Fares Let-down

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they had four Dutch judges sitting there as observers. Result: on the second day of the appeal, the presiding judge stopped the trial, and the so-called train robbers were set free.

I think the worst case of framing, torture and intimidation was in the Noel and Marie Murray case. The Murray trial opened in April 1976 at the Special Criminal Court. There was no jury, just three judges led by 76-yearold Judge Tringle, who had the job of trying the case, convicting or otherwise and sentencing the defendants.

Ronan Stenson, accused with the Murrays, was so badly beaten at Harcourt Terrace Police Station that when he was transferred to the Curragh Military Detention Centre, both a military and a civilian doctor agreed that his injuries were consistent with allegations of torture.

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Several months later Stenson was still suffering so badly from his injuries that he collapsed in the dock several times, and his trial was postponed.

Stenson's evidence was vital for the defence case, and because he was now unfit to stand trial or give evidence for the Murrays an application for an adjournment was made.

When this was rejected, Noel and Marie dismissed Murrays weren't allowed in court was that the judges and counsel knew that if they • were in court, they they never had a trial, they could not be guilty of any crime and they would tell them to do their worst. The Murrays got life.

WILLIE MOLONEY Coventry AN informal group of Socialist Organiser sup porters who are scientists met last week to discuss establishing a SO Science Group(SOSG).

The impetus for the group comes from . our regular science column. The backbone of the column has been Les Hearn's articles, and although one or two others have contributed recently, we feel that there are many more comrades who have useful things to say about recent advances in science, or in exposing the use of science to exploit and oppress. sosa could address Aselt susu coula aduress to other questions. We could contribute specialist knowledge to political WHILE welcoming the sharp analysis offered by Socialist Organiser of the sell-out in the recent Leyland Vehicles strike, it seems to me that such sharpness has been gravely lacking in your coverage of the London fares "fight" campaigns which had a scientific angle, and provide speakers for meetings.

More ambitiously, we felt the need to look more deeply at the role of science under capitalism, in the workers' states, and what it might be under socialism.

Another important task would be to review the sometimes uncritical approach marxists have taken towards science.

Any SO supporters who are interested in taking part in such a group should contact us at Socialist Organiser, 28 Middle Lane, London N8. Those at the initial meeting knew it about 20 SO supporters with science jobs or interests, so we're expecting at least that number of replies.

Socialist Organiser has yet to point out the fact that it was always impossible that the 'Can't Pay, Won't Pay' tactic could succeed.

For it to have any reai impact on the fares increase, that campaign would have needed to mobilise commuters in their hundreds of thousands -numbers far greater than in any industrial dispute.

And since in most cases the only factor the commuters have in common is that they ride a bus or tube to work, the problems in welding such a mass into an organised fighting force are almost insuperable.

Given the belated start and pathetic limitations of the campaign there was never a snowball's chance in hell of it succeeding. Instead it became an individual protest stunt - a conscience saver - for a handful of councillors, and a fling for a few hundred others.

the book Meauwhile, the forces that could and should have mobilised against the increase - the TGWU, NUR and other transport unions - were let compleiely off the hook.

A slid one-day strike showed the power of these unions: but their officials and stewards offered no perspective for all-out action to defend London Transport. And instead of calling on them to do so, the Can't Pay, Won't Pay campaign focussed simply on pressing for support from individual conductors who agree to collect part of the fare from individual protestors!

The result has been not only a fares increase - but one imposed with no political lessons learned by the trade unionists directly involved.

Socialist Organiser should have made this clear from the ourset. 'Can't Pay, Won't Pay' was always Can't Fight, Won't Fight.

CYRIL NEWGATE East Finchley we've had to put many features - including a response to Tony Benn's Marx lecture - off to the next issue because of the heavy stress in this issue on the April 3 conference the campaign against Tebbit, and the May elections. That next issue will be dated April 15, since well be missing an issue at Easter.

Paul's certainly left, and London certainly Labour Committee on Ireland: Box BM 5355, London WC1. I FEEL that correction is due on three recent factual mistakes in Socialist Organiser. Firstly, in the report of the London Labour Party Conference (SO 77) in listing the gains made for the left on the Regional Executive, Paul Franklin of Brent East CLP was omitted.

Asset

local efforts have strengthene 1 the having him c n the Party Execut ve is an asset. an cause to the British labour movement, and to government and the Orange reactionaries. We must continue to discharge this responsibility - and Socialist Organiser does discharge it.

We also have a duty to the few people we reach in Ireland, and to the many Irish workers we can reach in Britain, to argue for Connolly's politics against the right and left populist Republicans who now dominate Irish revolutionary politics. We must discharge that responsibility too.

JOHN O'MAHONY, London.

Further; recent articles have put some people in the wrong political party. Andrew Hornung's report on the London Assembly strongly implied that Jack Dromey is a member of the Communist Party, and Steve Good's article on the ASLEF strike stated that Andy Moynihan is a member of the CP.

In fact, while they have Stalinist politics on many issues, both are officers of Brent East Labor ir party.

PE: 'E FIRMIN Brer it East CLP

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Socialist Organiser, Thursday April Page Wor a tews: ish Solidarity Conferen

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would again dismiss their counsel, stating that as

argue for solidarity with them against the British