[BATTLE FOR THE Paper of Socialist Students in…]

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BATTLE FOR THE Paper of Socialist Students in NOLS. 10p plus postage from Andy Bennett, DSU, Dunelm House, When urate production goes up, the body cannot get rid of it fast enough. Instead, crystals of urates form in the joints and kidneys, eventually causing the painful disease, gout.

Before gout sets in though, more disturbing symptoms appear. By the age of 2 or 3, LNS children become mentally deficient, aggressive and suffer from compulsive self-destructive behaviour — they begin to uncontrollably bite their fingers and lips.

The over-production of urate in LNS sufferers can be treated, but this does not affect the behaviour of their victims. The lack of the HPRT gene obviously has unknown consequences for the chemistry of the brain.

Now it seems treatment may after all be possible, thanks to the advance of genetic engineering.

If genes for HPRT could be inserted into the DNA of LNS sufferers, perhaps these self-destructive behaviours could be cured.

How to fight The Tories Where aiwe stand SAGANISER E Two damphlets for 45n including postage, from So Top, Ocialist Organiser, 28 Middle Li ne, London N&.

DIOXIN IN MALAYA The Americans may have perpetrated an ecological atrocity with the herbicide Agent orange in Vietnam, but they were not the originators of such tactics.

That 'honour" goes to ...

Britain!

Cabinet papers from 1952 show that the British Army sprayed vast quantities of a herbicide cocktail over Malaya during the war against guerrillas in the 1950s.

The "cocktail" , which contained 2,4,5-T, was described by the government as "harmless to human and animal life"

However, 2,4,0-T always contains Sume 2,3, 1,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or dioxin, as a contaminent.

Dioxin is incredibly poisonous. Tiny quantities can cause chloracne, a disfiguring disease lasting, or up to 15 years, as well as cancer, and abnormalities in the unborn.

The herbicide was used on roadsides to kill bushes in which guerrillas could hide, as well as on fields of crops grown by guerrillas. Both people and animals must have been exposed to dioxin, as were British troops (many conscripted under National Service).

Despite precautions, herbicides coated Army vehicles and could not be completely removed.

One effect on the environment must have been to increase soil erosion, as tropical rains quickly wash away unprotected topsoil.

Despite subsequent discoveries of dioxin's harmfalness, no studies have been carried out.

Later, British expertise was passed on to the Americans, with more drastic effect. MARTIN Thomas is absolutely correct to point out that the municipalists took power without possessing the most rudimentary idea of what to do with it and what they were facing. now left much of Labour's is positively "antitheory" — that is, hostile to the idea that the experience of the past, codified in Marxist theory, has anything to teach them or should have any part in guiding what socialists do now.

Recently, aspirant future Prime Minister of Pakistan and former Mr Moustache of 1968, Tariq Ali, celebrated the freeing of Benazir Bhutto by opening a bottle of Landwein der Mosel Weinland Kellerei GmbH Halbtrocken 1933 and interviewing Greater London Enterprise Board (GLEB) overlord Ken Livingstone for the mass circulation New Left Review.

What books had influenced Ken's development into the greatest living socialist, inquired the world's greatest living former member of the International Marxist Group?

What tomes did Ken particularly recall from all those long intense evenings down at the British Museum Reading Room?

"What a romantic thought," Ken beamed, fondling a newly acquired Great Horned Toad he had named Gerry Healy. "I've never read a book in my life."

"'Get away," grinned Tariq, helping himself to a further generous portion of Penning Rowsell's fancy. "Sure as you'll never be a member of the Labour Party, son," sighed Ken.

"I've never been a theoretician. By the time I reached the stage where I wanted to read more theoretical works, I was already on the council. Since then I've been reading council agendas ... Life is a flurry of paper. Many of them I won't have time to read."

Many of the MPs are also fully fledged 'new wimps', more into their pine kitchens, Beaujolais Noveau, nut cutlets and decaffeinated coffee-table feminism than into socialist theory.

In the Surday Times colour supplement last autumn, Lord Longford's niece, Harriet Harman took time from explaining that every Friday, spouse Jack Dromey did "a big shop" to let us know that. "I don't read at all. I'm afraid I never have been bookish, never got the habit of reading. It's a shame.

Even the academics are - in terms of Marxist theory -"know nothings"

Noel Luton is correct to detect. the infiltration of these - frequently ignorant - wimps into union education.

The Municipal Wimps - it's a good name for a pop group. They have certainly more to offer reptile-breeding than socialist strategy.

But on second thoughts: "Life is a flurry of paper"? It's not nearly as good as 'Life is a cold lasagna." Be honest, is it?' TONY MONTANA Liverpool to obtain the warrant or the building workplace branches to stagistrates merely "rubber help win the battle on political local democracy. funds; and, thirdly, defending by the police. On what requests for warrants All these issues are still grounds did they issue the urgent, and we therefore pro- warrant? pose that these workshops be I believe that the happenreconvened. Additionally, a Kings on 22 December were a fourth workshop might consider Labour organisation, nationally blatant Harassment and an attempt al and locally, within the overall framework of campaigning for intimidation. Labour. We should very much I am asking Birmingham welcome comments about these Trades Council to support my proposals, and further suggestions for the agenda of our next and raint against the police consultation, and invite com- le other issues rades to send them quickly in good time for the March meeting. Chief Constable, the Each constituency is invited Home Secretary and the to send up to four delegates.

Registration forms have been Shadow Home Secretary, sent to all CLP secretaries. your MP, councillors, the Copies are available from Tony Police Committee and the Simpson, 26 Rockingham Grove, chairman of the Magistrates. Bingham, Notts. NG13 8RY. MARY PEARSON AUDREY WISE KEN FLEET (NUT delegate to TONY SIMPSON Birmingham Trades Council)

85-84.101 NGA!

New Elvet, Durham.

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Organiser, February Page

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