They brought with them not only were swept under by the violence calculations how they helned to and the might most effectively spread, they schemers and dreamers of power, brought weapons harder to blunt. the Rostows and Goldbergs. have Europe was placated by Kennedy's been borne down by LBJ's ill-repute. youth and Jacqueline's charm. the The negroes, the peace movement well-meaning and liberal were have shown what American society seduced by Stevenson's words, and is really about; the Vietnamese have the poor negroes were assuaged by revealed the limitations of military the expectation of change. power. Dien Bien Dhar has now The Kennedy years saw the hiph taken place: in Chicano this vear. point of American power, when US Tha nasa Nixon brings only the "the head of a handful of Jews and Middle Eastern opinion that. despite Communists" the abstention at Suez, the United Murphy can be relied on to defend totac was no better than Britain American interests. but in a manner and Grones He cherishes the which, in the short term quite which in Guatemala shrewd, will nonetheless be easier to ousted from power the leftwing combat bu those on the left. Arbenz regime — a move which poliCuban adventures of the Kennedy Che, many other South years could be defended by pointing Americans too. There will be fewer to tha President's inexperience and grand and finely phrased schemes youth, by blaming the armed forces Alliance for Progress, New Frontiers on the CIA. bv stressine the role ns which bemused the European But while he was bringing generals Lessons from Vietnam from 15 Latin American countries Westmoreland was the featured up to date on the latest counter- speaker. His theme was his experiinsurgency warfare tactics and ap- ences in Vietnam and their applicaplauding the "democratic spirit" of tion to Latin America. Nevertheless, fraternal American armies, several at least some militants didn't think thousand youthful demonstrators the U.S. general had the authority outside shouted "Down with im- lo speak about a technique that he perialism!" and made it known that failed at," according lo Brazilian they didn't feel that Latin American Deputy Helio Navarro, who also armies are "democratic." launched the sensational charge that They dodged in between more one of Westmoreland's missions in than 1,500 well-armed soldiers and Brazil was to "assure the absolute policemen sidetracked assault tanks tranquillity of the rearguard and secret agents, turned over a few North American territory" through police cars, handed out pamphlets establishment of nuclear bases to the public, and escaped without Rio Grande do Norte. injury. Few people were surprised that the Among other things, the pamphlets government denied the charge, which pointed out that "General Westmore- originated from information given land, General Meira Matos (Brazil) Navarro by Marshall Floriano de and all the generals that are meeting Lima Brayner, but a certain amount here this week are the generals of of suspicion was created by the fact the armies of the exploiters and op- that some of the meetings were so pressors throughout the world. But top-secret that only selected military a people's army could defeat them. officials had access to them. Further... Only the victory of the oppressed more such bases would be is capable of bringing about a free venient because the us Union and just society." Carbide Corporation, with a monoThe scene was the eighth Confer- poly on tungsten mining. has extenence of American Armies, which last sive operations in Rio Grande. year unsuccessfully tried to create an Another direct U.S. concern is for "Interamerican Peace Force" to the security of a telecommunications justify invasions such as that in the system now being set up in the adjaDominican Republic. cent Amazon river area with the coThe trial of Owen Williams: Welsh Patriot The Judge held up his hand for telly.. only an ache in his heart silence; Just a minute Who IS for better things. And the first better Gwynfor Evans? thing he knows is the integrity of his The whole Court gasped. Everyone, own Land. The cheque was torn up, from the lawyers to the Commander- under the nose of the Law. in-Chief of the Free Wales Army; I know some of these men and from the policemen filling the aisles. they are neither thugs nor criminals. to the little old lady in the public They are men of great heart, comgallery - all drew in their breath passion, and a sense of urgency who with an angry hiss of incredulity. are moved to tears by the sights of You could almost hear them mutter- Biafra. ing to themselves Sham - what right They are also extremely shrewd has THAT man to sit here in jude- in looking after their own skins. ment on a Welshman, knowing They need to be. They appear to the nothing? Authorities as stupid, ignorant, Many of us might try and counter easily confused and easily beaten. this blatant Nationalism by saying. But now is the time when these *But what right has ANY man to under-dogs are getting up and showsit in iudement on ANY OTHER ing their strong under-hands. During man, knowing nothing - of his one of the adiournments of this heart?" trial, in a nearby café, I overheard It is no good us utopian socialist one press man say to another. idealists ignoring the grass roots of *so-and-so, he made a pretty poor disaffection wherever they appear, showing little knowing that this just because they don't happen to fit apparently meek and hesitant man had laid the whole plot of how he into our system of ideas. For the Welsh will fight for the nominal and his mate would conduct themfreedom of their nation state* selves in court, so that together they whether the central government in would defeat the connivances and London be Capitalist or Communist contrivancies and masses of evidence what you will. We should try collected by the prosecution against this man Owain Williams.
