Kiko Martinez on trial again • • • • • • .5 TH£ Sandinistas on recruitment drive . . . . . 9 Honduras: springboard for U.S. war 11

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 50/NO. 39 OCTOBER 17, 1986 75 CENTS Break all ties with apartheid, isolate South African reginte! New act passed October 10-11 by Congress protests demand targets ANC full sanctions "Sanctions now!" "Boycott South Af­ BY ERNEST HARSCH rica!" and "Break all ties with apartheid!" Under the guise of opposing apartheid, a are demands that are being heard more and new law has been added to the U.S. statute more across the United States. books targeting the very organization that Demonstrations, picket lines, and teach­ is leading the freedom struggle in South ins have been organized to focus attention Africa - the African National Congress on the cozy relationship that the U.S. gov- (ANC). Known as the Comprehensive Anti­ Apartheid Act of 1986, it became law on October 2, after both houses of Congress EDITORIAL voted to override President Reagan's veto of the bill. Reagan had objected to the act's ernment and big business maintain with the inclusion of some economic sanctions oppressive apartheid regime. Students against the apartheid regime. have erected shanties to symbolize the According to the drafters of the act, its plight of South Africa's Black majority and purpose is to "guide the efforts of the student demands for divestment from Anti-apartheid protest at University of California, Berkeley. United States in helping to bring an end to South Africa. Trade unionists have ex­ apartheid in South Africa." But scattered tended solidarity to their South African throughout the text are repeated attacks on brothers and sisters fighting to organize London to demand "Sanctions now!" Cur­ American Committee on Africa, one of the the ANC and provisions that give the unions. rently, British trade unions are stepping up organizations helping to build the actions, White House legal authority to embark on a The deep sentiment among the U.S. a campaign to press for a complete em­ "Protesters will gather on Wall Street in broad witch-hunt against the group and its people against apartheid was shown by the bargo on trade, commercial, financial, cul­ New York, at the White House in Wash­ supporters. June action in New York City, when some tural, and sporting activities with South Af- ington, outside Coca-Cola headquarters in While objecting to the sanctions, 100,000 people marched and rallied in the nca. Atlanta, and in state capitols from Wiscon­ Reagan, in his veto message, hailed these largest anti-apartheid protest ever held in On October 10 and 11 , a new round of sin to California to Hawaii on October 10. "useful and realistic provisions" of the act. the United States. anti-apartheid actions is being held in cities Campuses, from Yale to Kalamazoo to the South African officials have likewise That sentiment is international. Demon­ and on campuses across the United States. University of Utah, will be the site of dem­ praised what they consider the act's "posi­ strations and other actions have been held They are demanding divestment and sanc­ onstrations demanding divestment of stoc­ tive" aspects. But these provisions have in many countries of Western Europe, de­ tions against South Africa, and will express kholdings in U.S. corporations aiding otherwise received little public attention so manding that those governments sever ties solidarity with South African and Nami­ apartheid and for full sanctions by the fed­ far. with apartheid. bian political prisoners. eral government." To the drafters of the act, the African In June, 250,000 people demonstrated in According to a news release from the Continued on Page 14 National Congress is guilty of "promoting terrorism" and of engaging in "unprovoked violence." But to millions of South Africans, the ANC is not a terrorist organization. Rather, Nicaraguans capture U.S. 'adviser,' it is fighting against terrorism, the day-to­ day terrorist methods of rule employed by the apartheid regime. The activists of Um­ point to Vietnam War parallel khonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the ANC's armed wing, are thus widely re­ garded as freedom fighters. BY CINDY JAQUITH fore the press. "My name is Eugene Hasen­ into Costa Rican territory, and then north The ANC's growing support - both MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Oct. 8 - A fus. I come from Marinette, Wisconsin, again into Nicaragua. U.S. military "adviser" based in El Sal­ and I was captured yesterday in southern within South Africa and among opponents Hasenfus's job was throwing the vador was presented to reporters here last Nicaragua," he said. of apartheid around the world- is a matter supplies out the plane door as it passed night after he had been captured by San­ of concern to the U.S. rulers. Despite Lt. Col. Roberto Calderon of the San­ over the mercenary camps. He said there dinista troops while trying to supply mer­ routine public pronouncements abhorring dinista People's Army explained to the are five planes at Ilopango conducting cenaries inside Nicaragua. apartheid, they have long collaborated with press that on October 5 his troops fired on a these supply missions. Continued on Page 6 Eugene Hasenfus appeared briefly be- camouflaged plane that violated Nicara­ Hasenfus also offered information on guan airspace in the southern Nicaraguan two of three men killed when the plane province of Rio San Juan. The plane crashed, said Calderon. The pilot was crashed and three bodies were found in­ Capt. William Cooper, also a U.S. citizen. Horntel workers tour Britain side. A fourth man was seen parachuting Calderon held up an ID card identifying out before the crash. Cooper as working for Southern Air Trans­ BY KIPP DAWSON United Food and Commercial Workers On October 6, Sandinista soldiers cap­ port, a Florida-based outfit with connec­ SOUTH YORKSHIRE, England-"On Local P-9 at the Austin plant. He is one of tured Hasenfus, who admitted being on the tions to the CIA. behalf of the miners of Silverwood Col­ 850 workers who are being deprived of em­ flight. The co-pilot, according to Hasenfus, liery, let me say that much of what you told ployment because of their participation in In the plane's wreckage, soldiers found was Wallace Blaine Sawyer, also a U.S. us here about your struggle is identical to the strike that began at that plant in August more than 100,000 rifle cartridges; RPG-7 citizen. He carried an ID card like Hasen­ what happened to us. We too faced the 1985. The contract that Hormel imposed grenade launchers; dozens of AK assault fus's, listing him as a U.S. adviser with army in police clothes, we appreciate the on the Austin plant in early September this rifles; and military boots. All were destined special rights at the Ilopango Airport. position you're in." year made no provision for reinstating for CIA-organized mercenaries, or con­ Calderon said the third dead man was of Those remarks were made by Granville these workers. tras, who are operating in the Rio San Juan Latin American nationality but has not Richardson, president of the Silverwood Collette is active in the Austin United region. been identified. Colliery branch of the National Union of Support Group. Cook is a meatpacker from Calderon showed reporters a Salvadoran This morning's Barricada, newspaper Mineworkers (NUM). Richardson and the Hormel's Ottumwa, Iowa, plant, and air force ID card with Hasenfus' s name and of the Sandinista National Liberation Front other members of the Silverwood branch Langemeier is from the Fremont, Neb­ photo, identifying him as from the "USA" in Nicaragua, featured a back-page photo .committee (the equivalent of a union local raska, Hormel plant. with the capacity of "adviser." The card display with the headline "Just like in Viet- executive board in the United States) had Both Cook and Langemeier were fired admitted Hasenfus to restricted areas of El nam." just heard the story of the more than 1 ,200 for honoring picket lines set up by Austin Salvador's Ilopango Airport. It listed his It showed a 1965 photo of a U.S. pilot workers who are fighting to get their jobs strikers. An arbitrator has ordered Cook's ID number as 4122. captured in Vietnam by a 17-year-old mili­ back at three Geo. A. Hormel & Co. pack­ reinstatement, but the company instead de­ Calderon said that in initial interrogation tia woman almost half his size. Above it ing plants in the United States. clared him laid off. by the Sandinistas, Hasenfus has admitted was a similar photo of Hasenfus and 19- Jim Guyette, Barbara Collette, Bill The Silverwood meeting was the first to participating in four flights from El Sal­ year-old Nicaraguan soldier, Jose Fer­ Cook, and Bob Langemeier had all made stop by the meatpackers on a trip to the vador to Nicaragua to drop weapons and nando Corrales Aleman, who fired the presentations to the mine workers' meet­ Yorkshire coalfields. other supplies to the CIA-paid terrorists. land-air missile that downed the U.S. plane ing. Alfredo Represa, European representa­ His route was from the Ilopango Airport, here three days ago. Corrales has been in Guyette is the suspended president of Continued on Page 2 down the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, east the Sandinista army for just five months. Support group for British miners hears internat'l fighters

BY NORTON SANDLER Salvador, was the next to speak. Represa ROTHERHAM, England- "This room was jailed for four years by the Salvadoran on a Monday night is the best forum you government. He and 10 other unionists can get," Stephanie Gregory, chairperson were released from prison in 1984 after an of the Rotherham Miners Support Group international campaign was waged to free said. She was describing her organization's them. regular weekly meeting to more than 80 He is now the European representative people packed into a local pub here. of FENASTRAS (the National Federation The agenda at this meeting included of Salvadoran Workers' Unions). Represa speakers from Britain, the United States, urged the audience to step up international El Salvador, and Northern Ireland. pressure on the Salvadoran government to The Rotherham group formed as a min­ continue the dialogue with representatives ers support group during the 1984-85 Brit­ of the Farabundo Marti National Libera­ ish coal strike. Now its activities center on tion Front about an end to the war in El Sal­ winning reinstatement to their jobs for min­ vador. ers "sacked," as people say here, by the Salvador visit National Coal Board at the end of the strike. At that time nearly 1,000 miners Dave Boyle, a member of the were fighting for reinstatement. Now there Rotherham Support Group and one of the are 468 who have not gotten their jobs sacked miners, visited El Salvador in early back. 1986. He has been speaking about his trip Miners' wives, working miners, sacked to groups of unionists in Britain. miners, and other activists regularly attend The next speaker was Barbara Collette G.M. Cookson Miners Support Group meetings. But the from the Austin, Minnesota, United Sup­ Miners march in London during 1984-85 strike. U.S. meatpackers today are linking word was out that tonight's meeting would port Group. up with British miners. have a special program featuring represen­ "I am here to offer solidarity with the tatives of struggles in different parts of the other speakers," Collette said. 'Tll take Langemeier and Bill Cook, workers fired tend the November 13-15 conference of world, and so the number on hand was big­ their story from this meeting home, and I at Fremont and Ottumwa for honoring rov­ FENASTRAS, which is scheduled to be ger than usual. hope you will take ours home." ing picket lines set up by Austin strikers, held in San Salvador, the capital of El Sal­ A dozen people from the Bamsley Jim Guyette, suspended president of were introduced to the audience. vador. Women Against Pit Closures drove down United Food and Commercial Workers A collection of $75 was divided between to the meeting. Labour Party activists, Local P-9 at the Austin Hormel plant, also Invitation to conference the Hormel fight and FENASTRAS strug­ local trade union council leaders, city offi­ addressed the meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, partic­ gles. cials, members of the teachers' union, and Collette and Guyette described the fight ipants exchanged addresses, as well as but­ Gregory promised that a collection at a a member of Parliament were there also. that workers at the Hormel plants in Aus­ tons and photographs of the struggles they future meeting would be divided between were involved in. Strip searches tin; Fremont, Nebraska; and Ottumwa, the striking printers and the struggle Iowa, have been involved in. Bob Represa invited the U.S. workers to at- against strip searches in Ireland. The first speaker was Brid Brownlee from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She de­ scribed the degrading strip searches that more than 30 female political prisoners, jailed for opposing British rule in Northern Horn1el workers tour British coalfields Ireland, are forced to endure. Continued from front page ing people around the country and around Miners Support Group. Since 1982, Brownlee said, there have tive of FENASTRAS (National Federation the world are no different from us, and a Before coming to Yorkshire, the group been more than 4,000 cases of women of Salvadoran Workers' Unions), also fight like ours is not just one area's fight, spent a week at the annual Labour Party being forced to take off their clothes and spoke to the Silverwood mine workers. but belongs to all of us. Because of what Conference in Blackpool. On the final day searched by male guards in prisons in Both Represa and the U.S. delegation were you've done and what we've begun to do, of his stay at the conference, Guyette ad­ Northern Ireland. Some of the women have warmly received by miners here. we can look forward to working people be­ dressed a meeting of more than 300 people been strip searched more than 200 times. The next day, Collette told 30 enthusias­ ginning to fight back." sponsored by the Justice for Mineworkers "The main reason they give is security," tic women at a seminar of the Yorkshire The South Yorkshire tour was organized Campaign, the organization heading the she said, "but we dispute that all down the Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC), by WAPC activists Ann Scargill and Betty fight to win reinstatement for the fired min­ line. This is nothing but the latest step in a "Your strike and your struggle have been Cook. The two had attended the Coal Em­ ers. long line of terror designed to break the an inspiration to all of us and help keep us ployment Project conference held in June Also speaking at that meeting were Peter spirit and solidarity of the Irish prisoners," strong." in Kentucky. There they met Carl and Heathfield, general secretary of the NUM; Brownlee said. She described how the Austin United Susan Benson, who are active in the Austin Eric Clarke, general secretary of the Scot­ Johnny Goslin, a printer, spoke about Support Group was organized and the ac­ fight. Cook later spoke to a United Support tish NUM; Arthur Oxley, a fired miner; the bitter nine-month strike workers from tivities it carries out. British women in the Group meeting in Austin. Tony Benn, a Labour Party member of Par­ his union have been waging at News Inter­ mining areas had carried out similar activ­ Other stops included a visit with the liament; and Ann Lilburn, national presi­ national's printing plant in the W apping ities during the 1984-85 coal strike. Labour Party mayor of Bamsley, a city of dent of the W APC. district of London. Goslin urged continued The W APC is one of many organizations 226,000, and a presentation to more than Benn wound up the spirited meeting say­ financial and political support for the sev­ fighting to win reinstatement for 468 min­ two dozen miners attending classes on ing, "From Minnesota to South Africa, eral thousand strikers involved in the bat­ ers fired by the British Coal Board at the "Union-busting: American style" at the from El Salvador to Nicaragua, and to our tle. end of the strike. Labour Party's Northern College. victimized miners, most of us know that Alfredo Represa, a leader of the The women nodded and applauded when The final stop on the Yorkshire tour was this is one big struggle and that none of us STECEL hydroelectric workers union in El Guyette told them, "We found that work- a meeting of 80 people at the Rotherham can win until we all win."

The Militant tells the truth Subscribe today! The Militant Closing news date: October 8, 1986 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO At the plant gates, mine portals, and and DOUG JENNESS picket lines; at antiwar actions and Circulation Director: MALIK MIAH - "------}-tnr!lld Nicaragua Bureau Director: CINDY JAQUITH "a\\S rd~·t> demonstrations against apartheid in ' ~trl~t' t South Africa; at schools, the Militant is Business Manager: JIM WHITE sur~e "'"''""" there, reporting the facts and partici­ Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Ernest \)0 .. . pating in the struggles. Harsch, Arthur Hughes, Harvey McArthur (Nicaragua), Ruth • Nebbia (Nicaragua), Harry Ring, Norton Sandler. \'u.aru·~... ·.. · The Militant is written in the inter­ Published weekly except one week iii August and the last ests of workers and farmers. Every week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 14 week it tells the truth about the war Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: Editorial Office, (212) 243-6392; Business Office, (212) 929-3486. '~;~~:.~~::~~.~~~::~,''' Washington and the employers are waging against working people at Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes of address should be addressed to The Militant Business home and abroad. It provides firsthand Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. coverage of important struggles in Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POST­ other countries, such as Haiti, the MASTER: Send address changes to The Militant, 14 Charles Enclosed Is Philippines, and Nicaragua. Regular Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Subscriptions: U.S., D $3.00 for 12 weeks on-the-scene reports come from its Canada, Latin America: for one-year subscription send Save $6 off the cover price Nicaragua Bureau. $24, drawn on a U.S. bank, to above address. By first-class AND (airmail), send $60. Britain, Ireland, Continental Europe, D for only 50(: more, get the pamphlet Take advantage of the special intro­ Africa: send £25 check or international money order made

Name_~~~ ductory subscription offer (good only out to Pathfinder Press and send to Pathfinder, 47 The Cut, Address until Nov. 15, 1986): 12 issues for $3. London SE1 8LL, England. Australia, Asia, Pacific: send City ______State-~~ Zip-~~ Australian $60 to Pathfinder Press, P.O. Box 37, Leichhardt, Plus for only 50¢ more you can get Telephone ~~~-- Union/School/Organization -~~~~~ Sydney, NSW 2040, Australia. New Zealand: Write to Pilot n One yearfor $24.00 the new pamphlet "The 1985-86 Hor­ Books, P.O. Box 8730, Auckland for prices. SendtoTHEMILITANT, 14CharlesLane,NewYork,N.Y.10014 mel Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent Minnesota" by Fred Halstead. the Militant's views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant October 17, 1986 Workers hit sandblasting of mural in Austin

