By JACK PHILLIPS

CCF News distorts facts on
dispute between Israel, Egypt

A a time when the Labor

party in Britain was thun-
dering “Eden Must Go!” the
CCF News (October 31, 1956)
in this province was editorial-
ly comparing the Arab people
to the Nazis and Fascists.

While deploring the out-
break of violence in the Middle

ast, it also deplored the sale

arms to Egypt by the soc-
ialist countries of Europe.

Israel, which attacked
Egypt, is referred to as being
“technically the aggressor.”

But the facts seem to indi-
that either Israel struck
according to a_ prearranged
plan with Britain and France,
or else those countries knew
of Israel’s intention and took
advantage of the situation to
seize Egypt by the throat.

No supporter of Israeli
Premier Ben-Gurion’s policies
can escape the fact that Israel
knowingly or unknowingly,
has become a pawn for British
and French imperialism.

In accusing the _ socialist
countries of selling arms to
Egypt, the CCF News over-
looks four basic facts.

Firstly, Egypt is a sovereign
nation and is legally and mor-
ally entitled to purchase arms
to protect her newly-won in-
dependence.

Secondly, Egypt refused to
join the anti-Soviet Bagdad
Pact, preferring instead to fol-
low a policy of neutrality,

cate

white trading extensively with
the socialist countries.

Lippe tis

Thirdly, that it was arms
from Czechoslovakia that turn-
ed the tide for Israel in 1948
and guaranteed her existence
as a State.

Fourthly, the Soviet Union
played a key role in winning
recog BPeIOR of the state of is-

the United Nations.

In pidibion: it should be re-
membered that the most for-
midable enemy Israel had to
face in 1947-48 was the Jor-
danian army, subsidized and
officered by Britain.

The CCF News makes a
comparison between Loyalist
Spain and the Israel of today,
in order to gain sympathy for
Israel. But this is a false com-
parison.

When Spain was attacked
by Germany and Italy, the
British and French policy of
non - intervention strangled
Spanish democracy. When Is-
rael attacked Egypt, Britain
and France moved in to seize
the Suez Canal and strangle
Egyptian independence. Two
separate techniques, but both
directed towards the same
aim: to crush people who were
reaching out for freedom and
social justice.

Thus, Israel finds herself
in alliance with the jailers of
Cyprus and the oppressors of
Algiers

6 es 5° xt

The United Nations General
Assembly. has overwhelming-
ly gone on record in favor of
a cease-fire and the withdraw-

al of British, French and Is-

raeli troops.

All those who are
concerned with the welfare
and security of Israel must
support this demand. It is the
prerequisite for the political
sett'ement of all outstanding
disputes between Egypt and
Israel.

Peace in the Middle East
cannot be won through ag
gressive provocations or

vain attempts to save Europe an
colonialism. To the contrary,
such policies already threaten
to ignite a major conflict that
could prove disastrous to the
very existence of Israel as a
state.

Public opinion can be de-
cisive in stopping this war.

Public opinion can dictate
a peace that will guarantee
the sovereignty and indepen-
dence of Egypt and guarantee
Israel the security for her
borders.

It can also keep the Suez
Canal open to world shipping,
without infringing on the
rights of Egypt.

The CCF News can learn a
lesson from Aneurin Bevan,
denouncing Sir Anthony Eden
at Trafalgar Square, or Hugh
Gaitskell, demanding Eden’s
resignation in the House of
Commons.

The sad truth of the matter
is that the CCF News is out cf
step with world socialist and
democratic thought and is
doing a disservice to Israel.

sincerely

The Israeli government’s invasion of Egypt has jeopardized Israel’s future.

OPEN FORUM

Prizewinning letters

Each week the Paci-
fic Tribune will present
a book to the writer of
the most interesting, en-
tertaining and_ topical
letter published gn this
page. Contributors are
urged to keep their let-
ters to a_ reasonable
length.

