• AUSTRALIA $2.00 • BELGIUM BF60 • CANADA $2.00 • FRANCE FF1 0 • ICELAND Kr150IN$IDE·. • NEW ZEALAND $2.50. • SWEDEN Kr12 • UK...... £1.00 • U.S. $1.50 . ····•cne:··.··•Econ ·· ...... ·i lra•tranal·· TH£ ····· ),···.·······•··••••···l~(~r,.t/9fl~ls0Ciiit~t'l$viel¥J•~r;~ 1?to•i .... ·.. ·. A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 61 NO. 33 SEPTEMBER 29, 1997 Bosnia vote S.F. strikers win takes place under victory for all labor NATO guns BART workers push back two-tier pay BY MAURICE WILLIAMS NATO officials hailed the recent sham BY NORTON SANDLER elections held in 142 Bosnian municipali­ AND ASKIA TOURE ties as a success. Bosnian residents voted as SAN FRANCISCO-"We NATO troops in armored personnel carriers raised the bar for all workers and helicopters patrolled the region, part of by winning this strike," Steve the 36,000-strong U.S.-led occupation force. Gilbert told theMilitant. "The U.S. Gen. Wesley Clark warned ahead of fact that we ended the two-tier time that the military operation "has the system and won the wage gains authority and capability to use lethal force" we did sends a message to against violent disrupters. "Should it be so other workers that they can win threatened, it will use that force," he de­ some gains too, if they fight." clared. Gilbert has worked for six The September 13-14 balloting was or­ years as a mechanic at Bay ganized by the Organization for Security and Area Rapid Transit (BART). Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other Some 2,500 Bay Area tran­ imperialist representatives, who controlled sit workers who are members the electoral process and must certify the of the Service Employees In­ results. These officials warned residents that ternational Union (SEIU), the communities that do not accept the election Amalgamated Transit Workers results will have sanctions imposed on them. Union (ATU), and American The elections were considered a fake by Federation of State, County, many people in the area. "This is a farce," and Municipal Employees said Vaskrsije Kusmuk, a 65-year-old resi­ (AFSCME) stood up to a care­ dent in Pale. "If this was really a democratic fully orchestrated and high­ election we would not have these foreign pitched campaign in the big planes and these foreign tanks rolling business press and broadcast Transit workers picket in San Francisco's financial district during strike against rail boss through our streets." media here· to-score some solid Some refugees who were driven from gains during their week-long strike, which their homes during the 1992-95 war re­ ended on September 13. again September 15. The strike began September 7, when a turned to vote. Workers began returning to their jobs A ratification vote by the membership of "cooling-off' period mandated by Califor­ Leaders of the Bosnian Serb Democratic immediately after the tentative settlement the two unions is scheduled for Septem­ nia Governor Peter Wilson ended and the party and the Bosnian Croatian Democratic was announced and trains began running ber 19. Continued on Page 12 Union spoke of boycotting the polls. Both organizations dropped such threats after 4 Sinn Fein joins talks on Ireland 5 000 Co~:;iPage. BY IAN GRANT The following day, a 400-pound bomb used as an excuse for the Unionists to stay ' Y AND TONY HUNT exploded outside the police station in a the out of the talks. • T ~ LONDON -A new phase in the struggle town of Markethill, in County Armagh. The Following the explosion, the talks were • 1 11 for Irish freedom opened September 15, Ulster Unionist Party, (UUP) the largest of adjourned for the day by their chairperson, Ill exas 0 r when the London government finally en- the loyalist (pro-British) parties who had up former U.S. senator George Mitchell. rr• e tered formal negotiations that include Sinn to that point refused to join the talks, seized In a statement at the opening of the talks a Irmative Fein, the leading party fighting for an end on this as a pretext to call for Sinn Fein to Adams, who led the Sinn Fein delegation, to British colonial rule in Ireland. This was be excluded. The Irish Republican Army said, "We are here as an Irish republican • the first time since the partition of Ireland (IRA), whichhasobservedacease-firesince party. We do think this could be the begin- action in 1921 that the British imperialists had en- July 20, immediately denied responsibility ning of the end of conflict on this island if gaged in such talks. Sinn Fein's involvement for the attack. the political will is there to build agreement, comes 15 months after the present series of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the and we certainly have that will. BY LEA SHERMAN talks began. explosion was regrettable, but should not be "We think the logic for a small island like HOUSTON - In response to mounting this and for 5 million people is to have the attacks on affirmative action, some 5,000 unity and independence of Ireland," he con­ students and others demonstrated at the tinued. "That issue is on the agenda because University of Texas at Austin September 16. we put it there." In addition to the Sinn Fein Hundreds of students also held a sit-in at delegation, representatives of the Irish Gov­ the law school after the rally. The protest ernment, the British Government, the So­ came amid a growing fury over remarks cial Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), made by Lino Graglia, a tenured university Alliance Party, and the Women's Coalition law professor, against affirmative action. were also represented. Graglia spoke at a September 10 press conference launching a student group that Divisions among Unionist parties supports the Hopwood decision, a court rul­ Bitter divisions are wracking the Union­ ing that overturned affirmative action pro­ ist parties - so called because they favor grams at the University of Texas (UT). the continued "union" of Northern Ireland "Blacks and Mexican-Americans are not with Britain. The Ulster Unionist Party academically competitive with whites in (UUP) stayed away from the talks when they selective institutions," the professor de­ opened. David Trimble, leader of the UUP, clared. "It is the result primarily of cultural issued a statement saying that given certain effects. They have a culture that seems not conditions he intended to participate "as to encourage achievement. Failure is not soon as possible." The UUP leadership in­ looked upon with disgrace." stead met leaders of two smaller loyalist The debate on affirmative action has been groups, the Progressive Unionist Party heating up as the impact of the Hopwood (PUP), and the Ulster Democratic Party decision has become clear. The case was (UDP), which have links with rightist ter­ originally filed as a challenge to affirmative ror gangs the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) action policies in admissions at the law and Ulster Defence Association (UDA) re- school. Since implementing the court rut- Continued on Page 14 Continued on Page 11 Sterilization policy sparks debate in Sweden- page 6 IN BR~f------Japan GDP plummets agreement" with the Havana, "would lose The gross domestic product (GDP) of duty free access of its products to the U.S. Japan dropped 2.9 percent in the three market." Ros-Lehtinen took it a step further months ending June 30. This represents an by dropping each CARlCOM member a let­ annualized rate of decline of 11.2 percent - ter saying that repercussions for such deal­ the fastest drop since the 1974 worldwide ings would be felt "individually and as a unit; recession. Shimpei Nukaya, administrative politically and economically; in the hemi­ vice-minister of Tokyo's Economic Planning sphere and globally; in the court of public Agency, said the decline would make it dif­ opinion and in real terms." ficult to meet the government's goal of 1.9 percent growth in GDP for the fiscal year House backs anti-immigrant bill ending March 31, 1998. On September 5 the U.S. House of Rep­ resentatives voted 261-150 in favor of a Seoul bails out collapsing banks measure to include the deployment 10,000 The Bank of Korea announced Septem­ troops along the U.S. border with Mexico ber 8 it would pour $2.2 billion into the sink­ in the 1998 defense bill. The measure, in­ troduced by Democratic Congressman ing Korea First Bank and other banks i~ ~n effort to prevent a major currency cns1s. James Traficant, is supposedly aimed at Korea First got a $1.1 billion, one-year loan fighting drug trafficking and illegal immi­ at below-market interest rates. This is the gration. California Republican representa­ fourth bailout in the history of the central tive Brian Bilbray also backed the measure bank. Park Ung-suh, president of the as a way to guard against "drugs and the vio­ Samsung Economic Research Institute said, lent activity that is going on along the bor­ "Government support for the bank is abso­ der." lutely necessary to avoid financial panic." The $650 million project is opposed by The banking crisis has been fueled by the A woman joins August 30 march in Santiago, Chile, organized by the families of the U.S. Defense Department and the Jus­ bankruptcy or collapse of five major indus­ thousands of people who were "disappeared" during the dictatorship of Gen. tice Department, who argue for hiring more trial conglomerates this year, which resulted Augusto Pinochet. Sign reads: "Your son comes home. Mine does not." border cops instead. The Immigration and in bank-issued rescue plans of billions of Naturalization Service already plans to beef dollars. up the nearly 7 ,000-strong Border Patrol by 5,000 over the next five years. Meanwhile, Yukos, one of Russia's largest oil compa­ own tillable land. Companies inside the the Clinton administration has proposed Volvo halts Thai auto plant nies, had entered non-government-approved country and foreign entities only have ac­ doubling citizenship application fees from The Swedish auto company Volvo AB has negotiations with Amoco to develop the 4 cess through renting. halted production at its assembly plant in billion barrel Priobskoye field in Siberia. $95 to $200 or more. Thailand for at least 10 weeks, citing insta­ Amoco says it is entitled to at least half the Germany: joblessness rises again Sheriff: prison tents for juveniles bility from the devaluation of the Thai baht oil, and threatened to take unspecified ac­ Working people in Germany faced 11.4 Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio, who and other currencies in the region. About 120 tion against Yukos. This is the second m~­ percent unemployment in August, with the workers will be laid off. Meanwhile, the jor U.S.-Russian oil venture to go sour m number of jobless rising by 49,000 from the has earned a reputation for brutal conditions Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp., recent months. In August, the Russian gov­ previous month and reaching a post-World in his county jail in Arizona, now plans to Isuzu Motor Ltd., and Honda Motor Co. ernment nixed an agreement won by Exxon War II record. In eastern Germany unem­ imprison juveniles in outdoor army tents and put them on chain gangs. The tents can reach have all announced price increases on their Corp. to develop oil fields in the Russian ployment hit 18.3 percent, compared with up to 122 degrees. Inmates there are fed vehicles sold in Thailand of between 3 and Far North. 15 percent a year ago. West German unem­ 5 percent, also citing the baht's plunge. A ployment rose to 9.7 percent. green bologna and denied warm lunches, soft spokesman for Toyota speculated that the Hungary delays NATO vote drinks, cigarettes, and movies. Prisoners are At the same time, wages grew by a mere issued pink underwear and are paraded overall Thai market for vehicles would Hungarian prime minister Gyula Hom 1 percent in the second quarter, slower than through the town in striped uniforms on shrink by at least 15 percent in 1997. announced September 8 that two national any year on record, said Credit Suisse in chain gangs. Lt. Nick Larkin, a supervisor referenda scheduled for November 16 would Amoco deal for Russia oil falters London. Germany's gross domestic product at the jail told reporters, "We don't correct be pushed back a few weeks. The first ~o!e actually grew at a rate of 2.9 percent in the anybody, we don't train, we don't teach, we The U.S. oil giant Amoco invested $100 will be to decide if Hungary should JOID second quarter, but Bundesbank council don't rehabilitate, We just lock your a - million over four years in an oil deal with NATO. The second referendum is on member Hans-Juergen Krupp warned that the Russian company Yukos. But on Sep­ whether Hungarian companies will be able up." There have been three inmate deaths it would be "foolish" to characterize the reported as suicides at that prison in 1997. tember 10 'Alexander Golubovich, deputy to own arable land, and whether foreign en­ Germany economy as recovered. chairman of Yukos, told investors that his tities should have that right. At present only 'Ban all mines but ours' company had "no relationship" with Amoco. Hungarian individuals and cooperatives can U.S. gov't threatens CARICOM U.S. officials at an international confer­ Representatives from the various Carib­ ence in Oslo, Norway, negotiating a ban on bean countries were invited to a breakfast antipersonnel land mines argued that Wash­ meeting in Washington D.C. to discuss hemi­ ington should be partially exempted. Del­ spheric trade and economic issues, "but egates from more than 100 countries are when we got there the main purpose was to participating in the talks. The U.S. govern­ threaten us with sanctions if Cuba became a ment proposed that it continue to deploy land member of CARlCOM [Caribbean Commu­ mines on the Korean peninsula. Some nity]," the August 19CaribNews quoted an 37,000 U.S. troops are based in south Ko­ unnamed Barbados official as saying. U.S. rea, enforcing the division of north and so~th Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen "simply walked Korea. Washington also wants an exemptJon in and launched into anti-Cuban speech." for its antitank weapons, which have anti­ Ros-Lehtinen and other legislators have personnel devices. According to the Finan­ introduced a bill stating that any government cial Times, Clinton administration officials that uses its voice or vote to support Cuba's say they are committed to a ban that recog­ membership into CARICOM or the Central nizes U.S. "global security responsibilities." American Common Market, or even "enters into negotiation ... towards a free trade area -BRIAN TAYLOR

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2 The Militant September 29, 1997 Ontario workers Crisis grows for Tel Aviv force boss to bargain BY JOANNE PRITCHARD be considered armed and would be arrested. TORONTO- "We won," said Joe The unionists put out a call to beef up the Horvath, a millwright at PC World. "And if picket lines. CAW members from de we don't get what we want in the bargain­ Havilland rushed back to their plant to leaf­ ing we'll close them down again." This was let the day shift and ask workers to join us. in response to the announcement by Basil Later on that evening a bus load of workers Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto from the Lear Seating plant in Ajax walked Workers (CAW) that the company had off the line to reinforce us. agreed to go back to the bargaining table Through the evening hundreds of police after locking out employees for eight mobilized. The riot squad was there with months. The company is demanding pay their shields, clubs, horses, and police wag­ cuts of up to Can$4 an hour from the work­ ons. They had cordoned off the area sur­ ers, who manufacture circuit boards. rounding the plant, where the crowd had The victory followed four days of mass grown to more than 500. We expected an picketing of PC World by hundreds of CAW attack at any moment. Then CAW officials members from across Ontario, protesting the negotiated a deal by which the 40 people use of replacement workers to keep produc­ occupying the plant would vacate it and the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing crisis as Palestinians tion going. Cindy Brenner from the Ford police agreed not to arrest anyone. We con­ continue to resist attacks by the Zionist regime. When Israeli settlers took over plant in Windsor said that when they heard tinued the picketing off company property a house in a Palestinian neighborhood in Jerusalem September 16, Netanyahu workers had occupied the PC World plant for another 48 hours. was compelled to declare that the action was not Tel Aviv's policy. Meanwhile, on Monday, September 8, she and her co­ On Thursday afternoon, September 11, Israeli forces continue to crack down in Arab areas. Above, Palestinian youth workers couldn't stay away. "We have to the sheriff arrived to read us another injunc­ argues with Israeli border guard at a checkpoint in Jerusalem September 8. hit the nail on the head- if they get away tion. Pickets chanted "No more scabs" to with scabs here, they'll get away with scabs drown him out. The police had again mobi­ all over Canada," Brenner declared. lized. A small squad of about 10 cops This reporter was among those who mo­ marched from across the street where the announced that we had forced the employer possibility of the fight going to an arbitra­ bilized outside the plant. There were tense police were stationed and tried to escort back to the bargaining table and that the only tor, most people thought this was a big vic­ moments on the picket line, as we expected unionists away from the plant. Pickets stood outstanding issue was the question of wages. tory. PC World striker Rakesh Oberoi made the police to try and remove us. It wasn't their ground and chanted "No more scabs." We were to dismantle the picket lines and the point, "We're not willing to accept wage until Tuesday afternoon, however, that the At this point the police retreated to regroup, the employer had agreed that there would cutbacks, we 'II be out on the picket lines sheriff came to tell us that the company had as the tactic of peacefully escorting us off be no production as the bargaining took again if we don't get what we want." won a court injunction ordering us to va­ the property had not been too fruitful. The place. If the two sides could not come to an cate the plant and placing a total ban on pickets had a meeting to reaffirm that we agreement, then the matter would be re­ Joanne Pritchard is a CAW member and the picketing. The protesters were advised that needed to remain cool. ferred to binding arbitration. Communist League candidate for mayor of anyone carrying sticks without signs would In the meantime Hargrove arrived and While some in the crowd protested the Toronto. Debate over trade law heats up in U.S. Congress BY BRIAN TAYLOR chairman of a business organization called ments have no provisions to prevent other nization. This seems unlikely to resolve the On September 16 the Clinton adminis­ Council of the Americas, warned, "The fail­ countries from undercutting U.S. products debate, however. tration presented its proposal to renew leg­ ure of the U.S. to secure fast-track leaves by employing cheaper labor, and less work­ U.S. representative and seated Republi­ islation giving the president the ability to open the distinct possibility that the agenda place regulations from environmental to can Party conference chair John Boehner draft trade deals that must be voted up or and timetable for these talks will be domi­ health questions. Gephardt, who is promot­ said that Clinton's wavering position has down by Congress without amendment. nated by other countries." ing himself as the "fair trade" advocate, is a prospects for approval "sliding in a hurry." This "fast track" approval has become the By and large, the Republican majority in likely contender for the Democratic nomi­ An editorial that appeared in the Septem­ subject of much debate in Congress and in the House and Senate supports uncondi­ nation against Vice President Albert Gore ber 10 Financial Times speaking against the big-business press. tional fast track authority. Clinton has also in the next presidential elections. These adding provisions onto fast track legislation The proposal would renew powers that been able to muster support from some politicians have been pressing Clinton to stated, "Mr. Clinton, who supported such had been available to U.S. presidents from Democrats, such as Rep. Calvin Dooley of add a provision in the fast track legislation demands two years ago, should now drop 1974- 1994. The White House argues that California. Dooley, a founder of the New that requires a certain level of environmen­ them." this would give the president freer rein to Democratic Coalition, argues that the tal, and workplace conditions as part of trade A smaller layer of Republican congress­ use Washington's economic muscle to ex­ president's proposal will spur growth in deals. men oppose the fast track proposals, echo­ tend the North American Free Trade Agree­ exports. Senate minority leader Thomas In a mild concession to this wing of the ing the "America first" arguments put for­ ment (NAFTA), without trade pacts getting Daschle also supports Clinton's position. president's party, the September 16 White ward by ultrarightist Patrick Buchanan in bogged down in Congress. The aim of The trade legislation is opposed by House House proposal listed "workers rights and the presidential election. Rep. Robert Barr NAFTA, which Congress approved in 1993, minority leader Richard Gephardt and many environmental protection" as "negotiating from Georgia, for instance, said he opposes was to consolidate U.S. dominance over its other Democratic politicians, as well as trade objectives" that Washington would suppos­ the legislation because NAFTA is respon­ weaker imperialist rival in Canada and to union officials who argue that the agree- edly pursue through the World Trade Orga- sible for loss of U.S. jobs. intensify the exploitation of Mexican labor and resources by U.S. capital. Lee Hamilton, a Democratic congress­ man from Indiana, stated, "Fast track is not Leaders of revolt cleared in Papua New Guinea just about trade, it is about U.S. leadership BY DOUG COOPER country's land area- as the first step to be On August 29 Parkop said the prosecu­ and influence in the world." SYDNEY, Australia - In a victory for able to commodify it. tor "simply did not have any evidence" and The governments of a number of democratic rights August 29, all charges In a May 13 statement Parkop explained, noted, "The case itself was more political semicolonial countries in South America were dropped against four civilian leaders "These charges are really an attack on [the] than anything else. They did not have a case have tried to strengthen their position to deal of the March 17-26 mass protests in Papua constitutional right to free speech, free as­ from the beginning." with Washington and other imperialist pow­ New Guinea sparked by a mutiny among sociation and free assembly. These consti­ ers through formations such as the Mercosur big sections of the PNG Defence Force. tutional rights and freedoms will be mean­ Doug Cooper is a member of the Austra­ trade block, which includes Brazil, Argen­ Demonstrations by youth, students, rank­ ingless if the police are successful in the lian Manufacturing Workers' Union in tina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Mercosur has prosecution of this matter." Sydney. already been approached by the European and-file soldiers, workers, and shantytown Union (EU) about forming a "free trade" dwellers forced then prime minister Julius alliance, and is looking to expand to include Chan to step aside pending an inquiry into other Latin American economies. the hiring of foreign mercenaries. The result of delaying fast track legisla­ Chan, his stand-in replacement, and many Protests c()ndemn drowning in Haiti tion is that "the U.S. is losing leverage in other Cabinet ministers lost their seats in the June national parliamentary election. hemispheric free trade talks," wrote Robert BYMAURICEWILLIAMS More than •100 people died when a boat Jonathan O'ata, national general secre­ Mosbacher in the September 12 issue of The fl~itian proteSters held demonstrations sankin March last year. tary of the PNG Watch Council; John Napu Wall Street Journal. Mosbacher, who is the against the government and person-; and John Kawowo, leaders of Melanesian UN: 'fhe~e are •. virtij~Hy.no regulations of nelf~w days··· in Moptrouis after routes ~d vessels by the Haitian gov~ Solidarity (MelSol); and Powes Parkop, a two aJ1 estimated 245 .people drowned when a ernment and for years residents in lawyer and leader of the Individual and ferry boat capsized: The vess~ltoppled Monttouis have demanded ·the··.tegime Join in solidarity with Community Rights Advocacy Forum bu.ild a eierfo! passengers to walk~afely (ICRAF), faced a range of "unlawful assem­ over.s~ptemt>er. ~ as p~se~gerstd~dto k¢~P i~ from tilting as it approached the Liverpool Docken bly" charges stemming from the March pro­ asho~, ~errytravel i~·theonl~means. of tests. In a sign of the government's weak­ bea¢11• The b()at 1)ega11 swaying when trlln~eo.rtationto .certain~arts of the pepple ptepare4.·to leave fot tow\)o~ts country for many Haitians because. of lnd Anniversary ness, however, court proceedings were post­ ta.kethemasbpte •. ~ul'Yivors of the db had nonexistent roads. poned numerous times since the arrests in to or· Demonstration g'astet sa~f-t·•~l)ol.lt· .• 700

