Student-led protests THE in China shake regime Page3

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 53/NO. 19 MAY 26, 1989 $1.00 Curtis Bush threatens Panama, fights to lift calls for military coup jail ban Washington dispatches 2,000 more troops BY CINDY JAQUITH PANAMA CITY, Panama- Nearly 2,000 U.S. troops have arrived at Howard on books Air Force Base as Washington intensifies its drive to overthrow the government of BY MARGARET JAYKO Panama. The soldiers bring to 13,000 the DES MOINES, Iowa- The Mark Curtis number of Gls stationed here in violation of Defense Committee has launched an inter­ Panjllllanian sovereignty. national protest campaign against the deci­ On May 15, at a news conference on · sion by prison authorities to deny Curtis the Panamanian soil, U.S. Ambassador Arthur right to receive magazines, books, letters, Davis called on "officers of the Defense and other written material in any language Forces" of Panama to oust Gen. Manuel other than English. Noriega as their commander in chief. The Officials at the Iowa State Men's Refor­ call for a coup was echoed by Ricardo matory in Anamosa say prison policy is to Arias Calderon, who was the vice-presi­ deny all prisoners the rigfit to receive mate­ dential candidate of the Democratic Alli­ rial in any language other than their "pri­ ance for Civil Opposition (ADOC) in the mary" one- with the exception of En­ May 7 elections here. Calderon told report­ glish. They claim this is a "security" ers, "We have friends within the military, measure prompted by lack of prison staff to people who want a change." screen such non-English literature. Washington devoted a multimillion dol­ lar campaign to promote the ADOC presi­ Curtis has been prevented from receiving dential ticket and discredit the Coalition for the Spanish-language monthly Perspectiva National Liberation (COLINA) candidates, M undial and the French-language magazine who called for implementation of the 1977 Lulie ouvriere. His request for an English­ canal treaty. The treaty stipulates that all Spanish dictionary and 501 Spanish Verbs U.S. troops and the 13 U.S. military bases has also been denied. here be removed by the year 2000, and the Other prisoners whose first language is canal turned over to Panama. Spanish are only allowed to receive litera­ The current Panamanian government, Panama City, May 4. Wind-up campaign rally for COLINA candidates, who call for ture in English and Spanish. Defense Forces, and General Noriega have implementation of 1977 canal treaty. Government nullified elections May 10, citing In addition, prisoners are prevented from pledged to fight for implementation of the U.S. interference. Sign at left reads, "Hands off Panama!" sharing literature with each other except treaty. The U.S.-backed ADOC campaign through the prison library. vowed to remove Noriega from p(>wer if The defense committee is urging all sup­ elected. and property." the second vice-presidency, were injured in porters of human rights and constitutional The official voting results had not yet Earlier that day, small groups of AOOC the fighting and an ADOC bodyguard liberties to protest this "arbitrary and unfair" been reported May 10, when Panama's supporters had gathered on streets in the killed. Five members of the Defense Forces restriction. Electoral Tribunal announced it was nulli­ downtown area here and set fire to were seriously injured, some by gunfire, Letters and telegrams can be sent to the fying the elections because of U.S. interfer­ COLINA banners hanging from lampposts. and some Dignity Batallion members were warden asking him to: ence in the voting and numerous irregulari­ While passersby stopped to watch the spec­ hurt. • Reverse the undemocratic ban on ties at polling places. The tribunal said its tacle and some applauded, few joined in the There are two different versions of how Spanish and other non-English language lit­ decision would "contribute to restoring actions. the violence came about. Endara and Ford Continued on Page 4 peace in the country and protecting lives A sharp clash ensued at Santa Ana Park insist they were peacefully protesting and between a group of ADOC supporters and were the victims of an unprovoked attack members of the Dignity Batallions, the mi­ by the Dignity Battalions. But a statement litias organized by the Panamanian govern­ released by the government Defense Forces New York: 'Canal belongs to Panama!' ment last year to help defend the country in charged that ADOC supporters opened fire the event of a U.S. invasion. on government troops, wounding several. It ADOC presidential candidate Guillermo was then that the Dignity Battalions entered Endara and Guillermo Ford, candidate for Continued on Page 5 Eastern strike: big challenge to bosses' antiunion drive BY SUSAN LaMONT Association of Machinists (lAM) who Since 8,500 ramp service workers, me­ work in other industries know they will also chanics, air craft cleaners, stock clerks, and be deeply affected by the outcome of their facility cleaners struck Eastern Airlines union's struggle against Eastern. March 4 - and flight attendants and pilots For those working to deepen support for walked out to support them - working the Eastern unionists' fight, it is useful to people have been following developments look at where the strike fits in to some of in the strike with great interest. the major developments in the labor move­ This is the biggest union battle in recent ment over the past 15 years. Understanding years. Nearly 18,000 workers in about I 00 the conditions the strike grew out of under­ cities are up against a major national corpo­ scores both how serious a challenge this ration whose aim for years has been to fight is to the employing class and the break the unions. stakes all working people have in support­ There is growing understanding that the ing the Eastern workers' struggle. stakes in this fight are high and that what happens in the Eastern battle will affect the Employers' offensive conditions under which workers in other Faced with falling profit rates and industries will confront the employers in stepped-up international competition, the the weeks and months ahead. U.S. ruling families began a systematic Airline workers at other carriers - espe­ drive in the 1970s to squeeze higher profits cially at United and American, where con­ from the labor of workers and farmers. This Militant/Margrethe Siem tract negotiations are now under way - was the deepest assault on the labor move­ Some 100 people picketed the U.S. Armed Forces recruiting center in Manhattan know they're in a stronger position because ment since the Great Depression of the during rush hour May 16 to protest U.S. threats to Panamanian sovereignty. the unions at Eastern are united and have 1930s. Similar actions occurred in other cities. kept the carrier's operations paralyzed for By the end of the decade, this drive tar- II weeks. Members of the International Continued on Page 7 Striking flight attendants issue appeal for funds

The International Association ing the line in order to walk the line their unions. The flight attendants, personally does not support abor- The women's organization agreed of Machinists struck Eastern against Frank Lorenzo." however, do not have a strike fund. tion, but feels that nobody has the to put the flight attendants' garage Airlines March 4 in an effort to Texas Air Corp. Chairman Contributions to the flight atten- right to tell a woman what to do." sale on its calendar and to encour- block the company's drive to "Lorenzo is a proven union- dants can be sent to: Fight Frank One pilot was excited to see the age NOW members to donate food break the unions and impose buster," the letter explains. "As he Lorenzo Fund, 656 Minola Dr., table in the union hall. "This is to the strikers' food bank. massive concessions on workers. did at Continental Airlines, Miami Springs, Aa. 33166. great," he said. "I'm very upset Backed by the 5,900 flight at- Lorenzo is again trying to use the about them trying to take this right • tendants and 3,400 pilots at bankruptcy courts ... as a weapon • away." Some 400 members of the New Eastern, the strike by 8,500 Ma- against Eastern's Machinists, pi- A strike supporter in Atlanta re- When the NOW members tried York United Federation of Teach- chinists has crippled the airline's lots, and flight attendants unions." ports that a number of bars in the to hand a leaflet to one flight atten- ers came to the Eastern Shuttle at "Just as Lorenzo is counting on city have started having "Eastern" dant, she said, "You don't have to La Guardia Airport May 9 for a his friends and allies to back him nights. If you come in wearing a explain this to me. I understand it, strike support rally. "This is not just up, we must count on our friends "Stop Lorenzo" T-shirt or other and I support a woman's right to the Eastern Airlines workers' SUPPORT and allies to back us up," Barry strike item, you get a discount on choose." strike. It is everyone's strike," stresses. "Our funds are being rap- drinks and snacks. There are sev- While most strikers who came Machinists' Local 10 18 President EASTERN idly depleted. Thus we are making eral thousand strikers in Atlanta, by the table supported abortion John DiPaola told the crowd. this direct appeal for financial sup- which was a major hub for Eastern rights, some disagreed with the pro- Sandra Feldman, president of the STRIKERS! port. Every dollar made payable to before the walkout began. choice position or thought that it 102,000-member UFT local, also the Fight Frank Lorenzo Fund will wasn't a question the union should spoke . operations since then. It has also serve as ammunition to help the • be involved with. TWU leader Carmen Gonzalez won broad support from work- Eastern flight attendants remain on On April 25 the National Orga- Throughout the day, groups of thanked the UFT for its donation of ing people in the United States the offensive against labor's arch nization for Women set up an infor- strikers stood around the NOW $35,000 to the strike fund. She also and Canada. Readers - espe- enemy. mational table in the Miami Eastern table, talking the question out and drew the crowd's attention to a res- cially Eastern strikers - are en- "It is your support, and that of strike headquarters to help build for answering those workers who were olution before the New York City couraged to send news of strike people and organizations around an April 26 abortion rights demon- opposed to abortion rights. The dis- Council calling on all New Yorkers soUdarity activities to this col- the country within and outside the stration at the Metro Dade Court- cussions were serious and open. to boycott Eastern and Continental. umn. labor movement that will be deci- house. A pilot, a flight attendant, and After the rail y, the teachers sive in helping us win. In unity Striking Machinists' Local 702 four Machinists went to the April joined the picket line. "Eastern Airlines flight atten- there is strength. Please do what member Zena McFadden staffed 26 demonstration, which drew dants urgently need your help," you can to help us. We will be most the table, along with another NOW more than 250 people. Striking Eastern Machinists says Transport Workers Union grateful for your support," the letter member. Response to the table On May 4 a TWU member and a Local1018 member Susan Anmuth President Mary Jane Barry in are- concludes. "was tremendous from members of member of the Machinists spoke from New York contributed to this cent special fund-appeal letter. Machinists and pilots on strike at all three unions," McFadden said. before a well-attended Miami column, along with Liz Ziers from TWU members have "stopped fly- Eastern receive strike benefits from "One mechanic explained that he NOW executive board meeting. Atlanta. Support shown for West Virginia ballot-access suit

BY JOANNE MURPHY the April 25 election, spoke about why the ballot from 1980 to 1984, however, the state CHARLESTON, W.Va.-Activists from SWP considers the fight to widen access to Part of the legislature amended the law to require four around the state attended a meeting on the the ballot an important part of the battle to signatures on an additional petition in lieu West Virginia State College campus in defend and extend democratic rights. battle to defend of every dollar raised. nearby Institute April 30, titled "Open Up "Election campaigns are a good opportu­ democratic rights. Also speaking at the ballot rights meeting West Virginia's Ballot." nity for socialists to get our ideas out," Mc­ were Don West, a poet and Appalachian The meeting was aimed at organizing Bride explained. "But elections aren't just activist since the 1930s; Henry Clay Moore, support for the Socialist Workers Party's victim of a racist frame-up in Mingo an arena for discussion. They're an arena for have any choice in the selection of the can­ suit against West Virginia's undemocratic County, West Virginia; and Marcya Cain, a fighting. We do want to kick down these didates of the Democratic Party, which election law. The suit is now on appeal to the member of Black United Students at Mar­ ballot laws, so that we can get into this arena pretty well runs the state. federal 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. Robert and use it to build solidarity with the striking shall University. Cain helped organize are­ Bastress, a West Virginia Civil Liberties Eastern workers and Pittston miners. There "Our two major political parties, through sponse to recent racist incidents on the cam­ Union volunteer lawyer and law professor is a serious economic crisis developing, and the state legislature, run the electoral laws. pus. at West Virginia University, is arguing the we need this political space to fight back." Our whole election system is set up in such "There is a great deal of tension and ap­ case. a way as to injure the operation of third and prehension towards anything that's differ­ "I fully understand the importance of McBride's name was on the ballot in the fourth parties. But," Beller continued, ent," Cain said. "You don't learn about the freedom to put your name on the ballot," recent Morgantown election. Although the "West Virginia does not have to be this Socialist Workers Party, you just learn about West Virginia State College NAACP Presi­ signature requirement was small, getting a closed. I think we can open it up." Democrats and Republicans. You don't get dent John Richardson told the meeting. The socialist candidate on the ballot at all In addition to disenfranchising petition any taste of what else is going on." National Association for the Advancement marked a gain in the ballot rights fight in the signers, the West Virginia law requires pre­ Messages to the meeting were received of Colored People chapter and Fair Ballot state. primary filing of petitions for local candi­ from Nancy Ross, director of the national Appeal Fund were cosponsors of the event. WVSC political science professor Gerald dates. It also stipulates filing fees, which Rainbow Lobby, and New Alliance Party "My chapter of the NAACP thought it Beller described one aspect of the state's would have amounted to nearly $5,000 for 1988 presidential candidate Lenora Fulani. would be a great idea to open up our facili­ ballot law that is being challenged by the the 1988 SWP presidential slate and four The NAP was the only third party to get on ties as much as we could for your organiza­ SWPsuit. local SWP candidates. the West Virginia ballot in 1988. tion to hold your function and gather up "The way the law is set up in this state," For more information on the ballot rights more support," he continued. Beller said, "if you want more choice in More state restrictions effort, or to send messages of support and November, you can sign a petition [for an The state Supreme Court ruled in 1980 contributions, write to: Fair Ballot Appeal Part of battle to defend rights independent candidate], but you must agree that these fees must be waived for those Fund, c/o West Virginia Civil Liberties Dick McBride, Socialist Workers Party not to vote in the Democratic or Republican unable to pay. After the SWP and several Union, P.O. Box 1509, Charleston, W.Va. candidate for Morgantown City Council in party primary. So then you're not allowed to others managed to place candidates on the 25323-1509. THE MIUTANT TRLS THE TRUTH The Militant Closing news date: May 17, 1989 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO and DOUG JENNESS Circulation Director: NORTON SANDLER Nicaragua Bureau Director: LARRY SEIGLE 1 Business Manager: JIM WHITE j Special subscription otter Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Seth Galinsky I -~ 12 weeks for $4.00 for new readers - an $8.00 savings (Nicaragua), Arthur Hughes, Cindy Jaquith, Susan LaMont, Sam Manuel, Selva Nebbia, Harry Ring, Judy White (Nica- ragua). · The Militant carries firsthand coverage of • Reports on advances in Cuba Published weekly except one week in August and the last the Eastern Machinists' strike and other week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 labor battles. It features news and analysis • On-the-scene coverage from our West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: Editorial Of­ bureau in Managua, Nicaragua fice, (212) 243-6392; Fax 727-0150; Telex, 497-4278; Busi­ of the developing capitalist economic cri­ ness Office, (212) 929-3486. Nicaragua Bureau, Apartado sis, and resistance by workers and farmers 2222, Managua. Telephone 24845. to employer and government attacks - Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes from the U.S. to the Philippines, Britain to Enclosed is of address should be addressed to The Militant Business 0 $4 for 12 weeks, new readers 0 $9 for 12 weeks, South Africa. Office, 410 West St., New York, N.Y.10014. renewals Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMAS­ 0 $17 for 6 months 0 $30 for 1 year 0 $55 for 2 TER: Send address changes to The Militant, 410 West St., New years York, N.Y. 10014. 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2 The Militant May 26,1989 Student-led protests in China deepen rifts within regime Capital city of Beijing was scene of protests demanding free press and other changes.

