'. .' EDUCATION FOR SOCIALISTS ISSUED BY THE NATlONAL EDUC'ATION ~ENT SOCIAUST WORKERS ~ 14 Q-lARLES LANE NEW't'ORK, N.Y.10014
AGAINST VIOLENCE
WITHIN THE·
WORKERS M·OVEMENT
April 1974 '",
Introductory Note on Violence Within the Movement, by Caroline Lund 3
Section One: On Workers Democracy, by Ernest Ma~cl 4
Section Two: Violent Factionalism in the "New" Left 7 1. Weatherman Leader Defends Hooligan Tactics, by Harry Ring 7 2. Democracy in the Movement a
Section Three: The Progressive Labor Party Attacks the Antiwar Movement 10 1. PL Attacks Meeting of SMC Steering ~ommittee 10 2: YSA Condeulns Violence in the M~veinent 11 3; Wide A~tayofGroupSBack SMC AgainstPL "'Attacks, by Mike Kclly 11 4. PL-SDS Fail in Attempt to Break Up Antiwar Convention, by Harry Ring 12
Section Four: The Young Workers Liberation League Attacks Student Rights 14 1. YWLL, Leadet:Defends Its Actions 14 2. Democraieyin fhe Student Movement; Where, Does the YWLL Stand? by Joseph Harris and Malik Miah 15 3. Reviving Old Tactics 16
Section Five: Defending the Movement Against a Sectar~n Kampage, " 11 1. Labor Commj~eeGoQ'hsAttack the YWLL 17 2. Temple U~iversityYSAUrges UDitedDefense of YWLL 18 3. Repudiate NCLC Gangsterism 19 4. NCLC Hooligans Attack Candidates Meeting at Columbia University, by Doug Jenness 20 5. Daily World Falsification 21 6. Cops and Rightists Join NCLC's Anti-Communist Campaign 22 7. Young Socialist Alliance Conference in Detroit Repulses NCLC Attack, by Mike Kclly 23 8. Attack on SWP Campaign Supporters Brings Demand for Arrest of NCLC Thugs, by Linda Jenness 24 9. Committee to Stop Terrorist Attacks Demands Conviction of Goons 25
Section Six: Tactics and Principles in the Fight Against Violence in the Movement 26 Our Defense Against the Goon Attacks Launched by the NCLC, by Barry Sheppard 26
Appendix: Trotsky's Letter to the Attorney- General of Mexico 31 Introductory Note on Violence Within the Movement , By Caroline Lund
This bulletin contains articles explaining the Marxist The correctness of this SWP and YSA policy received position of opposition to the use of violence to settle dif dramatic confirmation from the post-Watergate exposures ferences within the workers movement and how this posi of government attempts to disrupt and destroy the antiwar tion was applied in practice by the Socialist Workers movement and the Black liberation movement These de Party and the Young Socialist Alliance in the radical velopments have revealed that the ruling class attempts to movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s. inspire violence within the radical movement in order to This question has been a vitally important one for the disrupt and discredit it FBI "COINTELl'RO" (Counter Trotskyist movement since its inception. Because of our intelligence Program) documents, obtained as a result of revolutionary views and devotion to proletarian democ the suit by Carl Stern of NBC News against the Justice racy, Trotskyists have been the targets of violence from Department, show that FBI, White House, and local police both the StaliDists and the trade union bureaucracy. Our dePa.rtment spies fomented violent confrontations between support for workers democracy is a reflection of confi radical leaders and groups and encouraged ultraleft dence that the revolutionary-Marxist program represents youths to seize the platforms at antiwar demonstrations. . the interests of the working class. Unlike Stalinist or trad~ These revelations are evidence that, however "revolu union bureaucrats, who fear that open and democratic tionary" the motivations of participants in such actiVities, decision-making will undermine their positions, we have disruptive tactics such as these benefit only the ruling everything to gain from.the open counterposition of our class. The FBI documents reveal that the government views to those of the reformist and ultraleft currents in itself often provokes such acts to prevent united action the working class movement against its policies. One FBI communique, for example, In the current radicalization, the SWP and the YSA stand instructed its operatives to "prevent the coalition of mili out as the only tendency that has consistently championed tant black nationalist groups. In unity there is democracy within the movement This has included rejec strength...." The FBI documents mC?tivate a policy of tion of redbaitingand unyielding opposition to the ex instigating violence by pointing out that this helps to clusion of any tendency or group from united frontstnlg- . discredit movements for social change in the eyes of the gles. masses ofpeople. A striking example of. the cQrrectness of this approach Another. result of violence within the movement- one was the role played by . Trotskyists in the movement the FBI cannot admit to .promoting-is that it frustrates against the Vietnam war. Redbaiting, exclusion, and vio-· the desire of activists to get at the truth through a demo lence were introduced into. the· movement by other ten~ cratic discussion of different ideas and proposals. dencies as a method of av-oiding democratic discussion Recent events in the trade union movement have pro of differences. The SWP and YSA convinced· the over vided fresh evidence of the anti-working class role played whelming majority of antiwar activists to support the by attempts to settle differences in the labor movement by. democratic right of all tendencies to participate in the violence. The goon attacks ordered by the Teamsters movement, and to protect c·onferences and demonstrations Union officialdom against striking farm workers in 1973 against violent disruption from any quarter. This policy hurt the entire union movement, and aided the bosses.· helped the antiwar movement achieve its mass impact The ranks of the United Mine Workers Union-fed up with In every instance of violence within the 3 ' .. Section One: On Workers Democracy By Ernest Mandel [The following article first appeared in the January 20, 1969 issue of Intercontinental Press, a revolutionary Marxist newsweekly.] [Roger Garaudy, one of the leading movement. It was a tradition in the Purge (1935-38). intellectuals ofthe Communistpartyof socialist and communist movementto The young generation of anti-impe France, visited Belgium November 5 firmly support t!lis principle in the rialist and anticapitalistmilitantsnow to give a lecture on "May 1968 in time of Marx and Engels as well as developing a revolutionary con France," atthe request of the Commu Lenin and Trotsky. It took the Stalin sciousness are spontaneously return nist Student Union of Brussels Uni ist dictatorship in the USSR to shake ing to the traditions of workers de versity. Itwas notsurprisingthatradi . this tradition. The temporary victory mocracy. This was apparent in cal students considered a lecture on of (ascism in West and Central Europe France inMayandJunewhenfreedom this topic by a representative of the also helped to undermineit However, of speech for all tendencies was jeal French CP as a provocation. the origins ofthis challengeto workers ously safeguarded in theassemblies of [In any case, when the meeting· democracy are deeper and older; they students and revolutionary workers started, a feW dozen Maoists carrying lie in the bureaucratizationofthelarge and students. But this new generation portraits ofChairman Mao and anal' workers organizationS. is not always conscious ofallthe pI'in chistscarrying a black flag persis~ The Social Democratic and trade cipled and practical reasonsforwork tently tried ~ for the most part suce union bureaucrats were the first to ers democracy. cessfully- to prevent Garaudy from begin to undermine the principles of This is why the youth can be vul addressing the audience. workers democracy. Theystartedcall nerable to a kind of Stalinist-derived [A confuseddebatefollowed inwhich ing general membership meetings at demagogy being spread by certain the question of whether Garaudy infrequent intervals. Then they began pro-Chinese sects, which seek to make should be allowed to speakwas mixed to rig them, or often to do away with people believe that workers democ- with the question of whether or not a them altogether. They began likewise :racy is contrary to "the interests ofthe revolutionary situation had existedin to restrict or abolish freedom ofdis revolution." Therefore, it is necessary France in May. cussion and criticism within their or to reaffirm these reasons strongly. [Finally, the Maoists and anarchists ganizations. T}ley did not hesitate The workers movement fights for ended .the debate bypushingGaraudy even to appeal to thepolice(including the emancipation of the proletariat out of the meeting hall. the secret police) for help in fighting But this emancipation requires the [This incident raised serious ques revolutionary minorities. At the time abolition of all forms of exploitation tions about the norms of democratic of the first world war, the German to which the workers are subjected. debate and behavior in the working Social Democracy set a dismal exam Rejecting workers democracy means class and socialist movement In an ple of collusion with the state repres quite simply that you want to main swer to some of the questions raised, sive forces. In subsequent years, the tain a situation like the one today in Ernest Mandel, the well-known Marx 'Social Democrats everywhere fol which. the masses of workers are UD- ist economist and editorofthe Belgian . lowed this example. . able to make their opinions heard: socialist weekly La Gauche. wrote an The Soviet bureaucracy first and . The. Marxist critique of bourgeois article on the subject of workers de then the bureaucrats in the Stalinist democracy starts from the idea that mocracy which appeared in two parts Communist parties (orintradeunions. this democracy is onlyJonnalbecause in the November 16 and November under Stalinist leadership) simplyfol the workers do .not have the material 23 issues of La Gauche. Because of lowed the pattern established by the '. means to exercise the rights which the the timeliness of the topic, we are re Social Democrats, extending itfurther bourgeois constitutions formally producing the article below. The trans and further. They abolished freedom grant all citizens. Freedom of the lation is by Intercontinental Press.] of discussion and of tendencies. Slan press is just a formality when only • • • der and lies replaced argument and the capitalists andtheiragents areable The lamentable incidents which oc- debate withoppone.nttendencies. They to get together the millions of dollars curred at the ULB [Universitaire made massive use of physical force needed to establisha dailynewspaper. Librede Bruxelles- Free University .to prevent their opponentsfrom"caus But the conclusion thatfollowsfrom of Brussels] when Garaudy came to ing any harm." Thus, the entire Bol this critique of bourgeois democracy, speak there have induced me to ex shevik old guard which led the Octo obviously. is that means must be cre plain once again why we adhere to ber Revolution and themajorityofthe ated enabling all the workers to have the principles of workers democracy. members of Lenin's Central Com access to the media for disseminating Workers democracy has always mittee were exterminated by Stalin ideas (printing presses, meetinghalls, been a basic tenet of the proletarian during the dark year! of the Great radio and television, posters, etc.). 4 If, on the contrary, youconcludefrom not be overthrown unless the entire ~trument to guide it in the often ex this that only a self-proclaimed "lead working class is mobilized in action tremely complicated twists and turns ing party of the proletariat"- or even against it.· And this unity in action of economic, social, and political a little sect which declares thatitalone can only be obtained if these various struggles- revolutionary Marxism. is "genuinely revolutionary"- has the special interests and levels of con But this tool must still be used cor right to speak, to use the press, or to sciousnessca.n ,be expressed in. and rectly. And no one person has a mo propagate its ideas, then you risk in little by littte neutrlUized through, de nopoly on its correct application. creasing the politicaloppressionofthe bate and persuasion. DenYing .this Without any doubt,Marx and Lenin . workers rather than abolishing it. diversity can only result in a break were geniuses. But life and history The Stalinists often reply that abo down of unity in action and in driv~ ceaselessly pose new problems which litioJ;l of the capitalist system equals ing successive groups of workers into cannot be solved simply by turning emancipation oftheworkers. We agree passivity or, into the camp of the to the scriptures. Stalin, who wascon that abolition of priv:ate ownership of enemy. sidered by many honest Communists the means of production, of the profit Anyone with experience in strikes before his death to be ~infallible," in economy, and of the bourgeois state has been able to see in practice that reality cQeIJlmitted many errors, to say are essentialconditionsfor theemanci the most successful actions are pre nothing of crimes, some ofwhich--as pation of the wo~kers. ButsaYingthat pared anQ ~onducted through nu~er in agricultural policy-ha~ehadper these are "essential" conditions does ous assemblies, first of the unionized nicious consequencesfor threedecades not me~p that they are "sufficient." workers and later of all the workers for the entire Soviet people. Mao Tse Because" as soon as the capitalist"sys COncerned. Iilthe.se assemblies, allthe tung, whom other naive souls also th~ tem is abolished, the question arises reasons in favor of iltrikecali be consider "infallible,R endorsedthe poli of who is going to rul) the factories, developed, all opblions can be ex cy of Aidit, the leader of the Indone the economy, the mUnicipalities, the pressed, and an the class enemy's sian CP, up until the eve of the mili state, the schools and universities. arguments can be exposed. If a strike tary coupd'etal This policy was at {fa single party claims the right is launched without the benefit ofsuCh least partially responsible for the to adn,ili.tister the state andthesociety; democracy, there "is much more'risk deaths of 500,000 Indonesian Com ifit iIriposes. a monopoly of power by that many workers will observe it munistS and workers. terror; it it dOes not permit the ma!ls halfueartedly, if at all: As for the myth that the Central of workers to expressthefr, opinipDs, '.