BY JANICE PRESCOTT Kennedy said the planned sandblasting AUSTIN, Minn. -The mural on the was an attempt "to eliminate further embar­ wall of the Austin Labor Center was de­ rassment for Hormel." A spokesman ..for stroyed by sandblasting October 8; despite Joseph Hansen, the trustee imposed on efforts by meatpackers and officers of the UFCW Local P-9 who now occupies the Labor Center to get a court order blocking local's offices in the Labor Center, claimed the action. he did not know why the sand had been put When the trustees of the United Food there. and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local The labor center offices were formerly P-9 couldn't hire a sandblasting outfit to do used by members of United Food and the work for them, they rented the equip­ Commercial Workers Local P-9 to or­ ment and did the job themselves. They ganize their struggle. In May top UFCW started with the mural's anti-apartheid slo­ officials imposed trusteeship on the local, gans. removing the elected officers and ordering The mural, painted by Hormel meat­ an end to the battle with Hormel. The ap­ packers and their supporters, was dedi­ pointed trustee took control of the offices cated to South African anti-apartheid in July, after the trusteeship was upheld by fighter Nelson Mandela at a May 27 cere­ a judge. A reporter asked Kennedy at the October mony. It depicted the struggle by the meat­ packers against the packinghouse company 6 protest w\ly Hormel workers had taken and had become a symbol to many here of up the issue of South Africa. He responded workers' resistance to the antilabor actions that the company has investments in South Africa and that "the elimination of social ofHormel. About I 00 people had turned out at the injustice is a cause that unites." Labor Center October 6 to protest prepara­ Two days earlier, the National Labor tions to destroy the mural. Relations Board dismissed a charge of un­ fair labor practices against Hormel. The Jim Guyette, suspended president of Local P-9 at Hormel plant in Austin, Min­ Standing beside bags of sand stacked Austin meatpackers had filed a complaint nesota, speaks at May 27 dedication of mural painted by Hormel workers and sup­ five feet high in apparent preparation for against the company for having stalled on porters. Mural was dedicated to South African liberation fighter Nelson Mandela. sandblasting the wall, Pete Kennedy pro­ paying $1.2 million in profit sharing funds For many, mural was symbol of meatpackers' fight against Hormel's takeback drive. tested "the further violation of this mural." owed its employees. Kennedy, chairman of the board of the The company mailed the profit sharing Austin Labor Center, is one of the meat­ checks in July, only after UFCW officials packers being denied their jobs by Hormel yielded to Harmel's illegal demand that a because of their struggle against the com­ number of grievances brought by Hormel Hormel fighters get hearing at pany's antilabor actions. workers be dropped in exchange. electronics union convention BY KAREN RAY HORNER strike against the Hormel Co." This resolu­ Marchers demand end to attacks MIAMI - Delegates attending the In­ tion was defeated, ·but not without debate. ternational Union of Electronic Workers IUE President William Bywater urged on rights of Puerto Ricans convention here September 24-29 had rejection because the IUE international many opportunities to discuss the fight by cannot get "involved in the internal affairs meatpackers against the Geo. A. Hormel & BY JERRY FREIWIRTH 37. Many of the demonstrators were high of another international union." WASHINGTON, D.C. -Demanding school and college-age youths. Co. in Austin, Minnesota. justice and human rights for Puerto Ricans, Two principal demands of the marchers There were nearly 400 delegates attend­ Bywater reminded the delegates that 2,500 people marched here on October 4. were freedom for the Puerto Rican inde­ ing the convention representing 180 locals. they had passed a resolution opposing the The protest was organized by the National pendence fighters recently framed up by The IUE has a membership of 175,000. felony riot charges a couple days before Congress for Puerto Rican Rights. the FBI and U.S. government and an end to Rod Huinker, a Hormel meatpacker who and stressed that many locals had support­ A spirited rally was held in Lafayette U.S. intervention in Central America. has been touring the country telling the ed the Austin meatpackers and were free to Park, directly across from the White Chants of "One struggle, one fight - story of the fight against Hormel, attended continue to support them. House. Lourdes Torres, co-chair of the South Africa, Puerto Rico" greeted Jesse the convention. Huinker is also a charter In addition to the informal discussions rally and a leader of the rights group, said Jackson, one of the rally's featured speak­ member of the North American Meat Pack­ on the convention floor with delegates, a the marchers were "breaking the silence ers. Jackson denounced continued occupa­ ers Union. It was formed after the United hospitality suite was hosted for Huinker by about civil rights abuses and racist vio­ tion by the U.S. Navy of the island of Vie­ Food and Commercial Workers union Brad Johnson, president of Local 776 in lence" directed against Puerto Ricans. ques off Puerto Rico. (UFCW) International leadership placed Cincinnati, Ohio. The Statement of Purpose of the march Local P-9 at Hormel in trusteeship and or­ Hilda Hidalgo, a professor at Rutgers declared that "we are tired of second-class dered an end to the struggle against the Karen Ray Horner is a member of IUE University, condemned the widespread jobs, second-class neighborhoods, second­ company. Local 1002 in Seattle, Washington. class schools, and second-class services forced sterilization of Puerto Rican women Huinker and IUE members who are sup­ and treatment by our government." in the United States and Puerto Rico. porters of the A:ustin meatpackers fight dis­ Participants in the march came from She also exclaimed, "Basta ya to coat­ tributed leaflets and talked to dozens of FDL strikers win New York City, Philadelphia, Newark, hanger abortions. Puerto Rican women de­ delegates. Nearly everyone who attended and other East Coast cities. Prominent mand the right to control our own bodies!" the convention walked away with informa­ tion on the fight. backing in Midwest -were union contingents of hospital workers Other speakers included Dennis Rivera, from Local 1199 and municipal workers Most delegates did not know the details executive vice-president of Local 1199; of the contract that was .signed by the BY nMLITTLE from American Federation of State, Angel Dominguez of CAT A (Agricultural County and Municipal Employees District UFCW and Hormel a few weeks ago and ROCHELLE, Ill.-Faced with massive Workers' Support Committee), a promi­ were interested in learning more about the picketing by FDL workers and other union­ nent farm workers organization in southern situation in Austin. ists, FDL has publicly stated that it will not New Jersey; and Juan Ramon Acevedo, the Many said that they had followed the attempt to open its meatpacking plant here legal coordinator for the Puerto Rican inde­ struggle and thought that the fight was set­ with scab labor for the time being. pendence activists currently imprisoned in tled with the contract. Many were surprised Socialism Hartford, Connecticut. The 550 members of United Food and and outraged to find out that the 850 work­ Commercial Workers Local 1218 at the on Trial ers who refused to cross the picket line had FDL plant in Rochelle and the 1,200 mem­ Ohio officials bar no guaranteed callback rights. bers of UFCW Local 150-A at the firm's by James P. Cannon Over 50 IUE locals have contributed fi­ plant in Dubuque, Iowa, went on strike A clear and simple explana­ socialists from ballot nancially to the meatpackers in Austin September 11. The strikers are fighting for since their 13-month battle began. safe working conditions and to regain some tion of the principles and aims BY BILL KALMAN of socialism. An excellent in­ of the ground lost during several years of CLEVELAND - William Bon, presi­ Many who attended the convention wage takebacks by FDL. troduction for those looking dent of United Auto Workers Local122, is promised that their locals would send Members of Local 1218 have traveled to into socialist ideas for the first among the prominent individuals who have money to the United Support Group to help time. condemned the barring of two socialist the 850 who are still out. "The boycott of many Midwest meatpacking plants, from Chicago to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, James P. Cannon, as na­ candidates from the November ballot in Hormel products will be back in our local" seeking support. They have carried out tional secretary of the Socialist Ohio as a violation of democratic rights. was a typical response. plant-gate collections and informational Workers Party, was placed on Local 122 represents workers at the On September 27 a resolution was unan­ leafleting. According to union spokes­ trial in 1941 for "conspiring to Twinsburg Chrysler plant. · imously passed by the convention calling advocate the overthrow of the people, more than $10,000 was collected for the dropping of the felony riot charges in one week to aid strikers' families. U.S. govemment." He used The candidates are Roberta Scherr and Mark Rahn, Socialist Workers Party candi­ that 16 members of Local P-9 and other the platform of the witness unionists from around the country face for Local 1218 President Harlan Johnson dates for governor and lieutenant governor. stand to present to the Ameri­ demonstrating against Hormel in April. has filed a complaint charging Rochelle can people the ideas of In May, Scherr and Rahn filed nominat­ police with brutality. At least three picket­ socialism, which the U.S. gov­ ing petitions containing 9,200 signatures, The resolution states that the IUE, ers were beaten by cops September 23 dur­ emment sought to suppress by nearly twice as many as required by law. "without taking sides in any internal union ing mass picketing aimed at preventing matters, but in the spirit of trade unionism scab labor from being brought into the jailing socialist leaders. More than three months later, officials and our desire to join with other supporters 184 pages, $4.95 plant. announced that the petitions fell short by of labor rights and civil liberties, regardless The two locals are holding a rally at the A vail able from Pathfinder 315 signatures. Among thousands of signa­ of differing opinions on other related mat­ FDL headquarters in Dubuque October 10 bookstores listed on page 12, or tures disqualified on the basis of purported ters, join in opposing the Austin prosecu­ to call attention to the issues in the strike. by mail from Pathfinder Press, technical errors were those of 700 regis­ tions and call on Mower County authorities Members of the United Auto Workers 410 West St., New York, N.Y. tered voters alleged to have moved without to drop all charges against the defendants." union in Dubuque who are on strike against 10014. Please add 75 cents for reporting their change of address. On the last day of the convention another the John Deere corporation· will join the postage and handling. Scherr and Rahn are continuing to cam­ resolution was brought up on the floor call­ rally in solidarity with meatpacking work­ paign as write-in candidates. ing for support to the "UFCW Local P-9's ers.

October 17, 1986 The Militant 3 Three new cities join subscription drive

BY MALIK MIAH those subscriptions over the course of the There is every reason to be confident The four-member team sold 19 Militants That's right. Supporters of the Militant campaign. Since we've just completed the that this can be accomplished. But with and 2 pamphlets on the Hormel meatpack­ and the Spanish-language monthly Per­ fourth week of the drive, 258 former Inter­ colder weather coming to the Midwest and ers' strike. spectiva Mundial in Austin, Minnesota; continental Press subscribers will be in­ East, a sustained, collective effort will be In Boston, three Militant subscriptions Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha, Nebraska, cluded in our total this week. Each week essential to stay on schedule and to meet were sold at an October 4 rally in defense are adding their cities to the subscription until the end of the drive another 65 will be our challenging national target on time. of democratic rights sponsored by the Po­ scoreboard this week. The initial goals are added. Last week supporters in four cities - litical Rights Defense Fund. 125 each for Austin and Omaha, and 200 The "other" category also includes new Detroit, Milwaukee, Portland, and Mor­ for Des Moines. international subscribers added since the gantown, West Virginia, raised their goals. * * * We have now sold 5,234 subscriptions campaign began, and readers in cities not 0 I would like to order a bundle of ___ to the two working-class publications in the listed on the scoreboard. * * * Militants and ___ PMs. campaign to win 10,000 new readers by The subscription drive got off to an ex­ After six days on the road, the 0 I would like to take a subscription goal November 15. ' cellent start, but over the last three weeks Louisiana-Texas team netted 38 Militant of ___ Militants and ___ PMs. For more than a year meatpackers in the average number of subscriptions com­ and 3 Perspectiva Mundial subscriptions Name ______Austin; Ottumwa, Iowa; and Fremont, ing into the business office from areas that and 108 Militant and 23 Young Socialist Address------Nebraska, have waged a determined battle have taken goals has been declining. To single copy sales. City, State ______Zip ____ against the union-busting drive of the Geo. reach the national goal, we'll need to aver­ According to team member Martha Pet­ Phone------­ A. Hormel & Co. (Ottumwa is 90 miles age over 700 subscriptions per week from tit, one of the team's best sales was outside Mail to: Militant Business Office, 14 from Des Moines and Fremont is close to these areas for the duration of the cam­ the plant gate of the General Motors Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Or Omaha.) Many of these workers, including paign. Fisher-Guide plant in Monroe, Louisiana. phone: (212) 929-3486. leaders of the struggle to build a fighting union in the meat-packing industry, are subscribers to the Militant. Militant and Perspectiva Mundial sales­ A Saturday with N. Y. sales teams people from Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kan­ sas City, and other cities have regularly traveled to Austin, Ottumwa, Fremont, BY MALIK MIAH and nearby cities to sell the Militant to NEW YORK - "How'd you do it?'' I workers, farmers, and students. National asked. subscription teams have also been to these "I first get the person to stop. Then I give areas. my pitch: 'The Militant and Perspectiva The response has been great. In addition Mundial are different from the local pa­ to hundreds of single issues of the papers pers. They give you news and analysis that being sold, I 03 working people and stu­ you can't get anywhere else, a political dents bought subscriptions in Iowa; 26 in perspective. They tell the truth about South the Omaha area; and 17 in the Austin area. Africa, the U.S.-backed war against Nica­ These subscriptions will now be counted as ragua, and the struggles of working people part of the Austin, Omaha, and Des here and around the world.'" Moines goals, thus lowering the total attri­ This is the way Holbrook Mahn, top buted to the national teams. subscription seller here this past Saturday, Militant and PM supporters in the three explained it. He had sold 14 Perspectiva cities will be selling subscriptions and the Mundial and one Militant subscriptions in Pathfinder Press pamphlet, The 1985-86 the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Hormel Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, Mahn stressed that his technique isn't Minnesota, to meatpackers, other workers, gimmicky or unique. "The papers sell farmers, students, and many other people themselves. The key is to get people to seeking the truth about the policies of the look through the papers and see what government and the employing class. they'll be missing each week or month In the last half year national sales teams without the Militant or PM. have sold at plant gates and college cam­ "It's important to urge the subscription puses in Iowa and nearby towns in border­ offer on people who have agreed to get a ing states. Out of these efforts hundreds of paper. I say, 'Come on, for only an extra MilitanUSelva Nebbia working people know of the working-class buck you can get four more issues of Per­ Williamsburg man signs up for Perspectiva Mundial subscription. Extra Spanish-lan­ publications and a few young people have spectiva Mundial.' Most of the 14PM sub­ guage literature on this table helped boost sales in this Latino neighborhood of Brooklyn. asked to join the Young Socialist Alliance. scriptions I sold came from people who in­ itially agreed to buy only a single issue." Afterwards salespeople picked up their Brooklyn take plenty of French-language * * * Selva Nebbia, circulation director of literature boxes and folding tables. Each literature because of the large Haitian com­ There are other changes in this week's PM, and I were able to spend a day with box contained a supply of Militants and munity. scoreboard. A couple of weeks ago, we New York supporters of the Militant and PMs, socialist books and pamphlets, leaf­ Copies of the booklet, Decision: Gov­ explained that the "other" category in­ PM and learn how they sell subscriptions. lets for an upcoming Fall Publications ernment Spying and Disruption is Uncon­ cluded 645 former subscribers to the inter­ A typical sales Saturday begins at 10 Fund rally, and a brochure on a Saturday stitutional and Illegal, distributed by the national news· magazine, Intercontinental a.m. with breakfast at the distribution of­ afternoon class series sponsored by the Political Rights Defense Fund, and the Press, which merged with the Militant in fice on 79 Leonard Street in lower Manhat­ Young Socialist. Alliance. PRDF sponsor cards are also placed on lit­ August. Because we added the total tan. The literature mix varies. If you are erature tables. Mahn, who is the national number of former Intercontinental Press After French toast and eggs, supporters going to Harlem or the Bedford-Stuyvesant coordinator of the PROF, said many Mili­ readers to the scoreboard at once, it dis­ of the two working-class publications lis­ section of Brooklyn, there is plenty of Mal­ tant and PM subscribers are also sponsors torted the actual week-by-week progress tened to an orientation report from Pat colm X and Nelson Mandela. If you are off of the fund. we're making in the subscription cam­ Hunt, one of the organizers of the cam­ to Williamsburg, there are extra Spanish­ David Rosenfeld, chairperson of the paign. paign. She described what was in the cur­ language books and pamphlets. And those New York Young Socialist Alliance, To remedy that, we will now prorate rent Militant and PM issues. going to Church and Flatbush avenues in accompanied us to several sales sites. In Bedford-Stuyvesant we joined a team of four salespersons who sold 29 single copies, one Militant subscription, and $30 Fall Subscription Scoreboard worth of other literature. One youth who bought two Malcolm X books told me he was glad to see us here. Goals Sold Goals Sold This was the first literature table-sales Perspectiva Perspectiva % Perspectiva Perspectiva % team to Bed-Stuy. Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold Down the road in Williamsburg, the Miami 100 15 78 12 78 Chicago 300 50 122 38 46 sales table was swamped with people when Milwaukee 100 30 67 22 68 Salt Lake City l05 15 53 2 46 we arrived. The table was set up on "Av­ Portland, Ore. 135 15 95 6 67 San Francisco 170 80 76 38 46 enue of Puerto Rico" and did a brisk busi­ San Jose 200 /00 133 65 66 Greensboro, N.C. 140 10 60 4 43 ness in Spanish-language literature. A total Cleveland 125 15 82 7 64 St. Louis 235 5 104 0 43 of 20 PM and 2 Militant subscriptions were New York 500 250 296 185 64 Twin Cities, Minn. 250 20 110 5 43 sold. While a salesperson knowing some Kansas City 150 10 93 8 63 Baltimore 120 5 51 1 42 Spanish had an advantage, others who sim­ Atlanta 140 10 88 3 61 Louisville 115 10 51 1 42 ply held up a copy of PM attracted buyers. Philadelphia 175 50 124 11 60 Morgantown, W.Va. 130 55 42 Harlem wasn't the same hectic pace as Detroit 260 30 147 23 59 Oakland 200 30 75 19 41 Brooklyn. And we had competition from Toledo 100 5 58 4 59 New Paltz, N.Y. 5 2 40 the local street preacher. Nevertheless, a San Diego 85 45 42 33 58 Pittsburgh 100 5 40 2 40 bunch of singles and three subscriptions to Militant Seattle 140 35 79 20 57 Dallas 225 75 71 34 35 the were sold. Capital District, N.Y. 125 10 62 9 53 Washington, D.C. 160 40 57 12 35 At the end of the day we went back to Boston 225 50 116 28 52 Price, Utah 50 5 17 1 33 Leonard Street to see how other sales went. Des Moines, Iowa 200 103 52 Cincinnati 90 /0 26 3 29 The team from Union Square in Manhattan Newark 375 125 169 91 52 Denver 135 10 34 3 26 had sold 6 subscriptions and 23 single is­ New Orleans 90 10 47 4 51 Columbus, Ohio 18 2 5 0 25 sues; Fordham Road in the Bronx another 2 Houston 290 60 151 24 50 Omaha, Neb. 125 26 21 subscriptions; Fulton Mall in Brooklyn, 3 Charleston, W.Va. 100 49 49 Austin, Minn 125 17 14 subscriptions and 22 singles. Los Angeles 300 200 137 110 49 Tidewater, Va. 60 5 5 0 8 Some 30 people participated in the sales Phoenix 100 60 47 28 47 National teams 506 175 effort that day, selling 40 subscriptions - Birmingham, Ala. !50 3 70 0 46 Other 276 31 21 PM and 19 Militant. This was the sec­ ond week in a row that more PM than Mil­ Totals 8,500 /,500 4,172 1,062 52 itant subscriptions were sold. Eight sales to be on schedule 3,400 600 40 teams sold $275 worth of other socialist lit­ erature.

4 The Militant October 17, 1986 Kiko Martinez on trial again Chicano activist fights 13-year government frame-up campaign

