Intercontinental Press the Americas

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Fred Flalstead addressing mass demonstration in Washington, D.C., May 9, 1970.

With this issue we begin serializing the forthcoming book Out ment. Halstead was one of the leading organizers of the largest Now!, Fred Halstead's account of the American antiwar move- national antivyar demonstrations. See page 804.

Other Features:

Rockefeller's Laundry Job on CIA Struggle for Right to Abortion In Britain

Washington's $25 Billion Spy Network Interview With Bernadette Devlin McAiiskey

Democracy and the Portuguese Revolution A Letter from 0. Slaughter . . .

The Predictions About an Economic Upswing .. . And a Reply by Joseph Hansen policy since the turn of the century. The protests of publications like the Times are designed primarily as propagan da to smear the image of proletarian revolution and to furnish a lying, democrat The Reopening of Republica—a Significant Victory ic cover for more direct intervention in Portugal if the MFA and the Communist An important victory for workers democ the Socialist party leaders agreed to conces party prove incapable of controlling the racy was won in Portugal June 6 when the sions demanded by the military high coun mass movement and blocking its develop bourgeois military regime, in response to cil, one of them being resumption of their ment in an anticapitalist direction. mass pressure, decided to permit Republica, participation in cabinet meetings. For the bourgeoisie, democratic rights are the Lisbon daily that reflects the views of not essential to preserve their class rule; in the Socialist party leadership, to resume fact, in today's world, democratic rights publication. Two arguments were advanced in behalf stand in the way of maintaining their The heads of the Armed Forces Move of the printers whose action led to the rule—which is why we see such an erosion ment(MFA) had shut down the newspaper closing of Republica: of democracy in the "free" world. For the and sent troops to enforce evacuation of the 1. That they were concerned about an working class, democratic rights are pre premises May 20 following a provocation by alleged loss of circulation because of the cious assets in the struggle for social eman members of the printers union employed by editorial policy, which could end by bank cipation. Republica. The printers union is dominated rupting the paper and thus causing them to by the Portuguese Communist party. lose their jobs. Freedom of the press—which was directly By suppressing the only daily paper The phoniness of this argument is obvi under attack in the Republica affair—is a expressing the views of the Socialist party, ous. Through the government's action, they basic democratic right, won in long, hard which is the largest political formation in lost their jobs at once. struggles, which the working class has the Portuguese workers movement, the 2. As honest, revolutionary-minded work every interest to defend. The revolutionary- military struck a blow against freedom of ers, the printers had a right to a voice in the socialist approach to this question was the press, setting an ominous precedent for editorial policy of the newspaper on which explained by Leon Trotsky in succinct clamping down on political parties and they worked. fashion in 1938 in an article summing up This argument is as false as the first one. tendencies that offer even a semblance of the principled position of the Bolsheviks. Where they have a right to exercise a voice resistance to the MFA's efforts to block the (See "Freedom of the Press and the Working development of the Portuguese revolution. in editorial policy is in the newspaper of the Class," in the June 9 issue of Intercontinen The SP leaders fought the suppression of Communist party, Avante!. Would the CP tal Press, p. 799.) Republica by such means as withdrawing leaders agree to these printers closing down Trotsky's main argument is as follows: from cabinet meetings of the coalition Avante! because it was losing circulation or 1. Working people cannot free them government, in which they hold posts, and because they disagreed with its editor? selves from the influence of reactionary trying to mobilize international support, The logic of this argument leads to odd ideas by means of a ban on reactionary principally in bourgeois and Social Demo results. If the printers employed by Avante! publications. "In reality, only the greatest cratic circles. were members of the Socialist party, would freedom of speech, of the press, and of the CP leaders concede that they had a However, what was decisive in forcing association can create favorable conditions right to close down the paper if its editorial the military to retreat were the mass for the advance of the revolutionary move policy did not meet with their approval? demonstrations organized by the Socialist ment of the working class." Obviously every political tendency has a 2. In capitalist society, restrictions on party in defense of Republica's right to democratic right to determine its own publish. Demonstrations mobilizing, repor freedom of the press arm the bourgeois state editorial policy. And if rival political tend tedly, up to 60,000 persons were staged in with special means for controlling public encies seek to intervene on some pretext, Lisbon—proof of the sharpness of the issue opinion. Moreover, the restrictions are they are violating the democratic rights of and the awareness of many workers of its turned against working-class publications. others and laying a basis in principle for importance. That the SP leaders, thorough 3. "It is essential to wage a relentless violation of their own democratic rights. ly committed as they are to electoralist struggle against the reactionary press. But The military government's suppression of workers cannot let the repressive fist of the methods, felt obliged to mobilize the masses Republica, heartily supported by the Com in the streets indicates the pressure placed bourgeois state substitute for the struggle munist party, enabled a leading voice of that they must wage through their own on them as a consequence of the moves American imperialism, the New York against Republica. organizations and their own press." Times, to portray the conflict as evidence of In return ifor lifting the ban on Republica, Viewed from this standpoint, the failure the antidemocratic nature of communism. of the Portuguese military regime's attempt The Times sought to take advantage of the to suppress the Socialist party press must situation, just as it has taken advantage of be counted as a victory for the working Next Week . . . the crimes of Stalin in the USSR to smear class in the revolutionary process in Portu "Problems of General Concern in the the Russian Revolution. gal. Soviet Dissident Movement." A new But it requires imperialist gall for imperi The bourgeoisie ruled for a half century in document by Soviet historian Roy alist critics of the Portuguese regime to pose Portugal through a totalitarian dictator Medvedev. Topics discussed include ef as defenders of democratic rights. From ship. Today they are exercising their rule fects of the detente on the struggle for South Vietnam to Brazil, Spain, and Iran— through a different means, the Armed democratic rights in the USSR, disagree and in Portugal itself for almost half a Forces Movement. The MFA is relying ments among the dissidents, and Solz- century—they have amply demonstrated heavily on the Communist party to "disci henitsyn's "new messianism." From the their preference for the most sordid, venal, pline" the labor movement, to control and forthcoming book Detente and Socialist and brutal dictatorships to defend and head off strikes, and generally to contain Democracy. uphold the capitalist system. This has been the class forces pressing toward breaking the main component of American foreign up the capitalist system and its state

Intercontinental Press structure. But the Stalinists' usefulness is limited by the growing economic crisis, which restricts the employment of refor In This Issue Closing Date: June 10, 1975 mist tactics. In addition, the CP is becom ing discredited among the more militant FEATURES 804 Out Now.'—Chapter 1: The Old Peace layers of the working class, owing to its Movement—by Fred Halstead class-collaborationist policy and its antide The Predictions About an Economic Upswing —by Dick Fidler mocratic attitudes. The MFA is using the time placed at its "It Is Completely Wrong to View Ecology As a Secondary Issue" disposal by the treacherous role of the BRITAIN 807 The Struggle for the Right to Abortion Stalinists to build a political movement —by Gwyn Davles directly controlled by the commanding Why Britain Should Get Out of the officers of the armed forces of the Portu Common Market guese state. London Marchers Demand, "Drop Charges A necessary part of this course is the Against Iranian 21"—by Marian McManus gagging of outlets for actual or potential Campaign to Free Desmond Trotter opposition to the MFA's goal. The closure of —by Jo O'Brien Republica was a case in point. It marked a U.S.A. 808 Rockefeller's Laundry Job on CIA Murder new level in the series of attacks by the Plots—by Caroline Lund MFA regime on the Socialist party, Maoist Washington's $25 Billion Spy Network groups, elections, and freedom of the trade —by Robert Dumont unions. PORTUGAL 812 Democracy—a Key Issue in Portuguese In this respect, the action of the CP-led Revolution—by Gerry Foley union in ousting the editor of Republica and IRELAND 822 The Conflict Between the IRSP and censoring the newspaper's editorial content "Official" Republicans dovetailed with the course followed by the CHILE 827 ILC Denounces Torture of Labor Leaders military. When the Socialist party held a —by Judy White mass demonstration at the newspaper's PAPUA NEW GUINEA 831 Police Smash Miners' Strike offices to protest this violation of its right to SPAIN 833 Spanish Farmers Protest Nuclear Plant NEWS ANALYSIS 802 The Reopening of Republica— express its views, the regime stepped in and a Significant Victory closed down the offending journal. AROUND THE WORLD 834 The relation between democratic rights DOCUMENTS 840 A Letter From C. Slaughter . . . and the proletarian struggle has been 842 . . . And a Reply by Joseph Hansen especially obscured by the Stalinists, whose 842 For Unconditional Amnesty to U.S. model of "socialism" is the bureaucratic War Reslsters regimes in the Soviet Union, China, and the Correspondence With President Bordaberry "people's democracies" in Eastern Europe. on Torture of Political Prisoners On the one hand, the antidemocratic prac In Uruguay tices of such regimes discredit socialism, FROM OUR READERS 848 thereby constituting a major obstacle to its DRAWINGS 813 Alvaro Cunhal; 815, M^rlo Soares; 819, advance. On the other hand, even many Harold Wilson; 827, Augusto Pinochet revolutionary-minded critics of the Commu —by Copaln nist parties in the capitalist countries have EN ESPANOL: come to believe that the suppression of PORTUGAL 836 El MFA o Democracia Obrera Revoluclonaria democratic rights under Stalinist regimes is —por LIvIo Maltan the norm for a workers state, and that such URUGUAY 838 Campaha Internaclonal por Presos rights have little or nothing to do with the Politlcos—por Joaquin Canales revolutionary struggle for power. The Stalinists' attack on workers democ racy in Portugal is directly linked to their strategic perspective, which, despite the "socialist" demagogy they employ, is to contain the mass movement within the Intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, Village opinion, unsigned material expresses the stand limits of the capitalist system. Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. point of revolutionary Marxism. , Editor: Joseph Hansen. Paris Office: Pierre Frank, 10 impasse Guemenee, The Socialist leaders likewise have no Contributing Editors: Pierre Frank, Livio Maitan, 75004, Paris, France. intention of leading the Portuguese masses Ernest Mandei, George Novack. To Subscribe: For one year send $24 to Intercon to the overthrow of capitalism. They used Editorial Staff: Michael Baumahn, Gerry Foley, tinental Press, P.O. Box 116, Village Station, New Ernest Harsch, Caroline Lund, Judy White. York, N.Y. 10014. Write for rates on first class and the mobilizations around the Republica Business Manager: Reba Hansen. airmail. affair to try to reinforce their position inside Assistant Business Manager Steven Warsheii. For airmail subscriptions in Europe: Write to Copy Editor: Mary Roche. Pathfinder Press, 47 The Cut, London SE1 8LL. in the government as servants of the MFA. Technical Staff: Robert Des Verney, Paul Deveze, Australia: Write to Pathfinder Press, P.O. Box 151, Larry Ingram, James M. Morgan, Earl Williams. Glebe 2037. in New Zealand: Write to Socialist But whatever their subjective intentions, Books, P.O. Box 1663, Wellington. the Socialist party's struggle in its own Published in New York each Monday except last Special rates available for subscriptions to in December and first in January; not published in colonial and semicolonial countries. defense against the combined attack from August. Subscription correspondence should be ad the military junta and the Communist Intercontinental Press specializes in political dressed to Intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, analysis and interpretation of events of particular Village Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. party has helped bolster democratic rights. interest to the labor, socialist, colonial indepen Please allow five weeks for change of address. Revolutionists must strive to further streng dence, Black, and women's liberation movements. Include your old address as well as your new then this gain by carrying forward the Signed articles represent the views of the authors, address, and, if possible, an address label from a which may not necessarily coincide with those of recent issue. struggle for a socialist Portugal. □ Intercontinental Press, insofar as it reflects editorial Copyright ® 1975 by Intercontinental Press.

June 16, 1975 Chapter 1

The Old Peace Movement

By Fred Halstead

A peace movement of sorts existed in the United States in 1960 the newer, radical, civil-disobedience-oriented Committee for but it had nothing to do with the war in Vietnam. It is necessary Nonviolent Action. to recall that in the early 1960s the war was not a central issue in Generally the only radical political groups accepted as part of American life. It was something reported only occasionally and as this coalition were those in the Social Democratic milieu. These far as the general population was concerned, opposed only by the included the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation and its more consistent pacifists and the more conscious radicals. Even youth group the Young People's Socialist League (YPSL), as well within the peace movement, however, the weight of the anticom- as Students for a Democratic Society. SDS was then the youth munist hysteria was so heavy that it was hard to see how serious affiliate of a very respectable Social Democratic foundation, the resistance to the Vietnam venture could develop. League for Industrial Democracy. The word "hysteria" is used here advisedly and not as an The more consistent pacifists and some of the more militant epithet. What was involved was not criticism of policies of the participants in this coalition—as well as the excluded radical Soviet government, or revulsion at the crimes of Stalinism, or groups—opposed the war in Vietnam in their own names. But honest differences of opinion or ideology. It was a question of they were each too small to do much more than make the record. A united front of all these groups might have done something With this chapter, we begin the serialization of Out Now!—A more effective, but such unity was virtually forbidden at the time. Participant's Account of the American Antiwar Movement by The youth radicalization of the 1960s did not begin around Fred Halstead. Copyright ® 1975 by the Anchor Foundation, Inc. Vietnam or within the old peace movement. Nevertheless, the All rights reserved. Printed by permission. To be published by change in mood was reflected in some of the activities of groups Monad Press. which were a part of the old coalition. One of these occurred May 3,1960, in New York City, during the reading the "communists" out of the human race. You could drop annual air-raid drill. Once a year in those days in major cities like bombs on them and feel no regret. In this country "communists" New York everybody had to get off the streets and go into were refused the elementary right to participate equally with subways or "shelter" buildings to practice an air-raid drill. It was others in social and political life. By "communists" was meant against the law not to take cover, and the law was enforced. anyone belonging to the so-called totalitarian left, a term coined The radical pacifists had organized resistance to these drills by in Social Democratic circles and applied to any tendency that standing outside after the alarm sounded. They would be arrested. considered the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 a good thing. At first these demonstrations involved handfuls, but in 1960 the The old peace movement was mainly concerned with nuclear demonstrations grew far beyond the number of people who disarmament. Its central demand was to stop nuclear tests, which organized them. That year, in New York's City Hall Park, a were poisoning the atmosphere. Common in the early 1960s were thousand people, myself among them, gathered to express demonstrations of women, often organized by Women Strike for solidarity with the demonstrators. When the alarm sounded, the Peace. These were small demonstrations, usually numbering only whole crowd stayed in place. So the police picked up the few who a few dozen participants—the movement did not have tens of more or less got in line to be arrested—their vans would hold no thousands then. They would carry signs depicting milk bottles more—and the rest of us defied the drill and got away with it. showing how much strontium 90 was getting into the milk. The great bulk of this crowd had come with no intention of The coalition of liberals and pacifists that organized the larger committing civil disobedience but found a strength in their actions demanding nuclear disarmament and an end to testing numbers and in the mood that prevailed. This mood was not excluded "communists" as such. It also excluded other peace connected with any particular war—no doubt some of the people issues such as the war in Vietnam, which were embarrassing to there had never heard of Vietnam. It was a mood of opposition to the liberal Democrats and others within the establishment that the repressive and hysterical atmosphere of the cold war. The the movement was trying to influence. crowd was overwhelmingly young. The organizations that dominated the movement were the A few days later, on May 13, the famous outburst took place at Committee for a SANE Nuclear Policy and Turn Toward Peace.i the San Francisco hearings of the House Un-American Activities They insisted on excluding the embarrassing radicals and the Committee (HUAC—later changed to the House Committee on embarrassing issues. By threatening to pull out of the coalition Internal Security). This event also had nothing directly to do with they generally forced others into line. the Vietnam war. It was a hearing to which a number of academic Other groups in this coalition were the traditiflnal religious figures had been subpoenaed, a routine occurrence during the time pacifist organizations like the American Friends Service Commit of Senator Joseph McCarthy and for some years after he was tee and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Women Strike for Peace, censured. But on this occasion the hearing was jammed with the much older Women's International League for Peace and hundreds of students protesting the thought-control atmosphere Freedom, the Student Peace Union, the War Resisters League, and the hearing was designed to promote. Many radicals were pleasantly surprised at this news that young people were defying 1. Turn Toward Peace was founded in 1961 ostensibly as a coordinating the norms of the "silent generation." center for joint activities of some sixty-six groups, including SANE. In actuality it functioned as just one more peace group with policies very close Just a week later, on May 19, 1960, the Committee for a SANE to SANE's. Nuclear Policy held a rally at Madison Square Garden in New Intercontinental Press York. The meeting was entitled "A Salute to the Summit," and Subcommittee and to cooperate with it in every way."^ had been planned to support a positive outcome of a meeting In the same speech Dodd pressed hard on the opening yielded between the U.S. and the USSR to work out an agreement to stop by Cousins, declaring: "On the basis of the evidence that has atmospheric nuclear testing. come to me I do not believe the Committee for a Sane Nuclear A few days before the Garden event the summit meeting Policy has taken the necessary measures to create a climate that collapsed. An American U-2 spy plane had been shot down spying is inhospitable to Communist infiltration." He said SANE would over the Soviet Union. So the name of SANE's rally was not very be acceptable only "if they would purge their ranks ruthlessly of appropriate, but the determination of the audience was all the Communist infiltration, and if they would clearly demarcate their greater. own position from that of the Communists. First by stressing the Speakers included Eleanor Roosevelt, Governor G. Mennen need for adequate inspection." Williams of Michigan, United Auto Workers President Walter Actually, SANE's official position could not be clearly demar Reuther, and Alf Landon, the 1936 Republican presidential cated from that of the U.S. government any more than from that candidate. The rhetoric was distinctly moderate. Norman Tho of the Soviet government. The leaders of SANE tied their program mas, the seventy-six-year-old leader of the Socialist Party-Social to summit dealings, bringing pressure for a mutually agreed test Democratic Federation, advocated a unilateral U.S. ban on ban. The Soviet government had already agreed to halt atmos testing, but most of the other speakers insisted on "adequate pheric tests if the U.S. would do likewise. The argument inspection" guarantees. Since this was the very point the U.S. Washington gave for refusing this offer was a demand for State Department used to excuse the continuation of tests, these "adequate inspection" guarantees. Just what "adequate" meant speakers were heckled by a large part of the audience. The rank was anybody's guess, since in any case atmospheric tests could and file, it turned out, was angrier and further to the left on this not be hidden. SANE specifically avoided a demand for unilateral issue than those on the platform. halting of the tests. It was reduced to calling for a more The head of SANE at that time—formally one of its reasonable attitude by U.S. negotiators. cochairmen—was Norman Cousins, editor of the Saturday Review In this context Dodd's ultimatum in effect was that SANE could and the leading figure in the right wing of the old peace win acceptability only by becoming an apologist for the very movement. But the person who had organized the promotional position it was organized to change. work on the rally was a SANE staff member, Henry Abrams, who SANE did not go that far, but its board upheld the firing of was a veteran radical. In his fifties at the time of the rally, he was Abrams. It was later revealed that members of the board had held familiar with and respected by many people in left-wing circles, an informal meeting at which a staff member of the Senate including the Communist Party. There was no secret about this. It Subcommittee was present and a purge of SANE was discussed. was one reason a man like Abrams could be an effective organizer This didn't satisfy the subcommittee, which publicly attacked in the New York City of the time. SANE, released the Abrams testimony from the "closed" hearing, The members of SANE's governing board did not really object and announced tjje subpoenaing of thirty-eight additional persons to getting work for building a rally, or other activities, out of associated with SANE. radicals of various sorts, so long as they didn't fight for a position In the course of this controversy a number of other SANE staff different from that of those in control of the organization and so members quit in protest over the collusion with the subcommittee. long as no one made an issue of it. Actually, Abrams, who by all When Youth SANE demanded Abrams's reinstatement the group accounts had done a remarkable job on promotion, had no say in was suspended by the adult organization's leadership. SANE the political line or choice of speakers at the rally. survived, but it was badly compromised, particularly with young As preparations for the Garden event were under way Abrams people beginning to become active in the peace movement. was subpoenaed by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, Two articles analyzing this crisis in SANE were written that the upper house counterpart of HUAC. Senator Thomas J. Dodd year by A.J. Muste, sometimes called the dean of American (Democrat—Connecticut), an all-out advocate of the continuation pacifists. In the second, published in the November 1960 issue of of nuclear tests, was the subcommittee's acting chairman. Clearly the pacifist magazine Liberation, he said: Dodd was not trying to increase SANE's effectiveness in its "We feel that what has happened in SANE is tragic, partly campaign against nuclear testing. because we cannot shake off the conviction that it need not have Abrams took the Fifth Amendment in answer to questions happened. Everything in our political life shows that we are at a about his political views and associations at a so-called closed turning point and that Americans sense it." hearing of the subcommittee May 13. In those days to exercise the Muste was not given to overstatement, and he was no constitutional right to refuse to testify against oneself in hearings superficial commentator. His long career—he was then seventy- of this ynd was'still, in the minds of many, tantamount to a four—had substantially contributed to all the major movements confession of treason. Nevertheless, it was common to take the for social change on the American scene since the First World Fifth Amendment because, among other reasons, once you War, including labor, civil rights, and antiwar. He had himself answered political questions about yourself you could be jailed for been instrumental—together with Cousins and Norman contempt of Congress if you then refused to answer questions Thomas—in launching SANE in 1957, although in 1960 he was about anyone else, even associates from the distant past. The not part of its leadership. committee would get more names, issue more subpoenas, and so If SANE had stood up against the Dodd attack, defending on. That's why the analogy with the Salem witch-hunts was Abrams and the movement generally against cold-war congres applied. sional inquisitions, said Muste, it "might have called forth a SANE cochairman Cousins tried to mollify Dodd by cooperat tremendous response; might have put new heart and courage into ing with him. By coincidence Cousins was a neighbor and many people, especially young people, fed up with conformism personal friend of Dodd in Connecticut. He went to Washington to and apathy; and might have led to the development of a more talk to the senator. Two days before the rally Cousins fired radical movement against nuclear war and war preparations. Abrams. Such a movement would be invulnerable to attempts at Commun On May 25, just six days after the rally, Dodd made a Senate ist control, if such were made." speech in which he took credit for the firing of Abrams, disclosing The very fact that Muste—a consistent civil libertarian—felt that he had told Cousins: "I don't want to release this material constrained to put the argument in those terms shows the heavy twenty-four hours before your meeting." Dodd also claimed that Cousins had "offered to open the books of the organization to the 2. Congressional Record, Senate, May 25, 1960.

June 16, 1975 weight of the atmosphere of anticommunism that still existed. But admirers by repeating in the United Nations the cover story for although Muste was here appealing to the milieu of the SANE that affair, later revealed by the administration itself to have been leaders, red-baiting was not his point. He was warning them that pure invention. What hurt young liberals the most was that this they had missed an opportunity to inspire the radicalizing youth lie obviously had nothing to do with keeping information from and that they were leaving a vacuum. "the enemy"—which knew all too well exactly what was really He had stated this in so many words in his first article on the going on—but was designed to fool the American people. (One SANE crisis, published in the July-August 1960 Liberation: Stevenson admirer who was shocked by this development was a "The problem of the thirties and forties was that the CP was young cub reporter for the Cincinnati Post & Times-Star named relatively powerful and it was setting up peace fronts which it Jerry Rubin.) controlled. It drew people into them on false pretenses. I In the U.S. a series of educational meetings and demonstrations combatted this policy. As I have already said, I am opposed to were held opposing intervention in Cuba. These were organized any united front with the CP now. But the peace movement in this mainly by the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. This was, in a very country today is not being built by the CP. SANE, for example, is real sense, an antiwar movement, but one which the old peace in the hands of American liberals and pacifists. People who in movement refused to endorse. Radical pacifist Dave Dellinger, any genuine sense want to work for peace have to accept this fact, however, played a prominent role in these activities. and be governed by it. The fact may draw, among others, people At first the Cuban Revolution received widespread sympathy in who formerly belonged to CP fronts. It also means that they have the U.S., particularly among the youth, but after U.S. holdings 'nowhere else to go.' This is to say, the moment they try to were nationalized in 1960 and the full force of the anticommunist establish 'control' over such a movement or to divert it from the campaign was unleashed against the Castro regime, support by line of firm opposition to nuclear war preparation and war-like adult liberals tended to fall away. The Fair Play for Cuba moves by any nation, they render themselves impotent, for the Committee became a united front of American radicals and movement will simply evaporate. prorevolutionary Cuban residents of the U.S. (The political "They are impotent, provided that there is a vigorous, militant complexion of the Cuban-American community reversed itself peace movement, which is clearly against U.S. nuclear war policy over the next few years as many of those favoring the revolution and therefore combats the Congressional political-inquisition returned to their homeland and many of those against it agencies. In the absence of such a movement there would be a emigrated to the U.S.) vacuum. I am not sure that such a vacuum could be filled, but if it The Fair Play committee established a precedent for united were it would be by elements which profited by the default of activity of several sectors of the American left that had not been American liberals, non-Stalinist radicals and pacifists." on speaking terms for many years. For example, at a demonstra In his second SANE-crisis article, Muste emphasized his own tion of 5,000 in New York's Union Square protesting the Bay of across-the-board pacifist approach, one reason he was at the time Pigs invasion in 1961, two of the main speakers were Peter opposed to a united front including the CP, which was uncritical Camejo of the Trotskyist Young Socialist Alliance and Mike Stein of Soviet nuclear tests. In the process he touched on the essential of Advance, a youth group associated with the Communist Party. reason for the liberal default: It was the presence on the scene of a new and broader force—in "In large measure, the liberals on whom SANE seeks to build this case the Cuban Americans—that impelled this unity. (Both still think in nationalistic terms and cling to the 'deterrence' Camejo and Stein would later play significant roles in the anti- concept with all that this implies. They have not arrived at the Vietnam-war movement.) stage of radical criticism of the U.S. politico-economic regime and The Southern civil rights struggle was sparked by college realization of the profound changes that will have to take place in students and gave birth to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating it, if nuclear war is in fact to be averted. . .. In other words for Committee (SNCC), originally affiliated with Martin Luther King them the 'enemy' is still over there. Even if they agree Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and based intellectually, they are in a sense incapable of 'feeling' that the mainly on Black campuses in the South. There was widespread 'enemy' is equally in the Congressional committees, the Pentagon, support by Northern students including picketing of stores in the the Atomic Energy Commission, and other agencies of the Cold Woolworth chain. In addition some Northern students and War and nuclear politics over here." sympathizers went South on such activities as Freedom Rides, With regard to the Vietnam war the default by the liberals— SNCC community organizing projects, and the Mississippi including many of those leading the old peace movement—would summer voter registration campaigns. continue to the point where Muste himself would become a A central issue in the Berkeley Free Speech Movement (FSM), vigorous supporter of a nonexclusive united front. But that was which burst forth in the fall 1964 semester, was the right of later. students to carry out support activities on the Berkeley campus of the University of California for the Southern civil rights struggle. Jack Weinberg, a member of the Independent Socialist Club, was arrested for setting up a table for the Congress of Racial Equality Between 1960 and 1965 a radicalization of some of the youth in (CORE). Several thousand students surrounded the police car in the U.S. began to appear, not around Vietnam at first, but around which Weinberg was under arrest and for two days used its roof two other issues: the Cuban Revolution and the civil rights as a stage for speeches while Weinberg sat inside.(Weinberg was struggle in the South. Cuban Dictator Fulgencio Batista was the author of the famous comment, "Don't trust anyone over overthrown by Castro's guerrillas on New Year's Day, 1959. The thirty," and later played a part in the Berkeley Vietnam Day first Black student sit-in occurred at a Woolworth dime store lunch Committee.) counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, on February 1, 1960. By the end of 1964, then, there existed a few thousand young From the time the Cubans nationalized their major industries in people who had already begun to consider and adopt radical ideas 1960 through the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, the U.S. perspective and who had become activists to one degree or another around the for military attack on Cuba was hardly a secret. The opening Southern civil rights struggle and/or the Cuban Revolution. These gambit in such an attack was launched by CIA-organized Cuban youth were ready, willing, and able to enter a struggle against the counterrevolutionaries in April 1961. It was crushed at the Bay of Vietnam war, but they could not do so through the old peace Pigs before the beachhead could be established. Adlai Stevenson, movement coalition which was still dominated by the shibboleths perhaps the country's most widely respected liberal Democratic of the cold war. figure, besmirched his own reputation in the eyes of many [Next chapter: The Student Peace Union]

