LABOR SCENE

by

| BRUCE MAGNUSON

nhuman speed-up, electronic
see and the newtech-
nology have already increased
productivity and lowered the per
unit production costs enor-
mously. Moreover, this process
is only in its infancy. It will
be extended in geometrical pro-
gression from now on.

The logical consequence of this
process ought to be lower prices
and a higher standard of living,
Rapid economic growth ought to
produce more social revenue to
keep down and even to reduce
taxes on the working people;
especially those with low and
substandard incomes, pensioners
and others with fixed incomes.

What is actually happening,
however, is the exact opposite.
Prices are rising. Tax burdens
are being shifted from the rich
to those least able to pay, The
relative share of the working’
people in the national income is
declining.

In Ontario - Canada’s richest
province - sales taxes are now
the biggest single source of gov-
ernment revenue at $383 million,
Gasoline taxes account for $257
million, Taken together these
two items, which hit the working
people and the poor the hardest,
amount to $640 million,

Income taxes $362 million, and
corporation taxes $258 million,
amount to $620 million, These
items come in the main, from
higher income brackets, At the
same time much of the corp-
oration tax is charged back to
customers and consumers, while
the interest on the growing pro-
vincial and national debt comes
back to the filthy rich asa kind
of rebate on their income tax,

The real. gain from extended
economic activity and increased
productivity goes to swell the
profits of the big monopolies -
Canadian and United States -
owned, Over a billion dollars of
profits made in Canada are being
exported while other billions are
invested to expand U.S, owner-
ship of Canada, It is Canadian
labor and Canadian resources
that are being used to expand
United States ownership and con-
trol in Canada, If there is any-
thing inflationary, thisisit, along

with excessive and useless mili-
tary spending.

Private monopoly ownership
and control stands in the way
of economic planning for an all-
pervasive rise in living stand-
ards, and the abolition of poverty
and want, Instead, private profit
becomes the aim of planning.

The talk of an over-~heated
economy and threat of inflationis
calculated. to win public sup-
port for policies that serve the
private monopolies, One of the
aims is to prevent labor from
gaining increased wages, by
claiming this will cause prices

to rise and bring inflation in its

wake,

Wages are the price employ-
ers pay for labor power. To
claim that wages cause a rise
in prices is the same as to say
that a rise in prices is brought
about by a rise in prices, an
absurd and meaningless argu-
ment,

Whatever is left of free enter-
prise is now at the mercy of
monopolies. These monopolies
administer and fix prices for the
same reason they seek to hold
down wages, namely, to gain
maximum profits, Workers who
are not organized and who for
other reasons fail to secure
higher wages fall far behind, as
do those with fixed incomes,
pensioners, welfare recipients
and others, This intensifies

the harship when prices, taxes”

and the overall cost of living
continue to rise,-as & result of
monopoly pressures,

Policies which seek to tie
wages to productivity and the cost
of living are harmful and are
keeping labor’s income at afixed
level, while real wages and work-
ers share in the national income
continues to decline,

The only remedy is to inten-
sify the struggle for substantial
wage increases, fringe benefits,
a shorter work-week, increased
vacations, retirement security,
higher minimum wages, higher
pensions, health insurance, and
a whole number of democratic
reforms, including public con-
trol of private monopoly and
full recognition of labor’s rights,

ze

2643 East Hastings Street,

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AGENCY

Telephone 253-1221

The “End The War In Vietnam”
march to be held on Saturday,
March 26th, was the main topic
of conversation when the B,C,
Peace Council held its annual
meeting on Sunday, March 6th.

Viet pamphlet
now available

“Vietnam: Eyewitness Re-
port”—a report to. the people
of Canada by the three-man
delegation which recently
visited Vietnam — has just
come off the press.

Written in question and an-
swer form in which the three
delegates — Tim Buck, Rae
Murphy and Maurice Rush —
take part, the pamphlet sells
for 10¢ and is available at
the Co-op Bookstore, 341 W.
Pender St., and the Commu-
nist Party, Rm. 502 Ford
Bldg., Vancouver.

Illustrated with pictures of
the delegation in Vietnam, the
pamphlet also contains an ap-
peal from the delegation to the
people of Canada, ee

Talent array
at hootenanny

All those folk song lovers who
were present at the hootenanny
sponsored last year by The Mile-
stones will no doubt want to make
sure they have their tickets ready
for the 1966 version - Saturday.
March 19, at 8 p,m,.in the Oak-
ridge Auditorium, :

The Milestones have announced
that a real array of talent will
be displaying its wares on that
evening, for those lucky people
who will have seats in the lim-
ited (400 seat) auditorium,

Tomasi Tawake, the young man
from the Fiji Islands who has
made quite a name for himself
in Vancouver circles, will be
there with guitar accompanist
Roger Marsden, So will Kris
Robinson, whose lovely voice was
on display at last year’s May Day
rally in the QE Playhouse,

The Folkmasters (youth choir
of the Vancouver AUUC) will be
providing some of their unique
stylings, which should contrast
quite markedly with the other
performers - all much smaller
groups,

The Wayside Singers, a young
group but with loads of exper-
ience, will also be on hand.
Many observers feel that this
group has been improving by
leaps and bounds and are looking
forward to hearing it again,

Of special interest should be
the appearance of Castlegar’s Joe
Irving, either singly or with his
partner Skip Fraser, Joe has won
an enviable reputation in the West
Kootenays for his timely econ-
omic and political satires, Resi-
dents of the Lower Mainland will
have an opportunity of hearing
this rising young folk singing
star.