understand the feeling of nationalists, because only together What happened was. that in with them we achieve the January, 1968, a certain Country greater personal freedom for every Club was blown up. The Police operation of the Brazilian army. The revolutionary project would ostensibly dot the America it is dificult area with a communications system advantage of nuclear installati and open it to economic develop- In any event, ment, but it also gives Uncle Sam a pointed out that amon pivotal point for observation and he learned in Vietnam wa control of subversive activities in the sity to "hide our operation centre of the Latin American conti- as possible from the enen nent. the need to construct "what Since the 1964 military coup, 'strong nation."™ which was aided and encouraged by means government of the U.S., Washington has made no continent by secret of its intention to use Brazil (witness the OT as a centre of imperialism in Latin Silva, Stroessner, America. Reactionary Brazilian 2a. etc.) that favour in militarists have gladly accepted that perialism and dedicate role. Any doubt about that can be *structural Chances cleared up by consulting General revolution" while freezing Golbery do Couto Silva's analytic wages, suppressing "extre book on geopolitics. Minister of in- the left and the right," and formation in the Castelo Branco economic and political stability dictatorship and considered a leading Westmoreland talked about theoretician of the army group now chological and military in power, Couto Silva claims Brazil apparently won a lot of groun is destined to be an appendage of the implementation of the U.S. and should accept that insurgency strategy in Latin An con- status because "there isn't any other The generals concluded that alternative for us but to accept it Latin American armies have a and to accept it consciously." found democratic consciousness U.S. gets what it wants a complete dedication to the Under such conditions the U.S. can velonment or their get and is getting practically every- also promised to increase indoct thing it believes it needs for the tion and training of troops in "strategic" defence of the continent, and urban counterinsurgency wa although in view of the nature of tactics. one day in January, '68, protesting, said. The Prosecution made a for they were not permitted to to-do about this; 'guilty of pos explain to their families what was ing explosives, he claimed. 'No, happening; Robyn had a son ill in morally guilty of jumping! bed and, in fact, no one was sent to claimed the Defence. tell his wife what had become of Another issue was made of him. statement he made at Caerna Robyn was charged with having a Police Station ... I've come to piece of wire in his pocket, they what's coming... said the Defe called it 'fuse wire' (useful for set- I've come to take what's comin ting off explosions)! and Ned had a said the Prosecution. And upon Colt revolver sold to him by John. translation of one ambiguous W It was hanging over his mantle piece, word the Prosecution would for all the world to see, not as a had him convicted. real saboteur would have had it, hid- The Committal trial of o den away somewhere. Anyway it did Williams was heard on Septer not work (that was why he believed 13th. Arfon Jones, who'd sold that John was a police plant). gelly to Ned; John, the Anglesey When they got to the Police Robyn and Ned were all calle Station they asked for a solicitor. witnesses for the Prosecution. Al 'Have vou got family solicitors? start, the Prosecuting lawyer ga *What would two working men do brief resumé of his case; what with family solicitors? No, of course man was expected to say and si we haven't! "Well, that's it, then, ... and Robyn Jones and Wilki they were told. You have to answer will testify that they passed a pi these questions.' And the interroga- of gelignite from one to the o tion began: In the dark, under a and then to John Jones who bright lamp which burnt the skin off gave it to Williams, etc., etc. their faces and blinded their eves. But when it came to the tur When this happens, Robyn told Robyn and Ned they said no me, 'the best thing to do is concen- thing. So the defence picked up trate on a woman: strip her and go scent and made a wreck of the to bed with her, then you can ignore secution's case when it came to the questions.' Ned said, I think of assizes on November 5th. my wife and kids.* The trial turned out to be
ope was placated by been borne dow ath and Jacqueline's charm, the l-meaning luced by Stevenson's words, and and liberal WCTC have shown What American socicly The is really about; the Vietnamese have negroes, the peace movement shrewd. will nonetheless be casier to combat by those on the left. The Cuban adventures of the Kennedy ticised OUNICO Arbenz regime - a move which poli- Che, power шану other leftwing South whether the central government in London be Capitalist or Communist or what you will. fo understand the feeling We should try of expectation of change. poor negroes were assuaged by revealed the limitations of military power. Dien Bien Phu has now years could be defended by pointing to the President's inexperience and grand and finely phrased schemes Americans too. There will be fewer nationalists, because only together The Kennedy years saw the high taken place: in Chicago this year. youth, by blaming the armed forces Alliance for Progress, New Frontiers with them greater personal freedom for every can we achieve the int of American power, when US The new Nixon brings only the on the CIA, by stressing the role as which bemused the European left, individual everywhere, which is what perialism was fight. stench of the past. The first foreign a conscience which Adlai Stevenson and a return to the more open de- we are all after. ficult to talk of racism when the policy appointment he makes, played; but Nixon and Murphy have ployment of power. Talk of spread Threaten men's homes, and their groes were in turmoil only in the advise him until the moment he is less goodwill in the bank than had ing freedom and peace will sound way of life, make them collectively typical South; difficult to talk firmly in power, is Robert Murphy, even Johnson and Rusk even more hollow, and the Wilson aware of their frustrated hopes, and NLF victory when all was ob- a name lost sight of since John Murphy wil be less concerned government will be placed yet fur- this, their desire for personal freeired by pacification and rural Foster Dulles. Some rough edges with cutting a great international ther out on a limb; Europe will be dom will come to the surface orm; impossible to talk of social adhere to this man: the story, for dash than in intervening in strength less courted, more plainly used.