•If this is true for an isolated strike, Committee of a partyis"alwaysright," theb: criticisms, theirworries, and their ith~ds"all, the. more for a general or that the majority of this committee demandS; if it excludes the workers strUte orlor a revolution. Allthegreat is "always right," Mao himselfrejected from adminiStration-then it is inevi rev.olutionary mobiliz~tions of the it in the famous resolution passed by table that a wideningguIrwilldevelop woJ;ke:n - from the Ru.ssian revolu the CC of the CCP [Chinese Commu between this omniPotent bureaucracy tiQn to •therevolutiollary.upsurge of nist PiU'ty) on the "culturalrevolutiQJ1" and the mass ofworkerS. ¥ay anQ ",une 1968 in Franc;e and in April 1967. Then, emancipation of the workers incl\lding the. Gelman,and Spanish But if no person or group has a is only a deception. And without real ~OJ.utiOD.s,tO cite only these exam monopoly on truth. and wisdom, then workers democracy in all areas, in ples,.....have beencharacte~byver,": discussion is indispensable to deter cluding freedom of organization and itable., ex.pl0(8ions of workers democ mine a correct poli,ticalline. ~jection press, real emancipation of the work r~C:y. In these instanc:es, many.work of ~ssion under any pretext (and ers is impossible. ing-class tendencies coexisted, ex the pretext that a political opponent These principled reasons are rein pressed themselves freely in speeches is "counterrevolutionary" or ,-an "ene forced by practical ones. Like all so and in the press, and deb~ted before my agent" ,is as old as bureaucracy), cial cla~ses in history, the working the entire class. or substituting epithets or physical class is not homogeneous. Ithascom The word "soviet"- councilofwork violence fOf debate, means condemn mon class interests, both immediate ersdelegates-expresses this unity of ing oneself to remain the vi~ of interests and historical interests. But opposites- the unity of the workers. false ideas, inadequate apalyses, and this community of interes!S- is ipter in the diversity of their tendencies. errOrS w.th .debilitating if not cata- woven with differences which have In' the Second Congress of Russian strophic consequences. . . various origins- immediate special Soviets, which took power inthe 0c Marxism is a guide to action, they interests (professional, group, region tober Revolution,there were a dOzen often,say. That is true. But Marxism al, craft interests, etc.land differellt different tendeI1c1es andparties.'Every is distinguished from utopian social levels of cOnScioUsness. Many strata attempt to repress this-i.¥orkers democ ism by its appealtoscientijicanalysis. of the working ~ass have not yet racy-by the Social Demo<;racy in It does not focus on action per .e. It become conscious of their historical Germany, by the Stalinists inSpain focuses on action which can influence interests~ Others have been influenced hall presa.ged, if not expressed, a set historical reality, which can change by . bourgeois and petty-bourgeois back or defeat for the revolution. it in a given direction-in the direc ideologies. Still others are weighed The absence ofworkers democracy tion of socialist revolution, towardthe down by the burden ofpast defeats not only hampers unity in action, it emancipation of the,workers and of and failures, of skepticism, or of the also obstructs working out a correct allhumanity. degradation caused by capitalist so politicalline.. Out of the clash of ideas and ten ciety, etc. It is true that' the workers move dencies, the truth emerges which can Howev~, thecapitalis"t system can- ment has an excellent theoretical in- serve' asa guide to action. Aetion 5 inspired by"monolithic."bookish, and their pledge to keep the workers' d~ reformist leaders shared the respon infantile thought-which is not su~ mands within limits thatdonotthreat sibility this time equally with their jected to the uninhibited criticism pos en the bases'of the system'-reduce Stalinist counterparts- Hitler came sible oniy in a climate of workers the capitalists· profits somewhat. The to power, massacred thousands of democracy-is condemned to certain trad~unionorganizatiollS'whiCh they worker militants, and dissolved all failure. It can only result, in the case lead inject thecollectivep&weroflabor the workers organizations. Thus, he of small 'groups, in the diSillusion into thedailyrelationshipsibetweenthe made possible a temporary, if som~ ment and demoralization of individu bosses and the worken.· And as a what embittered; reconciliation b~ als; in the case of unions or larger result, these conflicts have ali alto tween the Social Democrats and the parties, in defeats for the class; and gether different outcome'from thepast Communists ...in the concentra where the mass of the workers is century, when the strength ofthetrade tion- camps. Would it not have been concerned, in defeats with alongtrain unions was slight or nonexistent, be~r, while not making any conces of, humiliations, priVations. and im When thecapitalisteconomyisflour siDQS., in the ideological' struggle poverishment, if not casualties. ishing, the bourgeois,ie' is,wi~ing to against revisionism, to fight together Often these arguments in favor of pay the price repreiJented by, thes~ against the Nazis,and prevent them the princip1esand practice ofworkers conceSsions in retUtn for'·social from taking power? democracy are countered in Stalinist pe~~.'" But whim fl.1e' capifumt t!Crina.: On' an infinitely smaller and' l¢Ss circles by' the 'assertion that workers my is in a bad way, these sani~ ~n~ tragic scale, the situation in the Uni democracy cannot be extended to the ?~omewi_~~r,,:!~bJ,e versity can lead to a dilemma of the "enemies of socialism" insidethework celiSions rapidl! t() the bourgeoISIe. Then, It ~. p:~ .~ siime type overnight All the left ten ers' movement Curiously, certain cRJ;litalists'interest.to elimin~~' Q1es~ d~ncies are fighting to gam recogm groups which claim to be antibureau orga,glzations cQnipletl~ly,''ev~JJ, Jhe ti 6 China and vice-chairman of the Chi tween the two. Marginal cases are lished, well-defined criteria of the nese. CoIDIqunist party for twenty . possible. We advocate frank debate workers' interest (or after the over years!") are suilstituted for these ob in meetings of strikers. We do not throw of capitalism, of socialist legal ject;ive criteria, then you fall into com think that we need restrict ourselves ity) so as to prevent arbitrariness. plete arbitrariness. Youend, ofcourse, to polite discussion with strike Failure to distinguish between acts by wiping out the distinction between breakers. and opinions can only result in ex wcontradictions amongthe people"an~ tinguishing workers deDlocnicy, low wconflicts with the class enemy; ~at In every marginal case, however, ering the level of consciousness and ing the former more and more like we must distinguish acts (or crimes) mobilization of the workers, and pro the latter. from opinions and ideological ten gressively robbing the revolutionists Of course, it is impo,ssible to make dencies. Aetsmust be· proved and themselves of their ability to orient an absolute and total separation be- judged a~rding to clearly.estab- themselves politically. ... . 0 Section Two: Violent Factionalism in the "New" Left [The June 1969 split in Students for a Democratic So by the PJ;ogressive Labor Party). During the saDie period, ciety· (SDS) resulted in several incidents of v~9Ience be-. ultraleftist groups made attempts to seize the stages at tween contending factions, the Revolutionary Youth Move Ilntiwar demonstrations, because of their political disagree W ment ("Weatherman ) and the Worker-Student Alliance (led ments with the speakers or sponsoring organizations.] 1. Weatherpaon ;.J:ead."r fl.efends Hoolig~n Tactics ~rom the August ~ 1969, issue of The Militant By Harry Ring "The struggle escalated the next morning gives him the right to help organize goon One of the disturbing features of the /(SuildaY), when a number of PL members attacks on people simply trying to at Panther-initiated United Front Again$t Jeafletipg in the park before themoming tend an open conference to which all "anti Fascism conference held in Oakland July session of the· conference were asked to fascists" had been publicly invited. 18-20 was the use of strong-arm tactics. leave, did n()~and then. were dealt with Regarding the point that PL had not People identified as members of the Pro in strong faSbion. 'TenPLers wound up attempted to disrupt the proceedings, Rudd gressive Labor Party were forcibly ejected inthe~hospital.w . replied with a logic on a general par with from the audience. PLers and other dis . The enforcers his intellectual honesty: tributing leafets outsidethe hallwerebeaten. 'Appatently,.however, there are some· . wOn' the second question, that of PL's Concern has been expressed about this peoplei.remaining in' SDS who havesuf disruptiveness," says Rudd, "wepointedout within the movement by militants, both ficient, ;1'i!g~d" for. elementary democra,tic. thatPL's line when propagated' in the black and white. The concern, unfortlJAate .. righbi. to,protest this.,. At an SDS caucus midst of the black comm1,lDity or in a mass ly, has not been unanimous. ri.leetiDg~aJSunday·afternoon, Rudd re meeting of elements intent·on uniting Writing hi the July 24 SDS New Left ports,·the· Bay AteaRadicalStudent Union aga.inst fascism, discredits all revolution Notes, National Secretary Mark Rudd group in Sps "~erely criticized" the Rudd. aries because of its racist, chauvinist Doe whose gall is apparently equalled omy by gang for their: conduct. Accordingto Rudd, on the black struggle." The implication, his political obtuseness ~ actually tries to RS U forces,· poiIiteq out that PL had not of course,is that black people shouIdn~t justify the disgraceful SDS role in this. been disNg~e>pf..theconference and·the be allowed to chose for themselves what whole business. handling Qf th~':w!lSmore like a gang literature they will read! Rudd writes: like .velJ; Editorf~l in the August 22, 1969, issue of The Militant The~e of,force as a substitute for free, deu\Qetatic disCus '. sion hetweeho opposing tendencies within the ·radidl·rho~e- ment !tas sharply escalated in recent months. , Progressive Labor llasattempted on atleast two occasions to. phy~ically pr~vent the Revolutionary Y4\lth.Mo8~ent .(RYM) faction of SDS from.holding meetings. .. . . '. The RYM faction physically.attacked·PLefs :for leafletfug at the Black Panther Partyconfetence inOakland. The Black 'Panther-,Party at that same't'tlnterehce attacked PLers, 'membt;!rs otthe IndependCnt$Ocl.'luflif'-Oub (IS-C), artdll?-embers .or'~,,>~rtacistfor han~jiig, '16ut}~eir leaflets il} pid;dic stree~$. '. .'. ,.' .... :, .. .' , SDS,:( RYMljWd ~outh>AgaiJlstWar .J!di~ascism (YAWF) have stormed the platform and tried tCdake over the micro pboneon atleast two recent occasiOn'Si an1idicalmeetings the Student Mobilization Committee:;'d6PIDd'eowereoce in . Cleveland on July 6, and the l\ug: ~~)t'rf«lYar tally of the Ne"W York Fifth Avenue Peace Par~ae ~Wutee: . The attempt~d\l8e of force to s~,~renceswithi.n the radical.movement entails a verY'seriotl&'danger to the move:. ment as a whole. Such violence'lietVes' only the interests of the rUling clasS, which standSi'tb; gIllli the most by seeing its opponents devour each other inJnt~rnecmewarfare. DiVide ~'-- - ",',-: ' . - -., ' - - .:' - ') and rule is as old as oppressionJtaeJ,t.: . Second, itpEovides everyagentiUt~;provocateurwith the perfect climate in which to: operate, sowing even greater dis sention, creating conditions,t'Gr"fver·rnote violent actions. When violence becomes the' normfOt dealing With political disagreement withIn them(){fenierit~1'i~onIYhelps to justify, in the eyes.of the masses, the ,,-~?,lent. ptethods which the ruling class uses ~gainst us. 8 l'hird, the, ruling class uses such violence tq discredit the radical movement, to reinforce prejudices and lies about us. Once physical attacks begin, their inevitable tendency is to escalate. The violence becomes more extreme and the damage to the .mQvement grows qualitatively. Onlyalnove ment united and firm in its condemnation ofthe introduction of·' such methods borrowed from the ruling class. can stop the' plague from decimating·the forces of the radical move ment. Every hmdency, organization or group within the working cla$s, !tQciaUst or anth'lar Jnoveme~t ~t,S the n~r}o !ho~d its own meetings tree from disruption, to distribute leaflets, sell literature amI spref;id ideas. It is the eiitist ideology of the ruling class that claims the right to prevent the masses from hearing. or reading certain viewpoints, topreventcertaintendencies from holdiQgmeetings.· The- rulers depend on 'lies and distortions to maintain their privileged positions. The oppressed need to know and under~ stand the full truth to end their oppression. ~tis in their interests that ideas be freely expressed.: 'It is only lathe proeess,of confrontation ofconflictingviews that revolutionary truths become defined, understood andacrepted by the masses. Itis'otily through thiS process that distortions and reformist illusion$lcan'be destroyed~ The lISe of force'within the wOrking-classrilovement has a 'long and instructive ~cord, and it·is crucial that the ne.w generation of revolutio'riary youth not ~gnore the lessons of tWSbistory. Adherence to the principles ofworkers .demo cracy 'has'a~ways been one of the'fund~menial principl~,of .the 's9claUstmovement founded b'y, Marx and,Engelsand bUnt by' Lenm and Trotsky. The useof force'4f;is always been ()~ ofthe, chief weapons ofthetrade-union bureaucracies Eili'dthi bureaucracies of the workers states: The trade-union ."leaders" resort .to goon squads to prevent workers from healihgand disCussing'C"dissident" pOints Qfvlew, while in co~ntnes like,the»USSR and China, the-Mreaucracy, SUJr pre&seSrevalutidnary thought and revolutionaries in' the gu~ 9r:15UPI:l.i:~i;lng;,c~untkr-revolution." ,'. ", , , It is'not $\1fP.1;is!ni that the groups whi~)lave,begun,to use (ore:e w~thiil the movement today - SP~c(RYM), PL, ,BPP, YAWF'. 