CaN REA

Marx meet sparks thought

TORONTO — A conference on Marxism and
Today’s Problems brought together some 200
people during the weekend of Nov. 26-27 for a
lively discussion and a projection of more such
conferences in the future. Among the participants
was a Visiting professor from the USSR.

Papers presented, and questions and exchanges
of view which followed, ranged from the struggle
for socialism in Canada, to the technological rev-

_ olution, women’s role in society, and the positions
on peace of countries where socialism exists today.

The conference, marking the centenary of the
death of Karl Marx, and the 165th anniversary of
his birth, was organized by the theoretical and
political quarterly of the Communist Party of
Canada, Communist Viewpoint. The proceedings
of the conference will be made available in a special
edition of Communist Viewpoint early in the new
‘year, said CV editor, Anna Larsen.

Six papers in all were presented.

William Kashtan, leader of the Communist Party
of Canada, delivered the paper, The Struggle for
Socialism in Canada, dealing with the historical
basis for class struggle, and the nature of state
monopoly capitalism, but focusing on problems of
unity in today’s struggle by the working class and
people as a whole against big business in order to
achieve fundamental social change.

Dr. Georgy N. Tsagalov, a professor at the Insti-
tute of Social Sciences in the USSR, presented a
paper dealing with ‘‘peace, the central question
facing humankind — prospects, problems, the role
of existing socialism.’’ In the course of his paper,
Tsagalov contrasted the realities of existing
socialism, and the self-reinforcing process of the
military industrial complex in the USA. He said the
Trudeau insistence on the need fo. East and West
to speak to one another is the language of detente
— particularly if it is followed by deeds.

Emil Bjarnason, labor economist of the Trade
Union Research Bureau in Vancouver, offered a
paper entitled: The Scientific and Technological

Revolution: Myths and Realities. It consisted of a

deep-going dialogue on the role of the new tech-
nology, its impact on the working class and the
consequences (often horrors) for workers in the
class struggle.

A panel of three presented papers on: Marxism
and the Role of Women in Society. Peter Boy-
chuck, a member of the editorial board of Commu-
nist Viewpoint, and central educational director of

_ the Communist Party, delivered-the paper: Class
Society and the Struggle for Women’s Rights.

Dr. Georgy Tsagolov of the USSR outlines strate-
gies for disarmament at Marx conference.

Sociologist Jeanne McGuire gave the paper: The
Ideological Struggle Against Sexism as Part of the
Struggle for Socialism. Kerry McCuaig, writer and
staff member of the Canadian Tribune, and secret-
ary of the Communist Party Women’s Commis-
sion, presented the paper: Women Under
Socialism. i :

‘‘The conference showed what interest there is.

in Marxism, the need for it in solving today’s prob-
lems, and the eagerness of many people to parti-
cipate,’’ Viewpoint editor Anna Larsen told the
Tribune. ‘‘It centred on problems of today,”’ she
acknowledged, ‘‘but we hope very much that it will
also provoke an interest in studying the theory
itself, that more people will turn to the rich sources
there are for that study.”’

Union wins Ryerson case

TORONTO — A sociology
instructor and her union have
won an important victory for
political and trade union rights
“at Ryerson Polytechnical Insti-
tute.

A three-person arbitration
board found the institute had
violated its contract with the
Canadian Union of Educational
Workers by refusing to recog-
nize Jeanne McGuire’s qualifi-
cations for a teaching post she
applied for last fall.

McGuire had applied for essen-

_ tially the same job she held prior
to taking a job as Metro Toronto
regional chairman of the
Communist Party, a position
she held for two years. The insti-
tute rejected her application on

the grounds she lacked the proper
“academic orientation,” and
_ Master of Arts degree.

the terms of the collective agree-
ment McGuire was qualified
and charged that Ryerson was

CUEW argued that under

The union also noted several
teaching jobs at Ryerson, com-
parable to the position McGuire
was seeking, were occupied by
teachers without MAs.

The battle over McGuire’s
rejection released a flood of pro-
test in which leading academics,
academic organizations and stu-
ents charged the Ryerson admini-
stration with political discrimin-
ation.

Renowned urban planner Dr.
Hans Blumenfeld, an Order of
Canada recipient, renounced his
Ryerson fellowship in protest.

“The arbitration decision is a
victory for me personally and
for the union,” said McGuire,
“Because it says the institute’s

hiring decisions for the job cate- ©

gory I’m in are subject to arbitra-
tion if there’s a violation of the
collective agreement.

“Until now, that hadn’t been
established and it’s an important
gain, because it strengthens our
members’ job security rights and
puts limits on management mani-

pulation of job qualifications to -

eliminate anyone they don’t
happen to agree with.”

The arbitrators ruled McGuire
was qualified, and ordered
Ryerson to compensate her for
the wages lost during the 1982-
83 teaching period and restore
the seniority she would have
accumulated.

