.other pages: ffexComfort: ‘The ‘Authority is as destructive to Play’s the Thing ’ - p. 2 those who exercise it as it is to he Siege of Sidney those on whom it is exercised. Street - p. 3 —OSCAR WILDE focal Jtadio - - p. 3 freedomTHE ANARCHIST WEEKLY V ol. 21, No. 47 November 19 th, 1960 Threepence

“It is to be hoped that the Govern­ ment will now recognise the shocking HE ‘DETERRENT’ THAT FAILED defects of the Homicide Act, and abolish capital punishment.” ..'HE front . page headlines in the one innocent citizen they intended for Penal . Reform after the Houn­ intended to rob a man, and in the course Isirt the Howard League a little l-Everting Standard last Thursday to rob. No-one will assume that slow execution, which it describes of this attempt the victim was accident­ naive in its “hopes”. Mr. R. A. sek-read: “Qn the day two die the Worthing stick-up men had not as “an appalling illustration of the ally killed, these youths have qualified Butler our enlightened Home Sec­ footpath killing” “BANK RAID heard of the Hounslow foot-path injustice of the Homicide Act.” for the death penalty, and been hanged retary surely had all the facts. And T n MEN MURDER GUARD”. murder trial verdict, nor the rejec­ in the name of the law. Francis Forsyth and Norman Harris he had the powers to reprieve at _w many readers’ we wonder, re­ tion of their appeals to the Home least Norman Harris. He didn’t. Secretary for clemency. Yet they could not have been hanged under this “One of them, Norman Harris, had acted that these headlines far from Act had they set out with the sole in­ not struck a single blow at the victim. And an hour after he hanged him ving the Evening Standard thesis, went armed and shot their way to tention of killing another man and com­ If the public were fully aware of these as an example to others, a bank at the death penalty is an effec- the money bags. mitted a deliberate murder. facts, it is unbelievable that they would guard was murdered in Worthing. Le *detemsnt£, were in fact, the They hoped to get away with their condone an Act which has proved itself What a rhinoceros’ hide the Home *pst telling afgument for abolition? loot? In which case the “example” “But because they are alleged to have so manifestly unjust. Secretary must have! e Standard’s editorial silence on of the Hounslow case did not serve ’js subject is significant). as a “deterrent”. Yet the State I justified the taking of two young |A t 9 a.m. on Thursday, November lives, even though one, Norman th, two youths, one aged 18, the Harris, had not struck a single blow p er 23, were hanged for the mur- at the *Ktim (who, it should be re­ ;r of another youth. A third youth called, was not killed by a gun shot raped the gallows because he was but by physical violence), on the ■ young to hang. An hour after grounds that others would be “de­ 3 | State, Society, or whatever one terred” from resorting to violence. Jboses to call the machine which [the one hand condemns the tak- lg of life and on the other places 'J ’HE HOMICIDE ACT is a je -seal of legality on the taking of { or two hundred—an hour later typical example of so-called ’’British compromise”, of trying to ^o men enter a bank at opening appease the abolitionists as well as T&j attack a guard, hold up at the Tory ultras who dream of the In point another employee, kill the good old days, dominated by the ■trd and escape with a bag con- rope and the “cat”. The result was Ining money. As we write, two summed-up by the Howard League Jmths aged 20 and one of 16 are jurged with murdering the guard tod a girl of 18 is accused of receiv- £928. THE MAJORITY IS ALWAYS SANE The Mayor of. Aromas, near Dijon, ye do not know whether those complained to his prefect that the in- jtfaarged are concerned with the . mates of the local lunatic asylum, who 'hooting. The fact remains that outnumbered the 148 sane villagers, were Wording to press reports two men voting as a block for the Opposition.. 'entered the bank, and presumably He did not object to the right of a French THE PILGRIM tone shot the guard on the very day lunatic to vote, but since they came from rwhen but for the tender years of one all parts of France, he questioned their of life bandits, three youths would right to control the affairs of Aromas. have been hanged for the death of Observer 13/11/60. Macmillan calls for European «Unity* European Economics at Sixes & Sevens In the Affluent Society AT the opening dinner for the rivalries between nations were large­ strict or distort competition in trade political and economic confer- ly economic! Is EFT A proposing between the member States of the Com­ lence of the European Free Trade to rationalise production and dis­ mon market. All such agreements are Redundancy and Hardship [Association (EFTASthe Seven) in tribution within the seven member to be required to register with the Com­ London last week, Mr. Macmillan nations or is it simply a marriage of mon Market authorities and only those 'J ’HE affluent society, which pays levels of investment and the prevail­ expressly authorised by the commission told delegates that he was convinced convenience, an attempt to counter­ are to be allowed to continue. its railway shopmen eight ing degree of middle-class affluence. that the countries this side of the act the threat to their markets in the pounds per week, can hardly have It is the very worst one on which the must “strive to achieve Six nations as a result of the setting­ Existing cartels are to register within much meaning for motor car work­ livelihoods of thousands of workers the maxmum degree of unity”. up of ECM? six months of the entry into force of the ers either. The news from Coventry throughout Britain should depend. The “unity” he had in mind was rules: unless the commission objects is that Standard has declared 1,700 A spokesman for the Coventry dis­ economic, for apparently “we can­ Of course it can be argued against