SOCIALISTS FIGHT PROPOSED ANTIUNION LAWS
BRUSSELS, liarch 3 -- An emergency congress of the Belgian Socialist party met here yesterday to discuss the so-called “laws to maintain public order” (lois sur le maintien de l’ordre) which are due for discussion in parliament in a few weeks.
Ever since the at general strike in December 1960 and January 1961, the Belgian bo oisie has tried to pass repressive antiunion legislation that would make the organization of such general strikes more difficult, or at least more illegal. When the present coalition government (between the Social-Christian {catholic party/, Belgium's main bourgeois party, and the Socialist party) was constituted, the bourgeois cabinet ministers and politicians began clamoring for such laws, but the reformist leaders were slow to respond. They feared the reaction of the rank and file and of the working class, among whom the memory of ‘the great general strike is still very much alive.
Last August four proposed laws were finally submitted to parliament after having been accepted by the whole cabinet, including the reformist Socialist ministers.
When these were made public, the left wing of the Belgian Socialist party and of the trade unions organised a huge campaign of opposition. lass meetings were held in the most important towns.
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At Liege 50,000 workers assembled in a militant rally, Resolutions were passed in mest factories, some of them threatening strik action when parliament opens discussion on ties proposed laws.
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inden’ this pressure, the refornist leadews: hati to back up. Shey brought in a series of amendments which their coalition partners reluctantly accepted in order to save the coalition. Although they removed some of the teeth in thege:daws the amendnents did not change their over-all nature asirepressive antiunion -egislation. The left wing of the Socialist:garty'declared that despite the amendments the laws remained unacceptable. The Sampeles against then continued. nm GO hae a7 ee
The struggle came to a head last Oak. at the ochabens per al one 5P federation efter another opposed the laws, indicating cisely what antiunion measures apes Sees ong how sag cou a be used against strikers.
It became obvious that the SP. leadership had. to hake a rather hasty retreat in order to save the! coalition, at least for the time being. The resolution it proposed at the March 2 emergency convention states that the laws as originally drafted were unacceptable, that the amended iaws cannot be accepted either, and while it calls upon the Socialist members of parliament to preas for still- more’ amendments, it also states that these. must be based on the reasons ‘| given by the party federations for rejecting the laws; i-e., that they must take up practically ott new ee sin the law. Laat cub 1th aman NCH Mgraiy. Hoy 52, Cass | ss sad ies Cah eran a
‘Tt remains to be seen if the botrdeofs coalt Y paréners or’ ae the Belgian reformista will accept’ the big retreat: demanded Of! =I shem. Attempted horse-trading has been made more difficult by the fact that a nev emergeney convention of the SP wili have to be held to vote on the Apaet draft of: the laws, =~ q fu a:
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One of the leaders: of “the left soedaliste, ‘Renest: ‘Mandel, editor of the weekly La Gauche, speaking immediately after the seporter P-~H Spaak, challenged the! party bureaucracy by; stuiounsing <bat the tendency which he represented would fightato the end: against any new legislation that could be used. mane any conditions against strikers. mnt
iletidel calied for mass action against the proposed laws, DLecdging full surport to the workers in resisting them whatever ‘she decisions of the SP congress or parliament might be. He was ziolently attacked by Spaek and party chairman Coljard. Such declarations, they said, amounted . to "a call for party indiscipline.
ne debate between Spaak and Mandel made headlines in the Jeigian press. . « Bes
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