Black party hits Salvador aid 3 TH£ Reagan's hypocrisy on Poland. 5 Rail workers vs. MX missile 14
A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY/PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 46/NO. 7 FEBRUARY 26, 1982 75CENTS Protests grow as U.S. deepens intervention in El Salvador U.S. rulers' 'We're losing debate move the fight,' toward war says junta
The Reagan administration is facing BY FRED MURPHY mounting troubles in El Salvador. De "We are losing the fight with the spite massive U.S. military aid, the jun guerrillas in the countryside," Salvado ta there is rapidly losing ground to the ran President Jose Napoleon Duarte ad rebel forces. And domestic opposition to mitted February 15. U.S. intervention in El Salvador is The next day, U.S. Defense Secretary growing apace. Caspar Weinberger said on NBC's "To This combined pressure is beginning day" show th~t there is "considerable to produce cracks and fissures within danger" Duarte's government will fall without stepped-up U.S. military and economic aid. EDITORIAL Weinberger insisted that Washington will not allow this to happen, and echoed Secretary of State Alexander Haig's re U.S. ruling circles on how best to pro cent declarations that the administra ceed in trying to thwart the victory of tion will do "whatever is necessary" to the Salvadoran revolution. prevent a victory by the Salvadoran Salvadoran troops in training at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Reagan adminis • Trade unionists demonstrating freedom fighters. tration has also prepared military operations aimed at Nicaragua and Cuba. against Reagan's economic policies readily pick up chants opposing El Sal Top U.S. general visits vador intervention. As Weinberger spoke, the top U.S. • The National Conference of Catho military commander in Latin America, Ford'-s pFoposed auto pact lic Bishops declares opposition to guns Lt. Gen. Wallace Nutting, was arriving for El Salvador's junta. in El Salvador for a first-hand look at • Members of Congress, from both the U.S.-b.01ekedjunta's deteriorating si tightens squeeze on workers parties, report strong public sentiment tuation. against deepening involvement in that U.S. diplomats in El Salvador are now BY ELIZABETH ZIERS as a way of saving jobs by moving to country. Three congressional delega worried that the millions of dollars DETROIT, February 16- Ford Mo ward a shorter work week. tions fly down there to check the situa worth of aircraft, arms, and ammuni tor Company and United Auto Workers Further job losses will come from tion, clearly suggesting they don't take tion Washington has been pouring into (UA W) negotiators agreed February 13 plant closings. The contract proposal on the administration's word for it. that country will not be enough to turn on a new contract - seven months be ly specifies that plants will not be closed • A New York Times editorial char the tide. fore the current one expires. for two years because of "outsourcing" acterizes Reagan's "certification" of hu "At issue," correspondent Raymond The exact contract language won't be -shifting production to outside suppli man rights in El Salvador as "cynical Bonner reported in the February 17 revealed until February 20. Initial sum ers. But the company can come up with humbug." New York Times, "is whether the Sal maries of the proposed pact, however, any other excuse it wants to shut plants. • A Los Angeles Times editorial sug vadoran military can absorb more make it clear that Ford is demanding At the Dearborn Assembly Plant, gests that instead of sinking deeper into equipment and whether it has enough that its workers give up previously won many Local 600 members on both shifts the "bloody quagmire," an attempt at a officers to fight a guerrilla war." Bonner gains and even more jobs. reacted with hostility to the proposals. negotiated settlement might be the wis continued: Under the new, thirty-one month con But others said they want to see the full er course. "American officials estimate that the tract, UAW members would lose: contract before deciding. The pressures confronting the Reagan Salvadoran Air Force has the personnel • all paid personal holidays (the pres Bargaining committeeman Rudy Nel administration were dramatically illus to fly only 6 helicopters more than the ent contract provides nine PPHs a year); son said, "It will be hard to sell in this trated when Cable News Network 14 already supplied by the United • three cost-of-living raises (deferred building. It has nothing for the younger videotaped three U.S. "advisers" in ci States, far fewer than needed. The en until late 1983 and 1984); workers. But I believe it will pass with vilian clothes carrying M-16 rifles in El tire 500-member student body of the • the 3 percent annual productivity the membership as a whole because Salvador. The film was shown on televi Salvadoran military academy is going raise; many on layoff won't vote." sion stations across the United States through accelerated officer-training in • the December bonus holiday. The proposal does include a crumb February 11. Reagan was forced to the United States." In other words, those Ford workers thrown to laid-off workers. Ford will put swiftly order the head "adviser" to leave The troops already trained by U.S. ad lucky enough to have jobs will lose two $70 million into the depleted supple El Salvador within a week. "Oral repri visers in El Salvador have achieved no weeks of paid days off a year and go mentary unemployment benefits (SUB) mands" were given the other two offic victories against the rebels. Instead, more than three years with virtually no fund. But 92,000 Ford workers have lost pay raises. their jobs. For those eligible to receive ers. they have carried out massive slaugh~ Washington's problem in El Salvador ters of the civilian population in the New workers will be hurt even worse. SUB, the $70 million will last about five They will start with 85 percent of regu weeks. , began twenty~three years ago - in Cu countryside. ba. lar pay and reduced benefits. It will take And Ford's profit sharing promise The Cuban revolution of 1959 proved 400 more massacred them eighteen months to get to parity doesn't amount to much. to be the first socialist revolution in the with other Ford workers. The company is now losing money. Nearly 1,000 peasants in Morazan western hemisphere. The gains of that The union got almost nothing in re Even if it could repeat its most profita province were massacred by the U.S. revolution have been an inspiration to turn. Ford promises to share profits and ble year, 1978, the profit sharing formu trained Atlacatl Brigade in December. the oppressed and exploited throughout not close plants for two years, under cer la would only return about $200 to each During the second week of February, Central and South America and the tain conditions. The company says it worker- much less than is being given this elite unit swept through Usulutan world. will guarantee 50 percent of the pre up under the new contract. province, the scene of recent r~bel ad vious wage to laid-off workers with at But estimates are that Ford will save Since the workers and peasants came vances. According to a UPI dispatch least fifteen years seniority - if they as much as $1 billion from the conces to power in Cuba, U.S. capitalism has printed in the February 17 New York agree to take any job offer at a Ford sions for the life of the contract. worked unceasingly to isolate and crush Daily News, Salvadoran "government plant anywhere in the country. At a meeting in Detroit of the UAW them. Its lying propaganda charge that officials, who asked not to be identified, Rank and file response to the tenta Skilled Trades Council, union President Cuba is exporting subversion is a cover said surviving peasant refugees told tive contract is mixed. Local 36 Douglas Fraser said, "How the Ford for its real concern- that the victims of them security forces had massacred members at the Wixom, Michigan, Lin workers will react, I suppose, is prob colonial oppression in Central and about 400 civilians after a sweep" coln Continental Assembly Plant ex lematical." South America will follow the Cuban through Usulutan. pressed hope the deal would save jobs. Objections to the settlement and to the example. Army brutality in the countryside is But it won't. In fact, the Wall Street practice of granting concessions in gen Back in 1965 when a popular rebel convincing more and more Salvadorans Journal estimates that 3,000 more jobs eral were raised by some delegates to lion developed in the Dominican Repub to actively participate in the war being will be lost by giving up the paid person the conference. lic, the Johnson administration, without waged by the guerrilla fighters of the al holidays. International union officials will have Continue~ on Page 18 Continued on Page 2 PPHs were won in the 1976 contract Continued on Page 2 U.S. deepens intervention in El Salvador
Continued from Page 1 the legal draft age is 18." ment 'cannot win without troops from stituent assembly - which will name a Farabundo Marti National Liberation The resort to such drastic steps is one the United States-or from someone,' a new president - is scheduled for March Front The Militant An introductory offer to the 'Militant' Closing news·date: February 17, 1982 Editors: CINDY JAQUITH 12 weeks for only $3 DOUG JENNESS Business Manager: ment, the recession, racism, attacks on NANCY ROSENSTOCK prime targets of the U.S. war drive. Editorial Staff: Connie Allen, Steve women's rights, and the threat of war? • Why a workers government in the Bride, Fred Feldman, Nelson Gonzalez, The answer is no. The reason is that · United States is the only solution to reces William Gottlieb, Suzanne Haig, Mar these papers are owned and controlled sions, unemployment, racism, and the garet Jayko, Harry Ring, Larry Seigle, by the same capitalists who cause unem threat of war. Stu Singer. ployment and recession, and who profit Three dollars doesn't buy much these Published weekly except two weeks from racism and war. days. Right now, though, it'll get you in August, the last week of December, Now, for the next twelve weeks, you twelve weeks of news and ideas you and the first week of January by the can read what socialists have to say about won't find anywhere else. Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 14 Charles this. Subscribe. It's worth it. Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Tele phone: Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; • The real aims of Reagan's economic Business Office, (212) 929-3486. austerity program. And what working 0 Enclosed is $3 for twelve weeks of the Correspondence concerning !iiUb people can do to fight back. Militant (new readers only) scriptions or changes of address • How the policies of the two capitalist 0 Six months/$15 should be addressed to The Militant parties, the Democrats and Republicans, 0 One year/$24 Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, encourage war and racism. And how 0 Enclosed is my contribution of $ _ NewYork,N.Y.10014. groups like the Socialist Workers Party to the Militant Second-class postage paid at New Unemployment. The recession. Rac and the Young Socialist Alliance are or Name ______York, N.Y. Subscriptions: U.S. $24.00 a year, outside U.S. $30.00. By first-class ism. Attacks on women's rights. The ganizing against the two-party monopoly Address ------threat of war. of American politics. City ______mail: U.S., Canada, and Mexico: $60.00. You read about these things in your lo Write for airmail rates to all other coun • What steps the revolutionary gov State ______Zip ____ tries. cal dailies. But do these papers ever ex ernments in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Gren Signed articles by contributors do not plain why such things exist, or how they ada have taken to end unemployment, Clip and mail to: The Militant Business necessarily represent the Militant's can be ended? Do they ever report on racism and sexual discrimination. And Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. views. These are expressed in editor what people are doing to fight unemploy- why their example makes these. countries 10014. ials. 2 The Militant February 26, 1982 Antiwar groups unite for March 27 rally March on D.C. to protest u.·s. intervention in El Salvador BY NELSON GONZALEZ (PAM), Clergy and Laity Concemed, Central America and of all oppressed called by the New Je_rsey CISPES drew In response to the Reagan administra National Network in Solidarity with the nations. No more Vietnams." individuals from an estimated thirty or tion's drive toward war in Central Guatemalan People, Religious Task "Stop the Reagan administration's op ganizations. They formed the New Jer America and the Caribbean, antiwar Force on El Salvador, and the Puerto Ri pression at home and interventio)l in sey Coalition Against Intervention in El forces are uniting around the call for a co Solidarity Committee. the Third World." _ Salvador. Present at the meeting were national demonstration in Washington Additional sponsors will be sought in "No to the draft. No to racism. No to individuals from SANE, New Jersey on March 27. the process of organizing the demonstra sexism." CARD, the Puerto Rican Socialist Par Initial members of the March 27 coali tion. The call for the demonstration urges ty, Hispanic Bar Association, PAM, Cit tion are the Committee in Solidarity The CISPES national office reports antiwar activists nationwide to begin izens Party, Peace Center 'of New with the People of El Salvador that the slogans agreed upon for the holding planning meetings in their Brunswick, Socialist Workers Party, (CISPES), American Indian Movement, demonstration are: areas in order to put together broad lo Communist Workers Party, and others. Coalition Against Registration and the "Stop the U.S. war in El Salvador." cal coalitions to publicize the March 27 The New Jersey coalition endorsed Draft (CARD), Mobilization for Survi "Fund human needs, not massacres in demonstration as widely as possible. the March 27 demonstration and is val, National Black United Front, Na El Salvador. Stop the U.S. military A number of successful planning building a February 27 action that will tional Black Independent Political Par buildup." meetings have already been organized. convene at noon in Journal Square, Jer ty, People's Anti-War Mobilization "Self-determination for the people of In Newark, on February 8, a meeting sey City, and march to St. Peter's Col lege for a rally. Among those scheduled to speak at the rally are William Ford, brother of Ita Ford, one of four missionaries slain in El Salvador in 1980; Sylvia Sandoval, a member of the Salvadoran women's organization, AMES; a representative of the Revolutionary Democratic Frorit of El Salvador (FDR); a representative of Casa Nicaragua; and a representative of the Riverside Church hunger strikers. Buses from six cities in New Jersey have already been chartered to go to Washington on March 27. In Chicago, on February 16, nearly fifty people attended a planning meet ing organized by CISPES and held at the PAM headquarters. Among the or ganizations in attendance were the American Friends Service Committee, Illinois Coalition Against Reaganomics, Clergy and Laity Concemed, World Peace Council, campus representatives from Loyola and Northwestern univer sities, Casa Aztlan, Casa Chile, Social ist Workers Party, Communist Workers Party, and Workers World Party. In addition to supporting March 27, the coalition has called a march for Feb Demonstration of 4,000 in Bloomington, Minnesota, greets Reagan's visit February 8. ruary 20 at 93rd and Commercial streets, a Chicano area where several steel plants are located. On March 6, to commemorate Inter Atlanta Black party hits training national Women's Day, the Women's Organization for Reproductive Choice in Chicago will sponsor a forum for a fe male Salvadoran trade unionist. of Salvadorans by U.S.· military Beth Perry, a Midwest regional coor dinator of CISPES, told the Militant The following statement was re people's interest - to spend millions of and draft registration are being set into that similar activities are being organ leased by the Atlanta chapter of the dollars on war, while our important and perpetual motion by the Reagan admin ized by the ninety-one CISPES chapters National Black Independent Politi beneficial social programs are going istration. NBIPP opposes the draft and in the Midwest. cal Party. through cutbacks. We defend the right all other actions towards a war in the in In New York, a planning meeting or of the people of El Salvador to choose terest of American capitalism. ganized by New York CISPES has The Atlanta chapter and the national how and who will run their country. We recognize that the driving force to called for a February 20 march. It will offices of the National Black Independ This training demonstrates the U.S.'s wards all U.S.-backed wars is greed begin at the U.S. mission to the United ent Political Party (NBIPP) join others increase in military intervention in the the desire to make greater profits for Nations, then make its way to the Sal in protesting the training ofEl Salvado Caribbean, and the government's move those who own the majority of the vadoran mission and end up at the offi ran troops in this country. This type of ment towards war on a world scale. De wealth in this country. Therefore, Black ces of prowar Senator Alfonse D'Amato. action does not reflect the American .spite his campaign promise, the draft people working in the mills, shops, and Rallies are being planned at all three factories have nothing to gain from the sites. Speakers will include Dave Del brutal murders of workers in other linger, Maryknoll Sister Darlene Cucci Asner launches medical fund countries like El Salvador. nello, and representatives of the FDR, Black people in this country have his the Black Veterans For Social Justice, A group of actors and filmakers led by cal Aid for El Salvador, a Los Angeles- torically been forced to fight and die in andCISPES. Ed Asner, TV's "Lou Grant," have given based group. · disproportionate numbers to whites in West Coast activists have decided to a major boost to medical aid for El Sal Asner said.the money was being given wars that have not been in our interest. hold three actions on March 27, in Los vador. to the rebel forces because they were the Our young Blacks are forced into the Angeles, Oakland, and Seattle. At a February 15 Washington news only ones in El Salvador able to deliver military because there are no jobs. But The CISPES national office is urging conference, they presented a check for it to the rural citizens who need the once they are in the military, they are that activists get in touch with the near $25,000 to be delivered to the Revolu care. faced with discrimination or are the ob est regional center of CISPES or the lo tionary Democratic Front ofEl Salvador The group said the $25,000 was the jects of racial attacks, like Lynn Jack cal affiliates of the March 27 national for medical needs. The money was col start of a $1 million fundraising cam son, who was lynched while stationed at coalition. lected from about 8,000 donors to Medi- paign. Fort Benning. The murders of twenty eight Black children in Atlanta, the killing and harassment of Black women Miners meet Salvador and men in other U.S. cities, makes it clear that our differences are not with rebel spokesman the people of El Salvador, but with the racist U.S. govemment and the "De During the recent convention of Dis partment of Injustice." trict 31 of the United Mine Workers of We feel that it is in the interest of all America (UMWA), a reception was held workers in this country to be a part of for delegates to meet Arnaldo Ramos of the war against the real murderers and El Salvador's Revolutionary Democratic establish a system that surpasses the Front (FDR). The reception was spon failures of this one-a system with new sored by the Latin American Solidarity forms of economic, political and social Group and was held at the convention power. A system that does not kill chil site, the Ramada Inn in Morgantown, dren, women and other workers in other West Virginia. countries. The reception, held January 19, w~ The National Black Independent Pol attended by District 31 President Car itical Party says: Stop the training of roll Rogers and UMWA Intemational Ed Asner at news conference announcing medical fund, which will be deliv Salvadoran troops, no more bombs, no Executive Board member Steve Weber, ered to Revolutionary Democratic Front. more wars, U.S. out ofEl Salvador. along with other miners. February 26, 1982 The Militant 3 -U.S. OUT OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN!---- "The committee's first act was in Central America. On Febru University of California at Ber to address a letter to members of ary 6, 1,500-2,000 people keley. Congress asking them to 'delete marched to Union Square Park, Despite appeals from the all military aid to El Salvador also in San Francisco, to protest moderator to contain any parti from the foreign-aid authoriza U.S. war threats in Central san feeling, when Castillo was tions and appropriations bills, America. introduced the more than 1,600 and terminate our military In Portland, Oregon, on Feb people present gave · him a presence there.' ruary 6, a rally of 300 protested standing ovation. When DiGio "'There is no democracy in El the training of Salvadoran vanni was introduced he was Salvador,"' the message con troops at military bases in the met with a chorus of boos and tinued. 'What exists is govern United States. hisses. ment at war with its own people. On February 10, 300 students And that war is being supported from Columbia University in and financed by the United New York protested against the~ Native Americans States.' Reagan administration's certifi "Joining Fraser in initiating cation of the junta's record on tour in defense Some 3,000 people marched in Boston February 15 against the committe were Jack Sheink human rights and the escala U.S. intervention in El Salvador. Central America Solidarity man, secretary-treasurer of the tion of American economic and of Nicaragua Association initiated action. Amalgamated Clothing and military aid. The following announcement Textile Workers, and William On February 5 and 6, at the was sent out by the CISPES Up 27, called by New Jersey Winpisinger, president of the University of Michigan, more Auto workers per Midwest Regional Center: CISPES to build support for Machinists Union." than 500 people attended a women's group March 27. The meeting donated The National Labor Commit teach-in entitled "Central "The El Salvador Solidarity $50 toward an advertisement in tee in Support of Democracy and America, the Next Vietnam?" Committee in the Twin Cities is backs March 27 the local newspapers to public Human Rights in El Salvador The event was sponsored by the pleased to announce that Ver ize these actions. endorsed the recent January 11 Latin American Solidarity non Bellecourt, a long-time Susan Anmuth reports from actions organized nationwide by Committee. member of the American Indian New Jersey that the Women's CISPES to protest the training Movement and a tribal leader of Committee of United Auto Labor committee of Salvadoran soldiers at mil the Minnesota Chippewa, is Workers Region 9 Community itary bases in the United States. Salvadoran rebel available to speak on the situa Action Program Council has en hits aid to junta tion in Central America, partic dorsed the March 27 demonstra in debate with ularly Nicaragua. Vernon, his tion against U.S. intervention The following article ap Rallies, pickets Reagan official brother Clyde, and AIM photog in El Salvador. peared in the January 1982 rapher Dick Bancroft have re issue of Solidarity, the monthly hit u.s. The action will take place in On January 29, a debate took cently returned from a three publication of the UAW. It was week-long visit to Nicaragua." Washington and is called by a titled "Fraser Urges End To war threat place between Fabio Castillo, broad antiwar coalition initiat U.S. Military Aid To El Salva representing the Revolutionary To arrange a meeting for Ver ed by the Committee in Solidar dor." In San Francisco, a few days Democratic Front of El Salva non Bellecourt, Clyde Belle ity with the People of El Salva after Alexander Haig's state dor, and Cleto DiGiovanni for court, or Dick Bancroft, contact: dor (CISPES). "UA W President Douglas A. ments declaring that the United the Reagan administration. Di Gary Prevost, Regional Com The UA W meeting, which Fraser recently helped initiate a States would not let the Salvad Giovanni is a former senior of mittee, Box 6177, Collegeville, had representatives of six local National Labor Committee in oran junta fall, 150 activists ficer of the Central Intelligence Minnesota 56321. Phone: (612) unions, also endorsed a local ac Support of Democracy and Hu picketed the Federal Building Agency. The debate took place 363-2725 or (616) 274-5826. tion in New Jersey on February man Rights in El Salvador. demanding no U.S. intervention at Wheeler Auditorium at the -NELSON GONZALEZ Support widens for Feb. 27 march on Ft. Bragg BY KATE DAHER tinue their defense of the Nicaraguan Raleigh, Charlotte, Moore, and Greens America, Rev. Ben Chavis, Rep. Thomas WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -On Feb revolution. boro. Buses are being chartered from Harkin of Iowa, Georgia State Senator ruary 12 another 466 Salvadoran Noting the gains of the Nicaraguan Charlotte, North Carolina; Richmond, Julian Bond, Rep. Don Dellums of Cali troops, many of them teenagers, arrived revolution, Phairis concluded, "I'm sure Virginia; and Columbia, South Caroli