Murder of Malcolm X a Cruel Blow To the Cause of Black Emancipation By the Editors America’s racist rulers can breathe easier now that Malcolm X has been assassinated. For he was the most uncompromising, in­ corruptible and talented leader of this country’s 22 million op­ pressed, deprived and insulted black citizens. The white power structure’s M ILITANT lying newspapers portrayed Mal­ colm X — during his life and Published in the Interests of the Working People since his murder — as a danger­ ous and threatening figure. He was Vol. 29 - No. 9 Monday, March 1, 1965 P ric e 10c dangerous — to the whole bar­ baric and degenerate system of racial oppression, South and North. He was threatening — to those who uphold and profit from Johnson S till Maintains that system. He was a leader they feared because they knew his kind would never call a “moratorium” or “cooling-off” period in the Secrecy on Vietnam Plans struggle of the Afro-American masses short of complete and total By Fred Halstead v ic to ry . Malcolm wanted and strived to fenders have been indiscriminate­ FEB. 24 — Two weeks after he make what was being called — ly shelling the surrounding coun­ brought the world to the brink of exaggeratedly and wishfully — tryside. On Feb. 15 some 500 pea­ war with his bombings of North the “Negro revolution” into a real sants demonstrated at the village Vietnam, President Johnson still revolution, that is, total destruc­ of Thang-Binh demanding an end hasn’t seen fit to let the American tion of every form of racial injus­ to the shelling of their villages and people know what his policy is in tice which makes America the hell the demobilization of their men regard to escalating the Vietnam it is for black people. drafted by Saigon. Troops opened w a r. In his tragically short but bril­ fire on the demonstrators, killing Meanwhile, the thieving gang liant career, Malcolm showed him ­ at least 15 and possibly 40, accord­ of generals who make up the Sai­ ing to a Feb. 16 R euters dispatch self to be one of the most remark­ gon regime have engaged in an­ from Danang. Troops were also able figures of our times. In a few MARTYRED FIGHTER. The late Malcolm X and his daughter other free-for-all to see who w ill used against demonstrators at brief years he achieved not only Ilyasah at Kennedy International Airport upon his return from end up in charge of robbing the Tam-Ky, another town near Da­ national but international stature. Africa last Nov. 24. till for another few weeks or nang. Gen. Thi condemned to He was well on his way to ad­ months. This is the “free-world” vancing the relationship of Afro- death one of the arrested leaders newspapers, he spoke the un­ government for whose preserva­ Americans and Africans to the cause or were won over by his of the Thang-Binh demonstration. varnished truth about the mis­ tion hundreds of GIs have already level of meaningful mutual aid arguments. For there is a good treatment of his people in this been sent to their deaths and for Latest Coup and support in the struggle for number of unbrainwashed whites, country and told, with undiluted which Johnson now says we must The latest military coup is the freedom. A t this year’s Afro-Asian with socialist-minded people in bitterness, just what the victims their forefront, who do not regard all be willing to risk nuclear war. ninth such change in the regime Solidarity Conference, being held felt about it. Their breasts swelled black people as a th re a t; w h o do The latest coup, Feb. 21, ousted in Saigon in 15 months. The U.S. in Algiers, which he had planned w ith pride as their spokesman took General Nguyen Khanh as com­ — whose officials have become to attend, tie would undoubtedly not fear black people defending on hostile interviewers and debat­ themselves, attaining power, con­ mander in chief of the Saigon practiced dead-pan comedians with have played an important role. ers and, without ever losing his trolling their own organizations regime’s military forces — and their statements about U.S. forces Won Admiration dignity, proved more than a match therefore as head of the govern­ being in South Vietnam at the and communities and deciding fo r them . ment. He was replaced by Gen. request of a legitimate govern­ He won the admiration of the whether they prefer integration or separation. Tran Van Minh. The real new ment there — finds itself in the teeming black ghettos by his fear­ The whites, too, were startled power, however, appears to be position of being the laughing­ lessness and eloquence. It was as by him. Those who profit from the Such whites did not fear the things Malcolm was proposing. On Brig. Gen. Nguyen Chanh Thi, stock of the world. if he had taken for his guide the oppression of the Negro popula­ the contrary many of them look who emphasized that Minh’s ap­ But the world knows it is not m o tto o f The Liberator, the A b o ­ tion and those corrupted or ment­ forward to the day the Negro peo­ pointment was only temporary. really a laughing matter because litionist paper of a century before: ally poisoned by it were alarmed. ple of this country become a no one can be sure the U.S. won’t “I am in earnest, I w ill not equiv­ But more whites than was realized Bloody Tyrant great, organized power because escalate toward a war with China ocate; I w ill not excuse; I w ill not had mixed reactions — including Gen. Thi — as military com­ that can encourage the slower- and possible nuclear conflict. As retreat a single inch; and I w ill be a grudging respect and even ad­ mander of the northern part of moving white workers to do like­ long as the U.S. remains in Viet­ he a rd !” miration for his courage in fight­ South Vietnam — six days earlier wise and seek an alliance for nam, where it is not wanted by T hey listened eagerly as, on ing so for his people. Some others had ordered the bloody repres­ the population and where U.S. television and radio or in the felt outright sympathy for his (Continued on Page 4) sion of demonstrations by peasants GI’s are dying in vain, the Viet­ near the U.S. air base at Danang. nam situation w ill be a threat to This is the base from which planes AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT world peace. The only real solu­ took off to bomb North Vietnam. tion is U.S. withdrawal. It is guarded by Hawk missiles, Senator Wayne Morse, who has U.S. Marines and Saigon troops. been one of the few outspoken The demonstrations and the cir­ congressional critics of the U.S. cumstances surrounding them are Malcolm X's Last Meeting aggression in Vietnam, warned still further proof of the com­ Feb. 19 that the U.S. is “fast ap­ plete hostility between the ordin­ By David Herman the OAAU which Malcolm X was to find a stretcher. Others blocked proaching a massive conflict, a ary people in the country and the about to present. off the stage. By the time some holocaust” in Southeast Asia. He N E W Y O R K , Feb. 22 — I rushed U.S.-backed regime. Malcolm X came to the stage police arrived, the assassins ap­ said: “The Pentagon, the Depart­ to get to the meeting of the Or­ The Danang base has been ex­ just before Benjamin finished. parently had got out of the hall. ment of State, seem to want an ganization of Afro-American Uni­ pecting guerrilla attacks, so its de- ty at which Malcolm X was to The two shook hands, and Ben­ The men returned with a stretcher alibi and excuse for bombing jamin left the stage. and carried Malcolm out. nuclear installations in Red speak Sunday at 2:00. I was 15 Malcolm stepped to the podium Then the police came in force C h ina .” minutes late, and I didn’t want to miss any of what Malcolm X had and greeted the audience as he and wandered around the hall — DeBerry Sends T he Feb. 23 W a ll Street Journal customarily did. “As Salaam looking for the weapons, pre- says that “high officials” in Wash­ to say. He was scheduled to pre­ Alaikum” (Peace be with you), he sumably. Some of the audience Condolences to ington are predicting further air sent the long-awaited program of said. “Wa Alaikum Salaam” (And left immediately after the shooting strikes against North Vietnam pro­ the O A A U . Malcolm's Widow to you, peace), responded the au­ and the rest filtered out grad­ The front of the Audubon Ball­ vided there is “some measure of dience. ually. I did not see the police room was unusually quiet. The [The following is the text political stability after the latest Just then a man on the left side making any attempt to obtain w it­ usual contingent of cops wasn’t of a telegram sent to Betty coup in Saigon.” of the hall, seven or eight rows nesses. there — only a squad car with two Shabazz, widow of Malcolm Rebuff By Allies from the front, shouted: “Get your Many in the audience remained men inside, that I noticed. . X, by Clifton DeBerry on be­ Meanwhile, Washington has had hand out of my pocket!” He outside, waiting to hear whether Representatives of the press half of the Socialist Workers its diplomats sounding out its al­ shouted again and scuffled with Malcolm X would live — and weren’t admitted, this time, but P a rty .] lies in Europe on Vietnam. The someone, drawing the attention of then stood there in grief and I was admitted on the understand­ Our deepest sympathies go results, according to a London re­ the whole audience. As events anger. ing I wouldn’t report the meeting. p o rt in the Feb. 22 N. Y. Herald quickly proved, this was un­ “We’ll never have another like out to you and your family There was a sprinkling of whites T rib u n e , “ came as a shock to the doubtedly a planned diversion to him,” one woman said. in your great loss. It is a tra­ in the audience — as usual. This U.S. and a real rebuff.” The allies aid the assassins. Malcolm X knew he was the gedy for the black people of has been so at these OAAU meet­ in Europe, says the report, “have Malcolm X stepped from behind (Continued on Page 2) America and oppressed peo­ ings ever since Malcolm X re­ just said again that they don’t the podium, saying to the audi­ ples throughout the world. want anything to do with Vietnam turned from Africa. ence, “ Be cool.” We knew Brother Malcolm except to see an early peace set­ Brother Benjamin opened the Then a burst of gunfire rang Malcolm X as a courageous black revolu­ tle m e n t.” meeting with a talk that stressed out. Malcolm was hit by the first tionary leader. Brother M al­ It is also clear that important the unprecedented crisis the world burst. He stiffened and fell back­ Funeral Services colm’s ideas and courage sections of the U.S. capitalist class faced today. He pointed out the wards. The audience threw itself NEW YORK — Funeral serv­ tremendous rate at which the on the floor as the firing con­ should serve not o n ly as an are questioning the wisdom of ices for M alcolm X w ill be held world was changing and the need tinued. example but as an inspiration Johnson’s actions in Vietnam, and at Faith Tem ple, 1763 Am ster­ there is a crisis atmosphere in for an open-minded and flexible When the firing finally stopped, dam Ave. (near 147th St.) on for others to carry on the Washington. If Johnson proceeds approach. This was in the way of some women cried hysterically. Saturday, Feb. 27, at 9:30 a.m. struggle for freedom. (Continued on Page 6) an introduction to the program of Men from the OAAU rushed out P age T w o THE MILITANT Monday, March 1, 1965 King Slates Rights Rally A FIRST-HAND REPORT At Alabama State Capitol N. Y. Cops and That Student ‘Riot’ By Barbara Farber Ave. extension) back into the heart of downtown Brooklyn. FE B . 22 — M a rtin L u th e r K in g [New York City’s Democratic returned to Selma, Alabama, to­ administration is continuing its The adults who, feeling unable day and called for a march on the all-out effort to smash a boycott to contribute to the safety of the State Capitol to protest the state’s against school segregation and in ­ children, had watched the picket policy of depriving Negroes of the ferior education for Negro and line from across Livingston St., r ig h t to vote. K in g spoke to 700 Puerto Rican children. On Feb. 19, now set off in pursuit. But the Negroes at the Browns Chapel the day after the events described police were herding at such a Methodist Church, and told them in the story below, no less than forced pace that it took us a few that the planned march would be a 400 cops converged on downtown minutes to catch up. When we response to Gov. George Wallace’s Brooklyn to line the route of a did, in front of the Dime Savings action in banning night demon­ peaceful march by 200 students on Bank, we caught sight of one cop strations in Selma and nearby their way to picket the Board of manhandling a boy. When one of M a rio n . Education. us grabbed the boy away from the King declared that Gov. Wallace Thirteen more adult participants cop, three more set upon him, had said “nothing about the prob­ were arrested on the hypocritical slammed him to the ground, and lems that brought about the dem­ charge of “abetting truancy.” It carried him off in handcuffs. onstrations.” “We are going to has been the standing practice of At this point a cop rode his have a motorcade to Montgomery the cops to arrest the adult pickets horse up onto the pavement, and in the next few days. We hope to and chaperons accompanying the made it prance around, narrowly have our forces mobilized to have student demonstrators and then to missing my feet as well as others'. carloads of people from all over harass and attempt to intimidate Police had also chased some other the state to march on the Capitol. or goad the children. Rev. Milton kids around the block, and I set We w ill be going there to tell Galamison and other boycott lead­ of Health they set up a big off to find out what was going on, Governor Wallace we aren’t going ers charge the arrests are illegal but straggly picket line, which, but saw no signs of rioting, brick- to take it any more.” under the federal Civil Rights surrounded by large numbers of throwing, or