California 'anticrime' referenda ...... 9 THE Atlanta unionists sue Lockheed • . 10 Women miners fight discrimination 12

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 46/NO. 41 NOVEMBER S, 1982 . 75 CENTS

W. Va. grand jury rejects S.F. Ja~or • . . t . d. t t march 1s an tISOCia1 IS . In IC men S biggest in KL BYCHRISHORNER r U. I'- . CHARLESTON,W.Va.-OnOctober 31/f ~eiO .. ~ .. · · · · . 27, the Jackson County Grand Jury put a "'f . U~ ~ stop to the most recent attack by West Vir- ginia state officials against both the Social­ ist Workers candidates and those who BY THABO NTWENG signed their nominating petitions. SAN FRANCISCO - In the biggest The Grand Jury, convened by Jackson labor demonstration in 34 years here, some County prosecutor Samuel Snyder, at the 70,000 trade unionists marched up Market request of Secretary of State A. James Street Ocotber 24 to rally at the civic Manchin, refused to return indictments center. The demonstration was charac­ against 30 county residents who had signed terized by deep concern about the the nominating petitions for the socialist economic situation facing working people. candidates and also voted in the primary The action was called by the AFL-CIO, elections. the International Longshoremen's and In West Virginia, an unconstitutional· Warehousemen's Union (ILWU), and the law makes this a "crime" punishable by Teamsters. It included contingents of auto one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Seven­ workers, longshoremen, workers from the teen thousand West Virginians had signed building trades, steelworkers, garment petitions to put two socialist coal miners on workers, grocery clerks, teachers, and the November ballot. Bill Hovland, run­ many others. The largest contingent was ning for U.S. Senate, and Adrienne Ben­ the Teamsters, some of whom drove trucks jamin, for U.S. Congress in the 3rd Dis­ and buses in the march. Judging by the trict. Both are members of the United Mine number of blue union hats of the Inter­ MilitanU'Wayne Workers of America. national Association of Machinists, machinists were also well represented. One West Virgin~a socialist candidates Adrienne Benjamin, for Congress, and Bill Hov­ This action by state officials is only the land, for U.S. Senate, hailed victory for democratic rights. most recent in a long series of acts of intim­ of the most militant contingents was from idation and harassment aimed at the social­ the United Farm Workers. Near the front ist campaign. were workers from the Bethlehem Ship­ The convening of the Grand Jury to seek yard who are conducting a fight to save indictments against petition signers was a their jobs. Chrysler workers to resume blatant attempt to create an atmosphere of An ILWU banner reading "an injury to fear. Its timing, exactly one week before one is an injury to all" led off the march. election day, was clearly not accidental. Longshoremen also closed the port for a Hovland and Benjamin scored it as an day here as part of the action. contract fight in January "unprecedented and dangerous attack on The police estimate of 70,000 marchers the First Amendment rights of West far exceeded the organizers' expectations BY GEORGE JOHNSON $107 million and its $1 billion cash and Virginia citizens." In their public state­ of 15,000. The huge throng included many Chrysler workers voted overwhelmingly short-term securities reserves. ment, they said that the action was an at­ Black and women workers as well as October 26 not to strike the corporation A strike, Fraser said, echoing the em­ tempt to win by other means what the state young workers. There was also a contin­ starting November 1, but, instead, to sus­ ployers, was the only alternative to'ratifi­ had failed to win in open battle with the so­ gent of trade unionists opposed to interven­ pend negotiations for a new contract until cation of the contract, and a strike would cialists in the months leading up to the tion in Central America and one from the after the Christmas holidays. mean bankruptcy. election. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. A Two weeks earlier, Chrysler workers re­ When Chrysler workers disregarded this This battle involved a public slander cam-· number of women wore Coalition of Labor jected, by a seven-to-three ratio, a proposed threat and overwhelmingly rejected the paign by Manchin, a Democrat, who called Union Women T-shirts. contract between the corporation and the· proposal, the company announced that it the socialist petitioners "unethical and mis­ The theme of the march was "Jobs and union's Chrysler bargaining council. would not make any concessions. The leading." Other attacks included repeated Justice." And this was reflected in many of The old contract had expired September UA W officials then organized a strike acts of vandalism against the Hovland­ the placards. Other themes indicated by the 15. vote. Benjamin campaign headquarters in signs workers carried included opposition The rejection of the proposed contract, But this was different from most votes to Charleston, and a concerted campaign of to union busting and attacks on the Occu­ which. was unprecedented, was a blow to authorize strikes; this one was designed to intimidation against socialist campaign pational Safety and Health Administration. the employers' drive to get workers to keep get a rejection of a strike, thus giving the supporters by city and state police, includ­ Many marchers did not stay for the rally accepting the framework of collaborating union officialdom a seeming vote of confi­ ing threats of arrest. At each step, the so­ following the parade; but the 20,000 that with the companies. dence, after the blow it took two weeks cialists and their supporters met these at­ did responded most enthusiastically to The vote - 27,335 to 11,873 - not to earlier. tacks and turned them back. speakers who expressed their anger over strike November 1 doesn't show anything Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 high unemployment and the bad situation new or different about the reasons why the workers faced. "Maybe we can show the union membership turned down the com­ idiots who run this country we are getting a pany's offer two weeks earlier. The mem­ little hostile," boilmakers union member bers felt the contract did not compensate U.S. tightens noose on Nicaragua Ben Scribner told the San Francisco them for three years of concessions, worth Examiner. "This is a chance to show the $1.07 billion, that they had made to BY FRED MURPHY U.S. and Honduran armies along the government they can't push us aside," Chrysler and which had left them $2.68 an Behind a diplomatic smokescreen de­ Nicaraguan border. Luwanda Castro, a forklift operator and hour behind workers at General Motors and signed to portray one of its main victims - • In El Salvador, despite government member of the IL WU told the same paper. Ford. Nicaragua- as the criminal, Washington claims that the rebels were in their "death Continued on Page 14 Nor was there any "up-front" money. is stepping up its war in Central America. throes," the Farabundo Marti National Lib­ Any wage raises, the first in two years, The U.S. imperialists are intervening eration Front (FMLN) has mounted one of would have to be tied to company profits. militarily to try to halt and reverse the up­ the largest military offensives yet in three Further, the company's offer included surge of anti-imperialist struggle that is years- of civil war. The regime's U.S.­ more stringent work rules. And this was on sweeping the region. They cannot stand trained battalions have failed to tum the top of three years of intensified speedup, aside and allow the consolidation of the tide. forced overtime, and deterioration of socialist revolution in Nicaragua. Nor can • In Guatemala the presence of U.S. working conditions. they allow the Salvadoran and Guatemalan military advisers - still formally barred by Also behind the rejection was a realiza­ peoples to succeed in their fight to bring U.S. law - has just come to light. A tion that concessions hadn't saved jobs at workers and farmers governments to power Green Beret captain interviewed in Chrysler, and, in varying degrees, that in those countries, in emulation of the rev­ Guatemala by the Washington Post "said workers shouldn't have to pay for the em­ olution in Nicaragua. he is authorized to teach cadets there 'any­ ployers' economic' crisis. It is this open clash over who will rule - thing our army has,' and his subj~cts in­ The rejection was also a blow to the the workers and peasants, or the capitalists clude training in ambushes, surveillance, United Auto Workers officialdom, led by and landlords tied to imperialism - that is combat arms, artillery, armor, patrolling, President Douglas Fraser, which had cam­ at the root of the mounting warfare across demolition and helicopter assault tactics" paigned to convince Chrysler workers to Central America. (Washington Post, October 21). Such tac­ ratify the proposed contract. • In Nicaragua, battles take place al­ tics are being applied on a wide scale in the Fraser, who got a place on Chrysler's most daily between the Sandinista: People's Rios Montt dictatorship's slaughter of In­ board of directors three years ago as part of Army and militia and the U.S. -armed dian peasants. At least 2,600 have died ·.... ;;~ i giving the auto maker a helping hand in bands of counterrevolutionaries sheltered since March, according to an Amnesty In­ Militant/Harry Ring solving its problems, tried to convince by the regime in neighboring Honduras. ternational report released October 11. Screen Actors Guild President Ed Chrysler workers that the corporation Washington plans a major new provocation • Costa Rica is now the scene of Asner, an outspoken opponent 9f U.S. couldn't afford to give them a raise. This for December, when military maneuvers of another U.S.-backed military buildup. role in El Salvador, got best response at was despite its second-quarter profits of unprecedented scope will be held by the Continued on Page 4 labor rally. Oct. 23 demonstrations target U.S. war moves in El Salvador BY NELSON GONZALEZ that $10,000 dollars was raised for medical in Toronto on October 16 in an action sup­ On the weekend of October 23 antiwar aid to El Salvador. ported by some forty peace and solidarity activists continued their activities in re­ In Boston, the Central America Solidar­ groups. The themes of the march- "U.S. sponse to the call for emergency actions ity Association organized a rally of 300. Out of El Salvador," "Hands off Central· opposing the U.S. war in Central America. Twenty-five percent of the participants America and the Caribbean," and "End The call was made by the World Front in were Latinos. Representatives from the In­ Canadian Complicity" - were linked to Solidarity with the People of El Salvador. ternational Association of Machinists in stopping the cruise missile and the U.S.­ In Chicago, 800 participated in a rally in Boston, the African National Congress, Canadian arms build-up. Fuss Park and then marched to the Great FDR and the Palestine Crisis Coalition, as In Australia picket lines were held in Lakes Naval Training Center. well as the Boston Alliance Against Regis­ most major cities on October 16 and other Speakers at the rally included Gillam tration and the Draft spoke at the ral!y. activities were organized in support of the Kerley, a young draft resister from Wis­ A number of very successful protests Salvadoran people. consin who was recently indicted by the were organized in several countries around In Sydney more than 100 people government for his refusal to register for the world. gathered at the U.S. Embassy to demand the draft. Kerley explained to the crowd the In Canada, the Socialist Voice, news­ that the U.S. get out of El Salvador. connection between the draft and the U.S. paper of the Revolutionary Workers In Mexico a picket was held in front of war drive which is focused on El Salvador, League reported that 700 people marched the U.S. Embassy. the rest of Central America, and the Carib­ bean. Others who spoke included Mike Terry, a coordinator of Milwaukee Vietnam Vete­ Grand jury in West Virginia rans Against the War, a representative of the Revolutionary Democratic Front of El Salvador (FDR), Mohammed Abdul won't hand down indictiDents Kedis, a representative of the November 29 Continued from Page 1 intimidating people from supporting the Coalition, and Sam Day from the staff of Hovland won ballot status after filing far socialists' campaign. the Progressive magazine. more than the required number of signa­ "This has a chilling effect on the consti­ In New York, the Committee in Solidar­ tures. But Manchin ruled that Benjamin tutional rights of all working people," Ben­ ity with the People of El Salvador had not collected "sufficient numbers of jamin pointed out. "The law Manchin is us­ (CISPES) organized a walk-a-thon that signatures" and refused to place her on the ing is completely unconstitutional. Every­ began in three different parts of the city. It ballot. A broadly supported lawsuit, one should have the right to sign petitions included a labor contingent and came to­ handled by the West Virginia Civil Liber­ to put workers' parties on the ballot, free Militant/Lou Howort gether for a rally attended by nearly 500 ties Union, was taken to the state supreme from harassment. My campaign will con­ New York march October 23 against people at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near court in late September. The court ruled tinue to expend every effort to defend de­ U.S. intervention in El Salvador was one the United Nations. that Manchin must immediately put Ben­ mocratic rights and spread our ideas of many actions called by international The New York CISPES office reported jamin on the ballot. throughout West Virginia." solidarity movement. In addition, the socialist campaign has received considerable . media coverage Sandinistas Speak throughout the state. The candidates have Auto contract fight resumes in Jan. Speeches, writings, and interviews with spoken before numerous audiences, and leaders of Nicaragua's revolution. have. been able to explain their ideas to li­ Continued from Page 1 Chrysler workers would lose a week's holi­ terally tens of thousands of working peo­ The alternatives on the ballot were to day pay. By Tomas Borge, Carlos Fonseca, ple. strike on November 1 or suspend negotia­ Many workers, reports Militant corres­ Daniel Ortega, Humberto Ortega, and Three weeks before the election, Hov­ tions until January, and so delay any deci­ pondent Jon Olmsted in Detroit, are un­ Jaime Wheelock. land's employer, SOHIO, tried to fire him sion to strike. sure a strike could be won now. One 160 pp. $4.95 and co-worker Bill Boyd, a union activist For Chrysler workers to have voted to worker at the Jefferson A venue assembly and Hovland's campaign treasurer. They strike now, they would have had to agree plant told him, "With things the way they Fidel Castro on Chile are both coal miners at ~itt No. 1 mine in with both the strike's necessity and its tim­ are, it is no time to strike. Nobody can af­ Education for Socialists Philippi, West Virginia. But these attemp­ ing - aside from having confidence in a ford to go out." ted firings were only one part of ongoing leadership that didn't want to lead it. Another, a local union president told the 158 pp., $5.00 company attacks against their union, United media, "Logic prevailed. It just wasn't the Mine Workers Local 2095, especially "Divisive and pointless" and "de­ right time to pull a strike." around safety issues. The union forced the moralizing to the membership" was how Even workers who favored a strike in The U.S. War Drive and the vote process was termed by Bob the World Economic Crisis employer to back down, and won Hovland November, such as many of those at Ster­ and Boyd their jobs back. This victory also Weissman, president of Local 122 at ling Heights, told Olmsted they were "be­ Speech by Fidel Castro to the Tenth received statewide publicity and was a fur­ Twinsburg, outside Cleveland. If the tween a rock and a hard place." World Trade Union Congress in Feb­ ther blow to the drive of officials to isolate union's leaders had ·wanted to set a strike They pointed out that some workers ruary 1982. socialist campaign activists. deadline for January, he pointed out, "they were being asked to put in four hours over­ Within minutes of the Grand Jury ver­ had the authority to do it." time, and felt Chrysler could be stockpiling 30 pp., $.75 dict, the AP bureau in Charleston called the Under the circumstances, it is not sur­ cars for a strike. campaign headquarters for a statement to prising that Chrysler workers would rather Because of this, some said, it was better Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West put on the national wire. Benjamin ex­ try ro renegotiate the contract in January to strike now rather than later. Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Please plained that while Manchin's threatened and try to get a better one than strike right Others felt January and February are bad include $. 75 for postage and handlir;J prosecution had failed, the splashing of the now. months for a strike "because nobody buys charges all over the media has the effect of If a strike continued past Christmas, cars then." Read the truth every week The Militant Closing news date: October 27, 1982 Editors: CINDY JAQUITH Subscribe to the Militant DOUG JENNESS That way you'll get facts about Washington's bipartisan Business Manager: wars against working people at home and abroad: from un­ LEE MARTINDALE employment to racism; from Lebanon to Central America.· Editorial Staff: Connie Allen, Nelson Gonzalez, William Gottlieb, Suzanne Read what the Socialist Workers Party candidates are pro­ Haig, Arthur Hughes, Margaret Jayko, posing in order to wage a fightback. George Johnson, Frank Lovell, Harry At the workplace and on the picketline, the Militant is there, Ring, Larry Seigle. reporting the news and participating in the struggle. Sub­ PUblished weekly except two weeks in August, the last week of December, and scribe today. the first week of January by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: For new subscribers . . . Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; Busi­ A special offer- Mel Mason: The making of a revolution­ ness Office, (212) 929-3486. ary. A new 40-page pamphlet. Free to every new subscriber. Correspondence concerning sub­ scriptions or changes of address should To get a copy, check box D be addressed to The Militant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, D Enclosed is $3 for 12 weeks D Enclosed is $15 for 6 months N.Y. 10014. D Enclosed is $24 for 1 year D Enclosed is a contribution Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send ad­ Name ______dress changes to The Militant, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Subscrip­ tions: U.S. $24.00 a year, outside U.S. Address---~------­ $30.00. By first-class mail: U.S., City/State/Zip------Canada, and Mexico: $60.00. Write for airmail rates to all other countries. Telephone ------Union/Organization ______Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent the Militant's Send to Militant, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014 views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant November S, 1982 U.S. expands military presence in Mideast

