Quebec unions set general strike . . . . 7 TH£ Debate at farmers' convention . 8 Fidel Castro on imperialist aggression 10

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEQPLE VOL. 47/NO. 3 FEBRUARY 4, 1983 7SCENTS

U.S. troop maneuvers Rallies · • support threaten Ntcaragua right to Sixteen hundred U.S. military personnel will be sent to Honduras during the first week of February, the Pentagon announced abortion January 18 . They will assist some 5,000 Honduran troops in carrying out a major January 22 marked the lOth anniversary military provocation near the country's of the Supreme Court decision legalizing border with Nicaragua. abortion. While the major media focused These "joint maneuvers" - of a scale on what opponents of abortion are doing unprecedented in Central America - rep­ and saying, significant actions in favor of resent a further escalation of the Reagan abortion rights took place in more cities , administration's ·counterrevolutionary war than had been the case in recent years. In against the Nicaraguan people. This is a some cities, important steps forward in war in which workers, farmers, teachers, labor support were registered. Below are accounts by Militant reporters from around the country on some of these EDITORIAL actions. BY BARBARA KLINE AND ANN OWENS doctors, students, and children are being ST. LOUIS - Braving the area's first killed every day with U.S. guns and U.S. winter snowstorm, 275 supporters of a ammunition. woman's right to choose abortion poured American workers have no interest into Trinity Presbyterian Church on Janu­ whatsoever in Washington's mounting at­ ary 21 for the program "A Decade of Free­ tacks on the people of Nicaragua. They are dom," sponsored by the Freedom of fellow toilers whose only crime has been to Choice Council. overthrow the U.S.-backed Somoza dic­ The Council includes five area abortion tatorship and install a government that puts clinics, five chapters of the National Or­ the needs of workers and farmers above all ganization for Women (NOW), American other considerations. U.S. military adviser (right) with Honduran Gen. Gustavo Alvarez (left) and other Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Missouri Several thousand of the murderers and Coalition for Abortion Rights, Coalition of military officials. Planned U.S.-Honduran maneuvers are part of escalation of Wash­ torturers from Somoza's National Guard ington's war against Nicaragua. Continued on Page 14 Labor Union Women (CLUW), Women's International League for Peace and Free­ dom, and others. The extensive rally publicity included posting and distribution of leaflets at area 20,000 march in Mexico City against campuses, factories, and garment shops. One of the six panel speakers was Harold O'Reilly, education director of the U.S. intervention in El Salvador United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 5. O'Reilly told the audience that the UA W BY JIM CUNRADI death and destruction for the Salvadoran which organizes activities in Nicaragua in had passed a resolution in support of AND ANDREA GONZALEZ people are the Yankees," Martin declared. support of liberation struggles throughout women's right to choose abortion, and he MEXICO CITY - "El Salvador listen, "The imperialists oppose peace and oppose the world. U.S. 4ltervention, he said, was proud that the UA W, since its incep­ Mexico is with your struggle!" dialogue because they want to control all of could not stop "the freedom-loving peoples tion, has dealt with social issues. "Yankees out of El Salvador!" Central America." who are fighting for their national self-de­ O'Reilly said, "I am personally of a These chants reflected the sentiments of "But we· are convinced," the FMLN­ termination, their sovereignty, their mind that makes me feel a woman should the 20,000 people who came out to de­ FDR representative went on, "that the economic and political independence." have freedom of choice of what she's going monstrate here January 22 against U.S. in­ people of the United States themselves sup­ The rally also heard from Sabino Her­ to do with her own body. As individuals in tervention in El Salvador. Actions iHso took port us. We know we can count on the sup­ mindez of the Mexican Committee in Sol­ the UAW we might not agree with what­ place in Cuba, Vietnam, and other coun­ port of the American people; that in the idarity With the Salvadoran People. He ever choice a woman might make regard­ tries in response to a call by the World United States itself they are demonstrating pointed out that the U.S. government was ing pregnallcy. But it's her body and we Front in Solidarity With the People of El against Reagan's certification. The U.s". defeated in Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, support her right to make that choice." Salvador. The World Front was founded in people are also in favor of a political solu­ Nicaragua, and now the task is to defeat it His remarks were punctuated with Mexico last March by representatives of re­ tion in Central America." in El Salvador. The Mexican people, Her­ applause. ligious, political, solidarity, and labor or­ Among the other speakers was Edgardo mindez said, have a special responsibility Sister Virginia Williams of the National ganizations from around the world. Perez, representing the Nicaraguan Com­ to the Salvadoran revolution because they Coalition of Catholic Nuns was warmly re­ The march to the U.S. embassy here was mittee in Solidarity With the Peoples, Continued on Page 4 ceived and given a standing ovation at the led off by banners of the Farabundo Marti end of her talk. During the week preceed­ National Liberation Front (FMLN), the ing the rally, she was the target of a barrage Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR), of Catholic-hierarchy-led antiabortion and the World Front. These were followed U.S.-Mexico border actions call for rhetoric in the media. by contingents from solidarity committees, In addition, she was the target of a ten­ religiousgroups, and trade unions. · solidarity with Salvadoran people day fast that was undertaken by one of the The marchers were greeted by thousands ringleaders of area antiabortion forces in an more who lined the route with FMLN flags effort to pressure her not to speak. The man and placards protesting U.S. intervention. BY PAM BURCHETT border that was a highpoint of the weekend's events. who fasted was just out on bail after a re­ Many joined the demonstration as it went AND JERRY FREIWIRTH The World Front was formed in cent contempt of court conviction for re­ by. LOS ANGELES - "It's impossible to March 1982 by an international conference peatedly blocking the entrance to the The rally began with a speech by Juan defeat the people of El Salvador through in Mexico City. Its purpose is to unify all Ladies Center, a women's clinic that per­ Jose Martin of the FMLN-FDR. He repression alone. When people want free­ dom, even the most genocidal actions by existing :;olidarity organizations and others forms abortions. explained that this demonstration and those Sister Williams said, "It is paradoxical like it around the world were all part of the U.S.-backed governments can't stop them. opposing U.S. intervention in order to That's the story of El Salvador today. It's reach out to antiwar forces among working to us that the same leaders who are cur­ Salvadoran people's revolutionary struggle rently demanding that women bring preg- against imperialist domination. Inside El the same story that occurred in Grenada, people and the oppressed. Nicaragua and Cuba." Plans for the January 22 activity in . nancies to term, are simultaneously vot­ Salvador, Martin said, "the people and the ing to cut off food stamps, child nutrition FMLN are taking gigantic steps forward in The speaker was Roberto Alfaro, ad­ California were mapped out by a cross-bor­ der conference last October in Tijuana. Es­ programs, and related benefits essential to this struggle. That is the people's response dressing a January 21 meeting here in sol­ the health and well-being of our children." to the certification Reagan presented to idarity with Central America. More than tablished as an affiliate of the World Front, Congress yesterday. The Salvadoran 300 people crowded into the First Unitarian this conference planned a series of solidar­ Other speakers included State Senator people's response to this certification is to Church to participate in this event, which ity actions, beginning with the January 22 Harriett Woods; feminist attorney Arlene redouble the struggle." served to kick off a weekend of activities demonstrations on both sides of the San Zarembka; Dr. Melvin Schwartz, Repro­ At the same time, Martin continued, the called by the World Front in Solidarity Ysidro-Tijuana border. ductive Health Services; and Episcopal Salvadoran people seek a political solution With the People of El Salvador. The Los Angeles kick-off meeting fea­ Rev. Susan Klein. to the conflict, a dialogue. In this they are The following day many of those attend­ tured musical groups and a mime troupe Certificates were presented to directors supported by the Mexican people, the ing the meeting, as well as activists portraying the fight of Central Americans o( the Hope Clinic and the Ladies Center Nicaraguan people, people from around throughout California and the Southwest, against U.S. intervention. Interspersed for personal bravery in the cause of repro- _the world. "The only ones who want more caravaned to a rally at the U.S.-Mexican Continued on Page 4 Continued on Page 6 War on ·Nicaraguan.border: Made in U.S.A.