Intercontinental Press National Demonstration to Be Held June 21

The Struggle for the Right to Abortion in Britain

By Gwyn Davies

LONDON—A group of doctors and medi dr * cal students held a sit-in at the British Medical Association headquarters here May 22, demanding that the BMA secretary, Dr liillllllliil Derek Stevenson, publish details of the BMA's opposition to the reactionary abor CHOO tion amendment bill now through its second reading in Parliament. U! The demonstrators were protesting the ■ fact that the BMA had not actively opposed the bill despite the fact that the evidence it gave to the parliamentary Select Committee criticized almost every clause in the mea sure. Dr Stevenson met the protesters' demand and has now published the position of the BMA. Since the introduction of the 1967 abor f-a tion act, abortions are allowed in Britain under certain circumstances. About 88,000 of 109,000 women who received legal abortions in 1974 were eligible on health grounds rather than under the more strin gent clauses of risk to life. In February 1975, however, James White, Labour mem ber of Parliament for Pollock (Glasgow), introduced an amendment into Parliament, supposedly to get rid of abuses under the 1967 law. Angela Phillips/IFL In particular, he claimed his bill would More than 1,000 demonstrators marched in London in February to protest anti-abortion bill. wipe out racketeering in the private medical sector, which in Britain is allowed to exist alongside the public National Health Ser than 800 persons. It has the support of social expenditure, some hospitals are vice. However, the reason many women still several trade unions, and at the National closing their abortion facilities as a nones- use the private sector is the lack of facilities Union of Students annual conference a sential service. within the National Health Service. The resolution of support was passed that is The Labour party leadership is trying to Tories cut the budget for social services by now being translated into action. Student avoid the crisis that is building up around £111 million (£1 = US$2.32) and this has not unions are distributing thousands of pos this question by claiming that the vote on been replaced by the Labour government. ters and have voted funds to pay for buses the White bill is a matter of conscience for Restrictions in the White bill would make to bring people to a national demonstration individual MPs, and not a question of it more difficult for women to obtain to be held here June 21. policy on which the party has to take a abortions. Not only would it limit medical The Women's Conference of the Trades clear position. At the February 7 vote in the grounds, but it would also make it impossi Union Congress passed a motion in mid- House of Commons, the bill passed by a ble for women from other countries to March "recognising that a woman's right vote of 200 to 88, with Labour MPs split obtain an abortion here unless they con over her own body should be a fundamental down the middle. ceived on British soil: The cut-off date for right." It demanded that "full and well It does not seem as if the Labour party obtaining an abortion (twenty weeks) would publicised contraception facilities should be leadership will be able to squirm out of match a twenty-week residency require available to all women on the National taking a clear stand. Whichever way the ment. Furthermore, the bill would require Health Service and that abortion on de Select Committee rules, and whether the parental consent for women under the age mand should be available on the National White bill stands or falls, the effect on the of sixteen. Health Service." The conference also called Labour party will be to question in a direct The National Abortion Campaign was set on the TUC to campaign for these facilities. way its professed support to the struggle of up in March to combat efforts to restrict the The fight for legal abortions freely women for their liberation. right to abortion. Its aim is to organize a available from the National Health Service The Wilson government must either take mass campaign coordinated on a national is part of an ongoing campaign. Even a position in defense of women's democratic scale to defend women's right to choose without the added threat of the White bill, right to control their own reproduction or be whether to terminate a pregnancy. many hospitals already refuse to perform seen as standing on the side of those who The campaign was launched at a meeting abortions for women who are legally seek to force women back to the deaths and in the House of Commons attended by more entitled to them. Facing severe cuts in mutilations of illegal abortions. □

June 16, 1975 Ford Tries to Bring Curtain Down on Show

Rockefeller's Laundry Job on CIA Murder Plots

By Caroline Lund

The Ford administration is handling the Unable to divert questions to another As of June 5, published reports cited at least question of CIA assassination plots like a subject, Nessen finally "stalked angrily fifteen attempts to murder Fidel Castro. hot potato. from the White House briefing room," These took place under the Eisenhower, Administration officials said throughout reported James Naughton in the June 7 Kennedy, and Johnson administrations. the first week of June that the report of the New York Times. Other reports have charged CIA involve Rockefeller Commission on the CIA, pre The commission headed by Vice-president ment in the murder of Congolese liberation sented to Ford on June 6, would be released Nelson Rockefeller was set up last January fighter Patrice Lumumba, as well as of for publication by June 8. But after taking a to investigate widespread charges of Rafael Trujillo and Ngo Dinh Diem. quick look at it, Ford decided to keep the massive illegal CIA spying on the Ameri Here is a sampling of the disclosures that wraps on the report for at least a few days can people, especially on those who were have come out so far: and ordered Rockefeller to delete the whole actively opposed to U.S. involvement in the • Retired Maj. Gen. Edward Lansdale, a section covering the assassination plots. Vietnamese civil war. former U.S. counterinsurgency expert, re Using the excuse that the information In recent months the issue of domestic vealed that Robert Kennedy ordered him to gathered by the Rockefeller Commission is secret-police operations has been largely prepare contingency plans to "eliminate" "incojnplete," Ford now wants to dump eclipsed in the mass media by revelations of Castro. responsibility for covering up the assassina CIA assassination plots against leaders of • Memorandums the Federal Bureau of tion plots into the lap of Congressional other countries, especially Cuban Premier Investigation and the Justice Department investigating committees, headed by Demo Fidel Castro. sent to the Rockefeller Commission admit crats. After five months of secret hearings, the that Mafia gangsters were recruited for On June 7 a spokesman for Ford tried his Rockefeller Commission announced on assassination attempts against Castro. The best to make light of the whole matter. He June 2 that its report cleared the CIA of any mobster attacks included attempts to poison said Ford considered the assassination widespread pattern of illegal activities. Castro as well as the use of snipers. investigation as "basically an historic "There are things which have been done • Watergate burglar Frank Sturgis said exercise," anyway. which are in contradiction to the statutes," on television that he recruited a team to "Even if you did get as close to the truth said Rockefeller, "but in comparison to the assassinate Castro. as you could, what would it mean, apart total effort they are not major." • A former air force officer and CIA from straightening the historic record?" he This cover-up artist of Attica prison liaison agent, L. Fletcher Prouty, reported asked. This did not square with the report massacre fame went on to assert: "There've that he knew a team of killers was secretly of another "high Administration source," been no stones left unturned, there's no flown into Cuba to get Castro. quoted in the June 8 New York Times, who punches pulled." • A leak from the Rockefeller Commis said that the White House had been But apparently even the White House sion to the Associated Press revealed the "anguishing for months" over how to feared that the report would not hold up content of minutes of a secret, high-level handle this supposedly "historic" question. under scrutiny, thus holding off its publica meeting held in the Pentagon on August 10, Ford's moves brought immediate criti tion. There was much speculation about 1962, at which Kennedy administration cism from others in the ruling class who felt why Ford decided to bar any release of the officials discussed the desirability of killing that this was too blatant a cover-up opera section of the report on assassination plots. Castro. tion to be put over on the American people. Naughton in the New York Times said that • McGeorge Bundy, nationsd security The New York Times, for example, in its one explanation being discussed in Wash assistant to former President Kennedy, told June 8 editorial, said that the one redeem ington is that in coming weeks "Congres reporters that in his White House days it ing characteristic, in their view, of the Ford sional investigators might produce hard was commonplace to discuss "how nice it administration was its "openness and evidence that would make an inconclusive would be if this or that leader" were candor," as opposed to the "conspiratorial report from Mr. Rockefeller's panel appear eliminated. air of the Nixon White House." to have been a whitewash." • Former CIA director John McCone, a But, said the Times editors, "that reputa Committees of the Senate and House of witness at hearings of the Senate investi tion, with its important contribution to Representatives are conducting their own gating committee, told reporters that top restoring respect for governmental integri separate investigations of illegal CIA activ officials of both the Eisenhower and Ken ty, will be imperiled if the Administration ities. nedy administrations had ordered "actions" fails to release immediately all parts of the The Rockefeller report's conclusion on the against Castro. report of the Rockefeller Commission. . . ." Castro assassination plots was leaked to A description of the way U.S. ruling The June 6 White House news briefing on reporters before Ford's suppression of this circles discuss cold-blooded murder was the commission report was in fact described section. According to a report in the June 3 given more than ten years ago by former by some reporters as comparable in its New York Daily News, the original report Florida Senator George Smathers. Smath- atmosphere to those under the Nixon admitted that the CIA had been involved in ers, a close friend of John Kennedy, told an administration during the Watergate cover- a plot against Castro but claimed that the interviewer in 1964 how he and Kennedy up. One reporter asked Ford's press secre plot had never been approved by the White discussed whether Washington could get tary Ron Nessen whether Nixon himself House and was never put into motion. away with killing Castro: had been "consulted on this cover-up." This is contradicted by overwhelming "We had further conversation of assassi Another journalist called Nessen a liar. evidence that has come out in past months. nation of Fidel Castro, what would be the

intercontinental Press reaction, how would the people react, would the people he gratified. I'm sure he had his own ideas about it, hut he was picking my brain. . .. As I recollect, he was just throwing out a great barrage of questions— he was certain it could be accomplished." The Democrats on the House and Senate investigating committees, led by Senator Frank Church of Idaho, have been trying to ciii Ronee make some partisan hay over the Ford administration's difficulties in covering up the CIA gangster operations. On June 4 Church announced that the investigating committee he heads already has "hard evidence" of CIA involvement in assassina tion plots. He accused the Rockefeller Commission of trying "to lead the public to believe that any misdeeds of the CIA were minor, and that the agency had been relatively without guilt." But while the Democrats are ready to put a little more blame on the CIA,they are not 'Assassinate? Oh, Please Don't Use That Awful Word!-Say, Rather, interested in looking further into who gave We Aet With Extreme Prejudiee..' the CIA its orders, because that was primarily Democrats Kennedy and John

son. [from the CIA] that these things no longer Washington" is extremely dangerous to Church insisted at his June 4 news took place." U.S. "security." The author, Charles Mur conference that "the question about wheth Other Democrats on the House committee phy, says that the question Congress er the CIA was following orders has yet to investigating the CIA are calling for the should he addressing itself to is "whether be determined." ouster of Nedzi as chairman because of his the U.S. can remain 'a free, democratic When Senator Edward Kennedy was compromised position. society' without the kind of secret organiza asked to comment on charges that his As Congress and the White House contin tion that the CIA has to he in order to do its brother John ordered plans to assassinate ue their "investigations" and cover-up job effectively." Castro, the senator said he was "satisfied to maneuvers, a wide-ranging debate is taking Murphy says that the basic problem is a moral certainty that any kind of sugges place over the role of secret political police that, unlike other countries, in the United tion is inaccurate." He accused "certain in the United States. States secret police agencies are formally agencies" of "trying to pass the buck." Although it has previously been reported subject to oversight by Congress. This Senator Church's lack of interest in a full that the CIA overthrows governments and encourages the public to think it should investigation was also indicated by his murders political leaders abroad, such have a say over what the secret police can response when reporters asked whether his actions are now seen by many Americans do. Murphy looks longingly at the secret committee would accept an offer made by in a different light. For one thing, the police setup in Britain, where "M16, the Fidel Castro to provide documentary evi Watergate and later revelations showed [CIA's] counterpart on the clandestine side, dence of CIA murder plots. that the CIA and FBI were using some of is lodged discreetly and impenetrably inside Church refused, with the remark:"I think the same methods in this country, against the Foreign Office and serves the Prime we can get all that information without the American people. Minister directly." having to rely on Mr. Castro." One reflection of this growing conscious With all the recent investigations into the During the 1960s the Cuban government ness is the reemergence of questions among CIA, Murphy explains, one problem is that made repeated charges of CIA assassina Black people about who w.as really responsi foreign secret police have been reluctant to tion attempts against Castro and offered to ble for the assassinations of Dr. Martin cooperate with the CIA. They fear that their provide proof. But the White House ignored Luther King and Malcolm X. If the CIA had crimes might also be exposed. or denied these charges. spent so much effort to try to kill Castro Fortune, however, can see that it is not so Other leading Democrats are no more and pin the blame on the Mafia, what easy for the Ford administration to keep the likely than Church to dig up the truth about compunctions would they have about or CIA revelations under control. Murphy the CIA murder plots. It was revealed on ganizing the murder of Malcolm X and outlines the problem before the American June 4, for example, that Lucien Nedzi, who pinning the blame on a feud in the Black ruling class: heads the House committee investigating Muslims? "In President Ford's defense, it should be the CIA, was informed more than a year This questioning about the role of U.S. said that he does not have enough fingers ago about CIA assassination plots and secret police agencies is intertwined with to plug all the leaks in the dike. The CIA domestic spy operations. He did not raise the continuing debate over the Vietnam has an excess of troubles these days. It is a any objection to these crimes or inform the War and U.S. foreign policy in general. victim of, among other things, the perva public about them. The implications of this public discussion sive mistrust of government secrecy. Water have the U.S. ruling circles worried. Their gate, along with all its other bad conse Nedzi was told about the CIA crimes in concern was voiced in an unusually frank quences, tipped the balance in the conten secret briefings by CIA officials to the way in a cover story titled "Why We Need tious issue of the government's right to House Armed Services subcommittee that is the CIA" in the June issue of Fortune, an secrets. Some people apparently believe that charged with overseeing the CIA. Asked authoritative business publication. the government has no right to any secrets, why he didn't at least call for an investiga The basic thesis of the article is that what a view that, if it prevails, will be fatal to the tion, Nedzi said: "we received assurances it calls the "investigative hysteria in function of intelligence." □

June 16, 1975 'Kissinger's Secret Empire' of them all. Its annual budget of $11 billion includes the special funds for research and overhead reconnaissance; and it employs 25,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel at its headquarters at Fort George G. Meade Washington's $25 Biliion Spy Network in Maryland, and 100,000 more Americans all over the world." By Robert Dumont The NSA also employs between 10,000 and 15,000 foreign personnel abroad. Its present director, Lt. Gen. Lew Allen, Jr., Washington's worldwide and domestic sands of international telephone calls has worked both for the CIA and the secret intelligence apparatus costs the between the U.S. and foreign points." Defense Intelligence Agency. American taxpayers about $25 billion a "Transcripts of all monitored overseas NSA officials, Szulc says, contend that year—close to 8 percent of the federal calls—and, in many cases of intercepted there ■ is nothing illegal in the agency's government budget—Tad Szulc reports in radiograms and telegrams—are given to the extensive wiretapping, conducted from the an article on "Kissinger's Secret Empire" CIA and the FBI and, when requested, to seven locations in the United States where that appeared in the June issue of Pent Kissinger's National Security Council." the American Telephone and Telegraph house magazine. In addition to these overseas operations Company operates international phone Szulc is a former New York Times one of the most important—and until exchanges. They cite a provision in the 1968 correspondent who last year published an recently least known—aspects of Washing wiretap law that nothing in it "shall limit informed account of Washington's behind- ton's intelligence operation is the extensive the Constitutional power of the President to the-scenes maneuvering with Moscow and surveillance of American citizens within the take such measures as he deems necessary Peking over the Vietnam accords. United States itself. Szulc provides an to protect the nation against actual or "It would not be too difficult to establish informative report on the scope of this potential or other hostile acts by foreign a police state in America today," says domestic spying. powers. . . ." Szulc, "given the 200,000 employees of the The "board of directors" of the spy (A similar-sounding clause adopted by Central Intelligence Agency, the National establishment is the United States Intelli Congress in 1964 gave Lyndon B. Johnson Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of gence Board (USIB), headed by the director a cover to escalate the Vietnam war step by Investigation, the various military intelli of Central Intelligence, currently William step without having to abide by the consti gence services and local police departments, Colby. Colby made his mark in the field as tutional requirements of a formal declara and the web of over twenty official superviser of the infamous "Operation tion of war.) agencies—including the Internal Revenue Phoenix," which Szulc describes as "no The transcripts of the thousands of Service—that form what is euphemistically thing less than a wholesale program for telephone calls monitored by the NSA alone known in Washington as the 'Intelligence assassinating over 20,000 real or suspected "account for a large part of the hundred Community.'" Vietcong sympathizers in South Vietnam." tons of paper the NSA uses up each day at These agencies play a key role in the As USIB's chairman, Colby is directly its headquarters," Szulc reports. "The elaboration and execution of U.S. diplomat responsible to the National Security Coun transcriptions are stored in huge computers ic and trade policy, he says. "For example, cil and, through it, to President Ford. "In for instant retrieval. . . . The computers the CIA is invisibly involved in major U.S. practice, however, Colby's real boss is . . . can immediately identify voices government economic negotiations—oil is a Henry Kissinger (in his separate incarna through 'voice prints.'" case in point—and has special 'arrange tion as Special Assistant to the President Other foreign surveillance is conducted ments' with big corporations." for National Security Affairs and thus from secret installations in the United Overseeing it all is Secretary of State manager of the National Security Coun States, the Aleutians, Iceland, Taiwan, Henry Kissinger, who "resents having to cil)." Japan, South Korea, the Indian Himalayas, answer for his actions to anyone, except— Kissinger also chairs the top-secret "For Ethiopia, Turkey, Morocco, and a score of possibly—the president." ty Committee" of the NSC, a five-man body other locations, Szulc says. in charge of major covert intelligence "There are some 2,000 secret 'intercept Most of this $25 billion Washington operations abroad. And he runs the NSC positions' around the world. They are spends on military and diplomatic spying, Intelligence Committee and the Net Assess supplemented by . . . ships and planes— says Szulc, "is artfully hidden under ments Group. such as the Liberty, mistakenly sunk by the innocent-sounding line items in the federal The USIB includes the CIA, the National Israelis in 1967, the Pueblo, captured by the budget. It is another of Henry Kissinger's Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence North Koreans in 1967, and the EC-121 many secrets. The $25 billion figure may Agency, the State Department's Bureau of plane shot down off North Korea in 1969. sound excessively high—most published Intelligence and Research (INR), the FBI, NSA teams in Vietnam and Cambodia help estimates have set it at around $10 billion— and the Treasury Department."The Treasu to direct air strikes by everything from B-52 but in calculating the real total one must ry," Szulc explains, "was added because of bombers to helicopter gunships. . . ." take into account the huge sums spent its participation in the antinarcotics pro through military appropriations for the gram (the CIA is also working on narcotics NSA also works closely with the CIA and Intelligence Community's ever-growing though, ironically, its agents often collabor the air force's top-secret National Recon technological requirements." An example is ate with heroin smugglers in Indochina) naissance Office, which launches the Sa- the billions spent on satellite reconnais and because of the fact that it runs the mos satellites and the SR-71 planes. A sance. expanded Secret Service." Samos camera, Szulc says,"can spot a golf Another is the National Security Agency, Here is a breakdown of these various ball from 100,000 feet or more." "the Pentagon-linked electronic intelligence components of the "Intelligence Communi (The highly sophisticated nature of these organization that covers the world with its ty": spying operations was indicated by pub 125,000 employees and a $11 billion annual • National Security Agency. "Esta lished reports in 1969 of how the Pentagon budget. . . ." The NSA selectively monitors blished in 1952 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had tracked and killed Che Guevara. By and transcribes each day "uncounted thou it is the biggest and richest and most secret maintaining a spy ship off Havana harbor

Intercontinental Press that monitored all radio communications in employs about 6,000 agents. In addition to prison-masters, many of whom were trained and out of Cuba, Washington was apparent serving as "the principal arm of the in the United States by the CIA and federal ly quite well informed about Che's where government in domestic political spying," police academies." abouts after he dropped out of sight in Cuba the FBI has representatives abroad who Szulc cites many examples of how this in 1965. And later, in Bolivia, it was able to huge intelligence apparatus is used to spy follow the movements of his guerrilla force on American citizens within the United with heat-seeking aerial reconnaissance States. Army counterintelligence agents techniques so sensitive, according to one have built a computerized data bank that report, "that a picture of a man chewing a reportedly contains around 100,000 names. warm cigar stub in a pitch-black jungle The CIA has compiled secret files on clearing, taken from as high as 1,500 feet members of Congress. The CIA has trained altitude, will give .. . a good guess about domestic police forces in such cities as how recently the man's face has been Washington, New York, and Chicago, "in shaved."*) complex intelligence crafts so that local • Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA's cops could better anticipate, monitor, and annual budget is estimated at $6 billion and control antiwar demonstrations and other its U.S. staff stands at about 8,000 persons. civil disturbances." In addition, several thousand foreign All these practices were well established agents are "controlled" by CIA case offi by the time Nixon took office in 1969. He cers. just carried them a bit further—for example, Judging from the large number of offices serve in American embassies as "legal through the creation in 1970 of the Inter- the CIA maintains throughout the United attaches." agency Committee on Intelligence, which States, the agency is heavily involved in • State Department Bureau of Intelli was aimed at expanding domestic intelli domestic spying operations. gence and Research (INR). This department gence activities. The Foreign Resources Division of the spends about $5 million annually analyzing This project was later known as the Directorate of Operations, which together foreign intelligence. Huston plan, after its author, Nixon aide with the Counterintelligence Staff handles • Treasury Department. Szulc reports Tom Charles Huston, who drafted a memor domestic spying, has offices in eight U.S. that the Treasury has recently formed its andum "For Eyes Only" urging that "pres cities. own National Security Affairs Office. ent restrictions on legal coverage should be The Domestic Collection Division, which Below the level of the U.S. Intelligence relaxed" in order "to permit intensification supposedly interviews citizens who may Board, he says, Washington has additional of coverage of individuals and groups in the possess information of intelligence value to intelligence sources, such as the Drug United States who pose a major threat to the CIA, has offices in thirty-six cities. Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of the internal security." The Office of Training works closely with Customs, the Internal Revenue Service, the Szulc observes that "the Intelligence local police departments. Treasury's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Community has not reformed since Nixon The Office of Security, with eight field Firearms, and the State Department's left the White House." Among recent exam offices in the United States, conducts Passport Office, "which has monumental ples of covert operations he cites are CIA security investigations of prospective agen files on American citizens based on pass involvement in Portugal and the use, cy employees, and is responsible for protec port applications." beginning in September 1974, of Birdair, tion of intelligence sources and methods. The activities of these organizations are part of a network of CIA-linked "airlines," The Recruitment Division has twelve obviously not limited to the gathering of to ferry ammunition and other supplies domestic offices. "intelligence." Szulc notes the long record from Thailand to Lon Nol's regime in The Cover and Commercial Staff directs of known CIA involvement in the over Pnompenh. the CIA's corporate activities and arranges throw of governments around the world. In The sabotage and subversion carried on cover for the agency's operatives in U.S. addition to "selective assassinations" of by the U.S. "Intelligence Community," in corporations abroad. foreign political leaders, he adds, the CIA short, is simply an extension of U.S. "The full list of these corporations would "has been indirectly responsible for thou imperialism's foreign and domestic policy. he a Who's Who of American business and sands of deaths in such foreign operations "It is a common error to think of either industry," Szulc says. "American business as the war waged by its 'Clandestine Army' the CIA or the whole Intelligence Communi men are instinctive ideological allies of the in Laos, the Phoenix program in Vietnam ty as an independent and irresponsible CIA—and there are reasons to think that . . . , the 1954 Guatemala Civil War, the body—running completely wild on its own," the agency often reciprocates with economic Bay of Pigs, the secret air operations in the writes Szulc. information that the corporations could not Congo in the 1960s, and supporting the "But the CIA will be—and has been— otherwise obtain." Indonesian rebellion in 1965." only what the rulers of this country want it • Defense Intelligence Agency. Created The CIA has trained right-wing Cambodi to be. . . . by the Pentagon in 1962 to centralize the an and Ugandan guerrillas at secret bases "The CIA's current illegal foreign and intelligence work of the three branches of in Greece and Tibetan guerrillas in the domestic activities are approved by the the armed forces, the DIA has grown to a mountains of Colorado. highest officials in our government—by force of 50,000 military intelligence special Police experts provided by the Agency for Kissinger and Ford." □ ists and support personnel with an annual International Development supervised $3 billion budget. Thieu's "tiger-cage" prisons for political Oh, for the Good Old Days • Federal Bureau of Investigation. The opponents; the cages themselves were de FBI spends about $2 billion a year and signed and built by the U.S. Navy in "Diplomacy, alas, is no longer a chess California under an AID contract. game in a sealed room. For better or worse, "In short," Szulc concludes, "wherever the people, rancid and unwashed, want to * See "How the U.S. Intervened in Bolivia there is a nasty dictatorship in power, you play too."—Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., in an Against Che," Intercontinental Press, April 7, can be certain of finding CIA representa article on the current situation in Portugal 1969, p. 338. tives in bed with the local executioners and in the June 3 Wall Street Journal.

June 16, 1975 Why Both the CP and SP Fail to Meet the Test

Democracy—a Key Issue in Portuguese Revolution

By Gerry Foley

By resisting the attempt of the military mentary rule could not be maintained, and cy was revealed when he tried to explain government and the Communist party to the alternative of the military sharing why he was opposed to the holding of restrict its influence and its role, the responsibility for running the country with elections soon for the municipal govern Portuguese Socialist party not only created the CP alone was neither likely nor desir ments, where the CP has gained many a crisis of governmental authority in its able. positions by virtue of its machine and its own country but on an international scale "I do not think that for the moment any special relationship with the MFA. He said: raised some fundamental questions about governmental coalition linking the MFA "The Socialist party wants to set up an the nature of socialist revolution. [Movimento das Forgas Armadas—Armed anti-Communist holy alliance. Blocs de In the context of the world economic Forces Movement] and other parties could signed to isolate the PCP [Partido Comunis- crisis and the rapidly reviving interest in leave out the SP. Likewise, the CP could not ta Portugues—Portuguese Communist socialism among the masses in the deve he left out. A coalition between the CP and party] would, in fact, have every chance of loped capitalist countries, especially the less what is called the left of the MFA is very winning. You see, there are two roads stable ones concentrated in Western Eu unlikely." coexisting in Portugal today—the electoral rope, the question of the relationship If, however, the SP continued to prove process and the revolutionary dynamic. between socialism and democracy was intractable, a purely military government Sometimes they run parallel, at others they hound to take on a crucial importance. would be an acceptable solution: diverge. In a revolution, sometimes you The closing down, through the combined "If a coalition government proves impos have to defend a policy that may not action of the military government and a sible, an alternative will have to be found— always he popular. Supporting wage de Stalinist-controlled union, of a daily news for example, a government comprising mands that our economy cannot afford, paper associated with the party that got by officers and civilians who do not represent calling for cutting the workweek to thirty- far the largest vote in the April 25 elections parties as such." five hours can help get you votes. But in raised this issue dramatically. The way in The CP general secretary explained that view of the state of our economy, this is which the government, the Communist a government installed by the armed forces demagogy, and can lead to disaster for us." party, the Kremlin, the West European over the heads of the people should not Cunhal was setting up a straw man. He necessarily he considered a dictatorship: Stalinist parties, and a whole spectrum of did not give real examples of the "demago "A military government is not on the left groups responded to the protests of the gy" he had in mind, because the CP's role horizon at the moment. But in any case, I Socialist party brought out all the implica in holding back workers struggles and should make it clear that such a govern tions of the question. breaking strikes in order to defend the ment would not be incompatible with the The arguments the military and the economic policy of the government has Stalinists used against the Socialists exercise of liberties in Portugal. It was, in become a scandal among the most militant fact, the MFA that established the freedoms showed that the seizure of Republica on sections of the Portuguese working class. May 20 only brought into the open a that exist in this country. It is a slander to This is one of the main reasons why "blocs try to identify an extension of the role of the political conflict that had been generated by designed to isolate the PCP would, in fact, MFA in the process going on in the country the class struggle. have every chance of winning." This is why The Stalinist Portuguese Communist with a military dictatorship." the CP has in fact been badly defeated in party gave a clear answer to the questions The veteran Stalinist leader also drew some elections by blocs opposing the that were raised, and its attitude was clearly the implications of this position. The Stalinist machine. This occurred, for exam echoed and supported by the Soviet bu most immediate one was that if the SP did ple, in the bank workers union in Oporto, not subordinate itself sufficiently to the reaucracy. Alvaro Cunhal, the general where the former CP minister of labor in secretary of the Portuguese CP, was quite military regime, then the Constituent As the first provisional government was hurled frank in explaining this position to Le sembly no longer had any purpose. by a 2-to-l vote. Monde reporters in Lisbon on May 27. "We have said that if the parties in the The French CP apparently felt freer to Apparently he expected the European coalition government break with the pact refer to actual cases where its Portuguese capitalist press to appreciate the "reason they signed with the MFA by leaving the comrades had shown more "responsibility" ableness" and "realism" of his propositions. government, then the Constituent Assem than the SP. An editorial in I'Humanite The reporters asked him whether, if the bly elected on the basis of this pact no said: Socialists—who won 38 percent of the vote longer has any reason for existence. If there "Organizing production is the primary in the April 25 elections—were excluded is a coalition government, there will be a task. But while Mario Soares talks about from the government, an alternative coali Constituent Assembly; but without a coali everything and nothing, he has been tion could he built with small satellites of tion, there will he no Constituent Assembly. maintaining a total silence on this subject. the CP, such as the MES (Movimento da That is our opinion." His friends and allies are involved in Esquerda Socialista—Movement of the fomenting strikes and disorders under Socialist Left), which won slightly over 1 various bad pretexts in TAP [Transportes Why CP Is Vulnerable percent in the same poll. Aereos Portugueses—-Portuguese Airlines], Showing political realism, Cunhal went Cunhal assured the reporters that the in the chemical industry, and in other key to the heart of the matter and ruled out any Portuguese CP favored democracy, freedom sectors. Mario Soares remains silent. And coalition that did not include the SP. In of speech, and freedom of association. in any case he is taking no practical steps such a case, clearly, the facade of parlia However, his real attitude toward democra to get the Socialist party to participate in

