APRIL 30, 1976 25 CENTS VOLUME 40/NUMBER 17

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY/PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE

APRIL 24 ACTIO POSTPONED

By Jon Hillson White, City Council President the gang beating of two Black BOSTON, April 21-In the Louise Day Hicks, Gov. Michael bus drivers in South Boston on face of rapidly escalating anti­ Dukakis, and President Gerald April 17, this pent-up- anger Black terror here, which has Ford," Dixon said. "They are erupted into retaliation by sharply increased the race polari­ responsible for the over two-year Blacks against whites. zation in this city, leaders of the campaign against school de­ On the night of April 19, a Black community in Boston have segregat~on and for the physical white man, Richard Poleet, was decided to postpone the national and violent attacks against pulled from his car in the Black probusing march scheduled for Blacks and Puerto Ricans." community and beaten by a April 24. Government complicity with group of about twenty Black The emergency decision was the racist antibusing forces has youth. Today Poleet is in critical announced at an April 21 news . been decisive in creating the condition and is not expected to conference at Freedom House in polarization that led desegrega­ live. Roxbury, attended by prominent tion leaders to postpone the The same night, white motor­ supporters of the April 24 action national action planned for April ists were stoned and a train from Boston's Black community. 24. As Dixon told the news passing near Roxbury was March coordinator Maceo Dix­ media, the level of anti-Black blocked by piles of debr1s. Train on, speaking for the April 24 violence is such that "it's not engineers were stoned when they coalition, told the media: "This possible to hold a peaceful, legal tried to remove the refuse. city is hot. It is tense. The race activity at this time." Reaction by the city officials, polarization has escalated with Boston is a city on the brink of the capitalist news media, and the recent beating of two Black explosion. Months of unchecked racist leaders to these incidents bus drivers in South Boston and racist attacks have generated has been a hysterical campaign the beating of a white man in deep rage and frustration in the against "Black violence." Police Roxbury. Black community. · began to cordon off sections of "The reason why this city is In the wake of recent night­ the Black community. The polari­ hot, tense, and racially polarized riding forays by carloads of zation sought by racist foes of rests with Mayor Kevin H. racist thugs into Roxbury, and Continued on page 3 THIS In Brief

WEEK'S MURDER WITH IMPUNITY?: An Alabama state judge itself as Yad Mitrakem (Hand of Vengeance). The Zionists' quashed murder indictments April 14 against three former target was a meeting in progress at the Washington, D.C., MILITANT Ku Klux Klan members in Montgomery, Alabama. Another campus on "Palestinians Rebel in Occupied Lands." former Klan member had testified that he and these fellow The meeting was cosponsored by the GW Organization of 3 Racist terror night riders had forced a young Black man, Willie Edwards, Arab Students, GW Young Socialist Alliance, and the grips Boston to jump to his death in the Alabama River nineteen years Militant Forum. Mohammed Shadid, head of the political 4 A congressional candidate ago because Edwards had supposedly "smiled at a white science department at Shaw University in North Carolina, who is part of struggle woman." was the featured speaker. The judge claimed that the indictments did not sufficient­ The sixty people in attendance evacuated the room while 5 Interview with ly specify the cause of death-drowning, injuries from the police searched for a bomb. They found a rock wrapped in Maceo Dixon fall, etc. Prosecutors have asked the judge to reconsider his brown paper and wire. 6 NAACP prepares for ruling. When the meeting reconvened, Shadid said that Palestini­ Delaware busing fight Impunity for terrorism is nothing new to these murderers. ans face this kind of terrorism daily in the Mideast. Only They were also implicated in a wave of church bombings there, he said, the Zionists make good on their threats. 7 Democrats double-cross during the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott-but charges United Farm Workers against them never stuck. 8 Lessons for steel: DEMOCRATS WERE L.A. COP TARGET: Los Angeles 'LABOR COMMITTEE' THUGS ATTACK YSA: On the CIO in war cops carried out political spy operations against the Beverly April 14 a group of three young thugs attacked Spencer Hills Democratic Club, the Los Angeles Press Club, and the 9 S.F. Muni drivers Livingston, a leader of the Young Socialist Alliance in Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy (SANE) in 1960, the balk strikebreaking move Albany, New York. Livingston was beaten while on his way Los Angeles Times reported April 12. home late in the evening. He was punched and had his face The espionage was carried out in cooperation with the 13 J.B. Johnson fights cut. His attackers called him a "Trotskyite scum." U.S. Army. The army was investigating film maker Robert for fair trial The attack followed three weeks of harassment of Cohen, who was suspected of "subversive activity" because 14 California legislature Livingston. Two weeks earlier a chain was thrown through of a trip to the Moscow Film Festival in 1957. Cohen also cuts ballot requirements the window of his house. The week after, his front door was later made films about Cuba, East Germany, and China, smeared with dog excrement. which apparently didn't meet the government's anticom­ 15 Camejo in Puerto Rico A month ago the local chapter of the National Caucus of munist standards. hails independence fight Labor Committees, also known as the U.S. Labor party, The Los Angeles Police Department ran checks on the threatened the Albany YSA. The NCLC is a fascist group three groups because Cohen belonged to two and had 17 Israeli troops murder with a long history of violence against the left, Black Palestinian child applied to join the third. groups, and unions. Assemblyman Alan Sieroty, who was president of the 18 Dennis Banks fights The NCLC threatened to make the Albany YSA a victim Beverly Hills Democratic Club at the time, described the frame-up in Oregon of "Operation Mop-up" and told them to "stay off the operation as "shocking . . . in terms of possible intrusion of streets." "Operation Mop-up" refers to a series of violent political liberty." 28 Black women and attacks carried out by the NCLC in 1973 against the The spy files were turned over to Cohen under the the fight for ERA Communist party, Socialist Workers party, and other Freedom of Information Act. organizations. The purpose of the campaign, in the NCLC's 2 In Brief own words, was to "destroy" these groups. MILITANT GETS AROUND: Clippings sent in from our So far, the Albany cops have responded to the attack on readers show that articles-especially those by Baxter In Our Opinion 10 Livingston by dragging their feet. Albany YSA leader Gary Smith on the Black liberation struggle-are widely circulat­ Letters Mele told the Militant: "It is obvious that if these thugs are ed through other newspapers. Most recently we received a 11 Capitalism in Crisis going to be identified, caught, and prosecuted, it is going to copy of the April 10 Chronicle, a Black weekly published in La Lucha Puertorriquena take the pressure of all those concerned with civil liberties. Charleston, South Carolina. It reprinted Smith's March 19 These attacks must be stopped. They are a menace to all Militant article, "Black Dems: a sorry record." 12 The Great Society political activists in the Albanyarea." From England, a Militant reader sent us the April edition Women in Revolt of Grass Roots, a London Black community paper, which DSOC ENDORSES SOCIALIST SUIT: "You may add By Any Means Necessary ran part of another article by Smith, "FBI plot to destroy the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee as one of Black America." This was originally printed in the April 16 Campaigning for Socialism your organizational sponsors," stated an April 15 letter 1974 Black Scholar under the title "FBI Memos Reveal from DSOC National Chairman Michael Harrington to the 24 In Review: 'Navajo Nation' Repressive Schemes." Political Rights Defense Fund. The PRDF is funding the $27 million suit against government harassment brought by the EARL BUTZ SPEAKS: Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz WORLD OUTLOOK Socialist Workers party and the Young Socialist Alliance. has sounded an alarm. Food production will "be crippled" if 19 What strategy to defend DSOC counts among its members a number of union government regulations of farm chemicals, drugs, environ­ Soviet dissidents? officials, including Jerry Wurf, president of the American mental controls, and safety devices continue. As an Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; 20 The oppression example, Butz blasted the changeover for California farm Victor Gotbaum, executive director of AFSCME's District of Soviet Jews workers from short-handled to long-handled hoes. Butz Council 37; and Victor Reuther, longtime leader of the charged that this was done because "the city people, driving 22 On the eve of United Auto Workers union. Portugal elections by, feel more comfortable watching the workers use the kind ZIONIST BOMB THREAT IN D.C.: "A bomb will go off of hoes that look good through car windows." at 9:00 p.m. at the PLO meeting. Death to Palestinians." To have efficient production, Butz stressed, "decision This bomb threat was phoned into the George Washington making must be kept close to the land and in the hands of THE MILITANT University newspaper on April 9 by a group identifying farmers." -Ginny Hildebrand VOLUME 40/NUMBER 17 APRIL 30, 1976 CLOSING NEWS DATE-APRIL 21

Editor MARY-ALIC~ WATERS Managing Editor: LARRY SEIGLE Bus•n_ess Manager ROSE OGDEN Our Party Is Your Party Too! Southwest Bureau HARRY RING Washmgton Bureau NANCY COLE IF YOU AGREE with what you have been reading in the Militant, now is the time to join the Socialist Workers Published weekly by The Mil1tant Publishing Ass'n, party.... OUR PARTY is made up of working people like 14 Charles Lane, New York. N.Y. 10014. Telephone: you. The more who join, the better we can fight together Editorial Office (212) 243-6392; Business Office (212) 929-3486. Southwest Bureau: 1237 S. Atlantic against war, racism, sex discrimination-and for decent living Blvd., Los Angeles. Calif 90022. Telephone: (213) and working conditions .... JOIN US and help us build a 269-1456 Washington Bureau: 1345 E St. NW, better world, a socialist world. Fill out the coupon below and Fourth Floor, Washmgton. D.C. 20004. Telephone mail it today. (202) 638-4081. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or 0 I want to join the SWP. changes of address should be addressed to The 0 Please send more information. Militant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane. New York, N.Y. 10014. 0 Enclosed is $1 for a ten-week introductory subscription to Second-class postage paid at New York. N.Y the Militant. Subscnptions: U S ..$7.50 a year, outs1de U S , Name $13.00. By f~rst-class mail: U.S. Canada. and Mex1co. $35.00 Write for surface and a~rmail rates to all other Address countries. For subscriptions airmailed from New York and City ______State ___ Zip ___ then posted from London directly to Bntam. Ireland, and Continental Europe: £1.50 for eight Telephone ------issues. £3.50 for six months, £6.50 for one year. Send banker's draft or internat•onal postal order SWP, 14 Charles Lane. New York. New York 10014. (payable to Pathf1nder Press) to Pathfinder Press. 47 The Cut, London, SE1 BLL. England. lnqu~re for air rates from London at the same address S1gned art1cles by contnbutors do not necessanly represent the M1l1tant's vrews These are expressed Join The Socialist Workers Party rn ed1tonals

2 ... anti-Black violence in Boston Continued from page 1 it was yesterday and will be tomor­ car and store windows. The Boston court-ordered desegregation and fos­ row-is a national march and rally, a media chose not to report these at­ tered by government inaction against mass movement to force the govern­ I tacks. But the assaults sharpened the anti-Black attacks reached a new stage ment to arrest all of the racist crimi­ rage building up in the Black commu­ of tension and violence. nals who are attacking my people and nity. The news conference announcing the breaking the civil rights laws." At no time have city officials or the postponement of the April 24 demon­ The frenzy of the recent wave of cops issued even a word of protest stration was backed by a united show racist terror was shown April 5 when against the marauding hooliganism of of ten of the city's key Black leaders. Black attorney Theodore Landsmark the Charlestown and South Boston They included Percy Wilson, director of was attacked by a mob of racist vigilante squads. Yet the antibusing the Roxbury Multi-Service Center; students in the city hall courtyard. demagogues are whipping up an omi­ Muriel Snowden, codirector of Freedom Screaming "Get the nigger, kill nous fear campaign to portray the House; Pat Jones, director, Lena Park him!" more th~n 50 of the 200 white Black victims of racist violence as Development Center; Ruth Batson, hooligans who had moments earlier "hoodlums" and "criminals." director, Boston Public School Crisis emerged from an antibusing rally in As support grew for the April 24 Intervention Teams; and Rev. William city council chambers set upon Lands­ march in the Black community and Weeks, director, Boston Interdenomi­ mark. They kicked him and beat him among an increasing layer of whites, national Ministerial Alliance. to the ground after spearing him with phone and mail death threats from Dixon was introduced by Ellen a steel pole carrying the American well-known racist. organizations-such Jackson, director of the Freedom flag. Landsmark survived the murder­ as the South Boston Defense League­ House Institute on Schools and Educa­ ous attack, and shock waves of revul­ began arriving at march headquarters. tion. Jackson is a central figure in the sion spread throughout the city. When march organizers confronted fifteen-year battle to desegregate Bos­ On April 6 a gang of four racist the city's top police officials with ton schools. "We are here to support thugs beat a Black man in broad day­ information of the threats-including the statement," Jackson said, referring light in the Boston Common. Armed signed letters-the cops pretended Militant/Lou Howort never to have heard of the hooligan DIXON: 'The Black Community is under groups. a state of siege.' 'Warnings' from ROAR The beating of Richard Poleet has This sentiment was echoed by Percy been used by the racist antibusing Wilson. "We are seeking equal protec­ leaders to intensify their drive to tion and justice," he said, "but we are sabotage desegregation. It has also against the wall. We are alone. And we been used by city offidals and cops to have an elementary right to protect our place tremendous pressure on· Black community. community leaders not to participate "There's not a damn bit of truth that in the April 24 demonstration or Black folks are in a 'conspiracy' to get defend it from attacks and provoca­ white folks. For two years our commu­ tions. This led many leaders, including nity has suffered vicious harassment," state legislators Bob Fortes and Doris Wilson said. "We are not attacking Bunte, to withdraw their support from white people, but we will ensure the the march. safety of our community." On April 21 Charlestown ROAR Racist forays into Roxbury, he said, leader Thomas Johnston warned "could not be tolerated." Blacks to stay out of the all-white When asked by a reporter if attempts neighborhood and said that his goons to secure the safety of Roxbury's Black would "protect the community by any citizens were "parallel" to the activi­ means necessary." ties of the South Boston and Charles­ The day before, South Boston ROAR town "marshals," an indignant Ruth leader James Kelly termed South Batson, a thirty-year veteran of civil Boston a "defensive perimeter. A Black rights activity in Boston, replied, is not safe in South Boston." He even "There is nothing we do that has went further by declaring that "no anything in common with what they one" could stop South Boston residents do in Charlestown and South Boston!" from going outside the community to attack Blacks. Bitter fruit This pronouncement unmistakably The intensity of the conflict in gave the green light to the 350 vigi­ Boston is the bitter fruit of the racist lantes of the marshals' association and drive against school desegregation. the scores more unorganized racists to This drive, Dixon told the Militant, is hunt down isolated Blacks. The Boston Globe also jumped into Racist mob attacks Black attorney Theodore Landsmark in front of Boston City Hall the racist propaganda campaign April 5. Federal, state, and city officials have allowed anti-Black violence to continue Suppo~ters of the April 24 around the Poleet beating. Despite its coalition from around the country unchecked. immediate and extensive coverage of who had been planning to send the incident, an apology appeared on the paper's front page April21, criticiz­ buses to the demonstration in Boston will instead hold local to Dixon's indictment of government with a crowbar and knife, the hooli­ ing itself for supposedly downplaying officials and the cops for refusing to gans were dispersed by a suburban the Poleet beating in the previous meetings and picket lines in support provide adequate protection for the judge who happened to see the attack issue. of the Boston Black community. march. as he was driving by. On April 26 the Boston public On April 24 in New York City, the On April 8 the Charlestown Mar­ schools reopen after being closed for Student Coalition Against Racism Easter vacation. The possibility for Racists a minority shals Association announced dusk-to­ will hold a rally at the New York "We must understand," Dixon said, dawn patrols of the all-white neighbor­ new racist attacks by white students against Blacks in the schools has University Catholic Center at 58 "that the government and the racists hoods supposedly for "protection" Washington Square South, hate this march. They know that against "armed Blacks." The South alatmed Boston's Black community. Blacks and the majority of whites are Boston Marshals Association followed beginning at 1:00 p.m. for a peaceful, legal march and rally in suit the next day. Enforce busing order! ·Boston. Racists and those in the On the evening of April 15 the living Such an. emergency situation, Dixon directed at Black people, because government who support them are in a room windows of the home of Dr. told reporters at the April 21 news "desegl-egation is the right of Blacks to minority and have organized a cam­ Clinton Dawkins were shattered by conference, requires "continued pres­ achieve equality. They can't get the paign against this demonstration. rifle fire, driving him and his wife to sure upon the city, state, and federal bus, so they get at us.,- "We, the organizers of this march­ the floor. The Black family lives in governments to provide large deploy­ The violence spans the whole city after many discussions with the police, predominantly white Hyde Park. ments of police, state troopers, and now, from Boston Common to city hall, the mayor's office, and leaders of the On April 17 two Black Boston city federal troops into the racist strong­ to the schools, and to Roxbury, where Black community-have come to· the bus drivers were attacked at dawn by a holds when schools reopen. the racist night riders do their work. conclusion that it is not possible to gang of five or six racist thugs while "These troops should be sent to The ·white man beaten by the Black protect our people-the Blacks and sitting outside a bus station in South South Boston, Charlestown, East Bos­ youths is a victim first and foremost of other supporters who plan to have a Boston. ton, Hyde Park, and other racist the climate fomented by the racists. peaceful, legal march." The two Blacks, members of the strongholds to deal with the racist Dixon told the news conference, "Let Terming the conditions of violence transit union, were aided by three lawbreakers and not," Dixon said, "I me make clear that Louise Day Hicks that forced the postponement of the white fellow unionists, two of whom repeat, and not into our community." and Mayor White, the chief antibusing march a "setback for the Black com­ took their side against the hooligans, In demanding full enforcement of bigots in this city, don't give a damn munity," Dixon said the April 24 and one of whom called the police. the law against the racists, Dixon about Mr. Poleet or any other white demonstration would be rescheduled. The thugs began beating the white noted that the refusal of the govern­ that gets hurt. What they are con­ "Such a massive, peaceful march is drivers, too, whipping them with a car ment to provide such security made cerned about is gutting the school needed more. than ever. The Black antenna. real the need for "local residents to desegregation order in this city. community is under heavy attack. We Throughout the previous two weeks, take necessary steps in an open and "Louise Day Hicks," Dixon told the are in a state of siege. carloads of white hoodlums had been legal manner to exert our democratic Militant, "is responsible for that beat­ "What is needed in Boston today-as driving through Roxbury, smashing right to protect ourselves." Continued on page 26

.THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 3 Probusing A candidate for Congress rally held ~~~ is part of the ~!~~~~~~"' ·n Bos~on The Democratic party is responsible Roxbury," Warren said. "Then Joseph for the racism that exists in this Moakley entered the picture and said, l country, along with the Republican 'Oh yes, I'm for Black people, I'm for •l party.-Malcolm X busing, I'm a Democrat-vote for me.' Moakley won. Now, he is pushing for a Councl BOSTON-What Malcolm X said constitutional amendment to ban bus· more than a decade ago rings vitally ing. true in Boston today for James "Mac" "A liberal racist is just as bad as the h b fr,s Warren, a Roxbury resident who has conservative racist. Capitalist politics C am. e.1 1 become one of this city's young Black is racist politics." BOSTON-"This meeting is a big leaders in the fight for school desegre- The new Roxbury SWP branch also victory for pro-Black forces in Boston," gation. recently opened a storefront headquar- said Maceo Dixon as he settled into Warren is the Socialist Workers ters and bookstore at 1865 Columbus Louise Day Hicks's over-sized, red- party candidate for Congress in the Avenue. Warren said his campaign leather chair in Boston's City Council Ninth District, which includes the committee is planning a series of chambers. The 300 antiracist activists Roxbury Black community. classes there on socialism and the who packed the hall burst into ap- "Look at Boston," Warren told me. Black liberation struggle. The commit- plause. "Racism is everywhere-from the at- tee will also soon launch a major "And," Dixon said, as the cheers tacks on school desegregation to the petitioning effort to gain 7,000 signa- continued, "it won't be the last." gangs that drive people from their tures to place Warren on the ballot. The meeting, sponsored by the Coali- homes, jump us in the ·streets, and All of the party's work is geared to tion for the April 24 March on Boston, drive through Roxbury throwing bot- win new members, Warren said. "The was the outcome of a widely publicized tles and bricks. SWP has what you could call an open- campaign by march organizers to "Who runs this city?" Warren said. door policy. We want to be a big party, secure the chambers in which the "The Democrats. a party that can help build and lead antibusing city council and the racist "They are the school committee, the the powerful struggles that can win ROAR organization have mapped out city council, and the mayor's office. SWP's WARREN: 'We have to mobilize Black liberation. If people agree with their drive to sabotage court-ordered They segregated the schools. They our community.' us, if they want to organize the desegregation. make sure all-white neighborhoods struggle, they should join us. It's that A dozen speakers from Black, Lati- stay that way. And when the hooli- easy." no, community, civil liberties, and gans boast about assaults on Blacks, "Every day in Boston more people labor organizations drew repeated these politicians don't make a sound, that organizes our misery 365 days a are saying, 'I've had enough. I've got applause as they spoke of the need for and that encourages the violence." year. We are going to vote for candi- to do something,"' Warren told me. a powerful show of force on April 24. Warren is running because Blacks dates who are part of the struggle, who "They are the Black and white work- Douglas Butler, a member of the "have to mobilize the strength of our fight for Black rights.' " ing people who are looking for a party American Federation of State, County community. We have to organize The Ninth District is gerrymandered that fights for all the oppressed. And and Municipal Employees and presi- ourselves independently of the Demo· to include South Boston, East Boston, when they come across the Socialist dent of the Boston A. Philip Randolph crats and Republicans, who have and the North End-all of them white, Workers party, they'll know they've Institute, linked the struggle against shackled us to capitalism and racism antibusing neighborhoods. found it." Boston's bigots with the struggles for for decades. democratic rights of labor, women, and "I'm running to say it is time to stop Coming soon------gay people. voting for the party of Louise Day Statements of support were heard Hicks and Pixie Palladino and start from the American Friends Service fighting for Black rights and Black Committee, Massachusetts League of needs." Prospects for Women Voters, Massachusetts Civil A member of the Boston branch of Liberties Union, National Lawyers the NAACP, Warren helped organize Guild, Boston Teachers Union Black the Boston Public School Crisis Inter- Caucus, and East Boston People vention Teams, which worked on a Socialism in America Against Racism. daily basis to provide monitoring by Jack Barnes, Mary-Alice Waters, Tony Thomas, Barry Shep­ Nathaniel Young, an influential support for Black students attending pard, and Betsey Stone Republican attorney, told the crowd, desegregated schools. What is the Socialist Workers party? What does it stand for? This new "Now is the time to be counted to Warren said his activity in organiz- book answers these questions. It includes "Prospects for Socialism in oppose segregation to show those who ing mass demonstrations and commu- America," the main resolution adopted at the 1975 convention of the are afraid to speak out that they are nity support for desegregation has SWP. not alone." given him "a glimpse of our potential Other contributions by leaders of the SWP discuss further the party's Two of the most well received speak- power. proposals on how to strengthen and deepen the struggles by working ers were Michael Ponaman and Hattie "Imagine what would happen if McCutcheon, both leaders of the Na- Blacks formed a party based on our people, women, Blacks, Chicanos, and students-and how to build a mass tional Student Coalition Against Ra- communities that would say, 'Yes, we socialist movement that can take on the ruling superrich and win. cism. "ROAR is anti-free speech, anti- have to march and rally and protest- 256 pp., cloth $12.00, paper $2.95 woman, and antihuman," Ponaman against the racists, for desegregation, Special offer for readers of the Militant: four copies for $10.00 said. for jobs, for equal rights for women. Available from Pathfinder Press, 410 West Street, New York, New York McCutcheon, back from a tour of And come election day, we are not 10014, or from a bookstore listed on page 26. East Coast and Midwest cities, report- going to give our votes to the party ed on anti-Black violence in those areas. "There have been cross burn­ ings in Washington, D.C.; beatings of Black students in Wilmington, Dela­ ware; and attacks on school desegre­ gation in Cleveland. Bomb injures Calif. Black leader "And everywhere, these racists look By Arnold Weissberg bomb under your house will be set to attempt to stop the desegregation of to Boston, to what groups like ROAR PASADENA, Calif.-A letter bomb go off pronto. This may be your last the Pasadena schools by intimidating are doing here." exploded in the hands of a Black warning." anti-segregation forces. He added that Nearly 100 Boston police and forty minister here April 15. Twelve Black opponents of school it was also an attempt to scare people coalition marshals provided security The victim, Rev. Harrison Bailey, racism ~ere listed in the threatening away from participating in the April for the meeting, which-despite a has spoken out strongly against school letter. The letter was signed "Unit 7, 24 action. bomb threat-proceeded without major segregation. He suffered burns to his N.S." "N.S." stands for "Nazi Sympa­ incident. The turnout by police was a eyes that may do permanent damage. thizers," an "underground" unit of the result of the coalition's public cam­ This latest act of violence occurred racist scum who go under the name At a meeting at the Pasadena paign to demand protection. on the eve of a slated U.S. Supreme National Socialist [Nazi] White Peo­ NAACP offices the day after the A few ROAR spies straggled into the Court hearing that will decide the fate ple's party. attack on Bailey, a group of desegrega­ meeting. Racist leader ·Rita Graul of the "Pasadena Plan" for school Last fall, Bailey had been the victim tion activists called upon U.S. Attor­ awaited the rally's end outside city desegregation, and during the buildup of a brutal attack, apparently by the neyGeneral Edward Levi and Califor­ hall with a handful of her anti-Black for an April 24 demonstration by same gang. He was kidnapped, nia Attorney General Evelle Younger faithful. school-busing supporters. drugged, and hanged from a tree by a to begin an immediate full-scale invest­ As the meeting ended, and the Black The letter bomb was encased in a shoulder harness. He was found in a T­ igation of the attack on Bailey. and white activists bearing April 24 manila envelope Bailey received in his shirt covered with swastikas. Ultimate responsibility for the racist leaflets and posters poured from the morning mail. It exploded in his face attacks must be laid at the feet of the chambers, the racists could hardly when he opened it. Death threats against other Black school board, which has spent hun­ muster an insult. Bailey had received a death threat leaders followed the mock lynching. dreds of thousands of dollars trying to For one night, in the lair of the from local 'Nazis a week earlier, but The Pasadena cops refused to take keep Black children from getting a enemy, ROAR's lion got a taming that police failed ·to act. the attack on Bailey and the threats better education. Their resistance can tens of thousands of Bostonians have Warning "trouble-making niggers" seriously. only encourage the racist scum in been awaiting for a long time. to give up the busing fight, the letter Bailey told the Militant that he thinking that violence against Blacks -J.H. concluded with the threat, "The next thought the attack on him was an and their allies is officially sanctioned.

4 Busing battle Boston: Black equality is at stake

with liberty, justice, and ethnic purity for all."

