r A ac t oan eaux I
Eighty-three years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan

420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104
THURSDAY, SEP

News Phone: 764-0552

TEMBER 13, 1973

Chile: Blow to social change

THECOUP D'ETAT which overthrew
the Popular Unity coalition in Chile
Tuesday is a blow to those who promote
social change, both in Chile and around
the world.
The Popular Unity government was
able to bring about major changes in both
the Chilean economy and the quality of
life for large numbers of the Chilean
people.
Poor and working persons experienced
a drastic rise in their purchasing power.
Large land holdings were broken up and
redistributed in many parts of the coun-
try.
Significant drops in infant mortality
(down 11 per cent according to the New
York Times), deaths from bronchial
pneumonia (down 15 per cent) and child
malnutrition cases (down 7 per cent)
paralleled the dramatic expansion of
mtedical services to the poor.
Hundreds of small clinics were built or
expanded, and weekly meetings of neigh-
borhood associations assessed commun-
ity health needs.
THE SUCCESSES of the Popular Unity
government were underlined in con-
gressional elections last March, when
despite economic difficulties the govern-
ment increased its vote from 36 per cent
to 43 per cent.
The Allende government originally
came to power with 36 per cent of the
vote owing to a split between the two
major opposition parties, the Nationals
and the Christian Democrats.
The situation in Chile in recent weeks
was one described by almost every com-
mentator as a fierce class struggle, as
middle and upper class opponents of the
Allende government crippled the econo-
my and sabotaged key facilities almost
daily.
The right-wing Fatherland and Liberty
group, openly committed to overthrowing
the Popular coalition, assassinated a key
Allende aide, and a truckowners' strike
led to some food shortages.
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS were caused
primarily by the reaction of business-
men and landowners to the Allende gov-
ernment's policies.
The latest strike of truckowners, for
instance, demanded that the trucking in-
dustry remain in private hands.
The Allende government had lived with
constant fear of overthrow ever since its
inauguration less than three years ago.
United States officials, it was reported
yesterday, were not surprised by the coup.
Even before President Allende took of-
fice, a prominent general was assassinat-
ed, and the killers tried to link leftists
to the murder.
The International Telephone and Tele-
graph Corporation channelled money into
the country in an attempt to prevent Al-
lende's election.
Economic sanctions, particularly the
refusal to loan Chile vital credits neces-
sary for development, were initiated by
Western capitalist powers.
FRANCE AND other nations held up
shipments of copper-the major
TODAY'S STAFF
News: Dan Biddle, Mike Duweck, Jose-
phine Marcotty, Ted Stein

source of Chilean foreign exchange-at
the request of the Kennecott Copper
Corporation, leading the Popular Unity
government to speak of the "economic
boycott" being conducted against Chile.
Throughout the crisis, except during
an abortive coup last June, when a state
of siege was temporarily declared, the Al-
lende government refused to take away
democratic liberties.
The first orders of the new military.
junta have been to close down the entire
left-wing press, under threat of its total
physical destruction.
Under the Popular Unity government,
a vitriolic press, led by El Mercurio, the
only paper published in Santiago yester-
day with permission of the military au-
thorities, hammered away at the govern-
ment daily; rallies of any faction were
permitted.
Now, a curfew has been declared to
"avoid (the killing of) innocent victims."
SO IT SEEMS that the very forces who
accused the Popular Unity govern-
ment of imposing a "Marxist yoke" are
the ones to eliminate democratic liber-
ties.
Democracy, seemingly so sacrosanct
and sacred to the Chilean upper and
middle classes, became their easy victim
when the situation demanded it.
There is no question but that the
junta will look more favorably on for-
eign private enterprise than did the Pop-
ular government.
During Allende's tenure in office, pro-
perties of more than a dozen United
States companies were seized, mostly in
the all-important copper mines and pro-
cessing facilities.
One of the first announcements of the
military regime was the break-off of dip-
lomatic relations with Cuba, and later
reports indicated relations with other
socialistic nations will also be severed.
TN LIGHT OF the massive demonstra-
tions of support for the Popular Unity
government, including one just a little
over a week ago, the military junta can
retain power only through the wide-
spread use of repression against Chile's
left wing.
We can only hope that such repression
will not be successful in extinguishing
entirely what was one of this hemi-
sphere's most progressive social experi-
ments.
'Innovation'
WITH LAUDABLE foresight, the Rab-
binical Assembly (the Conservative
rabbinical body) has recognized two dis-
tinct branches of humanity. On Septem-
ber 5, the Committee on Jewish Law and
Standards resolved that "men and wo-
men are to be equally included in the
count of a required quorum for Jewish
public worship." The vote was 9 to 4.
The tradition of excluding women from
the minyan, the quorum of 10 or more
adult Jews, was dfended by Rabbi Sey-
mour Siegel, chairman of the committee,
who felt that "most synagogues were not
ready for such an innovation."
Orthodox Rabbi Israel Klavan held
that "The richness of Judaism's heri-
tage forecloses such drastic changes in
religious practice."
A RELIGION which has lasted nearly
6,000 years can certainly cope with
such "drastic changes."