BY MICHAEL BAUMANN mies and take place less than 10 miles . northern city of Jalapa alone, he said, 120 ambush on their vehicle, five miles south NICARAGUAN-HONDURAN BOR­ north of the border. peasants have been kidnapped in the last of the border. DER - The Sandinista guard post at El They are "yet another provocation," said three months. More than 500 families in On January 16 two children aged 14 and Cipres in Nueva Segovia Province is lo­ the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry in a state­ this thinly populated area have been forced 15, part of a Sunday volunteer brigade to cated within a few yards of the Honduran ment January 20, aimed at "intimidating to flee their farms and seek shelter with pick coffee, were killed near Jalapa. Fif­ border. Nicaragua" and "providing support and friends and relatives in the city. teen other volunteers were wounded. Con­ Normally border defense units are not supplies to the criminal Somozaist ex-Na­ Since October of last year, Nueva tras armed with machine guns simply placed this close to enemy territory. tional Guardsmen based in Honduras." Segovia has been one of the main targets of opened fire on their truck as they passed Here there was no choice. Literally contra attacks. within half a mile of the border. Politically, said Nicaraguan Junta In Costa Rica, which borders Nicaragua within inches of the other side of the border member Sergio Ramirez, the maneuvers The heaviest fighting took place in De­ are hundreds of yards of trenches dug late cember, when six contra units, totalling an on the south, exiles such as ex-Sandinista represent U.S. imperialism's response to Eden Pastora and ex-ambassador to the last year by units of contras, as the some "the defeat it received at the Nonaligned estimated 2,000 men, tried to take over and 5,000 counterrevolutionary Nicaraguans occupy the northern sector of this province. United States Francisco Fiallos have their conference." At that conference, held in base. Camps have also been set up there for based in Honduras are called here. Most of Managua in mid-January, delegations rep­ Their aim was to install a "provisional the contras are ex-National Guardsmen. training·counterrevolutionary troops. resenting 116 governments and national government" on Christmas Eve, followed Until recently the Costa Rican govern­ In six days of heavy fighting in late De­ liberation organizations unanimously ap­ by an immediate appeal for U.S. recogni­ ment has denied any knowledge of these cember and early January, Sandinista proved a statement condemning U.S. at- tion and military aid. camps. This lie was exposed by a visit to forces forced the contras to retreat further tacks on Nicaragua. . Mobilization of the Sandinista army and one of them in early January by Agence back into Honduras. They also captured a The maneuvers are just one part of militia units prevented the contras from es­ France-Presse correspondent Isabel Ovares. large supply of weapons and ammunition, Washington's war against Nicaragua. In tablishing the toehold they had hoped for, Following a visit to Los Angeles, a camp much of it of U.S. manufacture. the northern border area, particularly here and the counterrevolutionaries involved in located just 12 miles south of the border, The trenches are a graphic reminder that in the rugged, mountainous province of the operation were driven back across the Ovares reported: the warmakers in Washington who arm and Nueva Segovia, peasants are being killed border by New Year's Day. "Costa Rican authorities assure that they train the contras have no intention of halt­ and kidnapped every day. In January the contras reverted to hit­ had no information about the existence of ing this war until either they or the San­ "The counterrevolutionaries usually and-run operations in the area, aimed at this camp until the end of December. But dinista revolution are defeated. avoid confrontations with our troops," spreading terror and disrupting the coffee in reality the presence of counter­ This was underscored when joint U.S.­ Captain Rodrigo Gonzalez, chief of the harvest. revolutionaries there was well known in Honduran_military maneuvers, originally Nueva Segovia Border Guard, recently On New Year's Day 62 peasants, mostly Quebrada Grande, the nearest village, and scheduled for December, but postponed told a group of foreign journalists. women and children, were kidnapped at a complaints about it had previously been because of Reagan's visit to Latin "Instead they kidnap peasants, take them small border village northeast of Jalapa. A made to the judicial authorities. America, were rescheduled for the first to Honduras where they force them to join few who later escaped from Honduras re­ "This camp, used for infantry training, week of February. their ranks, and murder coffee pickers and ported that several of the kidnapped had had been functioning for a least a year, said The largest military exercises ever to be technicians in an effort to sabotage produc­ been brutally beaten. one of the anti-Sandinistas captured. re­ carried out in Central America, they will tion." On January 12 two agrarian reform ~ch­ cently. He added that some 1 ,000 men had include some 7,000 troops from both ar- In Nueva Segovia, in the area of the nicians were killed and five wounded in an been trained there." Pa. school board raises ante in teachers' strike BY KATHY MICKELLS teachers' current contract. Under this tract. miners across the nation. CALIFORNIA, Pa. -The stakes in the clause, reduction in the work force can on­ The "amnesty" clause would not allow The very heart of this strike has shifted California area teachers strike, the longest ly take place through attrition, that is retire­ the board to take any reprisals or retaliatory from the "no layoff' clause to the right of teachers' strike in Pennsylvania history, ments and resignations. The school board action against the teachers for participating public employees to strike. The teachers have escalated. The California School had been adamant about dropping this in legitimate strike activities, that is, no are currently wearing tee-shirts that say, Board has now reneged on a proposed set­ clause. suspensions, demotions, or firings. "Us Today - Who Tomorrow - Act tlement and raised the ante in this bitter The teachers responded that what the At a school board meeting attended by 195." struggle. board wanted was to. make substantial over 500 residents and teachers, the board Act 195 was passed in 1970. It grants The board's action came after the changes in the curriculum, dropping cer­ voted 6 to 3 to give a verbal agreement on public employees the right to organize and teachers agreed to a state fact-finding in­ tain subjects like music and art, and in­ amnesty but not include it in the contract. to strike. vestigation on the strike. Fact-finder Wil­ creasing the size of classes. The meeting then broke into pan­ The California School Board, along with liam Hannan, appointed by the Pennsylva­ Hannan proposed to keep the "no­ demonium. The school board adjourned its the Pennsylvania School Board Associa­ nia Labor Relations Board, submitted are­ layoff' clause intact for the first two years meeting. tion (PSBA) and the state legislature are port. The teachers and the board initially of the contract and to allow for layoffs in Over 300 residents remained. A vote trying to lay the groundwork for gutting accepted his proposals, many of which fa­ the third year only when the student­ was taken on whether the "amnesty" clause this act of any substance. vored the teachers. teacher ratio drops below the current level should be included in the contract, and 296 The PSBA, in the midst of the fact-find­ On two of the major issues, wages and a of 17 to 1. voted in favor, 3 against, and 17 abstained. ing, passed a resolution expressing its con­ "no-layoff' clause, the teachers won a vic­ After two demonstrations of 1,500 and The support for the teachers by parents . cern over "the conflicting state policies of tory. Hannan proposed a wage increase of 700 in support of the teachers; and the fil­ and unionists has been impressive. Parent requiring education for our children, while $1,600 the first year, $1,700 the second, ing of a lawsuit by parents against the support has. not waned even though the at the same time providing a statutory right and $1,800 the third. Teachers currently school board for misuse of funds, the pres­ major media have run articles claiming the to strike." earn from $9,200 to $21,000. Although the sure was on the board to accept the recom­ strike will cause deep emotional problems At the same time, State Rep. David teachers had requested $2,000 a year, the mendations. They along with the teachers for the students. Sweet, a Democrat from Canonsburg, is proposal was more than the school board announced their acceptance on January 19. Support from unionists continues to pour preparing legislation to require binding ar­ had ever offered. • The next day a snag developed. The in. Richard Trurnka, the newly elected bitration in the event a teachers' strike The heart of the strike, up until this time, board refused to allow the "amnesty" president of the United Mine Workers of threatens to shorten the school year to any­ was a "no layoff' clause contained in the clause proposed by Hannan into the con- America, has pledged the support of coal thing below the required 180 days. Read the truth every week The Militant Closing news date: January 26, 1983 Editors: CINDY JAQUITH Subscribe to the Militant DOUG JENNESS That way you'll get facts about Washington's bipartisan Business Manager: wars against working people at home and abroad: from un­ LEE MARTINDALE employment to racism; from Lebanon to Central America. Editorial Staff: Connie Allen, Nelson Read our proposals for how to fight back against the employ­ Gonza.Jez, William Gottlieb, Arthur Hughes, Margaret Jayko, George ers and how to replace their system of exploitation and op­ Johnson, Frank Lovell, Malik Miah, pression with a system that's in the interests of working Harry Ring, Larry Seigle, Mary-Alice people. Waters. Published weekly except two weeks in At the workplace, unemployment lines, and picket lines, August, the last week of December, and the Militant is there, reporting the news and participating in the first week of January by the Militant the struggle. Subscribe today. (ISSN 0026-3885), 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: For new subscribers . . . Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; Busi­ ness Office, (212) 929-3486. A special offer - Mel Mason: The making of a revolution­ Correspondence concerning sub­ ary. A new 40-page pamphlet. Free to every new subscriber. scriptions or changes of address should To get a copy, check box 0 be addressed to The Militant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, D Enclosed is $3 for 12 weeks D Enclosed is $15 for 6 months N.Y. 10014. D Enclosed is $24 for 1 year D Enclosed is a contribution Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send ad­ Name ______dress changes to The Militant, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Subscrip­ Address ------­ tions: U.S. $24.00 a year, outside U.S. $30.00. By first-class mail: U.S., City/State/Zip------Canada, and Mexico: $60.00. Write for Telephone ------Union/Organization ______airmail rates to all other countries. Signed articles by contributors do not Send to Militant, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014 necessarily represent the Militant's views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant February 4, 1983 , Miami march called to protest police murder of Black BY JACKIE FLOYD Martin Luther King, Jr. AND STU SINGER The January 15 parade came two we~ks MIAMI - A march for justice for Ne­ after the murder of Johnson by a white Cu­ vell Johnson, a young Black murdered by ban cop, which sparked a rebellion by police December 28, has been scheduled Blacks in the Overtown area where John­ for January 29. son was slain. During the rebellion cops Called by the Family Coalition, which killed another Black youth and arrested at includes the Southern Christian Leadership least 44 Overtown residents, beating doz­ Conference, Operation PUSH, the Amer­ ens of them. ican Muslim Movement, and others, the The parade was held in Liberty City, march is to start at 9 a.m. at 16th Street and which also saw a powerful Black rebellion Northwest Third A venue and proceed to in early 1980 when white cops were acquit­ City Hall. A rally follows. ted after beating to death a Black insurance Sentiment for protest action was shown salesman, Arthur McDuffie. when about 14,000 people turned out for a Most people interviewed by the Militant Youth r~belled in Overtown, Miami, after cop killed Nevell Johnson in cold blood. parade here January 15, the birthday of Dr. at the parade had these racist murders on their minds. An infantry sergeant, home on leave, said: "I was still in Germany when Nevell Johnson was shot, but it didn't surprise me. Louisville defense committee formed I know how the cops are; I remember McDuffie." If Luis Alvarez, the cop who killed for jailed Black community activist Johnson, isn't punished, "it will spark it off again," the soldier added, voicing an opin­ ion that was widely shared. BY CHUCK PETRIN aims to silence and discredit him." ping and robbery. County Prosecutor John LOUISVILLE, Ky. -Friends and sup­ The AI Horsley Defense Committee, she Hanley presented the testimony of The sergeant pointed out that his unit porters of AI Horsley turned out at a news explained, will be a coalition of individuals Carolynn Pierce, a bank employee whom was on war maneuvers near the Czechoslo­ conference here January 20 to announce and organizations united in demanding the the cops claim, "positively identified" vakia border for 286 days last year. plans for a public defense campaign on his frame-up charges against Horsley be Horsley as the man she alleged forced her "We're always practicing for war over behalf. He was arrested earlier this month dropped. Its purpose will be to provide in­ into her car December 30, drove her to a there," he said. "But I won't fight any war on frame-up charges of kidnapping and formation about the case, mobilize public park at the edge of town, and robbed her of for those people. I am ready to fight a war robbery and is being held in the county jail support, and raise funds for the legal de­ $4 and some jewelry. here against all the killings." on $10,000 cash bond. fense. However, two other witnesses sub­ poenaed by defense attorney Eleanore A record store along the parade route Horsley is a 41-year-old Black worker "Our starting point," Rubinstein said, was playing Stevie Wonder's Happy Birth­ Garber shed some light on the actual pro­ who has been active in union, civil rights, "is ·the long-standing principle of the day song about Dr. King. and community struggles in Louisville for American labor movement and civil rights cess by which Horsley was singled out for more than a decade. He worked at Interna­ movement: 'an injury to one is an injury to arrest. Across the street, a man who works in tional Harvester for 13 years where he was all.' · Police Detective Rogers testified that it the Belafonte-Tacolcy community center active in the United Auto Workers. He is "For AI Horsley himself the &takes in was not Carolynn Pierce but another cop, said: "The killing by the cop was a dis­ known in Louisville as an activist in the this case are indeed great. If the frame-up police officer Fenster, who first targeted grace. It happens continuously. The cops anti-Klan struggle, and he recently joined is successful, he could spend the rest of his Horsley as "the likely suspect." Fenster attack us anywhere, anytime, all through the Young Socialist Alliance. life in prison. But for working people in claimed to have seen Horsley some time the United States." ' "We'll tum over every stone within general, the stakes in this case are also that day in the vicinity of where the alleged He added, "The whole justice system de­ reach to liberate AI," Rev. William Hollin great. If the frame-up is successful, it will crime took place. On that basis, Rogers humanizes Blacks. We've got to look at the Bell told the conference. Bell is pastor of embolden those who seek to brand all op­ said, he called Pierce to the police station total structure of this system and change the Calvary Baptist Church and has known ponents of racism, economic inequality, to look at Horsley's picture in hopes of her it." Horsley for many years. and political injustice as criminals." making a "positive I.D." Four Edison High School students Bell described Horsley as a man who This theme was echoed by Rev. Fred Pierce testified that while there were stopped to talk to the Militant. could always be couhted on to lend a hand Gibson, associate pastor of the First "differences" between the picture of "They could kill any of us like they in opposing the bankers, businessmen, Gethsemane Baptist Church. Horsley that was shown to her and the man killed Nevell," one of them said. police, and government agencies that prey "None of us is free," he said, "if even she claimed had attacked her, she was on the predominantly Black neighborhood one of us is victimized. We.know the same nevertheless positive that Horsley was the At the Liberty Square housing project a of this city's West End. thing can happen to any one of us. man. Pierce's confidence was obviously man described his run-ins with the cops. "Wherever something was being done to "We must not allow this to happen. We boosted by Detective Rogers who told her "You get stopped for a traffic ticket and upgrade our community," Bell explained, must call this to the attention of all people . point-blank, "this is the man we have been they handcuff you and slam you against the "that's where you could find AI." in this city, and if necessary, the state, and on the watch for." car," he said. "You don't see them doing Rev. James Elliot, pastor of the New if necessary, the whole world." The prosecution introduced no other that to whites." Jerusalem Baptist Church, pledged the Mattie Jones, representing the Kentucky Meanwhile, a large meeting of white support of his congregation to the defense Alliance Against Racist and Political Re­ "evidence" at the hearing to link Horsley with the alleged crime. No fingerprints cops was held in the "Little Havana" area effort. "This case is so important!" he em­ pression, linked Horsley's case with the his­ to defend Alvarez. One of the highest­ phasized. "We must accelerate our efforts tory of cop terror waged against Louis­ were offered, for example, and no other material evidence for Horsley's arrest was priced lawyers around has been retained to to involve others to assist our brother AI ville's Black community. Jones pledged to defend the killer cop - if he is ever Horsley." join the fight to win Horsley's freedom. even suggested. Still, Garvey ordered that Horsley's case be turned over to the circuit charged. Arlene Rubinstein, a member of the AI Legal proceedings in the Horsley case The Socialist Workers Party and Young Horsley Defense Committee, traced began this week in district court. On Janu­ court grand jury, which will meet on Feb­ ruary I to prepare an indictment. Socialist Alliance have been ·active in get­ Horsley's record over many years as a ary 18, Judge Kevin Garvey refused to hear ting out the truth about the Miami rebellion union man, community activist, and out­ testimony from Horsley's family: neigh­ The fact is that Horsley has been accused and protesting the murder of Nevell John­ spoken supporter of civil rights. bors, and minister on a motion to reduce of a crime he did not commit.· At the time son. On January 22 the Militant Labor Fo­ "It is for 'crimes' such as these, and his bond, which remains set at $10,000 the kidnapping incident was supposed to rum sponsored a meeting in Overtown, none other," she said; "that AI Horsley is cash or $20,000 in property. have taken place, Horsley was at home titled "For Justice in Overtown; Reagan out now behind bars. By pinning bogus crimi­ On January 21, a pretrial hearing was with his mother and one of his sisters. The of Central America." nal charges on this man, the prosecution held on the charges of first degree kidnap- entire case against him has been manufac­ About 500 copies of the January 21 issue tured. of the Militant, which had a back-page arti­ As Arlene Rubinstein explained in an­ cle on the Miami rebellion, were sold here nouncing the formation of the AI Horsley within a week. Defense Committee, "Our aim is to tell the truth about this case, and the truth is that AI Horsley is a victim of a frame-up - a ra­ Boston draft WIIO IIILLlD MALCOLM X! cist, politically inspired frame-up, which deserves the contempt of everyone who resister sentenced Oneassassinwas~htatttt.K..w. stands for freedom and justice." BY RICHARD ELY n. mnfe.ssed at tM trial. A meeting of the AI Horsley Defense BOSTON- Declaring his opposition to Committee has been set for January 27. U.S. intervention in El Salvador and Nica­ lut the pros.cution and polic• newr The defense committee has issued an ap­ ragua, Ed Hasbrouck was sentenced here· pursued tM cftltral q... stion: peal for funds both to meet Horsley's bail January 14 for refusing to register for the and to pay for the legal defense and for ma­ draft. Despite government calls for a two­ Who paid him to pull tMtrift•rl terials to publicize the case. year prison term, Federal Judge David Nel­ The committee is asking that telegrams son gave Hasbrouck a six-month sus­ 192 pages, $2.95. demanding that the charges against AI pended sentence, placed him on probation Horsley be dropped be sent to: County At­ for two years, and ordered him to perform torney, Criminal Division, 239 South 5th 1,000 hours of community service. Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West St., St., Louisville, Ky. 40202. Speaking to a packed courtroom, Has­ New York, N.Y. 10014. Please include $.75 Copies of the telegram and financial brouck said regardless of the sentence im­ for postage and handling. contributions can be sent to: AI Horsley posed on him, he would pursue his public Defense Committee, P.O. Box 748, Louis­ opposition to the draft. His statement met ville, Ky. 40201. with sustained applause.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 3 U.S.-Mexico border actions on Salvador Continued from front page gers shouted anticommunist slogans. Ban­ were speeches and greetings from dozens ners from Alpha 66, a self-proclaimed ter­ of groups and organizations who came to rorist group of anti-Castro Cubans, were express their solidarity and to demand an present. The more than 400 people who end to U.S. intervention. Those in atten­ had come to protest U.S. intervention in dance included many Salvadoran workers Central America chose to ignore the right­ and activists in the solidarity movement. ists and proceeded on foot through San The meeting's principal speaker was Ysidro to the border. Robert Alfaro, a central leader of the Com­ Originally the rally was supposed to take mittee in Solidarity with Central America place within sight of a simultaneous sol­ (COSCA). He spoke of the military offen­ idarity rally by brothers and sisters on the sive begun in October by the Farabundo Mexican side of the border, but at the last Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) minute federal authorities forced the U.S. and reported on the recent strike wave in rally to be held in a remote and dusty field. the capital, San Salvador. Despite the tre­ Nevertheless, the spirit of international sol­ mendous repression faced by revolutionary idarity ran through the entire rally. forces there, Alfaro explained, the work­ Blase Bonpane, former Maryknoll mis­ ers' movement in the city is on the rise and sionary in Central America and ·now a is a central part of the fight for freedom. It prominent CISPES spokesperson, pointed is tied directly to the military struggle in to the barbed-wire fence behind him and the countryside. said, "In the future we're going to take that The Reagan Mministration' s move to re­ fence down. We are one family of people, certify the "human rights" record of the and today part of that family is being exter­ Salvadoran regime was singled out for at­ minated with money taken from your tack by many speakers during the evening. paychecks." Speaking of Reagan's certifi­ Alfaro expanded on this and pointed also to cation of the regime in El Salvador as one the U.S. government's complete refusal to that has proven its respect for human respond to the Revolutionary Democratic rights, Bonpane said, "It's certified mur­ Front (FOR) and FMLN proposals to der." negotiate. Washington is committed, he David Johnson, representing the FDR­ said, to a military solution in El Salvador, FMLN, thanked the crowd for its support. Nicaragua, and throughout the region. Its He reviewed the history of Jan. 22, 1932, perspective is to drown the liberation when Farabundo Marti led a group of in­ movements in blood. surgents against the repressive Salvadoran But the liberation forces are scoring new dictatorship. Many were massacred. victories, he went on, and the question of Johnson compared that with the situation in who will rule in El Salvador- the U.S. El Salvador today where the liberation government or the workers and peasants of forces are winning. He spoke of military El Salvador - is rapidly coming to the gains in both the countryside and the cities. MilitanUEd Berger fore. Johnson also reviewed developments on The immediacy of the situation in El Sal­ World Front.in Solidarity With People of El Salvador ~led January 22 solidarity ac­ the diplomatic front and reiterated the tions. Protesters met on border in San Ysidro (top) and Tijuana (bottom). vador, Alfaro explained, underscores the FOR's desire to avoid unnecessary need to build a massive U.S. movement bloodshed and its willingness to engage in against intervention. "We must create a dialogue and a negotiated political settle­ dialogue between the existing solidarity ment. The rally ended with his appeal to moxement and the majority of the North the crowd to return home and broaden the 500 de01onstrate in Tijuana American people," he said. "We must par­ movement by educating the U.S. people ticularly work with the biggest sectors of about what is happening in El Salvador. BY SETH GALINSKY rarely done to Anglo travelers). Others this population - workers, Blacks, TIJUANA, Mexico - Nearly 500 de­ from the United States who wanted to join Chicanos -and with students, churches, Greetings were read from dozens of monstrators protested here January 22 the demonstration were stopped at the bor­ and others as well. We must do so in a uni­ groups and individuals including 120 against U.S. intervention in Central der and told that they would be arrested if fied way. This will make possible the con­ workers who drafted, circulated, and America. they tried to proceed across. struction of the World Front here in the signed a petition supporting the day of sol­ Thousands of travelers and tourists Despite this harassment, the demonstra­ United States." idarity. These workers were from the FMC passed the demonstration, held just a few tion was peaceful and legal. The Los Angeles rally was organized by plant in San Jose, which builds personnel hundred feet from the U.S. border. Some Speakers at the rally included represen­ a coalition of groups including Casa El Sal­ carriers and tanks for the Pentagon. honked their horns in agreement. tatives of the Mexican Committee in Sol­ vador, Committee in Solidarity With the A member of the Amalgamated Trans­ Demonstrators came from dozens of idarity with the People of El Salvador; Vic­ People of El Salvador (CISPES), Casa portation Union Local 265 from San Jose cities, including Tecate, Ensenada, Mexi­ tor Medrano, representing the Revolution­ Nicaragua, Socialist Workers Party, and read a resolution from his union supporting cali, Culiacan, Los Mochis, Nogales, and ary Democratic Front and the Farabundo Federation for Progress. It was endorsed by the goals of the World Front. ·Hermosillo. Marti National Liberation Front (FOR­ a wide range of unionists and political or­ Other speakers included Renata Kline, The U.S. Border Patrol was quite wor­ FMLN), and others. ganizations. mother of Michael Kline, a U.S. youth ried about the demonstration. ~eople cross­ Medrano spoke about the effect of the Included among these were Andy An­ who was murdered after being pulled off a ing over from the U.S. side were stopped Salvadoran revolution on the conscious­ derson and Tom Collins, two local United bus by government forces in El Salvador. and warned that they were entering Mexico ness of the people of Latin America. He Steelworkers of America presidents; Kline reported on the foot dragging and at their own risk. They were told that "500 said that "at this moment we need to be Chuck Sheehan, past president of Los coverup by the U.S. State Departmentand terrorists" were demonstrating and that more vigilant," especially given the offen­ Angeles Professional Air Traffic Control­ the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, which there was a possibility of tear gas being sive of the FMLN inside El Salvador. lers Organization; Albert Maltz of the Hol­ have done nothing to investigate the mur­ tossed. Medrano explained that the FMLN has lywood Ten; Alliance for Survival; and der of her son. This reporter was stopped by border proposed negotiations because "we want to John T. Williams, cochair of the U.S.-Gre­ Kiko Martinez, an activist in the Col­ cops and required to show identification nada Friendship Society. before crossing the border (something avoid the spilling of more blood and the re­ orado Chicano movement who was re­ gionalization of the war." The next day many of those who had . cently found innocent of frameup charges come to the Friday night rally joined others The U.S. government is planning to in­ there, spoke on the parallel attacks by tervene more directly in El Salvador, Med­ throughout the state in a car and bus cara­ Washington on the people of Central . rano emphasized, and the solidarity move­ van to the border. 20,000 march America and on the standard of living and ment must step up its activities around the As the caravan neared the San Ysidro­ rights of U.S. working people. world. Tijuana border exit, it had quite an impact. in Mexico City Cars with headlights on; streamers on their antennas; and signs, banners, and flags on Continued from front page their hoods, trunks, and bumpers stretched too are part of Central America. The vic­ Protest at State Dept. for as far as you could see. The caravan had PHOENIX - On January 20 more than tory of the revolution in El Salvador, he hits certification begun the night before with a bus from the 70 people gathered at the Covenant United added, will assure revolutionary victory Bay Area. Carloads joined in Bakersfield,· Presbyterian Church for a rally in support throughout Central America. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Some 250 in Fresno, and dozens more in Los Angeles of the people of El Salvador. Vicente Juarez of the Mexican Commit­ people attempted to block the doors of the and Riverside. Among the guest speakers were Francis tee in Solidarity With the Salvadoran State Department here January 24 in op­ In Santa Ana, where a rest stop was Cavassos; Jessie Romo, representing the People, who cochaired the rally, an­ position to President Reagan's certification scheduled, supporters who could not join Arizona Farm Workers Union; and Rev. nounced that among other countries where that human rights have improved in El Sal­ the border demonstration because of poten­ John Fife. Fife is minister of a Presbyterian similar actions were taking place were vador. The action was called by the Com­ . tial problems with the Immigration and Church in Tucson that has received na­ France, Japan, Australia, Cuba, and Viet­ mittee in Solidarity with the People of El Naturalization Service, greeted de­ tional media attention for publicly provid­ -nam. The crowd responded with chants of Salvador. monstrators with a short rally and sent ing sanctuary for Central American ref­ "Cuba si, Yanquis no!" and "Two, three, Police arrested 123 people. All but three them off again with chants of "Fa-Fa­ ugees in violation of U.S. immigration many Vietnams!" were released by that night. Farabundo" and "F-M-L-N." laws. The rally ended with a brief speech by In addition to protesting certification, The last contingent was picked up in San Also speaking were Sister Rosemary cochair Jorge Martinez, also of the Mexi-· the demonstrators demanded "No Military Diego, including people who had driven Garrity, a Maryknoll sister recently re­ can committee. He paid homage to the Aid to Guatemala"; "Stop U.S. Interven­ from Phoenix and Tucson. Leaving Balboa turned from Guatemala, and a representa­ many martyrs of the Salvadoran revolu­ tion in El Salvador"; and "Stop Covert War Park, the caravan of more than a hundred tive of the Coalition Against U.S. Ag­ tion, singling out Archbishop Oscar Ar­ in Nicaragua." campers, vans, cars, trucks, and buses gression. nulfo Romero, the four U.S. churchwomen drew a lot of attention and support. The rally was also a spirited send-off for slain in December 1980, and Flor ("Terry") As the caravan unloaded at the border, it the 70 activists who decided to make the Santana, the Cuban-born solidarity activist Subscribe to was met by 300 noisy right-wingers pro­ more than 16-hour drive to join the border in New York City who was assassinated tected by at least 60 cops. The right-win- demonstration at San Ysidro. there in December of last year. the 'Militant'

4 The Militant February 4, 1983 ------·~: . : Salvador students, - / ... . . ·.· ·.·. teachers are victims of jailing, torture

BY MATILDE ZIMMERMANN has also been hit hard. According to offi-. SAN FRANCISCO - Three members cial statistics, 900 schools were closed of an academic fact-finding commission down between 1979 and 1981. According that visited El Salvador in early January to the teachers' union ANDES, a total of presented their findings at a news confer­ I ,200 have now been closed. This is al­ ence here January 18. James Torrens of the most half the schools in the country - in a University of Santa Clara, Amon Hadar, nation with an illiteracy rate of 50 percent. Director of the U.S.-El Salvador Informa­ Many of the schools have been turned into tion and Research Center, and Karen army barracks. Troops occupy the University of El Salvador Parker, a specialist in human rights law, The U.S. professors reported that the were among eight academics who took part teachers' union "has been decimated by a in the tour. reign of terror." Nearly 300 members have had not gone out of the crowded church arrived. The girls were on a visit from the Calling the entire educational system in been killed in the last three years. Just building in which they had taken refuge. United States, where theY. go to school. El Salvador "devastated," Hadar explained membership in ANDES is regarded as Parker pointed .out that, while their in­ Their mother once worked for the Catholic that the trip focused on the state of educa­ grounds for suspicion, arrest, and some­ vestigation focused on education, the re­ radio station in El Salvador. tion and specifically on the National Uni­ times murder. The team interviewed 27 pression of the academic community "was Torrens, a Jesuit priest, told reporters versity. ANDES members in prison, all of whom in no. way unique. All sectors suffer terrible the commission saw its responsibility as The canipus of the National University had been tortured. repression- labor, peasants, the poor; it not only getting out the facts about repres­ of El Salvador was invaded by military In addition to meeting with high Salva­ even reaches into the drawing rooms of the sion in El Salvador, but also "helping to do doran government and U.S. Embassy offi­ rich." troops on June 26, 1980, as part of the gov­ something productive," namely working in ernment's retaliation for a general strike cials, the delegation was allowed to visit They described· the case of 17-year-old this country to aid in the reopening of the and interview about 60 political prisoners Beatriz Herrera, whom they visited in jail, that had paralyzed the country for several National University of El Salvador. days. Vandalized and stripped of every­ in the Marion and Ilopango prisons. (The and who told them how she had been ar­ thing sellable, the campus was turned into latter is a women's prison.) rested, tortured, arid threatened with death. The fact-finding mission was organized a military barracks. "Almost all the gov­ "All of them had been terribly tortured," Beatriz and her 15-year-old sister were by the Faculty for Human Rights. in El Sal­ ernment officials with whom we met ex­ reported Hadar. Torture is "standard proce­ abducted in the middle of the night from a vador and Central America, a national net­ pressed the need for the university to be dure," he said. home in a wealthy neighborhood of San work of U.S. academics based at the Uni­ reopened," said Hadar. "Nobody explained The prisoners with whom the professors Salvador, just before the U.S. delegation versity of California in Berkeley. why the army is still there and preventing talked reported being hooded, beaten, anyone from going in." branded with hot irons, slashed with The closure was accompanied by a cam­ knives, and subjected to chemical torture. ". '" ' paign of repression against academics and Parker described it as "the general rule" for NE\N& >4'' T/ !\IIU students. On October 28 , 1980', the rector women prisoners to be raped, often kept . """"' """'"' .,. """"" "' . of the university, Felix Antonio Ulloa, was stripped and hooded, and subjected to con­ .... ·~ ...... assassinated as he left a meeting of the Uni­ stant humiliation. versity Council. On Feb. 10, 1981, the en- The U.S. faculty members met with Sal­ tire 23-member Executive Council of the vadoran Defense Minister Gen. Jose Gui­ National University was arrested. Eighty llermo Garcia. "His position on torture," Salvadoran Trade Unionist students and teachers have been murdered said Hadar, "was that it was a very small, or "disappeared," and many have fled the really an insignificant problem, that would country. rapidly be cleaned up." · Tells UE Members of Struggle The university, founded in 1861 , once In addition to the prisoners themselves, had 30,(X)() students, including many from their families also suffer. "Most of the pri­ ERIE, Pa. - A Salvadoran trade said. "All union activity is under­ 'poor families . Now one third that number soners we saw were young," said Parker. union leader who has been imprison­ ground." And no wondEr-as he ex­ struggle to continue their education in rent­ Even when not subject to direct reprisals, ed four times and tortured by gov­ plained to Local 506 members, over ed rooms around the city. Parker gave an parents are often denied information on ernment troops told a UE Local 306 1,000 union officers and leaders have example of the material conditions they whether their teenage children who have membership meeting in November been murdered; most of the rest that the 'C .S.-backed military dicta­ have been forced to flee the country. face. "In 1980," she said, "the Law School been captured are dead or alive. Relatives torship has made normal trade union had 50,000 books. Now they have 300." are afraid that if they visit prisoners, they struggle in El Salvador impossible. The entire national executive The delegation reported that it would take will themselves be subject to arrest. board of the Electrical Workers $20-$30 million to reequip the university In fact, the atmosphere of terror was so Alejandro :\folina Lara, secretary Union has been imprisoned since completely. pervasive, reported Hadar, that they met rreneral of the Salvadoran Fishing August, 1980, Brother Molina said. Industry Vnion, was · a guest of Lo­ Elementary and high school education refugees so afraid thatfor three years they The military government serves cal 506 while on a six-week tour of the interests of the multinational western Pennsylvania, Ohio and corporations, and the aristocratic West Virginia which included sever. "Fourteen Families" who own 80 Socialist candidate in Kansas City al union me2tings. percent of the land, he explained. Speaking to UE members em­ "Our struggle is the - same as denounces cutoff of heat for 6,000 ployed at the big General Electric yours because we fight the same works here, Brother Molina said bosses," said Brother Molina, point­ BY JEFF POWERS just told us nothing could be done," the res­ workers in El Salvador are routinely ing out that Texas Instruments, ITT KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A big issue in ident who also served as the building's su­ murdered by thdr government if and Standard Oil are among the they are union members. He charged the municipal elections here this year is the perintendent said. "Mayor Berkley? I U.S. corporations operating in El the FS. government with promot­ Salvador. right of working people to get heat. Al­ wouldn't waste my time talking to him." ing this policy. ready, over 6,000 area homeowners and Kutchko explained that he favored a pro­ The Salvadoran trade union lead­ renters face a winter without gas, because gram that called for nationalizing the gas U~IO~ LEADERS MURDERED er noted that the U.S. companies the Gas Service Company has disconnect­ company and making it a public utility su­ ''There are no local union meet­ take advantage of his country's so­ ings in El Salvador, and no func­ called "Free Trade Zone," in which ed it for nonpayment of bills. . pervised by a democratically elected t:oning locals," Brother Molina Socialist Workers Party candidate for board. Meanwhile, he said, "We need an "they pay no taxes, and where the mayor, Bob Kutchko, a 28-year-old letter emergency campaign right now to get the wage they pay is $2.50 a day! carrier and member of Branch 30 of the gas turned back on. Every working person "The government strictly forbids National Association of Letter Carriers, in the city has a stake in this. any union activity in the 'Free Zone,' calls for the utility to reconnect all gas ser­ "Most of us who are still working are and six electronics workers were shot down and killed by troops re­ vice. "It's a miracle," he said, "that some­ just getting by," Kutchko told the Alham­ cently for organizing a strike." one hasn't yet frozen to death because of bra's residents. "lt'.s only a fine line that di­ the criminal policies of the Gas Service vides us from you." 'STOP U.S. AID' Company." Kutchko promised to take the Alham­ Brother Molina asked the GE On December 28, Kutchko visited the bra residents' fight before his local union. workers to help stop this slaughter Alhambra apartment building where over "One of the big things I am campaigning by acting to end U.S. military aid to 65 residents are without heat. It seems that for is a labor party that would put the needs the dictatorship. President Reagan even though the tenants paid their rent the of working people first, including the need must certify to Congress in January that the Salvadoran regime is re­ owners couldn't see their way clear to pay for inexpensive and dependable public ser­ specting human rights. The UE the gas bill and the Gas Service shut it off. vices such as heat," Kutchko .said. members were urged to contact "We are faced with the impossible task of members in Congress. coming up with the $16,000 the landlord The socialist candidate promised to tell owes," the Alhambra residents angrily ex­ the truth about what is happening at the Al­ Local 506 members gave the Sal­ hambra throughout his campaign and of­ vadoran trade union leader a warm plained to Kutchko. reception, making a financial con­ "There are only two or three people in fered the tenants an opportunity to speak at a public forum he and his supporters were tribution to help cover the costs of .the whole building who are working," one his tour, signing petitions calling for woman said, as she sat bundled up in the organizing on the energy crisis. "We are at the Gas Service's mercy if we ALL U~IONS in El Salvador have the release of the Electrical Work­ apartment building's lobby with her small ers l'nion leaders, and presenting approach them as individuals," Kutchko been forced underground, Alejandro child nestled in her lap. "The rest of us Melina Lara told t:E Local 506 :\folina with a l'E ;)06 baseball cap said. "Collectively it is another matter alto­ can't find work, we are on welfare." mfmbers. and tee shirt. gether. It will not be easy, but we can force Even though the building is unheated no one planned to leave. "We can't afford to them to tum your heat back on." Reproduced above is an article from January 17 UE News, newspaper of the United move," another wom&n continued. "Where Kutchko is running against Richard Electrical Workers. Salvadoran trade unionist Alejandro Molina Lara addressed UE are we going to get another rent deposit?" Berkley, a Republican, and Charles Local 506 as part of a three-state tour where he explained struggle of workers in El "We worked with Legal Aid but they Wheeler and Joe Serviss, both Democrats. Salvador to feUow trade unionists.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 5 -- NATIONAL PICKET LINE------steel industry's biggest - to There are now II Stevens facili­ PSA sought concessions in Steel bosses get Wheeling-Pittsburgh or to foreign Two union ties covered by ACTWU con­ wages and working conditions as a more givebacks companies if there is no Big Eight mergers tracts, according to the union's pa­ condition to taking over Braniff, agreement by March l. per, Labor Unity. which has filed for bankruptcy. Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel The McBride leadership favors There were two union mergers The ACTWU victory in Wal­ The voiding of the contracts Corp. won wage and benefit con­ making concessions to the steel last December: · lace took almost eight years to ac­ thus clears the way for conces­ cessions in late December that will bosses, even though the Basic The Hatters union, with 8,000 complish. Stevens stalled through . sions, and is a blow to the workers cost each of its workers $2.85 an Steel Industry Conference (BSIC), membe.rs, became part of the the courts to avoid signing a con­ formerly covered. hour. The givebacks were the sec­ the USWA body that votes on con­ Amalgamated Clothing and Tex­ tract. ond within a year; the first round tracts, has twice refused to ap­ tile Workers Union, whose mem­ The Stevens workers won an cost the workers $1.50 an hour. prove concessions. bership was 455,000 prior to the immediate 5.5 percent wage in­ Wheeling-Pittsburgh workers At a January 12 news confer­ merger, according to the latest av­ crease and put job standards, work Wage data · are members of the United Steel­ ence, McBride "made it clear that ailable figures . load, piece rate, and safety rules 'secret' workers of America (USWA). The he intends to push for a March l And the National Association of under the union's grievance proce­ corporation bargain~ with the settlement," the Wall Street Jour­ Government Employees, with dure. The National Labor Relations union separately from the so­ nal said. 80,000 members, joined the Ser­ Board (NLRB) ruled that workers called Big Eight steelmakers, who The paper also reported that the vice Employees International can be fired for revealing "confi­ coordinate their bargaining with McBride-run executive board had Union, whose membership in the dential" pay data. the union. decided to cut by almost half the United States and Canada is now Braniff union A Black workers group at IBM The Wheeling-Pittsburgh con­ number of union officials who can nearly 800,000. published salary figures from cessions "will give the Big Eight vote on contracts. pacts destroyed 1980. IBM fired the leader of the companies more leverage," Busi­ group. ness Week reports, adding that In the USWA's District 31 Union contracts with Braniff The NLRB upheld the firing be­ USW A President Lloyd McBride (Chicago-Gary), meanwhile, ape­ J.P. Stevens airlines were voided by a federal cause IBM, it ruled, has "a sub­ concedes this to be true. tition opposing concessions in the signs 2 contracts bankruptcy judge in Fort Worth, stantial · and legitimate business The Big Eight-USW A contracts absence of a "willingness of the Texas. justification" for the secrecy pol- expire July 31 , and· there is great companies to bring our laid-off The J.P. Stevens Co., long a The unions involved were the icy. · pressure on the union to accept members back to work, and stop symtiol of employer resistance to Machinists, Airline Pilots, and So it does - the same justifica­ concessions earlier than that. plant closures" was signed by a unionism, has signed . contracts Flight Attendants. tion all other nonunion companies General Motors Chairman large number of elected officials of with the Amalgamated Clothing Braniff claimed that if the union have: they keep wage information Roger Smith, adding to this pres­ local unions, reflecting a continu­ and Textile Workers Union contracts remained intact, a take­ secret so workers can't find out sure on behalf of his capitalist ing opposition to concessions (ACTWU) for workers at two of over of the airline by Pacific how unfair and discriminatory pay brothers, has told McBride that among the rank and file of the steel its plants in Wallace, North Southwest Airlines (PSA) "might scales are. GM will award its contracts -the union. Carolina. be impossible." -GEORGE JOHNSON Nationwide rallies support the right to abortion

Continued from front page abortion rights, singling out poor and ductive freedom after enduring attacks by minority women for particular harassment, antiabortion forces in recent months. was denounced by every speaker. Marcy Bloom, director of the Women's * * * Health Care Clinic, said .that 26I,OOO BY LINDA MALANCHUK women who want abortions this year will SEAITLE, Wash.- "Not the church, be unable to obtain them due to lack of not the state, women must decide their funds. fate!" was the spirited chant as over I ,000 Her clinic had been picketed for eight - police estimates were up to I ,500 - weeks last fall, with patients and staff vic­ marched to defend abortion rights on Janu­ iously harassed and called "baby-killers" ary 22 in Seattle. The demonstration was by a right-wing religious organization. The sponsored by the January 22 Coalition to clinic had a bomb threat the night before Defend Safe, Legal, Accessibie Abortion. the rally. Over 44 women's and community Endorsers of the action included Seattle groups came together to plan the march and NOW, Washington State NOW, Seattle rally at the county courthouse. Reproductive Rights Alliance, National Speaker after speaker reiterated the need Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), Radical Women, the executive board oftpe to publicly fight the continued attacks on a Seattle abortion rights demonstration woman's right to choose abortion, from the American Federation of State, County and infamous Hyde Amendment to the prop­ Municipal Employees Local 2083c, osed antiabortion Human Life Amend- Socialist Workers Party, and many others. companies; the medical establishment; cor- who discussed the problem of forced ment. ' porations; and the courts. · sterilization; and Lisa Ahlberg of the Janet Edgerton, spokeswoman for the * * * Among the many charges were conspi­ Young Socialist Alliance. coalition, presented a ringing challenge BOSTON - Seventy-five women's racy to deprive women of constitutional saying, "We are here today to tell the anti­ rights and other organizations united to rights and civil rights and conspiracy to * * * abortion forces . we will not go back to hold a rally of 400 people here on January commit genocide through forced steriliza­ WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just like last dangerous backalley abortions." 22 in defense of abortion rights. tion and racist population control policies. year, President Ronald Reagan took the op­ The divisive nature of the attacks on Sponsors included two chapters of A young Black woman administrator of portunity of January 22 to issue a statement NOW, Boston CLUW, the Religious Coal­ a women's clinic testified that it had been condemning abortion rights and to meet ition for Abortion Rights (RCAR), SWP, firebombed several months ago by anti­ with leaders of right-wing antiabortion California hotel Gay Community News, Planned Parent­ abortionists who left a sign, "Everyone groups. hood League of Massachusetts, Democrat­ must burn these places down." He also endorsed a bill, introduced by ic Socialists of America, and the All fires union militant She announced that the clinic had con­ Rep. Henry Hyde, a Republican from Il­ Peoples Congress. tinued to operate despite the terrorist attack linois, that would prohibit the use of fed­ SEASIDE,Calif. - Ken Collins, a The leaflet for the event explained that and concluded, "If we don't speak up they eral money for Medicaid abortion and pro­ union activist at the Hyatt Del Monte Hotel since abortion was made legal, "that right will take this right. If women don't defend hibit coverage of abortion in health insur­ in Monterey, was informed January I9 that has been under constant attack. TQe Hyde themselves, no one else will and women ance plans for government workers. he had been fired from his job. Amendment ended the use of federal funds will be forced back to the alley." The bill also declares that fetuses are Collins· was a picket captain during the forMedicai4 abortions, and today only a human beings, thus laying the basis for strike last summer of the Hotel Employees few states provide funding for abortions for A young Puerto Rican activist charged outlawing abortion outright. and Restaurant Employees International poor women. Access has been limited that over 30 percent of women in In addition, the Catholic Church hierar­ Union Local 483. He is also a member of further by age, medical insurance cover­ Puerto Rico have been subjected to sterili­ chy brought out tens of thousands of people the Seaside chapter of the Young Socialist age, and the number of clinics." zation without their knowledge or consent. to demonstrate against abortion rights at Alliance. Speakers included Cecelia McCarthy The tribunal was sponsored by more the capitol. Some of the demonstrators The Hyatt charged Collins with "insub­ from the American Federation of Govern­ than 16 organizations including the were friendly to the picket line going on ordination, damage to company property ment Employees; State Rep. Mel King; Philadelphia Reproductive Rights Organi­ simultaneously against U.S. aid to El Sal­ [supposedly knocking down a tray of wine Janet Feron, Boston NOW president; and zation, NARAL of Pennsylvania, Hispanic vador, and a few even carried confused glasses and a kicking a piano], and Jane Roland, former U.S. Senatorial can­ Women's Program - Lighthouse, North­ signs linking antiwar and antiabortion slo­ threatening supervisors." didate on the SWP ticket. east NOW, and the SWP. gans. This contradiction is a sign that even In the year Collins worked at the Hyatt, some of those who come out to protest he had never faced any disciplinary charges. * * * * * abortion can be convinced of a pro­ But because of his union militancy and women's-rights position. leadership role in the strike, management PHILADELPHIA - After hearing tes­ ST. PAUL, Minnesota - NOW spon­ NOW, the ACLU, RCAR, and Planned has .begun a campaign of harassment timony from 12 women representing the sored a march of 500 people here, which Parenthood held a press conference where against him as well as against other strike victims of illegal abortions, forced sterili­ began with a rally on the steps of the state they pledged to fight the Hyde bill. activists. zation, rape, and other crimes against capitol. That evening, 150 people held a protest The false charges against Collins are women, the more than 250 supporters of Jan Deitrich, president of the local Hotel on the steps of the Supreme Court in favor their way of trying to get rid of a union mil­ women's rights who packed the National and Restaurant Workers Union and a board of abortion rights. They were mainly mem­ itant. This is an attack on the entire union Union of Hospital and Health Care Work­ member of Twin Cities CLUW, hit the bers of NOW from New Jersey and Vir­ and part of the hotel owners' attempts to ers 1199c hall for the Women's Tribunal hypocritical "prolife " stance of the Reagan ginia. weaken Local 483. on Crimes Against Reproductive Freedom, administration, which is cutting back child Speakers included Kathy Webb and The union has come to Collins's defense shouted in unison "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" care and welfare and spending huge Mary Jean Collins, secretary and vice­ and has begun grievance procedures as the list of defendants was read. amounts on the military. president for action respectively for na­ against his unjust termination. The union is The list included anti-abortion-rights Other speakers included Carla Whit­ tional NOW, and NOW member Sonia demanding that he be reinstated and com- legislators and politicians; federal, state, tington, president of Twin Cities NOW; Johnson, a prominent Equal Rights pensated for all lost wages. - and local government agencies; the drug Ruth Voight, a Native American woman Amendment advocate.

6 The Militant February 4, 1983 Quebec workers challenge gov't.take backs Public employees unite, get ready for general strike

BY ROBERT SIMMS ers, nurses, legal aides, hospital workers, Montreal's Le Devoir said January 11 that The following article appeared in the and others, until the entire public sector is if the strike takes place, "society would January 24 issue of Socialist Voice, the out. Their goal is to convince the govern­ slide into anarchy." newspaper reflecting the views of the ment to withdraw the legislation and re­ The government for its part has re­ Revolutionary Workers League, Cana­ sume negotiations. sponded with threats of fines, an end to the dian section of the Fourth International. union dues checkoff, and even union de­ It reports on a major labor battle un­ Union mobilization certification. folding in Quebec among French-speak­ The pace of union mobilization forced Efforts are being made to build support ing public employees who are challeng­ [Quebec] Premier Rene Levesque to call ing the Canadian government's drive for for the strike. A central demonstration has union leaders into his office January 17 to been called for January 29 in Quebec City takebacks. The Quebecois workers, who see if the strike could be avoided. But in front of the National Assembly, Que­ suffer discrimination because of their Levesque warned there would be no tam­ bec's Parliament. Leaders of the three language, have been in the forefront of pering with the basics of the law. union federations are currently touring the the fight against government-employer province to explain the aims of the strike austerity measures. and win support for it. The mass rallies Enormous takebacks MONTREAL - Some 210,000 public scheduled for the major cities are open to The government's decrees will cover sector workers in Quebec are gearing up the public. Stickers and brochures are 320,000 public sector workers, 210,000 of for an 'unlimited general strike set to begin being distributed throughout the province. whom are members of unions in the Com­ January 26. Hospital workers, teachers, On November 10, the Common Front mon Front. and provincial government workers, mem­ staged a successful one-day general strike What is the extent of the takebacks these bers of three separate union federations, to protest the government's take back offers laws impose? have united into a single Common Front and to demand serious negotiations. It was • For all 320,000 workers, the law can­ against their employer, the Quebec govem­ a convincing demonstration Of the anger cels a 2.8 percent wage increase they were rhent. and militancy of public sector workers. - supposed to receive December 31, 1982. As one of its final acts of 1982, the gov­ The teachers' federation voted 80 percent • For 200,000 workers who earn more ernment abruptly ended all negotiations in favor of unlimited strike action in De­ than $20,000, wages are cut 19.5 percent Lutte Ouvriere with the unions and passed Law 105. The cember. The other unions have not released in the first three months of 1983. For the Tous ensemble- all fu4ether ·- read law takes away their legal right to strike for vote totals, but have solid majorities. Sup­ remaining 120,000 who earn less, wages picket signs from CSN, one of three three years, and unilaterally imposes wage port is increasing daily as the pay cuts take are either cut between 5 and 10 percent de­ Quebec labor federations. cuts and working conditions to last until the effect. pending on income, or maintained at cur­ end of 1985. Daniel Allard, who works at Montreal's rent levels into 1983. added on to the slashed wage base rates. The Common Front has called for the Notre-Dame Hospital, told Socialist Voice • For the 200,000 workers with higher • The decrees unilaterally reverse strike to begin on January 26. On that date, that at his hospital, "we are ready to fight incomes, wages for the remainder of 1983 working conditions and job security teachers and nonteaching educational to the end. Already 175 people have signed will be cut an average of 5 percent. clauses won in previous contracts. For workers are to walk out. They will be fol­ to go on buses to Quebec City, two weeks • For all public sector workers, wages many workers who fear mass layoffs, in­ lowed each day over a six -day period by before the demonstration." in 1984 and 1985 will increase in line with cluding teachers, these are the central is­ the other categories of workers, including Editorialists in the business-controlled the consumer price index, minus 1.5 per­ sues in the conflict. government professionals, daycare work- media have condemned the strike. cent each year, but increases are only Thus, for two-thirds of public sector workers, the cuts mean it will probably be well into 1985 before they are again mak­ ing the same wages as 1982. By that time, Unionists join tributes to Dr. King today' s I 0 percent inflation rate may have cut their living standards by up to 20 per­ cent. Eighty dollars in Pathfinder books and marched through the heart of Seattle's Federal and provincial public sector Los Angeles pamphlets was sold to marchers, the big­ Black community. workers elsewhere in Canada face wage The demonstration, organized by several BY gest seller being works by and about Mal­ control programs, but nowhere have they OLLIE BIVINS groups inc1uding the Seattle Black Fire­ LOS ANGELES - Three thousand colm X. Over 100 Militants were also pur­ reached such devastating proportions as in fighters, was the largest in the Black com­ people marched through the Black commu­ chased. Quebec. munity in recent years. The marchers were nity here January 15 to pay tribute to Mar­ demanding that January 15 be declared a tin Luther King, Jr., on his birthday and to Canadian imperialism's role Milwaukee national holiday. In addition, the Seattle protest current U.S. government domestic demonstration focused on demands that the The recession has hit Quebec hardest; its and foreign policies. The demonstration BY NANCY COLE major thoroughfare in the Black communi­ unemployment rate is the highest for any also celebrated the official renaming of MILWAUKEE- Labor and communi­ ty be renamed after Dr. King. region in Canada. Discrimination on the Santa Barbara A venue to Martin Luther ty leaders here paid tribute to Martin The Seattle City Council had approved basis of speaking French has been prac­ King Jr. Boulevard. Luther King, Jr., at a January 15 event at­ ticed against Quebec's majority for dec­ Prior to the demonstration, street signs changing the name of Empire Way to Mar­ tended by nearly 400 people. The program tin Luther King Way, but has been drag­ ades by the English Canadian and U.S. already changed to read "Martin Luther also featured two Salvadoran refugees. ging its feet on implementing the name firms that dominate the Quebec economy. King Boulevard" were covered over with Paul Blackman, president of Smith Steel change in the face of a court challenge However, Quebecois oppositionto Que­ paper signs reading "Santa Barbara A v­ Workers Directly Affiliated Labor Union bec's status as an oppressed nation has led enue." As the march proceeded, the de­ from racist storeowners along the street. 19806 and head of the sponsoring Martin Seattle's Black community has responded to 20 years of nationalist struggles, with monstrators stopped at each comer and Luther King, Jr. , Coalition, chaired the Quebec workers winning major gains. Black children were hoisted on shoulders by organizing an active boycott of those event. merchants who are leading the campaign to To maintain its hold on Quebec, the Fed­ to rip off the paper signs. This brought Speakers included Charles Street, eral government in Ottawa would like to cheers from the demonstrators and the stop Martin Luther King Way. executive board member at-large of the Al­ "Boycott, boycott; you, you, you," the reverse this. And it intends to make work­ thousands lining the march route. lied Industrial - Workers International ing people bear the burden of capitalist re­ The demonstration was sponsored by the marchers chanted as they passed the tav­ Union, and Myrtle Lacy, whose son Ernest erns and service stations whose owners cession. Southern Christian Leadership Conference was killed by cops a year and a half ago. Thus, on Dec. 13, 1981, Prime Minister and City Councilman Robert Farrell. Fifty­ have opposed the name change. The keynote speaker was Howard Fuller, Members of the youthful crowd cited Trudeau called Quebec's public sector five labor, civil rights, antiwar, and com­ recently appointed secretary of the Wis­ workers a "new bourgeoisie." He com­ munity organizations endorsed the activity. many reasons for their participation. consin Department of Employee Relations Among the most common was the feeling plained that Quebec's state employees had There were a large number of union con­ by Democratic Gov. Tony Earl. been able "to profit from sums that should tingents present. These included members of frustration and anger over high unem­ Scheduled speaker Warren Braun, repre­ ployment and racism. have gone to the province's industrial de­ of Machinists districts 720 and 727; United senting Catholic Archbishop Rembert velopment" (meaning the coffers of the Auto Workers Local645; SerVice Employ­ Weakland, turned most of his time over to corporations). ees International Union locals 660 and 535; two Salvadoran refugees, who recently ar­ A few months later, in March 1982, Ot­ and unions representing longshore work­ rived in the area as part of a church-spon­ Oakland tawa cut $1.2 billion per year in transfer ers, teachers, and others. sored "public sanctuary" program. payments to the provinces. These pay­ This reporter spoke to a Black garment "Like the mother who spoke here to­ BY DEBBY MADDEN ments were used to subsidize social ser­ worker who related how petitions to make night, I have a story to share with you," AND MARILEE TAYLOR vices. Quebec took the biggest cuts. King's birthday a national holiday were began one of the Salvadorans, a woman in­ OAKLAND - On January 15, 5,000 Quebec Premier Rene Levesque cited circulated on her job. Three Latinas in the troduced as Juanita. "Like the mother who people attended a march and rally here in these factors as part of the reason for his largely Spanish-speaking shop helped cir­ cried at the murder of her son, we mothers honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The ac­ hard line. But rather than confront Ottawa culate them. They filled three petitions of El Salvador cry at the assassinations of tion was built around the demand for and the corporations, which are totally hos­ with signatures by speaking to other Latino our sons and the rapes of our daughters." "Jobs, peace, and equality." Featured tile to the aspirations of the Quebecois and workers about who King was. She said that She continued, "Your fight is our fight. speakers included Congressman Ron Del­ responsible for the crisis, . the Parti this helped to break down employer-im­ You here tonight are fighting for your lums; Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Quebecois (PQ) is carrying out their goals posed divisions between Black and Latino leader and what he fought for. We are Panthers; and Dick Groulx, secretary-trea­ and their work. workers on the job. fighting for peace." surer of the Alameda County Labor Coun­ The battle that is now unfolding in Que­ Supporters of the World Front in Soli­ More than 100 people at the meeting cil. bec will have a profound effect on future darity With the People of El Salvador were signed a petition demanding a halt to all There were many unionists present from labor struggles across Canada. Govern­ met with a friendly response from march U.S. aid to El Salvador. the Teamsters; International Longshore­ ments and employers hope to deal a stag­ participants as they distributed a leaflet for men's and Warehousemen's Union; Inter­ gering blow to labor militancy in Quebec ;t car caravan to the Mexican border on Jan­ national Association of Machinists; Iron­ and thereby put a damper on labor' s strug­ uary 22 to protest U.S. intervention in Cen­ Seattle workers; United Electrical Workers; and gles right across the country. tral America. Many marchers took leaflets American Federation of State, County and That's why it's so crucial to get the truth to give to friends. BY FRANK MIKULA Municipal Employees. There was also an out about this fight. A victory for Quebec A spirited contingent of members and SEATILE - A militant and inspiring official delegation from the Alameda public sector workers will mark an impor­ supporters of the National Black Independ­ march took place here January 15 in com­ County Central Labor Council. tant advance in the overall fight against ent Political Party led chants of "No draft, memoration of the birthday of Martin Luth­ Response to the Militant was good - takebacks, concessions, and antiworker no war, U.S. out of El Salvador!" er King, Jr. The crowd of about 2,000 over 175 copies were sold. legislation.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 7 Lobbying vs direct action debated at AAM convention BY VAL LIBBY Some feel that AAM should focus more On the following day, Meek addressed NASHVILLE - American farmers are exclusively on the AAM-Political Action the whole convention. He softened a bit his angry and a growing number are willing to Committee (PAC) formed a year ago at its previous criticism of the Springfield action take any action necessary to get relief. That last convention. The PAC maintains a but continued to stress the importance of was the clear message from the 1 ,350 Washington, D.C., office from which it or­ PAC. members of the American Agriculture ganizes its lobbying and fund raising activ­ He explained that he had participated in Movement (AAM) who gathered here Jan~ ities. the tractorcades. "But how do you top uary 7-9 for the organization's Fourth An­ At the opening news conference, Marvin those actions," he asked. "You can't. And nual Grassroots Convention. Meek lauded the work of the AAM-PAC in we've walked away virtually empty­ More than 1,300 family farmers came to 1 At the news conference opening the con­ the 1982 elections. At the same time he handed every time. vention, Marvin Meek, outgoing chairman voiced criticisms of the Springfield action. "We have to have a good political action of the AAM, explained that American Meek stated that the Springfield protest committee," he stressed, "that gets some Bumpers of Arkansas and Congressman Ed farmers are receiving the lowest prices for "was not an official AAM activity." Elabo­ doors open for some other Congressmen to Jones of Tennessee, both Democrats. their produce in relation to their buying rating on his attitude towards the Colorado work through the nuts and bolts of getting In an interview with the Militant, Jenkins power since the Great Depression. protest and the people involved, he said, [what we want] passed into law." elaborated further on his views. ''The farmer "We've been going to Washington, "Most of them have worked hard in the has got to realize he's got to fight his own D.C., for the last five years," he said, "and system for the last three years and have He reported that PAC gave money · to battle," he said. He compared growing we've faced two years of inaction from the given up on it .... I didn't personally 116 candidates last year and that 85 percent foreclosure protests to the civil rights ac­ new Secretary of Agriculture under the agree [with the Springfield action], but I of them were elected. "Don't tell me it tions of Blacks in the 1950s and 1960s. Reagan administration." understand. They're fed up. We're close to doesn't work;," he exclaimed. "I ain't go­ "I'm already paying taxes that cover In discussions with conference partici­ a rebellion in the country if the politicians ing to believe it. congressmen's salaries, including their pants, specific features of this plight were don't do something. But the AAM will not "It feels good to kick one of them out of $9,000 a year raise. I've paid their wages, described. and cannot promote anything like the Colo­ office. It feels as good as tractorcading. so why should I have to pay him more mo­ James Long, a farmer from Paducah, rado protest." Five or six of the ranking Republicans on ney for a vote? Texas, told the Militant, "In 1981 in my Alvin Jenkins, a founding leader of the · the Agriculture Committee are gone. And "You have to be foolish to think farmers county, farmers spent 75 percent of our AAM from Campo, Colorado, expressed a the AAM-PAC helped move them out." can pay $1 , 000 for a vote and that there gross income on interest payments on loans different approach. In a speech to the con­ Meek's strategy was backed up by other isn't some banker who will pay him to bankers. vention as a whole, he explained that one speakers, including U.S. Senator Dale. $5,000. He'll go out to dinner on the farm- ''This year we can't make enough pro­ result of concentrating on PAC had been duction to pay on our interest. And the the loss of grassroots organizing and FmHA [Farm Home Administration] is members. planning to loan 30 percent less than it did Jenkins, one of the leaders of the Spring­ last year." field action, urged the convention to reded­ The American Agricult1 Homer Evans is a dryland farmer from icate AAM to its original slogan, "Do Ulysses, Kansas. He raises wheat and cat­ whatever you can and we will do whatever BY VAL LIBBY of the Brotherhood of Railway Engineers tle on his 2,000-acre farm. it takes to win." This, he explained, was "The problem is," he said, "that we can't NASHVILLE - The American Ag­ to honor farmers' picket lines set up on the significance of Springfield. tracks near their farms. Negotiations were pay our bills. We sold a bushel of wheat for riculture Movement was born out of the 1977 national farmers' strike. This action also carried out with union workers in $3.35 in 1948. Just before I left Kansas to AAM-PAC orientation come to this convention, wheat was selling was initiated by southeastern Colorado warehouses and stockyards, many of for $3.31 a bushel. But my expenses for Concerning the AAM-PAC, Jenkins farmers in response to the inadequacy of whom honored picket lines. Farmers in fue'l, fertilizer, seed, and machinery are said, "I personally cannot support PAC, farm legislation adopted by Congress that Campbell, Missouri, donated food to strik­ way up since World War II ended," Evans because it's not in my heart. I understand year to cope with th~ worsening situation ing coal miners in a conscious effort to explained. politics in Washington, D.C., but I think for farmers. form an alliance between farmers and labor. Dozens of AAM members from around the whole system of PACs is corrupt." The strike was part of a series of farmer the country came to Nashville via Spring­ Jenkins said he would not organize actions that swept across the country in the During the protests, the farmers took field, Colorado, where, a few days before, meetings for PAC, but that he would not fall of 1977. Some of the organizers of their case to state officials. They con­ they had joined several hundred local farm­ try to stop other people from working on these protests had been involved in the Na­ fronted then Secretary of Agriculture ers fighting the sale of Jerry Wright's 320- PAC activities. tional Farmers Organization's holding ac­ Robert Bergland wherever he spoke. acre farm. A government lending agency He announced the opening of an AAM tions in the 1960s. Receiving no positive response, foreclosed on the AAM leader's farm for office in Campo, Colorado, that would be a On Dec. 10, 1977, rallies involving an thousands of farmers on their tractors then nonpayment of mortgage debts. center for grassroots activities of all kinds. estimated 300,000 farmers, ranchers, and poured into Washington, D.C., in January "I'm going to fight farm foreclosures this supporters took place at most state capitols. 1978 for the opening session of Congress. They demanded immediate federal legisla­ Issues debated year," Jenkins emphasized. "And I'll fight On December 14 the strike began. Farm­ them any way I can - physically, mental­ ers in their tractors moved into scores of tion to set prices on farm commodities at The government's failure under both ly, with money, or any way you want to put cities and towns to stop distribution of food levels that would at least cover their costs Democratic and Republican administra­ it. If that embarrasses someone- you're at major warehouses and grain elevators. In of production. tions to do anything about the worsening embarrassed." many places wholesale distributors were problems farmers face, and the mounting He continued, "How many fights will shut down for 24 hours. In some pla~es From January to April of that year, dem­ protests across the country, provided the you win, Alvin? Might not win one. But farmers were subjected to police violence, onstrations were organized in Washington context for the differences that emerged at you're darn sure not going to win one un­ including SWAT teams and attack dogs. and throughout the country. Countless the convention. less you try." Strikers in many states got the agreement hours were spent preparing testimony to House and Senate committees on agricul­ ture, lobbying congressmen, and attempt­ ing to discuss their plight directly with Missouri Iarmer lights 'contempt-of-court' rap President James Carter.

BY VAL LIBBY "District Court Judge Eisle, in his rul­ · "When we started this battle," he said, Carter refuses meeting NASHVILLE - On February 17, Mis­ ing, said Judge Baker didn't have the au­ "we knew it would be hard. And we de­ Carter openly opposed the legislation the souri soybean farmer Wayne Cryts, his thority to levy fines and throw me in jail, cided to accept the worst that could possi­ farmers called for and refused to meet with wife, father, and two other farmers are to but that the district court does," Cryts bly happen to us. We knew if we weren't them. They were wooed, however, by appear at a U.S. District Court hearing in pointed out. willing to accept the worst, that at some vote-hungry legislators, who claimed to Little Rock, Arkansas. "So a couple of weeks ago, Eisle had place along the line, they'd put a penalty support their demands. They convinced the Two years ago Cryts and 3,000 suppor­ federal marshals serve more contempt-of­ on us that we couldn't accept, and we'd farmers to make concessions in order to get ters reclaimed 33,000 bushels of Cryts' court papers on my wife, my dad, myself, quit. So, from the day we started, we knew some kind of legislation adopted. But, in soybeans from a bankrupt elevator in Ris­ and two other farmers from Buffalo, Mis­ we wouldn't give up regardless of what the end, even the more watered-down tine, Missouri. A bankruptcy court had souri. It's a 'show cause' order." they do to us. proposals were defeated in Congress. ruled that all grain being stored in the ele­ He explained that at the February 17 "This has been an injustice that has been The farmers' confidence in the govern­ vator be used to pay the debts of the eleva­ hearing they have to show cause why the going on for years," he explained. "The sit­ ment was shaken in these first months of tor company. judge shouldn't find them in contempt of uation we're in is not unique. This has li­ the AAM's organizing efforts. After the ,When Cryts refused to name those who court. farmers went through their first experi­ helped him regain his soybeans, .bankrupt­ "It could be the same thing as before," terally happened to hundreds and thou­ sands. And it's time to say enough's ences of being beaten and jailed by police, cy Judge Charles Baker held him in con­ Cryts stated. "He could ask me who the enough!" the administration and Congress then turned tempt of court. Cryts spent six weeks in an farmers were that helped me. If he does, a deaf ear to their proposals. Arkansas jail last spring and was finally re­ you know I don't want to go back to jail, When asked what others could do to sup­ After four months in Washington, the leased after being fined $287,000 (the but I will before I allow what I feel is such port the case, Cryts made two suggestions: farmers left stunned. value of his soybeans) and $1 ,500 per day an injustice to go on. I'm going to continue During these months of intensive politi­ until the fine was paid. to protest this. I'm just not going to give "We're asking everybody to contact their congressmen and Senators to tell them to cal activity, the AAM had become a na­ After numerous court appeals, U.S. Dis­ up!" tional organization with a loose structure trict Judge Thomas Eisle struck down Cryts emphasized the importance of get­ change those bankruptcy laws because the people aren't being justly treated. and offices in many locations throughout Judge Baker's decision on Nov. 17, 1982. ting out the word on the issues involved in the country. Cryts, an outgoing vice president of the the case. "We also want all kinds of public sup­ After leaving Washington, many AAM American Agriculture Movement, (AAM) "The battle," he said, "has been over this port. Just knowing that other people think farmers got involved in trying to elect was in Nashville for the organization's na­ bankruptcy law and how they just come in we're right makes it SQ much easier to con­ friendly politicians and to unseat those op­ tional convention.. · In an interview with the and seize private property and take it away tinue the battle." posed to AAM-backed legislation. Skyroc­ Militant, he explained where the case without due process of law or determina­ The AAM convention adopted a resolu­ keting energy costs led some AAM mem­ stands now. tion of ownership. tion supporting Cryts. bers to propose setting up a national foun-