BY SUSAN APSTEIN in Denver, whose militancy brought espe­ In January 1985, two months after the Francisco "Kiko" Martinez is on trial for cially heavy police repression against it. last charges were dropped, the FBI raided the thir.d time in six years. The trial, which In March 1973 Denver cops attacked the Martinez' home in Alamosa, Colorado. He began October 7 in a federal court in Tuc­ Escuela Tlatelolco, a school run by the was charged with giving false information son, Arizona, is a political frame-up like Crusade for Justice. One young Chicano because he had used a false name when ar­ the previous two. Martinez is charged with was killed, and the school was badly dam­ rested. giving the government false information. aged. These charges were dismissed in May The government has waged a 13-year That fall there was a rash of bombings 1985 because of "vindictive prosecution" campaign against Kiko Martinez. and attempted bombings in the Denver against Martinez by the government. But Charges were first brought against him area. The district attorney called a news the decision was reversed on appeal. in 1973 at the height of a government cam­ conference and accused Martinez of mail­ Kiko Martinez has never stopped fight­ paign to discredit and disrupt the Chicano ing three bombs, none of which had ing racism and injustice. He has been an movement in the early 1970s. exploded. A "shoot on sight" order was is­ outspoken opponent of congressional anti­ This militant movement developed sued and news media offered a bounty for immigration legislation. And he has voiced throughout the Southwest in the mid-1960s his capture. his opposition to the U.S. government's and early 1970s. The United Farm Workers Martinez went into hiding and was ar­ war against Nicaragua and its attempt to organizing drive by Chicano farm workers rested seven years later crossing the border crush the liberation struggle of the Sal­ won broad support. Chicanos organized a into Arizona from Mexico. vadoran people. movement to regain stolen lands. They de­ Over the next four years the government All .working people have a stake in de­ manded bilingual education and communi­ tried to get a conviction against Martinez. fending Kiko Martinez. Financial contri­ ty control of the schools and fought against After six court battles, including the two butions and statements of support can be police brutality and victimization by the trials, he was acquitted on two of the sent to: Francisco E. Martinez Defense Immigration and Naturalization Service. charges. Sixteen other charges were dis­ Committee, P.O. Box 753, Alamosa, Col­ Militant An independent party, La Raza Unida, was missed. orado 811 01. Francisco "Kiko" Martinez formed in several places in the Southwest. The government launched "Operation CHAOS: Chicano Power Movement" in response to the Chicano upsurge. This Volunteers get new subscriptions out fast campaign was part ofCointelpro, the FBI's disruption program against the Black BY JIM WHITE subscriptions. Never mind the bank de­ Eric Huffman, a laid off rail worker movement, civil rights activists, opponents Amazing! posits. from Chicago, recently moved to Newark. of the Vietnam war, and others. That's what it's been like the last month So how do we stay on schedule? He's still on rail unemployment so with his Kiko Martinez, a Chicano activist and in the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial As we all know, it's not enough to sell a "free" time he's down here sorting, enter­ lawyer, was highly respected in the business office. subscription. The new subscriber must get ing, and proofreading subscriptions. Chicano community for his defense of vic­ And very exciting. the paper as quickly as possible. tims of police brutality and political frame­ Think of it. We've processed more James Winfield, a leader of the New ups and for his support for the rights of pieces of paper in the last four weeks than We do it with the same approach we use York Young Socialist Alliance, and Pris­ farm workers. we have in the entire preceding eight to sell subscriptions: a team effort. The cilla Schenk, chairperson of the Newark He also represented the Crusade for Jus­ months of 1986. We now have more than team is primarily made up of volunteers Socialist Workers Party, have also put in a tice, a widely known Chicano organization 5,000 new readers to the two working-class from our supporters in the New York and few hours processing subscriptions. publications. That's the highest number of New Jersey area. Two members of the International Union subscriptions for both publications in The volunteers open the mail, sort, and of Electronic Workers union, Barbara Peterson and Mike Shur, have helped out years. enter subscriptions into the computer. after work. Shur is also the candidate for Boston rally to push The total number of subscribers to the They do it for 30 minutes, one hour, four Militant is the largest it's been since Oc­ hours, and sometimes late into the night. U.S. Senator from New York State. defeat of antiabortion All have told me that seeing new readers tober 1981. We're not particular. Whatever you can referendum The PM subscription total is the highest do, it's appreciated. in Austin, Minnesota; Ottumwa, Iowa; Fremont, Nebraska; Watsonville, Califor­ it's been since the end of 1977. BY MAGGIE PUCCI Those working on the subscriptions do nia; London; and many other places lets And we still have six more weeks to go so collectively, with the more experienced BOSTON- A march and rally has been in our campaign to win 10,000 new readers you know that the Militant and Perspectiva helping the less experienced. It often takes Mundial are really starting to get around. set here for October 18 to press for the de­ to the two publications. more than one set of eyes to decipher a And that's great. feat of a referendum that would place sharp What's been most interesting is where restrictions on the right of women to name or address. We catch each other's the subscriptions are coming from: big and mistakes and try to maintain a high stan­ If you want to help out and volunteer choose abortions. small cities; factories; farms; college cam­ The action has been called by the Rosie dard of accuracy. The atmosphere is busi­ some of your time to get the Militant and puses; other countries; antiwar and solidar­ ness-like. Jimenez Day Committee, which includes PM to new subscribers as rapidly as possi­ ity activists; fighters for Black and But everyone who's done it says they the Boston chapters of the Reproductive ble, give us a call at the business office at women's rights; and opponents of apart­ like to do it. (212) 929-3486. Rights National Network, National Or­ heid in South Africa. ganization for Women (NOW), Mobiliza­ tion for Survival, Alliance Against To understand the scope of what we're Women's Oppression, Gay and Lesbian doing, consider the following: in last Publications Fund meeting will hear Defense Fund, Socialist Workers Party, spring's sales drive we processed all the and Young Socialist Alliance. subscriptions for the week on Monday with 'Militant' reporter on Zimbabwe trip Every year the committee organizes an two people. · action to commemorate the death of Rosie Today we process subscriptions six and sometimes seven days a week. BY DOUG JENNESS our reporters are on the scene, they talk to Jimenez, the first woman to have died from The first of many public meetings for the working people and find out what they are a backstreet abortion after federal On our normal Monday, we receive $100,000 Fall Publications Fund is set for thinking. And they learn about their strug­ Medicaid funding was cut off. This year more than 250 new subscriptions. It takes New York City October 10. gles. the theme is "Women's lives are on the line more than three hours just to open and sort The main speaker will be Sam Manuel, We know that's what our readers both in - march to defeat the anti-abortion re­ the mail. It takes another three hours to who was the Militant's correspondent at this country and in other countries are in­ ferendum." enter them into the computer so address the summit meeting of the Movement of terested in. And what's missing from the Marleen Fried of the Reproductive labels can be made for the weekly mailing. Nonaligned Countries held in Harare, Zim­ big dailies. Rights National Network, who is one of the Another 45 minutes per day is required to babwe, last month. But the costs of sending correspondents main organizers of the march, commented, proofread the names and addresses so the to cover big events in other countries is "We must march in the streets to show our It is very appropriate that Manuel be fea­ new reader gets the paper. tured as a speaker at this event because it considerable. They include travel, trans­ opposition. This march is going to be big, Add it up. Excluding any breaks, includ­ mission of articles by phone, camera and our speakers' list reflects the diverse helps spotlight a particularly attractive fea­ ing lunch, that's nearly seven hours a day ture of the Militant. That is the considera­ equipment, film, and other expenses. forces that are strongly prochoice. We're for opening, sorting, and proofreading new We urge our readers to help us keep up confident this march will be a huge success ble amount of firsthand international coverage we carry in our paper. the kind of international reporting we have and an integral part of defeating this re­ been able to carry out by contributing to the ferendum." In just the past two months, the Militant Fall Publications Fund. Among those scheduled to speak are has carried articles from Australia, Britain, This fund is raising $100,000 by Carol Doherty, one-time head of the Mas­ Canada, Iceland, India, Mexico, Nicara­ November 15 for the Militant, Perspectiva sachusetts Teachers Union and current di­ gua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sri Mundial, New International, and Pathfind­ rector of the Campaign for Choice, and Lanka, and Zimbabwe. And our next issue er Press. So far, $7,900 has been collected Eleanor Smeal, national president of will have an on-the-spot report from the and another $15,100 pledged. If you can NOW. Third International Havana Book Fair held help, fill out the coupon below. Any con­ The referendum, if it wins, will cut all in Cuba last month. tribution, no matter the amount, will be ap- Medicaid funding and private insurance Some of these articles are from Militant preciated. · coverage for abortions. This is called a tax­ readers in those countries. And we hope saving measure by its supporters. more international readers will send us arti­ Ellen Berman, Socialist. Workers Party cles. Others are written by reporters we've * * * candidate for governor of Massachusetts, sent to cover political developments in strongly opposes the referendum. She is­ other countries. Enclosed is $500 $100 ___ sued a statement declaring that "denying We believe the effort to get on-the-scene $50 __ $10 __ other ____ reports is worth it. And we regret that we reproductive freedom is at the heart of ef­ Name ______forts to maintain the second-class citizen­ don't have the resources to get them from even more countries. Writing articles from ship of women." Address------Calling for support to the October 18 our office in New York, based on dis­ City State ___ Zip ____ protest, Berman said the action "will show patches from other newspapers and magazines, is necessary, but nowhere near that we are willing to mobilize to fight to ~ Fall Publications Fund, 14 Charles Lane, keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible to Militant/ Arthur Hughes as satisfactory as firsthand accounts. New York, N.Y. 10014. Checks should be all women." Militant Business Manager Jim White One of the big differences is that when made out to the Publications Fund.

October 17, 1986 The Militant 5 ANC targeted by new congressional bill

Continued from front page be an "agent of a foreign principal" to pro­ the regime in Pretoria and fear that a vic­ vide the U.S. government with financial tory of the struggle led by the ANC will records, names, and copies of "political jeopardize imperialist interests throughout propaganda" distributed in the United the southern African region. States. Such information can then be used by the FBI or other police agencies to in­ CIA snooping okayed timidate, harass, and disrupt a group's ac­ A little more than two months ago, some tivities. administration officials revealed to the By seeking to apply this act to the ANC, New York Times that various U.S. intelli­ which is not now registered as a "foreign gence agencies had been spying on the agent," the White House and Congress are ANC for years. "I've known about it for a aiming to place obstacles between the ANC long time, that we target the African Na­ and the growing anti-apartheid movement tional Congress," one intelligence officer in the United States. They want to make it told the Times. "We've always considered harder for the U.S. people to hear directly them to be the bad guys." what the ANC stands for. South African protesters hold poster of Nelson Mandela. Masses view ANC activists as freedom fighters, not "terrorists." The information gathered by U.S. agents was then passed on to the South Af­ 'Terrorism' and 'necklacing' rican Directorate of Military Intelligence. To justify such moves, the act is filled summit meeting of the Movement of The ANC has never hidden its alliance This kind of collaboration with the South with slanders against the ANC, ·falsely Nonaligned Countries in Zimbabwe, ANC with the SACP or its acceptance of Soviet African authorities was formally prohibited branding the ANC-led armed struggle as President Oliver Tambo explained the support. It has continually defended its by a 1977 regulation, but the ban was sim­ "terrorism." group's stance toward this practice. right to receive aid from wherever it can, as ply ignored. Although the act calls on Pretoria to "The cause of necklacing," Tambo said, well as the SACP' s right to be part of the The recently adopted congressional act legalize the ANC, it makes this conditional "is the apartheid system. It arises out of the broad struggle against the apartheid re­ prohibits any direct or indirect cooperation on the ANC's willingness to "suspend ter­ extreme brutality of the regime." gime. "We are not for necklacing," Tambo with the South African armed forces, "ex­ rorism"- that is, abandon its fight against "To take any other position," declared cept activities which are reasonably de­ the apartheid regime's repressive methods went on. "But we will not attack or con­ demn people who are driven to this ex­ the ANC National Executive Committee in signed to facilitate the collection of neces­ of rule. July, "would be to condemn to failure the sary intelligence." In effect, this amounts treme method by the horrible brutality of In a section urging negotiations between very struggle which the ANC is waging." to official authorization for what had previ­ the apartheid regime." Pretoria and representatives of the Black Like the "terrorism" smears, the red­ ously been done illegally. majority, the act declares that if the ANC Recipe for a witch-hunt baiting attacks on the ANC are designed to and other groups "refuse to abandon unpro­ Demands for registration The ANC's alliance with the South Afri­ sow divisions within the anti-apartheid voked violence ... then the United States struggle and to isolate the ANC interna­ Another section of the act calls for great­ can Communist Party (SACP) is another will support negotiations which do not in­ tionally. Such charges also serve to divert er restrictions and controls on the ANC' s clude these organizations." Moreover, the target of the U.S. rulers. In a typical red-baiting fashion, the act attention from the brutalities of the apart­ ability to get out its views within the act states, Washington should "pursue dip­ heid regime and justify its repression United States. lomatic and political measures against declares "that some of the organizations fighting apartheid have become infiltrated against those deemed to be "communists" Within 180 days, it says, the attorney those promoting terrorism and against or "terrorists." general must submit to Congress a report those countries harboring such groups." by Communists and that Communists serve on "actual and alleged violations of the on the governing boards of such organiza­ The apartheid authorities themselves Foreign Agents Registration Act" by The act focuses particular attention on tions." It calls on the ANC to "reexamine" have been highly appreciative of these as­ "members or representatives of the African "necklacing," the practice by some Blacks its ties with the SACP. pects of the new act. According to Foreign National Congress," as well as of other of placing a tire around the neck of a sus­ The act also mandates Reagan, in collab­ Minister Roelof Botha, "There are sections southern African groups and governments. pected police informer or collaborator, oration with the CIA and other intelligence in this bill dealing with the ANC's terror soaking it in gasoline, and setting them on agencies, to prepare a report within 90 days and violence which of course we could The Foreign Agents Registration Act, fire. This is repeatedly denounced in the on "the extent to which Communists have subscribe to." adopted in 1938, has typically been used to act's text, complete with calls on the ANC infiltrated the many black and nonwhite Botha noted that for years his govern­ limit the activities of organizations and to "strongly condemn and take effective ac­ South African organizations engaged in the ment had charged that the ANC was "infil­ governments that Washington opposes. It tion" against it. fight against the apartheid system." trated" by the SACP, but that such accusa­ requires any group or individual deemed to At a news conference during the recent This is similar to an earlier witch-hunt tions received little recognition abroad. against the ANC organized by Senator "Now this is acknowledged," Botha de­ Jeremiah Denton, who played a key role in clared. inserting some of these clauses into the South African miners stage final text of the bill. Denton had previously Despite its name, the Comprehensive presided over a series of congressional Anti-Apartheid Act contains dangerous hearings in March 1982 at which both the provisions that seek to weaken the struggle 'unparalleled' show of strength ANC and the South West Africa People's to bring down the hated regime in Pretoria. BY ERNEST HARSCH paralleled in South African labor history." Organisation (SW APO) of Namibia were Anti-apartheid activists in the United In the biggest strike ever by Black mine The Chamber of Mines - the mine attacked for receiving Soviet military as­ States have a responsibility to help defend workers in South Africa, some 300,000 bosses' organization - had proposed that sistance. the ANC against such attacks. stayed away from their jobs October I. the workers, rather than striking, observe a They did so to protest a disastrous accident five-minute silence to commemorate the at the Kinross gold mine that claimed the dead. But Golding dismissed that sugges­ ANC leader speaks on sanctions bill lives of 177 miners. tion, stating that it did not reflect the enor­ Marcel Golding, publicity secretary of mity of the disaster. BY RICH STUART Mnumzana warned that the government the National Union of Mineworkers In some mines, not a single Black work~ CHAPEL HILL, N.C.- Neo Mnum­ also uses redbaiting to attack the democrat­ (NUM), the largest mine workers' union, er went to work on the strike day. That was zana, chief United Nations representative ic rights of people in the United States. said that this show of strength was "un- the case, for example, in the gold and coal of the African National Congress, greeted The ANC leader urged students to help mines in the Evander area, where the Kin­ the U.S. Senate vote overriding the veto of minimize the costs of freedom for South ross mine is located. a bill imposing sanctions on South Africa Africa by fighting for comprehensive, In addition to the mine workers who as a victory for the struggle against apart­ mandatory sanctions and by continuing to struck - representing about half of all heid. pressure universities to divest their funds miners in the country - some 275,000 But Mnumzana, speaking to an audience from companies doing business in South other workers also took part in the day of of 100 at the University of North Carolina Africa. protest, their actions ranging from brief' October 3, blasted sections of the bill that work stoppages to one-day strikes. he called "sanctions on the ANC." A week before the protest strike, some The ANC spokesperson said the overrid­ From 5,000 miners gathered for a memorial ser­ ing of President Ronald Reagan's veto re­ vice in eMbalenhle, a Black township near flected the gains made by the anti-apartheid Pathfinder Press the Kinross mine. movement in South Africa and around the Cyril Ramaphosa, the NUM's general world. "Ronald Reagan had his nose Apartheid's Great Land Theh: secretary, referred to the mine bosses as rubbed in the ground," he said. The sanc­ The Struggle for the Right to "the bloodsuckers who murdered 177 of tions imposed by Congress are not ade­ Farm in South Africa by Ernest our comrades." He said that mine workers quate, Mnumzana stated, but they "are a Harsch. would "have to take control of all the mines step in the right direction." in the country. That way we will make sure Other provisions of the bill, he Tells the story of the fight over land, that our brother miners don't fall in acci­ explained, amount to redbaiting the ANC. which has been at the center of the dents like the one at Kinross." These mandate the U.S. attorney general to struggle between South Africa's Winnie Mandela, a key anti-apartheid investigate the ANC's compliance with the white rulers and its subjugated Black activist and wife of Nelson Mandela, the Foreign Agents Registration Act and call majority. imprisoned leader of the African National for an investigation of communist influ­ This pamphlet is an important tool to Congress (ANC), also spoke at the memo­ ence in the ANC. help build the movement to break all rial. "There may very well come a time," Mnumzana charged that the measure's U.S. ties with the apartheid regime. she told the miners, "when your leaders redbaiting of the ANC is an attempt to hide will ask you for greater sacrifices than a the U.S. government's support for the It is available at the Pathfinder Book­ one-day strike." apartheid regime by portraying this support store nearest you (see directory on "The moment you stop digging their as a fight against communism. He said this page 12) or from Pathfinder Press, gold, their diamonds, that's the moment approach is also used to make war on the 410 West St., New York, N.Y. we shall be free," Mandela said. "You dig peoples of Nicaragua and El Salvador and 10014. 56 pp., $1.25. Please in­ Workers at memorial rally for victims of the wealth. You hold that golden key for all those fighting for justice around the clude $. 75 for handling. Kinross mining disaster. our liberation." world.

6 The Militant October 17, 1986 Rights gain hailed by unionists, NOW

BY CATHERINE FRASER Trade unionists, Central America sol­ idarity activists, and fighters for women's rights were among those who spoke or sent messages of support to four rallies held over the weekend of October 4-5 to cele­ brate the recent victory in the Socialist Workers Party's lawsuit against FBI spy­ ing and harassment. "The labor movement and governmental harassment and repression have always had a close and hostile relationship," Harry Adams, president of International Associa­ tion of Machinists (lAM) Lodge 565, pointed out in a message to the rally in San Jose, California. The success of the SWP's suit means, he said, "that a precedent has been established that will enable progres­ sive forces in this country to battle the dirty tricks and wars of the U.S. government and its apparatus of repression." Another message of support came from Ron Lind, director of organizing, United Food and Commercial Workers Local428. Referring to the Political Rights Defense Militant/Lou Howort Militant Fund, which is raising money and support New Political Rights Defense Fund sponsors. Left to right, Sonia Sanchez, Oba T'Shaka, and John George. for the SWP lawsuit, Lind commented: "During these dark days of Reagan, political spying and harassment in the Savio, a member of the St. Louis Teachers mittee for Puerto Rican Civil Rights, Juan Shultz, and others who would like to re­ United States," the statement began. Reck­ Union, described her personal experiences Vargas told the meeting, "The victory of write our constitution to suit their beliefs; itt explained: "In the early years of the of harassment by government agencies. the SWP and YSA in the case against the it's nice to know that there is an organiza­ movement for women's rights and Savio was fired three times in three years FBI that we are celebrating tonight really tion like the PRDF that fights for all of us." women's liberation, NOW members and from teaching positions because of her op­ inspires us. We are feeling now that if you Joel Aber, a member of the Montgomery others were subject to almost routine sur­ position to the war in Vietnam. Her phone did it, why can't we?'' County Educators Association and of the veillance by the FBI and other government was tapped, and she was followed by mem­ Vargas and the other speakers at the Washington, D.C. Labor Committee for agencies." bers of the Red Squad when she attended meeting - Alan West, director of the Bos­ Human Rights in El Salvador, was one of Describing her own personal experience antiwar conferences in Chicago. ton Central America Solidarity Associa­ the speakers at a similar rally in Washing­ of this, she commented, "The most charit­ "They tried to make us feel like crimi­ tion; Michael A very of the National ton, D.C. able thing that can be said about this action nals," she told the meeting. "But as it Lawyers Guild; and Steve Essig from the "We're all a little safer today to speak was that, when it was revealed to me, I was turned out- after years of spying, harass­ Massachusetts Democratic Socialists of out against the government's intimidation inspired to take more vocal protest." ment, and provocation- it was found that America - all added their names to the because of the SWP's suit, which has put At the October 5 rally in St. Louis, a the lawbreakers were the FBI." rapidly growing list of PRDF sponsors. the spies, tricksters, and infiltrators on the message of solidarity from the Missouri af­ Among other recent sponsors are Sonia defensive," he told the meeting. filiate of the National Abortion Rights Ac­ Donations, new sponsors Sanchez, a poet and an activist in the tion League was read. The SWP's court In Boston the PRDF-sponsored rally was Philadelphia anti-apartheid movement; Statement from NOW victory "is especially important to those of held at the Church of the Covenant. The 43 Oba T'Shaka from the National Black An important message of support to the us who are activists for a woman's right to people present donated $585 toward the United Front; Pat Kenny, a member of the Washington, D.C., rally came from Lois choose safe, legal abortion," the statement costs of the next stage of the legal battle Committee for a Free Ireland; Phillip Galgay Reckitt, vice-president of the Na­ said, "because it is a reinforcement of the against the FBI - a court hearing to deter­ Crawford, from the St. Louis Latin Amer­ tional Organization for Women. constitutional right to privacy upon which mine what happens to the millions of pages ica Solidarity Committee; Tim Kaminski "The National Organization for Women the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is of FBI files on the SWP and Young of the Communist Party in St. Louis; and today reaffirms our support of the efforts of founded." Socialist Alliance. John George and Willia Gray from the Bay the Political Rights Defense Fund to stop One of the speakers at the rally, Helen Speaking on behalf of the Boston Com- Area Free South Africa Movement. FBI kept list of those to be detained in wartime