broken windows re­ police, lasted for perhaps a half Wallace’s ban on night dem­ A ct.] ported in the daily press. hour. onstrations followed a brutal at­ I caught up again with the kids tack by 50 state troopers on a Rev. M. L. King N E W Y O R K , Feb. 19 — “ 300 At one point a young boy with on Fulton St., down which half a peaceful march in Marion Feb. 18. Students Riot 2nd Day, Attack a plastic water-pistol in his pocket dozen police cars and more mount­ At that time 400 Negroes were Police in Brooklyn” says a front­ was arrested for carrying a “wea­ tion, with “assault and a battery ed cops were herding them. It was attempting to march to the Perry page headline in today’s New pon.” At the end of the half hour, with intent to murder a patrol­ a long march. The only notable County jail in Marion to protest York Times. Either their reporter mounted police moved in and pro­ m an .” events were when a white woman the arrest earlier in the day of a is blind and being fed horror sto­ ceeded to herd the kids toward the broke a soda bottle over the head W hile the cops were beating the civil-rights worker. The troopers ries by the police, or their edi­ Board of Education, half a mile or of one of our boys (unnoticed by Negroes, groups of white men at­ stormed into the marchers and tors are, in a word, dishonest. so away. The kids wanted to re­ the police, of course), and when tacked photographers and televi­ spectators, and using clubs and I was there. turn to the Board of Education, a theater cashier grabbed her sion cameramen and severely beat guns, drove them into cafes, a This is the fourth week that but not yesterday since no dem­ purse and lit out as though she’d them. Police made no effort to funeral parlor and back into the I’ve been working with the boy­ onstration had been planned there seen the Hound of the Basker- protect the newsmen. “We’ve got church where the march had cotting students in their Freedom — except, apparently, by the po­ villes when several boys peered permission to kick the out of begun. Schools. The ones I’ve come to lice. into her ticket window. them,” said one of the attackers. Chased by the cops, the kids Police Shooting know are bright and eager. But, Street Blocked After the Negroes were beaten having all their lives attended set off helter-skelter and by the A t least ten Negroes were beaten back into the church, cops with segregated schools, where accord­ time I got there a picket line had Two blocks before the Siloam bloody, and one, 26-year-old sawed-off shotguns held them ing to a Haryou report, they are already been set up. The police had Presbyterian Church, police cars, James Jackson, was shot in the there for 45 minutes. Later, when treated as unteachable, they are surrounded it with barricades and fo r some mysterious reason, stomach and afterwards clubbed a small group of Negroes gathered woefully behind grade-level in ac­ were pushing the kids with billy blocked the street so that the to the ground. Jackson saw a state at a restaurant, state troopers complishment. There are others clubs. Adults who crossed the children would have to go several trooper beating his mother, Mrs. moved in to disperse them. When who seem to have taught them­ street to keep an eye on the kids blocks out of their way. But a Viola Jackson, in a cafe where one Negro attempted to run away, selves or, in the words of one girl were immediately arrested on block further, the children caught Negroes had fled from the police cops yelled “Get that nigger” and who loves Shakespeare and poetry, orders of the Board of Education, on and came back to Jefferson attack. Jackson went to his moth­ clubbed him to the sidewalk. “M y English teacher is Negro. She which claims to be so interested Avenue. On this block approach­ er’s defense and the cop shot him Six of the ten injured Negroes cares about us.” in the welfare of children. ing the church, some digging, and then clubbed him. enclosed by wooden saw-horses, is were hurt seriously, two with Yesterday about 250 junior-high After about 20 minutes of this, Notorious racist and sadist Col­ going on. Having had their fill of fractured skulls. Chief Deputy students plus a few high-school the police forced the children to onel Al Lingo, euphemistically ti­ the police, the children got the Sheriff S. W. Mooty commented, students and about 12 adults set leave in the direction opposite to tled the Alabama Public Safety idea of using the saw-horses and “There was nothing to tonight’s off to picket the Board of Health that leading back to the church. Director, charged Jackson, who is incident,” adding that he under­ set them up across the street, in the hospital in critical condi- to protest the rats, lack of heat Undeterred, the youngsters set off stood “one Negro fell down.” and lack of hot water in slum at a fast trot, planning to circle slowing the progress of the police cars. Immediately after the attack, dwellings. It must be a three-mile the block and reform their picket (Some of the adult supervisors Rev. King wired Attorney Gen­ walk from Siloam Presbyterian line. This the police would not or chaperons had carried subway eral Katzenbach urgently request­ Church to downtown Brooklyn, allow, but by means of police on tokens for the kids’ fares back to- Weekly Calendar ing federal protection for Negroes but the kids were full of enthu­ foot, police on horseback, and the church from downtown Brook­ in Alabama’s black belt. Katzen­ siasm and made the hike in record police in police cars, herded them lyn. But in the police-caused bach has not seen fit to do so. time, uneventfully. At the Board across the wide avenue (Flatbush A D RATES confusion, some of these adults The rate for advertising in this col­ Segregationist Meeting were arrested, the kids were- umn is 40 cents a line. Display ads are While King spoke in Selma to­ herded off so that the adults $2 a column inch. There is a ten per night, Ross Barnett, the former couldn’t catch up with them — cent discount for regular advertisers. ... Report of Malcolm X Meeting governor of Mississippi, was and so the kid s w a lked .) Advertising must reach us by the Mon­ speaking at a meeting of the Selma (Continued from Page I) black people; he doesn’t even care At the church we were greeted day prior to the date of publication. White Citizens Council. Barnett target of an assassination plot. He about his own followers.” by the sight of half a dozen po­ told the crowd of rabid segrega­ said plainly and repeatedly that “The police know the criminal lice cars, five cops in each, sev­ BOSTON CRISIS IN THE CONGO: Africa vs. tionists, “We face absolute extinc­ the Black Muslims, under the nature of the Black Muslim move­ eral more loaded with plain- the United States. Speaker, Richard tion of all we hold dear unless we orders of Elijah Muhammad, were ment, because the movement is clothesmen, plus a dozen cops and Roberts, Associate Editor, International are victorious.” out to kill him. full of police,” Malcolm X charged. a half-dozen plainclothesmen on Socialist Review. Fri., March 5, 8 p.m. Fifty state troopers and mem­ “I’m a marked man,” Malcolm The police gave left-handed foot. The children were directed 295 Huntington Ave. Rm. 307 (one bers of Sheriff Jim Clark’s posse X said in a interview Feb. 18 . . . support to the contention of a by one of Rev. Galamison’s aides block from Mass. Ave.) C ontrib. 50c. stood outside King’s meeting with I know brothers in the movement Black Muslim spokesman that to go into the church, have a Ausp. Militant Labor Forum. • guns, nightsticks and riot helmets. [Black Muslims] who were given Malcolm X had set fire to his own sandwich and milk, and then “cut orders to kill me . . . The press home. They leaked the story to the out.” Some friendly member of the CHICAGO When King left the meeting, a gives the impression that I’m jiv­ press that a large jar of gasoline press had warned the staff that THE STEELWORKERS' ELECTION plainclothes state cop stopped A N D C O N TR A C T ISSUES. Speaker: King’s car as 20 troopers crowded ing about this thing . . . They had been found standing in one the police were planning to in­ Henry Austin, D etroit steelworker. Fri., around. ignore the evidence and the actual room of the fire-bombed home, vade the church and arrest every­ March 5, 8 p.m. Debs Hall, 302 S. Canal He asked King why he had been attem p ts.” and another story that a whiskey one there. Either the police St. Ausp. Friday Night Socialist Forum. critical of the state troopers and In the same interview, reported bottle containing gasoline had changed their minds or this was • state laws. “I intend to be critical in the Feb. 22 New Y o rk T im es, been found on a dresser. a false alarm. After the kids had DETROIT of the troopers and the state laws,” Malcolm X refuted the charge The press picked up these sto­ gone off in good order, the police MEMORIAL MEETING: Malcolm X, King replied. After a tense mo­ made by the press that what was ries, implying the bombing might for the most part gradually left. His Life and Ideas. Speaker, George ment, they let King go. involved was a feud by two equal­ have been a publicity stunt and At the weekly meeting of the Breitman. Fri., March 5, 8 p.m. 3737 in other ways belittling the seri­ City-Wide Committee for Inte­ W oodward. Ausp. Friday Night Socialist King reported that he had re­ ly guilty groups. grated Schools last night, there Forum. ceived a call from a “high official “I have no feud with the Black ousness of the many attempts on • in the federal government,” who Muslims,” said Malcolm X, “This Malcolm’s life. was ah overwhelming vote to con­ MINNEAPOLIS told him that there was evidence is a one-sided thing. Those that The assassinated black leader tinue the demonstrations, to start JOHNSON'S DIRTY WAR IN VIET­ that a plot was being laid in Selma have done violence are fanatics leaves a wife, Betty Shabazz, and an adult picket-line in front of N A M . Speaker: Joel Britton. Sat., March to murder him. who think they are doing the w ill four children. His widow is ex­ the Board of Education from 5:30 6, 8:30 p.m. 704 Hennepin Ave. Hall of God when they go and maim pecting another child. to 7:00 weekday evenings, starting 240. Ausp. Friday Night Socialist Forum. and cripple those who left the Assemblyman Percy Sutton, the today, and to redouble efforts to • movement.” Those who left, he family lawyer, said: “Malcolm X contact adult members of the NEW YORK Yours for the Asking continued, “have not been in­ died broke, without even an in­ ghetto community. MEMORIAL MEETING in honor o f volved in violence against those surance policy. Every penny that In his remarks, Rev. Galamison, MALCOLM X. Friday, March 5, 8:30 within.” “I believe in taking ac­ he received from books, magazine leader of the boycott, pointed out p.m. Speakers to be announced. 116 For books and pamphlets on Cuba, University Place. Contrib. $1 (Proceeds tion, but not action against black articles and so on was assigned to the hypocrisy of the New York the Freedom Now struggle, the labor to Malcolm X's family). Ausp. Militant people,” he added. the Black Muslims before he broke press in praising demonstrations Labor Forum. movement, socialist theory, send for In his last speech before the with them, and after that to the by children in Selma, Alabama, while it vilifies the Brooklyn • a free copy of our catalogue. O A A U on Feb. 15, in w h ic h he Muslim Mosque, Inc.” PUBLICATIONS told about the bombing of his Contributions to aid the be­ children. He called this a reflec­ U N IO N A N D LABOR SPEAKERS' home, Malcolm X accused Elijah reaved family and condolences tion of a distorted society and H A N D B O O K for more pay, better con­ PIONEER PUBLISHERS Muhammad of ordering the attack can be sent to Mrs. Malcolm X, added that “our children are ditions, and full employment. $2 each 5 East Third Street and said: “Elijah Muhammad c/o Organization of Afro-Ameri­ reacting in a normal way to a (bound copies $2.50). Order from Bala New York 3, N. Y. could call this off tomorrow, but can Unity, 2090 Seventh Ave., society so sick that people don’t Press, Bala, North Wales, United King- he won’t. He doesn’t care about the N e w Y o rk 27, N. Y. realize it.” Monday, March 1, 1965 THE MILITANT Page Three