Nationalism: and then they will cay when all believed in the Ad- instance, that the first time de Gaulle where it can safely be done. No The days of Foster Dulles, with fight. This is what is happening in nistration's goodwill. met Roosevelt, during the war, soft soap at the United Nations, for whom Murphy for long closely Wales. Five years have seen great changes Murphy stood behind drapes with a instance, which he regards as no worked, will be with us again: and Coffa Dryweryn! Do you rememboth substance and style. le is now rancid, the substance is The gun, ready to shoot down de Gaulle if he attacked the President's per- more memoirs than a speak talking shop. with pride of his His for those who prefer a cop in ber English city, Liverpool or Birming- Tryweryn? Back in 1962 an ibly melting away. Hubert son. Certainly true; as also his des- role in the landings in the Lebanon uniform to one in plain clothes, the amphrey is a joke; the Kennedys cription of de Gaulle at that time as -which convinced change will be one for the better. ham, needed more water. All the ten vears ago valleys on the English side of the mountains were labelled beautyspots" (relative to the Black Country middens) Tryweryn was just another Welsh valley relative to all the scenic beauties of Snowdonia.
So, despite the protests and petitions By A Dwarf Correspondent. from the local population, the government in London ordered that an entire village, which had dwelt, contrivancies and masses of evidence collected by the prosccution against this man Owain Williams. What happened was. that in uary, 1908. a certain Country Club was blown The Police thought they knew who did it: The F.W.A. So they ferreted about until they gathered a bunch of men who had had meetings together throughout the Autumn months. Two of them were known to be members of the F.W.A. and Owain Williams who was Vice-President of the National Patriotic Front, and there was one lad of 19, who had apparently wanted to join the F.W.A. to strike a blow for Wales. God knows who that boy really was. a police plant? (he had a brother in the force, and he certainly behaved like one, but would the police really use one so young and gawmless? I have When this happens, Robyn told me, 'the best thing to do is concentrate on a woman; strip her and go to bed with her, then you can ignore the questions.' Ned said, 'I think of my wife and kids."
Every hour or so the policeman would change for a different one, the teennieues of interrogation changed too. Apparently this went on for three days and nights. During this time Robyn was told his son was dying, that he'd never see him again, that he would be sent to Walton Gaol for 9 years unless he confessed. "The words don't matter,' he was told. We'll make them up for you, you'll get off scot-free, right VOL sign here'. But he thought of his brother's grave in Arnhem, he told me, 'He didn't die for me to do this to him.
To Ned they threatened 30 years But when it came to the lure of Robyn and Ned they said no such thing. So the defence picked up the scent and made a wreck of the Prosecution's case when it came to the assizes on November 5th.
The trial turned out to be four days long and there was masses/of extraneous detail: a forensic expert claimed to have found minute traces of nitro-glycerine on Now's car, which he'd left at Rhyll when he went to London; the police WhO searched his home found a stack of newspaper cuttings, poems, and letters, all about blown dams, Irish Freedom Heroes and Welsh nationalist policies. All this they claimed was proof of illegal purpose. ... Ah' said the Defence if you have the Morning Star in your home does that make you a Communist?... "Alright, said the Judge. It is clear