GDR warns: Don
tamper with Berlin —

-By FILS DESLILE

BERLIN — Erich Honecker,
General Secretary ot the Social-
ist Unity Party of the GDR, this
week warned against the at-
tempt to turn West Berlin into a
cold war bastion again, sharply
rebuked. Peking’s leadership for
supporting West German dreams
of swallowing up the GDR and
called for strict observance of
the body of treaties normalizing
relations between the two Ger-
man states.

Honecker’s declarations were
made in a comprehensive inter-
view with Soviet TV which was
simultaneously telecast here.
“We do not for one moment for-
get that opponents of relaxation
of tensions are still active,” the
GDR leader said, “but we are
convinced that over the long
haul they will not be able to
change the basic tendency of
international development.”

If one examines this process
in the international arena, he
said, “the reactionary course of
current Peking leaders becomes

especially obvious. On the basis’

of unbridled anti-Sovietism and
constant attacks on the socialist
community of states, they open-
ly make deals with the enemies
of international relaxation.”
Honecker cited as an example of

i =~
. Traacvacs Sit} Mane

this official policy of Peking its
support for Bonn’s professed
aim of “reuniting” the two
states, by which the FRG lead-
ers mean absorption of the so-
cialist GDR into the capitalist
monopoly-dominated FRG.

Honecker declared: “In this
connection we repudiate all at-
tempts of Peking to interfere in
our affairs. A few days ago in
Peking, FRG Interior Minister
Genscher, member of Bonn’s
Free Democratic leadership, was
officially informed of the un-
changed goal of Chinese govern-
ment to seek German _ unifica-
tion. The Maoists thus seek to
deny the realities which have
emerged in Central Europe,
want to fish in muddy waters
and to turn the wheel back from
relaxation to confrontation.”
Honecker was convinced how-
-ever that this aim would fall

apart on the strength and influ-
ence of the USSR, the power of
attraction and successes of the
GDR and other socialist coun-
tries.

On the question of the new
wave of anti-GDR incitements in
West Berlin, FRG and otrier ca-
pitalist countries, including
North America, based on Bonn’s
resurgent efforts to establish a
position for itself in West Berlin
which is denied it by the relev-
ant Four-Power Treaty, Honeck-
er declared: “That is ‘an old
story. Whoever seeks to play up
West Berlin in this manner,
whoever invents. some kind of
problems around West Berlin, is
engaging in deception. West Ber-
lin was a powder keg in the
heart of Europe long enough
Whenever someone has wanted
to heat up the cold war, it has
always begun with West Berlin.
As is known, this territory was
for decades looked upon (in the
West) as a thorn in the flesh of
the GDR and was misused for a
policy of revanchism directed
against the interests of the peo-
ple.”

Honecker emphasized that the
Four-Power Treaty on West Ber-
lin made unequivocally clear
that it was not part of the FRG
and coy!4 not therefore be gov-
erned by Bonn. Within that
framework it was easy to assess
anything said or done on this
question. And if the FRG was
once again trying to twist the
Four-Power Treaty in order to

give Bonn an alleged right to.

establish itself more extensively
in West Berlin, “then this prac-
tice violates the heart of the
agreement.”

Honecker warned: “Let us say
very plainly that every attempt
to draw West Berlin into the
state system of the FRG would
unilaterally change the situation
and would rudely violate the
Four-Power Treaty, it like all the
other treaties which have been
arrived at, must be scrupulously
observed.” Honecker’s declara-
tions were considered to be a
timely reminder to all those in
West Berlin and West Germany
who want to incorporate West
Berlin into the FRG

Blast union expulsion

The removal of John Severin-
sky from his position as record-
ing secretary of Local 6200,
United Steelworkers of America,
Port Colborne, Ont., -because of
his membership in the Commun-
ist Party of Canada has come
under fire from many quarters.

The Ontario Waffle, meeting
in convention Dec. 8 and 9,
unanimously adopted the fol-
lowing resolution:

“. . and whereas the consti-
tution of his (Severinsky’s) in-
ternational union contains a
clause which is clearly contrary,
not only to Canadian law but
also to accepted Canadian rights
and freedoms,

Therefore be it resolved that
this convention . . . supports the
struggle of John Severinsky to
regain his rights as a Canadian
worker and be reinstated to his
elected position.”