fornia, and Atlanta Committee for Latin at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to begin that the people of this country would na. America. ten weeks of Special Forces training. want to support the Nicaraguan govern Many churches, student groups, and Also, People's Anti-War Mobilization, Another 600 officers are being trained ment with economic aid if they under civil rights organizations have pledged CISPES, National Network in Solidar at Ft. Benning, Georgia. stood the truth." their support for efforts aimed at getting ity with the Guatemalan People, Social About 185 U.S. soldiers are now as Meanwhile, throughout the state the Salvadoran troops out of North Ca ist Workers Party, Young Socialist Al signed to train the Salvadoran soldiers. committee!!1 are busy organizing educa rolina. liance, Communist Workers Party, and A broad antiwar coalition is being or tionals, vigils, and campus protests to Endorsers for the February 27 action Boone Area National Organization for ganized in this state to protest the build the February 27 action in Fayette include the Greensboro National Black Women have endorsed. troops' arrival and to build a February ville. Organizing meetings are being Independent Political Party, American The rally will begin in Pope Park in 27 demonstration in Fayetteville, where held in Durham, Chapel Hill, Bonne, Friends Service Committee, Oxfam Fayetteville at 10 a.m. February 27. Ft. Bragg is located. The action is being sponsored by the February 27 Fort Bragg Coalition, and it has been endorsed - as part of a na Mel Mason backs Calif. antiwar protests tion-wide day of protest - by the Com ~ittee in Solidarity with the People of The following statement was re many soldiers who feel the same way landlords backed by the U.S. govern El Salvador (CISPES). leased to the news media February especially young Black and Latino Gls. ment. 16 by Mel Mason, socialist city coun Many of these Gls have joined the army My campaign for governor stands for Nearly 100 people attended a Febru cilman in Seaside, California. Mason to try to escape from the joblessness, an end to all U.S. intervention in El Sal ary 15 conference in Chapel Hill spon is running an independent campaign poor education, racism, and poverty vador. I say, "Not one cent, not one gun; sored by the Students Southern Acti for governor of California. they were facing. not one soldier to the dictatorship in El vists Network. It voted to endorse the These Gls have no ·stake in being Salvador." February 27 action as well as the na A recently released news report of dragged into a war against their broth I also call on all Californians to march tional march on Washington called by U.S. military "advisers" carrying M-16 ers and sisters in El Salvador. Like in the West Coast demonstration on CISPES for March 27. rifles in combat areas in El Salvador ex~ them, the Salvadoran young people are March 27-part of the nationally called In a keynote address Gail Phairis, a poses the real nature and intent of U.S. struggling for a better society and the antiwar actions to protest the training Maryknoll sister who worked as a mis involvement in that country. right to determine their own destiny. of Salvadoran soldiers at U.S. army sionary in the Atlantic Coast region of Millions of U.S. workers fear the so The Reagan administration tries to bases, and against U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, blasted the Reagan adminis called advisers are simply the first step make us believe that the rebel forces in El Salvador. tration's recent war moves against Cen toward the introduction of U.S. troops El Salvador represent a minority of Sal We must make our voices heard to tral America. into El Salvador. vadorans. But what worries the U.S. prevent another Vietnam in Central Calling the Duarte government of El Just as in Vietnam, U.S. intervention rulers are the recent rebel successes - America. Salvador a "terrorist government," she in El Salvador would only be about prop made possible precisely because of the told the conference, "if a government ping up an unpopular and brutal dicta popular support they enjoy. doesn't serve its people, the people have torship against the will of the majority Despite massive amounts of U.S. mil the right to change that government. of people. itary aid pumped into the Duarte re "If the American people clearly un As a candidate for governor of Califor gime, including fighter bombers of the derstood what was going on in El Salva nia, I pledge to make opposition to any type used in .Vietnam, the rebels con dor, they would not support the murder such involvement a major focus of my tinue to make progress. of women, students, professors, and campaign. The Reagan administration offers up peasants." The young· people in the state of Cali the lie that Cuban arms, military advis Pointing to the extreme poverty that fornia must not be used as cannon fod ers, and troops are in El Salvador. But the overwhelming majority of workers der. One hundred thousand (50 percent) not one shred of proof has ever been and peasants face in Central America, of California's eighteen-year-olds re presented to back up these false accusa she said, "There is a revolution going on fused to register for the draft last year. tions. This is because no such evidence in El Salvador and Guatemala because My campaign is opposed to the draft and exists. there is a need for one. I say to Haig and to draft registration. This talk of "Cuban aggression" is 'lwagan, let Central America be Central I salute the decision of these young used to cover up the real source of the America." people not to fight and die in a war that struggle in El Salvador - the struggle She also explained the need for anti is not in their interests. against years of exploitation and pover war forces in the United States to con- Here in Seaside, at Fort Ord, there are ty at the hands of businessmen and 4 The Militant February 26, 1982 Labor figures hail Solidarity, hit Reagan hypocrisy on Poland While the top leadership of the the movement that will make and help Forty years later in a shipyard in AFL-CIO has responded to the impo transform society. Gdansk, the same issues were very pre sition of martial law in Poland by or We must join to see that the labor valent. Workers laid down their tools ganizing demonstrations to back movement not only survives in Poland, and took over the factories, the same as President Reagan's anticommunist but survives in our country, survives workers did in Flint, in 1936. The paral- campaign, other figures in the U.S. wherever working people want to organ ' leis are there, the issues are the same, labor movement have spoken out ize and want to control and have a say in the oppression is just as equal. And against Washington's hypocritical their country. workers in my opinion will prevail in "support" for the workers of Poland, All of us must join together in that ef Poland, just as they did in this country. contrasting it to U.S. support for dic fort wherever we are. And if we do that, There's no time in my life when I have tatorships around the world and the some day soon we shall see the kind of been more proud to be a member of the antilabor drive here in the United governments in which all of us will laboring class than I have been in the States. share. last eighteen months, by virtue of the Last week's Militant carried solidarity projected by workers in Po coverage of a February 6 rally on land, and by the issues they have pro Poland held in New York. This week Ben Zemsky jected. we are printing excerpts from re The right to speak out, the right to marks by two of the labor speakers The speakers before me have alluded free elections, the right of who should be at that rally, Sam Meyers, president to the fact that in America there is a lot master, the right to say just how a of United Auto Workers Local 259, of support for Polish Solidarity, from the worker should govern his own life. and Ben Zemsky, a national organiz extreme right to the extreme left. Those issues are very basic for freedom er for the American Postal Workers You are well aware whenever you loving men and women regardless of Union. pick up a newspaper now or listen to a where they exist. We are also reprinting excerpts news broadcast you will find somebody from a speech by Ed Sadlowski, who who never gave a damn about any labor The one thing that has goaded me, in 1977 ran as the Steelworkers union praising the heroic struggle of the and helped prompt me to come down Fight Back candidate for president Polish workers. here and speak, is that I now see a lot of of the United Steelworkers Union. You find them among the most reac people come out of the woodwork and The speech was given January 5 and tionary politicians, you find them in the support the Polish worker and solidar is reprinted from 65 News, the paper National Association of Manufacturers, ity. People in this country who basically of Steelworkers Local 65 in Chicago. in the various Chambers of Commerce have their ties with Chase Manhattan Sadlowski also spoke at the Febru -every one of them singing "Solidarity Bank, and the banking institutions. ary 6 New York rally. Forever," for Poles, not for America. We People in this country who really don't have a lot of strange bedfellows. . . . concern themselves with workers. Peo I alll envious of the fact that, of35 mil ple who are using the Polish issue as Sam Meyers lion people in Poland, 10 million are something to try and grab the emotions members of Solidarity. of the American public. We are here tonight to bear testimony . Almost 30 percent of that nation be People like Ronald Reagan and Jim to one basic truth. That the working longs to the movement. Can you im my Carter who never have said a word class, and the direction of the working agine if 30 percent of the American about shipyard workers in Newport Reagan jailed striking air control class in any country of the world, will working people - workers, laborers, News, Virginia, who were striking on lers while claiming support to Polish most profoundly affect the society of farmers- came together in one Solidar the same issues. Who were having the unionists. Above, PA.TCO leader that country and the quality of that ity movement? Do you know what that same dogs, and police, and waterhoses Steve Wallaert in chains. country. would do to all the lovers of Polish Soli turned on them. But as soon as Polish We're here tonight to say that as far darity, to the National Association of workers went on strike, Reagan became what the Polish worker is doing. as we are concerned, we would like to Manufacturers, to the Chamber of Com a champion of labor overnight, as long I'm here tonight to ask you to support see martial law lifted in Poland. We merce, to the people in the White House as it existed 6,000 miles away. the American worker. I'm here to ask want to see a free trade union move and the State Department? . Someone asked me recently "Why are you to support every worker in the world ment. We want to see the leadership of Can you imagine . . . if the leader of you for Polish workers, it really doesn't who is oppressed. the Solidarity movement out of 70 million Americans in Solidarity said, concern you, here we are living half a And I think by virtue of us joining to jail. ... "We will have a general strike"? What world away." Well it concerns me when gether, raising our voices and shouting Let's talk about PATCO [the air traf would the Solidarity-lovers of America workers are on strike, wherever they ou.t loud and clear; we can make a fic controllers union] here in this coun do then? Th.ey'd cry help. They'd call out are. change in this world. We can make a try. I want to talk about PATCO a little the troops, the National Guard, the Ma I have found that the worker's in change that will not only benefit this because when the brothers and sisters of rines, and the Air Force. They'd put stinct is the best instinct in the world. I generation, but generations to come. I PATCO went out on strike, Reagan tanks in front of General Motors . . . have found when a worker has that yoke think that's exactly what the issue is in fired them because they were engaging U.S. Steel. ... put upon him, or that whip put on his Poland, and I think that's what the issue in a so-called illegal strike. . . . They used troops in 1970 when the back he'll rise up. And that's exactly has always been. But to make it even worse, Reagan de postal workers went on strike. But there fined the PATCO strike [as] a foreign af were too many of [the strikers]. So they fairs situation when he said, "If we let won. Blacks host forum on Polish events them get away with this, how do we look But there were only 11,000 in PAT to the rest of the world?" This big bully CO. So they used scabs. True scabs. jERSEY CITY, N.J. - A panel dis mocratic rights in Poland, pointing to boy wants to show the rest of the world They deprived them not only oftheir liv cussion was held here February 12 on the oppression of Black people in the that he can take on 11,000 families and ing, but their dignity. "The Crisis in Poland." United States. Tayari also spoke in sup destroy them to show that he takes no But, more than that, they deprived all Sponsored by the Spirit of Life, a port of the liberation struggles in Cen shit from nobody. of American labor. And I say to you that group of Black activists, the meeting tral America, the Caribbean, and Afri But that's only the beginning. Broth if PATCO workers are not restored to featured an exchange of views on the ca. ers and sisters, we have a choice to their jobs, the little freedom that we all events in Poland. Speakers came from A speaker from the Communist make. And a choice of methods. Shall we have as unionists, public and private, the National Black Independent Politi Workers Party described the Solidarity become part of the foreign policy of Rea will be dissipated. And we will have on cal Party, Socialist Workers Party, De union as pro-socialist. She stated that gan and Haig, or shall we pledge that we ly ourselves to blame. mocratic Socialist Organizing Commit the CWP hoped the ruling Polish United insist upon free workers movements all So I want to echo the remarks of the tee, Communist Workers Party, and the Workers Party would "rectify its mis over the world? previous speakers. Let us sing "Solidar Bolshevik League. takes" and that Solidarity would join In El Salvador . : . we don't want to ity Forever" in Poland and also in Amer Socialist Workers Party representa that government. be part of Reagan's scheme. In South ica, together. Let's restore these people tive Martin Koppel, who visited Poland The representative of the Democratic Africa the labor leaders are being put [to their jobs]. Let's fight for the rights of last fall, described the fight by workers Socialist Organizing Committee argued into jail and isolated from the workers all American workers, too. And let's be and farmers there as a struggle for so that the Polish events show a "dictator that they represent. We don't want to be inspired by Polish Solidarity people. ~ialist democracy. He explained that ship of the proletariat" is inherently "to part of that. Let's just not praise them, but let us capitalism was overturned in Poland talitarian." In Turkey today fifty-two labor lead fight. long ago, and that he hadn't found a sin The Bolshevik League speaker, who ers are being tried for their lives, not gle member of Solidarity who thought claimed to support Solidarity, stated just for jail, by a martial government, a the country should go back to that sys that Poland is a capitalist country, as is martial law government that stands up tem. every country in the world, including and says "We oppose the martial law in Ed Sadlowski Koppel blasted as "anticommunist" the Soviet Union since the death of Jo Poland but. . . ." the demonstrations on Poland called by seph Stalin. I believe in the last half century there the AFL-CIO. These actions, he said, The debate continued in the discus And in Guatemala and in Chile and in have been two significant social move are in solidarity with the U.S. State De sion period, which took up such ques Argentina, all over the world, the ments throughout the world. The first partment and not with the Polish tions as the class nature of the Polish, United States supports those kind of die was in the U.S. when the CIO was built workers. They aid the U.S. govern Cuban, and other workers states; the re . tatorships trying to destroy labor move in the mid-30s. When millions of people, ment's moves toward war in Central lationship of the Polish workers' strug ments all over. working people, joined the ranks of or America and efforts to strangle the So gle to the anti-imperialist movements in All over the world we're for workers ganized labor and broke their chains of viet and Polish workers states through Central America; and the role Blacks control. We're for decent free labor oppression against bosses who wanted economic sanctions. play in the fight against imperialism movements. to rule them continuously. Bosses who Kabili Tayari, from the. National and for socialism in the United States. Brothers and sisters, tonight we put down very oppressive hours and con Black Independent Political Party chap The Communist Party and the haven't forgotten that corporate Ameri ditions of employment. Bosses who held ter in Jersey City, said his chapter con Workers World Party- both of which ca is attending the labor movement. It you in subservience to the point where siders Poland an important issue and support the martial law crackdown in sees, like all corporate powers all over you were really a tool of the man you has been discussing it. He condemned Poland - were invited to speak at the the world see, an opportunity to destroy worked for. Reagan's hypocritical "support" for de- meeting but declined. February 26, 1982 The Militant 5 New dangers arise at Three Mile Island BY KATHERINE SOJOURNER Seepage from the leaky tubes was HARRISBURG, Pa.-General Public first discovered in November. This seep Utilities (GPU), the owner of the Three age was diluted with water and dis Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant, charged into the Susquehanna River. faces a new obstacle in its drive to re Estimated repair costs for the Unit 1 start the undamaged Unit 1 reactor. tubes is between $60 million and $100 GPU announced February 10 that million. corrosion damage in the steam genera On March 28, 1979, Three Mile Island tor tubes is so widespread that it could was the site of the worst nuclear acci take a year or more to repair, and poses dent in U.S. history. The Unit 2 reactor a threat to the reactor vessel itself. was severely damaged, forcing over Eight thousand to 10,000 of the 150,000 people to evacuate the area. 31,000 heat exchange tubes in the The Unit 1 reactor was shut down for re steam generator are corroded. These fueling at the time, and has been shut tubes carry hot, pressurized radioactive down since. water from the reactor to the steam gen erators. GPU has had an uphill battle for three years to restart Unit 1 and con Corrosion is a common problem in nu tinue with the dangerous use of nuclear clear plants, but the problem at TMI is power. Majority public sentiment, dem unusual because the numbe.r of tubes in onstrations, lawsuits, and a growing volved is so large, and because the corro movement against restart have kept the sion seems to be working its way from Three Mile Island nuclear plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. plant closed, despite the nuclear indus the inside of the tubes outward. try's money and power, and GPU's mas sive media campaign to convince the population that restart of Unit 1 will mean "reliable, dependable" energy. S.F. women's rights march, rally set A particularly sore point with central Pennsylvanians is the cleanup of Unit 2. SAN FRANCISCO-The seventh an reach out to other victims of Reagan's are also building for the march, as well Virtually no progress has been made in nual "Day in the Park for Women's policies - the trade unions, the Black as a new organization called Women's the cleanup of that extremely dangerous Rights" will be held here in Golden Gate and Latino communities, the draft-age Committee on Central America. In addi crippled reactor. GPU is unwilling to Park on March 6 to commemorate Inter youth, and antiwar forces - to invite tion, the Bay Area chapter of the Na put its resources and profits into a clean national Women's Day. them to come with their own banners tional Black Independent Political Par up campaign. This traditional event will have spec and slogans and to show their support ty and the East Bay Coalition of Labor On February 10, GPU reported a ial importance this year, given the in for women's rights. Union Women recently endorsed the ground-water monitor outside Unit 2 tensified bipartisan attacks on women's The march is being organized by an ad march and rally. was picking up readings of radioactive rights coming down from Washington. hoc March For Women's Rights Com The march will assemble at 10 a.m. at tritium that were 200 times higher than mittee, which includes NOW members The rally will focus on five issues: rat Civic Center and march to the rally site previous recordings. Robert Arnold, and a spectrum of other organizations ification of the Equal Rights Amend at the Golden Gate Park bandshell. For president of GPU Nuclear Corporation, ment (ERA); defense of abortion rights; and individuals. The abortion rights more information on the march call said the contamination may be due to against the reactionary, so-called Fami committee of San Francisco NOW is ac (415) 885-0504 or (415) 641-5528. For fifty to sixty gallons of radioactive water ly Protection Act; for affirmative action tively building it. information on the rally call th.e NOW that spilled on that spot in January and equal pay for work of comparable Women from three rail union locals office (415) 386-4232. when a water pipe froze and cracked. value; and against the Reagan budget of war and austerity. Coming on top of tube corrosion and A highlight of the rally will be a talk increased tritium levels, the announce by Maxine Jenkins of the California Brazilian labor leader tours ment by the Nuclear Regulatory Com Nurses Association. Jenkins is one of mission this week on "acceptable" the leaders of a hard-fought strike by American deaths from reactor accidents 1,300 nurses taking place in Santa Cla United States and Canada was a damning indictment of nuclear ra County. The nurses are fighting for BY DIANE WANG But, as Lula pointed out, workers in power. comparable pay with men for compara NEW YORK - The leader of the all countries face similar problems. The NRC proposed a so-called safety ble work. trade-union struggle in Brazil spoke to a North American trade unions, too, are goal on February 11 that accepts the Other speakers at the rally will in reception hosted here February .11 by under pressure. "The economic crisis possible deaths of 13,000 Americans clude: Deirdre English, executive editor the Almalgamated Clothing and Textile and lack of respect for labor are making from reactor accidents during the next of Mother Jones magazine; former Workers Union (ACTWU). American workers feel in their skins thirty years. The NRC proposal is being White House aide Midge Costanza; Luis Inacio da Silva - better known what their grandfathers felt in the offered for ninety days of public com Cheryl Dalton of Mormons for the ERA; as Lula- explained the fight of Brazil's 1920s. Reagan will make the labor ment that will include three or four Liz Rigali from the War Resisters workers to organize not only militant unions raise themselves and take posi hearings around the country. League; a representative of the Commit unions, but a labor party. He is current tions as they did after 1929." This is another blatant example of tee to Defend Reproductive Rights; and ly the Workers Party candidate for gov Unionists "must become aware that trading off lives, safety, and health for a representative of the Salvadoran As ernor of the state of Sao Paulo. all positions we take at a local level will the p~ofits of the nuclear industry. sociation of Women. Responding to a question about Braz have repercussions in another country," Also on February 11, the Dauphin The planning of the event has gener il's Workers Party and its example for Lula pointed out. As he explained in re ated wide-ranging debates and discus North American unions, Lula ex sponse to a question, "Sometimes we County commissiOners (Dauphin sions inside the San Francisco chapter plained: discuss things in such a way as to blame County includes Harrisburg) voted to include a referendum on Three Mile Is of the National Organization for Women "Historically, we were used to think other people. The biggest problem is not land on the May 18 primary ballot. The (NOW), the main initiator of the Day in ing that the working class should not Japanese cars, not German products. non-binding county referendum will the Park activities. These discussions engage itself in political activity. Or The biggest problem is the hundreds of read, "Do you favor restarting TMI Unit have raiseq broader questions of strat that it should do it only at the time of industrialists closing doors and going to 1, which was not involved in the acci egy for the women's rights struggle. elections, as an electoral aid to our countries where military governments dent ·on March 28, 1979?" The debate arose over the seemingly bosses. guarantee the workers will be docile. noncontroversial question of whether "We will never be able to have an ef "When is that going to end? The day As the third anniversary of the near NOW should build a march to the rally, fective democratic government as long when American workers have a govern meltdown at TMI approaches, the re as it successfully did last year. as labor doesn't fight, not only for trade ment that represents not economic pow start and cleanup of Units 1 and 2 are Some members of the chapter argued unions, but for political power." ers but the workers." topics of widespread discussion. Local that the extra effort it would take to "After all," he explained, "the housing Wearing a Solidarity union button, antinuclear organizations are planning build the march should be directed in question is a political decision; transpor Lula blasted Reagan for his hypocrisy various activities to commemorate the stead solely toward the ERA. tation is a political decision; foreign pol on Poland. "Reagan declares solidarity anniversary. The theme of these activi They believe that feminists should icy is a political decision. We have no with Solidarity and at the same time ties will be, "We've kept it shut for three "work within the system" and concen choice but to participate politically. fires the striking air controllers," Lula years. We're going to keep it shut fore trate on national NOW's Message Bri "Our perspective is not to simply sup charged. "At the same time they are ver." gade campaign, which consists of gath port and aid candidates of the middle showing the situation of the Gdansk ering names of people who will send class to represent the working class, but workers twenty-four hours a day, they postcards to "key" legislators in states rather to have workers represent them don't show the situation of workers in that have not ratified the ERA. selves." Chile, of workers in Argentina. They Many of the proponents of the march Brazilian workers came to these con don't show the brutality in El Salvador, What say they are fed up with sending post clusions after fierce battles over the last the killings in Guatema,la." Working People cards, and with "turncoat" Democrats four years. Since 1978, the metal The meeting took place as Reagan be who promise to support the ERA and workers of Lula's union have been in gan a major escalation of U.S. involve Should Know then vote against it. volved in massive strike struggles ment in the El Salvador war. Jack They noted that the legislators, just against General Motors, Volkswagen, Sheinkman, secretary-treasurer of About like everyone else, see the polls indicat and other big multinational corpora ACTWU, and Ed Gray, district director the Dangers ol ing majority support for the ERA, and tions with plants in Brazil. of United Auto Workers Region 9, both yet have gone right ahead· and voted In 1980, the autoworkers of Sao Paulo pointed to labor opposition that had Nuclear Power against it anyway. So what's the good of carried out a forty-one day strike that been organized against the Vietnam postcards? involved some 325,000 workers in soli War. Gray announced a February 27 By The march is seen as a good way to darity strikes. As a result, Lula and oth meeting being held in Newark by the Freel Halstead help build a broad women's liberation er leaders were victimized under Braz Committee in Solidarity with the Peo movement that can fight back against il's labor laws, which are patterned after ple of El Salvador. 