To Rose Karsner and James P. Cannon: Salute to 2 Veteran Socialists LOS ANGELES — A gala meet­ the sacrifice.” Trotskyists had to patiently ex­ ing here on Feb. 19 celebrated the Rose Karsner joined the Social­ plain their ideas to members of the 75th birthdays of Rose Karsner ist P a rty in 1908, and k n e w m an y Communist Party, recruiting them and James P. Cannon, and the 55 of the leaders of the early SP, in­ one by one, in the face of a vicious years they have been in the strug­ cluding Eugene V. Debs. She slander campaign and even phy­ gle for socialism. joined the Communist movement sical attacks directed against them Greetings to Jim and his wife in 1920, and m e t J im C annon in by the CP leaders. Rose worked Rose came from all over the U.S. 1921 at the unity convention of to get The M ilitant out, and later, and the world in many languages, the two Communist groups then to help organize the new recruits too numerous for all of them to in existence. She worked initially to keep the movement going. be read (see article below). with the Friends of Soviet Russia, Among the many jobs she per­ Jim, who was recuperating in which raised food and other nec­ formed was direction of Pioneer the hospital from a bout with essities for the struggling workers P ub lishers in 1939-40. She la te r pneumonia, was unable to attend. of the early Soviet Republic. headed the American Committee Steve Roberts, the program chair­ Later she worked with Jim on the for European Workers Relief. man, “accused” him of deliberate­ International Labor Defense, the Founding Leader ly not showing up, since he has organization which defended Sac­ threatened these past few years to co and Vanzetti and many other James P. Cannon, presently the quit giving speeches. class-struggle victims. National Chairman of the SWP, Jim sent a message to the cel­ When the struggle between Stal­ was the founding leader of ebration, relating the wonderful inism and Trotskyism broke out American Trotskyism. He had inspiration that Rose has been to in the American Communist Par­ been an organizer and strike lead­ him, and the importance of women ty in 1928, she fo u g h t side by er in the Industrial Workers of in the Socialist Workers Party. side with Jim in defense of the the World and became a member Among the speakers were Eve­ international socialist position of of the Socialist Party’s left wing Lenin and Trotsky against the after the Russian Revolution. He lyn Novack, Irving Kirsch, George Rose Karsner and James P. Cannon Jones, Max Geldman and Oscar degeneration of socialism intro­ was a founding member of the Coover. They described the de­ duced by Stalin. She was an un­ C om m unist L a b o r P a rty in 1919, dication, hard work, disappoint­ tiring worker in every task she and was a leader of the CP in the and was convinced. He returned month term in Sandstone Peniten­ ments and satisfactions in Rose undertook and labored valiantly 1920s. to the U.S. with a determination tia ry . and Jim's 55 years of fighting for over the years to help build the Cannon was a delegate to the to fight for Trotsky’s ideas. The spirited meeting celebrating socialism . movement which became the So­ Sixth World Congress of the Com­ In 1941, the fe d e ra l governm ent the anniversaries of the two class- Rose remarked, “The years of cialist Workers Party. munist International. There he convicted Cannon along with 17 struggle fighters included sing­ work were not a sacrifice — not In the early days, this was a chanced upon Trotsky’s criticism other leaders of the SWP under ing — led by a chorus from the doing the work would have been difficult task. The small group of of Stalin’s program. He read it the Smith Act. He served a 16- Young Socialist Alliance. Messages of Greeting from Around the Globe From Paris, France integrity, determination and stead­ titude that we remember all that al movement could further benefit fortress of that imperialism is the the movement owes to you, at this by your vast knowledge, experi­ The Internationalist Communist fastness, which has made the SWP major proof of the reality and moment when, in the name of the ence and leadership. Party (French Section of the what it is today. vigor of your work . . . United Secretariat of the Fourth Fourth International) sends you We join the Trotskyists of all Edmund Samarakkody, Manuel Sarmiento, International, we congratulate you Secretary its congratulations on your anni­ lands in wishing both of you Liga Obrera Marxista warmly on your 75th anniversary. versary and is happy to join in many happy years to come, full The only wish which we can ex­ From Cologne, Germany marking this occasion both with of sound health and spiritual sat­ From Lima, Peru press on this occasion, is that for the comrades who will be cele­ isfactio n. . . . We have also learned that . . . The Peruvian Trotskyists see K. Bhattacharyya many years you may remain with brating it personally with you and Rosa and you are looking back to in the two of you, not only ex­ us, along with your companion, with the very many other com­ On behalf of the Guiding a. 55-year activity in the American emplary revolutionary Marxists, Rose Karsner, in a united and rades throughout the world. Committee, and international socialist move­ but also honorable representatives West Bengal Trotskyist Group growing movement which will ment this year. That’s the life of We recall your long years of of the great people of the United prove itself worthy of its founders. a whole generation of the labor struggle without faltering for the States, of that people of Eugene From Vienna, Austria E. Germain and P. Frank movement . . . this autumn I, my­ cause of socialism through many Debs, Bill Haywood, John Reed, For the United Secretariat self, am completing the 50th year On your 75th birthday the Aus­ whom we love and respect, dif­ stages of the workers’ movement of the Fourth International of active work in the revolution­ both in America and interna­ trian Section of the Fourth Inter­ ferentiating them carefully from a ry m ovem ent — since 1915 . . . tionally. We remember most par­ national offers its most cordial the ferocious, barbarous and in ­ From Athens, Greece I am sending you the greetings of ticularly your place in the Trot­ greetings and hopes that you may h um a n imperialism of W all the German comrades and I do skyist movement, where you, long continue as fellow-fighters in The Political Committee of our S tree t .... hope that your experience and ac­ Comrade Cannon, were one of the the Trotskyist world movement to party sends the warmest greet­ Ismael Frias, Sec’y-Gen., tivity w ill remain for us for a very most outstanding cadre leaders of which you have made such out­ ings and best wishes to two old Partido Revolucionario Obrero long time. To both of you from me standing contributions. Bolsheviks: Comrades Cannon and y Campesino the International and of the sec­ I’m sending a firm shake of the The IKO secretariat K arsn er. tions which participated in its hand. fo u n d in g . We know Comrade Jim from From Buenos Aires, Argentina Georg You have, dear comrades, known From Copenhagen, Denmark his writings and especially from In the name of the Pro-Fourth his book, The Struggle for a our movement’s difficult years The Danish section of the From Santiago, Chile International Group of Argentina and you are present now at the Proletarian Party, which we have we send the warmest greetings on Fourth International wants to ex­ . . We are able to report re­ beginnings of the resurgence of translated and mimeographed. your 75th anniversary, as well as press its sincere greetings on the sponsibly that the Chilean Trot­ our ideas right inside that work­ For the Political Committee our fervent wishes that the inter­ occasion of the seventy-fifth skyist sections, divided up to now, ing-class party which had per­ G. Krateros, Secretary national revolutionary movement birthdays of Comrade James P. have agreed to unify themselves secuted them most hatefully. We will continue for many years to Cannon and Comrade Rose Kars­ under the flag of the United Sec­ hope that you w ill be able to cele­ From Chinese Section of enjoy the presence and active par­ ner, active participants in the rev­ retariat of the Fourth Interna­ brate with the young generations, Fourth International ticipation in the struggle of you olutionary struggle for 55 years. tional. We believe that this act of who are now joining our move­ E rik Boje This seventy-fifth birthday of comrades who have served so long unity . . . is the best homage we and with such devotion the cause ment, the complete victory of Revolutionary Socialists both of you, which is also the could pay to the many years of of the workers of the world. Trotskyism. fifty-fifth anniversary of each of struggle of Comrades Rose and M iguel Internationalist Communist Party From Paris, France you participating in the revolu­ J im . . . tionary socialist movement — from Experience has demonstrated Montes — Valdes From New York From Calcutta, India that a basic condition for the the Second and Third to the Pro-Unification Committee Greetings from the Political building of revolutionary socialist Fourth International — such an On this happy occasion of your Committee of the Socialist W ork­ organizations — the condition occasion is unique in the history From Santiago, Chile 75th birthdays’ celebration, we, ers Party on the occasion of your most difficult to realize in the of the socialist movement through­ ... In a word . . . our lives have the Trotskyists of West Bengal, 75th birthday. send you our warm revolutionary historical circumstances of the last out the world. run parallel courses at the two That the last 55 years, the 40 years — is the continuity of You have founded and led the ends of the American continents, greetings. Just as the history of whole of your adult lives, have leadership. Today, no one per­ Trotskyist movement in the Unit­ and I am profoundly convinced the world Trotskyist movement is been well spent is attested to by sonifies better than you that con­ ed States, which, having passed that our efforts have not been in incomplete without mentioning the revolutionary movement tinuity of leadership within the 36 years, has set up a basis for vain. The world and Latin Amer­ the history of the Socialist Work­ which you founded and continue international Trotskyist move­ the victory of the future socialist ican revolution is developing under ers Party, so also the history of to build here in the citadel of revolution. the sign of the laws of the Per­ the SWP itself would be incon­ m ent. world reaction. It has stood up Throughout a life of combat On such an occasion, we send manent Revolution brilliantly ceivable without the glorious rec­ through the recent difficult years which has led you from the left both of you, with great pleasure, elaborated by our teacher, Leon ord of your revolutionary activi­ and is winning a crucial place in wing of the American workers’ sincere respects and greetings on Trotsky . . . ties. It would be no exaggeration the emerging generation. movement of years long past to behalf of the Revolutionary Com­ Humberto Valenzuela, Sec’y- to say that many generations of We look forward to many more Trotskyists all over the world had the founding of the Communist munist Party of China, the Chinese Gen. of Partido Socialista Po­ section of the Fourth Interna­ years of comradeship and collab­ their initiation in revolutionary Party, to the organization of some pular; Director of Obreros oration. Marxism thanks to the pioneering of its most successful mass ac­ tional. And we wish both of you Municipales de Santiago good health and long life. Farrell Dobbs publications brought out by the tions, to the creation of the Left' SW P. Y o u r History of American Opposition and the Trotskyist Peng Shu-tse From Mexico City Chen Pi-lan T ro tskyism and The Struggle for movement in the United States — . . . The tie we have with you, a P ro le ta ria n P a rty had been the and to more than 25 years of par­ Comrades Karsner and Cannon, How Cuba Uprooted sources of inspiration to many of ticipation in the leadership of the From Colombo, Ceylon is the daily realization that there us. We have always admired the Socialist Workers Party — you . . . The movement is still in exists in the United States a par­ Race Discrimination courage and consistency with have taught a great lesson to rev­ need of your active participation ty which battles the most powerful By Harry Ring which the SWP has held aloft the olutionary socialists: that a policy and leadership. The Lanka Sama imperialism on its own ground, the banner of revolutionary socialism based on principles is not an ob­ Samaja Party (Revolutionary) party of which you were impor­ 16 pages 15 cents wish you, Comrade Cannon, and and proletarian internationalism stacle but, on the contrary, a nec­ tant initiators and are still lead­ Pioneer Publishers Comrade Rose Karsner, many in the very citadel of world reac­ essary condition for the building ers. This knowledge that all the 116 University Place more years of good-health so that tion. The West Bengal Trotskyists of an effective organization. struggles of peoples subjugated to New York 3, N. Y. pay tribute to your revolutionary It is then with emotion and gra­ the Trotskyist Fourth Internation­ imperialism has an echo w ithin the Page Four THE MILITANT M onday, M arch 1, 1965

REACTIONS TO DEATH OF MALCOLM X T H E MILITANT Editor: JOSEPH HANSEN 'He M ade Us A ll Feel A live' Managing Editor: GEORGE LAVAN Business Manager: KAROLYN KERRY The following are some of the to frighten them off and dropping Published weekly, except during July and August when published bi-weekly, reactions to the death of Malcolm the use of words like ‘devil’ when by The Militant Publishing Ass’n., 118 University Pl., New York S, N.Y. Phone X as reported here and abroad. CH 3-2140. Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. Subscription: $3 a year: he talked of whites. He seemed Canadian, $3.50; foreign, M 50. Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily * * * to realize that it was very im­ represent The Militant's views. These are expressed li> editorials. “More than anyone else he was portant for him to get in the main­ able to articulate the deep feeling stream of the civil-rights move­ Vol. 29 - No. 9 •^►¡4$ Monday, March 1, 1965 of the Negro masses . . . He gave ment. He wanted to be respected, to the oppressed and downtrodden you might even say that he was black people of this country a new seeking respectability. He con­ sense of pride and a new sense of tinued to say things that needed . . . Death of Malcolm X dignity.” — John Lewis, C h airm a n to be said — to keep people on (Continued from Page 1) of the Student Nonviolent Coor­ their toes and force them to dinating Committee. th in k .” — Donald Harris o f the mutually agreed-on goals with the black movement. Student Nonviolent Coordinating * * * Nor did Malcolm scorn such whites as enemies of his people. Committee, who toured Africa for This was demonstrated by his attitude towards The Militant and “The killing of Malcolm X was SNCC last year. a major setback for the Negro the Socialist Workers Party, both of which are interracial. Un­ * * * solicited, Malcolm on numerous occasions recommended The M ili­ movement. Whoever did it was formed in the crucible of the “I don’t care if he was shot by ta n t from public platforms. On a number of occasions he honored Western World, of the American Negroes. This was planned, di­ the Militant Labor Forum by addressing its audiences in which Republic. It is because of you — rected and carried out on orders whites were a majority. He praised The Militant for a very simple the men who created this white from the white power structure.” reason — it truthfully reported what he said. We are very proud supremacy — that this man is — A woman at the Muslim Mos­ of what he said about us and we hope to continue to be worthy dead. Your mills, your cities, your que fire . o f it. rape of a continent started all * * * An outstanding feature of Malcolm’s life was his capacity for this.” — Author James Baldwin, “I doubt seriously if the Black personal, intellectual and political development. That his ideas interviewed in London. Muslims murdered Malcolm. I think someone else was involved. had been broadened by his trips to Africa and the Near East is * * * I believe that his killing was a “The police and press were un­ widely known. That his ideas on politics and world problems James Baldwin political killing . . . and w ill have were still evolving at express-train speed is attested by the last fair. No one believed what he said. They never took him seri­ international implications.” — lengthy* interview he gave — printed in the issue of Young So­ James Farmer, National Director ously, even after the bombing of it is to be feared that American cialist just off the press. That the evolution of his ideas would our home. They said he did it him­ violence w ill become the violence of the Congress of Racial Equality. have continued had he not been struck down is beyond dispute. self. Now what are they going to of the world.” — Bertrand Rus­ * * * Though he showed marked ability in school, he did not con­ do — say he shot himself?” — sell, famed British philosopher “Malcolm was murdered be­ tinue his education but took a path leading to crime and prison. Betty Shabazz, Malcolm’s widow. and peace spokesman. cause he fought for freedom and

