Se SSS By HARRY BRIDGES in The Dispatcher ECENTLY from Havana, Stokely Carmichael, the former chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Com- mittee, was quoted in the press as saying that “guns are the only way ... ” and that the Negro people “are moving into urban guerrilla warfare in the United States.” Further, Carmi- chael was quoted as saying, “We have no alternative but to use aggressive violence in order to own land, houses, and stores in- side our communities, and to control the politics of those com- munities .. .” It is absolutely necessary to enter a protest against this idea that what has been called “black power” must “use aggressive armed violence” so that the Ne- gro people in the United States can advance their cause. The International Longshore- men’s and Warehousemen’s Un- ion supports the fight of black people and all other minorities, including exploited whites, against all the evils inherent in our economic and social system. This has been the role of the ILWU from the time this Union was founded on a_ struggle against the established power structure. We went through strikes, suf- fered many forms of violence against us, and emerged victor- ious because our cause was based on rank and file unity and understanding—and the willing- ness to keep on fighting. It has long been our view that black power and union power spring from the same historic roots — from the ability of the working people, the poverty stricken, the dispossessed and discriminated against to pool their economic and _ political strength and emerge with great- er control over their lives. Black power, in our view, can- not therefore be a negative idea, based solely on opposition to the established order. It must be a positive view, just as the his- toric development of labor power did not simply oppose the estab- lished power system, but also rallied the organized strength of the working class to make posi- tive, even revolutionary changes in that system. To me, Carmichael’s state- ments distort the struggle of the Negro community in the United States, and could play right into the hands of those who would destroy the Negro community. To separate Negroes and whites and other minorities in the working class is to call virtu- ally for a race war. We must recognize that work- ers of all races have been—and Negroes especially continue to be—victims of an unequal sys- tem, of horrible conditions, of ghettoes and slums, of such other social evils as unemploy- ment, inferior and unequal edu- cation prejudice and police bru- tality. To eliminate these evils will take fundamental changes in the United States. But this is vastly different from Carmichael’s call for the use of guns in urban communi- ties, which is not: only danger- ous, but suicidal, and a far cry from my understanding of the positive meaning of black power. A call such as this not only feeds already existing prejudice, but scares a lot of sincere liberal thinking people out of the strug- gle that is already taking place. I can agree with Carmichael’s statement that the war in Viet- nam is “an imperialist war.” Black po wer’ and the trade unio What’s more_it is a losing war, and more and more Americans see this clearly. But when Car- michael says that “50 more Viet- nams” are needed, this invites a military police state at home that could make Hitler’s Nazi regime look like a tea party. Once aggressive armed vio- lence becomes the order of the day then, believe me, those who really do have the police power — with all the weapons and wealth at their command — will destroy every vestige of Negro and minority group struggle for ae power to change it. . . "The asinine congressmen who vote for bills to put ‘racial agitators’ in jail should look in the mirror,” an edi- torial in the July issue of the Voice of the ILWU says. “The politicians are the real agitators. They are the ones who voted billions for war and profits to the neglect of _ misery, unemployment and inhuman racist discrimination and oppression in our country.” The paper is the official organ of Local 142 of the Intl. Longshoremen’s & Warehousemen’s Union, ‘Abominable human conditions are the real disease,” the editorial continues. Riots ate only a symptom. They are the Negroes’ way of saying the condition is intolerable, and that very little is being done by those who have the | “If blaming anyone would help, then Republicans share the blame with Democrats for the way Cengress has be- | trayed our nation’s needs during 20 years of cold war. =| “ILWU'S position is clear enough,” the editorial con- | cludes. “We say let us spend our national wealth, energy | and intelligence on a massive war on poverty, instead of a | senseless foreign war on people. ~ : “Let us make America a good place for all people to live. _ “If riots force that change, they will be a disguise for all America.” blessing in — a better American soclel “ The ILWU always o ed the Student Non-¥! ordinating Commilleé champion any Neg! minority group that va fights with all the poled command to change iiss life for the better. U Furthermore, Out never been namby-Pa™ this question of viol i cially when it meam = for our lives. It's a fact of ne that protesting ageing lished p ee selves agains lence has always portant element 19 og Violence was never us, nor by. any unl in creating a better members. Those of us old endv member the Nation@ the San Francisco ¥? 