The British labour movement has, sinde thi eden of thi century. ATTHLT dogmatism'. When translated this simply means a contempt for ideas. Successive leaders of the Labour Party and the trade unions have poken with contempt of the 'heavy debates" which German workers movement in the Twenties and Thirties. exchanges which led to debates within French democracy regarded here as a lot of 'hot air". for Italy, we all know how 'excitable" the Latin temperament can be.
No. none of this NODeSE WESTO WE &WCE COHH British workers after the defeat of the arcai narus Teocton strange group of people existed, men like. John MacLean on the Clyde, who tried to change this SEALE proved too powerful for them.
Political ideas which explained the past, analysed the present and look forward to the future were to remain the preserve of a minority of workers. Marxism never penetrated the British working class. We are still suffering from the consequencos.
NO PRETENCE The resistance of British labour to the 'continental disease" extended to the cancer which held British society in its grip. The Labour Party has always been subservient to ruling class ideology. It has cagerly up defended them consistently within the has not even bothered to maintain a pretence of an ideological indepen denice from the bourgeoisie.
The largest social democratic party In Europe has never had a daily paper. The TUC did have the Daily Heraid bur in died a natural death in the mid-Sixties.
During lections the Labour Party relies on the Duily Mirror to conduct its campaign. TIM ENCAN happens there is little tension with the test of the Tory press. This unwritlen agreement is strictly adhered to by the ruling class. When the Mirror's hos Cecil King started an eccentric and one-person campaign to get zid of Wilson as Prime Minister, it was his own head that was finally severed via a well orchestrated palace coup Truc, thc Iwo. weeklies Labour Party, Tribune and Labour Weekly do enjoy a certain readership - though Tribune is now read largely by addicts - but their influence is almost negligible outside House. They are seriously within the Parliamentary In Uts situation it gas beco the daily newspeper of the Communist boen the only daily paper of Workers movement, It has of course been heavily compromised by. its Stalinist loyalties and practice.
The faithful echoing of Stalinism's twists and turns prevented the Duily Worker and the Morning Star from advanced sections working class. But despite crippling defect, the CP's daillies Left ropagand: vapon "
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Apr AT THE LAST conference of the British Communist Party an emergency resolution was passed on the Morning Star, reflecting the growing discontent in the party on this question. It was agreed that a public debate on the content, style and circulation of the paper should take place till May 1978.
This discussion is now reaching its climax, but what will have been gained at the end of it? A few useful ideas are not enough to stem the rot. In any case they can always be rejected. At the moment many CP members are speculating as to wether a daily paper can be sustained in the present period.
TARIQ ALI argues that a demise of the Morning Star would represent a setback for the working class. He suggests a series of drastic and radical measures to transform and save the paper. supported most strikes (except during conflicted with the CP line), contained the only real information regarding Industrial for a whole Indispensable reading even UNCIUL and political This situation has now come to an cod. The Morning Star confronts a circulation. LOMTOUDISE Party members are faced with the possibility that they micht have to cease publication af a daily. This Wole eare us wilnoul a Moge CHL True there alwevs Newsboc. but it reflects the the Workers Its central campaigns over the last few years have been, and in this order; a) to sander its political opponents TT OSSTGS "prove" that they are accomplices" of the KGB, CIA, etc; LF.S down the Labour tovernar, and erso palen virtues of regimes such as those of Gaddaffi in Libya So, in effect, the deuth of the Star would leave us without a paper in which one can occasionally read the views of shop-stewards engaged in struggles and their calls for national solidarity. Should the paper be saved?
Or should we welcome its demise as a big victory for the far left? The latter would reflect a crazed secturianism towards tens of thousands of working class militants. Our answer to the former must he a qualified "yes". But a number of points need to be made.
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Avarable for 18mm hio crom Ma anwards E35 C0 : negotieele. ro-p ar Soolalist Challenge urg 7.d. Tel: C1.F36-tensrp WOMEN'B DAY Serool: Socinia minism and thereolosiansry parts May. N Londen Paly, Hollon Bush Hot oncon N7 Creche a allatle. Furth Hünter House Rasd: Shetlide 11. DV315 TrOT Leni The reason for the crisis of the Morning Star is not related to the weak journalistic formulae employed 75 Farringdon Road. Il 1s fundamental and deep-rooted political weakness. Ir is a combination of two interrelated factors. On the one hand the Party has cautiously moved the worst excesses of Stalinism. There has, as a result, been a certain drying up of material support (in the shape of ads, 'rising CLUBLIEI pn) trom ll USSR and Eastern Europe Ar the same time the pathetically slow pace at which a distance is heing taken has not won it any new support. The paper has yet to wage a campaign for Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia or for the release of Rudolf Bahro in East Germany. True this would mean bet it would lead to a nec l but it would lead to a rise circulation in this country Secondly the virtual collapse of the perspective post-1974 period has been frithfully reflected in thie Star. How can the wages policy be effectively opposed WILDOUL confrontation Jones Scanion? How can a real campaign be mounted against the Callaghar without indicting Benn HUYCHCL and Foot? How can racism be fough without analysing the politics of M Sydney Bidwell?
It is not a question of the CP accepting our views on these matters. The point is that they are never discussed openly. There is no debate on central issues. A more recent example is the role of Sue and the CP in the National Union of OweD DuDle moi swing to cues per bondu!
