Peace above all = ach new act of horror carried out by the U.S. aggres- sors in Vietnam, outrages the conscience of mankind and heightens the fear of how perilously close to the brink of nuclear war the Pentagon warhawks are pushing all hu- manity. On this historic May Day as labor reviews its victories - and defeats, and renews its decisions for the future, one sacred task must stand out above all else for this genera- tion and the next — Peace. Truth must be faced and obligations headed. Labor and the people must not fail a second time. The pattern of U.S. aggression in North and South Vietnam follows close- ly the deadly pattern of 1937, when Hitler, Mussolini, and their puppet Franco were “trying out” their new and dead- ly weapons of death and destruction upon-the people of Republican Spain, old and young alike—as a “prelude” for World War III. The same “anti-Communism” pretext for doing so, the same end in view—world domination. Only this time by a “Christian” anti-social and ruthless U.S. imperialism. The forces for Peace are strong, in the U.S. and around the world, regardless of differing social systems. But, obviously from Washington’s cold-blooded disregard for national and world opinion, they are not yet strong enough. ‘On this decisive May Day itis labor’s sacred obli- gation and duty to remedy this ommission. To mobilize its million-strong battalions, girded for the struggle for peace and survival. To make this May Day synonomous with peace, in order that other brothers and sisters and little children of other lands, including our own, may be permit- ted to live and share the happiness of creative labor and life. Only a few short days ago while U.S. bombs were be- ing rained down upon the people of North and South Viet- nam in massive bombing raids, AFL-CIO president George Meany was publicly voicing his “full endorsation”’ of this barbaric war upon Vietnam. On this May Day the AFL-CIO “leader” and all his ilk who follow his treason to what they are presumed to represent (and well paid for), should be told in no uncer- tain terms that they do not speak for Canadian labor, nor do we think, American labor. And particularly upon an is- sue where the very survival of mankind is now at stake. ‘LS. marches ahead | n this historic May Day British Columbia’s labor press “4 chalks up a double-header victory. In addition to this 30th Anniversary May Day edition of the “PT”, the “Labor Statesman’’, organ of the Van- couver and District Labor Council will make its debut on May Day as a province-wide voice for trade union organi- zation and unity. From then on the “LS” will be owned and operated— uader the joint auspices of the VLC and the B.C. Federa- tion of Labor. In this capacity it will be able to serve many more central labor bodies and unions throughout B.C. Featuring labor’s struggles and problems on the coast area since April of 1924 as a monthly publication, its new management plan to honor its 41st birthday by transform- ing the “Labor Statesman” into a weekly publication, pro- bably by Labor Day. In celebrating the 30th anniversary of the “PT”, its editors and readers extend May Day greetings and best wishes to the “Labor Statesman” in its new role. May it become a powerful unifying factor for the organization, unity, peace and progress of all B.C. labor. Every new addition to the growing strength of the la- bor press in Canada, is, by the same token, a blow against the characteristic distortions of labor’s aims by the monop- oly press. And May Day is an auspicious day to begin. ganda medias of Big Business sometimes right up to the bor- ,| marches. Would the state officials ond , n old friend of ours out New Westminster way asks usa few pertinent questions ona num- ber of rather important issues, Needless to say some of these have also worried others of us quite a bit over the years, For instance, he asks, “Why do the Communists nominate can- didates during elections, and then withdraw them for the sake of ‘unity’ anc still lose out?” Well this issue of “unity” is powerful medicine for what ails us working peoplein every battle, be it economic, political, or the all-important struggle for peace, In fact, its absence in many battles has been the prime cause of one defeat after another, So, in an election battle, while the Communists knowthey can put on a very effective campaign, they also know (by examination of all developing factors), that they cannot win this time, but that a CCF’er or an NDP’er can, The decisive question then is, why give the seat (by default) to an old-line political hack? Our friend would also like to know how best to “win friends and influence people’ with truth and forethought.” This year, as this souvenir edition of the PT indicates, we are celebrating 30 years oftrying to do just that, How successful we have been of course, is prob- ably for others to say, Butit may be said that the thousands of issues and ideas which first or- iginated in the columns ofthe PT, often a lone voice “crying in the wilderness,” are now widely ac- cepted by countless thousands of Canadians in all walks of life, That is inevitable of course, as the dialectics of change itself is inevitable, There’s no end of books writ- ten on the subject of “how to win friends and influence people,” books which make for “light” en- tertaining reading, But in the main, they neither inspire “truth or forethought,” Since the propa- realize that “thinking” is danger- ous on the part of common people, these monopoly interests seek to do it for us, withan hourly round- the-clock diet of well-chewed brain- washed pablum, Thus on these two questions alone our friend touches on the kernel of all workingclass pro- gress; the necessity of seeking every road to “unity” and apply- ing (his words) “truth and fore- thought” to get there, Another problem with which we are not unfamiliar over the past 30 years, and which we would never have managed to overcome were it not for the loyalty, sacrifice and devotion of tens of thousands of B,C, work- ers to a paper like the PT is that of financing, They and they alone have supplied all the “Moscow gold” needed to keep the printer happy and the staff eating. “I often wonder,” says our friend, “if you have considered a giant bingo setup like other organizations go for, to help fi- nance the PT.” We have, In fact there’s not many ideas we haven’t considered from raffles to rummage sales, Not enjoying the “patronage” of the big advertizers we have to, derline of the “law.” And the “law” as everyone knows gives its nod of approval to bingo for “charity” but lowers a heavy disapproving boom when used to help finance workingclass papers or movements, Our government and law en- forcement agencies don’t approve of “gambling” — except where there is a nice rake-off, and papers like the PT won’t and don’t approve of rakeoffs. No wonder Dicken’s immortal Mr, Bumble vinegarishly observed “The law is a h’ass.” But that’s axa yh nl Worth | Quoting| After serving seven weeks as 9 cenary in Tshombe’s West-backed @ Congo, an Englishman, Geoffrey M ; aged 34, flew back home. Munn ay his seven weeks had been “a time murder, bloodshed and gangsteris™ § found myself taking part in the in criminate slaughter of innocent and children. For sheer brutality ™ barbarism, these mercenaries !” ‘some beating.” 4 —PEOPLE’'S VOICE, “eh New Zealand, March 17,” | ! wonder what would happe" is goodly number, say 100 or so, of Se ators and Congressmen joined ™ sheriff's army treat them with clu” | whips and horse-hooves? It seem me that the U.S. politicians could helped to prevent the death of : person, could have helped to prev | the blood of hundreds of others I been spilled, and could have advonct 4 the cause of liberty, equality and I dom merely by participating, if th | peaceful activities of their ow" ~~ citizens.