - On September 24 he said . world-famous Canadian sprinter Ben Under the pressure of the grounds well of Johnson won a gold medal in a spectacular support for Johnson, Liberal and New record-breaking 100-meter dash at the Democratic Party opposition members of Olympic games in Seoul, South Korea. Parliament condemned the actions of the Minutes after the race he received a phone Mulroney government. The government call from Canadian Prime Minister Brian now says it wants to set up an inquiry into Mulroney, who said, "You were just mar­ the affair and invite Johnson to appear be­ velous. We 're all very proud of you." fore it. Sports Minister Charest has sug­ On September 26 the International gested that Johnson might be able to com­ Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped John­ pete internationally after a two-year son of his gold medal and banished him period. from the games, claiming urine tests In Toronto, steelworker Margaret Man­ proved he was using anabolic steroids to waring, one of the Revolutionary Workers artificially enhance his performance. League's two candidates in the federal election, described Johnson as "a victim of Government funding cut otT government racism and the corruption of On October 1, Mulroney quickly backed sport by big business and the capitalist gov­ up the IOC decision, calling Johnson's dis­ ernments that act in their interests." qualification "a moment of great sorrow for "The issue is not whether Johnson's all Canadians." Federal Minister of Sports urine sample contained steroids," Manwar­ Jean Charest labeled Johnson a "national ing said. "What lies behind the victimiza­ embarrassment," banned him for life from tion of Johnson are the massive profits pock­ Canadian national teams, and cut off all CANAOlAN WINS JAMA\CAN · CANI\DIAN JAW\A\CA~ STR\PPf.i) eted by the owners of the huge corporations government funding to Johnson. GOLD ME.OAL ACCUSEDOfSlE~nusl OF GOLD MEDAL that use athletes to sell their products. The Johnson's big-business sponsors - widespread use of dangerous steroids by Mazda, Toshiba, and other major corpora­ Edwards thousands of top athletes is a reflection of tions - got into the act by canceling a re­ Cartoon, reprinted in Toronto Globe and Mail, satirized racist, anti-immigrant tone the integration of big business and sport. ported $10 to 15 million worth of product of much of the media coverage on charges of steroid use against Olympic runner Ben promotion contracts with Johnson. Johnson. 'Victims of racist profit system' Two days later the Canadian Track and "In the same way, the sales of billions of Field Association announced that it will On October 2 in pouring rain, 60 young the Canadian government of using him as a dollars a year of illegal drugs like cocaine soon introduce a new drug-testing program people organized by Youth Communica­ scapegoat in their campaign against the use to unemployed youth is also an integral centered on year-round random drug tests tion rallied at Toronto's Queen's Park car­ of drugs by athletes. part of the capitalist system," Manwaring of thousands of athletes. rying banners that read: "Innocent until "Ben Johnson is a victim from all points said. In the days that followed, as South Ko­ proven guilty" and "Youth of Toronto sup­ of view: of pressure, of governments, pub­ "However, the federal government's rean cops arrested and beat student demon­ port Ben." licity, competition, and the drive for gain," war on the use of steroids by athletes and said Pierre Valerand of Montreal . strators who shouted "Down with the dic­ A rally participant commented, "When the sale of illegal drugs won't end their In a letter published in the Toronto Sun tator's Olympics" and "Yankee go home ," Ben won the medal he was a Canadian. use. It is not designed to. There is too much October I Johnson stated he has "never the big-business editorialists churned out Now he is an immigrant." Johnson, who is profit involved. Working people have no knowingly taken illegal drugs nor have had pages of flag-waving articles moaning a Canadian citizen, is Black and was born interest in supporting the drive for random illegal drugs administered to me ." about the blow dealt by Johnson to Cana­ in Jamaica. mandatory drug tests for athletes or for da's national pride and prestige. working people on the shop floor. These In a poll conducted by the Montreal Previous tests negative tests merely undermine our democratic 'Now he is an immigrant' daily Journal de Montreal, 97.7 percent of The letter pointed out that all previous rights. They create victims like Ben However, across Canada workers and those asked declared their support for 10 drug tests, the last one being around Au­ Johnson, victims of this racist profit sys­ especially youth reacted differently . Johnson, with many accusing the IOC and gust 17, had been negative. ''I'm innocent tem." New Haven conference hits apartheid in South Africa

