Shut Down the War Machinel

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Against all bans and proscriptions!

Paper of the Socialist Organiser Alliance No.113 December 16 1982 (Claimants and strikers 10p) 25p Increasing numbers of leadership with the necespeople no longer see the sary political will.

COLLEEN MOLLOY MORE than 35,000 women surrounded the USAF base at Greenham Common last Sunday.

The day, just one year before the date in 1983 when 96 Cruise missiles are to be sited at the base, was more a joyous festivity than a siege.

Women linked hands to form a human chain 9 miles around the perimeter of the fence, decorated with symbols of life.

The whole event was organised by women for IF THE labour movement mobilises its forces on the scale that the women's movement mobilised for Greenham Common, then the nuclear war machine can be shut down.

Greenham Comrion was probably the biggest women's demonstration for decades. Thousands of women turned out who previously had never been on demonstrations - and it will encourage thousands more people to become active.

At Upper Heyford, near Banbury, another 'peace chain' is planned for December 31, from 6.30am to 6.30pm. This will be a mixed event, though there is to be a women-only gate as well as trade union, youth CND, etc. gates. (Contact: Steeple Aston [ 0869] 40461).

And at High Wycombe local campaigners are running a vigil over Christmas outside the Daws Hill USAF base, recently named as a probable site for the US's planned alternative European command centre. REPORTS FROM GREENHA women to celebrate their strength as women.opposed to the nuclear threat. It was no more than that - it was not meant to be.

Some Labour Party and trade union banners were there, but very few; most of the banners were from CND and women's groups.

People left, high on the Naval t trom media putting Greenham on the map. Frustrated, but optimistic, for now is the time to turn to trade war drive - such moves as Reagan's plan for MX missiles, or the Tories' scheme for £1 billion more military equipment - as inevitable and unstoppable.

Sit-downs and chains of people holding hands will not stop the giant war machine, the armoured backbone of the world power of the big capitalist states. But the organised working class can stop it.

Nothing can be manufactured, transported, or installed without the working class. The Labour Party is committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament, and must be held to that commitment by the Labour and trade union rank and file.

Industrial action to stop the Bomb, or a Labour government decision to scrap it, would only be the first step in a fierce battle with the vested interests of the military/industrial machine. The ruling class will not be disarmed peacefully. But the labour movement also has the strength to win that battle - given a Gr M COMMON: unionists and struggles.

On the Monday son -2000 women stayed on block work on the base and they certainly caus ed the loss of hundreds of worker-hours.

Three women were ar rested and two injured as police moved in to clear way for construction wor rkers and USAF personne el, but - aware of the wi de support for the peace wol en - the police felt obli ed to proceed more cal atiously than otherwise th ey would have done with su ch a demonstration. ANDREW WIARD (REPORT) mas on January 6. right wing (page 2).

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Common en shut Greenham Common: Labour must

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