Vol. 81/No. 23      June 12, 2017

 

25, 50 and 75 Years Ago

 

June 12, 1992

African National Congress president Nelson Mandela warned the South African government May 28 that it must stop trying to maintain white minority domination of the country.

Mandela said, “We have to move as quickly as possible to arrive at a new constitution which must enshrine the principle of a united, democratic, nonracial, and nonsexist South Africa.”

“The masses consider this regime to be illegitimate,” Mandela warned the government. “Through their struggles, they created the possibility for a negotiated resolution of the problems of our country.”

Mandela emphasized that “not only do the masses have the right, they have the duty to engage in struggle to change their condition, change any government or leader they see as acting against their common good.”

June 12, 1967

The war in Vietnam was blasted by Brig. Gen. Robert L. Hughes, U.S. Army Reserve, at a Memorial Day meeting in Madison, Wisc.

Gen. Hughes said, “In this new era of political unrest, we cannot police the world, we cannot impose our social system on other nations. We are losing the flower of American youth in a war that could stretch into perpetuity. We must disengage from this tragic war.”

According to the Madison Capital Times, a reporter circulating through the crowd “found general approval of his address.” “Somebody has to say these things,” was one comment.

“This was a surprise package but I agree with him entirely,” was another.

Those who disagreed added that they would “defend the right” of Hughes to state his opinions. One veteran said, “It was shocking, but he gave me something to think about.”

June 13, 1942

In an effort to halt the strike wave throughout the coal mining areas of England, Scotland and Wales, the Churchill government has announced a plan for the operation of the mines under the control of the government.

Britain’s 700,000 miners have long been demanding a minimum wage. Miners have left the pits by the thousands. This has contributed to an extreme coal shortage in Britain, which the government is trying to overcome by taking over control of the mine operations.

So long as the control of the mines remains in the hands of government officials representing the interests of the mine owners, the grievances of the mine workers will remain as acute as ever.

The solution lies in a struggle for governmental appropriation of the mines and their operation by committees democratically elected by workers.  
 
 
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