September 29, 1997 The Militant 3 $125,000 Pathfinder Fund Fund helps get French titles September 1 - November 1 into hands of workers, youth NEWZEAiAND ·· .. . AUS'TM.UA 750 BY DEBORAH LIATOS vember 2 gathering in Montreal to celebrate goal to $4,500. UNtTIO $1'ATES. NEW YORK- "We are making avail­ the publication of the book. Fund organizers can work with sup­ able to French-speaking workers and youth Atlanta supporters of the fund held an porters in their areas prior to the local Philadelphia ·· 1,442 ··36%. internationally the lessons of the commu­ event September 13 showing the potential rallies to maximize collections at these Atlanta~ ... soo 1,354 ...• ®% ..· nist movement in North America in build­ this campaign offers. "International Labor events, put their areas on schedule, and ing parties of industrial workers over the last Resistance: Report Back from Workers - as in the case of Atlanta - use the aostoo 5,500 1;080 20%. two decades," explained Michel Prairie, Conference in Cuba" was the title of the momentum to win new and increased Twin Cities 7,000 1,3"15. .19% editor ofLe visage changeant de Ia politique forum featuring Ernie Mailhot, a member pledges, as well as raise their goals. As ~ttte··· 9,000 1,275 aux Etats-Unis. of the Socialist Workers Party National the scoreboard indicates, local goals are Prairie made his comments as the freshly Committee. still some $4,000 short of the interna­ 10;000 1;405 edited manuscript for Pathfinder's upcom­ An audience of 25 heard Mailhot report tional goal needed. 2,400 ·;335·. ing French-language edition of The Chang­ on the resistance by working people Focusing on the outreach aspect of the ing Face of U.S. Politics: Working-Class throughout the world to the devastating con­ fund, Alyson Kennedy reports that fund 11 ,000 1 ,43() .. . 13% Politics and the Trade Unions by Jack ditions they face, as described by partici­ backers in Chicago adopted a numerical 8,500 1 ;085 13% Barnes was being turned over for typeset­ pants at the Havana-held conference early goal on contributors. "We already have ting, and as the international campaign to in August. Mailhot, who is also a member 36 out of our goal to get 7 5 or more work­ 3,500 355 tOOk raise $125,000 to make such books possible of the International Association of Machin­ ers, youth, and others to help the fund," 4,000 405 10% . entered its third week. ists in Miami, said, "Workers who join these said Kennedy. 12;000 1;205 ···10% "Our goal is to have it available at the struggles can become stronger with Path­ The deadline for sending in money to founding convention of the YS as a national finder books in their hands." be counted for the weekly chart in the 5,500 450 . 6o/o organization here in Canada," he said, add­ People attending the event made $554 in Militant has been changed to noon Tues­ 3,()QO 120 4% ing that YS members are planning a special new pledges, and paid $504 on the spot, days. Send contributions to: Pathfinder, public event during their October 31-No- leading local fund supporters to raise their 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014. 9,500 325 ... 3%. .• wa!;hlrigton;·· p,¢. ~,QOQ. ··.n .. . . : . . .·Cleveland.··· 2;400 30 .1% Seattle: Socialist workers fight to .PittSburgh 5,000 0 0% Other: · :2.;918 $36 protect rights of campaign donors U.s: tOtAl. 112,718 14,524 C~AQA 5~00 1f) 0% BY NAN BAILEY SEATTLE, Washington- "The "Social­ SWEOIN 700 0 0% ist Workers campaign appeals to all union­ UNITED KINGDOM 0 75 0% ists, young fighters, and supporters of demo­ Otherlnt'l 0 35 0% cratic rights to support the fight we launch today to protect the privacy of contributors l'¢l.l0TAL: 12'1 ,838 15,1. 1~ to the party's election campaigns and can­ SHOUL.DBE: 125;000 27,500 22% .. didates for public office," said Scott Breen, Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of * Increased goal. Seattle, at a September 12 press conference here. Breen is a member of the International Association of Machinists and works at The onstrate that divulging the names of con­ Boeing Co. The Seattle Times and radio sta­ tributors would put them in jeopardy. The tions KIRO, KOMO, and KUOW, the local Seattle Socialist Workers campaign submit­ National Public Radio affiliate, covered the ted several examples of local harassment and news conference. intimidation in the past year to substantiate The event was called to protest the Sep­ its request for an extension. Nationally, the tember 10 decision of the Seattle Ethics and Socialist Workers campaign submitted ap­ Election Commission (SEEC) to deny the proximately 70 examples of such harass­ Socialist Workers campaign an exemption ment to the FEC and two of these examples from disclosing the names of campaign con­ were of incidents that took place in Wash­ tributors and vendors. Socialist Workers ington state. campaign treasurer Jeff Powers called the The Socialist Workers campaign is de­ ruling, "an attack on the democratic rights Militant/Bob Bruneau manding that the SEEC reconsider its re­ of all working people and workers organi­ Scott Breen, Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of Seattle (left), marches with quest and overturn the denial of an exemp­ zations. It violates our first amendment right farm workers August llto support organizing efforts in Mattawa, Washington. tion. The socialist candidates and their sup­ to privacy and freedom of association." porters intend to speak out publicly against According to the Seattle Times, failure to Since 1971, when the federal government ing in his statement to the press. The ruling the SEEC ruling at every campaign event. comply with the disclosure laws could "re­ began requiring detailed reports listing con­ concluded that the "SWP and persons pub­ An election night reception at the campaign sult in late penalties and up to a $5,000 fine tributors to political campaigns, the Social­ licly associated with it have experienced a offices on September 16 and a Militant La­ imposed by the commission." ist Workers campaign committees have re­ significant amount of harassment from bor Forum on September 19 will also pro­ The SEEC granted an exemption to the fused to comply with these procedures. The private sources in the 1990- 1996 period," test the ruling. Socialist Workers campaign in 1993, and a SWP has mounted a successful legal and and that "such harassment appears to have The Socialist Workers campaign commit­ similar exemption was won from the Wash­ political battle to defend the right to privacy been intended to intimidate the SWP and tee is asking supporters of democratic rights ington State Public Disclosure Commission of those who contribute to the SWP elec­ persons associated with it from expressing to help by calling or sending letters of pro­ (PDC) in 1996. In March of this year, the tion efforts. Since party members and sup­ their political views." The opinion added test to the Seattle Ethics and Election Com­ Federal Election Commission (FEC) porters have long been targeted by police that there is "also evidence of continuing mission at 226 Municipal Building, 600 granted a six-year extension to the Social­ agencies and rightist outfits, the SWP has harassment by local police." Fourth Avenue, Seattle WA 98104. Phone: ist Workers' exemption in federal cam­ argued that such a disclosure would consti­ The SEEC voted 6 -1 to deny the exemp­ (206) 684-8500. Fax: (206) 684-8590. paigns. tute a ready-made "enemies list." tion to the Socialist Workers campaign this "These rulings," Breen explained, "have Breen quoted from this year's FEC rul- year, saying that the campaign failed to dem- Nan Bailey is a member ofJAM Local// 03. been based on a proven history of harass­ ment, surveillance, and other disruptive ef­ forts by the FBI and other government agen­ cies against individuals identified with the Socialist has 'right to participate in election' Socialist Workers campaigns." Socialist Workers City Council candidate Robbie BY MAGGIE TROWE election a three-way race, meaning a may­ pate in the political process without arbi­ Scherr also spoke at the press conference. DES MOINES, Iowa- Nearly two oral primary." trary restrictions based on costs. The Reg­ Three other city council candidates have weeks after the editors of the Des Moines The editors expressed concern about the ister would do well to reconsider its opin­ made statements to the SEEC in support of Register called for making access to the $60,000 cost of holding a primary election, ion, unless, of course, the editors have de­ the right of the Socialist Workers campaign ballot more difficult, five letters protesting referred to Alter's campaign as "symbolic," cided that the cost of democracy is too to keep its list of donors private. "I believe the antidemocratic editorial were printed as and spoke derisively of"giving the longshot high." in the First Amendment's protection for the centerpiece of the Sunday Register's candidate access to an open microphone." Both Alter and Ardella Blandford, Social­ freedom of political speech," stated city full-page letter section. The replies to this editorial included a ist Workers candidate for City Council At­ council candidate Jon Bartholomew. "That The September 2 editorial, entitled "A shortened version of a letter sent by Alter Large, have been invited to speak at several protection must include the right to not be primary for mayor: It's worth asking and four others, all taking issue with the candidates meetings in the next few weeks. persecuted for that speech. Donating to po­ whether 688 signatures should be enough Register's view. They attended a rally of over I 00 union sup­ litical parties or campaigns is political to get on the ballot," put forward the idea Jon Torgerson, chair of the Department porters who met in Perry, Iowa, to back up speech." that current ballot requirements that candi­ of Philosophy and Religion at Drake Uni­ the workers at Wiese who are fighting a Sherry Harris, also a candidate for city dates present petition signatures totaling 2 versity in Des Moines, pointed out in his company-backed campaign to decertify council, wrote, "The history of negative percent of the total vote cast in the last elec­ letter, "Alter is a member of a union, a friend their recently won right to be in the United treatment of people who belong to alterna­ tion for the office they are seeking are low. of citizen and non-citizen Latinos who have Auto Workers, in the same local that tive political parties in this country has man­ "It's worth asking whether that 2 percent a stake in what happens in Des Moines." Blandford belongs to. dated a need to protect individuals from figure should be enough to win a ballot slot," He went on to advise the editors, "Report Supporters of the Socialist Workers cam­ harm when they step outside of the main­ the editors stated. what Alter has to say, even if he doesn't say paign also got a good response at the Sep­ stream political parties.... I urge you to To back up their case, they pointed out it through an expensive PR campaign, but tember 13 Latinos Unidos march and fiesta, strongly consider concurring with the State that "Thomas Alter, a 23-year-old Socialist rather to small groups." where they distributed campaign literature and Federal Elections Commission on this Workers Party member who works in Perry William Johnson wrote, "I don't know and sold four subscriptions to Perspectiva issue." and has lived in Des Moines less than eight Alter, but I believe that he and others out­ Mundial, 10 copies of the Militant, and four months, got the job done. That makes the side the mainstream have a right to partici- Pathfinder books. 4 The Militant September 29, 1997 SELL THE BOOKS WORKERS OF THE WORLD NEED Join the campaign to sell Pathfinder books and pamphlets