BY MARGARET JAYKO ing the multinational force of the three The Reagan administration has utilized countries from 3,800 troops to "about the murderous Israeli invasion of Lebanon 30,000 troops," as well as expanding their to further its own direct military interven­ "responsibilities." tion in the Middle East. All three have responded favorably to On October 21 , the Pentagon announced Gemayel's requests. that the Rapid Deployment Joint Task What are the "expanded responsibilities" Force (RDF), which becomes operative on that Gemayel and Reagan have in mind? January I , I983, will now be expanded The stated purpose of the force is to stay from 230,000 to almost double that number in Lebanon until the Palestinian, Syrian, of soldiers, sailors, marines, and Air Force and Israeli forces have all left. personnel. But the Israelis have given every indica­ The pretext for the setting up of the RDF tion that they don't plan on leaving soon. was the entry of Soviet troops into Afghan­ In fact, they could become a permanent oc­ istan in December 1980. But what former cupation force in southern Lebanon. President James Carter really had in mind That would explain the winter uniforms was .countering the Iranian revolution and that are being issued to Israeli troops, the propping up rightist governments like the prefab homes that are being shipped to the one in Lebanon today. front lines, the mountain roads that are being According to the Pentagon: "[The paved, and the snow plows that are being RDF's] principle objectives are to assure procured. continued access to Persian Gulf oil. . . . In a move to prevent Israel from conti­ Whatever the circumstances, we should be . nuing to use the presnece of the Palestini­ prepared to introduce American forces di­ an guerrillas in Lebanon as an excuse for rectly into the region [the Persian Gulf and keeping Israeli troops there, Palestine Lib­ southwest Asia] should it appear that the eration Organization (PLO) cohairman Yas­ security of access to Persian Gulf oil is sir Arafat sent a letter to Gemayel stating threatened." that PLO fighters would not present a barri­ er to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from . U.S. Rapid Deployment Force carrying out joint military maneuvers, dubbed Roving vigilantes Lebanon. Gemayel is explaining rather badly what "Bright Star" with Egypt in 1981. Arab regimes are increasingly reluctant to partici­ The 20 countries of Asia and Africa that pate with U.S. in such "war games." he wants the troops for: to rebuild the Leb­ are the stated targets of this roving impe­ anese Army as part of an overall plan to rialist vigilante group are not the only ones that might be "assisted" by it. The fact that prop up the reactionary Christian minority Lebanese governments to get rid of the In Israel, unprecedented protests forced regime that he heads. He wants the troops it's based in Tampa, Florida- a stone's Palestinians is also behind the current dis­ the reluctant government to convene a to help him police the workers and peas­ throw from the Caribbean and Central putes over who- if anybody- will house three-man panel. It's not exactly impartial ants, the Muslims and Palestinians, in Leb­ American countries where the biggest chal­ the tens of thousands of Palestinians in - it includes the Chief Justice of the Israe­ anon. lenges to 'u.S. domination by the op­ southern Lebanon who are now homeless li Supreme Court, another Supreme Court pressed toilers are taking place - gives a U.S. officials, in tum, say that U.S. as­ as a result of Israel's bombing of refugee justice, and a retired Major General. clue to other places the RDF might be sent. sistance to Lebanon wiii center on helping camps. So far, all except two-and-a-half hours Despite talk of "resisting aggression" the Lebanese to build a well-armed police Both governments hoped that leaving of its proceedings have been held in secret. from the Soviet Union, Iran, and South Ye­ force to take care of "internal security" the Palestinians homeless would force The only open session was part of De­ men, the official Arabic translation of rather than "external threats." them to disperse. fense Minister Ariel Sharon's testimony on "Rapid Deployment Force" is more in But wi~h winter only days away, Israel October 25. Even then; only reporters were keeping with its real role - "rapid inter­ Round-up of 'illegal aliens' doesn't want to be blamed for the death allowed to attend. vention force." The "peacekeeping force" has already through exposure of the Palestinians in the Among the things Sharon was forced to admit were: According to the New York Times the begun to do its job. Lebanese territory it occupies. • Four months ago on June I5, the Is­ RDF' s responsibilities include "strengthen­ It directly facilitated the round-ups the In the eyes of much of the world, since raeli cabinet had decided to ing friendly nations politically and mili­ Gemayel regime carried out in predomi­ Israel demolished the housing to begin "integrate the tarily." nantly Muslim West Beirut. with, Israel will be held responsible for Lebanese forces" into the refugee camps. • Sharon maintained his stance that Among its "contingency plans" are With a massive display of tanks, person­ providing new housing. So Israel now says sending marines to rescue governments nel carriers, and troops, the Lebanese it is for housing these people, as long as it's "none of us foresaw the atrocities that oc­ that are threatened by popular rebellions; Army moved into the western part of the only temporary accommodations. curred in the neighborhoods of Sabra and Shatila, nor could we have foreseen them." "providing them the weapons they need to city in early October and carried out two However, as the squabbles persist be­ • To back up that assertion, at first insure their own security and training their weeks of brutal house-to-house searches, tween the United Nations, Lebanon, and personnel to operate and maintain those allegedly looking for guns, "illegal aliens," Sharon testified that the "Christians of Leb­ Israel over who should make the first anon, the Lebanese forces, are not a gang weapons." and "criminals." move, nothing has been done to provide of hotheads. They are presently a very bal­ The RDF has already run into resistance Just before the U.S. Marines were sent shelter. Most of the homeless have been anced establishment." in the Middle East. No regime wants to in, an unnamed U.S. government official without a permanent roof over their heads • But Sharon then admitted that Israeli bring the wrath of its population or that of told the New York Times that the marines since the first day of the invasion in June. other semicolonial countries down on its would "man borders and major road cross­ forces had killed one soldier and wounded two others that belonged to the Israeli­ head by offering their country as a forward ings so that the Lebanese Army won't have 'Commissions of inquiry'? headquarters for the strike force. to worry about their flanks while they get backed militia of Major Saad Haddad be­ Finding bases and areas willing to be on with their job of disarming various fac­ Both the Lebanese and Israeli govern­ cause they had been discovered in a group used for mock invasions are harder and tions, finding arms caches, and so forth." ments, bowing to the international outcry involved in the massacre. harder to come by, especially since the The biggest arms caches are not in West after the massacres in Beirut refugee camps • Sharon acknowledged that he had worldwide outcry over the U.S. backing Beirut, but in predominantly Christian East in mid-September by Israeli-backed Pha­ knowledge of the massacre 24 hours after it for Israel's slaughter in Lebanon. Beirut, where whole rightist militias roam langists, have set up so-called commis­ began and basically did nothing about it. the streets. Despite weeks of promising sions of inquiry to get to the bottom of the Sharon recounted a phone call from his Imperialist troops in Sinai that the Lebanese Army would disarm massacre. Chief of Staff during the massacre. The of­ The Lebanese one is virtually nonexist­ ficial told Sharon that the Christians had Actually, the U.S. already has troops these gangs, the Phalangist government has done nothing to disturb the Phalangists ent. And most witnesses have declined to harmed the Palestinians beyond what the stationed in the Middle East. in East Beirut. testify, apparently fearing for their lives if Israelis had expected they would do. Shar­ Before the Israelis invaded Lebanon, the A total of I ,441 Palestinians and they should finger one of Gemayel's cro­ on quoted the Chief of Staff saying that the United States, along with Australia, Bri­ Lebanese Muslims were arrested during nies. Lebanese actions were "exaggerated." tain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and New Zealand sent a 2,500-strong military the round-up; many of whom are stiii being held. Palestinian officials have accused the force to the Sinai desert. That was on March I7, I982. Lebanese government of mistreating the Palestinian cultural event in N.Y. prisoners. The Sinai is part of the Arab territory, Gemayel' s goal is a simple one - expel NEW YORK - An evening of Palestin­ Participants are asked to assemble for which Israel invaded and has occupied the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians ian and Lebanese music is scheduled to the demonstration at noon at 34th Street since I967. The stated purpose of the force who have been forced out of their home­ take place here Friday, November 5. The and Broadway. There will be a march was to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli land. event, which will begin at 6:00p.m., wiii down 7th Avenue to Union Square for a troops from this occupied territory by April be held at 777 United Nations Plaza, se­ rally occurring at approximately 3 p.m. 26. Repression against majority cond floor. Admission is $3. Speakers will include a representative- of Today, the 2,500 troops are still in the This event is one of several activities in the Palestine Liberation Organization and Sinai. Hand in hand with the attacks on the solidarity with the struggles of the Palestin­ the Lebanese National Movement. The force in the Sinai helped pave the Palestinians goes brutal efforts by the ian and Lebanese people organized by the Endorsers of the demonstration include: way for Israel's occupation of Lebanon by Gemayel government to repress the November 29 Coalition. November 29 is Palestine Congress of North America; securing Israel's southern border; thus help­ Lebanese Muslim majority. the United Nations' day for international Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Com­ ing free its forces for further aggression At least five people were killed and 22 solidarity with Palestine. mittee; Supporters of the Lebanese Nation­ against countries like Lebanon, as well as injured in early October when Lebanese A national demonstration in New York al Movement in the U.S.; Freedomways providing the U.S. with its first direct mil­ troops fired directly into a crowd of Shiite City will take place Saturday, November magazine; and the Patrice Lumumba Coali­ itary presence in the Middle East. Muslim squatters that were protesting the 27. Other cultural and fundraising activi­ tion. Individuals endorsing (with organiza­ demolition of their homes and an un­ ties will occur on November 26 and 27 in U.S. Marines in Lebanon tion listed for identification purposes) in­ finished mosque. New York. A demonstration will be held in clude: Elombe Brath, president, Patrice These facts make Reagan's promise that The excuse the Lebanese government is Austin, Texas, November 21, and a Soli­ Lumumba Coalition; Larry Ekin and Don the I ,200 U.S. Marines currently stationed using for its systematic destruction of Mus­ darity night will take place November 28 in Will, United Methodist Church Center at at Lebanon's Beirut airport and the 600 lim homes and shops is that they were built San Francisco. the United Nations; and Michael Ratner, aboard nearby ships will leave Lebanon by "illegally." Furthermore, they are said to The November 27 demonstration will de­ president, National Lawyers Guild. the end of the year ring a little hollow. be unsafe because they are in the flight path mand the right of self-determination for the For more information on the November Especially now that Lebanese President of planes going in and out of Beirut's air­ Palestinian people; immediate and uncon­ 27 demonstration and the other activities Amin Gemayel told Reagan, French Presi­ port. These people fled their homes during ditional withdrawal from Lebanon; U.S. contact: the November 29 Coalition, P.O. dent Fran~ois Mitterrand, and Italian Presi­ and after the 1975-76 Lebanese civil war. Marines out of Lebanon; and fund human Box Il5, New York, N.Y. 10113. Tele­ dent Sandro Pertini that he favors expand- The desire of both the Israeli and the needs and jobs at home, not arms to Israel. phone (2I2) 695-2686.

November 5, 1982 The Militant 3 Washington pushes war in Central America Continued from Page 1 This acknowledgment of the Nicaraguan Inter-American Affairs Thomas Enders. -and its masters in Washington- are U.S. advisers and $2 million in equipment revolution's international prestige was cor­ Nicaragua was pointedly not invited to dead set on escalating their aggression are on the way to spur the conversion of rectly termed "a kick in the teeth for the the forum. against Nicaragua. Costa Rica's Civil Guard into a regular Reagan administration" by· Nicaraguan Enders used the occasion to blast the army. Nicaraguan counterrevolutionaries leader Tomas B9rge. Tens of thousands of Sandinistas for "fomenting violence in Rebel offensive in El Salvador have also been operating out of Costa Rica. Nicaraguans took to the streets to celebrate Honduras and Costa Rica." He said the diplomatic victory. Nicaragua had become the region's most The Reagan administration is also under 'Slow-motion Bay of Pigs' pressure to step up its intervention in Cen­ Nicaragua has also received diplomatic pressing problem because "a recalcitrant Washington's counteroffensive in Cen­ support against Reagan's threats from pres­ group of Marxist-Leninist ideologues ... tral America because its plans for defeating tral America has focused more and more on idents Jose LOpez Portillo of Mexico and has created the largest military force in the revolution in El Salvador have not borne fruit. Days after.Salvadoran Defense Nicaragua, where the revolutionary pro­ Luis Herrera Campfns of Venezuela. The Central American history, which is a cess is most advanced. The launching pad two heads of state appealed to Reagan in a danger for its neighbors." In Nicaragua, Minister Gen. Jose Guillermo Garcia for the U.S. operations aimed at toppling September 7 letter for the "exploration of Enders said, "it is necessary to find a way crowed to reporters that the FMLN was in the Sandinista government is Honduras, ways that remain open to halt the current to prevent the greater and greater concen­ its "death throes," rebel units of up to 700 which has a pliable proimperialist regime worrying escalation, the increase of ten­ tration of power and militarization and the guerrillas seized five towns in Moraziin and Chalatenango provinces. and a long, sparsely populated border with sions and the dangerous expectations as to growing repression against citizens." Nicaragua. the outcome of the crisis" along the Hondu­ At Enders's behest, the foreign ministers The coordi.nated FMLN offensive began For at least a year the Central Intelli­ ran-Nicaraguan border. adopted a call for a "verifiable and recip­ October 10. At Perquin, in Moraziin, an gence Agency has been arming and train­ In particular, the two presidents called rocal" regional accord to bar the importa­ entire company of government troops was ing a force of Nicaraguan exiles in camps on Reagan to "halt the support, organiza­ tion of weapons and the use of foreign routed, with all124 soldiers either killed or in southern Honduras. Since July these tion, and maintenance of Somozaist ex­ military advisers. This, at a time when the captured. In Chalatenango, the FMLN oc­ counterrevolutionary troops - mostly ex­ Guardsmen" on Honduran territory. Pentagon is pouring arms and advisers into cupied Las Vueltas and El Jicaro and held National Guardsmen of the Somoza regime Venezuelan President Herrera's role in El Salvador and Honduras, has begun to do off a counterattack by 2,000 government or Miskitu Indians hoodwinked by their the joint appeal reflected his government's likewise in Costa Rica, and is pressing the troops. leaders into fleeing Nicaragua - have recent shift away from ear!ler close associ­ U.S... Congress to legalize the same for FMLN commando units also carried out been crossing the border in large units ation with Reagan's Central America pol­ Guatemala! · the first actions in the capital itself in sev­ armed with sophisticated weaponry. A icy. Herreraattended the third-anniversary Once the San Jose meeting was over, the eral months, and guerrilla forces succeeded Washington Post celumnist recently celebration of the Nicaraguan revolution in White House released Reagan's letter to in blockading the main east-west highways termed this "a slow-motion Bay of Pigs in­ July, and in August warned Reagan that the Mexican and Venezuehin presidents, in in many spots. In Usulutiin Province, the vasion" of Nicaragua. "the epoch of armed interventions must be which he alleged "great interest" in their seaport of El Triunfo was reportedly sealed The Bay of Pigs invasion was a closed chapter in the unfortunate history "very constructive" proposals. The letter off by FMLN units on October 16. Washington's ill-fated attempt in April of Latin America." The Venezuelan gov­ affirmed Reagan's support for the deci" The FMLN's October offensive under­ 1961 to land a counterrevolutionary force ernment has also joined the Movement of sions Enders had orchestrated at San Jose. scored its continued strength, mobility, on Cuban soil. Nonaligned Countries and moved to im­ Lopez Portillo and Herrera persisted, and popular support. The step-up in counterrevolutionary at­ prove diplomatic ties with Cuba. trying to organize a meeting between As of October 22, according to the New tacks in July coincided with U.S.-Hondu­ Ortega and Suazo Cordova in Caracas on York Times, "leftist guerrillas continued to ran military maneuvers near the border. Hypocrisy in San Jose October 13. Again Ortega communicated hold several villages in the northern and The latter served as cover for the shipment Similar appeals for talks were sent by Nicaragua's readiness to attend, but the eastern sections of the country, and there of large quantities of supplies and materiel Lopez Portillo and Herrera to President meeting fell through when Suazo Cordova was no sign that the Government planned to the exile camps, and for Washington's Roberto Suazo Cordova of Honduras and refused to participate. any immediate major efforts to remove massive buildup of the Honduran army's to Commander Daniel Ortega, coordinator The flat rejection of talks by the Hondu­ them." own forces. U.S. military aid to Honduras of Nicaragua's Junta of National Recon­ ran regime is a further ominous sign that it From Intercontinental Press has increased by at least 700 percent over struction. the last three years. Ortega responded within two days, Unprecedented military exercises reiterating Nicaragua's longstanding readi­ ness to hold talks with the Honduran gov­ A further escalation in the military pres­ ernment. After 10 days, Suazo Cordova re­ sure on Nicaragua from Honduras is now plied by suggesting that Mexico and Ven­ being readied. "A joint U.S.-Honduran ezuela would do better to press Nicaragua military exercise of unprecedented scale is "to restore its original commitments to the being planned here with the aim of in­ international community." The Honduran timidating Nicaragua's revolutionary gov­ government, he protested, had already ernment," a dispatch from the Honduran "shown more than enough patience and capital, Tegucigalpa, to the October 17 prudence in face Gf repeated provocations" Washington Post reported. from Nicaragua. Diplomatic and government sources in Reagan held off any reply until the State Tegucigalpa told Post correspondent Department could put together a so-called Christopher Dickey that the maneuvers Forum for Peace and Democracy in San would involve "a substantial feint near the Jose, Costa Rica, the first week of Oc­ border to convince the Sandinistas - as tober. In attendance were foreign ministers one official put it - 'that they will be from Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, finished' if they do not bend to the general Jamaica, Colombia, and Belize; observers · Militant/Fred Murphy line adopted by Washington and Hon­ from Panama and the Dominican Republic; Demonstration in Managua in 1981. The Nicaraguan people have pledged their sup­ duras." and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for port to the liberation fighters of El Salvador. As a senior Honduran officer bluntly put it to the New York Times in July, "We can't have a socialist government" in Nicaragua. "It's them or us." The Post article reported "growing con­ Salvadoran junta and U.S. cover up cern" in Tegucigalpa diplomatic circles that the December maneuvers "could acci­ dentally touch off a real war" between kidnapping of fifteen rebel leaders Honduras and Nicaragua. But there seems to be little that is acci­ BY NELSON GONZALEZ turo Rivera y Damas, said the disappear­ seized by government security forces and dental about it. Washington would like no­ On October 22 five labor leaders and ances "appear to be a well~outlined plan to brutally tortured and murdered in a similar thing better than to provoke just such a five leaders of the Salvadoran Revolution­ remove the internal leadership" of · the attempt to behead the FDR leadership. conflict, charge Nicaragua with aggres­ ary Democratic Front (FDR) were reported FDR. "In this way," he said, "they weaken The 15 who are missing belong to the sion, and use that as the pretext for massive kidnapped by armed men in plainclothes. all attempts at dialogue between the gov­ National Revolutionary Movement, the intervention against the Sandinista revolu­ Additional reports however, indicate that ernment and guerrilla forces." Popular Social Christian Movement, the tion. the total number of missing political and la­ Independent Movement of Professionals Commander Daniel Ortega, coordinator The kidnappings, which, according to a bor leaders has reached 15. and Technicians of El Salvador, the Trade of Nicaragua's Junta of National Recon­ report in the October 23 New York Times, Rev. Jesus Delgado, who gave the ser­ Union Federation of Salvadoran Workers struction, told the EFE news agency Oc­ took place in separate incidents during the mon on October 24 at San Salvador's main and the United Federation of Salvadoran tober 23 that his government had received previous week, were carried out by heavily cathedral in place of acting Archbishop Ar- Trade Unions. a series of "reports that coincide in pointing armed men in civilian dress. to the month of December as the date fixed In a statement issued by Guillermo by the United States for mobilizing coun­ Ungo, president of the FDR, and Ruben terrevolutionary forces in a massive way Zamora and Eduardo Calles, members of From Pathfinder against the Nicaraguan revolution." EFE its executive committee, they charged that reported in Managua that "official U.S. the government was responsible for the Nicaragua: spokesmen refused to comment" on kidnapping. This action, they said, made An introduction Ortega's statement. "a joke of the call for peace made by the Catholic Church." to the Sandinista 'Kick in the teeth for Reagan' Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to El Sal­ Revolution vador Dean R. Hinton termed the kidnap­ By Arnold Weissberg, Managua cor­ The Reagan administration ha§ been pings as "thoroughly regrettable" and said respondent for Intercontinental Press. campaigning for months around the theme he was "reasonably certain" that they had A clearly written description of pre­ that Nicaragua's defense preparations con­ not been done under government orders. revolutionary Nicaragua, the insurrec­ stitute an "unwarranted military buildup" However, just three days later the Oc­ tion, the far-reaching social measures and a threat to Nicaragua's regional neigh­ tober 26 New York Times reported that the taken by the Sandinista government bors. Salvadoran Defense Ministry admitted to and the U.S. government's response. But Washington's propaganda drive be holding 8 of the fifteen people missing. 48 pp., $.95. Add $.75 for postage. took a big blow October 19 when a two­ thirds majority in the UN General Assem­ The world was treated to a carbon copy Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West bly voted to place Nicaragua on the Sec­ Militant/Fred Murphy of these events in November 1980 when Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. urity Council. Guillermo Ungo more than 20 leaders of the FDR were

4 The Militant November 5, 1982 Construction workers in Nicaragua urge gov't to improve wages, work conditions

mands on the overall economic plan the "It's hard for them to come here and government is trying to advance, or the ef­ work here under these conditions," he said, fect of its demands on other sectors of the and we have to pay them and house them at working class. international standards. Unfortunately, we In Managua, for example, SCAAS cannot afford to pay Nicaraguan techni­ workers went out on strike in January 1980 cians at the same rate. "That's a reality we in opposition to a government program to just have to face." create more jobs by reducing hours and wages of relatively well-paid SCAAS And we do not have on-the-job problems workers employed on a national project. with the Italian workers because they're Italian, Ortega added. Since September 1981, strikes have "We have the same problems among been prohibited by Jaw in Nicaragua. ourselves, between Nicaraguan technicians The government, the FSLN, and the and Nicaraguan workers. It's an inheri­ leadership of the Sandinista Workers Fed­ tance of the past. eration (CST) argue that this is a necessary "Some technicians are arrogant. And not measure to face up to the imperialist threat all members of the working class display a and the economic crisis, and that other perfect level of organization, cooperation, channels now exist to resolve labor dis­ and discipline in their work." putes.2 The real problem we face, Ortega said, The union leaders at Momotombo, by is productivity. taking the step of publicly presenting their "Workers don't want to work as hard as grievances to Ortega, indicated they were they did before the revolution. And that's not satisfied with the response they had so not right. Before the revolution, when you far received. Meeting between construction workers and Commander Ortega. had the boss over you, you worked hard. What the rank-and-file workers at We have to work even harder now, because Momotombo actually thought could not we are working for ourselves, for the entire BY MICHAEL BAUMANN Present in the audience were some 50 easily be determined. Those who attended nation." MOMOTOMBO GEOTHERMAL workers, several top officials of the rev­ the meeting stood with their arms folded Ortega urged the workers to try to estab­ PROJECT, Nicaragua- "Why are Italian olutionary government, and 20 journalists, during most of it. lish better communication with the Minis­ technicians paid twice as much as Nicara­ including correspondents for Intercontin­ As each of the union leaders finished his try of Labor. You can't expect miracles, he guans? On top of that, they don't treat us ental Press. remarks, Commander Ortega took written told them, because it has limited resources very well." The meeting, held September 25, re­ copies of their complaints. He then asked and receives a vast quantity of complaints "Why do they have private, air-condi­ flected several of the <;lifficult problems the for permission to speak. similar to yours. tioned living quarters while we sleep four revolution faces. "But it is an instrument of the revolu­ to a small room, with poor light, sanita­ The geothermal project itself, when it Ortega replies tion, it is headed by revolutionaries, and tion, food, and no recreational facilities?" enters initial operation next year, will be a Despite the country's economic limita­ the revolution has confidence in it." "We need more workers and more con­ major advance to the country's economic tions, he said, many of the concerns ex­ The meeting closed with applause and struction equipment if we're going to finish potential. pressed seemed justified, particularly the the chanting of revolutionary slogans. this project on time." But it is being built in an isolated, hot, requests for militia equipment, better food, The workers then began to discuss the is­ "Our wages are too low for this kind of muggy, mosquito-plagued area on the a television, and recreational facilities. He sues among themselves as they boarded work under these conditions. We need a northern shore of Lake Managua, with few said that the regional government commis­ buses for the weekend trip to their readjustment." amenities for the workers who are based sion, the Institute of Energy, and the homes. What had been scheduled as a brief in­ there six days a week. Ministry of Labor would be asked to look From Intercontinental Press formational visit to the vast geothermal into these complaints. project underway here concluded with a Problems facing revolution But wage adjustments, he said, are prac­ public presentation of workers' complaints 1. The CGT(i) (Independent General Workers The geothermal project, like everything tically impossible because of the economic Federation), although relatively small, is a pol­ and concerns to the Sandinista govern­ else in Nicaragua, is being carried out in crisis. itically important union federation. It is affiliat­ ment. the context of the undeclared war - both "Remember," he said, "that when they ed with the pro-Moscow Socialist Party of Nica­ At the closing ceremony, union leaders military and economic - that American give wage increases in other countries; ragua (PSN); and through the SCAAS it organ­ representing the construction workers imperialism is carrying out against the what they do is raise the price of everything izes about one-third of the country's construc­ union SCAAS and Nicaraguan technicians tion workers. Nicaraguan revolution. else even more." What the Sandinista gov­ working on the project put these questions According to official figures from the Minis­ Money is short, for everything. Major ernment does, on the other hand, is to try to and more to Commander Daniel Ortega, try of Labor, the CGT(i) has 6,500 members, resources have to be devoted to defense maintain workers' buying power through coordinator Of the Junta of National Recon­ 4,400 of whom are construction workers. By against increasing attacks by the 5,000 subsidized and controlled prices. struction. contrast, the main union federation, the Sandi­ counterrevolutionaries armed, trained, and "There are some workers who should nista Workers Federation (CST) has 84,000 paid by the U.S. government and stationed have wage increases," he added. "Those members (two-thirds of the country's organized in camps just across the northern border work force), 9,000 of whom are construction Geothermal power are the workers who are still receiving less workers. with Honduras. than the minimum wage, of whom, unfor­ At the same time, funds available to the The CGT(i), it should be noted, does not ac­ for Nicaragua tunately, there are still a great many. They cept these figures. It publicly claims a member­ government are declining. On the one are the first priority." ship of 20,000, but has never presented docu­ hand, the cutoff in U.S. economic aid and MOMOTOMBO GEOTHERMAL In response to the question about the mentation to back this up. U.S. pressure to reduce loans and grants PROJECT, Nicaragua - Nicaragua is a foreign technicians' wages and living con­ from other sources is making its impact 2. For a more thorough treatment of the consid­ land of lakes and volcanos. Although the ditions, he explained that the project was erations involved in the ban on strikes in Nicara­ technology has long existed to use this felt. being built in coordination with the Italian gua, see "The FSLN, the working class, and the On the other, revenues from exports will combination as a cheap, renewable, non­ government, which was providing technol­ economic emergency" by Fred Murphy, Inter­ be sharply reduced this year, as a result of polluting source of energy, it took the San­ ogy and experts Nicaragua did not have. continental Press November 30, 1981, p. 1170. the disastrous floods last May and a severe dinista revolution to begin to bring this to drought that hit the key northern agricul­ reality. tural provinces in July and August. Plans, research, and investigation for Badly needed spare parts, machinery, this first geothermal unit date back to the Tomas Borge's speech in 'IP' and fuel - all of which must be paid for in mid-1960s, but it is only in the last three dollars- are in increasingly short supply. years that the project has really moved The November 1 issue of Intercontinen­ lentlessly weighs down upon them." What funds are available are devoted to ahead. tal Press features a speech by Commander He explains later that, "A concrete an­ health care, education, agrarian reform and Today, atop this remote 10-square-mile Tomas Borge Martinez, Nicaraguan minis­ swer to these questions will be possible increasing crop yields, long-range projects area of proven geothermal potential, one of ter of the interior and a leader of the San­ only to the extent that the individual tasks like Momotombo, and $10-million-a­ the world's most modem power plants is dinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). of women are socialized. It is society that month price subsidies on basic food and being built. Marking the fifth anniversary of the has to provide the necessary daycare cen­ Thirty-two wells have been dug to tap consumer items. women's movement in Nicaragua, it was ters, laundries, people's restaurants, and The plain truth, however, is that not the earth's own steam. Twenty ofthem are delivered in Leon September 29. other services that will, in effect free everyone in Nicaragua either fully under­ productive, and the first five will be tapped women from household work. This is not stands this context or agrees completely Addressing a rally of 2,000 women, in­ to tum turbines when the unit enters initial easy." with the way priorities within it are de­ cluding leaders of the Association of operation in June 1983. He goes on to describe what Nicaragua cided. It would be utopian to expect that Nicaraguan Women, Borge discussed the The first unit will provide 35 megawatts is doing in this regard in spite of the great they would. oppression of women in Nicaragua before of electrical power, saving Nicaragua the workers and peasants overthrew economic difficulties facing the country. $60,000 a day over what it would cost to The full text of the speech can be ob­ Political conflict Somoza in 1979, the many problems produce the same electricity with imported women still face, and what the revolution­ tained for $1.25 by writing to IP, 14 oil. Research indicates that a second unit, SCAAS, the Union of Carpenters, ary government is doing to resolve them. Charles Lane, New York, N.Y., 10014. A at the same site and producing an equal Bricklayers, Assembly Workers, and Al­ six-month subscription to the biweekly amount of power, is feasible. lied Trades, is an example of this reality. Borge points out that women have made news magazine can be purchased for Eight more geothermal sites located Affiliated with the union federation a big contribution to the general economic $12.50. throughout the country are believed to offer CGT(i), 1 it has a tradition of conflict with and social advances in Nicaragua in the similar potential, and studies are continu­ the revolutionary government. past three years. "Nevertheless," he says, ing on them. Two major hydroelectric The conflict stems, at bottom, from the "all of us have to honestly admit that we plants are also on the drawing board. fact that the CGT(i) leadership, although it haven't confronted the struggle for Subscribe to Perspectiva Mundial, Nicaragua's overall plan for meeting in­ formally accepts the Sandinista . govern­ women's liberation with the same courage biweekly, Spanish-language sister pub­ creased power needs calls for a 20-year ment as one that represents the workers and and decisiveness. Independently of the fact lication of the Militant. $2.50 for 6 is­ budget of $765 million. If the goals can be farmers, often acts as if the government that women, in this stage, continue to bear sues, $8 for 6 months, or $16 for one met, by 1991 Nicaragua will produce more was a capitalist regime. As a result, the the main responsibility for reproduction year. Write to 408 West St., New York, than four-fifths of its electricity through CGT(i) advances economic dem:;tnds with­ and the care of children, the burden of New York 10014. geothermal and hydroelectric plants. out taking into account the impact of its de- housework and discrimination still re-