BY FRED FELDMAN Li Peng, on the other hand, "is said to be authorities to "shed blood" if necessary to A demonstration of up to 20,000 was An estimated 80,000 protesters gathered waning," Keller wrote. restore order. held in Shanghai, the country's largest city. May 14 in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, A Communist Party Political Bureau The huge demonstration took place as More than 8,000 reportedly rallied in China's capital city, to reiterate demands meeting held May 10 -11 had endorsed students continued the boycott of classes, Changchun, and actions were held in other for democratic rights and other measures. Zhao's proposal to hold more discussions centered in Beijing. The boycott had begun cities. The demonstration was called in the name with the students and consider steps toward in the wake of a student-organized rally "While the nucleus of the crowd was still of greeting Soviet President Mikhail meeting a few of their demands. estimated at between 70,000 and 150,000 students," reported New York Times corre­ Gorbachev, who arrived in China that day The mobilizations coinciding with people on April 22. This gathering coin­ spondent Nicholas Kristof from Beijing on for a visit aimed at normalizing relations Gorbachev's arrival marked the end of a cided with the state funeral for former party May 4, "they were easily outnumbered by with the Chinese government. pause in the wave of student-led protests. general secretary Hu Yaobang. the young workers ...." The protesters included about 1,000 uni­ On May 5 Wang Zhixin, the 21-year-old Until his death on Aprill5, Hu was iden­ The students were also supported by versity students who had begun a hunger general secretary of the newly formed city­ tified as a strong supporter of the regime's hundreds of journalists, who rallied outside strike in the square May 13, calling on the wide student association in Beijing, had reliance on market forces, expanded private the official New China News Agency ,to government to open up a dialogue concern­ called for an end to a boycott of classes that farming and industry, and appeals for for­ denounce inaccurate reporting and moves ing their demands. had begun 12 days earlier. eign investment to develop the economy. against newspapers that sympathetically "Welcome, Mr. Gorbachev, the true re­ He was also identified as favoring ex­ covered the demonstrations. former," read a banner held aloft by the The beginning of the boycott was fol­ panded leeway for criticism of government lowed by a 14-hour march in Beijing April "I hope the student demonstrations will student-led protesters. Another banner read policies. make the government do something about in Russian, "Democracy, our common 27. A crowd of students and workers esti­ mated as high as 150,000 peacefully rolled Hu was forced to step down as general inflation," Kristof quoted Yuan Jun, a Bei­ ideal." jing iron worker who came from out of In the face of the action, the government through lines of police and soldiers as­ secretary in January 1987, as the govern­ signed to hold them back. Up to half a ment staged a crackdown on student pro­ town to demonstrate. "But even if the stu­ shifted the official welcome to Gorbachev dents don't bring up the inflation problem," from the Great Hall of the People, located million people participated in one way or tests and other expressions of dissent. He another, including many workers and other remained on the party political bureau. The Yuan Jun said, 'Til still support them. They near the square, to another site. demand press freedom, which is something Over the past two weeks demonstrations onlookers who showed their support from current wave of student-led protests began the sidelines. when Hu's death became known. The ac­ we need, too. Now we have no freedom at by tens of thousands of Chinese students, all." supported by a growing number of workers, Some students carried a large banner ap­ tions initially took the form of expressions of Qtouming. Many workers said that supervisors had have deepened the political crisis facing the pealing for workers' support. "You work warned them to stay away from the protest. Peking regime. Differences within the gov­ but you get nothing; your life is bitter," it In the wake of the April 27 march, the regime agreed to open up a dialogue with "The aim of the student mov~ment," stu­ ernment and ruling Communist Party over read. They stopped by a large factory, dent activist Xia A. P. told Kristof, "is to how to respond to mounting economic and where administrators had locked the gates the students "through appropriate chan­ nels". give the Communist Party an outside push social problems have sharpened. to keep the students out and the workers in. so that it can reform itself." Moreover, the student protests emerged A student gave a short speech: The students' demands include respect at a time when the government and party "Dear workers, we are all citizens, and for the right to demonstrate; freedom of the "In private," the journalist wrote, "stu­ leadership confront the prospect of prepar­ we all have the right of free movement. If press; measures to end corruption, includ­ dents express almost no interest in social­ ing a succession to the regime's central fig­ anyone stops you from getting out and join­ ing a requirement that party and govern­ ism or communism as an ideology, and say ure, 84-year-old Deng Xiaoping. ing us, that's against the constitution." ment leaders reveal their sources of income instead that they favor whatever will make There are indications that the protests and those of immediate family members; China strong and rich." have tended to strengthen the position of Intimidation fails more expenditures on education; and com­ Growing economic difficulties in China the current party general secretary, ihao The outpouring was a blow to govern­ plete rehabilitation of Hu' s views and repu­ include an inflation rate as high as 30 per­ Ziyang. ment efforts to intimidate the protesters and tation. cent, the highest since the 1949 revolution; From Beijing in the May 15 New York those inclined to support them. The day a drop in grain production last year; and the Times, Bill Keller wrote that Chinese before the action, the Beijing People's Clash over dialogue movement of several million impoverished sources of U.S. and other diplomats say that Daily charged that the student leaders were Tensions rose again when government rural people into the cities. Zhao "seems to be seizing the student un­ conspiring to overthrow the government. officials refused to meet with representa­ In March, fear of unrest resulting from rest and Mr. Gorbachev's visit to establish Party officials let it be known that Deng tives of the independent student federation these developments led the regime to im­ formed by the Beijing protest leaders. himself as the leading Chinese progres­ Xiaoping had said the students were "de­ pose tighter administrative controls over sive." The political star of Prime Minister stroying China's hopes" and called on the The authorities also revived accusations privately owned enterprises and regional against the students. On May 3 government economic bodies. spokesman Yuan Mu charged that the dem­ Tensions have been heightened by the onstrations were being masterminded by "a growing gap between those businessmen 'Kiko' Martinez reinstated as lawyer handful of people." These included Fang and capitalist farmers who have accumu­ Lizhi, an astrophysicist who has become a lated wealth in recent years and the poorest prominent critic of the regime, and the New BY MAUREEN McDOUGALL get out the truth about the case and organize sections of the working people. DENVER - The final chapter in the public support. Martinez was highly re­ York-based Chinese Alliance for Democ­ victorious struggle to defend Francisco spected in the Chicano community for his racy. The party leaders, who have put forward "Kiko" Martinez was written May 1 when defense of victims of police brutality and According to the May 4 Washington the slogan, "To get rich is glorious," also he won reinstatement to the Colorado bar. political frame-ups and for his support for Post, current party head Zhao Ziyang, in his face growing outrage over evidence of A Chicano activist and lawyer, Martinez the rights of farm workers. first public statement on the unrest, "said widespread corruption, reaching into the was framed up in 1973 on phony letter­ After a series of acquittals, mistrials, ap­ the most important factor contributing to top ranks of the party and government. bomb charges. He faced an atmosphere of peals court rulings, and dismissals, the success of the country's economic re­ government-inspired violent attacks Martinez was cleared of each of the three form program has been social stability." against the burgeoning Chicano movement. bomb charges and all related counts. One of Party Political Bureau member Hu Qili In our next issue .. A price was put on his head by local news­ the letter-bomb charges ended in a mistrial adopted a harsher tone. He warned that paper editors, who launched a hysterical when it was revealed that the judge and granting the students' demands would lead Introduction to campaign against "the mad bomber." When prosecutor were colluding to guarantee to the appearance of "many Walesas" a shoot-to-kill order was issued by the Den­ conviction. Another resulted in acquittal. around the country, a reference to the head new book of speeches ver police, Martinez fled to Mexico. The third was dismissed in 1984. of the Solidarity trade union in Poland. by Fidel Castro A year later, his brother Reyes and five "This is a reclamation day," Martinez Student leaders responded by affirming other Chicano activists were killed ~wo told 50 jubilant supporters at a May I press plans for another march on May 4, the anni­ The next issue of the Militant car bombs in--Boulder, Colorado. The po­ conference at the Colorado Supreme Court versary of student protests in 1919 that will feature the introduction by lice never solved the case and even implied when he regained the law license that had challenged repression by the former semi­ Mary-Alice Waters to a newly that the activists had bombed themselves. been suspended because of the charges feudal and imperialist-dominated regime. published selection of four On a trip back to the United States in against him. speeches by Cuban leader Fidel 1980, Martinez was arrested by border May 4 protest Castro, In Defense of Socialism. "I am not only reclaiming the license for cops. The felony charge of using a false More than I 00,000 people again pressed Waters describes the signifi­ myself. I am reclaiming it for Reyes name was added to the list of charges through cordons of police to stage another cance of the speeches given in De­ Martinez." against him. march in Beijing. "The people love the cember 1988 and January 1989 for In a case that became a national cause, Martinez announced his intention to people's police," they chanted as they ap­ presenting a course to confront Martinez fought a long series of court bat­ open a law practice in honor of his slain proached the police lines. "Thank you, po­ the political challenges in today' s tles to clear his name, while the Kiko brother and vowed to "champion the cause lice," they cheered as they passed through world. Martinez Defense Committee worked to of working people and the oppressed." after some shoving but no blows.

May 26,1989 The Militant 3 Curtis fights for prisoners' rights to non-English books

Continued from front page or from leafleting teams that had blanketed deny each prisoner his humanity." The goal erature sent to Mark Curtis. the city. is to keep the world out of the prison, • Extend the right to aU prisoners to re­ Mark Curtis Defense Committee Coordi­ stressed the SWP spokesperson, to tum pris­ ceive non-English language material of nator Stu Singer co-chaired the rally along oners away from politics, from struggles, their choice. with committee Secretary Hazel Zimmer­ and to focus them on the prison world and • End the restriction on prisoners' rights man. She introduced the editors of Per­ its rules and rhythms. to share literature with each other. spectiva Mundial and Lutte ouvriere, Luis "It has taken mighty struggles to bring a Protest messages should be sent to: Madrid from New York and Michel Prairie measure of humanity to prisons, to win a • John A. Thalacker, Warden, Iowa State from Montreal. degree of free expression for prisoners. Men's Reformatory, N. High St., Anamosa, A broad speakers' platform linked Curtis' There's no reason for us to go backward. If Iowa52205. fight for justice and against censorship with we do, the authorities will clamp down • Copies should be sent to Attorney Gen­ other struggles. Some of the panelists had more," he said. eral Thomas J. Miller, Hoover St. Office themselves been imprisoned for their polit­ "We've conquered political ground al­ ical activity. ready in the ongoing campaign to clear Don't miss Margaret Jayko's John Gaige spoke on behalf of the Social­ Mark's name, to expose his victimization, ist Workers Party, the party Curtis is a mem­ and to keep this case in politics and in the May 15 interview with Mark ber of. Gaige is the SWP's national farm news," Gaige pointed out. "Their goal when Curtis on fight to lift prison book work director and chair of the Iowa SWP. they convicted him was to shuffle Mark off ban.ln next week's Militant. He is also a member of the defense commit­ to prison and keep him quiet. But it's diffi­ tee steering committee. cult for the authorities to simply let things be. So they made a big mistake and denied Bldg., 2nd Floor, Des Moines, Iowa 50319. 'A worthy battle' Mark these materials." • Copies of protest messages, and any "I believe when history looks back on our The immediate task, Gaige emphasized, response from Iowa officials, should be sent fight for the rights of Mark Curtis and the is to go back to the thousands of endorsers Militant/Sam to the Mark Curtis Defense Committee, Box other prisoners at Anamosa, it will be seen of the defense committee and ask them to Des Moines Human Rights Commission 1048, Des Moines, Iowa 50311. as a significant and worthy battle for human send a message to the warden. And there's Chairperson Alfredo Alvarez announced his support .for Mark Curtis Defense Teach-in rights that goes well beyond Iowa and An­ an opportunity to reach many new people. amosa," began Gaige. The issues of censorship and book-banning Committee at May 13 teach-in. Mark Curtis is a unionist and political "Mark stood up and fought when it are world issues, said Gaige. activist who was framed up on false charges seemed to many that it was difficult to stand Anyone who believes that human beings have a copy of the Constitution of the United of rape and burglary. In an unfair trial last up. Thousands more in the future will stand should have the right to read, study, commu­ September, he was convicted on both counts States would get you thrown in solitary con­ up in the fight against racism, sexism, and nicate- whether they're in prison or not finement." But struggles by prisoners and and sentenced to 25 years in jail. Curtis has class injustice," continued the SWP leader. - can and should be approached, he been in the state prison at Anamosa since their supporters won the right to have non­ The prison. officials' claim that restric­ stressed. All those who have protested English language materials and revolution­ last December. tions on non-English language literature book-banning in Grenada, the censorship of On May 13 supporters of the defense ary literature, said Ervin. and sharing of written materials among pris­ novelist Salman Rushdie, the banning of This censorship move at Anamosa can be effort held a teach-in here to launch the oners flows from "security" considerations Pathfinder literature in Long Kesh prison in international effort to ask the warden at reversed, he said, if there's a fight by sup­ is a fraud, said Gaige. The dictionaries and Northern Ireland - can be appealed to. porters on the outside. Anamosa to reverse his censorship policies. political magazines that are being withheld The rally also hailed the federal civil rights Public defense is key Another former prisoner who spoke was can't possibly pose a security threat, he Hector Marroquin, who works at the Fire­ suit filed by Curtis two days earlier. He is pointed out. Lorenzo Ervin, a Black rights fighter who suing the police and Des Moines city gov­ stone plant here and is a member of Rubber The issues in this fight against censorship got out of prison in 1983 after serving 15 Workers Local 310. Last year, the Mexican­ ernment for $300,000 for the beating he are at the political heart of the entire struggle years, stressed the irreplaceableness of a received at the hands of the cops when he born worker won his 11-year battle for the for justice for Curtis, he said. Curtis was a public protest effort to fight for justice for right to permanent residence in the United was arrested on March 4, 1988. packinghouse worker and political activist political prisoners. Some 175 people attended the event. States. who defended the rights of immigrant work­ Ervin was in the Marion federal peniten­ Marroquin spent four months in prison in They came from all over the Midwest and ers as part of trying to unify working people as far away as California, Oregon, and New tiary with Indian rights fighter Leonard Pelt­ Eagle Pass, Texas, in 1977 for the same to deal with the problems they face. To do ier and Puerto Rican independence leader "crime" that Curtis' 17 coworkers were ar­ Jersey. Dozens of people from Des Moines that more effectively, he learned Spanish. participated, including several Black work­ Rafael Cancel Miranda. They formed a de­ rested for- not having proper documents. Curtis was arrested, beaten, and framed fense committee for the Marion prisoners. In prison, said Marroquin, they try to ers who had heard about the event from up hours after he had attended a meeting in coworkers who are Curtis defense activists Today, Ervin works with the Concerned Cit­ "re-form" you. One of their biggest suc­ support of 17 Latino coworkers who were izens for Justice in Chattanooga, Tennessee. cesses in this, he said, is when they drive rounded up on the job by immigration cops The Curtis defense effort is so important, people to suicide. If you're a political pris­ and thrown in jail for not having the correct said Ervin, because it "sends a message to oner, they try to make you commit political tfEll/ fo• PI1TIIf1tf[)ER papers. Curtis had spoken in Spanish at the his keepers that he's not alone.... that you suicide, make you give up your ideas, prin­ meeting, emphasizing the importance of in­ cannot do anything to this man. We are ciples, and activity. volving the union in fighting this victimiza­ watching you. And we will fight the fight But such an attempt can backftre, warned The tion. that he is not in a position to fight himself." Marroquin. "It can strengthen your re­ When the cops beat Curtis, they called The "American way," said Ervin, is to solve." frame-up of him, "a Mexican-lover just like you love frame people up on criminal charges. The Spanish is not a foreign language to Cur­ those coloreds." authorities don't always imprison you on tis, he stressed. "It's just another language "Now we've got something to add to the explicitly political charges. Sometimes they people speak in this country and around the Mark Curtis story about the so-called Mexican-lover - charge you with crimes such as rape or drug world." Curtis is trying to learn Spanish, the the fact that he's denied Spanish-language possession in order to drive away support­ rubber worker said, for the same reason that A Packinghouse materials sent to him in prison. We need to ers. Marroquin is trying to perfect his English mount an international campaign to build "By doing that they defeat and slander the - to be a better fighter. "What they don't Worker's pressure on the authorities," Gaige stressed. movement," he stressed. The objective of want us to speak is the politics of working Curtis wants to be better able to speak the rape charges in the Curtis case is to drive people." with fellow workers in prison whose first a wedge between Curtis, "a lifelong orga­ At the teach-in, Alfredo Alvarez, chair­ fight for Justice language is Spanish, just like he tried to do nizer, and his natural constituencies -the person of the Des Moines Human Rights at Swift. And he wants to speak Spanish labor movement, Black movement, and Commission, announced that he was pub­ by Margaret Jayllo better when he gets out of jail. He wants to women's movement." licly endorsing the Mark Curtis Defense be able to study speeches in Spanish by When Ervin first went to prison, "to even Continued on Page 13 This Cuban President Fidel Castro and Nicara­ pamphlet guan revolutionary leader Carlos Fonseca, tells the said Gaige. story of Marli Fight affects all prisoners Committee launches 4-month Curtis, a unionist This fight affects all prisoners, the SWP leader explained. It helps anyone at An­ drive to raise $100,000 fund and~hter for amosa who wants to read something in a immi~rant language other than their primary one. DES MOINES, Iowa- The Mark Cur­ United States and around the world. ~hts, Gaige quoted Curtis' preface to the new tis Defense Committee has set a $100,000 • More defense committee literature. who is pamphlet published by Pathfinder, The fund drive, to run for four months, to Sep­ This includes material on the new fight se~a Frame-Up of Mark Curtis, by Margaret tember 14. That's the first anniversary of against censorship, as well as a video on the 25-year Jayko. Curtis points out that working people Curtis' conviction on trumped-up rape and Curtis case being produced by Hollywood sentence behind bars are becoming as interested in burglary charges. movie writer and director Nick Castle, Jr. inanlowa politics today as working people on the out­ • Moving expenses for the defense com­ prison on side. Defense committee leader John Studer mittee. Because of the success of the inter­ trumped­ To discuss politics, however, said Gaige, explained at the May 14 workshop what the national campaign for justice for Curtis, the uprape you need to "have normal human ex­ funds are needed for: committee has outgrown the space it rents char~s . changes. But at Anamosa, you can't pass • Increased legal expenses resulting from the Pathfinder Bookstore in Des 7lpp.• anything from prisoner to prisoner- not a from Curtis' filing of a federal civil rights Moines and needs new premises. $2.50. book, a piece of defense committee litera­ suit, the appeal of Curtis' conviction for Almost $4,000 was donated to kick off Available at Pathfinder boolistores ture, or even a cigarette." Doing so can rape and burglary, and any legal moves that the fund at the May 13 teach-in. listed on~ 12 or by mail from Path­ involve penalties, including the threat of might be linked to the fight against censor­ Contributions should be sent. to the finder, 410 West St., New Yorll, N.Y. solitary confinement. ship of literature at the Anamosa state Mark Curtis Defense Committee, Box 10014. (Please Include $.75 for pos~ The purpose of this rule, said Gaige, is "to prison. 1048, Des Moines, Iowa 50311. Larger, and hanc:lllq.) make each prisoner an island, to break down • Stepped-up travel by defense commit­ tax-deductible contributions should be human solidarity and social intercourse, to tee activists to speak to people across the made out to PROF, Inc. - M..J.