This pattern, so common among ghetto youth, is attributed by * * * * * * equal rights.” — Editorial in middle-class moralists to weak character or depraved instincts. But “This evil act must be strongly “Malcolm X was a very good K w a n g m in g , a Chinese newspaper. as often as not, it stems from frustration of the higher instincts. condemned by all people of good friend of mine. The last time he * * * It is frequently a form of individual rebellion against a rotten so­ w ill. We must face the tragic fact was in Philadelphia, about a “ [The murder of Malcolm X is] ciety, a proud refusal to demean oneself by accepting or observing that Malcolm X was murdered by month ago, we spoke together at another racist crime to eradicate the rules of such a cruel, corrupt and hypocritical system. a morally inclement climate. It a rally. He pledged his support to by violence the struggle against Like many black inmates of this country’s prisons, Malcolm reveals that our society is still me in civil rights publicly, regard­ discrimination.” — E l M undo, a was converted by the Black Muslims. Their creed entailed not only sick enough to express dissent less of our differences in ideology. Cuban newspaper. through murder. We have not I can only say that my heart is rejection of crime and the major and minor vices, but rejection * * * learned to disagree without being very heavy with the death of Mal­ The Mississippi Freedom Demo­ of white-supremacist America and the Christianity which had con­ violently disagreeable. I am deep­ colm X. What a great loss to man­ cratic Party was having a meeting doned first slavery then discrimination. Out of prison, Malcolm ra­ ly saddened and appalled. This kind. A 20th Century prophet laid in Jackson when the news of the pidly became the Black Muslims’ leading public spokesman, pro- vicious assassination should cause down his life for a cause in which assassination of Malcolm X ar­ selytizer and organizer. But his militancy and desire to put the o u r w h o le society to see th a t he believed. He was a true leader rived. Lawrence Guyot, Chairman organization into the great fight for freedom being waged by violence and hatred are evil forces and a proud black man and my that must be cast into unending friend.” — Stanley Branche, of the state-wide party, asked the Black Americans led to friction with the movement’s head, Elijah meeting to observe a minute of Muhammad. Malcolm was expelled. lim b o .” — Martin Luther King. chairman of the Chester, Pennsyl­ vania, Committee for Freedom silence in Malcolm’s memory. He proceeded to found two organizations. One, the Muslim * * * N ow . * * * .^Sosque, Inc., was to propagate the form and dogma of Islam as “A society in which people are * * * shot down at will is a society Malcolm X ’s pilgrimage to Mec­ $ js practised in the Arab countries. The other, the Organization “I do not know what motivated which w ill plunge the world into ca was a key development in his p i Afro-American Unity, was to further the material interests and the assassination of Malcolm X. It disaster. Malcolm X was reviled life because it changed his attitude struggles of black Americans. He was to have set forth the OAAU’s is a great tragedy. All of those in the U.S. and Britain, by the es­ on the race question from one “of who stood against him as well as black supremacy to one of authen­ program in detail at the meeting where he was assassinated. tablished press, not because of his his followers stand to lose by his But broad features of the program had been made clear in advocacy of armed defense for the tic Islam which believes in the violent death. While I disagreed equality of man.” — D r. M . T. previous statements and speeches. These included: Unification of Negro against attack but because with his philosophy I had great black forces for the greatest possible strength in struggles for civil he showed that the same standards M ehdi, secretary-general of the admiration for him.” — E d w in C. rights and human rights; Control of black organizations and their which promoted cruel and unre­ Action Committee on American- B a rry of the Chicago Urban Arab relations. policies exclusively by black people; A concerted economic and lenting wars of atrocity in Viet­ League. * * * political attack on the unbearable conditions in the ghettos; Fos­ nam, the Congo and other parts * * * of the world, were responsible “I saw that boy speak when he tering of racial pride and solidarity with African nations. “I’ll tell you this, we’re going to for the suffering of the Negro in was alive. He made all of us feel Left out of the above list for separate discussion is the most get another Malcolm X.” the U.S. . . . The violence of alive. Now h^’s dead and I don’t controversial point in Malcolm’s program — the one which made Harlem is America’s violence and “That’s right. For every one know what I feel except mad.” — Dixiecrats, Washington officials, police and liberals see red. That they get we’ve got ten more. — A white-haired housewife in front is the right of Afro-Americans to defend themselves with arms if Two women in Harlem. of the Unity Funeral Home. necessary. This has been twisted by the press, politicians, lib­ * * * Young Socialists * * erals and even by some Negro leaders into “advocacy of violence” “I disagreed completely with “He was changing. He would and “ terrorism.” That is a complete falsification of what Malcolm Send Message Malcolm* X, but I recognized he have been a great leader. He was advocated. was fighting for his version of a a man we could follow.” — A taxi [The following is a mes­ He did not advocate violence or terrorism. Though he was better social order for the op­ driver in front of the funeral not a socialist, his views appear very similar to theirs concerning sage to Malcolm X ’s widow, pressed Negro. It is tragic that his home. the futility of acts of terrorism. He warned, for example, that any Betty Shabazz, from Jack career was brought to an untimely * * * end by a man who must have been Barnes, national chairman of “He wasn’t afraid of nothing. attempt by misguided individuals in Harlem to wreak vengeance fanatic and could have represent­ the Young Socialist Alliance] That’s why they killed him. on the police, who fired thousands of rounds, would simply have ed only fanatics.” — Acting Bo­ Cause he wasn’t afraid.”—A teen­ played into their hands and afforded a pretext for a massacre. We are thinking especially rough President of Manhattan E a rl ager in front of the funeral home. In advocating self-defense by his people, Malcolm was simply of you and your children at B ro w n . declaring they had the right established in Anglo-American law, this time of great loss. We * * * & rig h t possessed by every w h ite man in this country. W hy should have always felt the deepest “Without question, the brazen black people not be able to exercise this right? Why must they respect for your husband as bombing of North Vietnam and The Militant be required by official and white public opinion to pledge and a revolutionary leader and as the intervention in the civil war in South Vietnam by the United Sends Condolences practise pacifism in the face of Ku Kluxers, sheriffs and police a man who spoke the truth. States Government, the militarist [The following is the text who, under cover of a law-enforcement uniform, beat, maim and His warmth and sensitivity support of the lackey Tshombe by of a telegram sent to Betty murder them? An example of the effectiveness of the armed self- and his sense of humor .made the United States Government . . . Shabazz by George Lavan, defense Malcolm advocated is now being given in Jonesboro, us feel close to him as a per­ set the stage for the vicious k ill­ Louisiana (see story on page 8). son. In our efforts to work for ing of Brother Malcolm X.” — managing editor of The M ili­ America’s racist rulers may feel relieved now that Malcolm X a better world, his life will — Federation for Independent ta n t.] is dead. White liberals and Uncle Toms may enjoy something of continue to inspire us to live Political Action, N ew Y o rk . The tragic death of your a respite now that their scourge has been removed. But their up to his example of courage * * * beloved husband, Malcolm X, renewed sense of security w ill be short-lived. For the conditions and honesty. “It was a year since I had seen is a grievous blow to all that produced a Malcolm X have not been removed, nor has the We also believe of Malcolm him, and he had grown tremend­ friends of mankind’s pro­ compelling need of his people to be free diminished. Moreover, what you have said, that “the ously in overall perspective. He gress. His was a courageous he has left a rich legacy of personal example, of racial pride and magnitude of his work will had completely moved away from and eloquent voice of truth achievement, of organization and of teachings, which w ill inspire be felt around the world.” separatist doctrine. He was talk­ in this hypocritical and cor­ ing about bringing all of the ele­ and guide young leaders yet to come. This will especially be felt rupt time. It was a privilege ments of the civil-rights move­ None w ill be the unique personality that was Malcolm X — by the younger generation of to report his speeches and ment together so they could speak nor should we underestimate in any way the terrible blow his work. His contributions will revolutionists in this country with a greater effectiveness — loss is to the freedom struggle. But new militant leaders will and abroad of whom he was whether at the UN or in dealing live in the' continuing strug­ come forth. And, because there has been a Malcolm X, they w ill so fond and who look upon w ith new nations. His manner was gle for the emancipation of find themselves and the black masses they lead further along him as one of them. different even in the way he spoke the oppressed. the road to that victory which history and justice demands. to people — a conscious effort not Monday, March 1, 1965 THE MILITANT Page Five WHAT MALCOLM X REALLY STOOD FOR To give some indication of what qualified, actually, to produce ... people. Malcolm X really stood for and But those who went into the Ring: You’ve said that your at­ what the evolution of his think­ orthodox practice of the Islam re­ titude on many questions has in g w as, we have selected the fol­ ligion in the Muslim Mosque, Inc., changed in the past year. How lowing extracts from his speeches at the same time we realized that about your attitude toward the and from interviews he gave. we were black people in a white established civil-rights organiza­ society. We were black people in tions? [The following are excerpts a racist society. We were black from a speech by Malcolm X at Malcolm X: I’m for whatever people in a society whose very gets results. I don’t go for any or­ the Militant Labor Forum in New political system was based and Y ork A p ril 8, 1964.] ganization — be it civil-rights or nourished upon racism, whose so­ any other kind — that has to com­ The so-called revolt will be­ cial system was a racist system, promise with the power structure come a real black revolution. Now whose economic system was nour­ and has to rely on certain ele­ ished with racism . . . the black revolution has been tak­ ments within the power structure So, wanting brotherhood and ing place in Africa and Asia and for their financing and which puts in Latin America. Now when I say wanting peace and wanting all them in a position to be influenced black, I mean non-white. Black, these other beautiful things, we and controlled all over again by brown, red or yellow. Our broth­ had to also face reality and realize the power structure itself. ers and sisters in Asia, who were that we were in a racist society I’m for anything that they’re in­ colonized by the Europeans, our that was controlled by racists from volved in that gets meaningful re­ brothers and sisters in Africa, the federal government right on sults for the masses of our people who were colonized by the Eu­ down to the local governments — — but not for