CHAPTER THIRTEEN LETTER FROM MAX Dear Robert, Starting this on my old brother portable, over at Rosie,s, no computer. Answer to, comments on, your last two letters (writes!) received on 19.5 and 10.5 (.9&.7 in my computer file) We'll see how it goes.. Your revised appeal (I shall come back to that): I am happy, glad you have added Bougainville, the struggle against Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ) and CRA to it. We are (this is my formulation, but others see this also, using different terms for the same thing) going thru what I call a period of DIVERGENCE - as contrasted to a time of CONVERGENCE - such as the world wide struggle against Fascism (let's say 1925 - 1945) - and the Vietnam War (1960 -!975) - when it was very clear who OUR enemy, enemies, were. One of the big problems of such times of DIVERGENCE (of course there have been others before and - although I may not be around to see them, - it looks as if the world will last long enough for there to be others again. That was no way certain 10 years ago, when a H-bomb war was far more likely then it seems nowadays! One of our big problems today is to keep an eye on who they are THEY call them the enemy, but even that term is a bit difficult to apply and who are, who is, WE. (Guess you have heard me on that subject already !) This was easier in the days of Hitler and LBJ, Nixon.. although in the last analysis these were personifications of the same enemy. It sounds a bit "cooky" - dated, to say: Capitalists. Isn't quite correct,either. Fred Engels was a capitalist. there are others today who may be, are, on "our" side. Yeah, yeah,a small minority; unfortunately far fewer than there are "workers" proletarians, who are racists, fascists even, on "their" side. But CAPITAL, as a force, a tendency, can be considered as "them", - and there would be no war in Bougainville (would not pay!) had RTZ CRA not been making so much profit exploiting" Panguna copper & gold. That this explanation does not hold good for the wars in ex Rexso (Real Existing Socialist !) countries (USSR, China-Vietnam-Cambodia, Yugo., etc. ) is certain, and means that WE still have very much to learn. It does not mean we should forget that we do know.. So, PLEASE DO add Bougainville to the appeal, keep the link between this atrocity and Vietnam in the picture! Of course you will run into a problem of comprehension: Bougainville? Some kind of flower, isn't it? But when you were a kid, who in the US had heard of Vietnam? Indochina? Although by then American Capital was financing the French war against the Indo-Chinese, In my last letter I enclosed material concerning Mine watch and People against Rio Tinto Zinc and.. - Partizans - who are specialised in tracing world wide connections between these Capitalists - I hope they will also contact you. If we do not hear from them in the next few weeks, will check again, if necessary by phone. As Karl Marx pointed out (I think mostly in the rather boring Vol 2 of Capital) the Capitalists need to increase the speed of communications, transport (increase "n" the number of times capital can turn over in a given time, year) and we the rest of humanity can also benefit from that "improvement", of communications! I shall keep an eye out for ATLAS COPCO here, had never heard of them. Let's keep on this line! I wonder how Phil Berrigan reacts to this issue? Many of the most revolutionary people in Bougainville are devout Catholics , something I would not have believed in my youth, when "we" reds considered the Catholics (the blacks! as we called them) as "the enemy" (we have to learn too!) Before I forget: Is there anybody amonst your friends, etc. who has a Fax? I have just re-read your "appeal" (new version) and like it even better on second reading. Will certainly make more copies, distribute. I hope you don't mind a Technical Suggestion: Put name and address on top of first page, if it is a letter... and in any case otherwise if possible on bottom of second, rather than on a separate third page. If possible, send a copy to McNamara. (I shall also see if I can find his address, at least of publisher of his book). Even if he does not answer (he most probably won't) - it makes a point. Have written to Bill S. Owed him a letter, but yours motivated me! Hope that worked out! Am now re-reading POLAR CIRCLE MEMORIES and comparing with first (hand written) version received on 10.5.95. (if you hate bureaucrats, this will make me popular!) Before I go futher, note that Rosie (who usually refuses to read anything I hand her)(after long day in psyche ward, no she is not (yet) a patient)... did listen to me readmuch of PCM vers. 2. Liked it muchly. Said: Continue! And give more details about what happened to Tony "flesh out" the characters... Now, I have re-read both versions of Polar Circle Memories..With exception of the Public School 45 part you have written 2 separates tories. (and the Ps.45 part in .93 does serve to introduce the "fear of the Russians". This shows me how much material you DO have, how much you can write about. My first reaction: KEEP IT UP! And - though I am not sure about making any suggestions concerning "form" that is, the organisation of your writes, perhaps: After you brought in your characters (! sorry, that sounds a bit artificial, but the people you write about) after you have brought them in once, and even fleshed out ONE particular person, event (RG, the entry into Lewisburg) but only briefly indicated something about the, others, come back to them (the others, like Tony after you've written about RG) later. I'm now re-reading your first Polar Circle Memories (rn 3077.71.2);Your school days, step father. You make me face up to a problem: Do I say what I think about this "write" now, or do I wait until you've done more, hold back on my thoughts? I am not sure.. for on the one hand I (and others) are much interested in your thoughts about that time in YOUR life, your past, then in mine... on the other, I can hardly hold back my comments! I shall try and hold back, wait