February 12, 2001
Over the past few months Russian president Vladimir Putin has taken measures to increase Russia’s leverage over neighboring countries, particularly Georgia and Ukraine, which were once republics of the former Soviet Union.
Russia’s state-owned gas companies shut off natural gas supplies to Georgia for several days in January. Georgia is wholly dependent on Russia for gas. Moscow is seeking to convert Ukraine’s $2.2 billion gas debt into shares in Ukrainian state enterprises, particularly the gas pipeline system used to transport Russian gas to European customers.
In other developments, Russia halted plans to remove troops from Moldova last year, speeded up unity talks with Belarus, and created what the Financial Times termed a “Eurasian NATO” with several central Asian states.
February 13, 1976
Congress began debating in late January a proposal to reorganize the way the U.S. dominates the island colony of Puerto Rico. For almost 500 years the residents of Puerto Rico have not had control over their collective destiny, forms of economic and social organization, or relations with other countries.
This situation has led to increasing struggles by the labor movement. It is in this context that the “Compact of Permanent Union Between Puerto Rico and the United States” is being proposed in the U.S. Congress. The compact continues, virtually unchanged, the complete U.S. domination of the island. The urgent economic and social needs of the Puerto Rican people are totally ignored.
Washington has no right to dictate how much self-government Puerto Rico should have. That is a matter for the Puerto Rican people themselves to discuss and decide.
February 12, 1951
The walkout of railroad yardmen went into its 9th day as members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen demonstrated their rebellion against the two-year stall of their completely justified demands. Courts in Chicago are trying to implement forced-labor injunctions.
President Truman has centered all his fire upon the union. The answer of the workers was typified by the remarks of one worker quoted in the N.Y. World Telegram: “President Truman put the skids under us in 1946. We tried to strike and we were told to get back to work or be drafted. They’re always talking patriotism when something like this comes along.”
Truman and the rail barons are trying to use the Korean war to jam an unfair, dirty deal down the throats of the railroad workers. Unionists everywhere should rally to the trainmen. Their fight is every worker’s fight.