4 The MiUtant May 26,1989 Cuba, Nicaragua slam U.S. assault on Panama's sovereignty BY CINDY JAQUITH tions against Nicaragua by contra forces on PANAMA CITY, Panama- The gov­ both the Honduran and Costa Rican bor­ ernment of Cuba has warned Washington ders. that there will be "an inevitable and explo­ Nicaraguan Minister of the Interior sive reaction by the peoples of our America Tomas Borge issued a call May 10 to Latin if there is a U.S. military intervention American political parties to "defend against Panama." Panama's right to self-determination" and The statement was issued May 12 by "vigorously reject, without hesitation, in­ Cuba's Foreign Ministry and published in tervention in matters that only the Panama­ dailies here. It condemned Washington's nian people have the right to judge." Borge military threats and interference in made the statement in his capacity as a Panama's elections as "the continuation of vice-president of the Permanent Confer­ the illegal policy the United States has pur­ ence of Latin American Political Parties. sued against this small isthmus country, Borge warned that Washington's course based on a conception of limited sover­ "includes the probability of direct interven­ eignty for the countries of Latin America tion and acts of provocation" aimed in part and the right of the authorities in Washing­ at "denying Panama its right to the canal ton to set themselves up as the supreme zone." judges of the legality of the governments of ''To achieve these objectives," he contin­ Militant/Cindy Jaquith "For a sovereign Panama," read this slogan on a Panama City wall. Cuban statement our region and as interpreters of the will of ued, "the U.S. government is pressuring said: "At stake is pretensions of the U.S. to act as arbiter of our countries." the Latin American peoples." some governments of the region to join in Washington is not only "openly threaten­ its interventionist campaign against Pan­ ing to use force," said the Foreign Ministry, ama. To accept this arrogance would be to ested in consolidating [in Panama] the larg­ or any other type of military aggression but is "preparing the actual use of force condemn the countries of the region to the est possible military fortress from which it occurs." The statement was signed by the against little Panama." crudest intervention in their internal af­ can continue controling, threatening, and Sim6n Bolivar Guerrilla Coordinating "For the government of Cuba," the state­ fairs." invading the peoples of Latin America who Committee, made up of the Revolutionary ment continued, "what is at stake is not the A few days later Peter Rodman, adviser are advancing with determination toward Armed Forces of Colombia, National Lib­ development of the electoral process in a to the U.S. National Security Council, said independence." eration Army, April 19th Movement (M- country of our region but the pretensions of the events in Panama should serve as a The Colombian groups called on "all 19), and People's Liberatipn Army. the United States to act as arbiter of the warning to the Nicaraguan government. democratic governments and fraternal peo­ The General Command of the Farabundo political processes of our countries." Four national liberation groups engaged ples to mobilize and act against this new Marti National Liberation Front of El Sal­ "The government of Cuba rejects foreign in guerrilla struggle in Colombia released a imperialist aggression." vador also issued a statement, declaring it interference in the internal affairs of Pan­ statement asserting that "U.S. imperialism "It is our firm decision," the guerrilla was ready to "fight alongside the Panama­ ama," the statement said. "The authorities doesn't have the slightest interest in the fate groups concluded, "to fight side by side nian people and contribute to the defeat of and institutions of that country should de­ of the Panamanian people. It is only inter- with the Panamanian people if an invasion the new U.S. aggression in Latin America." cide its future. A violation of these sacred principles only favors those who want to prevent closer cooperation between the countries of Latin America and the Carib­ Bush sends troops, threatens Panama bean and to prevent the strengthening of ADOC as the winning presidential ticket. tion of the country." peace, security, sovereignty, and democ­ Continued from front page The National Council of Private Enterprise The National Human Rights Commis­ racy for our peoples." the fighting, the statement said. Speaking in Dublin, Ireland, May 12, is also calling for ADOC to be declared the sion of Panama, whose leadership includes U.S. President George Bush ordered winner. .. . trade unionists, peasant activists, commu­ Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega de­ 1,900 U.S. troops to Panama the next day, Supporters of Panamanian sovereignty nity organizers, and Christian youth, re­ nounced the sending of2,000 U.S. troops to stating, "I am concerned about the safety of Panama as "absolutely illegal and inadmis­ are meanwhile discussing how to defend leased a statement May 12. "We denounce U.S. citizens." But no threats of violence or sible." In Nicaragua itself, the Sandinista their nation from the escalating threat of the U.S: aggression against the people and actual physi£al attacks on U.S. citizens People's Army was placed on maximum U.S. intervention and resolve the political nation of Panama," the commission said. have been reported here, even by the U.S. alert. Humberto Ortega, head of the army, crisis here. military television station Southern Com­ "We also denounce the unpatriotic atti­ warned that, as part of its anti-Panama The National Federation of Public Em­ mand Network. tude of those sectors with economic power drive, Washington was increasing provoca- ployees released a statement May 12. "Our who have used the poverty, lack of infor­ Southern Command Network has sought country now faces a new situation," the to give the impression that U.S. citizens are mation, and discontent of the youth, unem­ union said. "First and foremost is the threat ployed, and toiling majority to pit them in danger, however. On May 12, "Person­ of military intervention by the U.S. govern­ Solidarity center nel Movement Limitation Charlie" was put against their own brothers. We furthermore ment . . . with the complicity of political denounce those sectors of the Defense • into effect, raising the state of alert of Gls forces that are trying to surrender the coun­ here. Southern Command Network broad­ Forces who abuse power in violation of try to Yankee greed." openszn cast instructions to U.S. soldiers to "stay in international principles and the Constitu­ The public employees called on "all pop­ tion." Nicaragua your home except when going to work. ular, patriotic, and democratic sectors, Wear civilian clothing." U.S. military fam­ trade unions, women, and youth to close The commission called on the U.S. gov­ BY SETH GALINSKY ilies living off-base have been ordered to ranks against intervention." The statement ernment to "respect the sovereign rights of MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Several hun­ move onto U.S. installations permanently said the nullification of the elections was Panama, halt the escalation of intervention, dred people attended the recent inauguration by July l. "correct" in that it "prevents for the mo­ respect [the canal treaty], and stop using here of"Casa Benjamin Linder"-The Ben­ Virtually every Southern Command Net­ ment the shedding of blood among Pana­ our terri tory to attack the peoples of Central jamin Linder House. work news broadcast for a week has fea­ manians." America." Linder, a U.S.-bom engineer, was mur­ tured edited film of the ADOC-Dignity "At the same time," the union said, "we It called on "the international commu­ dered by the contras in April 1987 while Batallion clash May 10 interspersed with will keep on defending the legitimate inter­ nity to unconditionally support a peaceful, working as a volunteer on a project to bring unidentified footage of General Noriega ests of public employees and we demand popular, sovereign solution" to the crisis electricity to a rural area. waving a machete. that the government permit our participa­ here, "based on the slogan, 'Invaders' A number ofU.S.-based solidarity groups The network also continues to announce tion in the decisions that will be made in hands off Panama!'" with offices in Nicaragua have joined to­ areas of Panama City where it says political light of the new tum of events in Panama." gether to form Casa Benjamin Linder. Par­ disturbances are occurring that endanger The public employees' federation has ticipating groups include the Nicaragua U.S. citizens. Over the weekend of May been prominent in opposing Panamanian NEW YORK CITY Network, TecNICA, and Architects and 13-14, the station told Gls to avoid the government austerity measures to comply Planners in Support of Nicaragua. Amador Causeway, where it said a political with International Monetary Fund de­ Eyewitness Report Nan McCurdy Mitchell, spokesperson rally was taking place. The "political rally" mands. Through seven national strikes in for the center, explained at the opening cel­ turned out to be a concert by the Cuban the last four years, the union has thus far on ebration that its purpose is to build unity musical group New Generation. blocked a government proposal to lay off among U.S. citizens and solidarity groups in Washington also pressured Latin Ameri­ 30,000 public workers. Political Situation Nicaragua "in the fight against military, eco­ can governments to call a meeting of the Carlos Duque, who was the presidential nomic, psychological, and propaganda ag­ Organization of American States (OAS) on candidate of the COLINA ticket and is a in Panama gression against the people of Nicaragua." May 17 to discuss the Panama situation. leader of the Revolutionary Democratic and Threat of She criticized President George Bush for Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez Party (PRD), initially took a stand against continuing to support the contras. She also will reportedly urge the OAS to demand nullification of the elections, arguing that U.S. Intervention called for an end to the economic blockade General Noriega's resignation. COLINA had won the race. In a May 12 Hear of Nicaragua and condemned Washington's statement he said the nullification should The government of Panama, backed by Cindy Jaquith, Militant corre­ denial of visas to Nicaraguan supporters of be respected, however. the government of Nicaragua, which is also spondent just returned from Pan­ the revolution, preventing them from an OAS member, has declared that the Duque said the PRD "deplored the attack ama; Esmeralda Brown, Latin "speaking the truth" in the United States. OAS has no right to tell Panamanians who with firearms" against the Defense Forces American Women's Workshop; Sergio Ramirez, Nicaragua's vice-presi­ should be in their government. Panamanian May 10 as well as "the physical attack on Olga Sanabria, Puerto Rican So­ dent, also participated in the inauguration Foreign Minister Jorge Ritter stated that the two prominent opposition figures and the and addressed the crowd. A letter from OAS and all other international bodies lamentable death of one of their col­ cialist Party; representative, Casa Linder's parents was also read to the meet­ should instead "reject the U.S. threat to use leagues." He urged his supporters to avoid de las Americas. ing. force" against Panama. "acts of provocation that contribute to justi­ Sat., May 20, 7:30p.m. Casa Benjamin Linder encourages visits ADOC called for a one-day "general fying foreign intervention." 191 7th Ave. (at 21st St.), Manhattan by activists in the solidarity movement and strike" to coincide with the OAS meeting. Duque called for "dialogue" and "collab­ Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more others traveling in Nicaragua. The tele­ The action was to protest the nullification oration among all sectors that reject foreign information call (212) 675-6740. phone number in Managua is 664373. of the elections and demand recognition of intervention and want the full democratiza-

May 26,1989 The Militant 5 Panama coverage spurs discussion in drive's final stretch BY FRED FELDMAN has completed a three-week tour of the "That's right," the young Black woman Maritime Provinces of Canada (New told a Militant distributor before purchas­ Brunswick and Nova Scotia) and the north­ ing a copy in Brooklyn May 13. "The U.S. ern New England states in the United should get out of Panama. The U.S. thinks States. it can invade any country it wants. We have "This is like Christmas to me," said a enough problems here like jobs and Universite de Moncton student, a French­ homelessness." speaking Acadian person from the Mari­ "The canal belongs to Panama," said an­ time Provinces, as he looked over the liter­ other woman who came to the table to buy ature display. "I have been thinking about a subscription when she read the Militant these ideas for a long time." headline. The team members sold 15 subscriptions A number of Panamanians came by sales in one day at the University of Maine at tables and voiced agreement with the Orono, and 38 copies of the Militant to paper's stand against the U.S. workers at the Boise-Cascade paper mill in government's attacks. Rumford, Maine. The on-the-scene coverage by a Militant reporting team in Panama sparked interest Robert Simms of Toronto reported that and discussion in many places as the final the international team included, besides Militant table at Tasman Pulp and Paper mill in New Zealand week of the circulation campaign opened himself, Kate Daher from Pittsburgh and up. A major effort is being made in the last Annette Kouri from Montreal. They sold 49 stretch of the drive to go well over the top subscriptions to the Militant, 3 to Per­ and on time. spectiva Mundial, 6 to Lutte ouvriere, and Subscription drive scoreboard The campaign aims to sell a total of 15 single copies of New International or 8,000 subscriptions to the Militant, Span­ Nouvelle lnternationale. Drive ish-language monthly Perspectiva Mun­ May 13 was a big sales day in Des GoaJs Militant New lnU* PM W dial, and French-language monthly Lutte Moines, Iowa, as well, as Militant support­ (l'erspectiVII (Lutte ouvriere, and single copies of the Marxist ers mobilized to build a meeting on the % Mundfal) ou~re) journals New International and the French­ issues involved in the frame-up of impris­ Area Goal Sold Sold Goal Sold Goal Sold Goal Sold Goal Sold language Nouvelle lnternationale. oned packinghouse worker Mark Curtis. UNITED STATES In Los Angeles, Militant distributors sold Sixty-three copies of the Militant were Portland, Ore.* 195 204 105 160 161 20 20 10 17 single copies and subscriptions at a May 13 sold, 2 of Perspectiva Mundial, and 15 of Seattle• 230 235 102 170 176 25 27 30 29 ' meeting addressed by Oscar Orellana, head New International. Four people obtained Price, Utah• 80 80 100 50 52 15 13 13 13 of the human rights body associated with subscriptions to the Militant and 2 sub­ Des Moines, Iowa 200 195 97 140 143 35 37 20 14 the Farabundo Martf National Liberation scribed to Perspectiva Mundial. Greensboro, NC* 120 116 97 90 90 15 11 13 14 Front of El Salvador. "In the first 20 minutes after our arrival Los Angeles 470 449 96 240 214 90 77 130 156 10 And they also distributed leaflets, along in the hollows just outside Man, West Vir­ Houston 180 168 93 100 117 30 26 45 25 5 0 with several Panamanian youth, for a dem­ ginia," wrote Toba Singer, "five new sub­ Charleston, WV 92 85 92 70 72 15 10 5 I onstration held May 17 to protest the U.S. scribers had eagerly signed up." The hol­ San Francisco 215 197 92 135 118 35 25 35 so 10 4 government's attack on Panama. lows in that part of the coal country are Brooklyn 345 310 90 '190 168 60 77 65 52 30 13 A Panamanian couple bought subscrip­ narrow strips of land, sandwiching the rail­ New York 635 568 89 300 303 150 110 150 144 35 11 tions to the Militant and Perspectiva Mun­ road track leading into the mine, where Cleveland 100 87 87 70 66 18 13 10 7 2 I dial at this gathering. working-class families live in trailers or Miami 250 216 86 145 127 35 18 45 31 25 40 Distributor Betsey Stone described what small houses. Phoenix 132 114 86 70 74 20 8 40 32 2 she called a "mixed reaction" when she The new subscribers were miners on Twin Cities, Minn. 275 237 86 200 179 35 31 30 23 10 4 discussed the front page with workers and strike against Pittston Coal, their family Morgantown, WV 115 99 86 15 90 25 8 10 others on the streets of Los Angeles. They members, and neighbors who support the Austin, Minn. 87 72 83 60 59 15 s 10 7 •I found some supporting the U.S. strike. Chicago 320 262 82 200 156 50 53 60 so 10 3 government's actions against Panama, The final scoreboard for the subscription Salt Lake City 120 98 82 80 66 20 17 15 13 5 2 while others were opposed or very suspi­ drive will be published in the next issue of Philadelphia 190 154 81 125 lll 25 20 30 21 10 cious about Washington's motives. the Militant. To be recorded, subscriptions Newark, NJ 500 405 81 250 226 100 94 100 61 50 24 A sales team made up of U.S. and Cana­ should be in the hands of the business of­ Atlanta 205 166 81 150 128 30 9 20 29 0 dian supporters of the socialist publications fice by Wednesday, May 24, at 12:00 noon. Kansas City• 115 92 80 15 68 20 IS 15 9 0 Pittsburgh 165 132 80 120 102 30 2i 10 I Omaha, Neb.• 130 102 78 80 72 30 18 15 12 0 Eastern Airlines unionists, others Oakland, Calif. 175 135 77 100 102 30 17 40 14 Birmingham, Ala. 170 129 76 130 99 25 23 10 4 3 Detroit 175 132 75 125 116 30 15 s 3 discuss struggles at New York forum St. Louis 175 131 75 130 106 30 18 10 Baltimore 155 105 68 115 82 25 12 10 10 BY SANDRA LEE new company, with nothing new but the Boston 265 179 68 160 lll 40 40 45 21 20 NEW YORK - "There have been other workers." She asked that Aeromexico be Milwaukee 130 82 63 80 63 20 27 9 strikes that have lasted 71 days," began Er­ boycotted and for participation in strike ral­ Washington, DC 170 99 58 100 73 25 4 35 22 10 0 nest Mailhot of the strike committee at lies being planned against the carrier. National Teams 107 98 5 2 Machinists' Local 1018, on strike against Yvonne Perez-Grajales of lAM Local Other U.S . 80 72 4 4 Eastern Airlines. "What is different about 1018, who was among the panelists, ex­ U.S. TOTAL 6,881 6,022 88 4,285 4,060 1,168 M3 1,118 916 310 143 this strike is that we've been able to shut plained how her thinking has evolved AUSTRALIA 30 34 113 17 13 4 8 13 down the airline for 71 days. through the struggle. "I was taught to be­ • "The context of the Eastern strike is that lieve that we have constitutional rights. BRITAIN workers around the world are under at­ Solidarity has proven that there is strength London 150 153 102 95 lll 30 17 20 25 0 tack," he continued. in numbers. We will show not just Lorenzo, Manchester 61 47 77 40 34 15 10 5 3 0 Mailhot was speaking at Public School but all of America that the working class South Wales 59 45 76 40 36 10 4 4 I 41 at a Militant Labor Forum speak-out on will fight to maintain a standard of living South Yorks 60 34 57 30 24 20 3 10 7 Other Britain 60 86 25 23 25 22 12 •6 the Machinists ' strike. Inspired by the for ourselves and our children." 70 8 ' 50 48 20 7 united union fight in stopping Eastern Pres­ Lezlie Brooks from Transport Workers BRITAIN TOTAL 400 339 85 230 228 100 56 ident Frank Lorenzo's union-busting ef­ Union Local 553, the Eastern flight CANADA forts, the forum offered an opportunity for attendants' union, said that thinking about Vancouver• 75 76 101 65 58 6 10 strikers to meet and discuss with each their struggle reminded her of the civil Toronto 270 251 93 150 139 50 42 50 55 20 IS other. Other unionists in the audience were rights fighter Rosa Parks. She said that Montreal 250 195 78 80 42 40 37 30 38 100 .,. invited by chair Jon Hillson to speak about Parks' struggle was not about moving a few Other Canada 54 37 10 3 4 their struggles. rows to a different seat on the bus in Mont­ CANADA TOTAL 595 576 97 295 276 92 95 86 106 122 99 Steve Perozzi of the strike in New York gomery in 1955. "It was about dignity," she against the Tavern on the Green restaurant ICELAND 15 8 53 15 8 concluded. She asked that people not fly NEW ZEALAND and Louise Boise, a striker from Aero­ Continental and not cross the Eastern Wellington• 115 114 99 90 89 20 20 mexico, spoke. picket lines. Tavern on the Green is among the larg­ Christchurch• 95 93 98 80 82 10 4 0 est-grossing restaurants in this country, at "Our goal is to stop the breaking up of Auckland• . 125 119 95 100 100 15 13 4 • $28 million a year. Management threatened the unions," said Mailhot. Whether Eastern Other New Zealand 4 4 to cut off medical benefits if the workers gets sold off in pieces, or whatever hap­ NEW ZEALAND TOTAL 335 330 99 270 275 45 37 12 18 • voted in a union. Despite this the union was pens, he said, "The struggle is to keep the SWEDEN 56 71 127 30 36 20 27 unions." voted in by 96 percent. Medical benefits PUERTO RICO 25 28 112 4 19 18 were cut, and subsequently the workers Perez-Grajales predicted, "While you in Other International 5 3 60 ' weFe locked out by the boss. the audience may feel you're on the outside TOTAL 8,342 7,411 93% 5,150 4,905 1,417 1,110 1,3 13 1,146 462 250 At Aeromexico, Boise explained, over a looking in, this is what they have in store Drive Goals 8,000 4.900 1,350 1,300 450 year ago the airline was "restructured." for more and more of us in the future." She Should be 7,000 88% 4,288 1,181 1,138 "Bankruptcy was declared," she reported, said that we must "get our heads together and "the company began operating as a and prepare now how to fight." *Single copies. Includes Nouvelle Intemationale. •Raised goal during drive.