By Jack Trumbull politicians see a city where the racists the racist criminals." assault on everything Black people BOSTON-Where does the battle have run wild. They see bus stonings. "The racists have made busing their have ever fought for and won." over school desegregation stand today? They see boycotts. They see a bold and number-one target," Dixon said. "First Dixon leaned back in his chair, What are the national stakes in the confident antibusing movement," he they use rhetoric, demagogy, and con­ pointing to the big map of Boston on Boston struggle? said. fusion. the wall. What is the way forward to defeat "And they say, 'We don't want "Then they mobilize in the streets. "That is the importance of this city the racists? another Boston.' " They use terror. Why? To stop the here," Dixon said. "What happens in These questions loom larger and "But that's only part of the story," bus-to get us-to get at our rights. Boston shapes decisions in Milwaukee, larger as Black rights come under Dixon quickly added. "These same That is the real aim of the racists. Wilmington, Cleveland, Chicago-you increasing attack. judges and politicians also fear a That's why Blacks in Boston have name the city and Boston is involved. Maceo Dixon, a young Black leader militant upsurge of the Black commu­ been physically driven from their That's why we have to mobilize, in Boston, talked with the Militant nity in response to repeated stalling homes in predominantly white neigh­ mobilize, and mobilize again to trounce recently about these issues. Dixon, and setbacks. And they still need to borhoods. The racists want to keep us the racists here. coordinator of the Coalition for the maintain, for world opinion at least, locked in the ghetto. "That's why this struggle is April 24 March on Boston and a leader an image of equal treatment and "They are for housing discrimina­ national-part of every fight against of the National Student Coalition protection for Blacks. tion against us. They are for job racism," he said. Against Racism (NSCAR), has been "They can't simply ignore these discrimination. They are against "Because everywhere that racists are involved in the desegregation fight factors." affirmative-action hiring programs. attacking Blacks, Chicanos, or Puerto here since antibusing violence first Dixon pointed out that the develop­ Segregation is shot through this whole Ricans, they are taking their cues from erupted a year and a half ago. ing prodesegregation movement in the society. And with the busing fight, we Boston." "We are in the middle of an escalat­ United States has already helped tip stand at the beginning of a battle to ing struggle," Dixon said. "The busing the scales. "When the powers-that-be win liberation against that whole Dixon believes that he knows how to issue, as the politicians call it, is not saw the December 14, 1974, demonstra­ system of discrimination." win. "Never rely on the Democratic going away or being pushed to the tion by 12,000 probusing marchers, I asked Dixon to explain this last and Republican politicians," he side. The desegregation of schools in and when they saw the May 17, 1975, remark. warned. "They can promise until Northern and border cities is just NAACP-NSCAR march of 15,000, they "First and foremost," he answered, they're blue in the face, but what beginning." were forced to stop and think. "busing means equal access to schools counts is what we do and how we use Boston is just the first battle, he "And that's why we have to stay we have been forcibly kept out of­ our own power. said. "It's where the issue of Black visible and outspoken." schools located in neighborhoods we "Our power is in our numbers­ equality faces its most organized, Even here in Boston, Dixon said, can't move into. · visible, public, bold-to challenge the violent challenge. where the racist violence has been the "In practice, the busing fight racists. We have to debate them in "But there is also Louisville and the worst, "the buses are still rolling and symbolizes virtually all the gains of public. Educate against their lies in explosions that met the buses there. desegregation is beginning to take the earlier civil rights movement, public. March against them in public. Right now, we are also awaiting the root. In a very real sense that is a which fought around the question of That is how we can win allies and announcement of busing plans for victory." equal access to schools, jobs, and pub­ convince them to march with us. Milwaukee and Wilmington, Delaware, The final outcome of the busing lic facilities and against the racist Jim "Because the bigots don't speak for where federal courts have declared the battle has still to be decided, he told Crow laws, which 'legalized' our op­ whites, not for the majority of whites. school systems deliberately segregat­ me. pression in the South." They speak for a small-but aggres­ ed." sive and well-organized-minority. A Dixon also pointed to decades of foot­ Renewed racist violence 'That's the bus' minority that can be beaten." dragging on desegregation in cities The most recent wave of racist Defeating Jim Crow through a Dixon gets angry when he talks such as Chicago and Cleveland. In still violence in Boston, highlighted by the decade of struggle, Dixon said, meant about the racists, but he told me he is other cities, including Detroit and mob beatings of Black attorney The­ gaining equal access. "That's the bus. optimistic. Dallas, according to Dixon, "plans odore Landsmark and other Black That's desegregation. And if the bus "Do you think the antiracist move­ that should use the bus to get our citizens in downtown areas of the city, and desegregation are stalled-or ment can win?" I asked him. young people into the lily-white has put the busing struggle here back stopped-it is not an isolated defeat. It "There is no other alternative," he schools-into better schools-have into the news nationwide. opens tQ.e door wide for an all-out said. turned out to be a bad joke." "It was racist white students, anti­ In those cities, "Black students are busing students, who beat brother sometimes bused from all-Black Landsmark up," Dixon said. "And that schools to all-Black schools, which are made it crystal clear to thousands of falling apart because they have the undecided Bostonians that the issue is worst materials, least care, most poorly racism. trained teachers, and so on," Dixon "It has put the racists on the said. defensive. The real hotheads, the most "To be frank, Black rights took it on violent anti-Black thugs, are isolated," the chin in Detroit and Dallas. Black he said. "There is deep dissension in students don't even get a crack at what the ranks of the racists. More and more has been denied them by segregation." whites are being repelled. They are Local NAACP branches in both shocked." cities are currently appealing these That's why Black rights supporters woefully inadequate plans. can't afford to sit back, Dixon contin­ ued. "We must translate the anger into Impact of Boston a powerful movement to demand that Part of the explanation for these the government implement the law rotten decisions, Dixon told me, is the fully-with the use of Federal troops if situation in Boston. "The judges and necessary-and take action against Busing is necessary to ensure Blacks equal access to schools

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 5 NAACP p_mgares for busing_figbt Decades of dual schools in Delaware By Harvey McArthur mental to property values in that schools were more than 90 percent Sherman Tribbitt have all chimed in WILMINGTON, Del.-"It's Time To neighborhood." Many deeds and leases Black. against "court-ordered desegregation" Wake Up Folks! Help Stop Forced in the suburbs specified that "minori­ A de facto segregated school system and "busing across school district lines Busing ... Before it starts!" ties" could not buy or rent the prop­ had been created. for the sole purpose of racial balance." This is the headline on a recruitment erty. "Just look at Howard High, our They have added authority to the leaflet for the "Positive Action Com­ The results were striking. From 1954 'neighborhood school,' " says Littleton racist drive spearheaded by the Posi­ mittee" (PAC), the large antibusing to 1973, the suburban population in Mitchell, president of the Delaware tive Action Committee. group that has sprung up in New New Castle County boomed-but n9t Region NAACP. "No gym, no pool, no PAC claims a membership of 10,000. Castle County, Delaware. The leaflet for Blacks. In fact, the proportion of playing fields. And compare it with It has· organized hundreds of its shows a large school bus, labeled Blacks decreased from 6.2 to 4.5 Glasgow High, with its seven tennis supporters in rallies and is working on "Kidnap Express," straddling the state percent. However, in the city the Black courts and olympic-size pool and green antibusing bills that could tie up of Delaware. population increased from 15 to 45 fields all around it. desegregation in the courts f.o.r years. These racist scare tactics have be­ percent. "We're talking about equal educa­ PAC's propaganda aims at arousing come the hallmark of PAC ever since State officials further encouraged a tion, and that takes more than just racist prejudices and fears among a federal court ordered the state board dual school system by urging white classrooms," says Mitchell. "Desegre­ whites. It implies that educational of education to integrate the primarily parents still living in Wilmington to gation is needed to get more funds and quality will decline, crime will rise, and Black Wilmington schools with the send their children to private and better facilities for our Black stu­ taxes will soar if Blacks are bused into neighboring school districts of subur­ parochial schools. In 1973 the legisla­ dents." suburban schools. ban New Castle County. The order ture passed a law to allow government Powerful forces stand opposed to the While PAC leaders say they will use stems from a suit initiated by the subsidies for busing students across court's desegregation order. The entire only legal means to oppose busing, Wilmington NAACp and joined by the school district lines to go to these 94 Delaware congressional delegation, the they add, "We have no intention of Wilmington School Board. percent white schools. state board of education, Wilmington's quitting when the court rules, and we The court is expected to rule soon on By 1974, half of Wilmington's mayor and city council, and Gov. are not in the game to lose." Their a desegregation plan that will require provocations are encouraging racist extensive busing. This would be the intimidation and violence. first serious step towards dismantling the segregated school system carefully preserved by government policies over "None of us can walk in Brownstown the decades. without getting shot at or kicked on," Prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's .say members of the NAACP Youth 1954 ruling against segregated schools, Council. Delaware law required separate "If you go to a white school, the schools for "white, Negro, Indian teachers can fail you just if they don't and Moor" students. The recent federal like you," said one member. "They court decision. noted that until1967 the really didn't like me once they found state maintained separately chartered, out I was a member of the NAACP. state-financed Black school districts. They keep trying to tell your parents Throughout the 1950s and 1960s that you're just a troublemaker, and Black parents working with the that's why you always have problems NAACP filed school desegregation .... We have some white teachers suits. These coincided with militant that hassle Black students just like demonstrations, pickets, and sit-in that they do in Boston." ended Jim Crow segregation in res­ Supporters of equal education must taurants, hotels, and many other answer the racist drive with a strong public facilities in Delaware. probusing campaign. An important Under this pressure, the government step for the desegregation fight was could no longer maintain openly segre­ the recent decision of the primarily gated schools. Instead, it relied on the high-school-based Wilmington NAACP growing segregation in housing to Youth Council to endorse the April 24 preserve de facto segregation in the march on Boston. schools. As the president of the council Ali official Real Estate License Act stated, "Boston is an experimental and Primer declared that "a realtor ground. What's happening there is should never be instrumental in intro­ happening in New York, Philadelphia, ducing into a neighborhood ... mem­ Milwaukee Journal/Sanders and here, too, though not so much yet. bers of any race or nationality . . . 'Now this is the 14th Amendment, which guarantees minorities equal educational We have to start working now, because whose presence would clearly be detri- opportunities, except when a bus is involved!' September is not so far away."

Interview with Jerome McFarland ~Boston struggle same as New Vorl( By Michael Lux schools are integrated with both Black we live with people of liberal minded- "Black people must ... form coali- NEW YORK-The Black community and white children." ness and yet we live under this kind of tions and ally themselves with the in Queens is beginning to mobilize The community leader described racism, then one . begins to wonder people who are fighting for the same against the New York City Board of activities aimed at forcing desegrega- what's going on. . . . It's hard to thing-their rights as people." These Education's refusal to desegregate tion by the time school opens next understand-! think it's just simply coalitions should be "both city-wide Andrew Jackson High School. September. The parents association is racism." and nationwide," he said. Community demands led state Edu- demanding that Nyquist proceed to He explained that the task force, cation Commissioner Ewald Nyquist draw up a desegregation plan with All these people, he continued, "just which involves Black community or- to order the board to come up with a community collaboration. Also, the try to prevent Black and white young- ganizations, churches, and student desegregation plan by March 15. Three NAACP is handling a desegregation sters from" going to school together. and civic organizations, is beginning days after the deadline, lawyers for the suit for the parents. They ultimately begin to perpetuate to build a broad-based coalition in board asked Nyquist to rescind his To back up these measures, the themselves. They also try to keep the Queens. order. They claimed that desegregation parents association initiated a task working white people ignorant-with McFarland also stressed the impor- in Queens would cause "white flight." force to mobilize community support. myths of superiority." tance for parents to understand the "It's not buses that they are con- On April 4, 400 people attended a rally "I feel that what happens in Boston "strategies" of the racist forces. "The cerned with," Jerome McFarland, pres- at Andrew Jackson High organized by will definitely have a big effect on racists ... are very deceptive. They ident of the executive board of the the task force to commemorate the role what happens in New York City," have many public officials on their Andrew Jackson High School Parents of Martin Luther King in the fight McFarland emphasized. "The struggle side. They will do anything-even Association, told the Militant in a against segregation. in Boston is the same as in New York bomb houses-to keep from doing the recent interview. They are "concerned Several speakers compared the City." McFarland said his group is right thing, and that's to carry out the with keeping Black people, Black struggle in Queens to the fight against "trying to get people to take part" in law of the land." children, and the Black community racist antibusing forces in Boston. the April 24 national march on Boston. Summing up his perspectives for the segregated away from. the main- "What Dr. King said is very, very desegregation fight, McFarland said, stream." "One thing that makes the situation true today,'' he continued. "The fight "You have to fight for your rights, "We are trying to upgrade the school so similar," McFarland told the Mili- has to be taken to the streets. You've because the opposition is not going to academically," McFarland explained. tant, is that "Boston is supposed to be got to have big marches and demon- lie down. I think that those who are on "We thought that the best way to the 'cradle of liberty' and New York strations. You've got to show force and the right side must band together and upgrade Andrew Jackson was to follow City is supposed to be the 'home of strength. You can't buckle down do what they've got to do in terms of the law of the land and make sure the liberalism.' ... If this is the case, that against the opposition." providing for their rights as people."

6 Democrats double-c UFW By Harry Ring LOS ANGELES-The United Farm Workers union has more than enough signatures to place a farm labor initiative on the California ballot. As of April 20 the union had secured 430,000 petition signatures of registered voters. A minimum ' of 350,000 valid signatures is required, and the­ union is aiming to get 540,000 by the April 30 deadline. The UFW made the decision to put a farm labor initiative on the November ballot after it became clear that the state legislature had no intention of providing needed funds for the continued function­ ing of the now defunct state Agricultural Labor Relations Board. The ALRB, which conducted union representation elections under a farm labor law enacted last year, ground to a halt this February when it ran out of money. Since then an appropriation to refund the board has been bottled up in the state legislature. At first it seemed thatthe funds were blocked by a handful of Republicans and rural Democrats. But it can now be established that the UFW is the victim of a swindle perpetrated by the Democratic majority in the legislature with the complicity of that "friend" of the farm workers, Gov. Edmund Brown. UFW organizer talks to farm workers during lunch break. When UFW swept balloting, Democra;~ cooperated with UFW victories growers to block elections. Last year the growers and their Teamster hirelings agreed to passage of the farm labor law on the basis of "compromise" provisions that seemed Democrats decided in caucus 44 to 3, to have a UFW staff member, resigned to take a post with the to assure that the UFW would be strangled in the straight party vote in favor of the bill. Brown administration. electoral process. What was Brown's response to this dirty deal? Chatfield was with the UFW prior to Brown's But they found that despite the rigging built into He solemnly declared: "I -believe the assembly election. He campaigned for Brown and was given a the law, and the widespread election fraud, the acted wisely and with courage." post when he was elected. Chatfield was then UFW consistently outpolled the Teamsters by a two­ Was this perhaps simply a diplomatic statement nominated to the ALRB and resigned his job with to-one majority. The growers then decided to try to dictated by political needs? The facts suggest Brown. Now by quitting the board and taking kill the ALRB. otherwise. another job with Brown he leaves the door open for At first it seemed that they faced a big obstacle. When McCarthy tried to force the UFW into appointment of another "reasonable" board mem­ Governor Brown, who heads the powerful Demo­ accepting further watering down of the law, some ber. cratic machine in the state, had been the principal thought he was acting on his own, without the If all of this doesn't make clear where the architect of the law. And many Democrats in the approval of the governor. governor really stands, one need only look at his legislature have frequently joined with the governor But on March 16, at the height of McCarthy's position in relation to the present UFW effort to put in public expressions of friendship with farm pressure campaign against the UFW, Brown the referendum on the state ballot. workers in general and the United Farm Workers in announced the selection of his campaign manager The UFW initiative simply provides for farm particular. in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomina­ labor legislation assuring the rights of the field But the hard fact is that the growers could not tion. hands. It stipulates the right of organizer access have played their reactionary game without the Who was Brown's choice? None other than Leo and other essentials needed to ensure that the law complicity of Brown and the Democratic majority in McCarthy. will not be toothless. the legislature. Governor Brown, who is so free with rhetoric in When the board ran out of money and the Changes board support of the farm workers, had a good opportuni­ minority in the statehouse insisted that they would Moreover, Brown then proceeded to change the ty to put the power of his office where his mouth is. block further funding until the law was amended, composition of the board in a way that would He needed only to endorse the petition drive. Brown responded in a way that appeared to be ensure a "reasonable" attitude toward a "modifica­ But the good governor issued a statement April 15 favorable to the UFW. He said enough compromises tion" of the rules. refusing to do that. had been included in the original law, and no Initially, the ALRB included two progrower amendments should be considered until after the members, a "neutral" chairperson, and two pro­ Independent politics necessary money was appropriated. UFW people. At the time Leo McCarthy threw his first monkey Meanwhile, funding bills remained tied up in the Several months ago, attorney Joe Ortega, the wrench into the appropriation procedure, Cesar legislature and the ALRB remained defunct. only Chicano on the board, resigned after being Chavez declared: This was not simply the work of the minority in arrested on a morals charge-an arrest he insists is "He is demonstrating his contempt for the the legislature. a bum rap. workers and other Spanish-speaking Californians On March 12 an assembly subcommittee slated a To replace Ortega, Brown nominated Judge John who have historically stood with the Democratic public hearing on the proposed funding bill. Cesar Racanelli, a Democratic machine politician. His party." Chavez was scheduled to testify in favor of it. nomination was warmly applauded by the growers. The record demonstrates that what is true of On the eve of the hearing, the committee meeting Since then, curiously, another vacancy has McCarthy is equally true of Brown and the entire was canceled by Leo McCarthy, the powerful developed on the board. Leroy Chatfield, a onetime Democratic party. The record also persuasively Democratic speaker of the assembly. No action suggests that the time is past due to end the should be taken, he declared, until there was "historic" policy of supporting the Democrats as agreement on amending the law. "friends of labor" and the Chicano people. Chavez bitterly denounced McCarthy for playing That lesson has been drawn by the Raza Unida the growers' game. parties, which in some areas of the Southwest have On March 18 the assembly did pass a funding run their own candidates for public office. In bill, which is now bogged down in the state senate. breaking with the Democrats, they have pointed the way forward for Chicanos, the UFW, and the Double cross labor movement as a whole. The bill represents a double cross of the United For too long, the leadership of the UFW-along Farm Workers. with the trade-union officialdom .generally-has No new elections will be possible with the money relied on the Democratic party to help in the fight provided by this bill, which allots only enough against the bosses. At every point of showdown this funds to cover hearing appeals on elections already trust has proven misplaced. held. The Democratic party is in fact a capitalist party. If this wasn't bad enough, the assembly bill ·It cons workers organizations into supporting it, but includes an amendment presented by Speaker its role is to defend the interests of the bosses. McCarthy to establish a joint legislative watchdog That's why when the chips are down it will play the committee to oversee the functioning of the ALRB kind of double-dealing game that has now come to ensure its "impartiality." (The growers demagogi­ down on the farm workers. cally claim the ALRB has favored the UFW.) The UFW, and labor generally, certainly cannot In addition, this anti-UFW bill directs the ALRB ignore the political field. But support to and reliance to "modify" its crucial ruling that in a preelection on capitl!list politicians is a trap. The present period union organizers be allowed access to the experience of the UFW with the California Demo­ workers in the field an hour before and after work MilitanVHoward Petrick crats is one more example of why labor needs its and during t)le lunch break. Gov. Edmund Brown, who has banked on image as own independent political party-the kind of a This rotten bill was approved by the assembly by 'friend of farm workers,' has pulled off anti-UFW party that can and will fight for its political. a vote of 54 to 24. The vote came after the swindle. interests.

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 7 the first ·yictims of the 1940 Smith · cost of living had· actually ,risen twice "Thought :control" Act, which made as much as the government index. Lessons for steel advocacy of socialist ideas a crime. George Meany himself, then Eighteen, including central national secretary-treasurer of the AFL, wrote leaders of the SWP, were convicted and in March 1944: "Is there apyone in imprisoned for their principled opposi­ America who really believes that the tion to imperialist war. cost of living has been controlled by the government in the last two years? No-strike pledge Is there anyone so simple-minded as to believe that price control as it now Immediately after Pearl Harbor, top functions can be relied upon by the officials of both the AFL and the CIO American workers. . . ?" rushed to Washington to deliver their For big business, the combination of pledge of all-out labor support for the war production, wage tontrols, and the war: no strikes for the duration, they no-strike pledge was like the alche­ promised. mist's dream come true: industry had Philip Murray, head of the steelwork­ learned to tum blood into gold. In 1942 ers union and successor to John L. alone, 200 leading corporations netted Lewis as CIO president, gave a nation­ profits five to ten times greater than al radio speech to spell out the CIO's their best peacetime years . . n~w program: "Work! Work! Work! The job of policing the unions for the Produce! Produce! Produce!" wartime austerity program could only Without a fight, without even a be handled by the union bureaucrats. whimper of protest, the AFL and CIO Combining demagogy with force, they leaders surrendered labor's basic weap­ beat down union militants, disoriented on of self-defense. The militant meth­ the ranks, and smothered the thou­ ods that had built the CIO were sands of strikes that broke out. outlawed-first by the pledge of the Their reward was government inter­ union officials, later by congressional vention to strengthen the hand of the legislation and presidential decrees. bureaucrats against the ranks. Compli­ Instead, the workers' demands would ant unions were, for example, granted be entrusted to the War Labor Board, "maintenance of membership" by the made up of four representatives each War Labor Board. from the unions, the employers, and "Maintenance of membership" was "the public." not a union-shop clause, requiring The gimmick was that the "public" those hired to join the union. Rather, it members, whenever a major issue required all those belonging to a union came to a vote, invariably lined up when a contract was signed to keep with the employers. The board soon paying dues for the life of the contract. became known as the "graveyard of This measure was designed to help the grievances." bureaucrats put over unpopular poli­ The union officials might vote cies without fear of losing members against a wage-cutting decision by the and dues income. board. They might complain bitterly about it in public. But their voluntary participation gave the board the au­ * * * thority and the facade of impartiality The common feature of trade unions it needed to carry out its antilabor in the period of capitalism's decline "is mission. their drawing closely to and growing together with the state power," wrote Fraud of price controls Leon Trotsky in 1940. Monopoly capi­ The War Labor Board quickly talism "demands of the reformist clamped down on wages: eliminating bureaucracy . . . that they become premium pay for overtime, canceling transformed into its political police Steel"'!orkers President Philip Murray in 1942: 'Work! Work! Work!' cost-of-living escalator clauses, and in before the eyes of the working class." July 1942 freezing wages at what the War, Trotsky added, "speeds up . board claimed were "established peace­ processes, exposes their basic features, By Andy Rose ation with the government and the time standards." destroys all that is rotten, false, (Fourth of a series) employers against the union ranks. Prices were supposedly being con­ equivocal, and lays bare all that is "The position the AFL-CIO leader­ It was this logic-as Wall Street trolled by the Office of Price Adminis­ essential." ship took on Southeast Asia was a plunged the United States into the tration. World War II laid bare the essential tragedy," says Ed Sadlowski. "Who's holocaust of World War 11-that be­ Nowadays George Meany and other political weaknes.s of the CIO and the guy that was going? It was my son trayed the promise of the early CIO union officials nostalgically recall speeded up its bureaucratic degenera­ that works in the steel mill. It's not the movement. those wartime controls as fair and tion. For those today who seek to free banker's boy." effective-very different from Nixon's the labor movement from the conserva­ Sadlowski is director of the Chicago­ * * * wage freeze thirty years later. But time tive bureaucracy that shackles it, the Gary district of the United Steelwork­ As early as 1937, Roosevelt was must have dimmed their memories. slogans Trotsky raised then are still ers of America and leader of a move­ transforming the New Deal into the From January 1941 to January 1944, the key: for the complete independence ment called Steelworkers Fight Back, War Deal. Although unemployment the government's Consumer Price of the unions from the capitalist state, which is fighting for democratic, rank­ was rising again, he began to shift Index rose 23.5 percent, while the top and for trade-union democracy. and-file control over the union. government spending from unemploy~ legal wage increase was 15 percent. (Next;...the fight against "If 50,000 American kids laid dead in ment relief to war orders. But union price surveys found that the the no-strike pledge) Southeast Asia," Sadlowski says, "it In spring 1939 Roosevelt called for was 50,000 sons of George Meany, the firing of 1.5 million unemployed that's the tragedy ofit." workers from federal Works Progress Wartime always puts the labor Administration projects. A nationwide movement in the imperialist countries strike spontaneously erupted against 'Watergating' the 010 to the test. While the sons of the the WPA layoffs and wage cuts. [John L. Lewis, president of are a friend of labor, why is the FBI working class die on the battlefields, "You can't strike against the govern­ the United Mine Workers and tapping all my phones, both my the rulers demand "national unity" ment," Roosevelt proclaimed. On or­ founder of the CIO, broke pub- home and my office, and why do behind the war effort at home. "Every­ ders from Washington, the FBI framed licly with Roosevelt in 1940, they have instructions to follow me one must sacrifice," they say. up dozens of leaders of the unemployed speaking out against the admin- about?' This means that. workers should put protests for "conspiracy." istration's antilabor policies "The President said, 'That's not in longer hours for lower wages, pay Step by step, new laws and executive and the drive toward war. true!' higher taxes, give up their right to decrees were being enacted to restrict [The following is an account of "I said, 'I say it is true!' dissent, and-above all-surrender the civil liberties, block opposition to the Lewis's last meeting with "The President said, 'That's a right to strike. impending war, and attack the mili­ Roosevelt before the 1940 elec- damn lie.' The owners of industry, for their tant sections of. the labor movement. tiona, as told by Lewis to Saul "I got up, looked down at him and part, are more than willing to sacrifice The FBI was beefed up to serve as a Alinsky that same afternoon. It said, 'Nobody can cell John L. "business as usual" for the unusually secret political police. is quoted here from Alinsky's Lewis a liar and least of all Frank- profitable business of supplying gov­ Washington's spying, wiretapping, biography of Lewis.] lin Delano Roosevelt!' Then I ernment war orders. They rush to do and disruption did not begin with started walking out and got my hat their patriotic duty by freezing wages, Cointelpro or Watergate-these poli­ "After a moment's silence, he and coat. Just as I got to the door, enforcing speedup, and breaking cies have their roots in Roosevelt's war said, 'John, I want your support.' the President called out, 'Come strikes. drive in the late 1930s. "I said, 'You mean, Mr. President, back, John. I want to talk to you.' Behind the "equal sacrifice" fraud, Roosevelt struck hardest against one you want the CIO's support. If you "I walked back and I said, 'My the struggle' between employers and section of the union movement that want the CIO's support, what assur­ phones are tapped, and they are, workers never ceases. was certain to be uncompromising in ances can you give to the CIO?' and everything I said is true, and But once the unions accept the its antiwar stand: Minneapolis Team­ "The President became irritated whatever I said I know because I bosses' program for war abroad, how sters Local 544, which was led by and snapped at me, 'Well, what do can prove it by [Attorney General] can they tum down the program for members of the Socialist Workers you mean? Haven't I always bee~ Frank Murphy, who told me so and austerity at home? Their political party. friendly to the CIO?' I didn't an­ who knows about it because he has subordination to Washington sabo­ On July 1, 1941, a federal grand jury swer. He continued, and his voice seen your orders to the FBI to do so. tages even an, economic fight to defend indicted twenty-nine leaders of the rose angrily, 'Haven't I always been "The President changed the sub­ the workers' standard of living. The Minneapolis Teamsters and the SWP a friend of labor, John?' ject. . . . I walked out. Roosevelt union officials are drawn into collabor- for "seditious conspiracy." They were "I said, 'Well, Mr. President, if you and I are done."