}\iugusl sales of Patfllnaer BOoks to Non Pathfinder OutletS Workers like a paper that's AUGUST CITY GOALS SOLD % JULY JUNE MAY by and for their class BOSTON 50 223 446% 174 19 4 HOUSTON 32 87 272% 23 10 8 BY ARGIRIS MALAPANIS Workers at the Hialeah yard were also inter­ LOS ANGELES 95 209 220% 137 62 17 "Several of my fellow workers who bought ested in the article by Sedam "Crashes force ATLANTA 32 63 197% 22 5 0 the Militant liked the article by Norton Sandler gov't rail investigation," published in the same WASHINGTON, D.C. 42 76 ..181% 141 33 1 'Did UPS competitors do struck work?'," said issue. "Many liked the idea that a rank-and-file SAN FRANCISCO 74 4 Kay Sedam, who works at the CSX Hialeah rail worker could write something that cut through 128 173% 243 239 yard in Miami and is a member of the United company propaganda and exposed the rail NEW YORK 190 292 154%' 364 99 65 Transportation Union Locall138. She was re­ bosses' real view of safety on the job," Sedam MIAMI 42 61 145% 48 1 0 ferring to a column published in the September said. That week, she sold one Militant subscrip­ PITTSBURGH 49 64 131% 0 23 54 15 Militant. "Amtrak trains leaving Miami had tion and four copies of the paper on the job. BIRMINGHAM 56 110% 22 0 0 three to four extra mail cars during the Team­ Slightly higher sales in a few workplaces and so sters strike, and workers here were concerned at many factory gates were a feature of the sec­ CHICAGO 60 30 50% 83 35 35 they were being forced by their bosses to aid ond week of the subscription drive, during which SEATTLE 60 30 50% 16 11 15 UPS." readers sold 128 Militant and 51 Perspectiva PHILADELPHIA 49 19 3g<>A, 15 1 0 Mundial (PM) subscriptions, and CLEVELAND 40 13 33% 60 0 8 64 copies of the New Interna­ tional. This reflects a slowdown TWIN CITIES 67 18 27% 15 10 1 from the first week of the cam­ DETROIT 60 16 27% 73 1 0 paign, when supporters of the so­ DES MOINES 35 0 0% 18 7 13 cialist press sold I76Militantand GREENSBORO 36 0% 4 0 53 Perspectiva Mundial subscrip­ City/Country tions and 76 copies of New Inter­ MORGANTOWN 25 0% 0 0 AUSTRALIA 0 10 3 national. NEWARK 133 0 0% 0 2 0 CANADA Reports from readers indicate TOTAL 1221 1384 98% 1454 562 225 that following up single-copy Montreal 10 3 30 12 SHOULD BE 1400 1400 100% sales to workers on the job, at the Toronto 10 0 20 1 Vancouver 5 2 20 3 canada total 25 5 70 16 "Militant sales at Lear Seating, organized by the United Auto Workers, resulted in four ICELAND 0 5 0 copies sold on September II and another NEW ZEALAND four on September 16," wrote Arlene Auckland '' ·····•.·::11;27% 2 2 10 3 Rubinstein, a member of Union of Christchurch 'ts· .~20% 0 5 1 Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employ­ Wellington a· ···o ···~ 0 0 ees in Atlanta. "After consistent sales with a literature NZtotal 48...... 1~f•23%...... 4 2 16 4 table in Manhattan's garment district for a SWEDEN t6 8 month, we sold our first Perspectiva Mundial subscription there this week," said UNITED KINGDOM Eva Braiman from New York. Socialist work­ Manchester 25... ·~·a:t~ 2 0 12 3 ers there have also been selling a few pa­ London 5o' :·,.. $~ 12 7 35 13 pers every week at two UPS depots they've UK total 75 14 7 47 16 been visiting regularly since the strike there. The bulk of new subscribers over the last UNITED STATES seven days came from the day-to-day ac­ Washington, DC 7 15 4 tivities of socialists around the world. "Sup­ Binningham, AL 1 15 1 porters of Mary Martin, socialist candidate Detroit 1 12 2 for Washington, D.C., City Council, have Des Moines 8 20 2 Militant/Maggie Perrier been collecting signatures to place her name Miami 4 25 4 Young Socialists sell press at Mexican Independence Day in Chicago on the ballot," said Maggie Pucci, writing Philadelphia 1 8 3 picket lines, and at plant eral pamphlets. A worker bought the paper from the U.S. capital. "Last weekend [Sep­ New York 17 60 33 gates, as well as using the and the booklet An Action Program to Con­ tember 9-1 0] we collected I ,000 signatures Boston 5 35 6 Militant persistently in front the Coming Economic Crisis in Ice­ of our 4,000 goal. During petitioning we sold Pittsburgh 0 15 2 the day-to-day political landic." YS members and others in Iceland 5 Militant and 4 PM subs and a copy of Seattle 7 20 2 work of socialist workers are working to tum sales into subscriptions. New International no. 8 titled 'Che Guevara, Atlanta 11 15 can reverse this slip. Anne Militant supporters who are members of Cuba, and the Road to Socialism.' " Newark, NJ 6 60 18 Morrow from San Fran­ the United, Food and Commercial Workers Militant Labor Forums are another source Los Angeles 9 55 7 cisco, for example, reports (UFCW) in the United States led the way of new subscribers. "We've sold two Mili­ San Francisco 5 35 4 that socialists there sold the second week of the drive on sales on the tant subscriptions to young people attend­ Chicago 6 40 4 single copies to a number job. "One Mexican worker who had bought ing the forum in Vancouver," said Beverly Houston 1 15 2 of BART workers during a number of Pathfinder books in the past Bernardo. "Francisco, another forum partici­ Twin Cities, MN 0 15 0 the successful strike in the subscribed to PM in the plant where I work," pant, took advantage of the special offer of Cleveland 0 10 2 Bay Area. They are now said Rosa Garmendia, a UFCW member in Perspectiva Mundial-El rostro cambiante," Other organizing follow-up sales Detroit. Several meatpackers subscribed at advertised on the front page, "because he U.S. total 89 470 97 at BART train barns aimed a factory in Marshalltown, Iowa. was interested in a 'handbook about how to Other international 0 3 at winning some of these Interest is also high at the plant gates. make a revolution."' unionists to subscribe. International totals :i~~f ::~~·~ 443 104 626 140 "Since the drive began, Should be 1* •• 3~-· 400 100 600 150 all the members of the YS here have been out with a IN THE UNIONS book table" every week- Newlnt"l end, wrote Benni Country/Union Goal Sold Haraldsson from AUSTRAUA AMWU 0 0 0 Reykjavik, Iceland. "We have sold about 20 copies CANADA of the Militant and sev- USWA ··2K 0 2 1 lAM 10% 0 5 0 Canada total ..~~ 2 0 7 AEEU- Amalgamated Engineer­ NEW ZEALAND ing and Electrical Workers Union; EU '·;,: ;.;,4o/.; 0 0 0 AMWU - Amalgamated Metal Workers Union; CAW- Canadian MWU !&xi: o:. 0 0 0 Autoworkers Union; EU- Engi­ UFBGWU :o·. a'*' 0 0 1 0 neers Union; MWU- Meat Work­ NZtotal 11 . : ·:1: : 9%' 0 0 3 0 -~ :. ~ •• • '· <·. ,, =~ ':· ~ .,, <-:. ~- ·--; ::::· ers Union; lAM- International N;­

~:.. ,. (. ::· ;... ~ ·~i /'1" ~- ·,: <. sociation of Machinists; OCAW­ UNITED KINGDOM Oil, Chemical and Atomic Work­ AEEU .. ~·· .. :4:}.~ 0 0 5 0 ers; RMT - National Union of Rail, RMT 0 0 2 0 Maritime, and Transport Workers; TGWU ····~····::·~··;; 0 0 4 0 TGWU- Transport and General UK total .:,a:::.:;::&::mw;. 0 0 11 0 Workers Union; UAW-United Auto Workers; UFBGWU- United UNITED STATES Food, Beverage, and General UFCW 7 3 4 2 Workers Union; UFCW- United UTU 5 2 20 3 Food and Commercial Workers; USWA 4 2 22 1 UMWA- United Mine Workers of lAM 15 1 22 0 America; UNITE -Union of UAW 5 0 25 0 Needletrades, Industrial and Tex­ OCAW 10 0 15 0 tile 8nployees; USWA -United UNITE 8 1 6 0 Steelworkers of America; UTU - u.s. total 54 9 114 6 United Transportation Union.

September 29, 1997 The Militant 5 Sweden: sterilization policy sparks debate BY BIRGITTA ISACSSON forced sterilization's folk-home Sweden STOCKHOLM, Sweden- A sharp de­ could minimize the number of people living bate has opened here over eugenics policies on welfare," he wrote. carried out for decades. Some 63,000 people The conservative daily Svenska were sterilized in Sweden between 1935 and Dagbladet picked up on this ammunition 1975 to supposedly combat racial and so­ focusing on the sterilization debate. In its cial inferiority. Most were sterilized against lead article September 1, the paper stated, their will, and the overwhelming majority "It has long been taboo to criticize the wel­ of them were women. fare state and the Swedish people's home. Swedish authorities took the first steps Those who have done so have been accused toward a "racial hygiene" policy in 1921, of being reactionaries, supporters of class when the State Institute for Race Biology differences and oppression .... was founded in Uppsala. It was the first in­ "The system has forced people into stitute of this kind in the world and a pat­ lifestyle everybody must follow: Everybody tern for Kaiser Wilhelm Institute fiir should work full-time. Children should be Rassenhygiene in Berlin, Germany. The in­ in day-care centers .... Even those with small Militant/Ellen Lemisch stitute distributed pictures of "racially income are taxed very hard. The school sys­ Women's liberation movement won abortion rights and reversal of sterilization laws clean" and "racially mixed" people. The tem is built on the notion that everybody has in Sweden and elsewhere in 1970s. Above, a Women's National Abortion Action Coa­ "racially mixed" were gypsies, so-called the same talents, are equally motivated to lition (WONAAC) demonstration in Washington, D.C., November 1971. travelers or tinkers, and others considered study, and learn and develop in the same social outcasts. In 1934 the Swedish parlia­ tempo. The result has been that those who of the authorities. tember 4 the government announced the ment adopted a law authorizing sterilization do not want to live according to the social The ruling class in Sweden has not wanted appointment of a commission to investigate of the "mentally ill." This legislation was state norm have become a problem. Youth a debate on the forced sterilization policy. and "consider how to make amends and pro­ extended in 1941 to allow sterilization to cannot move from their parents any more. The same holds true for other aspects of pose forms of compensation for the victims," combat "antisocial behavior." Those with low income are forced to live on Swedish history that have long been public, said Wallstrom. Since 1975 around 30 By 1947, the number of sterilizations had welfare. And the Swedish school is very ef­ including the rail transportation through people have demanded compensation, but grown to more than 2,000 a year, and stayed ficient at making children dropouts, hope­ Sweden of thousands of Nazi soldiers and only 16 have reportedly received $6,289. at that level into the 1950s. Swedish authori­ less cases who can't achieve anything." war materiel to Norway when the Nazis had "In the juridical spectra, those who were ties put people in impossible situations, such But contrary to what Zaremba and occupied that country, as well as the treat­ forced to sterilize have no right to compen­ as taking away their children or denying Svenska Dagbladet assert, the Swedish ment of Jews during the World War II when sation as it happened under the laws of these them abortions if they refused to sign an policy on "racial hygiene" and sterilizations a big "J" was marked on their passports. The days. Here we talk about of compensation application for sterilization. Young people was carried out with the support of all the Social Democrats, who headed the govern­ ex gratia, by grace," said Helena Starup from in reformatories had to sign as a condition governing political parties in Sweden. Al­ ment from the early 1930s to the mid-70s, the Social Department. for their release or for leave of absence. The though they had different motives for sup­ also want to block these debates. Wallstrom herself recently signed a de­ forced sterilization laws were finally abol­ porting this policy, they voted nearly unani­ But in this case they have been compelled nial of compensation to Maria Nordin, who ished in 197 5 as one of the victories of the mously for it in parliament. While the con­ to open an inquiry. was forced to accept sterilization to get out growing women's rights movement. servatives and the fascists supported it from Responding to questions about the na­ of a so-called special school when she was This type of abuse was by no means lim­ the point of view of making the Nordic tional sterilization policy, Carl Bildt, a leader 17 years old in 1943. Nordin, who has come ited to Sweden. In Norway more than Aryan race predominant and strengthen the of the Social Democrats, was forced to dis­ out publicly in media, is a typical victim of 40,000 people were subjected to this, and Swedes, the social democrats pushed it as a cuss the issue at his party congress in Umea the forced sterilizations. She was young, in Denmark 6,000. In United States 60,000 means to eliminate social problems and September 1. "We all have part of the guilt. poor, and "within her family there were were sterilized between 1907 and 1960. make people in Sweden genetically better. I take on some of the guilt. I did not know drinkers, mental illness, and a way of life This was an important part of the attacks that it was so many or that it happened un­ without norms," the social authorities wrote Articles spark controversy on working people throughout the 1930s and der such a long time," Bildt said. about Nordin, considering this sufficient While many of the details of this history '40s under social-democratic governments. "What happened was barbaric and the grounds to sterilize her. have been public knowledge since the Along with the abortion law of 1938, the Social Democrats are part of a collective 1970s, the recent controversy was sparked sterilization laws of 1935 and 1941 put the guilt which includes everybody," declared Birgitta Isacsson is a member of the metal­ by a series of articles on the subject by jour­ decisions over a woman's body in the hands Social Minister Margot Wall strom. On Sep- workers union in Stockholm. nalist Maciej Zaremba that appeared in the liberal Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter Au­ gust 20-21. The articles and the controversy they sparked are part of a broader attack on Military report admits: 'Sexual the social welfare state, the so called "Swed­ ish folk-home," an attack directed at the social rights won in struggles by working harassment exists throughout Army' people. Zaremba's articles take the view that the social democrats were responsible for the BY MEGAN ARNEY quiry was conducted by the Secretary of the "You can report it, but they get you sooner sterilizations, arguing that they wanted to An internal military investigation released Army Senior Review Panel and Army In­ or later," the Washington Post quoted one build the welfare state, but a lot of people September II found "sexual harassment ex­ spector General at 59 Army bases world­ woman as saying. did not have the right disposition. "Through ists throughout the Army, crossing gender, wide and surveyed 30,000 troops. Investigators added that this fact was evi­ rank, and racial lines." The nine-month in- The report was completed months ago, dence of a larger breakdown of trust between but military officials delayed its release un­ soldiers and their officers. Forty percent of til September so Army Secretary Togo West the women and 37 percent of the men who could prepare a response. It said 84 percent were polled agreed with the statement that of Army women and 80 percent of Army Army leaders were more interested in their Communist Continuity men reported they had experienced offen­ own careers than in the well-being of the sive and sexual behavior, unwanted sexual soldiers under their command. "Unfair treat­ and the Fight for attention, coercion, or assault. About 22 ment, double standards, and a lack of disci­ percent of the women and 7 percent of the pline were raised to Panel representatives Women's Liberation (3 Parts) men surveyed said they had been sexually time and again .... Such a negative view of Documents of the Socialist Wolke/5 Party harassed in the last year. Additionally, 51 leaders is counterproductive to ... unit co­ percent of the women said they faced job hesion and combat readiness .... Edited with an introduction by Mary-Alice Waters discrimination because of their sex. "Unfortunately, many soldiers simply do How did the oppression of women begin? The report comes in the wake of an out­ not trust the present system to deal with their cry over sexual harassment in the military concerns," the report said. Who benefits? What social forces have the power that was sparked from allegations of sexual In response, Army Secretary West insisted to end the second-class status of women? This abuse at the Army's Ordinance Center and September 11 that the situation at Aberdeen three-part series helps politically equip the gen­ School at Aberdeen, Maryland. Last No­ was "an aberration." West announced a plan eration of women and men joining battles in de­ vember some 50 women accused their drill to revamp the Army's enforcement of rules sergeants of harassment and assault. Over against sexual misconduct and replace com­ fense of women's rights today. Set $30.00 the next several months, 11 noncommis­ manding officers. This plan includes psy­ sioned officers and one captain were accused chological testing and a criminal back­ Women s Liberation and the Line ofMarch of the Working of criminal misconduct. On September 10 ground check of drill sergeants, and adds a Class_ Part 1 $10.00 •!• Wome~ Leadershig and the Prole­ the Army said it would discipline Major week of basic training to teach "ethical stan­ tarian Norms ofthe Communist Movement Part 2 $9.00 Gen. Robert Shadley, who was the com­ dards of the military." •!• Abortion Rights_ the ERA, and the Rebirth ofa Feminist manding officer at Aberdeen at the time the Meanwhile, the highest ranking enlisted Movement Part 3 $11.00 sexual allegations surfaced. Army officer, Gene McKinney, now may In response to the allegations at Aberdeen, face a court-martial. After being named to a the army brass set up a hot line. It received special panel to reduce sexual harassment 8,300 calls, including 1,350 reports that led in the military, six women stepped forward Problems of Women's Liberation to criminal investigations. On June 13 the with allegations that he harassed them. Evelyn Reed hot line was turned off because it had sup­ McKinney denied the charges and said they posedly served its purpose, according to an were racially motivated. McKinney is Black, Explores the social and economic roots of women's oppression from Army spokesperson. Women make up 14 as are all of the drill sergeants who were prehistoric society to modern capitalism and points the road forward to percent of the Army's 480,000 soldiers. charged at Aberdeen. Seven soldiers at Fort emancipation. $12.95 The report said that female soldiers be­ Bragg in North Carolina were disciplined lieved that their commanding officers had for sexual harassment or fraternization on little interest in enforcing Army rules against September 4, receiving letters of reprimand Available from bookstores, Including those listed on page 12, or write Pathfinder, sexual harassment. "We speak, but it's as if and nonjudicial punishment, while still an­ 410 West St., New York, NY 10014. Tel: (212) 741-0690. Fax: (212) 727-0150. When we don't exist," a female noncommissioned other soldier at Fort Jackson in South Caro­ ordering by mall, please Include $3 to cover shipping and handling. officer told investigators. Others said they lina was dishonorably discharged for sexual worried about reprisals for reporting abuse. misconduct August 31. 6 The Militant September 29, 1997 'Socialist revolution opens road for workers to take history into their own hands' Preface to new edition of 'Che Guevara: Economics & Politics in the Transition to Socialism' Printed below is the preface by Mary-Alice levels of unemployment and Waters to the new Spanish-language edition poverty endemic throughout much of Latin America, the of Che Guevara: Economia politica en Ia y growing political polariza­ transici6n a/ socialismo (Che Guevara: Eco­ tion and incipient fascist nomics and Politics in the Transition to So­ movements rearing their cialism). It is copyright © Pathfinder Press. heads in the imperialist The preface and the photos, which appear countries, the social disinte­ in the book, are reprinted by permission. The gration threatening large parts of Africa, and the book, authored by Carlos Tablada, will be booming cannons of impe­ released by Pathfinder September 20. rialist powers firing the first salvos of World War III in Iraq and Yugoslavia - the The struggle against imperialism, for liberation deadly historic logic of capi­ from colonial or neocolonial shackles, which is being talism continues to unfold. carried out by means of political weapons, firearms, or Details have changed since a combination of the two, is not separate from the the 1960s, but the funda­ struggle against backwardness and poverty. Both are mentals of the world stages on the same road leading toward the creation of Guevara sought to lead a new society of justice and plenty. working people to transform It is imperative to take political power and to get have not. rid of the oppressor classes. But then the second stage With one important quali­ of the struggle, which may be even more difficult than fication: Imperialism is Institute de Historia de Cuba the first, must be faced. 1 weaker than it was thirty Ernesto Che Guevara (right) with other leaders of the Rebel Army arriving in Havana - Che Guevara years ago, more vulnerable, a few days after triumph of Cuban revolution in January 1959. At center are Fidel Algiers, February 1965 and the working class is a Castro and Camilo Cienfuegos, both waving. "It is imperative to take political power larger percentage of the and get rid of the oppressor classes," said Guevara in 1965. "But then the second Che believed in man. And if we don't believe in world's population. The stage of the struggle may be even more difficult than the first." man, if we think that man is an incorrigible little stakes have gone up. animal, capable of advancing only if you feed him The shattering of the bureaucratic regimes and parties join the July 26 Movement and to sign on to the expedi­ grass or tempt him with a carrot or whip him with a of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, culminating in tionary force Castro was organizing to launch a revolu­ stick - anybody who believes this, anybody con­ 1989-91, would likewise not have been unthinkable to tionary war against the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship vinced of this will never be a revolutionary, never be Che. Guevara was among the most conscious of the Cu­ in Cuba. Guevara- soon nicknamed ''Che" (a popular socialist, never be a communist.2 ban leaders that, despite the welcome aid Cuba received form of address in Argentina) by his Cuban comrades - -Fidel Castro from the Soviet bloc, the political, economic, and social was initially recruited as troop doctor, but he rapidly Havana, October 1987 policies of the leaders of those countries were alien to the proved himself to be an outstanding combat leader and proletarian and internationalist course being charted in educator. In 1957 he became the first combatant promoted The questions that Ernesto Che Guevara, acting as part Cuba. Cuban President Fidel Castro addressed this fact, by Fidel to command a separate column of the Rebel Army. of the central leadership of the Cuban revolution, sought speaking to a gathering of Cuba's Union of Young Com­ Guevara led the December 1958 campaign that culminated to help the vanguard of the working class answer more munists in April 1997. Referring to the events that un­ in the capture of the city of Santa Clara in central Cuba, than three decades ago remain the most pressing of our folded in the Soviet bloc countries at the beginning of the effectively sealing the fate of the Batista dictatorship. epoch. decade, he noted that nearly forty years ago "no one could But Guevara's most important contributions to the Cu- Guevara charted a course to rid the world of the capi­ have imagined" what later transpired there. But "we did talist system, with all its horrors, and open the way for have one who could see into the future among us, and that working men and women to begin a transition toward a person was Che," Castro said.4 more just and human socialist society, transforming them­ For decades the methods employed in the organization From Pathfinder selves in the process. That course determined his every of production, distribution, labor, and planning in each of deed as a conscious political person. the Soviet bloc countries, with this or that variation, were Like the young founders of the modern communist promoted by the big majority of those the world over who Che Guevara: Economics & Politics movement, Che deeply believed, and acted on his convic­ called themselves communists as the only road from capi­ In the Transition to Socialism tion, that "revolution is necessary ... not only because the talism to socialism. But the verdict on the so-called So­ ruling class cannot be overthrown in any other way, but viet model has now been rendered by history: the plan­ CARLOS TABLADA also because the class overthrowing it can only in a revo­ ning and management systems in the USSR and Eastern Drawing extensively on Che Guevara's speeches lution succeed in ridding itself of all the muck of ages and European countries - and the organization of labor un­ derlying them- were pushing these peoples away from and writings in the become fit to found society anew."3 socialism, not toward it. 1960s, this book Che died thirty years ago in the mountains of Bolivia, Che Guevara fighting to create the conditions out of which could emerge The alternative course, advanced in Cuba by the cen­ looks at his practi­ the leadership of a Latin America-wide movement of tral leadership in the opening years of the socialist revo­ ECONOMIA cal and theoretical lution, and placed on its soundest theoretical foundations workers and peasants capable of winning the battles for yPOUilCA contributions on land reform and independence from imperialist domina­ by Ernesto Che Guevara, is the subject of this book. It en Ia TRANSICION economics and tion and opening the socialist revolution. Today's world will be studied by revolutionary fighters the world over al SOCIALISMO would not be alien to him, however. The sharpening with even greater interest today because of the verdict of politics in the interimperialist trade and financial conflicts and looming history that Guevara himself did not live to witness. transition to social- economic crises, the deteriorating wages and living con­ ism and their ditions facing working people everywhere, the depression After Fidel Castro - the historic leader of the Cuban importance for revolutionary forces from 1953 to today - Ernesto Che Guevara was the best -known leader of the revolution dur­ today. Available in English 17.95, 1 "At the Afro-Asian Conference," February 24, 1965, inChe ing its early years, when "we were used to making the s Guevara and the Cuban Revolution: Writings and Speeches of impossible possible," as Castro said in paying tribute to Spanish S19.95, Ernesto Che Guevara (New York: Pathfinder, 1987), p. 337. Guevara in October 1987.5 and French S26.95 2 "Che's Ideas Are Absolutely Relevant Today," seep. 42 in Guevara was Argentine by birth. Having graduated from this book (page references here and below are to Pathfinder's medical school in Buenos Aires in 1953, he met Fidel English-language edition, Che Guevara: Economics and Poli­ Castro in Mexico in July 1955 and immediately agreed to tics in the Transition to Socialism). A,V

