T FOUNDED 1939 Organ of the Connolly Association LABOUR DEBATES IRELAND P. 2 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY P. 3 MOCHA THE E.E.C. STRANGLEHOLD P. 3 No. 439 FEBRUARY 1981 20p CONNOLLY'S MARXISM P. 3 BELFAST STRUGGLES 1932 P. 5 Songs P. 6 Books P. 7 ARE THERE DONALL MACAMHLAIGH P. 8 FIFTY JUST MEN IN VOTE AGAINST TERROR ACT! MARRIAGES GO UP AND UP THE Connolly Association calls upon all its members and supporters to lobby their THERE were 21,000 marriages in Members of Parliament at the House of Commons on Wednesday, February 18th. • the Twenty-Six Counties last The Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has meant arbitrary For the past few months a year, compared with 15,000 in 1960. arrest and imprisonment, plus ill-treatment in custody, and heart- petition has been circulating. The average age of the bride was 24 years compared with 27 years in break for thousands of Irish homes, comes up for renewal in It has been signed by leading 1960. March. UCATT members in London. At The rise in the number of mar- Last year it was opposed by 28 enlightened Members, whose the NUJ conference it was has names are given below. signed by Jacob Ecclestone, riages in the past twenty years father of the chapel at The been responsible for the jump in Could we persuade twenty- A solid knot of fifty M.P.s the birthrate and for Ireland's cur- two more that this measure is would be a force to reckon with Times, Anna Coote, Scarlett rent population explosion. Of course injurious to the innocent with- and would be a feat help to McGuire, J. Lynch, Dick Bower no one can be sure how many out deterring the guilty, and pioneers like Mr Stallard and and John Jennings,- among children on average last year's others. brides and grooms will have. We !i thus have fifty just men in Mr Flannery, who have been shall know better in ten or fifteen Parliament ? pressing these issues for years. Seven signatures come from years time, when those marrying WIN MAJORITY BUT, there may be a move Chelsea Labour Party, thirteen last year will mostly have com- The aim of the Connolly As- to bring the debate forward. from New Ham Labour Party. pleted their families. sociation is to win the majority Last year but one a lobby As previously reported in the But even if last" year's couples of the Labour Party to a policy was forestalled. Last year the Irish Democrat, there have been have smaller families than those of a united independent Ireland debate was held at midnight many signatures from Birming- going to the altar a decade or two and the repeal of all repressive and most of the time was ham and Manchester. decades ago, they are still likely to legislation both here and in the taken up by ministerial PRESENTED be above the West European norm. blethering. Families of three and four children six counties, by the time the The petition will not be presented are still common in Ireland, al- ELECTION STOP next Labour government takes THEREFORE, we urge our at the lobby, so there is still time for more signatures. As soon as though very large families are in- PRESS office. friends to write to their M.P.s the announcement of the actual creasingly rare. It has to be taken in stages. without delay drawing their date of the debate is made, it will The prospects are for a rising People have got to be persuaded. attention to the prospect of be taken to Mr Stallard, chairman population in Ireland between now ENERAL election In Republic We have good arguments in the renewal of the Act being' and the end of the century and G strongly tipped for June. World of the Northern Ireland Committee beyond. The population of the Re- recession has blown economy off which we have confidence. _ For bounced on them, and urging of the Parliamentary Labour Party, public should be around 4 million course. Banks urge Haughey get that reason we have no need them to press for a fuller in order to strengthen his hand in by the year 2000, compared with tresh majority and act tough. Lafr of flamboyant demonstrations deb'ate than was allowed last the good job we know he will do. less than 3 million twenty years cur's great chance to act independ- or hysterical gestures. year. ago. ently of Fine Gael. Stand frankly (Continued on Page Two) tor united! Ireland and work for alliance with what is best in Fianna Fail. IRISH JOIN ANTI-UNEMPLOYMENT MARCH "THE Tories have sent up unemployment in Britain to two and The Connolly Association urges members of the Irish com- a half million in their efforts to weaken the Labour move- munity to give full support for the struggle against unemploy- ment. ment. The building trade has been decimated by the actions of Labour is fighting back. The northwestern T.U.C. is organis- the vicious anti-working-class hoodlums whose sole governmental ing a march from Liverpool to London beginning on May 1st. pif/pose is to emich the bankers and wealthy foreign -investors. The Connolly Association is participating in that march, and All out on May 1st! The Irish Democrat will be publishing a with any luck the old banner (left) will be carried, that saw the Irish Freedom March from Liverpool to London in 1961. special issue. 