the benefit of a few ropeans, and in Latin America, the from the White House right on hand-picked Negroes at the top peasants, who were colonized by down to City Hall. Racism was who get prestige and credit, and the Europeans, have been involved what we were confronted by. So all the while the masses’ problems in a strugg le since 1945 to get the we knew that this was a problem remain unsolved. colonialists, or the colonizing that was beyond religion and we Ring: But would you support powers, the Europeans, off their formed another organization that concrete actions of these organiza­ land, out of their country. This is was non-religious. And this organ­ tions if you feel they go in the a real revolution . . . ization was called the Organiza­ right direction? EXPOUNDED VIEWS. Malcolm X at New York Militant Labor tion of Afro-American Unity or Revolutions are never compro­ Malcolm X: Yes. The Organiza­ th e O A A U . mising. Revolutions are never Forum last Jan. 7. Seated is Clifton DeBerry who chaired meeting. tion of Afro-American Unity w ill based upon negotiations. Revolu­ In 1964, 97 per cent of the black American voters supported Lyn­ support fully and without com­ tions are never based upon any ica and it’s impossible for a white ly to be more militant than they promise any action by any group don B. Johnson, Hubert Humph­ kind of tokenism whatsoever. Rev­ person today to believe in capital­ ever would have thought of being. that is designed to get meaningful rey and the Democratic Party. olutions are never even based ism and not believe in racism. You So the militancy of the black Ninety-seven per cent! No one immediate results. upon that which is begging a cor­ can’t have capitalism without man in America during the past minority group in the history of [The following are excerpts rupt society or a corrupt system racism. And if you find a person ten years can be traced largely to the world has ever given so much from an interview given to Barry to accept us into it. Revolutions without racism and you happen to the existence and presence of the of its uncompromising support to Sheppard and Jack Barnes for the overturn systems, and there is no get that person into a conversa­ movement which I’m referring to one candidate and one party. No M arch -A p ril, 1965, issue of the system on this earth which has tion and they have a philosophy now for purposes of identification one people, no one group has ever Young Socialist. It was published proven itself more corrupt, more that makes you sure they don’t as the B la c k M u s lim m ovem ent. gone all the way to support a par­ just a few days prior to Malcolm’s criminal than this system, that have this racism in their outlook, Its contribution to the black strug­ ty and its candidate as did the death. ] in 1964 s till colonizes 22,000,000 usually they’re socialists or their gle for freedom in this country people, the black people, in Amer­ African-Americans, still enslaves political philosophy is socialism ... was militancy. It made many of How do you define black na­ ica in 1964 . . . 22,000,000 Afro-Americans . . . The best way to solve your prob­ our people dare to get loud for tionalism, with which you have We have to keep in mind at all lem is to help us solve our prob­ the first time in 400 years. It made And the first act of the Demo­ been identified? times that we are not fighting lem. I’m not a racist. I’ve never many of the black leaders of the cratic Party, Lyndon B. included, I used to define black national­ for integration, nor are we fight­ been a racist. I believe in indicting civil-rights movement dare to get in 1965, w h en the representatives ism as the idea that the black man ing for separation. We are fight­ the system and the person that is loud for the first time — I mean from the state of Mississippi who should control the economy of his ing for recognition as human be­ responsible for our condition. really loud — for the first time in refused to support Johnson came community, the politics of his to Washington, D.C., and the black community, and so forth. ings. We are fighting for the right And the only defense that the nearly 400 years in our country . .. people of Mississippi sent repre­ But, when I was in Africa in to live as free humans in this so­ people who are in control of the The leaders themselves never sentatives there to challenge the May, in Ghana, I was speaking ciety . In fact, we are actually power structure and system that’s intended, and they never do in­ legality of these people being seat­ w ith the Algerian ambassador who fighting for rights that are even exploiting us have had, is to label tend, for our people to go too far. ed, what did Johnson say? No­ is extremely m ilitant and is a rev­ greater than civil rights and that those who indict it without com­ Their primary purpose has always thing! What did Humphrey say? olutionary in the true sense of the is human rights . . . promise as racists and extremists. been to contain our struggle, not Nothing! What did Robert Pretty- word (and has his credentials as If George Washington didn’t get Now if there are white people who to lead our struggle. Proof of this Boy Kennedy say? Nothing! No­ such for having carried on a suc­ independence for this country are genuinely and sincerely fed is that seldom are they seen until thing! Not one thing! These are the cessful revolution against oppres­ non-violently, and if Patrick Hen­ up with the condition that black the “irresponsible” elements in the people that black people have sion in his country). When I told ry didn’t come up with a non­ people are in, in America, then black community begin to explode. supported. This is the party that him that my political, social and violent statement, and you taught they have to take a stand, but not And then they go all the way they have supported . . . economic philosophy was black na­ me to look upon them as patriots a compromising stand, not a around the country to grab one tionalism, he asked me very frank­ and heroes, then it’s time for you tongue-in-cheek stand, not a non­ of them from wherever he’s [The following are excerpts ly, well, where did that leave him? to realize that I have studied violent stand . . . traveling and bring him in to cool from an interview given to Harry Because he was white. He was an your books well . . . things down, to tell us to be cool, Ring over W BAI-FM in New York [The following are excerpts from African, but he was Algerian, and When George Washington and or to tell us to take it easy — Jan. 28, 1965.] the others got ready to declare a speech at the New York M ili­ to all appearances, he was a white don’t rock the boat. This is their Ring: I noticed that you men­ or come up with the Declaration tant Labor Forum Jan. 7, 1965.] man. And he said if I define my function. This is their role — at tioned the problem of Vietnam. of Independence, they didn’t care So, in discussing this topic to­ objective as the victory of black least it has been until recent Generally, you’re associated with anything about the odds of the night, prospects for freedom in nationalism, where does that leave times . . . concerning yourself with the prob­ British Empire. They were fed up 1965, I th in k w e have to go back him? Where does that leave rev­ Getting back to the Black Mus­ lems of black people. How do you with taxation without representa­ at least 12 years, or ten years, to olutionaries in Morocco, Egypt, lim movement. You have to under­ see the problem of U.S. interven­ tion. And you’ve got 22,000,000 the time when the struggle of the Iraq, Mauritania? So he showed stand it to understand what has tion in Vietnam as related to the black people in this country to­ black man in America began to me where I was alienating people taken place in the civil-rights problems of your people? day, 1964, w h o are fed up w ith be projected into the limelight, not movement in this country during who were true revolutionaries de­ taxation without representation, only in this country but through­ the past ten years and in order Malcolm X: It’s a problem any­ dicated to overturning the system and w ill do the same thing. Who out the world. to understand what might take time the United States can come of exploitation that exists on this are ready, willing and justified to It started primarily with the place in 1965. T he B la ck M u slim up with so many alibis not to get earth by any means necessary. do the same thing today to bring Supreme Court decision, so-called movement attracted the most m ili­ involved in Mississippi and to get So, I had to do a lot of think­ about independence for our people desegregation decision, and I tant young black people in this involved in the Congo and in­ ing and reappraising of my de­ that your forefathers did to bring should say so-called desegregation country. The most restless, the volved in Asia and in South Viet­ finition of black nationalism. Can about independence for your peo­ so-called decision, because there most impatient and the most un­ nam. Why that, right there, should we sum up the solution to the ple. has been some doubt as to what compromising black men and show our people that the govern­ problems confronting our people And I say your people because they really handed down. women were attracted to the Black ment is incapable of taking the as black nationalism? And if you I certainly couldn’t include my­ One of the main ingredients of Muslim movement. kind of action necessary to solve notice, I haven’t been using the self among those for whom inde­ the struggle of the black man in But the movement itself, as it the problem of black people in expression for several months. But pendence was fo u g h t in 1776. H o w America for the past 12 years has began to grow, actually was ma­ this country. But at the same time I still would be hard pressed to in the world can a Negro talk been the Black Muslim movement. neuvered into a vacuum, in that she has her nose stuck into the give a specific definition of the about the Declaration of Inde­ No one can deny that the role that [it] didn’t take part in politics. It problems of others everywhere overall philosophy which I think pendence when he is still singing the Black Muslim movement has didn’t take part in the civil-rights else. is necessary for the liberation of “We Shall Overcome.” Our people played in America during the past struggle. It took part in nothing We see where the problem of the black people in this country. are increasingly developing the 12 years has been one of the main that black people in this country Vietnam is the problem of the op­ W hat is your opinion of the opinion that we just have nothing ingredients in the stepped-up m ili­ were doing to correct conditions pressed and the oppressor. The world-wide struggle now going on to lose but the chains of segrega­ tancy on the part of black people that existed in our community, problem in the Congo is the prob­ between capitalism and socialism? tion and the chains of second- throughout this country. other than it had a moral force — lem of the oppressed and the op­ It is impossible for capitalism class citizenship . . . No matter in what direction the it stopped our people from getting pressor. The problem in Missis­ to survive, prim arily because the [The following is from the ques- Black Muslim movement itself drunk and taking drugs and things sippi and Alabama and New York system of capitalism needs some tion-and-discussion period at a was headed, no matter what its of that sort which is not enough. is the problem of the oppressed blood to suck. Capitalism used to New York Militant Labor Forum own organizational philosophy After you sober up, you’re still and the oppressor. The oppressed be like an eagle, but now it’s more symposium May 29, 1964.] was, and no matter what other poor. people all over the world have the like a vulture. It used to be strong Q. W hat political system does people thought about it, no mat­ So it became in a vacuum. It same problems and it is only now enough to go and suck anybody’s Malcolm X want? ter what their personal opinions actually developed, it grew, it be­ that they’re becoming sufficiently blood whether they were strong A. I don’t know. But I’m flex­ were of the Black Muslim move­ came powerful — but it was in a sophisticated to see that all they or not. But now it has become ible. As was stated earlier, all of ment, still it cannot be denied that vacuum. And it was filled with have to do to get the oppressor off more cowardly, like the vulture, the countries that are emerging this movement, because of its un­ extremely militant young people their back is to unite and realize and it can only suck the blood today from under the shackles of compromising stand and because of who weren’t willing to comprom­ that it is one problem — that our of the helpless. As the nations of colonialism are turning toward so­ its uncompromisingly m ilitant ap­ ise with anything and wanted ac­ problems are inseparable. And the world free themselves, then cialism. I don’t think it’s an acci­ proach to things, forced other tion. More action, actually, than then our action w ill be inseparable. capitalism has less victims, less to dent. Most of the countries that civil-rights organizations to be the organization itself could pro­ Our action will be one of unity suck, and it becomes weaker and were colonial powers were cap­ more m ilitant than they normally duce. More constructive action, and in the unity of oppressed peo­ weaker. It’s only a matter of time italist countries and the last bul­ would have been, and forced many and more positive action than the ple is actually the strength, and in my opinion before it w ill col­ wark of capitalism today is Amer­ of the civil-rights leaders definite­ hierarchy of the organization was the best strength of the oppressed lapse completely. Page Six THE MILITANT Monday, March 1, 1965 A Taste of What Venezuelans Live With African Diplomats Give