't4elJl),y Area Revolutionary Union- are all admirers ofl.d&07Tset~,'a.nd to one)legr~,t>r another '''-J -. of Stalip. himself~ , " . ,,. EquaUyse-riou$. is, .the.ftiilure of move~,ent, publications l*ethe .Guardian and LfiJ,eratioJ/. News Service to take'note of the growing tendanc~tOWi}.rd the use of Jor~' and condemn U. " .., We call upon the entire raOical and socialist movement to once again dedare: ,for upholding workers democracy and to condemn any and allpolitical groups resorting to attacks on the basic, rights· of other teadencia' within the radical movement. 9 Section Three: The Progressive Labor Party AttacIrs the Antiwar Movement [The Progressive Labor Party, h~vingfailed in sectarian "in the movement incl~ded,in this section are articles about efforts to substitute itself for the ,broad ,movement againSt a May 24, 1970 attack on the Student Mobilization Com the Vietnam war, shifted in May 1970 t()ward attempts mitt~ and an attempt to break up the July 2-4, 1971 to physically disrupt some of the leading organizati()ns co~vention of the Natioiull Peace Action Coalition.] 1. ~ AHacks Meeting of SMC Steering CommiHee From the June 12, 1970, issue of The Militant Some ,55 to 60 people from the Pro as ,a delegated representabve. 'The ~spite the scufile in the hallway, gressive Labo!" Party and SDS, orga others were admitted into the rrieetingthe meeting decided to let the two dele- nized in a body, attacked and attempt as observers. gated," representatives from SDS and ed to storm into a national steering John Pennington, national secretary PLRbade in. This would enable them committee meeting of the Stndent Mo of SDS, ,c()mplained aJ»out tQ.e regis- to express their point of view, but bUization Committee in BostonOn Snn tration 'procedu,re ,and the,presence of w~,"guard against the now-appar- day May 24 (see The Militant, June5). SMC ushers, stating to t1l~ r.egistrars ~nt danger of disruption of the ses- This violent assault was repulsed and that "this is the way that figJlb.! start" sions.This offer was not accepted. the SMC meeting continued with its At the meeting that wasjull~ getting "'gle, ,SDS and PLP group withdrew business. underway Nat Goodman, who is atp Ule main hall, held a discussion, The following fad sheet detailing the member of SDS and a candidate mem- and threatened to return in force. events was compiled from individual ber of PLP, approached 'the door and After the lunch recess, fearing a re- eyewitness reports, a tape recording of attempted to enter. He was asked to neWed. 'attempt to disrupt or break up the proceedings of, the meeting, and fill out a registration form first, as ~'me,eting, many of the people in from information on the registration everyone 'else had done. He refused '.attettd,~n.ce joined together to set up forms that had been 6lled out by the and attempted to push his way into a, d"n~e. Cooperating in this effort participants in the meeting. It was the meeting. He was pushed back by v(.~~, iJ)d1viduals from SMC, Beacon released by the Stndent MobUization :~ ushers at the door, but was not, lt~ '~#pport Group, Socialist Work- Committee. ers ",l,»ax;ty, Citizens for Participation • •• At that,point, those members of SDS.' PgUUcS; Draft Information Center, The expanded national steeringcom a~:'!'Ri~ers mittee meeting of the SMC on May 24 and PJ.P who had already beeq League, National Organiza nis4~~ ti~il··f~~ had been called to discuss the May mitted into the meeting room ... Women, Female Liberation, out They demandedtliatGoodW~n:.YietnaIilReferendum '70, Young So student strike upsurge and to chart withoutregi:stering',~i the plans of the SMC for the coming be admitted iL'i:ia'lii( Alliance, International Social months. though they were famUiarwlth'1lle "1Sbi; and others. ,'The~'precautions The SMC national steering commit registration process and knew, he proved necessary registe~d: when~ tee is composed of one representative would be admitted if he "after meeting at the PLP head from each SM C chapter and one repre They began a scuffle With the ''SUe:' quarters, a large SDS and PL group sentative from each national organiza ushers in the hallway in an atteDl'pf 'teturn.ed, to storm the meeting. About tion working with the SMC. The May to force their way in. They were qhick~ 5'5-60 were observed coming in an 24 meeting was expanded to include ly rebuffed and restrained. 'organiZed group. They were met in invited representatives of student'strike When the sc:uftle was over, those 'the hallway outside by the united de committees. Two hundred thirty-six who had left the meeting requested fense and the two groups stood facing people registered as delegated ,repre to be let back inside. A :diseussion each other. John Pennington and Neil sentatives and observers from local took place inside the meeting: The Goldstein of the SDS and PLP group and regional SMC chaptp.rs, student incident>in, the hallway waS described were admitted to the meeting. strike committees and other antiwar and a history of PL andSDS88$aults Pennington addressed the meeting. organizations from every part of the on the antiwar movement was re- He gave his version of the earlier country. viewed. Most recently this included as- incident and demanded that all the Nine of the people who registered saults on an antiwar meeting at Co- people in the hallway be admitted. identified themselves as members of lumbia during the strike and two as- He finished his statement by saying SDS or Progressive Labor Party. All saults in the Boston area: 1) At the that his group was coming in any were admitted into the meeting, ah April 15 antiwar rally in Boston, a way, and that "if people attack us though none were delegatedrepresenta large' PLP and SDS group attacked on the way in, we intend to defend tives from SMC chapters or .strike com the speakers platform; 2) On May 3, ourselves." He passed out a leaflet mittees. Although botbSDS andPLP after threats had been made against to the meeting which referred to the are politically hostile to the SMC lind him for daya, eight members of PLP earlier incident and which stated, "The the two national organizations do not and SDS attacked and beat Bob Bres- SMC' leaders are bootlickers of the work witbthe SMC, one'each from nahan, an SMC activist, who had been ruling class who back the liberal pol the two organizations was admitted a marshal captain on April 15. iticians by using force against the rad- IO icals and communists. Today's attack their way through, the PL and SDS PLP. This motion passed with one will not go unanswered." group retre,ated. The 8M C meefuig dissenting vote. Pennington left the meeting room, then continued. with its business. Des We, the undersigned, were present came out into the 'hallway and called pite the disruption, discussion of the at the SM C steering committee in Gam... out to his group to come in. Theunited student strike upsurge continued and bridge, Mass.; on May 24, 1970. Al defense would not let them through. plans were. laid to build antiwar dem though each individual did not wit The ·PL·P and SDS group pushed for onstrations on May 30 and the nation" neSs every event described.in the ac ward, and started fighting in o.nat al antiwar conference in Cleveland on count, our observations coincide with tempt to force its way in. A pitched June 19-20. this report, and collectively, we wit battle ensued. Several people were in The first oJ;der of business wh~n nessed everything which took place. jured. John McCann, the Massachu, the steering committee reconvened was Signed by: Frank H. Adams, Draft setts 6tatewide coordinator ofVietnam a discussion of the attack and the Information Center; Pat Connolly, Referendum '70 and a member of the response to it. Two motions were' Workers League; Gus Horowitz, So SMC defense team, was pulled into passed: cialist Workers Party; Mike Kelly, Bos the other line and severely beaten by 1) The' national. steeting committee ton SMC; Jean, Lafferty, Boston Fe six to eight people. His head and calls for a nationwide campaign male Liberation; Carol Lipman, SMC; hands were''badly brUiSed, his nose against the use of violence within the Caroline Lund, Young Socialist Al was broken,and an eye injured seri movement and for the right of all liance; John McCann, Vietnam Refer ously. groups to hold, meetings without dis endum '70; Katherine Page, Beacon Nevertheless, the defenders were d~ ruption. This motion passed unani Hill Support Group; Susan Steward, termined not to let their meeting be mously.' National Organization for Women; broken up, and they.successfully kept 2) .The SMC also calls upon mem~ DavidTe~sco, Citizens for Participa the attackers from accomplishing their bel'S of SDS and PLP to repudiate tion Politics; Mike Urquhart, Inter'" purpose. When it ,became quite clear the ,attack made upon theSMC na national Socialists; Tommye Weise, that they would> be unable to force tionalsteeringcommittee by SDS and SMC. 2. YSA Condemns Violence in the Movement ", -- ~ From the June 12, 1970, issue of The Militant In a statement released May 29 the reach masses of people, who are turned others of its ideas, or can believe that National Executive Committee of the away. fro~.lJ?~tradical movement by it can eliminate ideas, with which it dis Young Socialist AUiance extended its seIf-d~feati~''ipternecine fighting;. the agrees through violence," tl;J.e. statement "complete solidarity to the campaign need for ffee deinocratic discussion as said. "Any group of, people within the initiated by the SMC to eliminate the the only' erfu~~e'way ofsettlihg differ m,ovement mu~t have ~e right to hol,d, use of violence within the movement." enres' ViithUf the: movement; and the its own meetings and to decide how Unporta.nce of' the basic democratic they will be conducted - who will bein: The statement cited four principal right of aU organizations to meet, 01' vite";of what the agen :i. \Vide Array of Groups Back SMC Against PL Attacks From the June 12, 1970, issue of The Militant By MIKE KELLY meetitlg',:by Progressive Labat Patty er Workmen of North America, Pack Socialist Workers Party·candidate members and their supporters inSDS,' inghouse Workers Division, LocalPll, for governor ofMassachusetts . and the· use of violence to settle political P575, P616 in-'Dorchesrer, Mass. BOSTON, June 1-'More than 120 differences within the movement. They John Craig, president of Local P575 activists representing 24 organizations' vowed to defend each others' meetings. and vice-president ofthestateAFL..C10 tonight endorsed the national Student The resolution was passed unani Labor Board; opened the meeting, Mobilization C(>-mmittee statement con mously at the meeting, hosted by the chaired by Marilyn Levin ofthe SM C, demning the May 24 attack onan SMC Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butch- by reading a statement from John 11 McCann; state coordinator of Vietnam repudiates gangster tactics within the Committee to End the War in Vietnam Referendum '70, who is recuperating movement and will support'all defense Now; Revolutionary Marxist Caucus of from' injuries inflicted on him during efforts againsfviolent attacks." SDS; Revolutionary Youth Center; Stu the May 24 attack. During the· discussion, John Craig dent Mobilization Committee; Socialist McCann deplored the use, of violence emphasized how important united de Workers Party; Spartacist League; Vets within the movement .and called for a fense efforts were, describing how he for Peace; Vietnam Referendum '70; united defense committee to be set up. and .other union members recently Workers Committee for a National Craigaiso volunteered to be thetrea.. helped protect a United Farm -Workers Strike Against the War; Women's Inter surer for theJohn McCann Fund. (Con organizer in the area atmany meetings. national League for Peace and·Free tributions to thjs fund" which will help All groups present·agreed thatthe most dom; Young Socialist Alliance. Also defray the high cost of hospitalization effective waytostopsuchattaClclhvas by endorsing the· statement was the Cam for John McCann, should be sent to the involving other groups in'the defense bridge Phoenix, a local underground John McCann Fund, clo Vietnam Ref effort. ." paper. . erendum '70, 19 Brookline St.,Cam The groups in attendence at themeet bridge, Mass. 02139.) ing were: the Bread and,Roses Collec~ George Kontanispresented the na~ tive at Boston University; the.Beacon BOSTON - During a press confer tional statement to the meeting, giving Hill Support Group; the BelmontPeace ence held here May 28 at-the Massa a history of earlier attacks by PLPand Action Council; BostonWomen United; chusetts Eye and Ear ~nfirmary where SDS. Cha-rles S1. Meeting House; Citizens for John McCann Was hospitalized, Nobel The Revolutionary Marxist Caucus Participation Politics; Computer Profes Prize-winning Harvard biology profes of SOS made a statement atthemeeting sionals for Peace; Draft InfQrmation sor George Wald condemned the May repudiating the attack, and asked for Center; Female Liberation; Gay Liber 24 attack on the SM C meeting. Others an amendment noting that not all eau ation Front; Local P575 Amalgamated who participated inthe pressconference cuses or members of SDS supported Meat Cutters and'Butcher Workmen of included John Craig. David Tedescoof such attacks. The amendment which North America,'Packinghouse Workers Gitizens for Participa;tion Politics, and was accepted by the meeting said: "The Division, AFL-CIO; ". Mass. Strike; John Businger, an aide of the late Revolutionary Marxist Caucus of SDS Mass. Lawyers Guild; North Shore Representative H. James Shea, Jr. 4. PL-SDS Fail in AHempf to Break Up Antiwar Convention From the July 16, 1971, issue of The Militant By HARRY RING' of the Uded·' Dfatributive Worker.. in atill an()ther ProgressIve Labor Par- NEW YORK-A s~antfeature of was added toJ:l'L'a "v~boten"lIat. tyleaft'et, which declartcl~ , ' the recently"concluded NPAC conVen Leaf1eta~ere dJatributed by PL-SDS ."Working people lothis country will tion was the declaive way It repulsed in New Yo~k,urgiDg people to attend 11gbt until' every creep that NPAC the efforts of the Progressive "Labor the convention to prevent these people builda, and the NPAC Ieaclers them Party to.physically disrupt the gather from speaking. , Be"lves, are either behind bars, or tug" and prevent it from carrying O~ leaOe~as~rting that Hartk~ did burled." throUgh ita buslnesa; not haVe the right to sp~ak because NPAC was able to prepare for the he is a liberal capitalist politlctan, Long record' attack. that occurred because PLP and urged people to attend the convention ,Such "rhetoric cannot, be di,smissed ita "SDS" brueJily made public in ad and "SHQUT HlMDOWN!" as abnply 'tlle mouthings olmindIesa vanc:e their Intentioo to carry through Another leaflet declared in part: fools. The Progressive Labor Patty an oqanlzed hOoiipn effort to dis "Hartke and Reuther shouldn't be al has too long a record of hooligan rupt the CODvention. lowed to apeak at all. These guys will violence againtlf political opponents Several pubBc meetings were held scream f~om of speech: but there within the movem~t. -ThOBe who were by PLP-SDS in Boston, where the should be no freedom to speak for in SDS during the faction struggle Th~ of group has ita main base. effOl1s people whof ride .thecoatiail of the that saw the demise that organi were made to recruit a contingent to ' antiwar'moVement for their own per~ zationknow well PL'. penchant for come to New York for the express aonal gain." physical solutions, to politicali>rob purpose of preventing cel"taln invited A leaflet passed out at the conven lems. speakers at the alated NPAC eonfer tion the night of the opening rally There was the case in 1969 of Dave enee from being beard.. 