40 pp., $.95. Order from Pathfinder Press, all the government's attacks - includ those of fascist Italy. Currently, Lula The ACTWU meeting capped a nine 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. Please ing both the ERA and abortion. and ten others are appealing their se day tour of the United States and Cana include $.75 for postage. March supporters want to use it to cond conviction in military courts. da by Lula to meet with union leaders. 6 The Militant February 26, 1982 W. Va. socialists nominate for '82 race BY ALYSON KENNEDY mocratic and Republican parties to fight MORGANTOWN, W.Va.- Working for us in Congress. Look at my oppo people of West Virginia will have anal nents. Both Byrd and Benedict support ternative in this year's elections. Sup ed the Reagan budget last year. Senate porters of William Hovland and Ad Minority Leader Byrd played a key role rienne Benjamin met in Morgantown on in getting the Democratic Party to back J armary 31 at a statewide meeting to or the cuts. ganize the election campaign of working "Byrd is now taking some pot shots at class candidates. Reagan's 'New Federalism,' but he of Hovland, candidate for U.S. Senate on fers no fundamentally different propos the Socialist Workers Party ticket, is als. Benedict, heir to Proctor and Gam running against Senator Robert Byrd, ble, has backed Reagan down the line. Democrat, and Congressman Cleve Benedict, Republican. Hovland, from "The government will never carry out Granville, West Virginia, is a coal min real solutions to solve this economic dis er and member o(United Mine Workers aster facing working people. Providing of America Local 2095. jobs for all, halting the massive amount of money funneled into the war budget, Benjamin, one of thousands of laid off or fighting for full equality for women autoworkers and chairperson of the and Blacks runs right up against the Young Socialist Alliance in Charleston, profits of the big corporations." is the candidate for U.S. Congress in the Hovland continued, "The Socialist 3rd District. Workers Party supports the formation Hovland explained to the statewide of a labor party and the fight for a gathering, "It is clear to millions of workers government. If the bosses' gov American workers what Reaganism ernment won't carry out measures to Militant/Joe Ryan means for us and the future of our chil solve the problems we face, it must be Adrienne Benjamin and William Hovland, Socialist Workers nominees in dren. And just as clear is that we can not replaced. To carry through this fight, West Virginia. depend on the representatives of the De- workers will need a political party, our own party, that can challenge the con trol of the government by the rich." "Put working people in Congress." Cops stonewall on SWP libel suit This is the message that Hovland, Ben jamin, and their supporters will carry all over West Virginia. BY MATT HERRESHOFF tion about the SWP to the press? Have ted to use the robbery to whip up a mas The New York cops are attempting to they ever planted stories about the so sive hysterical campaign against so On March 6 campaign supporters will stonewall a $106 million lawsuit charg cialists? These interrogatories the cops called "terrorists." The chief target of begin a four-week, statewide petitioning ing them and Associated Press (AP) refuse to answer, saying each question this campaign ha.:; been the Black move drive to get ballot status for Hovland with libel and attempting to disrupt the "is objected to as overly broad and not ment. and Benjamin. The law requires that Socialist Workers Party. relevant to the questions at issue." Dozens of Black activists have been 4,900 signatures of registered voters be The socialists filed suit after AP ran a The cops deny that they have ever car singled out under the pretext of the gathered for the Senate position and story linking the SWP with the holdup ried out disruption operations against Brinks holdup. Many have been jailed . 1,700 for Congress. Campaign suppor of a Brinks armored car in ~ckland the SWP. Asked if they view the SWP as on frame-up charges. Some, like former ters plan to get far more than the re County, New York, last fall. The story "subversive," or "terrorist," or "a threat Black Panther Sekou Odinga (Natha quired number in order to make it more was carried prominently in newspapers to the national security," they answer niel Burns), were brutally beaten by the difficult to be ruled off the ballot. If they from coast to coast. "No." cops. succeed, it will be the first time since The AP story claimed that "FBI · But do they spy on, wiretap, bug, bur Fulani Sunni Ali (Cynthia Boston), a 1936 that socialists have appeared on spokesman Joe Valiquette ... said the glarize or use informers against the member of the Republic of New Africa, the ballot in the state. bureau had determined" that Judith SWP? Do they keep files on the party or was arrested when her farm in Missis It was after socialists began to get Clark, one of those arrested in the its members? Do they collaborate with sippi was raided by 150 cops with three elected to public office in this state in Brinks holdup, "is now a figure in the the FBI or other secret police agencies in armored vehicles and two helicopters. the early 1900s that the election laws Socialist Workers Party." A "correc going after the socialists? Again;. the Ali was initially denied the right to an were rewritten to make it almost impos tive," issued by AP the next day, attrib cops "object" to these questions.. attorney when her lawyer, Chokwe Lu sible for working class candidates to ap uted the information to New York Po In earlier legal papers, the cops as mumba, was also branded a "terrorist." pear on the ballot. In 1980 a lawsuit lice Commissioner Robert McGuire. serted that "the injuries alleged by the The police frame-up of Ali collapsed filed jointly by the Libertarian Party, Both the cops and the FBI now deny plaintiffs were caused in whole or in when she proved she was in New Or Citizens Party, and SWP was able to having made the statement. part by and arose out of plaintiffs' culpa leans - 2,000 miles away -at the time win changes in the election laws. Until This kind of smear job is a standard ble conduct." In other words, if the so of the Brinks holdup. this victory, independent candidates method used by the political police to cialists were linked with the Brinks The SWP's lawsuit is an important were forced to pay exorbitant filing fees, disrupt political groups. holdup, it is because they are guilty. challenge to this campaign. and the petitioning requirements were The socialists' first legal move in their On what evidence do the cops base Attorneys for the SWP are now seek even more restrictive. suit against this disruption effort was to this remarkable statement? Once again, ing a court order to force the cops to an file written questions, called "interroga they refuse to answer. swer the questions they have tried to Although the Hovland-Benjamin tories," with the cops and AP. The SWP's attorneys submitted evade. These answers, and further legal campaign expects to get a good response AP has not yet answered. But the cops thirty-seven different questions to the moves being mapped out by th!l social from workers in West Virginia, obtain have. Their answers· are revealing - police about their disruption operations ists, will help to further expose the gov ing ballot status will still be a hard not for what they say, but for what they against the socialists. The cops refused ernment's frame-up campaign around fight. Neither the Democratic or Repub refuse to say. to answer all but three. the Brinks robbery. And they will also lican parties will want candidates on The police deny passing the slander The socialists are not the only group reveal more facts about the role of the the ballot that are going to seriously ous story about the Brinks holdup to AP. to be targeted by the cops around the cops and AP in the government's ongo challenge them. But have they ever passed informa- Brinks holdup. The government attemp- ing war against political rights. The Senate race will be of national importance. It has been estimated that Byrd and Benedict will spend up to $12.7 million on this campaign. The Na Unionists back socialist's deportation fight tional Political Conservative Action Committee, a moral majority type BALTIMORE, Md. Leading February 24, 1981 -just nineteen days group, has singled Byrd out for defeat. unionists in this city are throwing their after she joined the YSA. The Hovland-Benjamin campaign support behind Mojgan Hariri-Vijeh, a The Baltimore rally is part of a na committee will be forming a "Fair Bal twenty-year-old Iranian student, in her tional campaign to win support for Hari lot Committee." All people of West Vir battle to remain in this country. ri-Vijeh's fight against this victimiza ginia who support their right to be on Earl Keihl, director of United Furni tion. the ballot will be asked to add their ture Workers District 4, will headline a Eleven leading participants in a Feb name to this committee. February 21 rally here supporting her ruary 13-14 anti-Klan conference sent This will be the third election cam fight. Other featured speakers include messages protesting the INS decision. paign for the Socialist Workers Party in air traffic controllers' leader Gary These include longtime civil rights acti West Virginia. In 1978,. Linda May Wolfe, and Rosa Lemon, vice-president vist-Anne Braden; NAACP Regional Di Flint ran for U.S. Senate, and Tom Mor of International Association of Machi rector Dr. Emmett Burns; Black leader iarty ran for governor in 1980. nists Lodge 1784. Manning Marable; and Ann Sheppard, a · Hariri-Vijeh is the target of a year victim of the Wilmington 10 frame-up. long deportation effort by the Immigra Union leaders, such as Ronald Hollie, tion and Naturalization Service (INS). president of District 1199E, Hospital CALIFORNIA She was targeted for deportation be Workers Union, have also joined in this LOS ANGELES cause of her membership in the Young national protest campaign. Grand Opening of Mel Mason for Socialist Alliance and Socialist Workers More such protests are needed to stop Governor Campaign Headquar ters. Speaker: Mel Mason, Socialist Party. the deportation ofHariri-Vijeh. The Pol city councilman in Seaside, Calif., and Last month, an INS judge found Hari itical Rights Defense Fund (PRDF), independent candidate for governor of ri-Vijeh ''deportable as charged," and or which is organizing support for Hariri California. Open house, food, music. dered her to leave the country by June Vijeh's case, is asking that protests be Sat., Feb. 20, 6-10 p.m. 7:30 program. . 15. The INS judge claimed that Hariri sent to: Commissioner, Immigration & 2546 W. Pico Blvd. (near Vermont Vijeh's political views have nothing to Naturalization Service, Washington, Ave.). Ausp: Mel Mason for Governor do with the deportation effort. D.C., 20536. Campaign Committee. For more infor But this claim is shown to be a lie: the Please send copies to: PRDF, Box 649 mation call (213) 380-9460. Mojgan Hariri-Vijeh INS first approached Hariri-Vijeh on Cooper Station, New York, N.Y., 10003. February 26, 1982 The Militant 7 The development of Nicaragua's revolutionary government Below we are reprinting a short positions of the FSLN. However, it was "In these circumstances, the petty riat went on: "It is not the case that two excerpt from a new book, Nicara anticipated that general elections, due bourgoies regime will resort to the old centralised powers confront each other gua: The Sandinist Revolution, by as soon as possible, would allow the si ploy of attacking counter-revolutionary (as in the Russian Revolution, where Henri Weber. It was originally pub tuation to be normalised. forces of the extreme right and left. But there was a potential conflict between lished in France in 1981. The English A huge public sector was created. But in effect this will be a transitional re Kerensky's Provisional Government translation, published in Britain by JGRN Decree No.3 restricted nationali gime facilitating a drift to the right-in and the Soviets); and the final outcome New Left Books, is not yet available sations to the financial system, mining, much the same way that the Soares re will not be decided through a central in the United States. We are taking and fisheries, as well as industrial, agri gime in Portugal was used as a means of confrontation between two powers. In these excerpts from the November cultural, and commercial enterprises stopping the revolutionary drift to the Nicaragua, as in Cuba in 1959, 'real 1981 issue of the British socialist belonging to Somozists. The private sec left and eventually discarded for an out power' is in the hands of the Sandinistas magazine International. tor still largely held sway, and no fetters right rightist regime." and if the process continues to follow the Weber is a former leader of the were placed on its activity. Indeed, the More serious, and therefore more fine same dynamic, further political develop Fourth International and of the FSLN ordered all citizens to hand in the ly nuanced, was the position of Jorge G. ments may well be a question more of French Revolutionary Communist arms they had seized from the National Castaneda, a Mexican Marxist econo form than of essential content." League (LCR), as well as a former Guard barracks in July.4 It was time for mist. In his view, the FSLN's conciliato Now, even if we bear in mind the pre editor of the LCR's theoretical mag reconstruction. ry attitude to the capitalists would in dominance of the private sector in the azine, Critique Communiste~ Impressed by all these timely ges creasingly demobilise the masses and economy, this "dual power" thesis has Footnotes are by the Militant. tures, the Inter-American Development strengthen both the bourgeoisie and never seemed very convincing. Bank granted Nicaragua a $500 million bourgeois pressure on the FSLN. Blin It correctly sought to emphasise the loan to be spread over three years, with kered by an "economistic" approach to open-ended, contradictory character of 'The Sandinist $200 million available at once. The epis the problems of transition, the Sandinis the situation after July 1979. The bour copal conference voiced its enthusiastic tas were not paying sufficient attention geoisie, it was said, retained such enor Revolution' support, and exhorted all Christians to to the existence of antagonistic classes. mous power that it could halt the revo work hard. The Socialist International But as always, the class struggle would BY HENRI WEBER lutionary process in its liberal-demo started collecting funds. take its revenge on the FSLN itself, At first sight, the government estab cratic phase, waiting, as in Portugal, for "Implacable in struggle, generous in which would be shaken by "a real class a strong-arm solution to ripen. And it lishment in Managua on 20 July 1979 victory": the FSLN seemed to be apply struggle between bourgeois and revolu seemed to hold out every guarantee to was not certain that the FSLN would be ing Sandino's motto to the letter, not on tionary tendencies." · the Nicaraguan bourgeoisie and its in prepared to counter bourgeois plans. ly in its humane treatment of former The fate of the Nicaraguan revolution, ternational allies. "We are not referring," Castaneda Somozist guardsmen, but above all in its then, was still an open matter. The The Government of National Recon made clear, "either to the problem of the relations with the Nicaraguan bourgeoi struction and the staff of the various old tendencies within the Front, whose bourgeois-democratic revolution might, sie, which, rights and property guaran ministries included a great number of unity is by now firmly established, or to as in Cuba, develop into a socialist revo teed, was given a significant place in the reputable figures: Roberto Mayorga the fact that there are individuals of lution; or it might slide back in a neo Cortes, former general secretary of the state administration. bourgeois origin in the Front. . . . The imperialist direction, as happened in Central American Common Market and Indeed, so generous was the FSLN point is that different political lines, Bolivia and Mexico. The compromise in now minister of planning; Noel Rivas that there was reason to wonder wheth representing antagonistic class inter stituted after the victory over Somoza Gasteasoro, ex-president of the er history was about to play another of ests, coexist within the Sandinist Front. was highly unstable, and would inevita Chamber of Commerce, a prominent its tricks, whether the anti-Somozist And their coexistence is by no means bly lead to decisive class conflicts in volving a redivision of power. member of the Conservative Party, and bourgeoisie, which Carter had vainly peaceful: the two lines are irreconcila minister of industry; Manuel Jose tried to hoist into power, would ble; of necessity one must prevail over All these points are entirely relevant Torres, a· big Christian Democrat land eventually carry the day through the the other." Unlike Petras, however, and have ·been confirmed in reality. owner now presiding over the destinies derailing of the Sandinist revolution. Castaneda was confident that the revo Nonetheless, the concept of "dual pow of agriculture; and Bernardino Larios, a Once the initial euphoria had passed lutionary wing would emerge victor-· er" does not seem to me applicable to the former colonel of the National Guard in and the country began to confront its ious. political situation during the first year volved in a murky coup affair in 1978, enormous difficulties, would not the The United Secretariat of the Fourth after July 1979. For this concept refers who was of course minister of defence. anti-Sornozist bourgeoisie gradually im International showed greater prudence precisely to situations in which two in A newly-adopted Code of the Rights pose a Portuguese-type solution? Might and optimism in its declaration of Oc dependently organised class powers con and Safeguards of Nicaraguan Citizens it not superintend a modernisation of tober 1979:6 "The nature and history of front one and other: for example, the lib was not a whit inferior to the Code of the the Nicaraguan society and State with the FSLN leadership, as well as its role erated against the occupied zones in Swiss Confederation.1 And the "Funda in the orbit ofNorth American imperial in the first phase of this revolution, China and Vietnam; or the federation of mental Law of the State," a preconstitu ism, merely rationalising the model of show that it would be an error to draw workers' councils against the Provision tional document, was inspired by princi neo-colonial development with its grow an a priori limit beyond which decisive al Government resting on the Tsarist ples dear to the founding fathers of ing inequalities, its oppression of the sectors of the FSLN cannot go as the state apparatus in Russia between Feb North American democracy. FSLN rep masses, and its incapacity for national process of permanent revolution un ruary and October 1917. resentatives held only three of the ly-centred growth? folds." Dual power appears at the climax of a The declaration characterised the si revolution when an autonomous bour eighteen ministerial posts, and the June Would this Castroist-led revolution, tuation in Nicaragua as a peculiar type geois power resting on a state apparatus 1979 agreements between the various which had triumphed at the cost of un of dual power: the FSLN controlled the and, in particular, an armed force, resistance groups envisaged that they told suffering and sacrifice, be taken coercive state apparatus, but the bour stands opposed to a working-class coun would also be a small minority in the fu over, as had so often happened, by its geoisie retained considerable power in ter-power in the process of organisation ture Council of State. age-old enemies and last-minute con the economy and the state administra and centralisation. If the bourgeois pow In l'eality, of course, both executive verts? tion. Nevertheless, the United Secreta- er is still imposingly strong despite the and legislative power resided in the A number of doctrinaire leftist cur intensity of the crisis, this is precisely Government Junta of National Recon rents, both in Nicaragua and abroad, because it controls the old state appara struction (JGRN), where the FSLN had did believe that this would happen, and 6. See Intercontinental Press, October 22, 1979. tus, which, though shaken, has by no an effective majority despite the pres they accused the FSLN of "construction ence of Violetta Chamorro and Alfonso of a bourgeois society and state without Robelo, since Sergio Ramirez, a 39-year Somoza." Thus James Petras, who old writer and doctor in law, represent dubbed the Terceristas5 Social Demo ing the "Group of Twelve,"2 and Moises crats, went so far as to prophesy: "Ne ·.,: .., ~- Hassan, a 38-year-old doctor in mathe vertheless, this regime will be unable to ··- .. :~ .... ""•:•.:.,.• ~v.•~ matics of Palestinian origin, represent solve any of the fundamental problems ing the MPU,3 both fully supported the of the masses. On the contrary, in order :·~ to curry favour with its out~ide benefac 1. The Nicaraguan Code of the ~ights and · tors, it will have to demobilise the Safeguards of Nicaraguan Citizens states: masses, limit change, and demand sacri "Property, whether individual or collective, fices, while restructuring the old class fulfills a social function. It may therefore be subject to restrictions in regard to ownership, society - thus provoking mass protest. benefit, use, and disposition, for reasons of se curity, public interest or utility, social inter groups, and political organizations that sup est, the national economy, national emergen ported the FSLN's call for insurrection. Un cy or disaster, or for purposes of agrarian re der FSLN leadership, the MPU helped to or form." ganize the 1979 uprisings in Managua and This principle has already been applied ex other cities. tensively to expropriate privately owned in dustrial, commercial, and agricultural prop 4. It should be noted that this was a measure, erty in the interests of the Nicaraguan supported by the Militant, aimed at arming workers and peasants. Such a clause is hard the population in an organized fashion ly typical of the Code of the Swiss Confedera through the establishment of a people's· mil tion or other bourgeois constitutions. itia. This militia now involves tens of thou sands of Nicaraguans through their factories, 2. The "Group of Twelve~' was a bloc of intel neighborhoods, villages, and schools. lectuals, professionals, and businessmen who came together in late 1977 to oppose the Som 5. The Tercerista (Third) Tendency, also known as the Insurrectional Tendency, was oza dictatorship and to call for FSLN partici Revolution in Nicaragua destroyed state apparatus of dictator Anastasio pation in any post-Somoza government. one of the three factions into which the FSLN .split in the mid-1970s. The three factions reu Somoza and built a revolutionary army and militia. Above: Sandinista troops 3. MPU -United People's Movement, a coa nited and were dissolved in the months lead during May Day 1981 celebration in Managua. Banner reads: 'The reaction lition of trade unions, student and women's ing up to the 1979 insurrection. will not succeed. The people will smash it.' 8 The Militant February 26, 1982 ·.· .».:-.... •t Intercontinental Press/Arnold Weissberg Left: May Day 1981 celebration in Managua, Nicaragua. Billboard reads: 'Only the workers and-peasants will go all the way. Only their organized strength will triumph.' Right: Russian revolution of 1917 gave the world the first example of a workers and peasants government in power, with the task still before it of constructing a workers state. means collapsed. It is around this appa bourgeoisie's trusted men were there in Nicaragua- the complete recasting seph Hansen, a leader; of the SWP ratus that the forces of reaction reorga merely for show. By no means were all of the political system and mode of prod and of the F9urth International who nise themselves. Destruction of this ap their posts purely honorific. Indeed, uction. Such a regime is what revolu died in 1979, prior to the victory in paratus, above all its repressive bodies, they enabled them to exert pressure on tionary Marxists term a "workers' and Nicaragua. is therefore a crucial task for the revolu the real centres of power, to drag their farmers' government." Below, we are printing two items tionary movement. Unless it is heels, to place a force of inertia in the by Hansen: 1) excerpts from a July achieved,. there can be no revolutionary . path of the revolutionary process, and to 26, 1970, letter to Robert Chester, outcome to the situaion of dual power. serve as a Trojan horse for the counter 'The Workers another longtime SWP leader, who revolution. These posts did not, how Now, conditions in Nicaragua after 19 and Farmers died in 1975; and 2) a 1978 introduc ever, enable them to promote an inde tion to an unfinished study by Ches July 1979 were characterised by the ac pendent policy in the service of bour tual destruction of the Somozist state Government' ter on the workers and farmers gov geois class interests, or to mobilise the apparatus- and not only its military ernment. apparatuses of power for the implemen The accompanying article by Hen police component. Functionaries and ad These two items are reprinted tation of such a policy. ri Weber addresses a question of ministrative personnel with an uneasy from the Education for Socialists It is true that the private sector was great interest and importance to conscience took flight as soon as the dic publications: "The Workers and far more important than the public sec fighters against imperialist oppres tatorship collapsed. Those who had not Farmers Government," by Joseph tor, and that there was no juridical bar sion and capitalist exploitation: fled in time took refuge in various em Hansen, and "Workers and Farmers rier to the accumulation of capital. But What was the character of the gov bassies, and 919 of these obtained safe this did not make it a situation of "dual Governments Since the Second conduct out of the country in February ernment brought to power by the power," not even a very peculiar or sui victorious July 19, 1979, insurrection World War," by Robert Chester. The 1980. What remained, then, of this bour accompanying advertisement pro generis one. Conversely, the massive na that toppled the hated Somoza dicta geois "second power," with no army, no vides information on how to order tionalisations and the existence of state torship in Nicaragua? police, no judicial apparatus, and no these publications, the book of planning do not make the economy so How to answer this question was hierarchical body of functionaries? .We World Congress reports and resolu cialist or transitional to socialism. The the key political difference dividing must not confuse "dual power" and the decisive questions are: Who commands tions, and related materials. subordinate presence within the state of participants in the 1979 World Con the state? What dynamic does the rela gress of the Fourth International. In the first selection, Hansen com politically dominated classes. .ments on the following question tionship of class forces set in motion? If The resolution adopted by the ma posed to him by Chester: "Above all, The bourgeois-democratic state, for state power is in the hands of revolu jority rejected recognizing the Nica what are the dynamics of a worker example, is not a monolithic instrument tionaries, ahd if they base themselves raguan regime as a workers and and peasant regime that make it the in the hands of the ruling class. The re on mass mobilisation in order to counter farmers government. Instead, it 'link in the revolutionary process'?" lationship of class . forces is refracted the logic of profit and tailor economic characterized the situation in Nica within the state. policy to the basic needs of working peo ragua as a "special kind of dual pow The dominated classes, and non-hege ple, then it is not of decisive significance What is involved is governmental er," whose government was a "coali power. A party or team that gains gov monic fractions of the rufing classes, al that the private sector begins in a domi tion with the bourgeoisie." so occupy positions within it. The bour nant, the public sector in a minority, po ernmental power thereby gains the pas- A large minority at the congress, Continued on Page 13 geois-democratic state is not merely the sition. For the dynamic thereby un including the fraternal delegates of object, but the actual terrain of the class leashed should soon reverse the rela the U.S. Socialist Workers Party, struggle. Its class nature does not refer tionship between the two. presented a resolution rejecting the to complete and undivided service of the There was no more a dual-power si "dual power" characterization and Further reading dominant fraction of the dominant class, tuation in the Nicaragua of 1979-80 recognizing the revolutionary re on workers but to the fact that this fraction and this than - to take the opposite case - gime in Nicaragua as a workers and class occupy the strategic positions and there was in Germany and Austria in farmers government. real centres of pdwer (which are not al the twenties, when coalition govern and farmers ways designated as such), whereas the ments were formed between bourgeois This difference bore on other, re governments dominated · classes occupy subaltern, and Social Democratic parties, or in \he lated questions dividing the con mainly supervisory positions. 7 France of 1945-57, with its Communist gress discussion on Nicaragua: the The 1979 World Congress of the character and caliber of the Sandi In Nicaragua, most strategic points and Socialist ministers and its string of Fourth International: Major Re nista leadership, and of the leader were occupied by the Sandinists on 19 nationalisations. ports and Resolutions. $4.95 ships of the Cuban and Grenadian July, and other such positions- in the Dual power - and to some extent The Workers and Farmers Govern revolutions, as well; the correct administration and the economic appa even war communism- did arise in Ni ment, by Joseph Hansen. $2.45 stance for the Fourth International ratus - were taken over a few months caragua during the climactic insurrec Workers and Farmers Govern on the Sandinistas' action in August later. The real centre of political power, tion!;lry phase of the revolution. Then, a ments Since the Second World both legislative and executive, has al workers' and peasants' counter-power, 1979 expelling the non-Nicaraguan members of the adventuristic Simon War, by Robert Chester. $1.45 ways been the National Directorate of with its counter-administration (the The Nicaraguan Revolution, by the FSLN. One would have to be more CDCs),8 counter-justice and counter Bolivar Brigade from the country; how and whether other revolution Fred Murphy and Pedro Camejo. than naive, for example, to imagine that army, really did stand opposed to the $2.25 ex-colonel of the National Guard Ber Somozist regime. And it emerged victor ists around the world should seek to emulate the Sandinistas; and the Nicaraguan Workers and Farmers nardino Larios actually controlled the ious after a bloody 45-day trial of Government, by Jack Barnes. Sandinist People's Army - an army strength. The ensuing revolutionary weight of Nicaragua and of Central America and the Caribbean in the $1.75 composed of former guerrillas and part power, dominated by the FSLN, set it Grenada Workers and Farmers ly structured according to their record of self the goal of a transition to socialism world revolution. The resolutions reflecting these Government, by Steve Clark. service. $1.75 This is not to say, however, that the differing points of view were pub 8. CDC - Civil Defense Committee. These lished following the World Congress Proletarian Leadership in Power, were the committees that the FSLN organ in a book of the major resolutions by Mary-Alice Waters. $1.75 7. Weber's theoretical framework in the ized in the neighborhoods of the major cities to carry out tasks related to the insurrection. and reports discussed there. preceding two paragraphs departs from the Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West Marxist view of the state. As Lenin explains Following the overthrow of the dictatorship, Many of the historical and politi Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Please in State and Revolution, "According to Marx, they were greatly expanded, nationally cen cal questions involved in this discus the state is an organ of class rule, an organ for tralized, and renamed the Sandinista De sion of the workers and farmers gov include $ . 75 postage. the oppression of one class by another." fense Committees (CDS). ernment were written about by Jo- February 26, 1982 The Militant 9 Poland: how to advance strugg A discussion of the Cuban leadership's position Poland, struck for eleven days. They paralyzed more than 120 factories. Their main demands were for the dis missal of the governor and other top offi cials. These officials, the workers ex plained, had expropriated government buildings for their own use; constructed summer villas instead of housing for workers; allocated cars to the hated se cret police instead of to doctors; and dis tributed priority coupons for the pur chase of cars as favors or bribes. "We had one provincial governor who built a villa at Ustron in the mountains with a brook running through it," said Miroslaw Styczen, a member of the strike committee. "The officials whose resignation we are demanding did not look after the workers' interests. They weren't public servants at all, but social parasites," said Solidarity leader Lech W alesa. Nevertheless, the response of the gov- . ernment was to stand behind these par asites. "We have come face to face with manifestations of anarchy, with the transformation of an organization that proclaimed itself to be a trade union into something far removed from what it had Striking Polish workers gather at Lenin shipyard in Gdansk to hear Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. Solidarity was creat declared in its statutes," former head of ed by a spontaneous working-class rebellion that aroused all of Polish society. the PUWP Stanislaw Kania declared. Kania charged that Solidarity was "under the direction not of the workers BY DAVID FRANKEL camp's right to save that country's in the fight to overturn capitalism, to ad but of instigators," and was ''being Events in Poland, particularly since tegrity and ensure that it survives and vance the socialist revolution, and to de steered in the direction of a political op the declaration of martial law there, resists at all costs imperialism's on fend every inch of ground already con position." have been the topic of considerable dis slaught." quered against imperialism's unceasing One strike leader replied, "If a de cussion among revolutionary fighters. counterattacks. mand that the authorities be honest is What are the forces responsible for 'Impending catastrophe' Defense of the workers states against political, then this is a political strike." imperialism is an essential component .the crisis in Poland? What social force Granma's coverage ofthe Polish crisis of any working-class program. The For democracy and social equality can resolve the crisis? Does the crack has been along these lines. down by the Polish regime strengthen countries where capitalism has been A December. 13 Prensa Latina dis~ the defense of the Polish workers state overturned, as in Poland, represent cru But Solidarity has also presented a patch from Warsaw by Alcibiades Hi positive program for advancing the inc against imperialism, or does it weaken cial conquests in the struggle to advance dalgo reported on the imposition of mar terests of the working class and the con it still further? the world socialist revolution. These tial law by paraphrasing Gen. Wojciech struction of a socialist society. On the These questions are being discussed bastions must be defended against any Jaruzelski's justification of this move. broadest level, it demanded a long-over and debated throughout the world. How threat of capitalist restoration, and "The extreme measure, stated the due democratization of Polish spciety could it be otherwise? against any attack by capitalist forces. head of government, was adopted in ac and elimination of the arbitrary rule of One set of answers has been indicated This defense is unconditional. That is, cordance with the precepts of the Polish uncontrolled bureaucrats. by the revolutionary leadership in Cu a workers state must be defended constitution and was provoked by the As the Solidarity draft program put it, ba. Although there has been no govern against the enemy class regardless of its impending catastrophe that threatened "No one can stand above or beyond the ment statement on the crisis in Poland, political regime. In the same way, class the nation, a catastrophe that in recent law." (For the draft program of Solidar and no speeches by Fidel Castro or other conscious workers defend their trade weeks seemed closer each day to ob- ity, see Militant, July 24, July 31, and Cuban Communist Party leaders on t9e unions against attacks by the capital servers in this capital. . . . • August 7, 1981.) subject, the Cuban CP daily Granma ists, even when their union is saddled "In the very center of the capital, the Solidarity demanded "freedom to has provided readers with an orienta with an undemocratic and class-collabo seat of the Solidarity organization in the criticize and to speak out," workers con tion to these events. .rationist leadership. Mazowsze region, which includes War trol on the job, and the right of workers Articles in Gronma, written by Cuban A restoration of capitalism in Poland saw, was occupied. Its leadership had to participate in making economic deci- press agency reporters from Warsaw, would be a historic defeat for the Polish played a central role in the resurgence . sions. The union insisted that "the au have expressed support for the declara working class and for working people of opposition actions this autumn, and thorities function out in the open, and tion of martial law. Granma has also throughout the world. Those who reject supported the formation of openly anti" not keep covering up behind a screen of carried Polish and Soviet news agency this point of view, and yet speak in the socialist political parties. . . . official secrecy decisions that are harm dispatches. name of solidarity ·with the Polish "Strikes, strike preparations, and pro ful, self-serving, illegal, or even crimi workers, do nothing to advance the test actions, [Jaruzelski] said, have be nal." Gain for imperialism? cause ofworking people in Poland or any come the norm of national life. Cases of And it presented a broad program for where else. Not surprisingly, the approach taken terrorism and of physical and moral the defense of the social interests of the Within this framework, the question is in line with that indicated by Fidel in threats, as well as of direct violence, are working class and its allies, and against that has to be addressed is whether the the main report to the Second Congress multiplying. The nation has reached the privilege and bureaucracy. Thus, the actions of the Polish government have of the Cuban Communist Party held in limits of its capacity for resistance, he draft program stated: advanced or hindered the defense of the December 1980. (See Militant, February emphasized. . . . "The areas of poverty in our society Polish workers state. 20, 1981.) That report characterized the "The oppol)ition organization [Soli cannot be allowed to expand. We should Is it true that the struggle of the Pol events in Poland since the rise of Soli darity], on the other hand, had called insist that minimum welfare be guaran ish union Solidarity was opening the darity in August 1980 as a gain for im protest demonstrations in the capital teed by the government to everyone in door to rightist 'and proimperialist for perialism. It said: and principal cities for the following Poland.... " ces to make a bid for power? "What happened there was partly a Thursday. These were prohibited by the While recognizing the economic crisis A look at what the Polish workers result of imperialism's subversive poli authorities. In all probability there facing the country, Solidarity declared have been fighting for will make the cy .... would have been confrontations with that "the costs of the crisis should be answers to these questions clear. ''The success that reaction has had the police incited by Solidarity. shouldered more by those with higher there is eloquent testimony to the fact "It is necessary to block that confron incomes than by those with lower ones. Why workers rebelled that a revolutionary Party in power can tation, which Solidarity considers inev It proposed concretely: not deviate from Marxist-Leninist prin itable, emphasized Gen. Wojciech Jaru-. Solidarity was created by a spontane . "• the introduction of a universal, ciples, neglect ideological work and di zelski today." ous working-class rebellion that compulsory, and progressive tax to vorce itselffrom the masses." Thus, the Cuban leaders felt that the aroused all of Polish society. The equalize incomes. . . . Fidel avoided direct attacks on Soli leadership of Solidarity was in the workers in their millions took part in es "• the taxation of exorbitant wealth darity, expressing hope that the Polish hands of antisocialist elements and that tablishing and maintaining this organi (luxury cars, vacation homes, etc.), United Workers Party (PUWP, the Pol Poland was on the brink of a confronta zation. "• the restriction of unwarranted ma ish Communist Party) would prove cap tion that threatened to open wide the The grievances that led to the rebel terial privileges for those in the·ruling able of resolving the crisis by "leaning doors to imperialist destabilization and lion are well known. Topping the list apparatus (apartments, official cars, on the healthy forces of the country and lead to the restoration of capitalism. As were social inequality and bureaucratic special medical services, etc.), and the taking advantage of the enormous mor a result, they believe the crackdown was privilege, corruption, and mismanage publicizing of the incomes and property al, patriotic, and revolutionary reserve necessary imd advisable. ment. holdings of people occupying positions of the working class." In our view, this approach is wrong. For example, in February 1981, some in the apparatus." But, he warned, "There is not the In looking at Poland, we have to start 200,000 workers in Bielsko-Biala, a tex Much of the conflict between there slightest question about the socialist with the world proletarian revolution: tile manufacturing center in southern gime and Solidarity has been around 10 The Militant Febrqary 26, 1982 le lor socialism the right of workers to organize and to on suspicion of ''antistate" offenses. One of the products of bureaucratic is a characteristic of the socialist state, maintain their own union independent In the meantime, the economic crisis rule in Poland that is most h11rmful to for the abolition of censorship, for the of control by the bureaucracy. But con in the country grew worse. The authori the defense of the workers state is the· real possibility of a planned develop siderable struggle has also been gener ties refused to allow the workers to take caricature of Marxism that has been im ment of the Polish nation. . . . ated by the social demands raised by the part in economic decision-making, posed as the state ideology and used to "There are no significant forces in Po workers. which was what was needed to begin re defend the most reactionary manifesta land which desire the reprivatization of In November 1980, for instance, the solving the crisis. Coupled with the gov tions of bureaucratic privilege and so the means of production," he said to government was forced under pressure ernment's direct attacks on Solidarity, cial inequality. thunderous applause. "There are no of the mass movement to double the ap the economic situation provoked numer Censorship is used to prevent the such forces in the Katowice Steelworks propriation for education in the 1981 ous strikes and demonstrations. working masses from obtaining accu or in the Lenin Steelworks." (See Inter budget from 3 percent to 6 percent. It al At a November 27-28 Central Com rate information about the rest of the continental Press, November 16, 1981.) so agreed to allot 5 percent of the budget mittee meeting, Jaruzelski announced world, and even about their own coun Numerous figures in Solidarity have to health care. that he would seek a new law giving the try. The official media is so discredited made similar points. As Solidarity ad In February 19ih, some· 300,000 government sweeping emergency pow that workers no longer believe it even viser Bronislaw Geremek told the Paris workers walked off their jobs in the Jele ers to outlaw strikes and protests. The when it tells the truth. weekly Le Nouvel Observateur, "The nia Gora region. Among their demands Council of Ministers decreed that vari- • As a result, it is certainly possible to problem of publicly owned property is was the conversion of an Interior Minis ous economic reform measures that had find many examples of reactionary and definitively settled." try sanatorium into a public hospital. previously been agreed to would be post procapitalist ideology among working He added: ''To return to the western They also proposed that a rest house op poned at least a year. people in Poland today. Many workers system would be a regression in civiliza en only to party members be converted Solidarity placed the responsibility there - as in other countries - have tion." The setup in Poland is being chal into a community recreation center. In for creating this situation squarely on deep illusions about the character of the lenged "not because it is socialist, but Nowy Sacz as well, Solidarity demanded the authorities .. '~The events of the past imperialist democracies, for example. (It because it is insufficiently so." that buildings belonging to the Ministry few days prove that the government has is important to note, however, that The working class has never been and of the Interior be turned into much rejected the possibility of dialogue with these ideas are much stronger among cannot be the agent of reaction. In Po needed health clinics. society and has embarked on the road of the bureaucrats themselves than in any land, that role is played by the ruling violence," the Solidarity leaders de section of the working class.) bureaucracy, which has gone so far as to Who provoked crisis? clared December 3, at a meeting in Ra It is also true that many workers, re encourage the revival of anti-Semitic dom. pelled by the twisted version of Marx filth in its struggle to maintain its privi As the Prensa Latina dispatch cited According to a tape of the discussions ism taught by self-serving ideologues leges. above correctly notes, the conflict be at this meeting later broadcast by the for the privileged layer, do not consider It is Solidarity that has aroused hope tween the Polish regime and Solidarity government, Lech W alesa declared, themselves Marxists or Leninists. But and inspired the masses, presenting a was coming to a head when J aruzelski "The confrontation is unavoidable, and these weaknesses are the product of the vision of what the workers state could declared the state of martial law on De confrontation will take place. One has to bureaucracy, not of Solidarity's strug become. cember 13. The Polish authorities have make people realize that we can't avoid gle. In the course of their struggle to cor sought to put the blame for the crisis on confrontation." In fact, by relying on the mobiliza rect bureaucratic abuses in Poland and Solidarity;which, they contend, fell into A week later, Walesa declared, "We tions of workers and farmers them to advance the construction of a