September 29, 1997 The Militant 7 2/lnternational Socialist Review SEPTEMBER 1997

ban revolution were not military. In paying tribute to Che and early 1961 in fear­ in October 1967, a few days after his death, Castro called less response to the attention to this fact, saying: hostile actions of do­ mestic and foreign re­ Che was an extraordinarily able military leader. But action, above all U.S. when we remember Che, when we think of Che, we do imperialism. not think fundamentally of his military virtues. No! War­ The socialist road fare is a means and not an end. Warfare is a tool of revo­ Cuban working people lutionaries. The important thing is the revolution. The set out on in those important thing is the revolutionary cause, revolutionary years had been opened ideas, revolutionary objectives, revolutionary sentiments, some four decades ear­ revolutionary virtues! lier by the October And it is in that field, in the field of ideas, in the 1917 revolution in field of sentiments, in the field of revolutionary virtues, Russia. The Bolshevik in the field of intelligence, that- apart from his mili­ Party leadership tary virtues- we feel the tremendous loss that his death headed by V.I. Lenin means to the revolutionary movement .... directed the first ef­ Che was not only an unsurpassed man of action - forts in history by he was a man of visionary intelligence and broad cul­ workers and peasants ture, a profound thinker. That is, in his person the man of to chart a course to­ ideas and the man of action were combined.6 wards socialism as an integral component of During the opening years of the revolution, Guevara the fight to advance the took on some of the most challenging, and heaviest, re­ world revolution. sponsibilities. He helped draft the 1959 agrarian reform These efforts, from the law, the measure that, in Castro's words, more than any Bolshevik insurrection other single act, "defined the Cuban Revolution."7 Che in late 1917 through headed the department of industrialization established by the end of Lenin's ac­ INRA, the National Institute of Agrarian Reform. He was tive political life in Bohemia March 1923, left an in­ president of the National Bank during the tumultuous year Cuban workers in August 1960 carry symbolic coffins representing Yankee businesses ex­ 1960, before the end of which virtually all foreign- and valuable legacy to propriated by revolutionary government. Next year Guevara took ~esponsibility for ~eor­ revolutionists who domestic-owned banks and major industries were nation­ ganizing 70 percent of industrial production in Cuba on new, workmg-class foundations. alized, and the economic foundations were laid for so­ later sought to advance along a similar path. cialized production and planning. He became minister of American States. He worked with revolutionists from industry in 1961, assuming responsibility for reorganiz­ The record of the Soviet government, Communist Party, around the world who were drawn to the example of the and Communist International in Lenin's time is rich in ing on new working-class foundations some 70 percent of Cuban revolution and sought guidance in learning and ap­ industry in Cuba, while maintaining production as former lessons in the economics and politics of the transition from plying the lessons of that struggle in their own countries. capitalism to socialism that Guevara plumbed in such a owners and most management personnel, both foreign and He helped bring about the revolutionary regroupment Cuban, left the country. He represented the revolutionary disciplined manner some forty years later. within Cuba that led in 1965 to the formation of the Com­ Che "advocated something that I have often insisted government of Cuba on trips to dozens of countries, and munist Party of Cuba. spoke with a memorable and clarion communist voice at on," Fidel Castro emphasized in his 1987 speech. "Build­ Amid all this intense practical work helping lay the foun­ ing socialism and communism is not just a matter of pro­ important international forums and conferences: fro.m the dations of a new society, Guevara also organized time to United Nations General Assembly to the Orgamzatwn of ducing and distributing wealth but is also a matter of edu­ write a prodigious number of articles and letters. He made cation and consciousness. "9 hundreds of speeches, many of which were published in The socialist revolution, as Guevara explains repeat­ Cuba and translated and distributed by supporters of the edly in the works cited in these pages, marks the first time 6 "Che's Enduring Contributions to Revolutionary Thought," revolution around the world. He gave countless interviews. in history that expanding political participation and revo­ in Che Guevara and the Cuban Revolution (Pathfinder), pp. In April 1965 Che left Cuba to lead a mission of inter­ lutionary self-consciousness of the toiling majority be­ 24-25. nationalist Cuban fighters aiding the anti-imperialist comes necessary to the economic organization of society. 7 "Speech given in La Plata, May 17, 1974, in Granma Weekly struggle in the Congo.. His longer-term aim was to return The door is opened for working people to cease being the Review, May 26, 1974. See also "Land Reform and Farm Coop­ to Latin America to help advance revolutionary struggles eratives in Cuba," three Cuban documents with introduction by blind objects of economic laws that determine humanity's that were building from Tierra del Fuego to the Rio Bravo. living and working conditions and social relations, and Mary-Alice Waters, in issue no. 4 of New International maga­ Resigning his leadership posts and responsibilities in the zine, distributed by Pathfinder. instead to begin placing society's productive forces, and Cuban government, party, and armed forces in order to thus their lives, under their own conscious control. As Che take on these new revolutionary duties, Guevara said in 1964: left behind a rich written legacy of his political and theoretical contributions to the economics and With the revolution of October 1917, the revolu­ politics of the transition to socialism. This prod­ tion of Lenin," man acquired a new consciousness. The uct of Che's years of work as part of the commu­ men of the French revolution, who told humanity so many nist leadership of Cuba's working class has been beautiful things, who set so many examples, and whose carefully mined by Carlos Tablada in crafting this tradition is still preserved, were nevertheless simple in­ book. Among Guevara's works cited in these pages struments of history. Economic forces were in motion, are writings and transcripts that have not been pub­ and the French revolutionaries sought to interpret popu­ lished in full, and are as yet not available to the lar sentiments, the sentiments of the men of that era. Some public to study or use. Many other works cited of them saw farther than others, but none were capable here have long been out of print. of taking history into their own hands, of consciously The author of this book, Fidel Castro remarked making their own history. in his October 1987 speech commemorating the This became possible after the October revolution. 10 twentieth anniversary of the death of Che, "com­ piled, studied, and presented in a book the essence of Che 's economic ideas, retrieved from many of As events in the twentieth century have amply con­ his speeches and writings - articles and speeches firmed, such a course- the Bolshevik course -is not dealing with a subject so decisive in the building optional; it is not just one way among others following a successful popular revolution for vanguard workers to of socialism. "8 advance the transition to socialism. The most committed and self-sacrificing vanguard of the working people, or­ The socialist revolution opened by Cuba's work­ ganized in a communist party, must lead growing layers ing people in the early 1960s did not fall from the of their class in taking more and more control over the sky. Their long emancipation struggle dates back political direction and administration of the state and to the first war of independence against Spanish economy. This is the only way workers can transform colonialism, which began in 1868 and was closely themselves as they collectively transform the social rela­ intertwined with the revolutionary struggle by tions under which they work, produce, and live. It is the slaves to abolish the right to hold human beings only way they can make these social relations among hu­ as chattels. From the crucible of these and subse­ man beings more and more open and direct, tearing away quent battles emerged leaders such as Antonio the veils and fetishes behind which the capitalist system Maceo, Maximo Gomez, and Jose Marti, whose hides the reality and the brutal consequences of its ex­ words and revolutionary deeds left a heritage of ploitation of all toilers and obscures the unique contribu­ anti-imperialist intransigence, internationalism, tion of labor to social and cultural progress. Along any political integrity, selflessness, and courage. other road, society will not advance toward socialism and The leadership that launched the assault on the communism, but instead - mired in bureaucratic plan­ Moncada and Bayamo army garrisons of the ning and management- will regress toward capitalism. Batista dictatorship on July 26, 1953, and later led "Socialism is not a welfare society," Che explained in the Rebel Army and working people of Cuba to one of the speeches cited in these pages, "nor is it a uto­ victory, drew strength from this revolutionary heri­ pian society based on the goodness of man as man. So­ tage and enriched it. This legacy helped prepare cialism is a system that arises historically, and that has as these revolutionary leaders to uncompromisingly its pillar the socialization of the means of production along Alberto Korda guide the transition from Cuba's national demo­ with equitable distribution of society's wealth, in a frame­ As minister of industry, Guevara visited many workplaces such cratic revolution- that in the fall of 1959 brought work of social production. " 11 as this nickel factory in eastern Cuba, above. "Communism is a a workers and farmers government to power -to The fundamentally political character of economic ques­ phenomenon of consciousness, not solely of productio~," the socialist revolution that accelerated in late 1960 tions and decisions during the transition to socialism is Guevara wrote. The aim was to enable workers to take grow1ng control over economic and social decisions that simultaneously shape production and their own daily lives. 8 Seep. 45. 9 See p. 45. 10 Seep. 75. 11 Seep. 93.