6 The Militant May 26,1989 Eastern strike challenges antiunion drive

Continued from front page sharing" schemes, and the "team concept" what does and doesn't work in a fight with strikebreaking fund, Eastern began hiring geted the industrial unions in a major way, of work organization, all of which only the bosses. and training scabs. Private security compa­ · several years after public workers' unions weakened the unions further. Eastern workers have their own experi­ nies set up operations at all Eastern facili­ had been dealt severe blows. There were important labor battles dur­ ences -as well as those of other unionists ties, and guards appeared in offices and The warning shots were fired in I977 -78, ing this period, including the I983-84 - to draw on in this fight. restrooms. when the rulers carried out a probe against walkout by copper miners in Arizona and After claiming it was bankrupt in I975, The company was ready to order non­ the United Mine Workers. At a time when the strike by Greyhound bus drivers in Eastern won seven years of concessions union workers to perform lAM members' the word "giveback" was still a new one for I983. These challenges- and the solidar­ from the unions, beginning with a wage jobs, along with people from management. most unionists, the coal operators went ity they won from other workers - showed freeze in I976 and a wage giveback of 3.5 Some 200 management pilots were lined after the miners with demands for conces­ the workers' capacity and willingness to percent a year for five years. up, in addition to the 600 pilots that Eastern sions on everything from wages and health fight. They were the exception, however, to At the end of I983, the unions at Eastern counted on to cross the picket lines. benefits to the right to strike over safety. the overall retreat, and most strikes ended agreed to more cuts for the following year: So confident were the rulers that Some 160,000 UMW A members said no in defeats or setbacks. Machinists and flight attendants took an I8 Lorenzo could finish off the unions at East­ to the coal operators and walked off the job Overall, the number of strikes declined, percent cut, the pilots 22 percent. Non-con­ em that President George Bush decided on Dec. 6, I977. During their II 0-day along with the percentage of workers in tract workers were simply told that they against a recommendation from the federal strike, the miners twice rejected proposed unions. In I974 there were 424 walkouts were getting an I8 percent cut tO<>. To­ government's own National Mediation contract settlements urged on them by the involving more than I ,000 workers; in gether, the workers gave up $360 million. Board to intervene in the dispute - a re­ union leadership and stayed on the picket quest also made by union officials. lines. When then President James Carter On March 3, hours before the midnight ordered them back to work under the Taft strike deadline, the pilots' union voted to Hartley act, they remained out. No coal was back the Machinists. Early that day, Ma­ mined. chinists were locked out by the company Only after an agreement was reached and given minutes to clear Eastern prop­ that forced the coal operators to retreat erty. from their most onerous demands did the miners vote to approve the contract and Fleet grounded return to work. When the lAM set up its picket lines at The miners' success in holding off the I2:0I a.m. March 4 and flight crews began coal bosses through strike action - which walking off planes, it soon became clear they did again in I981 - proved to be the that something quite different was unfold­ exception, however, to what lay ahead for ing than what Lorenzo and others in U.S. the much of the rest of the working class. ruling circles had banked on. Unlike every recent airline strike, the Chrysler 'bailout' unions at Eastern were in this fight to­ The I979 Chrysler Corp. bankruptcy gether. Only a handful of pilots crossed the marked the beginning of a period of retreat picket lines, and only a handful of flights by most major industrial unions in face of got into the air. This has remained true the employers' demands. Some I31 ,000 throughout the duration of the strike: union auto workers agreed to accept years of power has kept the operations of the sev­ lower wages and other concessions in ex­ enth-largest U.S. airline shut down. change for a government "bailout" aimed at This is especially important because the keeping Chrysler afloat. Railway Labor Act, which governs the air­ Beginning in I979, tens of thousands of line and railroad industries and unions, is Charleston Gazette/Chris Dorst designed to throw every possible roadblock auto workers were laid off, as automakers When Eastern held an "open house" in Charleston, West Virginia, May 1 to recruit shut plant after plant to get rid of "excess in the way of the unions ever taking strike scab flight attendants, Machinists' Local656 members Norman Ferguson (left) and action at all. capacity." Jim Gotesky from Rhone-Poulenc/Union Carbide chemical plant, and other unionists, In I98I the federal government crushed Because of the RLA, workers at Eastern set up informational picket. Almost all women who came turned back after talking to endured I6 months of negotiations and a the strike by the Professional Air Traffic strike supporters. Story on event appeared in Charleston Gazette. Controllers' union, signaling an accelera­ one month "cooling-off' period aimed at tion in the rulers' antiunion offensive. This demoralizing them and wearing them coincided with the beginning of a new re­ I985, there were less than 60. At the same time, the three unions and non­ down. Meanwhile, Lorenzo gained time to cession. The employers' offensive revealed how contract workers were given four represen­ organize his antiunion campaign. A heavy blow was dealt to rail workers weak the unions had become in the preced­ tatives on the board of directors and an The strike broke through this demobiliz­ in I98I when a $200 million concession ing years. "employee stock ownership" plan. ing and disorganizing red tape. Five days after the walkout began, package was agreed to by rail union offi­ Out of these experiences, however, anger Three years later, then Eastern president cials at Conrail, along with the layoff of Frank Borman demanded and got another Lorenzo filed for Chapter II bankruptcy in was growing, along with the realization that New York. Since then, the strikers have thousands of Conrail workers. giving the employers concessions without a 20 percent pay cut from the pilots and flight attendants. This time, however, the lAM confronted the rulers' efforts to shift atten­ Between I98I and I984, unionized fight guarantees nothing about the future. refused to go along, despite Borman's tion away from the picket line and solidar­ meat-packers took pay cuts that brought By the end of I985, this anger began to their wages from $I 0.69 an hour to $8.24. threat to sell the airline. ity actions to the bankruptcy proceedings. be translated into a new mood of combativ­ The idea is to convince the workers that In I983 the United Steel Workers gave ity and resistance, starting with packing­ Eastern was sold to Texas Air Corp. in I986, and Texas Air Chairman Frank decisions about the strike will be made seven major steel companies a $1.25-an­ house workers. hour wage cut. More - and, in some cases, Lorenzo began the campaign to break the somewhere else other than on the picket For several years, meat-packing bosses lines, by someone other than themselves. deeper - cuts followed in the I986-87 had slashed wages, increased already dan­ unions at Eastern, as he had done at Conti­ At the same time the strikers are con­ contracts. gerous production speeds to deadly levels, nental in I983. Before the last contract expired in De­ fronting the challenge of fighting to defend Airline workers were also hit hard. De­ and busted some union locals. regulation of the airlines industry meant cember I987, the company started harass­ their unions and winning a settlement they sharper competition among the carriers. Beginning in August I985 with the strike ing the union and violating the agreement. can live with, even if Eastern is carved up. Workers' wages, benefits, and working by unionists at Geo. A. Hormel & Co. in After government-sponsored negotiations Lorenzo is planning to sell the New York­ conditions went on the chopping block as Austin; Minnesota, a wave of strike strug­ started, thousands of lAM members were Washington-Boston shuttle and other parts the airlines fought to maximize profits by gles and organizing drives swept through disciplined and given days off, pressured to of the airline. This means the strikers must cutting costs. meat-packing plants in the Midwest. More take drug and alcohol tests, and forced to fight to defend the union both at Eastern In 1982 Braniff Airlines went "bank­ than 50 percent of the industry work force work overtime and with understaffed itself, and at any parts that get sold off. rupt" and tore up its union contracts. The was involved in these battles over the next crews. The company instituted a draconian next year, the unions were broken at Conti­ several years. attendance policy - upheld by the courts Solidarity nental Airlines when owner Frank Lorenzo In the spring of 1987, miners in Colo­ - and then used it to discipline and fire The Machinists' fight has been met with pulled a similar bankruptcy maneuver after rado, Arizona, Montana, and other western workers. Hundreds of workers lost their an outpouring of solidarity from other the Machinists went on strike. A two-tier states waged successful strikes against the jobs, with union activists and officials workers, especially other unionists, who wage setup was agreed to in I983 by the coal operators' demands for concessions. A being a · special target. More than 7,000 know from their own experience what the Machinists at United Airlines, and by victorious 18-month strike by cannery union and nonunion workers were laid off Eastern workers are up against. The oppor­ unions at American Airlines. Between workers in Watsonville, California, that in the months that followed. tunities to extend this solidarity are wide I980 and 1984, workers at Pan Am took year, struggles by farm workers in Wash­ Eastern, which never negotiated seri­ open, in part due to the AFL-CIO's support $300 million in cuts. ington State, and the I987 -88 battle by ously with the Machinists, demanded $I 50 for the walkout. choice but to accept these concessions. The paperworkers against International Paper million in concessions from the union. More and more Eastern strikers are look­ employers' line - echoed by top union of­ Co. were other examples of the new mili­ These included massive wage cuts, the ing to the support of other workers as their ficials - that givebacks were needed in tancy. right to contract out work whenever it main ally in this difficult fight. It is only order to save jobs appeared as a lesser evil At the same time, workers stepping onto chose, major work rule changes, hiring of with the solid backing of the labor move­ to even more massive layoffs and closed . the field of combat were confronted with part-time workers, cuts in pension benefits, ment that the strikers can fight to keep the plants. Wages and conditions given up now ·the employers' ability to break strikes by and more. airline union-organized, no matter how it's would be returned in the future, the bosses hiring scabs and keeping production going. "Seeing that the acceptance of this con­ assets are disposed of. said, when profitability was restored. Meat-packers at Hormel and John Morrell, tract would mean the breaking of our union, Although this is the first strike for most During this period, millions of workers flight attendants at Trans World Airlines, the lAM membership [nationally} voted 97 Eastern workers, they came into this battle had to accept frozen or lowered wages; bru­ auto workers at Colt Firearms, paper­ percent strong to authorize a strike," ex­ toughened by the previous years' experi­ tal speedup; longer probation periods; workers at International Paper, and other plains a leaflet distributed by lAM Local ences. slashed medical, pension, and other bene­ unions suffered setbacks when their strikes IOI8 from New York's La Guardia Airport. As the weeks pass, a growing layer of fits; wage setups with two tiers or more; were broken in this way. The strike vote came in February. union members is gaining confidence and increasing health and safety hazards on the On February 24 the Transport Workers coming forward to take on more responsi­ job; and more. Hundreds of thousands lost 14 years of attacks at Eastern Union announced that the flight attendants' bilities in the strike - going out and speak­ their jobs, as plants, mills, rail lines, and The current battle at Eastern comes after executive board had voted unanimously to ing to other unions and organizations, or­ mines were closed - some for good, some working people have been through quite a back a strike by the Machinists. ganizing to keep up the picket lines, putting to reopen later as nonunion operations. bit of experience in confronting their em­ Meanwhile, Lorenzo continued negotia­ together food banks, raising funds, and so Many employers tried to tie the workers ployers over the last decade. More workers tions with the pilots' union and prepared to on. This makes the strike stronger and puts into their profit-boosting efforts by pushing are trying to find a way out of this period of take the strikers head on. the unions in a firmer position to meet the "employee stock ownership plans," "profit- retreat, and many have begun to sort out Having amassed a multimillion dollar challenges that are still ahead.

May 26,1989 The Militant 7 Muslim clergy in Britain seek extension of blasphemy laws

BY BRIAN GROGAN "These attacks against Rushdie come at a LONDON - The Muslim hierarchy in Anti-Rushdie time of increasing censorship moves in Brit­ Britain has called for a demonstration on ain. May 27 to demand an extension of blas­ campaign is The government has spent millions trying phemy laws, to provide a legal basis for the revitalized. to silence Spycatcher author Peter Wright," prosecution of author Salman Rushdie for Weppler said. "It has imposed a broadcast­ his novel The Satanic Verses. ing gag on Sinn Fein and has tried to ban the The demonstration is being organized guage," she said, "and discriminated against TV documentary Death on the Rock. It has through the mosques by the British Muslim in jobs and housing because of their color. had a Pathfinder Press bookseller arrested Action Front. The organizers hope to attract "It is, however," she said, "a complete dead and detained under the Prevention of Terror­ Muslims from the European continent and end to focus justified anger against such ism Act and has had many consignments of elsewhere. The march is to begin in the East discrimination on calls to ban The Satanic books imported by Gay's the Word book­ London Mosque and wind up in a rally in Verses or prosecute Salman Rushdie. fact, shop seized by Customs on grounds of Hyde Park. In such mobilizations can only strengthen 'obscenity'. Blasphemy against Christianity was con­ those wealthy ruling families and their sidered a criminal offense in Britain until "The International Press Institute last Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic agents who are responsible for discrimina­ 1967 when it was made a civil offense under year bracketed Britain with South Africa Verses. tion. common law. Offenses are decided by legal and India as countries where media free­ precedent, and punishments are determined ''The steps called for by this demonstra­ doms are at special risk. with the further tightening of immigration by judges, who have wide discretion. tion will make the plight of Black people "Demands to have The Satanic Verses laws and the deportation from Britain of In 1977 Gay News was convicted and worse. It will help the government to banned or Rushdie prosecuted help legiti­ Iranian students and other supporters of the fmed under this law for publishing a poem achieve its goal of restricting and ultimately mize this course," Weppler continued. "In­ Iranian government. Freedoms cannot be about a Roman soldier's homosexual fanta­ removing the political space necessary for deed, they provide a smokescreen for fur­ defended by the restriction of existing dem­ sies about the crucified body of Jesus Christ. working people to function politically in our own name. ther encroachments on civil liberties, as ocratic liberties." Muslim clergy are pressing to have the blasphemy law extended to include all reli­ gions. The archbishop of Canterbury, the highest official in the Church of England, supports that proposal. Pakistani-born journalist speaks out Tony Benn, a Labour Party member of Parliament, has introduced a bill to bar any prosecutions for "schism, heresy, blasphe­ mous libel, blasphemy at common law, or against attacks on Salman Rushdie atheism." The call for the May 27 demonstration is BY DOUG JENNESS Ali has coauthored a play with Howard your religion.' revitalizing the anti-Rushdie campaign that LONDON- The sustained campaign Brenton that deals critically with aspects of "Some people actually thought they began late last year. Symbolic burnings of against writer Salman Rushdie, particularly Islamic fundamentalism and blasphemy were part of the performance," Ali chuck­ Rushdie's book took place in the towns of the death sentence pronounced by and implicitly defends Rushdie. The role of led, "but when they saw they weren't they Bolton and Bradford. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, has intimi­ the play, Iranian Nights, Ali said, was "to shouted at them to get down. The disrupters dated a great many people from speaking clear the air, to show that you can put on were removed, and the play went on. At 'Deadend' out against this attack. stuff like this, and to break the circle of least 50 percent of the theater was filled In a statement released May 9, Doreen One figure here whose criticism hasn't fear." A lot of people, "especially in the with Muslims or people of Muslim origin." Weppler, a rail worker and Communist been muted is Pakistani-born journalist publishing world and the ranks of the intel­ The play was filmed and will be shown League candidate for the European Parlia­ Tariq Ali. Sitting in the offices of Bandung ligentsia are running scared." May 20 on Channel 4's "Bandung File," a ment, said, "Black people, including those Productions, which he is the director of, Ali Ali said the drama played at a West End regular show produced by Bandung Pro­ of Asian background who profess Islam and declared, "No state has the right to pass a theater to packed houses for 10 nights. ductions. Television stations in other coun­ constitute the majority of Muslims in this death sentence on a writer for What they Only one performance was disrupted, when tries, including the United States, are nego­ country, face racist attacks and abuse. They write regardless of what one thinks of the "six Englishwomen in Muslim scarves tiating to buy it. are denied education in their own Ian- literary merits of the work in question." jumped on the stage and chanted 'traitor to Ali noted that the form "running scared takes for many is supposed concern with the offense caused to Muslim fundamentalists in this country" by Changes made in Cuban union leadership Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses. "But they don't care a toss about Muslims or BY JON HILLSON "The style and function of their work," every worker in the industry," Miranda ex­ anyone else," he said. "In spite of what they HAVANA, Cuba-The new organiz­ Miranda said of the SNTA's executives, plained. This process, he said, "will enrich" say, I don't believe these big publishers are . ing committee for the upcoming, congress "was not responsive to the needs of the their final form. concerned about this at all." . of the National Union of Sugar Workers union. It was not effective." Included for debate will be points on the l{upert Murdoch's giant publishing con­ (SNTA) has begun to function, following SNT A leaders around the country, role of the sugar industry in Cuba's econ­ glomerate, William Collins, he said, turned the removal of the top leadership of Cuba's Martinez Cruz said, saw the need "for a omy, labor discipline and the functioning of down a book it had commissioned on biggest union. renewal of the union," that is, a change of supervision, conservation of technology Rushdie. "It was just going to be a straight­ The SNTA's first and second secretaries, leadership. and equipment, and worker training and forward collection of articles from the along with two other members of the This, he said, takes place in "the context leadership. world press on the Rushdie affair, called union's secretariat were relieved of all of the rectification effort, which is always Horacio Cruz, SNTA provincial general The Rushdie Dossier. Contracts had been responsiblities in the 50,000-member labor redefining our tasks." secretary, noted that these and other themes signed, and suddenly they turned it down, organization at a meeting of the union's Rectification is the process initiated by respond to the necessity of involving every saying that it was unbalanced." national committee. the Communist Party of Cuba at its third sugar worker "in the process of the discus­ Ali also hit the Labour Party's silence on Results of the two-day meeting were an­ congress in 1986. It aims to advance and sion." the attacks against Rushdie. "They haven't nounced by the Cuban media on March 24. strengthen worker participation at all levels Cruz said he expected more younger done anything. [Party leader Neil] Kinnock Speaking before members of the 20th an­ of society and government by openly con­ leaders to be elected to the SNTA National has made no statement at all. Nothing!" niversary contingent of the Venceremos fronting bureaucracy, inertia, and routinism Committee. The congress, he said, will Very few voices in Britain's Asian com­ Brigade, a U.S.-based Cuba solidarity orga­ through political means. This is to strengthen rectification in the Cuban labor munities have spoken out publicly, Ali nization, Pedro Ross Leal explained that strengthen consciousness of the human fac­ movement, which has already had a "deep said. "But behind the scenes, there's lots of such changes are an example of "our de­ tor in building socialism. impact." concern about the death threat. I've spoken mocracy." Ross Leal is president of the Or­ It was resistance to this process, a "bad Today, rectification is "a constant. It is to literally dozens and dozens of people in ganizing Committee for the 16th Congress orientation toward facing our tasks" at the permanent," he said. We are more and Bradford and Birmingham who criticized of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC). executive leadership level of the SNTA that more "a totally political people." the anti-Rushdie campaign," he said. "Some comrades," he said, referring to prompted its broader national leadership to Ali stated, however, that many young the SNTA leadership, "didn't use norms act, Martinez Cruz said. The function of the people from Indian and Pakistani back­ well. They violated norms, they abused committee's criticism, he said, was to make HAVANA, Cuba - In answering a grounds, who have grown up in Britain and union resources, and they were replaced." the leaders "more effective, not to destroy question about changes in the leadership of hardly speak the languages of their parents, In an interview the day prior to Ross them." the national sugar workers' union, Pedro are "finding something in religion that can Leal's May 4 remarks, the two top leaders Because their errors "were not those of Ross Leal also touched on shifts in the top give them an identity and that can defend of the SNTA at the 30th of November sugar principle," Martinez Cruz said, the former leadership of the Cuban Workers Federa­ them against the encroachments of the sort mill in Pinar del Rio Province and the pro­ leaders have been employed by the Cuban tion (CTC). The top two officials, including of society they find alien because of the vincial general secretary of the union de­ government. Roberto Veiga, were recently replaced. An incredible degree of racism here." scribed both the changes and the impor­ The 87-member national committee of organizing committee was set up for the Many of the kind of youths who got in­ tance of the SNTA's congress. The date of the union, he explained, removed its four CTC's 16th congress, headed by Ross Leal. volved in radical politics in the 1970s, Ali the gathering was moved up a year by the top members and dissolved itself. It se­ The congress is set for January 25-28. said, are looking to religion today for some same meeting that removed the union's top lected four outgoing members, including Veiga, a member of the Cuban Commuc solution. "It's a fake solution, but there's national officers. Martinez Cruz, and four other SNTA mem­ nist Party's political bureau, had been first that aspect to the situation, which we deal Vidal Martinez Cruz, first secretary of bers to constitute a congress organizing secretary of the CTC for the past 15 years. with in the play," he said. the SNTA at the plant, and Ricardo Mi­ committee to draw up "theses" for the con­ The change was announced in the Cuban A May 27 demonstration in London randa, the union's second secretary, ex­ vention. daily Granma on March 14. called by the Islamic clergy "has nothing to plained that efforts to reverse the function­ The 83 former members will stand for "When a person doesn't work here, re­ do with antiracism," Ali said. It's aim is to ing of the top leadership had been fruitless. election at the congress. Both Martinez gardless of their post or their ideas or if this extend the blasphemy laws to include "We had tried to change the situation for Cruz and Miranda said they thought half comrade works in the leadership of the Islam. "They have a point. If there are to be a long time," Martinez Cruz noted. "We would be reelected. party," Ross Leal noted, "they are changed blasphemy laws why not extend them to were unable to carry out the mandates of The theses will "be discussed in factory if they don't work as they should. There is a every religion. But I think that all blas­ our last congress." assemblies and union meetings involving rectification process here." phemy laws should be abolished."