'included a proposed list, of chants ,·to Kemnitzer. a san: Francisco antl-PL lDiu.lly.· tile two apeakera selected be ~ while the,speakers deemed SDBer who ma:tied he was beaten in as PL targets were Senator Vanc:e objecUonableby fL were on the plat his home by PL goons. The PL paper Hartke (J).,Ind.). a leading senatorial form. The. concluding suggested chant Challenge carried a ,sardonic semiac critic of. the war. and Victor Reuther, was: knowledgement: international affairs director of the "OFF HARTKE, OFF REUTHER. In 1967 In san Francisco, Militant Unittcl Auto Workers. Then, David ETC." salespeople were attaclted by goons LMngaton, preaident of Diatrict 66 Thisominoua rhetoric was escalated at a PL-run open-air rally. 12 In New Yox:k in 1967, when PI,. ini a meeting without serio~'injury 10 Po~y held 1(,.cll*8 ·...tiJllt·1Qld tiated a factionally ~ompetitivepetition anyone, and withtlie enl1re, process after a ,debate -def:idedit 'waU futne to a Peace Parade Committee antiwa'r carried thrpughin sucl1away _at to again storm the meeting, a.nd they referendum petition, PLers set upon a the meeting is able to continue. The ,limited themselves to picketing in group of Parllde Committee petitio~rs atmosphere ofd!lIcipline was such'that front A few 'gained admission, but and threatened others.. the citypoUcehad no pretext to enter there were only minor incldentsdUring Last spring, in Boston, they attempt the building. the final day·sSeBsion. ed to disrupt an SMC steering com This was possib!e forsev~'iea mittee meeting, were ejected from the sons: The. marshals had beeJi~care Marshals commended hall and returned in force for a tWo fully briefed'inadvance, with ,a ~ng . Most of the convention particlpaJJts hour pitched battle, which resulted in emphasis on the need to .~"oQlr the. were elated that so difficult a-pr.ovo one antiwar activist partially losing absolute minimal forU! necessary to cation had been so well handled and !light in one eye. deal with disrupters. Theylargelysuc were somewhat'· aStonished when,a When the auditorium doors were ~ed in doing this, despite the ex resolution was introduced at the opened for the NPAC rally, about ti:eme, ,Provocation of the PLer8~ 'l:'be opening of the Sunday sesSion pro a hundred PLpartisans were llJDong marshals even restrained themselves posing to criticize PL for its behavior the first to march in. They immediate whello' •• they reached the. doors, a and to condemn the marshals for use ly attempted, to seize the stage but were number of the evidild PLers".prayed of alleged undue force in removing moved off it by a contingent of mar them-with cans of mace. the disrupters. The effect of.the; reso shals. The marshals included mem The eviction of the disrupters with lUtion would havebeen to deny' NPAC bers of District 65, other unionists, out bringing the meeting to an end the right to hold its convention. and volunteers from the NPAC con w.as also possible because by the time The resolution singled out Fred ference. marshals did act, it was entirely plain Halstead,who had participated active to the audienCe, where the responsi. Despite continuous unruliness and ly ~ the Dl a~al1ngfor special cen disruption, the PLers. were permitted bility lay and why the action was sure.H8Iatead, the 1968 presidential to remain in the hall as the rally necessary; ~ndidateolth'; SOci~stWorkers Par progressed. At one point in the pro After the rally, a meeting of the ty, has served as chief marshal at ceediIigs, in an extreme effort to pla NPAC Steering COl;Jlmitteevoted several major NeW York and national cate the group, they were given a unanimously that th'ose who had di& antiwar demonstrations. speaker on the platform. rupted the meeting not be perinit1ed This moti6n was'introd1.u:ed ,by a When it came Hartke's turn to ad to return for the next day's session., member of the QUaker ActlonProject dress the rally, the PLers seemed near on, be4ll1f of a workshop held the berserk in their efforts to prevent him In adopting the motion, the COlD previous evening by membenof the from being heard. Led by twopeople mittee emphasJzed that the issue -of People's Coalition f~r J?eace and Jus with electronically amplified bull polilical exclusion was in no way in tice.., , horns, they chanted, screamed and volved and, that people were to be 1le8P9!1d~ng to this motion, the con cursed. Despite the tumult, Hartke kept out only c;jn the basis of their ventIo,n prestding cOJQmittee offered a completed his address as the rest of di8riipftve activity and no one was to motion cOl;Jl~ending the .marshals for the audience sat quietly and tried to beex~ded on the basis of theIr polit an extremely dlfficult job well done. hear him above the din. ical views and associatiOJL In fact, The «iDly open backers ofthePCPJ Then, later, when Victor Reuther a number ofPL-SDSers were permit worksbop motion were some 8¥PPort;. was introduced, the PLers apparently ted in, tbenext day and ,freely distrib ers ofthat group. decided to make a last-ditch effort to uted their literature. They participated Since meml)ers 01' the Young& prevent him from speaking and their in the convention discussion, where cialist Allian~ and Socialist Workers frenzy reached a new pitch. they sought to ~end PL'sconduct Party were among ~ose ,who partici and persuade the 'convention tore pated actively in the marshaling, sev Disrupters removed verse the deeisi()nto keep the disrupt eral of the various politlcaJ 'aecaa· at It was then that the NPAC coor ers out However, a motion to endorse tending the conference'permitted blind dinators decided that it would be im the Steering Committee decision was factionai, animositY 10 influence their possible to continue the rally ifthe dis approved by the Overwhelming major- judginent in themat1er,and they re ruption was permitted to continue. The ity. , frained from supporting the clearly marshals were instructed to remove That afternoon, the' PLers mas~ juatlfled presiding committee motion the offenders from the hall outside the convention door and commending, the, manhaJa. The only In a remarkable display of disci sought to storm their way iD, nurlmg one of these groupe that.upportt!d the plined restraint, the marshals, several rocks and bottles at theniar"shals as motion and offered to help with de hundred strong, proceeded to take the sembled at the,entrance. Two, mar fenR of the meeting was the Workers screaming, biting, kicking disrupters shals were hit, requiring 'stitches for League. out The remainder of the audience facial cuts, but none were8el'ioualy Members of the Sparticlat League' displayed equally impressive disci injured. The attaek· was suCcessfully actu~y Joined with the PLersin the pline, mostly remaining seated lUI the repulsed and the doOn closed. Police cU8ruption ,and were evicted with them. hooligans were being removed. It is then appeared and, foiclblydispersed The National Caucus of Labor Com really quite unusual to see a hundred the PLers from the street. ' mlttetW and International Sociali.. determined disrupters removed from On Sunday"norbIng, the PLers re- took evasive positions. 13 Sqate _pport..,·()J ,PCPJ· 8O~~to themat8ha:1& .' ....uth GapC8lbyapoke vlgoroue lD4leat~}he1J; .. ~teemept. with the .'Ed"" Bi~.. .. rep~_~t1ve of the Itdliaupp~ of tbe )IlotiOl,;to~om,. .ork~p'in~1icm. ··One ap_er,~Uu:. UDttea :'E.leeklW Workeri,declared Rl~ .th.eularshala,·.did Dan·S"" .•~otin, . if New York uDioDist, de .Iit~ as .a" wltoQJst, ·he ~~ the ...bet Of ··~p~~~.eomJDJbie. ~ thatwhile"he'diapprGYedoi need Ear seJf,.defeiiIe."Welihould:com,. tlut .•.ay the COllferen~" .."",1Dg l1lD, Dltndth~ Dlar*h-,:.for what they did-, ThelCPJ .motlOn.nc~"'lJ• .... _~ ~.·n~.lor,NPACto .':declated. -I think they acted wltli lItatterlDgof votC'adcf the motion ~.lt.rJght Sectiorifour: The Young Workers Liberation League AfflJcks Student Rights [The follo~~ng items deal with the attempt of the StaliJ;l,.· .. proved qnsuccessful, included a physical assault led by ist Young ,Workers Liberation League to bar. the Young ..anational leader of the YWLL, Richard Hoyen, on Will Socialist Alliance from political activity at the Borough S~nley, a member of the YSA on the call1Pus.] of Manhattan' Community College. The attempt, which. 1•. YWLLLeade.r Defends Its Actions From the February·2. '1'973, 'issue of The Militant The following letter from Matty Ber . that Hoyen js-,.an Asian youth who fered with. They can still use school kelhammer, organizational seae-' is being .•l~dered.,by the YSA? facilities, issue leafleis, etc. As a tary of the Young Workers Libera. O~s it.matiel' to the Guardian that matter of· fact, they are currently tion· League, appeared' in the .Jan. .he is the coordinator of the U. S. circulating their scurrilous anti-trea 17 GUl;lJ"dian. Nguyen Van Troi Hospital Com ty material on the campus. mittee, w~iCli' is raising funds to 3) that the real issue in this dis An item in the Dec. 27 issue of the bulld a ';'cliUdten's hospital in Ha pute is not between the YWLL and Guardian raises serious questions J;loiaisan llct Qf· solidarity with the the YSA, as the YSA would have about yourjournalistic hitegdty~ It victim1(~f'~U. S. aggression, . and . people believe. What is involved is further shows'. the deterioration of that. 2. Democracy in the Student Movement; WhereD()8s'theYWLlStand? From the February 2, 1973, issue of The Militant By JOSEPH HARRIS use of violence to settle political dif- in trying to undermine the anti-im and MALIK MIAH ferences, and in support ot the YSA's perialistThird World Coalition stu The Young Workers Liberation right to a charter. This campaign dent government at BMCC." (Empha League has fmally issued a public gained the support of many student, sis added.) letter concerning the denial of a stu Black, and Puerto Rican lead~s, and dent 'Charter to 'the Young Socialist groups in the New York area, as Despite its political differences with Alliance and a physical attack on a w:ell as support from around the coun- the, Third World Coalition, the YSA YSA member. try. , has 'consistently defended the group The letter, printed in the Jan. 17 As a result of this calIlpaign, one ,f~om administration attacks. In the Guardian, wa~ written by Mlltty Her student government official informed past semester, the YSA supported the kelhammer, the national organization the YSA before the Dec." 21' student Third W'orld Coalition against admin-. al secretary of the YWLL. It harShly government meeting that its charter istration Attempts to deny it the seats criticizes the Guardian for printing.'a "was never officially revoked.~ Just it won in tJ:le. student government elec~ "false" news article about the events tbreedays earlier, however,. the YSA tion.: ' at Borough of Manhattan C~mmuniiy had been forced to take down alit- Duringtbe fight over the YSA char College (BMCC) last November. erature table on the basis that it did ter, the YS1\. strongly opposed a move Berkelhammer contends that' ,Rich-, nothave a charter. by the a~~inistration to intervene in ard Hoyen,a national lead~ of the What .does BerkeIhammer say about the' 'matter. An open letter the YSA YWLL, did not assault YSA- ;meJDber fac~? . , "j"" these He .says they iU"e fa,lse,serit to the adlJ1inistration said in part: Will Stanley, and that "the YSA"h~s a,~slap.der," and "totally unsubst~nti- "Because the Young Socialist Alliance not had' its' right to function'politfelllly ated," 'but he presents no" alternative believes that all student affairs should interfered with" at aMCC. account Most importantly, he ayoids be under student control.... and be What are the facts? At the Nov.. 22 disCUS~in:g 'whether',the"" YWLL - sup'" cause 'we' oppose the administration's Student Government Association meet.. ' ports ,theYSA's"right tocRiIlpus ret'" intetVeningln the affairs of students, ing at BMCC, the YSA's student char ognition'and 3~ Reviving Old ladies From theDecember 15, 1973, issue of The ltfilita";t · The Young Workers Liberafton League,' tlle Con:~1P.unist party's youth organization,.. has organized a~ampaignto . prevent the Young Socialist Alliance from obtaining:oificial Teeognitionat Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. One of the YWLL leaders is also·impli .' caled 'in' a physical attack on a YSA member on the same .' . f ,', - · campus. . SuCh undemocratic conduct by an organization fha(claims to be'soci8Iist is intolerable. YSA NationalChairmanAp.dy . }Wsehasdemailded that the YWLL repudiate these •• actJons Oy its members and supporters. So far they have r~~d. to do, so..' ." . , ,a. . The.YWLL attacks are &ne of the consequeqees of a8tepped up anti-Trotsky1st propaganda campaign presently .. being waged by the bureaucrats in Moscow ;andtbe Con:bnunist Party in the U.. S. Slanderous artlclestQ;at,haye apPeared recently' in Soviet "theoretical" journals an4. CPUSA 'tnaga- ,', zines'and newspapers brand Ttc.tskyism- including 'fiotskyist '70' organizationS like the Socialist Workers Patty and the Young SoCialist AlUanceM,as.'''a vulgar weap(lIl of imperi~m and' reaction," '~,"coilnter~revolutionary elemeIit:'within the Le.ft,' an "advocate Qf b1fl'tant raclsm."and'an "enemy of peace." . A two-par~carti~em the June and July isSues of the CP's · m'ilgazine Politi~41. Affairs~ entitled "Ttots~m: 'Left-Wmg' Voice of ~ction," concludes with the- admon'itibn tha.t "The .' sm.