“The two main wings of State repression are the…”

The two main wings of State repression are the police and the army. In recent times a big campaign has been launched by the Army.of the Free State to recruit a large number of men. This is the third such campaign in less than five years and although the numbers involved in the “Defence Forces is the highest in twenty years, Minister for Defence Donegan hopes to increase its strength from 1257 to about 15,000, doubling the border batallions. The supposed Purpose of this strengthening of military force The day when students were a social elite, little affected by extra-mural phenomena is long since past. The effect of inflation on the cost of fees, accommodation, cafeteria meals and books is only too apparent to most students, not to speak of general price increases. How have grant increases since 1968 attempted to cope with this problem?

Grants decrease in value The cost of living since 1968, when the present grants scheme was introduced, has risen by approximately 55% yet the corresponding rise in the present grant scheme has been only This shows that the real standard of living of students has decreased by rather than increasing towards a credible cost of living wage. While the introduction of new and more complex machinery increases the competitiveness of a firm it inevitably leads to a fall in the rate of profit. This phenomenon has been in evidence in the post-war period and has been fought in two ways: 1. by increasing exploitation of the working class through increased productivity etc. 2. by inflation, which causes those on fixed incomes such as students on grants, to pay for the crisis of the capitalis system.

It is obvious from the above that a comprehensive grants scheme is now more necessary than ever. Equally obvious is the fact that any grants scheme must rise automatically in accordance with any rise in the cost of living (this to be determined by a representative committee of trade unionists, housewives students etc). This is the only real way to combat the effect of inflation. Unfortunately U.S.1. has shown itself completely ineffective in leading the fight for a comprehensive grants scheme as can be seen by drawing upa balance-sheet of the year’s activities (or lack thereof)

The grants “Campaign” in retrospect At the beginning of the first term no attempt was made to mobilize students despite the fact that this was a pre-condition for building up THE PLOUGH — PAGE 6 THE PLOUGH PAGE 8 is to defeat the “terrorists” (who according to Cooney represent only a handful of isolated individuals). This of course is only one of the reasons for the present and previous campaigns, The Army will be used against “subversives”, i.e. republicans, and anyone who opposes British rule in-Ireland. This is already happening at the present time. The first of these campaigns coincided with the upsurge of the struggie in Northern Ireland in 1969. It is well known that the extra numbers recruited were not used to very reliable case of the Mountjcy helicopter escape. These “showings” of the Army have been for two 1. Because the Gardai are not considered 2. So as to introduce military presence gradually. Later (and not so much later, maybe) they will be used to baton down strikers and demonstrators in the streets and will generally take over the civil powers once held by the Gardai to a large extent. A couple of months ago a manual was circulated within the Army, to top senior officers and members of Administration only. Based on British Army experiences in counter-insurgency it outlined the changes needed to set up counter-insurgency it would completely deplete it’s strength, At present, the only chance of mounting an efficient campaign against Recruitment to the Army is in unity of the forces agains which that Army will be arrayed. It is of no use to think “Why did we not do all in our power to demoralise and isolate repressive forces’ when people are being shot in the streets and tortured and interned for supporting the National Struggle, for Civil disobedience and for going on strike.

NOW IS THE TIME TO ORGANISE STRONG RESISTANCE !