Intercontinental Press the economic struggle, which is the prereq that 20 Socialist workers were purged. Now, favorable to Portugal, or as the interviewer uisite for the survival of democracy and purges cannot be carried out under partisan said, favorable to the East European freedom in Portugal. pressure, and if this happens, it is obvious countries. There was no definite answer. "From Washington to Bonn, they are that a division will arise among the "And there is a problem that we would relying on a collapse of the Portuguese like to see clarified for the country. What economy. They are preparing the way for a are the sources of potential investments? financial and industrial collapse such as "This naturally raises another problem, occurred in Chile. which is the viability of our socialist "So, what side is Mario Soares on? What experiment. Because we do not want to side are the Socialist parties and the install a socialism of poverty here! No, we Socialist International on?" certainly do not want to reduce the stand ard of living of the Portuguese people! We The SP Rejoinder do not want to 'Albanianize' Portugal! We want our socialist experiment to contribute to developing the economy and solving the Actually, the SP leaders have not re essential problems of the Portuguese people! mained silent about the "Battle of Produc And how are we going to solve these tion." They have indignantly rejected the problems? Are we aiming for a 'Cuban-type' accusations of the CP, while responding solution, that is, a Cuban model? Then we with a pained defense to similar charges should know who is going to foot the bill. In from the military government. For example, the case of Cuba, we know that it was the Soares said at a May 22 news conference in Soviet Union. So, we need to know whether Lisbon's Hotel Altis: the Soviet Union is prepared to pay such a "We support the Battle for Production. bill for us. We have good reason to doubt And, to the contrary of what has been it." suggested, we Socialists are involved in Obviously potential investors either in waging this battle of production. But for side or outside of Portugal would be more this purpose, it is necessary to organize reassured by the kind of "labor discipline" discipline on the job, to have a plan. And ^\:a the Stalinists have been trying to enforce the Portuguese people must be conscious of than by any "code for investors." In reality, the choices made and not feel constantly the point Soares was trying to make was insecure, not knowing what fate holds in that since most financial help was going to store for them." C4p$i^ come from Western Europe, the government The paper Republica itself made this would be in a better position to get the CUNHAL: Claims that rule by military junta in point very strongly in an editorial May 10 credits needed to relieve the pressure on the Portugal would not be dictatorial. before it was silenced; Portuguese capitalist economy if it gave a "It should never be forgotten that a bigger role to the SP, with its good political revolution is not celebrations. It is work by workers. Such divisions are harmful and connections in Europe. all of us. One of the ways in which the extremely serious for the Battle of Produc At the same time, Soares made a more socialist system is superior to the capitalist tion." profound point. The Portuguese workers one is not that there are more celebrations Not only was the attempt to create a want to catch up with West European and demonstrations but that it means doing "labor police" divisive and unacceptable, standards; they are not looking forward to a more work, that everyone must work." the appeals to the needs of "socialist "great national effort" or a "socialist On the other hand, Soares pointed out revolution" and "national liberation" used revolution" that would mean dropping (from a Social Democratic point of view) the to justify such methods could be dangerous further below the level of West European contradictions that arise from trying to use themselves, if the limitations of this rhetor bourgeois democracy. socialist-sounding appeals to get the work ic were not made clear. This means that the totalitarian methods ers to work harder to save the capitalist "We know that without domestic invest of the Communist party, monolithic control economy in Portugal, and the utilization of ment and without investment from of the press and the trade unions, along Stalinist methods to enforce "labor disci abroad," Soares continued, "it will not be with massive intimidation of the workers pline." possible to create new jobs. But in order to by government and party transmission "On the other hand, the Battle for encourage domestic investment, it is neces belts could not "win the battle of produc Production requires the involvement of all sary to inspire confidence in individual tion" in Portugal. And so, the SP was a the workers, and if some workers have saving. On the other hand, in order to get better political partner for the military transformed themselves into policemen over investment from abroad, it is necessary, as government than the CP. It could achieve other workers and discriminate in a parti Minister of Economic Affairs Melo Antunes the same results by more flexible means. san way against other workers, obviously has said very well, to create a Code for It is hard to say whether Soares is correct this battle will be weakened. Foreign Investors that can give guarantees about this, in view of the worldwide "I will cite one example that is extremely to potential investors, and we must know economic crisis and the narrow limits in illustrative. In a tomato-concentrate factory also where those investments are going to which Portuguese capitalism has to operate. in Alvalade do Sado, where there are 160 come from. Will they come from the Third It may be that in these circumstances and workers, one worker, a Communist party World? Or will they come from the Europe in the conditions of the detente, the Com member, was beginning to make life diffi an Free Trade Agreement or Common munist party can better defend capitalism cult for the rest by his intolerance for the Market countries? Or will they come from in Portugal by its methods. But it is clear other workers. Some workers made prepara the East European countries? Yesterday that in a real sense, the Communist party's tions to get him out. About 2,000 workers a question was asked on television—but not policy is certainly no less demagogic than came from outside and forced an interven answered—about our trade balance with the that of the SP. tion by the armed forces. The result was East European countries, whether it was The demagogy of the Communist party

June 16, 1975 has been so obvious that the ousted dictator lieutenants of capitalism. The SP was not sive sections of the press and heavily Marcelo Caetano himself could score a under as much pressure in this respect. influences most of the rest. point in the apologia be published in Brazil Furthermore, the CP already bad a well- The logic of this attitude was already under the title Depoimento (Testimony for developed machine in the unions, whereas clear at the time of the struggle over the the Defense). the SP bad to build one. But there was no "trade-union unity" bill. Because of the way "And suddenly a demand arose, promoted fundamental difference in policy between in which it had subordinated the interests by a group of agitators, that was designed the two reformist parties. of the workers to the needs of the bourgeois to undermine any reasonable effort by the Both parties were in the government. And military government, the CP had lost a government—the demand for a minimum unless the Portuguese government were series of key union elections. No doubt this wage of 6,000 escudos [US$249 a month]. ready to abolish capitalism altogether, confirmed Cunhal's fears about the suscept From that point on, whatever the govern establish a planned economy, and promote ibility of workers to "demagogy." ment did would be insufficient. The worst a revolutionary campaign in Western Eu Thus, it was essential to preserve the thing was that the maneuver dreamed up rope that could mobilize the working class foundation of the CP machine's power, its by Communist elements to embarrass my and the radical movement in its defense control of the national federation. In order government was to produce unexpected and break the economic and political to do this, it was necessary to prevent the results when a Communist took over the isolation that would inevitably result from SP from going around the CP-controlled Ministry of Labor [in the first provisional such moves, there was in fact no realistic structure. For this the government's help government installed in May 1974]. There hope of raising the standard of living of the was needed and was forthcoming. The were some who took him seriously and Portuguese workers substantially or chang result was the "trade-union unity" law. demanded what it bad been claimed was ing their condition. This was all the more The bourgeois regime, essentially a re easy and just to grant. Then this was found true in a climate of worldwide economic pressive apparatus, as all who call them to be neither just nor easy. It was the justice crisis. selves Marxists should know, was entrusted of fate." Neither the CP nor the SP had any with keeping the workers from succumbing In fact, the CP dropped the demand for a intention of leading a socialist revolution. to "demagogy," that is, attempts to "divide" 6,000 escudo minimum wage after joining This was specifically excluded by both them by setting up another federation. This the first coalition government set up as a groups in their own way, the SP stressing law was the first attack on a fundamental facade for the military. Not only did it the "unviability of a people's democracy in democratic right under the new regime—the oppose this as a statutory minimum, but the Portugal," the CP stressing that what was right of association. It was complementary CP machine in the trade unions opposed on the agenda was "national liberation on to the attack on trade-union rights that this demand in contract struggles and the road to socialism." began with the antistrike law of September pushed for settlements as near as possible However, the CP had both the capacity 1974. It was an indication of the antidemoc to the minimum wage of 3,300 escudos and the willingness to act as a transmission ratic direction in which the regime and its (US$137) set by the military government. belt and police for the government in the Stalinist defenders had to move in order to Only after the mass upsurge touched off labor field; while the SP did not. safeguard their demagogic hold—that is, by the March 11 coup attempt did the the control they claimed to exercise for the Stalinists Oppose Democracy government increase the minimum wage to benefit of the workers but which was not 4,000 escudos (US$166), an increase of 21 The Stalinist training of the CP activists subordinated to the workers or to the percent, while inflation has remained above made them resistant to pressure from the immediate or historic interests of the work

30 percent a year under the new regime. rank and file. They were inculcated with the ers. When I interviewed the leader of the SP's idea that only an omnipotent machine can The demagogic campaign in support of labor work, Marcelo Curto, in May 1974, be lead the workers toward a socialist transfor the "unity" law was momentarily effective. told me: "The Communists think the mation. Despite the electoralism of the In the first place, the claims that the SP's capitalists can't pay higher wages, but I Stalinist parties, their fundamental concep alleged moves to establish a rival federation think that with all the superprofits they tion remains that revolution can never win represented a CIA plot provoked the kind of piled up in the years of fascism that they the support of the majority of workers, that "patriotic" reaction the government had can pay." revolutionary policies cannot be popular, sought to foster since it took power. This Curto was thinking like a trade-union that "discipline" must be imposed on the fitted in also with the rulers' strategy of leader. And as such be has a good reputa masses by the party machine and the presenting their government as a kind of tion among militant workers. It was true government. "national liberation front." The accusation that the Portuguese monopolies could pay Otherwise, how could the iron-fisted hurled at the Socialists by Admiral Rosa much higher wages. It was also true that a dictatorship that exists in the bureaucratic Coutinho shows the advantages of such a huge backward sector of businesses bad workers states, to which the Stalinist formula. He claimed that by making such been maintained by keeping wages low. But parties remain inseparably tied, be justifi noisy protests against the shutdown of at the same time, it was true that in the ed? The leadership and the members of Republica they had, at least partially, international and political context, the Stalinist parties may idealize the situation "betrayed the country." survival of Portuguese capitalism depended in the Soviet Union and similar countries, Secondly, there was a large layer of on limiting wage increases as much as but they are neither complete idiots nor workers and the left outside the Communist possible. The Stalinists bad a clearer deaf, dumb, and blind. They know that a party who shared a certain outlook of the understanding of the needs of capital and dictatorial regime exists in those countries Stalinist ranks. They wanted to fight were more prepared to follow the logic of and justifying it is one of the fundamental imperialism and capitalism and were quick class collaborationism to its final conclu components of their political outlook. to align themselves with forces linked to sion, as well as more able to implement this This attitude was revealed very clearly in noncapitalist states and insurgent military line with ruthless consistency. Cunhal's statements May 27 to the Le officers, against Social Democrats with ties There were also opposite pressures on the Monde reporters. Elections were a tool of to openly precapitalist parties, some of SP and CP. The Stalinists were obliged by the right, because the workers would which have been, or are, in power in the needs of the detente and their strategy inevitably succumb to "demagogy," even in imperialist countries. This tendency, which of alliance with the "progressive" bourgeoi a country like Portugal, where the Com first appeared at the time of the controversy sie to prove that they could be reliable labor munist party already dominates the deci over the trade-union "unity" bill, was

Intercontinental Press reinforced by the CP-SP conflict following reformism will isolate themselves from pressing a bourgeoisie that, with its allies, the elections and took on a very acute decisive sections of the masses. had risen in arms against a revolution character in the crisis touched off by the The majority of the workers and radical supported by the majority of workers and a seizure of Republica. petty-bourgeoisie are looking for a better life regime democratically elected by the majori Ultimately such a view springs from now, including not only a better standard of ty of workers. If Stalinists and centrists get illusions in Stalinism similar to those held away with using the same arguments to by the ranks of the Stalinist parties, defend a bourgeois dictatorship, elected by illusions reinforced by reactionary anti- no one, against the economic and democrat Communism. However, both the Stalinist ic demands of the majority of workers and and the Social Democratic parties represent against the very principle of popular bureaucratic forces in the working-class sovereignty, obviously the Social Democ movement and as such are allied with rats' claims are going to instill a fierce capitalism on a world scale. aversion to Leninism in broad masses and This alliance is a contradictory one, probably the bulk of the proletariat. especially in the case of the Stalinist Mario Soares, moreover, is a good deal parties, which were formed historically on m more astute than the general run of Europe the basis of the socialist revolution and the an Social Democratic leaders. For one abolition of capitalist property in Russia. thing, he, like many or perhaps most, of the But it does not follow from this that they SP leadership served an apprenticeship in will always be in sharper conflict with the Stalinist movement. He was quick to capitalism than the Social Democratic expose the demagogy of some MFA leaders parties. The opposite, in fact, has been true who talked about basing the government at times. directly on soviet-like bodies so as to be able Because of its search for accommodation to avoid the pitfalls of "bourgeois democra with international capitalism and because cy" and "partisan conflict" revealed by the of its antidemocratic nature, Stalinism may SP's "provocations." subordinate the interests of the workers In the Hotel Altis news conference, completely to the needs of deals with the Soares said; "There has been a lot of talk bourgeoisie of individual countries or with \ ^ r-pprM about certain people's committees, such as the imperialist powers. During the Nazi- tenants committees and various associa tions that we think should play a role in the Soviet pact, the Kremlin press actually SCARES: Out to convince MFA that SP revolutionary process. Of course, they defended fascism. would be a more useful partner than CP. One example of this logic was the attitude should. But aren't these committees made of the Portuguese CP toward strikes op up of supporters of political parties? Obvi posed by the military government. The CP, living but more political and cultural ously tbey are." too, opposed them. freedom, all of which are being fervently In fact, the Soviets in Russia included all Another example was the no-strike pledge opposed by the CP in the name of the needs the workers parties and initially the Social of the CP in the United States during the of the "national revolution." Democrats had a majority. The Bolsheviks Soviet-American wartime alliance. At that It is not surprising that such layers tend, won control of these bodies precisely time, the Social Democrats, although they as they run up against the antidemocratic through elections, which both the CP and were thoroughly proimperialist and later attitudes and practices of the CP, to draw the military government find such an become enthusiastic red-baiters and cold anti-Communist conclusions, to suspect the unreliable method of determining the warriors, were less subservient to capital CP of intending to impose a dictatorship on wishes of the masses. ism and more responsive to the demands of them like that existing in the East Europe "It is a simple fact of political life that the the workers than the Stalinists. It was an countries. These masses can hardly be AFM [Armed Forces Movement] never had largely because the Social Democrats were expected to understand that the CP is using any intention of gambling the as yet dependent specifically on their base in the totalitarian methods precisely to preserve unconsolidated achievements of the antifas labor movement rather than on identifica capitalism in Portugal, to maintain a cist revolution on the uncertainties of the tion with the Soviet Union that workers capitalist government. Every kind of refor ballot box," the veteran Stalinist apologist struggles could develop at all in that period. mist and proimperialist demagogy is fo Wilfred Burchett wrote in the June 11 issue Likewise, it is clear that if the Stalinists cused on preventing them from seeing that. of the American Maoist weekly the Guardi could unite the Portuguese trade-union However, this anti-Communism tends to an. movement under their control, they would— trigger a reflex in the groups to the left of The fact is that any political democracy is as long as they remained allied to the the CP, which are used to being red-baited incompatible with the survival of the regime—turn it into a labor police for the themselves, and to bring them to the military regime—either simple bourgeois government and ruthlessly purge the very support of the Stalinists. democracy or workers democracy. And forces that supported them in the mistaken Such a reflex helps to assure that the although some elements in the regime have belief that they were more anticapitalist or response of these masses to the Stalinist invoked workers democracy against the SP anti-imperialist than the Social Democrats. policy will take a right-wing form, since to counter the effect of its electoral victory, they cannot see any democratic alternative the fact is that any development toward on the left. This response can deepen in genuine Soviets would be most immediately Democracy—a Sharp Issue particular if the demagogy of the CP and and directly in conflict with a continuation the MFA is not challenged, and the present, of their rule. The most immediate danger is that by increasingly repressive government is al Some CP representatives also have tried succumbing to the illusions held by a lowed to masquerade as a revolutionary or to claim that it was the petty bourgeoisie section of the workers vanguard in the potentially revolutionary regime. and the passive workers that gave the SP Portuguese Communist party, the militant The revolutionary government of Lenin its victory. In fact, the evidence indicates youth and workers who are breaking from and Trotsky explained the need for sup that the SP vote cannot be characterized so June 16, 1975 simply, and furthermore by no means all demagogy of the Stalinists and the MFA. tion in a "great national effort" by pre the support of the CP is working-class. But The history of the colonial struggle so far senting Portugal as a Third World country if the CP were seriously interested in has tended to reinforce the Stalinist concept oppressed by imperialism. counterposing workers democracy to "bour of "controlled revolution." Furthermore, the revolutionary process in geois democracy," it would stimulate the Portugal is occurring in a different context development of united, democratic workers Portugal Is an Imperialist Country from that of struggles in colonial and organizations in the plants, a tendency that semicolonial countries. What this process it has resisted with all the strength of its Most of the nationalist leaderships that represents precisely is the shifting of the machine. have struggled against imperialism since axis of world revolution from the under The Portuguese CP is no different essen World War II have permitted less political developed countries toward the imperialist tially from other Stalinist parties. Its democracy than proimperialist regimes. centers, beginning with the weakest and attacks oh electoralism and thus on bour Furthermore, there has been a tendency most parasitic imperialism. The most posi geois democracy do not mean that it is among nationalist militants in colonial and tive side of this for Portuguese revolution taking a more revolutionary line than other semicolonial countries to regard democratic ists is that there has already been a more CPs, any more than did its resorting to rights as a luxury of the rich. extensive democratic opening in Portugal terrorism under the old regime. This tack In the first place, because of the desperate than in any of the colonial or semicolonial simply represents the needs of Stalinist poverty of the colonial countries, Stalinist countries. reformism in the specific Portuguese situa dictatorship has not had the same repellent However, if the revolutionary process in tion. effect on the masses as it has had on the Portugal becomes identified with repression Nor was the PCP's attack on the SP in working class of the more advanced coun and totalitarian methods, the anti- contradiction fundamentally with the de tries. So, democracy has seemed to be a Communist fears of the West European tente, despite Soares's adroit use of this banner and an argument of the imperial workers, fears that have a basis in the issue. This is indicated by similar attacks in ists. In colonial and semicolonial countries, reality of the Stalinist regimes, will be the Soviet press and by the French CP. the parliaments and press have generally increased tenfold, and the obstacles to Such methods are made necessary by the been tightly controlled by proimperialist socialist revolution in the advanced coun very nature of Stalinism and the needs of interests. tries in like proportion. This is certainly one Stalinist parties in popular-front maneu Moreover, most of these nationalist re reason why the capitalists have seized on vers, as the recent tactics of the French CP gimes have been demagogic, that is, they the Republica case to whip up a little show also. These parties have to be able to were based on mobilizing the masses in the campaign around the theme of "red terror." keep a tight grip on their ranks to prevent interests of a section of the bourgeoisie or It's like taking out insurance. other workers parties from taking advan protohourgeoisie, who understood that any tage of their open conciliationism and free play of political forces would endanger outflanking them. Furthermore, in order to their bonapartist equilibrium. The most Is 'Tough' Stalinism Revoiutionary? play their role, the CPs need to maintain radical nationalist regimes have come to their image of being more "left" than the power through prolonged guerrilla warfare, It is pretty much inevitable that the SPs. which is not favorable to democratic forms Stalinist parties will become further dis This is not to say that the attitude of the of mass organization. The most prestigious credited because of the role of the Portu PCP did not cause problems for the Europe of these regimes that came to power this guese CP. However, there is also a danger an CPs. In fact, it reopened a serious split way, the Cuban, has tended to adopt that sections of radical youth breaking from among them, but that was because of the Stalinist ideas. Stalinism will also become discredited by internal contradictions of Stalinism itself, identifying themselves with an apparently because of the nature of Stalinist opportun All of this has reinforced the Stalinist- more militant CP that seems to be locked in ism. It does not arise from any tendencies inspired notion that democracy and demo struggle with defenders of "bourgeois de cratic rights are a luxury of imperialist moving away from their Stalinist moorings. mocracy." This is shown, among other things, by the nations and a lure and snare in underdeve In Portugal itself, starting with the fact that while the Italian and Spanish CPs loped ones. In fact, the backward aspect of conflict over the "trade-union unity" law, the colonial revolution has tended to be were obliged to condemn the PCP because groups that previously stood to the left of of their own political needs, other "liberal" come identified with the revolutionary the CP, such as the centrist Movimento da dynamic, since this has been the major CPs, such as the Greek CP "interior," which Esquerda Socialista, began to be drawn, in struggle against the imperialist and capital remains virtually excommunicated by the effect, into the CP strategy. They offered a ist status quo for the last thirty years. Kremlin and is totally committed to parlia romantic left interpretation of the CP's This error takes on disastrous proportions mentary perspectives, has avoided taking a Stalinist dogmatism and sectarianism, and in the case of Portugal, which although stand on this question. The superloyal seem in fact to have been used by the CP as backward is an imperialist country, not American CP has also avoided the question. advance patrols and pawns in sectarian simply by virtue of its political control of The capitalist press took advantage of the maneuvers. The role of the MES and a overseas territory but by the structure of its similar group with even less political antidemocratic operations of the PCP to economy, which is dominated by native rehash some old slanders about the "origi moorings, the Frente Socialista Popular monopolies. Here an idealization of the (FSP—Socialist People's Front), in the May nal sin" of socialist revolutions and the backward aspect of anti-imperialist, move forces identified with them. But the capital 1 incidents is one example. ments is being used to revive bourgeois ists themselves have found the Stalinists The FSP participated in the attacks on nationalism in an imperialist country, and their methods useful in the past for the SP contingents. The MES denounced where nationalism was completely discred holding back mass upsurges. During the the CP for "making concessions" to the SP. ited by a reactionary dictatorship and long U.S.-Soviet alliance, top American officials It has been the MES also that has deve even justified Stalin's purges. colonial war. loped the most extensive "left" defense of Whereas the backwardness of Portuguese the CP's antidemocratic line, trying to carry Unfortunately, some of the weaknesses of capitalism was previously a factor discredit it a step further, apparently believing that the colonial revolution have tended to give ing bourgeois nationalism, now it has been "tougher" Stalinism equals a more revolu some plausibility to the antidemocratic made into an argument for class collabora tionary approach. For example, in its May

Intercontinental Press 28 issue, the MES organ Esquerda Socialis- That is, a dictatorship is not a dictator would be aggravated if the armed forces ta said; ship when it does not interfere with busi also found the political parties ranged "Holding elections for the Constituent ness as usual for the politicians. Respect for against them." Assembly, with the foreseeable results, was the principle of popular sovereignty has Le Monde reporters offered the following a victory for domestic and foreign reaction, nothing to do with it. explanation of the MFA's decision to seek a which are now using the vote registered in detente with the SP in the May 29 issue of these bourgeois elections to try to reverse Washington's Attitude the Paris daily: the political process. To this end they have "This moderate [General Costa Gomes], Nor is popular sovereignty what Wash utilized provocations (such as the May 1 who has been frequently criticized by his ington is worried about. One of President incidents) and pretexts(such as the struggle more advanced fellow officers for his Kennedy's former advisers, Arthur Schle- of the workers at Republica against the moderation, was able by his subtlety to singer, warned U.S. officials in the June 3 counterrevolutionary line of the paper)." adopt an attitude toward the Socialists that Wall Street Journal not to shout too loudly These small centrist groups have no appeared to combine a firm call to order about dictatorship lest they reduce their perspective of building a revolutionary with a fundamental flexibility. Pushing the options unnecessarily: party; they are not even interested in this. Socialists aside, he argued, would only "Portugal going Communist is not a By their very nature, they are parasitic serve their objective, which was to go into happy prospect. It is also a considerable formations and must attach themselves to opposition. If they were made martyrs, they exaggeration. The immediate prospect, if some large reformist current in one way or might be considered saviors later on. By the democratic forces fail to sustain them another. The FSP, made up of disgruntled such language, the president helped consid selves, is not a Commuist takeover. It is office seekers from the SP, who discovered erably to promote the present solution." rather the establishment of a military that the party was bourgeois after they The reporters failed only to note the irony regime, Nasserite in its model and neutral failed to get the positions they expected in in this, since at the time of the first ist in its foreign policy, using the Portu the leadership, is very clearly a left oppor provisional government the SP had insisted guese Communist Party for counsel and tunist formation. The danger, however, is on bringing the CP into the cabinet for support. Such a regime might well deny that these groupings will serve as a conduit precisely the same reason. military bases to the United States, but leading revolutionary-minded youth back The very fact of the existence of two mass there is no reason to suppose that, any more into the Stalinist orbit. workers parties, which between them have than Egypt or Peru, it would turn overnight This process could also create the impres the support not only of the overwhelming into a Soviet satellite. . . . sion among many sections of the working majority of the Portuguese workers but the "But, where the Communists are giving class in other West European countries that absolute majority of the entire population, the dominant Armed Forces Movement the youth breaking with Stalinism are is a factor absent in all the colonial unconditional support, the Socialists, under simply more aggressive, more impatient countries where authoritarian bonapartist the leadership of Mario Soares, have Stalinists, that their differences with Stalin regimes have been established. irritated the miltiary by their demands for ism are only tactical. In fact, the most revolutionary aspect of democratic liberties." In fact, there is no reason why revolu the Portuguese development has been Other well-informed bourgeois commenta tionary-minded youth should let the Social precisely the democratic opening, the fer tors have noted that the conflict between Democrats or the bourgeois press seize the ment of ideas, the challenging of all the Socialists and the military officers is issue of democracy. If Soares wants a more authority, tradition, and rules of the game. not exactly based on irreconcilable differ flexible alternative than the CP and the So far there have been no massive industri ences of political principle. MFA leadership at the moment, he is no al struggles or lasting mass mobilizations "The clashes between the officers and the less committed to supporting the bonapart- or permanent organs of real or potential Socialists have been more conspicuous, but ist military regime. As a reformist, he could dual power. The Socialist party, for its own public and private statements by most hardly be. He is committed to class collabor- interests, has obstructed attempts to close leading members of the Movement show ationism, and the MFA is at present the off this opening. And the anti-Communism strong suspicions of Communist efforts at only viable bourgeois political leadership in of many of its supporters is obviously a infiltration and a cold appraisal of a Portugal. reaction to efforts to restore a "tough" kind Communist party drive for power," Richard In his Hotel Altis news conference, Soares of discipline and authority. Eder cabled from Lisbon to the May 27 New made quite clear that he really would not It would be tragic if revolutionary-minded York Times. mind an outright military dicatatorship as youth aligned themselves with the antide "'Most of our members are ideologically long as it allowed the SP to function. mocratic and fundamentally counterrevolu closer to the Socialist than to any other tionary attitude of the Communist party in "One thing the Communist party general group,' a leading officer said not long ago. the name of opposing "anti-Communism" secretary has said I think is correct. That 'But the party's leaders give us trouble; they or because of drawing dubious lessons from was, if there is a completely military criticize us and want to take over from us. national liberation struggles that are abso government, it doesn't mean that a military The Communist leaders support us consist lutely misleading in the case of Portugal. □ dictatorship has been established in Portu ently.'" gal. Moreover, the military are not in a "The government can be military, but if position to push the Socialists completely public freedoms are respected, if we have aside, nor are the more intelligent MFA Demonstration in Azores pluralism in the media, elections in the leaders going to let the SP reap the Demands Independence unions and in the municipalities, etc., if advantages of dissociating themselves Portuguese political life continues to oper somewhat from the government at a time of The civilian governor of the main Azores ate normally until there is a new constitu rapidly deepening economic crisis. "Strikes island resigned June 6 after thousands of tion, and then, within the terms of the pact- and agitation are continuing despite ap persons demonstrated in front of his palace program [which gives the effective power to peals to work and the military is having demanding independence from Portugal. the MFA], elections are held for the legisla difficulty making its authority felt," Henry Demonstrators also occupied the local radio tive assembly, there will not in fact be a Giniger reported in the May 30 New York station, and farmers blocked the runway of military dictatorship here in my opinion." Times. "There is a feeling that this problem the airport with trucks.