8 The Militant May 26,1989 'The Last Speeches of Malcolm X' New Pathfinder book makes available never-before-printed talks, interviews

May 19 is the 64th anniversary of the Organization of Afro-American Unity 3./nternationalism and Black liberation. birth of Malcolm X, one of the most sig­ (OAAU). The evolution in Malcolm X's views on nificant revolutionary figures in the There are no startling revelations in these these matters led him to new political con­ United States in this century. To mark new materials.! They do not appreciably clusions about the road forward for Black this occasion, we are printing the alter the political legacy left by Malcolm X, liberation. In his Rochester speech he sum­ foreward to a new book of speeches and nor could they. Like other great modem marized the position he had come to during interviews, Malcolm X: The Last revolutionists, Malcolm sought a wide vari­ the previous several months: Speeches. This volume will be available ety of platforms from which to explain his "Any kind of movement for freedom of from Pathfinder in June. ideas to the widest possible public. And he Black people based solely within the con­ The foreward is copyright by Path­ sought to collaborate with and learn from fines of America is absolutely doomed to finder and is reprinted by permission. others who were thinking and acting as rev­ fail. . . . So one of the first steps that we Subheadings are by the Militant. olutionists. Malcolm X's views can be read became involved in, those of us who got into and studied in the collections cited above. the Organization of Afro-American Unity, BY STEVE CLARK was to come up with a program that would Having long been an uncompromising Sheds light make our grievances international and make foe of the racist oppression of Blacks, Mal­ At the same time, the new materials col­ the world see that our problem was no colm X went through a rapid political evo­ lected here are not just "more speeches" by longer a Negro problem or an American lution to carefully thought-out anti-imperi­ Malcolm X. problem but a human problem. A problem alist and anticapitalist positions during the This volume includes two of his last pub­ for humanity. And a problem that should be last year of his life. That process was cut lic speeches, given during the final week of attacked by all elements of humanity." short by his brutal assassination on Feb. 21 , his life. One was delivered in Harlem on (Malcolm X's views on marriages be­ 1965. February 15 to a meeting of the Organiza­ tween Blacks and whites were another re­ This political evolution places the works tion of Afro-American Unity; the other the flection of his evolving internationalism and of Malcolm X on Pathfinder's list of pub­ following night to an audience in Rochester, changing outlook on who is responsible for lished writings and speeches alongside New York. racist oppression. In the Jan. 23, 1963, those of Fidel Castro, Emesto Che Guevara, Two other items are important radio inter­ speech published here and in others given Maurice Bishop, Nelson Mandela, Thomas views from December 1964 that shed light during that earlier period, Malcolm put sub­ Sankara, and Carlos Fonseca. on how Malcolm X began to articulate the stantial emphasis on the Nation of Islam's These leaders, too, each in their particular evolution of his thinking in light of experi­ opposition to such marriages. During the way, traveled the road through hard-fought ences during his second extended trip to the last months of his life Malcolm publicly national liberation struggles to broader in­ Middle East and Africa from July through changed his opinion. In a January 1965 in­ ternationalist perspectives and revolution­ November of that year. terview cited in Malcolm X Speaks (p. 197), ary action. In doing so, they led millions of It is easier to understand the development he explained: "I believe in recognizing workers and farmers in changing the world. of Malcolm X's political perspectives dur­ every human being as a human being .,­ This has been a clear pattern of the world ing his final months by knowing something neither white, black, brown, or red; and revolution since World War II. Malcolm X about the far-reaching conclusions he had when you are dealing with humanity as a is thus far the outstanding representative of already come to prior to his public break family there's no question of integration or this pattern to emerge from the working with the Nation of Islam in March 1964. intermarriage. It's just one human being class in the United States. Both the continuity and change are illumi­ marrying another human being, or one nated in two speeches, from early and late human being living around and with another Presenting Malcolm X's evolving views 1963, that are published here for the first human being. I may say, though, that ... I Because of the importance of Malcolm time. Malcolm X, February 1965. don't think the burden to defend any posi­ X's ideas and activity to the renewal of Many views that Malcolm X maintained tion should ever be put upon the black man, revolutionary leadership on a world scale, to his dying day are presented powerfully in because it is the white man collectively who Pathfinder moved quickly following his as­ these 1963 speeches: steadfast opposition to self-defense where necessary; identification has shown that he is hostile toward integra­ sassination in February 1965 to publish the Jim Crow segregation; fierce pride in the with national liberation struggles through­ tion and toward intermarriage and toward writings and speeches in which he presented African roots of Black people; refusal to out Africa, Asia, and the Americas; repudi­ these other strides toward oneness.") his rapidly evolving views. speak about himselfas an "American" or ,ation of the AJusion that justice can ever be This publishing effort produced Two about the U.S. government and armed advanced by relying on the good-hearted­ 'A political vacuum' Speeches by Malcolm X (1965), Malcolm X forces as "our" government and "our" army; ness of the oppressors and exploiters, or 4. Political action. Those who had split Talks to Young People (1965), Malcolm X emphasis on the need to look at all events some common humanity shared with them. away from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm Speaks (1965), Malcolm X on Afro-Ameri­ explained in the Rochester speech, "were "in the international context"; recognition Broad range of questions can History (1967), By Any Means Neces­ of the Democratic and Republican parties as the real activists of the movement who were sary: Speeches, Interviews and a Letter by organizations of the racist and imperialist At the same time, reading these 1963 intelligent enough to want some kind of Malcolm X (1970), and more recently the oppressors; support for the right of self-de­ speeches in conjunction with the 1964 inter­ program that would enable us to fight for the Spanish-language Habla Malcolm X fense against racist terror, including armed views and the two 1965 public talks serves rights of all Black people here in the Western (1984). These books largely exhausted the to underline the changes that his political Hemisphere." pool of writings and speeches by Malcolm views had undergone in the months prior to In the Nation, he said, "[B]ecause we 1. The one partial exception is the important from this period that were known to be the assassination. The reader will learn first­ were never permitted to take part in politics, new information presented by Malcolm X in a hand about Malcolm X's political evolution available for publication. Feb. 15, 1965, speech about the secret negotia­ we were in a vacuum politically. We were in Understandably, then, Pathfinder was tions he entered into at the initiative of Nation of on a broad range of questions: a religious vacuum; we were in a political pleased to be approached by Dr. Bruce Perry Islam leader Elijah Muhammad with leaders of 1. Who are the racist oppressors. In 1963 vacuum. We were actually alienated, cut off to publish several speeches and interviews the racist and ultrarightist Ku Klux Klan and Malcolm X expressed the view that the from all type of activity with even the world that he had tracked down (by efforts de­ White Citizens' Councils. While these matters "black, brown, red, and yellow" peoples of that we were fighting against. We became scribed in his introduction to this volume) had been noted in passing in press coverage at the the earth "had an oppressor in common, an sort of a religious-political hybrid, all to time, and are referred to in Peter Goldman's The exploiter in common- the European," that ourselves. Not involved in anything but just while writing a biography of Malcolm X Death and Life ofMalcolm X (New York: Harper that is scheduled to be published in 1990. is, whites, regardless of their deeds. In his standing on the sidelines condemning ev­ & Row, 1974 ), what Malcolm X himself- from Rochester speech, on Feb. 16, 1965, he pre­ erything. But in no position to correct any­ Some of these items were transcribed from the standpoint of a direct participant in these talks tape recordings obtained from James 67X sented a different view: thing because we couldn't take action. - actually said about them on the only occasion "We don't judge a man because of the Shabazz. Shabazz was a coleader with Mal­ that he publicly discussed this matter has never "Yet at the same time, the nature of the colm X of the Muslim Mosque, Inc., and before been in print. color ofhis skin. We don't judge you because movement was such that it attracted the you're white; we don't judge you because activists," Malcolm X explained. "Those you're black; we don't judge you because who wanted action. Those who wanted to do .---Available in June from Pathfinder you're brown. We judge you because of what something about the evils that confronted all you do and what you practice . ... So we're Black people." not against people because they're white. 5. Civil rights struggles. This shift toward But we're against those who practice racism. MalcolmX Malcolm X: We're against those who drop bombs on political action changed the approach taken THE LAST SPEECHES people because their color happens to be of by Malcolm X to the mass civil rights move­ ment that, through a decade of hard-fought a different shade than yours." and bloody battles, succeeded in battering The Last 2. Anti-imperialism. During his final months, Malcolm X began to present a clear down the Jim Crow system of segregation explanation of who he had in mind in speak­ by the mid-1960s. Speeches In his October 1963 speech he was still ing of "those who practice racism" and referring to this movement in largely deri­ "those who drop bombs on people because Six never-before-published speech­ sive terms. For example, he spoke of the es and interviews. Included are [of] their color." In his Dec. 27, 1964, radio interview, mass August 1963 civil rights mobilization Malcolm X's fmal two speeches in Malcolm X hailed those United Nations rep­ of 100,000 people in the U.S. capital as "the print given in the week prior to his resentatives who were "openly accusing the recent ridiculous march on Washington." February 1965 assassination, two De­ United States," as well as the European co­ In his Feb. 15, 1965, speech, however, cember 1964 interviews, and two lonial powers, "of being an imperialist Malcolm X explained that the U.S. govern­ power and of practicing racism." ment was so upset about his break from the 1963 speeches. In his Harlem speech on Feb. 15, 1965, Nation of Islam because "all those militants These newly available works shed he expanded on this theme. "There's a who formerly were in it and were held in light on Malcolm X's political evolu­ worldwide revolution going on," Malcolm check would immediately become involved tion during the last months of his life and reaffirm his place among said. "[W]hat is it revolting against? The in the civil rights struggle, and they would power structure.... An international power add the same kinds of energy to the civil the outstanding revolutionary leaders of the 20th century. structure consisting of American interests, rights struggle that they gave to the Black $8.95. Available in June at Pathrmder bookstores listed on page 12, or by mail from French interests, English interests, Belgian Muslim movement." Pathrmder, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. (Please include $1 for shipping interests, European interests. . . . A struc­ Malcolm X himself had just returned and handling.) ture, a house that has ruled the world up until from the civil rights encampment in Selma, now." Continued on Page 13

May 26, 1989, The Militant 9 .• -. Scores arrested for Atlantic Ocean U.S. VIRGIN PUERTO ISLANDS RICO _: CJ·-~ . ..,. ..ANTIGUA •nd BARBUDA protesting austerity ~ . ~C .;: ~ GUADELOUPE "' ~'t' v-. ~~ r-.

10 The Militant May 26,1989 'Celebrating 10 years of victories' Head of Nicaraguan labor federation speaks to 40,000 on May Day