November 5, 1982 The Militant 5 -SELLING THE SOCIALIST PRESS------launched a campaign to defend Fall Militant/PM Sales Goal their right to sell the Militant and campaign at the plant. Moriarty is­ SALES SCOREBOARD sued a statement condemning Ford and the Edison police department (Militant issue #39, PM issue #19) Militant PM Total for interfering with her campaign Area Goal!Sold Goal/Sold Goal!Sold % supporters. Speaking on a tele­ vised debate sponsored by the Price 55/114 517 60/121 202 League of Women Voters, she Philadelphia 200/388 20/35 220/423 192 explained the importance of the Milwaukee 185/300 15/13 2001313 157 Should be: 22,500 45,000 discussion going on now among San Antonio 75/91 35/80 110/171 155 auto workers as a result of the Miami 85/138 15/11 100/149 149 Los Angeles 125/120 40/114 165/234 142 Week 4: 25,727 sold to date Chrysler contract rejection and pledged that her campaigners Seaside 45/61 516 50/67 134 would return to the plant. Dallas 45/48 30/49 75/97 129 Socialists are on a special were restricted to selling at the en­ Iron Range 50/63 0/0 50/63 126 mobilization to widely distribute trance to the parking lot, they sold And return they did, equipped San Francisco 100/89 30/68 130/157 121 campaign material for socialist 44 copies of the Militant and one with a statement they distributed Boston 1351152 15/28 150/180 120 candidates in the 10-day period PM in an hour. One Black worker entitled, "Can Ford and the Edison Newark 145/175 45/53 190/228 120 leading up to the November 2 saw the headline and said, "That's Police Tell You What to Read?" Oakland 100/116 10116 110/132 120 elections. Initial reports indicate just what I need, a militant news­ The socialists campaigned on­ Harrisburg 50159 515 55164 116 Chicago 1401152 20/34 160/186 116 that the campaign is going well. paper." harassed for over an hour, se!ling 18 copies of the Militant. Twin Cities 195/228 514 200/232 116 By Sunday, Virginia social­ Betsy Soares reported that a lot Pittsburgh 225/260 010 225/260 116 ists had sold 120 papers, well over of workers bought the paper based Socialists in the New York­ New Jersey area finished the week Gary 65176 5/4 70/80 114 their regular weekly goal. In on seeing the headline "After Phoenix 120/136 55/62 175/198 113 Washington, D.C. ,245 Militants Three Years of Sacrifice, Chrysler having sold 57 copies of the Mili­ Morgantown 85/96 010 85/96 113 and 75 PMs were sold in three Workers Say 'Enough'." tant at three auto plants. Detroit 90/97 7/12 97/109 112 days. Socialists in Kansas City sold Piedmont 90/100 0/1 90/101 112 As of the third day of the , 42 copies of the Militant at a GM Tidewater 901100 010 90/100 111 mobilization, an additional 700 plant in Fairfax, Kansas. Fourteen Jobless workers St. Louis 150/166 010 1501166 Ill papers were shipped to areas that of the papers were sold by socialist Atlanta 120/135 5/2 125/137 110 Salt Lake City 90/97 517 95/104 109 had already gone way over their workers in the plant to their co­ like 'Militant' Manhattan 300/298 100/137 400/435 109 original plans for sales. We will workers. A number of areas report suc­ Houston 90/88 25/37 115/125 109 have a full report on the results of Indianapolis socialists report Cincinnati 90196 0/1 90/97 108 the first seven days of the special that at a. shift change at a Chrys­ cessful sales at unemployment of­ Wash., D.C. 160/166 25/31 185/197 106 campaign effort next week. ler foundry there, they sold out the fices. Cincinnati socialists report Birmingham 110/116 010 110/116 105 20 Militants they brought with that their unemployment office Albuquerque 55156 10/12 65/68 105 them in a short time. sale is the most rewarding sale of Denver 100/106 10/9 110/115 105 the week, as they run into industri­ New Orleans 100/103 0/1 100/104 104 Auto workers al workers from a number of in­ San Diego 65170 15113 80/83 104 like 'Militant' dustries there. They sold 20 copies Tucson 35/51 25/11 60/62 103 N.J. campaigners . of the Militant to unemployed Schenectady 100/102 2/3 102/105 103 The coverage in the October 22 workers last week. Charleston 70172 0/0 70172 103 take on Ford Brooklyn 175/172 50159 225/231 Militant of the Chrysler workers' In nearby McKeesport, which is 103 rejection of the concession con­ Supporters of Claire Moriarty, LouisviUe 80/82 0/0 80/82 103 located in an area where un­ Baltimore 300/307 0/0 300/307 102 tract offered by the giant au­ SWP candidate for U.S. Senate employment among steelworkers Lincoln 50/51 0/0 50/51 102 tomaker was received with interest from New Jersey, lost no time in is high, supporters of SWP candi­ Portland 60/61 0/0 60/61 102 at auto plants around the country. getting the Militant into the hands date Mark Zola, who is running Cleveland 105/99 10/16 1151115 100 A team of three Militant suppor­ of workers at the Metuchen Ford for Governor of Pennsylvania, Seattle 105/97 5/6 110/103 94 ters from Philadelphia took the plant in New Jersey. Campaigners have found a warm reception to Militant and Perspectiva Mundial went to the plant October 15, and Kansas City 90/85 511 95/86 91 socialist ideas. An ali-day team to San Jose 90173 20118 110/91 83 to a Chrysler plant in Newark, De­ within 10 minutes, after having the unemployment office there Toledo 70/56 0/0 70/56 80 laware, where the contract had sold five papers, they were run out sold 100 copies of the Militant last Indianapolis 40/28 0/0 40/28 70 been overwhelmingly rejected. of the area by plant security and week with the help of a campaign Totals 5,295/5,992 674/966 5,969/6,958 117 This was the first time the Militant. Edison cops. They were told that it supporter from McKeesport. had ever been sold at the plant, was illegal to sell there. and despite the fact that socialists The socialists immediately -BY SANDI SHERMAN Rail bosses frame workers in train derailment BY JOHN CHARBONNET during the accident and "the girlfriend was arrests with skepticism. away from toxic chemicals and whose NEW ORLEANS - Illinois Central at the throttle." Travis Herring, whose mother's house home was destroyed, told the press he had Gulf and state officials have attempted to After the three were released on bond, was destroyed, told a State-Times reporter: complained several times about the condi­ place-the blame for Louisiana's worst rail­ the engineer angrily criticized the media's "Did you ever see it when they didn't lay it tion of the rails near his home. road disaster on three rail workers. coverage in an interv~ew with the Baton off on a working man? I'm not excusing The ICG line, along which the derail­ The accident occurred shortly before Rouge State-Times. He stated that he be­ what they done, mind you, I'm just not ment occurred, has a history of accidents. dawn September 28 when a 101-car ICG lieved pressure was placed on officials to willing to sit here and buy that as the cause In 1980 a trairi derailed in nearby Ham­ freight train carrying hazardous chemicals make an arrest. of the wreck." mond spilling hazardous chemicals and derailed in the center of Livingston, a small Robertson strongly denied the train was Carol Lebio, another resident, stated: forcing the evacuation of 2,500 people. In rural town 30 miles east of Baton Rouge. A speeding or that he was drunk. He said the "Sounds to me like they're about to dump 1978 an ICG train derailed in Walker, total of 43 cars left the tracks. Of these, 36 train was traveling within the 35 mph limit, this on their laps." seven miles west of Livingston. contained hazardous chemicals including and he argued that even if the charges were The residents also expressed their views ICG spokespeople have stated that its in­ vinyl chloride and tetra-ethyl lead. true they would not explain the derailment. at a public meeting sponsored by ICG and vestigation has found the "official" cause Fires and explosions spread poisonous "The FRA [Federal Railroad Administra­ government health officials designed to of the accident to be a broken center pin on fumes and destroyed or damaged over 20 tion] said it was 36 mph and the state police convince them the town was now safe to one of the cars. Such an explanation would homes. Those residents living next to the said it was 39 mph. You can't really say live in. The audience raised questions be to the advantage of the company, since tracks were barely able to escape in time. speed was a factor," he said. abOut the possibility of future train derail­ responsibility for the accident would then State police sealed off the entire town and Robertson also denied the clerk drove ments and the long-term effects of the rest with the owner of the tank car, which some 3,300 area residents were forced to the train and explained that she was catch­ spilled chemicals. is seldom the railroad. On the other hand, evacuate their homes for the next two ing a ride to another ICG station. "It's pot Livingston residents are knowledgeable the railroad owns the track and is responsi­ weeks while the intense chemical fire uncommon for railroad employees to catch about hazardous chemicals. Many work at ble for its maintenance. burned itself out. rides. They do it all the time," he said. chemical plants or refineries in the Baton As if to underscore the concerns of Several days after the accident, the Na­ Asked why the clerk had no permit, he Rouge industrial corridor. As one person Livingston residents, on October 13, the tional Transportation Safety Board claimed answered, "Who's going to get a permit at put it, "We want to know what's going to day after they were permitted to return to that the train's engineer had been drinking four in the morning?" happen 10, 15, 20 years from now." their homes, a Kansas City Southern beforehand and that the trai~ was speeding. When questioned by the press about the Shortly after the accident occurred, freight train derailed and caught fire near On October 14 state police arrested the arrests, ICG Vice-president Robert some residents pointed to poorly main­ the Louisiana town of Vivian. Fortunately, engineer, Edward Robertson, and the O'Brien ,at first accused the engineer of tained tracks as the probable cause of the the cars carrying hazardous chemicals re­ brakeman, James Reeves, as well as an changing his story. He then remarked, wreck. Hannon Stewart, an ex-Dow mained on the tracks and no one was in­ ICG clerk, ~anet Byrd. All three were "Everybody is lying to everybody." Chemical worker who quit his job to get jured. charged with "reckless handling of hazard­ Cathy Westphal, manager of public rela­ ous materials." State Police Commander tions for ICG, later admitted to the press: Grover "Bo" Garrison claimed that the "What the crew members were doing in the train was speeding, that Robertson and engine cab was not the cause of the acci­ Reeves were drunk, and that the clerk was dent." Nevertheless, the three were sus­ operating the train when it derailed. He pended awaiting a formal hearing. Nor said the investigation was carried out to­ have the state police charges been dropped. gether with special agents for the railroad. The arrests coincided with the return, The local media trumpeted the wildest after two frustrating weeks, of the 2, 700 charges against the three. The New Orleans residents of Livingston to their homes. If Tirnes-Picayune!States-/tem stated: "A ICG and state officials hoped the arrests woman railroad employee just along for the Would allay the fears and divert the anger ride was at the throttle of the speeding of residents, they were in for a surprise. train." The newspaper quoted a "source While some people were mildly critical close to the investigation" as saying that of the workers as a result of the media Rail workers framed in hazardous waste train derailment (from left) Edward Robert­ the engineer and brakeman were asleep smears, residents generally reacted to the son, Janet Byrd, and James Reeves.

6 The Militant November 5, 1982 Two killed in assault on Ariz. Black town BY BOB THOMPSON to get them started," pointed out Anne MIRACLE VALLEY, Ariz. -Cochise James. She hoped they wouldn't try to County deputies shot and killed two leaders cover up the events but doubted if Gover­ of the Black community here on October nor Babbit of Arizona, who ordered the in­ 23. The victims were William Thomas and vestigation, really cared about the Black Augusta Tate. The attack climaxed three community of Miracle Valley. years . of harassment against the 300- Major dailies in the state, such as the member Black Christ Miracle Healing Arizona Republic, the Arizona Star, and Center and Church. others have grossly distorted the events in According to eyewitnesses, including Miracle Valley, attempting to portray the Anne James, William Thomas's sister, 30 Black community as some bizarre "Jim police units from five different law en­ Jones"-type sect. forcement agencies arrived in the commu­ Robert Roper, Socialist Workers Party nity' on the morning of October 23. Two candidate for U.S. Senate, Jessica Samp­ church members were served three traffic­ son, SWP candidate for Congress, and related warrants. The church leaders had some campaign supporters, however, went already told Sheriff Judd that the two were to Miracle Valley right away to get the real out of town. The police showed up anyway story. On the same day that the shooting in full riot gear. took place they were in Miracle Valley After searching the home of James Pick­ learning for themselves what happened and ett, the deputies assaulted a 13-year-old expressing their solidarity with the com­ girl. Several church members attempted to munity against the cops. Racist cops attacking unarmed residents of Miracle Valley on October 23. assist the girl. William Thomas came run­ ning up the road with his arms up yelling, "Stop, wait, let's see what's happening here." He turned his back on the police in order to calm down the others so that he On campaign road in Mich.: socialists could talk to the police. A deputy sitting in a car took out his ri­ fle, aimed it at Thomas's back and fired. Other deputies then opened fire on the un­ reach Chrysler, jobless workers armed crowd. Augusta Tate was also shot in the back. DETROIT- "Hi, I'm running for gov­ Thomas later died of his wounds while ernor. I'm a union member myself, and I two other church members were in critical think our union should form a labor party condition for 24 hours in Tucson Hospital. to put working people in office." With When the shooting was over the cops got these words, Socialist Workers Party can­ back in their cars and left the scene. Anne didate for governor of Michigan, Tim James said, "The cops didn't give first aid, Craine, introduced himself to assembly they didn't call an ambulance, they left our line workers at the Whirlpool washing ma­ people lying in the dirt." chine factory in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Anne James emphasized that the attack He was on a company-organized tour of the was unprovoked and that the residents were plant for "candidates day." Craine, a unarmed. "I can't understand why you kill member of the Detroit Federation of because you want to serve a traffic ticket," Teachers, and campaign supporter Mike she said. Hills distributed 400 pieces of literature. According to James a deputy also aimed They found a positive response from the his rifle at Reverend Thomas, mother of workers, members of International Associ­ William Thomas. Several teenage girls ation of Machinists Local 1981 , to the idea then surrounded her. The cops ordered of a labor party. They also heard many fa­ them out of the way. They shouted back, vorable comments in response to the slo­ "If you're going to kill Mrs. Thomas' gan, "Jobs, Not War," featured on their you're going to have to kill us too." The campaign buttons. deputies then backed off. Benton Harbor, a city of 16,000 on the Tim Craine, candidate for governor of Elizabeth Ziers, candidate for lieutenant Later the police sealed off the area and shore of Lake Michigan, is, like many Michigan governor arrested several people, charging them areas of the state, an economic disaster with assaulting a police officer. The she­ area for working people. Production at the with many laid-off Chrysler employees On October 23 Craine, Ziers, and SWP riff's deputies also began to cover up their Whirlpool plant is down from three assem­ who. agree with him that the 1979 conces­ chair Malik Miah spoke at a campaign rally shooting by picking up rifle shells, wiping bly lines to two. As one worker said to sions agreement did not save their jobs. A in Detroit, which 50 people attended. up blood, and cleaning up the area. One Craine, "I need a new washing machine reporter for WWJ Radio recently accom­ Civil liberties attorney James Lafferty and teenage girl walking around was asked by myself, but I cannot afford to buy one." panied Craine on his door-to-door tour-in­ Bob Fitrakis, a leading member of Detroit cops what she had in her hand. She replied Other area factories have closed, and terviewing workers who said they were fed Democratic Socialists of America also that she had nothing in her hand. They an­ Benton Harbor has one of the highest un­ up with the two major parties and were spoke at the rally, endorsing Craine for swered that if they saw anything in her employment rates in the state. considering voting socialist. governor. Two rally participants asked to hand they would shoot because "martial Craine's visit to Benton Harbor came as Elizabeth Ziers, SWP candidate for join the Young Socialist Alliance. law has been declared here, This is our part of a trip to western Michigan. During lieutenant governor and laid-off Ford auto country." this trip he also spoke to 125 people in worker, issued a statement attacking con­ During the last week of the campaign, Cochise County has had a long history of Grand Rapids at a forum sponsored by the cessions and pointing out that the Demo­ several major media events are scheduled. racial violence. In 1976 the Hannigan League of Women Voters and the Institute cratic candidate for governor, James Blan­ The League of Women Voters is sponsor­ Brothers, millionaire ranchers, tortured for Global Education, an antiwar organiza­ chard, who helped engineer the Chrysler ing a televised debate October 28, at which and shot two Mexican workers. An all­ tion. During a panel presentation with rep­ concession agreement in 1979, promises, all gubernatorial candidates, in;;luding white jury acquitted them, (the case was resentatives of the other candidates, Craine if elected, "to give us all the Chrysler treat­ Craine, will participate equally. In addi­ appealed to a higher court and one brother was the only panelist to receive applause, ment from Lansing [Michigan state capi­ tion, Craine will take part in a debate Oc­ was found guilty while the other was found for his proposal to take funds from the mil­ tal]." Her statement has been distributed at tober 30 to be shown on public television innocent). itary budget to create a massive public local Chrysler plants. stations. Still another example of this racism oc­ works program and for his support of the curred when the Black residents of Cochise Nicaraguan and Salvadoran revolutions. County asked for traffic signs to be put up The 1982 Michigan campaign has been along the dirt roads near their community one of the most extensive socialist cam­ Racism fought on N.Mex. campus for the protection of their children. One paigns in the state in many years. Feature sign installed displayed two small figures articles on Craine recently appeared in rna- · BY JEFF JONES tion and led the Student Publications Board with the letters "N" and "A" on their jor daily newspapers such as the Flint Jour­ ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- An edito­ to suspend the editor, Marcy McKinley. chests. Reverend Thomas explained that nal, Kalamazoo Gazette, Royal Oak Trib­ rial in the student newspaper at the Univer­ The suspension occurred at a meeting Oc­ the letters stood for "nigger asshole." No une, Yipsilanti Press,and the Grand Rap­ sity of New Mexico here has provoked an tober 15 that had to be moved twice be­ other signs in the state have such letters ids Press. angry response from students, especially cause the rooms were too small to hold the printed on them. Interviews with Craine have been tele­ Blacks and Chicanos. The editorial, pub­ number of furious students that filled them. In protest, church members. withdrew cast on at least eight TV stations. lished in the October 13 issue of the Daily A counterattack was launched by the Al­ their children from the Palominas School. Flint is one city where the socialist cam­ Lobo belittled the racist obstacles to educa­ buquerque Journal, a local daily, in an In another instance of harassment and paign has been received with great interest. tion for minorities. Seizing on test scores editorial October 16, headlined "No to intimidation Steven Lindsey, 25, was Unemployment stands officially at 25 per­ released on the Scholastic Aptitude Test Mob Rule." The Journal argued that killed when a bomb destroyed the van in cent as General Motors, the city's major (SAT), managing editor Mark Blazek McKinley's suspension represented cen­ which he· and three other church members employer, has cut back production. Craine wrote that they "proved what every one sorship. It avoided the issue of student con­ were riding in September 1981. The police and socialist campaigners have received an knew all along - minorities are academi­ trol of the student newspaper. claimed that the bomb was being transport­ enthusiastic response at unemployment of­ cally inferior to whites." He concluded that McKinley retained the services of a local ed in the van to be used to blow up the Sier­ fices, shopping centers, food stamp lines, "Minority groups should stop clamoring law firm. Under the threat of a lawsuit over ra Vista jail where two church members and at Mott Community College. The Flint with catch words like 'discrimination' until alleged violations of due process in her sus­ were being held. Voice, a biweekly alternative newspaper, they can prove malicious intent, i.e., racial pension, the Student Publications Board In June church members filed a $75 mil­ featured the campaign in a full-page story, discrimination." · reinstated her October 20. The Board voted lion lawsuit against Cochise County offi­ which concluded that all progressive peo­ The day following the appearance of the to hold a formal hearing October 27 on cials charging them with violating the civil ple should consider voting for Craine. editorial angry students organized a news charges of misconduct, mismanagement, rights of the Miracle Valley church In the Detroit area, the socialist cam­ conference where they blasted its racist and neglect of duty brought against members. paign has been favorably received by character. A march was organized on the McKinley. After the murder of Thomas and Tate the Chrysler workers, who have just voted Lobo offices. A flood of letters against the Students on the campus are still organiz­ FBI and the Border Patrol have launched over 2-to-1 against the contract offered by editorial appeared in the Lobo, including ing protests against the racist editorial and an "investigation." the company. Campaigning door-to-door from members of the Lobo staff. the denial of their right to control their "It's a shame it took these two murders on Detroit's East Side, Craine has talked This pressure forced Blazek's resigna- newspaper.