1934 may also rem we were determin we had to. And W won, with union And that's: the ay power will ultim® shoulder to shoulder cans of all colors: — At its foundation, ing of black powe: class power. of the American that black powe the fundamenta economic changes ing people ultima achieve. ie PROGRAM charting the peaceful future for South Viet- nam when U.S. aggression is defeated and the Saigon puppet government overthrown has been adopted by the South Vietnam Liberation Front. It sets the aim of establishing a National Union Demo- cratic government including leading representatives of various sections of the community, nationalities, religious bodies, leading patriots and forces which have aided national libera- tion. : It would hold free general elections to a national as- sembly, on the basis of universal, equal, direct suffrage and secret ballot. This would draft a democratic constitution em- bodying the aspirations of all social strata in South Vietnam and guaranteeing the establishment of a broad and progressive democratic state system. It would take steps to restore and develop agriculture and industry and “encourage capitalists in industry and trade to help develop industry, small industries and handicrafts.” Noting the successes achieved in the struggle against U.S. aggression since the front was established seven years ago, it declares: “Never before in our nation’s history has the mettle of our entire people united in the fight to wipe out the enemy and save our country been so strong as now.” “The tasks and objectives of the people in the struggle for national salvation are to unite, defeat the U.S. imperialists’ war of aggression, overthrow their puppet administration, establish a broad, national democratic peaceful, neutral and prosperous South Vietnam and proceed toward the peaceful reunification of the fatherland. “The NLF is prepared to invite and welcome all patriotic forces and individuals who oppose the U.S. aggressors to join its ranks and to shoulder together the common duties.” It proposes that any force which, for one reason or another, does not adhere to its ranks take joint actions against the common enemy—the U.S. aggressors and their lackeys. “So long as the U.S. imperialists do not end their war, withdraw all troops and let the South Vietnamese people themselves settle the internal affairs of South Vietnam, our people will resolutely fight on until total victory.” The program lists main points of policy and sets out in detail the practical steps it would take on each point. Among these steps are: “To proclaim and enforce broad democratic freedom, freedom of assembly, trade union freedom, freedom of asso- ciation, freedom to form political parties, freedom of religious belief, freedom. of demonstration. “To guarantee to all citizens inviolably of the human person, freedom of residence and lodging, secrecy of corres- pondence, freedom of movement, freedom to work and rest and the right to study. “To confiscate the property of the U.S. imperialists and their diehard agents and turn it into state property. September 29, 1967—PACIFIC_ TRIBUNE—Page 8 NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT'S PROGRAM FOR SOUTH VIETNAM “To guarantee workers and employees the” part in the management of enterprises. a ind “The State will encourage the capitalists BY an trade to help develop industry, small in@ve" crafts. “To implement the land policy in fulfilm ‘Land -to the tillers’. “To confiscate the lands of the U.S: diehard cruel landlords, and their lackeyS; 9” lands to landless or land-poor peasants. “To confirm and protect the owners to peasants by the revolution. nd ooo “To build a national democratic culture a phic develop science and technology, to promo ae “To raise the people’s cultural standart ng literacy, to promote education, to open new colleges and trade schools. To make an all-o and encourage cadres: of scientific workel® skilled workers. The program contains a moving @P se, men and civilian officials of South Vietnar ion to “join the people’s fight against U.S. agere build the country.” It declares that those individuals, puppet army and administration who Te0"” cause of the fight against U.S. aggression and entrusted with responsible jobs. ort he “Those who sympathetic with and sun against U.S. aggression or who refuse t0 ae i the U.S. and their puppets to harm the peoP merits recorded.” who Officials of the puppet administration ration serve the country and people after the : Vietnam are promised equal treatment. ns re And the National Liberation Front &V°" 4 hand of forgiveness to those “who have against the people but are now. sincerely E mises that they ‘will be pardoned. Those “who redeem their crimes by me be rewarded accordingly,” and captured © the puppet army “will enjoy human! ent of - rials" impo nip of lands * roups Br eder who go over to the side of the peo be given kind treatment and helped ¢ when conditions permit.” The program concludes: surely be victorious. The U.S. ager will surely be defeated. The program Oo NLF will surely be achieved.”