FRIDAY,

The world was shocked Monday by President Richard Nixon’s reckless and
dangerous escalation of the war in Vietnam which threatens to push mankind to the

brink of a new war.

In an act of madness, the U.S.
president announced the mining
of all North Vietnamese coastal
waters, intensified heavy
bombing, and threatened to take
whatever action the US.
military think necessary to
force the Vietnamese people to
their knees.

The U.S. action has aroused
world wide protest and
condemnation and has rekindled
massive protests in the US.
President Nixon’s action
threatens. recent significant
moves towards detente and
strengthening of world peace,
and can only have the result of
stepping up the cold war and
increasing the grave danger of a
hot war.

President Nixon’s desperate
action demonstrates the total
collapse of his Vietnamization
program — which was a policy of

‘imposing a U.S. puppet govern-

ment on the Vietnamese people.
It proves that U.S. policy was
and continues to be military
victory over the people of
Vietnam.

The Soviet News agency Tass
issued a statement calling the
U.S. action an act of uncon-
cealed aggression and said it
signified “‘the aggravation of
the American intervention In
Vietnam and the violation of the
norms of international law.”

While many governments
around the world have con-
demned the action, including
presidential candidates and
leading political figures in the
U.S. Senate, Canada has
remained silent. Prime Minister
Trudeau has refused to make any
statement, nor has Canada Ss
external affairs minister

itchell Sharp.

a their mnitial reactions both
the prime minister and the
external affairs minister have
indicated they accept the
Washington line that the
renewed fighting 1s the result of
“aggression from the North.

Canadians are not willing 2
accept Canada’s silence 1n the
present crisis. Mee an
Langley last Monday the - ;
Conference of the Unite
Church adopted a strong
statement condemning ‘Presi-
dent Nixon's latest actions in
Vietnam and Canada s

complicity in that war.

In Vancouver, meeting less
than two hours after Nixon’s
Monday night announcement,
the B.C. executive of the Com-
munist Party called a mass rally
to protest the heightened danger
of war, and decided to wire the
Canadian government to press

NIXON

Swedish Hall

Hastings & Clark Dr.

MON., MAY 15
8 P.M.

HEAR
Nigel Morgan
Maurice Rush

the U.S. to end their genocidal
bombings and acts of piracy in
Vietnam harbor entrances, and
return to the negotiating table.

The public rally will be held ir
the Swedish Hall, Hastings and
Clark Drive, on Monday, May 15
at 8 p.m. Speakers will include
Maurice Rush, PT editor, and
Nigel Morgan, party provincial
leader.

In their wire to External
affairs minister Sharp, the Com-
munist Party executive said:
‘“‘Nixon’s new acts of despera-
tion constitute a grave threat to
all humanity. Canada must move
quickly to defend ourselves as
well as the people of Vietnam
from- these new, desperate

> eriminal acts.’

Also, in Vancouver’ on
Thursday night a Committee to
Stop Nixon’s War was formed by
concerned citizens. It has called
for a protest assembly this
Friday at 7. p.m. at the Court-
house. Plans are underway for
distribution of a telegram — on
which names will be collected at
the Courthouse rally — and
which will be continued
afterwards. The telegram
reads:

“President Nixon: Stop gamb-
ling with our lives. End the
blockade. Get back to the peace
talks.”

The public are urged to take up
the wire and have their friends,
workmates~ and neighbors sign
it. For information about the
Committee to Stop Nixon’s War
phone Dorothy Morrison, 733
1761.

Meeting last Monday the execu-
tive of the B.C. Peace Council
sent the following wire to Prime
Minister Trudeau: ‘‘U.S. presi-
dent’s new escalation of Indo-
china war pushes world to brink.
Canada must have no part of this

“madness. Urge you express

horror of Canadians at this
extremely dangerous action.”

The Peace Action League in
Vancouver, which represents
seven peace groups, also sent a
wire to Prime Minister Trudeau.
Their wire read: ‘‘We are
greatly alarmed by Pres.
Nixon’s statement on extension
of the Indochina war, which is a
new threat to world peace. We
strongly urge you to convey our
concern to the U.S. government
. before it is too late.