Attica:
Editor's Note: This is the first of
two articles recallingthe Attica State
Prison revolt, which took place two
years ago this week. Tomorrow, a look
at events since.
By THE ATTICA BRIGADE
]7W0 YEARS AGO, in the early
morning of Thursday, Septem-
ber 9, 1971, inmates at Attica State
Prison overtook prison guards and
secured control of cellblock D,
one of four blocks facing inward
toward a central yard. Within
hours, the black, brown and white
brothers united to issue the fol-
lowing statement:
"We are men! We are not beasts
and do not intend to be beaten or
driven. As such the entire prison
population has set forth to change
forever the ruthless brutalization
and disregard for the lives of the
prisoners here now and through-
out the United States. What has
happened here is but the sound be-
fore the fury of those who are op-
pressed."
The brothers began the job of
negotiating with the State. Correc-
tions Commissioner Russell Oswald
agreed that most of the 28 demands
presented (and which had been
submitted 3 months before) were
just. But he refused to consider
judicial amnesty for the prisoners,
or the removal of the inept warden
Vincent Mancusi.
THE BROTHERS' Central Com-
mittee asked for Governor Rocke-
feller to come to Attica, as did
the Citizen Observer Committee
(composed of radical political fig-
ures and politicians respected by
the brothers). Negotiations broke
down as Rocky arrogantly refused
to talk with the prisoners.
Four days later, September 13,
as helicopters sprayed tear gas,
1000 state troopers, National
Guardsmen, sheriff's deputies and
prison guards, egged on by false
rumors of atrocities against the
hostages, stormed the prison, re-
storing "civilized" order in a hail
->f bullets. Thirty-two inmates and
eleven guards were left dead.
The hi
By MARNIE HEYN
rHE FOLLOWING are inter-
views with Jerry DeGrieck,
Human Rights Party City Council
member, and Beth Brunton, HRP
coordinator, to examine the his-
tory and future prospects of the
party.
Jerry DeGrieck
WHY WERE YOU involved in the
formation of the Radical Indepen-
dent Party, which grew into the lo-
cal affiliate of HRP
"I got involved because politics
is a reflection of society, of con-
flicts, because I wanted to change
the way people treated each other,
from the interpersonal level to the
broadest spheres of economic de-
cision - making. Your life has to
be congruent with your politics.
"When I left the Democratic
Party, I figured there was no hope
for electoral politics. But the vigor
of the student power and anti-war
movements made me realize that
we needed an electoral route to
reach more people, to change more
things.
ON THE NIGHT before the found-
ing convention, what were your
worst fears about what c'ould hap-
pen?
"That nothing would get to-
gether, that sectarianism would
fragment us, and dissipate all our
energies on form rather than sub-
stance. I was afraid that machis-
mo would be the dominant style,

and that quieter people would be
alienated. We always need to be
concerned with this.
"But my worst fears weren't
realized. We demonstrated that
radicals can organize in an ongo-
ing manner. And procedures have
been developed so that everyone
can participate without fear of
intimidation."
WHAT REASONABLE expecta-
tions did you have?
"None. It was an experiment. I7
did want a sort of united front or-
ganization."]
WHAT WERE your fondest hopes? ]
Did you foresee local parties build-I

