LABOR

By WILLIAM KASHTAN

It is symptomatic of the pre-
nt state of the Canadian ec-
Omy that the last item ap-
@earing before parliament as
adjourned

a report

was
°m the Unemployment In-
ranee Advisory Committee
the effect that by May the
surance fund would drop to
5 million from. its original
peak of almost $1 billion.

This Startling fact more
78 anvithing else mirrors the

W&tent and scope of unemploy-
Reni,

It requires no stretch of the
Magination to recognize that
ook of far-reaching measures
achieve full employment
Mere is a real danger of the

nd going bankrupt.

This column warned of that
POSSibility last spring and
Tew attention to those reac-
onary interest who would
Ty to use this situation for an
Mslaught on the unemployed.
“vents have borne this out.
Voices are in fact being rais-
d now calling for a “weeding
ut” of the unemployed, and
Or curtailment of unemploy-
rent benefits. In the mean-
me, as part of a government
et tough policy, court action
as been instituted against a

Towing number of unem-
loyed,

ek

On One had the workers are
€ing blamed for pricing Can-
aaa of the world market;
es nee Uige, the unemployed
eing blamed for deplet-
3 and bankrupting the un-
pmoument insurance fund,
ae lines of attack have the
aes Objective: to place the
i ian labor movement on
ie Sfensive, and prepare
# around for undermining
- Imited gains it achieved
ese hard struggle in the
Kina period. ‘Reactionary
re pcalsivare already calling
rey beriod of austerity to re-
ae the alleged “welfare
a A. part of this govern-
ke Policy seems directed to
een ae a certain level of
fs Cea eet through which
de ermine the 1961 wage
ement and depress wages.

nas 1s borne out by the goy-
ne Benue accomplishments at
: ast Session of parliament.
entre Widely. assumed that
ie ese was called to deal
risis ae growing economic
hee es ae serious conse-
fabo omewel ivery. few

© measures proposed will

© Of value to th
: e une
1S winter, mer

2

ane organized labor move-
na In fact all sections of the
ee Movement, had pressed

FRONT |

program, for government in-
vestment program for the de-
velopment of the economy
which would increase rather
than decrease ‘the purchasing
power of the Canadian people.
Instead, government policy
was directed to assisting mon-
opoly on the general theory
that what is good for monop-
oly is good for the Canadian
people. But experience has al-
ready proven that the con-
trary is the case.

x co *

The organized labor move-
ment would be committing a
grave mistake were it to await
with folded arms, the results
of the inadequate policies of

the Diefenbaker government.
The fact that the government
rejected the policies advanced
by labor only emphasizes the
need for. stronger more mili-
tant and united action all
down the line, to compel the
government to act in the in-
terests of the Canadian people.

__Instead of the annual cap in
hand brief to the government
which will be presented on
Feb. 2 the Canadian Labor
Congress ought to undertake a
mass lobby on Ottawa to back
up its brief. All unions should
be invited to participate in
such an effort whether in the
Congress or not. This includes
the Confederation of National
Trade Unions and all indepen-
dent unions.

* * *

Morover, with the stormy
weather now apparent, no un-
ion should be left to sink or
swim in the negotiations op-
ening up in basie industry.

These negotiations, which
will embrace over half a mil-
lion workers, are of decisive
importance to the entire work-
ing class. At issue is the ques-
tion whether monopoly or the
working class will bear the
cost of the developing econ-
omic crisis.

The wage movement in 1961
is thus an integral part of la-
bor’s fight against unemploy-
ment and its effects. This is
why increased purchasing
power through wage increases
and a reduction in ‘hours of
work with no_ reduction in
take-home pay ought to be at
the heart of labor’s wage pol-
icy this coming year.

Not austerity for the people
but the curbing of the power
and profits of monopoly ought
to be labor’s watchword. Aci-
ing unitedly the trade union
movement can begin to check
monopoly’s. offensive and
make 1961 a year for new ad-
vance on the economic and
political fields. Failure to do

i ‘ - e
@ massive public works

so can cause grievous harm:
to the working class. :

OBITUARY

Joins PT Staff

WILLIAM STEWART, well-
known trade unionist and
prominent in the progressive
movement, has joined the
PT staff as circulation man-
ager. In addition to leading
the fight to extend the
papers circulation, Bill will
also write for the paper,
drawing particularly on his
wide contacts in the labor
movement. Stewart headed
the recent successful drive
for 1,500 subscriptions.

Morris discusses
Moscow stafement

Under the title “A New
Communist Manifesto,’ Leslie
Morris writes in the January-
February issue of Marxist Re-
view on the profound signifi-
cance of the statement issued
by the meeting of 81 Commun-
ist Parties which he attended
in Moscow.

He concludes that “Along
with the program of the Com-
munist Party of Canada, the
Moscow Statement is an indis-
pensable handbook and guide
for every Canadian Commun-
ist in his work.”

Marxist Review sells for 25
cents per copy and is available
at People’s Co-Op Bookstore,
307 West Pender St.

Don Warwick, age 46, of!
Maple Ridge, died suddenly
on December 30.

Well known in progressive
circles in the district, he was
a. long-time subscriber to the
Pacific Tribune and :was a
member of the ~Communist

Party.
He is survived by his
brother, Frank, and will be

missed by ‘his comrades and
friends.

market, we are being squeezed

brought into our country from

FARM
NOTES

U.S. INVESTMENT
IN CANADA

More than once this column
has drawn attention

farmers of the control that
the U.S. ‘has on our economy
and government policies. Due
to subsidized dumping of
U.S. products on the world

out of traditional markets for
such Canadian farm products
as wheat. Due to U.S. dumping
of farm products into B.C.,
our farmers are even being
denied the right to provide
food for the home market.
These are but two of many
examples.

It would probably be of in-
terest to our farm readers if
further information were giv-
en on the extent of U.S. in-
vestment and control in our
country.

The Dominion Bureau of
Statistics states that in 1958,
U.S. interests had invested a
total of $14,441,000,000 in
Canada. Its preliminary esti-
mate for 1959 was $15,725,-
000,000. (The total of all for-
eign investments in Canada in
1958 was $18,990,000,000
which means that the U.S.
had 76% of it.)

Other! sources state that in!
1960, U.S. investment here |
reached a total of $17 billions. |

A news report (Vancouver
Sun, Dec. 12, 1960) says that
more than one third of all
U.S: investments abroad are
in Canada.

It should be born in mind
that the $17 billions of U.S.
investment here is by no

means all U.S. capital that was

Labor Board turns down
lronworkers certification

The application ofr -certifi-
cation by Canadian Ironwork;
ers Local No. 1 for a majority
of the structural ironworkers

|in B.C. was turned down by
the
| Board this week. :

B.C. Labor- Relations

In a ruling that stands in 2
class of its own for audacity
the board ruled (1) Ironwork-

|ers Local.No. 1 does not con-
to the}
harmful effects for Canadian |

stitute a union under the Act.
This in spite of the fact that
the same board. had _. earlier
granted several certifications
to the Local. (2) Notwithstand-
ing this, the board ‘is satisfied
that a majority of the em-
ployees were not at the date of
application members in good
standing of the applicant.

Officials of the Canadian
Ironworkers Union point out
that at the time of their appli-
cation for certification they
had more than 65% in all
cases, and in some, 100% of
the .workers in question as
members in good standing of
their -union:

the outside..On the contrary,
in the period from 1946-1950,"
40% of the U.S. investment
in U.S. controlled companies
was generated in Canada from
the use of Canadian labor and
resources.

This $17 billions has been
invested in our basic indus-
tries — manufacturing, pulp
and paper, metals and mining,
iron and steel, oils and pipe-
lines, utilities, chemical, auto-
mobile, merchandising, etc.

U.S. interests control 44%
of our manufacturing (includ-
ing 89% of our rubber, 43%
of pulp and paper, 41% of ag-
ricultural machinery, 95% of
automobiles and parts, 64% of
electrical. aparatus and 51%
of chemicals.) They also con-
trol 71% of our petroleum
and: natural gas, 66% of the
smelting and refining of non-
ferrous native ores, and 45%

{ of other mining.

January 13, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 7

ANNUAL ALL-SLAV CONCERT

Featuring Songs, Music and Dances of
Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Yugoslavia

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 8 p.m.

TICKETS AVAILABLE at: Theatre Box Office,
People’s Co-op Store, 307.W. Pender St.; Ukrainian

Hall, 805 E. Pender; Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Av. -
Sponsored by Van. Br. Canadian Slav Committee

‘