June 16, 1975 Remarks by Ernest Mandel dous advantage of size. Their average size is twice or three times that of the biggest nation-based European or Japanese monop olies. Why Britain Should Get Out of the Common Market Under these circumstances the basic historical trend which leads to the emer gence of the Common Market is the trend [Ernest Mandel, a member of the United the Common Market is all about and what towards international interpenetration of Secretariat of the Fourth International, this referendum is all about. capital on a European scale, the emergence spoke at a public rally sponsored by the It is the contention of many people who of European multinational corporations International Marxist Group, the British agitate in favour of Britain remaining in going beyond the frontiers of the former section of the Fourth International, at the the Common Market that it is just what it nation states, trying to amalgamate on a Roundhouse, London, on April 30. Red says it is: a common market, an agreement semicontinental basis, in order to get the Weekly, the IMG newspaper, printed major between independent capitalist govern minimum of financial, economic, and politi excerpts from his speech, which we are ments to allow the free circulation of cal power necessary to stand up against reprinting below. commodities, of capital, and of migrant their American and Japanese competitors. [The London rally, held under the theme labour within their boundaries. If we understand the problem in that "No to the Capitalists' Common Market, for That view is incorrect and purely forma- way, we can immediately draw a conclu a United Socialist Europe," was one of listic, because it takes the Treaty of Rome sion: that the present form of the Common several rallies held by the IMG throughout by which the EEC was set up—and a lot of Market is to a large extent irrelevant Britain in the run-up to the June 5 referen institutions which have been set up around because it is completely transitional. The dum on continued British membership in it—at face value. It does not look at the Common Market as it is today is not an the European Economic Community (Com problem of the emergence of the Common adequate instrument of self-protection and mon Market). In that referendum 67.2 Market in the light of the dynamics of self-defense of the big European monopolies percent of the voters cast a ballot in favor of economic, social, political, and military against their American and Japanese Britain remaining in the Common Market. development on the continent of Europe competitors. What is lacking is a key factor [Mandel was the principal speaker at all since World War Two. More especially, it of imperialist self-defense and self- these rallies and drew large audiences. does not answer the question why this protection in an epoch of growing economic About 850 persons came to hear Mandel at specific institution arose at a specific difficulties and crisis: a strong state power. the London rally, which was also addressed moment, why it stays at a given stage of its When you have expansion, when you by Cabral Fernandas, a leader of the Liga development, and where it is going. have a big rate of growth of the economy, Comunista Internacionalista (LCI— I would approach the question of the then of course the decisive role of the state Internationalist Communist League), the nature of the EEC in an entirely different for protecting the rate of profit, for defend Portuguese sympathizing organization of way—not from the point of view of analyz ing the particular, specific self-interests of the Fourth International; a representative ing treaties and juridical forms and con each specific group of the world bourgeoisie, of the London-based Portuguese Workers tents, but from the point of view of a stage is less pronounced. Coordinating Committee; and a militant of in the development of decaying capitalism. But once we understand that the econom the Liga Comunista Revolucionaria- I would say that what the Common ic climate has changed, then it is clear that ETA(VI) (Revolutionary Communist Market expresses is an attempt by the the Common Market cannot stay at this League-Basque Nation and Freedom [VI]). European capitalist class—or at least im transitional stage. [The attendance at other rallies was 250 portant sectors of that capitalist class—to in Sheffield; 350 in Birmingham; 300 in overcome within the framework of capital Let me give a very concrete example to Manchester; 160 in Bristol; and 250 in ism one basic contradiction of the system: show what I'm talking about. We all know Oxford. Mandel also spoke in Glasgow and that between the growing international what the British Labour government is Edinburgh. character of the productive forces, the doing today to rescue shattered capitalist [At the Oxford meeting, Mandel debated growing international character of capital combines like British Leyland. But these Evan Luard, Labour member of Parliament and production on the one hand, and the firms are basically small-fry, and it is for Oxford, who is a supporter of British survival of the capitalist nation state as the precisely because they are small-fry that membership in the EEC. basic form of political organization of the they still can be saved by the British [Mandel shared the platform at the capitalist class in Europe. bourgeois state. If you go into a higher Manchester rally with Ernie Roberts, assis category—if you look at ICI or Fiat or tant general secretary of the Amalgamated The fact that capitalism as a world Siemens or Phillips, and if you look at Union of Engineering Workers. Labour MP system is unable to overcome that basic banks of the same size—then it is absolute Dennis Skinner sent a solidarity message to contradiction—of that I have not the ly certain that the British government (not the rally. The Manchester rally received slightest doubt—does not imply at all that to mention the Italian government, or the wide support despite attempts by the parts of the capitalist class can make no Dutch government) is absolutely incapable British Communist party to sabotage the efforts towards a partial solution of that of saving that kind of firm from a threat of planning. Bernard Panter, a member of the contradiction. The longer capitalism sur bankruptcy. Yet given the economic per Manchester District Committee of the CP, vives under conditions of decay, the more spectives which we have, such threats are who had agreed to chair the meeting, such kinds of attempts become absolutely not at all out of the question in the coming withdrew at the last moment; and in a letter unavoidable. period. to the Stalinist daily, the Morning Star, he In the context of the present world, this To save that kind of multinational falsely accused the IMC of using the rally means something very precise. Today you corporation, with that kind of tremendous as a "front."—Tony Hodges] have increasing international competition capital accumulation, you need such power between multinational corporations, be ful means—monetary, financial, social, tween the big international monopolies, and political, and economic means—that not a in this competition the American-based single European government as it is today We first of all have to understand what multinational corporations have a tremen would be able to do the job. Only a

Intercontinental Press superstate on the level of the Common the problem not from the point of view of express in however confused and wrong a Market would conceivably be adequate to economistic fatalism hut from the point of way a class opposition to this capitalist save the biggest multinational European view of an assessment of the political and outfit. corporations should they be threatened social relationship of forces. during the coming economic difficulties of The basic question is not "what are the Or you can approach the question from a international capital. second point of view—what will happen after the referendum. Suppose by accident— So that's one of the possible outcomes of one could even say under the present the trend which has led today to the circumstances, by a miracle—the"No" were emergence of the Common Market: the to win, it would be a political disaster for further transformation of the Common the bourgeoisie. Market into an imperialist superpower in Such a political defeat for the Tories, for Western Europe. The steps towards this are the Liberals, for the CBI employers associa very well known: the setting up of a tion, and for the right-wing capitulationist r common currency reserve fund in the Wilson wing of the Labour party would Common Market, leading to a common help the development of a militant class European currency—which could even sub struggle, not only on the issue of the stitute itself partially for the dollar if the Common Market but against the attempt to decline of the latter continues as one of the impose a new incomes policy; against the props of the international monetary system attempt to make the workers pay the costs of decaying capitalism—leading obviously of the crisis of capitalism; and against all to a common European budget and then to the treacherous pohcies which the right a common European economic policy. All I : wing of the Labour party will try to get this that implies a strong European state power government to apply in the coming six to and government, that is to say a political twelve months. superstructure which expresses the particu On the other hand, a victory for the "Yes" lar interests of these big European multina campaign would shift the relationship of tional corporations. forces not only between the classes in Obviously there is also another possible Britain, but also inside the labour move outcome: that confronted with a grave ment. And by no stretch of the imagination recession of the kind we are witnessing can anybody prove that a victory for the today, the basic trends of European capital "Yes" campaign will shift the relationship ist economic development would be towards of forces inside the trade unions or inside a disintegration of the Common Market, the Labour party in favour of the left. with each capitalist class trying to defend So we cannot be abstentionist or indiffer its smaller, immediate peculiar self-interest ent to the outcome of this referendum. We even over and above the interests of the WILSON: Joined British capitaiists in cailing have to take a clear-cut stand in favour of European multinational corporations, lead for a "Yes" vote on referendum. "No." ing to a surge of protectionism and econom When I say that we have to be an active ic nationalism. long-term economic trends of development force in the "No" camp, I do not mean that Up to now this has not happened. I do not of capitalism if it survives," but "what are we can limit our struggle just to that "No," say that it cannot happen. It could happen, the trends of the class struggle today in because we have to accuse those who and I would even say it will happen if the Britain and in Europe and how, by basing organize the struggle to get Britain out of efforts of the multinationals in pressing ourselves on these trends of the class the Common Market inside the Labour towards the setting up of a real integrated struggle, can we intervene in the Common party and the labour movement of both superstate on a European scale are not Market debate and referendum in such a reactionary and Utopian ideology. successful. But these alternatives will be way as to help and further struggles to If they had put before the British working decided by strong struggles inside the overthrow capitalism." class a clear-cut case—"this is a class capitalist class between the contending Once you approach the problem in that conflict between capital and labour, and we interests. And when you look at those way, the answer is absolutely obvious: the have to join with the workers against the interests which stand on the side of the referendum in Britain today is part and capitalists both in Britain and on an amalgamation, which are rather stronger, parcel of a political class struggle. It is international scale, and for that reason we and those which stand on the other side, sufficient to see the facts of life—that the are against the Common Market"—the which are rather weaker, then you can British capitalist class, that the European outcome would at least be unsure, given the make some kind of prediction as to what capitalist class (with the exception of a relationship of forces between the classes will occur if—the big if underlying this small and completely negligible fringe), today in Britain. But once they started a whole analysis—capitalism continues to stands nearly as one man in favour of campaign for national sovereignty—that is survive for a long period, and if all these Britain remaining inside the Common to say, on a nationalist basis against the processes continue to develop without being Market. Nobody can deny that. All the big Common Market—the outcome was not combated, neutralized, or overthrown by the organizations of the employing class in very unsure. On that basis you're not going forces of the working class. Britain and Europe ask you to vote "Yes" in to mobilize tremendous enthusiasm in the That is the starting point of the analysis. this referendum. British working class, you're not going to But because certain trends under conditions And you have a second fact of life which unify the class forces against the supporters of capitalism are more or less inevitable in is no less important than the first one— of a "Yes" vote, and it's nearly certain that the long run if capitalism survives, that namely that again practically without you're heading for defeat unless there is does not mean at all that we have to take exception all the militant sectors of the some miracle. them for granted and do nothing to oppose British working class are against Britain Why is such a campaign Utopian? It is them. On the contrary, we have to approach staying inside the Common Market, and Utopian because the whole emergence of the

June 16, 1975 Common Market proves that to defend because you have really no basic problems elected workers councils—first in one, then national sovereignty today within the today in this world which can he solved on in two and then in many other countries framework of capitalism against the inter a continental basis. throughout our continent. national amalgamation of capital is the We are not going to create socialist plenty We are convinced—and that is one of the same thing as to defend small capitalist in Western Europe while millions and other reasons we are opposed to the Com combines against big capitalist monopolies. millions of people are starving in India, in mon Market—that while the building of That's completely hopeless, it's Utopian, it Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, in socialism cannot be achieved in one coun is trying to turn the wheel of history the Sahel area of Africa or anywhere else try, nor will the overthrow of capitalism be backwards. in the world. That kind of socialism would simultaneous in all countries, because you And it is utterly reactionary because be unworthy of conscious workers any have different social and political relation instead of a class lineup, it creates an where in any country. ships of forces at different moments in interclass combination with many innuen- Nor is the struggle for a United Socialist different parts of the continent. dos which are not only nationalist but States of Europe something abstract which Today the Portuguese workers are at the racist, and with many innuendos which can remains at the level of very vague, general forefront of this struggle, much more lead to very serious consequences if workers propaganda. We think that there are two advanced than any other working class in are taken in by this type of reasoning. Once basic thrusts inside the class struggle in Western Europe, although they were so you give such a big importance to national Europe which push in this direction in much behind a couple of years ago. Tomor sovereignty, to national parliament, to rather an immediate sense. row we are sure—as are the Portuguese national economy, then you will be caught The first is the growing awareness among comrades—that the Spanish workers will very quickly in the trap of being called upon militant workers everywhere on our conti step in their place and be in the forefront of to make sacrifices at the expense of the nent that against the multinationals which this struggle, because they have greater class interests of the working class to operate on an international scale—which objective strength, they have higher class uphold these shining "national" divert orders, production, and the setting up consciousness, more experience of struggle, institutions—the capitalist parliament, cap and closing down of factories on an a better relationship of forces, once they italist law, capitalist national sovereignty, international scale—nationally limited succeed in overthrowing the dictatorship. the capitalist government, and the capital trade-union activity, not to mention nation And the day after that, probably France ist state apparatus. ally limited revolutionary activity, will and Italy will line up on the same plane, For all these reasons we say that a become less and less efficient. and that will give you a very powerful successful campaign for a "No" vote in the When the British firm of Plessey wants to combination of which we hope the results Common Market referendum is only possi close its Portuguese subsidiary, and when will he felt very quickly in countries like ble from the point of view of the class the shop stewards from the Portuguese Britain, my own country, Belgium, and interests of the working class if it is an factory—among whom we are happy to see other countries in Western Europe. internationalist campaign, if it counter- Trotskyists, indeed one of our candidates in This concrete way in which the revolution poses to the capitalist Europe of the the Portuguese elections was a Plessey shop will spread throughout Western Europe in bankers and the monopolies a socialist steward—come to Britain to see the Plessey the coming months and years implies again Europe of the workers. But when we say we workers in Britain to say we have to make a a concrete content for the struggle for the have to make an internationalist campaign, common struggle against the international United Socialist States of Europe, because a campaign for the United Socialist States operations of that combine, then you have we will need to spread these revolutions in of Europe opposed to the Common Market, the beginning of a concrete trend in the order to protect them, we will need to we don't oppose a "socialist" European- class struggle which leads in the direction organize huge solidarity movements which centered type of approach to a capitalist of the United Socialist States of Europe. can become a powerful impetus in different European-centered type of approach. . European countries to get the revolution We are internationalists on a world scale. We will have more and more occurrences itself on a higher level. We know for example that if today there is of that type in the coming months and Under these circumstances what we have a tremendous opportunity for a victorious years, and revolutionary socialists should to say is: don't join the Europe of the trusts; socialist revolution in Western Europe, this be in the forefront of all concrete practical don't join the Europe of the bankers; don't is due in the first place to the heroic attempts to create a new instinct, if I can join the Europe of the riffraff of the struggle of the Vietnamese people, who call it that, among radical militant shop generals and the admirals and the police have created that possibility on a world stewards right through Europe. Over any chiefs; don't join the Europe of those who wide scale. We know today that if there is a new demand which is raised in a factory are organizing a strong state, who are tremendous upsurge of the Portuguese which is part of a multinational combine, starting on the road of torture, who are revolution, this is due to a large extent to over any attack by the employers against starting on the road of limiting and the heroic struggle of the peoples of Angola, the workers in such a factory, the first suppressing workers' rights and democratic of Mozambique, and of Guinea-Bissau— reaction of a socialist shop steward should rights all over the place. because it was their struggle which created be to pick up his telephone and contact his the political preconditions for the upsurge comrade, the socialist shop steward in But by all means join the Europe of the of the proletarian revolution in Portugal Belgium, in Holland, in England,in France, workers commissions in Spain and Portu today. in Italy, in Spain, or in Portugal who is gal; join the Europe of the factory occupa When we call for the United Socialist working for the same combine. tions; join the Europe of the soldiers States of Europe, we only call for that The second thrust is still more important, committees and soldiers organizations in because we think that the political and though less immediate than the first one, Portugal, in Spain, in France, in Holland, social relationship of forces between the because it is a political one." The United and in many other countries; join the classes in Western Europe today is more Socialist States of Europe means the Europe of the big rise in working-class favourable for a breakthrough towards overthrow of capitalist state power, means struggles; join the Europe of the workers socialism than anywhere else in the world. the overthrow of the capitalist state ma councils, which we will see as the new We would consider that only as a platform chine, means the conquest of power by the emergence of the new implantation of the out of which the struggle for the United working class, the setting up of a real soviet idea in the coming months and years Socialist States of the World would start. workers republic based on democratically throughout our continent. □ Intercontinental Press Protest Labour Government's Collaboration With Shah

London Marchers Demand, 'Drop Charges Against Iranian 21'

By Marian McManus

LONDON—About 300 persons demonstrated May 26 demanding that all charges be dropped against twenty-one Iranians who were arrested April 29 during a peaceful sit-in at the Iranian embassy. The sit-in was held as part of the international protest against the recent execution of nine political prisoners by the Iranian regime (see Intercontinental Press, May 12, p. 616). The twenty-one protesters are charged with "conspiracy to trespass." If convicted they would be subject to deportation under the British Immigration Act. This would mean near certain % t imprisonment and torture, and possibly deatb, at the hands of the Iranian dictatorship. At a rally before the demonstration several organizations pledged their support for the Committee for the Defence of the Iranian 21, and their solidarity with political prisoners in Iran. Speakers at the rally included a representative from the Confeder ation of Iranian Students in Britain, the president of the Bradford -V » Student Union, and representatives of the International Marxist Group (British section of the Fourth International) and the International Socialists. Speakers from a number of Palestinian, Iraqi, and Arab organizations also addressed the rally, as did one of fourteen members of the British Withdrawal From Northern Ireland Campaign who were arrested on a similar "conspiracy" charge. Everywhere placards could he seen carrying the slogans, "End Labour Government Collaboration With the Shah," "Defend Iranian Political Prisoners," "End SAVAK [the Iranian secret police] activities in Britain," "Abolish Conspiracy Laws," and the main slogan of "Drop all charges against the Iranian 21." The demonstration scored the Labour government's support for the Iranian regime. In the last five years alone, the shah has been armed to the tune of £8 billion (£1 = US$2.32) to take over from Britain the role of crushing liberation struggles in the Arab- Persian Gulf area. The Labour government, in doing nothing to stop the arrest and trial of the twenty-one Iranians, is carrying out the shah's dirty work by attacking his political opponents in this country. The Wilson government has consistently refused to put an end to the activities of SAVAK agents against Iranian students living here. Following the rally the demonstrators (some wearing hoods) marched past Downing Street and Trafalgar Square to the Iranian embassy. □

Drought in Gujarat Worst In Century

The western Indian state of Gujarat has been hit by the worst drought in a century, as the monsoon rains failed for the fourth year in a row. Fourteen of the nineteen districts in the state have officially been declared drought-stricken. Lack of work in the fields has driven millions out of the rural areas in search of jobs and food. The output of grain in Gujarat for 1975 is predicted to reach 1.4 million tons, far short of "normal" output of 4 million tons. Widespread food shortages in Gujarat sparked an upsurge in that state that led to the downfall of the state government in February 1974. It has since been under the direct rule of the federal government, with new elections scheduled for June. Workers Press At least four other Indian states—^West Bengal, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan—have also been hit by drought this year. London demonstration May 26 declares solidarity with Iranian 21. June 16, 1975 An Interview with Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

The Conflict Between the IRSP and 'Officiar Republicans

[The following interview was given to that the most likely explanation—although Protestant workers that we were "sectari Gerry Foley in Cookstown, Northern Ire the "Officials" do not officially accept it—is an" [i.e., anti-Protestant]. land, on May 15 hy Bernadette Devlin that it was the activities of someone with a This charge was based on the fact that we McAliskey. Along with Seamas Costello, a vested interest in keeping the feud going, refused to see the UVF [Ulster Volunteer former leader of "Official" Sinn Fein, someone whose interest certainly wasn't Force, an ultraright Protestant paramili McAliskey is the most well known leader of either republican or socialist. tary group that has claimed responsibility the Irish Repuhlican Socialist party, which I think that one good thing may have for the random murder of many Catholics] was founded in December 1974 primarily by come out of this, however. It has forced our and the UDA [Ulster Defence Association, persons who left "Official" Sinn Fein. own members to take a hard look at what another ultraright Protestant terrorist McAliskey has not had an opportunity to the consequences will be if the conflict group] as some sort of progressive working- check the transcript of the interview.] continues and at what must be done to stop class organizations. It was based on our it. We have to accept the fact, especially refusal to accept the essentially economist given Billy McMillen's position, that the road of the "Officials," that the way "Officials" in Belfast will not he satisfied forward is to ingratiate yourself with the Question. What involvement if any did until some member of the IRSP has been Protestant workers solely on the question of the IRSP have in the shooting of Billy killed in retaliation. the Ring Road^ and redundancies, and McMillan, the "Official"IRA commander in Tragically, we have come to the realiza ignore the political aspects. Belfast, who was killed at the end of April"? tion that inevitably we are going to lose at Their concept is that hy fighting on an least one person in Belfast as a result of the economic front solely you can ingratiate Answer. We don't think we have any McMillen shooting. We have decided, and yourself with the Protestant workers, and responsibility for the McMillen shooting. there is now no disagreement, politically at once you have done that they will then We accept that there may he a remote least, in the organization that if and when automatically be converted to republican possibility that on an individual level, that happens our reaction has got to be to ism [that is, to support for a united, somebody either sympathetic to or connect assure the "Officials" and to assure the independent Ireland]. ed with the IRSP may have had a hand in people in Belfast that there it ends, that we We see this economist road as a blind it. But we think what is of overriding will not in return seek retaliation for the alley and we think that any unity achieved importance is that as an organization the killing of that person. on a purely economic basis is a false unity. IRSP condemned the killing of McMillen Now even some of our members who That is, if you give up everything but and saw the shooting as a disaster, while could not see it before can see very starkly economic reforms and then after that try to recognizing McMillen's position and there that retaliation simply means an escalation tell the Protestant workers that in the next fore his responsibility in the conflict in of the kind of activity that completely stage we are all going to be republicans, it Belfast. His shooting was completely disas demoralizes both organizations and pre will all fall apart. That kind of unity is a trous and was recognized by the movement vents us from moving politically in any false unity that will immediately fall down as such, particularly in political terms. progressive direction. In such a situation, it when it comes to any real test, as has been In the hroad struggle it did nothing but is impossible to bring out the political shown in the past. add further confusion and regenerate the differences that after all are our point of The falsity of this approach is shown by factional differences between the two organ issue with the "Officials." It's simply that the political irrelevance of the trade-union izations in Belfast. Particularly since at the we have a different political approach. And movement in the north of Ireland, which in time it happened we felt we were at least we want to argue on the political differences fact abandoned all political principle in the making some kind of progress towards and to organize in accordance with our own interests of economic unity on the factory bringing the "Officials" in Belfast to a political principles. floor, as the "Officials" are now doing. position where they were prepared to If we allow ourselves to become increas As a result of their political line, in discuss the issues and possibly work out ingly bogged down in a tit-for-tat situation, particular in Belfast, the "Officials" have some program of temporary cessation of the it will end with the destruction of both been losing support and their organization violence. organizations, and more important than has been weakening. So, they saw the From our point of view, the killing of simply these organizational consequences, formation of the IRSP as a deadly threat, a McMillen fits in with the pattern of the wiht the weakening and demoralization of threat to their very existence as an organi shooting of Garland,' which we've had the entire anti-imperialist struggle. zation. They saw large numbers of their more time to investigate and quite definite members, and persons who had previously ly had absolutely no connection with at any Q. In your opinion, what started the left or fallen into inactivity because of level. And it seems from the developments conflict? political disagreement, coming over to the IRSP. They explained this away by saying 1. Sedn Garland, the national organizer of "Official" Sinn F^in, was shot and severely A. I think the origin of the conflict was that these people disagreed with the cease wounded on March 1. The "Official" leadership very simple; The "Officials" refused to fire [declared by the "Official" IRA in May immediately blamed the shooting on the IRSP. accept the right of people to disagree with The IRSP denied any involvement, saying that their political line—and not only to disagree 2. A highway project in Belfast that involved demolition of both Catholic and Protestant the most likely possibility was that Garland had with it, but to organize along different been shot by British provocateurs. When Garland neighborhoods. The "Officials" claim that they political principles. Right from the begin recovered, he admitted that he had not recognized were able to achieve some degree of cooperation his assailants. No evidence of IRSP involvement ning they stated that because we didn't between Catholics and Protestants in resisting has yet been produced.—IP accept their political approach to the the plan.—IP Intercontinental Press 1972] and that they joined the IRSP because In the meantime we have been trying how in fact such a conflict can solve we were militarists who wanted to shoot through every channel—the liberals, the nothing. Protestants. pacifists, the trade unions—to get talks It is true that persons joined the IRSP going with them. I made it clear that we Q. How do you think this conflict has looking for some political road forward don't want to negotiate a political compro affected the overall struggle against British after becoming dissatisfied with the "Offi mise between the two organizations; the imperialism ? cials" for many reasons as that organiza only thing we want to discuss is how we tion was becoming stuck in its blind alley. can guarantee the right of the two organiza A. Well, I think that the shooting of Sean But you certainly can't explain their com tions to follow their own political approach Garland and the killing of Billy McMillen ing over to us by claiming that they were without interfering with each other. have shown that the very existence of this looking for a chance to shoot Protestants. On a different level, we are quite prepared kind of conflict gives sufficient cover for the The problem was that the "Officials" to work with the "Officials" in a broad, British army. Loyalists [ultraright Pro refused to accept the right of another anti-imperialist struggle. We have said from testants], reactionaries, or anybody else, organization to challenge their power base. the outset that there is a great need for a simply to destroy both organizations. Be principled united front of anti-imperialist cause if things keep on developing the way Particularly in Belfast, the "Officials" felt organizations. We would be quite happy to they have, it simply requires some agent that when the Provisional split occurred work with the "Officials" in that frame provocateur to go in and kill a member of they had made a mistake in allowing the work. But we would continue to argue our the IRSP or a member of the "Officials" organization to develop and not crushing it political differences with them everywhere, and then sit back and watch it grow until physically at the start. They were particu in print or in public discussion. four or five people are dead on each side. larly adamant about this because they However, at the moment the only real Something comparable happened in Am blame the Provisionals for everything that point we can discuss with them is our right erica. Certain sections of the Black libera has gone wrong in the last five years. They to organize. That is the issue between us tion movement allowed the same sort of thought that this tolerance created all the and the "Officials": whether they will situation to develop. You just have to set the problems for them that the Provisionals did accept the fact that however much we may ball rolling and two organizations can create, and that it should not be repeated. disagree with them politically we have the destroy themselves. It has a completely So it was essential to smash the IRSP right to organize in Belfast and in the rest demoralizing effect on what anyway is a before it got off the ground. I think that it of the country. Essentially, the only way minority. was as hard and as crude as that: A the conflict can be ended, the only way we People who have consistently, against all decision was taken to smash our organiza can have peace, is if they accept that right. the odds, stuck by republican principle, tion before it had an opportunity for attempted to work and develop progressive weakening any further the "Official" base Q. It's apparent from the kind of articles class politics, find that two left-wing organi in the North, or in fact in the whole of the that the "Official" paper has been running zations are killing each other. You can see country. and the kind of statements they have been the effect on the Provisionals. People have issuing that the "Officials" have cast aside tried to explain to them that there was no Q. In that context, how do you think the many of their essential principles. How purely militarist way forward, that you conflict can be ended? accessible do you think the "Officials" still can't defeat British imperialism purely by are to political pressure? traditional military methods. A. It's very difficult to see how it can be Now their reaction is understandable ended. We have got to accept the fact that A. Well, I think that to some extent the when they look at the situation and see that part of the penalty for organizing and "Officials" are still concerned about their here are the people who could think of 150 attempting to create a new political organi reputation. I think that particularly groups good reasons for not firing guns at the zation will he repression from the "Offi that have worked with them ought to British army, here are the people who had cials." Right from the beginning, the last attempt to explain to them that they are in 150 good reasons for not killing British thing we wanted to get involved in was this fact hell-bent on a path of self-destruction. soldiers, and now they don't even need a vicious circle of retaliation which obscures Again this is on two levels. It's not only reason to go out and shoot each other. all political arguments. All the politics gets because of the conflict, but because of the lost in what appears to be a gunman's feud way their politics are developing. This completely devalues all of the work between two organizations, a power battle. It is very difficult to explain this to them the left has been trying to do. It gives an I think that the only way the conflict can because, given the nature of the "Official" opportunity to the Social Democratic and be ended is if we continue to put forward movement, they view any criticism as Labour party [the traditional Catholic our political arguments in the belief that siding with the opposition, or as total parliamentary party], which they have politics will win out in the end, that people opposition to them. They seem to be, already seized on, to say: "Look at the who have the right political approach and particularly at the moment, incapable of people who claim they are different. They who argue politically will at the end of the understanding fraternal criticism. To make claim they want the same thing and they're day be listened to and accepted or rejected any criticism of them at all, to them, is to shooting each other. What kind of an on the basis of their politics. attack them, is to betray them. Because answer do they have for the problems of the We have to go against enormous odds to they see themselves as the socialists, the people?" do that. But I think that if we do, and revolutionary organization, they draw the This simply adds to the weight of propa continue to build the organization, the time conclusion that any criticism of them is ganda against the left and completely will come when we are too big for the counterrevolutionary, is antisocialist. cripples the development of political work "Officials" to continue to attack us— This makes it very difficult, but I think in this situation. We keep getting bogged because essentially it's a bully-boy tactic that an effort has got to be made and can be down further and further into the old they're using—and they will have to accept made by people outside of Ireland who are traditional traps of personalities and issues that the result of their activities will not be not part of these internal problems to point that have nothing to do with the real to destroy our organization hut to accelerate out to both organizations where this kind of political problems. the collapse of their own. At that point problem leads, how destructive it is in the they'll cut it out. context of the overall class struggle, and Q. Do you think it is a major part of the

June 16, 1975 823 British strategy in Northern Ireland to longer the conflict goes on, the more the class struggle and the national question as encourage a pattern of gang warfare—in individual members of the "Officials" it exists today, and we all accept the need to the Belfast ghettos in particular? simply believe what they are told, the more create a revolutionary party, the need to they accept the party line, and therefore the discuss the political issues, the need to A. I think it is. I think it is significant— more difficult it becomes to get any sense or develop a class organization. We appreciate and it is a fact that people outside Belfast reason out of them. And certainly things how difficult that is and we realize that our find it difficult to understand—that in areas like the shooting of Billy McMillen makes it biggest immediate problem is the education that are suffering from British military doubly difficult to talk reason with people. of our own members. repression you can have a situation where gangs of "Official" active service units are Q. What about the charges the "Offi It's not true, as the "Officials" simplisti driving around the Catholic ghetto looking cials" make that violent and irresponsible cally say, that if you don't accept their line for IRSP members and not being picked up types have gone into the IRSP in Belfast on the Protestant working class you're a by the British army. It's almost unbeliev and that this shows that the organization is bigot; if you don't accept their line on the able that the amount of weaponry can exist basically an adventurist one? national question, you're a gunman. We are in the ghettos that must exist at the neither sectarian bigots nor are we gunmen. moment to support the conflict. We simply do not accept that the way British army intelligence have a fair idea A. Well, with the kind of circumstantial forward for a socialist organization in of who the members of both organizations evidence they cite, you can put a gloss of Ireland is to ignore the national question. It are, and they know that the conflict exists. proof on anything. When the IRSP was poses a lot of problems. It raises all the Therefore, the only logical explanation is formed, the bulk of its initial membership contradictions in the class question. But that they are quite happy to allow people to was ex-"Official." The "Official" republican that doesn't say you can run away from it. walk around the ghettos armed, so long as movement, the Republican Clubs, is a Because we refuse to run away from it— they're shooting each other. political organization, and the IRA is an we don't claim to have the answer to it, but army. The chances are when people pull out we do claim we're looking for the answer— Q. Do you think there is a difference in of the republican movement that if they are because we are prepared to confront it and the way the capitalist press and the British not militarily active at least they have a try to find the way forward, we are accused authorities are treating your people and the willingness, since they are in the republican of being militaristic, nationalistic, and way they are treating the "Officials"? tradition, to envisage the use of arms, and sectarian [anti-Protestant]. many of them have a capacity to use arms. A. Well, the weight of propaganda has Certainly, therefore, we would have people Q. Why do you think the "Officials"have certainly been against our organization. We in the IRSP who when in the republican developed their economist approach to the also seem to have had more people arrested movement were either members of the IRA national question and look for working- than they have, and despite the fact that or members of the Republican Clubs. class tendencies in the Protestant murder they seem to have more people on the A lot of these people and a lot of memb ers ground than we have and that certainly of the "Officials" saw a change in the they are the aggressors, they come looking movement in 1972, and part of the change A. I don't know, maybe the reason is for our members. was the cease-fire. From that time on, wishful thinking. Personally I see it as an But I think the most important thing is people drifted out of the "Officials," were attempt to find something that works. that the British army is prepared to turn its expelled, or left on principle, and fell into Everybody accepts that the biggest stum back on what's happening, as long as it's inactivity. They joined the IRSP because bling block to class unity is the sectarian confined to one group shooting the other. they saw the possibility of being involved in division [between Catholics and Protes something that at least had a possibility of tants]. The biggest stumbling block to Irish finding a way forward, of making some unity is the fact that a million Protestants Q. Do you think there is a chance the political progress. And the "Officials" don't want it. So, you are faced with the "Officials" may change their line? Are looked at this simplistically and said:"A, B, problem of how to deal with the Protestant there people in the leadership who are not and C left the movement in 1972; in 1972 we working class. Stalinists? had a cease-fire. Now they have joined the In the past, the "Officials" have had a IRSP, so the difference between us and the measure of temporary success in working A. I think there are. I personally think IRSP must be over the cease-fire." on economic issues. They have found that that the "Officials" politically are fighting It was just a series of things like that they can, in fact, establish a rapport, a for their own survival, that the majority of which led them to that conclusion. We working relationship, with Protestant work them have drifted into their present posi accept in the IRSP that there is a wide- ers. And therefore they have mistaken the tion. The problem, I think, is that they don't ranging difference in the political levels of swallow for the summer, if you like. They have sufficient political capacity, they just our members. There are people like myself assume that because working on a housing don't have the political awareness (a) to who.come out of small socialist groups and program involves the local Protestant in the realize where they are and therefore (h) to kids who have come out of the republican area, extending that into a whole political get themselves out of it. But I think there movement because they have been instinc perspective, we can take the whole Protes are sufficient people who do know where tively dissatisfied, but don't have a high tant working class in the direction we're they're drifting and who, if they were degree of class consciousness. We would be going. In fact, it is a lack of politics, a lack prepared to do it, could call a halt to it and the first to accept that there are different of political understanding on the "Offi could try to reverse the direction. I don't political levels of consciousness and differ cials'" part, that leads them into that kind know whether they could succeed or not, or ent tendencies within the IRSP, and we can of illusion. whether even the attempt would further see what problems this could create. There They don't understand the nature of decimate the organization. As for the fore, we don't say that we are the revolu working-class politics. As I see it, they still conflict, I think there are certainly people in tionary party. have very much of an elitist attitude, the the "Official" leadership who can put a stop One thing we do say is that what we all idea that the republicans are going to free to it. have in common is a commitment to Ireland for the working class, that the But it's a self-perpetuating process. The finding the correct relationship between the republicans are going to create a socialist