A long editorial in the Dec. 3
Toronto Globe and Mail also
condemned Severinsky’s removal
from office. The paper first quot-
ed excerpts from a 1953 Sup-
re Court decision, written by
Justice Ivan Rand at the height
of the anti-Communist hysteria:

“There is no law in this coun-

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1974—PAGE 10

try against holding Communist
views nor of being a member of
a group or party supporting
them. This man (a Communist)
is eligible for election or ap-
pointment to the highest politi-
cal offices in the province: on
what ground can it be said...
(there is power) to exclude him
from a labor union?”

The editorial goes along to
conclude: “(The clause of the
Steelworkers constitution bar-
ring from office anyone ‘who
actively participates in the acti-
vities of the Communist Party’)
is an iniquitous clause and is
contrary to Canadian history and
to Canadian tradition. Mr. Sev-
erinsky made no secret of his
party affiliation. Yet he was
elected to his post by fellow
workers just as, in the past,
Communists have been elected
to municipal councils in Ontario
and to the Ontario Legislature.

“Mr. Severinsky is appealing
his expulsion and a ruling will be
sought from the Steelworkers in-
ternational executive board in
Pittsburgh. That board should
understand very clearly: there
is no place in Canada for dis-
crimination because of political
belief”.

ve proard

t =

Special to the Tribune
In our first article, (‘Real Al-

ternative Posed?’, Tribune, Dec. _

5, 1973) we analyzed the Tenth
Anniversary Convention of the
Canadian Union of Public Em-
ployees. We also posed a num-
ber of questions in relation to
whether or not CUPE has offer-
ed the correct alternative to the
trade union movement.

This is as it should be. When
the national leadership of CUPE
opened a public debate on the
future of our trade union move-
ment, they must have known
that the debate would be taken
up in every trade union body
and would be widely reported
and commented on by the estab-
lishment media and the labor
press. A national debate should
not be confused with an internal
trade union dialogue or a closed
door conference.

If the recent CUPE _conven-
tion in Montreal accomplished
one thing above all else, it was
to open up within the trade
union movement the possibility

- of a positive debate on perspec-

tives.

This article is part of that
debate and the first question we
will address ourselves to is the
CUPE promise of a reform pro-
gram. :
Bearing in mind that the re-
form program must be a trade
union program, we would sug-
gest that the following items be
considered, along with others
that will be suggested:

e@ a massive campaign to or-
ganize the unorganized,

e a 32-hour work week,

e protection and extension of
the rights of labor. Repeal of all
anti-labor legislation, ‘

e a Prices Review Board with
teeth, empowered to roll back
prices on foods, rents and other
essentials, ;

e full democracy in every
trade union, Involve the mem-
bership to the maximum degree
possible,

e public employees at every
level to enjoy full collective bar-
gaining rights, including the
right to strike,

e full employment,

e tighter control over foreign
investments in Canada and
Canadian control over resource
development, industry, trade and
commerce,

@ public ownership of energy
resources and related materials,

e nationalization of the Cana-

dian Pacific Railway and_ its
holdings.
Being the largest union in

Canada is not necessarily syno-
nymous with being the best and
most progressive.

For example, after the British
Columbia Federation of Labor
(CLC) sharply criticized the new
labor code introduced by the
New Democratic Party govern-
ment, Stanley Little, CUPE na-
tional president, publicly praised
the legislation in opposition to
the position of CUPE in British
Columbia. Since that time both
the B.C. Federation of Labor and
the provincial NDP in conven-
tion have condemned the labor
code, but the national officers
and senior staff of CUPE are
still praising it as positive legis-
lation.

A study of Stan Little’s
speeches to every national and
provincial convention he has
addressed since the founding
convention of CUPE in 1963
would not disclose one sentence
in favor of world peace or one
constructive idea about how
labor can play a role in promot-
ing peaceful coexistence. In this

CUPE can be unifying force |

During the 1972

respect, as on a number of other
vital issues, he is to the right of
some of the leaders of the CLC
whom: he is constantly criticiz-
ing these days.