anyway for the time being. But keep on writing. I will, however, comment on points raised in your letter(s) which relate to History, or "outside" events, not to your personal life. This question of "we" winning, ... in fact we probably agree more than it seems at first sight. There is a great deal of "naming" which gets in the way of understanding the world. "Stalinists" was not a common word of my youth (I am - unfortunately - older); so, if you use "Communist", Red, or Left, to describe our side which certainly included, includes, many who ? later ? could be considered "Stalinists" things sound quite differently. Sure, many of the Left fought, much of the time, against each other. There were reasons, perhaps good ones, why it took "too long", or "so long"? for The Communists to recognise that Fascism was a greater enemy than the Social Democratic leaders. But - after February 1934 in France, and after 1935 all over, this concept did penetrate not only many party members thinking, but also of Stalin himself... Sure August "39", the Hitler-Stalin pact...etc. Not to forget the February 1940 brilliant plan by the French and English capitalists to attack the Soviet Union, via Finland and the Caucasus...which we don't hear much about anymore, and which might have completely changed the world had it been carried out...Yes, there are many such moments in history. Pile of skulls? Well...I always say the most important thing about Auschwitz is that it is a museum. Not, no longer, a death factory. And that the Vietnamese conquered Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City. Winning what? THE war ? "The" is one of the trickiest words ! But how about THAT war? If we replace the "old" terms: Proletariat Petit Bourgeoisie Bourgeoisie - Capitalists by Employed Self-Employed Employers where or who is the "Middle Class" there? Or are we just considering those who make more dollars than the average? or those who "think" they are in the middle class (in the USA that would include most employed people)? Yes, I myself wrote about the draft dodgers (and even more the draft Resisters, like my Quaker friend Eaton, who spent 27 months in Allentown, not because he was caught, but because he felt that was "right" - I argued against, told him we needed him outside.. he had 3 times sailed a sloop with medicines to Vietnam,could do more - but in vain...) being more "middle class" than the (most of the) GIs, deserters...but that was is, in a way, sloppy writing. In any case, it is essential to check out what people "do" to understand them... Even though Class Position is an objective reality, the individuals within a given class sometimes "do", often "don't". What would really be of interest: how did you, working for GM in Cleveland change, and differ from others working in the same shop, factory? Became an "activists", what I call a DOer. But that is often very hard to know. If "we" knew, could perhaps "make" more activists, doers. Of course - the danger is that "they" would use the same knowledge to try stop (or bust) Doers. So perhaps just as well that that remains, in fact, pretty much of a mystery. I always say: I have to thank Hitler for giving me an education. But not all who got that education learned the same things.. And it certainly was an expensive education, 50 million died... to pay for it. Your description of the "middle class" (with Volvo and house, who may still be an "employee", though well paid - still at the mercy of the capitalist system, when no use "retrenched", fired) people is absolutely valid, for SOME. Obviously not all. Some keep on fighting for "good causes" even when they have got it made. Hans Goran Frank ?? (been a long time since I saw him.. but?) And there are members of the Capitalist Class who.. remember Fred? Engels? Palme, incidentally, was pretty much the exception who proves the rule, that Social Democratic leaders talk left in opposition, but act right when they are in power. The problem is: who can one work with, in each given struggle? Condemning everybody who is not ... what? exactly like me? You? leaves us totally alone, isolated. So its a matter of finding allies, and above all realising that at certain moments in history MANY people change, at others only a few. For the better. Unfortunately also sometimes for the worse. You criticise the different parties, tendencies .. Maos, Catholic friends, Stalinists, Social Democrats.. Are we perfect ? Never fucked up ? But who of these will work... Do? What "we" judge is the good thing ? Some will, some won't. got to find them.. otherewise won't get things done. Won't win. And I , rather win than be "pure". That a social dem woman today cuts welfare benefits ... or Bill Clinton is scared shitless of Robert Malecki and wont answer and won't answer your letter(s) until we make him! So ? What else is new ? But 20 years ago we had them (if only weakly) on our side. Part of us. They were then better than Robert McNamara, who THEN - though not believing in it, the war - found it MORE COMFORTABLE to keep his mouth shut, or rather open pushing for McNamara Line to cut Vietnam in two! But, as you say, better late then never, even if it doesn't say much for his (moral) courage ! We have to find the Clinton,s of today, work with them, even if we know they may (some I have finished reading thru, commenting on, your letters, memoirs; want to note down - for the future reference (because me, I forget what I donut note down), when you finished writing about your school teachers, some names: Gaffer Reeves Don M. Wolfe (Christoper Hill) June Captain Hudson, aka H,Bruce Franklin ou will, perhaps, one day laugh: all above are, English teachers. Illegitimati Non Carborundum Max The answer to this letter you will find in Chapter 7. (Authors Note) Futhermore I have only one other comment to Max,s letter. Unless a leadership develops in the working class with a program based on the working class and trade unions to fight; INDEPENDENTLY! FOR POLITICAL POWER INTERNATIONALLY! WE ARE DOOMED! (authors note)