The following is from the August 25 tiona! emergency. The FBI was charged Emergency Detention Act. Thereafter the or broad civil disturbance. ruling by U.S. District Judge Thomas with the responsibility of investigating and FBI, with the consent of the Department of SWP and YSA members were listed in Griesa in the lawsuit against the FBI by apprehending the persons to be detained. Justice, re-constituted the Security Index the ADEX, as they had been in the Security the Socialist Workers Party and the In 1950 Congress passed the Emergency as the Administrative Index ("ADEX"), Index, although, after the ADEX came into Young Socialist Alliance. These excerpts Detention Act (Title II ofthe Internal Secu­ with a broader composition. The evidence being, the FBI ceased the practice of the are taken from the section on the secu­ rity Act of 1950), which set forth specific at the trial was that the Department and the 45-day verification interviews. It is not rity index. standards for the apprehension of persons FBI took the view that, despite the repeal clear what verification procedures, if any, in the event of an internal security of the statute, a list should be continued, were then put in place. Over a period of many years the FBI emergency declared by the President. The which would be of use in the event of a war The ADEX was discontinued in 1976. maintained certain .lists of persons to be Attorney General advised FBI Director considered for detention in the event of a Hoover to disregard the legislation, and to war involving the United States. Evidence rely on the Attorney General's Portfolio. on this point comes mainly from the so­ A Department of Justice memorandum called Church Committee Report. Senate summarized the differences between the Political Rights Select Committee to Study Governmental provisions of the Emergency Detention Act Operations With Respect to Intelligence and the Portfolio. The memorandum Activities, Final Report, Book Ill: Supple­ Defense Fund stated, among other things, that the FBI's mentary Detailed Staff Reports on Intelli­ Security Inde·x contained the names of Help us win more victories for democratic rights gence Activities and the Rights of Ameri­ 19,577 persons, many of whom would not cans (1976). be subject to detention under the Now that a federal judge has ruled that the FBI's spying against the The FBI established a Custodial Deten­ Emergency Detention Act. Socialist Workers Party and Young Socialist Alliance was illegal, the tion List in 1940. In 1943 the Attorney As of 1950 at least 308 SWP members case is going back to court to determine what will happen to the mil­ General ordered the termination of this list, were listed in the Security Index. The evi­ lions of secret files the government spies accumulated. stating that it lacked any statutory authori­ dence is that the FBI intended to include all zation. SWP members and presumably all YSA Director Hoover did not abolish the list members. Every supporter of democratic rights has a stake in helping bring about except to change its name to the Security Inclusion in the Security Index had its another victory against the FBI in the upcoming hearings. The Politi­ Index. The list was considered by the FBI consequences. An FBI agent testified at the cal Rights Defense Fund needs your endorsement and your financial to be composed of persons potentially trial that the FBI verified the residence and help to make the next stage in this battle a success. dangerous to the public safety and the in­ employment of SWP and YSA members ternal security of the United States. In every 45 days by interviewing landlords D I want to be a sponsor of the Political Rights Defense Fund. March 1946 the FBI advised a new Attor­ and employers for the purpose of keeping D Send me a copy of the federal court decision against the FBI. ney General of the Security Index. No ob­ the Security Index up to date. Enclosed is $10. jection was made. In a memorandum of As discussed in section V.E.2 of this September 1946 the FBI listed membership opinion dealing with certain disruption D Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to keep up the fight. in the SWP as a basis for inclusion in the techniques, an FBI memorandum of Sep­ $500 $100 $50 $10 other __ Security Index. tember 1970 stated that the FBI intended Name ______The Department of Justice prepared and that interviews with persons such as em­ Address ______compiled numerous draft proclamations ployers would "enhance the paranoia" of Cicy ______and orders for use in a national emergency. the leftist subjects of the interviews. It can State ______Zip------This was called the "Attorney General's be safely inferred that the FBI intended, or Portfolio." In 1949 an Emergency Deten­ at least knew, that interviews every 45 days Telephone------Organization ------tion Plan was agreed to between the Attor­ with landlords and employers of SWP and Signature ______ney General and the Secretary of Defense. YSA members in connection with the Se­ The plan provided for apprehending and curity Index would create difficulties for Send to: Political Rights Defense Fund, P.O. Box 649, Cooper Station, detaining civilians listed in the Security these members. New York, N.Y. 10003. Index in the event of war or other grave na- In 1971 Congress repealed the

October 17, 1986 The Militant 7 'An interview of historic importance' with Fidel Castro Fidel Castro: Nothing Can Stop the accomplishments. Course of History. Interview by Jeffrey Explaining why this is so, Castro told M. Elliot and Mervyn M. Dymally. Dymally and Elliot toward the end of the Pathfinder Press, New York, 1986. interview, "To understand the people's $7 .95, 258 pages, paperback. support for the revolution - their confi­ dence, affection and respect for their lead­ BY CATHERINE FRASER ers - you must take into account the work Cuba is only 90 miles from the United of the revolution. The whole spectrum of States, but for most people living here social, political, and material problems­ it remains a mystery. problems of all sorts- has been solved for Almost everything we hear about Cuba a population always neglected by its rulers In 1985 Jorge Hernandez Ocana became the first Cuban to get a heart transplant. in this country comes from sources hostile and which still remembers the past." Fidel Castro told interviewers that advances in medical care help deepen popular to the Cuban revolution - the Reagan ad- What gains has Cuba's revolution support for Cuban revolution. brought to the I 0 million people who live there? Here are some examples in the areas free for all students. ing up to the murder of Grenadian Prime BOOK REVIEW of health and education. Similar progress has been registered in Minister Maurice Bishop in October 1983 • Cuba today is first among all Third many other areas. But Castro also and the subsequent U.S. military invasion World countries in public health and rates explained to the two U.S. interviewers that of Grenada. ministration, the big-business news media, better than a number of far more economi­ the power of a revolution cannot simply be He analyzes the nature of the "ambitious liberal apologists for the State Department, cally developed countries. Health care is measured by the material and social prog­ and extremist sectarian group" led by Gre­ and right-wing Cuban opponents of the free and available to everyone. ress it brings. "There's a recognition of the nada's deputy prime minister, Bernard government in Havana. Before the revolution Cuba had 6,000 dignity inherent in all the men and women Coard, that killed Bishop and other revolu­ Very few of us ever get the chance to doctors - half of whom left for Miami who constitute the people the revolution tionary leaders, opened fire on the Grena­ visit Cuba to see the truth for ourselves, be­ soon after the fall of the Batista dictator­ embodies," he noted. dian people, and disarmed the militia. cause of the travel ban enforced by succes­ ship. By 1985 there were 20,500 doctors "Coard and his group served the United sive U.S. administrations. -one for every 485 inhabitants. Over the Answers slanders States, on a silver platter, ideal conditions This propaganda machine cranks out a next 15 years, 50,000 more doctors are ex­ In saying this, Castro returned to a for the invasion of Grenada," he com­ distorted picture of the nature of the Cuban pected to graduate. theme taken up earlier in the interview, that mented. revolution, the Cuban government's poli­ Emphasis on health the Cuban revolution cannot be sustained In response to Dymally's question about cies, and its attitude to the United States. in power by force "a Ia Pinochet" as in the presence of Russian troops in Afghanis­ The gains won by the Cuban people in the A network of polyclinics and hospitals Chile today. tan, Castro gives one of the most complete 27 years since they made their revolution cover the country. A new program has also "Those methods could not be applied explanations of Cuba's position to have ap­ are kept hidden. been launched to put a doctor into every here," he emphasized. "If the revolution peared in print. It is for these reasons that Fidel Castro: school and factory and to establish a sys­ didn't have the support of the immense He describes the situation in Afghanis­ Nothing Can Stop the Course of History is tem of "family doctors" who are each re­ majority, it couldn't stay in power." tan before the 1978 revolution and the such an important book. Recently pub­ sponsible for the health needs of about 120 In the course of the interview Castro di­ events leading up to the sending of Soviet lished by Pathfinder Press, it describes families. rectly answers some of the most abusive troops into the country in late 1979. The Cuba's policies in the words of the revolu­ As a result of this emphasis on health slanders leveled against Cuba - that the Cuban government's position is for a polit­ tion's most well-known leader - Cuban care, life expectancy in Cuba is equal to government is involved in drug trafficking, ical solution to the current situation, he ex­ President Fidel Castro. that of the United States- a far richer and for example, and that the country's prisons plains. The book is the product of 25 hours of more economically developed country. In­ are filled with political dissidents impris­ "If I were asked," he declared,"l'd advo­ interviews with Castro conducted over a fant mortality levels are only three points oned solely on the basis of their ideas, who cate trying to find a peaceful solution based period of several days in March 1985 by higher than in the United States, putting are mistreated and tortured. on respect for Afghanistan's right to its U.S. Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally Cuba among the I5 countries with the low­ "We have defended ourselves and will sovereignty and its revolution." and Jeffrey M. Elliot, professor of political est infant mortality rates in the world. continue to do so," he explains. "But, no science at North Carolina Central Univer­ Nutritional levels in Cuba are also matter what our enemies may say, or how Third World debt sity. Included is an attractive photographic among the highest in Latin America. much they may lie and slander us, the his­ An important section of the book is de­ section showing Castro working in his of­ • In 1958 there were only 21 , 806 tory of the revolution is free of cases of voted to a discussion of Castro's campaign fice, speaking in public, and with other teachers in Cuba, and two-thirds of Cuban physical abuse or torture. All the citizens in for the cancellation of the Third World's leaders of the revolution. children had no access to primary school­ this country, without exception, know foreign debt. In his preface to the book, Dymally hits ing. One of the most important campaigns this." By 1985, that debt stood at $950 billion. on the key to its importance. Through its in the early years of the revolution was the In reply to Reagan's picture of him as a The countries of Latin America alone owed pages, he explains, "Castro speaks directly literacy campaign. In I96I this campaign cruel dictator he stated: "I think that the $360 billion, with annual interest payments to the people of the United States on ques­ -which mobilized 120,000 volunteer lit­ cruelest people on earth are those who are absorbing 44 percent of the continent's ex­ tions of vital importance to citizens of both eracy teachers - reduced illiteracy from indifferent to social injustice, discrimina­ our countries." port revenues. 24 percent (and an even higher percentage tion, inequality, exploitation of other Mexico, for example, owes nearly $100 The result, as Dymally says, is "an inter­ in the countryside) to 3 percent. human beings, illness, hunger, ignorance, billion, with just over half owed to U.S. view of historic importance." Today there are 255,000 teachers and and human suffering- people who don't banks. The annual interest on the debt is professors - on average, one teacher for react when they see a child without shoes, nearly $10 billion. Support for revolution every II students. All children between the a beggar on the streets,. or millions of In newspaper and television interviews, Anyone who does get an opportunity to ages of six and 12 attend school, and 90 people going hungry." at international conferences, and in forums visit Cuba quickly comes to realize that the percent attend up to the age of I6. There such as the United Nations and the Move­ vast majority of Cuban people take enor­ are 200,000 university students - more Nicaragua, El Salvador ment of Nonaligned Countries, Castro has mous pride in their revolution and its than half of them workers. Education is Among the dozens of topics discussed been explaining that the payment of Latin by Castro in Nothing Can Stop the Course America's foreign debt "is an economic of History are many aspects of the Cuban impossibility, a political impossibility ... New. . from Pathfinder government's internationalist foreign pol­ a moral impossibility." icy. These range from the possibilities of He has repeatedly predicted that there easing relations between the U.S. govern­ will be a generalized social explosion on Fidel Castro ment and Cuba to an explanation of the the continent if this problem is not solved. reasons behind the presence of Cuban Nothing troops in Angola. A just solution Discussing the possibility of direct U.S. His proposal for the cancellation of the Can Stop the military intervention in Nicaragua, Castro debt is that the banks of the creditor coun­ warned that "all the military conditions are tries assume responsibility for it and that it Course of History established." But, he added, "I do think it's be repaid by a 12 percent cut in military ex­ "Undoubtedly the longest and most wide­ possible to find a negotiated political solu­ penditure in those countries. As he pointed ranging interview ever conducted with tion not only for Nicaragua, but also for El out to Dymally and Elliot: Cuban President Fidel Castro. In it, Cas­ Salvador, because we must not forget "It's a simple accounting operation. It's tro speaks directly to the people of the about El Salvador. The people of that not going to close a single factory. It's not United States on questions of vital impor­ country live in a state of war, which cannot going to stop a single ship along its route. tance to citizens of both our countries. be separated from the peace-related prob­ It's not going to interfere with a single lems in Central America." sales contract on the market. To the con­ It spans dozens of topics: U.S.-Cuban re­ The main obstacle to a negotiated politi­ trary, employment, trade, and industrial lations, the Reagan administration's for­ cal settlement in Central America, Castro and agricultural output and products would eign policy, the New International Eco­ told Dymally and Elliot, is "the stubbor­ be increased everywhere. It isn't going to nomic Order, unity and disunity in Latin ness of the United States and its belief that hurt anyone. The only adverse effects America, Cuba's relations with Africa, the situation can be solved by force. It's as would be on arms and military spending, the events in Afghanistan. . . . " if the Reagan administration wants to teach neither of which provides food, clothing, From the preface by Rep. Mervyn M. an unforgettable lesson, so that nobody in education, health, or housing for anyone." Dymally, who with Jeffrey M. Elliot con­ Central or Latin America will ever again The alternative - "to force the people to ducted the interview. 276 pages, $7.95 think of rebelling against the tyrannies go hungry; to live in poverty; to live in the which serve U.S. interests, or against Available from Pathfinder Bookstores listed on worst material, educational, cultural, and hunger and exploitation. They want to health conditions in order to spend a trillion page 12 or by mail from Pathfinder Press, 410 teach a lesson so that nobody really fights West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. Please in­ dollars on weapons and military activities clude 75 cents for postage and handling. for independence and social justice." every year"- is, he declared, "truly im­ In one of the most interesting sections of moral, an act of bad faith, and practically a the book, Castro describes the events lead- betrayal of mankind." 8 The Militant October 17, 1986 Sandinista party ·launches recruitment drive Affirms its roots in working class, among peasants

BY HARVEY McARTHUR ion reported. This will be done in public MANAGUA, Nicaragua - The San­ ceremonies in each workplace and school. dinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) However, he added, anyone "who could has launched a broad party-building cam­ not prove by October 15 that they were in­ paign leading up to November 8, the 25th volved in the political and community ac­ anniversary of the founding of the party. tivities of their neighborhood" would be The campaign also commemorates the 50th dropped from the party. anniversary of the birth of FSLN founder During the two weeks prior to November Carlos Fonseca and the I Oth anniversary of 8, the FSLN and mass organizations will his death in combat against the Somoza hold a series of assemblies to assess their tyranny. progress and the challenges they now face. At an August 27 meeting here, FSLN One day will be dedicated to evaluative as­ leader Carlos Nunez explained that the semblies in workplaces. Another will cele­ FSLN needed to take a "qualitative leap brate the land reform: with peasant fairs, forward" in its activities, especially in light distribution of land, and meetings between of the escalating U.S. war against Nicara­ city workers and peasants. gua and the economic crisis brought on by A third day will be devoted to as­ the war. semblies assessing the participation and The 25th anniversary campaign aims to advances of women in the revolution. The strengthen the FSLN's ability to lead the army and police will also have special days workers and peasants as a whole. It will to present evaluations of their work. emphasize broad, public activity, rather There will be a day of expositions about than internal meetings, said Nunez. "The Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast, one for cul­ FSLN will affirm its class character with tural celebrations, and two days of activ­ Militant/Harvey McArthur the workers, poor peasants, and other sec­ ities around themes of international poli­ Sandinista youths celebrate revolution in July. FSLN drive will mark party's 25th year. tors and demand of all its members the tics. qualities characteristic of the working As part of the 25th anniversary cam­ Managua factories held 156 voluntary hers of the FSLN. This recruitment will class: selflessness in our work, a combative · paign, 500 local leaders of the Sandinista workdays, involving 25,000 workers. Ten continue throughout the fall, said Managua disposition, fraternity, initiative, etc." Workers Federation (CST) met here Sep­ plants have organized special work FSLN leader Carlos Gallo. The evaluative tember 18. They reported progress in rais­ brigades, teams of workers that do regular assemblies held in each plant "must discuss Common actions ing production and increasing worker par­ volunteer work after their shifts and on who are the best workers, the most out­ The campaign will involve "common ac­ ticipation in the unions and in factory ad­ days off. standing in production, so that they can be tions by all bodies of the FSLN," Nunez ministration. Out of these experiences, 99 industrial proposed for membership in the FSLN," he added. This will help "overcome uneven During the first half of 1986, workers in workers recently became candidate mem- told the September 18 CST meeting. development and homogenize in practice styles, conceptions, and forms of work." Many party units are closely tied to the workers and peasants, but there are prob­ French gov't unleashes wave of repression lems of "bureaucratic, top-down function­ ing" in others, he explained. BY ERNEST HARSCH was abolished in 1981. Within France, support for Chirac's "We must pinpoint the weaknesses and crackdown has not been confined to his im­ overcome them, project the best of the men Seizing on a series of bombings that rocked Paris in mid-September, the French Smearing political activists mediate political supporters. Socialist and women of the FSLN, and fight and Party leader Fran~ois Mitterrand, the pres­ exorcise complacency, bureaucracy, per­ government has unleashed a broad repres­ Some papers, such as Le Figaro, sought sive crackdown. to smear left-wing political activists as ident of the country, has endorsed Chirac' s sonal vices, sectarianism, subservience, "antiterrorist" drive. So have most of the and all types of liberalism," he added. Under the guise of fighting terrorism, it "terrorist accomplices." Among those singled out by name was Martine Toulotte, parliamentary opposition parties, including The 25th anniversary campaign will cul­ has sought to further limit the democratic the Communist Party. a member of the Revolutionary Communist minate in a mass mobilization in Managua, rights of working people, particularly im­ The ultraright National Front has called Nicaragua's capital, on November 8. Dele­ migrant workers from the Middle East and League (LCR), French section of the Fourth International. She had been jailed on the government to adopt even sterner gations will come from throughout the Africa. Working-class neighborhoods in measures. At a September 22 rally, Na­ earlier this year on a similar frame-up and country, but the rally will primarily be a Paris and other cities have been hit by in­ tional Front supporters chanted, "The released following a public defense cam­ test of "the degree of influence of the creasingly arbitrary police searches and de­ death penalty for immigrants!" paign. FSLN and its capacity to organize and tentions. But there is opposition as well. On Sep­ Besides the stepped-up police sweeps, mobilize in the capital," Nunez said. "Identity card checks are made all the tember 20 representatives from a range of There will also be a major military time, especially in Paris, which resembles identity checks, and expulsions of foreign­ ers, the government has imposed new reg­ antiracist and left-wing organizations met in parade, he announced, "so that the people a city under siege," reported the September Paris to map out a campaign of protest. ulations requiring visitors from most coun­ will be familiar with the weapons that they 29 London weekly West Africa, "and ex­ They called for a day of national action on tries to obtain visas before arriving in will have to take up to fight their counter­ pulsions of foreigners, mainly from the December 6 to protest the government's re­ revolutionary enemies or foreign interven­ Middle East, is often the result of police France. This will mainly affect those from the Middle East and Africa. pressive laws and racist drive against im­ tion." swoops carried out to combat terrorism." migrants. On September 9, Carlos Carrion, head Although the September bombings pro­ Chirac has announced that the General "To react quickly to the racist threats, to of the FSLN in the Managua region, out­ Directorate for External Security, the sec­ oppose making North African immigrants lined more details of the campaign to a vided a pretext for a sharp escalation of such measures, they had already been on ret police, would be used a,gainst suspected the scapegoats for the current wave of meeting of party leaders and leaders of "terrorists." When aske.d whether this bombings - that is the goal of all the an­ mass organizations in Managua. This fall, the rise for months, especially since the coming to power in March of a right-wing would involve assassinations, Chirac de­ tiracist organizations," declared the LCR' s he said, the FSLN will step up political clined to comment. weekly Rouge. "At a time when the immi­ education within its own ranks and in the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Jacques Chirac. While in New York for a session of the grants are being subjected to a major at­ unions and other mass organizations. United Nations, Chirac met with U.S. Sec­ tack, everyone must act to halt a rise in dis­ Police 'terrorizing the citizen' retary of State George Shultz to discuss criminatory practices. A broad campaign New members admitted Chirac and Interior Minister Charles collaboration with the CIA in combating of explanation and mobilization must those it considers to be "terrorists." therefore be launched." The FSLN plans to admit to full mem­ Pasqua accorded the police new powers to bership all those who have been candidate conduct random identity checks and to de­ members for more than three months, Carr- tain "terrorist suspects" for up to four days without charges. Complaints about arbi­ Fidel book launched in New Zealand trary beatings, especially of Africans and Arabs, mounted. Public meetings .to launch the English­ ation of Labour (FOL) Secretary Ken "Pasqua's police," declared Gerard language edition of the book Fidel andRe­ Douglas. The FOL is New Zealand's equi­ Boulanger, president of the lawyers' ligion have been held in several New Zea­ valent of the AFL-CIO. What he enjoyed union, are "headed in the direction of ter­ land cities. most about the book, he told the meeting, rorizing the citizen." Fidel and Religion is the record of exten­ was "the insight it gave me into the indi­ sive discussions between Cuban President vidual personality of Fidel Castro." In addition, Pasqua has been promoting Fidel Castro and Brazilian priest Frei Another trade union official, Don Farr, a new package of legislation in the French Betto. The original Spanish- and Por­ chaired the August 29 Auckland meeting. National Assembly that would make it tuguese-language editions have become Farr is secretary of the Auckland Trades much easier for the authorities to expel bestsellers in a number of countries and the Council, a body that consists of representa­ some of the estimated 4 million immigrant first English-language edition has recently tives of all the unions in the Auckland re­ workers. been published by Pathfinder Press in Aus­ gion. On the surface the book is based on The September bombings in Paris, tralia. questions of religion, Farr commented, but which killed nine people, provided the Speakers at the meetings have included in reality it "finishes up being quite a re­ government, big-business media, and trade union leaders, prominent religious markable book on Cuba today." right-wing parties with an opportunity to figures, and representatives of Cuba The Anglican Archdeacon of Auckland, whip up a campaign of hysteria against Friendship societies and Latin America John Millane, agreed. Fidel and Religion, "terrorism." solidarity committees. he said, "is a book to listen to, to absorb Helen Clark, a member of parliament for and take in." "It is a real question of war," Chirac New Zealand's Labour Party government, claimed, "a war against subversion," spoke at the meeting held in Wellington, against which it is necessary to "take the capital, on September 10. Clark, who draconian measures." c~airs the parliamentary Labour Party's Subscribe Militant/Michael Baumann The television networks imd major committee on foreign affairs and who re­ Party leader Nunez said FSLN must newspapers featured saturation coverage of cently visited Nicaragua, described Fidel to the Militant make ''qualitative leap forward" in light the bombings. Some campaigned for the and Religion as "a significant book." of U.S. war against Nicaragua. reimposition of the death penalty, which Also speaking at this meeting was Feder-