November S, 1982 The Militant 7 The case of Cuba's 'wheelchair poet'

BY HARRY RING OK, it may be argued, put aside the It would surely seem a case to evoke question of how his legs were afflicted and righteous indignation. A poet in a wheel­ when he was cured. The fact remains that a Q.l'l$11W;,A. :'t! ,. 4A ~fill~- ~1'-C~W<-'»-· chair confined in a Cuban prison for 22 young student, a Catholic, a poet, an op~­ years for criticizing Fidel Castro. · nent of the Batista regime, was jailed for ::lr:: : iJ:;·~r So great is the injustice that Fran~ois 22 years for simply criticizing the Castro · -..Atw.ll;:

BY DAVE PRINCE and working people as a whole. They also "judicial restraint" - to not defend Black crime, and the cops can pin ownership of SAN FRANCISCO - In California and reject the reactionary arguments of the rights. the gun on you, then you face a fine of up nationally, Democratic and Republican right-wing opponents of Proposition 15, The Democratic and Republican parties' to $25,000 for that fact alone. This too Party candidates are on a crime scare, law­ which foster the crime scare from another cry for a war on crime is also license for in­ would increase police frame-up pos­ and-order campaign. They call for more angle. creased police brutality. Justification of sibilities. cops and police powers, stiffer sentences, The law-and-order campaign is one as-· police murder in the streets and jails; use of Limiting the right to bear arms also chips more jails, and less rights for victims of pect of the attempt by the ruling rich to re­ the choke-hold, police dogs, and curfews; away at the right of working people to de­ capitalist "justice." Another theme calls for duce the democratic rights of all working wholesale deportations of undocumented fend themselves against ruling-class-in­ stepped-up use of the death penalty. people. They seek to tighten the noose workers- that's how law and order is en­ spired violence. For example, a Black fam­ President Reagan added his voice to the around any opposition, or potential oppo­ forced in this country. ily victimized by armed racist attacks, who mounting crescendo in an October 14 sition to their policies. defended themselves with a handgun, speech to the Justice Department in which Attorney General William French Smith Attack on labor would find that they faced stiff prison he declared that "crime today is an Amer­ gave an indication of what the war on terms and fines. ican epidemic." The law-and-order campaign is part of a crime is about in a speech to the Federal ruling-class offensive which is aimed at The crime scare is a fraud and reaction­ More jails? Legal Council one year ago. weakening and ultimately destroying the ary to the core. Its real aim is to foster ra­ "Already there have been many signifi­ cism and to roll back the democratic rights power of the unions. The California State AFL-CIO calls for a cant changes [since Reagan took office]. "yes" vote on Proposition 2 for financing of working people in general. We have proposed a comprehensive crime In the name of national security the com­ Under the guise of fighting crime, demo­ panies and government, with the help of more prisons to cut down on overcrowd­ package of more than 150 administrative ing. While working people have an interest cratic rights are curtailed. New laws are and legislative initiatives that would help labor spies and political police, have set adopted that will then be used against strik­ about firing union militants at Lockheed, in championing the demands of prisoners redress imbalance between the forces of for all types of immediate improvements in ers, fighters for Black and women's rights, law and the forces of lawlessness. We McDonnell Douglas, and other companies. socialists- against working people gener­ Cop violence and the use of scabs and their conditions, we have no interest in the have proposed a new approach to immigra­ reform approach that says the solution is to ally to intimidate them from fighting back tion and refugee policy designed to reassert strikebreakers against "criminal" striking against the attacks on their living standards workers are on the rise. build more and "better" prisons.- This is control over our own borders .... We liberal window dressing to bolster the and rights. have firmly enforced the law that forbids The failure of the labor officialdom to prison system which is used by the rulers to Two of the propositions on the Califor­ federal employees from striking. We have expose the bipartisan law-and-order cam­ nia ballot this November are part and par­ intimidate workers and the oppressed and opposed the distortion of the meaning of paign has made it easier for the ruling rich punish them for rebelling. cel of this anti-working-class campaign: equal protection by courts that mandate to carry out its policies. Proposition 15, a handgun-control meas­ counterproductive busing and quotas. We One important example is the failure of California Peace and Freedom candidate ure; and Proposition 2, a bond issue to fi­ have helped to select appointees to the fed­ the California AFL-CIO to take any posi­ for state Attorney General, Dan Siegel, nance more prisons. eral bench who understand the meaning of tion on gun control. So both supporters and calls for "Jobs not Jails." This slogan is de­ The campaign in the media for the gun­ judicial restraint." opponents of the measure have been able to signed to be an answer to the right-wing, control measure centers around the crime law-and-order campaign, but in fact it mis­ Helping "redress the imbalance between use Proposition 15 as a springboard to ad­ question. The vote "no" media campaign vance the antilabor crime scare. leads workers into accepting the arguments likewise fosters the crime scare, while also the forces of law and the forces of lawless­ of law-and-order advocates that the crimi­ appealing to the sentiment in favor of the ness" means giving cops more leeway in If passed, the handgun-control initiative nals are the unemployed workers. the kind of evidence they can introduce; would ban all sales of handguns in Califor­ democratic right to own a gun. Full employment under capitalism has widening police powers of search and seiz­ nia, after a grace period, in 1983, except to Among the supporters of Proposition 15 never eliminated crime. Organized crime ure; undermining the presumption of inno­ cops and an unspecified group called are Thomas Bradley, Democratic candi­ continues to flourish. Corruption continues cence until proven guilty, the right to bail, "special categories.'; date for governor; Edmund Brown, current to be generated at all levels of capitalist so­ and other democratic rights and guaran­ The law would require all handguns now governor and Democratic candidate for ciety. These attributes of capitalism are tees, which working people have fought to owned in California to be registered and U.S. Senate; and most police chiefs in the usually accelerated as the machinery of secure. impose stiff sentences and fines for the state. The vote "yes" campaign is organ­ capitalist exploitation, oppression, and ac­ The attempt to whip up a hysteria against ownership, sales, or importation into ized by an umbrella organization called cumulation operates full blast. The 1920s, "illegal-aliens" is also a central part of the California of unregistered guns. There Californians Against Street Crime. It's for example, were not known as crime-free racist law-and-order campaign as Attorney would be a mandatory minimum sen­ main slogan is, "Stop street guns. Enough years as compared to the 1930 depression is enough." General Smith indicated. The Democrats tence of six months in jail. The only guns and Republicans seek to put the blame for that could be sold would be those already years. The vote "no" campaign includes the Of course one of the reasons it is impor­ unemployment on "illegal" immigrant registered - those already owned by the antiunion leadership of the National Rifle tant to fight for jobs for our class is to re­ Association; George Deukmejian, Repub­ workers- Haitians, Asians, and Latinos. · time the grace period is up. Attorney General Smith's crowing over duce the circumstances that force desperate lican candidate for governor; and George Such a setup would be perfect for selec­ "firmly" forbidding federal employees workers to steal in order to feed their Nicholson, a drafter of the "Victim's Bill tive victimization by the cops. The law from striking refers to the smashing last families, to survive. of Rights" - a fake anticrime measure would be used to try and frame union mili­ It is true that unemployment and poverty adoped by referendum in June. This mea­ year of the air traffic controllers union (PATCO) - an indication of who he tants and Black activists or anyone else the must be eliminated. Fighting against un­ sure restricts the right to bail and other de­ cops don't like. Guns will be planted on employment increases the morale and self­ mocratic rights and allows police more lee­ thinks the criminals are. Smith's law-and-order campaign in­ militants, and police provocateurs will try confidence of the working class and is part way in introducing illegally obtained evi­ to entrap people through making arms cludes opposing busing to carry out school of the fight to eliminate the system that dence, etc. sales, etc. generates all kinds of antisocial acts. Those c(/.lling for a "no" vote charge that desegregation and any use of the courts by Another feature of the proposed law is But the axis of that fight must be against Proposition 15 will divert police from Black people and others to secure their that unregistered handgun is used in a the real criminal - capitalism. fighting crime. Their arguments go in the rights. Instead, he urges the courts to use i!an direction of abetting racist vigilantism in the fight against crime. The Democratic and Republican suppor­ U.N. meeting commemorates slain ANC leader ters of the handgun-control initiative argue they just want to take guns out of the hands BY ERNEST HARSCH enmity of the racist authorities. Representatives of a nm11ber of countries of criminals. The capitalist politicians op­ NEW YORK- "She has fallen, she has Imprisoned and detained a number of got up to condemn the murder of First and posed to the measure argue gun control will fallen, hero of heroes, she has fallen." times for her beliefs, First left South Africa to commemorate her life's struggle, in­ take guns out of the hands of "law-abiding" The chorus, in Zulu, filled the chapel of in 1964 to continue her fight against the cluding officials from Zambia, Swaziland, citizens. the Church Center for the United Nations apartheid regime from exile. And for that, Botswana, and Antigua. Both Democrat Bradley and Republican here October 14, as some 100 friends, dip­ she was killed. A representative of the South West Af­ Deukmejian support Proposition 2 for lomats, and comrades in struggle turned "Dying for the motherland and the revo­ rica People's Organization (SW APO), more jails. out to pay tribute to the life of Ruth First. lution has more significance than any other which is fighting for Namibia's indepen­ Mel Mason, independent candidate for First, a leader of the African National kind of death," stated Joaquim Chissano, dence from South African rule, stated that governor and a leader of the Socialist Congress (ANC) of South Africa, was Mozambique's foreign minister, who despite First's killing, "We in SWAPO are Workers Party; Juan Martinez, SWP can-· killed by a parcel bomb August 17 in Ma­ chaired the memorial meeting. fully convinced that the ANC will intensify didate for U.S. Senate; Pedro Vasquez, the struggle until apartheid is destroyed." puto, the capital of Mozambique. The Chissano noted that First's assassination SWP candidate for California secretary of ANC and the Mozambican government Lazaro Mora Secades, the Cuban repre­ state; and Seth Galinsky, SWP candidate was linked to the South African regime's have accused the apartheid regime in stepped-up attacks against Mozambique it­ sentative to the UN, spoke on behalf of the for U.S. Congress in the 24th District in neighboring South Africa of being behind Movement of Nonaligned Countries, of Los Angeles, oppose Propositions 2 and self, and other countries in the region. Pre­ the terrorist attack. toria's aim, he noted, was to get Mozam­ which Cuba is the chair. He blasted "racist 15. They urge working people to vote "no" Pretoria's attempts to annihilate the heroic First certainly was high on the South Af­ bique to end its support for the South Afri­ on both. resistance" and its acts of aggression rican regime's hit list. She had been an ac­ can liberation struggle. tive opponent of the white supremacist sys­ against neighboring countries. Attack on democratic rights tem in that country all her adult life, work­ "To this we say: No!" Chissano de­ Mora also condemned "certain Western The socialists oppose both measures be­ ing with both the ANC and the South Afri­ clared. "We reaffirm our support and sol­ powers" for their complicity with the apart­ cause they are part of the law-and-order can Communist Party since the 1940s. As idarity with the South African people and heid system, the South African occupation campaign aimed at the rights of Blacks, a white who linked her life to the struggle with its revolutionary vanguard, the Afri­ of Namibia, and Pretoria's aggression in Latinos, and other oppressed minorities for Black liberation, she won the particular can National Congress of South Africa." the region. November 5, 1982 The Militant 9 1ctimized unionists lile suit against Lockheed, gov't spying

BY JOHN STUDER jobs has won backing from a wide range of party and run its own candidates for of­ September 20, 1982, 15 members of the labor and civil rights leaders. Andrew fice." International Association of Machinists Young, mayor of Atlanta; Mark Stepp, in­ The next day, Lockheed got a report on (lAM) filed a $3 .4 million lawsuit against ternational vice-president of the United these events from the informer-named in Lockheed-Georgia corporation. In their Auto Workers; United Mine Workers loc­ the complaint as "John Doe." In a secret complaint, the lAM members "seek re­ als 1197 in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania, and "Industrial Relations Reserved Data" dress for defendants' conspiracy to deprive 6132 in Bessemer, Pennsylvania; Leamon memorandum written that day, defendant plaintiffs of . . . their First Amendment Hood, southeast area direCtor of American Lang outlined the launching of a "National rights; for defendant Lockheed-Georgia Federation of State, County and Municipal Loyalty" investigation of the local's mem­ Company's breach of its employment con­ Employees; the New York State Public bership. tract with plaintiffs; and for defendants' in­ Employees Federation, AFL-CIO; Paul Lang composed a "profile" of a "subver­ vasion of plaintiffs' privacy." Morris, president of lAM District 46; and sive" unionist and ran all workers' files During the fall of 1980, Lockheed con­ the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP are through Lockheed's computer seeking ducted a massive investigation of these among those· who have signed or adopted those who fit the picture. This "profile" in­ lAM members and their union local, Lodge statements demanding the ·unionists' . jobs cluded "hourly employees with Bachelor 709. By January 1981, 14 of them had back. degrees, California employment, or been fired from Lockheed's Marietta The defendants in tlie case are Lock­ emergency contacts indicating alien ances­ plant in Georgia on the trumped-up pre­ heed-Georgia and nine of its employees try." Many workers at Georgia Solidarity Da3 text that they had lied on their preemploy­ and informers. Lockheed and its "Plant At the same time, Lang· subtitled his starting in factories that have contracts ment applications. The real reason is that Protection" department enjoy an extremely memorandum "Circulation of Literature" because "John Doe" had provided the they were union activists and supporters of close relationship with the government. As This is especially true with today's double­ the Socialist Workers Party. the complaint details, "the United States names of two lAM members who had dis­ digit unemployment. It is no surprise tributed the flyers. For them- and anyone The fight against these firings uncovered Air Force owns most of the facilities," Lockheed was confident that an intensive else who fit his "profile"- Lang promised an elaborate network of company and gov­ which it "leases to the company for a nom­ search would uncover inaccuracies on the an "intensified investigation relative to ernment spies and political surveillance inal sum." The complaint explains that "the applications of these unionists. both subjects' background to develop any aimed at the union and at all unionists who Defense Investigative Service [DIS] of the These workers had already·demonstrated positive ties with the Communist organiza­ hold ideas the company disagrees with. Department of Defense maintains an office they were completely capable of doing tion." The fight to reverse these firings and to at the Marietta plant, through which it ad­ their jobs. "Plaintiffs performed their jobs halt such antiunion spying and harassment ministers the Industrial Personnel Security Lang - an ex-FBI file clerk-known to at average or above-average levels," the is important for the entire labor movement Clearance Program" and "influences per­ many unionists as "FBI Bob" - wasn't complaint points out. "Some plaintiffs and for all defenders of political rights. The sonnel decisions of the company." just compiling a list of the political views even received 'outstanding' marks in com­ Lockheed firings are part of a coordinated DIS is a nationwide secret police agency and associations of the members of Lodge pany reviews of job performance." antilabor campaign launched by the gov­ which spies on workers employed by Pen­ 709. His aim was to identify active un­ Lockheed's goal in scouring the un­ ernment and the nation's employers. From tagon contractors. DIS keeps tabs on more ionists for Lockheed and find a way to fire ionists' applications was to find an excuse PATCO; to the meatcutters forced on strike than 15 million people. them. to fire them. The complaint charges that by Iowa Beef Processor and attacked by In addition to this DIS connection, Only hours after the company fink had "these discoveries were not made as a re­ state police in Dakota City, Nebraska; to Lockheed "solicited assistance from at fingered the two unionists, Lang had found sult of any routine or random check of all the teachers jailed in Teaneck, New Jersey, least four Federal Bureau of Investigation that their "initial background investiga­ employees' applications, or in the ordinary the unions are under attack. (FBI) offices during the course of the in­ tion," conducted when the targeted un­ course of business, but rather were made The lawsuit against Lockheed is an im­ vestigation - New York, Ft. Lauderdale, ionists were hired, had "verified" every­ only as a result of the investigation com­ portant challenge to this antilabor drive. It Philadelphia and Los Angeles." thing on their applications. This didn't stop plained of herein, and were to be used as seeks reinstatement, back pay, and full Defendant John Thompson, manager of Lang. He knew his job was to get them. He pretexts for terminating plaintiffs' employ­ seniority for the 14 fired unionists. It also Lockheed-Georgia's Plant Protection de­ added a third headline on the memo - ment." asks for an injunction against any future partment, is also on the Board of Directors "Falsification of Employment Applica­ The complaint charges that in past in­ spying or harassment, as well as over $3 of the American Society for Industrial Se­ tion." stances when Lockheed has come upon in­ million in damages. At stake is the right of curity (ASIS). This corporate-Pentagon accuracies in job applications, it "has either the entire union movement and of every think tank has 17,000 members and meets Spies and informers not disciplined such employees or has worker to take part in union and political • regularly to share experiences in curbing The complaint charges that Lockheed's taken disciplinary action against them short activity. union and political rights. of discharge." In the March 1982 edition of Security · three-month investigation employed "nu­ merous intrusive and illegal techniques, in­ But Lockheed fired 14 of these targeted Who is involved? Management, ASIS's monthly magazine,, unionists over a one month period. Tom an article entitled "Coping With Legal Re­ cluding solicitation of information from During the fall of 1980, Lockheed and Fiske- whom they didn't fire- knew his straints" coaches "security managers" on confidential informers, physical and elec­ Lodge 709 of the ·lAM were embroiled in every step would be watched. how to spy on unionists and send "under- · tronic surveillance of plaintiffs, exchang­ contract negotiations. The local held a cover agents" into union meetings - espe­ ing information with local and federal number of union meetings to discuss the Lockheed broke contract cially during strikes - without crossing police agencies, and nonroutine contacting negotiating positions the local's bargaining ·the "thin line" into "unfair labor practices." of plaintiffs' former employers." The firings put every unionist in the committee should adopt and the terms of The author of the article, E. Gary Baker, is plant on notice -they could be next. The the proposed contract. Lockheed "solicited, received, compiled described as president of a firm that "spec­ complaint summarizes "FBI Bob" Lang's The complaint summarizes the role of and circulated reports from confidential in­ ializes in security consulting and planning ·sworn deposition testimony that "if pro­ the 15 unionists who filed the lawsuit dur­ formers about the identities of possible before, during and after labor disputes." vided with names of employees suspected ing these months: "plaintiffs were all active SWP members and about plaintiffs' private Other Lockheed "security" officers of being SWP members in the future, the in the union. They encouraged other em­ lives, political beliefs and activities, and named as defendants are Edward Garbers, company's security investigators would in­ ployees to'join the union and to participate their participation in union meetings and a supervisor in the Plant Protection depart­ vestigate said employees for the purpose of" in its meetings; encouraged participation in activities." ment, and investigators Robert Lang and determining their membership in tht the lAM-endorsed Labor Conference for Lockheed agents "directed a confidential George Slicho. Lockheed department man­ SWP." . Safe Energy and Full Employment held in informer to remove political literature" ager Bill Pope, Labor Relations depart­ And, if they could get away with it, October 1980; those who were employed from "plaintiffs' tool boxes or lockers." ment representative Ron Hudson· and em­ Lockheed would fire them. by the company at the time played an ac­ They "engaged in visual surveillance of ployee-informer C.H. Bankston are also The 15 unionists' lawsuit charges that tive role during the summer and fall of plaintiffs' off-the-job activities, including 1980 in the union's discussions concerning named. both ·their private and personal activities Two as yet unknown agents of the com­ the lAM's contract negotiations with Lock­ and their constitutionally protected politi­ pany who spied on union meetings and the heed; and talked with other employees cal activities." 15 lAM members and reported back to about the role they believed the unions They "entered onto residential property" should play in United States p(>litics." Lockheed are also named in the complaint -as "John Doe" and "Richard Roe." of at least four unionists, "where they tam­ The fight of these 15 unionists for their pered with said plaintiffs' mail boxes, and The two sets of interests in this lawsuit removed and examined letters." They used are quite clear. On one side - 15 lAM an "electronic listening device on at least DEFENDING members, their union, and supporters of one occasion to intercept conversations be­ labor's rights all across the country. tween plaintiffs." POLITICAL RIGHTS On the other side - Lockheed, the Pen­ In addition to their contact with the FBI, ON THE JOB tagon, DIS, the FBI, the American Society Lockheed's spies "conspired with ... for Industrial Security and all those who and obtained assistance from, Captain Attack on Workers' Rights: applaud the union-busting drive of the em­ Brad Pope of the Cobb County Police De­ ployers and the government. partment's Intelligence Division." The Fight Against Government/Company The facts Lockheed's 'hit list' Victimizations On October 19, 1980, lAM Lodge 709 The end result of this investigation was voted on a proposed new contract with to finger 15 unionists as members or sup­ A new pamphlet from Pathfinder Lockheed. Lockheed had an informer porters ~f the Socialist Workers Party. press. By John Studer, executive di­ watching the vote. Their employment applications were gone rector of the Political Rights Defense Five lodge members - plaintiffs in the over with a fine-tooth comb. In every case Fund. $.75. lawsuit- distributed a .flyer in the parking except one- plaintiff Tom Fiske- Lock­ Order from Pathfinder Press, 41 0 lot of the union hall. The flyer, which had heed was able to find at least one alleged West Street, New York, NY 10014. been produced by the SWP election cam­ -inaccuracy. Please include $. 75 for postage and paign committee, addressed the spreading Everyone looking for work fills out com­ handling. attacks on the unions and "advocated that pany application forms to make themselves International Associatipn of Machinist r. the labor movement form its own political as attractive to the employer as possible. political ideas.