Views Killing of Peace Corps Member At Symposium in New York NEW YORK — “We will never By James Barrett ment it. The most recent investi­ consider ourselves truly free until gation took place late last year Police in Caracas, Venezuela, The N.Y. Times all of Africa is free.” This state­ when a commission composed of killed one young American mem­ ment by John W. S. Malecela, And Caracas Cops members of the Venezuelan House ber of the Peace Corps and seri­ Ambassador and UN representa­ T h e Feb. 22 New York of Deputies turned up additional ously wounded another on Feb. tive of Tanzania, summed up the evidence supporting leftist charges 19. According to witnesses, police T im e s carried two editorials feelings of four African speakers that the current repressions are machine-gunned the rear tires of which pointed up its hypo­ at a Feb. 18 National Guardian long-established police methods. a jeep carrying four Peace Corps critical double standards. symposium, here, entitled “Africa members, then ordered the two Commenting on the murder Demands had been raised in Speaks Out.” the House of Deputies for the in­ young men in the front seats to of Malcolm X, the paper as­ In addition to Mr. Malecela, vestigation of police maltreatment get out with their hands up. As serted that Malcolm had Ambassador F. M. Mulikita, rep­ of political prisoners after the th e y d id so, the police cold­ “spawned” the atmosphere resentative of Zambia to the UN, bloodedly gunned them down. sons of some of the deputies had and E. K. Dadzie, Ghana’s Am­ for his own murder. been tortured by police, trying to Joseph R. Rupley, 24, of Orinda, bassador to Rumania, stressed the Commenting on the two extract “confessions” from them. Cal., a graduate of the University important role which the Organi­ Peace Corps members who Testimony given before the com­ of California at Berkeley, was zation of African Unity can play were gunned down by Ca­ mission proved the allegations of killed instantly by a bullet in unifying all Africa in a conti­ the deputies’ sons to be true. through the heart. David G. racas cops while they had nent-wide government. They em­ Moreover, numerous cases of lac­ Glover, 25, of Grosse Ile, Mich., their hands up, the paper phasized that the OAU must erations, beatings, even killings opined it was a case of “jit­ handle African internal problems, was seriously wounded in the by the police were revealed. abdomen. ters” because of Castro; and and condemned all forms of for­ eign intervention. This tragedy, which could not a “tragic anomaly” in a Students Murdered be kept out of U.S. newspapers, “friendly, politically stable, Critics of the regime charge The African representatives gives American readers a glimpse prosperous country.” th a t since 1962 hundreds o f stu­ were outspoken in their denuncia­ tion of Moise Tshombe, U.S.- of the true situation in Venezuela. In neither case did the pa­ dents have been killed and that thousands of students and work­ Belgian puppet in the Congo. Pictured by the U.S. State Depart­ per seem too much concerned ment and press as a “model ers have been imprisoned. “The reservoir of good will to­ about the victims of the democracy,” the pro-imperialist L a te in 1960 govern m ent sup­ wards the United States in Africa FOR UNITY. Delegates at Pan- crim es. regime in Venezuela is engaged pression of political parties such is running out because of Tshom­ African Congress meeting. in a campaign of brutal repres­ as the Movement of the Revolu­ be,” Mr. Malecela stated. “We sion of Opponents on the left and tionary Left (MIR) and the Com­ hate him because he is the mur­ ized over 10,000 vehicles in Cara­ are kept in contract labor which all suspected of pro-Cuban sym­ munist Party began. Members of derer of Lumumba and we con­ cas, the capital, and Merida. It is the blood brother of slavery. pathies. The fact that the official these parties and others formed sider him the puppet of foreign was subsequently broken by the Hatred, fear, aggression, and ex­ explanation is that the shooting the Armed Forces of National agents,” Mr. Dadzie added. government which used police ploitation are our daily e x p e ri­ of the Peace Corpsmen was a Liberation (FALN) which is now The fourth speaker was Jacob violence, mass arrests and a ences.” “case of mistaken identity,” that engaged in guerrilla warfare with Kuhangua, secretary general of threat to revoke the licenses of Mr. Kuhangua, who recently the police did not know they were government troops. the South West Africa People’s all drivers who would not return escaped from what would have Americans but thought they were The FALN has declared that it Organization. Mr. Kuhangua’s or­ to w o rk . been certain imprisonment in Venezuelan youth, speaks elo­ would carry on its struggle by ganization is active in the strug­ Two Venezuelan students were South Africa, is working, in exile, quently of the police conduct in legal methods if the government gle to liberate South West Africa, killed and a number wounded in Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania. this sector of the “free world.” legalized all political parties, re­ which is presently a mandated when police attacked a demonstra­ “The people the world over are stored freedom of the press and territory of the fascist-like South T a x i D riv e rs ’ S trik e tion they had called in support digging the grave of the ex­ civil liberties, released all political African government. Peace Corps Director Sargent o f the strike rs. In these cases ploiters,” he said. “With or with­ prisoners and ended political re­ “We are guarded by white over­ Shriver agreed with Venezuelan there was no question of “mis­ out guns, one day we w ill fight to pression. masters,” Kuhangua stated. “We liberate ourselves.” authorities that the victims had taken identity.” been mistaken for student “ter­ Police savagery in Venezuela is rorists,” that is, young Venezuelans so scandalous that even the parlia­ who were supporting a strike of ment there, which has long been ta x i and bus drivers which the purged of militant leftist oppo­ ... Johnson's Secrecy on Vietnam War government was trying to smash. nents of the regime, has felt im­ (Continued from Page 1) socialist countries to take the The strike reportedly immobil- pelled to investigate and docu- Get Out of Vietnam.” The pickets now to escalate, he w ill begin a necessary measures to reinforce were organized by students from war w ith domestic opinion divided the defensive strength of the so­ Antioch College. Distributed on as it has never been on the eve cialist camp.” the seats of the auditorium were Charge U.S.-Organized Forces of a major foreign conflict. Of course, an immense gap re­ copies of the university newspaper Some of the capitalist disil­ mains between this and the ini­ which carried an editorial which lusionment in Johnson is due to tiation of an active revolutionary said the U.S. position in Vietnam Responsible for Uganda Bombing the fact that in a few brief days, policy on a world scale, which “is becoming more untenable Johnson succeeded to a most im­ alone can end the standing threat d a ily .” pressive degree in helping to close By Dick Roberts to world peace from the continued Other student demonstrations the breach between Moscow and existence of American imperial­ against the U.S. actions in Viet­ Tshombe was reported to have U.S.-supplied airplanes, piloted Peking. For this he deserves con­ ism. But that is another problem. nam took place Feb. 20 in N ew by “American citizens, Cuban rushed a contingent of his white gratulations from the revolution­ The rapprochement between York, Washington, Philadelphia, mercenaries into this region. refugees, or other mercenaries,” ary forces throughout the world. Moscow and Peking in the face of Baltimore, Dayton, Pittsburgh, Meanwhile, Tshombe’s mer­ bombed two towns in northwest­ After Soviet Premier Kosygin the common danger is a most Hartford, Chicago, Portland, Aus­ cenaries have been meeting tough ern Uganda, Uganda’s Prime M in­ returned to Moscow from North favorable development. It is to be tin, San Francisco and Los An­ resistance from the Congolese ister Milton Obote charged Feb. Vietnam — where he was on an hoped that it w ill give pause to geles. These involved a number themselves. Lumumbist forces on 13. T he tow n s nam ed b y Obote official visit when the U.S. bombed the odd president who thinks that of organizations and were co­ Feb. 9 ambushed the Leopoldville border the Congolese area where the country — Pravda picked up the most appropriate way to cele­ ordinated by the Students for a army in Nia Nia, midway be­ Lumumbist freedom-fighters arc a major Chinese thesis. This was brate his electoral victory is to Democratic Society which is build­ tween Stanleyville and Paulis. In battling U.S.-Belgium puppet that the U.S. aggression againt act like Goldwater, the candidate ing toward a mass March on three days of fighting, the Lu- Moise Tshombe’s white mercenary Vietnam “is a provocation against he supposedly defeated. Washington to End the War in mumbists inflicted heavy losses arm y. the socialist cam p as a w h ole .” Meanwhile in the U.S., students Vietnam, to be held April 17. “We have been attacked with­ and captured many weapons, de­ And the Soviet army organ, Red are beginning to get organized in spite the air support of three out any provocation whatsoever,” Star, declared in an editorial: opposing Johnson’s Vietnam pol­ U.S. B-26 bombers to Tshombe’s Obote declared, “ . . . If America “The insolent and brazen aggres­ icy. When Johnson arrived for a arm y. thinks she can rule the whole sors carried out their bandit raids speech Feb. 22 at the University Labor’s world by violating other’s terri­ This attack delayed the mer­ at the very time when the Soviet of Kentucky, he was met by pick­ cenary attempt to seal off the torial integrity and independence, delegation was in the Asian coun­ ets carrying such signs as “Let’s she is not a democracy, she is northeastern Congolese border, tries. They tried to drive a wedge ruled by gangsters prepared to through which the Lumumbists between the socialist countries . . . Giant disturb world peace.” are receiving aid from other The present situation compels the As a result of the attack, African countries, mainly Algeria. An Interview Uganda mobilized army reserves The Tim es called it a major set­ Step Feb. 18, according to the New back for Tshombe’s government, York Times. Two days earlier, noting that Maj. Siegfried Muller With the Late ab ou t 1,000 dem onstrators at­ — an ex-Nazi mercenary officer — 20 Years tacked the U.S. Embassy in who still wears the Iron Cross — Kampala, Uganda’s capital, and was missing in action. O f the C IO demanded that the U.S. withdraw In a related development, Jonas MALCOLM support for Tshombe. Zambia, Mouanza, the ambassador and By Art Preis Kenya, and Tanzania joined in representative of Congo (Braz­ strong protest over the bombing zaville) to the UN, charged in a X The dramatic story of the attack. UN press conference Feb. 8 that On Feb. 19, Tshombe demanded the U.S. was flying planes over In the March-April birth and establishment of mass Brazzaville. Mouanza stated that industrial unionism comes to immediate withdrawal of Ugandan issue of the troops which he claimed had cap­ this aggression against his gov­ life in this comprehensive, tured a Congolese town six miles ernment was in preparation for swiftly-paced historical work by inside the Congo. Two days later, a U.S.-backed attack on Brazza­ an outstanding labor and so­ ville similar to the U.S.-Belgian Young cialist journalist. “rescue mission” in Stanleyville 1964 Bound Volume last November. • “But Brazzaville is not Stanley­ ville,” Mouanza stated. “If the Socialist 538 pp. THE MlLITANT bloodthirsty mercenaries procede 25¢ 5 Issues (1 Year), $1.00 to action, the small commune of $7.50 $8.50 Brazzaville will fight to the death.” Mouanza’s indictment of YOUNG SOCIALIST 116 University Place th e U .S. preceded by a week the Box 471, Cooper Sta. PIONEER PUBLISHERS New York, N. Y. 10003 still unexplained assassinations of three Brazzzaville government of­ New York, N. Y. 10003 5 East 3rd Street ficia ls. Johnson New York, N. Y. 10003 Monday, March 1, 1965 THE MILITANT Page Seven Letters From Our Readers