within six months, the cartels may pro­ workers redundant and that 6,300 trict of the Shipbuilding and Engin­ our sceptical approach, as in fact visionally operate until the commission not all be united in our defence has reached a final decision . . . The manual workers have been put on a eering Unions said' that he did not policies or in alliances on the poli­ Mr. Macmilllan did in his address, see how Standard’s could have draft rules provide for the maintenance three-day week. These figures are tical plain.” that in signing the Stockholm con­ of professional secrecy, and for appeal in addition to the 8,000 who are avoided the sackings. What a vention the Seven nations in EFT A to the court of justice of the community. already on short time, in some cases position for someone who is alleged­ It is therefore important that we committed themselves ly at the top of an organisation should be united economically. Econo­ This to our minds, is the true only 19 hours a week, and at the to promote throughout the area of same time it is believed that 200 staff designed to protect the workers’ in­ mic unity could not be brought to the association, a sustained expansion of language of capitalism. And as we workers will be paid off. terests to make. It is however a Europe unless there was a positive will economic activity, full employment, in­ all know, from the anti-Cartel laws natural consequence of the trade to agree among all the nations concerned. creased productivity, and rational use of in the United States, no legislation Despite the alleged prosperity of That is what we must all work to culti­ will stop cartels being formed when the country, the high wages, oppor­ union view that capitalism is all resources, (our italics). right. It looks increasingly as if the vate. the industrialists and financiers con­ tunities and security of the profes­ Now a “rational use of resources” sional classes, thousands of workers days of wholesale slumps have given Of course the achievement of this sider amalgamations, take-overs, and way to a pattern of recessions and involves at least (a) a sharing of price-rings are in their best interests! are in a situation where a week’s unity depended on finding a solution technical and scientific research and notice may lead them to hopeless rises, in which each industry has its to “the many practical problems in­ We do not believe that it will be ups and downs in turn, bringing of production methods ( b) a planned any different in the case of the Seven, unemployment and poverty. It is volved”. Britain for instance, had production. In other words it de­ just because this unemployment is hardship to the people involved “constantly to bear in mind” the in spite of Mr. Macmillan’s fine without being socially important mands that the economic relationship words. There is no economic co­ not of the general level of the thirties effect on the Commonwealth coun­ between the nations concerned shall that its effect is so terrible for those enough to call defensive or corrective tries of anything it did to achieve operation in the individual nations. measures into play. be based on co-operation and not How can there be unity between who suffer it, because they are living European unity. But he assured competition. This is not possible at a time when prices are determined The organisation of production is his audience that “in working toward them? the key to the solution. The com­ under a capitalist economy. The by the average rate of income. There a wider arrangement for European only “unity” which capitalists recog­ The words of Mr. Edward Heath, is no incentive for even the mildest panies naturally have to seize their trade”—which presumably meant, opportunities to make profits and nise are cartels, and it is interesting Minister for European Affairs, after socialist movement, or for reforms getting a foothold in the rival or­ to note that while Mr. Macmillan the day’s speeches, should have within capitalism, since the disrup­ expand production when the chance ganisation, the European Common comes, and restrict it in unfavour­ was spinning his wordy web to brought any starry-eyed democrat, tions of unemployment do not hit Market (ECM—the Six)—Britain delegates of EFTA, the nine-man who might have been at sixes and at capitalist prosperity as a whole. able circumstances. Control by the would, of course “act in the closest workers could ensure a stable level Common Market commission was sevens over the intentions of EFTA, It is only the individuals who suffer, consultation with the other members issuing its 53-page draft of the rules back to reality, when he declared in an age in which social help for of production for need, but it would of the EFT A” ! have to be control of the whole of the game so far as ECM members that talk expressing unanimity was people affected like this is derided as were concerned, in which it was not enough unnecessary. organisation, not only of what goes Unity means “oneness”, “parts on on the factory floor, and it would that constitute a whole”. How proposed to impose fines of up to would like to see many more sug- The motor car industry, of all in­ have to be matched by a rational nations politically divided can ever $1,000 a day on offending cartels! tions about.how EFTA might be built dustries, is sensitive to every little economy throughout the country, achieve economic unity is beyond The draft rules would -especially from the business element. change in the bank rate, hire pur­ and possibly the world. our understanding. Indeed we prohibit all agreements, decisions, or ‘Especially from the business chase restrictions, export conditions, P.H. always imagined that the political concerted practices which prevent, re 2 F R E E D 01 . . a culture whose whole life, from science to politics, risks becoming one single neurotic game" i Alex Comfort’s Broadcast: ‘The Play’s the Thing’ ] oiul many lower die lit