The farmers |

discuss 4

ce

ee T’S high time the farmers began demanding a 30 percent increase in prices if

freight rates and other costs, are going sky high.” This is the way one indignant

delegate expressed the resentment of growers over the recent lifting of ceilings at
a farm conference held in Kelowna, hub of the rich Okanagan Valley, early this month.
Key-note of the gathering, which was organized by the Labor-Progressive Party, was the
need for strong farm organization and farmer-labor unity against the crisis-making policies
of big business. Thirty-five delegates were present representing farm districts ranging

from Osoyoos on the American
border to Notch Hill at the nor-
thern tip of the Okanagan.

Among the visitors at the con-
ference were representatives of
the Chinese and Japanese grow-
ers in the Vernon area who re-
cently organized a solid nine-
day non-delivery strike in pro-
test against the price of onions.

Delegates adopted the follow-
ing statement of policy and
draft program which will appear
in final form after further dis-
cussion in all LPP farm clubs
and after amendment at the
January provincial convention of
that party.

S

IODAY the farmers of British

Columbia in common with
the working people of the towns
are the objects of new attacks
by big business. The monopolies
are determined to squeeze the
last cent out of the people be-
fore the onset of the economic
crisis their own actions are
provoking. Soaring freight rates,
rising costs of farm equipment,
fertilizers, spraying materials
and all the commodities which
the farmer has to buy are caus-
ing sharp increases in farm op-
erating .costs. At the same time
general. price increases are re-
ducing the consumers’ real pur-
chasing power and thus strang-
ling the domestic market.

The federal government, dom-
inated by big business, and
backed by British Columbia’s
Tory-Liberal Coalition is pursu-
ing foreign trade policies equal-
ly ruinous to the Canadian peo-
ple.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1947

Tied to the apron strings of
American imperialism and _ its
Marshall Plan, the Canadian
government for political reasons
is deliberately ignoring the possi-
bilities for trade on a vast scale
with the USSR and the. new
democracies of Eastern Europe.
More and more dependent on the
American dollar, the Canadian
government is likewise limiting
and endangering future trade
relations wtih our best customer,
Britain, by demanding part pay-
ment in American dollars.

The fight against depression,
the fight for a market for farm
goods, is inseparably bound up
with the struggle for an inde-
pendent foreign policy for Can-
ada, a cutting loose from the
policies of American imperial-
ists who, in their fear of pro-
gress, are demanding the free-
dom of the peoples as the price
that must be paid for food and
equipment.

Reducing imports from the
United States if necessary, to
release us from dependence on
the American dollar, the Cana-
dian government must be! com-
pelled by the pressure of pub-
lic opinion to develop a vigor-
ous policy of large-scale credits
to, and trade agreements with
Britain and other countries of
the Commonwealth and with the

peoples of Kastern Europe. Such .

a course of action can provide
a tremendous outlet for farm
products and other goods and
protect Canada from the terrible
consequences of economic crisis.

In British Columbia, one of

program

—KELOWNA &

the keys t® an effective fight
against crisis is strong farm
organization. Not only should
the cooperatives and all existing
farm organizations be strength-
ened, but encouragement should
be given to new forms of farm
organization uniting all farmers
regardless of the branch Of agri-
culture in which they are en-
gaged. :

Such organizations can. arise
only where farmers are united
in struggle around concrete is-
sues. While special attention
must be given to the problems
of the small family holding, new
farm organizations can be ef-
fective only to the extent that
they strive to unite the main
body of farmers and work in
the fullest cooperation with all
existing farm organizations in
every action which strengthens
the bargaining power of farmers
as a whole.

The farming people have pow-
erful allies in their struggle
against big business in the or-
ganized labor movement. Such
companies as Consolidated Min-
ing and Smelting Company, main
source of fertilizer, West Koot-

“enay Power and Light Company,
-main source of

irrigation pow-
er, and the CPR, all linked in
one giant enterprise, typify and
are among the most powerful
of the monopolies which are
trying to tighten their grip on
both farmer and industrial work-
er alike, forcing up the cost of
production to the farmers and
forcing down the _ purchasing
power of the consumers.