8 The Militant February 4, 1983 "We have got two different directions $500 million grain deal with a Mexican­ that we're going, two different ways," he based fuel company. He explained, "We said. He stated that the AAM needs ana­ want to do what we can to get around some tional office in Washington to carry out of those multinationals" such as Cargill, lobbying efforts. At the same time he af­ Continental, and Ralston-Purina. The ne­ firmed the need for protests and demonstra­ gotiations were approved by the body. tions. He was among the AAM leaders and activists who had participated in the Spring­ Greetings from Canada Militant/Val Libby field action. shville for American Agriculture Movement's fourth convention. There were seven representatives from After the speeches and discussion, a Canada present at the convention. Richard unity proposal supported by all the national Rattai, a farmer from Manitoba, outlined er's $1,000, have a good old time, and then to grant a three-year moratorium on fore­ leaders was adopted unanimously. It pro­ the goals of the Canadian Farmers Survival vote with the banker." closures," Kersey stated, "there aren't go­ vided for keeping the AAM-PAC office in Association, a group formed to fight farm ing to be any farmers left to fight for 100 Washington intact, but clarified that the foreclosures. Many shared Jenkins's view that relying percent of parity." AAM will support actions against foreclo­ on politicians, Democratic or Republican, Commenting on the discussion about sures like the one in Springfield. is not the way forward. Tommy Willis from Brownsville, Ten­ PAC and electoral activity, Kersey argued, Immediately following the vote on the nessee, was elected the new national chair­ "If you want to talk elections we need to unity resolution, Jenkins announced a five­ Good response for Georgia leader man. get together with some like-minded people state Southern Breadbasket Tour that On. display throughout the convention In one of the most enthusiastically re­ on the local level and start at the bottom would leave from the convention. was the National Wagonmaster's tractor ceived speeches, Tommy Kersey, an AAM with our own candidates." The organizing caravan will make daily from the 1979 national tractorcade. There leader from Unadilla, Georgia, explained Some delegates especially emphasized stops, hold news conferences, and set up was a great deal of enthusiasm and pride at his proposals. He called for a three-year the need for unity inside the AAM. Wayne meetings in order to organize more farmers the convention over the recent decision by moratorium on foreclosures on farm loans, Cryts, who became nationally prominent into AAM. A similar tour was organized the Smithsonian Institute to place it in the offering loans to family farmers at only 3 for retrieving his soybeans from a bankrupt by Jenkins and his supporters in December Museum of American History in Washing­ percent interest, and fighting for 100 per­ elevator in Missouri, told the Militant, "I in the Midwest. ton. __The tractor symbolizes the impact the cent parity on prices. think the unity of the conference is the During the convention, Jenkins an­ AAM has already made on American polit­ "If we don't get the federal government most important thing corning out of it. nounced that the AAM was negotiating a ics. .re Movement: what it is and where it came from dation to develop facilities to convert grain their production for parity prices! Develop­ Party is no better than the Democrats con­ order to get Democratic and Republican to fuel-grade alcohol. ments would later prove that the farmers cerning its agriculture policy." legislators elected and better legislation But, regardless of their other activities, did not need a bushel of wheat to gain pass­ Most other AAM activities were subor­ adopted. To this end a Political Action most everyone in the movement agreed to age to the Mall." dinated to election campaigning. The only Committee was established at the AAM work on a national tractorcade to Washing­ The trek started on Jan. 15, 1979. Na­ demonstration organized by the AAM in convention early last year to coordinate this ton in January 1979. tional media coverage was-extensive. The this period was a protest in W as.hington to activity and raise funds. Six tiactorcade routes were designated ranks of farmers swelled as they moved support legislation to aid research for de­ The other approach has been to return to and everyone in the AAM began prepara­ across the country. On February 5, the veloping gasahol. direct action, especially on a local scale. tions. Every detail was attended to and tractors and farmers converged on W ~h­ , After the Reagan victory, Meek used the Many farmers feel betrayed by the politi­ coordinated through a system of state and ington. Numerous skirmishes broke out AAM's Washington office to lobby for cians and want to rely more on their own national wagonmasters. This is excellently with the police. John Block's appointment as Secretary of independent strength. One AAM member­ chronicled in a newly published book Gen­ Instead of repeating their previous de­ Agriculture. But within a few months of writingintheNov.16,1982,issueofAmer­ tle Rebels by Gerald McCathern. (Availa­ mand for new legislation, AAM leaders de­ Reagan's election and the appointment of ican Agriculture News explained it this ble from Food for Thought Publications, cided to lobby for full implementation of Block, AAM members began to see that way: Box 967, Hereford, Texas 79045, $29.95). the 1977 Farm Act. This had a provision the new administration they had stumped "We have learned a lot in our efforts McCathern, a Texas farmer and rancher for increasing the loan level on all basic for was no more willing to solve their prob­ over tlie past five years. We have learned who served as national wagonmaster for commodities to 90 percent of parity (100 lems than Carter was. the politicians are not going to help unless the D.C. tractorcade, writes: percent of parity would set prices at a level Demoralization took place among many forced to and that we must not be detoured "The administration was also aware of whereby farm income supposedly would farmers, and membership in the AAM de­ from our goal by chasing the rainbow they the plans. Someone within government have the same buying power as the rela­ clined. But the deepening crisis for farmers hold out. ... was very interested in learning more about tively good years between 1910 and 1914). also led to growing anger, and protests. "We have learned it is going to take the the plans. When the wagonmasters con­ To gain at least a small measure of im­ Many AAM farmers are now evaluating dedicated effort of many grass roots farm­ vened their meeting in an Oklahoma City mediate relief for family farmers, the pro­ their experiences since 1977 and discus­ ers .... motel, several inquisitive strangers were testers were trying to make the most sing their orientation to the new wave of "We must start having action-AAM nonchalantly observing and listening to the reasonable demand possible by insisting protests. meetings instead of organizational, money­ discussions. that Congress implement the law they had raising meetings. We need tractorcades or "The farmers suspected them to be already passed. Two approaches pickupcades or something similar." F.B.I. agents; however, one of the indi­ Those with this approach in the AAM viduals later turned up as a participant on But even with tens of thousands of farm­ Two different approaches have emerged are helping to le_ad and participate in the di­ the tractorcade and admitted to being an of­ ers camped out on the Mall, they were un- · in the AAM. One is to carry out even more rect action struggles taking place across the ficer of the District of Columbia police, as­ able to win anything from Congress, the vigorous lobbying and electoral activity in country. signed to keep an eye on the farmers who president, or the U.S. Department of Ag­ were going to 'invade' their city. riculture. ''The farmers, as always, had nothing to hide and were very open in their discus­ Defeat Carter sions. They were not plotting insurrection This time when farmers returned home or revolution, and were really doing every­ the principal campaign for many of them thing possible to make certain their ac­ was to defeat James Carter and to elect tivities were not in violation of any laws. Ronald Reagan in the 1980 elections. In the next months, the AAM organized "No one really knew whether the gov­ itself officially and elected its first national ernment would try to stop this massive chairman, Marvin Meek of Plainview, demonstration or not. Some farmers felt Texas. that the tractors would not be allowed on Meek was a delegate to the Democratic the Inter-state highways; others felt that the Party's national convention where he op­ tractors would not be allowed to cross the posed Carter's nomination. Following the Mississippi River; and still others felt that convention, Meek returned to Texas to join even if the tractors made it to Virginia, the National Farmers and Ranchers for they would never be allowed to cross the Reagan Committee. Potomac River into Washington, D.C. Alvin Jenkins, one of the five founding members of the AAM from Campo, Col­ Using the law orado, was a delegate to the Republican na­ "There is an old law on the books which tional convention. Jenkins served on the states that a farmer cannot be prevented convention's platform committee and pres­ from traveling public roads with any kind sured it to adopt a plank favoring price sup­ of vehicle if he is carrying his crop to mar­ ports that would bring prices to 100 percent ket. Using this law as a tool, each farmer of parity. was advised to carry a bushel or a bale of He told the other committee members, his production on his tractor. A 'farmers "If you refuse to endorse parity prices, the market' would be established on the Mall night of the nomination I will rush the in Washington (an empty semi-truck­ speakers' platform, naked if necessary, In 1978 tens of thousands of farmers came to Washington, D.C., to appeal to Con­ trailer) at which point they could "sell" and inform the nation that the Republican gress and White House for relief.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 9 · Fidel Castro speaks on fight against imperialist aggression

BY HARRY RING stated in the Latin American system, Mr. Fidel Castro made an especially impor­ Reagan replied he would be in agreement if tant speech to the Cuban people this past Cuba broke its ties with the Soviet Union. December 11. He assessed the present Has the honorable president of the United stage of U.S. aggression in Central States' ability to reason grown weaker? America and the Caribbean, the threat to "We are prepared to live in peace, in world peace which it constitutes, and the mutual respect, but we will never break our Cuban view of how to effectively resist it. ties with the Soviet Union. Let the impe­ The complete text of the speech ap­ rialists clearly understand that we are not peared in the January 17 issue of Intercon­ the kind of people who break their ties with Fidel Castro tinental Press. (This issue can be purch­ their friends to become the allies of their ased for $1.50 from IP, 14 Charles Lane, enemies. Let the imperialists bear in mind There are many people who have tried to cial change, it became apparent that Wash­ N.Y., N.Y. 10014) that we can't be hired, bought, or intimi­ distort ideas and come up with a sort of hy­ ington was intent on destabilizing and then The speech marked the 26th anniversary dated." brid, a cross between socialist, Marxist­ overthrowing the new government. of the landing of the Gramna in Cuba. To­ Fidel also slammed the imperialist pro­ Leninist ideology and capitalist ideology. As Washington moved toward the 1961 paganda lie that the Soviet Union is respon­ ward the end of November 1956, Fidel and "There can be revolutions, there were in Bay of Pigs invasion, the revolution moved 82 other fighters of the July 26 Movement sible for the revolutionary developments in other times, in past centuries: nationalist, faster in arming and training the people. set sail from Mexico in a small yacht, the Central America. democratic or progressive revolutions . . . Cuba's National Revolutionary Militia Granrna. They landed in Cuba December that was not yet the era of socialism or had to be organized with minimal re­ 2. 'Plain historical truth' Marxism-Leninism. sources. But it overcame all obstacles by Attacked by dictator Fulgencio Batista's "The fact is," Fidel declared, "that the "But now no hybrid can be called revo­ relying on the revolutionary capacity and forces after the landing, only 12 of the 83 East has nothing to do with Central Ameri­ lutionary, no .crossbreed works. How a initiative of the working class. escaped. They regrouped in the Sierra ca and the problems of Central America. process develops is another thing, it goes Maestra and began organizing the guerrilla That is the plain historical truth. The So­ by steps, periods or stages. But today it is Workers' initiative army which toppled the Batista dictator­ viets didn't know even one of the present not possible to speak of revolutionary ideas ship Jan. 1, 1959. "I remember," Fidel recalled, "that then leaders of Nicaragua. That is, during the if they are not inspired by the doctrine of we had virtually no centers for military Discussing Cuba's present high level of the working class, Marxism-Leninism, if period of the revolutionary struggle in Nica­ training, just a few . that were improvised military preparedness, Fidel underlined the their short-, middle-, or long-term objec- ragua, these leaders were unknown to the during the first months. gravity of the present U.S. threat to world Soviets. · tive is not socialism." • peace. "The first militia units were organized in "The same thing holds true for El Salva­ the factories; they trained in the yards of Cuba, he declared, does not "underesti­ Founding of militia dor. There the Communist Party is only one the factories, in the streets, everywhere." mate the imPerialists. We're not afraid of of the five left-wing organizations joined them, no. But we don't underestimate Discussing revolutionary Cuba's record On April 17, 1961 , Washington landed together in the Farabundo Marti Front. of unflinching resistance to U.S. aggres­ a Cuban exile force at the Bay of Pigs. The them. "Communist Parties have contacts "We don't dismiss their threats because sion, Fidel recalled the founding of the people's militia and the Revolutionary among themselves, but with the exception people's militia, which proved decisive in Armed Forces smashed the invasion in 72 we know they are capable of committing of the Communist party of El Salvador - many crimes . . . We know because of defending the revolution in the early hours. militant and independent but small, and not 1960s. Later, the role of the militia itself re­ what they have done here and are doing one of the major groups - the Soviet "We quickly realized the need to incor­ ceded. But with the ominous U.S. moves elsewhere in the world." Union did not know the leaders of these With this dangeous situation, Fidel said, porate the people into the defense of the in 1980 following the extension of the revolutionary organizations and had no country," he said. "I believe it was Lenin socialist revolution to Nicaragua, drastic Cuba wants to make every contribution it contact with them. The same goes for Gua­ who said that the value of a revolution was new steps were taken. can to reducing world tension. temala." "But," he stressed, "peace is also de­ determined by its ability to defend itself. In 1980, said Fidel, "the Yankee im­ Fidel continued, "We Cubans live in this That was how the demand, the clamor, to perialists were no longer bogged down in fended with decision, peace is defended hemisphere. We have relations with the arm our workers, farmers, students and Vietnam; the revolutionary movement was with the courage needed for it." revolutionary movements, we know the manual and intellectual laborers began. growing in Central America; the im­ Driving home the point that retreating in revolutionary leaders in the area. I'm not "This soon showed the imperialists that perialists were again turning their aggres­ the face of the imperialist threat only in­ going to deny it; we know them. But what we were determined to struggle and that sive eyes on our country. . . . We clearly creases the war danger, Fidel added: "We I'm trying to explain here is the enormous this was a people's revolution, for only a saw new danger of an imperialist attack on are not a world power, we are a small coun­ lie of those who try to implicate the Soviet people's revolution can arm the people. our country, and we gave thought to how to try and are willing to make our contribution Union for the same cannot be said of the "Throughout history there have been increase our defenses and power." to peace; but ·one thing we will never ever Soviet Union regarding the .revolutionary thousands of changes of govern­ A call to organize a new Territorial do is give up our principles, never give up leaders in Central America. It is a mali­ ment. . . . There are some processes that Troop Militia was made at a giant May Day our dignity, never ever give up our ideol­ cious lie with a clear aim: to justify imPe­ are even called revolutionary, but for spec­ rally in Havana's Plaza of the Revolution. ogy, our independence." rialist intervention in Central America." ial reasons they are afraid to. arm the peo­ At the same time a request was made of ple. Cuban troops in Angola Character of today's revolutions the Soviet Union, Fidel reported, for "The exploiting classes have always op­ weapons to arm hundreds of thousands of As if to buttress the point, Fidel dis­ Fidel's speech also included an impor­ posed arming the people .... If an ex­ men and women. A positive response, he cussed the status of Cuban troops present in tant contribution to the discussion now go­ ploitative society were to arm the people it said, was received in less than 15 days. Angola and Ethiopia at the request of the ing on among liberation fighters and revo­ would disappear in a question of weeks, In a period of less than two years, the governments there. lutionaries in Latin America and other days or hours. USSR provided weapons that had been He commented, "There's a news dis­ areas of the world. "So this issue in itself indicates whether slated to be delivered over a five-year patch, published yesterday, based on infor­ This debate boils down to the issue: Is it a revolution is genuine or not." period. Washington made a big uproar over mation provided by the CIA, which says possible to achieve liberation and meaning­ When the Cuban revolution came to this massive shipment 9f weapons, charg­ Cuba has reinforced its troops in Angola. ful social progress in colonial countries ing they were being reshipped to Central "I'm not saying here whether that's true power, a top priority was the dismantling within the framework of the capitalist sys­ of the old standing army. The Rebel Army America, particularly to El Salvador. or not; but if we did it we were simply do­ tem? This was a total lie, Fidel declared. He ing our duty in the face of imperialist became the nucleus of the Revolutionary Fidel's answer is an unambiguous no. Armed Forces of the new Cuba. noted that the Cuban arms agreement with threats." In the present era, he declared, "without the Soviet Union included the proviso that He added that, "our armed forces have socialism and Marxism-Leninism, it is ab­ - But more was needed. As the revolution none of the weapons received be reshipped not neglected or been careless for one sin­ solutely impossible to speak of revolution. implemented its program of sweeping so- to a third country. gle moment when it comes to paying spec­ And, Fidel emphasized, "We fulfill our ial interest, special attention to the Cuban agreements." internationalist contingents in Angola and Meanwhile, organization of the Territor­ Ethiopia, and the various military missions Subscribe to INTERCONTINENTAL ial Troop Militia proceeded at a "feverish" that are serving in several countries of the pace. world .... PRESS Intercontinental . illtJrenJT More than 500,000 men and women are "Perhaps ·they thought that by threatening now in the militia and there are at least 1 us we would become nervous, we would Press million more who volunteered · but could recall our internationalist fighters right CENTRAL AMERICA not be accepted because there weren't arms away; but no one got nervous here. That For the most complete coverage on • Rebel Offensive Shakes Salvadoran Army for that many people. Cuba, Fidel said, be­ • U.S.-Honduran Maneuvers Threaten Nicaragua didn't result in a single internationalist - the unfolding revolutions in Central gan manufacturing grenades, so that every fighter returning home; on the contrary, if America, with features such as • 20.000 in Mexico: ·u.s. Out of El Salvador!' • U.S. Workers Hear Salvadoran Union Leader citizen could have something to help de­ the situation warranted it, we were pre­ speeches by Cuban leaders Fidel fend the country with. pared to send reinforcements." Castro, Jesus Montane, and Manuel One major gain resulting from the organ­ "Faced with imperialist threats," he de­ Pineiro on revolutionary strategy in ization of the territorial militia, Fidel said, clared, "wecan'tbackdown ... we can't Central America and the Caribbean, is that 25 percent of its members are wom­ back down an inch, because it would spur interviews with participants in the en, and are proving themselves top-notch them on, encourage them, make them Central American revolutions, and soldiers. bolder. . . . That is why it has been the exclusive reports frorii our correspon­ Fidel noted with pride that the immense philosophy of the Revolution never to back dents on the scene, you should sub­ popularity of the territorial militias is at­ down even an inch in the face of the pres­ scribe to the biweekly IP. $12.50 for tested to by the fact that the workers organ­ sure and the aggression of the imperial­ six months; $25 for one year. izations, and other mass organizations, un­ ists." Mail orders to: Intercontinental dertook a massive fund-raising drive to fi-. Driving the point home even further, nance the effort. Press, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. Quebec Public Workers Call G'eneral Strike Fidel said: 10014. Tens of millions of pesos were collected, "In recent days when the president of and the militia is directly financed by the Colombia hinted that Cuba might be rein- people.

10 The Militant February 4, 1983 Slump hurts workers around.world Reagan cheers inflation slowdown, but workers' costs continue to rise

BY WILLIAM GOTTLIEB As 1983 begins the world capitalist eco­ nomy remains in deep recession. The bur­ dens of this slump are being borne by working people in both the industrialized imperialist countries and the oppressed semicolonial countries. In the United States unemployment offi­ cially exceeds 12 million. With the excep­ tion of 193 3 - the bottom of the Great De­ pression - this undoubtedly is the highest number of jobless in the history of U. S. capitalism. The percentage of unemployed is still below the level of the 1930s. But at the officially recognised level of nearly 11 percent, it is the highest since 1940. There are growing reports of outright hunger among unemployed workers. Lines at soup kitchens are growing longer. Fore­ closures on mortgages are driving many workers out of their homes. The number of homeless has risen greatly. People are seeking shelter under bridges, in steam tun­ nels and subways, and in campgrounds. Tens of thousands are deprived of heat by profit-hungry utilities. Worldwide capitalist economic crisis: Workers in this country (left) suffer as bosses lay otT millions of workers, drive down Workers in Britain, Italy, the Nether­ wages. Workers in Mexico are wracked by credit crisis (money exchange, right, keeps up with peso's decline). B~nks (center) lands, Canada, and Belgium are also suf­ meanwhile rake it in. fering from the effects of double-digit un­ employment. According to official statis­ tics, unemployment in France and West modities at high monopoly prices and sell - stepped up elimination of surplus capital more expensive commodities like homes (a Germany is approaching the double-digit their commodities - usually raw materials and commodities- also involves major dif­ process that has already begun) and au­ level. It has increased dramatically in Aus­ or agricultural produce - at depressed ficulties for the capitalisf class. This would tomobiles (a process which may be begin­ tralia, where the capitalist rulers, until re­ prices. At the same time they have to pay mean deepening the current world slump. ning). cently, boasted that their "Lucky Country" the high prevailing rates of interest in order By slashing production to the bone - as As credit becomes more abundant mer­ was immune to the world recession. In all to obtain badly needed loans to buy indus­ was done in the early 1930's - the huge chants and industrial corporations reduce capitalist countries, the number of un­ trial products. amount of unsold commodities that are the rate at which they pare their inven­ employed workers is rising. Many of these countries have been pressing down on world markets would be tories. This leads to increased orders by pushed to the point where they simply can­ finally eliminated. Increasing production merchants and stepped up production by Cost of living goes up not pay. One semicolonial country after would finally become profitable again for industrial corporations. As workers are re­ another has been forced to reschedule their the monopolies, and a new cycle of called purchases of consumer goods in­ Officials in Washington and in other im­ debts. Mexico is just the most dramatic capitalist expansion would begin (which creases. More industrial capacity is used as perialist capitals claim that their policies example. The Mexican crisis was barely would inevitably end in anew crisis). capitalist profits rise. Eventually industrial are successfully reducing inflation, though "contained" before Brazil almost went But even the most reactionary capitalist corporations fi_nd it profitable to make admittedly at the cost of worsening the re­ bankrupt. Another hurried "rescue" (of the governments fear the consequences of the major capital investments, a process that cession. As far as working people are con­ banks, not the workers and peasants) had to way their own system operates. If there are leads to boom, overproduction, and finally cerned, this is a cynical trade-off. This is be arranged. Of course, rescheduling 12 million unemployed in the . United a new crisis. especially true consi~ering that the c_ost ()f means even higher fees that the oppressed, States now, how many unemployed will While -it is too soon to be certain that an­ living continues to rise. True, the rate of countries have to pay. there be if overproduction were liquidated in upturn is about to get underway, it is im­ increase has gradually declined as the The brunt of paying off these mammoth a really thorough manner? And what would ~ portant to realize that such an upturn, when capitalist recession has dragged on. But debts falls on the workers and peasants be the political consequences of unemploy­ it comes, will likely give a considerable prices continue to rise, especially rents, who fall victim to the austerity measures ment that has no historical precedents? impulse to working class resistance. utilities, medical care, transportation, etc., that the bankers impose as a condition for Capitalist governments are thus begin­ Threats by bosses to close plants if con­ and the cost of living continues to set new new loans. ning to implement policies that can tum cessions are not forthcoming from the records month after month. Yet, while banking capital is raking in around the recession in their countries. workers carry far less weight when produc­ Joel Popkin, a former assistant commis­ big profits at the expense of the oppressed This will inevitably lead to a new round of tion is rising. And workers who have been sioner of prices in the Bureau of Labor nations, they face some risks. inflation. The Federal Reserve Board has forced to accept wage cuts and other sac­ Statistics, admitted in December that If amidst the current wave of ban­ expanded the currency it issues by almost rifices, because they were told they would people don't see the difference between a 6 kruptcies of capitalist firms, these coun­ 8 percent in the last year, a definitely in­ lose their jobs, will be especially motivated percent and 3 percent increase. "It's the di­ tries were to totally default on their debts, flationary rate of growth. The Federal Re­ to get back what they lost. rection of change that counts," he said. the capital of many of the big imperialist serve Board and private banks together "People still notice that prices are going banks would be wiped out. Credit would have increased the U.S. money supply Rocky road ahead up" - not that the inflation rate is going collapse and the capitalist world would (currency plus checking accounts) by an Is it possible for the coming upswing in down. face the worst crisis in its history. even faster rate of 8.4 percent. This does not mean that no prices have Even if outright defaults are avoided, business to lead to a return of the kind of Increased expansion of credit is being capitalist prosperity that followed World fallen. The prices of agricultural com­ and a banking crisis is staved off for now, engineered on a world scale. After the War II? modities and mineral raw materials, in­ the world capitalist economy is far from Mexican crisis the Reagan administration No. The huge overproduction that led to cluding oil, have fallen. In some cases out of the woods. Faced with severe cash dropped its opposition to expanding the In­ the current crisis has not been liquidated these price declines have been dramatic. shortages and the need to service their ternational Monetary Fund pool of lenda­ sufficently to allow this. For all its severity The big monopolies that own oil and mounting debts, countries like Mexico and ble money. The imperialist governments Brazil are forced to slash imports. This can the current world capitalist depression is mineral interests protect the profits of their agreed to expand these monetary resources still far from matching that of the 1930's. stockholders, bondholders, and bankers by contribute to a decline in the exports from by some $30 billion. the imperialist countries. This, in tum, The shift towards inflationary monetary slashing production. But this course is not policies means that accumulated over­ leads to layoffs and increased unemploy­ Signs of an upturn? open to family farmers. They have to main­ production will not be liquidated for some­ ment in the imperialist countries. The re­ tain a constant cash flow if fhey are to The U.S. economy, in response to in­ time to come. Any economic recovery - sult is an even greater contraction of world avoid bankruptcy. They cannot move their creased inflation and record-breaking no matter how modest - will add to it. "capital" from agriculture to profitable sec­ trade. Unless this decline of world trade is reversed, the world recession will deepen budget deficits, failed to begin an upturn This will make inevitable an even more tors of indu&try. If anything they are driven during 1982. This came as a surprise to explosive economic crisis in a few years. further. to increase production more when prices of many capitalist economists. Virtually all of Nor has there been a new divison of the agricultural produce fall. As a result, while them had predicted that recovery would world market among the major imperialist industrial production has declined, agricul­ The capitalist 'solution' begin in 1982. powers that corresponds to their real tural production has continued to set re­ The root cause of the world depression is Does the failure of a recovery to develop economic strength. The continuing in­ cords. the overproduction of commodities - not in 1982 mean that an economic upswing is crease in protectionist pressures illustrates A special feature of the current crisis has in relation to what the majority of people excluded in the near future? Have we en­ this. been the extraordinarily high level of in­ need, but in relation to the ability of the tered a period of ever-deepening economic At best the coming recovery will mean terest rates. High interest rates have occur­ capitalists to sell them at a profit. This crisis without upturns? continued massive unemployment for red for brief periods during other capitalist overproduction is rooted in the prolonged Not at all. Swings in the capitalists' bus­ workers, skyrocketing inflation, and a new crises. But never before have interest rates boom of world capitalist production and iness cycle will continue as long as rise in interest rates. Indeed during recent remained so high for such a long time. As trade following World War II. This period capitalism exists. This time too, as in the recoveries the rate of unemployment has a result finance capital - the most parastic came to an end in the 1970s. past, a business upswing will follow the been at levels that previously only existed form of capital - has been making unpre­ The way out for the capitalists is to redi­ depression. Indeed there are signs pointing during periods of recession. The coming cedented profits. The recession has not vide the world market and step up the de­ toward a certain upturn in the not too dis­ recovery will see unemployment at even been a crisis for the big banks. struction of surf>lus capital and com­ tant future. Housing starts have been rising higher levels. Family farmers, who have to obtain modities. In the past the redivision of the in the last few months. The stock market If recent recoveries are any guide, the loans in order to produce, are especially world market has meant world wars be­ has rallied dramatically. Interest rates have rising phase of the business cycle will be victimized by the usurious interest rates. At tween the major imperialist powers. The declined, though they are still at very high marked by huge monopolistic price goug­ the same time they are forced to buy farm overwhelming military superiority of the levels. ing and contrived shortages. Real wages machinery, seed, fertilizer, etc., at U.S. rulers today makes that "solution" All this points to some easing in credit may well continue to decline as price in­ monopoly-rigged prices. very unlikely. Intensified trade conflicts conditions. Such an easing precedes the creases escalate. This is what a capitalist Like family farmers, semicolonial coun­ can be expected, however. upswing in the capitalist business cycle. It "economic recovery" offers working tries are forced to buy industrial com- The other part of the capitalist solution encourages the purchases of relatively people.

F ebruary 4, 1983 The Militant 11 N.Y. exhibition· of Cuban photographs and. .posters

"Cuban Photography, 1959-1982" and "Cuban Cuban people over a U.S.-sponsored invasion. managed to penetrate the popular consciousness in Poster Art: a retrospective 1961-1982," two exhibi­ The vantage point is novel in a number of photos. One capitalist countries. tions at the Westbeth Gallery, New York City. by Mayito, "Desfile en Ia Plaza de Ia Revoluci6n" (Dem­ A lot of the posters in this display are manifestly poli­ onstration in the Plaza of the Revolution), 1960, is a mass tical; they have a revolutionary message without being BY DIANE JACOBS demonstration shot from directly above, but close enough hackneyed or succumbing to socialist realism. Fidel sup­ It's not surprising that a 24-year retrospective of so the people don't dissolve into ants. It makes a dizzying ported the stylistic freedom of Cuban artists in a famous Cuban photography and poster art would tum up in anal­ statement about popular support for the revolution. speech in the 1960s in which he stated, "Our enemies are. ternative space on the far West Side of Manhattan instead Many pictures in the show convey this excitement. capitalists and imperialists, not abstract art," and "within of a major U.S. museum. But we're fortunate to see such Several by Corrales stand out: Fidel, from behind, ad­ the Revolution, everything . . . " a phenomenal collection of work at all. dressing a huge crowd (1960); a squadron of soldiers on There are many familiar posters among the 167 in this The display - more than 250 pieces dating from the horseback who approach the viewer head-on with Cuban show: images of Che Guevara taken from the famous beginning of the Cuban revolution to the present - is flags flying in the wind (1960); and, my favorites, from photograph by Korda (also included here), Alberto Gon­ the series "Escuela al campo" (Take the Schools to the zalez Rostgaard's rose with a bleeding thorn, Raul Mar­ Fields), 1980, joyful young women taking a break from tinez's brightly colored multiple-frame posters for films working in the fields by dancing and doing backbends. like Lucia, and Rene Mederos's 1969 and 1971 silk IN REVIEW These last pictures are so perfectly framed they look screens dedicated to the Vietnamese people. choreographed. Cuban film posters were among the first to win inter­ sponsored by the Center for Cuban Studies and 14 artists The Cuban people are captured here in all their variety, national acclaim. They also pioneered a more abstract and art critics, in collaboration with the Cuban Ministry from Osvaldo Salas's rich-textured portraits of celebrities style. My favorites in this show are the dark expressionist of Culture. to Tito Alvarez's studies of the old and young people and works by Rene Azcuy _ In the catalogue notes is the statement, "The photo­ animals in his very ordinary neighborhood. One poster fascinated me not only for its design but for graphic movement was the Revolution's most representa­ Some of the recent work is more experimental. There its political message: a hand holding a small screw ex­ tive artistic expression at the outset." This is true. If there are no full-color prints, but we see some interesting tends downward from a sleeve made of bureaucratic­ is a-distinctly Cuban art, it is the work of Korda (Alberto examples of handtinting and collage. I liked a 1981 series agency-type file cards. Beneath the hand, the word Diaz Gutierrez), Corrales (Raul Corral Varela), Mayito by Raul Martinez - black and white photos of Havana "burocratismo." (Mario Garcia Joya) and other photojournalists who street posters, areas of which are selectively painted. The complete freedom of style and expression in all traveled to the battlefront with Fidel and Che Guevara­ Marucha's work deserves special mention. Maria this work says more about the extent of democracy in often as soldiers - and accompanied the first literacy Eugenia Haya (the only woman of 19 photographers in Cuban society than anything but a trip to Cuba. brigades to teach the population to read. this show) has done screenwriting, set-design, and re­ The two catalogues - one for photography, one for One extraordinary photo from this early period, "Playa search in addition to photography. The very informative posters - contain interesting histories of Cuban photo­ Giron" (Bay of Pigs), by Corrales, frames the sea, with a catalogue notes were adapted from her book, A History graphy and poster art and brief biographies of some of the · ship burning in the background. In the middleground, on of Cuban Photography . artists. There is a separate list of titles of the works , a a promontory jutting from the right, are people watching In her 1980-81 series "En el liceo" (In the High number of which are for sale. with their backs to us-Cuban soldiers and others. In the School) we can get a glimpse of the difference between The show will be at W estbeth Gallery, 463 West Street foreground, between us and the watchers, is a strip of an art of alienation produced by a capitalist culture and (comer Bank St.), New York City, through February 9. ·sea. The picture has an eerie beauty, powerful even if we art that comes out of a revolutionary society. Gallery hours are I p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through didn't know the history behind it - the triumph of the The poster, more than any other Cuban art form, has Saturday.

--· CALENDAR------~~------ALABAMA MASSACHUSETTS 6, 7:30p.m. 71 1 NW Everett. Donation: $1.50. WEST VIRGINIA Ausp: Militant Forum. For more information Birmingham Boston call (502) 222-7225. Morgantown The. Attacks on Abortion Rights. Speakers: Women in Nicaragua. Slide presentation by Speakout Against Takeback Contracts. Diane McEwen,lobbyist for Women's Agenda; Jane Roland, 1982 Socialist Workers candidate Speakers: Bill Hovland, 1982 Socialist Workers representative of Young Socialist Alliance. for U.S. Senate, recently returned from candidate for U.S. Senate, member United Sat., Jan. 29, 7:30p.m. 205 18th St. S. Dona­ Nicaragua. Sun., Jan. 30, 7:30p.m. 510 Com­ VIRGINIA Mine Workers of America Local 2095; Susan tion: $2. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more infor­ monwealth Ave. (Kenmore T Stop). Donation: Newport News Anmuth, laid-off auto worker; Joey Rothen­ mation call (205) 323-3079. $2. Ausp: Militant Forum. 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Sun. , Jan. 30, 7 p.m. 6404 Woodward The U.S. War Against the Nicaraguan Revo­ Why Can't Everybody Have a Job? Socialist Ave. Donation: $2. Militant Labor Forum. For Seaside lution. Speaker: Francisc~ Campbell, first sec­ educational weekend on capitalist myths vs. Introduction to Socialism Class Series. The more information call (313) 875-5322. retary, Embassy of Nicaragua. Fri., Feb. 4, 8 working-class solutions. I) Capitalism's Communist Manifesto, Sat. , Jan. 29, 11 a.m.; p.m. 3106 Mt. Pleasant St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Economic Crisis and the Working-Class Solu­ and America's Road to Socialism, Sat., Feb. 5, Militant Forum. For more information call tion. Speaker: Andy Rose, former editor, Mili­ 11 a.m. 1043A Broadway. Ausp: Young NEW YORK (202) 797-7699. tant. Sat., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m. Socialist Alliance and Socialist Workers Party. Brooklyn 2) Two Classes on the Corporate War on Work­ For more information call (408) 899-4732 or U.S. vs tbe Irish Freedom Struggle. Speakers: ers: Here and Abroad. Sun., Feb. 6, I p.m. and 373-8347. George Harrison, defendent acquitted in "Free­ 3 p.m. 4704 W Lisbon Ave. Donation: $4, dom Five" trial in Brooklyn Federal Court; WASHINGTON $1.50 per session. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. Sandy Boyer, coordinator of H-Block/Armagh Seattle For more information caJI (41 4) 445-2076. Committee. Translation to Spanish. Sat. , Feb. Reagan's War on Women's Rights: A Strat· FLORIDA 5, 7:30p.m. 335 Atlantic Ave. Ausp: Militant egy to Fight Back. Speaker: Donna Mistler, Rally Demanding: No Cuts in Unemploy­ Miami Labor Forum. For more information call (212) Young Socialist Alliance. Sun., Jan. 30, 7 p.m. ment Benefits. Sat., Feb. 5, 1:30 p.m. Smith Defend the Right to Safe and Legal Abortion. 852-7922. 4868 Rainier Ave. S. Donation: $2. Ausp: Mil­ Steelworkers Hall, 3651 N 27th St. Ausp: Com­ A public forum and discussion. Translation to itant Forum. For more information call (206) mittee for Survival of the Unemployed. For Spanish and Creole. Fri., Feb. 4, 8 p.m. 1237 Schenectady 723-5530. more information call (414) 445-581 6. NW 119th St., North Miami. Donation: $1.50. El Salvador Will Win: A Tribute to Terry Ausp: Militant Forum. For more information Santana. Speakers: Kathy Button, Young call (305) 769-3478. Socialist Alliance. Sat., Jan. 29, 8 p.m. 323 State St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Workers ·suffer in Conrail takeover Forum. For more information call (518) 374- GEORGIA 1494. Continued from back page in defending the contract. Atlanta and yard switching has been eliminated. They have already scored some small Nicaragua: An Eyewitness Report and Slide Passenger crews are now being forced to successes by winning the right for the local Show. Speaker: Fred Royce, technical advisor OHIO do yard switching jobs during swing time. chairmen to attend the negotiations and im­ at Luis Hernandez Aguilar School of Agricul­ This will result in the loss of more jobs. proving the communications among the lo­ ture Mechanization in Nicaragua. Sat., Feb. 5, Cincinnati These temporary agre!;!ments have given cals. They organized a mailgram campaign 7:30p.m. 504 Flat Shoals. Donation: $2. Ausp: C:risis Facing American Farmers: Fight the workers a taste of the givebacks and Militant Labor Forum. For more information Against Foreclosures. Speakers: Val Libby, around the slogan "We won't work 12 have added fuel to the fire by strengthening call (404) 577-4065. Militant reporter at 1983 American Agriculture hours for 8 hours' pay." As a result, engi­ Movement convention; representative of Ohio the will of the workers to fight. Said one neers currently have only two hours unpaid Family.Farmers Movement. Sun., Feb. 6, 7:30 NJT conductor, "My wife says I'm crazy if swing time per day , as compared to four ILLINOIS p.m. 4945 Paddock Rd. Donation: $2. Ausp: 1 don't fight this." hours for train crews. The engineers have Militant Labor Forum. For more information led the fight to defeat a tentative contract Chicago There is pervasive anger on the part of call (513) 242-7161. that would make the swing time perman­ School Desegregation: the Fight Continues. the rail workers bearing the brunt of the of­ ent. Speakers to be announced. Translation to fensive. The response has been confused Spanish. Sat., Feb. 5, 7:30p.m. 555 W Adams. Cleveland Donation: $2.50. Ausp: Militant Forum. For Labor's Fight Against Concessions. Speakers and disorganized for t he most part, because The entire BLE bureaucracy has pitted more information call (312) 559-9046. to be announced. Fri., Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. 2230 many workers are just beginning to thi~ itself against Division 50 I and its leader­ Superior. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor out what sort of response is needed. The to­ ship and is trying to impose limits on what Forum. For more information call (216) 579- tal failure of leadership on the part of union the workers can presently achieve. 9369. bureaucrats acts to retard the will to fight, But Division 501's method of fighting MARYLAND but we can see the beginning of a fightback - by organizing and mobilizing the mem­ OREGON developing in the Brotherhood of Locomo­ Baltimore bership - points the way forward and mer­ Portland tive Engineers (BLE) on NJT. What Socialists Stand For: Working-Class its watching as the battle in New York con­ Solutions to the Capitalist Crisis. Speaker: The Washington Public Power Supply Sys­ Stuart Crome, Young Socialist Alliance Na­ tem Fiasco: Who ·Should Pay? Speakers: The militant leadership of BLE Division tinues to unfold. tional Committee. Sun., Feb. 6, 7:30p.m. 2913 Steve Ferrell, member, Association of Western 501 in New York City has been undertak­ Greenmount Ave. Domition: $2. Ausp: Young Pulp and Paper Workers; Commissioner of ing a drive for the past nine months to Tom Pontolillo is vice-chairman of Div­ Socialist Alliance. For more information call Cowlitz County Public Utility District; Ron broaden the response of the engineers and ision 501 of the Brotherhood ofLoco motive (301) 235-0013. Richards, Socialist Workers Party. Sun., Feb. involve the rank and file of the area's locals Engineers.