socialist the hands of "extremists." do not want confrontation, but we can selves, Solidarity has pointed the way society, the masses of working people In the official justifications for the not retreat any more." toward a deepening of class-conscious will find their way to a deeper under crackdown, the Polish bureaucracy has The union had no choice but to re ness. This is one reason why so many standing of Marxism and Leninism. contended that it was moving toward spond to the escalating offensive by the members of the PUWP- an estimated . They will enhance their understanding compromise and solution to the prob regime. It called for mass rallies one million of them - were inspired to of their own struggle, and of the strug lems, but Solidarity rejected this course. throughout the country on December 17 JOm Solidarity, and have become gles of workers and peasants through The facts show the opposite to be the to protest the government attacks. At a members and activists in its ranks. out the world, who are their allies. And case. National Committee meeting in Gdansk they wili absorb the necessary lesson At Solidarity's national congress in December 11-12, it passed a resolution Solidarity's social goals that the fight for workers democracy September-October 1981, a resolution calling for a national referendum in and genuine proletarian international was overwhelmingly adopted calling for But the fact that some backward ideas which the Polish people would be asked· ism are inseparable. democratic elections to the Sejm (parlia exist among Polish workers is only one if they had confidence in the Jaruzelski ment) and local People's Councils, free side of the story, and not the most im regime, or favored the formation of a Blow to world working class of control by the PUWP. Currently, can portant. provisional government and free elec didates are nominated by the National The Polish working class is fighting Having looked at the true goals and tions. Unity Front, composed of the PUWP not for the denationalization of indus aspirations of Solidarity, we can see The next day, Jaruzelski declared and two smaller satellite parties. try, or a return to capitalism with its ex more clearly that the declaration of martial law, implementing a plan that ploitation, war, inflation, unemploy martial law and the efforts to crush Soli Solidarity demanded an unlimited had been prepared long in advance. number of candidates, nominated by ment, and extreme inequality. darity have done nothing to strengthen Rather, what they are demanding is the J!olish workers state. On the con any citizen's group or political organiza Workers counterrevolutionary? tion, with the union having the right to workers democracy. They are fighting trary, they have weakened it. have poll watchers. Thus, the facts show that it was not. for workers control in the factories, and In the international arena, the crack "The road to the nation's sovereignty the workers, but the regime that pro in economic and sacial planning.' down in Poland has provided fuel for the leads via democratic elections to repre voked the crisis that led to the crack As Edward Lipinski, a sociali:;;t since imperialists' anti-Soviet and anticom sentative organizations," the resolution down. However, the question still· re 1906 and one of Poland's most renowned munist propaganda drive. U.S. Presi said. mains, was Solidarity opening the door economists, told the Solida~ity congress dent Ronald Reagan, British Prime The Solidarity program adopted later to the restoration of capitalism? In in September 1981, the struggle to ad Minister Margaret Thatcher, French in the congress called for the establish volved in this question is the broader vance socialism in Poland today "is a President Fran«;ois Mitterrand, and ment of a "self-governed republic" based issue of the role of the working class it struggle for democratic management in their counterparts in the other imperial- on the Workers Councils and governing self in the construction of socialism. the factories, for political freedom which Continued on next page bodies democratically elected at all lev els. It was a program for turning the government into one run by working people themselves. It is only in the twisted language of the bureaucrats themselves, where "de fense of socialism" really means defense of their own privileges, that this propos al for democratizing the Polish workers state can be called "antisocialist" or "provocative." The bureaucracy had no intention of compromising with the workers' de mands, although at times it was forced to make limited concessions. Provocations by regime Although the Solidarity leadership al ways made clear its willingness to dis cuss problems with the government, the authorities decided to move toward the use of force. After the Solidarity congress, police began an escalating series of provoca Jose .J~r•mrt••rnR tions against union members and politi Reagan and U.S. ruling class are accelerating their criminal intervention against freedom fighters in El Salvador. cal activists. In some cities, unionists Crackdown in Poland has provided fuel for imperialists' anticommunist and prowar propaganda drive. It helps to were beaten. Others were fired from discredit socialism in the eyes of workers and farmers in Poland and around the world, thus weakening defense of •their jobs. Hundreds were investigated workers states. February 26, 1982 The Militant 11 Continued from previous page As Fidel put it in a speech celebrating ist countries have seized on the Polish the tenth anniversary of the Federation events with glee. of Cuban Women in August 1970, "The The U.S. rulers in particular hope to moral principle we should embrace - defuse opposition to their drive toward above all the revolutionary vanguard, military intervention in Central Ameri those in posts of responsibility, should ca, and to their efforts to introduce new be to make even more sacrifices than nuclear missiles into Western Europe. those that we ask of the people. The bureaucratic repression of Soli "And nobody should be surprised if darity has also provided new ammuni any manife.station of privilege taking tion to procapitalist forces within the la should arouse the most profound indig bor movement in countries like the nation among the masses. This is but United States. These forces argue that logical." whatever faults capitalism may have, Also discussed by Fidel in that speech socialism is no answer because it simply was the broader question of democratiz means tyranny. ing the government apparatus. And what about within Poland itself? "We have scores of problems at every Neither the construction of socialism level. ... We must create the institu nor the fight against bureaucratic tions which give the masses decision abuses can be advanced by weakening making power over many of these prob the organization and mobilization of the lems. We must find efficient and intelli working class. The crackdown in Poland gent ways to lead them deliberately for has strengthened not the workers, but ward to this development so that it will the petty-bourgeois bureaucracy that not simply be a matter of the people hav holds down the working class and re ing confidence in their political organi Massive march in Havana on May Day, 1981. Cuban leadership consciously tards the development of the workers zations and leaders and their willin promotes internationalism and combats development of bureaucratism in state. gness to carry out tasks, but that the Cuba by politically educating and organizing masses. By repressing the genuinely popular revolutionary process be at the same movement of the toilers in the name of time - as Lenin wished - a great of the Cuban Communist Party in De: the restoration of capitalism. But heal socialism, the privileged bureaucracy school of government in which millions cember 1980, when he noted: so asked, if this were the case, how had also helps to discredit socialism in the of people learn to solve the problems and "There were increasing signs that the such a state of affairs come to pass? eyes of Polish workers and farmers. As a carry out the responsibilities of govern spirit of austerity was flagging, that a Among the points he cited were: res~lt, it further weakens the defense of ment.... softening-up process was going on in "Bureaucratic methods in the leader the Polish workers state, which depends "This implies the development of a which some people tended to let things ship of the country, lack of contact with first of all on the consciousness of the new society and of genuinely democratic slide, pursue privileges, make accommo the masses - a decisive question for masses. principles - really democratic - re dations and take other attitudes, while every true revolutionary movement - placing the administrative work habits work discipline dropped. . . . neglect of communist ideals. And what Return to normal? of the first years of the Revolution. We "Was our Revolution beginning to de do we mean by neglect of communist must begin to substitute democratic ideals? We mean forgetting that men in Moreover, the crackdown has done no generate on our imperialist enemy's methods for the administrative methods a class society, the exploited in a class thing to ease the crisis. Just the oppo doorstep? Was that an inexorable law that run the risk of becoming bureau for any revolution in power? Under no society, the enslaved, struggle for a site. cratic methods." whole series of ideals, and when they A January 5 Prensa Latina dispatch circumstances could such a thing be per Although big strides have been made speak of socialism and communism they from Warsaw stated that "the situation mitted." in creating democratic institutions in are not only speaking of a society where in Poland is gradually returning to nor Just two months before, in September Cuba and in the battle against bureau<; 1980, with the July-August strikes in exploitation does actually disappear and mal." It quoted a government official in ratism, this is an ongoing process. In an the poverty resulting from that exploi Warsaw as asserting that "better labor Poland and the formation of Solidarity October 28, 1979, speech, Raul Castro tation disappears, but they are speaking discipline and increased productivity fresh in everyone's mind, Fidel spoke on discussed the pressures on Cuba from also of all those beautiful aspirations were noticeable in the city." the twentieth anniversary of the Com imperialism and the problems of the Cu mittees for the Defense of the Revolu that constitute the communist ideal of a But this is not the case. Demonstra ban economy, including low productivi tion (CDRs). These, he said, "represent classless society, a society free from self tions and protests by workers have con ty among workers. Raul pointed out: an extraordinary political experience, ishness, a society in which man is no tinued, despite severe repression. "But the main ones to blame for all ... something that no Marxist-Leni-. longer a miserable slave to money, in Workers are showing up in the factories these weaknesses and the lack of work. nist Party can ever ignore, and that is, which society no longer works for per to avoid arrest for striking, but they are discipline are not the workers but the the closest ties possible with the sonal gain.... continuing their passive resistance. managers and functionaries of enter masses!" "The communist ideal cannot, for a Already, Solidarity activists around prises who, we know, fiddle with the sta Speaking of the CDRs and the other single moment, exist without interna the country have begun to reorganize tistics, reporting land ready or planted mass organizations in Cuba, Fidel de tionalism. Those who struggle for com themselves, setting up numerous when it's not, production that hasn't clared, "I dare say that they are unique munism in any country in the world can workers committees and publishing un been done, using and abusing the pre in the world." never forget the rest of the world. . . . official leaflets and bulletins. In re rogatives that go with their post and the They can never forget, for a single mo sponse to drastic price hikes decreed by resources of their enterprise to solve the Bureaucracy vs. internationalism ment, the needs of that [underdeve the government, groups in Gdansk and problems of their own and of their loped] part of the world, and we believe other cities have issued new calls for friends. They have no standing when it The Cubans are also well aware of the that it is impossible to instill into the strikes and other protests. comes to being demanding of oth relationship· between privilege-seeking masses a truly international outlook, a The crackdown on Solidarity and the ers.... bureaucrats and opposition to revolu truly communist outlook, if they are al declaration of martial law is merely one "The authority administrators have tionary internationalism. Those who lowed to forget the realities of the more step along the same disastrous comes from a job done well, a life given are interested primarily in securing a world." -course previously followed by the Polish over to work, a work style that is far re better apartment or a new car are not And Fidel bluntly said, "We have seen bureaucracy, a course that has brought moved from fraudulent buddyism and enthusiastic about going to fight impe to what extent these ideas and interna the country to the crisis it now faces. warping tolerance, and from living a rialism in Angola. As Raul Castro put it, tional sentiments, that state of alert This course is not the result of mistak modest life in keeping with their they are the ones "who vacillate and are ness and awareness of the world's prob faint of heart." en policy or poor judgment. The problem means.... lems, have disappeared or are very This sentiment takes on political form is that the Polish government is in the "It's a question oj not abusing those weakly expressed in certain socialist through a policy aimed at reaching a hands of a distinct petty-bourgeois so prerogatives that go with the job and the countries in Europe." live-and-let-live accommodation with cial formation whose interests are op position, not using them as if they He cited the Tass statement on the in imperialism at the expense of the world posed to those of the workers and farm owned what the people have created and vasion of Czechoslovakia in which the revolution. Fidel had something to say ers. paid for with their sweat and toil. What Warsaw Pact governments declare about this question at the time of the This parasitic petty-bourgeois layer is under their control and administra "their unbreakable solidarity against plays no necessary role in production - tion is to be used for work and the social Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslova any outside threat. They will never per kia in 1968. on the contrary, its only contribution is good, not for their own or their family's mit anyone to tear away even one link of inefficiency, waste; and disorganization. comfort." Fidel supported .that invasion on the the community of socialist states." Yet it skims off much of the wealth pro Fidel also commented on the continu same grounds that Granma supports the Fidel commented: duced by the toilers for its own private ing battle against bureaucratism in Cu crackdown in Poland today. He argued "And we ask ourselves: 'Does that dec consumption. Therefore, it must monop ba in his report to the Second Congress that the country was heading toward laration include Vietnam? Does that olize political power in order to defend statement include Korea? Does that its privileges at the expense of the work statement include Cuba? Do they or do ing class. they not consider Vietnam, Korea and Because its privileged position is in Cuba links of the socialist camp to be compatible with the existence of safeguarded against the imperialists?' workers democracy, the bureaucracy is "In accordance with that declaration, incapable of finding any progressive so Warsaw Pact divisions were sent into lution to the crisis. Such a solution can Czechoslovakia. And we ask ourselves: only come from the working class itself. 'Will Warsaw Pact divisions also be sent to Vietnam if the Yankee imperialists Cuban approach step up their aggression against that country and the people of Vietnam re The approach followed by the revolu quest that aid?!"' tionary leadership in Cuba in dealing with the problems of bureaucratism is 'Essence of bureaucratism' the opposite of the course followed by the PUWP in Poland. In an interview with Chilean journal Privilege, corruption, and other ru.ani ist Marta Harnecker in December 1980, festations of bureaucratism are topics Carlos Rafael Rodriguez elaborated on that the Cubans have frequently ana Cuba's approach to the problem of com lyzed. Moreover, they have organized bating bureaucratism. Rafael Rodri the Cuban masses to combat these ills MilitanUErnest Harsch guez, a member of the Political Bureau since the earliest years of the Cuban Food line in Poznan. Bureaucratic mismanagement· of the economy has of the Cuban Communist Party, ex- revolution. meant severe hardships for Polish people. Continued on next page 12 The Militant February 26, 1982 The revolutionary government in Nicaragua Continued from Page 9 disseminating a revolutionary socialist the struggle for power cannot be placed set out to' gain an independent under sibility of smashing the old state struc outlook among the masses. A better un in deep-freeze to be brought out "when standing of the phenomenon, going back ture and overturning capitalism. derstanding of what is involved can be the time comes." They are with us now, to the Russian experience and moving to If a revolutionary Marxist party ex gained if we single out three general as both in the sense of internationally im subsequent events in other countries. ists, and gains governmental power un pects1 or phases, of this consciousness portant events on which stands must be He had not finished his study when he der the impulsion of a revolution, there raising process - not forgetting, of taken (the Cuban victory, for instance), died of a heart attack on June 22, 1975. is no question as to the subsequent dy course, that in the final analysis they and in the sense of gaining a more con The manuscript he left was thus some namics. The party assures it through its mesh together: crete appreciation of the possibilities in what rough. Perhaps in a final draft he program, through the cadres imbued 1. The educational work of bringing coming struggles. would have dealt with some points at with that program, and through the ex the masses to understand that the great Moreover, the struggle for power, greater length while compressing others perience gained in the living class social and economic evils they suffer along with the accompanying problems or placing them in a different order. struggle that finally puts it in power. from are consequences of capitalism in and tasks, must be kept constantly in Certainly he would not have changed its death agony, and that the dilemma The course of the Russian revolution is a mind. As the goal, that culminating his views. The more material he ga facing humanity on a world scale with classic example. Note well, however, phase dominates our decisions iil select thered and thought over the more con ever-increasing acuteness is socialism that the Bolsheviks held power for a pe- · ing the means required for its realiza vinced he became of the importance of or barbarism. The task is preeminent in riod on the basis of the capitalist eco tion. the topic. I am sure he would have felt countries where the program of revolu nomy. Time was required to carry out : Bob Chester was one of the cadres of deep satisfaction if his study succeeded tionary socialism is represented by only their program. If anything, they had to the Socialist Workers Party who saw in helping others to gain the insights he small minority movements. carry through these changes premature the importance of studying that feature achieved through this work even though 2. The organizational work of build ly. (This had to be paid for later, as of a socialist revolution called a they might not agree with everything ing a revolutionary socialist mass party Trotsky explained, by the New Econom "workers and farmers government." He he said or the way he put it. ic Policy.) Thus the Russian revolution as the means for meeting the central di provided the world with the first exam lemma. The problem facing small revo ple of a "Workers and Peasants Govern lutionary groups of linking up with the ment" in power with the task still before masses comes under this heading. The it of actually establishing a workers task demands doggedness, the utmost state. attention, and an expenditure of time • and effort bordering on fanaticism . This study deals with a subject that to 3. The final push of playing a leading many socialist militants might appear role in the working-class struggle for at first sight as hardly of great concern: power when the conditions for this have What is the first form ofgovernment that matured. can be expected to appear as the result of For periods longer than expected, rev a successful anticapitalist revolution, olutionists have had to concentrate on and how does it relate to the preceding the two preliminary phases. The asso struggle for power? ciated tasks are just as difficult as those The topic itself came under considera of the third phase - perhaps more so. tion quite late in the development of key The preliminary problems, standing in revolutionary socialist concepts. It was some instances for years, if not decades, submitted for general discussion for the at the top of the revolutionary agenda, first time at the Fourth Congress of the can certainly appear to be more real Communist International in 1922. Only than the question of what form of gov the delegates of the Bolshevik Party, in ernment might appear as the conse the period when it was led by Lenin and quence of a revolutionary victory. Trotsky, could have suggested the im However, in today's highly unstable portance of the question to the cadres of world, seemingly remote theoretical the Third International. questions have a way of suddenly impos The delegates at the Fourth Congress ing themselves in the political arena did not engage in fanciful speculation. and demanding answers, that can deci Their debate was based on the expe sively determine the fate of groups and rience of the October 1917 revolution in currents bidding for leadership of the Russia, on five years of thinking over working class. Thus, problems related to Joseph Hansen speaks to the 1968 convention of the Young Socialist Alliance. that mighty chapter in the development of civilization, and on the need to bring subsequent experiences into the context of the lessons of 1917. Struggle for socialism in Poland After 1922 the subject was not taken up again. The life-and-death struggle with Stalinism cut across further devel Continued from previous page "Lenin was concerned about this from eyes. But this is a battle not only of the opment of Marxist theory on this ques plained that the term "bureaucratism" the first moment of the socialist revolu party and its leaders, but it must be un tion as on much else. Trotsky referred to has many meanings and is used to de tion~ He fought against the 'bureaucrat derstood as a great people's battle, in it in passing in the Transitional Pro scribe different things. ic degeneration' in the revolutionary which the working class has to play a gram, which was adopted at the found "There is the bureaucratic attitude of state. He always fm,1ght the 'encrusta predominant role." ing congress of the Fourth International the leader who is separated from the tion' of those who lead and was a parti What the events in Poland show once in 1938, but he did not enlarge upon it. productive processes and believes that san of airing all the problems before the again is that there has been a historical The necessity to resume where the his office is the center of the universe he masses. . break in revolutionary continuity, a ba Fourth Congress of the Communist In gets to administer. The lack of contact "You have listened to Fidel, and have sic departure from what Lenin and the ternational had left off arose from new with reality, with the factory, with the listened to his constant criticism of bu Bolshevik Party stood for. The approach complex events in the international agricultural unit, can therefore lead, reaucracy, his concern that the leaders of the Polish .bureaucracy toward the class struggle. In the aftermath of and does generally lead, to mistaken bu at all levels are linked to the productive workers of Poland is the exact opposite World War II, workers states appeared reaucratic decisions. process in each one of its stages. This is of the policy Lenin advocated and fought in Eastern Europe, China, Korea, Viet "We also speak of bureaucracy when, the policy of our party. These are its con for in the Soviet Union. · nam, and Cuba. The processes through in making decisions, the needs and the stant objectives. I think that the way Lenin understood that the security which these states came into being had interests of the population are not taken that we have organized the relationship and defense of the workers state and its to be explained correctly in the light of into account; when the requirements of between the working class and the lead advance in the direction of soci~lism Marxist theory. the· citizenry disappear in the endless ers, the role that we assign to the could only be accomplished by the Failure to do so would have put in paper-shuffling, when they get no re workers' unions and mass organiza workers themselves. The working class question the continuity of Marxist the sponse to their needs or their questions. tions, and our efforts to make sure that is the only revolutionary class in mod ory, including Trotsky's analysis of the "But in the final analysis the essence the party continually listens to the ern society. If given the chance to organ meaning of the extension of the borders of bureaucratism is substituting for the workers and knows how to assimilate ize and participate in political activity, of the Soviet Union at the beginning of role of the masses in the decision-mak their judgments with sensitivity- all it will be the motor force to move all of World War II and eventually his analy ing process, on whatever level those de this constitutes ongoing prevention society forward. sis of the degeneration of the first cisions are made, implanting an admi against the never completely overcome The rise of Solidarity in Poland is not workers state. nistrative or political apparatus over tendency toward bureaucratic positions. a detour from the historic advance of the To carry out this task, the signifi the workers and not taking either the "If I were to tell you that we have at socialist revolution that we are seeing cance of the post-World War II over workers or their organizations into ac tained these objectives, that would be today with the victories in Nicaragua turns of capitalism had to be connected count.... ignoring the realities that are before our and Grenada. It is part of the same pro with the conclusions reached by the cess of working-class radicalization that Fourth Congress in 1922, Those conclu led to these revolutions, to the Iranian sions had to be either rejected, extended, revolution, and to the new awakening of or modified as the facts might dictate. For further reading • • • the workers movement in the imperial The importance of the question be ist countries. comes obvious when it is thought Dynamics of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Speeches: Cuba's Inter Solidarity has inspired working peo through and the consequences for politi by Joseph Hansen, 393pp., $7.95. This nationalist Foreign Policy 1975-1980 ple throughout the world by its vision of cal practice are grasped. Nonetheless, it collection includes the article "Fidel Castro 391pp., $7.95.- a socialist society free of the diseases of is a fact that it remains a field of prime and the Events in Czechoslovakia" written privilege, inequality, and repression. Its interest only to advanced revolutionary in 1968. Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro example gives the lie to capitalist propa ganda equating communism with tota! cadres. This holds true for the world 134pp., $4.00. Trotskyist movement as a whole. itarianism. Its struggle deserves the The main reason for this discounting Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West support of all who consider themselves of the question is to be found, I think, in Poland: Workers in Revolt Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Please in socialists and communists. by Dave Frankel et al., 498pp., $1.25. clude $. 75 for postage and handling. the paramountcy of problems facing February 9, 1982 small revolutionary organizations in From Intercontinental Press February 26, 1982 The Militant 13 Rail workers vs. the MX missile BY TOM PONTOLILLO heads, and each warhead is reported to and national officials in circulating res organizing participation by rail workers The Reagan administration and Con have an explosive force up to forty-six olutions, statements, and petitions con in the antiwar action in Washington on gress are planning to spend tens of bil times the blast force of the atomic bomb demning the MX and its possible de March 27 against U.S. military inter lions of dollars on a new intercontinen which annihilated Hiroshima. The mis ployment on the railroads. vention in El Salvador. tal ballistic missile called the MX. The siles are seventy-one feet long, about It is a false and dangerous strategy to We should participate in the June 12 giant weapons program has aroused op eight feet wide, and weigh ninety-six tie the fight to protect railroad jobs, pay, national demonstration for disarma position since it was proposed by the tons each. benefits, and working conditions to the ment in New York. Ford administration. The MX will be targeted against mis idea of "national defense." When Carter was president, he want And we should continue to discuss the sile installations in the Soviet Union The rail union leaders tried this trick ed to make the land-based system mo and Eastern Europe. As Herbert Sco idea of independent labor political ac at the April 29 demonstration of 30,000 tion. The MX plans and the war threats bile by building a railroad system for it. ville, Jr., president of the Arms Control rail workers in Washington last year. It would have shuttled trains along un Association, puts it, "the MX's can only in Central America are the work of the derground tracks in an area of thou destroy Soviet intercontinental ballistic They argued that the government Democrats and the Republicans. They sands of square miles in Utah and Neva missiles if they are used in a first strike; shouldn't cut funding for Amtrak and are pushing these plans for the people da. There were going to be 4,600 pads otherwise, they hit only empty silos." Conrail because the rail systems are they really serve at the expense of the where the 200 missiles could be This weapon is a threat and a warning needed to move weapons. Reagan and workers. Congress must have just laughed at the launched. hanging over the heads of working peo There is a crying need for a break sight .of these union leaders trying to This plan was scrapped after massive ple throughout the world. It is designed from the parties of the bosses. A labor outflank them from the right by arguing opposition developed in those two states. to give the ruling class a freer hand in party based on the unions could do for a stronger military. The sentiment from workers, farmers, intervening against the revolutionary something that the Democrats and Re and ranchers there was so strong that movements of the people of the Carib Conrail and Amtrak were cut and are publicans will never do -represent the conservative groups like the Mormon bean and Central America, especially El being cut further. The union leaders true majority in this country, working Church hierarchy came out against the Salvador. ended up agreeing to wage cuts for their people. It could organize and lead the MX. The MX will be one of the most expen members. fight for money for jobs, not for war; The Reagan administration is moving sive weapons systems ever built. The against the MX system; and for safe ahead with building the missiles and cost is estimated at $34 to $70 billion Protests against military build-up working conditions on the railroads. proposing several alternative launching over the next five years. And that's be More April29s and September 19 Sol pads. fore the usual cost overruns and infla idarity Day protests is one step we can Tom Pontolillo is an engineer on Conrail tion, which will double or triple the take to protect railroaders' jobs and and chairman of Division 501 of the An unwanted monster price. rights. We also need to begin right away Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Who will pay for it? The latest plan is for forty MXs to be The rail workers and other working put in Minuteman III missile silos. The people through taxes and cuts in our government is debating where to put hard-won social benefits. the rest. The problem is that nobody It appears that the rail industry wants them; they are an unwanted would be a most willing accomplice to monster. putting these death machines on freight The underground railroad plan was trains. One industry representative, supported by the chairman of the Joint summing up the support already ex Chiefs of Staff, General David C. Jones; but popular opposition was too strong. pressed by a number of major railroads, said, "it would be a nice piece of re The government has suggested venue, and we're behind it." The mod launching the missiles from planes that ern-day robber barons must also be sali would remain airborne for extended pe vating over the possibility of having riods. The Air Force brass is against this idea, and it doesn't have much of a popu their substandard trackage upgraded at taxpayers' expense. But the stakes are lar following. Airplanes have been vastly different. known to crash. What if a plane crashed while carrying the missiles? Where union officials stand Another proposal is to put them inTi tan missile silos. After the explosion in a The heads of the rail unions have not Titan silo in Arkansas in September officially commented on the plan. But in 1980, this idea also makes many people reporting the development in its official uneasy. The government is trying to organ, UTU News, the United Trans reassure them with the argument that portation Union reported Congressman the solid-fuel MX is safer to have in your Evans's statement that the railroads backyard than the liquid-fuel Titan. can play a role in defending the nation MX prototype on transporter at Nevada test site. There are proposals to launch the with MX missiles. The UTU News, enormous missiles from trucks running didn't take issue with this idea, and in along the interstate highway system. fact, pointed out "the advantage of cost But even sophisticated missiles are not savings over other alternatives." This is Israelis join protests of guaranteed against traffic accidents. a dangerously misleading characteriza Another suggestion is to carry the MX tion. on freight trains under military super What the idea really poses for rail Golan Heights annexation vision. They would just be coupled onto workers are increased haz.ards on the freights going anywhere. job and a threat to our unions and our BY ROBERTO KOPEC Joined by Druse activists from the Go None of the suggested places for the very jobs. OCCUPIED GOLAN HEIGHTS- A lan, the Israelis formed a caravan of MXs is any better than another. What The safety record of the rail industry delegation of about thirty Israeli citi about twenty cars and toured the vil should be done with MXs is not to build in the transportation of hazardous ma zens, Arabs and Jews, traveled here lages of Mas'ada, Bukata, Ein Kuniye, them at all. terials is abominable. Serious accidents from different parts oflsrael January 30 and Majdal Shams. In each village the The latest information I've gotten is are becoming typical. The September to express their opposition to Israel's an caravan was received by all the inhabi that the MX freight train idea was pro 1981 C&O freight train derailment in nexation of the Syrian Golan Heights tants, the men lining up, as is Druse posed seriously late last year. Republi Bridgman, Michigan, resulted in a spill and to show their solidarity with the custom, to personally greet and shake can Congressman Cooper Evans of Iowa of fluorosulfanic acid which caused the Arab population there. hands with the visitors. A short rally was very enthusiastic about it. But the was held in each town, with speakers evacuation of 1,500 and the hospitaliza Israel occupied the Golan Heights - government is leaning toward other tion of eleven. The spilling of 40,000 gal from the Bir Zeit Committee and the Sy proposals now. along with the West Bank of the Jordan lons of toxic chemicals into a creek after River, the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Pen rian villages. a MoPac wreck in Marion, Missouri, is . insula - durinr; the war it launched. A major theme was the link between An idea to be taken seriously becoming typical of railroad accidents. against its Arab neighbors in June the struggle against the occupation and Nevertheless, rail workers should A wreck involving nuclear warheads 1967. At that time there were some the struggle against the Zionist re take the very idea dead seriously. For would be catastrophic. And yet the 150,000 people living in the Golan gime's social policies inside Israel. one thing, it brings the war issue home American Association of Railroads, the Heights. The Druse villagers burst into ap to railroaders. For another, it raises Chamber of Commerce of the rail indus The Israeli occupiers expelled all the plause when one of the Israelis ex issues concerning other deadly cargoes try, is pushing for the rollback of al Christian and Muslim inhabitants. On pressed the hope that one day they we carry, such as nuclear waste. We ready inadequate safety standards and ly the Druse, a religious group derived would return to visit the Golan Heights should raise our. voices in opposition. legislation. from Islam, were allowed to stay. Today "with a visa from the government of Sy The MX is scheduled for deployment The threat to the workers' unions and only 13,000 of the original inhabitants ria." beginning in 1986. Each missile will job security is no less grave. Becoming Temain in the area, and out of some 100 Sheik Mahmoud Hassan Safadi, one contain ten independently targeted war- part of the national "defense" system Arab villages, only five are still inhabit of the leaders of the struggle against the would subject the unions to greater re ed. imposition of Israeli citizenship on the strictions on their already severely li Druse, explained that their fight is "for On December 14, the Israeli Knesset mited right to strike, if not a total ban peace and justice." He pointed out that American (parliament) voted to extend the laws, on all strikes. It would also expose all the Israeli government claims "Arabs jurisdiction, and administration of the rail workers to victimization by the car want to kill the Jews, but this is a lie. Labor Struggles Zionist state to the occupied Syrian ter riers and the Defense Investigative Ser Jews have as much right to live as any ritory. This formalized an annexation vice for their union activism or political nation. But not on our land." that began in 1967. 1877-1934 beliefs. A score of workers at Lockheed A Druse construction worker summed By Samuel Yellen 'and McDonnell Douglas have already The delegation from Israel, organized up the sentiment of the Arab population 416 pp., $6.95 been victimized. by the Committee in Solidarity with Bir in the Golan Heights when he told this Order from Pathfinder Press, 410 We must go to our locals and educate Zeit University, represented the grow reporter, "The Golan Heights is Syrian, West Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. our co-workers about the dangers of this ing segment of Israeli society that op and will remain Syrian no matter how Please include $.75 for postage. plan. We must enlist the support and ac poses the continued occupation of the long Israel stays here." tive participation of our locals and local territories seized in 1967. From Intercontinental Press 14 The Militant February 26, 1982 Puerto Rican fisherman speaks out against u,s~-\\'Y \;:~ 1 ,,nr U.S. Navy war moves ~1l~l l'!t" ··.1.~·:.~:::'1:~:\;~~.:':::,,. ' • ' !,,~./ .. \ /*'l··; '"'%.{ li=''~- 1\l~·.t~·· Js.\Jt,,:::> Calls for out of V-1eques' v . " 1 r t .f \ t ~ .-&. .... :) ~ - : ;~-- %»-/~~~.. ,.;.;.;.; ... :.· U.S. • Struggle to free Vieques is supported by broad sector of Puerto Rican population. The following interview with Car lies live on food stamps. We do not have sions of Cuba, Nicaragua, and El Salva Vieques to the members of NATO, los Zenon, leader of the Association colleges for our youth, and those that dor. charging $1,200 per hour per ship. of Fishermen of Vieques, an island can must leave Vieques to continue During these maneuvers the ships six miles off the east coast of Puerto their university studies. sailed with their lights out and came in Q. What kind of local, national, and Rico, originally appeared in the Jan We do not have hospitals. When wom very close to shore, something that only international support have the people of uary 25, 1982 issue of 'Perspectiva en are going to have a baby they have to very well-prepared ships can do. No U.S. Vieques received? Mundial,' a socialist fortnightly pub go to the big island [Puerto Rico] by Navy ship would approach the shores of A. The struggle ofVieques is a broad lished in New York. The interview plane. Russia to invade it, but they would do struggle. On the local level there is the has been slightly abridged. this against any of our Latin American In addition, as you know, our people Crusade to Rescue Vieques, which in The U.S. 'Navy and Marines oc live by fishing, and the continuous use peoples. volves all types of organizations of cupy three-quarters of the land sur of our waters by the U.S. Navy will ruin workers, students, fishermen, mer face of Vieques, using the island for Q. Recently it was reported in "Pers that industry. When these ships come chants, etc., that have arisen against naval gunnery practice, close air pectiva Mundial" that a possible inva into the one-hundred-foot deep waters the U.S. Navy in Vieques. support training, and air-to-ground where we fishermen have our traps, the sion of the island of Grenada was being On the national level in Puerto Rico, exercises. As a result, the residents prepared somehwere in the Caribbean. ships' propellers destroy the buoys that we have the support of the churches, of the island live in constant proxim indicate where our traps are. When that Can you tell us anything about this? ity to artillery fire, exploding bombs, universities, Vieques support commit happens it is hard for us to find the tees, and political parties like the Puer and strafing jets. traps. As a result, the trap stays on the A. The training for this possible inva to Rican Socialist Party (PSP) and Puer In addition, huge amounts of am sion of the island of Grenada took place bottom for eight or twelve months, at to Rican Independence Party (PIP). We munition and weapons are stored in tracting many fish who then die in the on Vieques. Three months ago some ma hollowed-out mountains for use by neuvers were carried out with Vieques also have the support ofpoliticalleaders traps. like Severo Colberg of the Peoples De the Atlantic fleet in any conflict in The U.S. Department of Agriculture simulating Grenada, since the topogra mocratic Party (PPD) and Radames Ti volving Africa or Central or South phy of the two islands is very similar. made a study of these traps and found rado of the New Progressive Party America. Grenada also is building an airport that that a single trap collects from 4,500 to (PNP) [the PPD and PNP are the two The interview with Carlos Zenon is similar to the U.S. airport on Vieques. 5,000 pounds of fish in ten months. The main political parties in Puerto Rico] was .conducted by Herminia Cruz, U.S. Navy destroyed 131 traps in 1977, They also trained in carrying out pos and the nationalist heroes [four Puerto co-coordinator of the Vieques Sup so you can imagine the damage already sible aerial attacks against the people of Rican patriots who were released in port Committee of Hartford, Con caused, and the damage that will con Grenada. In fact, reports on this simu 1979 after spending more than twenty- . necticut, during a tour that Zenon lated battle were obtained and are now tinue to happen if these practices are five years in prison]. made to gather support for the continued. being debated in the United Nations On the international level there are struggle of the people of Vieques General Assembly. The U.S. Navy has caused damage to support committees in nearly all the against the U.S. Navy's occupation the plant and animal life, and has I have no doubt that Vieques would states of the United States. There areal of their island. The translation is by play a role in the naval blockade that caused erosion of the reefs as a result of so support committees in Canada, Vene 'Intercontinental Press'. the constant bombardment. the United States is planning against zuela, and Santo Domingo. In addition, At the time of the hostages in Iran, Cuba. since the case of Vieques is being debat Question. Zenon, can you tell us why the United States was ready to unleash ed at the United Nations, there are a the people of Vieques are involved in a the third world war. But the United Q. Does this mean that the training tremendous number of countries that struggle against the U.S. Navy? States has published nothing about the carried out in Vieques takes on a greater support the struggle ofVieques, such as 8,000 Puerto Rican hostages on scope as a possible invasion of one of Answer. This struggle has been build the Cuban delegation, the delegation Vieques. The U.S. Navy must leave, be these countries approaches? ing up for years. Since the U.S. Navy from Grenada, and others. cause our island wants to develop, not came to Vieques in 1940, our people A. Absolutely, although it is neces So with all this international, nation continue to be strangled. have suffered a number of blows. sary to make the point that training is al al, and local support, we will get the First there was the expropriation of ways going' on. Some operations are U.S. Navy out of Vieques, and restore Q. What is the relationship between land when the U.S. Navy took over public, and some are secret. For those of peace to the island and to our brother the military bases on Vieques and the 26,000 of the 33,000 cuerdas [one cuer the public type, where they want a lot of Latin American countries. struggle of our Latin American peoples da =one acre] ofland on the island. fanfare, they invite naval forces from Every day that the fishermen disrupt in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Cuba, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization the U.S. Navy's training in Vieques is The Navy set the price for the land be elsewhere? (NATO), as they did in 1978. It is very longing to the people of Vieques, even one fewer day the United States has for A. The U.S. Navy is training person difficult to know the purpose ofthis type invading our Latin American peoples. though they did not want to sell it. If of maneuver. anyone resisted the sale of their proper nel and carries out exercises that simu From Intercontinental Press late invasions of other countries. In The secret-type training is not an ty, they were given twenty-four hours to nounced. For example, they carry out move off it and take the price the Navy 1964, for example, U.S. Marines were trained in Vieques for the intervention training every night on the beaches of wanted to pay. Vieques. These maneuvers endanger Later, in the 1950s, our young people in Santo Domingo. They have also car ried out practice invasions of Guatema the lives of our people and our brother were the victims of attacks, murders, la, Nicaragua, and now El Salvador. peoples. GRENADA and outrages. In the 1960s the abuses on The navy recruits our young people, the island continued to get worse, and in Q. Zenon, when the NATO force was Revolution in the 1970s, areas of the sea were declared calling them Sea Cadets. Because they speak Spanish and have training in Vieques in 1978, how did the the Caribbean off-limits to the fishermen. people react to this training? Fishing is the only industry that has Latin features, it is easier for them to be used to intervene in El Salvador, repre A. In February 1978 the Navy invit any real importance on the island, since senting the dehumanizing policy of the ed NATO and other allied navies to the Navy caused the disappearance of United States in this brother country. train for twenty-seven days in the wa sugar cane and agriculture. All we have ters ofVieques. They sent us, the fisher now are a few jobs with the municipality Our young people go along with this type of work because of the island's eco men, a letter advising us that we could and in two factories. nomic situation, not because of the polit not fish for twenty-seven days, until the ical implications that go with it. The training was over. Q. What is the situation on Vieques in social and economic terms as a result of parents of these young people are When we tried to discuss this with Ad its occupation by the U.S. Navy? guards trained by the Navy to act as a miral Robert Fanagan, who issued the means of repression against the people order, he told us we should go on food A. The U.S. Navy has the island of of Vieques who struggle against the stamps, since the Navy had invested Vieques in an economic and social Navy. millions of dollars in these maneuvers stranglehold. The plans that exist for Seven months ago, sixty-four Navy of and was not going to cancel them for the development of the island are impossi ficers received special training and were fishermen of Vieques. by Sam Manuel ble to implement because of the Navy's sent to El Salvador. Comrade Ernesto presence. Since the Navy expropriated Cardenal [the minister of culture] of Ni Here we decided that for the first time & Andrew Pulley the property of the people on Vieques, caragua told me that two ships that had in history, the U.S. Navy would have the population has dropped from 14,000 been training in Vieques [one being the problems. We fishermen would organize $.95 to the present 8,000. This is due to the USS Dwight) steamed toward Nicara ourselves and confront them, paralyzing Order from: Pathfinder Press small area left for civilian use. Our pop gua. the training operations. 410 West Street ulation lives on 7,000 cuerdas. There They are carrying out maneuvers on a Among the countries that took part New York, N.Y. fore we cannot even practice agriculture scale never before seen in the forty-one were Brazil, France, Holland, Argenti 10014 because of the large number of people years the U.S. Navy has been on na, and Canada. In fact, this was not the (Include $. 