[T h is column is an open forum tend to embrace, condoning the Non-Discriminatory Smog suffering as any human could feel. only the upper half of his body “Cains” who slay their brother The man was clutching onto a was on the island — the rest was for all viewpoints on subjects of Orange, Calif. “ A bels.” tree when I first noticed him. The in the snow- and slush-covered general interest to our readers. I once heard somebody say that Personally I feel our religious tree, lit up by street lights and street w ith cars rushing past. Please keep your letters brief. the reason that smog hadn’t been attitudes have become a childish signs, was one of the few live, if Where necessary they will be eliminated, was because it wasn’t He hung on a few minutes, and abridged. Writers’ initials will be fixation of sentimentality. To me, barely so, things on the Bowery economically feasible at this time. then, in a tremendous burst of used, names being withheld Christianity is vital, vigorous and that night. Snow was swirling out strength, he feebly stood up and unless I got to thinking about that on a just; yet Southern race-hating fac­ of the black sky, the wind was authorization is given for use.] recent smoggy day. It also could stumbled rapidly across the street tions are permitted to lynch and biting and the ground was thick be said it is not feasible from a until he was about a half foot from hang living sacrifices. w ith ice. politician’s point of view, for him the curb. He stood there for a long U.S. Morality As I understand Civil War his­ time, staring blankly at the curb it is a heaven-sent issue. He doesn’t He clutched onto the tree for a Filmore, Utah tory, Lee surrendered to Grant, have to take a stand on such is­ few minutes and then began his which represented more pain, cold For a hundred years America’s pledging state compliance to the sues as farm labor, prayer in the slow, faltering walk across the and degradation. delinquent administrations have constitutional mandate which schools, free speech, peace and street. His condition was so bad This type of thing goes on every merely winked at Christian moral­ guarantees voting rights, civil war, the race issue, Medicare, etc. that you couldn’t even say that he day, hour and minute in “Bow­ ity which we hypocritically pre- rights and human rights. Just stay on the smog thing. walked, rather, he fell gradually. eries” across the country. John­ Further, the Bible stipulates “ a (Who’s for smog?) In the middle of the slippery, son’s “Great Society” not only has aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiniiiiiimiimmji life for a life,” so I wash my Out here in Southern Calif, we snow-covered street was an island no room, no hope for this man, but hands of demanding execution of are getting a taste of how the a few feet wide. The man stumbled Johnson’s “great society” w ill law and order. When a sheriff I 10 Y ears A go | black man must have felt the last into the island and in a second he create more of these men as it uses his office to abduct and de­ hundred years with everybody lay sprawled across it. builds itself “greater” and “great­ liver innocent citizens into mur­ I In The M ilitant! telling him to have patience while For a few seconds he just lay er.” There is no hope for this man, I i derous custody, we, the people, fm im im m iim i'iiiiiiiiiimiimiiiii'iuniimmiuimimmiiiiiimiiiiiMiiiT he was slowly starving to death, there, and then his hands began and those like him to come, until are accessories after the fact. the only difference being, we are to feel the rough, icy frozen sur­ this inhuman system is changed “More light was shed on the When judges nullify guilt with choking to death. The one thing face. As if he didn’t know where into one that cares more about inner workings of the witch­ acquittals, it’s time for heads to about smog is that it is nondis- he was (as he probably didn’t), men than money. h u n t fram e-ups as H a rv e y M at- roll before eternity’s God exacts criminatory. We can all go down he felt the glassy surface for at M.S. vengeance upon that nation’s de­ usow continued to talk and still together on this one. least a minute or two — his hands, another government informer con­ p ra v ity . gloveless, ragged and dirty, slid Carl A. Gregory Letters-We-Love Dep't fessed that he had been lying on A. C. Gregersen back and forth over the freezing orders. The latest ‘I-spied-for-the- cold ice. Philadelphia, Pa. FBI’ witness to spill the beans The S. Vietnam W ar A Bowery Scene Then, slowly, he lifted himself, We like you very much! Thank was Lowell Watson, a professional Brooklyn, N. Y. New York; N. Y. in a great effort, onto his hands you for special subscription-re- ex-Communist, a paid ‘expert w it­ newal order. On Feb. 12 several news reports This is an account of ten min­ and knees and, doglike, he crawled, ness’ in witch-hunt cases. on stations WABC and WNBC utes in one man’s life — but in inch by inch, down the island. He Enclosed is our r enewal and $1 “Watson, on loan from the De­ mentioned an attempted landing those ten minutes this man prob­ put one leg over the side of the for your keeping up the good work. partment of Justice, was being by 50 Viet Cong junks in an area ably felt as much degradation and island and then the other until S. & B. C. used by the Federal Communica­ occupied by Saigon troops. The tions Commission as a witness in reports said the landing party was a hearing designed to take away using approximately 500 local the TV-station license of Edward peasants as “shields” for the in­ Lamb of Erie, Pa . . . cursion. It Was Reported in the Press “In his recantation Watson ad­ On the basis of any common- mitted that he had never in his sense analysis, as well as the Think You’ve Heard Everything? templated suicide by a lengthy virtually expunged from current, life seen Lamb before the hear­ latest open revelations of the wide­ A Feb. 13 Reuters dispatch from speech that includes an indict­ literature and movies. Reviewing ings and could identify him in spread popularity that the guer­ Malaya reported: “South Vietnam ment of the U.S. for having the present book, the New York the courtroom only because the rillas enjoy in S. Vietnam, it is a is trying to boost her tourist dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima World-Telegram commented: “W hy government prosecutor had pre­ safe assumption that the probable trade. ‘Come to Vietnam’ tourist and Nagasaki. In the export ver­ the Negro vanished from the an viously given him photographs of true version of what happened advertisements, ‘for your next va­ sion of the film, the scene is nals of the West isn’t quite clear. the accused and told him in what was as follows: The 500 peasants cation . . . something different,’ spliced down to a sentence or two The authors surmise it may have chair he would be seated. Watson deliberately interposed themselves have been appearing in Malay-. of dialogue. . . The excision was been because the escapist litera­ described how the three FCC at­ as a support to the guerrillas. sian papers over the last week. explained to me as having been ture of the West . . . was predi­ torneys prepared him with ‘con­ What other explanation is really The general manager of A ir Viet­ prompted by the desire to spare cated on the handsome hero who stant coaching, conditioning and possible? nam, Nguyen Tan Trung, told American feelings — and by the was ‘hard-drinking, hard-fighting, misleading statements.’ . . . If 500 people in one group stand reporters here: ‘Tourists should recognition that Americans are fair and square.’ A prescription “While the witch-hunt of lies in the way of Saigon troops while not be afraid to visit Saigon be­ not commercially responsive to presumably only a Nordic type in the Lamb case was collapsing, the “enemy” is trying to make a cause actually there is no fighting anything that impugns the essen­ could fill.” landing, nothing less than mass tial uprightness of their national Harvey Matusow, one of the gov­ in the town. Fighting is all on New Victory in Anti-Poverty hypnosis could keep them in this be h a vio r.” ernment’s most celebrated paid the outskirts.’ ” “W ar” — A few weeks back we cross-fire position against their informers was making more and All the News That Fits — Last Beatties S e llin g Out? — Some reported that the war on poverty more revelations . . . w ill. week we commented that a dis­ ultra-leftists in Britain may feel had ground to a halt in Knoxville, Jerry Alberti “Senator Watkins was hardly patch from Havana in the New vindicated in their charge that Tenn., when local officials re­ the Beatties have forgotten their pleased as he had to sit and listen "Indispensable" Y o rk Daily News, which scarcely fused to meet government regula­ to Matusow describe how he had pretends to be anything other working-class origins and copped tions by paying members of a Burnaby, Canada campaigned for him at the request than a gutter rag, was more hon­ out to the Establishment. A cor­ neighborhood youth corps $1.25 an Enclosed is money order for a of the late Senator McCarran. est than a report on the same poration has been organized whose hour for working in school cafe­ one-year subscription to The M ili­ One part of the job is particularly subject in the “objective” N ew assets consist of 56 songs written terias. The city had planned to tan t. interesting. The Mine, M ill and York Times. Now a reader has by two of the four Beatties and pay them 80 cents an hour. But Y ou are making an indispen­ Smelter Union opposed Watkins’ sent us copies of a wire-service stock in the company is being of­ the dispute has been ironed out. sable contribution to the educa­ re-election. Matusow appeared be­ photo from Vietnam which ap­ fered to the public. Beattie cham­ The youth w ill be paid $1.25 an tion of a socialist vanguard in fore the McCarthy committee and peared in both papers Feb. 17. pions can argue that the stock is hour but w ill get ten hours work A m erica. falsely swore that the 1950 cop­ The caption under the picture in being offered at $1.08 a share a week instead of the 15 hours P.C. per strike of the union had been th e Tim es read: “IN THE COR­ thus making it available to the originally planned. NER OF A BATTLEFIELD: A masses. called to sabotage production for Testimonial Tired of Your Old Jalopy? — the Korean war. Matusow’s ex­ South Vietnamese woman, hold­ Chicago, Ill. Negro Cowboys — On being in­ Fur-designer Jacques Kaplan, penses for campaigning in Utah ing child, pleads with a Govern­ I wish to state my opinion of troduced to President Johnson, whoever he is, designed a car for were paid by the Watkins cam­ ment soldier as town in which Dick Gregory asked him if he a client that’s covered with zebra The M ilitant. she lives burns, background. p aign com m ittee.” — Feb. 28, had any Negro cowboys on his skin — on the outside. The cost It is what its name implies. It South Vietnamese patrol had been 1955. states facts as they are, without ranch. There may be few in the of the fur and the Renault un­ fired upon from hamlet near fear. U.S. today, but there were some derneath it was but $2,848, lead­ |«IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIH1llllllllllillllllllllllllllllHIIMIIIIIIIIHIMIHI^ T a m ky, a coastal to w n 35 m iles C.H.S. 5,000 in the Old West, according ing us to suspect that either the north of Saigon.” The News p u t to a new book, Negro Cowboys car or the zebra is a lemon. Mr. it more plainly: “As smoke rises by Philip Durham and Everett L. Kaplan offers the same deal, but f 20 Years Ago | New Reader (background) from her burning New York, N. Y. Jones. The fact of their existence at varying prices, for mink, sable village, a Vietnamese woman I don’t normally write to manu­ and the role they played has been or leopard. “Vigilante violence, overtly en­ holds her child and weeps while facturers of products or publishers couraged by the capitalist press pleading with government soldier of literature with which I am im­ and slyly winked at by the local near village of Tam Ky. Troops pressed, but after reading two authorities, raised its head in Cali­ burned village when someone issues (which, incidentally, I pur­ fornia last week to endanger the from town shot at them.” SPECIAL $1 INTRODUCTORY OFFER chased at the 116th St. and Broad­ lives of Japanese-Americans re­ way entrance to the Columbia Old World Courtesy — R ich a rd turning to the West Coast from To reach the widest audience with our campus) I’d like to ask you to keep A. Falk of the faculty of Prince­ inland concentration camps into coverage of the Freedom Now Movement up your effort to inform your ton University discloses in the which they were thrust shortly readership with news and view­ Feb. 15 N a tio n that the export we are offering a 4-month introductory after America’s entry into the points which are all but absent in version of the Italian film, La subscription to The Militant for $1. ($1.50 w a r. the conventional press. Dolce Vita, was expurgated. He outside of the U.S.) “Persons . . . unidentified put Enclosed is $1 for an introduc­ writes that there is “a scene in the torch to the home of Bob tory subscription. which Steiner explains the mur­ Morishege and his family at Name T . B. M . der of his children and his con- Selma, in southwestern Fresno county, and burned it to the ground . . . At about the same Thought for the Week S tre e t ...... Z o n e time, shotgun barrages were di­ rected at the homes of S. J. Ka- “There is no excuse for blocking people from voting in this coun­ tutani and Frank Osaki one eve­ try today. I have no use for gradualism in these things. This is a ‘now’ C ity State ning during the dinner hour . . . right. It is not something to talk about, to negotiate . . . I think the federal government should march right in with troops. But they won't, “In neither instance have the Send to The Militant, 116 University Place, of course, because of political considerations.” — Episcopalian Bishop vigilante thugs responsible for the New Y ork 3, N . Y . murderous assaults been ar­ James A. Pike in a Feb. 19 San Diego speech on the denial of voting rested.” — M a rch 3, 1945 rights to Southern Negroes. Page Eight th e MILITANT Monday, March 1, 1965 "PLOT" TO BOMB STATUE OF LIBERTY Further Facts Revealed Role of Police Agent Bared In Whitmore Frame-Up By Barry Sheppard the anti-Negro bias exhibited by J. Edgar Hoover in his slander of By William Bundy When the initial hysteria began Rev. Martin Luther King as a “no­ to die down over the far-fetched torious liar.” NEW YORK, Feb. 22 — Further Hoffert case was obtained by De­ bomb “plot” against the Statue frame-up practices by the New tective Edward J. Bulger, and the The “plot” hysteria has also of Liberty, the ugly visage of po­ York City Police Department and Brooklyn NAACP recently de­ been used to launch a red-baiting lice provocation in the civil-rights the Brooklyn District Attorney’s manded the re-opening of other campaign, smearing militant movement began to emerge. office have come to light in con­ cases in which Detective Bulger blacks and the ideas of socialism. nection with the case of 22-year- obtained confessions. One of these The involvement of the New The New York Post, alleg ed ly a old Negro laborer George Whit­ is the case of David Coleman who York police in the alleged scheme liberal paper, carried an article more who was forced to “ confess” has been awaiting death in the to commit vandalism began when Feb. 17 by Bernard Lefkowitz en­ within a 24-hour period last April electric chair on a 1960 conviction they sent