8 Call for exR.anded walkout S.F.Muni drivers balk strikebreaking move By Nat Weinstein let them kid you-downtown is SAN FRANCISCO-Municipal rail- hurting-we can win." way drivers and conductors have voted There is more than meets the eye to overwhelmingly to continue honoring the demand by the mayor and board of the picket lines of striking craft supervisors that Muni resume opera- unions. tions before mediation can take place. A special meeting of Muni workers If Muni drivers could be stampeded was called for April 17 under pressure back to work, the effect would be to of a back-to-work campaign led by extend the defeat directly to the TWU. "prolabor" Mayor George Moscone and The relationship of forces would be the San Francisco Board of Supervi- shifted significantly against Muni sors. drivers. A wage-cutting ultimatum at The vote to continue the Muni the end of June would under such shutdown was about 700 to 50. circumstances meet with little resist- Support from the 2,000 Muni work- ance. ers, most of whom are Black, is the The solid vote by Muni drivers to backbone of the craft workers' strike. continue support for the strike has Some 1,900 city-employed crafts stymied that plan at least for the time workers-plumbers, laborers, electri- being. cians, carpenters, and others-struck Meanwhile, the fear seems to be March 31 against an attempt by the growing in San Francisco business board of supervisors to cut their wages Militant/Larry Flynn circles that instead of settling the by a total of $5.7 million. Striking crafts workers and supporters picket city hall April 14 strike on the basis of a clear victory The unions want to submit the over the unions, the city administra- dispute to mediation, but the board, tion may overplay its hand by pushing with the mayor's support and appro- "I would rather go down fighting," This feeling of frustration with the for total capitulation. They fear that val, demands that the Muni drivers Watts declared, "than go back to work strike leaders' unfulfilled promises to the city's "total surrender" demands first return to work. on the side of the mayor, board of broaden the strike was expressed in an may push the union leaders to mobilize The striking unions correctly charac- supervisors, and the chamber of com- amendment to the motion for contin- the rank-and-file power that to date terize this as· a demand for "total merce." ued solidarity. has not been brought into play in any surrender as a condition for media- Speaker after speaker refuted the The first part of the amendment major way. That possibility is posed by tion." claim that Muni drivers have nothing called on the San Francisco Labor the administration's underestimation The resounding solidarity vote-the at stake in this struggle. They dismis- Council "in the next seventy"two of Muni drivers' morale and solidarity. third in three weeks-should finally sed the mayor's concern that drivers hours" to "implement their own mo- It has become abundantly clear that put to rest Moscone's claims that Muni are being "used" as rank hypocrisy. tion to shut down San Francisco in a earlier threats of a general strike by drivers really want to return to work "I would rather stay out of work for general strike to win this strike." This San Francisco labor tops were pure but are thwarted by the leaders of two or three months than lose our was adopted. bluff. The union officialdom was really Transport Workers Union Local250-A. fringe benefits," an older worker said. The second part stated "or we Muni depending on Democratic politicians In the discussion, more than thirty A young woman driver pointed to drivers will return to work." This part like Moscone to get the unions off the rank-and-file members spoke in favor the real reason for the frantic cam- was rejected. hook. Moscone and company only dug of continuing to support the strike; paign to drive the TWU back to work. The language adopted was taken by the hook in deeper. only two spoke against. "The mayor and board of supervisors most drivers as a call for more effective The Muni drivers, almost alone, Local President Larry Martin, re- cry about women and children picketing and some form of expansion relying only on their own power, have porting for the executive board, recom- suffering-they don't mention the of the strike. So far, empty threats of a until now kept the mayor, the board of mended continued support for the millions of dollars being lost by down- general strike bandied about by top supervisors, the chamber of commerce, strike. town stores and businesses." union officials have been a lame the mass media,. the injunction- TWU international representative Another side of the general mood excuse for their failure to take any wielding courts, the strikebreaking Roosevelt Watts led off the debate by was expressed by a young Black driver steps at all to broaden the strike. cops-all the king's horses and all the hailing the "splendid show of union who said, "We are all strong union The rhetorical fireworks may also king's men-stalemated. solidarity" by local members. He men-we know we can't cross a picket have served to make the Muni The Muni drivers' class-struggle warned that a return to work would line. But we need the full support of the shutdown-which has been effective- course of action needs only its political mean a loss of fringe benefits and even other striking craft workers. They seem pale by comparison. But the real complement: a policy of independent a pay cut when the Muni drivers' own must expand the strike to make it more situation was pointed out in rank-and- working-class political action. That contract expires at the end of June. effective." file-authored leaflets headed: "Don't combination would be unbeatable.

Aftermath of strike defeat Washington Post' broadens attacks on unions By Lee Oleson worker has since been rehired, but not A vote by Post workers would settle Baltimore Sun, or other guild units. WASHINGTON-The union move­ because of any intervention by the the issue-and there is a good chance The committee's first task will be to ment at the Washington Post is reeling union. the guild would win the contest-but meet head-on the waves of propaganda from the defeat of the press operators' Also under attack is the 800-member another attack by Post management coming from the company union and strike at the newspaper. Post unit of Newspaper Guild Local 35. has threatened to delay the election for directly from Post management itself. Two hundred press operators, mem­ All but twenty-five members of the unit ' six :months. "We've got to reeducate the members bers of Local 6, International Printing are back inside the building. Management has demanded that 123 of the union," guild member Pat Davis and Graphic Communications Union, Post management encourages divi­ editorial positions, which have been says. She believes that lack of educa­ continue the seven-month-old strike. sions between guild members who are under guild jurisdiction for years, no tion by the union is largely responsible But virtually all members of the other reporters and those who do commercial longer be union jobs. for the debacle in which the majority craft unions are back at work at the work. Most commercial workers on The issue has been taken before the of Post guild members refused to honor Post and have been for months. strike have been formally notified that National Labor Relations Board, picket lines. All striking press operators were they have been "permanently re­ whose deliberations could drag on Striking press operators, meanwhile, fired by the Post after they rejected the placed." The few reportet:s and editors through the summer, guild officials are trying to feed their families on company's "final offer" last December. still on strike have not been replaced say. strike benefits of $95 to $100 a week. In February the strike was dealt a and there have been no hints that they Meanwhile, workers don't have the Many press operators had come to the final, stunning blow when 150 printers will be. protection of a contract and have no Post after their union was defeated and mailers, all members of the Inter­ Nancy Gonzales, a striking commer-· immediate prospect· of getting that and expelled by newspapers in Miami, national Typographical Union, crossed cial worker and a union steward at the protection. About 180 guild members at Los Angeles, New - Haven, Dallas, the picket lines of the press operators Post, said that when she received the Post have stopped paying union Kansas City, and other cities. and returned to work. notice of her replacement she hoped for dues. The craft unions at the Post, which some demonstration of solidarity from The Post has also announced that it Now, the press operators say, they were unable to stand together in guild reporters and editors. "Nothing will refuse to take guild grievances to a have been "blackballed"-prevented defense of the press operators, are now happened," Gonzales said. federal arbitration panel. from getting jobs at presses in cities coming under fire from a management She said that while management has "The company has been chipping and towns throughout the country. confident it has gained the upper treated reporters and editors with kid away at customary procedures The defeat of the press operators hand. gloves, harassment of commercial throughout the building," guild mem­ provides a bitter lesson on the necessi­ Post general manager Mark Meagh­ employees has stepped up. . ber Bill MacKaye says. "There are ty for new policies that can defend the er has publicly boasted, "You have to The guild unit's contract expired endless hassles. You file grievances unions from the employers' attack. see that you have one union dead on March 31, and since then the Post has and they don't respond." Especially clear is the bankruptcy of the battlefield, and others that have been "unable" to negotiate for a new MacKaye and others are organizing the old craft divisions and the necessi­ been chastened by the combat." contract. The reason is the company­ a rank-and-file committee to fight ty for unity and solidarity among the Five minutes after the mailers and inspired "Washington Newspaper decertification at the Post. The com­ newspaper unions. As striking press printers returned to work February 15, Union," which has challenged the mittee will be open to any Local 35 operator Joseph Harrington told the a Post supervisor fired the chairperson guild's certification to represent Post member, not only from the Post but Militant, "If you don't stick together, of the Post unit· of their union. The employees. also from the Washington Star, the you get had."

THE MJLITANT/APRU. 30, 1971 9 In Our Opinion Letters

Socialist candidates Government burglars realizable once the fans of apartness. While the Democratic and Republican presidential aspirants You possibly could be aware that and ambition are shut off. The sooner prolong their inexcusable silence about the orgy of anti-Black "black bag" jobs by the "G" this is done, the lesser the cost and the violence in Boston, two nominees have spoken out: Peter (government) were carried out in the agony. Camejo and Willie Mae Reid, Socialist Workers party candi­ 1930s. In 1949, while studying to be a Bahieh Musa Washington, D.C. dates for president and vice-president. thief, (or trying to) I read Surreptitious Entry by Willis George, a "G" burglar. Camejo and Reid have championed the desegregation fight in It's an interesting book! Boston since court-ordered busing there met with racist mob It details many burglaries of attacks nearly two years ago. Both candidates are members of suspected "spies," which contradicts More 8.1 coverage needed the NAACP and supporters of the Student Coalition Against the FBI statement that they began in The meager coverage in the Militant World War II. Racism. They have actively supported probusing marches. of the proposed legislation now under In contrast to their opponents in the two big-business parties, I hope Big Brother doesn't "black consideration in Congress known as Camejo and Reid are speaking directly to the problems of bag" this letter like they did nearly all S.1 disappoints me. oppressed minorities, of women, of youth, and of all working the mail arriving in the United States Although the Militant has described in the 1930s and 1940s. in detail mechanisms for repression in people. They are uncompromising enemies of race and sex A prisoner other countries, such as SA VAK (the discrimination on the job, in education, and in housing. Pennsylvania The socialists' campaign platform, "A Bill of Rights for secret police of Iran) and the British Special Powers Act in Northern Working People," demands the elimination of the government's Ireland, unfortunately it has barely mammoth war budget. This step would release these funds for a touched on such possibilities under S.1 public works jobs program, for vital social services, for schools, Discussion on terminology in the United States. and for other constructive programs to meet human needs. Thanks for your editorial on the S.1 maps out the curtailment of the The socialist candidates have been participants in struggles Supreme Court ruling upholding the freedom of assembly and of speech in to achieve these goals for well over a decade. Camejo walked sodomy law in Virginia (Militant, the United States. When implemented, picket lines during the civil rights boycott of Woolworth stores April 9). I would like to call your such a plan would curb trade-union attention, however, to your use of the organizing, Militant publishing, and in the early 1960s, and marched in the 1965 Selma-to­ phrases "sexual preference" and protest meetings. Montgomery demonstration led by Martin Luther King. "affectional or sexual preference" in Supported by liberal Democrats and Reid too is a veter~n of the civil rights movement, having describing homosexual orientation. conservative Republicans alike, this joined in the 1958 "ride-ins" and bus boycott that ended You may be unaware of the fact that proposed legislation points toward segregated seating on city transportation in her hometown of this term first came into use a little doing away with democratic gains Memphis, Tennessee. over a year ago, primarily as a result struggled for by civil libertarian and As a student in the mid-1960s, Camejo was a leader of the of pressure from generally working-class organizations. Such an conservative and pro-establishment­ anti-Vietnam War movement in California, while Reid-after attack on our democratic rights has its oriented groups within the gay counterpart in the current attack on moving to Chicago-was involved in the fight for decent, low­ liberation movement, such as the our standard of living, so well cost housing there, and in the movell)ent for the repeal of National Gay Task Force. presented in the Militant. abortion laws. The Gay Activists Alliance more Recent headlines on the FBI As workers' candidates, Camejo and Reid oppose the attempts than a -year ago adopted a statement burglaries of Socialist Workers party of their well-heeled Democratic and Republican opponents to criticizing the terms "affectional or offices and other interference in SWP make working people pay the price for capitalism's economic sexual preference" as a retreat from activities make this relative lack of problems. They say that workers should cast these parties aside the earlier, and still generally Militant coverage of S.1 all the more preferred, term "sexual orientation." surprising. and form our own party-a labor party based on the power of GAA also regards the new term as a Jean Vertheim the union movement-to fight to defend our rights and living step toward capitulation to liberal and New York, New York standards. strictly reformist approaches within You can play an important part in helping the 1976 socialist the gay movement. campaign to get out these ideas. To lend a hand, or for more I believe our position has been borne information about the candidates and their program, write: out by developments in the past year. Essentially, the term "affectional or Mine Inspectors harassed Socialist Workers 1976 National Campaign Committee, 14 The Militant's otherwise fine Charles Lane, New York, New York 10014. sexual preference" represents an attempt not to broaden the appeal of coverage of the criminal health and the gay rights struggle, but to make it safety conditions in the mining more palatable to persons, whether industry has not yet touched on one of they be elected officials or not, within the reasons why enforcement of even the establishment. existing regulations is so lax: Cost-of-living strike David Thorstad harassment of mine inspectors. The strike by 70,000 rubber workers that began April 21-like President, Gay Activists Alliance The 1969 Coal Mine Health and New York, New York Safety Act requires that mines be the Teamsters' strike at the beginning of the month-is a fight inspected several times per year. Mine to protect real wages from erosion by inflation. For both unions inspectors however, are not covered by the central demand is a cost-of-living escalator clause that will the same statutes that make it a crime raise wages automatically to match rising prices. to assault or threaten a federal In 1973, negotiating under Nixon's Phase Three wage On Palestine inspector or law enforcement officer. controls, United Rubber Workers officials signed a contract The latest tragic events in Palestine At best they can appeal to the that have so far resulted in ten providing only a small wage increase and no escalator clause. Justice Department to issue an Palestinian demonstrators killed by injunction against mine owners who The result was a 10 percent drop in real wages. Israeli soldiers are yet one more attempt to bully them. This power has Union leaders point out that their members have fallen far reminder that actually nothing of a never been invoked. behind workers-notably in the auto industry-who did not serious nature is being done to resolve The American Federation of give up cost-of-living protection. Today rubber workers average the Palestine question. A question too Government Employees (AFGE), a full $1.65 an hour less than auto workers. fraught with pain, injustice, and which has organized federal mine The URW wants the gap closed with an immediate $1.65 danger to be allowed to persist for so inspectors, reported in the January catch-up raise in the new contract, and an unlimited escalator long, let alone to continue to grow issue of its paper, the Government worse. clause to guard against future inflation. The companies have so Standard, several instances of such I believa it is long overdue that the bullying. far refused to budge from an offer of $1.05 total increase over American people and the international Inspector Thomas Slemp was kicked three years and an escalator clause that would pay only $1 for community at large realized that and smashed against a mine wall by every $7 inflation eats up. Palestinians and Israelis must accept Elbert Mullins, co-owner of High Already the capitalist news media are whipping up a scare each other ·and work as one people of Splint mine number two in Dunbar, campaign that the Teamsters' settlement and the rubber one country. Virginia, in May 1973. workers' demands will cause a new burst of inflation. The Both have demonstrated an Slemp reported that Mullins also indomitable spirit, and unless they live charge is especially cynical in light of the steady fall in rubber threatened that "I'll kill a bunch of you in unity, each may be the destruction damn fellows yet." On his own time workers' wages since 1973. of the other. and money Slemp filed charges and The capitalists' opposition to effective escalators only proves We must on the one hand make the Mullins was found guilty of assault­ that they know higher inflation rates are on the way­ Israelis realize that the Palestinians and fined $200 plus court costs. Washington's multi-billion-dollar deficit spending to sustain the have a natural right to their homes Senate hearings on amendments to war budget makes this a certainty-and they hope to profit and property and to full citizenship, the mine safety law have considered from the workers' loss of real wages. and on the other hand, guarantee from provisions to make it a criminal offense the Palestinians that they will accept The outcome of the rubber strike will help set a pattern for to harass federal mine inspectors. the Israelis as citizens with full and other major unions-including auto and electrical workers­ Such changes would come too late equal rights. for the three coal mine inspectors who whose contr.acts expire in the coming months. The rubber This is no mere experiment. It has died this March in the Scotia Mine workers deserve the active support of the entire labor movement successful models both in Europe and along with twenty-three of their in this fight. here in the United States. It is brothers. The AFGE's March 19

10 Capitalism in Crisis Andy Rose

Washington Letter reported that less than a month before the disaster the A tale of two bills inspectors assigned to that mine filed a Biting the bullet may be more than just a metaphor pare a counterproposal to cut 3 million people. On report of harassment involving a for the new federal austerity program. Congressional April 6, Senate liberals led by Hubert Humphrey and Scotia employee. action on the 1977 budget leaves the poor little else to George McGovern engineered a compromise. In return Steve Beck chew on. for conservatives' agreement that "only" 1.5 million New York, New York Before recessing for the Easter holiday, the Senate people would be dropped, the senators abandoned voted to cut 1.5 million people out of the food stamp attempts to eliminate the purchase requirement. program, while the House approved a record $33.4 This is the requirement that to receive stamps, you billion weapons authorization bill for the Pentagon. must first put up a certain amount of cash. A survey in More on world economy Food stamps, you see, have become a favorite target New York found that more than one-fourth of the The Militant is undoubtedly one of for the bipartisan budget cutters. What with the households in the program could not afford to the best publications available for economic crisis and high unemployment, about 19 purchase the full allotment of stamps to which they news about social struggles all over the million people are getting some food stamp aid. were legally entitled. Many others are too poor to buy world. I've been reading it for months Almost half are mothers with dependent children. the stamps at all. now, with great enjoyment. Most of the rest are elderly, disabled, or unemployed. The compromise bill was approved by the Senate I'd really like to see a good Marxist Easy folks to kick around, figure the "big government" April 8. Meanwhile, the weapons purchase bill was analysis of the world economy today. baiters. making its way through the House. What's on the horizon in coming Treasury Secretary Simon calls food stamps "a well­ On March 10, the House Armed Services Committee months-a new recession?-a known haven for the chiselers and rip-off artists" and recommended a $2 billion increase in Ford's proposed temporary recovery of capitalism? a "threat to free enterprise." Ronald Reagan says his war budget. Most of the increase is downpayment for How will the economic picture affect constituents get mad at seeing a "strapping young nuclear-powered warships: three strike cruisers (final the outbreak of new anticapitalist buck" in the grocery store buy T-hone steaks with struggles? price tag, $1.3 billion each) and a Nimitz-class aircraft These certainly aren't easy stamps. Liberal "defenders" of the program respond carrier ($5 billion complete with planes). questions, but I think they're by shaking their heads and tut-tutting about how it The committee's generosity can only be fully important for understanding the world really is necessary to stop all these abuses. . . . appreciated if you recall that the Pentagon's original situation. Interestingly enough, government reports show the request was padded by $3 billion as a cushion against Brian La Mothe incidence of fraud in food stamp applications as only expected cuts, and that Ford tacked on another $2.7 Middletown, Connecticut 0.08 percent, as compared to attempted fraud in an billion before giving the budget to Congress. estimated 19 percent of all tax returns. On April 8, the full House voted down virtually all At any rate, last February President Ford ordered proposals to reduce the war budget. It rejected any new regulations to drop everybody above the federal delay in funding the B-1 bomber program. It also FBI exposed poverty line ($5,500 a year for a family of four) from refused to delete $666 million for nuclear attack the program by this summer. Since recipients are now Now, thanks to the legal action submarines. allowed to deduct medical, day-care, and school As approved by the House on April 9, the arms against the Cointelpro criminals, the excellent covetage by the Militant, and expenses in calculating net income, Ford's reform authorization bill is 2 percent more than the Pentagon the subsequent exposure in the media obviously gets at the hard-core chiselers and rip-off asked for and 31 percent higher than weapons nationwide, we can finally decipher artists: infants, schoolchildren, and the sick. The Ford spending last year. the real meaning of those three proposal would knock out 5 million people. And that's the way it goes, "budget cutting" on initials: Falsifiers, Burglars, and The Senate Agriculture Committee hustled to pre- Capitol Hill. Inquisitors. R.D.V. New York, New York La Lucha Puertorriqueiia Cleavage in spirit '76 The fact that the Declaration of Independence opens with affirming Catarino Garza that "all men are created equal," and closes with calling the once indigenous inhabitants here "Indian savages," Albizu Campos remains remarkable, though Last February, New York Community School Board the board chose for the school their children will frequently noted. Five decided to rename one of the schools under its attend. It signifies a cleavage which must jurisdiction in honor of the Puerto Rican patriot Don Who was Albizu Campos? He was the leader of the have begun prior to the spirit of 1776, Pedro Albizu Campos. Nationalist party of Puerto Rico from 1930 until his and still seems to continue deep. The decision to rename the school wasn't unusual. death in 1965. The extermination of the Indian. Naming schools is one of the routine functions of the Almost twenty-five of those thirty-five years were tribes; the continued ordeal of the thirty-two boards that supervise 901 schools in New spent in prison, for the crime of fighting for his Blacks; our relentless opposition to country's freedom. While in prison, he was mistreated, most attempts at independence and York. Nevertheless, almost two months later, a racist assertion of natural rights; our campaign of slander and defamation against Albizu tortured, and slandered as insane while unable to unqualified sympathies with ideologies was launched in the media by the rulers of this city, speak out in his defense. Ultimately his health was and practices which are contrary to the demanding that the decision be reversed. broken. concept of human dignity and human The April 19 New York Times splashed the story Even after a brain hemorrhage left him semipara­ equality, such as exist among the across four columns of its front page, with a hatchet lyzed in 1956, he was kept behind bars for eight-and-a­ white South Africans, the white job perpetrated by Peter Kihss. Kihss managed to link half more years, and was released only four months Rhodesians, the Israelis; and others­ Albizu's name to "violence," "assassination," and before he died. all these are stubborn testimony that assorted mayhem no fewer than fourteen times in Yet, despite the savage way he was treated, he never something has for long gone wrong. twenty paragraphs, adding for good measure the vile wavered. He could not be bought, corrupted, or broken. An engendering of a new spirit is accusation that Albizu was insane, a "paranoid." perhaps badly needed to accommodate The following day, the Times followed up with an His followers were massacred on several occasions. both principle and reality. editorial that included the monstrous fabrication that Thousands were framed up, imprisoned, persecuted, The oppressed people, whether in Albizu set up a "fascist-type" organization. hounded out of jobs, and even forced to flee their South Africa, Latin America, or The District Five school board was bla~ted as "unfit homeland. Palestine, have as much right to to hold office"; its action was "supremely idiotic" and Today five of these heroes are still in U.S. prisons, "equal station" among free peoples as "a stupid hoax." as they have been for more than two decades. One is the people of the thirteen colonies did The editorial ended with a command to "responsible dying of cancer. But the government won't release in 1776. The whole of mankind would spokesmen for ... the major Puerto Rican organiza­ them because the five nationalists will not recant their benefit from such equality. tions" that the school board's action "be repudiated adherence to Puerto Rican independence. R. Busailah without equivocation and without delay." In 1965, when Albizu died, I wrote in the Militant, Kokomo, Indiana Another attack on Albizu was the shameful state­ "His deat,P. was mourned by Puerto Ricans everywhere ment by Democratic U.S. Rep. Herman Badillo, who because his life of struggle for his country's freedom said, "They can find other more impressive people had made him a legend in his own lifetime." than Mr. Albizu, who supported violence and over­ Today he is more than a legend. His example of The letters column is an open throw of governments." irreconcilable opposition to U.S. colonialism has forum for all viewpoints on sub­ Badillo has a right to disagree with Albizu's served as an inspiration to new generations of freedom jects of general interest to our message, but to brand it as "violence and overthrow of fighters. readers. Please keep your letters governments" not only slanders Albizu but all Puerto That is why the rulers of this country fly into a rage brief. Where necessary they will Ricans who desire freedom from U.S. rule. at the mere mention of his name. They hate and fear be abridged. Please indicate if As the highest-ranking Puerto Rican officeholder in what he represents, unswerving dedication to the your name may be used or if you the United States, Badillo's first reaction should have cause of Puerto Rican freedom. They are afraid more prefer that your initials be used been to defend the school board of District Five, young Puerto Ricans will come to know of Don Pedro instead. instead of joining the attack by objecting to the name Albizu Campos and follow his example of struggle.

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 11 The Great Society Harry Ring

Slightly shrunk-As a result of the administrator for, believe this, the admonition: "Please don't drop cigar­ Guru's half-million-dollar home at 74 percent inflation in the past decade, Environmental Protection Agency. "A ette butts on the floor-The cock­ Malibu, his $86,000 pad in Denver, that new $2 bill will buy but what no-risk concept for pesticide regula­ roaches are dying of cancer." plus two cars (a Lotus and a Mercedes­ $1.15 bought ten years ago when the tion," he added, "is neither reasonable Benz) and two Honda bikes. The old $2 bill was discontinued. nor legally tenable. Most pesticides are mission itself owns a $22,800 Jensen, a intended to inflict harm on some form Apartment-hunting?-E. Bronf- Maserati, and two Mercedeses, as well And that's not saying much-A · of life .... " , man, board chairperson of Seagram's, as a mobile van. The latter, we report by Ralph Nader's health re­ wants to sell his New York co-op. A presume, to take the bread to the bank. search group scored VVashington-area duplex, it features a sweeping view of hospitals for refusing to establish no­ Elusive-Results of a seven-year Manhattan, as well as eight-and-a-half Probably not-Leon Greenberg, smoking rules. The report observed study of a fourteen-foot piece of cloth bathrooms. He's asking $1.25 million, former president of Monticello Race­ that nonsmokers are better protected believed by some to be the burial but insiders indicate he's willing to way in New York, was convicted of while riding in airplanes than they are shroud of Jesus Christ have proved bargain. diverting $4,856 of track money to pay in hospitals. inconclusive, a panel of scientists said for his son's bar mitzvah. He drew two in Turin. Masterful-The Guru Maharaj Ji's years' probation and a $9,000 fine. The Philosophical-Pesticides must be Divine Light Mission is currently judge was dubious Greenberg "would expected to impose "some degree of Sign for the times-A New York enjoying an annual take of $3.78 emerge a better person if he was sent hazard," says John Quarles, deputy printer offers a miniposter with this million. This helps with upkeep on the to jail." Women in Revolt Cindy Jaquith Kentucky racists & ERA Kentucky is a state plagued by antibusing racists Beneath Reid's picture is the sarcastic message: organizations as possible, in a struggle to defeat the out to set the torch to the rights of Black people. In "Kentucky's Pro ERA Alliance brings the 'stars' anti-ERA forces. recent weeks the racists have been on a rampage in into Kentucky to keep our fair state from going The SVVP candidates also make no secret of their the Louisville area, burning crosses and fire backwards (by rescinding ERA)." belief that the struggles for women's and Black bombing the homes of Black families who dare to The Pro-ERA Alliance is a coalition of groups liberation are closely linked. A victory for desegre­ move into white neighborhoods. fighting the recision moves against the ERA. In gation, like a victory for the ERA or abortion rights, The same antibusing bigots are frothing at the February, it sponsored a meeting of several hundred is in the interests of women, Blacks, and all mouth over the Equal Rights Amendment. They in Lexington in support of the ERA. working people. helped wage a vigorous campaign to rescind The racists understand this too. That's why in Kentucky's ratification of the ERA this spring, but Among the "stars" who addressed that meeting­ their leaflet attacking the ERA movement, they lost. They are bound to make another attempt at much to the dislike of the anonymous leaflet­ cynically underline this passage from a Militant recision next year. makers-were State NAACP President Edgar article on the "Pro-life" anti-abortion forces: Recently the anti-ERA forces circulated an VVallace, Liz Carpenter of ERAmerica, and Oteria "Like the racists opposing school desegregation anonymous leaflet in the Lexington area to warn O'Rear, who spoke on "Black VVomen and the and the sexists campaigning against the ERA­ unsuspecting supporters of the ERA that they are ERA." These people are also listed on the right­ many of whom are the same people-the 'pro-lifers' being "duped" by Black rights advocates, support­ wingers leaflet. would like to return this country to another day ers of abortion, and m~mbers of the Socialist The aim of this trash, of course, is to divide ERA when Blacks and women 'knew their place.' " VVorkers party and Young Socialist Alliance. supporters, sow confusion in our ranks, and VVomen and Blacks have fought too hard for the The leaflet is a collage of newspaper clippings, frighten away potential backers of the ERA. But gains we have today to let our enemies in Louisville, most of them from the Militant, "exposing" the fact crude red-baiting of this kind won't work. Boston, or anywhere else tell us where "our place" that socialists are active in the struggle to secure For one thing, the Socialist VVorkers party's is. VVe need to answer them loud and clear, in the full equality for women and Blacks. A picture of participation in the fight for the ERA is hardly a streets, in actions like the April 24 march on Boston SVVP vice-presidential candidate VVillie Mae Reid is secret. The SVVP candidates are outspoken on the to defend school busing, and the May 16 demonstra­ prominently featured on the leaflet, along with her subject of women's rights and the need to unite the tion in Springfield, lllinois, to demand ratification campaign literature on the ERA. broadest possible forces, from as many different of the Equal Rights Amendment. By Any Means Necessary Baxter Smith Legal action against redlining Two years ago Robert and Kathleen Laufman, a The decision is the first federal court ruling national appraisal and lending organizations with white Cincinnati couple, after some searching found against redlining, the common real estate practice "racially discriminatory standards" in their real just the home they were looking for. A sturdy, two­ of refusing to make mortgage loans to applicants in estate assessment and loan practices. story, wood-frame job, with an attic and ample certain areas based on race. Redlining is widely Discriminatory practices similar to those that frontage. Just perfect. Visions of sugar plums used to keep Blacks out of the white suburbs. It was brought about the 1968 act have continued, the danced in their heads. used against the Laufmans to try to keep them from department found, and "hav~ continued to cause So they went to Oakley Building and Loan moving into Avondale, an area that is growing appraisers and lenders to treat race and national Company for a mortgage loan. But when they told progressively Blacker. origin as a negative factor in determining the value the agent the house was in the Avondale section of Porter ruled that it is a violation of the 1968 fair of dwellings and in evaluating the soundness of the city, he politely told them to get lost. housing act for a lender to consider the race, color, home loans.'' · Now the Laufmans, he a lawyer, she a psychiatric religion, sex, or national origin of a potential social worker, didn't see themselves as ineligible for borrower. It is also illegal, he ruled, for the lender to The Justice Department found that appraisers credit, and concluded that there was more to the consider the race of the borrower's potential neigh­ have prejudicially determined that "dwellings in matter than meets the eye. bors. racially integrated areas have a substantially lower The loan was refused because Avondale is a "Redlining contributes to the decay of our cities," value than similarly situated dwellings in· racially mixed area, they believed, and one that is redlined he said, referring to the practice of redlining an homogeneous areas." by lending companies. area on a map and thus adjudging it as endangered Although the suit does not mention the term Oakley claimed it would never resort to such for further investments. redlining, the practice would be virtually outlawed monkey business, but the Laufmans sought a Porter's decision is expected to have a wide and if the court rules favorably. helping hand from the courts. favorable impact for civil rights forces. One federal survey found that mortgage lenders In March Federal District Court Judge David Just the other day, in fact, the Justice Depart­ refuse Black loan applicants twice as frequently as Porter upheld the Laufmans over the loan company. ment filed a major civil rights suit charging four whites.

12 Challenges judg§.,_iM!.Y... selection J.B. Johnson wages fight for fair trial

ByST. Peter LOUIS-Attorneys Seidman . for J.B. r ·. ···· ··••···········.·············· .. ·····•••· .· Johnson'sthat the county trial, focusingprosecutor's on the office danger will Johnson filed a battery of motions here try to install an all-white suburban April 15 designed to defend Johnson's jury to try Johnson. It was exactly rights in the face of a campaign of such a jury that originally convicted racist hysteria being whipped up by Johnson. the St. Louis County police and prose- A picket line has been called for cutor's office. 12:00 noon on Monday, April 26, at the The motions will be argued April 26, St. Louis County Courthouse in Clay- the opening day of Johnson's trial, ton. The committee has also called on before St. Louis County Circuit Court all supporters of Black rights to attend Judge William Corrigan. Johnson's trial. Johnson, twenty-six, is a Black man who won a second trial after the Other committee plans during the Missouri Supreme Court overturned an first week of the trial include an earlier conviction. He had been evening rally at Washington Universi­ charged as an accomplice to a 1970 ty April 28 featuring Black feminist shooting of a white University City, attorney Florynce Kennedy and Willi­ Missouri, cop. The reversal of John­ am Kunstler; and a rally Sunday, May son's conviction came following a 2, at which Bill Hampton, brother of campaign of rallies and protests by the slain Black Panther leader Fred Black community here, which views Hampton, will speak and show a film. Johnson's case as a focal point in its To contribute time or funds to struggle for equal justice. J.B. Johnson (left) carrying banner in January 1976 Martin Luther King Day Johnson's defense, contact: National A counteroffensive has now been demonstration in St. Louis. Committee to Free J.B. Johnson, Post launched by the St. Louis County Office Box 4 713, St. Louis, Missouri police and prosecutor's office around 63108. Telephone: (314) 725-0319. the recent slaying of another white appearance of Judge Corrigan and widespread unfavorable publicity University City cop. This campaign, County Prosecutor Courtney Goodman around Johnson's case in the area which has involved a massive funeral on a radio call-in show just before the from which the jury pool will be Secret Documents motorcade for the slain policeman as Missouri Supreme Court overturned selected. well as attempts in the press to link the Corrigan's refusal to grant a delay in Other motions seek: slaying to the case of J.B. Johnson, set the trial. The motion noted that "this • to have the daily jury fee raised to the framework for many of the motions joint appearance raised the public twenty dollars so that Black people FBI Plot filed April 15. spectre of a prosecutor and a judge can participate more equally in the The first motion calls for Judge united in prosecution of this defend­ jury; Against Corrigan to disqualify himself on the ant." • a larger courtroom to ensure that grounds of bias against the defendant. During the talk show the majority of maximum public attention can be the Black This was demonstrated by his decision callers centered on Corrigan's refusal focused on the case; on February 13 to deny Johnson the to grant Johnson a delay in the • the dismissal of the case on the right to a delay in the originally slated opening of his trial. Both Corrigan and grounds that the prosecution refused to Movement opening date of his trial because his Goodman publicly defended this action make available to the grand jury that chief defense attorney, William Kunst­ and criticized Johnson's attorney's on originally indicted Johnson evidence by Baxter Smith ler, could not be present because of the air. that clearly undermined the case with reprinted FBI memos commitments in another case. (The Another motion requests that . the against him. 24 pp., 35 cents delay was subsequently granted by a number of peremptory challenges the Meanwhile, the National Committee higher court.) defense can use in eliminating poten­ to Free J.B. Johnson has launched a Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 The motion also pointed to the joint tial jurors be doubled, in view of the public campaign around the opening of West Street, New York, N.Y. 10014

La. Black y_outh on death row National spotlight focuses on Tyler frame-up By Joel Aber was on the same bus. Blanks has doubt on Blanks's credibility.Assistant NEW ORLEANS-At seventeen, signed an affidavit stating that sher­ Louisiana Attorney General L.J. Hym­ Gary Tyler is one of the youngest iffs deputies and prosecutors forced el, however, did agree orally to grant people on death row in the United her to falsely testify at the trial, Blanks immunity. States. His hearing to demand a new threatening to charge her with perjury Peebles moved that Judge Marino, trial is scheduled to open in the and accessory to murder. Blanks had Hymel, and St. Charles Parish Assis­ Twenty-ninth Judicial Circuit Court at been the only witness to claim seeing tant District Attorney Norman Pitre be Hahnville, Louisiana, on April 21. Gary Tyler fire a gun. disqualified from hearing the evidence The defense committee organized to Since Blanks's affidavit was filed for a new trial because they were win Tyler's freedom expects that the last month, new facts have come to material witnesses to the withholding courthouse will be filled with citizens light each week supporting the de­ of evidence from the jury. Peebles's supporting his defense. mand for a new trial and exposing the motion was denied April 7. The nightmare for Gary Tyler began truth of how racist authorities rail­ Support for the defense has been in October 1974 following a racial roaded,Gary Tyler: marshaled among college students, disturbance at Destrehan High School. • Several Black students saw whites with Gary's mother, Juanita Tyler, A white student was shot and killed. armed with guns in the mob of speaking at New Orleans-area cam­ Tyler was singled out from a busload students and parents who were stoning puses. The student government at of Black students, arrested, framed up their bus as it left school the day the Southern University in New Orleans on false testimony, convicted by an all­ shooting took place. This evidence was (SUNO) sponsored a week of rallies white jury, and sentenced to death. never introduced in Tyler's trial. and fund-raising" activities for the White state and local authorities in St. • Tyler's cousin Ike Randall saw a defense that netted more than $4,000. Charles Parish thought people would man aiming a rifle at the bus and Meanwhile, law students at Tulane soon forget the case of this Black yelled for the students to get down University have become volunteer youth awaiting execution tucked far moments before the shot was fired. investigators for the defense team, away in the Louisiana state peniten­ Tyler's attorney, Jack Peebles, has Louisiana authorities have refused to interviewing dozens of witnesses. tiary at Angola. presented to the court an interview grant Tyler a new trial despite mounting Several Black state legislators held a They were wrong. As WWL-TV, the with Donald Files, a student on the evidence of frame-up. New Orleans news conference April 5 local CBS affiliate here, said on its bus, who says Natalie Blanks could to demand that Gov. Edwin Edwards noon news recently, "The Gary Tyler not possibly have seen the shooting and State Attorney General William case is now a national issue." A CBS because he had pushed her down ori attorney, has signed a statement that Guste intervene to see that Gary Tyler television news team traveled to Ango­ the floor before they heard the shot. she had a conference with the prosecu­ gets a new trial. la to interview Tyler. The authorities • Loretta Thomas, one of two other tors and Judge Ruche Marino before Anyone wishing to help on the made him wear handcuffs as he came students who testified that Tyler had a Blanks testified, at which time she defense effort may contact Walter before the cameras to say that he is gun, has become the second witness to warned them she feared Blanks was Collins. Gary Tyler Defense Commit­ innocent. recant her testimony. Peebles had not telling the truth and requested tee, 1610 Basin Street. New Orleans, Letters of support are pouring in to presented an affidavit by Thomas immunity for her client. Louisiana 70112. Telephone: (504) 522- the defense committee headquarters in stating that she too was threatened According to Taylor, the judge and 2244. Contributions may be sent to New Orleans from all over the country. with prosecution unless she gave false prosecutors refused to grant written Gary Tyler Fund, c/o Liberty Bank, The state's key witness against Tyler testimony against Tyler. immunity, thus keeping information 39:19 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, was Natalie Blanks, a student who • Sylvia Taylor, who was Blanks's from the jury that would have cast Louisiana 70119.

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 13 Court challenges SP-Ur chang~ Calif. legislature cuts ballot requirements By Bruce Marcus legislature to act was ~he possibility nomination procedure is being chal­ After all, he warned, "there are LOS ANGELES-A major change that the federal courts would strike lenged by the Northern California hundreds of people who would like to was made in the California election down the old law on constitutional American Civil Liberties Union. Most see themselves on the ballot." law ·on April 8 when the state legisla­ grounds. insiders say the courts will rule The California Committee for Dem­ ture passed a bill slashing by two­ An article in the April 2 issue of the against the state in view of recent ocratic Election Laws (CoDEL) has thirds the number of signatures re­ Los Angeles Daily Journal shed light decisions opening up the election laws been one of the most vocal proponents quired to qualify independent on the legislators' motives. "Lurking in in other areas." of an open ballot in California. CoDEL candidates for ballot status. the immediate background is a pair of AB 52 originally proposed a require­ is sponsoring the suit of the Socialist Under Assembly Bill 52, which Gov. lawsuits ... which are expected to win ment of 191,0oo signatures, but a Workers party, La Raza Unida party, Edmund Brown is expected to sign, the big at the District Court level within legislative committee was persuaded to and others against the requirement former requirement of 320,000 signa­ the next month." recommend an even lower figure after that a party other than the Democrats tures to be collected in twenty-five days Richard Rodda, political editor of the hearing testimony from a number of and Republicans must collect 640,000 will be reduced to about 100,000 with Sacramento Bee, in an article urging organizations. signatures or register 64,000 voters sixty days to petition. liberalization of the law, wrote, "Pres­ Joseph Remcho of the ACLU told the with the party. The Socialist Workers 1976 Califor­ ently, two attacks against the Election committee that the courts would al­ This requirement for political parties nia Campaign Committee is exploring Code are being pursued in the courts. most definitely strike down the law is not affected by AB 52. Last Decem­ the possibility of launching a petition The Socialist Workers party has sued and, if the legislature failed to act ber a three-judge panel heard argu­ drive to put the SWP candidates on Secretary of State March Fong Eu on a quickly, the court would probably "put ments on the CoDEL case and a ruling California's ballot for the first time in complaint challenging the political on the ballot anyone who wants to be is expected soon. history. party qualification law.... there." CoDEL has also actively opposed the The major factor in forcing the "In another case, the independent This caused considerable consterna­ stringent requirements for independent tion among the members of the com­ candidates. Byron Ackerman, Califor­ mittee. When one member asked if the nia CoDEL secretary, testified at the courts might let the current require­ hearings that resulted in the lowered ments stand for this election year, one requirements. politician remarked sadly, "You know how they are. If something is a Commenting on the passage of AB constitutional right, they'd probably 52, Omari Musa, Socialist Workers think people should get it right away." senatorial candidate, told the Militant, Even at 100,000 signatures the "Thanks to the worsening economic California law is still one of the most conditions, the two-party assault on restrictive in the country and poses Black rights so clearly shown by_ gigantic obstacles to candidates out­ recent events in Boston, and revela­ side of the Democratic and Republican tions of corruption in high places, parties. 'the signature requirement for confidence in the two capitalist parties capitalist party candidates remains is at an all-time low. the same-a whopping sixty-five sig­ "Restrictive election laws are de­ natures! signed to prevent such sentiments Howard Berman, majority floor from being expressed in the form of an leader in the assembly and a member independent labor party, or a Black or of the Edmund Brown for President Chicano party. campaign committee, argued in favor "Every working person in California of this discrimination. There is and has a stake in this fight. The passage Militant/Alex Chis should be an institutionalized bias in of AB 52 is an important first step in Omari Musa, socialist candidate for U.S. Senate. Lowering of state petitioning favor of the Democratic and Republi­ the campaign to open up the California requirements is 'first step in campaign to open up California ballot.' can parties, he said. ballot." Chicago congressional race

Metcalfe victory: a I! new day' for Blacks? By Andrew Pulley At the same time, I think it's CHICAGO-By a more than two-to­ important to look at what was behind one margin, Ralph Metcalfe won last the large vote for Metcalfe in this 90- month's Democratic primary election percent-Black district. Many Blacks in the First Congressional District supported Metcalfe as a way of oppos­ here. This primary battle between ing the Daley machine. They looked at Metcalfe, the incumbent, and Erwin the primary election as a test of France, who was put forward by the whether or not "Boss" Daley would regular Democratic organization continue to call the shots in terms of headed by Mayor Richard Daley, who gets elected fo Congress in the evoked much attention in Chicago and Black community. nationally. In his campaign, Metcalfe focused Many Black politicians and other on this issue of independence from the figures in the Black community have Daley machine. He said over and over acclaimed Metcalfe's renomination as again that Daley was out to get him because he was an "uppity nigger" and Andrew Pulley is the Socialist someone who "stood up" to Daley on Workers party candidate for United the issue of police brutality. States Congress in the First This helped reinforce the view of many Blacks that by voting for Met­ Congressional District in Chicago. calfe they would be supporting some­ one who would defend Black rights a major victory in the fight for Black and would fight for the right of Blacks freedom. Black newspaper columnists to control the politics of the Black have lauded it. On election night, community. Militant/Lee Gearhart Metcalfe himself proclaimed it a "peo­ DEMOCRATS' METCALFE: For two SWP'S PULLEY: 'The question is not ple's victory" and declared that "start­ Of course, Metcalfe will not live up to decades a loyal cog in Mayor Daley's just opposing the machine, but what do ing tonight, we will have a new day." either of these expectations. He is and machine. we replace it with?' In an article in the March 18 always has been a far cry from being Chicago Courier, Claude Lightfoot of "uppity." For two decades he was a the Illinois Communist party even loyal cog in the Daley machine, and as Jarrett, who backed France, spelled out Metcalfe's highly touted "break" went so far as to say, "The reelection such he consistently sabotaged the some revealing facts about Metcalfe in with the machine came only last year of Congressman Ralph Metcalfe in the fight for Black rights here in Chicago. his March 3 column. He recounted the when he endorsed one of Daley's First District is of historic signifi­ Even when he spoke out against the fact that Metcalfe actively sabotaged opponents, liberal Democrat William cance." (Emphasis in original.) brutality of Daley's cops a few years Martin Luther King's Chicago Singer, in the mayoral primary. It was My view of Metcalfe's victory is quite ago, he drew back from leading a real marches against Jim Crow housing. only then that Daley stripped Metcalfe different. I don't think that Ralph fight against city hall. Gus Savage, He explained that at the 1968 De­ of his patronage as third ward commit­ Metcalfe or any "other Democratic or Black editor of Chicago Weekend, who mocratic national convention in Chica­ teeman and refused to back him for · Republican party politician is going to went on to endorse Metcalfe, admitted go, Metcalfe voted against seating an reelection to Congress. bring "a new day" for Black people. that Metcalfe had "publically fought integrated Georgia delegation in place And now, after the primary, Metcalfe Metcalfe himself has a long history of against the forces of political libera­ of an all-white delegation led by Lester is making statements that he can work collaboration with the very forces that tion for Blacks for 20 years." Maddox. Metcalfe even appeared on . with Mayor Daley if the mayor returns are responsible for racist oppression. Chicago Tribune columnist Vernon television to justify this. Continued on page 26

14 Socialist tours U.S. colonr- Camejo hails Puerto Rico independence fight By Jim Little treated as major news here, even of harassment against it for several the socialist movement. SAN JUAN, P.R.-To listen to the though Puerto Ricans cannot cast a years." This was the first mention of At the University of Puerto Rico, for Democratic and Republican presiden- vote for president next November. All the FBI revelations in Puerto Rico's example, Camejo debated the subject tial candidates, you would never know four of the island's television stations tightly controlled colonial press. of guerrilla warfare with Louis Angel that the United States is still a colonial sent reporters to Camejo's San Juan The daily Claridad, reflecting the Torres, a leader of the Movimiento power. news conference, along with three views of the Puerto Rican Socialist Socialista Popular (MSP-People's But for Socialist Workers party daily newspapers and several radio party, reported Camejo's support for Socialist Movement). The debate was nominee Peter Camejo that fact is very stations. the proindependence demonstration sponsored by the MSP and its youth important, and for three days in April El Mundo, a major Puerto Rican slated for Philadelphia on July 4. affiliate, the Uni6n de Juventudes Camejo took his campaign to U.S. daily, noted that Camejo is the "first Claridad wrote, "Camejo condemned Socialistas (UJS-Union of Young imperialism's major and most Iuera- candidate for President of the United the assassination of Santiago Mari Socialists), and by the LIT and a tive colony-Puerto Rico. Camejo's States of Latin extraction." Camejo, Pesquera, oldest son of the general student group that supports the LIT, tour of the island was hosted by the born in New York City of Venezuelan secretary of the Puerto Rican Socialist the Alianza de Juventudes Socialistas Puerto Rican Liga Internacionalista de parents, speaks fluent Spanish. Party, Juan Mari Bras. . . . " (AJS-Young Socialist Alliance). Los Tra baj adores (LIT- The English-language San Juan Camejo later visited Mari Bras at his Torres argued that the only road for Internationalist Workers League), a Star reported April 8, "The Socialist office to personally express his condo- revolutionists in Latin America is new Trotskyist organization here. Workers Party (SWP) candidate for lences and solidarity. armed struggle as exemplified by the One of Camejo's major appearances president of the U.S. called his pres- Several television stations broadcast Tupamaros in Uruguay and guerrilla during the tour was on April 7 at the ence in Puerto Rico Wednesday 'an act portions of Camejo's news conference, organizations in Argentina, Chile, and University of Puerto Rico's Rio Piedras of solidarity with the independence and one station carried an interview elsewhere. He said that he riow op- campus. Camejo expressed solidarity movement.' " with him. poses participation in elections. Torres_ with the demand of immediate inde- The Star continued, "The party The tour also provided opportunities recently resigned as a member of the pendence for Puerto Rico. made headlines nationally last month for Camejo to exchange views with Puerto Rican legislature. He also discussed the current eco- with the revelation of official FBI activists in the women's liberation Camejo, author of a pamphlet enti- nomic crisis in the United States and documents that indicate that agency movement, student struggles, unions, tied Guevara's Guerrilla Strategy: A its impact on the lives of Blacks, had carried out a systematic campaign and supporters of other viewpoints in Critique and Some Proposals, replied Puerto Ricans, and Chicanos. The that a crucial task for revolutionists is more than 100 students at the meeting to win the support and confidence of could easily understand the worsening the oppressed masses. To do that, conditions in the United States, since Camejo contended, they must partici- Puerto Rican working people face the pate daily in the unions, on campuses, same problems to an even greater and other places where masses are degree. · involved in struggle. The real jobless rate in this U.S. Camejo stressed the importance of colony is a staggering 40 percent. constructing a revolutionary party While rents and prices for food, rooted in those struggles. services, and basic commodities in San Camejo thanked the LIT and MSP Juan often exceed those in New York, for organizing the debate, commenting wages are consistently lower. Puerto on the fraternal and democratic atmos- Rican workers make one-third to one- phere it provided for an exchange of half what workers in the United States views between socialists of differing make. viewpoints. More than 100 people Many students shared Camejo's attended the debate. view that socialism is the only answer for the crisis facing both the United During the tour, hundreds of people States and Puerto Rico. They were were able to hear Camejo speak, and interested in Camejo's argument that tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans American working people, oppressed either read about the tour or heard minorities, and women will be unable Camejo on telev.ision or radio. The to tackle their fundamental problems Liga Internacionalista de los Trabaja­ so long as they remain harnessed to dores distributed hundreds of copies of the two parties of big business and MilitanVJim Little Camejo's campaign platform in Span­ U.S. colonialism. Peter Camejo, Socialist Workers party presidential candidate, at San Juan news ish, and sold many copies of its own The U.S. presidential elections are conference. Camejo tour got widespread publicity. newspaper, La Verdad.

Poll bodes good year for socialist politics By Andrea Morell, director, Revolution," stat~s: With help from the Camejo & Reid 1976 campaign committee "The 'credibility gap' -that began How wfire doing '76 Campaign Fund, we can continue It's no secret that public confidence with Vietnam and escalated to un­ reaching working people with socialist in American political institutions has _precedented proportions with Water­ $10,000 June 30 solutions to the problems they face. plummeted in the past several years. gate represents in reality a crisis of Our goal is to raise $10,000 by June 30. Results of a recent Harris survey political confidence in the government, $9,000 This week, $1,687 was received from show the trend is continuing. After the beginning of a crisis of legitimacy. $8,000 supporters in Baltimore; Long Beach interviewing a national cross section "For the first time since the 1930s and Pasadena, California; Los An­ of 1,512 adults, pollsters concluded, tens of millions of American working $7,000 geles; New York; Newark; Portland, "Disaffection and alienation are ram- people not only disbelieve what the Oregon; Seattle; and Twin Cities. The $6,000 pant among a majority of the pub- rulers tell them but question the goals total at the end of the drive's second lie ...." and values of the ruling class.... Fed $5,000 week stands at $2,963. Here are some of the findings: by unrest over the current depression, Please send in the coupon below with • Sixty-one percent of those polled [this is] the greatest collapse in: public $4,000 your contribution. Any amount will be feel "the people running the country confidence since the Hoover adminis­ $3,000 appreciated nd put to good use right don't really care what happens to me." tration.... " April 17 away. • A record 63 percent believe "most Reaching working people who are $2,000 Make checks payable to Socialist questioning capitalist goals and values Workers 1976 National Campaign and attempting to win them to a $1,000 Committee, 14 Charles -Lane, New socialist perspective is just what the . 0 York, New York 10014. Camejo-Reid campaign is doing. Peter Camejo marched in the AFI.r Enclos~d is my contribution of $ _ . CIO jobs demonstration of 60,000 in Name ______people with power try to take advan­ Washington, D.C., April 26, 1975. tage of people such as myself." Nearly everyone Camejo spoke to Street _____; ______• More than two-thirds-68 agreed with him that the $100 billion ings, and supporters distributed 6,000 percent-agree with the charge that war budget should be used instead to copies of the campaign platform to the City------"the people in Washington, D.C., are provide jobs and services. Campaign 9,000 delegates. State, ___~..

