sis li iii ed oe a ee, Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Into Defense Industries —U.S. Daily World EDITORIAL Monopoly vs people Tadic W.A. C. Bennett is not the first reactionary politician to try to make or perpetuate a career by using the “‘red”’ or ‘‘Marxist’”’ bogey. It has often been said that if you scratch a red-baiter you’ll find a demogogue underneath. Usually those who resort to red- baiting do so to cover up real issues and to exploit fear as a weapon of politics. That WAC has sunk so low only illustrates 2 the desperation he must feel about the upcoming election. There is, of course no bogey about Marxism. Marxist ideas are today accepted by hundreds of millions of people in all corners of the world as the most liberating and creative concept for the building of a new society. Bennett knows that the NDP is far from being a Marxist Party. It’s program is a reform program which contains some things the people of B.C. want in the way of progressive legislation. But no NDP government has ever brought in socialism, nor have social democratic governments elected in . other -countries over many years ever basically changed ~ society. They have always ended up just trying to reform capitalism. ‘ But why should Bennett resort to this crude red-baiting trick? Fear of the people? Yes. But also because he desperately wants to avoid debate on the real issue. _ = The real issue on August 27 is monopoly versus the people. Se How are the big foreign and Canadian conglomerates, ‘which have fastened their tentacles on every aspect of B.C. life and are sucking the wealth of the province dry, going to be curbed and brought under public control? How are these monopolies going to be compelled to come across with some of the fabulous profits they are making exploiting our resources to pay for many of the social services B.C. needs? How are we going to wrest back control of resources already alienated under 17 years of Socred rule, and use these resources to build modern processing industries in B.C.? These are the real issues in this election. 4 The reason why Bennett has called the election at this time, when there will be minimum debate during the summer holidays, is because he wants a mandate for another four years to continue handing over our province to the big monopolies. He is worried that worsening economic conditions this fall and winter with consequent mass unemployment and labor’s projected big struggles next year for decent wages and conditions may lessen his chances if he waited another year. His attempt to throw out the smokescreen of ‘‘Marxist socialism” and his pretence to defend ‘‘the welfare of the working people’’ are pure demogogy. His Bill 33 was aimed to serve the monopolies and to shackle labor. It’s no accident that many of the top echelon of big business have come out for the re-election of the Socred government. People like H. R. McMillan and J. V. Clyne know which side Bennett is on. They know his talk about “‘the welfare of the working people’ is pure hogwash. : The big business establishment which wants Bennett back in office has formed an Employers’ Council whose declared aim is to lower the wage standards of B.C.’s working people. And they are relying on the Socreds to help them. The Socred government is the government of privilege and profit. B.C.’s best interest will be served on August 27 by ending its long reign in B.C. Seas ON Noose ‘Pacitic Tribune ‘West Coast edition, Canadian Tribune Editor—TOM McEWEN — Associate Editor—MAURICE RUSH Published weekly at Ford Bidg., Mezzanine No. 3, 193 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone 685-5288. Subscription Rate: Canada, $5.00 one year; $2.75 for six months. North and South America and Commonwealth countries, $6.00 one year. All other countries, $7.00 one year.” eae : ; Second class mail istration number 1560, OSES SSS SS SSS SSN GUST 1, 1969—PAGE.2 _ a Y. MOTTON TTT? ‘Enforce building by-laws’ By ALD. HARRY RANKIN Vancouver’s building by-laws are either inadequate or they are not being enforced in the construction of apartments. That is the only conclusion I can come to after receiving reports from qualified carpenters and from tenants on_ building practices employed in a large group of apartments in the east end built by one firm of real estate promoters. . Our building by-laws are based on the residential standards set out in the National Building Code of Canada. The code sets out detailed regulations governing every aspect of residential construction including grades of lumber unit stress loads and required window space. If faithfully followed and enforced they are adequate to ensure safe and _— sound construction meeting modern health and comfort require- ments. But this code is certainly not being adhered to in the construction of all apartments in the east end of the city. I have received reports that the poorest and cheapest grades of lumber are being used, far below those demanded by the building code. Poor lumber plus bad building practices are violating unit stress load regulations. As a result we have apartments going up in which deterioration sets in almost immediately. The walls begin cracking, the floors slope at an alarming degree, floor boards heave, the roof leaks. ‘Instant