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News Briefs

By VVAW

Roudebush Refuses To Aid Vets

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee suggested to the Veterans Administration that they discontinue foreclosing mortgages for veterans under the Veterans Home Loans Program due to the rising unemployment.

Richard L. Roudebush, VA administrator, refused to aid the vets who would be affected by losing their homes because of foreclosed mortgages, saying that veteran unemployment wasn't high enough; therefore it was unnecessary to do this. Vets unemployment during the last quarter of 1974 for the age group 20-24 was 15.3% or over twice the national rate. While unemployment for other veterans isn't quite as high, (7.7%), the rate is rapidly rising. Roudebush has once again proved that his interests are not with veterans, but rather with the ruling class.

Ruchell Magee Demos Set

Two demonstrations will occur on February 8th in support of Ruchell Magee, serving indeterminate sentence in San Quentin Prison. Magee, a Black political prisoner for almost 20 years, has been fighting for his life since trying to escape from the Marin County Courthouse in 1970. The demons will take place in Washington DC, sponsored by the Revolutionary Union, the Revolutionary Student Brigade and VVAW/WSO; and at the gates of San Quentin, sponsored by the February 8th Coalition which includes VVAW/WSO.

Angola Wins Independence!

Angola, the largest of Portugal's colonies in Africa has won independence. After 14 years of armed struggle the people of Angola have won the fight for liberation, culminating 400 years of resistance to the tyrannical rule of the Portuguese imperialists. Independence will come on November 11, 1975.

The people's struggle for liberation of Angola and their victory marks an end to Portuguese colonial rule in Africa. Two other ex-colonies of Portugal have won independence on June 25th and Guinea-Bissau will achieve independence on September 10th. The liberation of theses countries attests to the growing world-wide movement to end imperialist rule of Third World nations.

Friedman Goes To Trial

Danny Friedman, charged with 3rd degree assault goes on trial on February 10th at the Queens Criminal Court in New York City. This charge stems from an "Honor Vietnam Veterans Night" held at Shea Stadium, where members of VVAW/WSO were attacked by Stadium guards. The vets had placed a banner from the railing, as many other vets groups had done. The guards singled out the VVAW/WSO members and hauled them off into a dressing room, where they tried to beat them up.

During the ensuing police assault, one guard was hospitalized with injuries. The New York City chapter will be leafleting and urging people to attend the trial in support of Friedman who is innocent of this charge.

National Student Meeting Held

The Revolutionary Student Brigade (RSB), a fighting mass student organization with over sixty chapters throughout the country, held its first National Council Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin in January. Delegates from these chapters met for two days summing up their work and discussing positions that the RSB will take in the future.

The meeting was marked by great enthusiasm as the students talked about the revolutionary growth of the student movement on campuses from Boston to California. As a result of these discussions the RSB voted that the organization would concentrate its work in three main areas: fighting cutbacks and police repression and supporting liberation struggles against imperialism, particularly in the Middle East.

For more information on the RSB, contact: RSB National Office, 1647 N Paulina, Chicago, Illinois 60622

VVAW/WSO Holds Demo in Chicago

The Chicago chapter of VVAW/WSO recently held a demonstration at the VA Hospital, as part of their continuing program of "War on the VA." Approximately 30 people picketed at the VA demanding decent benefits for all vets. One speaker talked about the rising crisis of the imperialist system, linking the conditions of vets to that of other oppressed people. From the VA, the demonstrator went to an unemployment office nearby to demand "Jobs or Income for All".