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 15 Campaigning for Socialism REID ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN Federation of Teachers; and William announced at a banquet and rally held LOS ANGELES... :Socialist Work­ Cappuccino, president of the Metro in Cleveland April 10, according to ers party vice-presidential candidate State College Associated Students. · Militant correspondent Mary Zins. Willie Mae Reid was the featured Messages of solidarity were received Nearly 100 people from across Ohio speaker at a Los Angeles campaign from Germain Aragon, a member of attended. rally April 10. the Casa del Barrio community center; Melissa Singler, SWP candidate for The rally, att•Jnded by 175 people, Everett Chavez of the Concerned U.S. Senate, chaired the rally. "To­ was sponsored by the four SWP Citizens for Equal Education; Juan morrow I and several of my campaign branches in Los Angeles. The forma­ Haro, a leader of the Crusade for supporters will be moving to Cincinna­ tion of a fifth branch was announced Justice; Woman to Woman Bookstore ti to join supporters already there in at the event-this one in the San Collective; and F11ank Dillon of the establishing a new SWP branch," Fernando Valley-Pacoima area. American Indian Movement. Singler said. She also announced plans Reid blasted the Democratic and for a new Toledo branch. Republican candidates, who have eith­ NEW CAMPAIGN MATERIALS During the rally, a film was shown er excused or equivocated on Jimmy AVAILABLE: Several new materials on the massive demonstrations Carter's racist defense of the "ethnic have been prepared recently for use by against unemployment in Toledo in purity" of white neighborhoods. She supporters of the Peter Camejo and 1934. It included clips of Art Preis and blamed these capitalist politicians for Willie Mae Reid campaign. A new Ted Selander, two leaders of the creating an atmosphere in this country poster reproduces the photograph of protests, addressing the marchers. that spawns violence against Blacks. Boston racists attacking Black lawyer Preis and Selander joined the revolu­ Several defense committees were Jill Fein speaking at Houston Women's Theodore Landsmark with a flagpole. tionary socialist movement soon after­ represented at the rally. Among those Political Caucus convention in March. The poster's text reads: "200 Years of wards. present were leaders of the Committee Racism is Enough! Vote Socialist George Novack, noted Marxist au­ for Justice for Barry Evans. Two of the Workers; Join the Socialist Workers thor and SWP leader, was a featured rally speakers were Ellery Allen, moth­ Party." speaker at the rally. er of Philip Allen, a Black youth were impressed by Fein's outspoken This black, green, and white poster framed up on charges of murdering a support for an affirmative-action hir­ is available for ten cents each or six cop, and Michele Simms, sister-in-law ing program for county workers and cents each on orders of ten or more. of Gary Tyler, a Louisiana Black youth her support for free county abortion A new campaign brochure entitled MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN OFF also framed up for murder. clinics. Fein is a member of the "The Fight for Black Equality" is also AND RUNNING: Eighty people U.S senatorial candidate Omari Houston Teachers Association, the available for two cents each. attended a Detroit rally April 3 spon­ Musa chaired the rally program, which Women's Caucus of the National To order, write: Socialist Workers sored by the Michigan SWP campaign. included Virginia Garza and Margaret Education Association, and the Coali­ 1976 Campaign Committee, 14 Charles National campaign cochairperson Ed Mora, socialist candidates for U.S. tion of Labor Union Women. Lane, New York, New York 10014. Heisler spoke at the event. Congress and the L.A. County Board A countermotion to back Fein's Michigan socialists are running a of Supervisors, and Andres Torres, opponent, liberal Democrat and incum­ OHIO SOCIALISTS PLAN EX­ full slate of candidates. U.S. senatorial California state chairperson of La bent Tom Bass, failed. In 1973 Bass PANSION: Plans for the expansion of candidate Paula Reimers urged the Raza U nida party. voted against county-funded abortion the Ohio socialist movement were rally participants to attend the upcom­ clinics. ing May 16 march for the Equal Rights . . • AND IN BERKELEY: Reid also Amendment in Springfield, Illinois . campaigned in Berkeley during her PROTEST NIGHT-RIDING AS­ Reimers is second vice-president of California tour, speaking at a cam­ SAULT ON SOCIALIST OFFICES Local 2000, American Federation of paign rally there March 27 along with IN DENVER: A protest meeting was Teachers. Walter Merlino from the Berkeley held in Denver April 9 to call for a The Michigan SWP is also running Federation of Teachers. complete investigation of a shotgun Black hospital worker B.R. Washing­ Reid also attended an informal assault on the offices of the SWP ton against U.S. Rep. John Conyers. gathering with members of Women in campaign four days earlier. John Hawkins, Mark Severs, Don Struggle, a socialist-feminist group at At the meeting, Priscilla Schenk, Bechler, and Christy Wallace are also the University of California at Berke­ SWP candidate for U.S. Congress, running in four other congressional ley, and met with members of the demanded that those responsible for races. Berkeley High School African Student the attack be arrested, prosecuted, and SWP members Al Duncan and Steve Alliance. punished. Beumer are running in the so-called Several prominent Denver citizens nonpartisan election for the Region 7 Hv .1STON SOCIALIST WINS FE­ have sent a letter to Mayor W.H. School Board. The two are backing the MINISTS' BACKING: The Harris McNichols demanding action on the appeal by the Detroit NAACP of the (\)unty Women's Political Caucus case. They include U.S. Rep. Patricia city's recent court-ordered desegrega­ v ·ted April 7 to endorse Jill Fein, SWP Schroeder; city council member Bill tion plan. Pointing out the inadequa­ c~n·didate for county commissioner, Roberts; Mary Fox, president of the k Lord cies of the order, the NAACP appeal Precinct 1. Women's Caucus of the Golorado PRISCILLA SCHENK: Demands arrest contends that cross-district busing is Militant correspondent Penny Smith Education Association; Ed Augden, and prosecution of those responsible for necessary to provide truly equal educa­ reports that many caucus members executive board member of the Den'Ver shotgun assault. tion. -Steve Clark Wide backing for SWP slate at N.Y. rally By Sally Rhett "We need a united effort against the Black man like Robb inspires me. I the formation of a Bronx branch and NEW YORK-"When election day cuts," she said. "We need a mass party, think it's impressive for him to get up campaign committee. comes, I'm not going to vote for based on the trade unions, which could and expose the roots of injustice in this Other speakers at the rally included Reagan or Carter, I'm going. to vote go on fighting 365 days a year-a country. And I know that when you Candy Wagner of the CCNY Young Socialist Workers!" Mark McDonough, labor party." expose the roots of evil, it'll die. We're Socialist Alliance, and Cathy Sedwick, vice-president of the Day Student It was evident that other community just going to fight 'em like hell; it's just coordinator of the New York Student Senate at City College of New York, activists and students speaking at the that simple." Ruthann Miller, SWP Coalition Against Racism. was a speaker at the Upper West Side rally shared her feeling about the SWP candidate for state assembly in New Socialist Workers campaign rally of campaign. York's Seventieth Assembly District, some 100 supporters April 11. McDo­ Clara DeMiha, a lifelong activist in also addressed the rally. nough is running for student govern­ social struggles and current editor of The internationalism of the Socialist ment vice-president on the Young the Feminist Times, said, "Here I Workers campaign was applauded by Socialist Alliance slate in upcoming stand for your campaign. Each of us Bernard Wiltshire, speaking for the elections at CCNY. carries our own little campaign around Desmond Trotter defense. Wiltshire He said he had been impressed by in our hearts, and they add up to the explained that international protests the YSA' s role in building a democratic big campaign--:against the capitalist had helped win the reprieve from coalition to fight the cutbacks in the system. hanging for Desmond Trotter, a Black city university system, and in forcing "When I started sixty years ago, I leader on the island of Dominica. the CCNY student government to call thought I was in the right field, Wiltshire said, "I'm a socialist from a mass demonstration· against the cuts supporting the Russian revolution. I'm another country who wishes you well in Albany in March. glad to see you all here, beginning your in your campaign. I think the SWP Marcia Gallo, Socialist Workers struggle to make the American revolu­ showed commendable international party candidate for U.S. Senate in New tion. We have a revolutionary tradition spirit in helping to get out the word on York, was the keynote speaker. Gallo in this country." Desmond Trotter. I think the cause of emphasized the urgent need for a Rev. Fred Kirkpatrick, a songwriter socialism has benefited in the Caribbe- massive response to the cutbacks in and performer who has been active in an because of your help, and we are education and social services. She the civil rights movement for many counting on the continued support of explained that the Socialist Workers years, spoke after SWP congressional the SWP in the fight to free Desmond campaign 'is a focal point for bringing candidate Robb Wright, who is oppos­ Trotter." Militant/Susan Ellis together those who support the idea of ing Charles Rangel in the Nineteenth At the rally, it was also announced MARCIA GALLO: 'We need a mass party building a labor response to the city Congressional District race this year. that the SWP would be expanding its based on the trade unions-a labor attack. Kirkpatrick said, "Seeing a young campaign efforts into the Bronx, with party.'

16 West Bank P-rotests continue Israeli troops kill six-year-old Palestinian A six-year-old Palestinian boy fell for their political activities. victim to Israeli rifle fire in the The student youth who spearheaded occupied West Bank town of Ramallah a two-month-long wave of protests on April 17. against the Israeli occupation in Feb­ Two days later another Arab was ruary and March were not eligible to killed and two were wounded in Na­ vote. Nevertheless, militant slates won blus, the largest city on the West Bank, control of the municipal governments and another was wounded in nearby in Nablus, Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin. These shootings occurred when Tulkarm-the first-, second-, fourth-, Israeli troops fired into demonstrators and fifth-largest towns on the West protesting a provocative Zionist march Bank. The nationalists also won in across the West Bank. several smaller towns. At least eight Palestinians have The result came despite Israeli in­ been shot dead by Israeli forces since timidation and threats. Dr. Ahmad February. During this time the West Hamzi Natshi of Hebron and Dr. Bank has been rocked by a wave of Abdul Azziz Haj Ahmed of Al Bira protests against the Zionist occupation were candidates -for mayor in their and settlement of the land seized from respective cities. Both were deported by Jordan during the 1967 war. the Israeli occupiers March 27 because On April 18, 30,000 Zionist zealots, of their support for the PLO. some armed with submachine guns, Commenting on the West Bank rifles, and revolvers, began a two-day, situation, the April 12 issue of the twenty-mile procession through the British Financial Times noted: West Bank. They aimed to terrorize Angry Palestinians at burial of one of their people murdered by Israeli rifle fire and intimidate the native Palestinians, Israel's international standing could well be affected by developments on the West as well as pressure the Israeli regime Bank. Foreign governments that have to step up settlement of the occupied hitherto acquiesced in Israel's occupation, lands. Arab boy, Ramallah had been the and white-the color of the Palestinian in the hope that this would be a bargaining March sponsors termed the proces­ scene of a sweeping electoral victory flag. card for a Middle East settlement, will be sion "an answer" to the massive Arab by Palestinian nationalists. The day before the election Khalaf less tolerant if the Israeli regime becomes strike that hit Israel and the West "Could the message be more clear? told Washington Post correspondent openly repressive of political dissent by the· Bank on March 30. "'fhe vote shows the whole world Thomas W. Lippman, "We are for the local population. In any case, it is doubtful A funeral procession for the slain that the West Bankers are Palestinians PLO [Palestine Liberation Organiza­ how long Israel could afford to hold down a Palestinian youth on April 18 turned who want to establish their own tion], we say it in our speeches, and hostile West Bank without undermining its into a protest against both the killing national entity and put an end to the that is the issue." ability to meet threats on other fronts. and the Zionist march; Mourners Israeli occupation." Palestinian nationalists swept the carrying signs reading "No march-no That was the way Karim Khalaf, the municipal elections, which were held A more vivid description of Tel settlement" were marching from the mayor of Ramallah, explained the in twenty-four towns containing just Aviv's predicament was given to cemetery to the Ramallah town square April 12 vote in the Israeli-occupied under half of the West Bank popula­ Washington Post reporter Lippman by when Israeli troops opened fire. Al­ West Bank. Khalafs "National Bloc" tion. The new council members include a Palestinian village leader on March though nobody was reported wounded, slate, which won eight of the nine one man currently imprisoned by the 27. "Israel," the Arab said, "is like a the shots succeeded in breaking up the seats on the Ramallah city council as Israeli authorities as a leader of the dog that has tried to swallow too big a protest. well as the mayor's office, printed its outlawed Palestine National' Front, bone. She cannot get it down but she Five days before the murder of the campaign posters green, black, red, and five who have served prison terms cannot spit it out either." Panama regime exiles foe of U.S. domination By Nelson Blackstock the limits and fail to respect other officer confiscated Bernal's passport, The regime in Panama has exiled a persons who, much more than he, are money, and all his documents. well-known opponent of U.S. control of struggling in a real and true way to Myrna Castilleros, Bernal's wife, has the Panama Canal, according to a plant the Panamanian flag and sover­ been forced to remain in Panama to statement released April 19 by the eignty over the Canal Zone." work to support their two small chil­ United States Committee for Justice to Bernal replied that it was his right to dren. Latin American Political Prisoners protest against injustices and that he USLA reports that Bernal "has been (USLA). did "not have to ask somebody's per­ left stranded, without funds and with State Security Police (G-2) arrested mission." difficult prospects." Dr. Miguel Antonio Bernal on Febru­ Last January Torrijos moved ary 18 and deported him the following against opponents 'of his proposed In its statement USLA urged "all ·day to Guayaquil, Ecuador. treaty with Washington. Demagogical­ supporters of democracy and elemen­ No official explanation for this ly charging that there was a conspira­ tary human decency to protest this action has been forthcoming from the cy between the "revolutionary Marx­ open and blatant case of political regime of Gen. Omar Torrijos. ists" and the extreme right, Torrijos persecution. Demands that Dr. Bernal Dr. Bernal, a professor at the Univer­ rounded up and deported a dozen be allowed to return to his own country sity of Panama, taught international critics. Among these were two Social should be addressed to the Panamani­ law and political science. Bernal was Democratic lawyers, including the an Embassy, 2862 McGill Terrace NW, also an editor of Dialogo Social, owner of Radio Iniciativa, which was Washington, D.C. 20008." Dr. Miguel Antonio Bernal, who Panama's only magazine. closed. Copies of messages of protest should demands the return of canal to Panama, Bernal attacked U.S. colonialism in Also deported were several mer­ be sent to USLA, 853 Broadway, Room Panama both in the pages of Dialogo was exiiM by.... chants; four ranchers; and a senior 414, New York, New York 10003. Social and on a weekly radio program executive of the Chase Manhattan broadcast on Radio Iniciativa. Bank, a former Panamanian minister "It is clear that I have been sent into revolutionary socialist, according to of finance. exile from my own country because I USLA, calls for the return of the canal Bernal was out of the country in defended publicly the rights of the to Panama. In addition, Bernal de­ January. A.ccording to a report in the Panamanian people against U.S. impe­ mands the removal of the extensive Ecuadorian press, Bernal was to have rialism, especially in relation to the network of U.S. military bases in been deported at that time and is canal," Dr. Bernal recently told a Panama, which he says are aimed charged with having "contact with USLA representative. against the rest of Latin America and members of the extreme right." The February 20 issue of Telegrafo, the Caribbean. Bernal was picked up by G-2 when an Ecuadorian daily, reported that Government threats against him he arrived at the Panama airport on Bernal denounced the Torrijos regime began, Bernal told USLA, when he the morning of February 18. for exiling him in order to "suppress participated in a demonstration of G-2 agents, who detained Bernal in a criticism from the left that rejects 5,000 in front of the American embassy barracks near the airport until the compromise over the canal question." last September. At that time a G-2 following day, threatened his life for a Bema] has a reputation in Panama officer threatened Bernal's life. second time. as an outspoken critic of the 'forrijos Bernal exposed the threat over Radio Placing a pistol between his eyes, a dictatorship, especially its proposal to Iniciativa. In a response broadcast on G-2 agent told him, "I'm more revolu­ renegotiate the canal treaty with television, Foreign Relations Minister tionary than you are. You are just an Washington. Torrijos wants to leave Juan Antonio Tack said that Bernal intelectualitQ [petty intellectual] and the United States in control of the had nothing to fear from "a regime I'm a policeman!" canal until the year 2000. that totally respects his freedom of Before turning him over to Ecuadori­ Bernal, who . describes himself as a action, insofar as he does not exceed an authorities in Guayaquil, a G-2

THE MJLITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 17 Partial victorY. in gretrial hearing Dennis Banks fights Ore. frame-up By Judith Menschenfreund had fled the state because he feared for Indian Reservation. She had been shot PORTLAND, Ore.-American Indi­ his life and because he could not get in the back of the head. an Movement leader Dennis Banks justice in South Dakota courts. The After the two court appearances, pleaded not guilty to illegal possession judge ruled Banks could remain free on Banks spoke to more than 100 support­ of firearms and explosives at an April bond pending disposition of the extra­ ers in front of the county courthouse. 13 arraignment in federal court here. dition request. He said the case was a frame-up. "This Along with AIM members Kamook Banks's claim that his life would be is the first time I've been in Oregon in Banks, Kenneth Loudhawk, and in danger in South Dakota is tragical­ my life." Russell Redner, Dennis Banks is ly bostered by the brutal murder of Banks also reported that 25,000 scheduled to go on trial May 12 before Anna Mae Aquash, who was to have signatures on petitions asking the U.S. District Court Judge Robert Bello­ been one of the defendants in the governor of Oregon to block the extra­ ni. upcoming federal trial. dition had already been collected. Several dozen people picketed out­ Aquash was sent back from Oregon In addition, plans were announced side and about fifty others filled the to South Dakota last November, where for a May 8 demonstration to demand courtroom while the hearing was in she was released on her own recogni­ that Banks not be extradited and that progress. zance pending a different trial. Then charges against all defendants be The charges against the four stem she disappeared. dropped. An April 3 demonstration in from a November 14, 1975, incident in M Her body was found three months Portland with similar demands drew Ochs at 1967 antiwar protest eastern Oregon. Acting on information later in a ravine on the Pine Ridge 400 people. from the FBI, state police stopped two vehicles on the pretext that they were looking for Dennis Banks, who at the Phil Ochs: time had been declared a fugitive. Four people were arrested: Redner, Loudhawk, Kamook Banks, and Anna singer for Mae Aquash. Police claimed that two others, Dennis Banks and Leonard Peltier, managed to escape. Three days after the arrests, the FBI justice and announced it had "found" seven boxes of dynamite in one of the vehicles. The four defendants won an impor­ freedom tant pretrial victory April 1 when Judge Belloni ruled "any and all By Jose Perez evidence" about the dynamite inad­ Phil Ochs, performer and topical missible at the trial. songwriter, committed suicide in New The judge acted on a defense motion York April 9. Ochs was a regular that said the evidence should be performer at antiwar protests during suppressed because Oregon cops had the 1960s and 1970s. destroyed the dynamite shortly after Ochs was part of the generation that its "discovery" was announced. was in college at the time of the Cuban Dennis Banks is also fighting extra­ revolution. Like many other young dition to South Dakota. He fled that people, Ochs was inspired by the state after his conviction on trumped­ victory of the Cuban rebels over the up charges in July 1975. He was Batista tyranny. When Washington arrested in California in January of began its diplomatic. economic, and this year. then military aggression, Ochs was After the hearing on the federal case, one of those who rallied to the defense Banks went before a Multnomah of the revolution. County circuit court judge for a prelim­ Ochs was studying journalism at inary hearing on South Dakota's Ohio State University and was on the unlawful-flight charge. staff of the Lantern, the campus paper. Banks's lawyers explained that he Portland demonstrators demand freedom for American Indian Movement defendants. He was in line to become editor, but then he wrote an article defending Cuba. When he was told he couldn't be editor because of his views, he dropped out of college in protest. ~I'll teach them how to hate!' After leaving the university, he began performing in the Cleveland area. He worked with the Fair Play for Gerald L.K. Smith: American fascist· Cuba Committee there and sang at fund-raising affairs for the group. By Fred Feldman later the American Nazi party. a movement for improved old-age In the early 1960s he went to New Gerald L. K. Smith, a leader of During World War II, he began pensions, the unions struck back. The York, where he performed in Green­ American fascist groups for more than publishing The Cross and the Flag, CIO, Jewish organizations, the Social­ wich Village coffeehouses and recorded forty years, died April 15. He was and later he formed the Christian ist Workers party, and the Communist his first albums. His songs were seventy-eight years old. Nationalist Crusade. "Religion and party organized a mass rally of 14,000 frequently satirical commentaries on Smith, a fundamentalist preacher, patriotism, keep them going on that," against Smith on July 20, 1945. the events of the day, inspired by the gave up his pulpit in the early years of he once said. "It's the only way you On October 18, more than 20,000 civil rights movement, free-speech the depression of the 1930s to work for can really get them het up .... Cer­ persons marched outside a rally where fights, and, later, the anti-Vietnam the Louisiana demagogue Huey Long. tain nerve centers in the population Smith was speaking. Smith gave up War protests. After Long's 'assassination in 1935, will begin to twitch-and the people his organizing drive in Los Angeles. One composition was "Love Me, I'm Smith emerged as a fascist orator and will start fomenting and fermenting, In Minneapolis, Smith's goons at­ a Liberal," a caustic attack on the organizer. He combined the "populist" and then a fellow like myself . . . will tacked some of the 1,500 picketers who hypocrisy of liberals on questions social demagogy that had character­ have the people with him hook, line, were protesting outside one of his ranging from anticommunist witch­ ized Long with anti-Semitic, anti­ and sinker. I'll teach them how to meetings. The ensuing .battle routed hunts to Malcolm X to busing. Black, and antilabor tirades. hate!" Smith's supporters and brought a Another was "The Ballad of William Smith's demagogy was carefully At the end of World War II, rich quick end to his efforts in that city. Worthy," about a Black journalist who tailored to appeal to the victims of patrons provided Smith with the finan­ was persecuted for the crime of going capitalism without endangering capi­ cial backing needed for a national However, with the decline of labor to Cuba without State Department talism itself. recruiting drive. Big business wanted militancy and the- beginning of the approval. In an essay on Huey Long in the to build up the fascist groups as part of witch-hunt, Smith found a new field of Many songs had U.S. militarism as anthology As We Saw the Thirties, he an all-out effort to smash the unions. activity. He was a major organizer of their target, including "Cops of the wrote, "The villains in the American Smith was proud of his association support for U.S. Sen. Joseph McCar­ World," "Talking Cuban Crisis," and economy . . . were not big business­ with industrial magnates like Henry thy's anticommunist crusade. "The Marines Have Landed on the men who had attained their wealth by Ford. "I found in Mr. Ford a great With the downfall of McCarthy in Shores of Santo Domingo." blood, sweat, and tears. The real friend," he once wrote. 1954 and the relative social stability He was part of the antiwar move­ villains were the barons and overlords Smith tried to build a veterans resulting from capitalist boom, Smith's ment from its inception. His 1963 "I who had come into plutocratic power movement at this time that could be star went into eclipse. -- Ain't Marchin' Anymore" was one of by financial manipulations, monopo­ used to break strikes. Preying on the Despite his claimed identification the first protest songs of the war, and listic controls, and nonproductive eco­ veterans' fears of postwar unemploy­ with the "little man," Smith amassed a for a decade he performed at numerous nomic chicanery." ment, Smith promised to get them each fortune through his fascist activities. rallies, teach-ins and marches. Smith studied the methods of Hitler at least $1,000 for a year or more of According to the April 16, 1976, New For the past five or six years Ochs and often expressed admiration for service. He also proposed deporting York Times, Smith had "sumptuous hadn't recorded any new albums or him. However, he sought to build an Black people to Africa, and lambasted homes in Los Angeles, Tulsa, Okla., written new songs. "Phil had been American fascist movement and "Jewish financiers" and the "Commu­ and Eureka Springs, Ark.; a collection very depressed for a long time," a avoided the slavish imitation of Hitler­ nist CIO." of antiques with an insured value of friend said. "Mainly, the words weren't ism that limited the appeal of groups In Los Angeles, where Smith hoped $500,000 and his ' own printing coming to him anymore." like the German-American Bund and to get a base through an alliance with plant.... "

18 A WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE MILITANT BASED ON SELECTIONS FROM INTERCONTINENTAL PRESS, A NEWSMAGAZINE REFLECTING THE VIEWPOINT OF REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISM

APRIL 30, 1976

e!.Y.ushch featured on P-anel What strategy to defend Soviet dissidents? MilitanVKendall Green By Marilyn Vogt tions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Plyushch, speaking, and other panelists (from left): Berrigan, Baraheni, Paley, The victims of the Kremlin bureau­ Thompson, and Saunders. Leonid Plyushch was the featured crats, he said, are the ones who really speaker at a panel discussion on "The represent the defense of the right to Left and the Soviet Union" held April self-determination for oppressed peo­ 3 in New York. ples. They are the true international­ was a broad left defense of Soviet initiated by the Bertrand Russell Peace Other panelists were British histori­ ists. dissidents possible, as projected by Foundation in 1974 and 1975, focusing an E.P. Thompson; author and peace On the kind of defense these dissi­ Plyushch; "it is the only proper way to on freeing Mustafa Dzhemilev, Vladi­ activist Grace Paley; Daniel Berrigan, dents want, he said: "They have not defend these political prisoners." mir Bukovsky, Semyon Gluzman, and a well-known figure in the anti­ been blinded by hatred of Russia and Defense work, he maintained) should V alentyn Moroz. Vietnam War movement; the Iranian do not want to be supported by anti­ not be linked with the organs or During the discussion period, several poet and former political prisoner Reza Soviet, chauvinist states." politicians of the capitalist class. He persons argued that the left must first Baraheni; and George Saunders, editor Grace Paley spoke of her experiences gave four reasons for this. agree on the nature of Soviet society of the book Samizdat: Voices of the when she met with Soviet dissident First, when people like the Jacksons, before /undertaking to defend Soviet Soviet Opposition. physicist Andrei Sakharov in 1974. Fords, Humphreys, and Nixons-those political prisoners. Baraheni said that as a former She was in Moscow at the time, responsible for such things as the E.P. Thompson responded by saying political prisoner of the shah he serving as a representative of the War massive bombing of Vietnam-say that what is involved in defense work solidarized himself with the Turkish­ Resisters League at the World Peace they are for the rights o{ Soviet is fighting for the right of the Soviet speaking fighter in the Soviet Union, Conference. She explained to Sakharov dissidents, they are obviously hypocrit­ people themselves to decide such ques­ Crimean Tatar Mustafa Dzhemilev. the murderous foreign policy of the ical. "They are only expressing their tions. We do not, he said, have to agree Dzhemilev was jailed by the Stalinist U.S. government in Vietnam, Chile, ultimate hope to someday extend the on th~t among ourselves beforehand. bureaucrats because of his defense of and elsewhere. power of the American war machine Plyushch's opinion was that "the the rights of the Crimean Tatar people. Daniel Berrigan described some face­ into new territory." question [of the nature of Soviet Three questions were taken up by the to-face meetings he had with Soviet Second, he said, if defense work is society] is so complicated that we panelists: "Is a broad-based left-wing officials as a representative of the linked with the capitalist class, "the cannot solve it right here. We must defense of Soviet political prisoners American peace movement. He told Stalinist propaganda machine will keep in mind the question of the possible? What is the nature of Soviet them he was against the persecution of have the truth on its side if it rejects political prisoners. We must under­ society? What is the nature of the . dissidents in the USSR. They replied the · protests of the Jacksons and stand the nature of the Soviet state but dissident movement in the USSR?" that the dissidents were merely "para­ exposes their real intentions." for that we need a special discussion Plyushch directed part of his re­ sites" and "criminals." Berrigan ex­ However, if those who are protesting on that one question." marks toward leftists who think that plained that government officials also are real defenders of democratic rights, Saunders stated that what makes the USSR is "heaven on earth." called protesters in the United States people like Joan Baez, and Daniel the defense a "left" defense is deter­ He said: "The USSR is a prison for by such names. Berrigan said we have Ellsberg, the Stalinist propaganda mined not by agreement on a particu­ peoples and individuals; a deceitful, seen betrayed revolutions in both the machine cannot simply dismiss their lar "left" definition of Soviet society police-run, bureaucratic, exploitative USA and the USSR and that Ameri­ protests, and the · Soviet people will but by who is doing the defending. system. . . . We must look truth in the can dissidents must support Soviet know that the protests are not simply "If the representatives of the civil­ face." dissidents who are working for a new part of the preparation for World War rights movement, the Black and wom­ Among other things, he pointed to beginning. III. en's liberation movements, the stu­ the crushing of the proletarian revolu- George Saunders held that not only Third, as a result of the Watergate dents, and all oppressed nationalities revelations and the exposure of CIA in this country, and the rank-and-file and FBI activities, the American trade unionist movement speak out, people suspect the intentions of capi­ they are objectively opposed to the talist politicians. However, they will capitalist class of this country and are Kangaroo court convicts Dzhemilev respond to a. movement that rejects not linked to the imperialist war any implication of subordination to the Moscow regime, flew to Omsk to machine. That is what makes it a left On April 15 a Soviet court in the such figures or furthering their aims. defense." Siberian city of Omsk sentenced attend the trial but were refused Fourth, if the left makes a bloc with He added that a rich literature is Crimean admittance by police. When the Tatar . leader Mustafa cold warriors, it "lets the American available on the nature of Soviet Dzhemilev to two and a half years guards roughed up Andrei Sakhar­ Communist party off the hook." There society resulting from the debate the in a labor camp on charges of "anti­ ov, he slapped one or two of them. are, however, many people around and left has carried out on the topic since .. According to Yelena Sakharov, both Soviet slander." even within the American Communist the 1920s. This is not a problem that Dzhemilev has faced constant she and her husband were detained party who felt the pressure when the can be solved in one night. It requires twice and beaten by the police. harassment by Kremlin authorities Italian and French Communist parties study and an individual decision. for his activities in defense of the spoke out in defense of Soviet political The meeting was sponsored by the It is not yet known whether right of the Tatars to return to their prisoners. A left-wing defense in the Committee -for the Defense of Soviet charges will be filed against the homeland in the Crimea, from United States can intensify that pres­ Political Prisoners, and endorsed by which they were deported by Stalin Sakharovs. sure, and many rank-and-file trade­ Americans for Democratic Action, the Also on April 15, Andrei Tver­ in 1944. The conviction marks union members, civil-rights activists, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, dokhlebov, secretary of the Soviet Dzhemilev's fourth term of impris­ and democratic-minded people can be Democratic Socialist Organizing Com­ branch of Amnesty International, onment. The latest charges against won to active support for Soviet mittee, the· Jewish Socialist Youth was sentenced to five years of him were filed while he was stilL political prisoners. Bund, Socialist Party U.S.A., War internal exile. Like Dzhemilev, Tver­ serving his third term. Saunders called for the left to mobi­ Resisters League, New Politics maga­ Soviet dokhlebov was charged with "anti­ physicist Andrei Sakharov lize for international days of protest zine, and the New York Review of and his wife Yelena, opponents of Soviet slander." like those held as a result of the call Books. ·

19 World Outlook

Part 2--Revolution to bureaucratic reaction The oppression of Soviet Jews under Stalinism By David Frankel against anti-Semitism, William Korey papers in the Ukraine. Jewish schol­ barbaric past. writes in The Soviet Cage: Anti­ ars, writers, and poets enjoyed facili­ The Bolsheviks had never expected [Second in a series] Semitism in Russia: ties for creative activity."4 to build a socialist society within the A similar picture is given by Ben Although the reformist opponents of confines of backward Russia. They During the twenties and especially in the Ami in Between Hammer and Sickle: the Bolsheviks within the workers latter part of that decade, the regime thought that the example of the movement cannot be accused of lead­ continued to make strong efforts to contain In the twenties, the thirties, and, to a October revolution would soon be ing pogroms, many of them collaborat­ the virus of anti-Jewish bigotry. The certain extent, even in the early forties, followed by the working class in the ed with the pogromists, or else refused RSFSR Criminal Code of 1922 provided a throughout the Soviet Union, but mainly in more advanced industrial countries of to take a stand against them. Zvi minimum of one year's solitary confine­ the heavily Jewish areas of the Ukraine Europe, especially Germany. When the ment (and death m time of war) for and Belorussia, there were still hundreds of wave of revolutionary uprisings in Gitelman, discussing the situation in "agitation and propaganda arousing na­ Jewish schools whose language of instruc­ ·the Ukraine, gives a telling example in Europe that followed World War I was tional enmities and dissensions." The tion was Yiddish, and which were attended defeated, the reaction was felt in the his book Jewish Nationality and Criminal Code of 1927 was even more by tens of thousands of students. A flourish­ Soviet Politics. land of the soviets as well. encompassing. . . .Even the mere posses­ ing, widely read Yiddish press existed, The defeats in Europe, combined The Mensheviks still had a majority sion of hate literature was subject to ·the which included dailies, weeklies, monthlies, with the poverty of the country; demor­ in the Ukrainian soviets at the time of above penalties. If the appropriate section and so on. There were dozens of Yiddish the October revolution. They re­ of the criminal codes was infrequently theaters where both original and translated alized and discouraged many who had sponded to the revolution by declaring invoked and if severe sentences for anti­ plays were staged and in which many once been revolutionists. People began an independent Ukraine under the Semitic offenses were rare, nonetheless talented actors performed. There were turning inward, worrying ~bout their government of the Rada (Soviet). educational campaigns were energetically Jewish choral ensembles, as well as dance individual problems. This was the conducted by Party organs, and various and musical groups. Thousands of Yiddish Gitelman writes: basis for the formation of a bureaucrat­ pedagogical efforts were undertaken. Close books, printed in hundreds of thousands of ic apparatus motivated by the pursuit In December 1917 the Rada's Vice­ to a hundred books and brochures-an copies, were published. . . .5 of privilege, not by any revolutionary Secretary for Jewish Affairs, Moishe Zilber­ extraordinary number-dealing with anti­ principles or theory. In December 1924 farb, urged the members of the Central Semitism were published by state organs. a Stalinist reaction Joseph Stalin gave this emerging Rada to take effective measures against the social formation a "theoretical" rally­ pogroms, and Bundist representatives tried The policy of the Soviet regime in the But all these efforts took place in a to have resolutions passed by the Rada 1920s was not limited to the struggle wretchedly poor, peasant country, one ing point with his concept of building condemning pogroms. But the Rada was against anti-Semitism. "During the that was surrounded by a hostile "socialism in one country." afraid of antagonizing its local organs, first period of the communist regime world. Even in the best of circum­ The political essence of the Stalinist which it could not effectively control any­ Jewish cultural life was encouraged. In stances it would have taken many reaction, which was eventually to wipe way, and it did not want to risk losing mass 1925 there were 250 Jewish schools in years to overcome the heritage of the out virtually the entire generation of support by condemning anti-Jewish out­ the Ukraine. There was an institute of Bolshevik fighters who led the party breaks. Anti-Semitism manifested itself Jewish culture in the Ukrainian through the October revolution and the even in the central government. In January civil war, was the rejection of the 1918 it was proposed to the Rada that all Academy of Science. A number of Jewish theatrical companies existed. 4. Lionel Kochan, ed., The Jews in Soviet prospect and necessity of international those who had settled in Kiev during the revolution-the basis of Marxist previous two years-in effect, Jewish war In 1935 there were ten Yiddish news- Russia Since 1917, 2nd ed. (London: Oxford University Press, 1972), p. 38. internationalism-and the reassertion refugees-be expelled. 1] of Russian nationalism. There was no 3. William Korey, The Soviet Cage: Anti­ 5. Ben Ami, Between Hammer and Sickle The Ukraine was occupied by Ger­ Semitism in Russia (New York: Viking (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society way that the Jews-previously the man forces from February 1918 to the Press, 1973), p. 65. of America, 1967), pp. 25-6. chief victims of the reactionary policies autumn of that year. After their of Great Russian chauvinism-could withdrawal Somon Petliura, a member be expected to escape the effects of its of the original Rada, set up a new revival. government with French support. The Through one of the grim ironies of Bund had remained in the Rada, and history, although the Jews were vic­ many in it would have liked to support tims of Stalinism, they were also Petliura as well against the Bolshe­ blamed by many for the miseries viks, but, as Gitelman notes, "As time caused by the bureaucracy. During the went on, it became clear that Jews years of the revolution and the civil could not support the Petliura regime." war, J~ws had flocked into the Com­ Along with the rest of the counter­ munist party and also into the newly revolution, Petliura's armies made it a opened positions in the Soviet state. practice to massacre Jews Although Jews were less than 2 percent of the Soviet population follow­ Bolsheviks ing the establishment of independent The refusal of the Bolsheviks to bow states in Poland and Lithuania, they to anti-Semitism during the civil war were 5.2 percent of the Soviet Com­ was an important test. While fighting munist party in 1925. At the fourteenth for its very life, the fledgling Soviet party congress in November 1927, 10 government refused to abandon its percent of all the delegates were Jew­ principles and pick up the weapon of ish. its enemies. But the Soviet regime did The prominence of Jews in the not stop with the task of protecting the Soviet regime was seen by the back­ Jewish population against pogroms. It ward layers of the working class and did more than any government, before peasantry in the light of a lifetime of or since, to consciously combat anti­ anti-Semitic propaganda. And as the Semitism, and it did this in a back­ privileged bureaucracy grew more and ward country that had been devastated more estranged from the masses, it by seven years of war. attempted to direct their anger against Abram L. Sachar writes in A History the Jews. of the Jews: This aspect of the degeneration of A determined effort was made by the the Soviet regime, as well as the basic Soviet officials to root out the curse of anti­ causes for the rise of Stalinism, were Semitism.... explained by Leon .. Trotsky. He led the After the first terrifying years of readjust­ Left Opposition inside the Soviet ment, most of the two and one-half million Communist party, gathering together Jews who lived under the jurisdiction of the the revolutionists who remained true to Hammer and the Sickle became an integral the program of Marxism. In an article part of the Soviet social order. They lived on on "Thermidor and Anti-Semitism," a plane with every other group, for there written in 1937, Trotsky explained: was no discrimination against them as Jews. 2 The Ukrainian bureaucrat; if he himself is an indigenous Ukrainian, will, at the Describing the Soviet campaign critical moment, inevitably try to empha­ size that he is a brother to the muzhik and the peasant-not some sort of foreigner and 1. Zvi Gitelman, Jewish Nationality and under no circumstances a Jew. Of course Soviet Politics, (Princeton, New Jersey: there is not-alas!-a grain of "socialism" Princeton University Press, 1972) pp. 158- or even of elementary democracy in such an 59. attitude. But that's precisely the nub of the question. The privileged bureaucracy, fear­ 2. Abram L. Sachar, A History of the Jews During the 1918-21 civil war, opponents of the new Soviet government produced this ful of its privileges, and consequently (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1967), p. 383. anti-Semitic poster of Trotsky as ogre of the .Kremlin. completely demoralized, represents at pres-

20 against the Left Opposition was the first example of this historical weapon of reaction being used by the Soviet leadership. It was not long, however, before there were others. The internal pressures behind the resurgence of anti-Semitism inside the Soviet Union were multiplied by the rise of fascism in the rest of Europe. One indication of what was to come was the signing of the Stalin-Hitler pact in August 1939. Maxim Litvinov, a Jew, was replaced by V.M. Molotov as Soviet foreign minister in order to avoid any embarrassment in the nego­ tiations. In an article written during the "thaw" of the mid-1960s Mark Gallai, a Jewish test pilot who had been awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, recalled his puzzlement: The fascists were no longer called Anti-Semitic illustration from book by fascists-it became impossible to find the Trofim Kichko published in 1963 by word in the press and even in semi-official Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. lectures and speeches. What we had been Accompanying caption warned: taught to abhor as hostile, evil and menac­ 'Swindlers and criminals of every sort ing from our Komsomol [Young find shelter in the synagogues.' Communist]-nay, Pioneer-days, suddenly became, as it were, neutral. This was not stated in so many words, but the feeling stole into our souls as we looked at ent the most antisocialist and most antidem­ photographs of Molotov standing next to ocratic stratum of Soviet society. In the Hitler, or read reports of Soviet grain and struggle for its self-preservation it exploits oil flowing into fascist Germany, or the most ingrained prejudices and the most watched the Prussian goose-step being benighted instincts. If in Moscow, Stalin introduced at that very time into our armed stages trials which accuse the Trotskyists forces. Yes, it was very difficult to under­ of plotting to poison the workers [a charge stand what was what!9 reminiscent of the traditional ritual murder In September 1939 Hitler invaded Zionist leader Abba Eban shakes hands with Russian ambassador at Soviet embassy slander against Jews-D.F.], then it is not difficult to imagine to what foul depths the Poland and World War II began. party in early 1950s. Zionists were tight-lipped about Stalinist anti-Semitism while bureaucracy can resort in some Ukrainian Stalin, who had agreed in advance to Kremlin-Israeli relations were on friendly terms. or central Asiatic hovel! 6 divide Poland with Hitler, took over the eastern portion of the country. Resort to anti-Semitism Jews fleeing the Nazi advance were strengthening the defense of the Soviet ry. Stalin found support to Israel quite Trotsky notes that in 1926, after denied entry to the Soviet-controlled state. The refusal to openly counter the compatible with his anti-Jewish poli­ Zinoviev and Kamenev joined him in zone. anti-Semitic propaganda of the Nazis cies inside the Soviet Union. The the struggle against the bureaucracy, made it seem to many as if the fascists Israeli leaders, for their part, chose not "there opened wide a perfect chance to World War II were right, and the Soviet regime was to make a big issue of what wa:s going say to the workers that at the head of The refusal of the Stalinist bureauc­ trying to cover something up. on inside the USSR as long as Chech­ the Opposition stand three 'dissatisfied racy to expose Hitler's crimes against oslovak arms were forthcoming. Jewish intellectuals.'" the Jewish people lest this upset the· Wartime pog·roms During World War II, Jewish schools Stalin did not let the opportunity Soviet Union's diplomatic relations In the Ukraine especially, where and cultural institutions throughout pass by. Trotsky writes: with the Nazi regime was not rectified hatred of the Stalin regime made the the western part of the Soviet Union following Hitler's invasion of the In the months of preparations for the masses look for an alternative, the were either destroyed or abandoned as USSR. The Nazi propaganda machine, Nazis were welcomed in many villages a result of the Nazi invasion. When the expulsions of the Opposition from the party, like that of the- White armies during the arrests, the exiles (in the second half of as liberators and were successful in war was over, they were not allowed to 1927), the anti-Semitic agitation assumed a the civil war, played up the supposedly recruiting a significant layer of people reopen. Then, in 1948, the entire thoroughly unbridled character. The slo­ Jewish character of the Soviet regime, to help in the extermination of the remaining Yiddish cultural establish­ gan, "Beat the Opposition," often took on telling soldiers at the front that they Jews. Even after the mass of Ukraini­ ment, including newspapers, publish­ the complexion of the old slogan "Beat the were dying fqr the Jews. Stalin, in ans had turned with hatred on the ing houses, and theaters, was closed Jews and save Russia.'' The matter went so reply, asserted the Russian character Nazi occupiers, the attacks on Jews did down. Almost all those actively in­ far that Stalin was constrained to come out of his regime. not ~nd. volved in these fields were either with a printed statement which declared: The Soviet war effort provided the "We fight against Trotsky, Zinoviev and A Ukrainian Jew who left Kharkov executed or imprisoned. During the Kamenev not because they are Jews but Jews with one of their few opportuni­ and the USSR in 1944 reported: "The years 1948-59 not one Yiddish book because they are Oppositionists," etc. To ties to resist Nazism with arms in Ukrainians received the returning was published in the Soviet Union. every politically thinking person it was hand, and it is hardly surprising that Jews with open animosity. During the Beginning in 1949 a campaign completely clear that this consciously they responded with an effort that was first weeks after the liberation of against Jewish intellectuals as "root­ equivocal declaration, directed against proportionally far greater than their Kharkov no Jews ventured about less," "cosmopolitan," and "passport­ "excesses" of anti-Semitism, did at the size in the Soviet population. But the alone in the streets at night." less" was carried out. Newspapers same time with complete premeditation Stalinist bureaucracy has covered the The report went on to describe would list the original, Jewish names nourish it. "Do not forget that the leaders of contribution of the Jews to the defense "many cases [when] Jews were beaten of "cosmopolitans" in parentheses the Opposition are-Jews." That was the of the Soviet Union and the struggle in the market place and one was after their adopted Russian names in meaning of the statement of Stalin, pub­ against Hitler with silence. · killed.... In Kiev 16 Jews were killed order to make the link clearer. Ilya lished in all Soviet joumals.7 Ilya Ehrenburg, a Jewish writer in the course of a pogrom. . . . Return­ Ehrenburg was identified at one public During the Moscow Trials of the famed for his servility to Stalin and ing Jews receive no more than a small rally as "Cosmopolitan Number One." 1930s, Trotsky points out, when his his ability to accommodate himself to proportion of their property.... The In his memoirs Ehrenburg described son "was charged with the utterly whatever twists and turns were neces­ Ukrainian authorities are greatly anti­ how he was prevented from bringing incredible accusation of plotting to sary to keep up with the party line, semitic.''10 out a book on the Nazi slaughter of poison workers, the GPU announced in testified that during the summer of In the postwar period Stalin openly Soviet Jews in this period. There were the Soviet and foreign press that the 1943 Aleksandr Shcherbakov, head of encouraged and orchestrated the back­ also numerous examples of new edi­ 'real' (!) name of my son is not Sedov the army's Political Commissariat and ward bigotry that remained among tions of books published in the USSR but Bronstein. If these falsifiers a close associate of Stalin, instructed large sections of the Soviet population in which material relating to Jews and wished to emphasize the connection of him to play down the exploits of Jews for his own cynical purposes. His anti­ anti-Semitism was simply deleted. the accused with me, they would have in the Red Army. Semitic campaign reached its worst While the Large Soviet Encyclopedia called him Trotsky since politically the The blatant glorification of "Mother depths in the period beginning in 1948. published in the 1920s and 1930s had name Bronstein means nothing at all Russia" as opposed to the internation­ This, incidentally, occurred during twenty articles, taking up seventy-six to anyone. But they were out for other alism taught by the Bolsheviks the same period that Stalin gave pages, whose titles began with "Jews," game; that is, they wished to empha­ reached such a point that Izvestia, the strong diplomatic support to Israel. or "Jewish," the second edition in 1952 size my Jewish origin and the semi­ Soviet newspaper, reported a toast by Stalin backed the formation of the had one two-page article. This article Jewish origin of my son."8 Stalin at the war's end in which he Israeli state in the November 1947 explained that "the Lenin-Stalin na­ The use of anti-Semitism in the fight declared the "Russian people" to be the United Nations vote to partition Pal­ tional policy of equality of rights and "most outstanding of all nations of the estine. During the 1948-49 war the sale friendship of the peoples has led to a 6. Leon Trotsky on the Jewish Question Soviet Union." of Czechoslovak arms to Israel was situation in which 'the Jewish ques­ (New York: Pathfinder Press, 1970). p. 24. Stalin's wartime policy played into arranged by Stalin. This proved to be a tion' does not exist in the U.S.S.R.'' 11 the hands of the Nazis instead of significant factor in the Zionist victo- [To be continued] 7. Ibid., p. 26. 9. Kochan, Jews in Soviet Russia, pp. 270- 8. Ibid., p. 25. 71. 10. Ibid., p. 306. 11. Ibid., p. 53.

21 World Outlook

SP, CP in retreat On the eve of Portuguese elections

[The following 1s from the News West German Chancellor Helmut Analysis section of Intercontinental Schmidt and the Swedish Premier Olof Press.] Palme. The game of the SP leaders is clear. By Gerry Foley They want to convince the capitalist class in Portugal and abroad that they Only two weeks before the April 25 can be trusted to preside over the legislative elections in Portugal, the recovery and restabilization of the outcome still remains uncertain. The capitalist :economy and bourgeois so­ polls published so far indicate that ciety in their country. Taking their cue half of the voters remain undecided. At from Kissinger's admonitions, they the same time, the rightists are on the seek to assure the capitalists that there advance while the mass workers par­ will be no government based on the Posters of Trotskyist LCI, Stalinist PCP, and other groups during ties are retreating and capitulating to workers parties alone, no coalition election, the first in more than four decades. capitalist pressures. with the CP. The retreat is most evident in the The SP leaders also want to charge case of the Socialist party, which had the CP with responsibility for the attracted the broadest forces in the "excesses of the process," that is, the The Communist party has become wounded in a clash between heavily radicalization that followed the fall of anticapitalist concessions made to the isolated. It has suffered heavy losses. armed CP and Maoist poster teams. Caetano. The SP leaders demanded masses in the upsurge following the Its periphery is demoralized and, to a Sectarian clashes of this kind open and obtained the inclusion of the CP in downfall of Caetano. This, of course, is certain extent, alienated by the zigzags the way for the increasing use of terror the first provisional government. Even completely dishonest, in policy. A big drop in the CP vote is by rightists who are determined to last summer, when the two parties taken for granted in the Portuguese attack the democratic rights of the were at dagger's point, the SP leaders CP for capitalism, too press. In the absence of any prospect masses • and discourage them from continued to defend the perspective of Even now it is hard to distinguish for an SP-CP coalition, many of those participating in politics. On April 3, a a coalition with the CP despite the between the programs of the SP and who might vote for the Stalinist party candidate of the Maoist Uniao Demo­ protests of their northern European CP. "We Communists are not against will vote for the SP, since the main cratica do Povo and a campaign sup­ Social Democratic financial backers. private initiative,'' Alvaro Cunhal said contest seems to be between it and the porter were murdered by rightists who Today these same leaders say that it April 2 over Radiodifusao Portuguesa. Partido Popular Democratico, and planted a bomb in the car they were is impossible to get together with the "We even think that a quite large faced with this choice they prefer the using. There has been an escalation of CP. In the April 1 issue of Portugal sector of our economy should be SP. rightist terrorism, but this was the first Socialista, the party organ, Jaime reserved for private enterprise." In addition to straight anti­ deliberate political murder. Gama went so far as to write: "When The Stalinist leaders are demanding Communist propaganda, in the April 1 On March 30, a rightist gang at­ the Communists wrongfully invoke the that the SP commit itself now to an Portugal Socialista the main line of tacked the campaign headquarters of name of socialism, we have to remem­ alliance with the CP after the elec­ argument advanced against the CP's the Trotskyist Partido Revolucionario ber that they have nothing in common tions. Their argument is that no party unity proposals was that the Stalin­ dos Trabalhadores (PRT­ with us. Just like national 'socialism,' will win an overall majority and that ists' overtures were an attempt to split Revolutionary Workers party) in the the 'socialism' of the bureaucratic the main task is to block a comeback of the party by opposing the ranks to the center of Lisbon. The police refused to dictatorships is just an empty word reaction. leadership. deal with the attackers, who were that leaves us cold." The CP never talks about workers The Stalinists have followed a "unit­ eventually driven away by PRT mem­ unity but always about a coalition of ed front from below" tactic toward the bers. Soares at American Club "democratic forces." It does not call for SP, and used unrepresentative splinter The rightists are obviously testing The same issue of Portugal Socialis­ unity now in the workers struggles groups as a spearhead for their attacks the ground for similar moves elsewhere ta reported a speech by party leader against the capitalist offensive. On against the party. Pitching the appeals and on a rising scale. All the workers Mario Soares to the American Club in this, it takes exactly the same position for "uniting the democratic forces" to parties, including the SP, are finding it Lisbon in which he pledged that there as the SP, that all "agitation" in the the SP "ranks" and not the SP more difficult to campaign in areas would be no coalition with the CP after preelectoral period plays into the leadership is a dead giveaway that the where the right is strong. the elections. hands of the right. Furthermore, the CP leaders are not acting in good faith. The fact that workers struggles are The SP propaganda has focused on CP union leaders have responded to This kind of approach makes it easy likewise rising, despite the capitulation blaming the "demagogy" of the Gon­ calls raised by militant SP unionists for the Social Democratic leaders to of the big workers parties, makes the calves government for the problems for a united, democratic, trade-union create prejudices against the natural situation explosive. In the SP news affecting the Portuguese economy. movement by arguing that there is no demand that the workers parties unite conference opening the campaign on What needs to be done, according to need for minority rights in unions. against the capitalist offensive. March 26, the party's labor expert, the SP, is to reassure those who were The CP's call for unity amounts to The unprincipled factionalism and Marcelo Curto, said that workers are frightened by this demagogy-to make an electoral maneuver and a ploy to opportunistic maneuvers of the leader­ tending to get out of control of the clear that there will be no more split the SP. ships of the two big workers parties union leaders. nationalizations, that workers control feeds a poisonous growth of sectarian­ He mentioned the case of the. build­ will not interfere with capitalist man­ ism. That has been clear since last ing workers, where some locals went agement, and that the place of private year's elections, when the two parties out Qn strike April 1. This proved the enterprise will be defended. campaigned under such slogans as need for "representative" leadership, The Social Democratic leaders say "Look and see the power of the CP" he said. But there is no reason to think that their aim is to form an SP and "So you see the might of the SP." that a "representative" SP leadership government. However, they promise The CP gave a cover to the rabid would have been any more effective in that if they cannot get enough votes to factionalism of the Frente Socialista getting the workers to accept a betray­ do this, they will accept the "democrat­ Popular against the SP. The SP tended al. And if Curto is inclined to delude ic verdict of the Portuguese people" to mingle its banners with fanatical himself about this, the capitalists are and withdraw into opposition. Maoists such as the Partido Comunis­ not. In the April 1 issue of Portugal ta Portugues (ML), which, even now The crying need is to overcome the Socialista, which set the line of the after the open capitulation of the divisions in the working class caused party's campaign, the SP leadership Soares leadership to capitalist pres­ by the opportunism of the CP and the dropped the distinction that it had sures, denounces the SP for "concilia­ SP. This requires an energetic struggle previously made between "Socialist" tionism toward Social Fascism,'' i.e., against the anti-Communism of the SP and "Social Democrat." The former the CP and the Kremlin. on the one hand and against the CP's was supposed to be a revolutionary bureaucratic control of the unions on form of "democratic socialism,'' as Struggles grow sharper the other. opposed to the parliamentarianism In early March, even before the The Trotskyists of the Liga Comu­ and reformism of the northern Europe­ election campaign opened, CP suppor­ nista Internacionalista, who are run­ an SPs' and labor parties. , The SP ters attacked SP meetings in three ning a total of 350 candidates in all the leaders now associate themselves with Soares embracing German Social towns in Alentejo. In the first days of mainland constituencies, have focused such well-known "revolutionists" as Democratic leader Willy Brandt. the campaign, two persons were on these two axes.

22 Teach-ins & rallies win new ERA activists By Ginny Hildebrand Pittsburgh Coalition of Labor Union nizing car pools to go to Springfield. Pro-ERA Virginians began last week Women (CLUW), Americans for Demo­ In New York City, NOW's ERA to organize for the May 16 national cratic Action, and the University -subcommittee is planning a May 6 Equal Rights Amendment march in Women's Center. meeting to celebrate the fourth anni­ Springfield, Illinois. At the educational event and the versary of New York's ratification of On April 13, 120 people attended a party following it, the Committee for the federal ERA and to organize for teach-in at Virginia Commonwealth the ERA plans to sign people up for the the May 16 march. University (VCU) in Richmond. It was Freedom Train that will stop in Pitts­ Also in New York, Library Workers the first public event organized by burgh en route from New York to the Local 1930 of the American Federation VCU for the ERA, a new campus Springfield march. Organizers hope to of State, County and Municipal Em­ group. raise funds during the evening to lower ployees voted unanimously on April 13 A few days earlier, the Virginia ERA the cost of the train tickets. to endorse the demonstration and Ratification Council voted to support Speakers at the University of Pitts­ provide funds to send a delegation to the May 16 demonstration. The coun­ burgh meeting will include Oliver Springfield on the Freedom Train. cil, which involves twenty-five wom­ Montgomery, vice-president of Steel­ en's, civic, student, and social action workers Local 3657; Judith Fielder, In a suburban area on Chicago's groups, sees mobilizing for the nation­ KDKA-TV news commentator; Carol West Side, activists formed the May 16 al demonstration as a first step in Collins of Georgians for the ERA; and ERA Coalition on April 12. Partici­ organizing a renewed effort to win a national leader of NOW. pants in the coalition included mem­ ERA ratification in Virginia. On May 3, ERA '76 is sponsoring a bers of the League of Women Voters, Flora Crater, editor of the Woman similar meeting at Cleveland State the Gray Panthers, Fox Valley CLUW, Activist and convener of the Virginia University. Participating in the pro­ District 21 Citizens for the ERA, Women's Political Caucus, introduced gram will be Eleanor Smeal, chairper­ Chicago Women's Liberation Union, the motion to organize for May 16. son of the NOW National Board; MilitanVMel Hoefling ERA Central, Socialist Workers party, Crater also spoke at the VCU teach­ Charles Guerrier, Women's Law Fund; and Women for Alternatives. in, which was the largest ERA action Martha Buck, Ohio coordinator for the The group plans to set up street­ in Richmond since a January march of ERA mobilization and a member of the Dr. Ruth Miller, director of community comer tables to publicize the demon­ 500. Crater proposed that activists at NOW National Board; Lynn Haney, development for the city of Cleveland. stration and sign up riders for the the teach-in help begin an ERA peti­ feminist folk singer and member of In Toledo, Ohio, the local NOW Springfield buses being organized by tion drive to show state legislators that Women's Ecumenical Net~ork; and chapter is chartering buses and orga- NOW. by voting against the ERA they are misrepresenting the interests of the majority of Virginians. Bessida White of the National Black Unionists sign up for Springfield march Feminist Organization urged the audi­ Union support for the national organized by Georgians for the ERA demonstrate labor's opposition to ence to join the ERA fight. Said White, Equal Rights Amendment ratifica­ and the Atlanta National Organiza­ reactionary forces pushing for reci­ "We must apply ourselves with the tion drive is growing. Following are tion for Women. sion of the federal ERA in Michi­ same fervor as the abolitionists; with some recent developments. • The Los Angeles Coalition for gan. the same fervor as the civil rights • The executive committee of the ERA announced that Ruth Speakers at the rally will be movement and the feminist move­ United Auto Workers Local 248 Miller, president of the Los Angeles Herman Coleman, executive director ment." voted April 1 to endorse the May 16 Coalition of Labor Union Women of the Michigan Education Associa­ Sarah Ryan, a member of the Social­ national ERA march. The commit­ (CLUW), will be a featured speaker tion; Richard Cordtz, international ist Workers party, emphasized the tee, which represents 4,000 workers at a May 15 demonstration in vice-president of SEIU and · presi­ importance of May 16 as the beginning at the Allis-Chalmers plant in solidarity with the Springfield mobi­ dent of SEIU Local 79; Odessa of a national campaign that can force Milwaukee, also decided to contrib­ lization. Union endorsements for Komer, international vice-president those states that have not yet ratified ute fifty dollars to help publicize the the action have come from Commu­ of the United Auto Workers; Olga the ERA to do so. "We can learn from demonstration. nications Workers of America Local Madar, national president of our sisters in the suffrage movement," • The March 25-26 state conven­ 11501, Office and Professional Em­ CLUW; Mozelle McNoriel, interna­ Ryan said. "They found that they had tion of the Georgia Association of ployees International Union Local tional vice-president of American to tum from a state-by-state strategy to Educators, an affiliate of the Na­ 30, Service Employees International Federation of State, County and a national strategy." tional Education Association, voted Union (SEIU) Local 535, SEIU Municipal Employees; Mary Ellen On April 30 an "Evening for the to support May 16. The convention Local 660 executive board, and the Riordan, international vice­ ERA" will be held at the University of also resolved to "create a committee Los Angeles CLUW executive board. president of the American Federa­ Pittsburgh. Endorsers of the event to build participation of GAE mem­ • The Wayne County CLUW tion of Teachers and president of its include Pennsylvania's Southwest bers in the rally." Nearly a doEen chapter is organizing a union rally, Detroit affiliate; and Tom Turner, Council of the National Organization unionists immediately signed up to "Labor Defends ERA Ratification," president of the Metro-Detroit AFL­ for Women (NOW), Teamsters Local go to Springfield on buses being in Detroit on May 11. The event is to CIO Council. -G.H. 250, Steelworkers Local 3657, the Women's rights leaders announce May 16 plans By Suzanne Haig American Jewish Committee; and Labor organizations participating in ica; Communications Workers of Amer­ CHICAGO-"The National Rally for YWCA. the demonstration include CLUW; ica; and Brotherhood of Railway Equal Rights is expected to bring "It is unprecedented to have so many American Federation of State, County Clerks. thousands of ERA supporters from diverse organizations and to have such and Municipal Employees; National This unity, Lulkin said, "is a demon­ across the entire nation-from New wide presence from organized labor Education Association; American Fed­ stration of the majority support for the York to California-to Springfield May working together for ratification," eration of Teachers; United Auto ERA and its national importance." 16 to show the universal support for Lulkin said. Workers; United Steelworkers of Aziler- A reporter asked Lulkin if she saw a the ERA and the importance of ratifi­ kinship between the forces opposing cation in Illinois this spring." the ERA and those opposing busing This was announced by State Rep. and the unions. She responded, "There Susan Catania at an April 20 news is no doubt that the very same people conference here to publicize the nation­ who stand in front of the buses and al Equal Rights Amendment mobiliza­ who lobby for 'right-to-work' laws are tion called by the National Organiza­ the people who are opposing the tion for Women. ERA. ... It's all tied up together and "We believe that it is time that our we intend to fight back!" Constitution guarantee equality of Mary Jean Collins, chairperson of rights under the law to all citizens the Rally for Equal Rights, reported regardless of their sex. Two hundred that May 16 demonstrators will march years is too long to wait," Catania through Springfield and rally at the said. state capitol at 1:30 p.m. Sheli Lulkin, a member of the national executive board of the Coali­ Explaining the origins of May 16, tion of Labor Union Women (CLUW) Collins said that the defeats of New and cochairperson of the American York and New Jersey state ERA Federation of Teachers Women's referenda in November 1975 had the Rights Committee, described the broad effect of "waking up all the forces in support for the march. More than fifty favor of the ERA" to the need to meet representatives from different organi­ the opposition "head on." zations were present at the news con­ Summing up the importance of the ference. demonstration, Collins said, "This is Groups represented included: Opera­ the beginning of public pressure that is tion PUSH; Illinois Federally Em­ going to be put on the legislators in ployed Women; American Association this state and in any state that has not of University Women; League of Wom­ Militant/Joe Sanders passed the ERA and that will grow to en Voters; Socialist Workers party; Chicago news conference publicizes national rally. From left: 111. State Rep. Susan a crescendo. . . . There is no end to Illinois Women's Political Caucus; Catania; Mary Jean Collins, rally chairperson; Sheli Lulkin, CLUW. this until we pass the ERA!"

THE Mlt.ITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 23 In Review 'Navajo Nation' Cannon on the The Navajo Nation: An American source of raw materials such as coal and Colony, A Report of the United States oil. Commission on Civil Rights, ·1975. Education is also classically colonialist. There are several public school systems run Leninist party This report by an agency established by by the states of Arizona, Utah, and New The Revolutionary Party: Its role in the struggle for Congress documents the results of hearings Mexico. There are also BIA schools, as well and investigations into the conditions on socialism by James P. Cannon. New York: Pathfinder Press, as various private institutions. "Each the largest Indian reservation in the United system is Anglo designed," the report says, Inc., 410 West Street, New York, New York 10014, 1975. 16 States. "each continues to be Anglo administered, pp., $.35. The Navajo Reservation is 12.5 million and none has any significant cultural acres, mostly in the northeastern corner of identification with the people it serves." James P. Cannon, a founder of both the Socialist Workers party Arizona but also extending into Utah and One major deficiency is the lack of and the Fourth International, spent nearly seventy of his eighty­ New Mexico. Exact figures for population bilingual, bicultural education. Fully 70 four years in the struggle for a socialist America. This essay was percent of reservation children entering the written in 1967, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the schools do not function in English, but Bolshevik revolution. In it, Cannon summarizes the lessons of rather in their native language, Navajo. Marxist theory and the experiences of the revolutionary move­ Books Nevertheless, bilingual, bicultural educa­ ment on the decisive role of the revolutionary party. tion is not offered. Of the 2,800 teachers on The Bolshevik party, Cannon writes, "stands out as the are not known, but the book offers ari the reservation, 188-less than 7 percent!­ unsurpassed prototype of what a democratic and centralized estimate of 137,000 people. are Navajos. leadership of the workers, true to Marxist principles and applying The Navajos live under incredible po­ The commission reports that all the them with courage and skill, can be and do." verty. Among the conditions exposed by the ·Navajos it talked to, without exception, Lenin's concept of a democratically centralized pa,rty based on Civil Rights Commission are: supported bilingual, bicultural education. a revolutionary internationalist program was not merely a • Average income in 1970 for Navajos Nevertheless, while pretending to be faith­ product of conditions in tsarist Russia, as the theorists of the was $900, compared with $3,900 for the fully following the wishes of the Navajos, "New Left" argued. Cannon explains that the Leninist theory of United States as a whole. Moreover, the the fact is that only six out of sixty BIA schools have experimental programs in the revolutionary vanguard party is based on two factors: "The income gap is steadily widening-it more bilingual-bicultural education. heterogeneity of the working class and the exceptionally than doubled from 1955 to 1972. • Unemployment in 1970 was 60 percent, Many other BIA schools have Navajo conscious character of the movement for socialism." roughly ten times the rate for the United personnel, including large staffs of transla­ Because the socialist movement aims to replace the economic States as a whole. tors, but their programs are the traditional chaos of capitalism with conscious planning, it requires a higher • Average education for adults on the "English as a Second Language" designed degree of consciousness and organization than the revolutionary reservation was five years of schooling to channel Navajo children into all-English movements that preceded it. Further, the working class confronts compared with twelve years for the U.S. classes as quickly as possible. powerful imperialist ruling classes, which control highly central­ population as a whole. The situation in the state-run schools is ized bourgeois states and have at their disposal the most • The infant death rate is more than worse. For example, Arizona laws specifi­ awesome and sophisticated weapons of deception and repression. double that of the United States as a whole; cally stipulate that "all schools be conduct­ Cannon places special emphasis on the uneven political the incidence of hepatitis is five times as ed in the English language." consciousness of the working class. "The revolutionizing of the high; rheumatic fever, fifty-six times; and proletariat and oppressed people in general is a complex, . tuberculosis, fourteen times. This rule is enforced. A teacher was prolonged, and contradictory affair .... the toilers are stratified • Children suffer from diseases of mal­ criticized in an October 1972 evaluation for and divided in many ways; they live under very dissimilar nutrition, such as kwashiorkor, which is the following crime: conditions and are at disparate stages of economic and political characterized py failure to grow and " ...did not use proper channels when development." develop, fatty degeneration of the liver, and she taught in Navajo in her class. Failed to Workers do not learn the lessons of the class struggle ·anemia. These diseases are common in get clearance first." simultaneously and spontaneously. Those who have recognized neocolonial countries, but virtually un­ And, a few months later, the complaint is the necessity for socialism need a party to organize their efforts heard of in the United States. even more damning: to win the masses to their perspective. The Civil Rights Commission report ". . .has on several occasions actually "The earliest formations of advanced workers committed to clearly reveals why this condition prevails: taught 'Navajo Words' even over the The U.S. government, primarily through objection of the school's administration." the Bureau of Indian Affairs, controls Imag:lne that! A Navajo teacher, in nearly every aspect of Navajo life to the Navajo territory, in a classroom full of Pamphlets detriment of the Indians. Navajo children, actually teaching "Nava­ This includes control over the Navajo jo Words." tribal government, the education of the The report concludes with a series of socialism, and their intellectual associates propagating its views, children, contracts for economic develop­ recommendations that-given the catas­ must first organize themselves around a definite body of ment, and enforcement of regulations and trophe the commission documents-seem scientific doctrine, class tradition, and experience, and work out a laws that are supposed to help Navajos, totally insufficient. correct political program in order then to organize and lead tfie such as preferential hiring. Nevertheless, the report is valuable, since big battalions of revolutionary forces." The economic relations the BIA has it documents the continuing genocidal The Leninist strategy received positive confirmation from the promoted are classically colonial. The policies followed by the U.S. government victory of the October revolution. It has received equally Navajo nation is exploited by outside against American Indians. convincing confirmation-from the negative side-by the all too concerns as a captive market and as a -Jose Perez many grave defeats and missed opportunities in those countries where revolutionary parties were lacking or too small to influence the masses. Cannon takes up those colonial and semicolonial countries­ such as China and Cuba-where under exceptional circum­ stances socialist revolutions were triumphant even in the absence of Leninist parties. The extreme weakness of the ruling classes in the face of vast movements for national liberation made the overturn of capitalism possible. Even in these instances, the absence of a revolutionary party resulted in many delays and setbacks. In the advanced capitalist countries, history has demonstrated that without a party on the model of the Bolsheviks, the workers eannot win power. Cannon concludes with the lessons of the struggle to build a Leninist party in the United States. "The history of American communism since its inception in 1919 has been a record of struggle for the right kind of party. All the other problems have been related to this central issue.... "Just as the overturn inaugurated by the Bolsheviks under Lenin and Trotsky in 1917 was the first giant step in the world socialist revolution and renovation, so the Leninist theory of the party, first vindicated by that event, will find its ultimate verification in the overthrow of imperialism in its central fortress and the .establishment of a socialist regime with full democracy ren ng support among Navajos for bilingua on American soil." -Fred Feldman education, government has refused to do more than set up experimental programs at a handful of schools.

24 'Militant' Boston coverage wins steady readers By Pat Galligan the Tyler case, which is a very impor­ Socialists around the country used tant issue here," he said. sales of the April16 Militant (headline: Boston-area sociawsts were just three Sales scoreboard "Protest racist violence: March on copies shy of making their sales goal Sold Berkeley 175 130 74 Boston April 24!") to alert people to the for the week. Socialist Workers party last San Francisco 280 204 73 escalation of racist terror against branches in Boston, Cambridge, and City (1oal week % Washington, D.C., Area 255 180 71 Boston Blacks. Roxbury and Young Socialist Alliance Houston 325 363 112 Cleveland 175 125 71 Nationally, 5,398 copies were sold. chapters on local campuses combined Baltimore 115 129 112 Seattle 300 187 62 Portland, Oregon, and Richmond, to sell 422 copies of the April 16 issue. St. Louis 250 262 105 New York City 750 443 59 Atlanta Virginia, are to be congratulated for The Militant's spring subscription 300 313 104 San Antonio 85 50 59 New Orleans 175 182 104 Pittsburgh 225 131 having made their sales goal five drive has reached the halfway point 58 Portland, Ore. 175 176 101 Minneapolis 225 125 56 weeks running. with 2,773 subscriptions already sent Oakland, Calif. 150 150 100 Los Angeles 550 296 54 Another city that has been doing in toward the goal of 5,500. Richmond, Va. 60 60 100 San Diego 200 90 45 particularly well in single-copy sales is Nineteen of the subscriptions sold Chico, Calif. 10 10 100 Total 7,000 5,398 77 New Orleans. There, the weekly goal of last week were obtained at the socialist 175 has been bettered each week save literature table set up at the National Boston 425 422 99 YSA Teams one thus far in the campaign. Black Social Workers Convention in San Jose 75 72 96 Michigan 60 68 113 According to Joel Aber, who has Baltimore. Philadelphia 275 253 92 Texas 90 90 100 been organizing sales in New Orleans, The recently established Socialist St. Paul 75 69 92 Mid-Atlantic 90 80 89 the Militant's antiracist coverage Workers party branch on Houston's Chicago 475 433 91 Upper Midwest 90 45 50 Detroit 300 270 90 Illinois/! ndiana strikes a responsive chord. North Side hasn't wasted any time 90 20 22 Milwaukee 225 202 90 Pennsylvania 90 2 introducing itself to the community or 2 "Almost all of o~r sales are in the Newark 80 71 89 Total 510 305 60 Black community," noted Aber. "On obtaining the lion's share of their Saturdays, we focus on sales at several quota for the subscription drive. supermarkets in the area." On Saturday, April 10, socialists On two consecutive Saturdays (April visited the Villa de Matel housing Militant considers the desegregation in reading them," he noted. 10 and 17), all but a few of the entire complex and signed up forty-three struggle in Boston and the story of the The Militant's coverage of the Chica­ weeks' bundles of 190 papers have residents as new Militant subscribers. near lynching of Theodore Landsmark no movement and struggles like that of been sold. Single-copy sales for Friday and Satur­ in particular important enough to give the United Farm Workers is another Sales at political events are also day that weekend totaled more than it such prominent coverage," continued attractive feature in Houston, accord­ important: "We sold eighty-five Mili­ 100. Ramirez. "The Houston Chronicle ing to Ramirez: "People want to follow tants at a recent rally commemorating A few days after we received those buried the story in the back of the the progress of the UFW's petitioning the anniversary of the assassination of subscriptions in the mail, eight more paper." effort in California." Martin Luther King." arrived, all from the same source, all Ramirez explained some of the "By the way," he added, "there are "In general," commented Aber, "the sold in the same manner. We decided reasons why people in Houston are twenty-three more subscriptions in the Militant's antiracist coverage interests to find out what Blacks and Chicanos reading the Militant these days: "We mail. We sold them today." people the most-especially news in Houston think about the Militant. have found that more people recognize In just eight days, North Side about Boston and Gary Tyler, a Black "People really reacted to the photo­ the name of the Socialist Workers Houston socialists signed up seventy­ youth framed up on a murder charge graph on the front page of the April16 party from reading about the FBI four new readers-an inspiring exam­ here." Militant," explained Arturo Ramirez, burglaries in the daily papers. ple of what is needed in those cities "The Militant is known as the paper the organizer of the new branch. "Only the Militant prints the actual where the subscription is lagging with the most consistent coverage of "They were impressed that the documents, and there is great interest behind schedule.

Militant/Lou Howort HOW TO SELL THE MILITANT: Our photographer Lou Howort was on the scene completed. Salesperson is Pat Wright, SWP candidate for Congress in Brooklyn's outside the Ebbets Field housing project in Brooklyn as this transaction was Fourteenth Congressional District. YSA teams pave way for socialist expansion By John Linder initials to add to the collection. So we Gallo, the Socialist Workers party Socialist newspaper, 5,491 copies of the The State University of New York at decided to spend the time necessary to candidate for U.S. Senate and seventy Militant, and 657 Militant subscrip­ Buffalo-27,000 students; largest cam­ really demonstrate what the YSA is." people showed up. The cutbacks were tions. pus in the State University of New This process was helped by the giving them what capitalism really Sales of socialist books and pamph­ York system (SUNY); long history of anticutbacks fight that has been has to offer and they didn't like it. lets from Pathfinder Press have been political activity on campus; located in sweeping the SUNY schools. "In fact "The cutbacks fight also forced the especially favorable. In the book de­ Buffalo, an industrial center with more we wandered right into the middle of a other radical groups on campus to put partment the two top-sellers are Coin· than one million people in the metro­ demonstration," related Breen. their cards on the table. Every group telpro: The FBI's Secret War on Politi­ politan area. "The first thing we saw when we got demonstrated in practice what they cal Freedom, and Angola: The Hidden "But it was lacking a chapter of the to campus on March 25 was a march were really all about, which was all to History of Washington's War. Young Socialist Alliance," explained called by the Graduate Students Em­ the YSA's benefit. In fact, Michael Scott Breen, captain of the New York ployees Union. That same afternoon, Pierce, one of our new members, used Particularly interesting is an in­ YSA traveling team. Since the middle two hundred students turned out for a to be a member of the Revolutionary crease in the sale of works on Marxist of February, Breen and two other YSA meeting of the student government, Student Brigade, a Maoist group. philosophy. "Try as they might, the members have been touring the New which voted to call a referendum to He left the RSB when they came out administrators can't keep academia York campuses. decide whether or not to call a student against busing in Boston. When we 'pure' of Marxism," exphi:ined Jane They are one of fifteen YSA teams strike. first ran into Pierce, he was under­ Harris of the Wisconsin team. "There that are crisscrossing the country this After a week of teach-ins, discus­ standably cautious about Jommg are finally a few Marxist professors spring, spreading socialist ideas and sions and debates, 5,000 students voted another organization, and it took two and classes on Marxism and students building new YSA chapters. So far the by a 3-to-1 margin to call a strike for weeks of watching the YSA in action are eating this stuff up. We've had a teams have signed up eighty-one new April 7. The strike itself was 50 to 60 to convince him." number of students come up to the YSAers. Four of them are students at percent effective and climaxed in a In addition to Buffalo the teams table and ask for this or that book by SUNY Buffalv. Along with the one rally of 600 students. have helped to start new YSA chapters George Novack." YSA member previously in Buffalo, in Richmond, Virginia; Fresno, Cali­ The number one item on every they now have the five members "We jumped right into the thing, fornia; Tucson, Arizona; Raleigh, team's literature table is the Socialist required to start a chapter. after a day or two, all sorts of people North Carolina; Charleston, Illinois; Workers party's "Bill of Rights for "One problem at SUNY Buffalo has were looking to the YSA for leadership. and California State University at Working People." More than 30,000 always been that with so many radical Students wanted our advice on every­ Northridge, in Southern California's copies have been distributed. "We give groups in Buffalo, the average student thing from how to make a leaflet to San Fernando Valley. it to everybody we meet, even if they i~ a bit confused. We knew thm until where the money for education should Wherever they go, the YSA teams don't seem all that interested," reports we got seriously involved in the politi­ come from. But above all they wanted are laying the ground for expansion of Claire Cunningham of the Upper cal life of the campus, most students to know what socialists stood for. the socialist movement. So far they Midwest team. "An awful lot of them would see the YSA as just three more "We organized a meeting for Marcia have sold 4,933 copies of the Young come back the next day."