8 The Militant September 29, 1997 SEPTEMBER 1 9 9 7 ISR/3

central to everything Guevara dent of all problems; he was a tireless tion in state enterprises responsible to the Ministry of In­ wrote on the subject, as well as to reader. His thirst for learning was practi­ dustry. The other was known as the economic accounting everything he did in practice. His cally insatiable, and the hours he stole from system (or sometimes the financial self-management sys­ contributions in this regard, like sleep he devoted to study." 13 tem). Drawing heavily on contemporary experience in the those of Lenin, extend well beyond The political and social course Guevara USSR and Eastern Europe, this system had been chosen what is normally, and narrowly, worked to implement as he carried out his for use in enterprises organized by the National Institute thought of as "economics." Che leadership responsibilities was far from of Agrarian Reform, then headed by Carlos Rafael stressed the inseparable interrela­ unanimously or enthusiastically supported Rodriguez, as well as those accountable to the Ministry of tionship and mutual dependence by all in Cuba. In 1963--64 a public debate Foreign Trade, directed by Alberto Mora. Together these between the transformation of the touching on many of the political and eco­ latter two comprised some 30 percent of industry in Cuba. social relations of production and nomic questions at stake took place in sev­ The articles written by Guevara in the course of this the transformation of the political eral Cuban journals and received consid­ rich debate are generously cited by Tablada. For Che the and social consciousness of the erable international attention. The debate budgetary finance system was not a "thing," not a set of working people carrying out this reflected a growing conflict between two administrative rules to be counterposed to a different set revolutionary process. "In our politically irreconcilable approaches to called the economic accounting system. Instead, the course view," Che emphasized in another economic planning and management and he advocated and sought to apply was "part of a general speech cited by the author, the social organization of labor. Both ap- conception of the development of the construction of so­ cialism," and, what was essential, this course had to be communism is a phenomenon of evaluated as such in class terms. 15 consciousness and not solely a phe­ Guevara's aim was not to come up with ways to admin­ nomenon of production. We cannot ister economic production and distribution, approaching arrive at communism through the the working class from the outside, as one "input" or "fac­ simple mechanical accumulation of tor of production" (albeit the most important one, the "hu­ quantities of goods made available man factor," as post-Lenin, Soviet-trained economists of­ to the people. By doing that we ten put it). The goal was, from within the vanguard of the would get somewhere, to be sure, working class, to organize and raise the political conscious­ to some peculiar form of socialism. ness of workers, making possible their growing control But what Marx defined as commu­ over the economic and social decisions that simultaneously nism, what is aspired to in general shape production and their daily lives. The aim was to as communism, cannot be attained if man is not conscious. increase workers' powers to determine society's collec­ That is, if he does not have a new consciousness toward tive needs, as well as their conscious command over the society. 12 allocation of labor and resources to meet those needs. Through this effort, working people would transform their Such references to works by Marx, Engels, and Lenin own values and attitudes; their creativity and imagination occur throughout Guevara's speeches and writings, as Che would begin to be freed from the stunting and alienating reached back time and again to the lessons drawn by com­ conditions of life and work under capitalist social rela­ munist leaders from the experiences and struggles of pre­ tions. vious generations of working people. He worked cease­ The "muck of the ages" would begin to be washed away. lessly to deepen his understanding of the writings of the great historical leaders of Marxism, which he had begun In the 1987 speech that serves as a prologue to this book, studying well before he met Fidel Castro and other lead­ Castro remarks that "at a given moment some of Che's ers of the July 26 Movement in Mexico. ideas were incorrectly interpreted and, what's more, in­ As Che traveled throughout the Americas in the years correctly applied. Certainly no serious attempt was ever before and after graduation from medical school, he ab­ made to put them into practice, and there came a time sorbed the reality of imperialist domination of these coun­ when ideas diametrically opposed to Che's economic tries, the human consequences of the superexploitation thought began to take over." and wretched poverty forced upon millions of his Latin As a result, Castro said, while "much has been done to American compatriots. He met revolutionary-minded Photos: Top, Federaci6n de Mujeres Cubanas; above, Alberto Korda recall his other qualities," Guevara's contribution on these workers and others with whom he argued and exchanged Members of a voluntary.microbrigade construct hous­ questions of economic and political policy "is largely un­ ideas. ing in Havana during Cuba's rectification process, known in our country. " 16 Publication of this book in a print In the works of Karl Marx (whom Guevara affection­ 1988 (top of page). Voluntary labor is "one of the run of a quarter million in 1987 helped advance a timely ately referred to in his youthful letters to family and friends best things Che left us during his stay in our country recovery and discussion of Guevara's political economic as "St. Karl") and Frederick Engels, the founders of the and his part in the revolution," said Cuban president ideas in the context of what was known in Cuba as the modem communist workers movement, and of Russian Fidel Castro. Guevara operating experimental sugar "rectification process." communist leader V.I. Lenin, Guevara increasingly found cane harvester in 1963 (directly above). Following a series of costly mistakes in the closing years observations about and explanations for the workings of of the 1960s, the government and party leadership in Cuba capitalism that confirmed his experiences. The scientific proaches were being used in Cuba during those years.l4 decided to adopt the system of economic planning and world view he discovered widened his horizons and helped management used in one or another variant throughout him understand the exploitative class relations through­ Guevara championed what was called the budgetary finance system, which was being applied under his direc- the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. From the early 1970s out Latin America that he was becoming less and less to the mid-1980s it was this political course, not Guevara's willing to accept, and more and more deeply committed budgetary finance system, that predominated on questions to changing by whatever means necessary. 13 Che Guevara and the Cuban Revolution (Pathfinder), p. 26. of economic policy. Guevara's rich legacy of practical In the years preceding the launching of the revolution­ 14 Articles by Guevara from this debate in the early 1960s, to­ activity and theoretical contributions was largely obscured ary war in Cuba, Guevara concentrated on political gether with discussions from the late 1980s and early 1990s of economy through an intensive study of Marx's Capital. Che's views, appear in issue no. 8 of the magazine New Inter­ Later, as part of his responsibilities in Cuba, he sought to national, entitled "Che Guevara, Cuba, and the Road to Social­ deepen his knowledge of Lenin's writings and speeches ism." 15 Seep. 76. 16 Seep. 45. from the opening years of the workers and peasants re­ public in Soviet Russia and from congresses of the Com­ munist International. Together with several colleagues in the ministry of industry and others, he devoted each Thurs­ day night- often between midnight and dawn- to the study of Capital. In his writings and speeches, Che fre­ quently went back to this book, to The Critique of the Che Guevara, Cuba and the Road to Socialism Gotha Programme, and to other works by Marx and In New International no. 8 Engels, including their rich, pre-1847 writings, prior to when they became consistently scientific in their new Ernesto Che Guevara, Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, Carlos world outlook. Tablada, Mary-Alice Waters, Steve Clark, Jack Barnes Following the revolutionary victory over the Batista Debates from the early 1960s and today on the relevance and impor­ dictatorship on January 1, 1959, Guevara - thirty years tance of the political and economic perspectives defended by Guevara. old at the time of the triumph - worked not only to set a $10.00 Also available in Spanish. practical example but to help lay a theoretical foundation for the transition to socialism in Cuba. As he did so, Guevara was in the thick of daily central leadership re­ sponsibilities in the revolutionary government and party. Photographs reproduced in this book record his activity as he carried out this work: his frequent meetings with assemblies of workers in various factories and enterprises, his participation in Sunday voluntary work mobilizations on priority social projects, his international responsibili­ ties. Guevara immersed himself in the literature discuss­ ing the most modem industrial processes in use in other Defending Cuba, countries. He learned the principles of accounting and took Defending Cuba's Socialist Revolution classes in mathematics so he could help advance the ap­ plication of computerization to economic planning and In New International no.1 0 financial controls in Cuba, a task he considered vital. Mary-Alice Waters explains that the Cuban working people, through their own It was common, Castro noted in his October 1967 trib­ collective efforts, have over the past several years survived the most difficult ute, to see the lights on in Guevara's office until all hours crisis in the history of the revolution. Meeting this test has strengthened the of the night, as he worked and studied. "For he was a stu- political confidence of broad layers of the working class to defend the socialist course of the revolution. $14.00 Also available in French, Spanish, and Swedish.

12 Seep. 93. Available from bookstores including those listed on page 12, or write Pathfinder, 410 West St., New York, NY 10014. Tel: (212) 741-0690. Fax: (212) 727-0150. When ordering by mail, please include $3 to cover shipping and handling.

September 29, 1997 The Militant 9 4/lnternatlonal Soclallst Revlew SEPTEMBER 1 9 9 7

behind the public image of Che the Heroic Guerrilla and by what had preceded it. Because, Castro said, Che "knew man of spotless moral purity ("St. Che," as this icon has that communism could never be attained by wandering been dubbed in Cuba by partisans of Guevara's commu­ down those worn capitalist paths and that to follow along nist course). those paths would mean eventually to forget all ideas of By the early 1980s, however, the devastating political solidarity and even intemationalism."18 consequences of the course that had been copied and im­ As the rectification process was gaining new momen­ ported were becoming increasingly clear as communist tum in 1989, the Cuban revolution was suddenly con­ political consciousness among Cuba's working people fronted with the most severe economic crisis in its his­ faltered, demoralization spread, and corruption grew. A tory. The crisis was precipitated by the abrupt decline in relatively privileged layer of administrative personnel in aid and trade on favorable terms with the disintegrating the state and party apparatus, industrial enterprises, eco­ regimes in the Soviet bloc. The "special period," as it is nomic planning agencies, and mass organizations such as known in Cuba, registered a decline in economic produc­ the trade unions began more and more to promote and tion estimated at some 35 percent- equal to or greater implement policies that expressed their interests and im­ than the fall in U.S. output during the opening years of proved their own living standards and working conditions, the Great Depression of the 1930s. Stepped-up efforts by while disregarding many of the most pressing needs of Cuba's revolutionary government to find new trading part­ the large majority of Cuban toilers. ners and sources of development capital were met by in­ During this "disgraceful period of building socialism," tensified economic warfare instigated and organized by as Castro calls it in the speech reprinted here, 17 revolu­ Washington. tionary victories elsewhere in the Americas simultaneously Enemies ofthe working class the world over gleefully released new energies among Cuba's working people. Tens predicted that the revolutionary government of Cuba of thousands of teachers, doctors, engineers, construction would soon suffer a fate similar to the regimes of Eastern workers, and others volunteered to risk their lives taking Europe and the USSR. Once again they were wrong. They part in internationalist missions to aid the people of Nica­ failed to understand - as they had many times before - ragua and Grenada. At the same time, hundreds of thou­ that the proletarian internationalist course Che 's name was sands of Cubans were responding to the request of the associated with in Cuba and around the world was not his Angolan government for help to defeat the invading forces alone, but was indeed the trajectory of Cuba's communist of the South African apartheid government intent on pre­ leadership, deeply rooted among the big majority of Cuba's venting the newly independent government of the former working people. This was not a variant of the course in Portuguese colony from being consolidated. the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, but its antipode. By 1986 Cuba's communist leadership, with Fidel No other government in the world could have survived Castro in the lead, had launched the revolutionary politi­ the test of popular support that Cuba's revolutionary lead­ cal counteroffensive on questions of economic policy that ership has faced in the 1990s. In meeting the challenge of became known as the rectification process. Corruption and the special period, moreover, the Cuban working class has privilege were systematically addressed and substantially emerged stronger, not weaker. Today it is more conscious reduced. Living and working conditions of agricultural of its historic responsibilities, and more confident of its workers and others in the lowest-paid categories were collective capacity to resist, to fight, and to win. The rec­ improved. Child care and other needs of women workers tification process of the previous decade was decisive in were given new priority. this outcome. From the outset of the rectification process, volunteer The slow and difficult economic recovery that has taken labor- "one of the best things [Che] left us during his place since the bottom of the crisis in 1994 has been stay in our country and his part in the revolution," said achieved only by taking countless measures that involve Castro - was revived in Cuba. It was promoted by the painful, temporary retreats from positions conquered ear­ leadership as a lever of revolutionary action to take steps lier by Cuban working people - such as allowing use of forward, through collective efforts, to address the most the U.S. dollar as one of the legal currencies within Cuba. pressing social needs such as housing, nurseries, clinics, This and other steps taken to marshal the resources and capital investments required to reverse the accelerating decline in production have increased social inequalities, eroded social solidarity, and destabilized social relations that arose on the basis of pre­ vious revolutionary con­ J. GonzalezNerde Olivo quests. Cuban volunteer troops helped defend Angolan sov­ What Cuba faces today is ereignty against aggression by South Africa's apart­ not a crisis of socialism, heid regime, 1975-1991. Guevara helped pioneer however. Above all, the Cu­ Cuba's internationalist solidarity with anti-imperial­ ban toilers are confronting ist fighters in Africa, Latin America, and elsewhere. the brutal realities of an eco­ nomically underdeveloped lutionary-minded fighters throughout Latin America, the country in a world still United States, and other countries of the world where dominated by capitalism, Spanish-speaking workers continue to swell the ranks of and the terms of struggle the toilers. imposed by the exploiting Che Guevara's legacy- an irreplaceable part of the classes on those who are de­ web of lessons learned by the modem working class termined to chart a way for­ through enormous effort and sacrifice - is a piece of our ward for humanity. collective patrimony that Pathfinder Press is honored to "We do not fight princi­ publish. pally for ourselves," Fidel Mary-Alice Waters Castro told a convention of September 1997 Strikers in Argentina protest government austerity program in May 1997. Jobless- the Central Organization of ness, social inequality, and poverty are at depression levels in much of Latin America Cuban Workers in April today. "The exploiters are starting to get afraid again," Fidel Castro told Cuban trade 1996. Cuba, he said, has be­ unionists in 1996. "They're afraid of social upheaval, afraid of social explosions." come a s!andarddbearer fodr the explmted an oppresse of the world. "That is why we are pleased to call our­ and schools. For some fifteen years, Castro said, such ef­ selves internationalists, to call ourselves socialists, to call forts had been steadily on the decline because of "the ourselves communists." These are three things that for­ bureaucrat's view, the technocrat's view that voluntary tify us, Castro added, "the expression of what we have work was neither basic nor essential," but rather "kind of wanted to be, of what we are, and of what we will always silly, a waste of time." Beginning in 1986, however, vol­ be." untary labor was reborn. The construction "minibrigades," It is the capitalist world that will face the gravest crisis as they were called, assumed an even greater centrality to in the years ahead. "The exploiters are starting to get afraid the revolution and working class than similar efforts dur­ again," Castro noted. "They're afraid of social upheaval, ing the early years of the Cuban or Russian revolutions. afraid of social explosions, afraid of chaos ... because they Rectification took on the character of a growing social don't really know what's going to happen."19 movement led by Cuba's most conscious and disciplined That is why Che's course, Fidel Castro's course, is not working people who were convinced that the brigades a question of past history, or only of interest to some fu­ opened the road toward a return to proletarian methods ture communist society. It remains at the heart of the abil­ that could advance the revolution and strengthen social ity of Cuba's working people to resist, to limit the tempo­ consciousness. rary retreat that has been forced upon them, to hold the Just as the bureaucratic parties and regimes of Eastern line at not one step further than necessary to assure the Europe and the USSR were finally beginning to shatter in survival of their political power, of their revolutionary face of irresolvable economic, social, and political crises government. building up for decades, the Cuban revolution was gain­ The new edition of this book, both timely and neces­ ing strength along the lines of the communist political sary, is a weapon that will help increase the battle-readi­ course of rectification. This renewal, Fidel explained in ness and political effectiveness of a new generation of revo- his October 1987 tribute, would have given Guevara much joy and confidence, just as he would have been "appalled" 18 Seep. 42. 19 The speech was published in the May 15, 1996, issue of the 17 Seep. 41. weekly Granma International.

10 The Militant September 29, 1997 N.Y. primary results surprise Democrats Protests against police brutality boost vote for Sharpton

BYBILLARTH cian, he devoted much of his remarks to BROOKLYN- "Working class outrage denouncing Guiliani. at and resistance to the horrific torture of In an interview in Our Time Press, a Haitian immigrant Abner Louima at the Brooklyn community newspaper, Sharpton hands of New York City cops led to this spelled out his program to fight police bru­ upset in the Democratic Party primary," said tality. "One, we need to have an INDEPEN­ Olga Rodriguez, the Socialist Workers Party DENT Civilian Complaint Review Board candidate for mayor of New York. that has independent power, and can rec­ Rodriguez's statement followed news that ommend termination and suspension. Sec­ there would be a run off between Democratic ond, we need to require all police to live in Party challengers Ruth Messinger, currently the city of New York. Third, we should have the Manhattan borough president, and Rev. no 48 hour rule, where police are given 48 Alfred Sharpton. hours to decide whether or not they're go­ Messinger, the favorite, failed to win the ing to talk, or answer questions." Sharpton necessary 40 percent to be named the Demo­ continued, "I think [former Police Commis­ cratic Party candidate against Republican sioner] Ray Kelly was a good Police Com­ mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The runoff itself missioner. He had the perfect balance of how was then thrown into question when the to keep crime down. We started the down­ New York Board of Elections announced ward spiral of crime and at the same time that it discovered additional votes for worked with community groups under his Messinger that could put her above the 40 leadership." percent threshold. On September 18, the Board of Elections Political writers in the big-business press announced that new vote tallies, together were stunned when Sharpton forced the run­ with absentee ballots, brought Messinger's off by gaining 126,799 votes, 32 percent of total to 40.16 percent of the vote. If those the total, compared to Messinger's 155,913, results are ratified, the runoff will not take or 39 percent. New York Times columnist place. Sharpton announced he will file suit Bob Herbert declared, "Reasonable people seeking an injunction ordering the new vote are shaking their heads at the idea that the to take place. Democratic nomination for mayor of New Socialist Workers candidate Rodriguez York should come down to a race between assailed the move to cancel the September Militant/Megan Arney 23 runoff in the Democratic Party primary Ms. Messinger and Mr. Sharpton. Not that Some 15,000 people demonstrated August 29 against the police torture of Abner Louima long ago it would have been easier to be­ as "an undemocratic attack on the rights of lieve that a delegation from Pluto had landed those who cast their vote for Sharpton as a in Sheepshead Bay." ily demanding that the cops who tortured abuse. Another Haitian immigrant filed a way to say 'Enough!' to police brutality in Messinger, supported by most of the Louima be fired and prosecuted. brutality complaint and lawsuit against Jus­ this city." Rodriguez continued, "Neither Democratic Party machine, had raised The Louima incident sparked widespread tin Volpe, one of the cops accused of tortur­ Alfred Sharpton nor Ruth Messinger are put­ $3,262,568 for her campaign as of early outrage and resistance among working ing Louima. Mario Saccavino, a 70-year­ ting forward a program that confronts the September. Sharpton had raised only people in New York. Two demonstrations old man, has also filed suit against other economic and social crisis facing working $185,000. In the weeks leading up to the were held, including marches on August 16 cops from the 70th Precinct who knocked people in this election. Indeed, both Demo­ primary, however, Sharpton closely identi­ of 7,000 to the 70th Precinct, where the tor­ him down while arresting his wife. His hip cratic Party candidates are campaigning to fied himself with the protests against the ture occurred, and on August 29 of 15,000 was seriously injured, requiring surgery. channel workers desire to fight back into torture of Abner Louima, a Haitian immi­ across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall in Sharpton defeated Messinger in Brook­ the safe waters of capitalist electoral poli­ grant who lives in Brooklyn, by the New downtown Manhattan. lyn by 13,000 votes. After the primary, tics through support to the Democratic Party, York police. Sharpton attended protests and The mobilizations have inspired others Sharpton held a rally in Harlem with Rev. whether it's health-care workers and UPS appeared with lawyers for the Louima fam- to come forward with complaints of cop Jesse Jackson that attracted 450 people. Also strikers demanding a decent contract or the attending were members of the families of powerful street mobilizations of Black, Car­ Anthony Baez and Anthony Rosario, both ibbean, and other workers and youth to the of whom were killed by the New York cops. brutal torture of Louima." U.S. gov't probes Teamsters union Their families have been active in protest­ ing police brutality and had earlier endorsed Bill Arth is a member of the United Trans­ BY BRIAN TAYLOR that more than $200,000 of funds were ille­ Sharpton. A long-time Democratic politi- portation Union. The U.S. government is threatening to gally collected by the Carey campaign. On prevent Ronald Carey, president of the In­ September 15 James Hoffa Jr., who was nar­ ternational Brotherhood of Teamsters, from rowly defeated by Carey, called on Attor­ running for that post in a federally mandated ney General Janet Reno to appoint an inde­ Affirmative action march reelection. pendent counsel to investigate allegations Just days after 185,000 Teamsters were that Carey received illegal funds from Continued from front page the defeat of the so-called Houston Civil victorious in their national strike against the Democratic Party officials. ing, the UT Law School this year expects Rights Initiative, which would outlaw affir­ United Parcel Service (UPS), Barbara Zack The same day Carey appealed for the only four Blacks and 26 Chicanos among mative action programs of the city. Defend­ Quindel, a Clinton administration official government to disqualify Hoffa from run­ its 468 new students, compared to 31 Blacks ing affirmative action is in the interest of all appointed to oversee the Teamsters union, ning on similar charges of illegal receipt of and 42 Chicanos last year. working people as it can help to unify us by nullified the results of the December elec­ funds. The September 16 rally was the largest guaranteeing equal access to jobs, education tion of the union president. On grounds of Quindel has tried to implicate other such action in many years and one of the and housing. Unity of the working class is alleged improper fund-raising, Quindel or­ unions, as well as the AFL-CIO union fed­ biggest response here to the current attacks key to allowing us to fight together to de­ dered a new election and launched an in­ eration, as part the government investiga­ on affirmative action. It was sponsored by mand an expansion in educational opportu­ vestigation against Carey. tion, potentially widening the scope of any Students for Access and Opportunity, a nities, jobs for all, and an end to cuts in so­ In voiding the election, Quindel claimed criminal charges. newly formed campus group opposed to the cial services." Hopwood decision. Speakers included Jesse Jackson, state legislators, students, and teachers. Cuba bombing Students and faculty speaking at the rally outlined a list of demands, including an Continued from Page 16 apology from the chancellor and Board of cialist Workers Party candidates for Mayor Regents for Graglia's remark, that the uni­ of Miami and City Commission in District versity work to get a new interpretation of 5, brought their supporters to the picket line the Hopwood ruling enabling the university and social. They said that the success of the to reinstate affirmative action policies, and action in the face of threats from both the that students be required to take a course on police and rightists is very much tied to the "critical race and gender studies." changes in the working class as a whole. There has also been a lot of discussion This includes the greater willingness to fight and debate on what action to call for against to victory like the unionists at UPS and the Graglia and on his right to express his views. Bay Area Rapid Transit. "In the future Some state legislators called for the univer­ strikes like these," said Post, "will sity to fire or force the resignation of strengthen other social protest movements Graglia, threatening to withhold funds for including the fight to defend the Cuban the university if some such action was not revolution." taken. Meanwhile, the September 13 Miami Meanwhile, in Houston an initiative has Herald reported on the expulsion from Cuba been placed on the November 4 ballot that of David Dorn, the head of international would dismantle any city-mandated affir­ relations for the American Federation of mative action programs, affecting primarily Teachers. Dorn, in Cuba on a tourist visa, minority contracting requirements. was actually a courier for Freedom House The Socialist Workers candidate for delivering money and other materials to mayor Patti Iiyama, whose campaign sup­ counterrevolutionaries on the island. Free­ porters have just finished collecting 1,000 dom House is a right-wing outfit led by signatures to place her name on the ballot, Frank Calzon. stated, "I will make defense of affirmative According to the Herald, "Calzon often action a center of my campaign. I will join uses visitors to Cuba to deliver aid to dissi­ actions to support the demand of UT stu­ dents such as cash, fax machines and short­ dents that the university reinterpret wave radios. Freedom House also has a Hopwood and reinstate affirmative action. $500,000 U.S. government grant for democ­ My supporters and I also will campaign for racy-building items." September 29, 1997 The Militant 11 S.F. transit strikers beat back BART Continued from front page "We talked to workers with more senior­ cisco from around the Bay Area. erupt with people who walk up to argue." membership of the ATU and SEIU rejected ity about this. We won them over that it The Chronicle editorialized that "the This was far from the whole picture. Trade what management termed its "best and fi­ wasn't in our interest to be divided. So we strike, which began at 12:01 a.m. yesterday unionists who visited the BART picket lines nal offer." BART spokespeople said they had a solid front on this crucial issue," Gil­ is hard to justify." The media repeated over were extremely well received. Outside the would offer the unions pay raises totaling bert said. and over that the BART workers under their Colma maintenance barn where pickets nine percent over three years and said they Under the terms of the tentative Septem­ old contract received a base wage of nearly gathered, many passing by honked their would not spend more than $28 million on ber 13 settlement, the members of the two $41,000 a year and mechanics a base wage horns in a show of support for the strikers the next contract with the two unions. unions will receive a $3,000 lump sum bo­ of $48,000 a year. At the same time, the during the course of the day. Some union In 1994 management succeeded in forc­ nus for 1997 and then a 4 percent pay in­ media tried to trivialize the unions' demands locals dropped off doughnuts and food for ing through a new setup under which it took crease for the next three years of the four­ to get rid of tiers and shorten pay progres­ the strikers there as well. new hires six years to reach top pay. This year contract. Previous contracts between sion periods. "Most people can under­ "We've had people drive by our picket guaranteed that new hires never got more the union and BART have run for three stand - and accept - the concept that lines and throw bottles, we've been spit upon than 90 percent of what their co-workers years. AFSCME members are "me too-ed" newcomers should initially receive less than and sworn at, but we've held our own," were paid during the life of the three-year in the agreement. veterans. It is a common practice in most of striker Dennis Jones told the New York Times contract. BART management tried in this The tier schemes have been eliminated the work world, including the transit indus­ at the end of the strike. Gilbert agreed. "We round of negotiations to not only extend the and the progression to get to top pay short­ try," the Chronicle editors opined. didn't have a good media strategy. We 'II existing two-tier pay scheme, but also set ened. Instead of at least six years, it will now Cartoons and the letters pages of the pa­ learn. But we shut them down and won the up a third level where new hires would re­ take three years to get to top pay for ATU pers every day were organized to try to whip strike." ceive only 75 percent of the top rate of pay. members and four years for SEIU members. up a campaign against the supposedly over­ Seeking to take credit for the workers vic­ The demand to eliminate these tiers and Gilbert noted that four years is still a long paid workers. tory, San Francisco mayor Willie Brown told built-in wage inequalities was the major is­ time, "but it is a step forward." The union­ State Senator Quentin Kopp announced a convention of the Service Employees In­ sue uniting the union members. This had ists also won improvement in their dental plans to press for new legislation that would ternational Union meeting in Washington, become a major bone of contention as the plan for the first time in 24 years. ban strikes by transit workers. D.C., September 16, "I am the end effort of expanding transit authority hired 500 new Much was also made in the press about labor's magnificent political action." Vicious antiunion campaign workers, many of them young, .over the last taunts striking pickets received from those The San Francisco Chronicle reported, two years. These workers began demand­ From the opening minutes of the strike, passing by closed suburban train stations. "BART might not have settled so quickly ing to be paid equal wages for carrying out the big-business media tried to tum public "The strikers are getting spat on and had BART's unions not 'been part of a very the same work. "I'm doing the same work opinion against the strikers. The San Fran­ screamed at. Commuters are blowing their strong political movement in the Bay Area,' for almost $3 less an hour," mechanic Paul cisco Chronicle ran article after article, as tops," a Chronicle article stated the morn­ Brown said. It was the pressure and the Nadon explained. "I want the two-tier gone well as editorials, blasting the strikers for ing before the strike ended. "The hostility 'back-door activities' applied by pro-union now." causing "suffering" for the 270,000 Bay is so intense that the strike line at the Pleas­ politicians that 'put pressure on BART offi­ Area residents who use the BART system ant Hill BART station had to be canceled cials."' during the workweek. The BART system has yesterday because of threats to the pickets," been in existence for 25 years. It was de­ the same article said. "Pickets also have Norton Sandler works at San Francisco Air­ signed to bring middle-class people and oth­ soda-cup ice and garbage thrown at them, port and is a member of International As­ ers into the financial district of San Fran- and sometimes shouting or shoving matches sociation ofMachinists local I 781. --MILITANT LABOR FORUMS------

CALIFORNIA west ofBroad, 2 blocks north ofRaymond). Do­ St. Donation: $4. Tel: (412) 381-9785. Los Angeles nation: $4. Tel: (973) 643-3341. Bilingual Education vs. 'English Only.' A CANADA panel discussion. Speakers: Carlos Fernandez, PENNSYLVANIA member, Young Socialists and United Teachers, Philadelphia Vancouver Los Angeles; Sylvia Hansen, member of San The Crisis of the British Monarchy. Speaker: U.S. Provocations Mount Against North Ko­ Diego Teachers Association. Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30 Bob Stanton, Socialist Workers Party. Fri., Sept. rea. Speaker: Estelle DeBates, Socialist Work­ p.m. 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Donation: $4. Tel: (213) 26, 7:30p.m. ers Party. Sun., Sept. 28, 2 p.m. 3967 Main St. 380-9460. Puerto Rican Independence Struggle. History Donation: $4. Tel: (604) 872-8343. San Francisco and the Fight Today. Speakers: Luis Tirado and Today's Labor Resistance: Fighters Speak Luis Senabria, National Committee to Free Out. Speakers include participants in UPS strike, Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Political Pris­ NEW ZEALAND BART strike, Kaiser nurses strike, and straw­ oners; Fermfn Morales, member of International Christchurch berry workers organizing drive. Fri., Sept. 26, Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98; and North Korea: U.S. Uses Food Aid as a Po­ 7:30 p.m. 3284 23rd St. at Mission. Donation: Lizette Ortiz, National Congress for Puerto Rican litical Weapon. Speaker: Stuart Needham, $4. Tel: (415) 285-5323. · Rights. Fri., Oct. 3, 7:30p.m. Communist League. Fri., Sept. 26, 7 p.m. Both events held at 1906 South St. Donation: $4. Tel: (215) 546-8218. Instability, Polarization, and Resistance­ NEW JERSEY Politics in New Zealand Today. Speaker: Newark Pittsburgh Patrick Brown, Communist League. Sat., Oct A Thrning Point for Working People: The End Yugoslavia: Can NATO Troops Lead to 3, 7p.m. of the Retreat of the U.S. Labor Movement. Peace? Speaker: Chris Remple, Socialist Work­ Both events held at 199 High St. (Corner High Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30p.m. 87A Halsey St. ( 1 block ersParty. Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30p.m.1103 E. Carson and Tuam). Donation: $3. Tel: (03) 365-6055. -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP----

Where to find Pathfinder books and dis­ 6325. Compuserve: 103014,3261 Tel: 0171-928-7993. Compuserve: tributors of the Militant, Perspectiva NEW JERSEY: Newark: 87 A Halsey. 101515,2702 Mundial, New International, Nouvelle Mailing address: 909 Broad St., Suite 320. Zip: Manchester: Unit 4, 60 Shudehill. Postal Internationale,NuevainternacionalandNy 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. Compuserve: code: M4 4AA. Tel: 0161-839-1766. International. 104216,2703 Compuserve: l 06462,327 NEW YORK: New York City: 59 4th Av­ CANADA UNITED STATES enue (comer of Bergen) Brooklyn, NY Zip: ALABAMA: Birmingham: Ill 21st St. 11217. Tel: (718) 399-7257. Compuserve: Montreal: 4581 Saint-Denis. Postal code: South Zip 35233. Tel: (205) 323-3079. 102064,2642 ; 167 Charles St., Manhattan, H2J 2L4. Tel: (514) 284-7369. Compuserve: Compuserve: 73712,3561 NY. Zip: 10014. Tel: (212) 366-1973. 104614,2606 Toronto: 851 Bloor St. West. Postal code: CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2546 W. OHIO: Cincinnati: P.O. Box 19484. 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Compuserve: 106450,2216 SWEDEN Sat., Sept. 27,7:30 p.m. Broadway Church, 2700 Tel: (313) 875-0100. Stockholm: Vikingagatan 10 (T-bana St E. Broadway. Ticket: $12. For more information, MINNESOTA: St. Paul: 2490 University BRITAIN Eriksplan). Postal code: S-113 42. Tel: (08) call (604) 324-1165. Ave. W., St. Paul. Zip: 55114. Tel: (612) 644- London: 47 The Cut. Postal code: SEI 8LL. 3169 33. Compuserve: 100416,2362 12 The Militant September 29, 1997 -GREAT SOCIETY------Suspicious or suspiciously? - Staffers called Ia migra, saying No joke-The sailors who res­ frankfurter because they're easier to For the rich and clumsy -We Immigration cops raided a top se­ some of the workers looked suspi­ cued him thought he was crazy But handle while driving. With a steady forgot. For one-touch dialing, the cret weapons and nuclear research cious. Lawrence Tervit felt he had no op­ increase in dashboard dining, parts StarTAC will store 99 of your most fre­ plant at Kirkland Air Force Base in tions. "I had no money," he said, suppliers are developing micro­ quently called numbers. New Mexico. They grabbed 16 al- Modern adventure story - "and the ferry company wouldn't let waves, coolers, and trash compac­ Order the black and a Motorola rep Jobless for three years, Lawrence me make a reverse-call home. What tors for cars. will come to your house and program Tervit left Britain for Continental else could I do? Desperate times A deal -The palm-size it. Europe for an unsuccessful four­ call for desperate measures." Motorola StarTAC 8600 cell phone Harry month job hunt, walking most of the The low-stress society- In the boasts a lot of features, including Puff, no problem - Imported into way. Broke and trying to get home, first half of the year, the five best­ an answering machine. (Why you Mexico, a rising number of Cuba's ··Ring he put together a makeshift raft to selling U.S. prescription medica­ need that on a phone you carry with famed cigars are finding their way into cross the English Channel. He got tions included two antidepressants you, we're not sure.) And it's now the United States, where they fetch up hit by one boat, survived, and was and two antiulcer drugs. available for under $1,000. to $100 apiece. "It's the forbidden fruit picked up by another, which re­ But, please note, that's the tacky factor," groused a Customs official, legedly undocumented immigrants turned him to France. . •• meanwhile -7-Eleven con­ charcoal gray. If you're cool andre­ "the fact that it's illegal." hired by a contractor to repair a roof Smelling a story, a British daily venience stores are offering a quar­ quire black, order directly from What to do? Simple. End the em­ at the nuke site. paid his fare home. ter pound burger shaped like a Motorola, $1,795. bargo on trade with Cuba. Marx: A working-class view on free trade Here we reprint excerpts of "Speech which is a commodity too, will also fall in capital will abolish the antagonism between there. And it may be that in less than half a On the Question of Free Trade," by Karl price, and we shall see later that this com­ industrial capitalists and wage-workers. On century you will find there neither coffee nor Marx, an 1848 address that was drafted modity, labor, will fall far lower in propor­ the contrary. The only result will be that sugar, for the East Indies, by means of about the same time as the Communist tion than all other commodities. If the work­ the antagonism of these two classes will cheaper production, have already success­ Manifesto. It was one of the founding ingman still pins his faith to the arguments of stand out more clearly.... fully broken down this so-called natural des­ documents of the communist movement. the economists, he will find, one fine morn­ He will see that capital released from all tiny of the West Indies .... The speech was published as a pamphlet ing, that the franc has dwindled in his pocket, trammels will make him no less a slave than If the Free Traders cannot understand how in several languages. In 1888 Frederick and that he has only five sous left. capital trammeled by import duties. one nation can grow rich at the expense of Engels wrote a preface titled "Protection Thereupon the economists will tell you: Gentlemen! Do not be deluded by the another, we need not wonder, since these and Free Trade." Together these two es­ "We admit that competition among the abstract word "Freedom"! Whose free­ same gentlemen also refuse to understand says are the clearest written presentation workers will certainly not be lessened under dom? Not the freedom of one individual in how in the same country one class can en­ available of a working-class view on capi­ Free Trade, and will very soon bring wages relation to another, but freedom of Capital rich itself at the expense of another. talist trade policies. Marx's entire speech into harmony with the low price of commodi­ to crush the worker. Do not imagine, gentlemen, that in criti­ and Engels's preface can be found in vol­ ties. But, on the other hand, the low price of Why should you desire farther to sanc­ cizing freedom of commerce we have the umes 6 and 26 respectively of the Collected commodities will increase consumption, the tion unlimited competition with this idea least intention of defending Protection. Works of Marx and Engels. Subheadings larger consumption will increase production, of freedom, when the idea of freedom it­ One may be opposed to constitutionalism are by the Militant. which will in tum necessitate a larger demand self is only the product of a social condi­ without being in favor of absolutism. for labor and this larger demand will be fol­ tion based upon Free Competition? Moreover, the Protective system is noth­ BY KARL MARX lowed by a rise in wages." We have shown what sort of fraternity ing but a means of establishing manufacture Doubtless, if the price of all commodi­ The whole line of argument amounts to Free Trade begets between the different upon a large scale in any given country, that ties falls - and this is the necessary conse­ this: Free Trade increases productive forces. classes of one and the same nation. The is to say, of making it dependent upon the quence of Free Trade -I can buy far more When manufactures keep advancing, when fraternity which Free Trade would estab­ market of the world; and from the moment for a franc than before. And the wealth, when the productive forces, when, in lish between the nations of the earth would that dependence upon the market of the workingman's franc is as good as any other a word, productive capital increases, the de­ not be more real, to call cosmopolitan ex­ world is established, there is more or less man's. Therefore, Free Trade must be ad­ mand for the labor, the price of labor, and ploitation universal brotherhood is an idea dependence upon Free Trade too. vantageous to the workingman. There is only consequently the rate of wages, rises also. that could only be engendered in the brain Besides this, the Protective system helps of the bourgeoisie. to develop free competition within a nation. Growth in productive forces Every one of the destructive phenomena Hence we see that in countries where the The most favorable condition for the work­ to which unlimited competition gives rise bourgeoisie is beginning to make itself felt BOOK OF ingman is the growth of capital. This must be within any one nation is reproduced in more as a class, in Germany for example, it makes admitted: when capital remains stationary, gigantic proportions in the market of the great efforts to obtain Protective duties. They THE WEEK commerce and manufacture are not merely world .... serve the bourgeoisie as weapons against stationary but decline, and in this case the feudalism and absolute monarchy, as a one little difficulty in this, namely that the workman is the first victim. He goes to the Exploitation of oppressed nations means for the concentration of its own pow­ workman, before he exchanges his franc for wall before the capitalist. For instance, we are told that Free Trade ers for the realization of Free Trade within other commodities, has first exchanged his And in the case of the growth of capital, would create an international division of the country. labor for the money of the capitalist. under the circumstances, which, as we have labor, and thereby give to each country But, generally speaking, the Protective If in this exchange he always received the said, are the best for the workingman, what those branches of production most in har­ system in these days is conservative, while said franc while the price of all other com­ will be his lot? He will go to the wall just the mony with its natural advantages. the Free Trade system works destructively. modities fell, he would always be the gainer same. The growth of capital implies the ac­ You believe perhaps, gentlemen, that the It breaks up old nationalities and carries by such a bargain. The difficulty does not cumulation and the concentration of capital. production of coffee and sugar is the natu­ antagonism of proletariat and bourgeoisie to lie in proving that, the price of all commodi­ This centralization involves a greater division ral destiny of the West Indies. the uttermost point. In a word, the Free Trade ties falling, more commodities can be bought of labor and a greater use of machinery. The Two centuries ago, nature, which does system hastens the Social Revolution. In this for the same sum of money. greater division of labor destroys the espe­ not trouble itself about commerce, had revolutionary sense alone, gentlemen, I am Economists always take the price of la­ cial skill of the laborer; and by putting in the planted neither sugarcane nor coffee trees in favor of Free Trade. bor at the moment of its exchange with other place of this skilled work labor which any one commodities, and altogether ignore the mo­ can perform it increases competition among ment at which labor accomplishes its own the workers. exchange with capital. When it costs less to This competition becomes more fierce as -25 AND 50 YEARS AGO--- set in motion the machinery which produces the division of labor enables a single man to commodities, then the things necessary for do the work of three. Machinery accomplishes to place a referendum on the ballot. the maintenance of this machine, called the same result on a much larger scale. The A recentDetroit Free Press poll indicated workman, will also cost less. accumulation of productive capital forces the TH£ MILITANT that 64 percent of those responding were in If all commodities are cheaper, labor, industrial capitalist to work with constantly favor of abortion law repeal. increasing means of production, ruins the small manufacturer, and drives him into the September 29, 1972 Ail~a~el, e'H'*' P14tte.:..,..;t,., proletariat.. .. ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 18- THE MILITANT Finally, the more productive capital grows, Nearly I ,000 women and men attended a PUaLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE Collected Works of the more it is compelled to produce for a spirited kickoff rally here last night for the NEW YORK, N.Y FIVE (5) C:ENTS market whose requirements it does not campaign to pass Proposal B, the Michi­ September 29, 1947 KarJ.Marx know -the more supply tries to force de­ gan abortion referendum. and Fredetlck Engels mand, and consequently crises increase in Proposal B says that a licensed doctor FLINT, Mich., Sept. 22-All four Gen­ frequency and in intensity. But every crisis in may perform an abortion on a woman up eral Motors locals of the CIO United Auto The writ;ngs ofthe founders tum hastens the concentration of capital, adds to the twentieth week of pregnancy in an Workers here have made plans to establish .....------, of the modem to the proletariat. Thus, as productive capital approved hospital or clinic. The proposal wholesale grocery stores in their union halls grows, competition among the workers grows will appear on the Nov. 7 Michigan ballot. to help relieve the pressure of high food KARl revolutionary too, and grows in a far greater proportion. Those who came to the rally stayed un­ prices. MARX working-class The reward of labor is less for all, and the til 2 a.m. in spite of a bomb threat that de­ Each local is buying thousands of dollars burden of labor is increased for some at FREDERICK movement. layed the opening of the program. The rally of canned food weekly and selling them at ENGElS least. ... featured actress Candice Bergen; Gloria wholesale prices to their members. This pro­ Vols. l-34, To sum up, what is Free Trade under the Steinem, editor ofMs. magazine; and Black posal has evoked a very favorable response Collected 38-47 avaiJ­ present conditions of society? Freedom of feminist Margaret Sloan. from the rank and file who want the unions Works Capital. When you have tom down the few Until Aug. 24 Michigan's abortion law to really do something about the big squeeze able. Each vol~ national barriers which still restrict the free prohibited all abortions except those per­ on their pay checks. ume contains development of capital, you will merely have formed to save a woman's life. The Michi­ Short paychecks have given rise to the L.------' notes and given it complete freedom of action. So long gan State Court of Appeals ruled Aug. 24 demand for an immediate fight for the six­ as you let the relation of wages-labor to capi­ that abortions are legal up through the third hour day at eight-hours pay. This was first index. Set 144 vols.), tal exist, no matter how favorable the condi­ month of pregnancy, but the exact status of raised by the Pioneer group at Fisher Body. $1,100 S2S per volume tions under which you accomplish the ex­ the abortion law remains unclear in prac­ In a leaflet they state: change of commodities, there will always be If Available from bookstores, including those listed tice. the referendum were to pass, it "We believe plans must be made now for a class which exploits and a class which is would become the state law. the 30-hour week at 40 hours pay. The min­ on page 12, or write Pathfinder, 41 0 West St, New exploited. York, NY 10014. Tel: 1212) 741-0690. Fax: (212)727- Between August 1971 and March 1972, ers have the 6 1/2 hour day at 8 hours pay! It is really difficult to understand the pre­ 3,000 people collected more than 300,000 We can get it too. A new leadership with 0 ISO. When ordering by maiL please include S3 to sumption of the Free Traders. who imagine cover shipping and handling. signatures of registered voters on petitions. fighting spirit can bring this to the U AW that the more advantageous application of The state requires 212,000 valid signatures convention." September 29, 1997 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Sinn Fein Celebrate BART victory joins talks on Celebrate and give a standing ovation to the Bay Area last two years, many of them young. They are not beaten Ireland Rapid Transit (BART) workers in San Francisco, who went down by the setbacks and defeats of the last period. They on strike and defeated the bosses' attempts to maintain reject the injustice of doing the same job for less pay than Continued from front page and deepen a two-tier wage structure that the employer their fellow workers beside them. Like the UPS workers spectively, in an attempt to hammer out a common ap­ had forced on them three years ago. They also won an who fought for more full-time jobs, they figure it's worth proach to the talks now that Sinn Fein is included. improvement in dental care for the first time in 24 years. it to stand up and fight. Trimble and representatives of the PUP and UDP Their victory shows what's possible when working people Setbacks and standoffs from past battles and rational­ showed up at the talks after the day's business had al­ decide to stand up to the employers' demands for conces­ izations for givebacks don't loom very large for young ready begun September 17. "We are not prepared to toler­ sions. workers when they decide to say no to the employers' ate Sinn Fein being portrayed as a party of peace and The wealthy class orchestrated a malicious campaign takeback demands. This willingness to fight among young Unionists as a problem," the UUP leader declared. "We through their media to try to demoralize the strikers and workers has an impact on those with more experience - are not there to negotiate with them but to confront them, push back any support for their struggle. Calling the strike in both the BART and UPS strikes workers of all genera­ to expose their fascist character." "hard to justify," the San Francisco Chronicle predicted tions united across the divisions the bosses had tried to Two days earlier, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) that the workers "will not get much public sympathy" try­ foster. This is what the wealthy class is afraid of. leader Peter Robinson launched a bitter attack on Trimble ing to win equal pay rates for those doing the same work. The employing class consciously sought to whip up the and the loyalist leaders who met with him. He said future "Most people can understand - and accept- the con­ venom of the petty bourgeoisie against the BART strikers generations would curse them for their folly in entering a cept that newcomers should initially receive less than vet­ with their high-pitched and well-orchestrated campaign process "designed to destroy them." erans. It is a common practice in most of the world," the in the media. Nearly every article, editorial and cartoon Trimble and the others had, he said, "ditched every prin­ bourgeois paper opined. on the strike portrayed the workers as greedy, despite the ciple they ever held," and been "sucked into a process, Over the last 15 years multi-tier wage structures have fact that real wages have declined over the past decade. which by it's very nature would damage the union." The indeed become common, along with the use of part-time The workers involved got a taste of class politics. What DUP and the UK Unionists, a fifth loyalist organization, and "temporary" jobs as an excuse to lower pay - as the would have helped counter the rulers' antiunion campaign have abandoned the talks. working class took blows and the bosses drove against is broader mobilization by the labor movement in solidar­ A joint statement issued by the Irish and British Prime workers' wages and working conditions. These set-ups ity. The battle at UPS, the series of strikes that have taken Ministers to "clarify" and "spell out their views on two sow divisions within the workforce, which the bosses count place at General Motors plants across the country, the crucial issues, consent and decommissioning," was favor­ on to weaken solidarity. stepped-up organizing drives among farm workers, and ably received by Trimble. But the problem for the capitalist rulers is that a grow­ others are all signs of workers' resistance along with the By focusing on these two issues the leader of the UUP ing number of workers no longer accept this as the way it BART strike that workers everywhere should celebrate aimed, ahead of entering talks, to shore up the principle has to be. BART has hired 500 new employees over the and build on. of a Unionist veto over any proposed settlement, and make the IRA's refusal to surrender arms an obstacle to the talks progressing. UK government officials said the statement made no change to the substance of their existing position on these matters. The first session of the talks themselves was taken up with questions from the Alliance Party representative J. Gov't hands off the Teamsters! Allerdice about Sinn Fein's links to the IRA. British sec­ retary of state for Northern Ireland Marjorie Mow lam also U.S. government hands off the Teamsters! Drop all in­ election days after the Teamsters victory against UPS. By chose to question Sinn Fein's commitment to the Mitchell vestigations and White House attempts to disqualify maintaining the threat of disqualifying Carey now, Quindel Principles of nonviolence, which all parties in the talks Ronald Carey or any other candidate for the union's presi­ and her bosses are trying to derail efforts to parley the have signed. She cited the statement the previous week dency! That's what everyone in the labor movement and momentum from the UPS strike into organizing workers by an IRA spokesperson in an interview with Republican all working people should demand. at Federal Express and elsewhere and set an example of News that "the IRA would have problems with sections Government intervention in the Teamsters is a blatant what the employing class will do against the unions every of the Mitchell Principles. But then the IRA is not a par­ attempt to deal a blow to the union, dampen the signifi­ time workers stand up. ticipant in these talks." cance of the victory by 185,000 of its members against The calls by James Hoffa, Jr., Carey's opponent in the UPS in the August strike, and ultimately discourage and Teamsters, and Carey himself for federal intervention play 'We want a totally demilitarized situation' demoralize rank-and-file workers by turning them into right into the hands of the employers. Appeals to govern­ Adams, outlined his party's stance on the Mitchell prin­ objects who have to be "protected" against allegedly cor­ ment intervention only serve to,·weaken the union. ciples to journalists outside Stormont on September 9. "I rupt officials. Only the union members should decide who they elect am very pleased and welcome the opportunity to affirm The ruling class and its political representatives in Wash­ as their officers and how, or whether improprieties took these principles on behalf of Sinn Fein," he said. "Unfor­ ington are the enemy of labor. Barbara Zack Quindel, ap­ place at any election - in the Teamsters or any other tunately the British Government narrowed the brief of the pointed by Clinton to "oversee" the Teamsters, is looking union. Mitchell International Body.... We want a total demilita­ after the interests of big business. She voided last year's Get the government out of the Teamsters now! rization of the situation." Adams went on to cite serious breaches of the Mitchell principles since they had been signed up to in June - by the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) against nationalist communi­ ties in the north of Ireland. He pointed to incidents on the Garvaghy Road in Belfast, in which thousands of rounds of plastic bullets had been fired, and repeated violations of the loyalist paramilitary cease-fires. Elections in Bosnia Women from the Relatives Justice Group, Women To­ gether, the Bloody Sunday Relatives Group, and relatives Continued from front page knowledged they were considering retaking or destroy­ of Colin Duffy, a Lurgan man charged with the murder of Carlos Westendorp, the head of the so-called civilian in­ ing a transmitting tower if the pro-Karadzic controlled two policemen, held a vigil outside the talks. During their tervention in Bosnia, and his deputy U.S. Gen. Jacques radio and television station in Pale continues to broadcast action Rita Restorick, mother of the latest British soldier Klein flew to Belgrade and Zagreb, where they threat­ opposition to the Dayton agreement and the imperialist to be killed in Ireland last February, embraced Kay Duddy, ened Croatian president Franjo Tudjman and Serbian presi­ occupation force. NATO troops had seized the transmit­ whose brother was killed by the British Army while dem- . dent Slobodan Milosevic with economic and other sanc­ ter August 28 and held it for several days. On September onstrating for civil rights on what became known as tions. 11 the Pentagon deployed three "electronic warfare air­ Bloody Sunday, Jan. 30, 1972. The elections come in the aftermath of intensifying U.S. craft" to Bosnia that can jam local programs and transmit On the eve of the talks, thousands of people marched military confrontations with supporters of chauvinist Serb broadcasts of their own. from nationalist areas to Belfast City Hall September 14. leader Radovan Karadzic. The latest incident occurred Moscow's envoy to NATO, Vitaly Churkin, said any The demonstration was organized by Saoirse, the cam­ September 8 when a company of Gls, backed by Bradley attack on radio or television stations controlled by paign for the release of Irish political prisoners. Sinn Fein fighting vehicles and Apache helicopters, blocked buses Karadzic's forces would be an intolerable use of force. negotiator Gerry Kelly addressed the marchers and carrying 1,000 Serbs who were traveling to Banja Luka Washington's stepped-up moves against Karadzic have stressed that the release of political prisoners would be a to attend a political rally. The group had overwhelmed a outraged Russian government officials. central issue in the talks. He saluted those fighters and platoon of Norwegian soldiers who tried to stop them. Meanwhile, capitalist spokespeople have begun to de­ their families imprisoned by the British state. "We are About 500 of Karadzic's supporters did rally in Banja bate the merits of capturing or forcing Karadzic from the nearly 30 years into this struggle for British withdrawal Luka September 8, facing off with a hostile crowd of hun­ region. "Every step we've taken in the last few days and and a united Ireland," he said, "and many thousands of dreds of supporters of Bosnian Serb president Biljana weeks has had that objective," an unnamed Clinton ad­ people, of nationalists, have been through jail during that Plavsic. After the rally, Momcilo Krajisnik, the Serb mem­ ministration official told the New York Times in early Sep­ period." Kelly urged the marchers to continue demon­ ber of the joint Bosnian presidency and an ally of Karadzic, tember. "Both the U.S. government and the [NATO mili­ strating on the streets. Protest activity will play an impor­ went to a hotel with a security team across the street from tary] alliance are stronger than ever in their conviction tant role in the negotiations, he said. Plavsic 's residence in downtown Banja Luka. that the key to all of this is the removal of Karadzic from A crowd of thousands of people, including Plavsic 's power." Ian Grant is a member ofthe Transport and General Work­ supporters, surrounded the building. NATO officials even­ "Those who think that arresting [Karadzic] or getting ers Union in London. tually negotiated with Krajisnik men to surrender their him to The Hague is the panacea ... don't understand weapons. Krajisnik had refused to leave the hotel, express­ what's going on in this country. It's a necessary but insuf­ ing concern that he and other members of his group could ficient condition," said another official. be arrested by the U.S. military as indictees on the secret Some politicians are expressing nervousness over the list of the imperialist-crafted war crimes tribunal meeting possibility of casualties. "Our soldiers are getting more in The Hauge, Netherlands. He and his crew finally fled and more involved in dangerous operations," complained from the hotel, pelted by rocks and eggs. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in an opinion piece printed U.S. State Department spokesman James Foley de­ in the September 11 New York Times. scribed the pro-Karadzic mobilization as a coup attempt However Carl Bildt, former European High Represen­ against Plavsic. Washington has thrown its weight behind tative in Bosnia and former prime minister of Sweden, Plavsic, who supports aspects of the Dayton "peace" agree­ wrote in the London Financial Times, "There is a need ment the Clinton administration imposed on Bosnia in for decisive action .... What is needed are soldiers on the 1995. ground ready to take risks .... That is why we have troops Under sharpening tensions, U.S. military officials ac- in Bosnia."