75 for postage and living in that small area. Vieques. We have made a connection be first time that the Navy invited NATO handling.) The unemployment rate has risen to tween these training operations and the to practice in Vieques. In 1958 the 64 percent, and 75 percent of the fami- recent news reports about possible inva- United States rented the island of February 26, 1982 The Militant 15 -THE GREAT SOCIETY--:------Supply-side dept. -Reagan Smokey the Bear with a change workers, ordered state liquor Week. However, he cautioned, the Electronic Funds Transfer's wants to hike admissions to na cup. stores not to stock Russian vod "too much government regula "checkless giving" machine - tional parks and maybe impose ka. tion" is counterproductive. "delivers donors' dollars even fees on such items as drinking Disneyland forever - The during a mail strike" - and an proposed increases in national Grinding away- The Agri Shopping tip - Super Electronic Signatures device park fees will not only help culture Department plans to OK markets may start pasting elec which provides 700 "automatic pay for operating the parks, the including ground bone in pro tronic devices on items which handwritten" signatures per administration explains, but cessed meats and labeling it can be used as price tags, but hour to "personalize your solici will also help make the parks with such euphemisms as "me which trigger if they leave the tations." Harry less competitive with the pri chanically retrieved meat." Per store without going through the vate recreation industry. centage of bone content will be cashier. If it was a genuine anti Ring listed as "percent calcium." In thievery device, it would start Probably does, too - Los addition to calcium, animal shrieking when the price is put Angeles Police Chief Daryl Workers' friend- Governor bone includes such goodies as on it. Gates finds his job "frustrating, water and toilet facilities. We Rhodes of Ohio announced plans lead and strontium 90. discouraging." To relieve the can see it now. That lean-to at for more budget cutbacks, a To combat godless mate tension, he said, he confides in the end of the hiking trail "temporary" increase in the No protection too much rialism-Booths at the Nation superiors. And, he added with a houses a toll booth. Try to uri sales tax, and, in a demonstra The president proclaimed April al Religious Broadcasters con laugh, "I go home and kick the nate behind a tree and there's tion of solidarity with the Polish 25-May 1 National Consumer . vention featured such items as dog real hard." --CALENDAR----~------ ALABAMA MICHIGAN itant Labor Forum. For more information Militant Bookstore Forum. For more infor Birmingham Detroit call (201) 643-3341. mation call (503) 222-7225. What's Really Happening in Nicaragua. Two Films: Malcolm X Speaks and Mal Slide show and presentation by member of colm X: the Struggle for Freedom. Sun., Young Socialist Alliance. Sat., Feb. 20, 7:30 Feb 21, 7 p.m. 6404 Woodward. Donation: PENNSYLVANIA p.m. 205 18th St. S. Donation: $2. Ausp: Mil $2.50. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more NEW YORK Harrisburg itant Forum. For more information call (205) information call (313) 875-5322. Brooklyn Three Mile Island 1979-1982: A View 323-3079. Malcolm X: The Meairing of His Ideas for Three Years Later. Speakers: John Kovalic, Music, Literature, and the Crisis in Today. Film and panel discussion. Speakers: Board of Directors, People Against Nuclear American Society. Speaker: Kofi Natambu, Minister Mi~;hael Amon-Ra, National Black Energy, Middletown; Jane Lee, Etters, Pa., ARIZONA editor of Solid Ground. 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Irish freedom struggle leader Bernadette Devlin McAiiskey pays tribute to the ten pri Nicaragua soners who died on hunger strike in the H Biocks of Northern Ireland. She assesses Nicaragua and Cuba Tour - July 17-31, 1982 - fifteen days,$1150 OREGON Portland the lessons of the struggle for building a Fall Economy Tour - December 4-11, 1982 - eight days, $650 Memories of Underdevelopment, a Cu movement to win a free and united Ireland. ban Film. Sun., Feb. 21, 7:30p.m. 711 NW 24 pp., $1.25. Order from New York H Grenada Everett. Donation: $1. Ausp: Militant Book Biock/Armagh Committee, 135 West Fall Economy Tour - October 29-November 5, 1982 - eight days, $725 store Forum. For more information call (503) Fourth Street, New York, New York, (from New York) 222-7225. 10012. (Please include $.75 for postage). Prices include round-trip airfare from Miami, hotels Milltant!Perspectlva Mundlal Tours Creationism vs. Evolution: In Defense of Write for information about bulk rates and (double occupancy), three meals (except for August 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014 Scientific Thinking. Speaker: Sara Baird, for information about the committee's ac 8-15 tour), transfers, and guide service. (212) 242-5530 Socialist Workers Party. Sun., Feb. 28, 7:30 tivities. p.m. 711 NW Everett. Donation: $1. Ausp: 16 .The Militant February 26, 1982 Alicia Alonso and Cuba's national ballet The Cuban revolution in late 1959 opened the doors for her dream to become reality, so she returned to her homeland. Washington responded by barring her from performing in the United States. This exclusion kept her from U.S. audiences for the next fifteen years. Alonso sided in no uncertain terms with the revolu tion, and plunged into the work of realizing her vision of a ballet company of technical precision and artistic depth. Terry writes of the results: "In an unbelievably short time, then, Cuba has succeeded in building a national ballet of remarkable professional stature." In 1978, when the BalletNacional de Cuba was final ly allowed to perform in the United States, it received rave reviews from critics and public alike. Alonso's success was ultimately due to her identifi cation of this project with the revolutionary transfor mation that was taking place. It started with money, of course. Fernando Alonso, Alicia's former husband, met with Fidel Castro in 1960 to discuss government support for dance. Alonso asked for "about $100,000" to get a company and school started. Castro, a ballet enthusiast, offered $200,000, adding, "but it better be good ballet." Joined work brigade The Alonsos set about gathering the·human mate Alonso and Jorge Esquivel in 1978 performance of 'Giselle.' rial. They toured all over Cuba, everi to the most re mote villages. They sent lecture-demonstrations to Alicia and Her Ballet Nacional de Cuba, by force of dance in Cuba. The island's incredible the factories and fields. The dancers, with Alicia in Walter Terry. Anchor Books. 146 pages, $10.95. achievements are in no small part due to her. Terry the lead, participated in work brigades to harvest justly describes her as "one of the greatest lyric sugar. BY FRANK BOEHM dancers of the century." They developed innovative approaches for using Is there a country where the president gives a fled Born in Havana in 1921, Alonso left for a career in dance therapy for psychologically impaired youths, gling ballet company twice as much money as it asks the United States when she was sixteen. For most of using dance instruction to remedy health and wide for? Or a place where dance instruction is included in her life, from the age of nineteen on, she has been spread postural problems due to years of unbalanced grammar schools throughout the land, as well as in nearly blind. diet, and providing a form for important emotional the military? (You read that right, the military.) While dancing with the American Ballet Theater and artistic expression. How about a place where famous ballet dancers (ABT), she often returned home with the dream of The extraordinary bond between the revolution perform in factories and fields as well as city opera building a genuine Cuban ballet company. In the late and Cuban dance has resulted in considerable artistic houses? Where huge mansions of the rich are made 1940s, she began a small company and school in Ha creativity and ferment. Although Terry primarily into beautiful studios and rehersal spaces? Where the vana. notes Alonso's success in staging the classics, he men leading ballerina-is a popular hero? In 1956, Cuban dictator Batista withdrew the tions the Ballet Nacional's development of repertoire Any dancer or dance enthusiast in this country small stipend Alonso's company received from the along Spanish and Cuban themes. Choreography and would think no such place could exist. Certainly this government because she refused to allow her company the dance vocabulary itself are richly affected by the and school to be absorbed into the government's Insti free mix of new and old ideas, experimentation, the tute of Culture. new social consciousness, and the heritage of African BOOK REVIEW Batista's move prompted protests. Terry describes and Spanish cultures. what happened: "Alicia received national popular The new choreography ranges from the abstract to support for her rejection of the Batista stand. Com is not the United States, where training is expensive, attempts to deal with the comtemporary experience: mittees to appeal the government's withdrawal of the careers limited and uncertain, pay poor, medical "Woman"; "Awakening," which deals with the revo subsidy and planned takeover were formed. Protest costs for common injuries astronomical, and where lution; "Vietnam-the Lessons"; and "Conjugaci6n," rallies were held. what little government support exists is being inspired by the life and death of Che Guevara. "A tour of the entire country elicited total support slashed away. Aside from the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, there is for the Alonsos and the independent Ballet de Cuba. Such a place does in fact exist, and very close- Cu another major classical company, the Ballet Cama The culmination of the nationwide protest occurred ba. g(i.ey. There is also a modern dance company and a on September 16, 1956, when the Havana Stadium The well-known dance critic and historian Walter national folklore company. was packed with vociferous, militant supporters of Terry has written a new book, Alicia and Her Ballet It is inspiring to witness an art form not alienated Cuban ballet's illustrious 'Dama'." Nacional de Cuba. This slim volume is an illustrated from society, but part of its struggles, hopes, and ac biography of Alicia Alonso. complishments. Art will flourish when it can be or Goes into exile In the process of telling her story, we are given a ganically connected to the social, human experience. picture of dance in Cuba today. And it is an exciting Alonso, declaring she would not dance in Cuba as In turn, it will help society progress. picture of artistic achievement, growth, and innova long as Batista remained in power, went into exile, The Cuban experience inspires us to reaffirm that tion. The book is valuable to supporters of the Cuban performing primarily in the United States with the possibility. And knowledge ofthat experience will in revolution because it helps fill out the true picture ABT. In 1959, she went to the Soviet Union as a rep spire workers and artists in this country to seek that and further break down the wall of lies Washington resentative of "American" dance, and was the first possibility here. tries to maintain. dancer from the United States to perform with the Alicia Alonso has been and remains the driving world famous Kirov and Bolshoi ballet companies. Frank Boehm is a jazz dancer and teacher in Chicago. --DmECTORY------Where to find the Socialist Workers Desk, Indiana Memorial Union. Zip: 47405. NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 11- · lege: YSA, P.O. Box 464, Bellefonte. Zip: Party, Young Socialist Alliance, and so Gary: SWP, YSA, 3883 Broadway. Zip: 46409. A Central Ave. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643- 16823. Tel: (814) 238-3296. cialist books and pamphlets Tel: (219) 884-9509. Indianapolis: SWP, YSA, 3341. RHODE ISLAND: Providence: YSA, 4850 N. College. Zip: 46205. Tel: (317) 283- NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque: SWP, P.O. Box 261, Annex Station. Zip: 02901. ALABAMA: Birmingham: SWP, YSA, 6149. YSA, 1417 Central Ave. NE. Zip: 87106. Tel: TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Mike Rose, 7409 205 18th St. S. Zip: 35233. Tel: (205) 323- IOWA: Cedar Falls: YSA, c/o Jim Sprall, (505)) 842-0954. Berkman Dr. Zip: 78752. Tel. (512) 452-3923. 3079. 803 W. 11th St. Zip: 50613. NEW YORK: Capital District (Schenec Dallas: SWP, YSA, 5442 E. Grand. Zip: ARIZONA: Phoenix: SWP, YSA, 611 E. tady): SWP, YSA, 323 State St. Zip: 12305. 75223. Tel: (214) 826-4711. Houston: SWP, Indian School. Zip: 85012. Tel: (602) 274- KENTUCKY: Louisville: SWP, YSA, 131 Tel: (518) 374-1494. New York, Brooklyn: YSA, 6333 Gulf Freeway, Room 222. Zip: 7399. Tucson: SWP, P.O. Box 2585. Zip: W. Main #102. Zip: 40202. Tel: (502) 587-8418. SWP, YSA, 335 Atlantic Ave. Zip: 11201. Tel: 77023. Tel: (713) 924-4056. San Antonio: 85702. Tel: (602) 622-3880 or 882-4304. LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, (212) 852-7922. New York, Manhattan: SWP, YSA, 337 W. Josephine. Zip: 78212. CALIFORNIA: Oakland: SWP, YSA, 3207 Dublin St. Zip: 70118. Tel: (504) 486- 8048. SWP, YSA, 108 E. 16th St. 2nd Floor. Zip: Tel: (512) 736-9218. 2864 Telegraph Ave. Zip: 94609. Tel: (415) 10003. Tel: (212) 260-6400. New York: City UTAH: Salt Lake City: SWP, YSA, 677 S. 763-3792. Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, 2546 W. MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, 2913 Greenmount Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) 235- wide SWP, YSA, 108 E. 16th St. 2nd Floor. 7th East, 2nd Floor. Zip: 84102. Tel: (801) Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380-9460. Zip: 10003. Tel: (212) 533-2902. 355-1124. San Diego: SWP, YSA, 1053 15th St. Zip: 0013. MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA, NORTH CAROLINA: Piedmont: SWP, VIRGINIA: Tidewater Area (Newport 92101. Tel: (714) 234-4630.San Francisco: YSA, 216 E. 6th St., Winston-Salem. Zip: News): SWP, YSA, 111 28th St. Zip: 23607. SWP, YSA, 3284 23rd St. Zip: 94110. Tel: 510 Commonwealth Ave., 4th Floor. Zip: 02215. Tel: (617) 262-4621. 27101. Tel: (919) 723-3419. Tel: (804) 380-0133. (415) 824-1992. San Jose: SWP, YSA, 46Y2 OHIO: Cincinnati: SWP, YSA, 2531 Gil WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, 3106 Race St. Zip: 95126. Tel: (408) 998-4007. MICHIGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, 6404 bert Ave. Zip: 45206. Tel: (513) 751-2636. Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) COLORADO: Denver: SWP, YSA, 126 W. Woodward Ave. Zip: 48202. Tel: (313) 875- Cleveland: SWP, YSA, 2230 Superior. Zip: 797-7699. Baltimore-Washington District: 12th Ave. Zip: 80204. Tel: (303) 534-8954. 5322. 44114. Tel: (216) 579-9369. Toledo: SWP, 3106 Mt. Pleasant St., NW., Washington, FLORIDA: Gainesville: YSA, c/o Bill Pe MINNESOTA: Mesabi Iron Range: SWP, YSA, 2120 Dorr St. Zip: 43607. Tel: (419) 536- D.C. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) 797-7021. tersen, 612 SW 2nd St. Zip: 32601. Tel: (904) YSA, 1012 2nd Ave. South, Virginia, Minn. 0383. WASHINGTON: Seattle: SWP, YSA, 376-0210. Miami: SWP, YSA, 1237 NW 119th Send mail to P.O. Box 1287. Zip: 55792. Tel: OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, 711 NW 4868 Rainier Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: St., North Miami. Zip: 33167. Tel: (305) 769- (218) 749-6327. Twin. Cities: SWP, YSA, 508 Everett. Zip: 97209. Tel: (503) 222-7225. (206) 723-5330. 3478. N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: PENNSYLVANIA: Edinboro: YSA, WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: SWP, GEORGIA: Atlanta: SWP, YSA, 509 (612) 644-6325. Edinboro State College. Zip: 16444. Tel: (814) YSA, 1584 A Washington St. East. Zip: Peachtree St. NE Zip: 30308. Tel: (404) 872- MISSOURI: Kansas City: SWP, YSA, 734-4415. Harrisburg: SWP, YSA, 803 N. 25311. Tel: (304) 345-3040. Morgantown: 7229. 4715A Troost. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 753-0404. 2nd St. Zip: 17105. Tel. (717) 234-5052. Phi SWP, YSA, 957 S. University Ave. Zip: ILLINOIS: Chicago: SWP, YSA, 434 S. Wa St. Louis: SWP, YSA, 6223 Delmar Blvd. Zip: ladelphia: SWP, YSA, 5811 N. Broad St. Zip: 26505. Tel: (304) 296-0055. bash, Room 700. Zip: 60605. Tel: (312) 939- 63130. Tel: (314) 725-1570. 19141. Tel: (215) 927-4747 or 927-4748. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, 0737. NEBRASKA: Lincoln: YSA, P.O. Box Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, 1102 E. Carson St. 4707 W. Lisbon Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) INDIANA: Bloomington: YSA, Activities 30209. Zip: 68503. Tel: (402) 475-2255. Zip: 15203. Tel: (412) 488-7000. State Col- 445-2076. February 26, 1982 The Militant 17 -EDITORIALS------Lessons on alliance of workers and Labor's response to Reagan's budget peasants in Russia BY LOUISE HALVERSON Shortly after President Reagan announced his new To provide funds for the millions of jobs the AFL Peasants constituted a majority of the population budget -proposing new cuts in food stamps, services CIO admits are needed, the place to start is with the of Russia before the 1917 revolution. Building an al for children, education, and health care, while boost war budget- not hiking taxes even higher for work liance between the working class and the poor peas ing arms spending by as much as $74 billion- the ing people. ants was a decisive question in the struggle to over AFL-CIO executive council began meeting iii Bal A real program fur jobs m~ans a massive public throw czarism and establish a workers and farmers Harbour, Florida. works program to build socially necessary schools, government. As the labor officials met, newspapers across the hospitals, child care centers, and public transporta country headlined the story that Reagan was consid tion. It also means a shorter workweek with no cut in Agricultural development in Russia in the early ering the use of U.S. troops in order to save the El Sal pay to spread the available work, unemployment be 1900s lagged way behind that of industry. Remnants vador junta. nefits at union scaie for as long as a worker is out of a of feudal times bound the peasant to the landlord in job, and protection and expansion of affirmative ac many ways, despite the reform of 1861 which ended The first action of the AFL-CIO leadership meeting serfdom. was to approve an alternative budget proposal to Rea tion programfl. gan's. The AFL-CIO plan focuses on the crisis of un Fighting for such demands requires a struggle on For instance, a peasant had to plow the landlord's employment and the brutality of newly announced the part of the labor movement. But the AFL-CIO land and harvest his crops for the right to use his pas cuts in funds for human needs. It urges an immediate leadership has no intention of that. Instead, they pro ture. Or he became indebted because his cattle tres program to create jobs, noting that "the real unem pose a "Solidarity Day II" next November, where passed over a strip of the landlord's land in order to ployment rate is 12 percent." workers would go to the polls to elect Democrats. reach water. The majority of the rural population At a news conference February 15 to announce the · The AFL-CIO's statement on the budget claims the tended small plots ofland but it was often not enough plan, AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland said the problems we face today began when Reagan took of to get by. burden of the new war budget falls "squarely on the fice. "The Republican Administration cannot blaine anyone else for this recession," it says. One of the central questions posed to radicalizing backs of working Americans and the poor." Russian workers and their party was how to relate to Kirkhmd's statement reflects the outrage millions This cover-up for the Democrats gets to the heart of feel as they watch hospitals and schools closing down the crisis the labor movement is in today. The war while helicopters and fighter planes are sent to the austerity offensive emanating from Washington is a dictatorship in El Salvador. bipartisan one. It is not a policy of parties fundamen LEARNING ABOUT But Kirkland said nothing about the deepening tally, but the policy of a class-the capitalist class of U.S. involvement in the El Salvador war. Instead, he bankers, corporation heads, and landlords. SOCIALISM reaffirmed the union body's support for a "strong na The truth is that the labor movement must break tional defense," arguing that "increased war expendi with the Democratic Party as well as the Republican tures could be financed by jacking up income taxes. Party in order to make the kind of response needed to the peasants. What position should they take toward Corporations, he suggested, should be required to pay combat imperialist war, layoffs, and the devastating the peasants' demand for more land? How could anal a third of the tax surcharge, leaving working people social cuts Reagan is proposing. liance be forged to overturn the czarist monarchy? to pay the rest. What is needed is not a Democratic government to These questions - crucial for the Russian revolu The AFL-CIO's answer to Reagan shows how out of replace the Republicans, but a workers government, tion- are the central theme of Alliance of the Work touch it is with the sentiments and needs of the mil one based on meeting the needs of all the oppressed ing Class and the Peasantry (available from Pathfind lions of workers it represents, Its alternative budget and exploited in this country. er Press for $2.95). The book is a useful selection of even accepts the massive cutbacks imposed last fall, The unions need their own political party to ad speeches, articles, and resolutions by Lenin from stating only that the "second-round budget cuts must vance the fight for such a government, a labor party 1901-1923. It is organized to make it easier for the be blocked." that would mobilize the workers, farmers, Blacks, La reader to follow the Bolsheviks' approach to estab What should labor's response be to Reagan's latest tinos, women, and other victims of the capitalist of lishing a workers and peasants alliance as it devel moves? fensive. oped in response to changing conditions. First of all, it should be in the forefront of organiz If even one union were to take the initiative and ing opposition to the war course the Reagan adminis run candidates in next fall's elections against the De The earlier writings (including "To the Rural tration is on in Central America and the Caribbean. mocrats and Republicans, it would be a powerful ex Poor," a popular pamphlet written in 1903 e:,cplaining The "national defense" Kirkland refers to - defense ample. It would stimulate interest in many other the Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party's pro of U.S. corporate investments there -has nothing to unions and get a broad discussion going in the labor gram to the peasants) explain Lenin's view that the do with defending the interests of workers and farm movement about the need for independent working whole peasantry will ally with the workers to over ers in this country or Latin America. class political action. throw the czar and the domination of the landlords. As the rich peasants, who employed wage labor, would have no interest in carrying this democratic revolution further, the workers and poor peasants U.S. rulers debate ~nove toward war would then be pitted against both the capitalists and Continued from Page 1 Salvadoran solidarity movement, with its chapters the rich peasants in the struggle toward socialism. hesitating a moment, dispatched thousands of Ma helping to build demonstrations and providing speak Reading this collection is a lesson in how to skill rines to Santo Domingo to crush the uprising. John ers at rallies. This reflects sentiment within the fully apply Marxist concepts. The agrarian program son was applauded by all sectors of the U.S. ruling Black community and the prospect for winning sub of the Bolsheviks in power was adapted in order to al class for his decisive action. stantial support there for the growing movement. ways keep the main objective in the forefront- win But much has changed since Santo Domingo. And nowhere is the Vietnam syndrome more deep ning and maintaining the dictatorship of the proleta For one thing, there was Vietnam. Direct U.S. mil and persistent than among those who would have to riat. itary aggression was defeated in that country. fight and die in Reagan's war, America's draft-age Washington has been living with the Vietnam syn youth. From the early 1900s the Bolsheviks advocated na drome ever since, and its best efforts have not suc The point was driven home February 13 when Cali tionalization of the land in order to break the grip of ceeded in eradicating it. fornia's Selective Service director reported that 49 the landlords over the peasants. Lenin explained that That's why Washington has not been able to repeat percent of the draft-age males in that state had failed nationalization was not identical to establishing so the Dominican solution in Central America or the to register. cialist relations on the land. It simply meant that the state would grant the poor peasants use of the land Caribbean. Coupled with the advances of the Salvadoran reb they were already cultivating without being bur It did pour guns into Nicaragua to save the butcher els, these are the things that are worrying many capi dened by rent payments. Somoza. But the wrath of the people was so great this talist politicians and publishers . . was to no avail. Not ready to accept the consequences They agree with Reagan that the United States In August 1917, following a congress of peasant of