THE: MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1971 25 NEW ORLEANS of Blacks in fighting for our rights and THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT: HOW TO WIN IT. Speakers: Caroline Dotson, Louisiana that can support candidates running Women's Political Caucus president; Joel Aber, ... Metcalfe on a program truly in our interests. United Teachers of New Orleans. Fri., April 30, 8 Continued from page 14 Just think of the energies that went Calendar p.m. 3812 Magazine (at Pathfinder Bookstore). to him his former privileges. into building Metcalfe's campaign. BALTIMORE Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more So, even on the question of whether M~tcalfe MAY DAY: THE FORGOTTEN LABOR DAY. information call (504) 891-5324. got the active support of Speaker: Harry Ring, Militant Southwest Bureau Metcalfe has broken from the Daley Operation PUSH, of many figures in chief. Fri., May 7, 8 p.m. Place to be announced. NEW YORK machine, things are not all that clear. the Black community, of leaders of the Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more THE FBI VERSUS THE BILL OF RIGHTS. Join But to me, this question of whether or AFL-CIO, and of the Black news information call (301) 547-0668. with victims of government harassment and defen­ not he is "anti machine" is not the media. A powerful coalition of Black ders of civil liberties to protest violation of rights important one. HISTORY OF AMERICAN TROTSKYISM. Two and other crimes of FBI. Wed., April 28, 7:30 p.m. organizations, labor unions, and classes by Harry Ring. Sat. May 8, 10:30 a.m. and Meeting House, New York Society for Ethical The key question is, Does a break young people came together. But be­ 4:00 p.m. Place to be announced. Donation: $3.50- Culture, 2 W. 64th St. Ausp: PROF. For more with Daley in and of itself represent a cause these forces didn't move in the includes forum, classes and dinner; or 50¢ per information call (212) 982-8214-or 982-4966. move toward political empowerment of direction of winning real power for class. Ausp: SWP. For more information call (301) the Black community? I say no. 547-0668. BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE UNITED FARM Blacks and labor their effort was WORKERS. Main attraction: Melanie. Featured A victory for Metcalfe, or France, or wasted. speaker: Cesar Chavez, president of UFW. Scenes Republican candidate A.A. Rayner, or BOSTON from documentary film Fighting for Our Lives. of any other candidate of the two The debate between Metcalfe and CURRENT RISE OF THE ARAB REVOLUTION. Thurs., April 29, 7:30 p.m. Madison Square Garden, capitalist-controlled parties, does not France can be likened to a group of Speakers: Lebanese and Palestinian representatives Felt Forum. Tickets: $25, $8, and $6. Purchase at from Committee of Palestinians in New England. 331 W. 84th St. Ausp: A coalition of unions, represent a step toward solving the slaves who have begun to escape. Fri., April 30, 8 p.m. 510 Commonwealth Ave. churches. and community organizations. For more real problems we face. Instead of continuing their flight and (Kenmore stop. MBTA Green Line). Donation: $1. information call (212) 799-5800. It's good that the hold of the Daley joining with other forces whose aim is Ausp: Socialist Forum. For more information call machine over the Black community is to abolish slavery, they begin arguing (617) 262-4620. NEW YORK: CROWN HEIGHTS being weakened, but the question over whether to return to a conserva­ BLACK WOMEN AND THE EQUAL RIGHTS OPENING OF NEW SOCIALIST WORKERS AMENDMENT. Speaker: Pat Wright, SWP candidate posed is not just opposing the machine tive or a liberal master. PARTY HEADQUARTERS AND BOOKSTORE. for U.S. Congress, 14th C.D. Fri., April 30, 8 p.m. put what do we replace it with? What I'm saying in my campaign for Meet and hear Carol Henderson Evans, SWP Place to be announced. Ausp: Militant Forum. For It is obviously not just Daley who is Congress is that we should get rid of candidate for U.S. Senate. Refreshments. Sat .. May more information call (212) 596-2849. responsible for our oppression but the 1, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. 510 Commonwealth Ave. Ausp: our rich masters altogether and unite Massachusetts 1976 Socialist Workers Campaign SAN FRANCISCO: MISSION DISTRICT Democratic and Republican parties the power of Black people and other Committee. For more information call (617) 262- S.1: SENATE ATTACK ON THE BILL OF that are running this country. working people to fight for the things 4620. RIGHTS. A panel discussion. Panelists: ACLU Black people need to organize them­ we need. representative; San Francisco Committee Against selves independently of the Democrats It's only when we start to take this HOUSTON S.1 representative; and Juan Martinez, SWP candi­ TEXAS SOCIALIST WORKERS CAMPAIGN RAL­ date for state senate. Fri., April 30, 8 p.m. 3284 23rd and Republicans, who are controlled kind of political action on our own LY AND DINNER. Rally to launch petitioning drive St. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For by the ruling rich. We need a political behalf that we will be able to begin to to get SWP on ballot in Texas. Speakers: Malik more information call (415) 824-1992. party that we can control. We need a talk about a "new day" for Black Miah, member, SWP National Committee; Pedro party that will actively involve masses people. Vasquez, SWP senatorial candidate; Jill Fein, SWP candidate for Harris County Commissioner, Pre­ cinct One. Sat, May 8, 6 p.m. Mexican Delite Last Hired, First Fired Restaurant, 3500 E. Little York, at Hwy. 59. Donation: $3 for dinner and rally. Ausp: Socialist ... Boston Workers Campaign. For more information call (713) Continued from page 3 526-1082; (512) 734-8273; (214) 827-6589; or (512) ing just as sure as if she personally 474-9789. ordered it." Affirmative Action The need to mobilize in massive LONG BEACH, CALIF. numbers to defend this city's Black THE FIGHT FOR DESEGREGATION. Speakers: community is more urgent than ever. Manuel Barrera, SCAR, will report on April 24 The crisis today puts the school de­ Vs. SenioritJ demonstration in Boston; Willie Petty, SCAR, on segregation order itself in greater Includes "The Debate Over Seniority and Affirmative Action," "The desegregation march in Pasadena. Fri., April 30, 8 NAACP and the Struggle for Full Equality," and "The AFL-CIO and the p.m. 3322 Anaheim (corner of Redondo). Donation: danger than ever before. $1. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more information call Organizing a campaign of united Seniority System." (213) 597-0965. militant action to defend school By Linda Jenness, Herbert Hill, Willie Mae Reid, Frank Lovell, and SuP desegregation-and to force city, state, CLASSES ON SOCIALISM. The causes of racism Em Davenport. 32 pp., $.50 and the fight against it. Thurs., May 6, 7:30 p.m. and federal officials to act to halt the racist violence-is the paramount task 3322 Anaheim (corner of Redondo). Ausp: SWP. Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West Street; New York, N.Y. 10014 For more information call (213) 597-0965. of all supporters of Black rights today. Socialist Directory ARIZONA: Tempe: YSA, c/o Jessica Sampson, Box 224-9632. Union, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Columbus: YSA, Box 3343 Univ. Station (mailing 2235, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85252. Tel: (602) 277-9453. GEORGIA: Atlanta: Militant Bookstore, 68 Peach­ 48104. Tel: (313) 663-8766. address); 325 Ohio Union, Columbus, Ohio Tucson: YSA, c/o Jeff Hamill, SUPO Box 20965. tree St., NE. Third Floor. Atlanta, Ga. 30303. SWP Detroit: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 6404 Wood­ 43210. Tel: (614) 422-6287. Tucson, Ariz. 85720. Tel: (602) 624-9176. and YSA, P.O. Box 846, Atlanta, Ga. 30301. Tel: ward, Detroit, Mich. 48202. Tel: (313) 873-8836. OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, CALIFORNIA: Berkeley: SWP, YSA, Granma Book­ (404) 523-0610. East Lansing: YSA, First Floor Student Offices. 208 S.W. Stark, Fifth Floor, Portland, Ore. 97204. store, 1849 University Ave., Berkeley, Calif. 94703. ILLINOIS: Champaign-Urbana: YSA, 284 lllini Union Bldg., Michigan State University, East Tel: (503) 226-2715. Tel (415) 548-0354. Union, Urbana, Ill. 61801. Lansing, Mich. 48823. Tel: (517) a53-0660. PENNSYLVANIA: Edinboro: YSA, Edinboro State East Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, Chicago, South Side: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Books, MI. Pleasant: YSA, Box 51 Warriner Hall, Central College, Edinboro, Pa. 16412. 1237 S. Atlantic Blvd., East Los Angeles, Calif. 1754 E. 55th St., Chicago, Ill. 60615. Tel: (312) Mich. Univ., Mt. Pleasant, Mich. 48859. Philadelphia: SWP, . YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, 90022. Tel: (213) 265-1347. 643-5520. MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: SWP, YSA, Labor 1004 Filbert St. (one block north of Market), Long Beach: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, 3322 Chicago, West-North: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Books, Bookstore, 15 4th St. SE, Mpls., Minn. 55414. Tel: Philadelphia, Pa. 19107. Tel: (215) WA5-4316. Anaheim St., Long Beach, Calif. 90804. Tel: (213) 428 S. Wabash, Fifth Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60605. (612) 332-7781. Pillsburgh: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 3400 597-0965. Tel: SWP-(312) 939-0737; YSA-(312) 427-0280; St. Paul: SWP, Labor Bookstore, 176 Western Ave. Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213. Tel: (412) 682- Los Angeles: Crenshaw District: SWP, YSA, Pathfin­ Pathfinder Books-(312) 939-0756. N, St. Paul, Minn. 55102. Tel: (612) 222-8929. 5019. der Books, 4040 W. Washington Blvd., Los Chicago: City-wide SWP, YSA, 428 S. Wabash, Fifth MISSOURI: Kansas City: YSA, c/o UMKC Student State College: YSA, c/o William Donovan, 260 Angeles, Calif. 90018. Tel: (213) 732-8196 Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60605. Tel: (312) 939-0748. Activities Office, 5100 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, Toftrees Ave. #320, State College, Pa. 16801. Tel: Los Angeles: City-wide SWP and YSA, 4040 W. INDIANA: Bloomington: YSA, c/o Student Activities Mo. 64110. (814) 234-6655. Washington Blvd., Suite 11, Los Angeles, Calif. Desk, Indiana University, Bloomington, lnd St. Louis: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 4660 TENNESSEE: Knoxville: YSA, P.O. Box 8344 Univ. 90018. Tel: (213) 732-8197. 47401. Maryland, Suite 12, St. Louis, Mo. 63108. Tel: Station, Knoxville, Tenn. 37916. Tel: (615) 525- Oakland: SWP, YSA, 1467 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland, Indianapolis: YSA, c/o Student Activity Office, (314) 367-2520. 0820. Calif. 94601. Tel: (415) 261-1210. IUPUI, 925 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, Ind. NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP and YSA, 11-A Central TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Student Activities, Texas Pasadena: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Bookstore, 226 N. 46202. Tel: (317) 783-5163. Ave. (Central and Broad Streets), Second Floor, Union South, Austin, Tex. 78712. El Molino, Pasadena, Calif. 91106. Tel: (213) 793- Muncie: YSA, Box 387 Student Center, Ball State Newark, N.J. 07102 Tel: (201) 624-7434. Dallas: SWP, YSA, P.O. Box 50212, Dallas, Tex. 3468 University, Muncie, Ind. 47306. NEW YORK: Albany: YSA, c/o Gary Mete, 947 75250. San Diego: SWP, YSA, and Militant Bookstore, 4635 KANSAS: Lawrence: YSA, c/o Christopher Starr, Strong St., Schenectady, N.Y. 12307. Tel: (518) Houston: SWP, YSA, and Pathfinder Books, 3311 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, Calif. 92115. Tel: (714) Sunflower Apts. #23, Lawrence, Kans. 66044. 346-0352. Montrose, Houston, Tex. 77006. Tel: (713) 526- 280-1292. KENTUCKY: Lexington: YSA, P.O. Box 952 Univer­ Binghamton: YSA, c/o Debbie Porder, 184 Corliss 1082. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, Militant Labor Forum, sity Station, Lexington, Ky. 40506. Tel: (606) 266- Ave •• Johnson City, N.Y. 13790. Tel: (607) 729- San Antonio: SWP, P.O. Box 1376, San Antonio, and Militant Books, 1519 Mission St., San 0536. 3812. Tex. 78295. Tel: (512) 732-5957. YSA, P.O. Box Francisco, Calif. 94103. Tel: SWP-(415) 431- Louisville: YSA, Box 3593. Louisville, Ky. 40201. Ithaca: YSA, c/o Doug Cooper, 105. Dryden Rd., 12110, Laurel Heights Station, San Antonio, Tex. 8918; YSA-(415) 863-2285; Militant Books-(415) LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, Pathfinder Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Tel: (607) 273-7625. 78212. 864-9174. Bookstore, 3812 Magazine St., New Orleans, La. New York, Brooklyn: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, UTAH: Logan: YSA, P.O. Box 1233, Utah State San Francisco, Million District: SWP, 3284 23rd St., 70115. Tel: (504) 891-5324. 136 Lawrence St. (at Willoughby), Brooklyn, N.Y. University, Logan, Utah 84322. San Francisco, Calif. 94110. MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, 2117 N. Charles 11201. Tel: (212) 596-2849. VIRGINIA: Richmond: SWP, P.O. Box 25394, San Jose: SWP and YSA, 123 S. 3rd St., Suite 220, St., Baltimore, Md. 21218. Tel: (301) 547-0668. New York, Chelsea: SWP, Pathfinder Bookstore, Richmond, Va. 23260. San Jose, Calif. 95113. Tel: (408) 295-8342. College Park: YSA, c/o Student Union, University of 200'/, W. 24th St. (off 7th Ave.), New York, N.Y. WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, Militant Book­ East San Jose: SWP, 1192 E. Santa Clara, San Jose, Maryland, College Park, Md. 20742. Tel: (301) 10011. Tel: (212) 989-2731. store, 1345 E St. NW, Fourth Floor, Wash., D.C. Calif. 95116. Tel: (408) 295-2618. 454-4758. New York, Lower East Side: SWP and YSA, 221 E. 20004. Tel: SWP-(202) 783-2391; YSA-(202) Santa Barbara: YSA. P 0 Box 14606, UCSB, Santa Prince Georges County: SWP, P.O. Box 1087, 2nd St. (between Ave. B and Ave. C). New York, 783-2363. Barbara, Calif. 93107 Prince Georges Plaza, Hyattsville, Md. 20788. Tel: N.Y. 10009. Tel: (212) 260-6400. WASHINGTON: Seattle, Central Area: SWP, YSA, Santa Cruz: YSA. c/o Student Activities Office, (202) 333-0265 or (202) 783-2391. New York, Queens: SWP, YSA, 90-43 149 St. Militant Bookstore, 2200 E. Union, Seattle, Wash. Redwood Bldg . UCSC. Santa Cruz, Calif. 95064. MASSACHUSETTS: Amherst: YSA, c/o Mark Cera­ (corner Jamaica Ave.). Jamaica, N.Y. 11435. Tel: 98122. Tel: (206) 329-7404. COLORADO: Boulder: YSA, Room 175, University soulo, 13 Hollister Apts., Amherst, Mass. 01002. (212) 658-7718. Seattle, City-wide: SWP, YSA, and Militant Book­ Memorial Center, University of Colorado, Bould­ Boston: SWP, YSA, 510 Commonwealth Ave., New York, Upper West Side: SWP, YSA, Militant store, 5623 University Way NE, Seattle, Wash. er. Colo. 80302. Tel: (303) 492-7679. Boston, Mass. 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4620. Bookstore, 2726 Broadway (104th St.), New York, 98105. Tel: (206) 522-7800. Denver: SWP, YSA, Militant Bookstore, 1203 Cali­ Boston: City-wide SWP, YSA, 510 Commonwealth N.Y. 10025. Tel: (212) 663-3000. WISCONSIN: Eau Claire: YSA, c/o Tom Brill, 221 1/2 fornia, Denver. Colo. 80204. Tel: SWP-(303) 623- Ave, Boston, Mass. 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4621. New York: City-wide SWP, YSA, 853 Broadway, Ninth Ave., Eau Claire, Wis. 54701. 2825; YSA-(303) 893-8360. Cambridge: SWP, 2 Central Square, Cambridge, Room 412, New York, N.Y. 10003. Tel: (212) 982- La Crosse: YSA, c/o UW La Crosse, Cartwright Fort Collins: YSA, 325 E. Myrtle, Ft. Collins, Colo. Mass. 02139. Tel: (617) 547-4395. 8214. Center. ·1725 State St., La Crosse, Wis. 54601 80521. Roxbury: SWP, 1865 Columbus Ave., Roxbury, OHIO: Cincinnati: YSA, c/o Charles R. Mitts, 6830 Madison: YSA, P.O. Box 1442, Madison, Wis. 53701. FLORIDA: Miami: YSA, P.O. Box 390487, Miami, Mass. 02119. Tel: (617) 445-7799. Buckingham Pl., Cincinnati, Ohio 45227. Tel · Tel: (608) 238-6224. Fla. 33139. Worcester: YSA, Box 229, Greendale Station, (513) 272-2596. . Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, 207 E. Michigan Ave., Rm. Tallahassee: YSA, c/o Suzanne Welch, 765 El Worcester, Mass. 01606. Cleveland: SWP and YSA, 2300 Payne, Cleveland, 25, Milwaukee, Wis. 53202. Tel: SWP-(414) 289- Rancho St., Tallahassee, Fla. 32304. Tel: (904) MICHIGAN: Ann Arbor: YSA, Room 4103, Mich. Ohio 44114. Tel: (216) 861-4166. 9340; YSA-(414) 289-9380.

26 NEW YORK CITY------

Books and TbeFBIVRSus pamphlets on the the Bill of Bights WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 7:30P.M. .Black MEETING HOUSE, NEW YORK SOCIETYFOR ETHICAL CULTURE Liberation 2 W. 64 ST. Struggle March 29 headlines across the country told the story of at least ninety­ two FBI burglaries of the New York Socialist Workers party offices. BLACK LIBERATION Join with victims of government harassment and prominent defenders of civil liberties to protest this violation of the rights of a minority party AND SOCIALISM and the many other crimes of the FBI against dissenters. Edited by Tony Thomas. "This anthology by five young black men and women discusses the need for a political break with the Democratic Sponsored by and· Republican parties and the establishment of an all-Black political Political Rights Defense Fund party, ... and provides an analysis of links between black liberation For further information call Box 649 Cooper Station and socialist revolution."-The Black Scholar. 207 pages, cloth $10.00, (212) 982-8214 or (212) 982-4966 New York, N.Y. 10003 paper $2.45 MALCOLM X ON AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY by Malcolm X. "It explains Black history in such a way as to impart pride, convey knowledge and infuse inspiration."-The Michigar. Samizdat Chronicle. 80 pages, paper $1.25 Voices of BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY by Malcolm X. 192 pages, cloth $8.00, paper $1.95 the Soviet THE LAST YEAR OF MALCOLM X Opposition by George Breitman. "A detailed and objective account of Malcolm's An anthology of dissident writing cir­ changing philosophy."-Kliatt. 169 pages, cloth $8.00, paper $1.95 culated clandestinely in the Soviet Union, edited by George Saunders. Pamphlets on the Black Liberation Struggle This collection includes memoirs of the THE ASSASSINATION OF MALCOLM X early struggles against the growing by George Breitman and Herman Porter. $.60 Stalin bureaucracy; accounts of per· BLACK WOMEN'S LIBERATION sonal experiences in the prison camps; by Maxine Williams and Pamela Newman. $.35 and speeches, writings, and petitions FBI PLOT AGAINST THE BLACK MOVEMENT of the rec~nt dissident' movement. A -Secret Documents Exposed Monad Press book. by Baxter Smith with reprinted secret FBI memos. $.35 464 pp., $15, paper $3.95 IN DEFENSE OF BLACK NATIONALISM by Tony Thomas. $.60 Order from: · Pathfinder Press, 410 160 pp., cloth $9, paper $2.45 LEON TROTSKY ON BLACK NATIONALISM AND SELF­ West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 DETERMINATION West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 by Leon Trotsky. $1.05 THE RACIST OFFENSIVE AGAINST BUSING The Lessons of Boston and How to Fight Back by Willie Mae Reid, Peter Camejo, and others. $.50 A STRATEGY FOR BLACK LIBERATION by Tony Thomas. $.60 THE STRUGGLE FOR COMMUNITY CONTROL IN N.Y. SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE Join the Young Puerto Rican, Black, and Chinese Parents Fight Racism by Ethel Lohman and Katherine Sojourner. $.35 WHAT ROAD TO BLACK LIBERATION? The Democratic Party or an Independent Black Party? Socialist Alliance by Tony Thomas and Norman Oliver. $.50 WHO KILLED JIM CROW? The Story of the Civil Rights Movement and Its Lessons for Today by Peter Camejo. $.60 \~~-==·~~~~'·' .A special contribution to an important debate .... FROM MISSISSIPPI TO BOSTON ··;:·, " Bt~IO:..ldsmOfS'\ 1 The Demand for Troops to Enforce Civil Rights by the National Education Department of the Socialist Workers §oun_g :Sbcialist ~llianc.e ~n,F ~~~ Party. $.75 Lt\ Order from: Pathfinder Press, 410 West Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Write for a complete list of books and pamphlets. Mt\

Order todaJ! The YSA is fighting to stop the cutbacks in education. We're fighting This campaign poster is now avail­ for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. We're fighting-to halt able from the Socialist Workers 1976 attacks on school desegregation in Boston and elsewhere. We're fighting National Campaign Committee. It for a socialist America and a socialist world. measures 11 x 17 inches, and is print­ It's easy to join the YSA. Just fill out the coupon below and sent it in ed in black and white on a "school bus with $4.00 for your initiation fee and your first monthly dues. Join us! yellow" background. The cost is 10 0 I want more information about the YSA. cents each; 6 cents each for twenty-five 0 I want to join the YSA. Enclosed is $4.00 or more. 0 Enclosed is $1.00 for a six-month subscription to the Young Socialist. Send __ posters at $ __. Total enclosed $ ____ Name ------Send to: Socialist Workers 1976 Na­ Address ------­ tiClnal Campaign Committee, 14 City ------~State ------Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014 Peter C•eto ·~or prelident Zip ______Phone WilDe llae Reid fer vreo~presidant Chairperson, Fred Halstead; treasurer, Arthur Hughes. YSA, P.O. Box 471 Cooper Station, New York, N.Y. 10003

THE MILITANT/APRIL 30, 1976 27 THE MILITANT

By Pat Wright affirmative-action plans, which have aided Black What does the Equal Rights Amendment offer women, are under fire. Massive layoffs are throwing Black women? Should we be involved in the fight disproportionate numbers of Blacks and women out for ERA ratification? of work, forcing us onto welfare and unemployment The ERA states that equal rights "shall not be lines. denied on the basis of sex. In order to become the Most importantly, a victory for the ERA will give twenty-seventh amendment to the U.S. Constitu­ momentum to the fight around other demands that tion, it must be ratified by thirty-eight states by are crucial to us as Black women-child care, 1979. Thirty-four have ratified thus far. But a affirmative action, abortion rights, and equal pay. powerful right-wing movement is out to block ratification, and has succeeded in preventing ERA Striking blow against racists passage in several states. It is in the interests of all Blacks to join the On May 16, thousands of supporters of the ERA struggle for the ERA as a way to advance the will converge on Springfield, Illinois, to answer the condition of Black women. A blow struck against anti-ERA forces in a demonstration called by the the anti-ERA forces will also be a blow against the National Organization for Women (NOW). This enemies of Black rights. march deserves the active support of Black women On the side of the ERA opponents are some of the and of all organizations fighting for Black rights. most virulent enemies of Black people, including the Black women have been part of the ERA Ku Klux Klan; John Birch Society; ROAR (Restore ratification struggle from the start. Many Black Our Alienated Rights), the leading antibusing organizations have endorsed the ERA, including group in Boston; and the National Organization to the NAACP, National Council of Negro Women, Restore and Preserve Our Freedom (NAPF), an antibusing outfit in Louisville. Pat Wright is the Socialist Workers party In April 1975, 200 ROAR thugs in Boston invaded candidate for Congress in the Fourteenth a meeting in support of the ERA and shouted ddwn Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. the speakers, disrupting the gathering. They carried More news on the fight for the ERA appears signs reading "Stop Forced Busing," "Abortion is on page 2:1. Murder," and "Feminist Domination Equals Com­ munism." Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, National These same forces were instrumental in getting Association of Negro Business and Professional the conviction of Dr. Kenneth Edelin, the Black Women's Clubs, and National Black Feminist doctor found guilty of manslaughter for performing Organization. a legal abortion on a Black woman in Boston. Trade unions with large Black memberships have also endorsed, such as the American Federation of 'Stop ERA' and busing State, County and Municipal Employees; Amalga­ Phyllis Schlafly, national head of STOP ERA, mated Meat Cutters; Steelworkers; and the United has also made clear her opposition to equal rights Auto Workers. for Black people. Attacking busing for school Public opinion surveys consistently indicate desegregation, she says, "In many areas, the whole strong backing for the ERA in the Black communi­ fabric of harmonious inter-personal relationships ties. In a recent poll of Missouri voters, Blacks and peaceful academic atmosphere has been torn showed stronger support for the ERA than any asunder by court-ordered ... forced busing." other group questioned. Support among Blacks was Schlafly conceals the fact that the "peaceful 83 percent, compared with 55 percent among whites. academic atmosphere" has been "tom asunder" not Despite these trends, anti-ERA forces are trying by busing, but by the racist hooligans who stone to discourage Black participation in the pro-ERA school buses and attack innocent Black children in fight by saying it's a "white, elitist movement," the streets. with no benefits for Black women. Meg Katz, The anti-ERA and anti-Black forces also threaten "chairman" of New York's STOP ERA, for example, the union movement. Women, Blacks, and labor claims that "Black women have always been need to unite against these reactionaries. liberated." Black people have been fighting the racist This is totally false. Black women are hit the institutions of capitalist society for a long time. hardest by sexist oppression because it is combined From the struggle to get the U.S. Constitution to with racial" oppression. We need the Equal Rights recognize Blacks as human beings, to the fight for Amendment most of all. the right to vote and the right to attend the schools of our choice, we have had to rely on our own Black women's economic plight independent power to win our demands. As Black women, we remain at the very bottom Our past struggles against Jim Crow segregation economically, socially, and politically. Statistics laws in the South have shown the way to victory­ show the following: through massive, visible protests, mobilizing hun­ • Black, Chicana, and Puerto Rican women are dreds of thousands of Blacks in struggle. more likely to be in the labor force than white Jim Crow was defeated because we organized in women. Comprising 12 percent of all women, we massive numbers to overturn it. Joanne Little was were 13 percent of all women workers in 1973, freed because we rallied thousands to her defense, working the most menial, low-paying jobs. with Black women in the lead. To get the ERA • In May 1975, Black women earned a median ratified, we need similar mobilizations of all who weekly income of $130. This was 75 percent of that support women's rights, Black and white. The May earned by Black men, and 58 percent of that earned 16 demonstration in Springfield, Illinois, is a · by white men. beginning for the kind of mass-action campaign we • The unemployment rate for Black women in need to win. 1975 was more than 11 percent, almost double that Black women must be in the forefront of the ERA of white men. Teen-age Black women suffered a struggle, because we have the most to gain. A jobless rate of nearly 40 percent. victory in this fight will inspire new confidence in • Among all families of minority races, one-third all those struggling for the emancipation of women are ~eaded by women. These families are twice as and the full liberation of Black people. likely to have incomes below the poverty level as families headed by white women. As Addie Wyatt, Black vice-president of the New Edition Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), put it, ratifying the ERA "is a very serious matter with us." WhY women Need What ERA will do If the ERA is ratified, it will help eliminate many -the Equal Rights laws that are used to keep Black women down. Dual pay schedules will be illegal. Jobs now restricted to "men only" will be opened to women. Laws Amendment prescribing heavier criminal penalties for female By Dianne Feeley lawbreakers than for males-such as juvenile delinquency laws-will be removed .. Includes "The Case for the Equal Rights Amend­ Ratification of the ERA will not eliminate sex ment" and "How to Win the ERA." 24 pp., 35 discrimination, but it will put the law on our side cents. · and make it easier for us to challenge other aspects Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West Street, of our oppression. New York, N.Y. 10014 MilitanVMary Jo Hendrickson ERA ratification is especially urgent now, when