14 The Militant September 29, 1997 Rail dispatchers strike over health and safety This column is devoted to re­ by using fear and intimidation in re­ bers were replaced after porting the resistance by work­ fusing to grant its train dispatching the company pushed ing people to the employers' as­ employees sick leave during peri­ through a contract that sault on their living standards, ods of bona fide illness. Instead, the gave them a choice be­ working conditions, and unions. Carrier expects its train dispatchers tween losing their jobs We invite you to contribute to work wherever and whenever it and taking a 39 percent short items to this column as a requires without regard to the physi­ pay cut. way for other fighting workers cal ability of the employee." The vote on this con­ tract took place on Tufts property, with no voting lists, checks on union ON THE PICKET LINE cards, and with the re­ placement ISS workers around the world to read about The dispatchers' picket lines escorted into the meeting and learn from these important were respected by all the other and instructed to vote struggles. Jot down a few lines crafts. In the Inman terminal in At­ 'yes' or lose their jobs. about what is happening in your lanta, the first shift was held over Union stewards were de­ union, at your workplace, or to keep the railroad running after the nied access to the meet­ other workplaces in your area, strike ended. ing by Tufts police. Un­ including interesting political dis­ der these voting condi­ cussions. tions, the contract Rally backs locked-out passed. Tufts University workers Around 80 workers ATLANTA- On September 3 SOMERVILLE, Massachu­ who refused to accept the An explosion on September 10 at Georgia-Pacific Corp. in Columbus, at 11 a.m., some 100 train dispatch­ setts- A rally called to support new contract, remain Ohio, left one worker dead and nine others injured. The blast occurred ers at five Norfolk Southern offices locked-out Tufts University custo­ locked out. Meanwhile, while chemicals were being mixed, rattling windows seven miles away. across the southeast walked off the dial workers drew almost 200 Somerville and Medford job in response to the company's people here September 3, including City police, along with threat to fire a train dispatcher for locked-out workers, their families, Tufts University cops, calling in sick. community supporters, and Tufts are escorting the ISS workers to the campus, chanting and beating trash raised fists and cooking imple­ The strike lasted about six hours, students. campus and from building to build­ can lids and the tops of pots and ments. ending when a federal judge in­ On July 31 some 110 unionized ing, and are arresting any locked­ pans. They stopped in front of the At a brief rally following the voked a temporary restraining or­ Tufts custodians, members of the out workers who try to leaflet. president's quarters and chanted march, union members and student der and ordered them back to work. Service Employers International During the rally, workers spoke "No justice-No peace!" Many stu­ leaders outlined plans for other ac­ The strikers are members of the Union (SEIU) Local 254, were to the crowd from the back of a dents hanging out on the first day tivities, and for building more sup­ American Train Dispatchers De­ locked out of their jobs, and re­ pickup truck, and drew honks from of classes seemed bewildered by the port for the workers among Tufts partment (ATDD) of the Brother­ placed by workers employed by a passing drivers. A highlight of the protest, but they took leaflets ex­ students. hood of Locomotive Engineers. In subcontractor, International Service rally was when a brown UPS truck plaining the workers' case, and a union press release, ATDD presi­ Systems (ISS), a multinational jani­ passed by. The crowd cheered and many joined the march. Abby Tilsner, member of United dent Les Parmelee stated that the torial subcontracting company. blew whistles, and the UPS driver On the way out, the demonstra­ Transportation Union Loca/511 in railroad "is jeopardizing the safety The workers employed by ISS honked and raised his fist, beaming. tion passed the campus kitchen. Atlanta, and Elena Tate from Cam­ of its train dispatching employees, are paid $3.50 less per hour than the After the rally, the workers and Cooks had gathered by the window bridge, Massachusetts, contributed its other employees and the public original workers. The SEIU mem- their supporters marched around the and greeted the marchers with their to this article. -LETTERS------On the British monarchy rights remain in the prerogative of radio show of Howard Stem was WA.IT MINUTE. Your editorial "British monarchy the Crown. It would take the defeat A carried for the first time by stations is in trouble" has some problems of of the British working class, in I'M WOR.KING.NEA.RL~ in Toronto and Montreal. its own. I think we will find that the struggle, for these feudal rights to FULL-TIME ~ou~ Stem inaugurated the broadcast adoration of the dead princess was reemerge in all their repressive bar­ FOR, PA'RT-Tih\E At,'( ... into Canada by characterizing all not orchestrated by the British state barianism. French-speaking people as machine. The sense of loss dis­ It is only by establishing a gov­ "scumbags" and "peckerheads." He played by millions of people is a ernment of workers and working declared that "all people in criticism of those that wield power farmers in Britain that the working Montreal should speak English, in the United Kingdom. It is also a class will be able to achieve the that's that." critical response to the increasingly humanitarian values which they ap­ In a press conference following obvious antisocial character of the pear to identify with Diana Spen­ the transmission he again attacked dysfunctional royal family. This cer. It is the liberation oflreland that French language and culture and family can no longer be promoted remains the key to "turning the branded all French people as Nazi and hawked to the masses as wor­ world upside down." Marx ex­ collaborators. The Quebecois thy of emulation. It is only possible plained very clearly that if the Brit­ should "bend over [for me] like you to understand a family driving away ish working class could not raise it­ did for Hitler." He called Quebec a divorced daughter-in-law if prob­ self to the task and duty of helping independence "ludicrous." lems of state such as inheritance, to end British rule in Ireland then There was no wave of outrage property rights and royal succession they themselves could never win All't\ost ready tor over these racist, right-wing com­ are admitted. And who in all con­ their freedom from the same dicta­ the. pr.ivate sec.tor ments. Major big-business newspa­ science would want to be a mem­ torship of capitalist rule. pers widely publicized the remarks ber of such a cosa nostra? Frank Gorton without condemning them or dis­ This bourgeois public opinion Detroit, Michigan tancing themselves from them. In forced big business to adjust its rou­ fact, they made efforts to excuse or Juan C. Campos. Referring to the larly appreciated the September 9 tine functioning on the day of the A few corrections even promote the show. scabs, the Militant quotes Campos article by Arigiris Malapanis in funeral. More importantly, the re­ The formulation of the third para­ Canada's leading capitalist daily, as saying "Every time I see one of which he so skillfully used the treat from royal protocol that the graph in the article "Washington The Globe and Mail, wrote a lead those guys I think of dinner being analysis by Wall Street economist queen was obliged to concede; pushes for domination of Caspian editorial stating that Stem was sim­ taken away from one of my kids. Stephen Roach as a peg for explain­ which culminated in the royal head Sea oil" by Megan Arney and ply "spouting all sorts of silliness They are little mice." ing the underlying issues in the being bowed to the passing hearse, Ma'mud Shrivani (Militant issue against French Canadians ... the "Little mice" by itself doesn't strike. It's well worth rereading and represents a closing of the neces­ no. 30) leaves an opening for mis­ French ... the French language .... express the relations on the job be­ discussing. sary gap between the majesty of interpretation. It says, "The U.S. It's just kind of dumb." tween the scabs and other returning I thought Malapanis made an es­ power and the masses. History has rulers will use their economic su­ The Montreal Gazette stated that strikers, the point Juan was making. pecially useful point when he noted shown that when the gulf of mys­ periority over competing imperial­ there were complaints about "rabid What he told this reporter was, "Ev­ that the rate of industrial profit can tery and superstition is replaced by ist powers and their military muscle francophobia," but called the show ery time I see one of those guys I drop even as the mass of profit in­ familiarity and contempt, the insti­ to speed the reestablishment of "thoroughly entertaining." They think of dinner being taken away creases. The rate and magnitude of tution of monarchy can no longer capitalist social relations in these carried Stem's attack on indepen­ from one of my kids. They are like profit are easily and often confused. be assured its own continuity. former Soviet republics on dence as a headline. little mice. They are quiet. They And I liked his formulation on the The British monarchy is a bour­ Washington's terms." Prime Minister Jean Chretien, cower in a comer with each other average rate of industrial profit as geois, not a feudal institution. Feu­ Written without a qualifier like when asked about the incident, re­ and try to assure themselves that the "average rate of return on indus­ dal power suffered an irretrievable "Washington will attempt to rees­ sponded with an evasive, "Who is they did something right. But they trial investment." This too is a point loss with the head of Charles the tablish capitalist property rela­ this guy?" know they screwed up. There is no where confusion slips in. That is, First. The further pretense to sys­ tions," the paragraph is open to the Anyone doubting that systematic excuse for their behavior." measuring the rate of profit by de­ temic royal prerogative ended with interpretation that capitalist prop­ discrimination against the Quebe­ CappyKidd ducting net income from gross in­ the flight of James the Second to erty relations will be reestablished cois is an integral part of the Cana­ Chicago, Illinois come rather than return on invest­ France and Ireland where he was and the only thing open to debate is dian capitalist state should reflect ment. defeated by the Dutch William of the pace. It leaves out the question on this recent event. Editor's note: Kidd is right about I'm sure the Militant will return Orange; king to be. The restoration of the resistance that will take place. AI Cappe the gas reserves in Kazakhstan. The to these questions. Among other of the monarchy; in an alliance with This point is made elsewhere in the Toronto, Ontario correct figure is 18,000 billion cu­ things, we can be grateful to the the newly emergent bourgeois class article. bic feet. UPS workers for spurring us to and its governing apparatus did In addition, I believe the figure The letters column is an open think more deeply about these im­ what the bourgeois class was not of 18,000 cubic feet of natural gas forum for all viewpoints on sub­ portant issues. strong enough to do in its own reserves in Kazakhstan must be an Good job on UPS coverage jects of general interest to our Harry Ring name; that is, sanctify the inalien­ inaccurate figure. 18,000 cubic feet I thought theMilitant did a first­ readers. Please keep your letters Los Angeles able right to private ownership and does not define a major gas reserve. rate job in covering the UPS strike brief. Where necessary they will exploitation of property that had so Also in the article entitled UPS and the workers' victory. The on­ be abridged. Please indicate if shortly before been held in com­ workers defend rights on the job the-scene reports, and running Howard Stern on Quebec you prefer that your initials be mon. It is true that vestigial feudal there is a misquote of UPS striker analysis were invaluable. I particu- On September 2 the syndicated used rather than your full name. September 29, 1997 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Miami rally demands: 'Stop the terrorist attacks on Cuba' BY ERNIE MAILHOT soon brought their barricades to the main MIAMI -Traffic along Sunset Drive in street. southwest Miami slowed September 16 as Most of the cars passing by slowed to read Workers protest austerity in Thailand it neared the 60 loud and spirited pickets on the hand-lettered placards held by the pick­ the comer of SW 92nd Avenue. As "Abajo ets. A few yelled insults but many more el terrorismo" and "Abajo el bloqueo," smiled and waved. One placard said, "Ros­ ("Down with terrorism," "Down with the Lehtinen your partners are terrorists." Oth­ blockade") were shouted through a bullhorn, ers called for the U.S. government to inves­ "Abajo" resounded back from the demon­ tigate and arrest those in the U.S. respon­ strators who drowned out the dozen or so sible for the attacks on Cuba. Many called right-wingers in the counterprotest across for an end to the economic blockade of Cuba the street. and an end to the bombings. The demonstration was called by the Cuban authorities have arrested a Salva­ Miami Coalition to End the U.S. Embargo doran visitor to Cuba who has confessed to of Cuba, the Antonio Maceo Brigade, and setting six of the bombings. A statement by the Alliance of Workers of the Cuban Com­ the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said that munity to demand a halt to the terrorist cam­ the bombing campaign is linked to the Cu­ paign of bombings against the Cuban ban American National Foundation, one of people. These bombings, aimed at tourist the counterrevolutionary groups based in spots, began in April and escalated on Sep­ Miami. tember 4 when four blasts were set. One of Those protesting the bombings were exu­ these, at the Copacabana Hotel in Havana, berant about the success of their action and killed an Italian businessman who was a the fact that they had outmobilized the right­ resident of Canada. ists 5-to-1. Throughout the afternoon lead­ The protest was held near the offices of ing up to the action Cary Roque, a right­ Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. She is one of two wing radio show host on Spanish language right-wing Cuban American congresspeople WCMQ, had called for people to counter­ in southern Florida who has ties to Cuban­ protest with her. American counterrevolutionary organiza­ Roque and the handful that she mobilized tions here and who is a leading spokesper­ could hardly be heard when they hurled in­ son for the U.S. government's anti-Cuba sults and chanted "Viva USA" in answer to policies. the chants of "Viva Cuba." As protesters against the bombing arrived At one point Andres Gomez, the head of to set up their picket line, they were con­ the Antonio Maceo Brigade, took the fronted by dozens of Dade County police bullhorn and told one of the counter-pro­ and squad cars and told that they would be testers to raise the Cuban flag he was hold­ demonstrating in an isolated, fenced off area ing, because it was dragging on the ground. behind Ros-Lehtinen's office. The cops also The rightists quieted momentarily while, in Thousands of workers demonstrated in Bangkok, Thailand, over the weekend had an area fenced off for the counterprotest embarrassment, they followed Gomez's or­ September 13-14, protesting austerity measures in face of the economic crisis in this location. der to the uproarious laughter of those they there, and calling on the prime minister to resign. The finance minister esti­ When organizers of the action led all of were protesting against. mated 1 million workers will lose their jobs in the aftermath of the devaluation the protesters to the main thoroughfare, the The Miami Herald, the Spanish-language of the Thai currency, the baht, July 2. "Poor people pay off the debt while the evil police threatened to remove their officers Nuevo Herald, and several major television capitalists sell off the country," was the slogan of the demonstration. and the buffer between the two groups. They channels covered the protest. said motorists would throw things at the After the picket line, 25 people went to demonstrators and even shoot at them. the Pathfinder Bookstore to discuss the suc­ support the sovereignty of Cuba. "I really That's also why they aren't calling any dem­ Despite this the activists held their ground cess of that day's action. Orlando Collado thought that with all the cars with so many onstrations these days. They can't get the and established their right to demonstrate from the Miami Coalition to End the U.S. Cubans going by that we would get a lot of people out like they used to." where they would be seen and heard by thou­ Embargo of Cuba gave his view of the ad­ insults. But I only heard one. This shows Janet Post and Rollande Girard, the So­ sands of rush hour commuters. The cops vances being made by those in Miami who how the right-wingers don't have support. Continued on Page 11 Framed land activist fights to move trial in Brazil BY ERNIE MAILHOT hundreds of miles away when the deaths The MST is asking the court to move the Angelo Amaral of the St. James Catholic MIAMI - For the third time in as many took place. Despite this and the lack of even trial from Pedro Canario in the state of Church in Newark, New Jersey; Andres weeks, the Brazilian courts have refused to one prosecution witness at the June trial, Espirito Santo to Vitoria, the capital of that Gomez, the head of the Antonio Maceo Bri­ decide whether or not to move the trial of Rainha was found guilty. Defenders of state. If the trial is moved it is expected to gade, a group of Cuban-Americans who sup­ Jose Rainha Jr. A central leader of the Move­ Rainha in Brazil have pointed out that the also be postponed for several months. If not port the Cuban revolution; Jack Lieberman, ment of Landless Rural Workers (MST), jury pool in that trial was largely made up it will go ahead on September 29. an activist in the Miami Jewish community; Rainha is facing 26 years in jail after his of landowners and their backers who have The MST reported that messages de­ and others including unionists and univer­ June conviction on frame-up charges of organized a campaign of violence against manding that Rainha's retrial be moved have sity professors. murder in the deaths of a landlord and a cop the MST. been sent from throughout Brazil and other The Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Jose who attacked a land takeover by 100 peas­ According to leaders of the MST, of the countries as well. In the United States, sup­ Rainha in Miami sent a letter signed by sev­ ant families in 1989. His retrial is set for three judges who were supposed to rule porters of the fight for justice for Rainha eral supporters of the committee. It stated, September 29 in the town of Pedro Canario, September 16 on the site of the retrial one sent a number of messages to Dr. Wellington "We have recently organized a committee where his original trial was held. was in favor of mo¥mg it, one was against, da Costa Citty, the judge who had the de­ in the United States to get out the truth about In his first trial videotapes, press photos, and the third, undecided for several days, ciding vote on September 16. the unjust trial and sentencing of Jose and eyewitnesses confirmed that Rainha was finally said he wasn't competent to rule. Among those who wrote were Father Rainha. Most disturbing of all is the fact that the jury pool in the trial held in Pedro Canario was largely made up of landown­ ers and their supporters and even included Scotland: most say yes to own parliament relatives of those Mr. Rainha was accused of killing." BY ANNE HOWIE land returned a "yes" vote on the first ques­ of James Flannery from Govan, Glasgow. "It is obvious to us that Jose Rainha will MANCHESTER, England- "A New tion, and only two returned a "no" vote on He was referring to former Conservative not receive a fair retrial if this is also held in Dawn: Scotland Wakes Up To People's Par­ the second. The result marks a shift from prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Pedro Canario. We insist that the retrial be liament" was the September 2 headline of 1979, when 52 percent voted in favor of a "I think the Parliament will look after moved to Vitoria where justice can better the Scottish newspaper the Daily Record. similar proposal. That vote did not carry, pensioners and improve the health service. be served." The day before, government proposals for because the election rules required a "yes" Things can only get better," said Stuart The committee pledged to "redouble our devolution for Scotland had been approved vote equal to 40 percent of eligible voters. Laing. efforts to expose this further attack on the overwhelmingly. With a 60 percent tum out, This shift is clearly fueled by a will to Labour Party prime minister Anthony rights of Mr. Rainha and all those who sup­ 74.3 percent voted for the establishment of resist the continuing assaults on the condi­ Blair said of the vote results, "the era of big port civil and democratic rights." a Scottish parliament, with lawmaking pow­ tions of working people, particularly cuts centralized government is over. This is a For more information on the Rainha de­ ers in such areas as health, education, local in social spending. time of change, of renewal and moderniza­ fense case and to send messages of support government, and most courts. "I always thought we should have our tion." contact: Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Jose On the proposal that this parliament own parliament, especially after Meanwhile, the referendum on the setting Rainha, c/o UNITE, 1501 NW 29th Street, would have the power to vary tax rates, 63.5 Thatcherism. That woman killed off our up of an assembly in Wales, taking place Miami, Florida 33142. Phone: (305)868- percent voted in favor. Every area of Scot- industries from London," was the response September 18, appears to remain close. 5674. Fax: (305) 633-7478.

16 The Militant September 29, 1997