October 17, 1986 The Militant 9 Argentina: three years after fall of military rule Interview with revolutionary leader

The following is an interview with Among the most burning demands of the Emilio Rubiati, a leader of Praxis, a rev­ popular movement in the area of democrat­ olutionary socialist organization in ic rights were: trial and imprisonment of Argentina. The interview was granted to everyone guilty of the repression, dis­ PerspectiYa Mundial and appeared in mantling of the repressive apparatus still PM's September issue. It has been intact, and the right to divorce. Divorce is translated and abridged by the Militant. still illegal, which reveals once again the backwardness of Argentine society on Question. After eight years of military democratic rights. Argentina is one of six dictatorship, the elected government of countries in the world tod!iY that don't have Raul Alfons in came to power in 1983. How this elementary democratic conquest. has the struggle of the Argentine people for In addition, the movement demanded democratic freedoms unfolded over the last freedom for political prisoners and the re­ several years? turn of kidnapped children to their real Answer. Basically, Alfonsfn won the families. The conviction last year of nine mem­ 1983 presidential election by riding on the bers of the first three military juntas people's profound rejection of the forms of doesn't change the fact that the repressive political domination used by the genocidal Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo demand the return of 30,000 people "disappeared" by apparatus continues to exist, with dictatorship, in other words, state ter­ the military regime. With slogan, "They took them alive, we want them back alive," thousands of murderers implicated in the rorism. they led the fight against the military dictatorship. worst crimes. These nine members of the To the outrageous cutting off of all dem­ juntas were brought before civil court and ocratic freedoms, Alfonsfn counterposed tried publicly, where they received sen­ democracy. To public insecurity, he coun­ The second stage arose after an infinite compensation imperialism considers nec­ tences, some of them ridiculously light. A terposed peace and tranquility. To the number of meetings with the International essary given the possibility of nonpay­ few members of the third military junta country's economic backwardness, he Monetary Fund came up with the Austral ment. This is obviously a political variable, were even acquitted, although two got life counterposed modernization, technology. Plan. This plan consisted of a wage-price dependent on the estimate of the class In this way, he appeared before public imprisonment. freeze and reduction of the interest rate and struggle in each country. Overall public reaction to this was to re­ opinion as the sharpest alternative to the public spending. The plan's purpose was to Yearly interest payments are about $10 pudiate it. The trial and imprisonment of dictatorship. shift investment from the financial to the billion. all of the guilty continues to be a demand of Struggles for democratic freedoms came productive sector and attract foreign in­ the movement for human rights as a whole. Argentina's trade balance - generally to the forefront of national life during the vestments to reactivate the economy. favorable-doesn't cover even 30 percent dictatorship. Confronted with repression of Q. How has the working class been af­ The only thing that remains frozen of of this amount. Therefore, imperialism all possible forms of political and trade grants standby credits to allow compliance fected by the economic crisis? course are wages, not prices. Even if it union expression, social movements repre­ wanted to, the state has no way of control­ with punctual payment on the debt. senting the most pressing demands led the A. The Alfonsfn government has used ling prices at the retail end. And although This explains how there can be greater fight against the dictatorship. The Mothers two tactics in its economic policy. The first inflation has decreased a lot, it remains and greater indebtedness in the absence of of the Plaza de Mayo, with their demand stage was characterized mainly by the ap~ high. a single significant investment in the coun­ for the return of 30,000 "disappeared," plication of classic free-market policies. The government's plan recognized two try. On the contrary, the Argentine econ­ were the indisputable vanguard of the fight The second stage was the "Austral Plan," sources for increased investments. On one omy shrinks every month. against the dictatorship. Their slogan was, which involved a wage-price freeze. hand, the denationalization of state enter­ This is further aggravated by the un­ "They took them alive, we want them back During the first stage, inflation rose to a prises. On the other, openings for invest­ favorable situation created by the constant alive." monthly rate of 50 percent. In the first year ments in various fields, especially oil. fall in international prices for agricultural Alfonsfn's electoral campaign cleverly of Alfonsfn's government, wages de­ None of this has been concretized, de­ products, the main source of foreign ex­ adopted a good part of the slogans of the creased 15 percent because of inflation spite the government's efforts. Alfonsfn change for the country. The fall in prices is movements for human rights. His cam­ combined with increasing unemployment. himself took on this task and even ap­ a result of the increasingly protectionist paign attracted a broad spectrum of the (This was on top of the reduction under the proached Houston, Texas, to offer about policy of the imperialist countries, which population. Once in power, Alfonsfn tried dictatorship.) 20 locations for oil drilling. Not a single unload the full weight of the crisis on the to tie these human rights movements to the The workers' movement was hit the har­ North American company responded to his shoulders of the Third World. state, sow discord within them, and strip dest as a result of the continual transfer of offer. them of their role as instruments of struggle capital from production to speculation, in a Something similar happened with the Q. What has been the Argentine constantly shrinking Argentine economy. and mobilization. state enterprises, sales of which were very people's response to the problem of the difficult. The dictatorship had already debt? begun denationalization by giving away Do you know someone who reads Spanish? the most profitable enterprises. A. The foreign debt is a question taken All this serves to demonstrate the inter­ up by broad layers of the workers and ests of imperialism, which isn't willing to popular movement. 'PM' on Puerto Rico meeting risk anything and is only interested in mar­ "Puerto Rico, with almost a cen- The bourgeois press is forced to reflect kets where it can make superprofits ef­ this debate in its daily papers. The parlia­ tury of U.S. colonial rule, aspires ~J'ti fortlessly and without putting anything into ment has had to take up the question many to have the right to self-determi- JMI.;'...... II~I it. It's willing to support this economic times. nation," said Luis Rocha, a mem- ,u.& IY&UI plan and the government in general only to ber of Nicaragua's National As- the extent that punctual payment of the in­ The General Confederation of Labor sembly, at the opening session of 25 de octubre y 1 de noviembre PUERTO RICO terest on the debt is guaranteed. (CGT) carried out a national strike in the Latin American and Carib­ Encuentro The imperialists' political appraisal of which a moratorium on interest payments Marchas contra poria bean Conference for the Peoples' soberania de the process that has opened up in Argentina on the debt was one of the main demands. Sovereignty and Human Rights Ia guerra de EU AIMrica Latina is that this is not a secure country for Popular mobilizations have also drawn in held recently in San Juan, Puerto en Nicaragua EUA medium-range investments, given its his­ even some sectors of the big parties of the Un aiio de bourgeoisie, such as Alfonsin's Radical Rico. The conference participants, huelga tenaz toric political and economic instability. It from 16 countries and 35 Puerto en Watsonville is secure, though, for capitalists who oper­ Party and the Peronist party. Rican organizations, condemned ate in the speculative market with short­ The Argentine union movement has par­ the U.S. war on Nicaragua and term investments. ticipated in various international forums on discussed other struggles against Imperialism is conscious of the fact that the debt question. The meeting with the imperialist rule, particularly in every month there are at least 700,000 greatest impact was the one of trade union­ Haiti. workers involved in labor disputes with na­ ists opposed to the debt that was held in Perspectiva Mundial correspon­ Fallo judicial contra el FBI: tional or multinational bosses. And that the Havana, Cuba. Argentine unionists from dent Selva Nebbia covered the Triunfan derechos democraticos workers respond with extremely combative the new, combative, and class-struggle conference and the 3,000-strong methods. current participated in this meeting. This shows the fundamental role the unions play march in San Juan demanding Subscriptions: $7 for one year; Q. Can you describe the crisis of the in the politicization of the working class. freedom for independence fighters $4 for six months; Introductory foreign debt in Argentina, the country with The participation of the broadest masses victimized by the United States. offer, $2.00 for five months. the third-highest debt in Latin America? This issue also includes coverage D Begin my sub with current in this fight undermines the foundations of on a simultaneous march in issue. A. When the dictatorship took power in the entire capitalist structure as it reveals Hartford, Connecticut. 1976, the foreign debt was about $9.5 bil­ the corrupt and sell-out nature of the ruling Perspectiva Mundial is the Name ------­ lion. Toward the end of the dictatorship, classes. At the same time, this participation the debt was close to $45 billion. Today, it prepares the conditions for a continentwide Spanish-language socialist maga- Address zine that every month brings you ------has reached $55 billion. action, since all of our countries are bur­ In addition, there is the interest on the dened by the debt scourge. the truth about the struggles of City/State/Zip ------­ debt. This is controlled by rates fixed by This struggle against the debt makes it working people and the oppressed Clip and mail to PM, 408 West St., the international monetary market. But to possible to concretize the struggle of each in the U.S. and around the world. New York, NY 10014. this, other rates have to be added: the prime country in Latin America against the gen­ rate, and the strangest one of all, the eral oppression by their common enemy: "country risk" rate, that is, the economic imperialism.

10 The Militant October 17, 1986 Honduras: springboard for· U.S. war Washington helps anti-Nicaragua contras take over Honduran land

The following article is taken from the duras has been the forward post in the August 24 issue of the English-language Reagan administration's anti-Sandinista Granma Weekly Review, published in policy, the U.S. military has built an air Havana, Cuba. base at Palmerola that is the envy of Cen­ tral America." BY GREGORIO SELSER According to public statements made by On July 14, 1969, the Salvadoran army Hondurans ousted from their lands, "Hon­ invaded Honduras. In the ensuing 100- duras may lose a vast territory of 450 hour war the Honduran army was defeated square kilometers as a result of the contras' and some 5,000 persons were killed or increasing invasion of the area known as wounded in the border area. The Salvado­ New Nicaragua." ran troops withdrew when the Organization This was made known in a letter pre­ of American States intervened. sented to Carlos Montoya, head of the In the aftermath of the war, the Central Honduran Congress, by Manuel Antonio American Common Market collapsed and Erazo and Francisco Campos Medina, Honduras lost 417 square kilometers [ 161 president and secretary respectively of the square miles] of territory covered by six of Coffee Producers' Board in Danli. In their the so-called border pockets - which are letter they also say, "Some 16,000 coffee still in a sort of geographical political producets have abandoned their plantations limbo. in the area of Cifuentes" and "most of us El Salvador and Honduras remained in a have had to either leave our plantations or state of war until October 1980, when a take partial care of them at the risk of our peace treaty was signed at the initiative of lives." The only ones who are denounced U.S. President James Carter, in the as occupants of the lands are the contras. framework of a new U.S. strategy for Cen­ Not a single word is said about the San­ tral America designed to destabilize the dinistas. But Azcona and COSUFA pay no nascent revolutionary government in Nica­ heed to what is published in the Honduran ragua. press. In order to appease the Honduran armed -WORLD NEWS BRIEFS-- forces, Washington promised to pressure Defiance of International Court El Salvador into agreeing to settle the bor­ The regime is not as interested in hiding der dispute within a period of five years, as the presence of contras in the area known Filipino government Suriname gov't prescribed in the peace treaty signed in as New Nicaragua as it is in preventing arrests rebel leader condemns Dutch Lima, Peru. some incident that would reveal the pres­ The five-year period ended on De­ ence there of dozens of U.S. and Honduran Peace negotiations between the gov­ aid to rebels cember 31, 1985. In the meantime, the military advisers working for the CIA. ernment of President Corazon Aquino successive regimes that ruled El Salvador Such a revelation would have disastrous and the outlawed Communist Party of Suriname, a former Dutch colony on between 1980 and 1985 paid little heed to political effects for Washington, although the Philippines (CPP) may collapse fol­ the northern coast of South America, has reconciliation attempts and established the Reagan administration's spokespersons lowing the arrest of a top guerrilla leader accused the government of the Nether­ border limits in only half of one of the bor­ are no longer bothering to deny anything. by army intelligence agents. lands of supplying money and training der pockets in question. COSUFA is hoping that the occupation On September 29, Rodolfo Salas, facilities to a new guerrilla group operat­ In June 1983 Gen. Gustavo Alvarez, of New Nicaragua by thousands of contras commander-in-chief of the New ing in the eastern part of the country. chief of the Honduran armed forces, acting won't mean a repetition of the virtual loss People's Army (NPA), led by the CPP, Led by ex-army private Ronny in collusion with Gen. John Vessey, chair­ of 417 square kilometers following the was arrested along with two compan­ Brunswijk, the group is seeking to over- man of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, 100-hour war begun by EI Salvador to lay ions. The Aquino government has re­ agreed to cede part of the land in Puerto its hands on the border pockets, and that fused demands for his release. Defense Castilla [Honduras] to the United States for the United States will hold the Salvadoran Minister Juan Ponce Enrile warned that the construction of the Regional Center for military at bay and force it to give back the the military would "raise an objection" if Military Training. occupied areas. But it seems to have ig­ Salas was released. Aquino herself de­ The members of the all-powerful Higher nored the fact that in the current Salvado­ scribed the arrests as "a commendable Council of the Armed Forces of Honduras ran Constitution the border pockets, like accomplishment on the part of our law (COSUFA) are currently getting paid for Meanguera and El Tigre islands in the Gulf enforcement agencies." the occupation by a foreign power of 450 of Fonseca, are treated as Salvadoran terri­ A statement issued by the NPA pointed square kilometers [171 square miles] (more tory. out thatthe timing of the arrests wasn't ac­ than the area covered by the six border When Nicaragua accused Honduras at cidental. Rather, it was "a deliberate ac­ pockets), making up what is called New the International Court of Justice of being a tion of the military to derail the peace Nicaragua. springboard for the U.S. mercenary attacks negotiations." Army leaders and Enrile himself have been outspoken critics of the It was COSUFA that ousted Alvarez and on Nicaragua, President Jose Azcona Hoyo Desi Bouterse the man who replaced him, Gen. Walter hastened to visit EI Salvador. This was the peace talks with the guerrillas. LOpez. Despite its temporary eclipse in Al­ first visit by a Honduran president to San On October 3, Vice-president Sal­ throw the government of Lt. Col. Desi varez' time, COSUFA- now composed Salvador since the 1969 war, an indication vador Laurel told a press conference that Bouterse. Brunswijk has been linked of 39 high-ranking officers - is the real that a serious new problem had arisen, evi­ Aquino was likely to make a major pol­ with the right-wing Council for the Lib­ power over the executive, legislative, and dently caused by the suit filed by Nicara­ icy statement on the negotiations in the eration of Suriname. judiciary branches. gua against Honduras. By following Wash­ near future. "When peace efforts fail, Based in the Netherlands, this council These officers are the product of the ington's dictates and denying the Interna­ the government has no choice but to de­ was set up by former officials in the re- fourth, fifth, and sixth generations in the tional Court of Justice's jurisdiction, the fend itself militarily," he said. Asked if . gime of Henck Arron, Suriname's first armed forces and a limited number of them Honduran regime has fallen into its own that foreshadowed a harder line from post-independence government. In Feb­ are viewed as "nationalists," in some trap. Aquino, he said it did. ruary 1980 Bouterse and a group of non­ sense. According to the treaty, if the Hon­ commissioned army officers seized duras-EI Salvador border conflict was not power, overthrowing this corrupt and One more occupation settled by Dec. 31, 1985, the case should Solidarity in Poland proimperialist regime. This area of 450 square kilometers is in be placed before the International Court at aims to restore legality A number of anti-imperialist policies El Parafso department and its largest town, The Hague within the next six months. adopted by the Bouterse government Capiro, has a new name: Reagan City. Those six months have passed and it was Leaders of the banned Solidarity trade quickly earned it the hostility of the gov­ The Voice of America (VOA), noted for expected that both sides would appear be­ union have announced plans to take ad­ ernments of the Netherlands and the its biased reporting, said during a special fore the court to settle the conflict. vantage of the political opening provided United States. In late 1982 both im­ radio broadcast on July 24: "Access to El Whether or not they appealed to The by the Polish government's September ll perialist governments suspended all eco­ Parafso, on the border, is controlled by the Hague remains a mystery, but by saying amnesty for political prisoners. nomic and trade agreements with Suri­ Nicaraguan rebels and the Honduran army that his government does not recognize the A seven-person council has been name. There have also been several previ­ and this has led to frequent arrests of jour­ court's jurisdiction in the suit filed by Nic­ formed that will work openly for the re­ ous coup and invasion attempts, with evi­ nalists trying to visit the area. The Hondu­ aragua, Azcona ruined whatever chance he storation of Solidarity as a legal trade dence of both Dutch and CIA involvement. ran government says that the presence of might have had of winning the border case union organization. The council will re­ the armed Nicaraguan rebels in the area is against El Salvador. Under international place the Temporary Coordinating Com­ only temporary but that the government law, no party can agree to the court's juris­ mission, an underground group formed U.S. commandos to be lacks the military resources to control their diction in one case and ignore it in another. in 1982. Underground structures will re­ stationed in Britain? influx." Some 26 years ago when Honduras and main in place, however, until the gov­ Thus, presidents Roberto Suazo Cor­ Nicaragua were in conflict over territorial ernment's response to the new council Washington is seeking the Thatcher dova and Jose Azcona Hoyo of Honduras rights on border areas, The Hague ruled in and its demands is clear. government's approval to station Delta have consented, with the tacit approval of favor of Honduras. The Solidarity organization in War­ Force commandos in Britain, according the Honduran Congress and armed forces, Ironically, the border areas over which saw, Poland's capital, will also carry out to the September 14 issue of the British to the occupation of territory by the United Honduras was granted territorial jurisdic­ more open work, although it too will newspaper the Sunday Telegraph. The States in exchange for large sums of tion by the International Court of Justice maintain its ties to underground publish­ U.S. Defense Department hopes to "cut money, part of which goes into high-rank­ ruling include the territory currently oc­ ing and dues-collecting networks. reaction times to terrorist incidents in ing officers' bank accounts. Meanwhile, cupied by the mercenaries. The government's initial response Europe and the Middle East by up to 16 their own people pay the consequences of came in an October 3 statement warning hours," the newspaper reported. that occupation and the ranks of the needy Reagan City that the new council was illegal and its The Delta Force would be incorpo­ grow constantly. Many places in Honduras now have new members risked imprisonment for their rated into a joint antiterrorist planning Long before the VOA made public the names. Capiro is now called Reagan City, activities. Leaders of Solidarity, includ­ and control staff at the Special Air Ser­ existence of the fledgling republic, consid­ Cifuentes is called Kirkpatrick and ing chairman Lech Wales a, have also vice Brigade (SAS) headquarters in Lon­ ering it as temporary, Newsweek (June 30, Arenales is called Casey. The contras don't been questioned by the police about their don. The SAS is Britain's elite military 1986) revealed its presence to U.S. read­ seem to realize how grotesque all this roles in the council. intervention unit. ers: "During the three years in which Hon- Continued on Page 13

