Unmoved by the pleadings of Labour frontbenchers, liberal leader writers and the National has decided to expel Rudi Dutschke from Britain. Whether the decision was taken as the result of a departmental cock-up or whether it was coolly calculated is no concern of ours, What is important is that the Heath regime was not prepared to make any concessions to the liberals and admit that a mistake had been made, if indeed it had. Quite clearly the capitaList government feels more edgy, more insecure and more threatened today than it did in the last century, when Comrade K. Marx was not barred from engaging in political activity by Mr. Maudling's predecessors, Indeed, historically it has always been the Labour government which has adopted a more repressive policy towards political exiles. The fact that the Tories are beginning to lose their sense of confidence and are embarking on a McCarthyite binge reflects more than anything else the changed nature of British capitalism, when the sun hardly rises on the territories dominated by British capital. are facing what could develop into a fairly explosive situation. The coming industrial struggles should confine themselves to the riceties of Council for Civil Liberties, the Tory government frighten them. Even though they are perfectly will do their best to deflect these struggles and defuse them, they still feel edgy, and they are of course quite right to be so. Dutschke was a the toughness of this regime which wasn't prepared to tolerate any nonsense from foreign (and German) agitators. At the same time, actions like this tend to create an atmosphere of hysteria and xenophobia in the country, and this is precisely what the Tory government wants.
Paul Hoch's deportation was a comparatively simpler affair: he had taken part in a violent political demonstration in Britain against the racist regimes of Southern Africa. An example who came to this country disguised as students.
movement, Hoch's expulsion represents an even more serious threat to civil liberties, because it Clearly the Tory politicians understand that they implies that foreign students should not take part in revolutionary politics in Britain. They Tory, Labour and Liberal Clubs at unisersities. aware that the dynamic doo (Feather & Wilson) But the trendy writers of letters to The Times seem to be unconcered at this. Nor have "left"
M.Ps in the House of Commons seemed to be too upset, nor for that matter has the National convenient scapegoat who could be used to show Council of Civil Liberties protested too strongly.
These pathetic liberals who depend on the bourgeoisic and form part of its liberal support, didn't want to see their "good" publicity over Dutschke harmed by the "had" publicity regard attempting to coordinate the struggle in the ing Hoch. It exposes their hypocrisy better than anything else.
The real tragedy is that the revolutionary segment of the student movement has so far not been able to act and respond to these measures.
The fact that Dutschke did not conduct a principled Marxist fight at his trial and seemed to had to be made of him to deter other foreigners pander to the liberalism of his supporters is irrelevant, What is crucial is that militants in the Hence Hoch was expelled. For the revolutionary universities act immediately to protest against movement which is incapable of defending its own militants is not likely to be too successful lefts of the trade union leadership did not emerge at all as an independent force. No one would know that there is supposed to be a militant action -where war it? How did it express itself? The Tribuniles and other so-called Labour lefts have no independent existence whatsoever they are squeezed between the trade union bureaucrats on the one hand and the C.P. on the other. The Communist Party is caught between its instinctive desire to form a popular front with the TUC (hence the type of thing like the Eccles cartoon of January 13th, which is an insult to any militant's intelligence) and the pressure of the militants wanting uction. Its instrument, the London Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions, did not even have un independent existence on the day's activities. It completely missed the opportunity for announcing further plans for action-the weakness is clearly political, not organisational As for the left groups, their intervention is them could contend for leadership. Nearly all brought out leaflets, special supplements to their papers, ote. But even the "first daily Trotskyist paper" could not decisely influence one major demonstration, let alone a real industrial situațion.
So what can one do? At this stage, the major Tole the revolutionary left can play is that of helping to give a strategy to the movement. To NOTTINGHAM: Nick Beeton, 25 Henry Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham OXFORD: Bernard Reaney, 27 Southmoor Road, Oxford POTTERIES: Jason Hill, Students Union, University of Keele, Staffs.
READING: John Brendan Troy, 55 Gloucester Boad, Reading Berks.
ST. ALBANS/HATFIELD: Chris Pallthorpe, Fairshot Court, Sandridge, Nr. St. Albans, Herts. (Tel: St. Albans 51854)
SHEFFIELD: Paul Neville, Ranmoor House, Shore Lane, Sheffield, S10 3AY STAFFORD: Graham Jones, 184a Silkmore Lane, Stafford.
STIRLING: Donald MacDonald. 6 Tarduff Place, Stoneywood, Denny, Stirlingehire. WEST LOTHIAN: Anne MacLellan, 5 Victoria Place, Bo'ness, West Lothian.
YORK: Phil Hearse, Goodricke College in linking up with working class struggles. The advanced workers have only contempt for thee over the rights of workers. The lack of a centra lised revolutionary student organisation, the inability of some political tendencies to fight ir the universities, has led to this impasse. The Spartacus League which was set up a few mont ago is still in the process of acquiring roots in many unhersities, but despite its infancy is universities. Its national conference in February will be discussing a strategy for socialists in the intiversities in some detail.
It is essential that the revolutionary left attempts to mobilise students in support of Dutschke and Hoch in the coming weeks so tha there is no repetition of these sordid deportations. The demonstration on Sunday 17th is obviously a start, but militants have to ensure that actions are continued in the universities the expulsions of Hoch and Dutschke. A student and that Tory M.Ps and Ministers are reminded when they visit universities, that the revolution ay Left still exists. leave the struggle against the Bill in the hands of the TUC and Communist Party is to invite a humiliating and demoralising defeat. To confine one's intervention to make propaganda, expos ing the right wing and Stalinists, otc., whilst it has value and must he done, is to abrogate responsibility.
From the start of this struggle The Red Mole and the International Marxist Grosp have made a call for all-inclusive action committees with ar offensive programme. We believe that one should combine this with making a call for the TUC, Labour Party, etc. to take action, We are for the broadest unity on this, providing "lowest common denominator" polities do not prevail. In the action committees there must he a combired struggle for a socialist programme and greater and more coordinated action. The national committees, for example the London Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions, must have elected committees and be construc ted on a delegate baris. Politics must be brought to the fore. Sectarianism which seeks to confine the committees to supporters of one particular Lendency must be vigorously fought. Boldness and audacity in action and programme must he the aim.
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students who are not capable of protecting the own rights and at the sume time bleat loudly