IRELAND: A letter from I.S.
It is the view of IS that "the interests of the struggle in Ireland referred to by vour correspondent John Marston in your issue of 15th se plember, require the maximum of cooperation Antontemment Leaguc. beiween all those in Britain who oppose the Orange Tory regime in the six counties. Thereface we took the initiative in calling the first London demonstration against internment on Sunday 15th August. We gave full support to the picketing of recruiting offices on 4th and 51h Sentember. We are making every effort to hring out large numhers of workers for the An niemment Leagues demonstrator or October 3ist.
We fully support the activities of the AntiInternment league, those ot the Lahour Committee Against Internment, and indeed those of any ounce oody that 3s wuang to campaign against internment and repression in The su countes We are not at lest covet to tab lers. Irish Republicans a the credibility of, say. 1 ол our association 0г strikes us as rather naive In any s the joint action of to fight for seme s the German Sociali resist Hitler he was t, con one issue, with tho been consistent suf since. The Cl leaders denounced this proposal to give "a left cover" to the social-democratic traitors". Actually, as most marxists now recognise, Trotsky was right and his "radical' critics victims of what Lenin called the Infantile sickness of altra-leftism"
Now as to the particular demand of the Labour Committee which has distressed your correspondent "Releuse or right of trial for all Enternees" This can be tactically right or wrong. It depends on one's assessment of the situation at the time. What has to be said is that it is neither more nor less "reformist" than "End internaient " or "British troops out of Iseland", both demandk, incidentally, prominently displayed by Socialist Worker. Why "British troops out of Ireland""? Why no Abolition of the standing army and its replacement by s workers' militia"? Hasn't this been the programme of marxists for over a century Of course it his and of course we support it. Why merely End internment? Why not "For the overthrow of Stormont and the estahlishment of a workers* republic"? in a difference between propaganda ("many ideas addressed to few people"") and agitation (few ideas addressed to many people 1. Agitation starts from the consciousness of workers as well i some use needs or the struaon. Il seeks La mobilse massee support for, normally, a timired the wages system" (propaganda) does not stop us supporting wage claims (agitation).
There are all sorts of differences between organisations currently supporting the campaign Against Iternment, and tepression in the six counties IS bas its position which can he seen in the races of socialist Worker and Intematio. mal Socialism, The fact that we have differences with other groups ought not, in our opinion, to be any obstacle to a common fight in support of our Irish comrades. We trust that your readers will share this view Yours Fraternally.
Duncan Hallas.
National Secretary.
Comesde Hallas's letter is more interesting for jes omissions than for anathing aha. aluach tin on 1i points he does try to make he shows a total theoretical confusion.
The most surprising feature of his letter is that he of the Labour Commitsee Against In eminent, but contents himself with a general decaration of full suppuri for all anti-internat activitice What he omits to mention, of course, is that it is nor simply a a matter of L.5. supporting ail these activities. On the contrary, and Hallas does not question my original up the labour Committee, after the Anti-Intersment Leagus was abendy in existence. Indeed, so identified first public meeting wat advertised in some places as a Labour Committee meeting und in others as an IS.
meeting. As 1 write, the latest copy of Socialier Horker (La september? bes before me with a cepore that -John Palmer said that while 1.S. supported the LC.A.l., Its demands did not go far enough". One might fal to realise from this that IS. actually wroe bore demands/ is Palmer trying to change the line now chat I.S. is coming under pressure The concumitant to their support for the Labour Commitiee is of course their isck of support for the activities of tho Anti-Internment League (numerous meetings and pickets orme to mind where 1S, were pickets aguinst the visits of Billery and Lynch and the meetings at Archway and Highgalo on 11 September).
1.5. have a member on she commstlee, but Lieu Imminent was lie Turnet In Thes In CHE 1IK THIC Internment Le question of full The only r by into or a Lahour build a solidar 1Е а mersber of 1.5.
In t members that the He The Cuese are demands are even mc pressure of events "opportunist impatience", "Never mind the quality look at the numbers? cerns do be more and more 1.5.5 approach ro politics And that, needless to say, Is an approach which has nothine at all to da with the building of a revolutionary party.