The Militant ll -THE GREAT SOCIETY------A funny coincidence - The fused some, but Ronald Bums, generally dirty in appearance." Now we see Gump's, the plush "Hot shot, get what you're after. U.S. government ranks third in the principal of Kennedale Junior Funny, the words are a bit differ­ San Francisco shop, is offering Hot shot, take it and run." Speak­ world in revenue derived from in­ High in Fort Worth, remained ent, but her gut reaction is much pillows with woven paisley cov­ ing fondly of the target audience, a dividual income taxes. But, some­ lucid as a bell. He's the chap who like the one we get watching TV ers. $150. That would have given spokesman said, "They're self­ how, on revenue from corporate tossed Keitha Day out of school commercials. W.C. pause for thought. centered, rather than selfish." last spring. Day, who's 12 and weighs in at 90 pounds, assertedly There goes the neighborhood Cultural note - The Pentagon Never got that from Sears - ignored a school bra requirement. -True, it's hindsight on our part, rejects some Hollywood requests Neiman-Marcus and Town & Declared Bums, "You've got to but as soon as that TV commercial for cooperation in filming war Country magazine have combined put your foot down at some point, studio tried to move in, the home­ flicks. Like, scripts about acciden­ forces to offer mail-order log just like Reagan did with Libya." less shelter should have demanded tal nuclear war are out. "An acci­ cabin kits. $18,400 to $75,800. Harry an environmental impact report, dental nuclear war is an impossi­ Ring Try Pepto-Bismol - A Col­ assessing the degree to which the bility," a brass explains. "That's Our neighborhood thrift shop orado Springs producer of TV company's activity would pollute the policy." - "Tum-of-the-century Viennese commercials asked the courts to the area. and French Art Deco antiques ... income taxes, we drop down to remove the town's only homeless Grasping, not greedy trompe I' oeil gardens 58th spot. shelter from next door to its place Look that up in your Funk & Looking to tap into the growing elevators with silver leaf doors and of business. One ad person tes­ Wagnalls-- If we recall rightly, Yuppie market for fruit-flavored lacquered interiors." A new World view - That White tified the homeless made her feel W.C. Fields used to occasionally schnapps, Glenmore Distillers is museum? Nope. Just Barney's House disinformation operation in "very uncomfortable," describing mutter, somewhat coarsely, "Your offering a concoction called Hot new Manhattan women's apparel relation to Libya may have con- them as "unkempt, disheveled and grandmother's paisley shawl." Shot. Commercial lyrics exhort: store. -CALENDAR------CALIFORNIA unionists just returned from Austin, Minnesota. Sun., Oct. 12, 7 p.m. 4945 Paddock Rd. Dona­ TEXAS Sat., Oct. 18,8 p.m. 2135 Woodward Ave. Do­ tion: $2.50. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For Los Angeles nation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more information call (513) 242-7161. Dallas The 1985-86 Hormel Strike: Its Meaning for more information call (313) 961-0395. Celeste vs. Rhodes: Is There A Choice For Freedom Struggle in South Africa. Speaker: Labor Today. Speaker: Fred Halstead, author Working People? Speaker: Mark Rahn, Solly Simelane, African National Congress of of pamphlet "Hormel Meat-Packers Strike in MISSOURI Socialist Workers Party candidate for lieutenant South Africa deputy representative to the UN. Austin, Minnesota." Translation to Spanish. Sun., Oct. 12, 6 p.m. St. Luke's Community St. Louis governor of Ohio. Sun., Oct. 19, 7 p.m. 4945 Sat., Oct. 18, 7:30p.m. 2546 W Pico Blvd. Paddock Rd. Donation: $2.50. Ausp: Militant United Methodist Church, 2408 Gilford. Ausp: Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For The Philippines After Marcos. Speaker: Dr. St. Luke's Church and Dallas October 25th Co­ Arturo Taca, Movement for a Free Philippines. Labor Forum. For more information call (513) more information call (213) 380-9460. 242-7161. alition. For more information call (214) 352- Sun., Oct. 19,7 p.m. 4709 Martin Luther King 9455 or 421-1984. FLORIDA Dr. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more information call (314) 361-0250. Miami Cleveland VIRGINIA Crisis in Steel: How to Fight the Attacks on The Truth Behind Reagan's Phony War on Newport News Steelworkers. Speaker: Bill Kalman, Socialist Drugs. Speakers to be announced. Translation NEW JERSEY Workers Party, member of United Steelworkers Celebrate Victory in Socialist Workers Party to Spanish. Sun., Oct. 12, 6 p.m. 137 NE 54th Suit Against FBI. Speakers: Carl Griffler, of America Local 6825. Sat., Oct. 18, 7:30 St. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more in­ Newark Committee Against Racism and Apartheid; p.m. 2521 Market Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: formation call (305) 756-1020. Hazardous Waste and Radon Soil: What Are Lynn Hiller, peace activist; Chris Gauvreau, Answers for Working People? Speakers: Mar­ Militant Forum. For more information call (216) 861-6150. Socialist Workers Party; Alison Bradner, mem­ GEORGIA garet Halla way, Kearny Environmental Com­ ber Virginia State Boara, National Organization mittee of Concerned Citizens; Kathy DeRay, Atlanta for Women. Sun., Oct. 19, 7:30p.m. 5412Jef­ Save Our State; Adrienne Markowitz, New Jer­ ferson Ave. Donation: $3. Ausp: Militant Labor Grenada: Three Years After the U.S. Inva­ sey Committee for Occupational Safety and Toledo sion. Speaker: Ras Nkomo, a Caribbean student A Panel Discussion on Racist Violence. Forum. For more information call (804) 380- Health; others. Fri., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. 141 5895. who lived in Grenada after the revolution. Halsey St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Speakers: Cassie Madden, president of Black Video showing of Maurice. Sat., Oct. 18,7:30 Forum. For more information call (201) 643- Student Union at Bowling Green State Univer­ WISCONSIN p.m. 132 Cone St. Donation: $2.50. Ausp: Mil­ 3341. sity; Roosevelt Rudoph, Black resident of south itant Labor Forum. For more information call Toledo whose home was attacked by racists; Milwaukee (404) 577-4065. Abdul-Bashir Ali Rahim, broadcaster for The Crisis Facing Dairy Farmers. Speaker: NEW YORK W AMP radio and community activist; Andrew Don Cooper, dairy farmer from Glenbeulah, ILLINOIS Pulley, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Wisconsin, active in Wisconsin Farm Unity Al­ Albany Chicago governor of Michigan. Sat., Oct. 18, 7 p.m. liance. Fri., Oct. 17, 7:30p.m. 4707 W Lisbon Women in South Africa. Speakers: Tlaks 1701 W Bancroft St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Mil­ Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Meatpackers Fight for Justice. A panel of Seepe, anti-apartheid activist from Soweto; speakers. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Oct. 18, itant Forum. For more information call (419) ,Forum. For more information call (414) 445- Natasha Levinson, student anti-apartheid activ­ 536-0383. 2076. 7:30p.m. 3455 S Michigan Ave. Donation: $2. ist from South Africa. Translation to Spanish. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ Fri., Oct. 17, 7:30p.m. 114E Quail St. Dona­ mation call (312) 326-5853. tion: $2. Ausp: Young Socialist Alliance and Militant Labor Forum. For more information KENTUCKY call (518) 434-3247. Communist International in Lenin's Time Louisville Manhattan Socialist Workers Campaign Rally. Speakers: Benefit for the Nicaragua Construction Lenin's Struggle for a Rev­ Jeannette Tracey, S8cialist Workers Party can­ Brigade. Harvest Moon Dance featuring olutionary didate for Congress, 3rd C. D.; Marilee Taylor, Johnny Colon and his orchestra. Fri., Oct. 24, 9 SWP candidate for U.S. Senate. Sun., Oct. 12, p.m. to 4 a.m. Manhattan Plaza, 66 E 4th St. Interna­ bate on Soviet 7 p.m. 809 E Broadway. Donation: $2. Ausp: (btw. 2nd and 3rd aves.). Donation: $12 at tional: Docu­ Power Docu­ Socialist Workers 86 Campaign. For more in­ door. For more information call (212) 475- formation call (502) 587-8418. 7159. ments 1907- ments: 1918- LOUISIANA 1916, the 19, Preparing New Orleans OHIO Preparatory the Founding Grand Opening! Pathfinder Press Celebrates Pathfinder Bookstore's New Location. 3640 Cincinnati Years. Conference. Magazine and Louisiana. Speakers, discussion, Drug Testing: An Attack on Democratic 604 pp. 540 pp. refreshments. Sat., Oct. 18, 6 p.m. Ausp: Mil­ Rights. Speakers: Betty Jean Carroll, senior itant Forum. For more information call (504) vice-president, American Federation of Gov­ $12.95 $12.95 865-1961. ernment Employees Local 1198; Phil Amadon; AI Olverson, Cincinnati Environmental Health Available at Pathfinder Bookstores (see directory on this page for one Department; Sarah Gardner, chairperson, Cin­ nearest you), or order from Pathfinder Press, 410 West St., New MICHIGAN cinnati Coalition of Black Trade Unionists; Detroit Doug Fields, American Federation of State, York, N.Y. 10014. Please add 75 cents for postage and handling. Update on Battle Against Hormel. Speakers: County and Municipal Employees Local 240.

-IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US up~------Where to find the Socialist Workers Party, GEORGIA: Atlanta: SWP, YSA, 132 Cone NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 141 Dallas: SWP, YSA, 336 W. Jefferson. Zip: Young Socialist Alliance, and Pathfinder St. NW, 2nd Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577- Halsey. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. 75208. Tel: (214) 943-5195. Houston: SWP, bookstores. 4065. NEW YORK: Capital District (Albany): YSA, 4806 Almeda. Zip: 77004. Tel: (713) ILLINOIS: Chicago: SWP, YSA, 3455 S. SWP, YSA, 114E Quail St. Zip: 12206. Tel: 522-8054. ALABAMA: Birmingham: SWP, YSA, Michigan Ave. Zip: 60616. Tel: (312) 326- (518) 434-3247. New York: SWP, YSA, 79 UTAH: Price: SWP, YSA, 23 S. Carbon 1306 1st Ave. N. Zip: 35203. Tel: (205) 323- 5853 or 326-5453. Leonard St. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) 219-3679 or Ave., Suite 19, P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: 3079. KENTUCKY: Louisville: SWP, YSA, 809 925-1668. Socialist Books, 226-8445. (801) 637-6294. Salt Lake City: SWP, YSA, ARIZONA: Phoenix: SWP, YSA, 1809 W. E. Broadway. Zip: 40204. Tel: (502) 587-8418. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: SWP, 767 S. State, 3rd floor. Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) Indian School Rd. Zip: 85015. Tel: (602) 279- LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, YSA, 2219 E Market. Zip: 27401. Tel: (919) 355-1124. 5850. 3640 Magazine St. Zip: 70115. Tel: (504) 486- 272-5996. VIRGINIA: Tidewater Area (Newport CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, 8048. OHIO: Cincinnati: SWP, YSA, 4945 Pad­ News): SWP, YSA, 5412 Jefferson Ave. Zip 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380- MARYLAND: Baltimore: SWP, YSA, dock Rd. Zip: 45237. Tel: (513) 242-7161. 23605. Tel: (804) 380-0133. 9460. Oakland: SWP, YSA, 3808 E 14th St. 2913 Greenmount Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) Cleveland: SWP, YSA, 2521 Market Ave. Zip: WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, 3106 Zip: 94601. Tel: (415) 261-3014. San Diego: 235-0013. 44113. Tel: (216) 861-6150. Columbus: YSA, Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) SWP, YSA, 2803 B St. Zip: 92102. Tel: (619) MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA, P.O. Box 02097. Zip: 43202. Toledo: SWP, 797-7699, 797-7021. 234-4630. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, 3284 107 Brighton Ave., 2nd floor, Allston. Zip: YSA, 1701 W Bancroft St. Zip: 43606. Tel: WASHINGTON: Seattle: SWP, YSA, 23rd St. Zip: 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. San 02134. Tel: (617) 787-0275. (419) 536-0383. 5517 Rainier Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: Jose: SWP, YSA, 46 112 Race St. Zip: 95126. MICIDGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, 2135 OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, 2732 NE (206) 723-5330. Tel: ( 408) 998-4007. Woodward Ave. Zip: 48201. Tel: (313)961-0395. Union. Zip: 97212. Tel: (503) 287-7416. WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: SWP, COLORADO: Denver: SWP, YSA, 25 W. MINNESOTA: Twin Cities: SWP, YSA, PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: SWP, YSA, 116 McFarland St. Zip: 25301. Tel: (304) 3rd Ave. Zip: 80223. Tel: (303) 698-2550. 508 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: YSA, 2744 Germantown Ave. Zip: 19133. Tel: 345-3040. Morgantown: SWP, YSA, 221 FLORIDA: Miami: SWP, YSA, 137 NE (612) 644-6325. (215) 225-0213. Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, 402 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. Tel: (304) 296- 54th St. Mailing address: P.O. Box 370486. MISSOURI: Kansas City: SWP, YSA, N. Highland Ave. Zip: 15206. Tel: (412) 362- 0055. Zip: 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. Tallahassee: 4725 Troost. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 753- 6767. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, YSA, P.O. Box 20715. Zip: 32316. Tel: (904) 0404. St. Louis: SWP, YSA, 4907 Martin Luther TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Mike Rose, 7409 4707 W. Lisbon Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 222-4434. King Dr. Zip: 63113. Tel: (314)361-0250. Berkman Dr. Zip: 78752. Tel. (512) 452-3923. 445-2076.

