On Monday January the 29th several hundred people at the Pere Lachaise cemetery attended the funeral of Natalia Trotsky to pay their last respects. Natalia had died on tho 23rd of January at Corbeil, Paris.
Born at Romi, Poltava Province in the Ukraine, in 1881, Natalia had been from her carly youth an active revolutionary. During her first stay in Paris in 1903 she met Luon Trotsky and became his socond wife. Alongside Trotsky sho participated in the movement which led up to the 1905 revolution. Thoy returned to itussia during that rovolution and were both arrested. Natalia after being caught in a cavalry charge on a street demonstration revcived a four year sentence — she was later amnosticd. She assisted in Trotsky's escape,plaming the last stages of his journey. During the period botwoen the tho failure of the 1905 revolution and the overthrow of Tsardom, she was Trotgky's constant companion in arms in tho many ups and downs of the movoenmont. (so) Hort a
Returning to Russta Hh her husband and two sons from the United States, during which journey they were detained by tho British navy and only released after strong protests, she took a leading part in the October revolution. Aftor the triumph of the Bolsheviks she lived with Trotsky in the Kremlin sharing the amenities with Lenin and his wife. She was in charge of luseums and Art Galleries under LunaCharsky, ~
As the bureaucratic deyeneration of the first workers' state developed, Natalia supported wholcheartedly Trotsky's struggle against growing stalinism. Together with Trotsky she was oxiled to Alma Alta and then in 1928 expelled from the soviet Union. Thus started the most tragic period of hor life, during which she first lost both her sons and finally in 1940, sho suffered the worst blow of all when Trostky was assassinatod in Mexico.
Remaining true to the memory of Trotsky and his ideas and fully confident of the final victory of revolutionary socialism, she devoted tho rest of hor life to defending the heritage of hor companion against the slanders of stalinism and all other distortions,
In the last yoar of her life sho expressod solidarity with the two loaders of the Fourth Intcrnational, Raptis and Santon, who were on trial in Holland for their activities on behalf of the Algorian Revolution, by sending a letter to the chairman of the Amstordam court.
after the 22nd Congress of the C.P.S.U. she demanded of the leadership of the C.P.S.U. that thoy revise the Moscow trials and authorise the publication of Trotsky's works in tho land of tho October itevolution.
The chief mourner at the funeral was Sera, the grandson of Trotsky, who came over from loexico, Natalia's ashes will be flow to Mexico to rest along \ side those of Trotsky. At the funeral specches wore nade by Andre Dreton, French writer; Marguerite Bonnet, in the name of Alfred Rosmer who was unablu to be present because of tho death of his wifo; Pierre Naville, French sociologists; Isaac Deutscher, biographer of Trotsky; Laurent Schwarz, profossor of mathmatics as Sorbenne and chairman of the Committee of Solidairty with igerian victims of imperialist ropression; and on behalf of the Trotskyist movement, Joseph Hansen, editor of the Militant, journal of the S.W.P. of the United States who was Trotsky's secret— ary at the time of his deaths Piorre Frank, secrotary of the French section of the Fourth International and Livio Maitin on behalf of the Intsrnational Secretariat.
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Our group was represented by the editor of this bulletin. It has been suggested that wo publish,as our modest contribution to one of the oustanding women of history, Trotsky's pamphlet on his elder son - Leon Sedov — who was murdered by the, stalinists in France. ‘Yo hops that this idea will be supported, Natalia herself would have liked the idea, we are sure.
in area delegate conference of Scottish miners in dinburgh meeting * January 21st, decided to hold a one-day strike on j’arch 7th in protest — a the closure of Scottish pits. liners from Scotland are to lobby Parliament o liarch 8th the same day as the mombers of the ASLUF (Locomen's union) who are & protesting against the closure of Scottish railway lines.
Only two hands went up against the proposal after it had been reported that the majority of the branches were for the strike. The docision had been taken before at a delegate conference by a small majority but it had then been referred to the branchos. At least 300 will be taking part in the lobby which will be also supported by the South Weles miners. The latter took this decision in view of the fact that South Wales is also faced by pit closures.
These actions are boing taken quite indepen’ TY of measures in relation to the wage claim although it will give an early opportunity for miners to express their disgust at the coal—board's insulting offer. Dare S. MAINTANANCE IGN FIGHT PAY PAUSE
It is almost certain that the strike of maintonanco mon on the British Road Services will be made official by the ments union — the National Union of Vehicle Builders, The strike, which at timo of writing was affecting 11 areas is for a bonus to bring the men into line with the drivers. The Boit.S has other troubles too: 200 workers in four West of gcotland struck to have a pay asroonent back-dated in line with privato haulage contractors! mon. lien walked out at 2 depots in Durham in protest against the Government's wage pause which is holding up their wage claim.