Who's (Eating) Who — Part 2

In Salient 14 it was revealed that Vic's catering had come under the control of the U.S. corporation International Telephone and Telegraph.

Besides being a major defence contractor this outfit is one of the top American con glomerates, busily extending its tentacles through both the States and overseas. Because of its technique of taking over firms through its subsiduaries the actual extent of its multinational empire is uncertain but ITTs growth exceeded US anti-monopoly laws sufficiently to provoke legislation against the firm early this year.

The bosses bought their way out of this problem by promising between $100,000 and S400,000 to the Repulican Convention, through the then Attorney General and lately Nixon's campaign manager John Mitchell. The arrange ment revealed much of the symbiotic relationship between the U.S. Government and Big Business. Jack Ander son, Chris Wheeler's man in Washington blew the whistle on the deal, which resulted in ITT rapidly destroying relevant files and Attorney General Kleindenst having sudden amnesia problems over his dealing with the company.

Following this came more revelations about how ITT, fearing loss of their hotel chain in Chile attempted to prevent Marxist presidential aspirant Allende from assuming office by preparing a right wing coup. On top of this came Senator McGovern's claim that ITT itself did not pay any taxes. The "empire" does in fact pay tax, yet at only half the US corporate rate of 48%, thanks to a combination of manipulation and frantic expansion. Chieftain of ITT Geneen is the highest paid executive in the US at $812,492 a year remember that next time you fork out for a milkshake. He was a former head of Raytheon (one of the big defence contractors at PBEC) Another top dog is former boss of the CIA, John McConne.

ITT's revenues between 1959 and 1971 multiplied ten times to $73,000,000,000. Confined now by government surveillence and law her growth can only be maintained by extending internationally where small governments can be easily duped and controlled. But of course the Australian and New Zealand governments couldn't be duped and controlled, so you needn't worry!

The entire aim of ITT is unashamedly a frantic chase for profit. As one former top executive is quoted in Time 'It is a whole way of life to work for ITT, like joining a monastic order. That is part of ITT's special strength a feeling that you are working for an order and not just a mortal company'.

At the local level it appears that monastic regime has already arrived Staff in the cafeteria are subjugated by rules and discipline more tight and all embracing than is usual or desirable in New Zealand Nation wide tries to get new recruits to read and sign a twenty odd pages long "rulebook" which is a veritable catechism of capitalism. The emphasis is on 'selling service' —service which starts with bribed smiles and sweet smelling breath and ends with a coatpin for ten years devotion to the firm. Rabbi Cohen and Father Gleeson of Nationwide, [unclear: censored] reason don't get on well with the female staff, have recently managed to exceed the rulebook (which they were most reluctant to show to Salient). They do not allow staff to stay in this public building after working hours. They do not like staff talking to students. They send waitresses to scrub toilets if they catch them talking to students. A second offence results in sacking. They refused last week to serve an ex-employee in the shop. They worry about high turnover of staff, but their only solution so far is to sack more.