Intercontinental Press workers republic for the working class. road forward. Some of them went full steam A. I think everywhere they are. I know Their present activities are geared to ahead and are making it increasingly some people in our organization have making the working class either sympathet difficult for anyone to pull back. I think claimed rather optimistically that we are ic to what the elite are going to do for them there are people like McGurran [the most the cause of this, that the progressives are or at least preventing any negative reac well known Northern leader of "Official" moving in their hundreds and thousands to tion. It's that sort of outlook that leads the IRSP. I think that to be truthful—and in them into the positions they get into and any case we number in hundreds, not in leads them into mistaking temporary, thousands—we have to admit that we are economic reform for revolution. only part of the cause, and certainly not even the biggest part. Q. To what extent do you think the \m. The main reason lies within the "Offi "Officials" can be described as a Stalinist cials" themselves. If you look at the organization? external signs, their papers are gradually disappearing. They just don't seem to be A. I think the broad mass of "Officials" sold anymore. Their active paper-sellers just don't have any hard politics. The only hard m , seem to be disappearing. Their branches, political line inside the "Officials" is the their clubs, seem to be falling into disarray. Stalinist line. I think that the number of They are active only in propaganda. The people who consciously hold it is very small formation of the IRSP is only one factor in but that the line is quite powerful because it this, and it was probably the last to has been developing for the past five or six develop. It is an attempt by people to find years especially. The individual Stalinists an alternative to the bankruptcy of the are, I believe, essentially in a position "Officials." where they control the middle leadership of ' '1^ the organization; they control the publica Q. What progress do you think the IRSP tion. has made in developing a revolutionary And the problem is that even at leader program for Ireland and the kind of ship level, many of the national leaders organization that can put it into practice? lack politics, so that they don't recognize the Stalinist influence for what it is. They A. Well, we were formed originally in regard the terms Stalinist and Trotskyist as the middle of December and we've had our labels that you throw at the opposition, S\ \ ' . .11 first national conference, which I think Andrew Wiard/Report without ever investigating what they mean. pointed very clearly to the massive job of I sincerely believe that if Tomds Mac Giolla BERNADETTE DEVLIN McALISKEY internal education that we have to do. I [the president of "Official" Sinn Fein] were think we also realized that we grew too asked what Stalinism was, he would not Sinn Fein] and Cathal Goulding [the man quickly in the initial stages and have taken know. Therefore, if he doesn't know what it most recently identified as chief of staff of a more conscious step now towards organiz is, how does he know he doesn't have the "Official" IRA] who could not pull back, ing much more slowly and carefully and Stalinists in his organization? not essentially because of their politics but working more with the membership we now on a personal basis, because that's the way have, working out our policy and educating The "Officials" are oriented towards the organization has worked. ourselves, educating our members, before organization and things that work. They They still have the ability to pull the we attempt to grow at that rapid pace are quite prepared to let people like Bessie organization back, but they don't have the again. O'Hagan [who has turned the "Official" motivation. At the minute, they don't see I think that the IRSP is probably about organ into a dogmatic Stalinist sheet] run the necessity for doing it. Maybe somebody the healthiest development on the Irish the United Irishman if they get the job like McGurran does, but he doesn't see it as political left over the past five years. done. They don't seem to be aware of where sufficiently urgent. If I were Malachy his way of doing the job is leading them McGurran, I would think the threat to the Q. Healthy in what sense? and what kind of politics it is putting into "Officials" from the Stalinists within was a them, the leadership, what kind of politics much bigger threat to the existence of the A. In the sense that the IRSP is the only are being accepted into the organization. organization than the threat of the IRSP group that is developing, that is not frozen. organizing outside them. Q. Does this turn toward a dogmatic form But they don't see that. And because they of Stalinism represent a direct influence don't see it, everything that goes wrong is Q. You mean that it is healthy because from the Irish Communist party? attributed to outside sources, to the lack of there is a political discussion and new political awareness of the people, to the thinking going on within it? A. I would tend to believe that it's an sectarianism [anti-Protestantism] of the independent development inside the republi Provisionals, to the ultraleftism of the A. Yes, in the political sense, in that can movement. I think if you go back you IRSP. Everything is to blame for the things are being discussed, there is a can certainly see the Communist party decimation of the "Officials" except the process of self-evaluation, self-criticism, a influence. But I think that at this stage "Officials" themselves, except their policy, reappraisal of issues, combined with a even the Irish Communist party is embar their politics, the direction in which they're determination to be active, to organize, to rassed by the crudeness of the Stalinists in going. And thus they abandon any self- work towards the building of a revolution the republicans. They actually out-Stalinize criticism in a process of self-justification. ary party. Although we accept that, as of the CP. now, we are not the revolutionary party. We Particularly after the formation of the Q. What do you think is happening to the are probably the only group on the Irish left IRSP, when the opposition element left the "Official" organization? Do you think the that currently does not lay claim to leading organization, the Stalinists saw a clear "Officials" are a declining force? the revolution. I think that is why the IRSP

June 16, 1975 has attracted into its ranks people of Political Prisoner Faces Death Sentence in Dominica different political levels. It probably has one or two ultraleftists in its ranks, one or two militant republicans, and various trends that reflect the fact that Campaign in Britain to Free Desmond Trotter people have come from different traditions. But what we all have in common is this realization that a process of discussion By Jo O'Brien must be gone through, that the revolution ary party must be built. And I think that Crown, and a number of private landlords, UK Associate the IRSP is the only place currently where ATLANTIC OCEAN States * many of whom live outside Dominica. any political progress is being made to Despite being an agricultural country, wards this. Dominica has to import almost all its food. The foreign-owned estates concentrate ex Q. Does the IRSP identify with any clusively on producing limes and other international current in the workers move goods for export. St.Martin/^ Haiti Montaarrat UK (Fr.aod Wath.l . ment? Dominican Rep. As an "Associated State" of the British Commonwealth, Dominica is still a British A. It doesn't at the moment, in the sense colony. It is evident, however, that the of having links with other organizations. British Labour government of Harold Wilson is unwilling to take any action to » Tobago Q. Has it had any political contacts or f 1 Trinidad halt the repression in Dominica. The Save discussions with organizations in other Desmond Trotter Campaign has been countries? formed to mobilize people in Britain to win Trotter's release and to force the British A. No. But we accept the necessity of government to act. moving in that direction. We accept the The campaign has mounted weekly pick necessity of not being purely another Manchester Guardian ets at the Eastern Caribbean High Commis republican [i.e., militant nationalist] organi sion in London and held demonstrations in zation, or another Irish socialist organiza several British cities. Public meetings have tion, which demands solidarity from the LONDON—Dominicans living in Britain been held in London, Manchester, Birming world at large but doesn't want to become are spearheading a campaign here to force ham, and Nottingham. Support has come involved in the issues. the release of Desmond Trotter, a Domini primarily from the Dominican community We see ourselves as an integral part of the can militant sentenced to death in Novem but also from several trade-union groups, working-class international movement and ber 1974 after being framed up for the including branches of the Association of see the necessity ultimately of being part of murder of a white tourist. Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs that international struggle, not simply in The victimization of Trotter highlights and the Amalgamated Union of Engineer terms of everybody struggling in their own the wave of political repression carried out ing Workers. country, but building links with interna against the Black Power movement on the The campaign has been sponsored by tional organizations. island of Dominica, a small British colony Labour members of Parliament Bruce in the Caribbean, by the Labour govern George, Sidney Bidwell, Jock Stollard, ment of Prime Minister Patrick John. Harry Selby, and Stan Newens. Support Q. Do you have any program for the Irish Under the John government's "Unlawful has also come from Black organizations, communities abroad? Any idea for how to Assemblies Act" of 1974, it is legal to shoot the International Marxist Group (the Brit link them with what is going on here? Any anyone suspected of belonging to an "ille ish section of the Fourth International), the plans for utilizing their support in an gal organization." There nave been wide Communist party. International Socialists, organized way? spread arrests under the act. Trotter was and Labour party Young Socialists. singled out for attack because of his activity On March 19, Trotter lost his appeal to A. We have a short-term program that as a leader of the Movement for a New the British Caribbean Court of Appeal. His involves essentially maintaining links with Dominica and editor of its monthly bulletin, case will now go to the Privy Council in various solidarity movements where they Twavay. London, the highest court in the British have previously existed. Basically the short- Although Dominica has a population of Commonwealth. It is of vital importance term program around which we accept the only 70,000, unemployment is so high (60 now to mobilize the broadest possible solidarity of these groups is the demand for percent) that 15,000 to 20,000 Dominicans support for Trotter to force the Privy the immediate withdrawal of British troops, have emigrated to Britain. One year ago Council to accept his appeal. an end for repressive legislation, and the Dominicans resident in Britain founded Messages demanding Trotter's freedom right of the Irish people to self- "Dominicans in Support of Progress" to can be sent to Patrick John, Prime Minister, determination. support the Movement for a New Dominica Government Headquarters, Roseau, Domi That's a program that was already in and to publicize the part played by the nica, Windward Islands; and to James existence, and there were problems with British government in backing the John Callaghan MP, Foreign Secretary, House of some groups because some people said, for regime. Commons, Westminster, London, SWl, Bri example, that you can't take the troops out British aid for John has come largely in tain. of Northern Ireland immediately, or we the form of "development aid." This really Copies should be sent to the Movement must not raise the issue of self- benefits only the British monopolies for a New Dominica, 6 Canal Lane, Good determination because it doesn't have class Cadbury-Schweppes and Van Geest, which will, Dominica, Windward Islands. content. But essentially that is the immedi control the majority of agricultural produc Messages of solidarity can be sent to ate short-term solidarity program which tion in Dominica. Nearly all the land is Trotter at HM Prison, Stockfarm, Roseau, people who have supported us demand. □ owned by these two companies, the British Dominica, Windward Islands. □

Intercontinental Press Names 110 Unionists Murdered by Junta tempting to discover his whereabouts for more than a month, Lausic's family was notified by church authorities May 8 that his body was in the city morgue. The body showed severe head wounds. The family, ILO Denounces Torture of Chilean Labor Leaders which reported that Lausic was not a member of any political party, has charged By Judy White DINA with responsibility for his death. • One of Chile's best-known painters, A commission appointed by the Interna Luis Guillermo Nunez, opened an exhibition tional Labor Organization (ILO), an agency in Santiago March 19. His paintings dealt of the United Nations, has accused the with the themes of alienation and loss of Chilean military junta of having tortured freedom. The following day Nunez was labor leaders to death because of their - : arrested by secret police. He has not been trade-union activities. heard from since. The charge is documented in a 122-page Disappearances of this sort are common. report released by the ILO May 29, follow In the May 24 Washington Post, columnist ing a four-week investigation in Chile at the Jack Anderson reported receiving a list of end of 1974. Members of the fact-finding 231 persons who have met this fate in Chile. commission were Jose Luis Bustamante y "They range from a 16-year-old student to a Rivero, a former president of the Interna 64-year-old architect," Anderson said. tional Court of Justice; Harold S. Kirkaldy, "They disappeared into prisons and never professor emeritus of industrial relations at came out. It is assumed that many of them Cambridge University; and Jacques Du- were tortured to death. . . ." coux, a member of the French Council of A few victims are lucky enough to escape. State. Sergio Zamora, a longtime member of the "It is an established fact that many trade Socialist party, was arrested by DINA on union officials or former officials died or May 15. For at least five hours he was were executed since 11 September 1973," "interrogated" with beatings, cigarette they said. "It appears from the information burns, and electric shock treatments. He supplied and the evidence that they died finally told DINA he would cooperate if either by execution, with or without trial, or they would take him to the offices of the in application of the law concerning fugi PINOCHET: Butcher of Chilean workers. church-run Committee for Cooperation and tives, or as a result of torture inflicted upon Peace in Chile. As Zamora and his interro them. . . ." Cesar Benavides claimed that his govern gators arrived, Zamora escaped from the Making it clear that its list was "nonex- ment was holding no more than 3,811 car into the arms of clergymen. Twelve haustive," the ILO commission attached to political prisoners. A dispatch in the May days later he was still recuperating in a the report the names of 110 persons who 18 Washington Post reporting Benavides's hospital., □ had been killed. It charged that the junta statement added: "Other sources say the "has failed to prove that these deaths took number of those held in prisons around the Prostitutes Occupy Churcli In Lyons place for reasons other than that these country is much higher, that 1,450 persons More than 200 prostitutes occupied St. persons were trade unionists or that they were arrested between May and December Nizier Church in Lyons, France, in an exercised trade union activities." 1974 in Santiago alone, and that nearly 800 action that began June 2. The women are Another section, accompanied by a list of of them do not appear on any government protesting police harassment. They said 120 persons, dealt with the arrest of trade- list but have simply disappeared." they would remain in the church until their union officials. The junta itself admits that more than case was heard by the highest authorities in Among the jailed trade-union officials 41,000 people—one of every 250 Chileans— the country and the police end the crack interviewed by the ILO were five who had have been detained at least temporarily for down. been held without charge since September political reasons since the coup. Representa In particular they demanded a meeting and October 1973. They were being "de tives of the Catholic church put the figure with Frangoise Ciroud, the state secretary tained at the pleasure of the executive at about 95,000. for women's affairs. Some of the prostitutes power and had no opportunity to file an Although news of what these victims report having received as many as five or appeal or seek legal advice," the commis experience at the hands of the junta has six $40 fines a night, and they are subject to sion said. been less publicized in recent months, the frequent arrest. Another matter of "utmost gravity," the following cases make it clear that the The protest quickly spread to other cities. report stressed, is "the disappearance, in Pinochet regime's policy remains the same: In Marseille, a church was occupied June 6 some cases without trace, of persons arrest • Guillermo Herrera, twenty-eight years in solidarity with the Lyons sit-in. In Nice, ed by the authorities and who cannot be old, was arrested in Santiago May 3 by the prostitutes voted a sympathy strike for the identified." Direccion de Inteligencia Nacional(DINA— weekend of June 7. In Paris, a delegation The ILO report condemned the dissolu National Intelligence Office). The charge representing 5,000 prostitutes delivered a tion of the CUT (Central Unica de Trabaja- was suspicion of being a courier for the MIR petition to the daily France-Soir, demand dores—United Federation of Workers). (Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionaria— ing an end to police harassment. There was clear evidence, the report said, Movement of the Revolutionary Left). Eight The protesters in Lyons received support that one of the government's aims was to hours later he was brought home, only to from the women's branches of France's two "eliminate or prevent any large-scale oppo die vomiting blood thirty-six hours later. largest trade-union confederations, from sition to its policy" by trade unions or their • Cedomil Luis Lausic Glasinovic, women activists elsewhere in Europe and leaders. twenty-eight years old, was arrested in the United States, and from homosexual Earlier in May, Chilean Interior Minister Santiago April 4. After unsuccessfully at militants in France.

June 16, 1975 A 'Temporary Pause in a Longer Downturn'? less, with nearly $40 billion in gold and foreign-exchange reserves, the West Ger man economy is by far the strongest in Western Europe.

The Predictions About an Economic Upswing Japan, accustomed to annual growth rates of 10% or more throughout most of the By Dick Fidler postwar expansionary period, saw its econ omic output decline 1% or 2% in the fiscal year ended March 31. For the current fiscal Has the depression "bottomed out"? Is an from a drop of more than $35 billion in year, growth has been officially forecast at upturn about to begin? If so, bow long will inventory investment. But spending on 4.3%. it last? Will there be a new slump? These plant and equipment was down by $4 The major source of optimism for Japan are some of the questions now being billion, and on housing construction by $5 ese officials has been a recent sharp discussed by economists and political lead billion—indicating little likelihood of a decrease in the rate of inflation. Wholesale ers. rapid turnabout. According to McGraw-Hill prices are expected to rise only 5% in the The Organization for Economic Coopera Business Publications, U.S. industry is current quarter, compared with rates as tion and Development(OECD) has predict currently operating at only 65% of capacity. high as 35% last year. ed an average growth of 3% in output of The waste in human lives and productivi Businessmen are also encouraged by the goods and services in its twenty-four ty entailed by this underutilization of fact that wage settlements in the shunto, or member countries during the next six industrial capacity is revealed in the annual spring labor offensive, averaged months, compared with zero growth during extraordinarily high rates of only about 15%, well below the unions' the last twelve months. unemployment—currently more than 9% of stated objectives of 25% to 30% increases. But this prediction is based largely on the the work force by official statistics, and No doubt a major factor in the unions' expectation that the governments of the probably close to 12% if the millions of weakened combativity was the pressure on strongest countries—in the first place, the working people are included who in desper wages exerted by 1.3 million unemployed. United States, West Germany, and Japan— ation have dropped out of the labor market. This 2.5% unemployment rate is unprece will be forced to "reflate" their economies in The 8.5 million workers listed as unem dented in recent decades. coming months to combat the most severe ployed in the United States today represent Italy has experienced the most remark slump since the Great Depression of the almost two-thirds of the total unemploy able turnaround. With the help of $9 1930s. ment in the major capitalist countries. And billion in loans last year from the Interna At a news briefing in Paris May 21, despite all its rosy predictions of an tional Monetary Fund and West Germany, OECD economists reported that the steep economic upturn just around the corner, the a domestic austerity program, and an ness of the current decline had exceeded Ford administration holds out no hope of a expansion of exports, Italy has reduced its their expectations. They said that industrial substantial reduction in unemployment huge payments deficit and has made a production in the OECD's five largest before the end of this decade. substantial improvement in its trade bal members—the United States, West Ger "Revised projections" for the economy ance. In early April international banks many, Japan, France, and Italy—would published May 30 predicted a growth rate of removed Italy from the list of countries show a drop of between 10% and 20% for the 6.3% in 1976, but estimated that even if such from which they demand a high-risk first half of this year from the level for the growth were sustained for the rest of the premium on loan interest rates. last half of 1973. decade, unemployment, expected to average But this relative stabilization of Italian Unemployment, they said, had doubled to close to 8% next year, would not fall below capitalism has been achieved at the cost of an official 14 million in member countries, 5% before 1980. heavy unemployment—officially more than approximately 5% of the combined labor However, Washington officials have 1 million, or 5% of the work force, and well force. They estimated that during the first pointed to a slowing of the rate of inflation. above previous official estimates. And this half of 1975, total output of goods and Consumer prices rose by less than 6% in the will be first year in twenty-five that Italy's services will register a decline of 3%. last three months, compared with a peak economic output will actually decline; the "A slow pick-up in economic activity is rate of more than 13% last year, and GNP is expected to register a net drop of still expected for the second half, continu wholesale prices have barely increased in 2.5% in 1975, in contrast to an increase of ing through next year," reported Clyde H. recent months. This, they claim, is evidence 3.4% in 1974. Farnsworth in the May 22 New York Times. that an upturn is "imminent." The adminis Britain's economic situation continues to "But the experts conceded there has as yet tration has therefore loosened bank credit worsen. Prices have climbed at a record rate been little evidence of an upswing, a point and cut taxes somewhat to encourage a of over 20% in the last twelve months, and that is worrying some officials." modest increase in investment and consum the rate of inflation is expected to go above While all the major imperialist countries er spending. 25% this year. Unemployment, now at have been affected by the depression, the West Germany, with the lowest rate of 800,000, is expected to climb to a million or impact has been uneven. inflation of the major imperialist countries, more in coming months. The prospects for recovery depend very has been "reflating" its economy for some The major worry of businessmen is that much on the U.S. economy, which accounts time. But unemployment, which peaked in so far the British working class has shown for one-third of the output of the OECD February at almost 1.2 million jobless, or no inclination to slacken its combativity. member countries. The decline in the 5.2% of the labor force, still remains above Many recent wage settlements have pro United States was deeper than most econo the 1 million mark. Another million workers vided for annual increases of more than mists had predicted. In the first quarter of are on reduced hours. 30%. Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer this year, the U.S. gross national product In the first quarter of 1975, Germany's Denis Healey responded in April by bring dropped at an annual rate of 10.4%. Gross exports to the United States sank 46% below ing in a harsh austerity budget, denouncing private domestic investment declined 21% last year's levels, and Chancellor Helmut wage claims in "excess" of "increases in (in current dollars) during the same period. Schmidt is publicly urging Washington to prices" and "improvements in productivi Most of this decline in investment resulted step up its expansionary policies. Neverthe ty."

Intercontinental Press Meanwhile the depression has more deeply affected certain countries that for one reason or another had previously escaped the full brunt of the downturn in the major capitalist centers. An example is Canada, which last year took advantage of the high prices on the world market for its raw materials—oil, wheat, pulp, and paper—to register an increase of about 4% in real output. The U.S. slump has caught up with Canada, which exports almost 20% of its production to the United States. The Tru- deau government recently threw out previ ous predictions of modest economic growth in 1975 and is now forecasting no increase in output this year. The official unemploy Vadillo/Siempre ment rate of more than 7% is the highest since 1961. "This slowdown of world trade," an can be countered by slowing the economy's The Canadian bourgeoisie, concerned OECD official said, "is a new thing in the growth through such means as restricting that the combativity of Canadian workers world economy and provides some reason the money supply, raising taxes, and has virtually eliminated the longstanding for doubting the strength of the recovery." allowing unemployment to increase. Now wage differential with American workers, is In previous postwar depressions, the economists are increasingly worried that a now campaigning for "voluntary" wage effects of the downturn in some countries renewal of expansion will bring on a new and price controls—the prelude to a manda could be compensated by expanding exports round of double-digit inflation and result in tory freeze if Canada's international com to countries that continued to go through a new slump, possibly one more serious petitive position continues to deteriorate. expansionary phases. In a generalized than the current downturn. Most semicolonial countries, hit by a depression, as at present, this becomes The massive government deficits project simultaneous decline in orders for raw impossible. The downturn in the major ed for 1975-76 practically assure a resur materials and sharp escalations in the national markets reinforces the decline in gence of inflation more virulent than ever prices of imported manufactured goods, all. during the next upturn. The Ford adminis have been especially affected by the inter The continued high levels of inflation— tration's predicted deficit of $60 billion for national depression. A handful of oil- and the uneven rates of inflation among this fiscal year is widely regarded as exporting countries alone have experienced various countries—are another ominous understated; the actual deficit could be as any substantial increase in revenue from indication that the underlying instability in high as $100 billion or more. Bonn has exports. world capitalist economy is far from ended. budgeted a deficit of 50 billion Deutsche- The signs taken to mean that the slump Inflation during the first four months of marks (more than US$20 billion). Tokyo's has bottomed out in some of the major 1975 averaged less than 10% for the twenty- budget for fiscal 1975 calls for a 25% capitalist countries have encouraged optim four OECD countries,as compared with 15% increase in government spending, to be istic predictions of a major upturn just for the whole of last year. But the situation supplemented by increases later in the year. ahead. OECD ministers ended three days of varies widely from country to country, Fears that the recovery will be partial closed-door discussions on May 29 express ranging from a probable 25% or more this and short-lived are being openly voiced by ing "confidence" in a quick recovery of year in Britain, to 5% in West Germany. many officials and commentators in the output and employment, and a "further "It's anyone's guess," an economist at the business press. reduction in the average rate of inflation." International Monetary Fund in Washing Alan Greenspan, chairman of Ford's U.S. Treasury Secretary William Simon ton told the Wall Street Journal in Febru Council of Economic Advisers, warned a predicted that the U.S. growth in the second ary, "whether we're witnessing a lasting recent meeting of investors from major Wall half of 1975 "may well be the highest" change in the international price situation Street financial institutions that there is a among member countries. or simply a hiatus" in a long-term pattern serious danger of another "big cyclical However, the forecaisters' hopes for an of worsening inflation everywhere. swing"—one more boom-bust cycle— upturn in the next six; months are clouded According to the Keynesian concepts that resulting from inflation imbalances. by signs that the underlying sources of the have guided capitalist economic and mone Reporting on the meeting in the April 30 current depression have not disappeared, tary theory in the postwar period, inflation New York Times, economics analyst Le and may indeed be exacerbated by a partial onard Silk noted that "internationally, recovery. the economy of the industrialized countries, the some observers foresee the next crash as Most ominious is a marked slowing of the trade and payments deficits of the major imperial being the really devastating one. F'rances rate of increase in world trade. The OECD ist oil-consuming countries would have been much Cairncross and Hamish McRae, economics bigger last year if it were not for the fact that the reported May 21 that imports for the group correspondent and financial editor of The oil producers spent more than expected on declined by an estimated 10% for the first imported goods—one-third more in 1974 than the Manchester Guardian, have offered the half of 1975 from the last half of 1973—the year before. Another factor limiting payments following scenario in their new book, 'The sharpest drop since World War II. Although deficits was the lower world demand for imported Second Great Crash': no figures were given, it was reported that oil, itself largely a result of the general slump. '"As the next expansion gathers pace, the decline in exports was partially offset Sales to members of the Organization of inflation is sure to accelerate. There is a by demands from semicolonial oil- Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) were the grave danger—indeed, a near certainty— one bright spot for exports of the imperialist exporting countries for Western goods.* countries. The share of West German exports to that the boom of 1977-8 will see a number of oil-producing countries, for example, has risen to major countries lose control of their curren *Notwithstanding Kissinger's bomb rattling 8%, making that market as important to German cies.' . . . about the "disastrous" effects of high oil prices on industry as to U.S. industry. "Many businessmen, such as Reginald June 16, 1975 Jones, chairman of General Electric, share dence that the new maturity is taking its the view that the United States economy is toll." in a long, depressed cycle in which recover By "new maturity" Business Week indi ies will not carry through to put employ cated it was referring to a generalized turn ment at the high levels reached earlier and in the postwar economic situation. It cited recessions will be deeper than heretofore." the views of Kurt Richebaecher, chief Silk cited a study by Prof. Hyman P. economist for the Dresdner Bank in Frank Minsky of Washington University in St. furt, who "views the recession as part of a Louis, who attributes the economy's weak genuine structural crisis and interprets the ness to the "fragility" of the financial recent flatness of output not as a prelude to structures. ". . .many businesses and banks recovery but merely as a temporary pause are still relatively illiquid, straining to meet /J tesr buys \ in a longer downturn." heavy payment commitments out of dimin / 7 covsuLTAWr ) According to Richebaecher, the current ished cash flows from operations. This has V Jconsouer. Ptore-cnon' problems are not "just the downward phase forced them to cut back on investment and j'—rL of a typical cycle. Our problems are more other outlays." deeply rooted in unusual debt and cost In other words, a major hindrance to imbalances." long-term recovery is the "liquidity crunch" "Practically everything is a good buy Business Week argued that the "new facing banks and corporations—their his week because next week it will all maturity" of the West European and Japan massive burden of accumulated debt. go up again." ese economies would inhibit the growth of The editors of Business Week described U.S. exports and thereby the potential for the amount of debt in the United States in Gurbutt/London Sunday Telegraph recovery in the United States itself. In their October 12, 1974, issue: particular, it drew attention to world trade, "The U.S. economy stands atop a moun which is expected to increase this year by crisis is a depression. Businesses reduce tain of debt $2.5-trillion [thousand thousand only 1% to 3% in real terms, compared with capital spending, dispose of inventories, million] high—a mountain built of all the 5% last year and 15% in 1973. This, the liquidate relatively unprofitable branches— cars and houses, all the factories and magazine said, "could exacerbate trends at the cost of bankruptcies and mass machines that have made this the biggest, toward various forms of protectionism." unemployment. richest economy in the history of the "'Fish, eggs, wine, and textiles have all world. . . . But today such a cure is politically Very provoked protectionist activity in recent "The numbers are so vast that they difficult to apply, the Times's expert ob weeks in the European Economic Communi simply numb the mind: $l-trillion in corpor served. "Both threatened unions and failing ty,' note international economists at Data ate debt, $600-billion in mortgage debt, businesses—the bigger the organization, Resources, Inc., the Lexington (Mass.) $500-billion in U.S. government debt, $200- the heavier the political clout—insist that consultants. The president of the French billion in state and local government debt, the fiscal and monetary authorities pump in Steel Federation called some time ago for a $200-billion in consumer debt. To fuel enough money to float the economy off the declaration by the European Commission of nearly three decades of postwar economic rocks. 'manifest crisis' in the European steel boom at home and export it abroad, this "Thus arises the danger that slump will industry, which if approved would have nation has borrowed an average net $200- give way to inflation." triggered production quotas, minimum million a day, each and every day, since the The bourgeois economists hold out little prices, and import restrictions. The request close of World War II." hope of overcoming stagflation in the near was rejected by the commission, but in any Servicing this debt stokes the fires of future. Professor Minsky advocates a "de case, it was mainly viewed as an indirect inflation. As interest burdens increase—the pression without a depression," Silk said. cry for help aimed at the French govern result of larger debt as well as higher This he defines as "a period—perhaps as ment itself. . . ." interest rates stimulated by the huge long as a decade—of low investment and Finland and Italy have imposed import demand for loans—capitalists raise prices high consumption in which employment is controls. Britain may do likewise. to meet these obligations. Price increases maintained by devices like the Works In its March 3 issue. Business Week noted spread throughout the economy, increasing Progress Administration, Civilian Conser "some striking similarities" to the 1930s. the need for further borrowing. Debt obliga vation Corps and National Youth Adminis "The formation of the Deutschemark bloc is tions, interest charges, and prices chase tration of the nineteen-thirties rather than a tentative throwback to the currency blocs each other in an upward spiral of inflation. by increased inducements to finance private of the 1930s, as are the tendency of investment in a speculative manner." countries to manipulate their exchange Greenspan and other Washington offi rates in 'dirty' floats and the move toward Furthermore, the banks themselves, in cials, Silk said, recommend "a long spell of the kind of bilateral deals that have been their quest for profits, have loaned out such underemployment that would both sweat made with the OPEC nations, or are in the a high proportion of their assets that their inflation down and make the financial early stages of negotiation with OPEC by own liquidity is endangered. In the Febru system more robust again." some of the Western countries." ary issue of the radical journal Monthly Both approaches assume that private Review, the editors pointed out that since industry will be unable to restore high Prospects for a major upturn in Western 1950 the ratio of loans to deposits has more levels of employment in the foreseeable Europe and Japan are also clouded by the than doubled—from 36% in 1950 to 82% in future. long-term decline in capital spending. In 1974 for the large commercial banks(banks In its May 26 issue, Business Week took West Germany, for example, new plant and with total deposits of $100 million or more issue with OECD economists who forecast a equipment outlays, stagnant from 1971 to on December 31, 1965), and from 39.4% in sharp upturn in the second half of 1975. 1973, dropped sharply in 1974 and will fall 1950 to 84.4% in 1974 for the large New "This conventional approach to forecast again this year. Pressured by a severe credit York City banks. ing. . . ," it said, "which assumes that squeeze. West German capitalists are mak In his April 30 article, Leonard Silk noted future cycles will be more similar than ing a bigger proportion of their investments that the traditional remedy for a liquidity different from the past, clashes with evi abroad. Volkswagen, for example, is laying

