‘i EYEWITNESS REPORT James Jackson of the U.S. Daily World, in Addis Ababa as a guest of the Foreign ministry of Ethiopia, reports on the progress of the revolution and the war of aggression against Ethiopia. Ethiopian leader Lt. Col. Men- gisto Haile Mariam is quoted extensively. Sept. 12, 1974 celebrates ‘the overthrow of, the exploitive feudal-bourgeois monarchy. Under the monarchy the ruling classes amassed astounding wealth while the masses were plagued, by disease, ignorance, degradation and economic deprivation. This situation led to a spon- taneous revolution which in- cluded the oppressed workers and peasants, the women who joined with the men in uniform to underscore the popular character of the revolution. Having uproot- ed the older order, the national democratic revolution ac- quired a class character. Its lead- ing people came to adopt the guid- ing principle of Marxism-Lenin- ism. The victories of the revolution in its short existence include.radi- cal agrarian reform which re- turned land to the tillers; the nationalization of urban real es- tate — land and extra houses; banks, insurance companies. The means of production and distri- bution were placed under public ownership and the U.S. military presence in the: country: was eliminated Truly democratic organiza- tions of the people are materializ- ing. Workers have formed an all-Ethiopian Trade Union, the basis for an all-Ethiopian Peas- ants Association has been laid, women’s and youth organizations are being formed. Ethiopian leader Lt. Col. Men- gistu has called for the establish- ment of a national revolutionary front and, as the guiding force leading the national democratic we revolution towards socialism, the establishment of a workers’ party. On the war front, Ethiopia experienced an encirclement on the eve of the revolution mounted by international imperialism in collusion with reactionaries dis- possessed of their means of exploitation, being turned into an open war of aggression. It is also engaged in a struggle against secessionist groups seeking to sell Ethiopia’s northern region : to reactionary Arab regimes, and the Mogadishu regime (Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia) which has sparked of a war claiming one-fifth of Ethio- pian territory. This has become the decisive confrontation of the revolution and for the unity of the country. The revolutionary government points out that the Eritrean prob- lem in the north is a legacy of the former feudal-bourgeois order. No effort has been spared to seek a peaceful solution to this conflict and a call has been extended to separatist Eritrean groups to take their place in the revolutionary camp. These appeals have so far been scorned. In spite of the three-pronged reactionary war coordinated by Constitution discussion rages in Soviet Union By JOHN WEIR Tribune Moscow Correspondent MOSCOW — Practically the entire population of this vast country, two-and-a-half times the size and 11 times the number of people of Canada, is taking part in discussion of the draft of the new constitution of the Soviet Union. By early September a million- and-a-half public discussion meet- ings had been held. In addition there were 450 thousand meetings of the Communist Party organiza- tions open to the public, meetings of the youth, trade union, farm and other organizations. All this while every publication in the USSR has opened its pages to letters on the constitution. To- gether with letters directed to the Constitution Committee there are already over 135 thousand*com- munications with altogether 240 thousand concrete proposals for amendment of the draft (of course there are many repetitions and also many are general endorsa- tions). There has been nothing like this before in history. Some gentle- men who like to talk about demo- cracy in the abstract should look closer to this democracy in ac- “tion! This is no token discussion. There are differences of opin- ion’on many paragraphs of the draft. For example majority ex- pression appears to oppose lower- ing the age of election to the Sup- reme Soviet to 18 years, feeling that while it is right for 18-year- olds to- serve on local councils they lack the experience neces- sary for the top government .of- fices. Many letters ask stronger for- mulation on the incompatibility of citizens enjoying the rights and benefits of socialist society. with- out contributing by their labor to society. All proposals are summed up in already more. than two volumes and presented to the commission with recommendations of experts about their adoption. The Supreme Soviet will meet in session October 4 to discuss and adopt the final text. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 7, 1977—Page 4 at ? Jackson (third from left) views eS out Somali Sank the joint strategy of Eritrean secessionist groups in the north and the invaders of the Mogadishu regime in the east and south, the Ethiopians feel sure of victory based on a genuine peoples war. They are fighting for their revolution and unity — not to occupy territory belonging to others. IM THE ORBIT OF THE SOCIALIST REVOLUTION cooperate for peace. USSR said: “‘... TRIBUNE How the Russians Mastered Secret of the Satellite Twenty years ago this month, Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviet Union’s | Sputnik burst into the skies to usher. mankind into the space age. _ As the Tribune’s front page announced, right from-the start the USSR saw space expleration as an-arena where nations could The first satellite was 23 inches in diameter, weighed 183 pounds. It circled the earth at 26,000 feet per second and emitted - its now famous beep-beep signal. In its official announcement the the present generation will. witness how the freed and conscious labor of the people of a new socialist society turns even the most daring of man’s dreams into reality.” Trips to the Moon Seqn? > Italian ‘compromise’ draft to confront urgent problems By NINO BIANCHI ROME — Something that con- tinues to be discussed in Italy is the cooperation of the six (par-. ties), that is the programmatic entente achieved by the consti- tutional (i.e. anti-fascist) par- ties. This the Andreotti govern- ment has undertaken to put into effect. It took three months of difficult negotiations to draft this docu- ment, whose content was the re- sult of each party’s responsible contribution. No party has given up its own positions. Some ques- tions of controversy have been left open in order not to prejudice the compromise. The debate in parliament — de- spite attacks by certain press and of certain politicians who cannot yet accept the results of the elec- tions last June — has been re- sponsible and is aimed at discuss- ing the urgent problems that face the country. This signifies an at- tempt by honest people who want to contribute to solving Italy’s crisis, not by renouncing the dif- ferences between them but by al- ways consolidating and broaden- ing the democratic system. In recent months the workers’ movement, the left-wing parties and the trade unions have had to face serious problems. The strug- gle against terrorist subversion (reactionary and fascist) has been intensified. Those who advocate a ‘‘frontal battle’’ have been again defeated and the provocateurs have been isolated by a vast mobilization of masses of people in the factories and cities. With the agreement, after 30 years, for the first time the Com- munist Party actively participates in formulating a program to over- come Italy’s ills. The ICP is hot motivated by selfish ‘‘party’’ aims but by the interests of the country and its citizens. The constitutional par- ties have undertaken measures to Serious economic problems face workers in Italy ... safeguard public order and to re- form the police and other services that must be governed by the re- publican and anti-fascist charac- ter of the country. Grounds for expecting real re-. sults lie in the passage of Law 382 afew weeks ago, giving new pow- ers of decision to the regions of Italy — powers until now cen- tralized. This should permit bet- ter control of investments and realization of new territorial and town planning, avoiding numer- ous agencies which have wasted. so much time and public funds. It was not easy for the Christian Democrats to accept. They are used to handling all the power, and now see it diminishing, along with their patronage. The loss of exclusive power has caused some confusion in the Christian Dem- ocratic Party. Therefore the Communists and other forces of the left were correct in not en- visaging in the CDs a voice to answer the conservative and anti-communist forces. Meanwhile the law.that ratifies the full equality of women with men on the job has been passed. New military rules, according to the republican constitution make the military responsible to the anti-fascist constitution (born with the Resistance) and not to the leader of the state. This agreement, then, is thé | Andreotti program. In September we must give at answer to the 300,000 and moré governmental | young people who registered at the unemployment office. To givé | them those possibilities and thos¢ jobs expected by the special law; “‘everybody’’ must arrangé adequate programs, not only thé state, the municipalities, and thé regions, but also the big public and private industries. The jobs it factories must be defended and protected through a true program of investments. They must bé investments not. to ‘‘subsidize” this or that_industry in difficulty, but to really extend the industrial and agricultural productive bases in Italy. New places must be given t0 spokesmen of the people, who are. | showing not only an exception democratic stand, but also 2 maturity and strength capable of entering the government. The agreement among the pal- ties takes in the Italian Com munist Party, the ISP (socialist party), CD (Christian Dem: ocratic), the ISDP (social dem- ocratic), IRP (republican party); and ILP (liberal party).