12 The Militant October 17, 1986 'Tied her life to working class'

BY L PALTRINERI Group in Britain, a sister group to the bility was to keep the financial records, not NEW ARK - More than 50 people at­ SWP. Later, in 1975, Lee returned to the the most glamorous of tasks. But she car­ tended an October 5 meeting here to cele­ United States to complete her studies. She ried out all details to perfection." joined the Young Socialist Alliance and brate the life of Lee Martindale, a member Lee spoke Spanish before she joined the of the Socialist Workers Party for more then moved to New York, where she joined SWP. And the party's activity among than 10 years. Lee died on September 22, the SWP. Spanish-speaking workers stimulated her after a two-year battle against cancer. She In 1979, shortly after the SWP decided to improve this skill. In 1984 she was part was 31 years old. that the big majority of its members would of a delegation that attended the convention seek jobs in basic industry, Lee moved to Barbara Peterson, who collaborated of the Mexican Revolutionary Workers closely with Lee when she worked in the Indianapolis. Party. "In spite of the fact that she was finish­ business office of the Militant and Perspec­ Sandi Sherman, another coworker of ing her PhD in economics, she packed right tiva Mundial, chaired the meeting. The Lee's on the business staff, who now lives speakers were Jim White, currently Mili­ up and moved," Budka explained. "Within in Milwaukee, sent a letter to the meeting. tant business manager, and AI Budka, who two weeks, she was working in a United "Lee was the business manager of PM and Auto Workers-{)rganized plant. Later she spoke on behalf of the SWP's Political a member of the editorial board," Sherman Committee. became the full-time organizer of the In­ wrote. "I can think of nothing that would dianapolis branch of the SWP." Before illness forced her to give up her please Lee more than Pathfinder's plans to Two years later, she was asked to return day-to-day responsibilities in the business publish more pamphlets in Spanish. So I to New York to help in the Militant and office in the fall of 1985, Lee had also been can't think of a better tribute to her than to Perspectiva Mundial business office. active in the Newark branch of the SWP. make a contribution to the fund that helps Budka recounted the contributions Lee Carried out all details make that possible- the Fall Publications made over her decade as a revolutionary Fund." Militant/Lou Howort communist. Jim White, who had worked with Lee in Lee Martindale "As a young woman," he noted, "she the Indianapolis branch and later came to Carol Heim, Lee's roommate at Yale first became politically active in the fight work in the business office, recounted that and a professor of economics, also sent a against a form of oppression she knew this was a challenging period for the revo­ letter to the meeting. "I've always re­ program. But that program is given flesh firsthand - discrimination against women lutionary movement. spected Lee for what she chose to do with and blood vitality by the members of the based on their sex. "We were declining in size, and the cir­ her life. She seemed to have found activity party. It is the character, the conviction, "Lee was in the first class at Yale to culation of the press was declining," White that was socially meaningful and that used the fighting spirit, the very lives of these admit women. But she quickly found that noted. "The campaigns to increase their all her special talents to the fullest." members that makes the program become a getting in was only part of the battle. She circulation, which Lee helped to lead, In closing, AI Budka said, "The strength living force. And Lee Martindale was an faced the daily prejudice of this institution. likewise were modest. Lee's first responsi- of the revolutionary party arises from its example of the caliber of these members." Lee decided to fight back, joining with other women to demand a women's studies department, as well as an end to all other barriers they faced." Honduras: springboard for U.S. war Important turn Continued from Page 11 been captured by Honduran troops several Spanish ACAN-EFE news agency corres­ Budka continued, "In 1974-75 Lee was makes them look and they take it for weeks previously because they had served pondent in Tegucigalpa. in an exchange program that took her to granted that they're simply showing their as guides for three foreign journalists who In 1984 the Honduran armed forces can­ London. It was here that her political de­ employers in Washington how grateful had paid them for taking them to New Nic­ celed the United States' permit to operate velopment took an important tum. She they are. aragua. Traveling through national terri­ the Regional Center for Military Training continued to actively battle for women's The contras never even thought of giving tory does not constitute a violation of the because twice as many Salvadorans as rights, participating in a campus fight for a law, he said, and he wanted to know if the Hondurans had been trained by the Green daycare center for students and campus those places such names as Azcona_, Re­ galado, Montoya, and COSUFA in honor army had banned access to the area because Berets. workers. She joined 25,000 British stu­ it had ceased to be Honduran territory. dents and workers in a demonstration to de­ of the Honduran civilians and members of The Honduran military viewed the Sal­ mand that the government not enact restric­ the military who gave them 450 square His question was never answered. All vadoran trainees as future invaders of their tions on a 1967 abortion rights law. kilometers of Honduran territory for their the government said was that one of the country and they were also irritated by the "Through her experiences she began to New Nicaragua. capital's newspapers had lied when it said fact that Washington had not lived up to its look more deeply at the causes of women's All those places were first camps for that there were 16,000 displaced persons in promise to force El Salvador to give back oppression," Budka said, "learning more Somocista refugees, but soon became mil­ the area. But it did not deny the existence the area still in dispute. But the 39 mem­ about its origin -the fact that women's itary strongholds, training camps, and of New Nicaragua, nor refuted the number bers of COSUF A are not bothered by such oppression began only after the beginning bases for attacks on Nicaragua, and of displaced persons set at 12,000 by trifles. They're more interested in getting of class society. Today, women's oppres­ sanctuaries for those returning from such Newsweek on June 30, nor the reports on paid for services rendered to the Reagan sion is part of a whole system of exploita­ activities. the area issued by Armando Cerrato, the administration. tion. Once she came to understand this, she In the statements made by the president decided the best way to fight her oppres­ of the Coffee Producers' Board alluding to sion as a woman was to fight this system­ this situation, he also said that "The con­ -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- capitalism. She thereby tied her life to the tras' presence has forced the exodus of in­ struggle for the emancipation of the entire habitants of more than 60 small towns, Sadlowski said that both racism and red­ workiAg class, the only class that can end mostly peasants. They're victims of the THE MILITANT baiting are incompatible with trade union­ women's oppression, racism, and all the war and, unfortunately, must accept char­ ism. "That's the bosses' game," he said. ity from such U.S. institutions such as AID other forms of prejudice and discrimination October 15, 1976 "That's the divide-and-conquer game." that Lee so despised." and CARE." The Steelworkers' anticommunist clause He recalled that two coffee planters, "doesn't belong in a labor union constitu­ Lee joined the International Marxist Mateo Hernandez and Santos Salfado, had CLEVELAND - More than I 00 steel­ workers turned out here October 3 to meet tion," Sadlowski said, "no more than in the and hear Ed Sadlowski, ·insurgent candi­ Constitution of the United States. And you won't find it there." U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STATEMENT OF St., New York, N.Y. 10014. Douglas Jenness, 410 West St., date for president of the United Steelwork­ OWNERSIDP, MANAGEMENT AND New York, N.Y. 10014. Susan Berman, 15105 St. Clair ers of America. CIRCULATION Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44110. G. Craig Gannon, 14 Charles Sadlowski, who is director of District 31 (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Priscilla Ring, 410 West St., in Chicago, said he was running because THE New York, N.Y. 10014. Joan Campana, C.P. 280, Succ. Post. de Lorimier, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2H 2N7. neither incumbent President I. W. Abel nor lA. Title of publication: The Militant. his handpicked successor Lloyd McBride MILITANT lB. Publication no. 349040. 8. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security Published in the Interests of the Working People holders owning or holding I percent or more of total amounts is "responsive to the membership." 2. Date of filing: September 30, 1986. "We have to get back to the basic con­ October 16, 1961_ Price IOc 3. Frequency of issue: Weekly. A. No. of issues published of bonds, mortgages or other securities (if there are none, so state): None. cepts of what the trade union movement is annually: 50. B. Annual subscription price: $24.00. The October 9 refusal of the Supreme 4. Complete mailing address of known office of publica­ 9. For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to all about," Sadlowski said. "Not concern­ tion: 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. mail at special rates (Section 411.3 DMM only): Does not ing itself with the profits of management, Court to review its ruling that the Com­ 5. Complete mailing address of the headquarters or gen­ apply. but addressing itself to the problems that munist Party must register its members eral business offices of the publisher: 14 Charles Lane, New 10. Extent and nature of circulation. Average no. copies confront the members. . . . " with the government under the terms of the York, N.Y. 10014. each issue during preceding 12 months. A. Total no. copies 1950 Internal Security Act makes defini­ 6. Full names and complete mailing addresses of pub­ printed (net press run): 8,971. B. Paid circulation (I) Sales After making a brief introductory state­ through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales: tive a new stage in the crippling of the Bill lisher, editor, and managing editor. Publisher: The Militant, merit, Sadlowski answered questions for of Rights. 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Editors: Margaret 4,793. (2) Mail subscriptions: 2,961. C. Total paid circula­ Jayko, Doug Jenness, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. tion (sum of lOB I and 10B2): 7 ,754. D. Free distribution by nearly two hours. One of the first questions Attorney General Robert Kennedy de­ 10014. Managing Editor: none. mail, carrier or other means, samples, complimentary and was about the "Experimental Negotiating clares he will now proceed to compel the 7. Owner (if owned by a corporation, its name and address other free copies: 59. E. Total distribution (sum of C and D): Agreement," the no-strike pact Abel Communist Party to meet the act's harsh must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names 7 ,813. F. Copies not distributed (I) Office use, left over, un­ signed in 1973 covering the basic steel in­ requirements. These include disclosure of and addresses of stockholders owning or holding I percent or accounted, spoiled after printing: I ,073. (2) Returns from dustry. membership lists, filing of financial re­ more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, news agents: 85. G. Total (sum of E, Fl and 2 - should equal net press run shown in A): 8,971. Sadlowski condemned the ENA as a ports, and an inventory of printing equip­ the names and addresses of the individual owners must be throwback to company-union policies. given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing ment owned by the party. firm, its name and address, as well as that of each individual date. A. Total no. copies printed (net press run): 12,100. B. Deriding the ENA plan that submits dis­ The act further requires that published must be given. If publication is published by a nonprofit or­ Paid circulation (I) Sales through dealers and carriers, street putes to an "impartial arbitrator," Sad­ material bear the stamp, "Communist ganization, its name and address must be ·stated.): 408 Print­ vendors and counter sales: 5,836. (2) Mail subscriptions: lowski declared, "I've never met an arbit­ propaganda." Party members are denied ing & Publishing Corp., 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 5,590. C. Total paid circulation (sum of 101 and IOB2): rator that was impartial." the right to federal or defense plant em­ 10014. Mary-Alice Waters. 410 West St., New York, N.Y. II ,426. D. Free distribution by mail, carrier or other means, Sadlowski was interrupted by applause ployment. Alien members are subject to 10014. Barry Sheppard, 141 S. Highland Ave , Pittsburgh, samples, complimentary and other free copies: 0. E. Total when he said that a six-hour workday was Pa. 15206. Steve Clark, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. distribution (sum of C and D): II ,426. F. Copies not distri­ deportation and any member may be prose­ 10014. Malik Miah, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. buted (I) Office use, left over, unaccounted, spoiled after "long overdue" in order to "create employ­ cuted for even applying for a passport. 10014. James Mac Warren, 14 Charles Lane, New York, printing: 674. (2) Returns from news agents: 0. G. Total (sum ment and create more leisure time for The leaders of the Communist Party N.Y. 10014. Reba Hansen, 14 Charles Lane, New York, of E, Fl and 2 - should equal net press run shown in A): workers." have justifiably declared that they will not N.Y. 10014. Cynthia Jaquith, 410 West St., New York, 12,100. The life-and-death issue of safety, he expose their members to persecution by N.Y. 10014. Elizabeth Stone, 2546 W. Pico Blvd., Los II. I certify that the statements made by me above are cor­ said, "is not a bargainable question. I've turning over their names. They have taken Angeles, Calif. 90006. Joel Britton, 2546 W. Pico Blvd., Los rect and complete. seen safety issues projected across the bar­ Angeles, Calif. 90006. Jack Barnes, 14 Charles Lane, New this stand in the face of a proviso of the law York, N.Y. 10014. Caroline Lund, 141 S. Highland Ave., (signed) gaining table and then withdrawn in ortler imposing fines of $10,000 for each day of Pittsburgh, Pa. 15206. Barbara McBride, 4806 Almeda, James M. White to get another penny, another two pen­ noncompliance. Party leaders are also sub­ Houston, Tex. 77004. 406 West St. Realty Corp., 406 West Business Manager nies." ject to imprisonment for defying the order.

October 17, 1986 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Do socialists advocate 'A bodyguard of lies' violence? The Reagan administration called it a "disinformation even more clearly. It stated: program" -code words for a deliberate campaign of lies "The goal of our near-term strategy should be to con­ BY DOUG JENNESS directed against Libya and the government of Muammar tinue Qaddafi's paranoia so that he remains preoccupied, One of the most common questions socialists are asked el-Qaddafi. off-balance ... [and] believes that the army and other is whether they advocate violence. In many cases, it's not The campaign began to unravel October 2 when a elements in Libya are plotting against him - possibly really a question, but an accusation. During World War series of official memos were made public by Washing­ with Soviet help. Believing that, he may increase the II, for example, 18 leaders of the Socialist Workers Party ton Post correspondent Bob Woodward. These show that pressure on the [Libyan] army, which in tum may prompt and the Teamsters union in Minneapolis were railroaded in late August administration officials deliberately fed a coup or assassination attempt." to jail by the Roosevelt administration for allegedly "con­ false information to journalists designed to give the im­ spiring" to "advocate overthrowing and destroying the pression that further U.S. military action against Libya The memos made public by Woodward also outline Government of the United States by force and violence." was imminent, similar to the bombings and air strikes in other aspects of the administration's program. They in­ To deal with this question intelligently, it's not very March and April. cluded joint U.S. and Egyptian military exercises near helpful to discuss will-o' -the-wisp "conspiracies" to "ad­ This "disinformation" was widely picked up by the Libya in August, deceptive aircraft carrier operations and vocate" violence. It's more useful to look at the violence news media, beginning with a front-page story in the Au­ radio communications to mislead Libya about the inten­ gust 25 Wall Street Journal. The story warned that there tion of U.S. forces to operate near its territory, placing was "growing evidence" that Qaddafi "has begun plotting fa1se information in overseas newspapers, and publicity terrorist attacks" and that the Reagan administration was about two U.S. diplomatic missions designed to give the LEARNING ABOUT completing plans for "a new and larger hombing of impression that their purpose was to discuss further ac­ Libya" than the April 14 air raids. tions against Libya. SOCIALISM The following day's front-page headline in the New Newspaper publishers and broadcasting officials re­ York Times read, "U.S. Says Libya May Have Plans for sponded to Woodward's revelations with outrage. But what the events in August clearly show is the lack of in­ that is actually occurring in today's workaday world. New Terror," and similar stories were· carried on televis­ This means starting with the violence that's committed ion news reports. dependence of the news media and the ease with which they can be fed information that they will then widely cir­ against working people every day by the employers. Speaking to journalists on October 2, President Ronald Workers sell their labor power to a boss for a specified Reagan denied the existence of a "disinformation pro­ culate. Newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and New time period. During those hours, the employers attempt gram" but admitted that he approved a plan in August de­ to forcibly squeeze as much unpaid labor time as possible signed to make Qaddafi "go to bed every night wonder­ York Times accepted the administration's "disinforma­ tion" so readily because they share its hostility to Libya out of the laborer. ing what we might do." They speed up the line, flout safety and health meas­ Secretary of State George Shultz was even blunter. "If and want to see Qaddafi overthrown. What's more, the use of the "big lie" technique is not ures, impose torturous shifts, enforce arbitrary work there are ways in which we can make Qaddafi nervous, rules, and, in every way they can, attempt to enforce their why shouldn't we?'' he asked journalists, adding that "in­ new. It has been a constant feature of the Reagan admin­ istration's campaign against Libya - from the 1981 authoritarian domination over the workplace. sofar as Qaddafi is concerned, we don't have a declara­ The result is very violent. Hundreds of workers die tion of war, but we have something pretty dam close to claim that Qaddafi had sent a "hit squad" to the United States to assassinate Reagan to the unsubstantiated asser­ every year from work-related accidents, and hundreds of it." thousands lose limbs or are otherwise maimed. Not to Shultz quoted Winston Churchill's remark that "in tior:s of Libyan government involvement in the terrorist attacks in the Rome and Vienna airports on December 27 mention those whose lives are shortened by black lung, time of war the truth is so precious it must be attended by brown lung, asbestosis, chemicals, radioactivity, and a bodyguard of lies." last year. And the press dutifully carried all of these slan­ ders as though they were the gospel truth. other such workplace pollutants. Or just by the general According to a memo written by John Poindexter, wear and tear of the work. Reagan's national security affairs adviser, and adopted at The aim of these lies -and the most recent "disinfor­ If, in competing with other employers, the boss closes a White House meeting on August 14, the "basic goal" of mation program" - is not simply to intimidate the Lib­ down his plant or relocates it, thousands of workers may the disinformation campaign in the U.S. media was to yan government. Reagan, Shultz, and other administra­ suddenly be jolted out of work with no immediate pros­ make "Qaddafi think that there is a high degree of internal tion officials are determined to get rid of the Qaddafi re­ pect of a job. The livelihood of their families is jeopar­ opposition to him within Libya, that his key trusted aides gime, which has refused to be a puppet of U.S. im­ dized. They may lose their homes. This insecurity is a are disloyal, that the U.S. is about to move against him perialism. Each accusation that Qaddafi is a terrorist, permanent condition for working people. That, too, is a militarily." each threat of military action, is designed to prepare the form of violence. A working paper circulated by the State Department on way for the next real escalation in the undeclared war The employers get as much out of us as they can and August 6 spelled out the Reagan administration's aims against Libya. then toss us aside like squeezed lemons. Disabled andre­ tired workers, unable to produce any longer, have no in­ terest for them. Not only are workers ground down physically, but the alienating and violent conditions imposed by the employ­ er in the workplace violate their human spirit. They Break all ties with apartheid! brutalize their emotional well-being. When workers resist these inhuman conditions by col­ Continued from front page the apartheid regime itself - it slanders the ANC as a lectively organizing to demand shorter hours, more pay, These U.S. protests will be coordinated with a series "terrorist" organization. By engaging in red-baiting diat­ and better safety conditions and work rules, the employ­ of European actions against U.S. military aid to the ribes against the ANC's alliance with the South African ers retaliate. They call on the cops, the National Guard, South African-backed mercenary forces fighting in An­ Communist Party, it seeks to sow divisions within the and hired thugs to break up peaceful picket lines and herd gola, to be held October 10 in London, Dublin, Oslo, and anti-apartheid struggle and undercut the broad interna­ scabs into the plant or mine. other cities. tional support that the ANC enjoys. When farmers attempt to prevent bankers or loan agen­ Already, this worldwide movement against apartheid Just as seriously, the new act mandates Reagan to "in­ cies from foreclosing on their farms, cops are called out has had an impact. Various governments- from West­ vestigate" the activities of ANC representatives in the to take over the farms by force and violence. em Europe to Japan to southern Africa itself- have im­ United States, with the aim of hampering their ability to Moreover, there is widespread cop violence in work­ posed economic sanctions of one kind or another. explain their views to the U.S. people. ing-class neighborhoods, particularly those where Within the United States, 19 state and 70 municipal It is vital that anti-apartheid activists defend the ANC Blacks, Chicanos, and Puerto Ricans live. In addition to governments have been impelled to divest $18.5 billion from these attacks. They should champion its right to be those who are shot down in cold blood, thousands are in public funds from corporations and banks doing busi­ heard, get out the truth about the struggle the ANC is thrown into the country's prisons. And there, a growing ness with South Africa. Some 120 colleges and univer­ leading, and demand that Washington keep its hands off number face the death penalty. sities have taken similar action, divesting holdings val­ the organization and its supporters. The toll of this everyday violence committed by the ued at more than $3.7 billion. The ongoing fight for sanctions is vital. Whatever con­ employing class is so huge that it's immeasurable. But cessions Washington and its West European allies have even that isn't all. The strength of this movement has been reflected as been forced to make on this issue, they will continue to The employing class also wages devastating wars and well in divisions among the U.S. rulers in Washington, resist, as much as possible, the imposition of a complete threatens war against peoples throughout the world who resulting in the adoption by Congress of a series of eco­ investment and trade embargo. rebel against the miserable conditions imposed on them nomic sanctions against Pretoria. Those divisions were For the South African rulers, foreign investments and by big-business interests from the United States and other shown by President Reagan's inability to sustain his veto markets are vital to the survival of their oppressive sys­ countries. of the sanctions bill. tem, bringing in the funds and technology needed to keep The boss government arms itself to the teeth in order to The debate within U.S. ruling class circles over what Pretoria's massive police and military apparatus func­ crush strikes and revolts of working people. Today, for to do about South Africa is not only a result of the anti­ tioning. example, it is financing the mercenaries who are con­ apartheid movement here. Above all, it is because of the That is why the struggle for sanctions is so important. ducting terrorist raids into Nicaragua, burning peasant revolt of the Black toiling masses of South Africa, a re­ In an interview in the October 3 Christian Science Mon­ villages and destroying health clinics, schools, and con­ volt that the apartheid regime has been unable to crush itor, Neo Mnumzana, the ANC's chief representative at struction projects. with its imposition of a state of emergency and massive the United Nations, explained that comprehensive sanc­ So, to the question: do socialists advocate violence, police killings and detentions. tions against South Africa would "help disarm apartheid the answer is no. To the contrary, we call for cleansing For Washington- as well as the governments of Brit­ and weaken its ability to go on imposing its rule." our society from all the violence of the ruling classes. ain and other West European countries - the apartheid Besides hitting at the apartheid regime, sanctions are This gigantic task will require a mass revolutionary state is a vitally needed imperialist bulwark, protecting also a concrete demonstration to the struggling people of movement of workers and farmers to overturn capitalist the interests of big business throughout southern Africa. South Africa that they are not alone, that the people of the political rule. Their goal is to stabilize the regime, in part by persuading world stand on their side. Such solidarity helps them Socialists prefer that this be done peacefully. But his­ it to adopt more reforms. They want to head off the cre­ withstand Pretoria's biting repression. tory shows that no propertied class gives up its power to ation of the united, democratic, nonracial republic that A good turnout for the October 10 and 11 anti-apart­ the exploited majority without a ferocious fight. Just as the masses of South African Blacks are fighting for under heid actions will help hammer this message home. It pro­ the employers violently resisted the formation of unions the leadership of the African National Congress. vides opponents of U.S. collaboration with apartheid an and are violently driving through take backs today, they opportunity to express their solidarity with the people of will even more fiercely utilize every fiendish means at That is why the sanctions law adopted by Congress South Africa, to defend the ANC from attack, and to de­ their disposal to try to crush a mass movement that aims also includes such virulent attacks against the ANC. Em­ mand the imposition of full economic sanctions against to remove them from their position of rule. ploying language frequently used by Reagan - and by Pretoria now. "Break all ties with apartheid!" To counter this, workers will have to organize to de­ fend themselves just as they have learned to defend their picket lines from violent attacks during a strike. To paraphrase Patrick Henry, if advocating this is treason, then let the powers that be make the most of it.