Unresolved story of oppression

The Attica rebellion was plain-
ly a story of oppression and it's in-
evitable product, resistance. For
Attica's 1300 inmates, 200 of whom
are serving life sentences, 85 per
cent of whom are black or Latin,
life is a dehumanizing, often bru-
tal experience.
THEY WORK FOR twenty five
cents a day making license plates
or working sheet metal. They live
in 6 x 8 cells, and sleep on con-
crete pallets which leave only 3
feet in which to walk. They are
allowed one shower a week. Health
care is poor and often marked by
neglect. Just before the rebellion
two prisoners died from lack of
medical treatment - a Spanish-
speaking prisoner who was told to
come back when he learned to
speak English, and another whose
illness was diagnosed as being in-
significant.
These conditions are the daily
existence for men and women in
prisons across the country. For
prisoners who resist, there is soli-
tary confinement, beatings, har-
assment, and restriction of what
few privileges exist. The A t t i c a
brothers were, as George Jackson
said, "pushed past the line where
there is no turning back."
THE BROTHERS demanded that
doctors be on call, that they have
the right to form labor unions, that
there be less pork (85 per cent of
meat served is pork) because of
the large Muslim population, more
protein in their diet, that mail and
newspapers be uncensored, a n d
that their legal rights be respect
ed. Because these were just de-
mands, they asked for no physical,
mental, or legal reprisals result-
ing from. the rebellion.
To show the authorities that they
were not animals, they demonstrat-
ed humane treatment in their deal-
ings with hostages. As New York
state assemblyman Arthur Eve
described it: "The rations were
given equally among all, and as a
doctor stated who went in and

4

I

Oswald d the intiwires

out, the hostages ate first. When
they had one sandwich the host-
ages had two. When they had little
water the hostages drank first.
When the doctor came in, they
directed the doctor to the hostages
first."
AFTER FOUR DAYS the prison-
ers were weakened by lack of food
and water. Despite their inability
to offer strong resistance to an
attack, a full scale assault was

mounted against them. In t h e
aftermath, the State released stor-
ies claiming that prison guards had
been sexually assaulted by inmates
and castrated, when they knew this
to be a lie. They claimed that
the hostages had been killed by
the brothers when the coroner's
report showed that all hostages had
been killed by bullets, and t h e
brothers had no guns.
In the 2 years since the re-
bellion, the state of New York has

kept up a continual campaign of
brutality and harassment against
the brothers. A grand jury has
been busy constructing a massive
legal attack against the brothers,
while the role of Rockefeller, Os-
wald, and the guards -and troopers
who took part in the massacre has
escaped any investigation.
'
The Attica Brigade is an anti-
imperialist stiudent organization.

ppo takes a

look in

the mirror


ing into the Peoples' Party?
"My fondest hopes didn't run a
high as electing people to Cit!
Council a year later, in April, 1972
We saw encouraging possibilitie
for the formation of a network o
radical parties, but what was mor
important to us was having an ar
ticulate locally-based party. A na
tional party was conceived of as
far-future event."
HOW DID YOU plan to counter ar
guments that a third party can'
win?
"By pointing out that you can"
win with either of the other par
ties in any case. That's been dem
onstrated by the non-existent dif
ference between Republican- an(
Democratic-controlled city coun
cils. The issue seen by both a
controversial was the marijuana
ordinance. A whole panoply of con
cerns had higher priority as far a,
HRP was concerned. The major
parties play petty politics."
WAS THE STRONG support HRF
received in 1972 a fluke?
"Not at all. What happened was
the happy result of a whole group
of circumstances that may never
arise again. The 18-year-old vote
was new, as-was the chance for
students to vote in college towns.
In addition, people were ready tc
break from the major parties, anc
were willing to give HRP a chance.
WHAT HAPPENED in 1973? Dc
you see problems that can be cor-
rected?
"Our McGovern stance, hurt,
since Ann Arbor was the only place
in the state that he had coattails.
Other parties can keep quiet about
things like that, but we do our
laundry in public as a matter of
policy. We're vulnerable to sensa-
tional exploitation of a position like
that.
"Our uneasy alliance with the
Rainbow Peoples Party hurt, too.
It's become clear that they will dis-
rupt and attack any organization
if they can't control it, as with
HRP and the C-4 group Drug
Help, Ozone House, Free Peoples
Clinic, and the Community Center.