10 The Militant November 5, 1982 ~monstration, January 16, understood that tiring of 15 Lockheed workers was aimed at all union activists. Many signed petitions in support of these unionists. The government is h the Pentagon to gain a precedent against the democratic rights of working people.

"defendant Lockheed breached its collec­ The complaint explains that "all plain­ All are charged with conspiring "with The complaint concludes with a demand tive bargaining agreement with plaintiffs tiffs filed timely grievances . . . protest­ the intent to and purpose of directly or indi­ for a jury trial. It was signed and submitted and their union." Lockheed did this "by in­ ing the company's surveillance of them­ rectly depriving all of the plaintiffs of equal by David Marshall and William Rucker, vestigating plaintiffs and by conducting selves at home, on the job and at union protection of the laws" because of their the two attorneys for the unionists. Mar­ surveillance of them on the job, in their pri­ meetings." The fired unionists' grievances "political and union beliefs." This conspi­ shall is on the staff of the Political Rights vate lives and at union meetings on the "claimed that the company had used the racy aimed to curtail their "rights to free­ Defedse Fund (PROF) in New York, which basis of plaintiffs' legitimate union and pretextual grounds of falsifications on job dom of speech and association," rights is raising funds and organizing public sup­ political beliefs and activities, and by con­ applications to discharge them witpout just guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. port for the lawsuit. Rucker is a lawyer in spiring with others to do the same." cause." The conspirators collaborated together, private practice in Atlanta. The complaint asserts that. "as a direct planned or carried out the entire trail of il­ A national defense campaign by the result of the company's breach of the col­ Union officials' role legal spying, mail tampering, trespassing labor movement and all defenders of poli­ lective bargaining agreement," 14 of the and electronic surveillance described in the tical rights is needed to back up this law­ Lodge 709 officers refused to pursue ·complaint. Ultimately, this conspiracy led plaintiffs "suffered thereby loss of employ­ these grievances seriously. Even when pro­ suit. This is the only way to mobilize the ment, and all income, fringe benefits and vided with Lang's sworn testimony and to the illegal firings of the 14 lAM mem­ public pressure needed to stop such anti­ bers. seniority rights." All15 lAM members suf­ company files showing that the investiga­ labor victimizations and win the lAM fered invasion of their privacy and "loss of tion was discriminatory, "no union official This section of the complaint asks for members' jobs back. their good names and reputations." made any effort to establish plaintiffs' court orders restoring the unionists' jobs The big employers, their "security" The complaint demands "an order en­ claims that the company's actions against and enjoining Lockheed from any further managers and think tanks, DIS, and the joining defendant Lockheed to reinstate" them had been based on political and/or unconstitutional acts. FBI are all watching this case. If they feel the fired unionists "to their former jobs, or union activities, and that the grounds of Violating the unionists' civil rights en­ they can get away with spying on union to jobs at the same or higher grades and pay falsification of job applications had been tails heavy money penalties for the con­ meetings and the private lives and political levels." mere pretexts for discharges without just spirators. This count of the lawsuit de­ associations of union activists, such acts This count of the lawsuit is based on a cause in violation of the collective bargain­ mands $2.95 million in damages to pay the will spread. ing agreement." unionists for their losses and as a deterrent i%7 U.S. Supreme Court ruling which set Any time any employer or the govern­ the precedent for unionists taking their boss to any future victimizations by Lockheed The grievances the local officers did or its accomplices. ment can reach into the unions and fire un­ to court for antilabor contract violations. bring were handled in "a perfunctory and ionists because they don't like their ideas However, this ruling also placed certain re­ irresponsible manner." Finally, they "re­ Lockheed spying or activities, the entire union movement is quirements on unionists who ·bring such fused to certify any of the plaintiffs' grie­ under attack. suits. vances to arbitration." The grievance pro­ The final count of the lawsuit invokes Protest messages demanding reinstate­ The court noted that unionists already cedure had led to a dead end for these un­ Georgia privacy laws. The complaint calls ment of the Lockheed unionists can be sent had a way to fight such victimizations - ionists. Lockheed and its investigators to order for to Robert Ormsby, President, Lockheed­ through the grievance procedure. To also Union officers made these decisions be­ spying on the unionists, "intruding into Georgia, #86 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, take them to court, they explained, would cause of their "hostility" to these unionists' their private and political affairs and as­ Ga., 30060. subject the employer to a form of double views. The complaint cites the case of one sociations," and "placing plaintiffs in a Copies and financial contributions to aid jeopardy. Therefore, they ruled that a business agent who went so far as to make false light in the public eye." the lawsuit should be sent to PROF, Box "wrongfully discharged employee" can "statements to the effect that socialists such Under this count the unionists demand 649 Cooper Station, New York, N.Y., take his boss to court only "provided the as plaintiffs did not deserve to be members $150,000 in compensatory damages. 10003. employee can prove that the union as bar­ of the union because of their political be­ gaining agent breached its duty of fair rep­ liefs." resentation in its handling of the employ­ .::e' s grievance." Because of this hostility, their handling of the grievances was "wrongful, arbitrary, Labor support grows lor fired workers Because of this ruling, the Atlanta lAM discriminatory and in bad faith." There­ members can win back their jobs, and fight fore, "in so handling plaintiffs' grievances BY FRED WHITE "Many of my co-workers support the against company harassment of unionists, the union breached its duty of fair represen­ ATLANTA, Ga.- Support is growing case because of how they view the com­ only by pointing out deficiencies in the tation." This breach left the 15 unionists no for the lawsuit filed by 15 members of lAM pany - that it has harassed them and way their grievances were handled by the choice but to take Lockheed to court to win Lodge 709 against Lockheed-Georgia. pushed them around. officers of their lAM local lodge. back their jobs. Mike Pennock, one of the fired Lock­ "One of my co-workers, who has At the same time, the unionists are not heed unionists, recently spoke before a worked at Lockheed for 19 years, told me: suing their union officials or seeking any meeting of the Joint Executive Board of the 'For years the company harassed me with damages from them. This is a conscious American Federation of State, County and threats of disciplinary action. They want to choice. It was the company, not politically Municipal Employees (AFSCME) here. treat us like robots, keep us in our places, hostile union officers, that spied on the Pennock explained how the Lockheed fir­ and deprive us of any rights. Your suit lAM members and fired them. It is only ings aim to weaken the union there, and might help force the company to treat us Lockheed that can reinstate the unionists. threaten to set a precedent for company and like human beings, not machines.'" And it is Lockheed that should pay the government collaboration against unionists Last week, two supporters of the Lock­ damages. everywhere. heed unionists got a warm reception from . A victory for these fired unionists would The AFSCME leaders were especially 150 members of United Auto Workers strengthen the union and its ability to halt interested in how Lockheed sent its spies to Local 34. Those unionists, who work at Lockheed's antilabor snooping and vic­ union meetings and snooped on individual General Motors' Lakewood, Georgia, As­ timizations. union activists. The Joint Executive Board sembly Plant, were in Atlanta to attend a voted to endorse the Lockheed unionists' hearing in a federal class action suit Conspiracy fight, and to contribute $100 to the Politi­ brought by members of General Motors cal Rights Defense Fund (PROF) to help Employees Against Racial Discrimination. The second illegal act committed by support the case. The GM workers had just won a case Lockheed, its agents and its informers, was Tom Fiske, a plaintiff in the lawsuit who charging GM with racist promotion prac­ to conspire to violate the constitutional is still employed at Lockheed, told the tices. The group's leaders knew all about rights of the targeted unionists. The civil Militant that the suit has won wide support the Lockheed case, and many of the work­ rights statute outlawing such conspiracies from Lockheed workers. The night the ers attending the hearing went out of their has been widely used over the last 25 years suit was filed, he reports, "I was on the way to express solidarity with the fired to halt racist attacks on Black rights. night shift. When I went to the tool crib, Lockheed unionists. In addition to the 10 defendants, the the attendant had a big grin on his face. He In November, fired Lockheed unionists complaint lists as coconspirators at least had heard about the suit from other work­ are scheduled to speak to meetings of Ser­ two "other persons not named as defen­ ers. He thought the suit was great. vice Employees International Union Local dants"- FBI Special Agent John Donahue "Three of my co-workers took the time 579, Amalgamated Transit Workers Union nbers tired for their union activity and and Cobb County Police Captain Brad to read the 27-page complaint. They Local 1238, and a local of the American Pope. thought the case was very strong. Federation of Government Employees.

November 5, 1982 The Militant 11 Women miners win suit against company for

Militant/Holly Harkness sexual harassment Women miners (left to right) Brenda Wansik, Sandy Dorsey, Diane Smith, and Mary Lou Duffy.

BY CLARE FRAENZL Faced with this, Dorsey said, "it took a asking me out and telling me all kinds of heads: you got to put up with it. You're AND KATHY MICKELLS lot more courage than I realized" to con­ sexual things they did to women. I didn't here and don't rock the boat." WHEELING, W. Va.- After discov­ tinue the fight against Consol. But, she know what to say. I thought if I stood up Dorsey explained, "We've never had a ering that foremen at Shoemaker No. 9 added, "We did what we had to do. Our ob­ and complai~d they would just get rid of union behind us before. We really didn't mine had drilled a hole into their shower jective was to make the company pay and me. know how effective they are on defending room and spied on them for two years, admit there was something wrong. And to "I went to the personnel director. He told your job when you have stuff like this hap­ eight women coal miners decided to take make other women realize they don't have me to 'sway like a willow tree;' there pen." on Consolidated Coal (Consol) and filed to put up with this; they can do something wasn't much he could do about it. So I put Ed Bell, president of UMW District 6, suit. On October 1, the eight women won about it." up with it for four years and then I quit. He attended the court hearings in the suit to an out-of-court settlement against the na­ Mary Lou Duffy explained that the orig­ had all the papers ready. He just said, 'Sign show his support. Union officials "didn't tion's second largest coal company. inal lawsuit, asking for $5.5 million in here.' " Discussing their victory in an interview damages, was filed on grounds of invasion Smith was nearly fired after a 250-pound take an active part in this, but they did say the union was backing us," said Dorsey. with the Militant, miner Diane Smith said, of privacy alone. But the judge ruled the foreman grabbed her and stuffed wood ants "They didn't offer us any assistance be­ "I didn't care if I got a penny out of it. The women had to bring in all the company's down the front of her shirt. cause they said it wasn't work-related." main objective was to have all this exposed sexual harassment to prove the scope of "I had trouble getting away from him," so the public would know this is what goes their charges. The plaintiffs, in addition to she said. "I was crying and started to walk Smith observed, "I would say 80 per­ on." Duffy, Dorsey, Mayfield, and Smith were out of the mine. He threatened to fire me cent of the union men were for us. Some Eddi Mayfield, another of the plaintiffs, Bonnie Means, Judy Simmons, Darla for leaving the section without permis­ were against us, because it was their opin­ explained that Consol spent over half a mil­ Baker, and Brenda Wansik. sion." ion that we weren't supposed to be there lion dollars trying to quash their case. This W ansik described to the Militant the The Militant asked the women if they anyway. And you don't sue the company." included slanderous accusations that the conditions she had faced at the Shoemaker had tried to go to their United Mine Work­ She added, "Women don't have anyone women had themselves invited sexual mine, which is outside Wheeling. Twenty­ ers (UMW) local for help. "I was scared to tum to. I think it would help to have a harassment on the job, and in fact pro­ one women got jobs at Shoemaker after a even to report my boss for trying to kiss me woman on the mine or safety committee." voked it. successful suit forced Cons()} to begin hir­ or pat my butt," said Duffy. "I'd never She plans to run for union office in the next "They tried to degrade each and every ing women in 1977. Only eight remain worked in a mine before. I thought if I go election. one of us," explained Sandy Dorsey. "In­ today. report that boss, he could get me killed un­ stead of us being the plaintiffs and them While she worked there, Wansik said, "I derground and nobody would be the Dorsey said she would 'like to get more being the defendants, we felt like we were was attacked by one foreman and several of wiser." involved in women's organizations, too. on trial. Our whole lives were opened up." the foremen were always harassing me, Mayfield added, "It was drilled into our Both the National Organization for Women and the Coal Employment Project offered the women assistance in their suit. Duffy and Mayfield attended the Fourth Police murder of Black youth causes outrage Annual Women Miners' Conference spon­ sored by the Coal EmiJloyment Project last BY DAVE WYLLIE because they wore their hair in dreadlocks. The chair, who was head of the local June. They plan to organize a workshop for BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Columbus There were accounts of warrantless chapter of the National Association for the the next conference to help other women "Pooky" Holford, an 18-year-old Black searches without cause, and reports of Advancement of Colored People called for with similar problems. man, was killed by cops here October 11 Black women being raped by cops. Resi­ contributions to the NAACP for legal ac­ The Militant asked the women what im­ on Lakeview A venue. dents described the outrage they felt at the tion against the police. pact they thought the case had. "It has Residents agreed that Holford had never sight of cops with high-powered rifles, A preacher urged people to register to made a change in there," said Dorsey. done anything worse than hang around. standing on rooftops along Lakeview like "They are treating women differently." snipers in a combat zone. vote. The middle-aged head of a communi­ There isn't much else to do on ty betterment society called on young men Duffy added, "I think this case is going Lakeview, the heart of Bakersfield's Black It was apparent that Holford's murder to clean up garbage in the streets. to set a lot of precedents. I think women are ghetto; it's a bleak 2-mile strip of boarded­ was only the latest example of racism in · Bakersfield: going to open up and come out of their up shops and burned-down bungalows, The meeting ended at 9 p.m. with the shells about a lot of things that have been where unemployment, an incredible 70 "Our damn state assemblyman is a chair pleading for people to "stay calm." A member of the John Birch Society," one happening. Our lawyer has had at least 10 percent, is more oppressive even than the substantial part of the body had walked phone calls a day on similar cases, and not heat of the San Joaquin Valley. man shouted; "the head of the California out, angered by the limited perspectives KKK (Ku Klux Klan) lives just up the just in the coal mines, but in other indus­ Holford was walking on Lakeview when they heard. tries too." two white cops demanded that he show road. The cops are trained to murder Black them identification. people. I want to know when we're going Meanwhile, at the body shop on Dorsey said, "I think women have the He didn't have any, and he was afraid. to do something about it." Lakeview, the owner still hadn't gone right to take these people to court. They He walked into a nearby auto body shop. Several suggestions were made on what home. He was on his hands and knees, try­ just haven't had the courage." The cops followed him inside. to do, but the crowd found them inade­ ing to scrub the last of Columbus Holford's "We took the first step," Duffy con­ "They didn't say anything to him," the quate. blood off the floor. cluded. owner of the body shop said. "They didn't read him his rights, or nothing. They just . started knocking him around." He pointed to a large hole in the wall of Illinois rail workers discuss contract the shop. "They threw him against the wall BY MARK BURROUGHS Congress broke the BLE strike, forcing the although this hasn't happened following so hard, his head did that." AND JIM MILES engineers to accept a contract subject to derailments on either the FEC or Mil­ Still on the floor was a nightstick, bro­ NORTHLAKE, Ill. - Two hundred rulings by a federal emergency board. waukee Road. ken in two when a cop hit Holford with it. brakemen, conductors, and enginemen, all A lot of rail jobs have been eliminated; Elimination of cabooses will mean in­ The police claim Holford, by this time members of United Transportation Union of 600,000 nine years ago, there are creased injuries, more loss of lives, and battered, managed to disarm a cop. (UTU) Locals 528 and 577, met here in 400,000 left. The loss has largely been greater dangers to public safety when cars Eyewitnesses deny this as a police fabrica­ early October to hear and talk about the caused by reductions in the size of crews containing hazardous materials are de­ tion. Everyone agrees, however, that cop proposed new nationwide contract cover­ from three brakemen to two, or even one. railed. Bruce Adair fired his service revolver ing wages and operating rules. The pattern for this assault on our jobs point-blank into Holford, who staggered to It was one of the largest joint meetings has been set by the nonunion Florida East the door, where Adair shot him twice ever; we were especially interested in Coast (FEC) line, which, like the Mil­ Subscribe to the more. learning about any threat to eliminate waukee Road, has been running trains Young Socialist In minutes, hundreds of outraged Black cabooses. without cabooses. residents poured onto Lakeview. Police The UTU, like the Brotherhood of Also contributing to layoffs has been the Bimonthly revolutionary youth pa­ sent a dozen squad cars but withdrew when Locomotive Engineers (BLE), had worked elimination of small branch lines. per covers the fight against Washing­ confronted by angry residents. Asked by without a contract since April 1981. The . The report on the proposed new contract ton's wars and racism, the struggle for the media why Holford had been stopped, UTU reached a tentative agreement with was delivered by the general chairman, women's liberation, and the fight for a police claimed he was a suspect in an as­ the carriers shortly before the BLE's four­ Gerald (G.R.) Maloney. socialist world. sault, but they refused to give details. It day strike in September .. This agreement The first half of the meeting dealt with was clear they were covering up a racist will be voted on by UTU local chairmen raises, benefits, and retroactive pay. Fi­ $1 for half-year murder. throughout the country. nally the elimination of cabooses came up. $3 for one year That night, more than 100 Black resi­ Our union locals, whose members work After describing the terms of the new dents met at a small community hall. One on the Chicago and Northwestern Rail­ agreement, Maloney said that more derail­ 14 Charles Lane after another, they related accounts of road, like others in the rail crafts, sup­ ments would result from caboose elimina­ New York, New York 10014 police brutality and harassment. ported the BLE. Many Chicago brakemen tions. He speculated that these could force Young Black men were beaten by cops and clerks joined the picket line before the carriers to put some cabooses back on,

