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French Elections, Italian Crisis Show Mass Discontent with Eurocommunism

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French Elections, Italian Crisis Show Mass Discontent with Eurocommunism 'Battle of Ideas': syllabus for study jji by Raya Dunayevskaya p. 5 ;!j In Memoriam: jji Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe p. 6 ill Critique of new herstories p. 2 III Iff UOJIKIB^[jfeVRMA L A u*.u» <•*••-"> mLP'* •• <•«- Black political *••.!«• ^.'•"••j^ ^j^** •».«»«• u . Jt. OJ^^- ••V^^fi-K- . i*u s*% *\*»«\»»«. prisoner seeks Wws K-^VW*i b *°^^A-- y^.O««» JJ w *^*i» new trial . by Charles Denby, Editor Many stories come across my desk every day, but none are more moving than that of Lorenzo Komboa Er- vin, a 30-year-old Black political prisoner at the Marion Federal Penitentiary, The horror story that he lived, because of his involvement in Black liberation and anti­ war activities, is made only more believable by the daily stories we are now reading of CIA harassment and even murder of people all over the world — including Martin Luther King and Patrice Lumumba—whose political be­ liefs and activities they opposed. I would like to turn my column over this month to some of the details of the Printed in 100 Percent story of Lorenzo Komboa Ervin. VOL. 23—NO. 3 27 Union Shop APRIL, 1978 * * * He was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tenn. and came from a poor working-class family. In 1965, at the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Army. His reasons for doing this were much the same as many other Americans in Black ghettoes — the hope of escaping the boredom, the French elections, Italian crisis show poverty, the victimization by local cops, and to seek ad­ venture which they could not find in their hometowns. During the first week of his basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., there was a riot between Black and white mass discontent with Eurocommunism soldiers. Afterward, some 400 young soldiers, mostly Blacks, were shipped in a convoy Of buses to Fort Gor­ by Kevin A. Barry don, Ga. where they found that the drill instructors and The two fecal points of crisis in West Europe officers were vicious racists who deliberately fostered —Italy and France—were highlighted in mid- tensions between Black and white recruits. March in dramatic fashion. In Italy, the continu­ INFLUENCED BY WATTS ing government crisis took the form, first, of a After a short time, Komboa was sent to Fort Dix, conspiracy of co-existence between the Commu­ N.J. for further training while awaiting shipment to West nist Party and the Christian Democrats, and then Germany. During this period, two events took place of the terrorist kidnapping of no one less than which had a profound influence on his thinking. The the former Prime Minister, Aldo Moro. In France, first was the people's revolt in the Dominican Republic the razor-sharp divisions within the country in April, 1965, when some 20,000 Marines and para­ *. "5.. were revealed in the fact that, although the troopers were sent in to crush the rebels. The other was second-round of national elections en March 19 the rebellion of &ack people in Watts. returned the conservative "status quo" to power, Just a few weeks after the Watts rebellion, he was the first-round, popular vote showed fully half flown to West Germany. Every day all around him he the country voting Left, for social change. could see the same old trappings of the racism that had ' s; been so much a part of his life since birth. In both countries, the Carter-Brzezinski White Komboa and a number of other young Blacks felt it House's recent statement that they "would like to see was time to do something about this. A group was formed Communist influence in any Western country reduced" secretly called "Black GIs United," also involving some was seen as an outrageous imperialistic interference.'As progressive whites. They called for a strike and a boy­ the "Eurocommunist" Italian Party put ever greater cott of the mess hall, canteen and the enlisted men's club, and, in general, So disturbed. the old apartheid distance between itself arid Russia, the White House pattern at the camp that eventually the commander gave still managed to view Italy as but a pawn in the com­ in and some changes were made. petition with Russia-^-while the Italian people continued to demonstrate, both in election polls and in the streets, Black GIs United "was also very much involved in anti-Vietnam War activities, taking part in anti-war dem­ their disgust with their corrupt American-style- "democ­ onstrations with German civilians, usually students. Even­ racy", whether Washington liked it or not. tually when he was ordered to Vietnam, Komboa prac­ FRENCH WORKERS IN REVOLT ticed what Black GIs United was preaching and went In France, despite a seeming, relative "quiescence" since the tumultuous near-revolution of 1968, the mass absent without leave. A giant fist is carried by auto workers duringNa mass (Continued on Page 3) national demonstration in Rome. pressure for change has also been continuous. Indeed, ever since 1968, strikes have often meant plant occupa­ tion by workers, frequently to prevent factory closings or layoffs, as in the famous Lip Watch struggle several Women made sure scab mines remained closed years ago. Many companies had openly threatened to go out of Uniontown.Penna. — "We're out here be­ Federal Judge Robinson lifted the injunction, pickets business or move Out of the country if the Left won. Re­ cause we're in sympathy with the miners and were again out in force to keep the mines closed. At the cent decisions—such as that of the conservative Giscard because we're against the Taft-Hartley Act," same time, union officers passed on the details of the d'Estaing government to close down the state-owned declared the woman carrying the picket sign pjo- new contract, with voting scheduled Friday, March 24. coal mines at Pas-de-Calais, even though much coal re­ claiming "No Contract—No Work!" While the new contract was a definite improve­ mains and at a time of great unemployment—have only She and oth.er women were picketing a mine in ment over the first one, there was strong opposition to increased class bitterness. southwest Pennsylvania that had tried to open on several several provisions. Annual health care costs were re­ While the government cited "economic" reasons, the occasions, but had been kept closed by striking miners. duced from a possible $700 to $200 a year, but still $200 miners told a reporter for a Left weekly a different When the Taft-Hartley Act was invoked by President more than they had to pay before — hardly an im­ story as to why they were being abandoned: "For three Carter, threatening the striking miners with jail and provement over the "74 contract. Pensioners got an im­ reasons, madame. First because De Gaulle couldn't swal­ fines if they tried to prevent scab mines from operating, mediate increase from $225 a month to $275 a month low the fact that, during the 1963 strike, we refused his the women took over — even though there were reports instead of having increments spread through three years, order to return. Then, because we voted wrong for gen­ that women would also be arrested under the Taft- but this is still less than the $500 pensions uiider the erations, always for the Left. Finally, because workers Hartley injunction if they interfered with operations. 1974 contract — and miners wanted pensions equalized. here have learned how to fight against the bosses—no Miners -also- opposed the reinstituted production in­ manager looks forward to being sent here." (Le Nouvel The mood of the women matched that of the strik­ centive plan, knowing that the pitting of miner against Observateur, March 4, 1978) ing miners, who had grimly listened to reports of the miner can lead to dangers and death. Even though this penalties under the act at local union meetings through­ MASSES VS. THE 'LEFT' plan is supposed to be approved by local miners before Long before Eurocommunism became the catch­ out the coal fields, and let their actions speak for them. it can go into effect, many wanted to be sure even the Not a single Union mine opened. word for supposed CP independence from Russia, the possibility/for incentives is not in the contract. French Communist Party, in the very person who is There were, however, a number of scab mines that -The main provision in* the old contract, however, still its head, George JMarchais, "supported" the move­ did open under police guards. And despite the injunc­ penalizing striking and absentee miners, has been to­ tion, many pickets did come out to close mines that ment just enough to strangle it, convincing the workers tally rescinded. This is the most vital demand the rank- to abandon the occupied factories in 1968 in exchange tried to operate. In. Preston County in northern West and-file miners have won. Virginia, an area notorious for its scab mine operations, for wage increases and elections. Today his brand\of four pickets were arrested; in southern Pennsylvania, Eurocommunist "opposition" to Russia means practising miners were also out shutting down non-union mines nationalism in France—including being for supposed thajt tried to reopen, but their hit-and-run tactics eluded As we go to press, the miners are reluctant­ "defense" of France with nothing less than the nuclear police efforts to catch them. * ly returning to work. For the new stage in bomb. Under the protection of police and the Taft-Hartley American labor struggles their 110-day strike Socialist Francois Mitterand, the Left's choice for injunction, some 400 mines that had been closed re­ established, see Editorial, p.
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