BY LARRY SEIGLE strategically defeating the mercenary Jimenez stressed the role in these efforts The first is a revision of the Labor Code, MANAGUA, Nicaragua-Tensofthou­ forces." ofthe "economic brigades," which are made which dates from the days of the Somoza sands of union members turned out here to The destruction caused by the war has up of union members who agree to work dictatorship. Among other things, the celebrate May Day, the international worsened the critical situation facing Nica­ harder to increase production. There are unions want stronger protection ofjob rights workers' holiday. They held marches and ragua, he continued. The toll of the eco­ 42,000 members of these brigades, he said. in the face of firings and layoffs. rallies in cities across the country to demon­ nomic crisis on workers has been heavy. "It A second union proposal is a new law strate their determination to continue the has meant the firing of workers, temporary Policy of accord with capitalists providing for "workers' participation" in revolutionary process that began in 1979 layoffs, a reduction in our economic de­ The CST leader then turned to the gov­ management in businesses, both state and when working people in the cities and the mands, the freezing and deterioration of ernment policy of seeking an accord with private. countryside united to bring down the U.S.­ wages, and contraction of demand. the capitalists in an attempt to encourage backed Somoza dictatorship. "These are the costs that we have faced, investment and increase production. 1990 elections "We are here celebrating 10 years of vic­ and that we will continue to face," he added. It is obvious, Jimenez said, that the forces Jimenez challenged the parties opposed tories," Lucio Jimenez, head of the of COSEP will take advantage of this policy to the government to participate in the elec­ Sandinista Workers Federation (CST) told Responsibility for crisis "to try to impose their capitalist model on tions scheduled for February 1990. "Publish 40,000 people assembled in Managua's The enemies of the revolution, Jimenez the country. your programs, gentlemen," he said. Plaza of the Revolution. "These years have said, "accuse us workers of being responsi­ "We are already familiar with this model. "Put forward your proposals for how to demonstrated the firmness of our working ble for these limitations." But the real re­ It means outrages committed against the end the war. Put forward your proposals for sponsibility lies with Washington, which is peasants' lands and outrages against work­ how to reactive the country'seconomy. And subjecting the country to "a mercenary war ers and their organizations. For the people put forward your program for how to deal Destruction caused by that still isn't concluded and that they are in general it meant repression. We don't with the unjust international economic threatening to reactivate." want that model! order." the war has worsened "We are going to continue fighting for a Responsibility also lies, he continued, Nicaragua's working people will enter "with the unjust international economic socialist model," he said to applause, cheers, critical situation and chants of "People's power!" the elections "stronger than ever before" order, which forces lower and lower prices and will "renew and multiply the votes for facing Nicaragua. on us for the products that we sell, and This involves an "ideological confronta­ tion" as well as "economic competition" the Sandinista National Liberation Front," higher and higher prices of the products that he vowed, to cheers and applause. we buy. between the nationalized businesses and the class in the fight to defend and consolidate private sector, he added. "The ideological A rival May Day demonstration organ­ our political power, conquered on July 19, "And responsibility also lies with those confrontation and the economic competi­ ized by the Permanent Council of Workers 1979." who decapitalize our businesses and who tion doesn't slow down," Jimenez said. "We and other opposition unions drew 2,000 The CST leader was joined on the plat­ sabotage production," he said, naming will be satisfied with it when we see a sus­ people here. Alvin Guthrie, president of the form by Victor Tirado, who also spoke, and COSEP, the opposition bloc of political par­ tained increase in material production. procapitalist Federation of Trade Union by Tomas Borge. Tirado and Borge are ties, and the "so-called Permanent Council "And, let this be clear, we workers are Unity (CUS), denounced what he called a members of the National Directorate of the of Workers," a grouping of trade unions tied going to win in this economic competition. lack of democracy in Nicaragua. Conditions Sandinista National Liberation Front. to antigovernment parties. We are going to bring this country out of for free and honest elections don't exist, he Contingents came from virtually all of the "What we workers are responsible for is economic backwardness." said. major factories in the Managua area. Also having devoted all of our energy and cre­ Official banners prepared for the march Guthrie also called on the U.S. govern­ present were schoolteachers, health work­ ativity to contribute to the strategic defeat of and rally focused on two proposed laws that ment to lift its economic embargo against ers, soldiers from the Ministry of the Inte­ the counterrevolution and giving essential the CST and other progovemment unions Nicaragua, a position not shared by many of rior, members of the Sandinista Police, and support to the economy of our country." are supporting in the National Assembly. the groups participating in the action. office workers from government ministries. Revolution's conquests Jimenez chose the occasion to remind Nicaraguan leader speaks of effects participants of the accomplishments as well as the sharp class conflicts of the first few years of the revolution, l?efore Washington launched the mercenary war that brought of 'perestroika' in the Americas death and destruction on a staggering scale to an already impoverished country. Below are major excerpts of an inter­ when Nikita Khrushchev was the head of ization of agriculture have. "The revolution," said Jimenez, "put in view with Victor Tirado that appeared in the Communist Party in the Soviet Union, a What they are trying to do now is redi­ the hands of the working people the property the April 2, 1989, Barricada. Tirado is a similar atmosphere was generated, but it rect into economic development part or of Somozaism, the mines, and the natural member of the nine-person National Di­ was only temporary, it did not last. even most of the resources that before went resources. Illiteracy was reduced to 12.9 rectorate of the Sandinista National Lib­ Now all indications are that this is not a to strengthen the military apparatus. In percent. Infant mortality was reduced. Polio eration Front (FSLN). temporary phenomenon. The Soviet gov­ other words, to transform military produc­ was eradicated. The interview was done by Roberto ernment has rejected the course of war, the tion into civilian production, to put science, "More than a million students began to Garcia of the Agencia Nueva Nicaragua. arms race, and maintaining its national se­ technology, and human resources at the ser­ attend classes. A housing plan was devel­ Translation is by the Militant. curity through strengthening its military ca­ vice of production for individual consump­ oped, and urban plots were given out. More pacity. Now it is trying to defend its secu­ tion and for productive purposes. than 5 million acres of land were distributed rity through its standing in the world, This tum is changing relationships on a to the poor peasants. Garda. In your opinion, what is the sig­ nificance of perestroika in terms of interna­ through its economic development. And world scale. "Employment grew, and from the first not only its external security but also its months of the revolution more than 300,000 tional relations? internal security. Garda. What effect does all this have on working people organized ourselves into Tirado. Perestroika represents a revolu­ Socialism has, for the moment, lost the Latin America, Central America, and the unions. We set ourselves the task of reacti­ tion in the Soviet Union that has shaken up battle between the socialist system and the so-called Third World? vating the economy, which had been bat­ and transformed international relations. It capitalist camp. To put it another way, so­ tered and trampled on by somocismo and is not my intention right now to take up cialism has not been able to do better than Tirado . ... In Latin America, what has dealt blows by the liberation war." what this means inside the country, but advanced capitalism in the economic field. opened up is a period of reforms, of parlia­ rather to look at the international impact. The Soviet leaders realize that their mentary, electoral, and trade union strug­ But, Jimenez continued, this produced a gles, in which armed actions are not on the reaction from the capitalists' association It has created an atmosphere of relaxed achievements in the military area have held tensions and peace throughout the world. In back economic development, just as exces­ agenda. known as the Higher Council of Private The forms, the methods of struggle are Enterprise (COSEP). Acting in alliance with the past, for example, during the period sive centralization and the forced collectiv- changing. Up to now revolutionary trans­ "union groups of the right and others calling formations have taken place in a very tense themselves left," he went on, the COSEP atmosphere, through wars, with whole re­ forces "called a strike and sabotaged pro­ gions militarized. In this kind of atmo­ duction." This bosses' "strike" included ex­ sphere a lot of human, financial, technical, tensive decapitalization of factories and and material resources are squandered, farms, Jimenez explained. which only aggravates economic problems. In response, "we workers took to the We are entering a stage in which revolu­ streets until we won confiscation of the tionary changes can take place in an atmo­ decapitalizers," he recalled. "Little by little, sphere of peace, through civic struggles. we won greater consciousness among our So we have to change our strategies and class brothers of the need to denounce the tactics to fit the new realities, without los­ strike and create workers' management as a ing sight of our main goal, which is the new revolutionary method of struggle. perspective of socialism, of a pluralist so­ "In this way, we firmly advanced the re­ cialism, one without forced collectiviza­ construction of the country. In this way, we tions, one that is decentralized, and one that advanced the historic program of the is not attempted until social relations and Sandinista National Liberation Front." economic development have reached an 'Economic program postponed' advanced level. It has been shown that you cannot jump However, the contra war interrupted this over historical stages with impunity, and forward march, Jimenez said. "We were thus that socialism cannot be established by forced to postpone our economic program decree .... to confront the war of aggression imposed on us beginning in 1981 by the Reagan Garcia. What impact will perestroika administration. have inside the United States? "From then on the best of our people and all of our resources were devoted to protect­ Victor Tirado, member of National Directorate of Sandinista National Liberation Tirado. This entire tendency toward re­ ing the people's conquests, confronting and Front of Nicaragua. Continued on Page 13 May 19,1989 The Militant 11 -CAlENDAR------WEST VIRGINIA ALABAMA of the Caribbean and Central America; former GEORGIA press secretary to Grenada's assassinated prime Charleston Birmingham minister Maurice Bishop. Translation to Span­ Atlanta Socialist Educational Weekend. Rally Against Racism. A gathering to condemn ish. Fri., June 2. Reception 6:30 p.m.; program The Legacy of Malcolm X. Classes. Sat., May In Defense of Communism: Peres­ the April20 defacement of Rev. Dr. Martin Lu­ 7:30 p.m. First African Methodist Episcopal 20, 4 p.m., video on the life of Malcolm X. 7:30 troika and Capitalism, the Growing ther King, Jr., monument in Kelly Ingram Park; Church, 2270 S Harvard. For more information p.m., "What We Can Learn from Malcolm X Imperialist Crisis, the Cuban Revolu­ denounce growing neo-Nazi white supremacist call (213) 380-9460. Today," by Miesa Patterson. Sun., May 21, 3 tion and Marxist Leadership Today. "skinhead" youth gangs; demand more intensive p.m. "Race Prejudice, How It Began and When Speaker: Doug Jenness, editor of the Mil­ investigation and prosecution of those who com­ Oakland It Will End." 132 Cone St. NW, 2nd floor. Do­ itant. Sat., May 27,7:30 p.m. Lobby Ball­ mit racist acts. Sat., May 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nicaragua, Cuba, and Revolutionary Per­ nation: $5 for weekend series, $2.50 for each room, Holiday Inn downtown, 600 Kelly Ingram Park, (6th Ave. Nand 16th St. N) spectives Today. A discussion series for work­ event. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more Kanawha Blvd. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Sponsor: Birmingham chapter, Southern Chris­ ers and activists held every Monday 6-8 p.m. information call (404) 577-4065. Militant Labor Forum. tian Leadership Conference; Mayor's Commis­ and Tuesdays 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in May and June. Cuba's Place in the World Struggle for sion on the Status of Women; Alabama chapter, 3702 Telegraph Ave. Sponsor: Pathfinder Book­ MARYLAND Socialism. A class by Doug Jenness. National Organization for Women; National Al­ store. For more information call (415) 420- Baltimore Sun., May 28, 10 a.m. Call (304) 345- liance Against Racist and Political Oppression; 1165. U.S. Hands Off Panama! Speaker: Ed Fruit, 3040 for location and information on con­ Young Socialist Alliance; students from Parker, U.S. Hands Off Panama! A panel of speakers, Socialist Workers Party, member United Steel­ ference. Ramsay, Vestavia Hills, Berry, Huffman, and including Porfirio Acevedo, Socialist Workers workers of America Local 9140. Sat., May 20. other high schools; others. Party, member Oil, Chemical and Atomic Dinner 6 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. 2913 sor: Militant Forum. For more information call Workers Local 1-395. Sat., May 20, 7:30p.m. Greenmount Ave. Donation: dinner $3; pr<>gram (503) 287-7416. CALIFORNIA 3702 Telegraph Ave., Donation: $3. Sponsor: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more Militant Labor Forum. For more information information call (301) 235-0013. WEST VIRGINIA Los Angeles call (415) 420-1165. Malcolm X: His Ideas and Their Importance Report Back from Des Moines. Mark Curtis Morgantown San Francisco for Today. Celebrate the anniversary of Mal­ Open Up the West Virginia Ballot. Report on Teach-In. A panel discussion with participants, colm X's birthday. Speakers to be announced. including a report by Nick Castle on progress in Why They Can't Bury Malcolm X. Speaker: fight to end restrictive ballot laws. Speakers: Wayne Schiller, Young Socialist Alliance, Sat., May 27. Dinner 6 p.m.; program, 7:30p.m. Bob Bastress, American Civil Liberties Union producing video on Curtis defense. Tues., May 2913 Greenmount Ave. Donation: dinner $3; 23, 7:30p.m. 1464 Ridgeway. Donation: $5. member International Association of Machinists attorney in Socialist Workers Party challenge to Local 1781. Translation to Spanish. Sat., May program $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. Sponsor: Los Angeles Supporters of Mark Cur­ West Virginia ballot laws; Dick McBride, recent 20, 7:30p.m. 3284 23rd St. (near Mission). Do­ For more information call (301) 235-0013. tis Defense Committee. For more information SWP candidate for city council. Sun., May 21, call (213) 380-9460. nation: $2. Sponsor: YSA. For more information 7:30p.m. 221 Pleasant St. Donation: $2. Spon­ call (415) 282-6255. MICHIGAN sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ Solidarity with Eastern Airlines Strike. Speakers: Joel Britton, Socialist Workers Party, Justice for Dolores Huerta! Town meeting. Detroit tioncall (304) 296-0055. member Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers; Thurs., May 25, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Horace Mann The U.S. Role in Bringing About Change in Middle School Auditorium, 3351 23rd St. (at Geoff Mirelowitz, Socialist Workers Party, South Africa: Are Sanctions Working? member International Association of Machin­ Valencia). Sponsor: Justice for Dolores Huerta Speaker: Rev. Tshenuwani Simon Fa,risani, pas­ • Coalition. For more information call (415) 621- ists. Translation to Spanish. Fri., May 26, 7:30 tor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in south­ p.m. 2546 W Pico Blvd. Donation: $3. Sponsor: 8931. em Africa, lecturer and visiting scholar at Pa­ BRITAIN Militant Labor Forum/Foro Perspectiva Mun­ cific Lutheran Theological Seminary in San London dial. For more information call (213) 380-9460. Francisco Bay Area. Sat., May 20, 7 p.m. Hart­ International Rally: Justice for Mark Curtis! Demonstration at South African Consulate. FLORIDA ford Memorial Baptist Church, 18700 James Speakers: Errol Smalley, Guildford Four Cam­ Speakers from African National Congress of Miami Couzens (just off Lodge Freeway, between 6 paign; Julio Ricardo, Sandinista National Liber­ and 7 Mile). Sponsor: Michigan Coalition for South Africa and South West Africa People's Namibia: New South African Attacks on the ation Front of Nicaragua; Graham Till, secre­ Human Rights. For more information call (313) Organisation of Namibia. Sat., May 27, 12 noon Struggle for Independence. Speakers: Fiso tary, Midland District Council National Union 832-4400. to 3 p.m. 50 N La Cienaga Blvd., Beverly Hills. Makatini, African National Congress; represen­ of Railwaymen; Bobby Gilmore, director Irish Sponsor: Friends of the ANC. tative, Antonio Maceo Brigade. Translation to Why the Third World Debt Should be Can­ Chaplaincy Scheme in Britain; John Gaige, Ten Years After the Grenada Revolution: Spanish and French. Sat., May 20, 7:30p.m. 137 celed. Speakers: Robbie Sinclair-Smith, trade Mark Curtis Defense Committee in U.S. Sat., The Caribbean and Central America Today. NE 54th St. Donation: $2. Sponsor: .Militant unionist and Central America solidarity activist May 27, 7.30 p.m. Conway Hall, Red Lion Speaker: Don Rojas: secretary for propaganda Labor Forum. For more information call (305) just returned from Argentina; Peter Ieh, spokes­ Square. (nearest tube: Holbom). Sponsor: Sup­ and information, Anti-Imperialist Organizations 756-1020. person, Students Against Apartheid, University porters of Mark Curtis Defence Campaign. of Windsor; Jose Batista, Puerto Rican Solidar­ Socialist Educational and Activist Confer­ ity Organization activist in Ann Arbor. Sun., ence. Sun., May 28-Mon., May 29. "The Fight May 21,7:30 p.m. 50191;2 Woodward Ave. Do­ for a World Communist Leadership," Sun., May VANCOUVER, Canada nation: $3. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. followed by classes 4 p.m. more information call (313) 831-1177. -6 p.m. "Cuba and the Transition to Social­ ism," Mon., May 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Conway Socialist Educational Conference Hall, Red Lion Square. Sponsor: Communist May 27 & 28 NORTH CAROLINA League. For more information call 01-401-2293. V.C.C. Langara Campus, Student Union Building , Greensboro Decent Housing Is a Right. Sun.,' May 21, 7 NEW ZEALAND 100 West 49th Ave., Vancouver, O.C. p.m. 2219 E Market. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more . information Auckland ly•wltn•ss R•port on Political Situation in Panama call (919) 272-5996. Which Way Forward for the Labour Move­ and ThNaf of U.S. lnt.rv•ntion ment? Speakers: Matt Robson, New Labour Speaker: Cindy Jaquith, Militant correspondent just returned from Panama. Party; George Fyson, Socialist Action League. OHIO Sat., May 27, 7:30 p.m. Pilot Bookshop, 157 Sot., May 27, 2:30p.m. Cleveland Symonds St. For more information call (9) 793- U.S. Hands Off Panama! Speaker: Dean 075. Th• last.m Airlin•s Sfrlk•: Athans, Socialist Workers Party. Sat., May 20, Th• Stak•s for Working P•opl• 7:30p.m. 2521 Market Ave. Donation: $2.50. Christchurch Speaker: Emest Mailhot, member Eastern strike committee of International Sponsor: Militant Forum. For more information Justice for Mark Curtis, Framed-Up Union­ Association of Machinists Local 1018 at New York's La Guardia Airport, call (216) 861-6150. ist and Political Activist from Des Moines, Socialist Workers Party candidate for New Jersey State Assembly. Sot., May Iowa. Speaker: Kate Kaku, leader of Mark Cur­ tis Defense Committee and wife of Mark Curtis. 27, 7:30p.m. Social to follow. OREGON Portland Fri., May 26, 7:30p.m. PSA House, cor. Madras Th• Coming R•c•ssion and th• Myth of fh• FN• Trad• and Armagh. For more information call (3) 656- Palestine in Revolt: Eyewitness Report from 055. ThNaf and fh• Road Forward for Labor the Occupied Territories. Speakers: Ned Speaker: John Steele, leader of the Revolutionary Workers League. Sun ., Rosch, traveled to West Bank and Gaza in Feb­ Wellington May 28, 10:00 a.m. ruary as member of Oregon Witnesses for Peace Fighting Apartheid. Speaker: Genile Mebule, delegation; Adnan Hamideh, Palestinian activ­ African National Congress of South Africa. Sponsored by supporters of the Militant newspaper. For more information caU ist; Floyd Fowler, Socialist Workers Party. Sat., Sun., May 28, 4:30 p.m. 23 Majoribanks St. Vancouver(604) 873-8898; Seattle (206) 723-5330; Portland (503) 287-7416. May 20, 7:30 p.m. 2730 NE Martin Luther Sponsor: Socialist Forum. For more information King, Jr. (formerly Union). Donation: $2. Spon- call (4) 844-205. -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP

Where to find Pathfinder books and distrib­ 50311. Tel: (515) 246-1695. Market. Zip 27401. Tel: (919) 272-5996. ney NSW 2037. Tel: 02-660 1673. utorsoftheMilitant,PerspectivaMundiol,New KENTUCKY: Louisville: P.O. Box 4103. OHIO: Cleveland: 2521 Market Ave. Zip: International, Nouvelle lntemationale, and Zip: 40204-4103. 44113. Tel: (216) 861-6150. Columbus: P.O. BRITAIN Lune ouvriere. LOUISIANA: New Orleans: P.O. Box Box 02097. Zip: 43202. London: 47 The Cut, SEI 8LL. Tel: 01-401 53224. Zip: 70153. Tel: (504) 484-6418. OREGON: Portland: 2730 NE Union. Zip: 2293. UNITED STATES MARYLAND: Baltimore: 2913 Greenmount 97212. Tel: (503) 287-7416. ALABAMA: Birmingham: 13061stAve. N. Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) 235-0013. PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 9 E CANADA Mailing address: P.O. Box 11963. Zip: 35202. MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: 605 Massa­ Chelten Ave. Zip: 19144. Tel: (215) 848-5044. Montreal: 4274 Papineau, Suite 302, H2H Tel: (205) 323-3079. chusetts Ave. Zip: 02118. Tel: (617) 247-6772. Pittsburgh: 4905 Penn Ave. Zip 15224. Tel: 1S9. Tel: (514) 524-7992. ARIZONA: Phoenix: 1809 W. Indian MICHIGAN: Detroit: 50191;2 Woodward (412) 362,6767. Toronto: 410 Adelaide St. W., Suite 400, School Rd. Zip: 85015. Tel: (602) 279-5850. Ave. Zip: 48202. Tel: (313) 831-1177. TEXAS: Houston: 4806 Almeda. Zip: M5V ISS. Tel: (416) 861-1399. Tucson: c/o Ursula Kolb, P.O. Box 853. Zip: MINNESOTA: Austin: 4071!2 N. Main. Zip: 77004. Tel: (713) 522-8054. Vancouver: P.O. Box 69742, Station K, V5K 85702-0852. Tel: (602) 795-2146. 55912. Tel: (507)433-3461. Twin Cities: 508 N. UTAH: Price: 253 E. Main St. Mailing ad­ 4Y7. Tel: (604) 873-8898. CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2546 W. Pico Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: dress: P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: (801) Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380-9460. Oak­ (612)644-6325. 637-6294. Salt Lake City: 147 E 900 South. Zip: ICELAND land: 3702Telegraph Ave. Zip94609. Tel: (415) MISSOURI: Kansas City: 5534 Troost Ave. 84111. Tel: (801) 355-1124. Reykjavik: Klapparstfg 26. Mailing address: 420-1165. San Francisco: 3284 23rd St. Zip: Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 444-7880. St. Louis: 4907 WASHINGTON, D.C.: 3165 Mt. Pleasant P. Box 233, 121 Reykjavik. Tel: (91) 17513. 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. Seaside: c/o Brian Martin Luther King Dr. Zip: 63113. Tel: (314) St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) 797-7699, 797- Olewude, 1790 Havana St. Zip: 93955. Tel: 361-0250. 7021. NEW ZEALAND (408) 394-7948. NEBRASKA: Omaha: 140 S. 40th St. Zip: WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5517 Rainier Auckland: 157 a Symonds St. Postal Address: FLORIDA: Miami: 137 NE 54th St. Zip: 68131. Tel: (402) 553-0245. Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: (206) 723-5330. P.O. Box 3025. Tel: (9) 793-075. 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. Tallahassee: P.O. NEW JERSEY: Newark: 141 Halsey. Zip: WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: 116 Mc­ Christchurch: 593a Colombo St. (upstairs). Box 20715. Zip: 32316. Tel: (904) 877-9338. 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. New Brunswick: Farland St. Zip: 25301. Tel: (304) 345-3040. Postal address: P.O. Box 22-530. Tel: (3) 656- GEORGIA: Atlanta: 132 Cone St. NW, 2nd c/o Keith Jordan, 149 Somerset St. Zip: 08903. Morgantown: 221 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. Tel: 055. Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577-4065. Tel: (201) 828-1874. (304) 296-0055. Wellington: 23 Majoribanks St., Courtenay ILLINOIS: Chicago: 6826 S. Stony Island NEW YORK: Brooklyn: 464 Bergen St. Zip: WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: 4707 W. Lisbon Pl. Postal address: P.O. Box 9092. Tel: (4) 844- Ave. Zip: 60649. Tel: (312) 363-7322. 11217. Tel: (718) 398-6983. Mid-Hudson: Box Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 445-2076. 205. INDIANA: Muncie: c/o Brian Johnson, 1042, Annandale. Zip: 12504. Tel: (914) 758- 6191;2 N. Dill St. Zip: 47303. Tel: (317) 747- 0408. New York: 191 7th Ave. Zip: 10011. Tel: AUSTRALIA SWEDEN 8543. (212) 675-6740. Sydney: 181 Glebe Point Rd., 2nd floor, Stockholm: P.O. Box 5024, S-12505 Alvsjo. IOWA: Des Moines: 2105 Forest Ave. Zip: NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: 2219 E Glebe. Postal address: P.O. Box 153 Glebe, Syd- Tel: (08) 722-9342.