By
MINERVA
__ MILLER

An increasing number of farms
ing and townspeople are realiz-
ing the need of farmer-labor
unity against big business. They
are more and more aware that
fair prices for farm produce
and good wages are mutually
beneficial and that a common
front must be formed against
the .wholesalers, and against the
monopolists:as a whole, who are
increasing their profits enor-
mously at the expense both of
the farmers and workers of the
towns. :

A. clear example of how the
struggle of the farm and labor
movement can we coordinated
was seen in the demand from
both farmers and trade union-
ists for a special session of the
legislature to revise the tax
structure and for the amend-
ment of Bill 39.

In a strongly organized farm
movement, in farmer-labor unity,
and in a common struggle which
must be’ extended to include all
forward-looking people lies the
hope of progress in B.C.

Such a united effort is the

‘surest guarantee of day-to-day

advance in the struggle against
big business. At the same time
it paves the way for the de-
feat of the Tory-Liberal Coali-
tion and the election of a farm-
er-labor government which will
fight to delay economic crisis
and defend the people against
the full consequences of depres-
sion,

The Labor-Progressive Party,

pledging itself to a struggle for
the accomplishment of these
aims, will work with all farm-
ing people for realization of the
following program:
@ PRICES AND MARKETS

Guaranteed floor prices under
all farm prices set at levels each
season which will allow for a
mergin above the operating
costs sufficient to provide a de-
cent standard of living on the
family holding. Government sub-
sidies where necessary to hold
Gown costs to the consumer and
meet the requirements of the
export market.

Sharp separation from Ameri-

ean foreign policy and the grant-—

ing of large-scale credits, togeth-
er with an independent and vig-
orous development of trade rela-
tions with Britain, other mem-
bers of the Commonwealth, the
USSR and other countries of
Eastern Europe.
@ FREIGHT RATES

AND RISING COSTS

Government action to sharply
reduce freight rates and dis-
criminatory practices in view of
the enormous profits of the rail-
road monopoly.

Immediate action to curb ris-

ing prices of farm equipment, ©
fertilizers, spraying material and '

other commodities essential to
farm production.

Support of the general consum-
er demand for a lowering of
prices and restoration of von-
trols on foodstuffs by action
against the big packing-houses
and wholesalers to cut the spread
between producer and consum-
er.

@ TAX REFORM

Elimination of the school tax
from land. Educational facilities
must be modernized and extend-
ed and financed out of consoli-
dated revenue which must be in-
creased by a revision of the tax
structure to place a greater pro-
portation of taxation on those
best able to pay, namely, the
CPR, the CM&S,° the
packing-houses and other high-
ly profitable concerns.

@ PUBLIC POWER

AND IRRIGATION

Public ownership of power to
extend electrification in farm
areas at reduced rates, to lower
the costs of irrigation, and to
bring new acreage under irriga-
tion, together with greater gov-
ernment assistance to gravity
systems operated on a commun-
ity basis.

@ GRADING PRACTICES

A thorough investigation of
grading practices and the gen-
eral operation of packing plants
and canneries with a view to
protecting the growers against
losses and eliminating unneces-
sary waste.

@ ROADS

Large-scale development to
extend, and rebuild roads, and
to eliminate dangerous road con-
ditions, including attention to
rceugh market side-roads in or-
der to reduce risk in transporta-
tion of live-stock and bruising
of perishable farm goods, and to
prevent needless waste of time.
@ HEALTH

An all-embracing medica] and
hospitalization system organized
to meet the urgent needs of
rural areas.

Northern British Columbia :

ler’s autostrades, and Wilson
would: do well to ponder on
the fate of the territory through
which those autostrades ran.

Highways to link and develop
the country, to. give access to
the Alaska Highway and the
north, but for ‘peaceful trade, not
for war, are needed, and it is
this kind of development Wilson
and others will succeed in block-
ing unless the bulk of the peo-
ple speak up.

Highways, public power from
the Bulkley River, planned set-
tlement and industrial develop-
ment planned as part of the

aceon TTT EN

power project to contribute to
the people’s' welfare, security
measures and a peaceful for-
eign. policy—these are the needs
of the north which can be fought
for and won by the people.

The new organizations, such
as the IWA and UFAWU, which
have supplemented the older
groups in defence of the peo-
ple’s interests up north, are
added guarantees that the fight
can be won. The circulation,
from Prince Rupert to Prince
George, of petitions for a fall
session to repeal Bill 39, show

the people are joining that tight
once again.

=

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 10

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