Last
was

winner
Burnaby,

week’s
Reader,

B.C,

1 L
Three-party debate

READER, Courtenay, B.C.:
I am sure you will be inter-
ested to know that a very in-
teresting political forum was
held in Courtenay last week.
The Liberais, the CCF and
the LPP discussed the pros
and cons of political unity in
order to defeat the Social Cre-
dit government in Victoria.

Jack Caldwell spoke for
the Liberals, in opposition to
unity, unless, as he said, the
Social Credit party should get
to Ottawa in large numbers.
Obviously, he still thinks the
Liberals are safe to make the
next federal government. He
ealled the Socreds “a bunch
of opportunists.”

Fred Cook was speaker for
the CCF and he said his party
was opposed to unity and pre-
ferred to go it alone. He claim-
ed the CCF would only unite
with others of the same basic
principles. He grouped the
Liberals, Conservatives and
Socreds as being equally bad.

Andrew Hogarth spoke for
the LPP and said only the un-
ity of the progressive forces
could defeat the Socreds in
B.C..He advocated the devel-
opment of secondary indus-
tries in this province and the
coming’ together of all progres-
sive parties on a common pro-
gram for the good of the peo-
ple.

Asks principled stand

Observer, Vancouver, B.C.:
Both the editorial and Hal
Griffin’s column in the No-
vember 2 issue of the Pacific
Tribune lamely avoid coming
to grips with the question of
principle involved in the Hun-
garian situation.

In my opinion, no Marxist
of any integrity can do other-
wise than condemn both the
Hungarian government for
asking the aid of Russian
troops and the USSR for
granting it.

I most certainly feel that it
would be a backward step for
the Hungarian people to return
to capitalism. But the ques-
tion at issue is their right to
decide for themselves without
outside intervention, the form
of society they wish to adopt.

Blaming the
of “Project X”
swer. No gun can be fired
without men to fire it, and
crucial question is why there
were men willing to fire it,

secret agents
is not the an-

and why they had such”
spread support after te?
of Communist rule.

In fact, I personally 2»
pared to say that @ gov
ment which cannot &%
the loyalty of wollte
ants and army and he
the revolt without oad gi
does not deserve t0 sul

It is also completely in
vant to the issue 1 P
say, as Griffin spent
who’e column donee
motives of some of t
call for Hungarian
are suspect because
grant the same
their own colonial © a

Of course they don
what we’ have the right (pu
pect from the Pacific at
is a principled stateme
the Marxist positiod
performance akin to t@ ut
small boy who sticks ‘re
tongue and says, © *°
other.”

If the Pacific pripune ved 2 8
i fact, take a principle
tion, we have the rig il
pect a front-page Stent
condemning Russia? in sf :
tion in Hungary jus pi
orously as it condemns
and French aggressio®
Egypt.

Anything less wie i
to a suspicion that so
of apologetics has gone
as to be ineradicab!® |

Don’t be deci

ALF BINGHAM,
B.C.: In these closi®
the capitalist way ® i
the workers, are P bei ne yt °
to the greatest press :
our minds of any ©
all past centuries.

For the past weed
we have been bombay
the pages of the 4%
from the radio and and.
a mixture of word? ye
tures that could be wo |
designed to divide *
ers in all nations.

Working men and i
women, do not De
Throw your syne |
material help to ? Ke f
class of all nation® ant
caught up in the a8," 5
the day as to who 35 cot
sible for the prese? i
in Egypt or Hungaly ae
is going to win this
that fight.

The present UPE
struggle between
talist groups for ©*”  osol
more of the naturé ye 8
of this earth whic¢
into fewer hands
One third of the e
the hands of the W we”
this has frighten nes,
talist class into } he
if they can find ene”,
willing to g0 onal
for them they are is
plunge us all in
world war. 10st

Thumb your My; ea
“spiritual baskets old pl
statesmen” anc
business leaders:
only one axe
brand is “explo

NOVEMBER 9, 1956 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE —