CCF Experiment In Saskatchewan

Is It Working Out?

The Saskatchewan provincial government is commit-
ted to give the people social services estimated to cost some

$20,000,000 a year.

Such seryices—and the amount of money necessary to
inaugurate and maintain them—are not beyond the bounds
of possibility, for in the year 1943 agricultural income
alone amounted to about $500,000,000

The services promised by the
CCF during the election include
medical, hospital, nursing, den-

tal and optical services “free
of charge.”
These were the _ election

promises. Now have come the
days of fulfillment.

The “free of charge” prom-
ise is now shelved, for in order
to give these services, the gov-
ernment first of all needs to
get the money. How to get
this money is the main prob-
lem of the government.

Already the government has
informed the people ‘that the
complete health program will
have to be put off to some fu-
ture date, and meanwhile the
government is engaged in vari-
ous schemes for funds for these
Services.

How to raise the money ?
This is the question that occu-
Pies the attention of the gov-
ernment...

SOCIAL SERVICES
THE Labor-Progressive Party
has given a great deal of
thought to this problem. We
approve of social services. We
knew before the election and
we know now that such services
will cost the people a consid-
erable sum of money. Our
position is that the money can
be raised from a prosperous
people. That is to say, if our
people earn enough they will
not object to paying additional
taxes to make these services
available.

The production of Saskat-
chewan is mainly agricultural.
We therefore maintain that our
first consideration should be
given to agriculture. We have
pointed out that the increase
in production of agriculture’ de_
pends upon mechanization, elec-
trification, communication, irri-
gation, crop insurance and
markets.

In short, no waste of labor
power and gambling on ele-
ments now responsible for the
many ills in our economy and
the continuous insecurity of
the population. Such waste and
insecurity can and must be re-
moved. Their elimination would
put more money into the poc-
kets of the producers. It is
out of this money that the gov-
ernment would get extra rey-
enue for an extension of social
Services.

Accordingly we proposed to

the government that they
“should lead a struggle against
the policy of the federal f0v-
ernment and the British Labor
fovernment in suppressing: the
people’s movement for inde-
pendence and free governments
in the feudal and colonial coun-
tries. The suppression of such
movements and such new goy-
ernments is the suppression of
new markets and outlets for
our agricultural surpluses.

PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE
We also proposed a deter-
mined policy on the part of
the provincial government to
help to complete the Dominion_
Provincial conference in favor

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 4

of progress in alliance with all
the democratic forces in Gan-
ada and against the Drew-
Duplessis reaction, and that our
reconversion program (elec-
trification, roads, etc.), should
form a prominent part of any
agreement reached.

Finally, we pointed out that
the basis for the proper indus-
trialization of our province is
cheap power, good roads, an
assured water supply, etc.

The government, however,
has proclaimed itself a “Social-
ist” government. They have
started to do things on their
own. The attitude seems to be
that a “Socialist” government
need not depend upon either the
world or the rest of (Canada.

Wherever possible, new taxes
have been imposed on the
people. For instance, a one per-
cent tax on gasoline, an in-
crease on farm-truck licenses,
an increase on fishermen’s li-

censes, etc., in addition to the
retention and collection of ex-
tra revenue from the notorious
education tax, diluting liquor
ete.

BUSINESS ON ITS OWN

(EN the government has

gone into business in its own
“industrializing,”
an. The idea apparently is to
take away from private enter-
prise the privilege of exploit-
ing the workers and to go into
exploitation on its own hook.
Tt is proposed in this Way to
raise the funds to provide so-
cial services. So we now have
a government shoe factory, a
woollen goods factory, briquet
factory, a few electric plants
and so on.

Some of the industries ent-
ered into by the government
are of the sweatshop type which
compete with the Hastern sweat
shops and cam neither pay de-
cent wages to the worker nor
sell the finished products: cheap-
er to consumers. Hundreds of
thousands of dollars have been
invested by the government in
such schemes.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan
people do not realize the trend
of such a policy. Since the end

Saskatchew-

- star-Phoenix of

of the war the savings of the
farmers — accumulated due to
the shortage of commodities
and their inability to purchase
machinery improve homes and
so on—have not yet been ex-
hausted.

It is clear too that the indus-
trialization of Saskatchewan
without cheap power and a
proper water supply is but a
dream. Can the government in-
dustrialize the province with-
out these prerequisites when
private enterprise refuses to
do so? Of course it cannot.

During the recent by-election
in the Wadena constituency this
was the issue. Our party ad-
vanced the proposition that a
well-to-do, community would
pay for their own social ser-
vices. Hon. J. Phelps, minister
of natural resources, with a
Saskatchewan-made shoe in his
hand, said that industry will
pay for such service. He argu-
ed, too, that our proposal would
only involve Saskatchewan in
further debt to the capitalist.