The Milestones, who are spon-
soring and hosting the evening,
will of course also perform,
Tickets,

_ Vancouver 6, B.C.

’

'-and PT office, _

priced at $1.50 are
available at the Co-op Book Store

Supportof Vietnam march
highlights city peace meet

This demonstration, in which
people from a number of local
peace groups will take part, shows
signs of being the largest such
demonstration to take place in
British Columbia, it was felt by
delegates attending the meeting.

The March will assemble at
City Hall on March 26th at one
p.m, and will move along Broad-
way and across the Granville St.
bridge and will end up at the
United States Consulate on
Georgia St,

On Saturday, March 12th, the
B.C, Peace Council will enter a
float in a “torch-light” parade
which is sponsored by the Van-

Washington’s
Legal Position

K. Rakadjiev in Rabotnichesko
Sys SAL 4a tezelpelo. Sofia)

of people in British Columbia —

couver Junior Chamber of Com-
merce, The float will carry the
message “Stop The War In Viet-
nam — Prevent Nuclear War!” —
The parade moves off on Satur= a
day evening at 7:30 sharp from
the assembly area which is to
be on Hastings St. west of Bur-
rard,

This spring the B,C, Peace —
Council will hold a ‘peace’ a
poster contest in which it will

invite school students to enter
a poster on some aspect of
peace and friendly co-operation
between nations of the world. —

Last year many original and
well-conceived posters were en-
tered by students and the posters
were displayed at the Council’s
pooth at the Pacific National.
Exhibition.

and will enter a float in the
parade, The Council will shortly
lay plans for these two projects
‘which in past years have-brough
the catisé Of ‘peace to millions

“live” and. through the medium —
of television, ~~ :

Delegates to the annual meet-
ing of the Council felt that the
chief threat to world peace at
the moment was the war i
Vietnam and that efforts of all
peace workers should be con
centrated on this central issU
-—to bring about an end to thi
terrible war.as-quickly.as pos
wsibley mo bollso oeis nels

Alfred Padgham

Following a long and painful
illness, one of Vancouver’s
pioneer trade unionists and World
War I veteran, Alfred Padgham,
‘passed away on March Sth in
his 74th year, :

During the first world war Alf
Padgham served through its four-
years in France with the 72nd
Canadian Highlanders, Following
the war he worked for many
years in the Vancouver railway
terminals as a clerk and played
an active part in building and
promoting the Railway and
Steamships’ Clerks Union,

Alf Padgham was a charter
member of the Communist Party
of Canada and one of the pioneer
builders of the party in B,C,
in the early 20’s, Alf was a
strong advocate in the circula-
tion of Marxist literature and
press, and established a lending
library in his home to help ad-
vance the knowledge and science
of Marxism. among his fellow
workers and party members,

Alf Padgham is survived by
one brother Charles Padgham of
Port Moody, two nephews and one
niece, and two cousins, Percy
and Bert Padgham, both of Van-
couver,

Funeral services will be held
on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m,
in the Roselawn Funeral Home
at Commercial and Broadway,
Cremation will follow, It is re-
quested that no floral tributes
be sent, but that tributes to the

*

March 11, 1966—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pa

memory of Alfred Padgham m@
be sent to the Pacific Tribun'

William Sholdra

Well known as a highly re~
spected farmer and long time
resident in the Aldergrove dis"
trict, William (Bill) Sholdra
passed away in Vancouver on
March 5th in his 87th year. He
had been in failing health for some

With his brother Alex, wh?
passed away three years agor
William Sholdra emigrated 1
Canada from the Ukraine in the —

jobs were to be had, willia®
Sholdra settled on a farm in th
Aldergrove community, and 0?
over 40 years until ill heal
compelled him to retire he
known in his neighborhood as
hardworking farmer and g00”
neighbor,

Throughout all his years
Canada William Sholdra was
staunch pioneer and member 0 —
the Association of United Ukra
ian-Canadians, and took a ke@™
interest in all of its cultur
educational and press activitie
For many years also Mr, Shold |
was an active builder and SUR
porter of the Pacific Tribun®
and during recent years beca
a member of the Communist P4
of Canada,

Funeral services for Willi
Sholdra will be held on Satur?
March 12 at 10 a.m, in the B
Funeral Parlor at 2746 Hasti
Street East. —