THE INSIDE THIS ISSUE Discussion of French election p. 2 MILITANT SMC exclusionists duck •1ssues p. 6 Published in the Interests of the Working People Vol. 32- No. 27 Friday, July 5, 1968 Price JOe MARCH TO FRENCH CONSULATE. New York demonstration against re­ gathered at Columbus Circle and marched to French Consulate at 72nd Street pression of left in France by de Gaulle government, June 22. Demonstrators and Fifth Ave., and held rally (see page 3). lnt'l protest hits ban on French left By Joseph Hansen but it waited until after the first round of June 21. On Sunday, Dorey and Schroedt BRUSSELS- Pierre Frank, the leader the current election before releasing Pierre were released. Argentin and Frank are of the banned Internationalist Communist Frank and Argentin of the Federation of continuing their hunger strike. Pierre Next week: analysis Party, French Section of the Fourth Inter­ Revolutionary Students. Frank, who is more than 60 years old, national, was released from jail by de When it was learned that the prisoners has a circulatory condition that required of French election Gaulle's political police on June 24. He had started a hunger strike, the Commit­ him to call for a doctor." had been held incommunicado since June tee for Freedom and Against Repression, According to the committee, the prisoners 14. When the government failed to file headed by Laurent Schwartz, the well­ decided to go on a hunger strike as soon The banned organizations are fighting any charges by June 21, Frank and three known mathematician, and such figures as they learned that the police intended to back. The .Jeunesse Communiste Revolu­ other political prisoners began a hunger as Jean-Paul Sartre, issued a statement hold them incommunicado beyond the legal tionnaire (JCR- Revolutionary Com­ strike as a means of protest. saying that the protest action had been limit of 10 days without bringing charges munist Youth) defied the ban, courageous­ Immediately after de Gaulle banned all initiated by those being held in the Gravelle against them. ly distributing tens of thousands of leaflets the important revolutionary political for­ armory: The committee said that the conduct of on election day all over France to people mations in France and arrested a number "Pierre Frank, a member of the United the police "proved that they had no evi­ on their way to the polls. of their leaders and members, a broad Secretariat of the Fourth International; dence whatsoever that could be cited as A solidarity campaign in behalf of the defense committee was set up. Solidarity Schroedt, editor of Workers Voice; Yves justification for the decree dissolving the victims of the Gaullist repressions has been actions were initiated in a number of coun­ Dorey, director of Revolte, and Argentin, organizations to which they belonged." set in motion in Brussels. The first re­ tries (see p. 3 and p. 8). The pressure of the Federation of Revolutionary Stu­ The committee added that the police had sponses have proved very encouraging began to be felt by the de Gaulle regime dents, began an indefinite hunger strike made new political arrests in Paris June and it is expected that the campaign will 20 and that the prisoners were being held rapidly be extended to other countries in at the Gravelle armory. Europe. Since then it has been learned that the The committee in charge of this work government is still holding some members has asked that funds raised by supporters Seattle militants victimized of the Maoist organizations and apparently throughout the world, which are needed intends to file some kind of charges against immediately, be sent to Brussels, along them. with news of protests. Checks should be By Debbie Leonard suspension of a black student. Charles All the proscribed organizations remain made out to Emile Van Ceulen and sent SEATTLE, June 17- Three black mil­ Oliver, a senior at Franklin, had allegedly banned. The ban on demonstrations re­ to him at the following address: Emile itants were convicted of unlawful assembly been in a fight with a white student. mains in effect. Gaullist Premier Pompidou Van Ceulen, Secretary, Fonds de Solidarite here on a charge stemming from a sit­ All three of the convicted defendants is ominously raising the false charge that contre la Repression en France, 111 Avenue in on March 29 at Franklin, a largely are University of Washington students. the left "plans violence" after the elections. Seghers, Brussels 8, Belgium. black high school. The sit-in, in the prin­ One, Aaron Dixon, is chairman of the It is important to intensify the campaign cipal's office, was organized to protest the local Black Panther Party; the other two, in defense of the victimized revolutionaries. Carl Miller and Larry Gossett, are officers of the Black Student Union at the Uni­ Canadian Laborites versity of Washington. Two additional defendants were acquitted. 100 British Labor MPs protest on France Testimony at the trial underlined the dissatisfaction of black students with their hit French clampdown MONTREAL, Canada- More than treatment under the present educational 10 labor and New Democratic Party system. Organized at three Seattle high The Paris daily Le Monde reports that (Canada's labor party) figures have schools, black student unions are demand­ 100 Labor Members of Parliament in protested ·the measures taken by the ing more black faculty members and in­ Britain joined together in an appeal to French government against a number clusion of a full black studies program de Gaulle for the lifting of the ban on of socialist organizations. in the curriculum. They are actively in­ revolutionary groups. They also asked Among the signers of the petition volved in defending the rights of black that the leaders of these groups who have d~livered to the French Consulate June students and are concerned with preventing been arrested be released. 22 are. Robert Cliche,. Quebec leader suspensions and drop-outs of black stu­ Calling attention to the fact that right­ of the NDP: Roland Morin, president dents. They collaborate closely with the wing politicians have been released from of the Quebec NDP; Laurier Lapterre, University of Washington Black Student prison and pardoned by de Gaulle, the federal vice-president of the NDJ>; ·and Union and had turned to it for assistance MP's viewed the ban as an attack on the Louis Laberge, president of ·the in fighting Charles Oliver's suspension. basic democratic rights of the people of Quebec Federation ofLaJ>or. The American Civil Liberties Union is France. Dexno»stratiot\s alifllil1$~ ~}j¢ l>llt\ and providing defense and has appealed the Among the signers of this appeal were at~ est.~ .... · wer~ .·... ·. held ACCUSED. Richard Gossett (left), convictions. The case will return to court four members of the National Executive 1'9t()tJ.tQ,. ·.. · ~awa, Carl Miller (center) and Larry Gossett. July 1. Committee of the Labor Party. MontrealotrJune ~~. Page2 THE MiliTANT Friday, July 5, 1968 THE MILITANT French CP 's electoral illusions Editor: BARRY SHEPPARD Business Manager: BEVERLY SCOTT The reports of the French events CP's figleaf are without question its greatest Published weekly by The Militant Publishing Ass'n., 873 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003. Phone 533-6414. Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. accomplishment. No matter what Subscription: domestic, $3 a year; Canada and Latin America, $3.50; other happens at this time, these events foreign, $4.50. 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Vol. 32- No. 27 .128 Friday, July 5, 1968 "The matter of fact is that the Three cheers for the French stu­ readers French Communist Party, far dents who sparked it and the work­ from dragging its feet, has play­ ers who had the maturity to re­ What do French elections ed a dynamic role in develop­ cognize the situation and the This column is an open forum ments which made possible the courage to join them. And just for all viewpoints on subjects of massive May 1968 national when the spotlight of interna­ general interest to our readers. signify about May upsurge? general strike in France. The tional publicity was focused on Please keep your letters brief. Where party also linked its fight for the "peace talks" in Paris, which necessary they will be abridged. the immediate demands of the I suspect were snowed under by Writers' initials will be used, names workers, students and the French the action on the barricades and being withheld unless authorization masses with structural reforms the paralyzing general strike. is given for use. that could open the way to so­ What a glorious page the French masses have once again written cialism." stoop to the outdated jargon that However, this slurs over the in revolutionary history. Now the directive on p. 10 [Appeal they must- and will-build the facts rather blatantly. Neither to the Workers of France and the party that will lead them to their the CP nor the CP-dominated World," by the United Secretariat well-earned victory! CGT (General Federation of of the Fourth International, The D.T.