12 The Militant February 4, 1983 U.S. exploits MIA·issue to attack Vietnam

BY WILL REISSNER concerning the MIA question because of been established to coordinate the effort. In recent months the Reagan administra­ this campaign," said Nguyen Ngoc Dung, The Vietnamese have sent several teams tion has increasingly used the question of Vietnam's deputy representative to the of technicians to Hawaii for training by the so-called missing-in-action U.S. service­ UN, in a December 15 interview with the Pentagon's Joint Casualty Resolutioft men (MIAs) to block progress toward nor­ Militant. Center and Central Identification Labora­ malization of relations with Vietnam. Ac• Ambassador Dung pointed out that the tory in techniques of identifying human re­ cording to the Pentagon, the bodies of Vietnamese deeply resent the Reagan ad­ mains. nearly 2,500 U.S. troops have never been ministration's attempt to incite public opin­ Last October, Hanoi and Washington recovered from Indochina. ion on this particular question. "Vietnam agreed to four annual visits to Vietnam by The White House has worked closely has made great efforts to find American ~. S. technicians to provide further train­ with the National League of Families of MIAs," she said, even though it is a poor . mg. American Prisoners and Missing in South­ country only now beginning to recover Nine delegations from the State Depart­ east Asia to keep this issue before the pub­ from three decades of war waged by ment and Pentagon have visited Vietnam liCin an emotion-laden manner. It has also French and American imperialism. since the end of the war to work on the lobbied intensively in Congress for resolu­ "The question of MIAs is not restricted MIA question. tions backing the administration's MIA to Americans," Dung stressed. "We have Moreover, since the end of the war, policy. thousands of missing of our own from the Vietnam has turned over 80 bodies to U.S. The MIA question is tailor-made for the years of war. In my family alone there are authorities. Most recently, on Oct. 14, administration's aim of preventing any im­ two whose fate remains unknown." 1982, Vietnamese officials turned over provement in relations with Vietnam. The Washington's attempt to use the MIA five more and material evidence on three White House knows that its demand for a issue against Vietnam ends up being coun­ other Americans. full accounting of all the MIAs is impossi­ terproductive, Dung asserted. "U.S. hostil­ Despite Vietnam's record of coopera­ ble because most of the bodies of MIAs ity makes it more difficult for us to tion, the White House, Pentagon, and :1 will never be found. Many were airmen mobilize our own people to take part in the many families of MIAs continue to raise Mim:anu~~uzaDilte ·Haig lost at sea or in the jungles of Laos and search process." wild charges against the Vietnamese. Vietnam's Nguyen Ngoc Dung: "U.S. Kampuchea. Others were buried by peas­ When members of the National League Although the Pentagon . itself ac­ smears are an attempt to isolate Vietnam ants a decade or more ago in unmarked of Families visited Vietnam last Sep­ knowledges that all but 8 of the nearly and its revolutionary example." graves. tember, they were told that people often 2,500 MIAs are known to be dead, high ad­ The emotional appeal of this issue was asked "why are we always looking for the ministration officials have repeatedly mount covert raids into that country. The made clear by the response to a call by the remains of Americans when the U.S. gov­ charged that some MIAs may still be pris­ supposed evidence for the existence of the network television program Real People ernment acts with such hostility toward oners in Vietnam and Laos. Americans turned out to be aerial recon­ for viewers to write to Vietnam's United Vietnam?" For example, at a Pentagon ceremony naissance photos in which some figures Nations mission asking about the fate of Vietnam has, in fact, expended consid­ for five hundred relatives of MIAs held on cast longer shadows than would be ex­ the MIAs. erable energy in the search for the remains Reagan's "National POW-MIA Recogni­ pected of Asians! "Everyday we get thousands of letters of U.S. personnel. A special office has tion Day" last July 9, Secretary of Defense In a sensational article in the July 11, Caspar Weinberger stated "we are proceed­ 1982, Parade Sunday newspaper supple­ ing on the assumption that some Americans ment, Nguyen Due Yen, who left Vietnam are still alive and still being held." in 1979, told of seeing dozens of American Meatpackers fight lockout This charge was repeated by President fliers held prisoner in Vietnam long after Reagan himself in a letter to the National all the prisoners of war were released. BY ROBERT CONNOLLY nonunion shops in Tennessee and Arkan­ League of Families. Reagan wrote that the While his "revelations" made a big splash, less attention was paid to the fact CINCINNATI - On January 3, 350 sas. administration is working "on the assump­ members of the United Food and Commer­ The current contract expired on De­ tion that at least some Americans are still that Defense Department lie detector tests indicated that Yen had "fabricated" the in­ cial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 A were cember 31 . Kahns is demanding a three­ held captive." locked out of their jobs at the Kahns Pack­ year wage freeze, no cost-of-living raises, Naturally these baseless claims are formation about sighting U.S. pilots, as ing Co., a division of the huge conglomer­ the hiring of new workers at up to $3.64 seized upon and repeated by those families well as personal data about himself. of the MIAs who are involved in this cam: Ambassador Dung noted that Washing­ ~te Consolidated Foods. On Dec. 23, below scale, and cutting pensions for new ton's campaign around the MIAs is only hires by 50 percent. paign. Ann Mills Griffiths, executive di­ 1982, prior to the lockout, 150 other ·one of a series of slanders against Vietnam. workers were given lay-off notices. Anoth­ Union members soundly rejected this rector of the National League of Families, "These smears are an attempt to isolate er 150 have been laid off since 1981. "take it or leave it" offer by a vote of 365- claimed in a letter to the New York Times Vietnam and its revolutionary example," The layoffs and lockout are part of an 64. that "there is convincing evidence that live she maintained, noting that "the United ongoing attempt at union-busting by Kahns says that since the workers reject­ Americans are still being held in Vietnam." States has tremendous resources at its dis­ Kahns. For the past three years Kahns has ed the contract, next they would have But these contentions are based on the posal to spread lies." been demanding contract concessions from struck the plant, so it laid them off in ad­ flimsiest of evidence. The Defense Intelli­ the UFCW. In 1981 Kahns took back vance. Kahns is calling it a layoff due to a gence Agency (DIA) claims there are 426 $1.05 an hour in wages. This added over labor dispute. This lie is an attempt to pre­ cases of alleged live sightings of Amer­ $1 million to Kahn's profit picture and ex­ vent workers from being able to file for un­ icans in Indochina, including three in ecutive salaries. employment benefits. 1982. One DIA official, however, admit­ SUBSCRIBE TO Kahns is making money hand over fist There are currently three charges pend­ ted to the Washington Post: "The attitude is and they admit it. It is estimated by the ing against Kahns by the National Labor that you have to believe there is at least one 'PERSPECTIVA MUNDIAL' guy being held against his will just to main­ UFCW that they took in over $15 million Relations Board. The charges include ref­ Biweekly, Spanish-language sis­ in 1981. But they have consistently threat­ usal to pay cost-of-living raises, illegally tain a level of vigilance in checking these ened to close the Cincinnati plant because modifying the contract, and refusal to bar­ things out. Unfortunately, we haven't been ter publication of the Militant. they feel that they can make more money if gain in good faith with the UFCW. able to prove that's the case." Rates: $2.50 for 6 issues, $8.00 they move their operations south. Effective The Kahns workers are fighting a bitter In many instances, the reported Amer­ for 6 months, or $16.00 for one as of the January 3 lockout, they have battle with the meatpacking bosses. They icans in Vietnam have turned out to be year. Send name, address, and moved all of their operations except have provided Cincinnati workers with an Scandinavian technicians or Russian advis­ payment to Perspectiva Mundial, slaughtering to a new facility in Claryville, important example by standing up to the ers. 408 West St., New York, NY Kentucky, currently a nonunion shop. bosses' demand for concessions and their The CIA used the excuse of a 1981 re­ 10014. They have previously contracted out to union-busting attacks. port of Americans being held in Laos to -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP------

Where to f"md tbe Socialist Workers Party, Gary: SWP, YSA, 3883 Broadway. Zip: NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 11-A 16823. Tel: (814) 238-3296. Young Socialist Alliance, and socialist books 46409. Tel: (219) 884-9509. Indianapolis: Central Ave. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341 . RHODE ISLAND: Providence: YSA, P.O. and pamphlets SWP, YSA, 4850 N. College. Zip: 46205. Tel: NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque: SWP, Box 261 , Annex Station. Zip: 02901. (317) 283-6149. YSA, 1417 Central Ave. NE. Zip: 87106. Tel: TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Mike Rose, 7409 ALABAMA: Birmingham: SWP, YSA, IOWA: Cedar Falls: YSA, c/o Jim Sprall, (505) 842-0954. Berkman Dr. Zip: 78752. Tel. (512) 452-3923. 205 18th St. S. Zip: 35233. Tel: (205) 323- 803 W. lith St. Zip: 50613. Des Moines: NEW YORK: Capital District (Schenec­ Dallas: SWP, YSA, 2817 Live Oak. Zip: 3079. YSA, P.O. Box 1165. Zip: 50311. tady): SWP, YSA, 323 State St. Zip: 12305. 75204. Tel: (214) 826-4711. Houston: SWP, ARIZONA: Phoenix: SWP, YSA, 611 E. KENTUCKY: Louisville: SWP, YSA, 809 Tel: (518) 374-1494. New York, Brooklyn: YSA, 4806 Almeda. Zip: 77004. Tel: (713) Indian School. Zip: 85012. Tel: (602) 274- E. Broadway. Zip: 40204. Tel: (502) 587-8418. SWP, YSA, 335 Atlantic Ave. Zip: 11201. Tel: 522-8054. San Antonio: SWP, YSA, 337 W. 7399: Tucson: SWP, P.O. Box 2585. Zip: (212) 852-7922. New York, Manhattan: Josephine. Zip: 78212. Tel: (512) 736-9218. 85702. Tel: (602) 622-3880 or 882-4304. LOUSIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, SWP, YSA, 79 Leonard. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) UTAH: Price: SWP, YSA, 23 S. Carbon CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, 3207 Dublin St. Zip: 70118. Tel: (504) 486- 226-8445. New York: City-wide SWP, YSA, Ave., Suite 19, P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380- 8048. 79 Leonard. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) 925-1668. (801) 637-6294. Salt Lake City: SWP, YSA, 9460. Oakland: SWP, YSA, 2864 Telegraph MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, 677 S. 7th East, 2nd Floor. Zip: 84102. Tel: Ave. Zip: 94609. Tel: (415) 763-3792. San 2913 GreeOilOount Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) NORTH CAROLINA: Piedmont: SWP, (801) 355-1124. Diego: SWP, YSA, 1053 15th St. Zip: 92101. 235-0013. YSA, 216 E. 6th St., Winston-Salem. Zip: VIRGINIA: Tidewater Area (Newport Tel: (619) 234-4630. San Francisco: SWP, MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA, 27101. Tel: (919) 723-3419. News): SWP, YSA, 5412 Jefferson Ave., Zip YSA, 3284 73rd St. Zip: 94110. Tel: (415) 824- 510 Commonwealth Ave. , 4th Floor. Zip: OffiO: Cincinnati: SWP, YSA, 4945 Pad­ 23605. Tel: (804) 380-0133. 1992. San Jose: SWP, YSA, 461f2Race St. Zip: 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4621. dock Rd. Zip: 45237. Tel: (513) 242-7161. WASffiNGTON,.D.C.: SWP, YSA, 3106 95126. Tel: (408) 998-4007. Seaside: Pathfin­ MICffiGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, 6404 Cleveland: SWP, YSA, 2230 Superior. Zip: Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) der Books, 1043A Broadway, Seaside. Zip: Woodward Ave. Zip: 48202. Tel: (313) 875- 44114. Tel: (216) 579-9369. Toledo: SWP, 797-7699. Baltimore-Washington District: 93955. Tel: (408) 394-1855. 5322. YSA, 2120 Dorr St. Zip: 43607. Tel: (419) 536- 2913 Greenmount Ave., Baltimore, Md. Zip: COLORADO: Denver: SWP, YSA, 126 MINNESOTA: Mesabi Iron Range: SWP, 0383. 21218. Tel: (301) 235-0013. W. 12th Ave. Zip: 80204. Tel: (303) 534-8954. YSA, 112 Chestnut St., Virginia, Minn. 55792. OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, 711 NW WASHINGTON: Seattle: SWP, YSA, FLORIDA: Miami: SWP, YSA, 1237 NW Send mail to P.O. Box 1287. Zip: 55792. Tel: Everett. Zip: 97209. Tel: (503) 222-7225. 4868 Rainier Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: 119th St. , North Miami. Zip: 33167. Tel: (305) (218) 749-6327. Twin Cities: SWP, YSA, 508 PENNSYLVANIA: Edinboro: YSA, Edin­ (206) 723-5330. 769-3478. N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: boro State College. Zip: 16444. Tel: (814) 734- WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: SWP, GEORGIA: Atlanta: SWP, YSA, 504 Flat (612) 644-6325. 4415. Harrisburg: SWP, YSA, 803 N. 2nd St. YSA, 1584 A Washington St. East. Zip: 25311. Shoals Ave. SE. Zip: 3031"6. Tel: (404) 577- MISSOURI: Kansas City: SWP, YSA, Zip: 17102. Tel: (717) 234-5052. Philadel­ Tel: (304) 345-3040. Morgantown: SWP, 4065. 4715A Troost. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 753- phia: SWP, YSA, 5811 N. Broad St. Zip: YSA, 957 S. University Ave. Zip: 26505. Tel: ILLINOIS: Chicago: SWP, YSA, 555 W. 0404. St. Louis: SWP, YSA, 3109 S. Grand, 19141. Tel: (215) 927-4747 or 927-4748. (304) 296-0055. Adams. Zip: 60606. Tel: (312) 559-9046. #22. Zip: 63116. Tel: (314) 772-4410. Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, 141 S. Highland Ave. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, INDIANA: Bloomington: YSA, Activities NEBRASKA: Lincoln: YSA, P.O. Box Zip: 15206. Tel: (41 2) 362-6767. State Col­ 4707 W. Lisbon Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) Desk, Indiana Memorial Union. Zip: 47405. 80238. Zip: 68501. Tel: (402) 475-8933. lege: YSA, P.O. Box 464, Bellefonte. Zip: 445-2076.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Truckers' struggle: what stand should labor take? Union openings on El Salvador The call by independent truckers for a nationwide shut­ down on January 31 has alerted many workers to the On January 21, the Reagan administration certified called a "significant defection," the top AFL-CIO offi­ plight these drivers face. Farrell Dobbs, former national that the generals running El Salvador were making prog­ cials have come out against certifying the Salvadoran re­ secretary of the Socialist Workers Party and a leader of ress in upholding human rights .. He proposed renewing gime, which means cutting off its aid. the Teamsters in the 1930s, takes up labor's approach to open military and economic aid for the dictatorship. This action is welcome indeed and represents a major independent truckers in his four-volume series on the Teamsters. An appendix to Dobbs's Teamster Politics, The same di_iy that certification was announced, the opportunity for antiwar trade unionists. The AFL-CIO's criminal stand of bolstering Washington's policy in El titled "How the Teamsters Union Organized Independent Reagan administration disclosed proposed regulations Truckers in the 1930s," describes the class-struggle ap­ denying federal education loans to students who refuse to Salvador has been a big obstacle to labor involvement in antiwar activity. The shift in stance on the part of AFL­ proach developed by revolutionary socialists who helped register for the draft. The regulations would take effect in lead the drive to organize the Teamsters in the Midwest. July. · CIO officials means greater opportunities to directly in­ volve trade unions in the fight to get the U.S. government Dobbs explains: Maj. Gen. Thomas Turnage, head of the Selective Ser­ "During the depression of the 1930s individually vice System, put it this way, "If a man does not accept out of El Salvador. Already the potential has been shown by the warm re­ owned trucks appeared in the transportation industry in the basic responsibility of a society, he has no claim to ever-increasing numbers. A major factor in this develop­ the benefits of that society." ception given to Alejandro Molina Lara, a leader of the Salvadoran trade union movement who has been touring ment was an intensive sales campaign by the auto corpo- The capitalist rulers have been pressing hard to con­ in the United States. Everywhere Molina Lara has spo­ vince working people to accept serving as cannon fodder ken, whether to coal miners, to steelworkers, or electrical for U.S. wars abroad. But this "basic responsibility" is workers, opposition to U.S. intervention in El Salvador OUR being rejected by hundreds of thousands of draft-age was strong. Thousands of dollars have been donated by youth who want no part of U.S. intervention in Central U.S. unionists to help imprisoned unionists in EI Sal­ America. Nor do they expect any "benefits of society" to vador. Several local union bodies have passed resolutions REVOLUTIONARY come their way. Not as long as the Democrats and Re­ condemning repression against the Salvadoran labor publicans in Congress continue to chop funds for human movement and opposing U.S. aid to the regime. HERITAGE needs, while the employers demand greater concessions Now more than ever before, the opportunity exists to from the unions. begin building a movement based on the U.S. working rations. Their caper was to induce the unemployed to buy opposition to Washington's war-austerity policy is so class to demand that the United States get out of El Sal­ themselves a job by buying a truck. Workers who could widespread that, in what a New York Times editorial vador and the rest of Central America and the Caribbean. scrape up the down payment were allowed to meet the balance of the purchase price on a long-term installment basis. Incentive for such purchases was given by the fed­ eral government, which used individually owned trucks on its 'made work' projects for the unemployed of that period. State, county, and city engineering departments Covering up a political murder followed suit, especially in connection with road work. "Comparable trends developed within private indus­ The dictatorship in El Salvador continues to murder Within minutes New York police and FBI agents were try. Firms having their own fleets of trucks often kept a people on a mass scale, and the government in on the scene. surplus of rigs on hand by hiring independent owner-op­ Washington continues to certify the dictatorship's Both the FBI and New York cops say that Santana erators, who usually found themselves payless - despite "human rights" progress. committed suicide or died accidentally, and, therefore, the time put in - when they were not actually hauling While President Reagan's cover-up for the slaughter in there is nothing suspicious about her death. something. Fluctuations in business volume were thus El Salvador becomes more and more transparent, a re­ This must be recognized for what it is - a political compensated for at the expense of the owner-operators lated cover-up- in New York City-has drawn far less cover-up for a political murder. and to the profit of the fleet owners. Broker setups ap­ attention. And it should be opposed as vigorously as peared in the form of companies that relied entirely on in­ Last December 4, Flor "Terry" Santana was found Washington's cover-up of the crimes of the Salvadoran dividual truck owners to move goods. In such cases virtu­ dead in her New York apartment. Santana was a promi­ regime. ally the entire overhead cost of trucking operations was nent activist in the U.S. movement in solidarity with the It is essential that the broadest possible forces unite in shoved on to the owner-operators, thereby impairing people of El Salvador. a public campaign for a full investigation of the murder their capacity 'to earn a living. Her body was found after a fire burned her apartment. of Terry Santana. All those opposed to U.S. intervention "Immediate profit-taking along these lines was not the Fire fighters reported that flammable liquid had been in Central America, opponents of political terrorism, un­ only object the capitalists had in mind. Advantage was used to set small fires throughout the apartment. They ionists, and Black and Latino activists have an important sought from ambitions that developed among independ­ immediately notified. the police, assuming that Santana stake in supporting the demand for such a probe. ent owner-operators to expand their holdings and go into had been murdered and arson committed to conceal the None should remain silent in tlie face of political assas­ business for themselves. Illusions were fostered that such killing. sination.- here or in El Salvador. prospects were open to all individual owners, so as to trick them into identifying themselves with the problems of management. To the extent that the scheme worked, divisions were sown between owner-operators and the drivers of company fleets. Unionization of the industry was thereby impeded; the laws of the open-shop jungle could better prevail; and the trucking bosses were able to U.S. troops threaten Nicaragua wax fatter in all respects. "These dangers to both categories of drivers were fur­ Continued from front page the exploited and oppressed. They are expanding health ther accentuated by misleadership within the Internation­ are now encamped in southern Honduras. Newsweek care and education, distributing huge tracts of idle land to al Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Little attention, if magazine revealed last November how these thugs have poor farmers, subsidizing food prices, and spurring the any, was paid to the problems of the owner-operators. been armed, organized, trained, and financed by the CIA formation of trade unions and other popular organiza­ Although sporadic efforts were made to organize fleet in an operation run from the U.S. embassy in the Hondu­ tions. These measures are preparing the way for a drivers, IBT policy was so ill-conceived and so poorly ran capital. socialist society. executed that not much headway could be made in that When maneuvers similar to those coming up in Feb­ This example has inspired other Central American sphere either. As a result, the union remained weak, at ruary were held last July, Washington used them as the peoples - especially the Salvadorans and Guatemalans best, and in several important respects it was quite impo­ cover to ship large quantities of guns and equipment to - who are also fighting to remove hated dictatorships tent." the Somozaist forces. Since then, their terrorist raids into and open the road to social progress. And its effects are Dobbs explains how the class-struggle left wing in the Nicaragua have been greatly stepped up. rippling through the rest of Latin America and the world. Minneapolis Teamsters developed a policy of forging an And the Somozaists are only the spearhead of a wider If Washington succeeds in crushing the Nicaraguan alliance with independent truckers as part of the struggle war that U.S. imperialism is preparing against the revolution, this would be a deathblow to the struggle of to consolidate union power. This policy was then ex­ . Nicaraguan revolution. Washington is giving the Hondu­ the workers and farmers in El Salvador. But if the Sal­ tended through the Midwest in the Teamster organizing ran armed forces millions in military aid - weapons, vadoran fighters win, this will immensely strengthen the drives of the late 1930s. Dobbs writes: helicopters, fighter jets, and new airfields. Nicaraguan revolution and the struggle against oppres­ "Careful examination of all the factors involved con­ Over the last eight months, the January 1 Nation re­ sion throughout the hemisphere. vinced us that those owning one truck, who did their own ported, "the White House has placed its considerable driving, should be approached b~ the union as fellow naval fleet at readiness in the Caribbean and has stationed The stakes are high, and the U.S. rulers know it. The workers. Proceeding accordingly, we set out to organize a spy ship in the Gulf of Fonseca off Nicaragua's western Nicaraguan daily Barricada put it this way in an editorial as many of these individuals as possible. They were then shore. Marines are on call for rapid deployment from protesting the U.S.-Honduran war exercises: extended the democratic right to shape the demands that Puerto Rico, Panama and the U.S. mainland. SR-71 "What·must be clear is that any aggression of broader were made upon their employers,·the leasing companies. Lockheed reconnaissance planes regularly fly over scope against Nicaragua involving forces of other Central On that basis the union as a whole followed through by Nicaragua at 80,000 feet to take photographs of military American armies will in fact signify the regionalization backing them in struggles to improve their take-home bases there." of a war whose scene will not be solely in Nicaragua. pay." Nicaraguan leaders are taking this threat seriously. This is what we are trying to avoid, but if it is imposed "A man who owns the truck which he drives is merely "We must be prepared to confront the possibility of ag­ on us, there should not be the slightest doubt that the an employee who is required to furnish his own tools as a gression at the level of an army," Defense Minister Hum­ people of Nicaragua and the other peoples of Central condition of employment," Dobbs explains. "He has a berto Ortega told a crowd of thousands of Nicaraguans America will resist and fight until the aggressors are full legal right to be represented by a labor organization." January 19. crushed, wherever they may be found." On this basis the Midwest Teamsters successfully organ­ The U.S. rulers have set a course toward full-scale war The U.S. labor movement and all opponents of Wash­ ized many independent truckers, helped them fight for against Nicaragua, because the revolution unfolding ington's war in Central America need to join in protesting . better wages and working conditions, and strengthened there remains the central obstacle to reversing the popular Reagan's latest provocation, the dispatch of U.S. forces · the union movement in the region as a whole. upsurge against U.S. domination and dictatorial rule to southern Honduras. We need to expose these maneuv­ Teamster Politics is available from Pathfinder Press, sweeping all of Central America. ers for what they are - fresh aid to the Somozaist terror 410 West St. , New York, N.Y. 10014 for $5.95 in paper­ The Sandinista revolutionaries in Nicaragua are using gangs and another step toward a full-scale counter­ back, or visit one of the Militant Bookstores listed on political power to defend and advance the interests of all revolutionary war against Nicaragua. page 13.