"Another problem was a blur-
s ring of differences between HRP
y and the Democrats. They were
. coopted to the left. But that won't
s happen again because they lost
f more than we did in the last elec-
e tion. The 'generalized fear of
Stevenson and the Republicans
- caused a lot of indecision that
a shouldn't happen again now that
people can see that Republicans
are only minutely worse than
t Democrats.
"Our campaign was splintered,
We spent more energy infighting
in the primaries thanhcriticizing
the other parties. That has to stop,
because we need party unity in or-
der to change city government for
the better.
s "I want to point out that, al-
a though we didn't win any new
seats, wesdidn't lose ground either.
sThe most critical factor was a
small voter turn-out because there
were no clear-cut issues that af-
fected people's lives. The charter
amendments on the ballot this time
are substantial: the initiative/re-
ferendum question directed by the
Women's Political Committee, and
HRP-sponsored rent control, along
with pay for council and the mari-
juana ordinance. That's a major
difference."
WHAT GOOD HAS come from
HRP's presence on city council?
"We've had tremendous exposure
not only for the party's platform,
but for a whole range of other is-
sues: the farm workers' strike, the
question of police control and ac-
tivity, and the need for a rational
approach to drugs.
t "We developed an anti-strike-
breaking ordinance, and a program
to end discrimination against gay
people. In addition, large alloca-
tions have been made for housing,
the youth drug program, health
care, child care, and the Women's
Crisis Center.
WHAT DO YOU THINK HRP
should do in the near future?
"We need to develop a broader
sense of struggle. It's necessary
for HRP to act as a coalition, to
support ongoing movements both
on council and in the streets - at
the expense of polishing our po-
litical line.
"An economic revolution would
be fine, but it won't answer ques-
tions such as racism and sexism
that confront all of us. HRP also
has to act as a vehicle for good,
positive programs that are not ex-
plicitly socialist. We have to be
open enough to take directions
from others, to become part of
their movements.
"HRP needs to be more repre-
sentative. We need participation
from new people who want to
change things, as well as greater
cooperation with other radical and
liberation groups. The party should
serve to pull together those who
are disenfranchised into a united
front."
"All that is on the level of organ-
ization and communication. On the.
activity level, many more visible

i

Daily Photo by KEN FINK

Cit CouniiiincinJerry DeGrieck

Editorial Page: Zachary Schiller,
Schoch, David Yalowitz
Arts Page: Diane Levick
Photo Technician: Ken Fink

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tal social change if people care
enough to get involved."
Beth Brunton
WHAT IS THE HRP coordinator's
job?
"The coordinator is responsible
for the day-to-day administration of
the policies that are decided in
mass meetings. I am more involv-
ed in planning than in decision-
making, although, since I am also
a party member, I can influence
policy in the same way every mem-
ber can."
HOW DID YOU previous work in
HRP lead you to run for coordi-
nator?
"I was on the steering commit-
tee last fall, and then worked dur-
ing the spring elections. I had such
plans! I wanted to counter ultra-
democratic tendencies so that we
could support the farm workers
and the National Liberation Front.
I also wanted to stress more overt-
ly socialist politics, but I've chang-
ed my mind in the past four
months, because that's not the role
a united front organization should
play at this point in time."

WHAT'S HAPPENED that was
good?
"The main thing for me was
supporting the farm workers' boy-
cott on grapes and lettuce. We
maintained a presence on City
Council, and talked to lots of peo-
ple at such events as the art fair.
More specific actions were sup-
porting the housing commission
employees on strike, picketing the
school board about the formation
of "Badass High" and picketing
Mr. Renken for his non-payment of
personal and corporate property
taxes."
ARE YOU GLAD you were coordi-
nator?
"It was worth it, although I wish
we had the means to do much
more. The new coordinator who's
elected at the meeting Thursday
will have a more rewarding term
if -other party members are more
active."
WHAT WOULD -YOU advise peo-
ple who are interested in Ann Ar-
bor politics to do?
"Find an issue that interests you,
and get involved. So many things
are happening-rent control, the

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