But the panel stopped short
of ruling that political discri-

mination had taken place, which’

was contested by union-appointed
arbitrator Ron Mhyer. Ina par-
tial dissent he said discrimination
was apparent both in testimony
before the board and testimony
the board chairman disallowed.

Said McGuire‘: “With the
arbitrators telling me I’m qualified
for the job, the question of why
I wasn’t hired is left hanging. At

the very least, the decision leaves -

the question of political discrim-
ination open.”

McGuire, still awaiting the
outcome of grievances arising
from her subsequent efforts to
procure a teaching position at
Ryerson, said she intends to
apply for her old job again.

Many at Moscow book fair
Canadian publishers missin

By MAGGIE BIZZELL

The Moscow Book Fair must be one of the world’s la
most representative international cultural-commercial events
September this year 2,600 publishing firms from more t
countries came together in two giant pavilions for a week o
noisy, fascinating and above all friendly discussion and
tiation.

“Books in the Service of Peace and Progress’’, the them
the Fair was clearly not an empty slogan for the Soviet organi
of the event. Their commitment to the theme was evident in
astonishing range of publishers from developing countries. B
able to attend such an international gathering provided a
opportunity for book people from Chad, Lesotho, Costa
Mali, Cape Verde, the Seychelles, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Afg
istan, the Philippines and many more. For the first time there
a large and prominent display from China.

The displays from the socialist countries were magnific
One could not help drawing conclusions about the nature 0:
societies which are able to produce such visible flowerin
writing and publishing. It is not only the sheer size or
improvement in quality which is noticeable. For those of us fi
capitalist countries it is the fact that books are published to sa’
the needs of the people — not only the constant hunger
profits. The big complaint the Soviet publishers voice is that
cannot produce books fast enough to meet the demand. And
don’t mean Harlequin books!-

Serving the multiplicity of real cultural, scientific interests
needs of society, particularly when those interests are
couraged, not limited, means the production of books on a
extraordinarily wide range of subjects. Interestingly, that #

cludes many, many translations from world literature, both co!
temporary and classical. Soviet people have a lively and ed!
cated interest in international literature of all genres. (Of not
us, is that the publishing house, Politizdat is translating a!
publishing ‘Canada’s Party of Socialism’’ and will print 50
copies; 45,000 are already sold before the appearance of
book!)

The west European and British publishers have learned of th
literary interest. Whatever their personal politics, they find way}
to get to the Moscow Book Fair. Major publishing houses put 0} -
big displays, send full complements of representatives —
know they can sell rights to translate their books and that inc
ingly there is profit in publishing translations of Soviet, Ge
Democratic Republic, Czechoslovak, etc., fiction, scientific al)
children’s books to sell in their own countries. People at ?
French, Federal Republic of Germany, British and Italian s
seemed to be in constant meetings, signing contracts, discu
common problems, looking at new titles.

Watching all these earnest discussions between people of §
many different nations, different systems, one could see
practical application of the ‘“Books in the Service of Peace
Progress.’’ It is precisely that kind of cultural exchange w
Reagan would like to prevent because such contact helps
mote the fight for peace.

For that reason, months before the Fair started, the
publisher Bernstein, head of Random House, circulated
questionnaire, articles appeared in the New York papers (wk (
Canadian dailies of course reprinted) with one stated purpo
to discourage U.S. and Canadian participation. But 57 U.S.
did attend, including big name houses. A few U.S. particip
tried to use the KAL 007 incident of the week before to disru
the Fair but were remarkably unsuccessful. Those who wot
about freedom of religion in the USSR would have been
assured by the displays of Methodist, Baptist, Presbyte:
Mennonite, Anglican and Jewish publishing houses from t
US.

Canada once again was conspicuous by the absence 0
majority of publishers. Progress Books and Nouvelles Front
from Montreal took part and furthermore acted as agents !
several other Canadian companies who sent a small selection"
books.

Soviet readers are surprisingly well informed about
literature, and. their publishing houses are anxious to provit
translations of Canadian books. Several such projects are in
works right now — a collection of short stories and one of pe
by contemporary Canadian writers as only two examples.

Judging by the overwhelming number of questions and
quests the two Canadian participants received, there is no d
that if other Canadian publishers had been there they would
been surprised at this new opportunity to sell translation rig

In these days when it is commonly accepted both in and o
cultural circles that Canadian publishing is struggling to survi¥
that our home market is too small, one has to question t
shortsightedness of publishers and government trade bo
which, unlike the rest of the Western world, do not see the
and enormous potential in the market of the socialist count

Thus we two representatives came away from the Mo
Book Fair congratulating the USSR on its publishing success
shaking our head over the problems in our own country.

Maggie Bizzell is manager of Progress Books, Toronto. —

ic TRIBUNE DECEMBER 7, 1983—Page 10