14 The Militant February 4, 1983 Why we cannot retreat on the fight for busing

I spent a lot of time in Boston in 1974-76 at the height In both cases the antibusing and racist forces in the times. of racist violence against Black school children being country - led by the Reagan administration - began Other liberals say they're for equal education, but bus­ bused to get a better education. I was on the staff of the hooting and hollering with joy. ing is too coercive and disruptive a way to go about it. National Student Coalition Against Racism and partici- Last September, William Bradford Reynolds, Assis­ Better to have "freedom of choice" - everybody just tant Attorney General for Civil Rights, set the stage for picks the school of their choice. these blows to Black rights in a statement where he said They fail to mention that we ·had the "freedom of .the Department of Justice "is opposed to relying on man­ choice" system for centuries _:_ it just happened that the datory busing as a remedial technique to desegregate only schools Blacks got to choose were the very worst. BY ANY MEANS public schools." Accordingly, the department will give Busing is simply a means to ensure our democratic "serious consideration to, and where appropriate request, right to receive an equal education. The better schools are NECESSARY modification of court-ordered busing plans." in white neighborhoods. Black students must be trans­ In Boston it took a determined probusing, antiracist ported to these schoois in buses. That's true in Boston, Malik Miah movement, nationwide in scope, to prevent the racist Chicago, and most every other city. school committee, city council, and other officials of the Schools in Black areas, like our housing, are usually Democratic-led city government from overturning bus­ old and run-down. They are the last repaired, the worst pated in the demonstrations and rallies defending the ing. Since busing began ·in Boston, more Blacks have funded, and the most understaffed. The only way to force right of Blacks to get an equal education. gone to college and scored higher on standardized tests. school authorities to equalize education is to end the sys­ I lived in Chicago too. And Chicago is, as some have An affirmative action jobs program led to a qualitative in­ tem of segregated schools. That's what the 1954 Su­ called it, the most segregated big city in the country. The crease in the number of Black teachers as well. preme Court ruling, Brown v. Topeka Board of Educa­ big banks and real estate sharks have made sure of that. Unfortunately Black youth in Chicago will, at least for tion, that ended legal segregation was all about. That's Memories of both cities came back to me recently now, not get such an opportunity. Even the supporters of why in the short term to bring equality in education bus­ when I learned that Judge Arthur Garrity issued an order this , so-called desegregation plan admit many of ing students across district, city, or county lines may be on January 3 to turn over to the Massachusetts Board of Chicago's 540 schools will be "racially isolated" if the necessary. Education the monitoring of the Boston school system. order is carried out. One last point. The use of buses to transport students is After two years, if Garrity is satisfied, the school system the fight of Blacks to win an equal education has al­ not the creation of school desegregation; it's been going will once again be placed under the body that developed ways been a central part of our fight for full equality in on for decades. In 1974, for example, over 50 percent of and maintained a racist, dual education system in Boston this country. .- the country's school children were bused. But less than 7 for decades - the Boston School Committee. Today, as the government-employer racist attacks pick percent for desegregation purposes. At almost the same time, a federal district judge ap­ up steam, we even find some liberals -Black and white The opposition to busing is not over the bus, but us! proved a school "desegregation" plan for Chicago with -telling us that busing is not important any more. Some This is why the fight to defend busing is so important. no mandatory busing, thus perpetuating segregated argue we should put all our energies into fighting for jobs To retreat on this right is to play into the racist hands of schools in that city. - that the issue of busing is a diversion in these hard the government and employers. -LETTERS------Detroit teachers Just realizing Last fall10,000 Detroit teachers We are just realizing what a rot­ walked off our jobs for 16 days in ten country this is. We can't get a contract dispute with the Board food stamps, unemployment of Education. "We asked for no­ checks, Aid to Dependent Chil­ thing;but the Board said it was too dren, fuel assistance, or a job. We much," was the most frequent slo­ could lie down and die and who gan appearing on the picket signs. cares. I would like one paper sent. The union was negotiating for a Arlene Shreve pay freeze but the Board tried to Hawarden, Iowa force us to take a 9 percent cut. The strike ended with an agree­ ment to accept binding arbitration. This agreement was forced on us through pressure from Democratic Party politicians and the leader­ Beautiful ship of the Metropolitan AFL-CIO I read your paper and was very and in spite of considerable rank­ pleased with what I read. It is very and-file opposition. beautiful to know that someone In early January the arbitrator really cares about what is going on came up with his decision. Our around the world and doesn't mind salaries will remain frozen, but we showing it. teachers will "loan" the board I 0 Keep up your work. Maybe one days pay, to be paid back at the day I will get out and drop by and rate of one day per year starting in thank you face to face. December 1984. A prisoner Teachers are angry. No one North Carolina considers the 10 days of lost pay a loan, for there is no guarantee that we'll ever see it. Everyone is ex­ pecting another strike in the fall of 1983 . And this time many more Wants to campaign Wants 'Militant' Renewal bombing of Vietnamese civilians, teachers will oppose any attempt I wish to be enrolled and consi­ The purpose of this com­ Please renew my subscription to yet see nothing wrong with Israeli to put our fate in the hands of an dered a member of the Socialist munique is to inquire about some the Militant. Thought I'd start the shelling and bombing of Lebanese arbitrator. Workers Party. I am desirous of reading materials -the Militant. new year right. and Palestinian civilians. Indeed To add insult to injury, newly receiving information concerning I haven't any funds to purchase a James Smith ·the Fondas, Spocks, Abzugs, elected Democratic Gov. James when and where your next con­ subscription and thought that I Erie, Pennsylvania McGoverns, et. al. have mostly Blanchard (who was endorsed by vention will be held for the nomi­ might be put on your mailing list supported Israeli genocide against all major unions in the state) an­ nation of candidates for president free? I'm presently confined in the the Arab peoples. Fonda stooped nounced that the state may with­ and vice-president in the 1984 hole of CMF prison and things are Courageous work so low as to visit and entertain Is­ hold aid payments to school dis­ elections. I want to campaign here not looking too good. To question Zionism and Israeli raeli troops during their bloody tricts in March. Thus we may be in this locality. I'd appreciate a subscription to actions, especially in this country, mission in Lebanon last summer! faced with payless paydays due to J.T. the Militant until I am able to af­ forces one to do battle with some So keep up your courageous the budget priorities of this false Havre, Montana ford it. I shall remain frrm, be­ of the following defenders of "lit­ work in exposing Zionism as the "friend of labor." Now more than cause this is my belief that I must tle Israel" (an Israel which accord­ colonial-racist movement it was ever we teachers need a labor take into account. In closing, my ing to various sources is now the and continues to be.· party to fight for our interests. profound revolutionary love and fourth strongest nation in the John Guterman Tim Craine Impressed regards are extended to you com­ world and the number five arms Cleverdale, New York Detroit, Michigan One day I was impressed with rades - Black Power! supplier to the world, including the Militant newspaper even · Forever forward, never back­ arms to the most reactionary and though I never heard or saw such wards. anti-Semitic countries, i.e., Abortion victories The 'Militant' special prison­ a paper before. I happened to A prisoner Argentina, Guatemala, El Sal­ er fund makes it possible to send Two recent victories for abor­ notice that one of my confederates Vacaville, California vador, Honduras, et al!): reduced-rate subscriptions to tion rights reflect the overwhelm­ had a small article or pamphlet. I A) the media; B) the labor union prisoners who can't pay for ing public support for the right of asked what it was and he said it misleaders; C) the established them. To help out, send your women to choose abortion. was the Militant. churches, especially the christian contribution to: Militant Prison­ By a vote of 59 percent to 41 After reading for more than I 0 Common goal fundamentalists; D) the entertain­ er Subscription Fund, 14 percent, Alaska voters approved minutes, I was impressed with the I would like to thank you and ment industry, Hollywood; and E) Charles Lane, New York, New state funding for abortions in a Militant newspaper because of the your comrades at the Militant for the political establishment, con­ York 10014. November referendum. way it covered the essential, im­ sending me the Militant news­ servatives and liberals. It is indeed And in Los Angeles on De­ portant news in a serious, crucial paper. After I read the Militant I a struggle against windmills. cember 22, Superior Court Judge moment in history. shall pass it on to my comrades. As Mark Twain said so aptly, The letters column is an open Eli Chernow ruled that a Califor­ I would like to subscribe as a If there is any thing I can do "It could probably be shown by forum for all viewpoints on sub­ nia law banning abortions after the prisoner (resident would be a bet­ from in here in solidarity with you facts and figures that there is no jects of general interest to our 20th week of pregnancy violated ter word). I hope you enjoy read­ and my fellow comrades in New distinctly native American crimi­ readers. Please keep your letters the 1973 Supreme Court ruling le­ ing my letter and I appreciate that York City, let me know. We have nal class except Congress." brief. Where necessary they will galizing abortion. you are sending me the Militant. one goal and that is socialism. The worst offenders are those be abridged. Please indicate if J.M. A prisoner A prisoner very "leftists" and "humanita­ you prefer that your initials be New York, New York Menard, Illinois Attica, New York rians" who were aghast at U.S. used rather than your full name.

February 4, 1983 The Militant 15 TH£ MILITANT Truckers'·shutdown gains .support Independent drivers set for Jan. 31 tax-hike protest

BY GEORGE JOHNSON The large trucking companies are cur­ The proposed January 31 trucking shut­ rently demanding wage concessions from down by independent owner-operators has the Teamsters. This would be on top of been gaining support since it was called by ·givebacks squeezed out of the union a year the Independent Truckers Association ago: (ITA) and Overdrive magazine. In spite of promises that these conces­ The Owner-Operators Independent sions would help save jobs, about 100,000 Drivers Association of America, as well as workers, a third of those in the industry, regional associations in Michigan, Min­ are out of work. nesota, Missouri, and elsewhere, have In addition, since the government insti­ backed the call. The ITA has 30,000 mem­ tuted "deregulation" in 1980, more non­ bers and the Owner-Operators 4,000. union companies have emerged. And union­ The truckers are protesting sharp in­ ized companies are cutting wages and creases in federal taxes on trucks and parts. refusing to pay the wage rates negotiated in These were adopted earlier this year, along the Master Freight·Agreement, which has with a nickel-a-gallon gas tax hike, to fund been the industry standard. highway repair. Besides rolling back the increase in taxes Independent truckers are already on parts and trucks, the owner-operators hardpressed, and the increased taxes will · are also demanding paid waiting time, uni­ be the last straw for many of them, the ITA formity of state restrictions on trucks, and says. raising the 55-mile-an-hour speed limit to An example of the truckers' plight is New taxes will cost each trucker up to $5,000 more than they pay now yearly. 65. Richard Snyder's situation. Snyder hires In the earlier shutdowns, the govern­ out his truck to X-Way Haulers in West­ ment used state cops and the National land, Michigan. endorsed the action at its national conven­ an ITA spokesperson told the Militant that Guard in often violent attacks on drivers. In October, a "good month for him," ac­ tion in early January. Teamster locals "have called to assure us The ITA reports that the government offi­ cording to the Detroit Free Press, Snyder Parkhurst also pointed to support from they are not telling their members they will cials have threatened that they "will protect grossed $11 ,545.25. locals of the International Brotherhood of be reprimanded if they honor our picket truckers who want to run" this time, too. Not bad? Wait. X-Way got 42 percent-of Teamsters (ffiT) and other drivers' organi­ lines." And the media again is lining up behind that, or almost $5,000. After Snyder paid zations. He said he had met with IBT lead­ The ffiT national leadership opposed the the government and the employers. $2,048 for diesel fuel, $1,179.98 for re­ ers and others in the trucking industry. previous trucking shutdowns, despite The New York Times, for example, pairs, insurance, license plates, and federal The IBT had "no comment" about the widespread sympathy for them among warned editorially against granting the road tax, he had $3,221.64 left- before proposed shutdowns as of January 24. But Teamster members. truckers' demands for tax relief. federal and state income taxes. That works out to $743.45 a week before taxes. Still, not bad? Snyder had to work 73 hours a week for it. Allowing standard Workers suffer in Conran takeover time-and-a-half and double time for over­ time, it works out to $6.62 an hour. If BY TOM PONTOLILLO -wages, working conditions, and job se­ the workers in 1981 and was due to expire Snyder was still paying on the $75,000 rig NEW YORK - "To them we're just a curity. next year. that he bought 10 years ago, he would be number, not a human being with a family Late last year, the stage was set for pos­ In addition to imposing these miserable ' short another $1,800 a month. or anything like that." sible strikes on January 1. Early in De­ conditions, the MTA and NJT are also Many drivers are still paying on their This is how engineer Bill Bilarczyk cember, emergency boards appointed by seeking to eliminate two shop crafts and to rigs and some work even more hours than summed up the attacks that former Conrail President Reagan sided with both the do away with mileage pay for . operating Snyder. workers are facing from their new bosses in MTA's and NIT's final contract offers to crews. The many hours truckers are forced to be the New York area - the Metropolitan each and every union. Although the workers were legally free on the road in order to make a living con­ Transportation Authority (MTA) and New to strike on January 1, the so-called lead­ Jersey Transit (NIT). Those offers sought to impose a whole­ ers of the 17 unions involved chose not to tributes to the high accident rate among sale gutting of work rules, a split shift forc­ truckers. Figures in 1979 showed drivers, fight to defend the hard-won gains of the As a result of the federal Northeast Rail ing MTA workers to work 60 hours for 50 past. They agreed instead to work for one with 15.8 accidents per 100 workers, to be Services Act of 1981 (NERSA), commuter hours' pay and NJT workers to work 60 for just behind anthracite coal miners with month under the bosses' final offers. service in the New York area was trans­ 40, straight time for overtime on NJT, the While a strike at the end of January can­ 18.6. ferred to those two agencies on January 1 elimination of the cost-of-living adjust­ The drivers are seeking allies among not be ruled out, the bosses have already of this year. ment (COLA), and minimal wage in­ had the advantage of one month's time to other working people, as they did in shut" creases that would not even keep pace with begin to implement the changes. downs in 1973-74 and 1979. When Mike The MTA now operates commuter rail the inflation rate. Parkhurst, ITA president and publisher of service in New York and Connecticut, and Even though the elimination of the two Overdrive, announced the January 31 shut­ NIT operates in New Jersey. None of the proposals would have closed crafts and the imposition of split shifts have down, he said, "We have the same kind of The impact of the takeover has been a the 12 percent gap between Conrail not yet begun in the shops, the seniority of feelings that [farmers] have." broad assault against the gains won by rail workers' wages and the national rates. This the workers has already come under attack. The American Agriculture Movement workers over the past 50 years in all areas gap arose as a result of a deferral taken by A certain number of jobs are· being set aside and classified as special, with extra qualifications required as decided by the bosses, in order to place their "boys" where Socialist candidate in Indiana backs truckers they want them, regardless of the seniority roster. BY DAVE YOUNG from his union to the September 1981 Sol­ 9,600 working people have supported our Newly hired electricians on the MTA INDIANAPOLIS - Bill Warrick, idarity Day march in Washington, D.C. He right to a spot on the ballot. Will the elec­ will be paid only 80 percent of scale and it Socialist Workers Party candidate for holds an elected position in his local as the tions board try to exclude us?" will take them five years to work up to mayor of this city, solidarized with the union's' guard. Warrick also announced that several scale, even though they will do the same fight by independent truckers against in­ Warrick told reporters that the central prominent individuals have endorsed the work as other electricians. For engineers, creased federal taxes. idea of his campaign is that "city hall right of the socialist candidates to appear conductors, and trainmen the situation is Warrick is a former owner-operator who should be run in the interests of the work­ on the ballot. They include Chuck Dep­ even worse. participated in the 1979 truckers' shut­ ing people, instead of for the bankers and pert, business representative for Interna­ The mileage pay, a big component under down. businessmen.'' tional Association of Machinists District the old contract, has been eliminated. This 90; Lawrence Ryan, central Indiana coor­ Now a member of the Oil, Chemical and A focus of the news conference was an enables the bosses to impose a tremendous dinator for the Solidarity Day march; speedup by rearranging the runs so those Atomic Workers (OCAW) , he called on explanation of new restrictive election laws Elmer Blankenship of the United Auto in Indiana. Warrick noted that "in 1980 the crews make more trips for the same pay. trade unionists and other working people to Workers Region 3 staff; and Gene Fergu­ "support the truckers- as in the 1973-74 state legislature quadrupled the number of son, president of OCAW Local 7-706. The hourly rate for NJT crews is almost and 1979 shutdowns, they're fighting for signatures required to qualify an indepen­ $3 less than on the MTA. "Layover" time all of us." dent candidate. The legislature also moved Other endorsers include Bill Crawford, a - the time spent by the crews between the filing deadline from August to Feb­ Black state representative; Paul O'Brien of Warrick held a news conference where trips - has been reclassified as "time held ruary." the Committee for Peace in El Salvador; for duty but not performing service." Even he and his supporters turned in nominating He pointed out that the socialist cam­ and Randall Sells of the Committee for De­ petitions to the Marion County Elections though you're not actually running a train paign collected well over the 5,300 signa­ mocracy in Latin America. Board to place his name on the November or collecting fares, you're still the boss's tures required and filed them at the begin­ 1983 ballot. The news conference was covered by captive. ning of the filing period. It was the largest petitioning drive ever three television stations, four radio sta­ On the MTA, the crews are paid half by a working-class candidate in this city. "In spite of all the undemocratic obsta­ tions, and both daily newspapers. The two time for their layovers. NJT conductors Warrick, 30, is a refinery worker em­ cles put in our way," he said, "we have Black FM stations, WTLC and WGRT, fo­ and trainmen aren't paid at all, and engi­ ployed by Rock Island Refining Corp. as a complied with the law. Now we ask the cused on the socialist candidate's support neers work two hours a day for free. crude unit fireman. He is a member of county elections board to comply with the for school desegregation, affirmative ac­ The distinction between passenger jobs OCAW Local 7-535" and was a delegate law as well. By signing our petitions, tion, and prosecution of killer cops. Continued on Page 12

16 The Militant February 4, 1983