· .will ,nqt rea.l~its, bope of bee<>IIjing';(lie predottlpiant forceontheLeftIfW:W continue to be a ~oUJlter-:r~volutionary ·.sect. But what- tnuStalways be remembered.is tha;t Trotskyism will never' disappear of its own accord.,Jt mu.st be fought." The effect of these lies and the call to fight "counter-revo,. lutionary" Trotskyists. is to whip up an' annosphere among young CPand YWLL members that any, mea.sures against the SWP, and YSAare justified if they ·canget away with them. 'This hooligan conduct against soCialists;'with whom they disagree barks back·to ,the 19308 and 1940s,' when such measures were the' stock:.in-trade of the StaliniZed Communist Party. Attempts to revive these POisoIlOus:methods and to try to employ them today will not succeed in intiniidating the SWP, the YSA, or any other critical-l11i,nded revolutionists. . Suell tactics will backfire' and expose t:b.e true'nature of the CP andYWLL's bankrupt politi~., which' are subordinated to the policies of the' privileged bureaucracy' in the USSR. 16 Sedion Five: Defending the Movement Against a Sectarian CRampage [The National Caucus of Labor Committees is one of attacks against individual members of radical groups. the sects that emerged out of the splintering of SDS. Or This called for a change in tactics and, in addition to ganizedas a cult around ils leader, Lyn Marcus, the mobilizing the left against the NCLC's hooliganism, the NCLC launched an effort in April 1973 to "mop up" SWP and other groups called for the prosecution of the the Communist Party and ofuer leftists. In response,: the attackers. Evidence had piled up, in the meantime, that Socialist Workers Party organIZed united efforlsto defend indicated that police agenls were active participanls in the Communist Party against attack. Frustrated in its the NCLC rampage.} efforts to break up meetings, the NCLC turned to sneak 1. Labor Committee Goons Attack the YWLL From.the April 27, 1973, issue of The Militant , !. PHILADELPHIA, April 14 - On Wed· atmc.phere 1hat f.aeilitates the work respob81bility," the New Solidarity ed nesday, April 11, a group of 12 to of police agents, whose aim is to weak itorial states, "Immediately, readers 15 people. organized by and including en and destroy aU r,adlcal groups. will obtain a taste of our ruthlessness seVeral membetsof the National Cau The NCLC has· been in a faction in the way we proceed to mush off (NCLC)~ cus of Labor Committees fight withtheCP and the YWLL within the Communist Part)'." attacked members of the Young WQrkt the National Welfare Rights Organi . In the following issue of New Sol era Liberation ~eagu~; _{YWL,[Jat zation (NWRO). Recently a segment idarity an article called "Operation Templ~ University here. , of theNWRO including the NCLC Mop-Up; The Class Struggle Is For Eyewitnesses report that the aitack~ broke away and held . a convention Keeps" explained more clearly the ustid'i~a.d ers pi¢ll and other"\iieap... to form a new organization called plans of NCLC. "To implement our ons. Six''of the injured requirednoBi the National Unemployed and WeI editorial policy of last week" we will· pital treatDtent'Aceotdiilg'to the-Com fare Rights. Organization (NU-WRO). enter CP~YWLL meetinJ{s. conferences, munist .Party's Doily World. of- AprU The 'Coalition to,Defend the NWRO, I:allies, classes, etc. to confront the par 13, both Steve RasD1ussen all~Ed Which includes theCP a:nd YWLL, ticipants with the CP's allianee with Aguilar sufferedbrok-m,noses; Robin denounced the split as an attempt "to Philadelphia fascists to help Nixon de Goldberg suffered .8 b~oken rib;Waldo divide and ;destroy NWRcr and as stroy the Ma:rch 31 Philadelphiacon Woods had an eye injury; Robert~ulJ: a ""racisLmovement operating under vention of the National Unemployed tin suffered facial' wotinds &ndpOs" the 2. Temple University YSA Urges United Defense of YWLL From the April 27, 1973, issue of The Militant The fonowing statement.Hmade The entire movement must come calmovement and must be rejected by the Temple UniverSity YoUDg to the'dd'ense of the CP and the asa means of sdtling political So~iaIist Alliaaee. YWLL againet· such hooligan at disputes. We must he able to eon" tacks.' We mu_stand in solid sup,- . sider and discuss all ideas in an The Young Socialist Alliance port of the'rights of all "Witbinthe atmosphere of free debate and 3. Repudiat.e NCLC Gangsterism Editorial from the April 27, 1973, issue of The Militant The gangster-like tactics the National Caucus of Labor Com mittees (NCLC) used in its attack on members of the Young Workers Liberation League (see story on page 9) constitute a threat to the entire radical movement. Attacking with pipes and clubs, the NCLC thugs sent six YWLL members to the hospital. ,.' , The NCLC openly states that it intends to continue such attacks, publicly. proclaiming their intention .to "bury" .. ~nd "pulverize" the Communist Party and YWLL. In an April 16 supplement to their newspaper, New Solidarity, the NCLC threatens to "treat similarly"·any other socialis~organizations that "join the CP's alliance with Nixon and the 'fascists in the .name of 'workers democracy.'" These .' methods must be c9ndemned The use of violence within the radical movement aids no one but the ruling'class. If attacks such as the one against the YWLL are alldwed 'to continue, they will be used 'against other organi~ations, as' the Labor Committee itself has already threatened. . Violent attacks within the movement threaten'the very right to organize, to presept ideas; a1;l.dto win others to those ideas... Movement groups face enough limitationSQJl these rights from the rulers. of this country without haying toalao face such assaults from within the radical movement. The NCLC attempts to justify its hoodlum attacks by la belling the CP and YWLL as "fascist" organizations. Such use Of the word "fascist" to excuse physical attacks on groups within the socialist movelnent should be repudiated by every organization committed' to ,democratic rights for' working- class otganization~.' ... The NCLC's goon attacks are antithetical to the aims and prin~iples of the' socialist movement. Socialists support the practice of worke~ democracy- that is, the concept that th~ way to solve differences within the working,-class movement is through free and open debate and testing of ideas. The use of violence'within the movement, on the other hand, makes it possible for the ruling class to discredit the left as antisocial sects fighting'amongst themselves. In "addition, these methods create a perfect atmosphere for police agents whose aims are to destroy the entire movement. Agents-provocateurs would like nothing better than to s~ radical groups resort to armed attacks on .each other. 'The. work of, government agents goes much easier in such an environment. The Militant calls on all groups and individuals whQ .sup~ 19 port basic democratic rights to join in a campaign to re pudiate the National Caucus of 'Labo.r Committees and their use of violence against organizations they disagree with. We call on all groups 10 reject and condemn the use of physical attacks to settle disagreements within the movement And we urge all supporters of democratic rights to come to the defense of the CP, YWLL, and any other group whose meetings, members, or offices are attacked by NCLC hooli gans, 4. NCLC Hooligans Attack Candidates Meeting at Columbia University From the May 4, 1973, issue of The Militant By DOUGJENNESS Lieberman, Tom Tilitz, Nat London, Chaitkin presented an incoherent and NEW YORK,April 24""""'"':A~oqt60 and Jesse Smith. Tilitz was hospital frenzied tirade against the Communist hooligans from the NationalCaucus iled overnight before being released. Party 'and Rasheed Storey. of Labor Committees (,NCLC)unsuc~ Noonewa~seriou~yi~ured. This reporter talked to several peo cessfully tiled to storm the platform During the' few .days prior to the ple at the meeting who have attended at a meetiDg'of mayoral :candidates meeting the, NCt.C distributed a leaf NCLC public functions recently. They at Columbia UniversitY ,last nig,ht. let entitled "'Whither Rasheed?" warn indicated that they had never before This was, the most seriou~in.the r.e: ing that they would attempt to break seen ~any. of the NCLC· members at cent series of.physical attack. the up last night'8 meeting and physically last night's meeting. These particular NCLC QasiilUnched against the'Com attaclcStorey. 'The leaflet reads' in memlJers looked the most like thugs. munistParty anq. the f)ocialiSt Work part: "With ,the CP hacks unable to TheY were the ones who led the shout ers Party. hold ptibJjc;~eetings orto orgallize, ing and the charge on the stage. It The NCLC hoodlums were prev.ent in terror of the YWLL [Young'Work -is clear that the NCLC's public pol ed from physically harming State As ers Liberation League] membership icy of physically trying to eliminate seml?lyman, Albert Blume~t.h~ cf,)D enraged at yet an:9th~ sellout, in ter radical organizations like the CPand tender for the Democratic DOfDi~~i(m; rorof Operation Mop-Up, there re- . the SWP has opened the door for po Rasheed.'Storey, . CommunjSt .r,arq maips only 1 question: lice agepts and right-wing scum. candidate; anCl JoannaMi~, SQ~, '''H $tof~show8 up Monday night, cialist WOJ;kers~artY candJ,date 'for can' his fast-sinking mayoral cam.· Protests against the NCLC's gang city council president who w.as speat~ paigp'be buoyed up by anything less 'Ster-like eampaign are beginning to ing for Norman Oliver, ·SWP cahdl than 'several dozen 'husky workers' be regIstered. Before last night's ,at date for mayor. ,employed b'y the N, Y. P. D. INew York' tack, a, stateIt;1ent strongly condemn Members of the -SocialU!t Workers ';Pollee Department]?" ing this hooliganism had been signed Party, Young Socialist Alliance, anel Attempts to convince the organizers by Annette Rubenstein; Marxist liter the Communist Party, as well as some of the meeting, the Columbia Unj~er~ ary critic; Nat Hentaff, Village Voice Columbia Universitystlldent$, defend-, lIi~ stu~enL~p'ar~,of'Mana.gers, .that columni$t; .Norman Oliver., SWP may ed the platfopn. . _ t~lJ;, ~a,; .,~ 'Serlous threata.nd .that oral candidate; Jim Ostroff, editor of The NCLC goon$, hpwever,. were NCLC. disrupters should be excluded the Queens College Phoenix; Jack New successful in·breaking up the meet ironillie'\1lteting, were unsuccessful.. garten, New York University Social ing. Armed.with .clubs, num-ehucks A~~t' 20miiJ.ute$ b~oJ:'e the meet- Detnocrats; Marshall Whitman, NYU (jointed sticks), and brass knuckles,' ing begaJ;l,t,heNC~C.l1ooliganscame Radical Zionist Alliance; Jim Fitzer, they started to rush the stage imme into the meeting .togetber. One altba pre$identof Hunter School 9fGen-. diately following a speech by-Tony th;ggscarried some long'clubS. cQn~ eral 'Studiesstudeilt government; and Chaitkin, the NCLC mayotal candi cealed til a blanket..' One of the de- others. , date. Chaitkin was the rust ~eaker. fenseleaders and the organizers of In an editorial in its April 25 issue The NCLC thugs pulled clubs out the meeting persuaded him' to leave the Guardian alsQ $tated that it of their jackets, 'picked up. chairsi and before the meeting began, Other NCLC . -"strongly condemns the physical at started clubbing their way to-the plat thugs wore,dngsover leather gloves.' .tacks ·and verbal threats against the form. They wereconfronted, however, When $to~W .aJ:'riY.ed, Jlle N«L.C.. Communist Party and its, a(flliated by 75 to 80 marshals.whow.ere.pre hoollgansstaded" ser~ng, "~ab! groups by a ·handful. of. people ca1l' pared .to defend the· stage. After. a Scab!'" In' their fr@zy. some ofthem ing theJJ1selves the National Caucus pitched battle lasting about seven Of yelledQUt" rigJ;lt-wing,. epithets like of Labor Committees." eight minutes, th~ NCLC,th.ugs ret1'~t "Commie scab! Commie scab!" . Sincelast night's atta~ a campaign ed, taking their, injured with them. Others' screamed that storey was a has been launched at Columbia Uni" Six victims ofllie NCI"C assault re fascist atid h1 cahoots, \ritli Philadel- versity· tagel as'many organization~ quired medical treatment. They are phia Mayor Fra~Rizz9. Some of as possible to proteSt this outrage. Wayne Glover, Craig Gannon; Jack them continued their yelling even while A joint statement is being eiiculated 20 calling on "groups and individuals lumbia to hear'thoseviews, entire radical movement opposes .its who support basic democratic rights "The only effective way to prevent actions and that it cannot bretik up to join. in a campaign to repudiate this undemocratic disruption is to ex meetings will it be deterred from its the NCLC attack on Monday night's clude the NCLC thugs from meetings. vicious campaign." meeting and their use of·violence in They have only one purpose, which th e movement." they have publicly admitted and. dem A leaflet headlined "You will not So far it has been signed by Mark onstrated by their· actions, and that Kirschner, Columbia Democratic Cau is to break up the meetings." goon for the CP!" and$igned by cus; Rebecca Waters, editor of Bq,r She went on to say that no amount the National Caucus of Labor nard Bulletin; John Buddenholtz, of pressure from the audience can de. Committees was passed oufApril United Farmworkers Support Com ter armed hooligans who have this 24. It concludes with an explicit mittee; George RobiIison, Student Lib aim. In order to keep the meetings "warning"to the Socialist Workers ertarhln Action Movement; Rob Mc open to those who want to hear the Party, saying, 'When you did all Cauly, member of Community -Ser speakers, it is necessary to' organize vice Council; Rudolfo Orapez, Colum- defense· teams to prevent disropters the fighting for the Communist bia OWL; Arlene .. Abadlain, Sfudent from entering the meeting hall. Party 'at the Monday mayoi-al Assembly; Arlene Rubenstein, Young "Another lessori;1f. she explained, "is forum, we held back-we gave Socialist Alliance; Gail Robinson; Au that no section of ,iheradical move you a mild warning.