Intercontinental Press off workers and threatening to close plants More Than 1,000 Workers Arrested in Germany even while it considers plans to build cars in the United States. All these pressures are felt most strongly in sectors that helped to fuel Europe's postwar expansion—autos, steel, machin Police Smash Miners' Strike in Papua New Guinea ery, rubber, and glass. "For U.S. businessmen," the May 26 miners blocked every road on the mine site Business Week said, "the economic crisis in Pacific with overturned vehicles, boulders, and oil Europe and Japan will mean intensified miANJAYA tp.p,.. (Formerly drums. They used bulldozers to dig up those competition for world markets and raw roads that were not blocked. They also set a materials. Foreign business will be looking West Irian) NEW bulldozer in motion and directed it at a to increase its penetration of the U.S. police riot squad. market both through exports and construc Police rounded up miners for three days. tion of plants on the scene. And U.S. "We are going to make as many arrests as investors will meet vigorous competition in possible," said the deputy police commis such critical new areas as the Middle East, sioner. Bougainville police superintendent Latin America, and East Asia." Jim Grey justified the police charge against Thus the long phase of postwar capitalist Port Moresby^fe^ / the miners: "We gave them a lesson not to expansion, characterized by an enormous try tangling with police." inflation of credit and expansion of trade, BOUQA/WWJLLe On May 18 the Bougainville district and based on the U.S. dollar as a stable commissioner ordered the magistrates pro international medium of exchange, has cessing the charges to release 756 of the given way to a phase of intensified trade CoralSett detainees pending the hearing of the rivalry, double-digit inflation, reduced capi charges. This was most likely done at the tal spending, and increasing instability in request of the company, Bougainville Cop international monetary policy. per Limited, which would otherwise have These developments dominated the meet suffered a severe labor shortage. The ing of OECD ministers held in Paris at the company sent buses to pick up those end of May. Their discussions, held in .AUSTBAHA released and take them back to the mine. secret, were characterized by Britain's De Eighteen miners pleaded guilty to the nis Healey as "extremely frank." charge of riotous behavior and were sen With only Portugal dissenting, the minis tenced to six-months hard labor, the maxi ters adopted an agreement not to set curbs mum penalty. According to Christopher on imports or to artificially encourage Ashton, writing in the May 19 Australian exports—but not without appeals from Sydftevi Financial Review, about 100 "hard-core weaker countries like Britain, which argued leaders" were still being held. that they could not resist further protective Canberra* J "Half a dozen office bearers of the action unless the stronger economies adopt Bougainville Mine Workers Union, includ ed more extensive antirecessionary mea ing George Pompon, junior vice-president, sures. whose dismissal by the company and France reiterated its objections to floating attempts to reinstate him sparked off the exchange rates, arguing that they had New York Times riots, will face the Supreme Court on a resulted in undesirable declines in the value charge of inciting riots," Ashton said. "As of the U.S. dollar, weakening French ex from Monday night a week ago [May 12], ports. The giant copper mine on the island of BCL no longer recognises the Bougainville But every capitalist government is well Bougainville in Papua New Guinea re Mine Workers Union. With its executive aware that in the last analysis the main sumed production May 18 after a militant jailed the union is to all intents, dis point in an upswing is the renewed flow of six-day strike. In the course of the strike, banded." □ profits it assures. But this occurs at the cost riot police arrested more than 1,000 miners of the workers, that is, a relatively lower and effectively smashed the Bougainville level of real wages. Mine Workers Union. That is why a modest upturn in produc Demonstrations by miners on May 12 B-52S Leave Thailand tion in the next period—if it occurs—is were sparked by the dismissal of George hardly cause for cheering among working Pompon, a vice-president of the union, and The Pentagon's last B-52 bombers re people. They face continued high rates of by the company's failure to pay a wage maining in Thailand—a contingent of unemployment and underemployment, and increase that was promised last year. sixteen hased at U Taphao Air Base— increased attacks on living standards and The miners marched on the pay office, began flying home June 6. At the height of democratic rights. □ carrying placards demanding their money the Indochina war, more than fifty B-52s and denouncing the company. Armed flew 792 bombing missions a month out of It Was a 'Great Debate,' They Said police, including 220 riot cops from Port both U Taphao and Guam, in the Pacific. A Moresby and Rabaul, were rushed to the large fleet of B-52s remains based on Guam, "Senators of both parties and various mine, and company guards began evacuat and about 350 U.S. planes, including F-111 ideologies appeared to take the debate [on ing the staff. When the demonstrators and F-4 fighter-bombers, remain at three U.S. military policy] with extraordinary refused to disperse, the police charged with bases in Thailand. seriousness. Throughout the day, there were batons and fired hundreds of tear-gas shells A Thai officer presented each of the always 15 to 20 Senators on the floor. at the miners. departing plane crews with a garland of . . ."—New York Times, June 3. In response to the police attacks, the flowers. June 16, 1975 MiMliiii ii riiii

'It Is Completely Wrong to View Ecology As a Secondary Issue'

[The following is an interview with Brice giene, and so forth. This is the most diffuse relatively rapid launching of production of Lalonde, a leader of the ecology organiza of the currents. wind-driven engines. We had another idea tion Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth) to take up with the workers of Piron- in France. It appeared in the April 25 issue Q. Where does "Amis de la Terre" place Bretoncelles: the production of solar cells. of the French Trotskyist weekly Rouge. The itself in this movement? But basically, it is not up to revolutionary translation is by Intercontinental Press.] activists to furnish jobs for people; the A. Sort of where it comes together. At the problem is in the first place political. beginning the AT was a transplant on the Everyone must have an income, but we American model (a pressure group of should always have this concept in the back experts, lobbying, publishing things). But of our minds: The goal is that everyone in France we quickly counterposed to this should be able to choose their work. To be Question. Where does the ecology move perspective the strategy of building a mass more precise, self-management (and decen ment in France stand today 1 How would movement, seeking to promote actions that tralization) is a very important idea. We you analyze it? directly pose political questions. That is think it is dependent on specific alternative why we chose to focus on the automobile technologies (solar energy and so forth). Answer. I can't really make an analysis; and nuclear energy. It all comes down to the question of this will be more of a description. The The movement arose in the early 1970s. developing the productive forces, the pro ecology movement has four currents that The year 1972 was an important one, the duction of the entire economy,"human and engage in specific actions. year of Stockholm [international environ natural." The first is the scientific current, mainly mental conference sponsored by the United the naturalists and ecologists from the Nations], the year of new awareness of the universities. Their activity consists of both dimension of the Third World. Nuclear fieldwork and theoretical studies. Today in energy also played an important role in Q. It seems to me that one of the main France we see the emergence of a current of creating an awareness of the unity of the weaknesses of the ecology movements is scientists of the kind that is well known in living world, of the biosphere. their lack of connection to the working class the United States, people like [Barry] and the workers organizations. Doesn't this Commoner. These scientists are generally Q. Now I want to bring up a fundamental open the risk of the ecology movement reformist, but they are militant and are question. The capitalist class makes use of becoming subordinated to the ideology and radicalizing rapidly. environmental problems to its own advan policies of the bourgeoisie? Next, there is the "quality of life" current, tage. Very often workers are blackmailed in A. Certainly, you are right. The social roughly defined. This might include any the following way: "If you don't accept layers that have been attracted to the thing from a tenants committee, to a unhealthy working conditions and the ecology movement are first the youth, then "summer cottages" committee. Over the destruction of the environment, we will professionals and teachers, then small past year such committees have been move our plant elsewhere, and for you that farmers and fishermen, and finally a few springing up on all sides in France. They will mean unemployment." workers. But generally these are marginal are usually sponsored by prominent figures. workers, such as, for example, the street But they are beginning to band together A. I could outline some points of an sweepers who came to have discussions geographically or around a single demand answer. First, unemployment and living with us. Still, this was symbolic for an (protection of a forest, for example). And conditions cannot improve radically within ecology movement. I would stress the when they enter into a struggle they the framework of capitalist society. At the importance of teachers, because they have radicalize quickly, because they come up same time, we attach great importance to played a decisive role in the organization of against the state and at that point they the search for technical alternatives, to the ecology movement. I would also stress usually lose the big sponsors. questions of reconversion. the farmers. In fact, I think the revolution The third current is what I would call the Two examples will clarify this. During ary movement has made a mistake in current of new revolutionary hope. It the Dumont campaign [Ren6 Dumont ran regard to the farmers; it has underestimated consists mainly of young people, and also as the candidate of the ecology movement their potential for struggle. includes commune movements. Its inspira in the May 1974 national elections in Q. In the last analysis, don't your tion is libertarian but confused. It is France] we made contact with the SNIAS problems result from a certain political changing, however, because more and more unions [Societe Nationale Industrielle fuzziness? Fuzziness in regard to the "classical" revolutionary militants are Aerospatiale—^National Association of the working class and to its political organiza active in it. Aerospace Industry]. We thought that their tions, revolutionary or reformist? The last current is composed of the ad hoc accumulated experience in the field of organizations-, organic food, natural hy aerodynamics could make possible the A. We are not out to change the course of

Intercontinental Press the other revolutionary organizations. At implies new urban concentrations, massive but what is lacking is a link between this the present time our activity is often reconversion. theory and that of the ecosphere. For our confused, but it is concrete. What we really To sum up I would like to return to the part, we are not trying to make up for this want are actions that can serve as exam general question of the ecology struggle. I lack. The solution of this problem must ples. As for the danger of co-optation by think it is completely wrong to view ecology really await associations and regroupments reformism, this is not what is happening as a secondary issue. Perhaps this could be that are more specifically political. At that now. The danger is always there, but you said about the struggle against the power point there will no longer be any reason to shouldn't make a bogeyman out of it. stations, but not ecology. Ecology is a maintain an independent ecology move Movements such as Survivre et Vivre [Sur fundamental issue that must be joined with ment if the revolutionary organizations vive and Live] made such a point out of this the workers movement. Historical material show themselves capable of taking up the that they have stopped all activity. ism is the theory of the mode of production. struggle in the field of ecology. □ No, we think the best guarantee is to say; "It is up to those who struggle, who are directly involved in such actions, to take charge themselves, to decide." But at the same time, I would be very happy if the ecology issue were co-opted by all those who fought during May 1968. What I want is to make the revolution. The problem is the lack of experience of the ecology movement. There is a certain weakness linked to a clear lack of political xli maturity. But there is also a new experi ence: building an activism based on a network of groups rather than an organiza tion in the usual sense of the term, and the desire to always be concrete.

Q. I would like you to explain the main reasons for the struggle you have launched against nuclear power stations.

A. What convinced us was the irreversible aspect of the decision; also the scope of the danger, which truly threatens to create new political problems; and then the fact that it is possible to win. To us, what is important is to smash the Machine, to cut the bond May 9 march in Huesca, Spain, protesting proposed nuclear power station. between the populace and the Machine. This is a weak link in the system. Look at what has already happened: In Spanish Farmers Protest Nuclear Plant Sweden they have begun a debate on energy; in Holland, a moratorium; in the United States the consumption of energy is Plans to establish six nuclear power came the decision to organize a peaceful declining and contracts with power stations plants along the Ebro River in the province demonstration. have been canceled. Nuclear power stations of Aragon in north central Spain sparked a On May 8 hundreds of cars were driven in will probably be built. But that is not the protest of hundreds of farmers in early a caravan from one town to the next, problem. May. seeking support for the next day's march. Our approach is the following: This Men, women, and children took to the One bore the hand-lettered sign, "No to the question concerns everyone and touches all streets in the town of Huesca May 9 nuclear plant. We are young and we don't aspects of social life (including science carrying signs and chanting their opposi want to die or emigrate." and technology). If they succeed in the case tion to the construction of a plant scheduled On May 9 marchers filed peacefully of nuclear power, a breach will be opened for Chalamera. "A nuclear plant means through the streets of Huesca carrying for all the problems of the environment. danger and destruction" was the central signs appealing to the governor to stop What arouses our enthusiasm is that theme of these farmers, who saw their construction of the proposed plant. The since we can win on this, there is an livelihood threatened by the danger of demonstration was not stopped by the additional reason for taking up the task. If radiation from the installation. Guardia Civil (Civil Guard), which halted the capitalists can be blocked here, it means At the end of last year a meeting was held traffic so the demonstrators could proceed. moving two steps ahead. in the nearby city of Zaragoza. Residents of To use a familiar analogy, we are against the towns that would be affected attended The farmers are demanding a delay in the omelet that is proposed, because capital and unanimously decided to oppose the construction of the plant so they can threatens to break the eggs without ending government's plan. present to the public reports they are up with an omelet at all. Hundreds of telegrams were sent to preparing on how such an installation will What does nuclear energy mean? We can federal authorities expressing opposition to endanger towns in the area. They have easily point to its ecological, economic, and the plan. When this protest got no response raised funds to send a busload of local political limits. We can show that it creates from the Franco regime, signs, slogans residents to an operating nuclear power a more and more dramatic dependence of painted on walls, and leaflets began to plant to obtain information from the the Third World countries, and that it appear in the towns of the region. Then technicians employed there. □

June 16, 1975 BDaDCF"4n^=. aonB^ico (DDril /I l>- i£7aOD iO/Z7A!L^^^'f^r7/ booMuQ \W

Famine Strikes Haiti American exports to that part of the world famine victims who perished before reach Half a million Haitians are threatened rose even higher, exceeding imports by $400 ing the relief camps. with starvation in the poverty-stricken million. The accompanying chart shows Some relief officials predict that the northwest region, which has been affected why. famine in the Somali-populated desert by severe drought conditions for nearly a region of Ethiopia and Somalia may be year. Although this is the area hardest hit, Journalist Jorge Money come worse than the famine that took famine conditions are spreading across the Killed by Argentine AAA hundreds of thousands of lives in Ethiopia's rest of the north. Wollo Province in 1973. Jorge Money, a financial reporter for the On May 22 the Duvalier regime said While the Ethiopian regime of Emperor Buenos Aires daily La Opinion, was found 306,889 persons were in a desperate situa Haile Selassie tried to cover up the Wollo shot to death near Ezeiza airport on May tion because of the "natural catastrophe." famine in the initial months, the new 18. His death set off a wave of protest that International relief agencies place the military regime has organized a relief included a day-long work stoppage by figure at closer to 600,000. campaign. But the measures taken so far Buenos Aires journalists. Printers joined are inadequate. According to one relief the job action, shutting down most of the official who witnessed the Wollo famine, daily papers of the city on May 20. Christian Democrats Attack "At Kebri Debar [in the Ogaden] there are The assassination was immediately con Pinochet's Economic Policy 14,000 people in a camp with two nurses. It demned by numerous professional associa Speaking out for the first time since the is just not equipped to cope with the tions and trade unions. The Senate debated September 1973 coup, Eduardo Frei Montal- situation." the threat to freedom of the press posed by va, the former Christian Democratic presi About 350,000 persons in Ethiopia are such terrorist actions. Some senators also dent of Chile from 1964 to 1970, said that estimated to be receiving some famine criticized the campaign waged by the the country's current economic crisis "is as assistance, with 70,000 living in the coun Peronist regime against La Opinion and El grave as a war." According to a report in try's fourteen relief camps. Shimelis Aduga, Cronista Comercial, accusing the two pa the June 5 Christian Science Monitor, Frei the commissioner for relief and rehabilita pers of favoring left terrorists by their called for price controls to curb inflation, tion, said that 1 million persons are coverage of acts of political violence. La which officially hit nearly 300 percent last suffering from the drought. Opinion-had reported on several occasions year. In Somalia, about 250,000 persons are the dnchallenged fact that not a single being housed in twenty relief camps. member of the right-wing terrorist Argen Several hundred thousand more outside of U.S. Bombers Withdrawn From Taiwan tine Anticommunist Alliance has been ar the camps are receiving food from relief rested. The State Department announced June 7 agencies. that the last squadron of U.S. jet bombers Public pressure resulting from the Money based in Taiwan had been withdrawn, and assassination has been great enough to that the remaining U.S. military force there force a public statement on right-wing Senate Strategists Debate Overkill would be reduced by 30 percent to 2,800 men terrorist actions from Interior Minister According to figures cited by Senator by the end of June. Alberto Rocamora. On May 26 he promised Edward Kennedy, the Pentagon now has an exhaustive investigation of Money's 22,000 tactical nuclear weapons stockpiled death. around the world, including some 8,500 Booming Business in Mideast strategic weapons virtually in full deploy for U.S. Merchants of Death ment. Alert to possible wastefulness, Ken The cost of U.S. imports from the Middle nedy suggested that "we have nuclear East more than tripled in 1974, owing to the Thousands Starve to Death weapons in excess of our security needs." higher price of oil. At the same time, in Ethiopia and Somalia Senator Barry Goldwater disagreed, say Famine relief officials estimate that more ing that ten more army divisions were U.S. Foreign Military Sales than 800,000 persons in the Ogaden region needed as well. Top 10 Countries in Fiscal 1974 in millions of dollars of Ethiopia and in Somalia are suffering Deliveries Orders* from the effects of extensive drought. From ISRAEL $985 IRAN $3,800 October 1974 to mid-May 1975, a total of 200 Arrested in Dominican Republic IRAN ^ 510 ISRAEL 2,100 16,685 deaths were recorded in the Somalia After Report of Guerrilla 'invasion' W.GERMANY 417 SAUDI ARABiA__ 588 SAUDI ARABIA .200 GREECE 435 relief camps. More than 200 persons were arrested in AUSTRALIA 173 W. GERMANY 219 Although total figures are not available the Dominican Republic June 5 following a GREECE 104 SPAIN 148 TAIWAN 99 CANADA 94 for Ethiopia, relief workers say that in one government announcement of an alleged BRITAIN 65 TAIWAN 88 CANADA 53 KOREA 81 hospital alone there are between three and imminent guerrilla invasion of the island. VENEZUELA 26 CHILE —68 seven deaths a day, reaching into the Those arrested included leftists, opposition •Some orders cover more than one year Sot/fce.'Oepaffrtte/if of Defense hundreds over the past two months. More leaders, labor leaders, and students. Among

The Now York Times/April 14,1WS over, these estimates do not include the them were CUT (Central General de

Intercontinental Press Trabajadores—General Workers Federa post here than to break off entirely as we tion) leader Francisco Antonio Santos and did in Peking and have a total break in MPD (Movimiento Popular Dominicano— communications. . . ," said a senior diplo Dominican People's Movement) leaders mat in Vientiane quoted by David Andel- David Onelio Espaillat and Julio de Pena man in the June 7 New York Times. Valdez. Support for a continued U.S. presence is A June 7 Associated Press dispatch coming from some unexpected quarters. quoted Dominican officials as saying that a Andelman reported that the growing influ group of guerrillas had "clandestinely ence of North Vietnam in Laos "bothers entered the country from Cuha to perform both China and the Soviet Union. terrorist acts, including kidnappings and "The result is that these countries appar sabotage, against public and private proper ently would like to see the United States ty." stay as a counterweight in the area and The officials said that the group, all have begun to hint as much to members of Dominicans, had landed June 7 and was the American mission." believed to he near San Jose de Ocoa, about fifty-two miles west of the capital. The Argentine Regime Scraps Effort guerrillas were reportedly led by Claudio to Set Limit on Pay Increases Caamano, nephew of slain Dominican Argentine President Isabel Martinez de freedom fighter Francisco Caamano Deno. Peron abandoned efforts to enforce a 38 An AP dispatch in the June 8 issue of the percent wage guideline June 6, stating that I -SEND THB UARINES—MY JOB S MISSING' | New York Spanish-language daily El Diario any increases would he decided between the Pierotti/New York Post quoted unofficial sources as saying that unions and the companies. With inflation news of the guerrilla landing was false, that running at more than 80 percent a year, the no landing took place. General Confederation of Lahor, Peronist- averaged 9.9%. Among the hardest hit are Nonetheless, troops were reported sta led labor federation, had already rejected teen-agers (21.8%) and oppressed minorities tioned at the entrances to Santo Domingo the government guideline, and auto workers (14.7%). and key points across the country to check in Cordoba had walked off their jobs to Senator Lloyd Bentsen, citing a study by the identification of all travelers. Hundreds protest the wage ceiling. the Urban Institute, said the actual jobless of homes were reportedly searched. The day before the president's speech. rate would be 10.5% if more than a million Economics Minister Celestino Rodrigo an workers who have stopped looking for jobs Rat-Infested Wheat nounced a ICQ percent devaluation of the were included in the statistics. Officially, for Famine Victims peso, doubled the price of gasoline, and more than 8.5 million persons are listed as About 10,000 tons of wheat destined for called on workers to produce more and unemployed. famine-stricken Ethiopia and Somalia were consume less. held up in Montreal after Canadian offi cials discovered that at least part of the Frencfi General Who Recommended Moscow Replies to U.S. Threat shipment was infested by rats. Four hun U.S. Planes Was on Northrop Payroll of Preemptive Nuclear Attack dred tons were removed from the shipment. Gen. Paul Stehlin, a former vice-president Pentagon head James Schlesinger said in As of June 7, the rest was being examined of the French National Assembly who a report to Congress last month that the to determine if it could still be sent to the strongly recommended that France pur United States is ready to make use of its famine victims. chase American military planes, was on the 7,000 nuclear warheads in Europe against payroll of the U.S. aircraft manufacturer the Warsaw Pact countries. In the report, Gobbled Up by Some Rats on the Way? Northrop Corporation. According to a released in a censored form on May 29, Two Spanish grain importing companies report released June 6 by the Senate Schlesinger said it is "impossible to rule out have protested to the U.S. embassy in Foreign Relations subcommittee on multi NATO first use of theater [battlefield] Madrid about "habitual" short-weighting of national corporations, Stehlin received nuclear forces. . . . cargoes of soybeans from the United States. $4,500 in 1971, $6,000 in 1972 and 1973, and "If the alternative is, for example, major One company cited the example of a ship $3,000 in 1974 for his services. loss of NATO territory or forces, NATO loaded in Philadelphia that arrived with a Stehlin was forced to resign from the political leaders may choose to accept the shortage of 425 metric tons, representing a French National Assembly in November risks of first use." loss of 2.79 percent of the total cargo. 1974 when the French daily Le Figaro The Pentagon spokesman advised that Another ship loaded in New Orleans had a disclosed that he had circulated a thirty- "the attack should be delivered with suffi shortage of 522 tons, or 3.79 percent of the page memo arguing that France's Mirage F- cient shock and decisiveness to forcibly cargo. 1 jet fighter planes were inferior to those of change the perceptions of the Warsaw Pact "We cannot accept these losses as a the U.S. companies General Dynamics and leaders. . . ." He admitted that such an regular procedure, particularly when they Northrop. attack would carry "grave risks of escala are of this size," one company said. "As the The day the Senate report was released, tion." deficiencies are always for short weight you Stehlin was severely injured in a Paris The Kremlin responded to this threat can suppose what is happening." traffic accident. His wife denied that he June 1. An article in the Soviet Communist tried to commit suicide. party newspaper Pravda attacked Schle singer for ignoring "the agreements con Washington's 'Listening Post' In Laos cluded by a Government of whicb he is a Washington has indicated it wants to U.S. Unemployment Hits 34-Year Peak member and of that course of politics that retain its embassy in Vientiane. By the end Unemployment in the United States rose was formulated in the relations between tbe of June about fifty Americans will be left in to 9.2% in May, up from 8.9% in April. This Soviet Union and tbe United States"— Laos. "It is better to have a small listening was the highest level since 1941, when it meaning the detente.

June 16, 1975 La Alternative en Portugal interpretacion erronea del resultado electo ral, sino que ha dicho claramente—por medio de su corresponsal Renzo Rossellini— que las elecciones no se debieron haber 6El MFA o Democracla Obrera Revolucionaria? llevado, y el que se hayan efectuado ha side el mayor error del MFA. La inclinacibn por los metodos patemalistas autoritarios no Por Livio Maitan podrla haber side expresada mas claramen te. Casi no es necesario reafirmar que los [El siguiente articulo apareci6 en el partido hurgues] electoralmente mayoritario marxistas revolucionarios no hacemos un numero del 25 de mayo de Bandiera Rossa, y de maniobra para las fuerzas politicas fetiche de las elecciones de tipo parlamenta- periodico quincenal del Gruppi Comunisti capitalistas y socialdemocratas europeas en rio hurguds. Sahemos que los bolcheviques, Rivoluzionari, seccion italiana de la Cuarta un intento para restabilizar Portugal siendo despues de la toma del poder, tuvieron que Internacional. Una traduccion en ingl§s de esto la base del bloque. Pero, aparte del disolver una asamblea constituyente y este mismo articulo aparecio en el numero hecho—que por cierto no es casual—que creemos que habia suficientes razones para de 9 de junio de Intercontinental Press. Scares, en la situacion actual, haya tenido hacerlo. Pero aquellos que, mas o menos [La traduccion en espanol es de Intercon que excluir esta solucion, de aqui no se explicitamente, se refieren a este precedents tinental Press.] deriva, de ninguna manera, que el resultado historico, olvidan un pequeno details que el sea un abril 18* ni que el voto dado al PSP gobierno sovietico tenia una legitimidad sea necesariamente un voto favorable a una revolucionaria que el gobierno portugues— solucion conservadora. Tratar de liquidar el que sigue siendo un gobierno de coalicion La situacion post electoral en Portugal y, problema hablando de la influencia del con fuerzas burguesas—no tiene en lo mds en particular, el incidente del Primero de viejo anticomunismo, de las tacticas refor- minimo. Una cosa es disolver una constitu Mayo y las relaciones entre el PCP [Partido mistas de Scares o, peer, aplicando al PSP yente contraponiendole la realidad de una Comunista Portugues] y el PSP [Partido la etiqueta de partido burgues (io de social democracia proletaria, basada en sus conse- Socialista Portugues] no han podido menos fascista!) es rehusarse a hacer un balance jos obreros y campesinos, dotada de poder que hacer que tambien en el movimiento de la fuerza real (del cual el balance de la efectivo, otra cosa es decir que no se obrero italiano se tomen posiciones en la fuerza electoral es una expresion distorcio- debieron haber llevado a cabo las elecciones polemica. Es necesario analizar, aunque sea nada mas no arbitraria) o caer en concep- para no crearle problemas al MFA y a sus brevemente, para clarificar mejor qu6 posi- ciones patemalistas y stalinistas de la aliados (dejemos aparte el cierto tono que cion en el debate actual deben tomar los lucha por el poder. Es un hecho que no usa Rossellini cuando se refiere a los marxistas revolucionarios de la Cuarta podemos desatender, pensamos nosotros, partidos en general y a la idea subyacente Internacional. que una parte importante—quizd numerica- sobre la falta de madurez de las grandes A1 PSI [Partito Socialista Italiano] le ha mente mayoritaria—de la clase obrera ha masas, que impregna su posicion). tocado la tarea mds facil. El 6xito electoral visto en el PSP el instrumento de su lucha. Han surgido, en segundo lugar, juicios al del PSP le ha permitido presentarlo como Esto puede ser considerado — menos parcialmente positivos sobre el PCP. una victoria de todos los socialistas, y las correctamente—como el resultado de la Citemos de nuevo al Quotidiano dei Lavora posiciones del PCP ofrecen un bianco Mcil experiencia insuficiente que la clase obrera tori, no porque haya estado solo en esto, de atacar en la polemica. El PCI [Partito ha podido hacer del reformismo social sino porque ha sido de nuevo el mds Comunista Italiano], en cambio, se ha democrata en Portugal y de una falta de explicito (ver articulo de Gamba del 8 de encontrado y se encuentra en serias dificul- claridad de los papeles que realmente mayo y de A.D. del 11-12 de mayo, donde se tades: no solo, y no tanto por lo modesto del juegan las varias formaciones del movi llega a afirmar que "el PC, con un dinamis- voto recibido por el PCP, sino por el hecho miento obrero. Hay que estar conscientes mo inaudito, ha llevado adelante, en estos de que este ultimo ha desarrollado una que actualmente el PSP ha sahido tomar liltimos meses, una polltica coherente y orientacion que se diferencla notablemente ventaja de la aversion de sectores del rigurosamente anticapitalista"). de toda una serie de posiciones del PCI. proletariado a los metodos burocraticos del La aspereza burocratico stalinista de Ademas, el proceso revolucionario total que PCP, por su abierta oposicion a una serie de Cunhal y socios ha sido tomada por se delinea en Portugal somete a dura prueba luchas, por la imposicibn desde arriba de radicalismo e intransigencia, callando la ciertos dogmas del reformismo constitucio- sus hombros a las direcciones de sindicatos. funcion de freno que han cumplido el PCP y nal del grupo dirigente del PCI, que no Aun mas ha sabido aprovechar la exigencia sus hombres—en algunas de las mas obstante la afirmacion de la "via nacional," general de demandas democraticas, total- importantes luchas—en su estrategia total no esconde la ambicibn de hacer de la mente normal para una clase obrera que que de ninguna manera incluye en el orden experiencia del PCI un ejempio rico de surge de medio siglo de dictadura y que del dla la dindmica socialista de la revolu- ensenanzas para todo el movimiento obrero seguramente, al menos en algunos de sus cion. en Europa Occidental. estratos, no ha visto favorablemente el Sin embargo, el elemento central que se famoso pacto impuesto por el MFA [Movi- destaca es el de atribuirle al MFA el papel Pero lo que mas interesa en estos memen mento das Forqas Armadas] que le quita de principal garante del desarrollo del tos es hacer algunos senalamientos al casi todo contenido a la Asamblea Constitu- proceso revolucionario en Portugal, aunque respecto de los temas que han surgido en las yente. indudablemente hay varies grades y tonos. ultimas semanas en las publicaciones de los En esta cuestion, el organo de Avanguar- Lotta Continua, en sus comentarios mhs grupos centristas (en parte recordando lo dia Operaia [Quotidiano del Lavoratori] ha recientes, parece dotar la funcion que que se ha dicho en articulos previos). asumido la posicion mas "consecuente." No podrian asumir los elementos que se consi- En primer lugar, han aparecido interpre- solamente ha suscrito en gran medida la deran mas avanzados del MFA, tipo Otelo taciones erroneas del significado de las de Carvalho o inclusive Rosa Coutinho. *Las elecciones del 18 de abril de 1948 en Italia, en elecciones. Es verdad que, al menos en el Avanguardia Operaia cuenta, como lo las cuales fue derrotado el PC, senalaron la papel, el resultado del 25 de abril ha creado conclusidn de la restabilizacion en el pais del hemos visto, con el radicalismo del PCP y la posibilidad de un bloque entre el PSP y el sistema capitalista y del parlamentismo burgues llama al MFA a buscar el apoyo en las PPD [Partido Popular Democrdtico, un despu^s de la crisis de la posguerra.—IP "estructuras del poder popular." H