14 The Militant October 17, 1986 Discussions in the mines on abortion rights, religion

BY CLARE FRAENZL paigning to encourage teenage chastity is a progressive tion rights: the employing class and the government that Women miners who had participated in the massive alternative, but doesn't think it will really work. serves it. March 9 demonstration in defense of abortion rights I explained that I thought the question of abortion is a As the employers' attack deepens, workers of all relig­ helped organize a special interest workshop at the Eighth political, not a moral or religious, issue. I agreed that the ious faiths are walking the picket line and getting hit over National Women Miners Conference held last June. At right of women to control our own bodies and decide if the head by cops. In fact, a good many workers with re­ this workshop we discussed the impact of the March 9 ac- and when to bear children is fundamental to our struggle ligious views are among the best union militants. They for equality and a better life. are driven to fight, however, by their experiences as I also explained why I think the government is attack­ workers, not by their religious beliefs. ing the gains of the civil rights and women's movements, If in the course of struggle their religious views come UNION TALK particularly abortion rights and affirmative action·- that into conflict with their social and political goals, they it is part of their drive to deepen the exploitation of the will have to make some difficult choices, as in the case of tion and how we could enlist the support of our union, the most oppressed layers of the working class and to in­ my coworker. But workers with religious views, includ­ United Mine Workers of America, in defending our right crease divisions among workers so we cannot unite to de­ ing fundamentalists, aren't helped in advancing along a to abortion. fend our common interests. progressive course by being treated any differently than We agreed that the government-inspired attacks on It was the first time this miner, or the other men on my other workers. abortion rights had encouraged the bosses to step up crew, had heard the idea that the whole working class has This is also an important question today in Nicaragua, harassment and discrimination against us. But the turnout a stake in defending abortion rights and that it is part of a where many workers are devout Catholics. Despite the of 100,000 women in Washington, D.C., set them back, broader struggle to defend ourselves against the attacks Catholic Church hierarchy's opposition to abortion, one woman commented. "It let them know we are still of the capitalist class. It made sense to the men, including many Nicaraguan women are insisting on the right to here and still fighting," she said. Women miners also my fundamentalist buddy. However, when I last talked to abortion. Without the right to decide if and when to bear agreed that many miners supported abortion rights and him he was still wrestling with his conscience, trying to children, they cannot fully participate in economic pro­ that the march opened up a discussion in the mines, one reconcile his moral beliefs with his deep concern for the duction and in defending their revolution against U.S. we wanted to encourage. Black community and his class instincts. aggression. It would be pure folly for the Sandinista lead­ One conversation I had in the mine where I work par­ I was reminded of this experience when I read the ers to demand that women renounce Catholicism in order ticularly stands out in my mind. A young Black miner "Union Talk" column in the September 5 Militant. This to fully participate in defending their country. asked me what I thought about the rising rate of teenage article, "Wisconsin auto workers debate abortion rights," Defenders of abortion rights in the United States can pregnancy among Black women. He said he was uneasy described a confrontation among members of a United learn from this Nicaraguan experience and focus the dis­ about government attacks on abortion and contraception. Auto Workers local over the question of abortion. Ac­ cussion of abortion on how it fits into defending our class He felt it was an attempt to deepen the poverty among cording to the writer of the column, some workers interests. This will facilitate involving workers with deep Blacks since young Black women had little hope of viewed it as a battle between workers who are fundamen­ religious feelings, like my buddy, in these struggles. In finishing school or finding jobs once they were forced to talist Christians on the one hand, and the supporters of the course of these battles themselves, many workers will bear children. women's rights on the other. begin rethinking their political and religious ideas. But, this miner continued, he is a preacher, deeply de­ voted to his fundamentalist religion. The hierarchy of his I think this is unfortunate because posing the debate in Clare Fraenzl is a member of United Mine Workers church teaches that abortion is murder. He thinks cam- this way obscures the real source of the attacks on abor- Local I I97 in Pennsylvania. -LffTERS------Let's unite contra war against Nicaragua like the information about Rehn­ should be singled out and voted quist's harassment of Black voters I've tried to stay abreast of the out of office for their willingness in the early 1960s, was known to beautiful, important fight of the to disregard the opposition of the the senators of the 1971 hearings Austin, Minnesota, meatpackers. many American citizens who are who confirmed Rehnquist as a Su­ I heard Jim Guyette and women sane enough to not want another preme Court justice, and the workers from TWA at the Oberlin Vietnam and who are the very majority then were Democrats. All solidarity conference. I endorse people who entrusted them to of­ were aware, as well, of Rehn­ these struggles 100 percent. fice. quist's right-wing views on civil Clippings are enclosed on a re­ A prisoner liberties. It all makes the current cent protest by workers at the Huntingdon, Pennsylvania bleating of Democratic "friends of Hummer vehicle plant in Mis­ the oppressed" pretty nauseating. hawaka, Indiana, protesting a new I'lL JAlL J.W. absenteeism policy. A similar ac­ Lee Martindale Indianapolis, Indiana ALL Of tion occurred at the Allied Prod­ I was shocked and saddened to ucts Corp.'s South Bend, Indiana, read in the Militant of the death of / _M.I.XICO ! plant. This is an excellent chance Lee Martindale at the young age of Democracy in America to sell Militant subscriptions and 31. I have been reading your paper While our acquaintance was .. ~'EU, THERE 'r'OI.I educate. Send someone! for some time and always enjoy it. A~L. Of HAVE ll", FOLK<;, In South Bend, Indiana, we too short, I well recall Lee from when It is refreshing to find a paper un­ MEX\Co? are facing the money barons. We we were both members of the afraid to tell the truth. IJI-i.. GEl TOUGH~ need your support. Let's unite and Socialist Workers Party branch in Ut'l •.. I am poor and am probably EJL. '/GTE. foF..ME ~ throw off these shackles forever. Albany, New York. Lee was liv­ in In solidarity, ing in Amherst, Massachusetts, the best position to understand the failings of capitalism. It is a fact A.R.N. and drove hours over the Berk­ that when a small minority control South Bend, Indiana shire hills to participate in the ef­ forts of our small, struggling the majority of the wealth of a na­ branch. Those were the first days tion, a lot of its people are left with Enact a special bill of the SWP in the Capital District, nothing. In order for these rich I want to comment on the article and Lee made a definite contribu­ bastards to stay rich, the poor must "Ortega's N.Y. visit spurs opposi­ tion. be kept poor. tion to contra war" in the August 8 Lee Martindale stands out in my Capitalism encourages and per­ issue of the Militant. The Militant memory as a person who was petuates this system. You can't is precise in its articles, both on these walls. The average person tatorships? politically talented but also as a ever "do better" without a good the national and international who wants to get himself or her­ Jack Bresee warm and friendly human being. education, and you can't get one level, and, in my opinion, is the self together in prison can't be­ Miami, Florida On both counts, I am sure she will without money. dominant socialist newspaper in cause they don't have the proper be sorely missed by many com­ means. the United States and should be rades and friends. America will never be free or studied carefully by all its readers. democratic until all its people are Thank you for ~ub Mark Chalkley Corruption bred in this system With respect to Nicaraguan · truly equal. True equality, true Thank you and all of your sup­ Baltimore, Maryland must be stopped in order to cut President Daniel Ortega's appear­ freedom, and true justice come porters once again for my sub­ crime in ihe future and the stagger­ ance before the United Nations Se­ through socialism. Here the rights scription. Please mark your re­ ing results of crime in here and in curity Council, I believe it is nec­ 'Friends of the oppressed' of a people to education, housing, cords, however, to indicate that I the streets. Don't go for that "take essary for the Security Council to Congratulations to the Socialist food, and work are respected, sup­ will be released on parole and will a bite out of crime and get tough" support Ortega in his political Workers Party and Young ported, and encouraged. I look no longer be a prisoner of the state policy. That's trickery. Get to the fight against the refusal of the Socialist Alliance in their victory forward to the day when democ­ - at least not in the strictest sense root of it all. The capitalists breed United States to recognize the over the U.S. secret police! As the racy finally comes to America. of the term. crime. They need to be locked up. World Court's jurisdiction. government deepens its attacks on M.R. Upon my release and once I They are the root of crime. The UN-related court doesn't the democratic rights of working Baltimore, Maryland have relocated, I will contact you have the force of law to stop the people, your victory becomes a Check out the prison nearest to begin my subscription anew. Reagan administration's attempt tremendous weapon in the fight to The real criminals you. We need your help. The real Thank you again for your support to overthrow the government of maintain and extend civil rights. In the unmerciful hands of the criminals are getting away. and in helping to make these past Nicaragua. Because of this, there The most recent symbol of the administration of the state correc­ Inmates in need years of imprisonment both bear­ should be a great amount of pres­ government's attack is in the per­ tional facility at Rockview, Rockview Prison, Pennsylvania able and a worthwhile learning sure from all nations that are son of William Rehnquist, chief Pennsylvania, human beings need process. against the illegal intervention. justice of the Supreme Court. A prisoner your support. We need you to call Political asylum Needed are public petitions from In 1969 Rehnquist wrote a congressmen, state representa­ Norco, California people in the United States to the memo to then president Richard tives, and senators with reference On the 15th of this month, four Congress to enact a special bill Nixon about army surveillance of to prison reform and justice. people on an Iberia airliner that that would allow the majority on anti-Vietnam War protesters. The was forced to land in Miami asked The letters column is an open the national level to merge with memo calls for the FBI to collect Men are robbed of education, for asylum in the United States. forum for all viewpoints on sub­ the majority on the international "raw intelligence" and pass it on to their rights as human beings, their Two were Cuban. Two were jects of general interest to our level in opposition to United the Department of Defense. The dignity, even their finances. They Nicaraguan. readers. Please keep your letters States aggression toward Latin memo also puts the responsibility are frustrated by the cold cowar­ Whatever their reasons, do you brief. Where necessary they will America and the Caribbean. for collection, analysis, evalua­ dice of people who are supposed think they will have as much be abridged. Please indicate if Those in the House of Repre­ tion, and dissemination of the in­ to represent truth. trouble gaining asylum as Hector you prefer that your initials sentatives who voted for the $100 telligence on the attorney general. You must ask for investigations Marroquin and thousands of other be used rather than your full million to finance the illegal CIA It is clear that this information, as to what really goes on behind refugees from U.S. -backed die- name.

October 17, 1986 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Tax reform scam: giveaway to rich 'No taxes on workers and farmers,' say socialist candidates

The following statement was issued October 4 by Theresa Delgadillo, the Socialist Workers Party candidate for governor of New York; Tom Jaax, the SWP candidate for governor of Min­ nesota; and Sam Manuel, the SWP can­ didate for U.S. Senator from California.

The tax bill adopted by substantial majorities in the U.~. House of Represen­ tatives September 25 and the Senate Sep­ tember 27 has set off an avalanche of praise from top government officials, legislators, and the major newspapers and broadcast­ ing networks. President Reagan hailed it as "historic." Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, a Democrat from Illinois, said, "It brings a sense of jus­ tice to the way we tax income." fl>.~ ._., "Taxes are about more than money," Militant by Holbrook Mahn gushed Oregon Sen. Robert Packwood. Left to right: Sam Manuel, Tom Jaax, Theresa Delgadillo, Socialist Workers Party candidates in 1986 elections, who blasted "They are about fairness, and this bill is new tax law as bipartisan ripoff of working people. fair." The Wall Street Journal even tried to The grinding down of the income of The tax program we advocate is quite Although working people provide most pass it off as "the most important antipov­ workers and farmers through property different. of the tax money that is used to finance the erty legislation in more than a decade." taxes and other regressive taxes will not be It is based on the simple idea that work­ federal budget, that money is not spent in A close examination of the tax bill, how­ affected by the new law. ers and working farmers should pay no our interest. The biggest chunks are spent ever, reveals that it goes beyond its pre­ This "tax reform" is part and parcel of taxes. on arms, which are used to brutalize and decessors in ripping off working people the drive by the ruling rich to increase their They should be exempt from the income bully people all over the world, and on and providing giveaways for the billionaire wealth at our expense. tax. Sales taxes, social security taxes, payment of interest and principal on the na­ ruling families. Democrats and Republicans, liberals property taxes, and other levies that target tional debt. The lush arms contracts and the The new law strips down the previous 14 and conservatives in both houses of Con­ the incomes of working people need to be debt payments go to the very same pro­ rates to two rates. The top rate at which in­ gress, and the White House have united to abolished. fiteers who are the beneficiaries of the new dividuals with high incomes can be taxed, put over this scam. The income of the superrich families and tax law. which was 70 percent in 1978, will drop to Despite the hoopla about simplifying the the profits of their big corporations should Most of the wealth that workers and 28 percent in I 988 - the lowest since the tax system so it can be understood by most be steeply taxed. To help put a stop to their farmers produce is already plundered from 1920s. Some additional charges will raise people, the almost impenetrable provisions tax cheating, unions and farmers' organi­ us by the superrich. We should not be re-· the rate to 33 percent for some higher in­ of the new code are sure to provide a zations should be allowed to thoroughly in­ quired to provide a single cent to pay for comes. bonanza for tax accountants and lawyers. spect all their books. the government that protects their interests. At the same time, those who have an in­ come of $30,000 a year before taxes also must pay the 28 percent rate. Millions of workers and farmers will be in the same Hundreds join Boston antiwar protests basic bracket as the Rockefellers, duPonts, and Kennedys. BY JON HILLSON Arthur Kinoy, who joined Campbell and urgent appeal for protests against the war. The wealthiest families in this country BOSTON - Protests and meetings others to discuss the Nicaraguan constitu­ Rocha had begun a national speaking tour will get even richer. against Washington's escalating war tion, told the assembled activists there, in Northampton, Massachusetts, on Sep­ The tax on corporate profits will drop against Nicaragua attracted nearly 1,700 "We can't go home, slap our foreheads, tember 19 and was in New Hampshire on from 46 percent to 34 percent. But this people here in a five-day span. During say 'Oh, my God, contra aid passed,' and the weekend of October 4-6. windfall, we are told, will be made up for these actions antiwar activists stepped up get drunk. We've got to fight, we've got to Dora Maria Tellez told the enthusiastic by closing tax loopholes favoring big busi­ efforts to build the November 1 demonstra­ be in the streets, we've got to have mass gathering on September 28 here that stop­ ness. tion in Boston against U.S. intervention in actions." ping a new Vietnam war was the over­ But the facts are that tax loopholes were Nicaragua and for peace, jobs, and justice. The crowd burst into cheers. whelming challenge to her people and actually written into the bill for oil and gas At Northeastern University, Nicaraguan Fasting Vietnam veteran George Mizo, those of the United States. "If, as a gener­ investors, steel corporations, and many embassy Minister-counsellor Francisco winner of a Purple Heart and Gallantry ation we have to do something," Tellez others. Campbell, along with a panel of lawyers Cross, told the 1 ,OOQ people at Boston said to chants and applause, "let us do Tax shelters in the form of purchases of and academic figures, described the cur­ Common he was not a "martyr" or "saint," that." land or other property for tax write-off pur­ rent debate in Nicaragua aimed at ratifying but that the fast aimed to spur protest The November 1 Boston march for poses are portrayed as having bitten the a new constitution. Some 250 activists and against a new Vietnam in Central America. Peace, Jobs and Justice begins at 11 a.m. at dust. Not at all. students attended the September 24 event. Nicaraguan teacher and trade-unionist Copley Square. For more information call The September 29 Wall Street Journal Nearly 1 ,000 demonstrators converged Estela Rocha also stirred the crowd with an (617) 492-2284. reported that the sale of tax shelters is on Boston Common September 28 to sup­ booming "because investors who buy shel­ port four veterans, three of them with Viet­ ters before President Reagan signs the bill nam service, entering their fourth week of will fall under a 'phase in' rule allowing fasting in protest against U.S. aggression Iceland's working people don't them to use all their shelter write-offs this in Central America. One hundred veterans year and 65 percent of those write-offs next of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the share in summit bonanza year (and dwindling percentages thereaf­ 1965 invasion of the Dominican Republic ter)." came from across New England, garbed in BY GRETAR KRISTJANSSON are offering up to $2,000 for an apartment Among the tax shelter operations that are fatigues, to support the fasting vets. REYKJAVIK, Iceland-From newspa­ that in some cases will only be used for a still going strong is the purchase of chicke.n per reports, it sounds like a gold mine has day or two. farms, pig farms, and cattle. The benefi­ That evening more than 400 people been discovered here. They already claim The government and major political par­ ciaries, for the most part, are corporations stood and cheered as Dora Maria Tellez, the Icelandic people will earn some $20 ties in parliament are portraying the sum­ and other absentee landlords. Some farm Nicaragua's minister of health and a central million from the summit meeting October mit as an opening toward world peace. groups have poined out that the shelters leader of the Sandinista National Libera­ 11 and 12 between U.S. President Ronald But this is not the universal opinion. help ag?business but hurt working farm­ tion Front, urged that opposition to the Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gor- • U.S. mercenary war against her country be bachev. The El Salvador Solidarity Committee is ers. planning a meeting on October I 0 to pro­ The provlSlons of the tax reform that an immense, popular cause that unites the But who will get this money? Not the test the U.S. government's war o.n Nicara­ have been portrayed as helping low-in­ people of Nicaragua and the United States. majority of the 240,000 Icelandic people. gua and its support to the Duarte dictator­ come people will result in a cut of only Boston November Action for Peace, The newspapers don't mention that it's ship in El Salvador. This committee in­ $36.79 in annual taxes for incomes under Jobs and Justice Coalition leader Beverly only the Icelandic business people, like the cludes long-time activists in the fight $10,000 a year. Treumann addressed all three gatherings as owners of the hotels and restaurants, who against the large U.S.-run NATO base in This, and much more, will be gobbled coalition activists leafleted the crowds. will profit from the summit. up by a 5 percent jump in social security "We need the biggest possible, the The Icelandic government has shut Iceland. Moreover, the Icelandic Women's Peace taxes in 1988. broadest possible turnout on November 1 , " down two schools for the foreign press, The bite that sales taxes take out of the Treumann, the director of the Nicaragua­ sending the students home. In some cases, Movement is collecting signatures de­ manding immediate disarmament. incomes of working people will also get based Spanish-language school, NICA, parents will have to stay home from work larger because of the elimination of the told the gatherings. "A protest isn't for one to look after their children. If Washington really wanted peace, it exemption for these payments previously day, it is the building of a public movement In Reykjavik, where there has been a would leave Nicaragua alone, end its sup­ granted by the federal government. Deduc­ of opposition to the war that speaks for the housing shortage for decades, 500 apart­ port to the Salvadoran dictatorship, with­ tions for medical expenses have also been majority," she said. ments suddenly became available to for­ draw its missiles from Europe, and close slashed. Center of Constitutional Rights lawyer eign guests. Not surprisingly, the visitors down its naval air base in Iceland.

16 The Militant October 17, 1986