POSTSCRIPT On close "reland Miscury of Repression", I rosal of Part 4 or Sacladsi Worker's series, ' not that dise only amment on the 19l3 scrike a hist relates to British worken is that statement that "substantial aid was obtained from British unions". This contrasts rafter stranpoly wain all bener accounts of the strike, eg. Tysaght: "What was decisive was the refusal of Hritish trade unionists to help their Irish comrades positively by blacking Dublin goods. " Are 15. now rewriting history to provide a cower for their own capitulation to British chauvinism? his book History and Class Coercionsness, the 1920s (English edition, page right and left. Stalin himself intervened in the midst of this uncertainty with disastrous consequences when, around 1928, he described the Social Democrats as "twin brothers of the Fascists.
Stalin's notorious remark that Social Democracy and Faschem are not antipodes, they are twins" was made, in fact, not in, or even "around", 1928, but in September 1924 (see his Works, Vol. 6, English edition, page 294).
This misdating is certainly convenient in relation to Lukac account of himself as having sided with a reasonahle, realistic Stalin against urent opponents, unuse arouno 1920 the important initial phase in the conflict between Stalin and Trotsky on international questions, during which it was the latter who was accused of being toe rent-wing octationist! Following the collapse of the attempted revolution in Germany in 1923, Trotsky drew conclusions resarding a new paase in burope us cerlain measure olself-confidencesArd the which, for the time being, Fascism would take a wack seat and socis Democracy would onte to the fore, and he stressed the need for the Communist movement to adapt its tactics to this the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia was "an changed situation. His ideas were set out in a speech on 21 June 1914 entitled Through what stage are we passing?" and in a speech entitled preconditions for the proletarian revolution", on 28 July 1924. (The former is avalable in English as a soparate pamphlet, the latter, along with another speech, in the pamphlet Europe and Americr.)
It was against Trotsky's realistic view of the consenuen ces or the detear In Germaoy that Stalin was speaking in his article "Concerning formulation "not antipodes but twins occurs. At that time, Stalin was still working closely with Zanovier and supporting hs leftist ane in International affairs. After some specracular disesters lat Estong at the cod o[ [V24 sad ! Bulgaria in the spring of 1925), the Comintern ar last atandoned this ure Whether it ther WATERLEOC rushed to fall into the ditch on the other side of strikingly, in the Anglo-Russian Trade Union Committee of 1925-1927, Is another question But when the next zigzag occurred, "around 1926 this was it should not he forentten to some extent a revival of the attitudes of 1924 agrinst which Trotsky had spoken in conflict with Statin.
The connection between Stalin's article *Concerning the internationa siruation and Trotsky's speeches of June and July 1924 may not be obvious to the reader today, becanse Stalin nowhere names his adversary, who appears only as some people" some people, ac "Think that the bourgeoisie adopted 28 yar "pacifisa" and "democracy not because it was compelled tu do so, but voluttarily, of its own Tree choice, so to speak" The contrast made by "some people" hetween rule by Social Democrats and rule by Fascists is repudiated: Social Democracy is merely the moderate wing" of Fascism, now "pushed into the forefront". The whole notion that some sort of important change in the political sicuation in Europe has occurred following the events in Germany in 1923 is false, says Stalin: "It is not true that the decisive hattles haw already been fousht There have heen no dec sive battles neen to doese Dates as yet. The decisive battles stili lie abead."