intercontinental Press Manifesto—en particular el artlculo de Todo esto no ha implicado y no implica en el reforzamiento de la autoridad y el Rossana Rossanda del 10 de mayo (aunque una ruptura del mecanismo fundamental de poder del MFA. Al mismo tiempo los contiene algunas anotaciones justas)— la economfa capitalista ni del aparato de revolucionarios deben luchar para que se hecho con un poco de fantasia, como de estado burgues en el sentido amplio. Los satisfagan todas las demandas democrati- costumbre, desarrolla un proyecto para el proyectos economicos—de los cuales la cas de las grandes masas. Lo que significa, sector mas avanzado del MFA, basado en campana por la produccion sin lugar a en primer lugar, que las organizaciones "sus tres niveles de poder: el de las fuerzas dudas es significativa junto con las posicio- sindicales sean renovadas completamente, armadas, el de los partidos y de las nes hostiles a ciertas huelgas—no proveen que exista al interior de estas la maxima instituciones formales de la asamblea ningun cambio cualitativo desde el punto de democracia interna, que la eleccion de sus como catalizadores del sufragio universal, vista estructural y, por otro lado, el pacto dirigentes y el derecho de expresion de el del poder directo de la base." que le garantiza al MFA la hegemonfa diferentes orientaciones y tendencias consti- Si este proyecto se realizara, la vision polftica por algunos anos en sf excluye la tuyan dos elementos irrenunciables. Es gradualista de la toma del poder que II construccion de un verdadero poder demo- sobre esta base, y no sobre una obligacion Manifesto ha concebido para Italia, se cratico revolucionario de los obreros y legal, como se pueden colocar los fundamen- habra verificado en la practica en Portugal, campesinos. tos solidos de la unidad sindical de la cual o para decirlo con la terminologla rossan- Se dira que el MFA podrd evolucionar. los revolucionarios somos los defensores diana, se habra verificado la tesis de la Por nuestra parte estamos convencidos que, mds convencidos. "procesualidad del surgimiento de un nuevo si el proceso de radicalizacion de las masas La hipotesis de que en Portugal se puede bloque historico en la clase dirigente." Lo continiia, tendrfa toda una serie de repercu- avanzar hacia el derrocamiento del capita admita o no, sea consciente o no, todas siones en el mismo MFA que barfan que una lismo gracias a la garantfa de un movimien estas evaluaciones implican que la funcion, parte de este pudiera llegar a hacer causa to como el MFA, sin una organizacion de que bajo la concepcion leninista le toca comun con los obreros y con las otras clases democracia revolucionaria obrera y campe- jugar a un partido revolucionario, puede ser explotadas. Pero este es un problema sina que no este subordinada o sea acceso- llevada a cabo—al menos por toda una fase diferente. Lo que algunos tratan de plantear ria, sin un partido revolucionario, esta decisiva—por la fuerza politico militar esta encuadrado en un proceso de transfor- hipotesis puede seducir a aqu611os que no representada por el MFA. En ultimo anali- macion al socialismo bajo la hegemonfa de aceptan el criterio esencial del leninismo y sis, es esta hipotesis sobre la cual es MFA, y la transformacion del ejercito ceden a la influencia del "proceso." necesario pronunciarse. tradicional en un "ejercito popular." Sin embargo, el proletariado portugues no No hay duda que el fenomeno del MFA Para nosotros, sin embargo, esta hipote puede confiar en tal golpe de suerte. □ por muchos de sus aspectos es original y no sis no tiene una base real y el concebirla puede ser caracterizado a la ligera. Es un significa en realidad transferir a este movimiento de oficiales que surge de la terreno la logica del gradualismo reformis- experiencia de una derrota militar de la ta. En cuanto a nosotros, el ejercito portu guerra colonial y que, en el contexto gues como tal no podra "cambiar de intemacional e interno despues del 68, naturaleza" ni tan siquiera bajo el impulse asume un signo bien distinto, si no es que de la combinacion de factores excepciona- totalmente opuesto, de movimientos igual- les. La Ifnea que los revolucionarios debe- mente determinados por la refleccion de la mos seguir es la disolucion de este ejercito continental derrota. Es claro que despues del 28 de por medio de la organizacion democratico septiembre, y mas aiin despues del 11 de revolucionaria de los soldados y los marine- . . marzo, que el MFA ha experimentado una ros, organizados en consejos elegidos y available In notable radicalizacion, por la cual no ha sujetos siempre a ser revocados y no podido cristalizarse alrededor del proyecto confundirlos con organismos como los que microform que parecia prevalecer poco despues del 24 ha creado y auspiciado el MFA, en los .. . from de abril de 1974 (gobierno de coalicion, cuales los soldados son y estan destinados a preparacion para la transicion a un regi permanecer en minoria. El nuevo ejercito, el men "normal" de democracia burguesa, ejercito revolucionario, no puede nacer mas "racionalizacion" del capitalismo portugues que de las ruinas del antiguo. Si oficiales, y su integracion en el Mercado Comun, etc.) ya sean del MFA o no, quieren construirlo, Hoy, el MFA debe tener en cuenta mucho no es cuestion de principios oponerse a su mas al movimiento de masas y debe participacion (despues de todo, jmuchos aprovechar mucho mas el margen de oficiales zaristas contribuyeron a la crea- Y Xerox maniobra intemacional, buscando contac- cion del ejercito rojo!). |L University tos y acuerdos en toda direccion posible. La logica de autodefensa y la logica de su Analogamente, el eje central de una Microfilms actual juego de equilibrio lo ban llevado a estrategia revolucionaria en Portugal debe 300 North Zeeb Road golpear a algunos sectores importantes de residir en la construccion desde ahora, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 la burguesia, a delinear formas de participa- desde la fase en que estamos, de organismos Xerox University iVIicrofilms cion de base, a radicalizar la propia de democracia proletaria como expresiones 35 Mobile Drive ideologfa socialisante. (Digamos, entre de la clase obrera y el campesinado explota- Toronto, Ontario, parentesis, la evaluacion de esta ideologfa do. La creacion, la generalizacion y la Canada M4A 1H6 no puede hacerse en base a declaraciones coordinacion nacional de organismos simi- University Microfilms Limited episodicas de tal o cual miembro del MFA; lares debe ser la preocupacion mas impor St. John's Road, el texto mds importante hasta ahora, el Tyler's Green, Penn, tante de los revolucionarios. La unica Buckinghamshire, England pacto dado a firmar a los partidos, habla en garantfa real contra otros inevitables inten- general de la "construccibn de una verdade- tos de la reaccion, contra todas las manio- PLEASE WRITE FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ra democracia, polftica, economica y so bras del capitalismo interno e intemacio cial.") nal, reside en la solucion de esta tarea y no June 16, 1975 El DIctador se Justlfica

Campaha Internacional por Presos Poiiticos Uruguayos

Por Joaqui'n Canales

Muchos piensan que los "gorilas" no tos estratos sociales y hay un constants rectitud de nuestra conducta como nacion." necesitan justificar su desprecio total por trasvasamiento de unos a otros, no existien- Se necesitaria no saber absolutamente los derechos humanos. Sin embargo, uno de do por tanto castas o niveles privilegiados e nada de lo que sucede en Uruguay para los aliados de la "democracia" norteameri- impermeables. . . . No tiene problema de poder creer en tanta falsedad. El Sr. cana, Juan Maria Bordaberry, actual dicta- poblacion indigena, que no exists; sus Bordaberry ha de pensar que sus mentiras dor de Uruguay, se vio en la necesidad de habitantes son todos descendientes de los son como anuncio de Coca Cola: si se defender su posicion. primitivos colonos espanoles, aumentados propagandize lo suficiente, el pueblo termi- Debido a una campana a favor de luego por fuerte inmigracion europea de nara consumiendola. diecisiete presos poiiticos, Kenneth James distintos origenes." Pero las mentiras son mentiras y siempre Golby, profesor adjunto de la Universidad Bordaberry, orgulloso descendiente de los habra quien las exponga. El Comite de de York en Toronto, Canada, envio una que exterminaron la poblacion indigena del Defense Por los Prisioneros Poiiticos en carta de protesta al mandatario uruguayo. Uruguay, tambien es un hombre con pro- Uruguay (CDPPU)^ con sede en Toronto se La Cruz Roja Internacional, la Comisidn fundos sentimientos humanitarios. He aqui ha encargado de esto. Contesta las acusa- Internacional de Juristas y la Federacion una prueba; ciones anticomunistas de Bordaberry (ya Internacional de los Derechos del Hombre "Asi tambien, hombres secuestrados por que para este y los de su calana solo hay dos ban atestiguado sobre la tortura y malos los sediciosos, emergieron de las cuevas tipos de personas en el mundo: los que tratos que reciben los presos poiiticos de donde eran retenidos, como cadaveres apoyan a la dictadura y los comunistas): Uruguay. macilentos, lastimados por un sol que ya "Solo una mente enferma de anticomunis- Bordaberry, haciendo gala del peor cinis- habian desesperado de ver. Algunos de ellos mo puede llegar a imaginarse que todas las mo, expuso su punto de vista en una carta nada tenian que ver con la problematica personas y organizaciones que se oponen a al profesor Golby con fecha del 12 de uruguaya, como un anciano experto nortea las barbaridades del regimen uruguayo febrero. Por supuesto, no podia faltar la mericano que, paradojalmente, estaba en el puedan definirse como comunistas. En el vieja historia de la conjura internacional: Uruguay para colaborar en un programa case del Sr. Bordaberry, esta fiebre llega a "Las personas que usted menciona en su dirigido a aumentar la productividad de la tal punto que acusa indirectamente de carta, Raiil Sendic, Julio Marenales, Jorge tierra a traves del sistema de impuestos." agentes del comunismo a organizaciones Zabalza, Mauricio Rosencoff, etc., formaron Ldstima que Bordaberry no habla de otro internacionales tan prestigiosas como la parte en nuestro pais, desde los mds altos "experto" norteamericano, Dan Mitrione, Comision Internacional de Juristas y Am puestos de direccion, de un movimiento que tambi6n fue secuestrado. iQuiza la nesty International." sedicioso que asolo al Uruguay durante los profesion de 6ste seria un tanto dificil de El CDPPU se encarga tambien de refutar anos 1969 a 1972, de origen netamente defender para un patriota como Borda a Bordaberry al respecto del verdadero nivel extranjero, ya que formaba parte del movi berry? de vida del trabajador uruguayo y al miento insurreccional latinoamericano lide- Sin embargo, a pesar de todo lo que respecto de las libertades politicas en Uru rado y dirigido desde Cuba, lo que hoy es hicieron los "sediciosos," nos relata Borda guay: notorio." berry, 6stos son tratados segiin la ley y el "Luego Bordaberry hace 'su' descripcidn unico problema por el cual no han sido de la realidad uruguaya, pero se olvida decir Por supuesto, a "nacionalistas" tipo enjuiciados es por falta de jueces: que esa realidad corresponde a varias Bordaberry nunca les ha preocupado la "Olvidan [Amnesty International y la decadas atras. verdadera conjura internacional del impe- Comisidn Internacional de Juristas], en mi "El Uruguay gozaba de una avanzada rialismo norteamericano. Nunca han levan- opinion, que el aparato judicial uruguayo legislacion social que era nuestro orgullo, tado la voz para denunciar la intromision estaba previsto para pocos casos con solo pero esta ya no existe mas. Los sindicatos han sido disueltos y sus dirigentes persegui- en America Latina de las companias tres jueces normalmente, conforms al carac- transnacionales y de las agendas de ter paciilco y respetuoso de las leyes de los dos o encarcelados; no existe el derecho de espionaje como la CIA. La razon es bastan- uruguayos. Sobre esa estructura le cayeron reunion; no existe el derecho de huelga; la te sencilla: Bordaberry y los de su calana encima de improvise mas de 3,000 proce- Caja del Seguro de Paro, como en el caso de viven de esa conjura. los obreros textiles, paga con varios meses Mas adelante, Bordaberry no se explica de atraso; no exite seguridad de trabajo, ya como alguien quiera subvertir el orden en Bordaberry no solo es un hombre humani- que cualquier obrero o empleado puede ser Uruguay, ya que 6ste se encuentra en la tario sine que tambien es un hombre con un despedido arbitrariamente; etc. abundancia y la libertad: alto sentido de la moral: "Uruguay ocupaba el tercer puesto en ". . . [Uruguay] es un pais que desde ". . . usted que invoca las normas cristia- America Latina en cuanto al ingreso per largo tiempo atras goza de una avanzada nas de conducta, puede estar seguro que son capita, pero en los liltimos 15 anos este legislacion social; que tiene uno de los las que inspiran la nuestra. ingreso se ha disminuido o estancado de ingresos per capita mas altos de America y "Usted no tiene porque conocer en detalle acuerdo al articulo 'Uruguay's Continuing aun del mundo; lo que es mds importante el cardcter de mi pais y, tal vez por eso, la Dilemma' del Prof. Arturo C. Porzecanski aun, tiene una distribucion de ese ingreso informacion tendenciosa haya podido llegar que es nuestro orgullo, porque es una de las a enganarle en una primera instancia. Pero mas justas que se conocen. En el Uruguay nuestra fuerza invencible descansa precisa- 1. CDPPU, P.O. Box 277, Station "P," Toronto, no hay grandes distancias entre los distin- mente en nuestra fuerza moral y en la Ontario, Canada.

Intercontinental Press de la Universidad de Pittsburgh, publicado al juicio de la ciudadania, porque no es un brinden toda la colaboracion que el requie- en la revista 'Current History' en enero de partido politico que asumio determinada ra. 1974. conducta, sino que es la Institucibn Armada "Permitiendo que una junta de medicos— "Mds adelante Bordaberry agrega: 'tiene cumpliendo con su deber. Y esta no es perteneciente a un organismo (el Uruguay) una distribucion de ese ingreso materia de juicio: la democracia no llega internacional—examine el estado de salud que es nuestro orgullo, porque es una de las hasta eso, porque no puede ser opinable la de los 17 rehenes y las condiciones de mhs justas que se conocen.' Afirmar esto es conducta de las Fuerzas Armadas actuando detencion en que ellos se encuentran." una falta de respeto pues implica catalogar en defensa del honor de la RepubhCa.' Y Este caso demuestra una vez mas la de ignorantes al Prof. Golby y a todos los mas adelante agrega: '. . . pienso que necesidad de campanas de solidaridad que leyeron su carta, ademas de una pretender juzgar por los cMsicos procedi- internacional para defender las vidas de los bofetada a todos los uruguayos que hacen mientos de la democracia la condiiCta de las presos politicos latinoamericanos. Bajo la malabarismos para subsistir con los sueldos Fuerzas Armadas de defender lo rads presion de la opinion piihlica mundial, de hambre que reciben. El sueldo mlnimo en sustancial, lo mas esencial de la nacionali- dictaduras como las de Bordaberry o la actividad privada es de 120 mil pesos dad, seria como pretender juzgar a un Pinochet tienen que justificarse. mensuales (poco mas de 52 dblares) y un hombre que ha violado norraas juridicas Hugo Blanco, conocido revolucionario Auxiliar Administrativo de la UTE (Usinas formales por defender a su madre, en este peruano, en una entrevista que se llevo a y Telefonos del Estado) recibe case, la Patria. Y esta actltud no puede ser cabo a principios de ano, hizo hincapie en mensualmente—antes de los descuentos—85 objeto de juicio.' Luego vuelve a repetir: '. . . este problema. En esa entrevista publicada mil pesos (i37 dolares!). Claro que los es mi obligacion darles esta tranquilidad, en el mimero del 7 de abril de Intercontinen Generales y Coroneles de las Fuerzas con el compromiso personal de que la tal Press, Hugo Blanco dijo al respecto de Armadas reciben un millon 300 mil pesos conducta de las Fuerzas Armadas, ni las organizaciones de defensa de los presos mensualmente (565 dolares), ademds de directa ni indirectamente, podra ser someti- politicos latinoamericanos: prestamos ilimitados de la banca para da a juicio de la ciudadania como si fuera "Yo creo que son muy importantes para construirse mansiones y adquirir todo lo una actitud politica corriente.'" contrarrestar la represion en America que se les ocurra. . . . Y termina la respuesta a Bordaberry Latina por medio de la opinion publica "La economla " uruguaya se basa exigiendo que se compruebe la veracidad o mundial. Lo hemos visto en caso de Chile fundamentalmente en la produccion agrope- no de los cargos. CDFPU desafla a Borda inclusive, que es el caso mas harbaro que cuaria, por lo tanto seria util informar sobre berry a que demuestre lo que afirma de la hemos vivido en las ultimas decadas en la distribucion de la tierra. El 4% de los siguiente manera: America Latina. Si se ha permitido la propietarios poseen el 60% de la tierra, los "Permitiendo que im abogado—enviado salida de varies refugiados, si inclusive, se medianos propietarios representan el 36% y por los Comit§s de Defensa o una organiza- ha dado la lihertad a algunos presos y si no detentan el 25% de la tierra, y el 60% de los cion internacional—se entreviste privada- se ha matado a mas gente, es por la presion propietarios poseen solamente el 15% res- mente con cada uno de los 17 rehenes,^ se le de la opinion publica mundial en gran tante. . . . de acceso a los expedientes judiciales de los medida. "Mas adelante Bordaberry se refiere al mismos, y que las autoridades uruguayas le "Por lo tanto, hay que prestar atencion a porcentaje que el Partido de izquierda logro este aspecto e impulsar, organizar y propi- en las elecciones presidenciales, pero se ciar mayores movilizaciones de masas, olvida mencionar que el solo alcanz6 el 22% 2. La referenda a estos diedsiete presos politicos mayores manifestaciones de la opinion de los votos. Luego habla de la pureza del como "rehenes" es porque se epcuentran detenidos publica internacional en contra de ese tipo acto eleccionario pero tampoco menciona incomunicados y sin haberseles hecho CEirgo de crlmenes." □ que esas elecciones fueron cuestionadas por judicial alguno. Los diecisiete presos politicos son: fraudulentas (Prof. Arturo C. Porzecanski, Raiil Sendic, Julio Marenales, Jorge Zabalza, obra ya citada). Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro, Mauricio Rosen- Curbelo, Raquel Dupont, Grazia Dri, Alba Antii- coff, Jorge Manera, Adolfo Wassen, Henry,Engler nez, Estela Sanchez, Cristina Cabrera y Flavia "Tampoco entendemos este repentino Golowchenko, Jos4 Mujica, Jessie Macchi, Elena Schilling. impulso a defender las 'elecciones libres y puras' que caracterizaban al Uruguay, cuando en un reciente discurso justificaba la suspension de las proximas elecciones argumentando que no reflejaban el anhelo Intercontinental Press popular y presentando a las Fuerzas Arma P.O. Box 116 das y a el mismo como representantes Village Station genuinos de los intereses del pueblo. MEMO io: New York, N.Y. 10014 "Transcribimos textualmente un parrafo de dicho discurso: '. . . todos losqueinvocan el plazo constitucional de noviembre de fim: 1976, sonando con volver a la caza de votos, pensando que van a volver a utilizar su desnaturalizado aparato politico para pre- valecer, esperanzados en que van a torcer esta revolucion nacida en el mds hondo anhelo popular . . . que hoy, esta noche, pierdan toda esperanza.' Country^ . "Tambien debemos mencionar su discur so del 30 de diciembre de 1974. Entre otras □ $24 enclosed for one-year subscription. cosas expresa textualmente: '. . . esta □ $12 enclosed for a six-month subscription. conducta de las FFAA no puede entrar en la □ Send Information about first-class and airmail rates. zona de lo opinable, no puede ser expuesta

June 16, 1975 ffiiigMiiiMTri

A Letter From C. Slaughter

THE FOURTH IKTEIiNATIORAL

To I Unified Seoretarlat/svp

manipulatxon

The London Axea Committee of the Workers Revolutionary Party, actin^ decisions of the Central Committee of the WRP, with G, Healy as frcneral secretary taking the main responsibility, took the decision ( not'advice' or 'suggestion') not to participate in the Red Lion Square demonstration; the same comrades were responsible for decisions not to participate in earlier, similar demonstrations, and also for the decisions not to partic

Intercontinental Press cting on the decisions of the Sixth Congress of the International Corraril-c-c;ee f the Fourth International, held in I-Iay 1975» the 10 proposes to the nified Secretariat the immediate setting up of a parity control cormrds say three members from each committee) to conduct this investigation.

GOUT•!)... m ■ Ur.-'

■■

Mlliii

.*1 "-.rfhf*

urn ■■ ade from either side could be called as witnesses, or could if felt it necessary give evidence, G» Healy will present himself for

'4lw doning before the joint committee if Joseph Hansen will do so as well would have the right to q.uostlon eaoh other and be expected to answer uestions from members of the commission.

msgjjjssssSBgg'

- le Parity Commission should also declare itself ready to receive all from members of the sections of the International Committee e Unified Secretariat concerning provocations, not only in tion to Red Lion Square, but on the whole period since and including led 'Tate Affair* of 1966, While recognizing that Jospeh Hansen the SWP are not affiliated to the Unified Secretariat for legal iasons, he is in political sympathy and we trust that he can be prevailed >on to oo-operate.

Yours fraternally,

C,Slaughter (for the International Committee of the Fourth International)

■

June 16, 1975 "Parity Commission." The evidence is .. . And a Reply by Joseph Hansen already public knowledge, open to inspec tion by the entire working-class audience. I note your indication that you are willing June 5, 1975 It is disappointing that you, as the to reconsider the stand you took in the leading methodologist of the WRP,'did not heating of Ernest Tate by stewards of the recognize the point I was making. I am sure Socialist Labour League in 1966. If you C. Slaughter that almost everyone else in the left saw it, mean this in good faith, you could hardly 186a Clapham High Street although I admit that there are always do better than to begin by making a public London SW4, TUG some for whom it would he helpful to have a self-criticism, particularly over having fol Dear Comrade Slaughter, special typographical sign, such as a lowed up the heating by taking legal action Your letter of May 29 has heen referred to pointing finger, to indicate irony. in the bourgeois courts against the victim. me for reply. I recognize the honesty of your explana An additional indication of good faith I would note, first, that the letterhead of tion that the WRP's decision to abstain would be restitution of the money that you the "International Committee of the Fourth from the demonstration against the fascists wrung from the Socialist Leader and Peace International" is typewritten. Of course, was made by the top committees of the News in retaliation for their having printed this rump hody may be so moribund as not WRP "with G. Healy as general secretary correspondence from Comrade Tate protest to require a regular letterhead, it being taking the main responsibility." However, ing the beating he had received. sufficient for the comrade in charge to type in this explanation you proceed as an Another welcome move would he a public one up on the rare occasions when he needs empiricist, disregarding what you would apology for the violation of proletarian it. On the other hand, it may be an have found had you heen searching for morality involved in using the bourgeois indication that the letter is not bona fide. signs of "subjective idealism" in your top courts to penalize working-class publica Secondly, the author exhibits rather committees and in your general secretary. tions in such a matter. surprising ignorance. He addresses the Of course, I have no real quarrel with letter to the "Unified Secretariat" and not your empiricism in this instance. It is a On one question, I think an inquiry might to the United Secretariat. How is this to be fact—G. Healy's decision was a conse prove fruitful; namely, the circumstances of accounted for? quence of his ultraleft sectarian line, as is your general secretary's hunt for CIA Thirdly, the signature of the author is an universally recognized outside of the WRP agents in the Workers League and his indecipherable hieroglyph. It could be a and its sister organization in the USA, the disruption of the leadership of that organi forgery. Workers League. zation. These are small items. However, I am In light of this, it is clear that the "Parity As to the practical side of such an sure that your Central Committee, in view Commission" you call for could only ascer inquiry, the difficulties of selecting an of its expertise in such matters, will tain (1) whether the top leader of the WRP impartial and competent commission might acknowledge the necessity to he alert to is still on an ultraleft binge, as Comrade prove insuperable. However, if you would seemingly insignificant clues like these. Cannon correctly called it, and (2) whether like me to become involved in trying to They can lead to identifying an agent the sentences I wrote—and the charges you overcome these difficulties, I am sure I planted in the organization by the police or leveled against the IMG—constitute exam could he prevailed upon to cooperate. the CIA. Just in case the letter is a fake, I ples of the kind of conclusions to be Fraternally yours, am enclosing a photocopy of it. Perhaps it expected from succumbing to "subjective will help you locate the police agent if it idealism." Joseph Hansen was written by one. Under these circumstances, it is CC; United Secretariat Unfortunately, the political line of the superfluous—and ridiculous—to set up a Enc. letter speaks for the conclusion that it is genuine. It coincides, for example, with the content and tone of recent articles in the For Unconditional Amnesty to U.S. War Resisters Workers Press. Thus, taking the letter in that context, I would offer the following [The following appeal appeared in the the Vietnam war; prisoners of the Ameri observations: May issue of Zocalo, a monthly newsletter can governmental bias whose only "crime" The sentences quoted from the article published in Tucson, Arizona.] is that they realized the immorality inher "Red Lion Square—Where Were the Heroes After more than thirty years, the Vietna ent in the war before the rest of America of the WRP?" were intended to illustrate the mese people are now the voice of their own saw the senselessness of the war. logical conclusions that follow from using destiny; their land is no longer a colony of American war resisters meeting in Can the Healyite method of thinking, which is some rapacious western civilization. In ada last year stated three necessary points tainted with "subjective idealism." view of this victory, it is appropriate that for an acceptable amnesty: first, an end to You used that method in attacking the we become somewhat introspective and the hostilities in Vietnam; second, release of International Marxist Group, the British attempt to take control of our own destiny. the more than 200,000 political prisoners section of the Fourth International, for For we too have been colonized by the same being held by the Thieu regime; and third, a participating in the demonstration against people against whom the Vietnamese total, universal and unconditional amnesty the fascists at Red Lion Square. Your struggled. However, many of those who for those who participated in war resistance method led you to conclude that in all already have attempted to govern their own activities. likelihood police agents played a role in lives cannot be here to participate in the working out the policies of the IMG. new commitments. The Vietnamese, in their victory of However, if precisely the same method is At the same time that the American independence, have already fulfilled the used in weighing the WRP's refusal to join governmental system is welcoming Thieu first two points; it is the very least that we in demonstrating against the fascists, and Lon Nol with open arms, no mention can do, during our own new struggle for equivalent results are obtained concerning has even been made of the people who self-determination, to see that the third the shaping of its policies. I thought I had resisted the American military regime. point, an unconditional amnesty, be quickly provided a good illustration of this. There are still many American prisoners of enacted. □