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Shaw It br gaur wamen wagr Street Londoni wicar Mutile Workers Theat'e Eg SOlInOD The overwbelnsing letters publisbed in Comment and the Moriane siar nare concentraa or stylistic ments. Duse Lobk Ornity mate Coe most partyl -ISUe suggestions in this repard, thoueh! these would imply a change ir political formula as well. Cook recommends the following incasures/ * The paper must be thrown much more open. in contributors outside the leadership recognising that their viewpoints wil sometimes be 'off the line'. • By reflecting disnareements within the left. • By sial" ligures, eg Hain, Silars. * By raising answers, eg trade union democracy, worcers cunirol * By articles on political developments within the socialist countries, instead of either commemorations", and small, lated news items.
I GLOUL arnicics we adequately praise nor criticise. * Expand British Road to Socialism discussion was a model for the open argument of politics. 1978)
Now theac are all useful suggestions. Bur bow could they be implemented without changing the character of the paper as it exists at the noment? Dave Cook does not suggest a way forward. Yet he and others like him must realise that something needs to be done to transform the paper and thus ensure its survival.
The British working class needs a daily paper more todny than at other periods in its history. It is confronted with a chronic crisis of the capitalist economic system with all its effects: unemployment, YIAUEUUE standards, cuts in welfare spending, and crisis in education, CRES LOANOES HULHUSHC AWLC that militancy chouRh Hor molated mintancy car sometimes lead to fursher redunTaLLI What is increasingly being seen as vitally important is an alternative plan to beat the crisis. A discussion on such a plan is now long overdue. A socialist daily has to point the way forward, hut it has to de much more. It has to Slipman be an educating force, which liberates and enlarges the consciousness of BANPAIGH Bans HaDsm-nOe seck toumafis, Mike Fhillip Gobel Commitic.
TONU H3 L UD FOUR SOCIALISTS Icokine fer COmON T nOUG2 In N01 OrE0 majority af and journalistic improve the Nationa 15 cacresco by gerontocracy more party more interviewing more 'controver.
the "difficult" questions or have no cul-Snu-drN within J'anniversary isoWithout these can neither the tactical correspondence, The Italy.
Jo ronaly declining living etc. The most on its own is not left for reformism LHO MAYOTTE VAI Stanley House. Upper Parlament St Liverpool B 1 May. 10.30am-5.30pm and 7,30pm-midnight ОДТІМЕ Leon Rosselson: Unity Theatre: Films; [Attice Reggae etc|; discuss ong, music, printing, an photography workshops; potry; songs: food BETA.BHE creche and lots moro EVENING Clapporclaw (Feminist folk bard); Goodtime charlie (Jazz); Bluebelis (Steel band); films DEICe ane Iad Oa Tickets (day 50p, evening E11 and further info frem News From Nowhere, 100 Whitechapel, Liverpool 1. 051-708 7270 CAPITAL Assemble Speaker Corner 12:00 for March to Rally, Tralalgor Square 3.00 working people. The lack of a daily oa eri clas-ted tg serving the needa ail class-struggle militants is a serious and cruel handicap What is needed is a socialist paper develops journalistie forms which bridge the cultural gap between the "popular" and 'quality caretouy cultivated and maintained by the ruling classes un means is thar the Communist Party should reliquish ies organisational hold over the paper speaking, not owned by the CP, It is the property of the People's Printing Society Ltd. In 1977 the 29.552 shareholders of which 28,599 were individuals, trade unions, 39 co-operatives and 508 miscelinneous groups.
A Committee of Managensent exists with 16 members, but participatior from the ranks la virtually nil. Why? Recuuse everyone knows that it is a complete waste of time. Real control King Street The situation is now so serious that the CP needs to reconsider its basic approach lo the star It needs to convoke a conference of shareholders and trade unionists to transform il into a campaigning socialist paper and ensuring a genuine independence from King Street, This would nor, we hasten to add, mean that it would be taken over by the dreaded ultralett but it would impart some life into the paper. Naturally the colwons of would be open discussions and debates on socialist strategs, encompassing all positions tbe labour movement FADING LOYALTY Coverage of world polities would not be hamstrung by a fading loyalty to the bureaucrats in Moscow or to prescriptions Communist Parties of France or White LOEMUTWU would argue for these positions they would de so from witlin a much broader political tramework. This WOLO NeCESSaIe HOOrcT BICROCE on the Editorial Board and satt of the paper. It would mean retaining correspondents abroad, who were not necessarily tied to the line of the local Communist Party, whether they were based in Moscow and Prague or in Madrid and Rome.
It would be utterly sectarian of the CP lendership lo adopt a formula based on the principle that the best way to save the Morning Star is to either kill it as a daily paper or to let it die a slow and agonising death. That would be to put the narrow interests ol'a particular organisation before the noods of the working class. The miness virunc or Len soltan lem hich hat charade ed had lang disastrouns repercussions for revolu-timers marxism io tus country. Ibe are typilied by the daily Newsline IT ibe oppressive impotence of left were now to result in a display of right-sectarianism by the CP, the consequenoes would be with us for some time. How the criais of the Moring Stur is resolved will be an important indication as to the likely evolation of the CP itseil. exhibitions; bookstal; kids gamas Conway Hall, Cul F ua%, ismese, S8 22 AP
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WINDSCALE DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY 29 APRIL TRAFALGAR SQUARE 3.00