P. A. PACIFIC ADVOCATE

PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

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Sound the Alarm

T is just over three months since the end of World War II.
Just over three months since the guns ceased firing in the

most terrible conflict ever experienced by humanity. A war
fought to free the world from oppression and poverty. A war
fought for the four freedoms expressed in the Atlantic Char-
ter.

Freedom of Speech—Freedom of Worship —- Freedom
from Want—Freedom from Fear.

It is time to check up. It is time to sound the alarm. For
every one of these four freedoms is being abrogated today.
‘The peoples of Indonesia, China, Greece, bear witness to the
betrayal of the Atlantic Charter which lays down as its third
principle: ;

“They respect the right of all people to choose
the form of government under which they will live;
and they wish to see sovereign rights and self-govern-
ment restored to those who have been forcibly de-
prived of them.”

Already imperialist greed and conflicting imperialist am-
bitions are dominating the foreign policies of Great Britain
and the USA, with disastrous results to the peace of the
world.

The war is officially over, but armed conflict still goes on
—involving millions of people—conflict caused by abrogation
of the principles for which the war was fought —— conflict
aided and abetted, in some cases instigated by the Western
signatories to the United Nations agreements.

Tory, imperialist domination in foreign affairs finds its
reflection on the domestic scene.

The social democratic ‘Labor’ government of Great Brit-
ain, currently with its armed intervention against the na-
tional independence struggle of the Indonesians, reflects these
policies at home by its attitude toward the Dockworkers’

' Strike. |

In the USA, rising costs of living and attacks on organ-
ized labor have given rise to strikes and lockouts. Unemploy-
ment and want are rearing their ugly heads.

In Canada the situation is reaching crisis proportions.
Tens of thousands of veterans of World War II are unable
to find jobs and every day displaced warworkers are added
to their ranks.

It is estimated the 4000 shipyard workers will swell the
ranks of the unemployed in the city of Vancouver alone, be-
fore the end of the year.

Reconversion plans are still on paper. Government
schemes are bogged down in a welter of red tape. Private in-
dustry is on a sit-down strike. These ate the plain facts. These
are the painful results of Tory domination in the govern-
ments of our Dominion and the main provinces.

Meanwhile the Dominion-Provincial parley, which
should be taking immediate action, is sabotaged and bam-
boozled by the Drew-Duplessis Tory axis.

While the problems of the people of Canada lie unattend-
ed the game of provincial power politics threatens to bring
the conference to an abortive conclusion.

The voice of the people must be raised in protest. An
end to power politics abroad—an end to provincial power
politics.

Reconversion schemes must be taken off paper and im-
plemented immediately. If private enterprise—such as the
Ford company—refuses to end their sit-down strike against
organized labor—for that is precisely what it amounts to—
then the government should take over and operate the plants.

There is no valid reason for unemployment. The spectre
of 1939 is rearing its ugly head. The people must demand
action now. It is only a little over three months since victory
in the war. We must act now if we are to carry that victory
into the peace.

PACIFIC ADVOCATE — PAGE 4

This Week by Nigel

T IS week Vancouver was host to His Ex-

eellency G. H. Zaroubin, Soviet Ambassador
to Canada; and the delegates to the British Co-
Iumbia Conference of the CGanadian - Soviet
Friendship Council. An appreciation of the im-
portance of that Conference is to be gained from
a brief study of its purposes which include:
(1) To strengthen friendly
relations between Canada
and the USSR through the
promotion of closer under-
standing; (2) to educate the
Canadian people on the need
for such friendly relations;
(3) to serve as a clearing

house for authentic infor-
mation about the Soviet
Union; (4) to promote and

provide facilities for the in-
terchange of scientific, ed-
ucational and cultural in-

formation between _ the

USSR and Canada; and (5) to promote in the
Soviet Union an understanding of and friend-
ship for Canada. :

The future of the world,

and particularly
the future of the

American continent perhaps
for generations, depends upon continuation of
the cordial, and trustful cooperation of the
United Nations which brought us victory in the
war: the promotion of friendly understanding
between the United Nations,
between Britain, the Soviet Union and the Unit-
ed States, deserves (as the fine support ac-
corded last weekend’s conference indicates) and
will have the warm support of the Canadian
people. As the late President Roosevelt once
pleaded: “No pain must be spared, and no pa-
tience grudged, which is necessary to bring that
supreme hope for a world of peace and security
to fruition.” Only mutual understanding .and
cooperation can make that possible. :

Exactly fifty-six miles separate the Ameri-
can continent from the USSR at the narrowest
part of the Bering Straits. Yet with Canada and
the Soviet Union facing each other across the
Polar Sea, we have witnessed here as in a num-
ber of other countries since V-J Day, a sharp
intensificatien of the bitter anti-Soviet slander
and lies, that paved the way for World War Two
and was synonymous with the policy of fascist
appeasement. On the radio is to be heard and
in the press is to be seen, more anti-Soviet prej-

Ar ound Town by Cynthia Carter

OQ’ Tuesday night this week the Civic Action

Association—Vancouver’s newest contestant
for civie election—held a meeting in the Peter
Pan Ballroom here.