direct military intervention, Washington then somehow has the responsibility to intervene to pre representatives, Lenin proposed that mandates adopt tried to persuade the Organization of American vent El Salvador from "going communist" - that is, ed by the peasants be enacted into law. The mandates States to front for it with an intervention of troops. to deny it the right to determine its own destiny. called for nationalizing the land and confiscating the But even client South and Central American govern What they are beginning to question is whether the landlords without delay. They also called for equita ments said, "no thanks." measures taken by the Reagan administration will ble redistribution of land among the small peasants, There was a successful revolution in Grenada, set accomplish this objective or provoke a massive anti thus breaking up large landholdings, and for the ting up the first government of workers and. farmers intervention movement in this country. elimination of wage labor in agriculture. When the in a Black, English-speaking country. workers and peasants, led by the Bolsheviks, took And as the Salvadoran revolution advances, there The doubts and hesitations expressed by important sectors of the ruling class, however, don't mean that power a couple of months later, the peasant man bellion grows in Guatemala. they won't support or go along with direct U.S. mil dates were adopted by the new government. The Re~gan administration and its supporters have worked hard to build prowar sentiment that itary intervention if they feel all other avenues have The measures on land distribution and wage labor been tried. would permit direct military intervention in El Sal were not what the Bolsheviks had been advocating. But their misgivings reflect a far more profound vador. They considered elimination of wage labor on the process that is taking place among the American peo But very few people buy it. The claim that the Sal land and equal distribution of the land to be utopian. ple. vadoran revolution is organized from the outside has But because they agreed with the peasants on the key And, by broadening the debate on El Salvador poli little credibility. And "certification" of human rights questions that pitted them, in struggle, against the cy, they increase the prospects for those fighting progress by the murderous regime there is bought by capitalists and the landlords, they yielded on the against U.S. intervention to be heard. No matter how even fewer. measures on which they disagreed. Lenin explained Antiwar activists in the United States working to timid, or falsely motivated, the beginning of dis that the peasants would have to go through the expe build opposition to intervention in El Salvador are agreement within the ruling class helps to heighten rience of carrying out these measures. finding a growing responsiveness among working public consciousness and gives greater weight to the voice of independent opposition. The government under Lenin then developed people. means of encouraging the voluntary collectivization For more than a year, meetings and discussions on Initiated by CISPES, the Committee in Solidarity of agriculture. El Salvador in the unions have gotten the facts out with the People of El Salvador, a march and demon Also included in this book is the "Draft Resolution about what is happening there and convinced many stration will be held in Washington March 27. The on the Agrarian Question" presented to the Second workers that it is not in our interests to support U.S. developing dispute within U.S. ruling circles on how Congress of the Comintern. Drawing from the Rus intervention. to proceed in El Salvador adds to the prospects for sian experience, this important document outlines The National Black Independent Political Party building that demonstration on a big scale. the basic approach to developing an agrarian pro has been playing an increasingly active role in the Their difficulty is our opportunity. gram for all capitalist countries. 18 The Militant February 26, 1982 Why U.S. rulers wanted to silence Malcolm X Malcolm X was gunned down on February 21, the cops outside the Audubon withdraw from sight that our enemy is organized internationally and that 1965, by assassins as he addressed an audience at the just before the shooting? What happened to the plain we should do the same. Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Just one week clothes cops planted in the audience? Where were He was never an advocate of violence, contrary to before his death, his home was fire-bombed while he they during and after the shooting? the slanders of the press. He wanted to end violence, and his family slept. We may never know the complete answer to these mainly violence committed by racists against Blacks. While the capitalist media tried to explain his and other questions. But the fact remains that Mal Whenever he spoke to the public he would answer the murder as a factional feud within the Black move- colm was seen by those who rule this country as an lies that he was a "racist in reverse" and an advocate ardent foe because of his ideas and his commitment to of violence. His answer would always be "No! So, we the liberation of Black people from capitalist exploi only mean vigorous action in self-defense, and that tation. FBI files released since his death provide some vigorous action we feel we're justified in initiating by BY ANY MEANS clues about the government campaign against Mal any means necessary." colm. NECESSARY An FBI memo in 1968, for example, ordered agents Malcolm advocated independent political action - to "prevent the rise of a Black 'messiah' who could breaking from supporting the candidates of the De Melvin Chappell unify, and electrify, the militant Black nationalist mocratic and Republican parties that are responsible movement." It added: "[name deleted] might have for the maintenance of racial oppression. As Malcolm been such a 'messiah,' he is the martyr of the move- put it: "in no way identifying with e~ther party or ment, Malcolm always believed that his real enemies . ment of today." selling ourselves to either party, but taking political were the government and the cops. They wanted his Malcolm X was an internationalist. While he spoke action that's for the good of human beings and that voice silenced once and for all. mainly to the needs of Black people, he fought for so will eliminate these injustices." The questions that surround the murder ofMalcolm cial justice for all. He was a supporter ofthe anti-im He was a revolutionary freedom fighter who real point to a cover-up by the cops and the government. perialist freedom fighters in Cuba, Vietnam, and the ized that the capitalist system could not grant Black Questions like, how much did the informers and the Congo (now called Zaire). Whenever possible, he people our freedom. He was in favor of its total aboli finks in Malcolm's organization, the Organization of would point to their revolutionary example and raise tion. This point, more so than any other, made him a Afro-American Unity, know about the plot? Why did solidarity for their struggle. Malcolm understood dangerous enemy to the ruling class. --LETTERS------'Granma' martial law and the purge of the believe in the Polish people's After reading your latest edi Solidarity union in Poland? right to basic freedoms, to im tion of the Militant (February Why hide this important fact? mediately halt all economic and 12), I note that your editorial Appreciate a reply on this. other transactions with Poland, spoke on the government ban on D. Cooper until every member of Solidar Cuban periodicals and the fact San Diego, California ity is freed." that it's been lifted for individu Su,ch a blockade against Po als. Anti-Semitism land - and why not the Soviet Now that it's permitted, per Union as well- would do no I have read your editorial, thing hut punish the Polish haps you could supply me with "Sharp increase in anti-Semitic information concerning sub working people for the crimes of attacks" (February 5) with the regime, further weakening scription rates, where to order, great gratification. Racism, etc. I am particularly interested their struggle to construct real whether as an expression of in obtaining a subscription to socialism. It is the program of anti-Semitism, anti-Blackness Granma. the far right in this country. or any other, is one ofthe main What has this got to do with I believe it would be a very stays of capitalism, especially good idea to publish this infor solidarity with Solidarnosc? No American capitalism. The Mil mation in your next issue of the thing.. itanfs systematic exposure to Militant, so as to permit others Ira Wacher tion expressing "its profound re in,· that position will have the its readers of this most negative Newark, New Jersey gret at the injustice done to support of the overwhelming to benefit from such publica phenomenon is one of this news tions. former colleagues." Similar res majority of the Detroit Federa paper's many outstanding A prisoner olutions were passed last March tion of Teachers. pluses. . 1940 witch-hunt case New York 19by the City College Faculty This is a significant develop I wish, however, to object to Readers of the Militant who Senate and on May 19 by the ment for the labor movement in one point raised by your editor follow the activities of the Polit (In reply - One way to sub City University Faculty Senate. Detroit, which has been on the ial, which is a minor one in a ical Rights Defense Fund and scribe to Granma weekly review Those interested in learning defensive since the UAW nego sense, but which is nevertheless other civil liberties efforts may is to buy a money order in Cana more about this important case tiated concessions with important. Using the Anti-Def be interested in a recent devel dian dollars - or any other cur should watch for future issues of Chrysler in 1979. Since that amation League as source and opment in an important forty rency except U.S. dollars - Jewish Currents to read Schap time municipal workers have authority for statistics and, by year-old case involving the dis from a foreign-based bank with pes's account from the view been forced to give back some of implication, evaluation and con missal of more than fifty City offices in the United States. Be point of the victims, as well as to the gains won in 11 1980 strike, clusion, could mislead many College of New York teachers cause of the U.S. economic obtain information about a May and workers at McLouth Steel readers with regard to the ADL, for alleged Communist associa blockade, Cuba cannot accept 2 dinner to honor Schappes for have given up benefits to "save" which itself is guilty of "racism tions. checks drawn on U.S. banks or his vindication on the occasion their company. and racial discrimination," as In 1940, more than a decade U.S. money orders. of his seventy-fifth birthday. Other school employees well as prejudice and misrepres before the height of McCarthy (Subscriptions can also be Alan Wald unions are joining teachers in entation of different forms. ism, the Rapp-Coudert Commit purchased in Cuba. Ann Arbor, Michigan voting "no" to the board's de The ADL's support for capi tee of the New York State Legis (The annual subscription rate mands. talism and Zionism, and its lature began an investigation of for Granma is $10 a year. Gran Golf tournament Tim Craine many stands against Black Communist activity in the rna also offers a special discount Detroit, Michigan struggle are well known. Quot schools and called these Anyone who regularly reads rate: you can buy a year's sub ing the ADL, even on anti-Semi teachers to testify about their the sports page of their daily pa scription for a friend at $5 if at Thanks for review tism, without qualifications, is own activities and those of oth per probably noticed that the the same time you buy a year's like quoting Hitler on the devil, ers. Those who refused to coop first golf tournament of 1982 Many thanks for Sara Smith's subscription at the regular rate. or Stalin on Hitler. erate were denied counsel, re netted the low man $100,000. review of In Your Face by Lee Rates include airmail postage. Reja-e Busailah fused information about their The winner of the five-man field Ballinger (Militant February 5, (The subscription order Kokomo, Indiana accusers, refused transcripts of took home $500,000. 1982). Militant readers may be should be mailed to: Ediciones the proceedings, and by 1941 all It seems the tournament was interested in knowing that Bal Cubanas, Empresa de Comercio had been fired or had resigned held in Bophuthatswana, Afri linger also publishes a monthly Exterior de Publicaciones, Sontag's 'jingoism' under pressure. ca. Where is Bophuthatswana, newsletter of the same name O'Reilly 407, Apartado 605, Ci One of these was Morris U. Africa? Well, it's South Africa. (subtitled "America's Bluecollar udad de La Habana, Cuba. I read your editorial on Susan And the tournament was pro Sports Letter"). Sontag's anticommunist speech, Schappes, today editor of the (Granma weekly review is motion for a new, posh, resort One year subscriptions can be and assume it was a typographi left-liberal magazine Jewish published in three languages: called Sun City, for which the obtained by sending $7 to All cal error that introduced the Currents and at that time a English, French, and Spanish. apartheid government of South Star Features, Box 1041, War phrase "rapid jingoism" to char thirty-four-year-old instructor Subscribers should specify in English at City College. He Africa kicked in the $1 million ren, Ohio 44485. which one they want. acterize Sontag's remarks. I served a year in prison because, prize money. Jeff Beneke (Because of the U.S. economic think what you intended to say although he acknowledged his Allan Grady Bridgeport, Connecticut blockade regulations, people was "rabid." I mention it be own Communist Party member New York should order each subscription cause, while it was indeed rabid, ship, he refused to name the individually - i.e., not order it wasn't as "rapid" a conversion More attractive paper names of others accused. bundles- since whether bun as some people might conclude. Detroit teachers I just wanted to write and say A few of those fired - such as dles will be cleared by customs In fact, Sontag had made her Detroit teachers returned that I very much like the Philip Foner of Ratgers and the is still unresolved. right-wing views on Poland from their Christmas holiday to changes in the Militant. The knighted scholar of Greek histo (The prices given are in U.S. well known prior to this rally. be confronted by an ultimatum new layout, style of letters, and ry Sir Moses Findley (formerly dollar equivalents. Canadian She was one of the signers of a from the school board: reopen especially the front page all Moses Finkelstein) - went on dollar prices would be higher statement issued by the mis your contract to negotiate con make the paper more attractive to achieve eminence in their [about $12.15].) named "Committee in Support of cessions or face the layoff of up and professional in appearance. Solidarity" the day after the fields, but many had their lives to 1,000 school employees and I think that the changes will crackdown in Poland. This and careers ruined. drastic cutbacks in educational help us reach more industrial Cuba and Poland statement, also signed by Josif Apologies to Schappes and the programs. workers with our ideas. In fact, Enclosed is a check for my Brodsky, another speaker at the others finally came late last The vote at my school was un more workers in my plant are renewal for one year. Why has New York rally, said: "We ap year. On October 28, 1981, the animous to instruct our execu reading the Militant now. the Militant editor failed to tell peal to every democratic gov City University Board of Trus tive board not to reopen the con Rob Roper the readers that Castro supports ernment, and to all those who tees decided to adopt a resolu- tract, and when the final tally is Tempe, Arizona February 26, 1982 The Militant 19 THE MILITANT Polish workers resist martial law ·Hundreds of demonstrators defy cops in Poznan BY ERNEST HARSCH organize Solidarity. They have set up Hundreds of Poles took to the streets resistance committees i11 factories and of Poznan, in western Poland, on Febru cities around the country. Because of ary 13 to protest the beginning of the the conditions of repression, these com third month of martial law. mittees, known as Social Resistance According to a Warsaw radio account, Circles-Solidarity (KOSS), do not carry the demonstrators gathered in Adam out their activities in public; they are or Mickiewicz Square, a popular site for ganized as a network of overlapping protest rallies. In the middle of the cells, each involving no more than five square is a monument to the scores of persons. workers killed by police and troops dur ing the 1956 Poznan uprising; and it Resistance bulletins was there that more than 200,000 Poles To combat the government's censor rallied in June 1981 to mark the twenty ship and propaganda, these committees fifth anniversary of the uprising, an ac are publishing a stream of uncensored tion organized by the Solidarity union bulletins, leaflets, and statements. movement. Among the more regular bulletins are. The government radio account Tygodnik Wojenny (State of War Week charged that the protesters had been ly), Nowa Agencja lnformacyjna (New "provoked by pamphlets urging them to Information Bureau), Wiadomosc (The assemble." In an apparent reference to News), Komentarz Biezacy (Running antigovernment slogans, it said that Commentary), Z Dnia na Dzien (From "hostile shouts were heard." Day to Day), and Solidarnosc Walczaca (Fighting Solidarity). Show of force Statement by various Solidarity lead ers have urged workers to contribute To put down the demonstration, police money for the families of prisoners or for moved in and arrested at least 194 per those unionists who have been thrown sons .. All movie theaters and other pla out of their jobs, to circulate information ces of public entertainment were closed about cases of repression or acts of resis down, as were all gas stations. Private tance, and to organize work slowdowns. cars were barred from the roads. Militant/Ernest Harsch . "Let them arrest us for striking," a Workers at Lenin shipyard in Gdansk. 'People here don't feel defeated yet. There had been calls for similar dem statement by former Solidarity vice We don't think Solidarity is finished.' onstrations in Warsaw, but a large po chairman Bogdan Lis said, "let them lice and military show of force and put the whole nation behind bars, in stepped-up document and automobile treat you as blind instruments. Do not In an attempt to reinforce its claim ·concentration camps, or wherever. They checks appeared to have headed off any passively participate in measures that Poland was getting back to normal, cannot; they are in no position to do so." large-scale displays of resistance in the against strikers and democratic opposi the government took a group of foreign capital. Others called on members of the rul tionists." journalists to the Lenin Shipyard in The Poznan demonstration was just ing Polish United Workers Party tore Another Solidarity statement cate Gdansk. one more reminder that the martial law sign from the party in protest. gorically rejected the use of terrorism. Many workers were indeed back at administration of Gen Wojciech Jaru This was in reply to recent government their jobs, but as one worker said in rep zelski is still far from its goal of stifling Appeal to troops statements accusing activists of terror ly to a question about work slowdowns, ism, both to portray their struggle as opposition to bureaucratic rule. Several appealed to troops and police "We could certainly be working harder that of a handful of isolated individuals, not to fight against the workers. Zbig and faster." Just two weeks earlier, on January and to set the basis for further repres niew Bujak, the head of Solidarity's "People here don't feel defeated yet," 30, thousands demonstrated in the sion. northern port city of Gdansk to protest Warsaw regional chapter, told them to another said. "We don't think Solidarity "listen to the voice of your conscience, is finished." sharp hikes in the prices offood and oth Workers not defeated er . consumer items. Around the same and follow it rather than the orders you A slogan chalked on a metal gate time, students at the Polytechnical Uni are given." In fact, however, the response of Soli summed up the feelings of many versity in Wroclaw, in southwestern Po "Become our allies," appealed the Sol darity members has been extremely dis workers throughout Poland: ''The win land, demonstrated for two successive idarity Interfactory Strike Committee ciplined, despite all the provocations ter is yours, but the spring will be ours." nights, singing songs and chanting pol in Gdansk. "Do not let the career officers they have been subjected to. It was signed, "Solidarity." itical slogans. The only response of the government, which still claims to speak in the name of the workers, has been repression. Be Work stoppage hits S. Africa regime sides all the restrictions of martial law - bans on strikes and demonstrations, BY G.K. NEWEY Relatives·and colleagues ofDr. Aggett The arrest of Aggett and the other six the suspension of Solidarity's activities More than 50,000 industrial workers have rejected the government's explana teen union activists was part of a broad and the detention of thousands of its top in South Africa, mainly Black, stopped tion that his death was a suicide. "He er crackdown on trade-union activity by leaders, strict controls on travel and working on February 11 to take part in was totally the most unfazed person I Black workers in South Africa. At least communications - the authorities have a thirty-minute protest against the ever met," David Lewis of the General 306 people connected with Black trade been staging trials of union activists apartheid regime's practice of detaining Workers Union stated. "Really not emo unions were arrested in the past year. and strike organizers across the coun opponents without trial. Among the fac tional. I would say he was a remarkably According to Louis Le Grange, the try. tories where the stoppage was observed stable kind of guy. Either he was sub minister of police, many of the detainees were the Ford and General Motors auto mitted to pressure beyond belief, or he will be brought to court soon in a major Stiff prison terms plants. was killed." political trial because "they are directly involved in threatening internal securi At the end of these summary trials, The strike was sparked by the death The African Food and Canning ty and especially because they are in workers are being sentenced to stiff pri Workers Union issued a statement that in detention of Dr. Neil Aggett, a young volved in alleged African National Con son terms. On February 10, for instance, white physician who was secretary of no government inquiry would ever con gress activities." four coal miners in Katowice drew jail vin'ce union members "that Neil Aggett the African Food and Canning Workers The ANC, which is fighting to end terms of between three and four years. Union, which is mostly Black. Aggett, took his own life." white minority rule in South Africa, has Several days earlier in Gdansk, Wladys It should be recalled that when Steve who was arrested on November 27 along been outlawed since 1960. Its leader, law Trzcinski, an associate of Solidarity with sixteen other opponents of the Biko's death was first revealed, South Nelson Mandela, has been serving a life Chairman Lech Walesa, was sentenced African authorities claimed that the white supremacist regime in South Afri sentence on Robben Island since 1964. to nine years in prison. ca, had been held under the Terrorism Black leader had died while on a hunger strike. But an autopsy revealed that Bi Mandela's wife, Winnie, has been un This repression, however, has not Act, which allows the government tq der a "banning" order for most of the hold suspects without trial for as long as ko had suffered brain damage and other been able to still the spirit of resistance. past twenty years. People who are it chooses. He was found hanged in his injuries. A subsequent inquiry indicated Even in the courtrooms continued sup banned in South Africa - and there are cell on February 5, in what prison au that he had been kept naked and port for Solidarity has been expressed chained in his solitary confinement cell currently 115 -are confined to specific thorities claim was a suicide. areas, cannot go out at night or on week by defendants and defense lawyers. At a for several days after his injuries, and ends, are forced to report regularly to trial of a Solidarity organizer from the Since detention was instituted in then transported 650 miles in a jeep to the police, cannot meet socially with large Ursus tractor factory outside War 1963, dozens of detainees have died in Pretoria, where he died. saw, some 200 spectators burst into the prison. Aggett was the first white more than one person at a time, cannot Polish national anthem while the ver among them. The death of Black Con Only days after Aggett's death, these write anything, even a diary, and can dict was being read. sciousness movement leader Steve Biko curity police officer in charge of Steve not be quoted in the press, even after Union activists who have evaded ar-. in September 1977 brought world atten Biko's detention was promoted to depu their death. rest have lost little time in trying to re- ti~n to this practice. ty commissioner of police. From Intercontinental Press 20 The Militant February 26, 1982