12 The Militant May 26,1989 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------~----- Many are blessed - Losing from "Roe vs. Wade," an NBC dra- painful experience. Says his law- to aid the undocumented, but deny trolling tar buildup. Kit, $17.99." your job may be just what the doc- matization of the high court deci- yer, "We are talking about a gentle- them jobs. - Ad in Montreal Magazine. tor ordered, says John Davis, a job sion legalizing abortion. Said one man who is used to a certain style agency operator. "Millions of peo- ad agency huckster, "I don't believe of life sitting in a tiny cell." A touch of frost - "When sit- No more grind-and-miss - that advertisers have a moral obli- ting next to a known fascist, does gation to put their products on the An electronic pepper mill. One- Try that one on the foreman one have to make polite conversa- touch control. Plus a tiny flash so line for the benefit of freedom of - A New York artist offers spe- tion?" The question was posed to you can take aim at the plate in a speech." cially created clocks, $2,500 to "Miss Manners" by a student who blackout or at a candlelit dinner. $5,000. The various designs have a got stuck at a dinner table with an $150. Progress report - The Den- common feature - no minute extreme right-winger. "The correct Harry ver City Council voided a 36-year- hand. Says the artist, "It's not nee- posture for such a situation is cool- Ring old zoning ordinance· that made it essary to know the exact time." ness," Ms. M responded. But, she The man does have a golden illegal for unmarried couples to hastened to add, "Miss Manners is voice - We were always puz- live in some of the city's "better" Right on, sisters! - Six New trusting you not to abuse this tech- zled by the hype about the "Great ple remain in boring jobs for a neighborhoods. York nuns charged in a suit that the nique." Communicator." But the Fuji- weekly paycheck and security," he law barring the hiring of undocu- sankei Communications Group, a observes. And they "need to be Outrageous - Adnan big- mented workers violates their reli- Cure the pooch's bad-breath major Japanese corporation, appar- prodded into changing their lives." bucks Khashoggi is in a Swiss gious beliefs. They operate a center complex - "Petrodex brings ently hears something we don't. slammer pending U.S. extradition that aids refugees and the home- you and your dog Home Dental They're hiring the ex-prez to do Now, if the issue was free en- on swindling charges. He does get less, placing some in jobs. They Care, a canine toothbrush and two speeches and stay awake terprise- Bowing to right-wing- mail on the prison fax machine, and said it would be "hypocritical and toothpaste kit. The paste is said to through some ceremonies. The re- ers, some advertisers withdrew his meals are catered. Yet it's a a violation of religious conscience" neutralize mouth odor while con- ported fee, $2 million. Never-before-published speeches of Malcolm X

Continued from Page 9 agnostic, he caught the same hell." progressive, the women were progressive. tion to our knowledge of the political ideas Alabama. As he told the audience in his With this in mind, the Organization of In every country that was underdeveloped of Malcolm X and the experiences that Harlem speech to the OAAU, "I promised Afro-American Unity was launched in June and backward, it was to the same degree that shaped their development. the brothers and sisters in Alabama when I 1964. The OAAU, as Malcolm X explained the women were undeveloped, or underde­ was there that we'd be back. I'll be back, in the Rochester speech, "is a nonreligious veloped, and backward . . . . [l]t's noticeable The importance of making this material you'll be back, we'll be back." organization . . . structured organizationally that in these type of societies where they put available was well explained some 23 years to allow for active participation of any Afro­ the woman in a closet and discourage her ago at a March 1965 memorial meeting for Need for secular political organization American, any Black American, in a pro­ from getting a sufficient education and don't Malcolm X sponsored by the Militant Labor 6. Religion and political organization. gram that is designed to eliminate the nega­ give her the incentive by allowing her max­ Forum in New York City. Appropriately, the These conclusions convinced Malcolm X tive political, economic, and social evils that imum participation in whatever area of the speaker was James 67X Shabazz, who pro­ that - while he himself remained a devout our peoples are confronted by in this soci­ society where she's qualified, they kill her vided a number of the speeches published and practicing Muslim and continued his ety." incentive. . . . So in the African countries here.2 He said: work in the Muslim Mosque, Inc. -a new 7. Women 's political and social advance­ where they opt for mass education, whether "Malcolm's body lies in a grave. His kind of independent and secular political ment. Just as Malcolm X's evolving per­ it be male or female, you find that they have words lie neatly couched on papers and organization had to be constructed. spective necessitated reaching out to fellow a more valid society, a more progressive mysteriously captured on recording tapes, This organization had to be open to all fighters on a political basis regardless of society." but Malcolm's thoughts, like invisible Blacks, regardless of religious or other sec­ their views on religious matters, it also Many other examples of Malcolm X's seeds, have been planted in the minds of ular beliefs, who agreed on the need to or­ meant recognizing the need to involve political evolution can be traced through oppressed peoples in America, in Africa, in ganize a fight around common political women on an equal footing in the battles. these pages. Readers will also need to go to the Middle East and in Europe. And many goals. In his 1963 speeches, Malcolm X was still other collections of his writings and men in different places, at different times, Even while still in the Nation of Islam, he presenting a view of women as subordinate speeches to learn about the development of and in different languages will clothe these said in the Rochester speech, those who to men, with their place restricted to hearth his views on a number of additional impor­ thoughts in the garments that are necessary shared his dissatisfaction had become less and home. By December 1964, however, he tant matters: his growing anticapitalism, his for them to fit the different conditions. and less "concerned with the religion of the had this to say: decision in the last months of his life to no Malcolm's thoughts will only die when all Black man. Because whether he was a "One thing I noticed in both the Middle longer define his viewpoint as "Black na­ people-especially of African origin-are Methodist or a Baptist or an atheist or an East and Africa, in every country that was tionalism," the question of alliances be­ free as Malcolm wanted us to be." tween political organizations of Blacks such as the OAAU and other organizations of the 2. Shabazz's speech was printed in the March oppressed and exploited. 15, 1965, issue of the Militant newsweekly pub­ Curtis fights to lift book ban lished in New York. Excerpts from a speech by Important addition Jack Barnes given at the same meeting are avail­ Continued from Page 4 pie, Eastern strikers, and Mark Curtis. The The speeches collected for this volume by able in the Pathfinder pamphlet, Malcolm X Talks Committee. audience and speakers expressed their soli­ Bruce Perry, then, make an important addi- to Young People. Alvarez has been a fighter for the rights darity with the Eastern strike. of immigrants and against anti-Black rac­ Other speakers included: Hollis Watkins, ism in Des Moines, and has come into con­ a longtime Mississippi civil rights activist -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO----- flict with Des Moines Police Chief William and board member of the Foundation for Moulder over racism and sexism in the po­ Children and Youth; Sammye Roberts, pres­ dence from imperialism. The letters from lice department. ident of the Alabama National Organization TH£ MILITANT the black nationalist leader were released to He saw how the frame-up of Curtis was for Women; Harold Dunkelberger, an Iowa the press by the Muslim Mosque Inc., being used to divide fighters for the rights farmer who was recently foreclosed on and May25, 1979 which Malcolm X and his followers in New of women, of Blacks, and of Latinos. After a member of the American Agriculture York recently founded. examining all the materials related to the Movement, Inc.; Julia Terrell, defense com­ "In the Muslim world they loved me trial and the case and talking to friends about President James Carter says the energy mittee treasurer; and Hakika Assad, a board crisis is "the moral equivalent of war." once they learned I was an American it, Alvarez said, he decided to back this member of the Malcolm X Memorial F.oun­ That's the way the oil trust sees it-as a Muslim, and here in Africa they love me as fight. dation, in Omaha, Nebraska. war against American working people. The soon as they learn that I am Malcolm X of "We need to reach out to people with the Support messages were sent to the rally the militant American Muslims," reports a facts," he said. "People need to understand gasoline crisis now gripping the country is from all over the United States, Canada, and the latest offensive in that war. letter released May 11. "Africans in general what is at stake." He urged everyone to go Sweden, as well as from Kate Kaku, a leader The rip-off at the gas pump has outraged and Muslims in particular love militancy." out from the rally and "start working to­ of the defense committee and Curtis' wife. workers. That anger has even forced the In Africa, his latest letter continues, "the gether harder than you've ever worked in She is currently traveling throughout the 22 million American blacks are looked you life." curtain to be lifted a bit on what's going on: South Pacific, winning support for Curtis' • Sen. Thomas Eagleton said 16 major upon as the long-lost brothers of Africa. Jerry Oliveira, a striker at Eastern Air­ fight for justice. Our people here are interested in every as­ lines and political director of the Virginia Greg McCartan, national chairperson of oil companies had made profits on domesti­ cally produced crude oil ranging from 144 pect of our plight, and they study our strug­ International Association of Machinists, has the Young Socialist Alliance, an office for­ gle for freedom from every angle." been to El Salvador several times. He linked merly held by Curtis, was introduced from percent to 389 percent of the cost of pro­ the fights for justice of the Salvadoran peo- the audience. duction. Concluding this letter from Lagos, Nige­ • The Federal Trade Commission admits ria, Malcolm X says: "Despite Western it has evidence that oil companies have not propaganda to the contrary, our African made full use of available supplies of crude Brothers and Sisters love us, and are happy Nicaraguan leader on 'perestroika' oil and that "the current gasoline shortage to learn that we also are awakening from may be contrived." our long 'sleep' and are developing strong Continued from Page 11 major party candidate for president or vice­ But Carter insists working people are to love for them." laxing tensions, slowing down the arms president for the simple reason that he is blame and that the only thing to be done is An earlier letter from Jedda, Saudi Ara­ race, emphasizing economic development, Black. to give the oil giants the profits they are bia, reported Malcolm's feeling at being expanding democracy - all this will have This is another sign that democracy is demanding. Workers should "use less and accepted, for the first time, as a brother by an impact on the United States. Faced with limited, in this case by racial prejudice, and pay more." the pilgrims of many countries and "of all this new situation, the United States will that elections are not as free as the ruling colors" who came to perform Islamic cere­ have to become more democratic too. circles in the United States boast. monies in the Holy City of Mecca. They In that country, the multiparty system is The United States must also democratize THE "were all participating in the same ritual, almost a fiction. To all intents and purposes its relations with the rest of the world and displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood the Democrats and Republicans are just one especially with Latin America. In the new MILITANT that my experiences in America had led me party. The political system in the United conditions that exist today, a U.S. foreign PubliShed In the Interests of theWortclng People to believe could never exist between the States is closer to a single-party system policy based on force, aggression, threats, May25, 1964 white and non-white .... than a multiparty system. Social, ethnic, repression, blackmail, and financial and "You may be shocked by these words and political minorities do not have a direct trade boycotts, has no future. It is an anach­ In letters from the Near East and Africa, coming from me, but I have always been a voice in the administration or in Congress. ronism, a policy that the world in general Malcolm X has reported enthusiastic wel­ man who tries to face facts, and to accept Thus, an outstanding and charismatic poli­ and most Latin American governments will comes given him by peoples who have but the reality of life as new experiences and tician like Jesse Jackson cannot become a not accept. ... recently obtained their political indepen- knowledge unfold it." May 26,1989 The Militant 13 -EDITORIAlS------Drugs, pregnancy, and Blow to prisoners' right to read abortion rights

manize those behind bars. BY DOUG JENNESS The May 15 ruling by the Supreme Court expanding the For apparently the first time, a mother is being prose­ The Supreme Court ruling barring literature, for exam­ power of prison wardens to control what prisoners may cuted for involuntary manslaughter after her baby was ple, was in response to a prisoner's suit challenging the read and whom they may see is a move that should be born with drugs in its system and died. exclusion of 46 publications. Among these were publica­ vigorously protested by those who defend civil liberties. Melanie Green of Rockford, Illinois, was charged May tions that condemn the brutal treatment of those incarcer­ The Court ruled, 6-to-3, that wardens may censor cer­ 8 with manslaughter following the death of her two-day­ ated in federal prisons. The decision also prohibits tain publications that they feel are "detrimental to the old daughter in February. She has also been ch~rged ~y the literature that contains explicit homosexual material. security ... of the institution." state attorney's office in Winnebago County with delivery Those who are behind prison walls should have the right In an opinion by Justice Harry Blackmun, the Supreme of a controlled substance to a minor. This is a charge nor- Court said that a publication received by an inmate can to read and circulate material of their choosing. quickly circulate throughout the prison and cause disrup­ Today, the Mark Curtis Defense Committee is engaged tion. "In the volatile prison environment, it is essential that in an international campaign to protect precisely those prison officials be given broad discretion to prevent such rights. Curtis is serving a 25-year sentence on trumped-up disorder," Blackmun added. charges of rape and burglary in the Iowa State Men's LEARNING ABOUT Although this ruling codifies what is already the prac­ Reformatory in Anamosa. He is fighting a decision by tice in the U.S. prison system, it emboldens prison wardens prison authorities to bar literature that is not in English to SOCIALISM and other prison authorities to use their power to extend prisoners whose primary language is English. this and other abuses of prisoners rights. This campaign is an opportunity for all those who These rulings have nothing to do with the issue of prison defend constitutional rights to protest this Supreme Court mally leveled against drug pushers. The maximum penalty security. They are an attempt to further isolate and dehu- ruling and the Anamosa prohibition. Green faces for the two charges is 14 years in jail. Thousands of babies born each year have been affected by addicted cocaine or other drugs their mothers were taking. Many of these infants die relatively soon; others are brain-damaged or maimed in some other way. Those that survive often remain on life-support systems for weeks. Reopen Palestinian schools! In general, drug addiction not only leads to the increased degradation of the victims, but to deteriorating health and Palestinian educators have appealed for worldwide Meanwhile, in an added international appeal the Gen­ weakened resistance to disease. This is an especially se­ protest against the ongoing shutdown of West Bank eral Committee of Government School Teachers in the vere problem for pregnant women and the unborn babies schools by the Israeli occupation forces. The appeal de­ West Bank asked for condemnation of the compulsory they are carrying. serves the strongest support. unpaid vacations that the already low-paid Palestinian What can be done about this social scourge? Increas­ Palestinian schools have been shut since almost the school teachers are forced to endure with the school shut­ ingly, many government officials are saying that more beginning of the uprising in December 1987. Some down. repressive measures need to be applied against the moth­ 300,000 students are affected, from kindergarten to the Historically, the most oppressive rulers have always ers, most of whom are poor and from the most oppressed university level. There are about 280,000 students in harbored a particular fear of education among those they sectors of the working class. This includes tossing them in 1,200 public schools, and 18,000 enrolled in five West oppress. One need only think of how U.S. slaveholders jail, a "solution" that is part of the broader campaign being Bank universities and the Islamic University in Gaza. would flog and otherwise severely punish slaves who whipped up these days to arrest and jail more drug offend­ In an appeal addressed to all foreign consulates in were caught trying to learn to read, or participating in ers, denying them bail and extending mandatory senten­ Jerusalem, the Palestine Higher Council of Education underground classes. ces. noted that the shutdown is a violation of international law Working people in this country, and elsewhere, should Another punitive action that is being taken against preg­ as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, demand of the Israeli regime that the Palestinian school nant women who are drug users is to deprive them of which declares every human has the right to an education. system be reopened at once, that teachers receive the back custody of their babies. A few days before Green's arrest, The educators branded the closures a form of collective pay they have been unjustly denied, and that academic a court ordered another woman in Rockford to give up her punishment. They rejected the spurious Israeli claim that freedom be insured by releasing all students and teachers three-month-old child because she had taken cocaine be­ the schools have been shut for "security" reasons. now jailed. fore the infant was born. The council also protested the Israeli army's practice of But punishing drug addicts as criminals, rather than harassing and disrupting home teaching, as well as uni­ This is a particularly relevant issue for teachers' unions, treating them as human beings who require medical care, versity efforts to conduct off-campus makeup seminars. but the entire labor movement has a stake and an obliga­ is not going to resolve anything. It will orily inhibit more Last month, Jerusalem cops boasted they had cracked an tion to speak out. of the victims from seeking rehabilitation for fear of being "underground ring" of 300 university students who were The reactionary school closure also underlines why arrested, ensuring that even more children will be born trying to continue their studies in several East Jerusalem there should be a strong demand for a halt to all U.S. aid impaired. high school classrooms. to the Israeli regime. The billions of dollars poured into The government's obligation should be to provide eas­ The educational council also initiated a petition to the supporting that regime finance the savage repression of ily accessible and adequate rehabilitation at no cost for any United Nations and other international bodies to join the the Palestinians - the beatings, the jailings and torture, addict who seeks it. And there is a special responsibility fight for the release of Palestinian students and faculty the killings. to guarantee free, high quality prenatal care to pregnant members now in prison. More than 300 school teachers And U.S. aid also finances the occupation troops that women. Moreover, education about the ill effects of drugs and university faculty members added their names. keep the Palestinian schools shut. on the fetus is crucial. The prosecution of Green takes place in the context of stepped-up moves by state legislatures and courts to give the government more power to determine the terms and conditions of a pregnancy. For example, state officials in Minnesota are calling for drug testing of pregnant women. Why Grenada gov't bans books The consequences of giving the state the right to control the way women take care of themselves - and their On April 11 the U.S.-imposed government in Grenada political activists from other countries? fetuses -'- during pregnancy is staggering. Should the escalated its widely condemned practice of book-banning Because Grenada's rulers are afraid of the people of government be allowed to say what kind of food pregnant and censorship when an order handed down by the cabi­ that country reading, discussing, and acting on the ideas women can eat or how many hours they can work? These net of Prime Minister Herbert Blaize declared 86 titles of Fidel Castro, Malcolm X, and other revolutionists are not matters for the courts or legislatures. officially barred from the country. whose works Blaize is trying to suppress - ideas which This is not to say that pregnant women or others for that The majority of the prohibited books are published by are becoming more relevant as the economic crisis wrack­ matter have a right to use addictive drugs. This is no more Pathfinder. Several are published by Grove Press and ing Latin America and the Caribbean deepens. a right than inflicting self-injury or committing suicide are International Publishers of New York and Progress Pub­ Such fear is well founded. In 1979 a popular revolution rights. lishers of Moscow. They include titles by . Fidel Castro, took place in Grenada that brought a workers' and But women do have a right to determine if and when to Malcolm X, and Karl Marx. farmers' government to power, led by Maurice Bishop. get pregnant and how best to care for themselves, give In the wake of this attack on the democratic rights of The economic, social, and political conquests of that rev­ birth, and nurture their infants. the Grenadian people, international protests against the olution set an example for toilers around the world. Perhaps the most ominous aspect of the growing cam­ book-banning have escalated. Novelist Graham Greene. The revolution expanded democratic rights. No book paign to use the courts and jails to cut drug abuse by and U.S. Rep. Ronald Dellums are among the prominent or individual was ever banned by the Bishop-led People's pregnant women is that it opens a wedge against the right political figures and public personalities from several Revolutionary Government during its four and a half of women to have abortions. Melanie Green has been countries who have urged an end to the ban. years of existence. charged with manslaughter for abusing a fetus. This is National and international organizations of writers, art­ Today, Grenada stands out among the Caricom (Carib­ what the opponents of a woman's right to choose are ists, journalists, publishers, and lawyers are also protest­ bean Community) countries as the only one of 13 member attempting to get written into law-that destroying a fetus ing Blaize's move. Labor leaders in Grenada, Trinidad states with an active policy of political banning. The is murder. and Tobago, and other Caribbean countries have added Blaize government is also the most openly proimperialist If the courts are to rule that a woman is guilty of murder their voices to the growing campaign of condemnation. in the region. Indeed, it owes its very existence to the if her child dies as a result of drug use during pregnancy, The fight to reverse this book-banning policy continues illegal U.S. invasion and occupation of Grenada in Octo­ isn't it also murder if she has a doctor actually remove the inside Grenada itself. Terry Marryshow, the leader of the ber 1983 and its continued political submission to Wash­ fetus and destroy it? This is the line of argument pursued Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement who had ordered the ington. by the antiabortion rights crowd. forbidden books for educational use by his organization, The government Washington imposed on the Grenad­ Justifiably, there is a great deal of concern about the has filed suit in the Grenada courts challenging the consti­ ian people in the name of "defense of democracy" has large number of infants born as addicts. But government tutionality of the witch-hunting law invoked by the Blaize now become infamous for trampling on their democratic officials and reactionaries are maliciously taking advan­ government to justify the ban. rights. tage of this to undermine supp<>_rt for abortion rights and The book banning goes hand in hand with the Grenad­ The international campaign against Blaize's banning to get acceptance for adoplmg undemocratic and repres­ ian regime's policy of barring Caribbean and North policies continues to gather momentum. We urge our sive measures. American political activists from participating in political readers to contribute to this effort by sending letters and They are attempting to divert attention from a woman's events inside the country. telegrams of protest demanding immediate withdrawal of right to control her reproductive functions. This right, Why is the Blaize government so determined to keep all official lists of banned titles and individuals. Write to however, is essential to increasing the participation of Grenadians from having access to books read by millions Prime Minister Herbert Blaize, Botanical Gardens, St. women in all aspects of social, economic, and political life. of other working people the world over, and from meeting George's, Grenada. It is necessary for women to advance toward full equality with men.