• , .. But ra Riviera;. Beverly Copeland; and ment is immune from these attacks. should you repeat as goons for Kathleen Graves. This. makes it imperative that all in the CP, we will put all of you ;n Joanna . MislUk, speaking for 'the dividuaIsand organiZations who sup SWP, told The Militant that. "th~re are port democratierights join togeth~ the hospital; we will deal with important lessons to .be drawn' from in mobilizing the broadeM possible you as we are dealing with the this attack at Columbia UBiversity. protest against the NCLC's hooligan Communist Party." One is that. even though the NCLC ism. This threat underlines -the im~ did not achieve its main goal of beat~ . "Despite political differences, the en portance of a broad defense Of ing up the speakers, it broke -up the .tire radical movement shouldbe alert meeting. This was a defeat for the ed to the danger of this violence and the right of radical organizations right of political candidates to express coOperate in isolating the NCLC. Only to function in the face of NCLC their 'views and for students at Co- when the NCLC recognizes that the gangsterism. 5. Daily World Falsification Editorial from the May 4, 1~73, issue of The Militant In the current campaign ofattacks by the National Caucus of Labor Committees against the Communist Party, Young Workers Liberation -League,and other radical groups, the' Socialist Workers Party 'and Young Socialist Alliance. have been in the farefrontof the light to stop these hoodlum tactics (see page 5). ~pite Political differences with, the CP, the sWP has helped d~fend democratic rightsin the movement, as in the case of the recent NCLC attack at Columbia University. Thus itwa~ especially- abominable to seethe column by Morris DavisinJ:he ~prfi 21 issue of the Daily World, Com munist Party newspaper. :Davis atteinpts~o link the NCLC goon tactics with th~ Trotskyist movement, saying. that -"in the 40s the main disrupters were the Trotskyites, followers of Leon Trotsky." (Davis rehashes a number Of other lies long since discredited: that the Trotskyists have ~uPI>osedly been union wreckers in the service oIthebosses and racketeers, and that theTrotskyi~ts- the· first victims of the Smith Act for their revolutionary socialist opposition to World War II- were "fifth columnists of the fascist Axis powers" dur· ing the war.) The attempt to Unk.Trotskyist organizations- the SWP and the YSA-with the NCLC attacks is outrageous,as is obvious. to any honest person who has witnessed-the .role of th~ SWP and YSA in answering-- the NCLC's re{:ent attacks. The NCLC 21 ------c--=~= ~,.=====_""""'~ _ goon methods have nothing whatsoever to do with Trotskyism or the traditions of the Bolshevik Party led by Lenin and Trotsky. The consistent record of the SWP in defending democratic rights within the radical and labor movements is well known. Morris Davis' c'olumn is an attempt to cover up for those who did introduce violence into the radical movement: the Stalinists and the Stalinized Communist parties throughout the world. The hoodlum methods used by these parties were iearned from the Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union, a bureaucracy that could only maintain its parasitic existence through the use of torture? frame~up trials, executions,assas sinations, and secret police terror. Just one example of the extent of these terror methods was Khrushchev's admission in 1956 that in the late 1930s Stalin executed 70 percent of the Soviet CP's central committee elected in 1934. To this day·the heirs of Stalin in the. Kremlin mai~ tain a police state in which, all political dissent is outlawed. . Trained in this tradition of using police-type terror to deal with poiitical opposition, Stalinized .parties throughout the world have used the same tactics against political opponents to the degree that their strength allowed them to get away with it. When those who opposed the degeneration of the Russian revolution under Stalin were expelled from the U.S. 'Com muni~t Party in 1928, CP goons repeatedly and Victously attacked meetings of the newly organized 'revolutionary so cialist movement. CP thugs also attacked people selling The Militant on the streets. - During the 1940s Trotskyists and other militants in Europe were executed and . assassinated both by the fascists and by the Stalinists. Trotsky himself was assassinated by an agent of Stalin in 1940; The systematic use of Violence against the American Trotsky ists by the followers of Stalin abated only after the Trotskyists showed they could mobilize broad support for the right to carry on political activity and physically defend their meet ings. But even in the recent past members of the CP and YWLL hil.Ve resorted to threats of Violence, and in some cases physical attacks, against Trotskyists. An. example was the attack 'last winter on Will Stanley, a student at the Bor ough of Manhattan Community College in New York. The Daily World's linking of the Trotskyist movement with goon tactics against workers organizations will be repudiated by all who are familiar with the record of the SWP. At the same time, The Militant urges all groupS and individuals who support democratic rights to unite in -il common effort to -repudiate the hooligan attacks of the NCLC, to organize to stop the breakingup of movement meetings, and to defend organizations under attack. . 6. Cops and Rightists Join NCLC's Anti-Communist Campaign From the May 18, 1973, issue of The Militant It has become clear that the so~alled a small group that has claimed to be ist Workers Party, aad other groups National Caucus of Labor Commit soCialist. However itl! current ·Opera~ on the left, has attracted right-wingers tees has been joined by police agents Hon Mop-Up· campaign to physically and cops who have exactly the same and right-wing thugs. The NCLC'is ·destroy· the Communist Party, Social- aim. '22 On May 6, 16 NCLC members were armed with clubs and numchucks. cation New Solid:arity, which is identi~ arrested in Philadelphia after attempt Three-ofthose who repelled the NCLC fied as published by the ·NationaI ing to invade a meeting of the Public thugs required medical attention, one Caucus of Labor,- attacking,Scott as Works Action Committee. One of those of them a'member of the YWLL and a supporter of the Communi-stPlU'ty. arrested, Nereida Cordero, was found two members of the Public Works Ac The headline on the leaflet says, to be a state parole investigator. tion 'Committee. Three defenders of "Stop the Pinkos-Do you want the the meeting were also anested on commie flag flying at the union hall?" This was the second time that NCLC charges ofdisorderly conduct. It says further on, -Fight GM and fight thugs were identified as. part of the Another example of right-wingers the commies-Hanoi, Moscow, Red police apparatus. One" of those using the NCLC ·Operation Mop-Up· China, Stalin, Lenin, Trotsky, or arrested for the April 11 'attack on campaign' fOf their own,purposes 0c Scott. None shall replace the UAW Young Workers Liberation League curred in '1'arytown, N. Y. A leaflet Pr'esident Woodcock as the voice and members in Philadelphia was DaIrlel appeared at the auto plant in T~ leader ofthe UAWmember. The UAW Valdes, another parole'investigator, town signed by the ·UAWCollllllittee blue shirt must never be changed to who was found to be carrying a t~ Stop Communism.· It appealed, to p'ink' ." loaded .38 revolver. Cordero gave the w'oi-kers not to support Bill Scott, a The violent campaign by the NCLC same home address to the police that leader of Trade Union Action to "delitroy'" the Communist Party, 80 Valdes had given. and Democracy, who was runninglor cialist Workers Party, and other radi According to 'th~ 'May 8 Daily shop chairman in UAW Local 664 cal organizations has become indis World, the' attackers at the Public in TarrYtown. tiriguishable from the anticommunism Works Action Committee meeting were The. leaflet quotes the NCLC publi- of the rightists and the government. 7. Young Socialist Alliance Conference in 'Detroit Repulses NCLC Attack From the May 18, 1973, issue of TheMilitant ']JyMIKE KELLEY a student from Bloomington, Ind., floor office. Neither was attending the DETROIT, May 9 - For. the first time who was attending the conference. He conference. the so-called Nati.Qnal Caucus of was the first victim of the. attackers. . Dr. Ntlabati said the attacking Labor Committees (NCLC) has -as Schlechtweg was holding open the group had .·police sticks, wooden saulted a meeting sponsored by the doors for arriving participants when weapons, an iron bar, and ironham Socialist Workers Party and the hf: heard someone shout, ,·Let's ,go!' mers.· He said he saw the registration Young Socialist Alliance. They were At this point a group he .imales table "knocked over" and the people quickly .repulsed by an organized de at ~ut 15 rounded the corner of the sitting.behind it were attacked. fense guard. The attack was another stairwell, rushed up the:stairs, Upo~ 'hearing the cOmmotion out in a series of frenzied, goon-squad knocked him over",and entered the side, m.arshals in the meeting room haDw~y. assaults in recent weeks against .the rushed 'outside to aid the victims of liIe-~dhe Communist Party, ,Young Work~s was then beaten with the attack and to prevent the meeting Liberation League,' and other groups wooden sticks by a number.of them. from being broken' up. They included on the left. , He,could only protect himself by roll members of the ¥SA, International On May 5 a group ofhoodlums, led ing into a ball and covering his head Socialists, SWP, and unafmiated in by and including recognl%ed memba-s and neck., He showed this reporter dividuals. -of the NCt.C; attacked 'a Bessionofa numerous welts and brUises all o.ver, Within two or three minutes, the at regional socialist educational con his bodY'" . (ackerswere repelled and driven back ference 'at Wayne State University. Most of those.in the process of out the doors they had come through. Speaker at the session was Peter Buch, registering in the hallway were chased Severa~ weapons were seized from a nationally known spokesman for down the hallway and out another. them' including a hammer and the SWP on the Mideast, speaking on door. Crist, however, couldn't move. several clubs. Other weapons used by the Palestinian liberation movement. He was,· knocked down and beaten the NCLCers included at least one When the attack came,. some 18 to with clubs by three or four hoodlums. nwnchuck (two wooden blocks con ~a8 20 people, including the speaker, were He later taken to Ford Hospital, nected by a heavy chain), at least inside the meeting room in the Uni where he was treated for a serious one length of chain, and karate sticks. versity Center Building. There were gash Dn the right side ofthe head arid Apparently some of the NCLCers another six to nine peopleregistering numerous bruises. had no stomach for beating someone for the conference and those doing the Doctor Mxolisi Ntlabati of the Cen who is crippled. It was noticed that registering outside the' room. These ter for Black Studies at Wayne State as many as five or six of the NCLC included Jerry Crist, who is p~y UniVersity, and a visiting friend from attackers, including one of their lead paralyzed and, has t9 wear a braCe New YOrk, Professor Nonceba Lu ing members, Richi Freeman, held and use special crutches to get about. banga, confirmed this account of the back from participating in the initial He turned out to be. a target of the attack. They had come up' the stairs. attack and then retreated when the thugs. ' just before the attackers and were marshals arrived. I interviewed Harold Schlechtweg, about to enter Doctor Ntlabati's f"dth one of the marshals, Don Bechler, 23 wa:S alSo injured' seriously enough to Upon 'leaving the meeting, it was A number of groups on the Wayne require treatment, at the Ford discovered the police·bad-turned away State University campu$, including Hospital. a'number of people Who wanted to'at members of the Young Workers As the NCLC people hastily tend the conference 'shortly after it be Liberation League, have agreed to retreated, it was noticed that they were gan.'According to Ken Weber, a prom help defend a meeting scheduled for carrying several of their members. inent local minister, he ana some 20 Andrew Pulley, national secretary of NCLC members later reported sev others were not allowed to attend the the YSA, at the university tomorrow. eral "seriously hurt." meeting. This is the fIrst known physical at After the,attack more people arrived Members of variou~ ~rganizations, tack by the NCLC in Detroit. Prior for the conference, and P~ Buch's including the Iilternatio'nal Socialists, to 'this, 'however, they have verbally talk began on time at 3 p.m. . Workers . League,' and' 8particist threatened a number oforganizations League, joined the sWPand YSA in Just before the meeting began,..hoW; and individuals. For instance, earlier defending, the Detroit ~p,1'nayoral ever, camPUS j>o!ice arrived. Th~tQO~ the same day, at the broadly spon campaign 'banquet that sam.