EDITORIAL shun U.S. Caribbean plan The so-called development plan for the Caribbean Basin (including Central America), floated by U.S. President Reagan in his Washington talks with Mexico’s President José Lopez Portillo, smells of something cooked up by Washington to conduct a U.S. Trojan horse into the area. So far, Canada’s officials are showing good sense in staying well away from it. Canada should keep out of any such “partnership”. Given the U.S. record of expeditions to gain control, extract resources, bribe enemies of the people, or knock down and set up governments, this “aid” plan is suspect. Not very thinly veiled is Washington’s desire for an all-out anti-commununist campaign in the region, with the Rapid Deployment -Force on stand-by. Pre- sumably, relatively “democratic” Canada and Mexico would put a better face on a blemished record. (The “partners” need to beware: it looks suspiciously as though the other side of the coin is Reagan’s longed-for access to the whole “contin- ental” resource pool.) * While Canada, as an imperialist coun- try, is not blameless in seeking profit from less developed countries, it has no- thing to match U.S. gunboat diplomacy. As an unnamed Ottawa official is said to have remarked: “We don’t particularly want to dilute that friendly image...” in partnership with the USA. . It would do nothing but good for Canada’s image, and for the well-being of her own citizens, for this country to shun the USA’s backyardism, its devious attempts to block people’s progress and independence on the pretext of slaying communist dragons. Canada should refuse to be party to such a plan, but should continue to pur- sue trade directly with countries like Mexico and Cuba on a mutually bene- ficial basis; and it should offer aid for the benefit of people, not for propping up unpopular governments, or abetting U.S. interference. End attack on family farm Farmers, who produce our food, and much of our export bounty, are being squeezed off their land by the staggering interest rates. And for farmers, large loans are not an occasional matter, but an annual necessity. No surprise, then, that Ontario far- mers at a Toronto seminar this month, jeered both federal and Ontario agri- culture ministers, who disclaimed responsibility by their governments for the interest rate spiral and lack of pro-- grams to save the family farm. (In the first four months of 1981, 57 Ontario farmers went bankrupt, and countless others are on the brink.) There is nothing rhetorical then, about calling for labor-farmer unity in the face of the attack on both their living standards, and in both cases the rapid elimination of their livelihoods. Far from victimizing farmers, and depress- ing the standards of consumers, governments should be prepared to sub- sidize the production a food. It’s a dis- grace that they pretend there is no money for such essentials, while allowing banks and mortgage companies to amass fortunes. The capitalist system has countless ways of draining away the earnings and savings of workers and farmers, into the hands of monopolies, both agricultural and industrial. The answer is for work- ers and farmers to find as many ways of expressing a united fightback against the attack-on their living standards. Sun sets on Munro story The Toronto Sun has found it expe- dient to retract its accusation against In- dian Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Munro. It now calls “un- founded” its allegation that Munro pro- fited as a director of a:company when Petro-Canada bought out Petrofina. The episode reveals in several ways the kind of paper the Sun is. The Sun’s record as an anti-union and non-union vehicle for right-wing brain- washing and advertising pollution, viciously anti-labor, with cozy ties to the RCMP, should prepare one for its latest journalistic convulsion. John Munro who may be criticized in strong terms for his. policies in various ministries, has the right not to be libelled in giant type blazoned on page one — just as anyone has the right. Anyone? The yellow journalism of the Sun knows no bounds when it lashes the polit- ical left, the trade unions or someone PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 19, 1981— Page 4 : with less clout than a cabinet minister. These don’t sue and don’t get apologies. For days after the Munro story, Sun editors and publishers stood by their smear; then they fired the low man on the ladder, reporter Donald Ramsay. But they didn’t fire themselves. They had senior reporter, Robert Reguly, re- sign. But the big bluffers themselves, who stretch credulity when they say they went to press thinking they had evi- dence, are still doing their work. The prime minister put his finger on it in Commons, June 2, when saying he hadn’t seen the Sun innuendo: “... I particularly do not read those. (news- papers) that publish garbage.” The Sun is back in its bright red gar- bage boxes, but no doubt restricted to its ‘traditional targets — labor and the commune-ists. No cabinet ministers, please. Stop the arms race! Flashbacks 25 years ago... 50 years ago... ; RADAR LINE ‘INEFFECTIVE’ Canada’s $200-million mid- Canada radar defence line is already as obsolete before full completion as the unfinished American DEW line across the Arctic Circle. This conclusion is from a report made public June 7 at hearings on airpower by the U.S. Senate Armed Forces sub- committee. It declared the DEW line presently “ineffective”. On the mid-Canada line, we hear: “By the time it is adequate it will be _obsolescent, and in a few years, useless.” 4 The mid-Canada line runs between the 49th parallel and the Arctic. Its projected cost two years ago was $200-million, but today’s estimates run to $500- million. A third line further south is called the Pine Tree Line. Tribune, June 18, 1956 Profiteer of the week If the minister. of finance ever really gets around to taking 4 critical look at bank profits he shouldn’t miss Toronto-Dominion. In a mere six months, ended April 30, T-D had an after-tax profit 0 $131,300,000. That’s $1.5-million each working day. Profit for the same months in 1980 was $83-million. SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT EDMONTON — _ Cavalry troops with sabres, rifles and steel helmets. Machine guns: Fifty additional _ provincial police. Swearing in of special constables. Reserve forces 0! local police. The RCMP ... thé Alberta government with a firm hand sets out to solve the un employment problem. i Thousands of hungry me” wait in long lines four deep: Thousands demonstrating fot | bread. Hundreds swarming intO the city to demand Work of Wages. Delegations riding thé freights from all parts of Ak berta arrive in Edmonton de manding unemployment in- surance. ; The government has banned all parades and marches. Af- rests have already been made. Martial law may come at any time. The Worker, June 20, 1931 R Published weekly at Suite 101 — 1416 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. V5L 3X9. Phone 251-1186 Subscription Rate: Canada $12 one year; $7 for six months. All other countries, $15 one year. Second class mail registration number 1560 Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN Associate Editor — FRED WILSON : Business and Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR’