EDITORIAL

Disarmament

Or Death

United Nations experts predict that unless a
Start on disarmament is effected immediately, the
possibility of an atomic war is a mathematical
certainty.

This grave pronouncement is the opinion of men
who are devoting their lives to a cause they consider
almost hopeless, because of public apathy. They have
seen over the last ten years, as observers at the
various disarmament conferences, politicians gamble
the fate of mankind rather than allow a counter-part
to win a point.

It is foolish and criminal to claim that one side
in such an argument is consistently right and the
other consistently wrong. We know from our own
experiences around the bargaining table that it needs
more than an interchange of ideas and opinions to
effect a harmonious settlement.

But certainly, with the fate of the world hanging
in the balance, a show of humility on both sides could
not be considered a degrading trait. In fact humility
has gained for man far more than brash braggadocio.
The state of world politics today is the obvious result
of empty-headed bragging, foolish threats, and
unreasonable stubborness,

Exponents of disarmament state that the world
is prone today, to see either Russia or the United
States as being the only possibilities in starting a

major war. Unfortunately, they point out, this is an -

illusion that must be quickly shattered if mankind
is to survive.

These experts claim that besides the United
States, Russia and Britain who already possess the
bomb, there are two new countries France and Red
China who will soon have it; and seven or eight other
countries capable of manufacturing it. As more and
more countries gain access to the bomb, the danger
of war increases. This danger lies not so much in a
war being started deliberately, but in some accident
triggering a conflict.

We in the trade union movement have a tre-
mendous stake in both the present and-the future. It
is not sufficient, in today’s world, to merely allow
our interests to stop at our jobs or our homes. As
free Canadians we have the right to express our
opinions and ideas; but this right also carries with
it the duty to see that “we don’t miss the forest for
the trees.”

As trade unionists we have fought and still fight
to raise the workers standard of living. We pride
ourselves on our hard-won gains achieved over the
past half century. We pride ourselves too, that any
challenge to take away these rights has been met and
soundly defeated.

An even greater challenge faces us now — the
preservation of the world! We must understand
irrevocably that all material gains, past or present,
will be utterly useless to us in the event of an atomic
holocaust. We cannot ignore this fact!

Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER WORKER
is February 18th. Deadline for ad copy is February 11th and for news

copy February 12th.

oC LUNBERY

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The Choice Is

: WU Top
‘Made

The only possible avenue of escape from this
grim prospect is disarmament. Make the leaders of
our country, and other countries, realize that a stop
must be made now to this deadly farce. Instead of
power politics, they must institute some real humani-
tarian thinking before the terrible fury of the atomic
“Pandora’s Box” is released: upon us.

There is no other alternative. The challenge
facing the world today is — DISARMAMENT OR

DEATH.

cisions
In Washington”

Now that the lawmakers are back to work the Cana-

i dian people are looking forward with great interest to what

| hopes
expect tax increases, some expect
them to be cut. Some want more
trade, some less. There is a fac-
tion within society which demands
an
penses, but there are others who
are beginning to
have any defence worth spending

are: trade and defence.

a fairly large push for tt has been
debated by the two “giants” of

the House.
Opposition (Mr. Pearson) and the

persons had to say, but, to apply
a Khayaamich phrase:

it, and about, but came out by
that same door wherein I went.”

enlightened now

| decisions we will make.

Different people have different}two years ago. We still don't
and. different ideas. Some|know what is government policy
jon defence. We still think that
the major decisions are made in
Washington.
Too Complex

Defence matters are too com-
plex to go into detail in an
article such as this, but one thing
is crystal clear: We do not have

increase in Our military ex-

wonder if ‘we

more money on, any defence against a nuclear
Trade and Defence war. This our military leaders

It would appear that the two} know, but won't admit. This our
most important matters which political leaders know also, but
Parliament will concern itself with} won't admit. We have been

caught in the trap of continuing
Defence has already been given
obsolete weapons. Indeed

phrase, “If it works it’s obsolete”
is quite applicable to our defence

The Leader of the

Prime Minister (Mr. Diefen- | program.
baker). I listened with great It is regrettable that the govern-
interest to what both of these} ment of Canada refuses to admit

this basic truth. So we can expect
that we will continue this year,
as in years past, to blindly put up
the cash for military matters at
the expense of social welfare at
home. and assistance to under-
developed countries abroad.

“Heard great argument about

Truly. we are not much more
than we were

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Yours

to pour millions of dollars after |
millions of dollars in developing |
the |

INO ENJOYMENT?

Mistakes 4
Aid This aq
Machine

A machine is winning at
checkers from an American
scientist who taught it the i
game, And every time they : a
play, the machine wins by a
bigger margin. That means it’s
learning from its mistakes,
something some humans never
seem to do when they make

mistakes,
Brantford Expositor

The Cambridge Daily News
reports a debate on “Does the
Fox enjoy being hunted.” It
did not, it was decided, by
basically because “an animal ;
like a fox is incapable of enjoy-

ment. 7
Peterborough Examiner .

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