~ ~veJj:ing all the weapons captured from ',the sored . Michigan Committee Against and the two sessions of the eonference thugs and obj~ts that. c,onf~enc~ High Prices demonstration, Richard held on the following Sunday: participants had picked, todt1enc:1 'There Gibson,president of the local Welfare up were no further incidents. . --" themselves. TPe meetingorga~ Employees' Union, was told, "We're Most radical'groups in DetrQit~ha.ve protested vehemently th.u .this woul~ going to get.you next," oy people agreed to a united defense'for future leave tlie ,meeting open, to further at: ht'! recognized as members of the meetings threatened by NCLCgdci~~' tacks. NCLC. 8. N:tac~on SV/,r c;:ampaign 'Supporter~"Qring~J),~CJnd ~r Arr:est of NCLC Thugs From the June 29, 1973, issue of The Milita1).t By: LINDAJENNESS ·r:' "immediate action from the cityadmin-' sent a letter to Jack Barnes, national JUNE 19-Three Socialist Workers istrlltion ;. to s.top these attacks,' fB secr.eta:ry. of the SWP, demanding a Party· members filed crlminal'char.ges being cireulated for' additional sup-' "repudiation" of the meeting. ag,ainati National Caucus of Lab'or port. ," NewiSolidarity continues: "Barnes' Committees (NCLC) goon SteveGetz N orman Oliver, SWP candidate for' impertinent fallure to respond •to the off Oil :'June 15. Rebecea Fiiich, co mayorbf New York, in a statemenf' requeSt was directly responsible for ordinator of'the New York SWYmay Issued today' reiterated his demlind ftle'retribution on June 9." oral campaign, identifIed Getzo1f fr,om that city hall order the "New·Y«k; ,Ina:nother article in New Solidarity, po!ice 9., Committee to Stc!~ T,rrorist Attacks Demands Con.viction of Goons ~~'. '. From ~eJ.¥.!~ l~, 19,73, issue of The Militant JULY 3 - Jose Torres, National Cau- ing them as if they were part ofa small fered serious head injuries requiring 11 cus of Labor Committees (NCLC) feud on the left. What is reany at stake stitches and a broken arm. Finch, member charged with aggravated~- is, a,.serious attack against the civil ShUman, and Smith are leaders of sault lUld battery in conne<:tion with ~ies of the Communist Party,the the Lower Manhattan branch of,thtl the April Jl beating of six ,m~bers, SOCialist ,_Workers Party, and other Socialist Workers Party. Smith is alllO of the Temple University YoungWork- _radk:..lorwmiZations." a member of the New York City Ta~i ers Liberation, League,. was acquitted! MarkJls: .stressed the importance of Drivers Local 3036. "," June 28. Torres was formerly a CIA puttin,gpre$su.re on the DA's office Hearings for Getioff and Turner ai~ agent in Vietn~. inNew York City to vigorously prose- scheduled fol July 16, 9:30 a.m., ,at According to the YWLL, Philadel- ,cute NCl;..C -goons Steve Getzoff. and 100 Centre Street. Meanwhile they -ar~ phia District Attorney Arlan Spector's George,'l¥rner. "The acquittal of free on their own recognizance. office failed to carry out.~n adeqqate 'I:orr~~!Q P~ilaq~phia shows that we Markus told The Militant that op; prosecution. An eJql.mple,is that As- can'tinlftth,e ~ourts,and the dis,trict position to the NCLC's ~ooligan Cam~ sistant District Attqrl,llaY Bruce Neff a.ttorney~toprotect ilJ.e basic demo paign, now in itsfourth month, con:: failed to call several witnesses who cratic ri¥htsqr socialists. We must tinues to grow. "Throughout the coun had, identified Torres as the director mobilize broad, .political pressure be- try scores of trade 'unions, student of the atta,ck. fore theyW:lll r~pond." leaders; professors, Black and Pu.E!l't() Marilyn Markus, ,secretary of the Getzoff and -Turner were arrested Rican organizations, civil libertarIans... New York Commi~ee to Stop Terror- June llon'chai:-ges pf assault against and virtually all radical organiza ist Attack~ organized to protest NCLC Ro~ TYson,s,t~ writer for the Daily tions, despite sharp political disagree-, hoolig~nism, told The Milifx;z.nt, "Tilere World.' Getzot(~~s arrested again on ments, have condemned these attacks. is no excuse for this inadequate prose- June 26 after being identified by Re cution on the parto! the fJ;1Y-adelphia becca Finch and Ken Shilman as one Support is also growing for the new district attorney. His 9ff'lCe is attempt- of five armed ~~gs who attacked them ly formed New York Committee to ing to ignore these NCLC armed at- from behind on June 9. Stop Terrorist Attacks, which is at tacJJS on unarmed indlviduals bytreat- Jesse Smith, who was with them, suf- tempting to organize broad support 25 to demand that the city government liberties they represent The letter de everything poSsible to apprehend and defend the basic democratic rights of niand~ that the mayor initiate an prosecute these hooligans. It de all individuals and organizations at investigation to determine if employ manded that the police question Get tacked by NCLC thugs. Initial spon ees of the New York City Police De zaff, Turner, and known leaders of sors include, among others, Ruth partment or any other city law en the NCLC to determine the identity Gage-Colby, longtime leader in the forcement agency are operating with of the other four assailants involved peace movement; Myrna Lamb,fem in NCLC as agents provocateUrs. in the June 9 attack on Smith, Shil inist playwright; Conrad Lynn, Na The fact that two NCLC assailants man, and Finch. tional Conference of Biack Lawyers; arrested in Philadelphia wereidenti Markus also stressed the importance N orman Oliver, Socialist Workers Par fled as Pennsylvania parole officers, of Writing letters and sending' tele ty candidate for lIlayor; and Katherine along with numerous public exposures grams of protesttoPistrict Attorney Sojourner, a coordinator of the Na of police provocateurs· in New York Frank Hogan, 155 Leonard St, New tional Peace Action Coalition, City in the past few years, is suffi York, N. Y. 10013; Mayor John Lind This wedt the comxnittee sent a let cient grounds for beginning such an say, CitY Hall, New York, N. Y. ter to Mayor John Lindsay explain investigation. 10007; and Police CommissfonerDon ing the history of the NCLC attacks The letter also expressed concern aId Cawley, 240 Centre St, New York, and the serious abrid~meilt of civil that the New York police are. notdoing N. Y~ 10013. Section Six: Tactics and Principles in the Fight Against Violence in the Movement [The follOWing article is reprinted from Volume 31, Num Leon Trotsky to the attorney-general of Mexico pointing ber 25 of the SWP Discussion Bulletin, pUblished in 1973. to the Mexican Communist Party's role in organizing the Barry Sheppard is a member of the National Committee May 24, 1940 machine gun attack on Trotsky's home. of the SWP. Gerald Clark is a former member of the SWP. The letter is reprinted from Writings of Leon Trotsky, The appendix, added for this ooition, is a letter written by 1939-40 (New York; Pathfinder Press, 1973.)] OurDef~nse Against the Goon AHacks Launched by the NCLC By Barry Sheppard The Militant recently received a Iettertroni Comrade I was quite interested to read in The Militant (June 29, Gerald Clark criticizing the. tactics the party has utilized 1973) two articles concerning the use of bourgeois courts iIi defending itself from the goon attacks lailnched by the by working class organiza.tions. The first article entitled, National Caucus of Labor C(,m~ittees. His letter con "Teamsters sue Fitzsimmons, back UFWU," had to do with cludes with the rhetorical questions: "Has the SWP given a group of rank-and-file Teamsters who med suit in the up the principle Of working class solidarity against class Los Angeles Superior Court charging the union's top enemies in favor of putting trust in the 'justice' of the officials with entering into a conspiracy with grape grow bourgeois courts?" ers to bust the United Farmworkers Union. Comrades probably find it odd that Comrade Clark Regardless of the truthfulness of such charges, the tactic would think that the pages of The Militant are an ap of one section of the union movement bringing another proPriate place for a SWP member to charge that the section of the movement-however reactionary-into the SWP has gone over to putting trust in the class enemy. bourgeois courts to settle differences has always been op The editors thought that this was not the proper place for posed by revolutionary socialists. The reasons are simple: an intraparty discussion and decided not to print the It is ,a principle within the revolutionary workers' move letter. However, the issues raised by Comrade Clark are ment that differences of opinion, including the resort to unportant and should be answered.· violence, can only be resolved by the working class itself. The following is the text of Comrade Clark's letter (all No bourgeois court can provide "justice" whenever the emphasis in the original). working class is involved in a fight for its rights. It never has and never will be "impartial" toward the class struggle. * * * But the tone of the article was one of approval! Take this quote for example: "As soon as certain technicalities June 29, 1973 can be ironed out with Superior Court Judge Campbell Lucas, Giler (the attorney for the Teamster gr6up) plans To the Editors: to submit the suit .. ." No criticisms follow this this 26 I will take up the following points raised by this letter: statement! The entire article simply explains what is hap (1) Is it a violation of principle ever to demand that the pening. By implication, and from what The Militant has bourgeois authorities protect our rights? (2) Is it a viola already written on, the UFWU-Teamster dispute, the reader tion of principle to demand that bourgeois authorities has no real choice but to conclude that the paper approves ~f prop~r protect our rights, in situations where we are under physi such tactics. Is this the way to educate Farm cal attack from a tendency in the working class? (3) workers and Teamsters interested in working. class soli How do we characterize' the NCLC? (4) Why did we use darity? the tactics we have in defending ourselves from the NCLC But the photo beside the article, showing a group of goons? (5) The suit brought by the rank-and-file Teams rank-and-file Teamsters picketing a Safeway store, indi ters. cates that,The Militant also supports that kind of a tactic a public protest oriented toward mobUi$ing the ranks in 1. Is ita violation of principle ever to demand that the solidarity with the United Farmworkers struggle. But why bourgeois authorities protect our rights? is there no comment about this, correct tactic? Surely you Comrade Clark is not clear on this question. He says, were aware of the details concerning, this demonstration? "Historically, revolutionary organizations have utilized' The second article is, related h>. the first. It was eptitled, the bourgeois courts and other bourgeois institutions to "Arrest of NCLC thugsdeDlanded in N. Y." It begins: strengthen the positions of the working class vis-a-vis the "Three Socialist Workers Party ,members filed criminal capitalist class, and, at the same time, to dispel the il charges against National Cautus of Labor Committees lusions of 'the masses in bourgeois democracy in general." (NCLC) goon Steve Getzoffon June 15...." The article On the other hand, the central argument advanced by also quoted from a statement issued by Norman Oliver, Comrade Clark is that "No bourgeois court can provide SWP candidate for mayor of New York, whichdcalled 'justice' whenever the working class is involved 1n a fight upon "the 'New York Police Department and the District for its rights. It never has and never will be 'impartial' Attorney's office, to' arrest thesetliugs and bring full toward the class struggle." This argument applies not criminal charges against them in'or-det to stop these out only to cases where we are physically attacked by other. rageous violations oh:lernoeratic rights:" tendencies in the' working class, but also to the more Now, is it the position of the SWP and The Militant general case of such attacks on us from any quarter. ;j:~lass that NCLC is not'-aworking organization? IT so, Comrade Clark is correct when he says that the courtS Petty~ what kind of organization is it?'Fascist? Bourgeois? are not impartial in the class struggle. The courts are not bourgeois?, The question. is not unimportant. Because if impartial when the NCLC or the Stalinists use goon tactics NCLCis 8. working'·elass organization, would it not be against us, and they certainly are not impartial when the incorrect 'to bring suit against It in' a bourgeois court? Ku Klux Klan, the Legion of Justice, Cuban gusanos, But even if it' w~ebtt,certainly tlleSWP doesn't believe or other right-wing thugs attack us. In any conflict b~. the New York Police: 'Dept is 'capable of stopping "these tween the bosses and the workers, between racists and outrageous vidatlbrlS1'of·'-'delDocratic rights" perpetrated by Blacks' between reactionaries and socialists, etc., the bour.! the NCLCthugs1' },,' ''j; , • geois c~urts and other authorities are not impartial and dO' ~ame Is it not true iliat'ilie rounders'ofNtLC out of the notliispensejustice 'equally; . m~nY~·~e.{sinall SWP just like so groups which exist IIi situations where we are under attack from any ,s~jVt,9S.L, on the left today nS, ,etc.)? Aren't all of quarter, we have to start from, the assumption that tl1~ these groups still par,t'of th~ ."":.Ofker.s~ movement? Why, capitalist authorities are "neutral" against us. We never then should NCLC' be~aract4:I'i;£.e9. any differently? Its fa~cist-like t~ctics ~ot .ae..v~'iO:: place reliance upon them. OUr primary line off"t¥ which mobilize in def~nse ,of our rights, including in the orgaDl~ the SWP still,considers ap~rtof,the .W'PJ'~ip.g c;~ass. , oJ'g~~~~ons zation of the physical Side of that defense. ", Histodca.Uy, revolutionary' ha-ve .utilized But at present in the U. S., the capitalist class does not, bpurgeo~ bo.~institutions the courts and other to rule through a fascist dictatorship, but through a sys~em p~ition wo*~ clas~ strengthen -,the of the vis-a-vis the of bourgeois democracy. Certain democratic rightS have CI:lpital~t cl~ss. fune,,,to.«ijsP~th~ and at the same illusions been formally won by the masses through struggle. The of the maS$e8 in: bourgeois democr~cy in general. .But extent to which these rights are real for the masses ~nd: never ha.ve-th,eY W!ed the bourgeoiJi c;ourlsagainst another. for organizations of th,e working class depends ~n~~_the tQor!dng c.~,.tendency, regardless of,~e crhne!J (t may relation of forces. The working class in general, and Qur have committed.. (One need only mention h~ethe numer QUs crimes ~f,tI1eStalinists againstworke,i:Siand the Trot selves in particular, can win certain concessions. anq. J,>r?: tectlon of our rights, depending upon what support we can skyists to' show ,the extent to which a working.