The speaker on Tuesday evening’s agenda
was Maj.-Gen. B. M. Hoffmeister, who led the
Canadian Army in Europe.
The major general started
off just dandy by maintain-
ing that returned men who
“dug slit trenches for their
lives in Europe don’t want
to dig ditches for a living in

Canada.” Naturally, every-
body agrees with this
thought. Our veterans de-

serve the best, and all pro-
gressive people are working
pretty hard these days to
see that they get the best.

But Hoffmeister’s solu-
tion for the problem was a lulu.

“There are those fortunate enough -to have
stayed home and enjoyed good jobs and living
conditions. They are the ones who should be
digging ditches.” He went on to say that mar-
ried women who had jobs should resign from
them immediately and leave the way open to
vets.

almost tragic about this suggestion—which isn’t
by any means an original one. Even if it were
practical, it would defeat its own purpose. Let’s

be fantastic for a moment and: suppose that .

workers in industry (those who still have jobs)
should give up their jobs to vets. That would
create an even greater body of unemployed;
naturally. Then when the vets, the new workers,
attempted to better their wages and working
conditions, let no one be foolish enough to think
that “patriotic” employers wouldn’t use the mass
of unemployed as a threat to keep wages low.
No, it just wouldn’t work.

However, I have a counter proposal to the

major-general’s, and I offer it to him for.deep .

contemplation and study. I agree that soldiers
shouldn’t have to dig ditches. But working in
industry is a pretty tough Proposition too. Why
not carry the major’s plan to its conclusion.
Why not Iet all the executives,
clippers, and bank Managers and industrialists
who have had it pretty easy during the war
step down and let the vets take over. I know
one vet who thinks it would be pretty nice to

and particularly ~

Morgan

udice and deliberate anti
been noticeable for many
relations are strained. to
ously threatens future pe: 4
don Conference of the Big -
ure up to the expectations —
The British and America;
garding the atomic bomb, —
the use of atomic energy { °
future aggression, is crea
trust—which all goes to un
the peace still has te be y

The strength of Anglo-S_
tion is undergoing a severe §
the forces of reactionary, in’,

:

coalition be as strong and
common decisions in this 4
serve peace as it was duri
victory from the forces of fi
lies in our -collective hands
ested and strong enough ¢-
dice and slander; to subs
and cooperation; to get to si
‘ national relations by checkiy
ing the purveyors of disur :
fanning the flames of anti
sify their drive for imperi;
se'fish gain. The strengthen?
ation among the peace-loyi
today our most important t_
requisite the systematic and.
, of anti-Soviet propaganda qd .
must be beaten back. =

| this situation, and to do
dian-Soviet Friendship ¢
support of all true friends
operation and peace. It will
tion of a far larger number oi f
it has now—particularly from ~
Peace or Another World War
with us, the people of Canac «
the world. We can and musi |
arity with the peoples of Ei
support of United Nations <
termination to live up to the |
were written in the blood of vs
heroes at Dieppe and Lening
Stalingrad; and at Cayenne a:
is our watchword now! In |
hope for peace and- progress, |
our heroic allies!

‘
3
4
;
{

be president of David Spens
has his eye on an executive's,
tric. And there are probably
be willing to take a shot ¢ |
warehouses, shipyards and ;
fellows, nothing is too good —
EN I listen to some we q
capitalist altruistically +
men other people’s jobs, I
once heard. 2)
It concerns three English
into a pub one night for a |
price of one beer, and so did) {
was flat broke. 2
This worried Bill. With :
began to speak of what a é
how sad it was that such :
fellow should be left withow |
Finally, Bill looked up ab}
rowfully, “Chum, it ain’t er 4
a _beer,” wiping away a tea: |
Alf’s!”” i
The only answer to the ¥ |
problem is jobs for everybot ©
needs work. Any other solu 4
and impossible.

J WAS surprised the other d_
said to me, “I don’t think t —
should be on strike. ’m Oppo —
I always have been. Why co
have found some more peace
their problems?” =)
Another woman present ;
little story, which, I think, ci”
woman’s. misconception. :
It seems little Jack had a ~
sisted in taking Jack’s toys al”
them back. This annoyed Jacl
his father. Father disapprovi
he urged Jack to try gen
methods on his pal. The next di
with all his toys, and his fath |
how he had accomplished it. -
“Well, dad,” said Jack, “I
I asked Bobby very politely f°
Father was very proud. i
“And then I reasoned with —
why the toys belonged to me. 7,
“Fine,” said father. “And.
“Then,” said Jack, “I ro |
beat the dickens out of him,
toys home myself.”

&
FRIDAY, NOVEM

teks:

tha Bt

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