Intercontinental Press Correspondence With President Bordaberry Bordaberry Answers Golby Montevideo on Torture of Political Prisoners in Uruguay February 12, 1975 Dear Sir; [The following documents were made I received your letter on the situation of public by the Toronto-based Comity de several persons who have been detained Defensa por los Prisioneros Politicos en and tried for seditious activities. Contrary Uruguay* (Committee for the Defense of to my customary practice, I have decided to Political Prisoners in Uruguay). The docu- answer you to clear up the erroneous ments consist of a letter sent by Kenneth information that you seem to have ob James Golhy of York University to Uru- SF tained, in the hope that my reply will serve guayan President Juan Bordaberry, the Jjf to free our small nation, which has president's reply, and a rejoinder by the ( m W struggled silently and energetically to reestablish peace, from the frustrating [The latter two documents have been U j \<^ effects of an ongoing international cam translated from the Spanish by Interconti- jf w jj paign of falsehoods and calumnies. nental Press.] m 'i I repeat that it is not my usual practice to answer letters such as yours, since general ly they are inspired by just such campaigns, and since our Uruguay, which has no capital other than the unrestrained free spirit of its men and women, does not find January 23, 1975 ,: itself in suitable circumstances to face and His Excellency • h r - combat the propaganda offensive of world J.M. Bordaberry, ; li: • Communism, which is backed by resources President of the Republic, and means beyond our reach. Montevideo, , Uruguay. The titles after your name and your professional position permit me to suppose Most Distinguished Sir; that this is not so in your case and that Please allow me to present myself. I am a convincing you of your error would have professor with this university and the positive results for our country. In any case, present head of this department. My aca it is worth trying. demic specialty is the Spanish language The persons you mention in your letter— and culture. Raul Sendic, Julio Marenales, Jorge Zahal I am pleased to he able to write to you on za, Mauricio Rosencoff, etc.—were among this occasion because I should like to the top leaders of a rebel movement that present my most energetic protest against plagued Uruguay during the years the treatment being accorded by your 1969-1972. The movement clearly originat government to the seventeen arrested indi ed abroad, since it was part of the insurrec viduals who are being considered as hos tionary Latin American movement led and tages. I am referring to Raiil Sendic, Julio directed from Cuba, as is widely known Marenales, Jorge Zahalza, Eleuterio Fer today. nandez, Mauricio Rosencoff, Jorge Manera, JUAN MARIA BORDABERRY Uruguay did not deserve such betrayal Adolfo Wassen, Henry Engler, Jose Alberto from some of its children, who were follow Mujica, Jessie Macchi, Elena Curhelo, ing international orders. It did not deserve Raquel Dupont, Gracia Dri, Alba Antunez, it because for a long time Uruguay has had Estela Sanchez, Cristina Cabrera, Flavia according to Uruguayan law. This is what advanced social legislation; it has one of Schilling. occurs in any civilized and democratic the highest per capita incomes in America According to very trustworthy sources country. Torture and the dehumanization of and even in the world; even more impor (among them being the International Red prisoners are not worthy of a nation with a tant, we are especially proud of our income Cross, the International Commission of history such as that of Uruguay. distribution, which is one of the most Jurists, the International Federation of I ask that Your Excellency use his power equitable ever known. In Uruguay there are Human Rights) these people have been to immediately better the lamentable situa no big gaps between the various social methodically tortured and they are being tion of the above mentioned people and that strata and there is constant mobility held in conditions that are comparable only these shall he henceforward treated accord between them, since there are absolutely no to those of the Nazi concentration camps ing to the international norms of civilized privileged or entrenched castes. Uruguay during the Second World War. All of this is and Christian conduct. has the highest literacy rate and life inhuman and totally in disagreement with I take this opportunity to send you my expectancy in Latin America; they are the UN's International Treaty on Human greetings and I remain among the highest in the world. Its people Rights. Yours truly have access on a per capita basis to If these individuals have committed any (signed;) Kenneth James Golby communications media (press, television, crimes they logically deserve to he brought telephone) equal to that of residents of the before a tribunal so that they may be tried c.c. (in English) most developed countries. Mr. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Prime Minister There is no problem of a native popula of Canada. tion, which does not exist. All Uruguayans *CDPPU, P.O. Box 277, Station "P," Toronto, Mr. Alan MacEachen, Minister of External are descendants of the original Spanish Ontario. Affairs. colonists, later augmented by heavy immi-

June 16, 1975 gration from several European countries. who are still serving their sentences are in a Uruguayan judicial apparatus was set up in Uruguay can boast of one of the lowest model prison, constructed with millions of accordance with the peaceful, law-abiding rates of population growth in the world, pesos that were sorely needed elsewhere. character of the Uruguayans; since few similar to that of the industrialized coun None of them are hostages, as you have cases were foreseen, there are usually only tries. been told: All of them are serving their three judges. Unexpectedly, more than 3,000 Thus, nothing really justifies such an sentences or are under the jurisdiction of trials have loaded that structure. We have attack on Uruguay. It was simply chosen to the court that is trying them. been correcting this situation, adding be the object of an international conspiracy. As a person who thoroughly knows our judges and prosecutors to speed up the An attractive objective in the South Atlan language, you must know that a hostage is trials. tic, at the mouth of the Plata River Basin, "a person of value or esteem who has been Moreover, the testimony of these two set between two immense and powerful taken and remains in the hands of the organizations does not inspire my confi South American nations. enemy or hostile forces while some agree dence, since 1 cannot remember hearing This sedition never had any popular ment or arrangement is being negotiated." them condemn the crimes, tortures, and loss support, nor did it represent any popular There is no agreement or arrangement to of freedom brought on by the rebels. Nor sentiment or aspiration. Its participants be negotiated with the rebels because we have they condemned such occurrences in generally came from the middle class, from have no relations with them, nor do our the countries that supported the rebels. among intellectuals, artists, or university laws permit such methods. Despite this, my government allowed all students and graduates. In the 1971 elec During the struggle rebels have died; so these organizations to visit the country and tions the leftist party only got 17 percent of have military officers, soldiers, policemen, independently carry out their investiga the vote and its extremist tendency— and civilians. But whenever a rebel was tions. representing the rebel elements—did not wounded, he was treated like any other None of the persons you mention have even get one-third of that. They were open human being. Raiil Sendic himself, shot in been denied access to the appropriate court and free elections, as traditionally occur in the face during the gun hattle in which he as you claim; all have been tried or Uruguay. The very watchful presence of was captured, was operated on in the condemned by such courts. activist left militants certifies their open Central Armed Forces Hospital. His life None of them are hostages, because this ness. was saved thanks to the skills of the is a practice we are not permitted to use and We are fighting sedition with all possible surgeons who operated on him and on because we have nothing to negotiate with weapons and it is true that although we are many others. an international conspiracy. None of them many, our weapons are few. We have no It is true that not all prisoners can be held are subject to methodical torture or inhu wealth to give, nor petroleum to exchange, in the same establishment. Elementary man treatment. for arms. Quite often, the rebel elements, defense considerations force us to keep I believe that you have been misinformed supported and financed from abroad, were them separated. This happens in all parts by the campaign of lies of international better armed than our soldiers and police. of the world. But that does not change the Communism, and I hope that my report will Those men and women you are interested kind of treatment given them. help you revise your concepts. in today did not wage an open fight. They You mention the testimony of the Interna Perhaps it would also be useful to alert used all the methods of common criminals: tional Red Cross, the International Federa you to another bit of misinformation that is stealing, murder, betrayal, kidnapping, and tion of Human Rights, and the Internation being circulated. A short while ago the killing innocent victims in order to intimi al Commission of Jurists. In April 1974 the Uruguayan military attache. Col. Ramon date the population. For example, a poor International Red Cross visited only the Trabal, was murdered in Paris. Responsibil peasant paid with his life for having detention centers for common criminals. Of ity for the crime was taken by the so-called inadvertently discovered a rebel hiding necessity, there are some rebels there, but "Raul Sendic International Brigade." Col place; the "mercy" of his captors only the percentage is very low (less than 5 onel Trabal was a distinguished military extended to giving him a big dose of percent). man, an outstanding figure in the struggle pentothal so that he would not feel his The report specifically states that in no against sedition, a man of intelligence, passage to another life. So too, men who case did they note mistreatment or receive capability, and bravery. He was esteemed were kidnapped by these seditious individu complaints of this character. It describes by all—civilians and military—as a man of als emerged from the cave-prisons looking the bad conditions in some of these esta many ideas and lofty ideals. like sickly cadavers, their eyes hurting from blishments, which are not especially For these reasons, it was an error to the sun that they had since given up hope planned for political prisoners but rather murder him; it caused general indignation of seeing. Some of them had nothing to do are for the general prison population. and protest, and profound sadness and with Uruguayan problems, for example, a Unfortunately, the resources earmarked to bitterness to those of us who knew him. U.S. consultant who paradoxically was in improve these institutions instead rightly Those in the international conspiracy Uruguay to collaborate in a program to went into the construction of new facilities realized immediately that they had to increase land productivity through a sys for political prisoners, who were placed in rectify their error quickly. The first signs of tem of taxes. the most modern of those just constructed. this rectification are already appearing: This has set back our plans in this field and The ever-present propaganda apparatus But the alien nature of the sedition, the we are applying ourselves to this problem has begun to attribute the crime to us. The lack of domestic motivation and popular again. But it can be seen that this has not accusations begin, veiled at first; they test support for it, and the rebels' cruel and affected the prison conditions of the rebels; the ground, then progressively step them inhuman methods would not have justified on the contrary, they have been granted the up. The international wire services begin to our using the same methods on them, nor best conditions. send out anonymous testimony, in cowardly would it justify cruelty to prisoners today. The joint report of Amnesty International fashion putting the allegation in quotation We fought them with the law, with the legal and the International Commission of Jur marks to exonerate themselves of responsi tools of the constitution and laws of the ists does not demonstrate ill treatment in a bility for its authorship, as happened land; these persons were and are being single case. Their main objections revolve recently in a cable from Prague. judged by the appropriate courts and around the judicial procedure, particularly Soon the apparatus will be functioning at sentenced following trials in which they the pretrial waiting period. full force and men like you, absorbed in had every opportunity for defense. Those In my opinion, they forget that the your studies and research, will register the Intercontinental Press accusation subconsciously. Then one day, spired by and work within a framework of interference," which Uruguayan Minister of without knowing exactly why, you will humanitarian sentiments. External Affairs Dr. Juan Carlos Blanco accept it as a proved and undebatable fact. Only a mind affected by a phobia against presented at the OAS assembly: Twelve And it is false. Doctor; you who invoke Communism could imagine that all persons leaders of the National Liberation Move Christian norms of conduct can rest as or organizations that oppose the atrocities ment [the Tupamaros], who were tried more sured that these same norms are what than two years ago, were taken out of inspire our conduct. INIERNATiONAL CA/WUGN fmm Libertad Penitentiary and forced to undergo There is no reason why you should know savage torture again to obtain this "proof." my country's features in detail. Perhaps as In solidarity and corroboration of the use of a result you have been deceived by biased 11 Freedom torture in this questioning, the other prison information at first. But our invincible ers at the penitentiary went on a hunger strength resides precisely in our moral strike in September 1974. strength and in our upright conduct as a Uruguots This is not the time to demonstrate what nation. Perhaps the events occurring countries have a real influence over our around the world today will serve to POUnCAL country's internal affairs, but American corroborate the story of this worthy nation and Brazilian intervention in Latin Ameri that is not resigned to submit to what is Prisoners ca, and particularly in Uruguay, is well undoubtedly an international plot of vio known. lence and terrorism. f^EDQM™nt Later on, Bordaberry gives "his" descrip I trust that you will send a copy of this HHOSW tion of Uruguayan reality, but he neglects letter to the same persons to whom you sent MMorenekt to point out that that reality is several your accusation. decades old. My most repectful greetings, Uruguay was proud of its advanced social Juan Maria Bordaberry legislation; it no longer exists. The unions President of the Republic have been banned and their leaders perse cuted and imprisoned. The rights of assem bly and to strike do not exist. The Caja del Seguro de Paro [unemployment insurance] Defense Committee Replies to Bordaberry is several months behind in making pay The letter that Bordaberry sent to Prof. ments to the textile workers, to give only Kenneth James Golby,in answer to Golby's one example. There is no job security, since energetic protest, is vague in describing the Committee h-tkddence any worker or employee can be arbitrarily present situation in Uruguay and in an fired. swering the accusations against him. He Uruguay used to have the third highest limits himself to denying the existence of of the Uruguayan regime are Communists. per capita income in Latin America. In the hostages and mistreatment without provid With Mr. Bordaberry this sickness reaches last fifteen years this income has declined ing proof to back his assertions. such a pitch that he indirectly accuses such or stagnated. ("Uruguay's Continuing Di In his statement he tries to evade precise prestigious international organizations as lemma" by University of Pittsburgh Pro answers and presents a very subjective the International Commission of Jurists fessor Arturo C. Porzecanski in the January description of Uruguayan reality in general and Amnesty International of being Com 1974 issue of Current History.) and of the guerrilla movement in particular. munist agents. Further on, Bordaberry adds that Uru It is not hard to prove him wrong, since We believe that this is a gratuitous guay is "especially proud of our income we have a very effective weapon on our accusation, which deserves a most serious distribution, which is one of the most side—the truth. The same truth that hun public retraction by the president. equitable ever known." To make such a dreds of thousands of Uruguayans are "The unrestrained free spirit" of Uru claim is to say that Professor Golby and all aware of, including Mr. Bordaberry and his guayans is one of our main endowments those who read his letter are ignorant. It is cronies. The difference is that we shout it and thus we will never accept a dictatorship a slap in the face to all Uruguayans who out for all to hear, while they try to hide as the norm in our society. But to say that are reduced to groveling to survive on the and disguise it. this spirit is the "only" resource we have is starvation wages they receive. The mini To make this clear, we are going to go to insult all Uruguayans. mum wage in the private sector is 120,000 point by point over the president's inaccura By saying this, Bordaberry proves that pesos monthly (a little more than $52) and cies. his government is the only cause of Uru an administrative assistant at UTE (Usi- First we want to make it clear that there guay's loss of international prestige. It nas y Telefonos del Estado—State Gas and is no international Communist campaign to alone is guilty of arbitrary actions; we limit Telephone Company) gets a monthly salary undermine Uruguay's reputation. On the ourselves to making them known to the of 85,000 pesos before deductions ($37). Of contrary, it is "the unrestrained free spirit public. course, the colonels and generals of the of its [Uruguay's] men and women" that is We agree that it does not have resources armed forces get 1,300,000 pesos a month rebelling against the atrocities of the or means to counter this propaganda. The ($565) along with unlimited loans from the dictatorship and making them known to letter to Professor Golby is a good example banks to construct mansions and acquire international public opinion, so that people of this. The truth is always stronger than a anything they please. will know the truth and judge for them thousand lies. We will quote a paragraph from an article selves. We are not going to dwell at length on published by the Economics Institute: The Committee for the Defense of Politi Cuban infiltration of the "Latin American "What is certain is that 1972 saw a cal Prisoners in Uruguay is an independent insurrectionary movement" since this is formidable shift away from the salaried organization for the defense of human part of the sickness of the Uruguayan workers to the capitalists. The figures on rights. Thus it is not aligned with any regime, which we already described. the decline in real wages and the increase particular political tendency. The commit What we do want to make clear are the in surplus value are unbelievable. The tee's members and collaborators are in means used to obtain the "proof of"Cuban distribution of income, which in 1969-70 June 16, 1975 was 43% and 57% for the workers and With regard to the mass media, this too is without regard for the prisoner's political capitalists respectively, rose to 38% and 62% an old story. Another thing we used to he affiliation, in the conviction that no person in 1971, and fell to 49% and 51% in 1972." proud of was freedom of the press and should be persecuted for his political ideas, It adds further: "This change was expression, today nonexistent. All opposi not to speak of being mistreated by the brought about through a smooth and even tion newspapers have been closed indefin authorities. transfer of money from the hands of the itely and Uruguayans can only read the Further on, Bordaberry refers to the workers to those of the capitalists. This was official press, which is full of lies and percentage that the leftist party won in the produced because average wages increased omissions. Every week the Argentine and presidential elections, but he forgets to at a much slower rate than the aggregrate Brazilian newspapers commonly sold in mention that he got only 22 percent of the of prices within the economy." (Published Uruguay are confiscated for containing vote. He speaks of the purity of the electoral under the title "1972; A New Adjustment" articles that speak against the Uruguayan process, not mentioning that those elections in A Conservative Readjustment, Econom government. were disputed as fraudulent (Professor A.C. ics Institute, University Culture Founda It is true that Uruguay had one of the Porzecanski, in the work cited above). tion, Montevideo, 1973, pp. 215-217.) highest per capita indexes of television sets, Nor do we understand this sudden move The Uruguayan economy is fundamentally but that is ancient history now. On the to defend the "free and pure elections" based on farm production. Thus it would be basis of the earnings described above, what traditional in Uruguay. In a recent speech useful to say something about land distribu worker could buy a television set that costs Bordaberry justified the suspension of the tion. Four percent of the landowners hold more than 1 million pesos? upcoming elections arguing that they did 60% of the land; medium-sized producers If a Uruguayan who does not have not reflect the popular will, and instead he make up 36% of the landowners and 25% of connections inside the government wants to put forth the armed forces and himself as the land; and the other 60% of landowners have a telephone installed in his home, he the genuine representatives of the people's are left with the remaining 15% of the land. must wait more than a year until there is interests. With regard to the "nonexistence" of big one available and pay 500,000 pesos ($218). We will quote a paragraph of that speech: gaps between the "various social strata," Who can pay that much? ". . . today, tonight let all lose hope who there is not much to be said. The ruling Then Bordaberry touches on an unusual invoke the November 1976 constitutional classes live better every day while the theme, showing himself to be a hidden deadline, those who dream of a return to working class sees its purchasing power racist: Uruguay does not have a "problem electoral politics, thinking that they are decline in an ever increasing way. As a of a native population, which does not once again going to prevail with their result, workers are forced to emigrate to exist." What luck! We are all white! He says inhuman political apparatus, hoping to other countries to satisfy the essential no native population exists, but he does not warp this revolution bom of the deepest needs that their own country does not meet. mention that it once did, that it was popular aspirations." According to the official figures of the exterminated by the "whites" after we had We must also mention Bordaberry's Argentine Immigration Office, more than become a republic. speech on December 30, 1974. Among other 400,000 Uruguayans took up residence in Another thing the president is shameless things he said, ". . . the conduct of the that country during 1974. To this number ly proud of is that Uruguay has "one of the armed forces cannot be disputed, it cannot we must add those who emigrated in lowest rates of population growth in the be judged by the citizens, because we are previous years and those who settled in world, similar to that of the industrialized not dealing with a political party with a set other countries (between 15,000 and 20,000 countries" (1.3 percent annually). Of the line. We are dealing with a military institu in Canada). 187,000 square kilometers in Uruguay, 87.6 tion fulfilling its duty. And this is not a According to studies by the lADB (Inter percent is suitable for the production of debatable matter; democracy does not American Development Bank), the present foodstuffs. Less than 2 million persons live extend to this, because the actions of the population of Uruguay is less than 1.9 on this land while 88 percent of the armed forces in defense of the republic's million inhabitants, while the official 1963 population resides in cities (1.3 million in honor cannot be debated." Further on he census showed a population of 2.6 million. Montevideo). added, "I think that to attempt to use It is true that Uruguay boasts a literacy It is not for us to approve or disapprove of classical democratic procedures to judge the rate and "life expectancy" that are the the existence of guerrilla movements in conduct of the armed forces in defending highest in Latin America, hut the cultural Uruguay—if that is what Bordaberry is that which is most fundamental and level of the Uruguayan people is dropping referring to when he says that nothing essential to our nationality would be like slowly. Since the government intervention, justifies "such an attack on Uruguay"—but trying to judge a man who has violated the level of education in general has any person more or less aware of the formal juridical norms by defending his regressed half a century (there is no situation in Uruguay or Latin America mother, in this case the Fatherland. This adademic freedom; renowned scholars have (since it does not differ much from that in action cannot he judged." Later he repeated: been fired to be replaced by inept professors Uruguay) can adopt his own position on its "It is my obligation to reassure the armed who sympathize with the regime; etc.). existence. However, if Bordaberry means by forces with my personal pledge that their Moreover, parents have found it impossible "such an attack on Uruguay" the informa conduct will not directly or indirectly be to keep supporting their children in secon tional activities of the Uruguayan defense subject to the control of the citizenry as if it dary school, not to mention the university. committees and other organizations, then were an ordinary political matter." Ninety-two percent of Uruguayans know there is room for discussion. Mr. Bordaberry is not satisfied with how to read and write, but the number who How can he expect to silence Uruguayans disregarding the constitution of the repub attend secondary school has declined con who cherish liberty and justice in view of lic. Rather he tries to theorize about the siderably. It is now common for a child of all the atrocities being committed by the function of the armed forces, placing them thirteen or fourteen to have to quit to look Uruguayan government? The Toronto Com- above the people—the true declared sover for work to help his parents support the ite de Defensa por los Prisioneros Pollticos eign power according to all democratic home and feed the younger children. The en Uruguay will continue seeking more constitutions, including the Uruguayan. university now belongs to the rich. Even effective means to express condemnation of As for the arms possessed by the repres though this has been the case for many the government and solidarity with the sive forces in Uruguay, they have no reason years, there was always quite an important political prisoners that populate the jails to envy any other country. The Brazilian percentage of exceptions. and barracks of the regime. We do this and American governments have taken on

Intercontinental Press the task of getting the most advanced stations continue to be severely mistreated We challenge Mr. Bordaberry to prove equipment to them. You do not have to be before and during interrogation. The most what he has said and to show us that his an expert to realize that the arms and conservative estimates we heard were that letter is not a simple game of words: vehicles used by the armed forces are new this occurs in about 50 percent of all cases. • Permit a lawyer sent by the defense and come from Brazil or the United States. "The authorities declared that they had committees or an international organiza It is true that Uruguay does not have the given strict instructions to all units prohib tion to interview each of the seventeen wealth to exchange oil for arms, hut more iting all forms of mistreatment and that, in hostages privately. Give him access to the than 20 percent of the national budget is general, these instructions had been carried judicial files for each of them. Have destined for repression. out. In the few cases where there was Uruguayan authorities offer him all the Further on, after describing the violence evidence of mistreatment, those guilty had required collaboration. of the Tupamaros—without mentioning been severely punished. Although we re • Permit a board of doctors belonging to Dan Mitrione's execution (October 1970)— quested them, they did not give us addition an international organization to examine Bordaberry said that their "cruel and al details on these instructions or punish the state of health of the seventeen hos inhuman methods" would not justify "our ments. Military judges told us that tages and the prison conditions in which using the same methods on them, nor would hundreds of complaints of torture had been they are held. it justify cruelty to prisoners today." presented to them but that they had been Until this is carried out, until the nonexis- The same president, who now denies the unable to verify a single case. In such cases tence of the hostages and good prison existence of mistreatment of prisoners, the burden of proof falls on the accuser. conditions for all political prisoners have wrote to Monsignor Carlos Parteli, arch "On the other hand, the president of the been demonstrated, we will continue de bishop of Montevideo:"I defend the severity Supreme Court told us that this was not a manding all the planks in our platform: and requirements of interrogation, which new problem in civil jurisdiction. It was not • As described in the memorandum avoids deaths in this war and permits rare for a civil judge to find cases in which presented by the committee, the seventeen bloodless gains. . . ." (June 15, 1972.) it was proved that the police had been prisoners have been subjected to discrimi The report presented by the World abusive during questioning." natory treatment in comparison to others Council of Churches after its visit to The same report added: "We were denied held for similar reasons. Thus, we demand Uruguay (June 10-14, 1972) said in para authorization to visit any of the barracks the abolition of the status of hostage, which graph two: "We believe that convincing where interrogation takes place." is the situation of these seventeen political evidence exists that, as part of the violation The claim that all those arrested are tried prisoners. of human rights, the Joint Forces (military is not true: Jorge Selves, a student, was • It has been proved that these seventeen and police forces) use physical and psycho arrested August 23, 1973, and has never hostages, along with 50 percent of all the logical torture on political prisoners. This is gone before any judge; he has not been regime's political prisoners, have been part of the present political repression allowed visits from his family or lawyer. subjected to all kinds of physical and supposedly directed against the Tupamaros There are hundreds of political prisoners in psychological torture. Thus, we demand the but in reality amply extended to broad this same situation. total cessation of torture. sectors of the population. We quote another paragraph of the report • The state of health of the hostages has "Although we did not witness torture, in from the International Commission of been noticeably affected and they require answer to our frequent questions no one Jurists and Amnesty International: adequate medical care and assistance. This during our visit denied that such tortures are "The total inefficacy of Habeas Corpus as is not possible without the intervention of practiced. a recourse in determining the place or an important international organization "An important leader of the government motives of an arrest has been proved." that will assure the meeting of this objec whom we spoke to excused the practice of The main objective of Bordaberry's reply tive. Because of that, it is urgent that the torture as defense of the state or as a should have been to prove that the seven seventeen hostages get medical attention, necessary countermeasure to the tortures teen hostages do not exist, but he limits under the control of an international organ presumably used by the Tupamaro guerril himself to denying it without presenting ization. las. any proof. He maintains that "we are not • The existence of hostages and the "We spoke with some lawyers trying to permitted to use such methods"[as holding treatment they receive, like the violation of defend political prisoners and with the hostages—ZP], but who can he convince individual guarantees, shows the outrages families of those prisoners. All spoke of with such a poor argument? How many that the Uruguayan government is commit frequent incidents of torture, the results of things forbidden by the constitution and ting. Thus, we demand that all internation which they themselves witnessed. the United Nations Declaration on Human al treaties signed by Uruguay concerning "The minutes of parliamentary debates Rights happen every day? human rights be respected. during recent months were full of accounts • Understanding that the existence of of torture, and of deaths resulting from Moreover, Bordaberry expressly recog political prisoners is a permanent attack on torture, presented by respected members of nizes that these seventeen hostages were human rights, and that every person has the Senate and Chamber of Deputies." removed from Libertad Penitentiary and the right to express his ideas, we demand The May-June 1974 report alluded to by transferred to different establishments: freedom for all political prisoners. Bordaberry from the International Commis "It is true that not all prisoners can be March 1975 sion of Jurists and Amnesty International held in the same establishment. Elementary stated: defense considerations force us to keep "Torture and Mistreatment. them separated. This happens in all parts "Negligence in these proceedings is seri of the world. But that does not change the ous from the point of view of suspects' legal kind of treatment given them." Documents discussed at 1974 Tenth protection against mistreatment. We re We realize that Bordaberry has clarified World Congress of Fourth International. ceived many complaints of torture and absolutely nothing about the situation of 128 pages, 8V2 x 11, $2.50 other forms of mistreatment. It is the the seventeen hostages. What is more, the Intercontinental Press general opinion of defense lawyers that falsehoods that his letter contains disquali P.O. Box 118, Village Station almost all persons detained in military fy him as a moral authority whose word New York, NY 10014 prisons and some of those held in police alone is convincing proof.

June 16, 1975 are out of supply just send me something I can frame to hang on my picture wall. If you don't have anything, keep the five dollars or turn it over to the Socialist Workers party." We hope that besides the drawing of Cannon, you found some of the other drawings just right for a spot on the wall. A report on New Year's resolutions is of the many foreign students in the United hardly at the top of our agenda so far as States, particularly those from colonial and For some years we have campaigned for a fast-breaking events are concerned—it's like semicolonial countries. speedier mail service. Lest some of our keeping up to date on what happened to last Carol Kroll of Cleveland wrote us that readers think we are a bit one-sided in this, winter's snows. Nonetheless, the following recently a well-known figure in one of the we would like to make clear that we think letter from Holly Harkness of Minneapolis, African student organizations on a campus the U.S. Postal Service, for all its slowness, Minnesota, sounded timely to us. in the area took out a subscription, mention offers a dependable service on the whole. "When I got my first six-month subscrip ing the "excellent coverage" of the Eritrean tion to the IP at the 14th National YSA struggle as one of the reasons he found A case in point was recently reported by Convention last December, I made a New Intercontinental Press attractive. Associated Press. On May 16, 1975, Ger Year's Resolution I would read it every trude Horgan, a professor at Aquinas week. It's probably the only New Year's K.H. of Sanger, California, indicated one College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, re resolution I've ever carried through on. In of the features of interest to him in Inter ceived a package mailed to her by her sister order to fulfill my resolution (as well as continental Press when he sent $5 for the in Newton, Massachusetts. The two-by- keep up with your excellent news coverage), book of drawings by Copain: "Hopefully it three-foot box contained the professor's I am renewing my sub for another 6 will enable you to start publishing more Irish tweed coat, left behind during a months. articles in Spanish." Christmas visit in 1962. The package was "I'm sending you an article from a local mailed on January 10, 1963. paper which I thought might interest you. Grady W. Vandiver of Morongo Valley, According to calculations made by the It's about how one of our Twin Cities California, in writing for the book of Associated Press, the coat was en route corporations is doing their bit to extend drawings by Copain, said: "I especially am 4,509 days. hospitality to those Vietnamese who have interested in one of our very own true While styles may have changed in the come to the 'land of the big FX.' Marxist James P. Cannon whom I knew intervening years, the coat is no doubt still "I enjoyed reading 'So They Say' in the very well. serviceable. On the Mothball Express it's May 26th issue on the Mayagiiez incident, "I am sending $5.00 for the book. If you slow but sure, as they say. □ but I wondered why there was no quote from 'Scoop' Jackson. As a declared candi date for President I would think he'd want to get in on the 'victory celebration.' Or is it possible he happened to notice that no one outside of Congress or the Administration was celebrating?" The clipping was a good one, telling about a food corporation's moves to help the Vietnamese refugees live it up. Watch for our handling of it—if not this week then next. And in return for the clipping and the To help celebrate the tenth anni- encouraging words, here's "Scoop" Jack son's contribution to "So They Say": ' ^ versary of Inferconfinenfal Press, Hawk Keeps His Cool. "But Senator ' reproductions of sketches by Co- Henry M. Jackson, Democrat of Washing pain, artist for Intercontinental ton, who is regarded as one of the more ''iifli 1 Press, were published by the New hawkish members of Congress, said: 'This 'IW ^ y; York Local of the Socialist Workers is the time for cool heads. Because we are a , I i I party and bound in an 8.5" x 11" strong and powerfid nation we must exer I# j book. The aim was to use the money cise restraint in the use of force. A failure to I O i gained from soles to help us begin show restraint could lead to a Tonkin Gulf ^ V publishing articles in Spanish. situation."—May 14 Washington dispatch B drawings, of various sizes, in- published in May 15 New York Times. ^ 7" ^ / ' elude portraits of Hugo Blanco, Mol- Hawk Loses His Cool. "Sen. Henry M. colm X, James P. Cannon, Che Jackson (D-Wash.), a candidate for the A ^ Guevara, Cesar Chavez, Leon Democratic presidential nomination, ex V X y y I Trotsky, and many more, some of pressed relief at the release of the men and ^ i f! which ore suitable for framing. said he supported the use of military force A limited number of copies of this to obtain their freedom."—May 15 Washing collection of drawings are now ton dispatch in May 15 New York Post. Larissa Daniel, anti-Stalinist dissident. available for only $5. We continue to get reports of the interest Intercontinental Press P.O. Box 116, Village Station New York, NY 10014 displayed in Intercontinental Press by some

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