25, 50 and 75 Years Ago

November 19, 2018

November 22, 1993

Violence and lies are the stock-in-trade of the employing class. In the strike by 18,000 coal miners in seven states the bosses are exposing their true face.

The frame-up is a trusted method of the coal operators. The mine owners, along with the FBI, West Virginia state cops, Clinton Justice Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are trying to send eight coal miners to jail on trumped-up charges stemming from the shooting death of Eddie York.

Coal miners on the picket line outside Arch Mineral Corp.’s Ruffner mine point out an important fact: York was shot in the back of the head as he was leaving the mine, before he even reached the picket shack.

The labor movement must mobilize a vigorous defense for the framed strikers.

November 22, 1968

Canada’s French-speaking province of Quebec last month experienced the biggest student-power struggle yet in North America. At the height of the two-week student strike, 22 of the 28 post-secondary colleges and universities were paralyzed by occupations. It is estimated that 50,000 students were at one time or another on strike. The students were protesting inadequate facilities in the technical sections of the CEGEP’s (junior colleges) and the restricted opportunities for university entrance.

The education crisis flows from the oppression of the French-speaking nation in Canada. In Quebec, 80 percent of business and industry is owned by English-Canadian and U.S. capital. Although two thirds of Montreal’s population is French-speaking, three of its four universities and a majority of the university students are English.

November 20, 1943

The capitalist press, radio and movies are filled with stories of the patriotism, ingenuity and initiative of the shipyard owners because of the number of ships which their yards are turning out.

Little is said by these capitalist publicity men about the enormous profits the shipyard magnates are making in this war. Nothing is told of the price which the shipyard workers are paying for the speed-up in construction schedules.

Hundreds of cases of lead poisoning were found among shipyard welders. Metal plates are often painted with red lead in the yards in order to keep fast construction schedules, whereas this painting job was formerly done after the plates were in their final position.

It is up to the workers themselves, organized in their trade unions, to fight for efficient protective equipment and safe working conditions.