12 The Militant November 5, 1982 Speeches at New York meeting on Poland hurt struggle of Solidarity unionists

BY CINDY JAQUITH capitalism, even Cuba, in his list. NEW YORK - A meeting publicized But he did say: "None of the societies as "An Evening in Support of Solidarnosc" that have developed over the last 200 years drew more than 200 people here October - either as capitalist societies or through 22. revolutions of a socialist character - has Sponsored by a group calied the Solidar­ come up with anything very bril­ ity Committee, the forum's featured speak­ liant. . . . That's where Solidarity ers were Paul Sweezy, editor of Monthly seemed po~sibly to be paving the way. Review; Paul Robeson, Jr.; peace activist Now that hope - for the moment at any Daniel Berrigan; Irish freedom figure Ber­ rate -has been crushed." nadette Devlin McAliskey; Anthony Maz­ Sweezy concluded by saying, "You now zocchi, former vice-president of the Oil, have this problem of two blocs, each led by. Chemical, and Atomic Workers (OCAW); a superpower, which are determined to and Marta Petrusewicz, a former activist in maintain the status quo as far as their the Polish student movement. power-privilege structures are concerned. The forum occurred in the wake of This is the most depressing and dangerous strikes and street protests by Polish work­ aspect of the world today. ers in Gdansk, Nowa Huta, and other cities "Our only hope," he said in closing, "is after the Solidarity union was banned by a very long revolution, a very long revolu­ the Polish_regime. tion . . . if we are permitted to survive The ban served as the pretext for Presi­ long enough to do it, if the two superpow­ /~. dent Reagan to suspend Poland's most-fa­ ers don't blow up the world in the mean­ Militant/Cindy Jaquith vored-nation trade status, an attack on time, which unfortunately they have theca­ Paul Robeson, Jr., said Russian workers Paul Sweezy argued world is threatened Polish workers and farmers under the guise pacity to do." lost power a few months after October by two 'superpowers': Soviet Union and 1917 revolution. United States. of supporting them. AFL-CIO President His view on "superpowers" was echoed Lane Kirkland responded by demanding that by the other major speaker of the night, Paul Reagan do more -that he call Poland's Robeson, Jr. Robeson called for introduc­ gave her life struggling to repeat in Ger­ wprkers control of the economy, govern­ bank loans into default to force the country ing the issue of Poland into the U.S. strug­ many what the Bolsheviks had done in ment, and society against a bureaucratic re­ into bankruptcy. gle against Washington's war drive. "Who Russia. She was murdered in 1919 by Ger­ gime that has excluded them from political will march again, in any peace demonstra­ man authorities in collusion with social­ power. Sanctions not mentioned tion in this country or anywhere else in the democratic misleaders, who, like the im­ Explaining this goes hand-in-hand with perialists, attacked the young Russian rev­ While several speakers correctly termed West, without holding high the banner of mobilizing U.S. workers against each and olution as "dictatorial" and "antidemocra­ every move by the U.S. imperialists and Reagan a hypocrite on Poland, no one on support to Solidarity?" he asked. tic." the platform spoke out against his new But to do so would no more aid the their allies to weaken the workers states and the world socialist revolution, whether economic attacks on the Polish working Polish workers than it would further the 'Selfish, money-grubbing' workers it be trade sanctions or military moves people, which also hurt U.S. workers and cause of world peace. It could only divert farmers. The sanctions were not even men­ attention from the real threat to peace - While there was no visible reaction in under the threat of combating the "Soviet tioned. Nor did any speaker condemn Kirk­ the warmakers in Washington and their im­ the audience against the anti-Leninist, anti­ threat." perialist allies - and add fuel to the U.S. Marxist tenor of these speeches, some were land's call for even tougher measures. Complicit or resisting? Former OCAW official Mazzocchi rulers' anticommunist justifications for clearly shocked when Daniel Berrigan spoke briefly. He said Solidarity's struggle military intervention. spoke. Marxists believe the prospects for doing is more difficult today "than our own strug­ In the present context of escalating U.S. Berrigan counterposed Polish Solidarity this today are greater than ever before. Far gles against entrenched bureaucracies." military involvement in Central America, to the "violence, money-grubbing, and from being complicit with the bipartisan it would serve to bolster Washington's as­ selfishness" he said characterize the Amer­ war drive, as Berrigan would have it, U.S. Mazzocchi also said he was "appalled serted need to contain the "subversion" of when I hear politicians speak of the neces­ ican people. Without making a distinction workers are increasingly resisting the U.S. Cuba and Nicaragua, said to be Soviet between the w_orkers and the misleadership rulers' wars at home and abroad. This is sity of a free trade union movement in Po­ "proxies" in that region. land, but at the same time support actions of the U.S.1trade-union movement, he con­ shown by the massive antiwar march last demned "American labor's collusion with June 12 and by the current battle of to bar rail strikers from exercising their Attack on Bolsheviks right to strike." 35 years of war" and its "long, cowardly si­ Chrysler workers to bust out of the strait­ McAliskey, who also gave brief re­ In his speech winding up the whole lence regarding American war crimes in jacket of concession-bargaining. But marks, said, "Poland is showing us the way meeting, Robeson leveled an attack on the Vietnam. neither of these two examples were men­ -in terms of courage, in terms of method, October 1917 Russian revolution and the "Most horrific of all," he said, "Amer­ tioned at the meeting. in terms of its ideology, in terms of its dig­ Bolshevik Party led by Lenin. ican labor is supplying the workforce for nuclear war." Nor was a representative of the Marxist nity." She said the fight for freedom in Robeson explained that the first attempt point of view invited to speak. The New ·Poland, Ireland, and other parts of the of the workers to take power was in the "In 1968," he said, "I was convicted for an act of resistance against the horror of the York Socialist Workers Party offered to world cannot be intimidated or rolled back. Paris Commune of 1871. This effort was provide a speaker, but organizers ignored war in Vietnam by a working-class jury. In addition, she called for a united move­ drowned in blood. Then in 1917, he the request. SWP supporters were told they Thanks to them, I spent two years in fed­ ment in the United States around Poland, explained, "the workers of Petrograd took could not set up a literature table in the eral prison." Ireland, South Africa, and other interna­ power in October under the slogan •All meeting hall; that no tables would be in­ He concluded by condemning the "war­ tional struggles. power to the soviets.' They held it for a few side. months, and again it flickered and seemed making labor movement" and workers em­ Marta Petrusewicz, who is now a profes­ However, two political tendencies were to go out." ployed in industries with Pentagon con­ sor at Princeton University, was the only allowed to have tables in the meeting hall, Robeson didn't specify what he saw as tracts, charging them with the "indecent speaker to deal at any length with the strug­ while all others were relegated to the street the turning point in the Russian revolution, complicity of blood money." gle in Poland. She alone took up the cur­ outside. These tendencies were the Interna­ how the workers lost power, or what class A few people hissed at the end of Berri­ rent treason trials of Polish opposition tional Socialists, which holds that all work­ gained it. But his remarks were a clear at­ gan's talk while most applauded. But no leader Jacek Kuron and others, and the on­ ers states in the world are actually capitalist tack on Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and the team speaker on the platform said a word to dis­ going trials of workers there. She urged countries, and Workers Power, a group of Bolsheviks who led the revolution in its sociate themselves from Berrigan's anti­ people to demand that all the trials be open that sponsors the quarterly journal, Against early years. labor diatribe. and that observers and lawyers from what the Current. Robeson even shamelessly tried to claim The overall political message of the she termed the "democratic countries" be The Spring 1982 issue of Against the that the Polish communist leader Rosa forum stemmed from the outlook of the permitted to attend. group that organized it, the Solidarity Current, on sale at the meeting, carries a Luxemburg also opposed the October 1917 lengthy article on Poland that assails Sol­ revolution. Committee. Its Statement of Purpose ex­ An advance for humanity? plains the committee is a "multi-issue or­ idarity leader Lech Walesa and Jacek The fact is that Luxemburg was a Kuron for "limiting the revolution." The main political thrust of the meeting, staunch defender of the revolution and ganization" that fights "repressive and au­ however, was not how to aid the workers in thoritarian systems that rule here and SWP and Young Socialist Alliance Poland. Rather, the theme was to reject the abroad." members participated in the meeting and idea that the overturn of capitalism in coun­ As the statement indicates, the commit­ distributed literature outside, including the tries like the Soviet Union or Poland has tee makes no class distinction between im­ latest issue of the Militant, with its lead marked an advance for world humanity. perialist countries like the United States; editorial titled "Polish workers fight on - Paul Sweezy posed a question in his talk: workers states, where a socialist revolution despite false friends." "Are the Soviet-bloc countries socialist?" has occurred and capitalism has been The editorial pointed out that the Demo­ He answered, no. abolished, like the Soviet Union, Poland, cratic and Republican parties "are no Sweezy did not define what he meant by or Cuba; and nations that suffer colonial friends of the working people in Poland." socialist, nor did he explain which coun­ oppression and exploitation. Nor, it argued, are union officials who join tries he considers to be in the "Soviet This approach of denying the class dif­ their anticommunist campaign. bloc." ferences, which the speeches by Sweezy "Instead of calling for economic sanc­ "The crucial test," he argued, "is not and Robeson amplified, is a giant.obstacle tions, the labor movement ought to be cam­ whether these countries conform to certain to defending the Polish workers. paigning against them. The AFL-CIO ideal types defined by a set of abstract Explaining the true facts about Poland ought to be insisting on the lifting of all criteria, but by the way they reacted in -that workers there have expropriated the trade restrictions on trade with the workers practice to the rise in Poland of an authen­ bosses and nationalized the factories and states, including an immediate end to the tic, independent working-class move­ mills - is one of the most important things criminal economic blockades against Cuba ment." revolutionaries in the United States can do and Vietnam," the editorial said. The response to Poland, he declared, to aid the struggle in Poland. One of the "The AFL-CIO could provide some real proves that all the "Soviet-bloc countries" biggest lies used against Solidarity - by aid to the Polish workers and farmers by have now "hardened into new hierarchical the Reagan administration and the Polish opposing the U.S. military buildup in structures of power and authority." He regime alike - is that it is trying to return Europe and elsewhere in the world. didn't explain if this meant a new class Militan,t/C'iinclv Jaquith to capitalism, bosses, and private owner­ "This is the kind of real solidarity that now rules in these countries, or whether he Daniel Berrigan's attack on U.S. labor ship. would benefit embattled workers on both includes all states that have abolished movement went unanswered at meeting. No, the Polish workers are fighting for sides of the Atlantic."

November 5, 1982 The Militant 13 Nobel Prize writer Garcia Marquez: voice for justice in Latin America BY FRED MURPHY firmed the credibility of the figure: "What In awarding the 1982 Nobel Prize for happens in Latin America is that an occur­ Literature to Colombian novelist Gabriel rence like 3,000 dead is forgotten by de­ Garcia Marquez, author of One Hundred cree. What seems fantastic has been ex­ Years of Solitude and other works, the tracted from the most miserable everyday Swedish Academy of Letters cited the reality." The current slaughter in El Sal­ "graphically convincing authenticity" of vador and Guatemala and the efforts of the his work, which "reflects a continent and U.S.-backed regimes there to cover it up its human riches and poverty." drive home the truth of the author's words. Few Latin American authors have been The Autumn of the Patriarch - which so honored, despite the region's rich liter­ Garcia Marquez considers his most impor­ ary tradition. Certainly no other Latin tant work - brings together in a single gro­ 'If there existed a Nobel Prize for Death,' notes Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia American writer's fiction is as widely read tesque portrait all the abominable features Marquez, 'Begin and Sharon would have it sewed up.' and appreciated by the continent's working of Latin America's most notorious dic­ people as that of Garcia: Marquez. tators, from "Papa Doc" Duvalier of Haiti This is because his works reflect some­ to the Somozas of Nicaragua. backed invasion by South African apart­ current Colombian president telephoned thing else that the Swedish judges also took In his latest novel, Chronicle of a Death heid forces in 1975-76, Garcia Marquez his congratulations to the exiled Garcia due note of: Garcia Marquez "is strongly Foretold (soon to be published in English), was asked to write the first full history of Marquez in Mexico. The author now plans committed politically on the side of the Garcia Marquez draws on an incident from that endeavor for the Cuban press. (His ar­ to return to Colombia and start a new daily poor and the weak against domestic op- · his youth to portray the tragic conse­ ticle is included as an appendix to the vol­ newspaper. pression and foreign economic exploita­ quences of the sexual oppression of Latin ume Fidel Castro Speeches, available for Denounces Beirut massacre tion." American women. $7.95 from Pathfinder Press, 410 West St. , In One Hundred Years of Solitude - New York, N.Y. 10014 or from the Garcia Marquez concerns himself not which has now been translated into 17 dif­ Defends Nicaragua bookstores listed on page 17.) only with the struggles of his own conti­ ferent languages - Garcia Marquez The Colombian author was an honored nent, but with all peoples who suffer op­ chronicles the history of his own country, The Nobel judges have not only done guest at the third-anniversary celebrations pression and exploitation. In a September justice to a great writer and to Latin Amer­ and, in a way, that of all Latin America, as of the Nicaraguan revolution last July. 26 column in the Colombian daily El Es­ seen through the experiences of a family in ican culture in awarding the 1982 literature While in Nicaragua, he conducted a lively pectador, for example, he denounced "the the fictional Caribbean town of Macondo. prize to Garcia Marquez. They have also broadcast discussion with the listeners of barbaric massacre of more than I ,000 Filtered into the imaginative and often fan­ called attention to an active fighter for so­ Radio Sandino, who jammed the studio's Palestinian refugees" in Beirut. "If there tastic imagery of the author are the Spanish cial justice and revolutionary causes. telephones with questions about his literary existed a Nobel Prize for Death," he wrote, colonial heritage, the civil wars of the 19th In his first statements to reporters upon works and political views. "Begin and Sharon would have it sewed up learning that he had received the Nobel century, the corrupt rule of the landowners without rivals this year.", and capitalists, the servility of the latter be­ Piize, Garcia Marquez took immediate ad­ Death-squad threats In that column Garcia Marquez also ex­ vantage of the publicity to denounce fore U.S. imperialist domination. Garcia Marquez's political stance on the pressed his dismay at the "almost unani­ Washington's mounting threats against the mous silence" in face of the events in Leba­ Nicaraguan revolution. Citing reports of side of the oppressed has roused the ire of Massacres and coverups reactionaries in his own country. In March non on the part of West European intellec­ the massive U.S.-Honduran military ma­ tuals who only months before had beeen A central event fictionalized .in One 1981 he was forced to seek asylum in the neuvers planned for December, the new loudly protesting the imposition of martial Hundred Years ofSolitude is the 1928 mas­ Mexican embassy in the Colombian capi­ laureate warned that the Reagan adminis­ law in Poland. sacre of hundreds of banana workers strik­ tration was preparing "perhaps the worst tal, Bogota, after reports circulated that he ing against the United Fruit Company in thing the United States has done in Latin was wanted by the armed forces for Ever since touring the countries of Eastern Cienaga, Colombia. In the novel, collec­ America in the past 20 years. There could smuggling weapons to Colombian guerrilla Europe as a young journalist in the 1950s, tive amnesia strikes the survivors, whore­ be a war of unheard-of consequences and fighters. "I've never wielded any weapon Garcia Marquez has been a partisan of the gard as insane one eyewitness who says, proportions." but my typewriter," he said at the time. fight by working people there for democ­ "There must have been three thousand" The statement was characteristic of Gar­ racy against the entrenched, privileged In March of this year, Garcia Marquez's bureaucracies. He denounced the 1968 dead. cia Marquez. He has been a staunch defen­ name appeared near the top of a list of pros­ In a 1968 interview, Garcia Marquez af~ Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and der of the Cuban revolution from the begin­ pective victims circulated by the Colom­ ning, and a firm supporter of the Sandinis­ hailed the recent upsurge of the Polish bian death squad known as the MAS. He workers against bureaucratic rule. tas in Nicaragua as well. responded with an article detailing the In 1960, Garcia Marquez helped to found close ties such groups have had with the re­ 'Read the books' the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina. He gime's armed forces and pointing out that served as its correspondent in New York they are "organized to fight political ac­ Academic critics often present Garcia and later in Colombia. As a result, the U.S. tivities by illegal means, and to kill politi­ Marquez's stories and novels as difficult or State Department denied him entry to this cal opponents." surrealistic. In fact. they are a joy to read. country for 10 years, on the false ground As the author told a young Nicaraguan who that he was "a member of the communist or "Killing me would be the easiest thing in called Radio Sandino's talk-show last sum­ affiliated party." Even now, Garcia Mar­ the world," Garcia Marquez wrote. "The mer, "Don't pay attention to the critics. quez is denied a U.S. visa and must obtain only thing I'd regret would be to fall victim Read the books, understand what they say, a special waiver from the State Department to the most ham-fisted government my and it is absolutely certain that what you each time he wishes to enter the United country has ever had in its entire history." get out of them is what the author wanted States. After the Nobel award was announced, the to say." Cuba's example Garcia Marquez is a frequent visitor to Fidel Cuba and a personal friend of Cuban leader San Francisco labor march Fidel Castro. He has pointed to Cuba as an Continued from Page 1 veloped: "Vote Labor" in the November example that "offers very good pos­ Ed Asner, president of the Screen Actors elections. This is presented as voting for sibilities for a more just and democratic so­ Castro Guild, received the biggest ovation qf the the Democrats. cial order" in Latin America. rally. He is best known for playing the While some Democratic candidates were In reporting Garcia Marquez's Nobel newspaper editor in the TV show "Lou in attendance, none spoke. Supporters of Prize, the New York Times alleged that the Speeches Grant." The show was recently canceled Mel Mason, Socialist Workers Party leader author "had reservations about life" in after Ed Asner publicly raised funds for and independent candidate for governor, Cuba. In a recent book of interviews pub­ medical supplies for the working people distributed a statement explaining that he Cuba's Internationalist lished in Colombia (El Olor de Ia and farmers of El Salvador battling the was running against the Democrats and Re­ Guayaba), Garcia Marquez explains that Foreign Policy 1975-80 military dictatorship there. Asner cited the publicans because "they are the parties of Cuba's difficulties and shortcomings result "symbols of power and profession" rep­ the very rich that do not represent us. We Since 1975, Cuba's foreign policy from "the incomprehension and hostility of resented by the banks, corporate headquar­ need solidarity to help advance our strug­ has deeply affected the course of world the United States, which is not content to ters, and government buildings the march gle," Mason said. "We need our own party politics. Few of Castro's speeches are allow this example just 90 miles from had passed on Market Street. "We drive the to build our fight politically. Working readily accessible in English. What Florida. It is not the fault of the Soviet buses, we cook the food, we produce all people are the overwhelming majority of does exist in print generally dates back Union, without whose aid (whatever the these goods and services. We are the foun­ the population. We have enormous power. to the 1960s or even earlier. This book reasons or motives) the Cuban revolution dations of all we see - but we do not own We need to build our own pru1y - a labor represents a step toward filling that gap. would not exist today. So long as that it," he said to applause. party - that is based on a fighting union "Cuba in Angola" by Gabriel Garcia [U.S..] hostility persists, Cuba's situation movement that struggles to repiac'e the pre­ Marquez, a noted Latin American au­ can only be judged as a state of emergency IL WU president Jim Herman received sent government of the rich with a workers thor, is included as an appendix. It is the that forces it to live on the defensive, out­ the second biggest ovation when he con­ and farmers government that would defend most complete account yet written of side its cultural, geographic, and historical cluded his speech "this march today is the interests of all the oppressed and the Cuban role in Angola. environment." about solidarity and justice - economic exploited." Garcia Marquez's solidarity is keenly justice, political justice, racial justice, and Summing up the meaning of the march, 391 pp., $7.95. Order from Pathfinder appreciated by the leaders of the Cuban and class justice. It's about peace and against Jim Herman told the Examiner, "There is a Press, 410 West Street, New York, N.Y. Nicaraguan revolutions. After Cuba rushed nuclear war." lot of pressure from the bottom, a lot of dis­ 10014. Include $.75 for postage. military aid and troops to defend newly in­ AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland em­ content. They expect that their unions dependent Angola against a massive U.S.- phasized the theme many labor officials de- would take on a more militant stance."