BY VIVIAN SAHNER Deborah Jackson of the National Coun­ ference on the importance of the Freedom the discussions was Neo Mnumzana, the NEW HAYEN, Conn. -More than 250 cil of Churches, who recently toured An­ Charter. He spoke at the final session. ANC's chief representative to the UN . people attended the Free South Africa Re­ gola, denounced the U.S. government for The workshops raised ideas for future Participants discussed an action for De­ gional Conference at Yale University here backing the National Union for the Total activities, including organizing support for cember 9 in New York City to demand that September 23-25. Anti-apartheid activists, Independence of Angola (UNIT A), the more sanctions against South Africa, Mobil Oil stop doing business in South Af­ including students from colleges in the contra group carrying out armed attacks building events in support of the Freedom rica. Northeast, participated. against Angolan civilians. She contrasted Charter, launching a boycott campaign, Cecelia McCall, from the Women for this with the role of the Cuban government, The conference was endorsed by a wide and rai~ing material aid for the refugees Racial and Economic Equality, chaired the array of civil rights and peace groups, which has responded since 1975 to An­ forced to flee South Africa and Namibia. final session where plans were made to churches, and trade unions. Among the gola's request for military aid against at­ Among those participating actively in meet again in November in Albany. unions endorsing were the United Mine tacks by South Africa. Workers of America and the United Farm Pallo Jordan, a member of the ANC's Workers of America, and locals of the Inter­ National Executive Council, explained the national Ladies Garment Workers' Union importance of the Freedom Charter. He N.Y. cops beat, arrest Dominicans and the United Auto Workers. urged conference participants to demand The event was initiated in response to an further U.S. sanctions against South Africa BY MIKE TABER nightstick. The cop also hurled a number of international conference held in Arusha, and to join in the campaign to free Nelson NEW YORK - Protests are growing racist slurs. Tanzania, in December 1987 that called for Mandela, imprisoned leader of the ANC, against the arrest and beating of two Other police were called to the scene, a united program of action against apart­ and the Sharpeville Six, anti-apartheid Dominican political activists at the hands and Rodriguez and Lopez were handcuffed heid and support for the African National fighters currently on death row in South of the police. and arrested. Charged with disorderly con­ Congress of South Africa (ANC). Africa. On October I, Y danis Rodriguez and duct, they were issued a summons to ap­ Co-chairs Frank Carrano, president of pear in criminal court November 4. Albertina Sisulu, co-chair of the United Porfirio Lopez were accosted by a police the Greater New Haven Central Labor officer while distributing leaflets in the pre­ As they were being released, the officer Council, and Clinton Robinson, vice-pres­ Democratic Front, addressed the rally from who attacked them warned, "The next time South Africa via phone hook-up. She urged dominantly Dominican community of ident of the Greater New Haven National Washington Heights in Manhattan. The I see you distributing leaflets, I won't use Association for the Advancement of Col­ supporters in the United States to step up my hands, but my revolver." protests against apartheid. Sisulu reported two were part of a leafleting team or­ ored People (NAACP), pointed to the Free­ ganized by the Dominican Workers Party. In response to this attack, 50 people pick­ dom Charter of the people of South Africa the South African government had just eted the 34th police precinct October 3 to The officer informed them that they as the unifying theme for the conference. banned a weekend conference in Cape denounce the incident and demand an end would not be allowed to continue distribut­ The Freedom Charter was first presented Town organized by the Congress of the to police abuses. Many protesters recalled ing their fliers and would have to leave. by the ANC in 1955 . South African Trade Unions, the largest other cop attacks against Dominicans, par­ Monica Mashandi, deputy chief repre­ union federation in South Africa. When the two protested that they had ticularly the murder of Juan Rodriguez, sentative to the United Nations from the Workshops on the Freedom Charter every right to continue exercising their who was beaten to death by the police in South West Africa People's Organisation were led by members of the ANC and democratic rights, they were told that as January. (SW APO), spoke at the opening rally. SWAPO. Fred Dube, a leader of the ANC Dominicans "illegally invading the United An editorial in £/ Diario!La Prensa, "Today we must salute the victory in An­ who is fighting to win back his teaching States," they had no rights. New York's major Spanish-language daily, gola; South Africa has been defeated," she position at the State University of New In front of dozens of witnesses, the offi­ condemned the October I attack as a viola­ said. "Their victory came with our support York after being denied tenure because of cer then began punching Rodriguez in the tion of free speech, urging that the cop re­ and solidarity ." his political views, also addressed the con- back of the neck and shoving him with his sponsible be punished.

16 The Militant October 14, 1988