HERE SO CATERESULT DH the part of the bourgeoisie, this reflects not any defeat or weakness of the proietariar but its strengeh, Revolution is still around the corner, or at least no less so tlian in 1923 All this fails into place if we read Tratsky' speeches referred to above. He lad warned against the loose use of the concept "Fascism" that had already become fashionable: "On the most casuul grounds it is someti a said that Fascism is developing or that fascism is advancing. If some strikers are anested somewhere, this fact is interpreted quite often as the establishment of a Fascist regime, though the hourgeoisie arrested strikers hefore Fascism existed. We have to think this out, comrades: what is Fascism" How does it ditter from a 'normal regime of bourgeois violence? Expectations that Fascism, becoming steadils more and more intensinen ail cad to the uprising of the proletariar, have not been justified, and by no means all or us shared these attention to the fact that our mail is being expectations, We may refer to the fact that already in 1922 we said that, if the German to victory, then we should have, in the immediately following wears a Labou Goverament in Britain and a triuaph of the Lell Boc in France.. And that's morall We ssid that it in Britain a Lahour Government provided that the German. revolution had not proved victorious by that time, in those temporary strengthening of Social Democracy in Germany ... In other words, things would did not triumph in Germany in the immediate future, then s regine of temporary conciliation would prevail in European politics... Has this forecast been confirmed" Absolutely The proletarist bacing been compelled to "withdraw from advanced positions"-the bourgeoisie, *seeking both economic and political stability", proceeds to "summon no he Fascist bur the Menshevik", Reminding his listeners of the trough in the history of the revolutionary movement in Rusin herween the defeat in 1905 and the upsurge following the "very big defeat" suttered by the German worKCIS In 1923. It will need time in order to digest this defeat, to master its lessons and to recover from it, once more to gather its strength • AT the present moment what we nherve are this situation There was nothing to be gained, Trotsky Insisted, by refusing to appreciate that "bourgeois society has held its ground and regained s attempt to explain the new political developsend in Britain and France by knowing allusions to the Kerensky episode on the eve of . abuse of accented terminology" that reflected "a lack of understanding of the situation" Kerenskyism implies a situation in which the revolutionary movement is rising and a counteradvancing to meet it: a "Kerensky" povernment trics to manoeuvre between thes' 10tocs. Regrettobly but certainly, that was not the station, nor anything like it, in the Britain of Ramsay MacDonald or the France of Edouard «Hemet.
-Brian Pearce Angela Davis Defence Committee meeting Central Hall, Westminster, Wednesday 13th October, 7.30 p.m. Sprakers: Mrs. Sally Davis (Angela's motherl, Mrs. Sonia Jordan (Angela's sister). Price of tickets: 25p, 50p and E1.
What are British troops doing in Northern Ireland? -Public meating organised by Women's Liberation Workshop with women from the oppressed Catholic areas of Northern freland to talk about their experienoes. October 12th, 8 p.m., Finsbury Town Hall, 149 Rosebery Ave., EC1, & October 13th, 8 p.m., Battersea Town Hall, Lavender Hill, SW11 (lower hall, rear building!.
"BATTLE OF BELFAST"
Account of anti-internment revolt in Belfast. Vital reading for everyone who wants to understand the role of the British Army in the North Single copies: 10p (13p inc. postage) Orders of 50 or more: Sp each + postige. Available from RED BOOKS and A. Gahan, 2 Goosen Green, Aylesbury.
North London Spartacus League PARTY, Old Red Lion pub, The Angel, N.1. 9th Detober-7.30 p.m. Music, food, dancing. 15p in advance, 20p at door.
The Schools Action Union wants to draw tampered with, so if you've written to us and revolution did not hring the proletariat directly phone to tall us that you've written. If you can, not received a reply, write again and if possible use a different address when you next write.
BOB PURDIE SPEAKS AT OPEN-AIR IS.C. MEETING IN GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY WITH THE IRISH STRUGGLE The October 3Ist demo in London called by the Anti-Internment League (a united front of most British and Irish left organisations) will mark the climax of a modest but effective campaign which has been carried out on Ireland by the Irish Solidarity Campaign. The ISC's regular meetings in many cities in Britain (see pic. above) have reflected the seriousness of IMG and the Spartacus League militants active in it and the latter have carried on regular and sustained work on Ireland even before the latest ism. In Japan, F.L. comrades clashed with 200 riot police in Tokyo outside the British embassy: in Copenhagen, F.L militants distributed leaflets and picketed the British embassy, an action which received considerable publicity in all been preparatory actions, for October 3tat the United Secretariat of the Fourth International is issuing an appeal for solidarity demonstrations all over the world. In Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium, the British embassies will face revolutionary militants stressing their internationalism by supporting the Irish struggle. In Japan and Australia as well more dernonstrations are boing planned, as they are in North America.
All miltons outerested in helping with preparations for the London demonstration thould phone 01-278 26/6 Jor more deraile MPERIALISM. h comrades of the Fourth International at a 24 hour picket outside the British Embessy in Copenhagen.