-classten mobilize in the context of the overall relation of class dency can degenerate and still remain a part Qfthe forces. We have been able to \Yin certain defense cases, for workers' movement),.,· '- example, against attempts by the capitalist authorities to What .isthe significance of these two articles?> Has the victimize us. Recently we have won cases extending our, SWP given:>up;the' principle of working. class sotidarity rights to be ~n the ballot against class enemies in favor of putting trust intlte "justice" of tlfeilfOurgeois courts? In certain cases where we have been physically attack ed by right-wing forces, we have utllized the tactic of .: s/Gerald Clark demanding that the authorities protect our rights, and Oakland, Calif. we have pressed for the arrest and conviction of the right~ 27 wing, thugs. This was done to help build our overall po mand equal protection from the authorities in cases where litical defense against such attacks, which was the main other tendencies in the working Class carry out physical thrust of our defense effort. S-ome examples of where we attacks upon us. did this, have been ill defense against the armed attacks The error that Comrade Clark makes is to take a valid on -our headquarters by gusanOS in Los Angeles, the principle and attempt to apply it in a situation that falls Klan in Houston and the Legion of Justice in Chicago. outside its scope of applicability. We do have a principle In Los Angeles and Houston, these attacks were carried of working-class solidarity in the face of attacks by the out with lethal weapOlls. In all three cases, part of our bourgeoisie. We are opposed to any interference by the overall defense effort was to demand that the authorities by tile capitalist class in the political differences within arrest and convict the culprits. We put no trust in the the working-class movement. We .are against appealing capitalist authorities by doing this. But the campaign put to the capitalist authorities to intervene into the disputes pressure on them, helped expose their lack' of enthusiasm in'the working-class and socialist movements; Although in prosecuting the attackers, and even helped expose their there lsa line of ,blood between ourselves and the Sta.'1in direct complicity with the, attacks. This aided our overall ists, for example, we never call, upon the authorities to defense effort and was a factor in halting the attacks in intervene in the political struggle between us. t):lese c~ses, Along these lines, we say it was a violation of principles The general democratic right we are appealing to wh.en for, the Stalinists to support the Smith Act proceedings we J;Dake such demands is that, of equality before ,the law. against our comrades in the early 1940s. That was an This ,right was raised in the bourgeois-democratic revolu act of political strikebreaking, of aiding the class enemy tions, and represents a,n important gain for the masses. in delivering a blow to the rights of all workers. It is a right we support, and would certainly be included But differences of opinion in the working~classmovement in the ,constitution of a workers state. While we lcn,ow that are qualitatively dUIerent from the utilization 'of violence ~e capitalist state systematically violates this right. there in the workers movement to settle those differences. The is nothing wrong with our demanding that it apply, to us. goon attacksofthe NCLC are not just an extension of the politicalstruggle in the socialist movement-they arejust 2. Is it a violation of principle to demand that the bour as much a violation of working~class principles, as ap geois authorities protect ~ur righfB, in situations where pealing to the bourgeois a~thorities to settle such differences wer;u-e under violent attack from a tendency in, the work is. Such attacks are a. violation of workers de,mocracy, ing class? a violl;ltion of democratic rights in general, and unI~ss On :this question, Comrade Clark's answer is an un effectively countered and halted, will harm the socia:list ambiguous "yes." .and working-c1a,ss movement In this case, the demand TIiiS argument would put us, ,in a peculairposition. thatthestate authorities defend the democratic rights of the Let's look at a few examples.,Some years ago, our na victims of such attacks is not at all the same thing as tional Qffice was firebombed. We 'notified the' police, and ca.lling upon those authorities to settle political differences conducted a campaign demanding that, the, police inyesti within the socialist or broader working-class movement. gate the incident and arrest and convict those responsible. Insofar as a tendency in the working class utilized such methods, it has forfeited any right to appeal to working- We suspected, and the police invetltigatio~J.ater,tend~ to class·solidarity to defend such attacks. ' corroborate this, that a right-wing group was responsible. There are many examples that could be cited where The cops dragged. theh- feet on the inveetigation-an ex we have utilized this tactic. I will refer to two: the defense ample of a violation oCour democra,tic rights. But we of 'I'rotsky in Mexico and the struggle in,the Teamsters demanded thos~ riihts. Now suppose that it had turned union between the international bureaucracyalld the revo out th~t th.e attack actually caDle from the, CP or a group lutionary leadership of Loca1574 in the 1930s.· like the NCLC? Would we then have hlid to say, nOh, The defense of Tro~ky against the Stalinists was the since it turned out that a working-class tendencyf4'ebomb~ most important instance· where our m()'Vement had to de ed us, we dropch,arges, because, you see, we woJJ,1d have fend itself from a murderous attack froID: anotnertendency P:r~sed charges if the attack was carried out bya capital in the socialist movement. The main thrUst of'this defense ist-class tendency, but not if it was carried Qut by a'work was a political one of mobilizing whateverfotces we could, ing:-ctass tendency." Further 'suppose that the authorities to counter the mountains of St81iIrlsf'slander directed themselves went ahead and pres$ed charges anyway against Trotsky, against the murders ,of'Tr'otskyists, and woUld we then 'support a'defense committee for those 'who against the threat to assassinate Trotslty. But part of that firebombed us,'in the name Appendix Trotsky'stetter to the Attorney-General of Mexico Tbt:.Me1Cklmpress publisbed on June I a letter.TDritten years, Stalin has shot hundreds of real or supposed friends of by Leon Trotsky to tbe attorney general of Mexico. tbe cbief mine. He actually exterminated my entire family, except me, of tbe federlll police. and tbe foreign minister. By tbis letter n:y wife and one of my grandchildren. Through his agents Trotsky· successfully thwarted attempts to direct ll'WIly from abroad he assassinated one of the old leaders of the GPU, Ig tbe Stalinists the investigation of the May 24 attempt to as cace Reiss, who had publicly declared himself a partisan of sassinate Trotsky. Tbe letter follows: mine. This fact has been established by the French police and the Swiss judiciary. The same GPU agents who killed Reiss It is first of all necessary to affirm that the attempted as trailed my son in Paris. On the night of November 7. 1936 sassination could only be instigated by the Kremlin; by Stalin GPU agents broke into the Scientific Institute of Paris and through the agency of the GPU abroad. During the last few stole part of my archives. Two of my secretaries, Erwin Wolff 31 / and Rudolf Klement, were assassinated by the GPU; the first orators of "El Nacional." I am not referring to criticism of in Spain, the second in Paris. All the theatrical Moscow trials my convictions, for such criticism, even though most severe, during 1936-37 had as their aim to get me into the hands of is the most elementary democratic right of everybody. But the GPU. "La Voz de :\-texico" and "EI Popular" have never occupied In saying this I do not exclude the possibility of the par themselves with such criticism. ticipation of Hitler's Gestapo in the assassination attempt. Up I recall that many times they have accused me of con to a certain point the GPU and the Gestapo are connected with nections with all the reactionary circles in Mexico as well as each other; it is possible and probable that in special cases abroad; in one speech Toledano declared that I am preparing the same agents are at the disposal of both. Authoritative re a general strike against the Cardenas government; in "E! Ma presentatives of the German government have publicly indi chete'" and afteT\vard in "La Voz de Mexico" they accuse me. cated that 1hey consider me a dangerous enemy. It is complete every Sunday, of preparing a revolution together with General ly possible that these two police forces cooperated in the at Cedillo and many other real or supposed counter-revolution tempt against me. aries; they pictured me in secret sessions with a certain Dr. Atl; in collaboration with the German fascists in Mexico, etc. The general scheme of the GPU organization abroad is etc. 'n recent times "Futuro," "EI Popular," as well as "La the following: in the Central Committee of each'section of tbe Comin/em /bere is placed a Tt'lpon;ible director of tbe CPU VOl de Mexico," systematically repeat that I am in secret contact with the reactionary U. S. congressman Dies and that for that l'lmntry. His statns is known only to the secretary of I gave him certain information against Mexico. All these ac the pari:' :!I1(1 nne or t"..o tru~tworthy members. The other members of the Central Committee have but a slight inkling cusations, it is easy to see, make no sense, for they ascribe to of the special status uf this member. me acts which are not only contrary to my convictions and immediat~ As :1 member uf the Central Committee the country's my life's work, but also against my interests, since GPU representative ha~ the possibility of approaching with I would h3ve to lose all reason to commit disloyal acts against full legality all members of the party, study their characters. 'he Mexican government which has accorded me such gen- entrust them with commissions. and little by little draw them nous hospitality. .. . into the work of espionage and terrorism, appealing to their "need but recall that through the preSs I have called upon sense of party loyalty as much as to bribery. my accusers repeatedly to bring their case before an impartial This whole mechanism was discovered in France and commission, appointed by the government or the (govern Switzerland in connection with the murder of Reiss and the ment) Party of the Mexican Revolution, in order to publicly later moves :lgainst my dead son and other persons. As for the examine the accusations made against me. Toledano and the Uniled States, Krivitsky established that the sister of Browder, Communist Party chiefs have always been careful enough general secretary of the party, became a GPU agent through not to accept my propositioq. her brother's recommendation. This example proves the rule With this , do not wish to say that Toledano and the rather than an exception. Communist Party chiefs took, direct part in preparing the at Agents of the GPU upon coming to a foreign country for tempt against me. The G.PU has a strict division of labor. a specific task always work through the local head of the GPU, Known persons are assigned the task of propagating the sland the above mentioned member of the Central Committee of the ers against me~ Lesser known but more serious agents are as Communist Party; without this they could not orient them signed the task of assassination. Nevertheless Mr. Toledano is selves in the local situation and select the indispensable exe no youngster. He knows perfectly well the methods of the cutors of their mission. The emissary from abroad and the GPU, particularly the systematic persecution to' which the local resident and their trustworthy aides work out the general members of my family, my friends and I have been and. are plan of their undertaking, study the list ,of possible collabora exposed throughout the world. It is no secret to' Toledano that tors and draw them into the. conspiracy step by step. the GPU is out to annihilate me physically. I am tt-erefore I do not have any informatiQll concerning the real, role within my rights in saying that, in occupying himself sys played by sergeant Casas and the qve police under him who tematically with the poisonous campaign against me, Mr. were on guard outside my house. I know only that they are Toledano took part in the moral preparation of the terrorist arrested. One cannot be sure that they were not in the con act. Consequently Toledano as a witness should be of immense spiracy; the GPU has means as no'other institution in the interest to the investigation. world of convincing, coercion and bribery. They could have It cannot be .doubted in t~e least that the former and systematically insinuated to the police that t am an enemy of present chiefs of the Comm.unist Party know who is the local the Mexican people; promised them a career; and finally they director of the GPU. Permit me also to assume that David Al could have offered a high price for their services. But foreign faro Siqueiros, who took part in the civil war in Spain as an agents could not approach the Mexican police; local agents active Stalinist; may also know who are the most important were necessary. and active GPU members, Spanish, Mexican, and of other na .The GPU is particularly concerned with the problem of tionalities who are arriving at different times in Mexico, es'" preparing public opinion for a terrorist act, especially when a pecially via Paris. The questioning of the previous and the person well-known nationally and internationally is the vic present general secretary of the Communist Party and also of tim. This part of the job is always assigned to the Stalinist Siqueiros, would helR,Y~ry much to throw light on t.he insti press, Stalinist speakers and the so-called "friends of the Sov gators of the assassmatlOn attempt and together With them itt Union." The judicial investigation, it seems to me, from discover their accomplices. this point of view cannot fail to examine the work of the news LEON TROTSKY papers "EI Popular," "La Voz de Mexico," and some collab- 32