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Ray Sparrow 1914 - 1985

Good novel

Dear editor, It was good to read Mark Schneider's perceptive review of Sergio Ramirez's difficult but rewarding novel, To Bury Our Fathers, in the October Socialist Action. Despite the book's merits, it has received scant attention in this country, even from the left press.

Readers may be interested in other material by Sergio Ramirez in English. Playboy (April 1985) published a short story, "Even Charles Atlas Dies." An interview with Ramirez on literary topics is included in Margaret Randall's new Ray Sparrow (Art Sharon) died on Nov. 16 of a heart attack. He was 70 years old. He will be remembered by all who knew him and by history as a revolutionary leader who fought all his life on the side of the oppressed for the socialist future of humankind.

Sparrow joined the Trotskyist movement in 1934. At the time of his death he was a member of the Socialist Workers Party. He was also a subscriber to Socialist Action. A fuller account of his life and contributions will appear in the next issue of Socialist Action.

In celebration of Sparrow's life, family, friends, and co-workers are Isponsoring a public memorial book, Risking a Somersault in the Air: Conversations with Nica -raguan Writers.

Joseph Auciello Boston For real?

Dear editor, The "Hazardous to your health column is an excellent addition to Socialist Action. Enclosed is a We welcome letters from our readers. Please keep them brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. meeting. It will be held on Sun -day, Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. at the hall of ILWU Local 6, 255 Ninth St., San Francisco. photocopy of a journal, "Cheme -cology" (you may already be fami -liar with it) that could be of interest.

I am particularly fond of the banner slogan they use: "Pub -lished by the Chemical Manu -facturers Association to promote a clean environment." Are they for real?

A reader Inaccurate?

Dear editor, Enclosed is a check to renew my subscription to Socialist Action. I also want to take this opportunity to voice my disagreement with a recent article condemning the April Actions steering committee for its failure to endorse a fall antiwar mobilization.

Your article stated that the national steering committee sup -ported work within the Democratic Party at the expense of building a mass movement. My under -standing is that in fact a whole series of actions throughout the fall were endorsed.

This afternoon I attended a local demonstration that was part of one of the campaigns supported by the April Actions steering committee. It involved civil disobedience at an airforce base and was part of the Pledge of Resistance's nationally coordinated El Salvador Actions. It was an exciting demonstration and will probably play an important role in building the Philadelphia area anti-intervention movement.

While you may have disagreed Suzanne Blanc Philadelphia Dear Suzanne, with the tactical and strategic deci -sions of the April Actions steering committee, I am disappointed that you did not at least portray their views accurately.

A response Your letter refers to an article I wrote in the August issue of Socialist Action.

The refusal of the April Actions' leadership to initiate nationally coordinated fall actions is something they themselves have made quite clear. The June pro -posal from the Administrative Committee reads, "This Fall the Actions for Peace, Jobs and Justice would concentrate on stra -tegic support for already initiated (their emphasis) actions being organized."

As a result, the fall actions were mostly small protests, lacking the national coordination that could have focused the energies of the whole movement.

A political reliance on the Democratic party is another stance which the April Actions is not reluctant to admit. In an August 1984 newsletter, the founders of April Actions explained their refusal to sponsor fall anti-intervention activities because "In the next few months, more and more of our energy and resources will be devoted to efforts to bring about the timely retirement of the current administration.' And today, their continuing focus on capitalist electoral poli -tics, by reorganizing the Rainbow Coalition, explains their unwil -lingness to push ahead with their previously announced plans for spring 1986 national actions.

Carl Finamore San Francisco A correction An article by Henry Austin on the United Auto Workers strike against General Dynamics Corp, published in the November issue of Socialist Action, stated that 5000 members of Local 1200 were on strike. The article should have referred to the 5000 strikers as members of several different UAW locals, not just Local 1200—The Editors.

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