Now that the concept of peace-
ful coexistence between the
socialist and capitalist world is
gaining, wide popularity in Can-
ada, more trade union delega-
tions aré coming to Canada
trom the socialist countries and
more Canadian delegations are
visiting those countries.

If you made a list of the coun-
tries that the top officers of
CUPE have visited through
CUPE’s connections with the
Public Service International (In-
ternational Confederation of
Free Trade Unions), it would be
impressive, but it would not in-
clude such countries as the
Soviet Union, Poland, the Ger-
man Democratic Republic and

* Romania, to mention only a few

of the socialist countries.

The name of the game is
“image”. In Little’s book, and
that goes for the majority of the
national officers, speaking out
for peace in the Middle East on
the basis of the 1967 resolution
of the United Nations, or ex-
changing delegations with pub-
lic employees of the socialist
countries would create the
wrong image. This would make

it harder to organize the back-_

ward, unorganized workers in
CUPE’s jurisdiction, and more
difficult to maintain an alliance
with such organizations as the
Public Service Alliance of Can-
ada. _

That is one side of the right
opportunistic coin. The other
side is that Little and his close
supporters are still tied to the
political philosophy and_ ideol-
ogy of the cold war. In this res-
pect they are lagging behind
large sections of their member-
ship.

For a number of CLC conven-
tions prior to the readmission of
the United Fishermen and Allied
Workers Union to the CLC, re-
admission was a very hot and
contentious issue. In every case,
Little went right down the line
with the Executive Council
against the Fishermen and pres-
sure was applied on the CUPE
delegation to vote with the CLC
leadership.

With the large extension of
field servicing representatives,
(business agents paid by the
national office) the tendency in
the past 10 years has been to
gather more and more control in
the hands of those who take
orders from Ottawa, at the ex-
pense of local and provincial
participation and control.

Ontario Hydro strike, management's respons
rotating strikes was full-scale lockouts. 4

‘be replaced, then CUPE’S

_

In 1964, CUPE had aa
staff of 80, of whom 32 Wy
field servicing representauY
By 1972, this staff had gro mn
205,. with 107 field represé@
tives. The general emphas
on professional servicing (n
tiations, public relations, ~
search, education, legislative’
job evaluation) rather thay
invizatio)

mahilientinn and ant
SPURS LANA Bess ah ey Sees

the membership.
Now, with per capita inctt
ing from $2.50 to $4.00 a me
between 1973 and 1977,
is to be an enlargement Of
tional staff. a
It is significant that in ©
Quebec Division and in the la)
Ontario Hydro Local 1000, © |
provide some of their own '
vices, such as research, pu
relations and staffing. It 15 ®
significant that in the west
part of Canada (prairies |
British Columbia), there »
constant demand for a decen®
ization of some of the nal!
services. : &.,
As CUPE continues to 6°...
and include dissimilar Wi.
within its ranks, there will P
growing need for more aul
ity and control at the provi
and local level, as oppose
the trend towards overcenl
ization in Ottawa. The 1!
majority of collective 4
ments are local in scop
minority are of regional”
provincial. 4
The purpose of this arti
not to downgrade CUPE 1!
eyes of the general labor 2
ment or the CUPE membe
but rather to present CUP
it is, and not as CUPE’s P
relations man would presé
The entire labor move
should be proud of the P
menal growth of this truly
dian union and what it ha
complished on behalf of
employees. ill
But when CUPE pu?
undertakes to restructure
revitalize the trade union
ment of Canada, when it P
ly declares that the leaders
the CLC is bankrupt and

dentials to lead the way
the promised land and ©
promise it makes are no 10
private, internal matters. |

CUPE cannot place the
leadership under a micro
to look for flaws without
mitting itself to the micro
of the working class.

If CUPE and its allies.
come forward with a sount
progressive program of 1
for the 1974 conveneion —
CLC, it will win wide suk
and be a unifying force. ~~