14 The Militant November 5, 1982 'Monetarism': an antilabor economic. policy In the last few years capitalist govern­ ing from the banks to meet rising costs. ments and central banks have been follow­ This condition has been common in the re­ ing policies simjlar to those advocated by cent period. Friedman. This is not because presidents, In addition to these "normal" fluctua­ prime ministers, and central bankers have tions in the supply of money, there are been suddenly convinced by logic of Fried­ more violent ones that are associated with man's arguments. It is because the prag­ acute capitalist crises. matic needs of the capitalist's private profit The banks maintain relatively little cash system demand it. backing of their checking accounts. They By the end of the 1970s inflation was instead loan it out in order to collect inter­ threatening to get completely out of con­ est. If everybody tried to convert their trol. The only way to stave off this danger checking accounts into cash, the banks was to slow down the printing of additional would have to close their doors. The money. However, the shift to a "tight mo­ checking accounts would then not be able ney" policy meant driving already high in­ to function as money. Only cash itsel! terest rates higher, soaring bankruptcies, could. and double digit unemployment - in a Under normal circumstances this doe: word, severe recession. not happen. Except for petty sums and ille Tight money has also forced the govern­ gal transactions, checking accounts are saf ment to slash spending, since government er and more convenient than cash. borrowing of scarce funds means even However, during certain stages of acutv more business failures when the supply of capitalist crises of overproduction capital credit is limited. In addition, a depressed ists and other bank depositers fear that th,· economy means fewer revenues are raised banks will not be able to collect the mone) through taxes. Government deficits have they have lent out. Depositers will then thus mushroomed to proportions alarming panic. Everybody tries to convert their to the capitalists. Since the bosses and their checking accounts into cash before the government need a massive military ma­ bank runs out of money. Soon the bank Electric workers strike W ABCO in Pittsburgh earlier this year. Organized labor is chine to keep down the workers and peas­ does run out. Many checking accounts are the biggest obstacle to capitalist economic policies. ants of the world, it is social spending thus wiped off the books. Credit is para­ which is slashed. lyzed. The money supply plunges. This BY WILLIAM GOTTLIEB supporters. This is because Friedman did happened during the early part of the Great In capitalist circles, a doctrine dubbed express their real material class interests. No stability Depression. Recently fears have mounted "monetarism" has become increasingly But the class struggle forced the employ­ Friedman and his crew claim that the that another banking crash may be ap­ popular. It has largely replaced the theories ers to make concessions to the working current period of mass unemployment will proaching. of British economist John Maynard Keynes class. The Congress of Industrial Organi­ soon give way to stable prosperity without It should be remembered that banking as the dominant economic doctrine in the zations (CIO) in this country (and unions inflation - provided that the central banks · crashes are ..not the cause of depressions. government and universities. and labor parties in other countries) had follow the simple rule-of-thumb monetary Depressions occur under the capitalist sys­ The chief advocate of monetarism is the forced the bosses to yield ground. policy described above. tem because the market cannot keep up archreactionary economist and Nobel Prize In order to put Friedman's views into ef­ If things were that simple the capitalist with the development of production. Peri­ winner Prof. Milton Friedman. A close as- fect the capitalists would have had to take central bankers would have figured it out odically, the disproportion between the on powerful organizations of the working 100 years ago. After all, it shouldn't take a level of production and the limited capacity class. Such a major escalation of the class Nobel Prize winner to grasp the desirability of the market to absorb it, finds expression struggle would have unpredictable results. of increasing the money supply at about the in a crisis of overproduction. Goods pile up BEHIND THE The workers fightback might force the em­ same rate as the increase in real wealth. unsold in warehouses. Production must ployers to make additional concessions - The truth is that the Friedman "theory" is then be slas}!ed to restore its profitability RECESSION or it might even lead to the overthrow of simple quackery. The bulk of the money for the capitalists. the capitalist system itself. supply consists not of the cash issued by Banking crises actually play -a necessary As long as capitalist prosperity con­ the central bank or government, but of role under capitalism. There comes a time sociate of Friedman and supporter of his tinued- that is, as long as markets were views, Prof. George Stigler, has just been checking accounts issued by the private when so much overproduction has oc­ expanding and profits were at record levels banks who are guided by their relentless curred that a normal "recession" can no awarded the Nobel Prize in economic "sci­ - the bosses preferred not to rock the ence" for 1982. Friedman, Stigler, and search for profit. Under normal circum­ longer clear the market. A banking panic, boat. Of course, the class struggle con­ stances the money supply will more or less by causing credit to dry up almost com­ their supporters are known as the "Chicago tinued. But the bosses limited themselves boys" (named for the University of equal the needs of the economy. pletely, forces business to radically reduce to probing attacks rather than a frontal as­ For exa!Jlple if business is booming, in­ production. A major depression occurs, the Chicago where Friedman and Stigler sault required by the Friedman program. taught for many years) have become dustrial corporations, merchants, and market clears, and profitability is restored farmers will all borrow heavily from the on the backs of the workers and farmers. notorious for their association with the Pin­ What is 'monetarism'? cochet dictatorship in Chile. banks in order to expand. Even workers Of course, when faced with an imminent But as crisis symptoms began to multi­ will borrow more from the banks in order banking collapse, the Federal Reserve can Monetarism ply in the world capitalist economy during to purchase consumer goods. Additional always increase its cash issues. In this way the 1970s Friedman's stock began to soar. <;hecking accounts will be issued and the bank depositers can be assured that their In a nutshell, Keynes favored social Over the last few years as the growing cri­ money supply will expand. checking accounts will be convertible into programs, financed when necessary by sis has squeezed profit margins, academic On the other hand, if the economy is in a cash on demand. The only catch is that governmental deficits, as a means of con­ and capitalist political opinion has swung depression there will be relatively little they cannot be assured at the same time taining social unrest during periods of high towards the Friedman camp. borrowing. Industrial corporations, mer­ that the paper money with which they will unemployment and recession. Friedman argues that government deficit chants, etc. will feel overextended. They be paid will buy anything. If the Federal There were always, however, capitalist spending is not necessary to counteract de­ will seek to reduce their debts. Similarly, Reserve doesn't "allow" a banking crash to economists who opposed the Keynesian pression. Indeed he constantly urges less workers that are unemployed, or are afraid occur sboner or later, a paralyzing wave of policy of concessions to the working class. government spending in general (except that they are about to be laid off, don't as a hyperinflation will sweep the globe. Among the most prominent of these after for the Pentagon of course). Friedman rule apply or receive loans for cars, ap­ This, by the way, is the real cause of the World War II was Milton Friedman. claims that the capitalist economy can be pliances, or housing. high inflation over the last decade. Again Friedman argued that social programs kept on an even keel merely by having the As bank loans are paid off the money and again credit crunches have threatened were "too expensive." They required high central bank increase the money supply at valve of checking accounts contracts. Thus to degenerate into full-scale banking pan­ taxes which threatened to eat into profits. the same rate as the long-term growth po­ the money supply tends to stagnate, or­ ics. The Federal Reserve and other capital­ And anything which reduces profits, of tential of the economy. even fall, during times of deep recession or ist central banks have each time responded course, is bad for the bosses. For example, according to Friedman, if depression. by increasing their inflationary issues of In addition Friedman and his ilk were the productivity of labor increases at an av­ cash. The current wave of bankruptcies, worried that programs like unemployment erage of 3 percent per year and the work­ Stagflation debt reschedulings. and bank failures insurance would prevent joblessness from force grows at 1 . 5 percent a year the long seems to be forcing the Federal Reserve to putting the same downward pressure on There may also be a period of "stagfla­ term growth potential of the economy will once again increase the supply of currency wages as it did in the past. If a worker has tion" when prices are rising rapidly but the be 4.5 percent. Therefore, the Federal Re­ at an inflationary pace. This is what's be­ some income when he or she was un­ economy is depressed. Here business will serve should increase the money supply by hind the current "bull" market in stocks employed, the worker would not have to have to borrow just to maintain the existing exactly 4.5 percent every year. In this way, that is enriching brokers and speculators take just any job offer to avoid starvation. lev~l of production. The money supply will Friedman claims, there would neither be while more than 11 million are unem­ This would mean that wages would tend to expand rapidly as industrial corporations inflation - since the supply of money ployed. be higher and profits would thus be lower and other businesses step up their borrow- would not grow any faster than the supply than they might otherwise be. of goods - nor any serious recession - The bankruptcy of capitalism since there would always be enough money Rising expectations The truth is that all schools of capitalist to circulate the expanding supply ·of com­ economic thought that we have examined The Friedmanites had broader objections modities. Friedman's ideas are called "mo­ in this series, whether Keynesian, supply­ as well. netarist" because he believes that monetary siders, or monetarists are devoid of scien­ If the working class came to expect that policy, as opposed to fiscal policies tific value. They merely attempt to justify society owed them a job and basic subsis­ stressed by Keynes, can stabilize the capi­ and prolong the rule of a class that has out­ tence when they were not able to work, the talist economy. lived its time. expectations of the workers would be Friedman has written books attempting Capitalist management of the economy raised. They would demand more and more to prove that the Great Depression of the has neither been able to ensure stable social security, and guaranteed medical 1930s was caused not by any flaw in the prices, maintain the level of industrial care. capitalist economy but the failure of the production, or avoid double-digit unem­ But in the long run capitalism is incom­ Federal Reserve Board to maintain the ployment. Nor have the bosses and their patible with real social security. Without supply of money. government been able to provide many the fear of unemployment and poverty the Similarly, Friedman blames the inflation working farmers.and other working people system of wage slavery cannot, in the end, that has plagued capitalism since the end of with a living income. Increasingly the em­ exist. the 1960s on the decision of the central ployers are refusing to pay a bare subsist­ The bosses were always very favorably banks of the capitalist countries to allow ence to those they have forced into the mis­ inclined to the views of Friedman and his the supply of money to grow too fast. Milton Friedman ery of unemployment.

November 5, 1982 The Militant 15 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------

Heart of gold- Ron Reagan, by on his own. Wouldn't it be nice an announcement from the Uni­ ated by reheating the burgers. chance of contracting flu than Jr., was laid off for a month by the if ol' Ron had a touch of the same versity of California Med School nonsmokers. Joffrey Ballet and had to scrape by tender concern for the 11 ,259, 999 in San Francisco. An anonymous Iffy question - The Army jobless? donor, it was reported, had made sought a court order barring reen­ Makes world look rosy - A , it possible to ship one camp listment of a gay sergeant. They U.S. entrepreneur obtained the Balanced life - According to 15,000 condoms. All the people said he declined to answer ques­ trademark and formula for Us­ People magazine, Cornelia Guest there have food, a spokesperson tions about whether he intended to quaebach, a 20-year-old Scotch is the premier debutante of the sea- , assured, and the women have been engage in future homosexual ac­ malt whiskey that goes fqr about son and she's having a ball - provided the pill. But, "think of all tivities. $50 a fifth. Despite the world Harry breakfast at 1 p.m., learning to the young men trapped there with economic situation, he expects to throw dinner parties, etc. But no outlet!" The pushers- American To­ prosper. "The purchasers of Us­ Ring she's also into charity. ''I'm in­ bacco has undertaken a multimill­ quaebach," he explained, "don't terested in some of the diseases," Hold the shallots - After a re­ ion-dollar drive to resurrect Lucky appear to be worried about being she says. port that the U.S. Marines now Strikes. R.J. Reynolds is test mar­ laid off." on unemployment insurance. He stationed in Lebanon aren't eating keting a peppermint flavored was immediately contacted by CARE package - Charges of as well as their French counter­ cigarette. Meanwhile, it was re­ "Worth"? - "Any man who mom and dad with an offer to U.S. indifference to the plight of parts, White Castle and Emery Air ported in the New England Jour­ knows what he's worth isn't worth help, a White House spokesman Kampuchean refugees encamped Freight joined in organizing a nal of Medicine that heavy smok­ much." - The late oil tycoon, J. announced, but he wanted to get on the Thai border were refuted by hamburger lift. The Navy cooper- ers have a 25 percent greater Paul Getty. -CALENDAR------ALABAMA Oct. 30; reception, 6 p.m.; rally, 7 p.m. Suisse Discarded People: Film About Racism in OHIO Chalet Motor Lodge, 3030 E 8th St. (Hwy. South Africa. Fri., Nov. 12, 7:30p.m. 6223 Jasper 12-20). Donation $2. Ausp: Socialist Workers Delmar (near Skinket). Donation: $3. Ausp: Toledo Why Not a Steelworker for Governor? Campaign. For more information call (219) Militant Labor Forum. For more information Meet the Social.st Candidates. Open House. Speaker: Martin Boyers, Socialist Workers can­ 884-9509. call (314) 725-1570. Sun., Oct. 31, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 2120 Dorr St. didate for governor. Sat., Oct. 30, 6 p.m. Donation $2. Ausp: Toledo Socialist Workers Frisco Community Center, Crutchfield Blvd. Campaign. For more information call (419) (28th St. E). Ausp: Socialist Workers Cam­ KENTUCKY NEW JERSEY 536-0383. paign. For more information call (205) 323- 3079. Louisville Newark Campaign Open House. Tues., Nov. 2, 7 Behind Israel's War In Lebanon: What is p.m. 809 E Broadway. Ausp: Socialist Workers Washington's Real Role? Speaker: Doug Jen­ OREGON ARIZONA 1982 Campaign Committee. For more informa­ ness, editor of the Militant. Fri., Oct. 29, 7:30 Portland tion call (502) 587-8418. 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Speaker: Mary-Alice Mi/itant-Perspectiva Mundial-Young So­ Slideshow and discussion. Fri. Nov. 5, 7:30 People. Speaker: Joe Swanson. Sun., Waters. Sun., Oct. 31, 1:30 p.m. 323 cialist Tours, 410 West Street, New York, p.m. 6223 Delmar (corner of Skinker). Dona­ Oct. 31, 3 p.m. 4715 A Troost. For more State St. Donation: $1 per class. Ausp: information call (816) 753-0404. Young Socialist Alliance. N.Y. 10014; or call (212) 929-3486. tion $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more information call (314) 725-1570.

16 The MHitant November 5, 1982 Kennedy's freeze no answer to nuclear war threat

Freeze! How You Can Help Prevent Nuclear War, by Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Mark Hat­ field. Bantam Books, April 1982. Paperback. $3.50.

BY JANE ROLAND Freeze! How You Can Help Prevent Nuclear War. The title certainly sounds promising. How could anyone con- i cemed with the danger of war today pass this book by? But this paperback, put together by Senators Edward Kennedy and Mark Hatfield, offers no effective strategy to prevent nuclear war. In fact, it throws readers off course. The book revolves around the bilateral freeze resolu­ tion Kennedy and Hatfield have introduced into Con- ~.1}.·.··.•. ·.· BOOK REVIEW • gress. This resolution says "the U.S. and the Soviet Union should pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race . . . decide when and how to achieve a mutual and verifiable freeze. . . . " Then, proceeding from this freeze, they "should pursue major, mutual, and verifiable reduction. . . . " Kennedy refers to his resolution as the "immediate freeze" resolution - in contrast to several others intro­ duced into Congress, which he labels "false freeze." "A false freeze calls for a freeze tomorrow, never a freeze today," the book claims. Militant/Diane Wang Militant/Don Gurewitz But even a quick reading of the Kennedy-Hatfield text Kennedy seeks to derail antiwar sentiment into Democratic Party with his freeze proposal. His socialist opponent, shows "freeze now" is quite an exaggeration. The reso­ Jane Roland, calls for actions against U.S.-hacked wars. lution doesn't demand that Washington immediately freeze development of nuclear weapons. Rather, it makes any freeze or cutback contingent on an agreement with many times more powerful than those dropped on Japan. reads the blurb on the back of the paperback. the Soviet Union. Basing their information on scientific studies, they de­ And, in their introduction, Kennedy and Hatfield offer But the onus of responsibility for the massive nuclear scribe devastated cities, countries, the entire hemisphere. this book as a "manual for citizen involvement in the stockpiles today belongs with Washington, not Moscow. These chapters are gruesome. struggle." And therefore the onus of getting rid of these weapons That's why it's necessary to stop reading the book, But to make the world safe for ourselves and our future should be on Washington. take a breath, and step back for a moment from the por­ generations means replacing those who are in power After all, why has tht::re been a massive nuclear trayed visions of doom. Pick up the newspaper. Im­ today. It means working people and farmers running our weapons build-up? It's an attempt by the imperialists to mediately you're struck by what's missing from Freeze!: own government. keep the Soviet Union from attempting to defend rev­ Where will this nuclear disaster come from? This isn't what Kennedy and Hatfield have in mind olutionary struggles against U.S. wars of aggression. So Even as Kennedy and Hatfield's staffs were reviewing when they refer to "the struggle." They want to see work­ they must maintain nuclear superiority. Each time Mos­ the many studies that were utilized in the book, the U.S. ing people bum out their energy by petitioning Congress cow has produced a new arm, it was in response to esca­ government was sending military aid to back up the hated to pass their useless resolution and working for liberal lation by Washington. dictatorship in El Salvador. But there's no mention of Democratic and Republican politicians -- the very par­ Freeze! opens with the chapter "The First Nuclear that here. ties responsible for U.S. war policies. War," a gripping description of the dropping of the Isn't that how a nuclear war might really explode? Out There is a real course of action for those who want to atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. To illustrate the hor­ of an imperialist war against a developing revolution? stop nuclear war. That's to build an antiwar movement ror of the bombing, Kennedy quotes himself quoting Kennedy is no peacemaker. He voted for the massive that will oppose Washington's war policies and the very Japanese novelist Masuji Ibuse speaking to students at military appropriations in the new federal budget and for real wars going on today. Hiroshima University, describing the nuclear explosion: funds for the M-X and B-1 bomber. He is against the "It was an envoy of the devil itself, I decided: who else in U.S. government disclaiming first use of nuclear Jane Roland is the Socialist Workers Party candidate for the whole wide universe would have presumed to sum­ weapons. U.S. Senate from Massachusetts. Her opponents are mon forth such a monstrosity?" In fact, Kennedy and Hatfield suggest that some of the Democratic incumbent Edward Kennedy and Republican Is that what Kennedy wants us to believe? That the $90 billion they estimate a freeze will "save" the war Raymond Shamie. devil dropped the bomb? budget over the next five years can be "reallocated to im­ It was the U.S. government that dropped the only prove the readiness and the reliability of our conventional atomic weapons ever used against people. It was Presi­ forces." That's the crux of their "peace" plan- improv­ dent Truman, a member of Kennedy's own Democratic ing and expanding U.S. nonnuclear warfare. Of course Farmers and the Cuban Revolution Party. This book never does say who was responsible. it's exactly those conventional forces that Washington re­ Kennedy never says the bomb shouldn't have been lies on for waging and aiding counterrevolutionary ag­ By Fidel Castro dropped, nor makes it clear that he would never unde,r­ gression around the world. The greatest danger of nuclear The complete text of Fidel Castro's address to the take such an action in the future - no small thing for a war comes from the possibility that a "conventional" war Sixth Congress of the National Association of Small man in the U.S. Senate who may ene day be president. by imperialism to crush the working people in a Farmers (ANAP) on May 17, 1982 is published in Freeze! continues with two chapters on 'The Next Nu­ semicolonial country will escalate to a broader war. two issues of Intercontinerital Press. These are avail­ clear War:" chapter 2, "The Death of An American "We want the world safe for ourselves and our future able for $2.00. ·Order from Intercontinental Press, City," and chapter 3, "A Wounded World." Here the au­ generations - this is the message that Americans all 410 West Street, New York, New York 10014. thors give us a scenario of a world destroyed by weapons across the country are bringing to their elected officials,"

