Blas Hooa singles out as one of his targets, Adolfo Gilly, and ne tries to make something out of the Pact that “other Trotakyists" should beth "defend" him and "denigrate him and his groupe" "It seens atrange,” says Blas Roca. "..But this is in perfect harmony with the fundamentally
L2 confusionist and provocative rele of Trotskxyisn."
4nd in the very week that Blas Roca's article slandering didolfo filly in the fouleast way appeared in Mexioo City in Folitics,ddolfa Gilly was arrested by the Mexican police and held without bail because the chargea were so serious that he might receive more than a five-year aentenca- And whet are the charges’ Theat he engaged in =» "Communiat conspiracy" to overthrow the Ideas Ordaz government; that he was involved in such "crimes" as aeeking to organize protest demonstrations against the visit of Fresident Johnson:
Where does Blas Roca stand in thist With the witeh-hunters snd redbaiters of the corrupt Mexican bourgeoisie? Or with tha victin? we hopa that. Blas Roce will takes oorrest stand in this and express aolidarity in the defense of dolfo Gilly and the other victims, despite his political differences with then-
Dees a stand like that seem"strange"? It is perfectly comprehensible to every militant. And in the same way, the stand of Monthly Review in disagreeing with idolfo Gilly's negative appreciation of the Tricontinental Conference and hig estinate of Fidel Castro's course, while agreeing with him on othar issues, is completely rational and understandable. The position of soat Trotakylats toward jidolfo Gilly is not fundamentaly differant. They consider that he has made valuable journelistic tontributions; at the same tine, insd= far as he is influended by the views of Possdas on some issues, they would like to gee him take a more independent course. No matter how mistaken they might think him to be in his views, thoy would unanimously rejeot with indignation the Stalinist slander thet he is an “imperielist agent."
If Flas Roca chooses mot to understand this, perhaps another ease will fink hose. I hed barely begun this reply when the news osame from Dotroit that an ultrarightest, reacist-ninded gunmen had entered Eugene V- Dabs Halil the local headquarters of the Socisliat Workers Party, to kill some "Communists." He ordered three young antiwar fighters there, one of whem belonged to the Young Socialist alliance and two to the Socialist Workers Party, to line up #gainat tho wall. He thon pumped nine bullets into then, killing Loo Bernard and critically wounding Jan Garratt and Waltar ‘Graham.
4s Staughton Lynd said: “Leo Bermerd is the first person in the peace movement to tbe murdered." I do mot know whether this political aseasairation was reported in the Cuban presa or what stand Hlas Rooa took on it- In the United States the entire antiwar movement hes rallied in a apontoneacus ex= pression af aglidarity in face of this murderous blow struck acsinat the movement as 4 whole.
The Gommunist Party,U+8-+4+, fade an official ststament May 15 ag follows:
"The deliberate political murder in Detroit, Michigan, on May 16, of Leo Hernard of the Sooislist Workers Party and the shooting of Jan Edward Garrett and Walter Graham of the Young Socialist Allianea in an attempt to kill then is a shocking o¢nsoquence of tha anti-Communist campaign of tha ultra-Right.- These three young man who ware active in the strugele to end the war in Vietnam are also vietime of tha domestic hatred engendered by the qwar-=
-HOngers.
"For the past several months the murderer had planned 'to kill some Communists!’ On Marsh 3rd, the Detroit police were warned tha this was the plan of this political hoodlum and did nothing about it. The Federal agencies were told out the murder plan before March 3rd. by a consulate in New York and did nothing about it exeept to tell tha Detroit police. The nurderer lined up his viotima and started shooting with a shout,'You ara all Communists.' This is eold-blocded political surder and ol) who have responsibility sust be called to account.
"This murder is related to the ultra=<Right action organisation of anti- Communist hoodlums in Detroit known as ‘Breakthrough’ which tried # break up & meeting in Cobo Hall on May 6th. at which Gus Hall was the adn speaker. On that occasion, one who tried to break inte the meeting sarried a loaded revolver with obvious intent to use it. That outfit gets ite political direction from the Birchites.
"This is also related to the bombings of the Communist Party headquarters building in New York, the bombing of the bookstores in Detroit, Los angeles and Chicago, the bombing of the DuBois headquarters in San Francisca and the Vietnam Day headquarters in Herkeley, the acts of araon in Chicago ani Indiana, the death threats through the mails and by telephone in various cities - all of which are known to city and Federal authorities wha do nothing about them. The Detroit murier must serve to halt this brand of terror in our political life. <All who afvocate peace, democracy and polstinsy freedom have the responsibility to speak up and strengthen these strugglea-"
Dorothy Healy, the Southern California chairmen of the Communist Farty, voiced the following opinion:
"The monstrous murder of Leo Bernard and the wounding of dan Garrett « and Walter Grahse ia a direct outgrowth of anti-Communist hysteria. This anti-Conmunism, which provides the justification for military aggression in Vietnam and domestic repression at home, has taken the life of Leo Barnard just ss it hao killed the Vietnamese fighting for independence. All Americans fighting to ond the war in the Mekong Delta and those fighting for fresdom in the Mississippi Delta should join in demanding an end te the hysteria which produced this attack on members of the Socialist Workers Party."
We leave it to Plas Roca to fit these statements into his alander about the Trotskyista being " very active auxiliary foreea"of dnerican imperialism when in reality they are recognised by friend and foe alike as “very active" in oppesition to ita "dirty wars" in Vietnam, Sato Domingo and Cuba- No doubt Blas Reoa will say nothings Even ailver-tongued oratora sometimes find that silence ia golden.