TROUBLED YEAR AHEAD FOR OXFORD UNIVERSITY Just after the end of last term, Edward Heath came down to Oxford to receive an honorary degree from Oxford University. Not only did the Hheral academics (who talk so much about academic "freedom" and "independence")
choose this occasion to show their support for address to him the policies which bid so endeared him to them the Industrial Relations Bull and British entry to the Common Market.
Seldom has the reactionary nature of these men been so clearly shown.
But not content with this demonstration of where their real class interests lie, they then took Edmond.
matters even further, A demonstration had been acranged by students in Balliot College, where Heath was dining on the night before the degree ceremony. In the course of this, one student, Rod Edmund, was seized and brutally beaten up by Special Branch men (abetted of course by these oh-so-independent academics who prevented other students from coming to his rescue) and then arrested and charged with ...
assuaiting a policeman and causing grievous bodily barm.
Four other comrades were arrested during demonstrations against Heath next day, and all but one were found guilty and fined varions amounts. Rod Edmund's case, however, took on (20%) Increase in hall fees, und the virtual completely different proportions.
At first it seemed that he might get off; he had numerous witnesses to testify to his seizure by the police, and one don was so sickened by the affair that he volunteered to give evidence for Edmond. Then, bowever, the college authorities moved in. The don had second• thougbts, members of the college staff (known as "servants" to avoid any doubts about their real social position) were produced as witnesses; other dons who had been responsible for the original invitation to Heath came forward to give evidence against Edmond.
Needless to say, the court much preferred the evidence of the police and the independent" academics to that of the students who gave evidence, and Edmond was given a fine and a six montia rupended sentence. Asif this wasn't is therefore going ahead with a campaign of enough, a report of the whole affair in INK tacted a letter from two "extremely concerned" dons in Balliol who claimed to have gone to some trouble to find out what really huppened" They dismissed charges of police brutality and stated categorically that "no such beating up However, if they had really taken the trouble to find out what had happened they would have discovered, firstly, that film was taken of Rod Edmond as he left. college after the incident which shows quite clearly that he was in considerable pain and unable to walk without support, and secondly, that he had a long weal down his back afterwards. One of these dons, Steven Lukes, has for long had a reputation at a Lett-wing socialist. we trust that this incident will cast doubt on and credental comany more sucatwao proctaim socialism from the comfort of the commoneffect on Oxford students. Many have had their Tasions in boungeois justice totally shattered, But the fight has only just hegun. Edmond is appealing, and the case is expected to be heard Heath, they even went so far as to spocity in the carly next term. Whatever, the outcome, student opposition to the university and college authorities can only be strengthened by this case. Oxford University is in for a troubled yoar, and Spartacus League coltrades will continue to be in the forefront of the struggle as they wero both in the demonstration and in the defence of READING STUDENTS CONFRONT AUTHORITIES, BOYCOTT FEES The new university term at Reading is opening with a direct clash between students in halls of residence (and Rending has one of the lugliest proportions of students in balls of all universities, and a chronic "housing problem" in the town So Dats, ete. are very scarcel and the Universit Administration. Students are feed with a E40 certainty of further increases over the next three years. This coincides with a rise in university student grants of C85 over the next three years, this year's incrense being ES0.
In reality, however, this apparently generous first instalment is merely a shrewd attempt to ward off discontent among students over their rapidly declining Eving standards. The E50 increase only just covers the hall fees increase, and with a current rate of inflation of some 105 per annum, the student grant will be as good as worthless by 1974, when it is next due to be revised.
Negotiations with the Administration have consistently failed to produce any results, not even a "promise" that there will be no further fees increase before 1974. The Students" Union direct action to boycott all hall fees until the Admin. concedes to our demands, concerning hall of residence policy as a whole The boycott campaign has the largely useless "full backing" of the National Union of Students, but more importantly, other Students Unions, like those at Aberystwyth and East Anglia have successfully used the boycott weapon. With effective use of our strength of numbers, there is therefore no reason why we should not win.
The Spartacus League student militants in Reading are giving unconditional and active support to this campaign-indeed we were among the initiators of it last year-but we are in addition advancing our own propaganda on the question, relating the so-called grants increase to the whole series of cuts in the social services and higher education.
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A COMMENT BY BRIAN PEARCE In the Preface to the new edition ( 1967)" or
FOR ET FORENET SOCIALISTISK IRLAND
In brief ro The Rod Edmund case has had a considerable