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November 5, 1982 The Militant 17 -EDITORIALS------1962: Fidel Castro responds to U.S. Working-class fight for ballot rights threats of war In October 1962, the U.S. government "discov­ "Vote the party of your choice, but vote." In general, the capitalist parties want to maintain a bal­ ered" that revolutionary Cuba had nuclear-tipped There is a catch to that election-time refrain. Namely lot monopoly because they know they can't respond to missiles furnished by the Soviet Union. Washington that they do everything they can to deny you a real the political challenge of working-class candidates. demanded that Cuba return these weapons to the choice. Whenever working-class candidates get on the ballot they USSR. This challenge to Cuba's right to defend itself The Democratic and Republican upholders of get more media coverage, they are treated more seri­ from imperialist aggression became -known as the capitalism are assured a place on the ba1lot. And their ously, and appear more legitimate. It makes it just a bit "missile crisis." President John Kennedy threatened right-wing satellite parties rarely have a problem gaining a more difficult for the· capitalist candidates to simply ig­ to bomb Cuba, or Soviet ships enroute to Cuba, if the ballot place. nore them. missiles were not returned to the Soviet Union. Below But working-class parties that offer a meaningful alter­ And, the Democrats and Republicans figure, each are excerpts from a speech Fidel Castro delivered on native face onerous requirements and heavy restrictions move to keep an independent candidate off the ballot TV to the Cuban people October 23. The speech, no­ in their fight for ballot rights. And when they succeed in makes it that much harder for future challengers. They table for its calmness and self-confidence, was also a meeting those requirements they often face efforts to dis­ are concerned about the emergence of new political for­ direct answer to Kennedy's speech the previous night qualify them through legal trickery and trumped-up chal­ mations such as the National Black Independent Political which precipitated the crisis witb his announcement lenges to their nominating petitions. Party. They're aware of the growing receptivity among of a naval blockade of Cuba. These excerpts appeared Candidates of the Socialist Workers Party will be on workers to the idea of a labor party. They want to put as in the October 29, 1962 Militant. the ballot this year contesting 19 congressional seats, 12 many obstacles as long as they can in the way of such de­ statewide offices, and four local offices. velopments. "We have taken the necessary measures not only to In Michigan, the SWP and others won a court ruling And' they had particular considerations for wanting to resist but to repel - hear it well - to repel any aggres­ scrapping a primary election requirement that effectively keep Mel Mason off the ballot. sion from the U.S.," Cuba's revolutionary leader de­ barred minority parties from the ballot. A longtime activist in the Black community in Sea­ clared. In North Carolina, the socialists challenged a ruling side, California, Mason was elected to the city council "We are not sovereign through any concession made that they had filed insufficient nominating petitions. there in 1980. by the United States," Castro said. "And to take away our They generated public protest and won a court ruling re­ He won despite a red-baiting campaign focused on his versing that crooked decision. socialist beliefs and affiliation. In West Virginia, the Socialist Workers Party won bal­ The present state election occurs in the midst of the lot status for the frrst time. The party obtained the neces­ deepening economic crisis - a crisis that has hit hardest OUR sary amount of petitions in the face of a concerted public at Black and Latino voters. campaign by officials to intimidate prospective signers. In this situation, Mason's forthright proposals for ac­ REVOLUTIONARY Then state officials ruled that not enough valid signa­ tions in behalf of working people stand in sharp contrast tures had been filed for Adrienne Benjamin, SWP candi­ to the inability of either major party candidate to offer date for Congress. This was successfully challenged in meaningful answers. HERITAGE court. This was a particular problem for Thomas Bradley, the But in several cases the socialists were denied their sovereignty they will have to wipe us from the face of the Black Democratic mayor of Los Angeles who would like earth ... right to a ballot place even though they had more than to coast into the state house by ducking the key issues. He "If the U.S. gave Cuba ample guarantees against ag­ met the legal requirements. hopes that his pro-business positions will go unnoticed by gression, Cuba would not have to arm. They ask u.~ to Perhaps the most scandalous example of this was in Blacks and other working-class voters. California. disarm, but they will not renounce aggression ... There, the two major parties have made it unusually By denying Mason a place on the ballot, they knew "What have we done except to defend ourselves? Did . difficult for working-class candidates to get on the ballot. they were making it more difficult for him to win access they expect that at the first act of aggression we were go­ Currentiy more than 100,000 nominating signatures are to media exposure. And they intended that lack of ballot ing to surrender? That we were going to put our heads on required. status would reduce Mason's credibility as a serious cam­ the chopping block? . . . To gairi a ballot place for Mel Mason, an SWP leader paigner and meaningful alternative. "We will acquire the arms we deem necessary for our running for governor, more than 214,000 signatures were It was precisely this that made it so important for defense. And we don't have to give an accounting to any­ filed. Yet the Democratic administration of Gov. Ed­ Mason and his supporters to fight every inch of the way, one. None of our arms are offensive because we have mund Brown arbitrarily disqualified the petitions, declar­ beginning with the huge petition gathering process. never been aggressive. We will never be aggressors but ing there were insufficient valid ones. we will never be victims either." This generated significant protest in California and Their resolute battle for their rights will benefit all ·Fiercely jealous of Cuba's hard-won sovereignty, Cas­ around the country. Union activists and officials, civil those who stand in opposition to the capitalist parties, as tro rejected U.S. demands for inspection teams to go into rights and civil liberties figures, made known their op­ well as those who will come into opposition in the days Cuba to examine its defenses for "aggressive" weapons. position to this undemocratic act. ahead. "We refuse to give permission to anyone to examine, The arbitrary ruling was challenged in the California And by waging an energetic, hard-hitting write-in to investigate our country- no matter who it is." courts and in federal court. All of them chose to uphold campaign they overcame many of the obstacles placed in "Cuba is not the Congo. Under the UN flag they went the decision keeping Mason off the ballot. their path and registered new gains for the socialist cause. to the Congo and killed its leader and the spirit of inde­ One might ask why the California politicians and their By example, they and the other socialist campaigners pendence of that people. friends in court were so stubborn about keeping Mason across the country helped to underline the reality that "Anyone who comes to inspect anything in Cuba had off the ballot, particularly since· it opened a good many there is no social progress without struggle. By doing better come prepared for battle. We don't ask to investi­ people's eyes to the hypocrisy of their professed devotion that, they put the movement in a stronger position for the gate in others' territory." to democracy. bigger battles to come. Castro depicted the unilaterally imposed naval block­ ade as but a culminating step in the long series of U.S. at­ tempts to destroy the Cuban Revolution and the example it sets for all Latin America. "All measures against us failed. Now they institute a more aggressive policy. They attempt to establish a Antiwar actions spotlight El Salvador blockade by putting pressure on their own allies - they threaten to ruin the merchant marines of those coun­ In October, more than 5,000 people in the United workers, peace activists, and religious groups, protested tries . . . States turned out for marches, rallies, car caravans, administration policies and demanded that the U.S. get "Because they will not resign themselves, their failure picketlines, and walk-a-thons to protest U.S. war moves out of El Salvador. to crush the Cuban Revolution brings us to this pass - in El Salvador and the rest of Central America. (See news In San Diego, 1 ,300 people demonstrated on October the most dangerous one for the peace of the world . . . story on page 4.) 3 to protest thf? conviction of antiwar activist Ben Sasway "Now they establish a blockade. Is it perhaps a block­ In addition, at the huge October 24 San Francisco for refusing to register for the draft. ade established in their own territorial waters? No. It is labor march of 70,000, there was a contingent of trade Actions are taking place in other countries, including conducted on the high seas, which is a violation of the unionists opposed to U.S. intervention in Central a Mexico-U.S. Border Conference in Tijuana, Mexico, rights of all nations . . . America. The best received speaker at the subsequent on October 30-31. "If they attempt to blockade us, we will see which will rally was Ed Asner, president of the Screen Actors Guild, The significance of these actions is underlined by the hold out longer - our morale or their shamelessness. who has been victimized by the television industry for his political context in which they took place. "If they impose a total blockade, we will resist it. We outspoken and active support to the embattled workers Despite the big advances rebel forces are making in El can resist it. We will not starve to death. If there is a and peasants of El Salvador. Salvador; despite the recent kidnapping of 15 leaders of direct attack, we will repel it. I can't speak more On October 16 and 23, ip response to an international the Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR) and the labor plainly ... initiative, the Committee in Solidarity with the People of movement by the Salvadoran regime; despite the step­ "They menace us with nuclear attack but they don't El Salvador (CISPES) helped organize actions in 50 ped-up rightist attacks against Nicaragua, which are sup­ scare us. We will see if the U.S. congressmen, bankers, cities in the United States. ported, organized, and financed by the U.S. government; etc. , possess the same calmness as we. The· purpose of the actions was to expose U.S. inter­ despite the massacres of Indians by the Guatemalan dic­ "We are calmed by the knowledge that, if they attack vention "in the political affairs of El Salvador, as well as tatorship - despite all this news, the big-business us, the aggressor will be exterminated ... the alarming development of increased U.S. involvement "news" media hasn't given much coverage to these "Humanity must fight for peace. It must mobilize in directing counterinsurgency warfare in that nation and events. against those who endanger peace. We must learn to live in the Central American region." The fact that these kinds of educational activities oc­ in the age into which we were born . . . . In response: curred despite the news brownout is one small indication "He [Kennedy] proposes that we disarm. We will nev­ • 1,000 marched in San Francisco, including a sizable of the depth of antiwar sentiment. er do so while the U.S. continues to be an aggressor. We number of Central Americans and Chicanos. These actions, in tum, played a role in spotlighting favor a policy of disarming all foreign bases, not ours • 800 marched in Chicago to the Great Lakes Naval Washington's covert war in Central America. alone. It would be idiocy for Cuba to disarm while the Training Center. The protests also occurred the month before the U.S. threatens it ... • 500 marched in Seattle, Washington. November elections, when there was intense pressure on "What are defensive and offensive arms? The arms • An 80-car caravan was organized in Los Angeles. antiwar activists to subordinate the fight against war to used at Playa Giron [where the U.S.-sponsored invasion • Between Washington, D.C.; Ithaca,'New York; and getting "peace" Democrats elected and organizing sup­ in April 1961 landed], they were offensive arms. And our New York City, almost $13,000 was raised for medical port for "bilateral nuclear freeze" ballot initiatives. arms were defensive arms. What determines whether aid to be distributed by the freedom fighters in El Sal­ As the polarization in Central America deepens and the arms are offensive or defensive is the use one makes of vador. U.S. government increases its intervention there, more them ... In Peoria, Illinois, on October 20, 325 people antiwar activities are needed. Educational protests can "It is ridiculous to say that Cuba has aggressive aims. "greeted" President Ronald Reagan, who was there to play an important role in mobilizing the massive and po­ We will not be aggressors but we will not give an ac­ campaign for a Republican congressional hopeful. Those tentially powerful antiwar sentiment that exists today counting to the U.S. What sovereign nation hasn't the present, including rank-and-file auto workers and steel- among millions of workers in this country. right to arm?"

18 The Militant November 5, 1982 Is biology responsible for women's oppression?

The following guest column was written by Brenda The example of a species of gentle, monogamous, lan­ agrees with anthropologist Nancy Tanner, who has ar­ Brdar. gurs (Asiatic long-tailed monkeys) on the Mentawei Is­ gued that it was women and children working together in lands off the coast of Indonesia, is cited by Weisstein. In a social environment, gathering, and developing skills of In the November issue of Ms. magazine, Naomi all other known cases, the langurs are "polygamous, communication, who were the "central actors in our Weisstein, a professor of psychology at the State Univer­ highly aggressive, and male dominant." This radically evolution." sity of New York (Buffalo), deals a blow to the idea that different behavior in such genetically close species is at­ There is now evidence, Weisstein explains, that women are biologically inferior, in an article titled "Tired tributed to environmental differences. women's subjugation began some 12,000 years ago­ of Arguing about Biological Inferiority?" "If nearly the same genes produce male tyrants in one when hunting and gathering societies were replaced with For centuries, women's biology has been used as a environment and gentle companions in another, then societies based on plant and animal domestication - weapon against us. The second-class status of women in genes alone don't determine those specific behaviors in with the development of the state. Although we can't pin­ primates." Thus, "~lations between sexes can change point a date, this is relatively recent within the several radiCally with changes in the environment," Weisstein million years of human evolution. believes. Weisstein concludes that "females are not sub­ Weisstein concludes that " ... male dominance is WOMEN IN REVOLT ordinate in the primate world to anything like the degree not in our genes. It is not something we inherited in be­ intimated by mainstream behavioral biology." coming human, along with the big brain and the small society was considered literally the natural order of In spite of such evidence, the official $cientific view of canines. It emerged afterward. It is a specific cultural le­ things with the animal world being pointed to as proof of fixed male and female "nature" doesn't seem to change. gacy. . . . Biology shows us that the subjugation of the naturalness of male dominance and female subordina­ Weisstein stresses that: "It is important to understand women is anything but natural and fixed. . . . Biology tion. how profoundly, pervasively, and totally, bias can affect tells us that there is nothing genetic stopping us from hav­ At one time, scientists measured our brain sizes to something as purportedly 'scientific' as biology. You ing full sexual and social expression .... Rather than "prove" our inferiority. Today, the arguments are more need much more than evidence to bring down as a curse against women, biology is a promise to us." sophisticated. Sex-linked genes are now said to be re­ cherished a notion as male dominion. Whenever Weisstein' s article should help stimulate renewed in­ sponsible for certain "male" or "female" traits or privilege is at stake, theories justifying privilege will terest in studying the origins of the oppression women abilities. linger ori well after the evidence has overturned them. face today in capitalist society. The Marxist classic, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, The words may be different, but the message is the "It isn't necessarily a conscious conspiracy. Rather, written in 1891 by Frederick Engels, as well as the works same: Our inferiority is in our genes. It's biology, not so­ the new data are not acknowledged, or they are treated as of the late Marxist anthropologist, Evelyn Reed, are in­ ciety, that determines our destiny. So forget about trivial, or appropriate implications from them are over­ valuable tools in such a study. Origin of the Family and achieving equality. looked. The data don't act to influence the theories, and Women's Evolution by Evelyn Reed are available from Weisstein takes a look at studies of "our closest rela­ so the theories remain the same." Pathfinder Press for $3.45 and $8.95 respectively. Order tives" - female primates - which reveal their behavior In explaining how female subjugation developed, from Pathfinder Press, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. as "tough, assertive, and socially central." She concludes W eisstein tackles the theory that it was "Man the Hunter" 10014. (Include $.75 for postage and handling.) that dominance (and therefore subjugation) is not deter­ who drove human beings forward. "In fact, it's more Understanding our historical and biological roots will mined genetically. It is neither inherited individually or likely," she says, "that it was Woman the Gatherer who better prepare us to fight for our equality and full libera­ by one sex. · led the procession down the evolutionary pike." She tion. -LETTERS------Boxer on strike tinian civilians, in the refugee and used it liberally to crush the As a fellow socialist, I am writ­ camps at Sabra and Shatila. aspirations of the indigenious ing you about my strike, the first "We note that, after the with­ population and preserve U.S. in­ in the history of boxing. When I drawal of U.S., French, and Ita­ terests. Tragically, the former picketed, I had on my sign, lian forces, the Israeli occupation pariahs of the world have forsaken "Boxer on strike for better ·work­ army was the only force which Judaism and turned to the ing conditions. AFL-CIO Local could have prevented, or stopped, Zionists, terrorism, and conquest, 355." I'm a memberofLocal355. the massacre. all in the name of "security." Of course, the promoters did "However, Israeli forces, who According to the PLO perma­ their best to slander me, as any were present in the immediate vi­ nent observer to the U.N. , Zehdi employer does to a striking cinity, did nothing to stop the Terzi (June 18th speech at the worker. They claimed I struck be­ bloodletting. UN), "not one country in the cause my fight was cancelled. "To prevent the recurrence of world today spends a greater per­ But, the truth is I struck three days another such tragedy, we call for centage of its Gross National earlier, with my list of demands, the immediate withdrawal of all Product on the military than Israel, and then the fight was cancelled. Israeli forces from Lebanon." 40 percent. Its per capita expendi­ Also, the promoter knew it was The resolution was adopted by a ture is second highest in the world my professional debut. He has seen vote of 34 to 6 following a very . . . Israel is today the seventh me train and knows I'm a good vigorous debate lasting over 15 largest arms merchant in the and electrical workers. All were sing their compassion for the truly boxer. He just was afraid of my minutes. world." Like the United States, unemployed. needy. While most of us have militancy and couldn't meet my Interest in· socialist ideas was the Soviet Union, and other world During Zola's presentation, in heard about the monetary crisis in demands. also evidenced in my ability to sell powers, Israel is armed to the teeth which he explained what Mexico, the Times looked'further I hope maybe you'll print some­ 15 copies of the pamphlet Mel to "preserve peace." capitalism is and why it inevitably and found something more. They thing about this because it is a first Mason: The Making of a Re­ The Zionist state is- paid hand­ leads to unemployment, war, and discovered not just currency de­ and may inspire other athletes to volutionary, 5 single copies of the somely for its police work in the racism, many of those present in­ valuation, but a story of real fight for their rights as workers. Militant, and one subscription. Middle East. Terzi asserts that the terrupted the socialist candidate to human tragedy. Boxers especially need a union. Walter Lippmann United States supplied Israel with express agreement with him. The The story is a tearjerker. It starts .They have no pension plan or Los Angeles, California $7 million a day for the Lebanese meeting became one big discus­ like this: "They are all gone, and health insurance. Although boxing invasion. George Ball, former sec­ sion on how to deal with the cur­ they are sorely missed." Who? earns hundreds of millions of dol­ retary of state under Kennedy and rent capitalist economic crisis. People who have died of hunger or lars each year, 95 percent of all Israel Johnson, states that "[the U.S.] is "These politicians won't do illness? People forced to move to boxers live at or below the poverty supplying Israel with economic as­ anything for us. Now we have to other cities or forced to live the life level. The latest Israeli campaign of sistance at a rate equivalent to decide what we are going to do," of an "illegal" in another country? Dennis Marsella terror' ostensibly aimed at the roughly $3,500 to $4,000 a year asserted one young unemployed No, it is the wealthy Mexicans Dania, Florida PLO fighters in Lebanon was in for every Israeli faniily of five" steelworker. who are still rich, but have been fact an attempt to beat into sub­ (San lose Mercury, July 4, 1982). A Black steelworker, after lis­ forced to stop shopping at super­ mission by military force all Finally, on this point, the tening to the discussion for a fancy and expensive stores - in Favorable responses 600,000 Palestinian refugees as Reagan administration has been while, joined in pointing out, the Houston area. well as anti-Phalangist-fascist and perceived by Israel as one fully "Everybody is making campaign As a result, the American store­ I enjoy reading the Militant and anti-Zionist Lebanese. The use of have gotten some fairly favorable supportive of any military actions promises, but what we need is owners are "suffering." Much of antipersonnel weaponry, the level­ the Begin regime decides to under­ some kind of revolt. I'm not say­ their business came from rich responses when I've shown some ing of civilian occupied villages, articles and issues to some other take. In mid-March of this year, ing we need violence, but we need Mexicans who used to spend the bombing of hospitals, schools, the Israeli Foreign Ministry for­ a revolution." thousands of dollars in a store at a students here at school, American and other non-military targets un­ University. Keep up the good mally announced that "we think Thirty-six copies of the Mili­ time. The Times gave examples derscore this point. we will have more understanding tant, the campaign newspaper of like these: a pair of $1400 silk work. Enclosed is a subscription To many North Americans, the for the Young Socialist. of our need to strike at terrorism" the socialists, were sold at the sheets bought for a 9-year-old girl, idea of Israel as a peaceloving (Peoples World, June 12, 1982). days events; as well as one Young a man who spent $27,000 on video Bob Cohen state beleaguered by the blood­ Alexandria, Virginia Nickey Baxter Socialist and $13 worth of cam­ recorders and Piaget watches thirsty Arab nations surrounding California paign buttons. going 'for $12,000. it, is one which dies hard. After A young Black woman - with One store lost almost half its all, Israel is a tiny settlement and eight children and an-unemployed business. This doesn't mean the Beirut massacre must necessarily defend itself husband - attended the reception store is in the red, but it has been At its October 10 meeting, the against the Arab hordes which (in­ Jobs rally in McKeesport. The following day stricken - it has been forced to State Executive Board of the So­ explicably?) want to destroy the Between 2,000 and 3,000 she came over to nearby advertise and may have to stock cial Services Union, Local 535 "Jewish homeland." These sup­ people demonstrated here in Pittsburgh to attend a class spon­ some less costly items. The store's (SEIU), an organizalion represent­ porters of the Zionist state reason McKeesport, Pa. October 6 sored by the Young Socialist Al­ manager put it so well, "It's ing 10,000 California workers in further that Israel simply could against unemployment. The action liance on women's rights and tough." the health and human services, not, would not, ever set out to ex­ was called by the Mon Valley Un­ abortion. overwhelmingly adopted a resolu­ terminate another people - how employment Committee. David Brandt DeAnne Rathbun New York, New York tion condemning the recent mas­ could they - after what has hap­ After the demonstration, a cam­ Piusburgh, Pa. sacres of Palestinian refugees in pened to them? Unhappily, this paign reception for Mark Zola, Lebanon and calling for the im­ view is a simple-minded one, shal­ Socialist Workers candidate for mediate withdrawal of Israeli low boob-tube begotten 'moral­ governor of Pennsylvania, was Correction forces. The text reads: ity.' In fact, Israel, from its very held at a nearby hotel in McKees­ 'Truly needy' Last week's issue of the Mili­ "We protest the massacre, at the beginning has played Big Brother port. Thirty-five interested indi­ In keeping with their journalis­ tant gave an incorrect date for the hands of Christian Phalangist in the Middle East. Successive re­ viduals attended, among them tic traditions, the New York Times death of Fred Brode. Br9de died militiamen, of hundreds of Pales-· gimes have wielded the big stick, seven steelworkers and several rail ran an article on October 7 expres- October 6, 1982.

November S, 1982 The Militant 19 THE MILITANT Rally denounces killing of Black at hands of California cops

BY JULIETTE MONTAUK some cops enter the house next door to RICHMOND, Calif.- Three hundred Simon's, she ran to her mother and yelled, and fifty people rallied here October 23 to "The police are here. Are they coming to protest the murder of a Black man, Willie · get you too?'' Lee Dromgoole, by Richmond city cops. At the rally there were speakers from the The action was called by the NAACP and NAACP, the National Black Independent the American Civil Liberties Union Political Party (NBIPP), the ACLU, and (ACLU). JOIN (Jobs or Income Now). The protesters started off the march with Oliver Jones, who represents the Drom­ a picket line chanting, "We want justice, goole family in a $50 million wrongful we want it now." Ninety percent of the par­ death suit against the city, spoke for the ticipants were from the Black community. NAACP. Demonstrators carried placards with such Oliver called for an "open, free, and slogans as, "Recall the Uncle Tom Coun­ comprehensive hearing where all questions cil," "Stop legal lynching," and are answered." "Richmond is not Soweto." In speaking about the Black councilmen Richmond police at first denied a parade who are supposed to be working for the permit for the march because a city ordi­ people, he shouted, "Where are all those nance requires 20 day's notice before such Uncle Toms who say that they represent an event. But the U.S. Court of Appeals this community today!" for the 9th Circuit reversed the earlier deci­ He told the Militant that the inquest will sion and granted a permit for a sidewalk be a cover-up. No cross-examination will October 23 protest against killing of Willie Lee Dromgoole in Richmond, California. march late the day before it was scheduled. be allowed. The NAACP called the denial of the parade The NAACP has called for a reconstruc­ permit and then its last minute reversal a tion of the incident where Dromgoole was country is to "carry out acts of terror After long refusing to hold an inquiry in­ "delaying tactic aimed at allowing public murdered. The police department is refus­ against Blacks and other oppressed to Dromgoole's murder, the city finally outrage over the death of Dromgoole to ing to lt

20 The Militant November 5, 1982