otimes(, In fact they arc often is a vehicle for individual ttcllng-oul. of real neurotics. There ia no observa­ Unreasonable Emotion animals, have a sol of Activities tit their most earnest over tho more The novelist can do this in his head and tion of real-life psychology behind them. which they »eem to enjoy, but which are typically mammalian forms of p la y - without help; the dramatist employs These characters are the ancestors of the Of course, the pseudo g not obviously related to their biological physical competitive activity (sport, in others to bring his fantasy-presentation fauna of phoney, emotion-seeking, ‘ex­ tradition dots replace a series of sJ business in life. Some are simple satis­ plain words) and mating display; or over into real presence. His instructions con­ hausting problem adults who have infes­ in all of which some pretext bat tgl factions like rolling or scratching. Others the sclf-contcious fantasy which we call trol l he behaviour of a whole group of ted the stage ever since: people who found for the presentation of noy are group activities, like the hydrobatics art. Indeed If wo watch the audience at volunteers in the fantasy situation so never work except at symbolic treatises demonstrative, or otherwise unreason) of porpoises. Others are mock activities a football match wo shall find that they that it will be what he wishes and not or tasks which they despise; who never emotion—so that the mixed-op intrllsfl —sham lighting—or rehearsal activities, are playing at playing. what comes naturally to them. One think when they can feel: who never uals and the symbolic nut case rep\g, like the kitten hunting leaves. The In English society, particularly, we cannot help noticing that the dramatist's forget when they can 'atone'; who have the dedicated villain of the rridodratlM common feature of all these doings is spend u good deal of emotional energy relation to his actors is very like the absolutely no sense of the ridiculous and and the fate-haunted hero (A post cfare that they look as if they were being done in repressing gesture, but we seem to neurotic's would-be relation to other who never, never ask for advice, fn an cal tragedy. If we did displace for their own sake. It is sometimes have no outlet for the states of mind people, but for the dramatist the cast age of real neurotics for whom one can worse moods and our trtpre irratim said that they ‘discharge tensions'—a the gesture otherwise expresses. Our will co-operate, because pretence is their feel real sympathy they are unreal—less moments from drama, therj would! form of internal sneeze: the fnimal own most practically important kind of occupation, while the neurotic, unfor­ real in Ibsen, perhaps, than in his suc­ little left, and I do not suggest that] looks as if it enjoyed what it was doing gesticulation appears now to be motor­ tunate chap, is casting for a plot which cessors. ‘People don't do such things!’ will or should—but we might well and felt the better for it. There is about ing. This, as we know, can easily ho has to impose on an unco-operative says Tesman, when Hedda shoots her­ to treat them as the badge of the inI play a characteristic element of doing- acquire the same expressive quality as a world. self—and truth breaks in. People don’t lectual way of life; for no other theatre for-the-sake-of-doing which Is its main primitive dance; but we also know that —or rather, they don't for these conven­ tradition does so, and ours has not, clOB distinguishing feature. it is proving u highly dangerous vehicle In fact, by far the most popular tionally emotive reasons. Flaubert, who so for long. One has only to look fitj We cannot find out whether animals for the expression of moods. modern topic of the Anglo-American knew his neurotics intimately, bad no writer of insight, like Anouilh, Ip ie#| engage in purely mental 'play', analogous The need for an expressive form of prestige play is the presentation of such illusions. Emma Bovary kills her­ striking contrast. That blistering to our humour or philosophy, because movement, and the fact that we feel neurotie behaviour. Our culture has an self out of fright, spite, and lack of cash. between the Genera! and his wifei we cannot ask them. Our mental play deprived without it, can be seen easily appetite for watching this which is Ibsen would make her do it on principle; Anouilh’s Waltz of the Toreadors »ftj| can be of the muscle-flexing type, such from the speed with which even a super­ second only to its appetite for violence. Flaubert is much nearer the mark in drags out into words the unspoken tiihies which are latent in every rnarhj as the solving of needless problems for ficially rather unpromising activity like But in spite of an enormous amount of letting her pretend that she thinks she vocal ‘psychology’, this behaviour is not is doing it on principle. Nobody else there ever was, but which marriage j amusement, or of the type of the anti­ student folk-dancing acquires content. pends upon keeping silent—this is j_ cipatory substitute—like the child who Even with inexpert performers, a four­ there to be analysed and it is not pre­ shares the fiction. And when Rosmcr sented realistically. It is there to be and Rebecca set off to drown d deux like 'positive' in all conscience, but the trfl plays at being a king, an architect, or n some reel between two mutually jealous ment of It is. soldier. But this kind of play in man couples looks entirely different from the manipulated with a view, as a rule,- to a couple of exhibitionist teenagers, how it not always what it seems: it often same figure danced by a pursuer, a pur­ justifying it, or to giving it prestige. We I always wish they would jump in and The short answer perhaps Is thatjl has much deeper unconscious origins sued, and two lovers—which is as it watch the characters raving and mud­ find the stream frozen solid! If Chek­ psychological drama has lost most