an agent provocateur, titled “The Beliefs Behind the to three major crimes. One of the of rape-murder. His execution has Raymond Wood, into CORE and Suspects,” which attempts to link “confessions” — that to the dou­ been delayed by appeals. Follow­ the Metropolitan Committee for a the Statue-of-Liberty “plot” to ble murder of Janice Wylie and ing the NAACP demand Brooklyn Freedom Now Party. A ge nt p ro ­ China, Cuba, and the Progressive Emily Hoffert — has been ac­ District Attorney Aaron E. Koota voca te u r is a French phrase, mean­ Labor Movement — although knowledged to be false by the announced he would re-open the ing a police agent sent into op­ “none of the alleged plotters was Manhattan District Attorney but case by submitting the question of position organizations to prod a PLM member ...” them to commit unlawful acts, or Whitmore has already been con­ the validity of Coleman’s confes­ The D a ily News on Feb. 18 car­ victed of a Brooklyn rape charge sion to court review. to commit such acts in their name J. Edgar Hoover ried a story, “Quebec Parley based on another of the “confes­ in order to frame them or make Bill Introduced them vulnerable to prosecution. Hatched U.S. Bombing Plot.” This sions” and faces trial for murder work of fiction says that Robert In another development, a bill This has been a police practice above what the police admit? Was April 5 on the third “confession.” F. Williams, North Carolina Negro to abolish capital punishment has from time immemorial. the whole idea Wood’s in the first The new revelations concern been introduced in the state legis­ W ood, as a CORE m em ber, p a r­ place? Would the “ plot” ever have leader forced into exile in Cuba the conviction of Whitmore last in 1962, m et w ith C o llie r, W ood lature by Brooklyn Assemblyman ticipated in the attempt by CORE been even suggested if it weren’t Nov. 18 on charges of attempted and others in January in northern Bertram L. Podell. In a speech leader Herbert Callender to make for him? Did police money pay rape of Mrs. Elba Borrero in Quebec to plan the vandalism and on the floor Feb. 16 Podell pointed a citizen’s arrest of Mayor Wagner for the dynamite and its trans­ Brooklyn last April. other acts. It also tied in Cuba’s out that the facts about Whit­ last year. He reportedly flashed a portation from Canada? It has now been revealed that Che Guevara. At the time of this more’s confession in the Wylie- “V for Victory” sign at reporters The police, FBI and newspapers the police sent the evidence alleged meeting in Canada, W il­ Hoffert case might not have come as he was led away from City Hall. have inflated the case out of all against Whitmore to the FBI for liams was on a well-publicized out until after the switch on the Callender was given a heavy sen­ proportion. After all, what is analysis. In addition to the con­ visit to China and other countries electric chair was pulled. “We tence. charged, at most, is not a “plot” fession, this evidence consisted of of the Far East. have acknowledged redress of It is not clear just how many to harm anyone, but an alleged a button Mrs. Borrero said she The press also tried to link the grievances to be a natural right,” groups Wood infiltrated to carry scheme to vandalize national had torn from the jacket of her “plot” to French-Canadian sep­ he said, “but the dead have no out his dirty work. Police say he monuments. The small quantity of attacker. dynamite “discovered” by the po­ aratist organizations in Quebec redress.” gained the confidence of Robert The FBI laboratory report was lice couldn’t possibly have done through Miss Duclos. Canadian Podell introduced a second bill Collier, Walter Bowe, Khaleel that it was extremely doubtful more than chip the Washington authorities have subsequently to provide that where a confes­ Sayyed and Michelle Duclos, who the button came from the coat Monument, one of the supposed denied any such link existed. sion is to be used as basis for an have been arrested in the Statue worn by Whitmore when he was targets, whose walls are eleven- The police and FBI boast that indictment, either a judge or a Of Liberty “plot,” and agreed to arrested A p r il 25, 1964. T h is re ­ feet thick at the base. they nipped in the bud the “great defense attorney must be present give them classes on “sabotage.” port was received by the Brooklyn But the hysteria whipped up conspiracy” to blow up the Statue during the questioning leading to This so-called “sabotage” course D.A.’s office several days before by the New York police and FBI of Liberty. But real murders and the confession. “In Whitmore’s was to be given at a meeting in the trial began. The prosecution, has served to draw attention away bombings of people — not statues case,” Podell said, “ as in the case Canada in January. however, used the button and the from adverse publicity for both and monuments — go unsolved of most confessions, we have “In the latter part of January coat as exhibits against Whitmore agencies and to depict Negroes as and unpunished. Why can’t the learned to our shock and horror our undercover man visited the at the trial, and kept the FBI re­ dangerous “ terrorists.” In the case FBI find the bombers who killed that a 61-page statement of com­ Statue of Liberty,” Police Com­ port a secret. missioner Murphy told reporters. of the New York police, the “plot” four Negro children in a Birm­ pletely detailed confession was The purpose of this visit was to stories buried the mounting ex­ ingham church? Why do the mur­ Hearing on Evidence manufactured and force-fed to posure of police brutality and derer of Medgar Evers and the this accused.” look the statue over, for the The report came to light Feb. group’s alleged plans to bomb it. frame-up in the Whitmore case, killers of the three civil-rights Podell also introduced a bill to Coleman case and that of the six workers in Mississippi go unpun­ 19 in the course of a hearing on abolish “blue ribbon” juries ex­ Murphy went on to say, “Col­ the admissability of evidence lier and our undercover man went Harlem youngsters in jail since ished? Where is the vaunted police cept in certain highly technical last summer against whom the po­ and FBI efficiency when it comes against Whitmore in the forthcom­ cases such as stock-fraud. Such to Canada during the early part ing murder trial. The FBI report of February in furtherance of the lice apparently have no evidence to protecting the rights and lives juries are overwhelmingly com­ at all. In the case of the FBI, it of living American citizens — not also revealed that the original posed of people with a higher conspiracy. They made inquiries complaint made at the time W hit­ there concerning the obtaining of tends to obliterate memories of statues? than average income status. The more was arrested did not specify jurors must also sign a statement explosives.” a rape charge, but a pocketbook According to the police, Miss that they are not opposed to snatch. The rape charge was typed capital punishment. Podell calls Duclos, who is a Canadian, drove Jonesboro "Deacons" Offer in later, apparently after Whit­ down from Canada on Feb. 16 them “hanging juries.” more had confessed to the two Whitmore’s lawyer, Stanley J. with some dynamite in her car. m u rd e r cases. Police, the FBI and the Royal Example for Rights Forces Rieben, is trying to bar the im­ Canadian Mounted Police recorded Whitmore, who had never been paneling of a blue-ribbon jury for arrested before being picked up her progress. Miss Duclos drove there is no trouble. A former army Whitmore’s April 5 murder trial. A remarkable example of effec­ for questioning in the Borrero into New York at “2:30 on Feb. platoon sergeant, who is a mem­ tive self-defense by a Southern case, said he was beaten until he 16 . . . contacted our undercover ber of the Deacons, has assigned Negro community is taking place confessed to anything the cops man, stated she was at the Col­ himself as personal bodyguard to in Jonesboro, Louisiana, accord­ told him. He later repudiated all onial House, 611 W. 112th St., told CORE Field Worker Charles Fen­ Roy Wilkins Target ing to an on-the-scene report by three confessions, but they were him to come down immediately,” ton. Fred Powledge in the Feb. 21 New held against him anyway. Murphy said. York Times. Negroes there have Fenton, himself, is a believer in The Feb. 17 New York World- Of Youth Sit-Down Wood, the undercover man, was formed an organization called the non-violence. He likes the Deacons Telegram revealed additional in­ NEW YORK — Roy Wilkins, so much the key figure in every Deacons for Defense and Justice because, he says, it is an indigen­ formation showing that Whitmore executive secretary of the NAACP, part of the “conspiracy,” that he which protects the Negro com­ ous organization, formed and run was the man Miss Duclos contact­ munity in general and civil-rights by the people of the community could not have been Mrs. Bor- was the target of a sit-in dem­ ed when she got to New York. workers in particular from racist themselves. He hopes to help them rero’s assailant. It reported that onstration by m ilitant black teen­ she had told her friends after­ agers here Feb. 23. T h e y w ere Wood then contacted Collier, and attacks and harassment. “translate their power into polit­ the pair drove to the parking lot wards that the would-be attacker protesting his refusal to support The organization was formed ical terms.” So far the Deacons in the suburb of Riverdale where had said to her: “I’ve often the current boycott aimed at last summer after the arrival in have never had to fire their guns. the dynamite had allegedly been watched you playing dominoes in toppling school segregation and in­ town of field workers for the Put Cops on Notice concealed by Miss Duclos. There, the yard.” The reference could ferior education for Negroes. Congress of Racial Equality who according to police, Wood and Col­ Several times, they say, they only have been to the summer of Six of the youth squatted in began a civil-rights drive. Jones­ lier got the box of dynamite and have let the local law officials 1963, according to neighbors, W ilkins’ office doorway, refusing boro, in the north central part of took it to their car, and the police know they were watching the when Mrs. Borrero often played to make way. “You’re in shape, the state, has a population of and FBI moved in and arrested treatment given Negroes arrested dominoes on tables set up in the jump over,” commented one of the 4,000, about one-third Negro. them. Duclos, Bowe and Sayyed on this or that minor charge, and backyard of 192-196 Bristol St. sit-downers. were picked up later. According to leaders of the the officials have been more care­ The yard was visible only from Meanwhile, the youthful rights A curious contradiction to the Deacons, the organization began ful than usual. two buildings, to which Whitmore fighters were subjected to verbal police version, according to which spontaneously when a group of They tell of one case in which a would not have had access. More­ abuse by Police Commissioner the dynamite had been buried, was white racists went to the CORE white posse went hunting for a over, in the sum m er o f 1963 he Murphy whose cops have been provided in the Feb. 17 N .Y . H e r­ headquarters and threatened to 17-year-old Negro accused of lived in Wildwood, N. J. No men­ subjecting them to physical abuse. ald Tribune by an eyewitness to come back in force to make trou­ kissing a white girl against her tion of the assailant’s remark (See earlier story, page 2.) Mur­ the arrests, Harry Nelson, super­ ble. Word spread through the Ne­ w ill. The Deacons took the young about dominoes was made at phy asserted that “the threat of intendent in a building adjacent gro neighborhood in a matter of man into protective custody and W h itm o re ’s tria l. the eruption of violence” by the minutes and dozens of Negroes ap­ the girl later changed her story. student pickets forced them to as­ to the parking lot. “He said he had Nature of Grilling seen no one digging in the over­ peared on the streets with guns. “If it hadn’t been for this club,” sign a lot of cops to the dem­ grown lot, as police had described There was no trouble at the CORE says a member of the Deacons, The nature of the questioning onstrations. headquarters. After that the or­ it.” “this boy would have been came to light when the confes­ “For every policeman assigned Even if the police version of ganization was made formal and lynched.” sion in the Wylie-Hoffert mur­ to these demonstrations,” he pi­ what happened is true — and re­ the Deacons now have between According to Powledge, “The ders was proven to be false. An­ ously declared, “ the city loses an­ member, the defendants haven’t 45 and 150 active m em bers w ho Deacons believe that their mere other man has been indicted in other front-line soldier in the bat­ had a chance yet to tell their side patrol the Negro neighborhood existence has kept Jonesboro from those murders. tle against the rapist, the mur­ of the story — then Wood was the re g u la rly . developing into a civil-rights bat­ The New York Civil Liberties derer, the thief, the felon.'' key man in the “plot” and it is They set up lookouts and use tleground. They insist that they Union has called for a state inves­ What he probably meant was doubtful if it would have ever got small shortwave radios for com­ will not misuse the power that tigation of all criminal-investiga- that the cops assigned to picket beyond the idle-talk stage except munication. When the CORE of­ unity has given them.” tion practices of the police depart­ duty have less time to frame peo­ for him. How much of the scheme fice is approached by strangers, This is the kind of practical self- ment as a result of the case. The ple up on such charges. (See did Wood carry out over and the Deacons check to see th a t defense that Malcolm X advocated. Whitmore confession in the Wylie- above.)