1961 - Connolly Association 1901 - Labour Protection League marches for united Ireland. marches for wages J MM February 1981 THE IRISH DEMOCRAT February 1981 THE IRISH DEMOCRAT 3 LABOURS DEBATE ON IRELAND E.E.C.-VISION AND REALITY or. of HE Januray 9th issue of Labour Weekly carried Mi'li Britain instead mte- to be a long job. and the Bntish a i::.mi.? with the rest ot Ireland government would have to peg away r^URlNG January the press, radio eries policy adopted. Apcointing a either by the end ol this year or T middle-pags spread devoted to the Irish question, " and television channels took the neutral Commissioner might help certainly during 1982 the EEC s by CIVIL RIGHTS at it NOTES & NEWS opportunity ot a new President, a based on a consultative paper submitted to the party resolve the carve up of the fishing budget account will go into the red SECURITY partly new Commission and the grounds around the British Isles. because of the spiralling expense JOHN BOYD for public discussion. Wh:l" m favour of c:\il rights HE Edinburgh "Scotsman" re- entry of Greece to the EEC to pub- T is interesting to study some of which only continues to worsen the!" IS a fear that A Bill of Hence the question: "Should T cently published a picture of licise the Common Market or the points made during this pub- the surpluses and distortions in port to withdraw Britain Ironi the Readers of the periodical are invited to "form a ri-hts might be interrupted tov troops be withdrawn immediately, President Reagan, during the course Europe," as they like to call it. I lic relations exercise, especially agriculture. EEC. This has been best expressed the courts m a manner which or as is already taking place, gradu- of his election campaign, holding You will remember that "Europe" v;orking party to study these questions and let us have those of the retiring President Roy ITH Greece now a member in the adoption by the Labour ally replaced by police wherever up the hand of Mr Stanislaw has been conveniently redefined as would hamper strong, effective or Jenkins. His departing remarks W and the likelihood ol Spain Party of the policy to withdraw your views by March." possible? Walesa whom it described as the progressive government." So here nine western and one southern and Portugal joining soon the ex- Irom the Common Market. What is father of the Polish strike leader," carry some weight In the light of state amongst 35 European states penditure on propping up agricul- urgently needed now is a campaign It is good that policy should be openly discussed in comes the traditional right wing The Connolly Association has who has the distinction of having his receiving a bonus, to the hand- all told. tural distortions will hasten the by the labour movement to carry this way and the Irish Democrat devotes this page to concern for strong government." long argued that the "troops out" led the only strikes which won the some tune of £200 (or each week inevitable financial crisis. All three this policy through, otherwise it Just go.eminent doesn't come into slogan is a lot of nonsense. The approval of the B.B.C. and the The new President is from Lux- of his four years in Brussels. For some of the issues raised. example "with 7.5 million unem- countries are predominantly agri- will remain a decision on paper it Ulster Defence Regiment aie whole American-dominated British embourg, a state with as many in- ployed, stagnating economic growth cultural. hence the proposal to in- only. The pro-marketeers will troops. But they can't be withdrawn press. habitants as a London Borough, to It is not clear whether such a rates, unprecedented balance of crease three-fold the contributions attempt to head off any campaign, INCE 1921 Northern Ireland has nig tl.e partition was intended t.> as they are local residents. And it give the Commission the look of Bill of Rights would be for Nor- * payments deficits, and substantial by member states which will come and even reverse the decision itself, S been part of the United King- be temporary, or so it was claimed matters little to a Republican standing up for the smaller and thern Ireland alone or one which JOHN BOYD structural problems, it is vital that out of our pockets after the mem- with one ot any number ot moves dom following the 1920 Government The statement does not say how- suspect whether he is tortured by Lord Philip Noel Baker ill a poorer members of the EEC.