Tt is difficult to say what
made the government change
its position; but the Saskatoon
February 6

under the
Plans

carried an article
heading: “Trrigation

a aun ee

_ By AF. Theed

Promise Rosy Future for |
Parmer.” eee

The article correctly st
that the “plans would PIO"
for stabilization of crop
duction, increased lives
population, a higher stani”
of living on the farm, a br
er, sounder base for indus
development, and greater =
bility of revenue for Domir
provincial and municipal
ernments.”

This “higher standard of
ing” and the “stability of ©
enue” are the real ae
the ability of the governn
to provide social services. ©
had proposed it before. We
lieve still that such stabilit
income is the necessary co ©
tion for the development *
Saskatchewan.

The government would
well advised to stop was
public money on smal} § |
nesses and invest every cen :
the improvement of Saskat —
wan through electrification, —
rigation, roads and so on. {
more income for the people 4
more. revenue for the goy »
ment. More revenue for i
latter is the beginning of ~
fulfillment of their prom:
which is what the people
looking for.

Dean of Canterbury Hails 28th Anniversar

J threes months I believe I

Saw more of the Soviet
Union than many journalists
are permitted to see in three
years, I needed but to ask, and

every facility was afforded to ~

see what I sought.

And I sought and saw much.
I went to Moscow; to Lenin-
grad in the North, to Stalin-
grad in the South; then down
to Armenia and Georgia, be-
yond the Caucasus; and after
that to Uzbekistan in Gentral
Asia.

I examined the damage
done by the fascists: it was
colossal, beyond compute,
terrible. If Russia seeks
Super-security we must re-
member what she has suf-
fered.

f examined her efforts at
restoration. These were
equally striking. With tre-
‘Imendous energy men and
womem repaired cities and
reconstructed social life. T
never saw work so hard, so
eager, So hopeful. They
know, in the Soviet Union,
what they are working for
and who they are working
for Their work benefits
themselves, their neighbours
and their country equally
and simultaneously.

I examined the type of youth
the Soviet regime produces: I
mingled much with young men
and women of twenty to thirty
years of age, children of the
new Soviet order. They fill me
with hope and confidence. In
ability, in training, in skill and
in character they are equal to
the world’s best; they are cre-
ative and likeable.

I examined the guality of

the young Republics who make
up the Soviet Union—Armen-
1a, Georgia and Ubekistan. It

is impossible to Speak too
highly of the gigantic progress
made in these lands in the last
twenty years.

Yerevan, the capital of Ar-
menia, was a city of 27,000
twenty years ago: a city of
mudroofed houses, cobbled
Streets and rampant disease.
Today it is a magnificent city
of finely-planned streets and
parks and public buildings: the
new Opera House would frace
any city. Its plan for 150,000
inhabitants has long: become
out of date and the present
plan is for 450,000.

Armenian culture is now of
a high order I saw opera in
Yerevan which would rejoice
London -theatregoers and the
children’s orchestra and solo
players would raise a storm in
any London audience.

It was the same in Asia.
Tashkent is one of the most
beautiful cities I ever visited.
Ihe cotton mills of Tashkent

have nothing to learn from
Manchester or the U.S.A. and
their surroundings of gardens
and green lanes between shop
and shop, are a model of plan-
ned amenity for the worker’s
life.

The scientifie agricultural
Station at Tashkent produces
new types of cotton. Coloured
cotton, brown, grey, green, is
already grown and the need
for dyeing reparts. Cotton, the
texture of wool, is another
product of this new station.

I examined the religious
Situation in the Soviet Union.
I visited the head of the Orth-
odox Russian Church, the Ar-
menian and Georgian churches,
the head of the Baptists and

the head of the Jewish ¢
munity and also the head
the moslem world. One and
now work in harmony with —
State and express grati
for what the State has ¢
In Stalin’s own words to ~
the church has seen how p
otic the church is. :

Difficulties abound. JW
things could be better don :
Russia, as in any other | 4
Russia needs to learn nr
from us, aS we from her. ||
the step that Russia has t-
has been a forward step
a collosal step and one w
has lifted the human rac’
long way onwards towarc
new and nobler order. Brii §
Soviet unity is a matter —
paramount importance.

10° |
Discount & tones ned

Like most merchants, we are short of men’s clothing.
Navy will continue to give
10%
a_ goodwill gesture.
PRIORITY PURCHASE CERTIFICATE to
Army & Navy Dept. Stores and Save an extra 10
- Like the ten million FREE CIGAR-
ETTES we shipped overseas to service men, we take
this method of saying —THANK YOU!

Army & Navy Dept. Stores}

Vancouver and New Westminster

However, the Army &
discharged personnel a
civilian outfit as

PER CHNT ..

DISCOUNT on their
Bring; your
the

BDRDITIMAW arFaADomwris i«