14 The Militant May 26,1989 Joel Britton: 'Why I ran for mayor of Los Angeles' The following are excerpts from "Why I Ran for Finally, he wrote that, "Our political education must workers in their fight for a greater share of the wealth we Mayor of Los Angeles" by Joel Britton, reprinted begin to structure an agenda that deals with our interests produce. from the March-April issue of The Union BuUetin as working people [and] I welcome all of you to partici­ A massive public works program should be initiated to published by the Chevron refinery unit of Oil, Chemi­ pate in this vital debate." put additional millions to work building needed mass cal and Atomic Workers Local 1-547 in Lawndale, I believe my campaign for mayor of Los Angeles has transit rail lines, affordable housing, and all the other been a contribution to this discussion and debate. No things we need. The money is in the Pentagon's war doubt Tom Bradley will be reelected and an agenda serv­ budget. Working people should not be taxed to pay for AS I SEE IT ing not working people but the big-money interests will such programs. continue to be carried out. In the next four years we can Two other measures are necessary to move toward expect to see more homelessness; more cutbacks in med­ uniting working people here and around the world against California. Britton was the candidate of the Socialist ical and other social services; and continued high rates of Workers Party in the Aprilll election. what is coming down on all of us. One is strong affirma­ unemployment, especially among Black youth and immi­ tive action measures to end discrimination in the hiring of "Alky" refers to the Alkylation section of the refin­ grant workers. ery where Britton works as an operator. workers who are minorities and women. There are other things as well, such as further attacks The other is cancellation of the crushing debts owned The OCA W Reporter is the national magazine put by corporate management on hard-won wage levels, out by the union. by developing countries to the bankers in New York, working-condition issues, health and safety standards, London, Tokyo, etc. so the working people of these coun­ Anthony Mazzocchi was elected secretary-treasurer union rights, and a stepped-up assault on our democratic of the union at its convention last year on the"Alliance tries can get out from under the harsh austerity measures rights. imposed by the International Monetary Fund. The general for Progress" slate with the incumbent president and All of the preceding attacks have happened already to vice-presidents. strike in Trinidad last month, led by the Oilfields Workers one degree or another, though some of us have been a Trade Union, points toward the massive struggles against little more shielded from the effects of this offensive. the debt that we should be in solidarity with. BY JOEL BRITfON- ALKY MAYORAL Millions of less protected workers and working farmers Resistance to the antiworker offensive in this country CHALLENGER have been devastated by what has been coming down In the November-December OCAW Reporter, Secre­ from Washington, Sacramento, and City Hall as well as has stiffened a couple of notches with the united battle that has been mounted by the Eastern Airlines machinists, tary-Treasurer Anthony Mazzocchi wrote, "It's time to the corporate board rooms from Wall Street to Century backed by the Eastern flight attendants and pilots fol­ reflect on what the future holds in store for ordinary City. lowed by the Continental attendants. This inspiring exam­ Americans. The recent election campaign failed to crys­ Since both Republican and Democratic politicians ple of labor solidarity points the way forward for our side tallize the issues." He noted that it was "impossible for the have fostered this offensive against us, and since basic and deserves the most immediate and serious solidarity electorate to make clear choices [and that] a record num­ economic trends point towards this offensive deepening, from unionists and all others with a progressive agenda. ber of voters stayed home [on election day]." we had best look to developing the fighting capacity of Brother Mazzocchi wrote, "It is my intention to en­ our side. I have walked the Eastern/Continental picket lines and courage the broadest discussion among our membership We are in a weakened position when millions in this have learned a great deal from these brothers and sisters. about the political facts of life. Our goal must be to country are unemployed, we're divided between those I'd like to thank those Chevron coworkers who have develop a political program to advance our interests." with jobs and those without. That's why I have been wished me well, encouraged me on, chipped in a few The secretary-treasurer pointed to how real wages (cor­ putting forward the demand for legislation that would bucks, and those who have taken the time to read the rected for inflation) "have been declining for 15 years, shorten the workweek with no cut in take-home pay. That Action Program to Confront the Coming Economic Crisis good-paying jobs are declining," and the burden on work­ would increase the penalty on employers for overtime and given me feedback - positive and not so positive. ing people of the Pentagon budget. And he pointed to the hours to double time. Such legislation would force the I'm on the 'non-partisan' ballot as Oil Refinery Worker coming struggle over "Who is going to pick up the tab?" creation of millions of new jobs and greatly strengthen all and I am the candidate of the Socialist Workers Party. -LETTERS----- Unemployment ployment figures report only the I am writing to raise a factual percentage of those counted as point about the statistic you cited being in the labor force who are on the true jobless rate in New without jobs. The large number of York, Baltimore, and Detroit in the workers aged 16 and over who are preface to the second printing of the not in the job market remain unac­ Action Program to Confront the counted for. Coming Economic Crisis, (Militant The figures cited in the preface April28). to the Action Program were taken You wrote that in those three cit­ from an article in the Aug. 3, 1988, ies, "50 percent of working-age issue of the New York Times, based residents are either unemployed or on a report by the U.S. govern­ have become too discouraged to ment's Bureau of Labor Statistics. keep on looking for work." I am The article reported that "nearly very curious about the source of half [45.3 percent] the city's work­ this figure because the number is so ing age residents are neither em­ very high, and I haven't seen it ployed nor looking for work, a Fed­ reported anywhere else. eral report says." The article reports The January 1989 edition of Em­ that this is "worse than the 34.5 ployment and Earnings of the De­ percent of their peers across the partment of Labor reports unem­ nation who are outside the labor ployment rates for the metropolitan force .... the Labor Department areas of New York, Baltimore, and said it recorded nonparticipation Detroit as 4.9 percent, 5.2 percent, rates at the end of last year of 56.4 and 6.8 percent respectively, as of percent in Baltimore and 53.1 per­ October 1988. cent in Detroit." Of course these figures under­ The article concludes: "To be state the true jobless rate because sure, economists said they always ence of anthropology. I don't think We can see numerous examples many of the positions of the Mili­ they do not include discouraged expected some people - includ­ anyone could fault Marx and Eng­ of distortions that take place when tant, I believe you are way off base workers who have given up look­ ing those with severe disabilities, els for not having this information. their environment, culture, and way on the population question. full-time students, and mothers of life is destroyed by colonialism. John-Michael Eggertsen ing, nor do they include persons In natural societies, which de­ working part-time involuntarily. I who stay home with their children Environmental destruction, depen­ Salt Lake City, Utah pend on hunting and gathering food could not fmd metropolitan area - to remain outside the labor dence on their colonial masters, from their environment, population specific statistics for discouraged force .... Experts agreed yester­ and rapidly expanding populations control is virtually always neces­ Always wanted workers, although the total U.S. day that the low rate of participa­ are examples. sary for any long-term survival. Wish I had subscribed earlier! number as reported by the govern­ tion in the New York labor force, I think that restoring natural bal­ This is because people in those so­ The Militant is so much of what ment is approximately 950,000. particularly among teen-agers, was ances is entirely within the scope of cieties can't make a self-sustaining I've always wanted in a news Even if the reported jobless rate a sign of deep economic and social socialism. social contribution until they are in source. for these cities were doubled or tri­ troubles." Daniel Priest their mid-teens, at least. D.H. pled, they would not approach a Salt Lake City, Utah St. Paul, Minnesota level of 50 percent. Can you tell me World population I These "primitive" societies had how you obtained the 50 percent I'd like to throw in my two cents extremely rich and complex cul­ on the world population debate. I World population II The MHitant special prisoner figure? tures, including complex rituals, fund makes it possible to send Jim Sarsgard think that the place to look for guid­ Having been a Militant reader mystical beliefs, taboos, and social for several years I'm always aston­ reduced-rate subscriptions to Baltimore, Maryland ance on population questions is in structures. They often had tradi­ ished when I read articles expressly prisoners who can't pay for natural or nature-based societies tions of"oral history" in which cer­ Editor's reply: (what some people would refer to written to support the continuous them. Where possible the fund tain people could. recite small de­ world population growth. This also tries to fill prisoners' re­ Standard government unem- as "primitive"). tails of their history from the past seems to be a contradiction of your quests for other literature. To Marx and Engels, while they rec­ century or more. ognized the brutal nature of capital­ position. help this important cause, send ism, simply didn't have any infor­ Of course, the central focus of Socialism's main objective is to your contribution to: Militant Correction mation on primitive societies. these societies was to coexist with increase the quality of life of the Prisoner Subscription Fund, In the article "Panama Capitalism at that time didn't study their natural environment. They millions of exploited people on this 410 West St., New York, N.Y. government warns of U.S. the primitive societies it was had taboos against depleting their planet. You refuse to admit that this 10014. threat," in the May 19 Mili­ slaughtering. They also didn't pub­ environment of the plants and game world's resources are finite and that tant, it was reported that be­ licize the fact that these massacres their lives depended on, for in­ it is a problem when the world pop­ The letters column is an open tween 1968 and 1986 Pan­ were taking place. stance. There were often social ulation has more than doubled from forum for all viewpoints on sub­ ama's infant mortality rate By contrast, scientists, espe­ controls and norms on a couple's 2.5 billion people in 1950 to more jects of general interest to our dropped from 40 to 19.4 per­ cially in the last two decades, have love life, or an individual's sexual than 5 billion just 39 years later. readers. Please keep your letters cent. The rate actually made a great deal of effort to study activities, for instance, if it was If this trend continues, there will brief. Where necessary they will dropped from 40 per thou­ the last remaining natural societies necessary to control .their numbers be no quality of human life regard­ be abridged. Please indicate if sand to 19.4 per thousand. left on the planet and have made without resorting to things such as less of the political system. you prefer that your initials be important contributions to the sci- intertribal war and infanticide. While I'm in agreement with used rather than your full name.

May 26,1989 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Nat'llabor board attacks strikers Pittston miners seek wider support

BY MAGGIE McCRAW A union official stated that the goal of the CHARLESTON, W. Va. -The Pittston resolutions was to return the company to Coal Group is continuing its offensive "good corporate governance." The strikers against 1, 700 members of the United Mine also confronted Pittston's Chairman Paul Workers of America who have been on Douglas at the meeting, asking him to par­ strike for six weeks. ticipate in negotiations and to meet with On May 15 the company announced that union leaders while they were in Green­ the National Labor Relations Board has is­ wich. Douglas refused both requests. sued an unfair labor practices complaint Arrests of picketers and their supporters against the union. It charges the UMWA are continuing. More than 2,000 charges with blocking company facilities, damaging have been filed in Dickenson and Russell vehicles belonging to the company and to counties. The union says the cases will be scabs, and following Pittston employees. A appealed if they result in convictions. hearing on the case is set for June 5. Westmoreland Coal Co, a Pittston subsid­ Officials in Virginia are discussing how iary, has also filed a $2 million lawsuit and to deal with prosecuting this massive num­ an NLRB complaint against the union. ber of cases. Gov. Gerald Baliles is consid­ Westmoreland had been filling Pittston's or­ ering sending special prosecutors and re­ ders during the strike, which has virtually tired judges into the coalfields. shut down the coal production. Citing a A public debate among Virginia officials contract provision that alllows 10 "memo­ has erupted. A Virginia State Police official rial days," 700 Westmoreland miners joined told the press he was angry over a statement picket lines at Pittston mines the last week made by Virginia Attorney General Mary in April. Sue Terry. Terry said she was "enraged" by the violence used by state troopers in arrest­ On May 1 Westmoreland broke its con­ Militant/Steve Marshall ing miners and instructed them to use "less Youth, singing 'Solidarity Forever,' joined May 4 rally at Dickenson County Vir- tract with Pittston and the miners returned force" in future arrests. ginia, prison to back striking miners. ' to work. The company's suit contends that the miners engaged in a secondary boycott in violation of federal labor laws. In an attempt to break the unity of the Candidate in Britain backs job action strike and sway public opinon against the miners, Pittston has been running a series of full-page and half-page ads in the Charles­ LONDON- Legal papers and a £1,000 She called for canceling the foreign debt representatives" to act in their behalf, that ton daily papers. One ad cites Department (US$1,700) deposit were filed with elec­ of the world's poorest 40 nations. For the working people would defend their inter­ of Labor statistics that 80,000 coal miners toral authorities May 15 to ensure ballot rest, she said, the debt should be renegoti- · ests. have lost their jobs since 1980 and claims status for Doreen Weppler, a rail worker ated. A vote for the Greens, she said, would Silberman explained that workers had that Pittston's contract proposal would cre­ and Communist League candidate in the ensure that all these issues would be raised. nothing in common with bosses, whether in ate 20 percent more jobs for miners. European Parliament elections. The elec­ SLD candidate John Pinder called for an Britain or in the rest of Europe. Thousands Another ad states that the Pittston offer tions are set for June 15 in the 12 countries "open, democratic, greener Europe." of foreign-born workers in Britain, he said, "is much better than the UMWA negotiators of the European Community (Common showed the rich interconnection between Market). CPGB candidate Nigel Power called for gave the A.T. Massey miners after their long strengthening the "progressive voice" in working people in Britain and those i:: and bitter strike." One says that the com­ It was a day in which transport workers the European Parliament to ensure a "social Third World countries and the possibilities pany and the union "share a common across London were engaged in industrial Europe, where workers' rights would be for establishing a united struggle. That's ground" and reads in part, "Our miners, action over pay and conditions. Drivers on protected." He urged ending "Britain's spe­ why demanding the cancellation of the for­ supervisors, and their families have worked the Underground (subway) and bus drivers, cial relationship with the United States," eign debt of semi colonial countries· in its entirety is so important, he said. conductors, and engineers across London "stopping moves toward militarization," Weppler's campaign committee has an­ were out on strike. Rail workers in a grow­ and ensuring an improved environment. On May 10 hundreds ing number of stations and freight yards nounced that Pete Clifford, the manager of surrounding the capital have taken action Power called for renegotiation of the the Pathfinder Bookshop in London, will be picketed outside varying from slowdowns to bans on over­ debt of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin the press and publicity director for the cam­ time. America. paign. Clifford was arrested last November Pittston's As a result thousands of workers were Weppler's campaign supporters said that while on a sales trip to the north of Ireland shareholders' meeting. not able to get to. work. Telecommunica­ the election gave working people the op­ on behalf of Pathfinder. The protests tions engineer John Shrapnell said that half portunity to discuss a program of action for against this arrest and Clifford's return to the 400 workers at his depot dido 't get to fighting back against the employers and Ireland to visit Long Kesh prison and de­ together, prayed together, and lived side-by­ work. "In all about 2,000 of the 5,000 Brit­ their government. It would be through unit­ liver books to prisoners received consider­ side for generations. . . . This common ish Telecoms workers in the Central Lon­ ing in struggle, not by voting for "political able publicity. ground is the basis upon which the labor don area didn't get to work." dispute can be resolved." Supporters of Weppler's campaign vis­ ited bus workers' picket lines with election A full-page ad on May 16 plays on the literature and talked with strikers. One Fratned up for strike role, recent NLRB ruling and on a sweeping in­ striker at the Peckham bus garage said that junction handed down against the union the job action "shows what's possible when during the 1984-85 A. T. Massey strike. Fea­ we unite. From today we intend to get tniners appeal to high court turing pictures of burned homes, smashed greater links with other transport workers." windows, and wrecked coal trucks, it reads, Another said that his father, an engineer­ "It's time to restore the common ground of BY JIM LITTLE interstate commerce was never involved. ing worker in Manchester, had described PITTSBURGH - "I am still fighting The FBI frame-up was based on a com­ law and order we share in this community. the transport action as an example to all. Please let UMWA Presrdent Richard because there is no other way to gain my pany-staged provocation. Evidence in court Trumka know that you join him in asking On May 16, an election debate was held freedom. If I lay down for even one minute showed that mining company security men striking miners to stop the violence .... Tell in Brixton, which is located in London's in this grave they have me in, I'll be buried staged an ambush of a coal truck and Mr. Trumka this community will no longer South Inner constituency where Weppler is alive," writes Donnie Thornsbury, presi­ blamed it on the union. tolerate these acts of illegal 'civil disobedi­ running. The debate was sponsored by the dent of United Mine Workers Local 2496, No one disputes that the coal truck in­ ence." The ad lists President Trumka's Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). from federal prison in Ashland, Kentucky. volved never crossed a state line. However, phone number in Washington, D.C. On the platform were the candidates of the Thornsbury, acting as his own attorney, applying a new law, the government argues Green Party, Social and Liberal Democrats has filed an appeal to the U. S. Supreme that because the coal eventually crossed The miners are continuing their efforts to (SLD), and the CPGB. Labour Party candi­ Court. He asks that his conviction and those state lines federal statutes apply. win support also. Bishop Walter Sullivan of date Richard Balfe, who is the incumbent of three other coal miners --'- Arnold Thornsbury argues, "The Fourth and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Vir­ member of the 518-deputy European Par­ Heightland, James Darryl Smith, and David Fifth Circuits as well as the U.S. Supreme ginia, issued a statement backing the strike liament, sent his apologies for his absence. Thornsbury - be overturned. The union­ Court have ruled counter to the government and said he believes Pittston is trying to Jonathan Silberman, a Weppler sup­ ists were convicted Dec. 17, 1987, on arguments." undermine the UMWA. On May 12 anum­ porter, was given 10 minutes to speak after charges of killing a scab coal hauler and The Kentucky miners lost their appeal to ber of Catholic nuns were arrested at the the main presentations. Car worker Tony interference with interstate commerce. This the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Moss No. 3 coal-processing plant picket­ Hunt, another Weppler backer, spoke for a was a U.S. government-orchestrated They were then prevented from exercising line. few minutes in the discussion. frame-up that grew out of the bitter 1984- their right to a rehearing by the same court. Green Party candidate Penny Shepherd 85 Mine Workers coal strike against A.T. Besides their court fight, Thornsbury On May I 0 hundreds of striking miners said that she opposed the Common Market Massey Coal and Massey-related mines in writes that he plans to encourage a public picketed outside Pittston's annual because she was against economic growth. southern West Virginia and Kentucky. campaign of letter-writing and petitions to shareholders' meeting in Greenwich, Con­ She urged, instead, efforts to protect the The coal miners are now serving senten­ support justice for the miners. To send let­ necticut. Inside the union was waging a environment and improve roads and trans­ ces of from 35 to 45 years. The legal ters of support to the miners, write to Don­ proxy fight around three resolutions that are port, and opposed upgrading of NATO nu­ grounds of the miners' appeal is that the nie Thornsbury 12458-032, Unit D, Box not directly related to the strike. clear weapons. federal court never had jurisdiction because 888 FCI Ashland, Ashland, Ky. 41101.

16 The Militant May 26,1989