slums” is what some of our tenants call these apartments. In at least one of these apart- ments a whole number of so- called ‘‘inside suites’? were constructed that have no windows whatsoever. When the tenants organization began raising hell and exposing this to the public, the owners hastily knocked out a section of the bottom part of the wall facing the inside hallway, hung a curtain over it and called it a window. Yet these suites (first classed as one bedroom suites and now reclasified as bachelor suites) rent at rates only $10 less than the other suites. Three steps at least are required to correct this situation. Firstly, if our building by-laws are inadequate and permit lower standards than those set out in the national building code, or if the staff of the building inspection department is inadequate, these matters should be drawn to the attention of City Council so we can_ take corrective action. Secondly, City Council must demand the strict enforcement of its building by-laws governing apartment construction. Where complaints are received, even after construction is completed, apartments should be inspected all over again and the owners required to make all changes necessary to guarantee safe, healthy and comfortable living quarters for tenants. Lastly, all building contractors should be required to put up a performance bond, up to 10 percent of the cost of the project, which will be subject to forfeit if city building by-laws and good building practices ar violated. i wh eis * 5 rer es 4 “In his 1969 Budget speech, Premier Bennett claims that during the 16% years of Socred administration we have moved to a ‘have’ province. “This is true for the giant monopolies that dominate this Province. They have never ‘had’ it so good. Bennett’s bountiful endowments to the lumber monopolies in the form of forest management licenses is the equivalent to issuing a licence to make money. “Profits have never been higher — lumber prices have never been higher. This really is a ‘have’ Province if you happen to be one of the monopolies controlling our natural re sources. “What are some of the other benefits of living in a. ‘have’ Province. Well, we now have beaches we can’t swim in, hospitals we can’t get into schools in which our children can go to— in shifts. In New Westminster we are recipients of one of Mr. Bennett’s doubtful benefits where he proposes to ‘phase out’ the Royal Columbian Hospital to the point where it would become = Need new approach t0 hospitals says Turner The Socred government’s attitude towards providlt sufficient hospital accommodation to meet the needs the people is one that has no parallel in Canada. Thousands of our citizens are denied even the minimum hospital care, while acute cases that require constant nursing attention . and specialized treatment are left to shift for themselves. No program is in force in B.C. that provides facilities for medical training and research through a centralized administration. These points were made by William Turner, Communist party candidate for Burnaby- Edmonds in the August 27th, provincial election, speaking to an election meeting this week. “If there is a reason why the Bennett government must go it is because of their callous, disregard of the _ people’s demands for adequate hospital facilities. The boasts of Bennett hide the fact that thousands of citizens on the Lower Mainland cannot avail themselves of hospital care,” said Turner. He pointed out that ‘‘an estimated figure of an additional 2,000 beds will have to be made available to provide for the immediate demand for hospital admissions. Double this number will be required to take care of ELECTION NEWS Doran hits Socred — hospitals policy Hitting out at the Socred government’s hospital policy, whic! aims to put the burden of the hospital crisis on municipa homeowners, Rod Doran, New Westminster Communist candidate q this week released the following statement: ‘ “deprived of training facilities. hospital ; to the Provincial Legislature. merely a ‘referal’ hospital “Tt seems that the more We” become a_ Socred ‘have ™ Province, the less there is in the | form of services to the people The Royal Columbian Hospital 5 — a vital necessity to NeW | Westminster and adjacent area | and should be expanded to full)” cover the need for hospital” facilities in this area. “At present there is a waitiNb | list for surgery at the Royal Columbian, St. Marys, and Surrey hospitals at a constall rate of 3,000. This ‘have Province of B.C. is rated No. ey Canada in the provision ? | facilities by | Standards ~ Canadian~ Hospital Association. . “Bennett’s solution to fs, hospital crisis through te creation of Hospital Districts ® to place a crushing financl’ burden on the Municipal Gove!” ment. “The way to ensure that th fight against monopoly control? our Province is vigorous continued is to elect Commuls’ | and other progressive candidat a ‘the demand over the next fiv years.” Stressing the plight of ott senior citizens who % particularly affected, Turn! : condemned the attitude of ")— government in its failure a provide facilities for the caré acute cases. ‘Outside the cil Vancouver nothing exists provide for these people, ‘ stated. the ‘“‘A halt must be made t0 oa Socred policy of small ‘‘cottae” type” hospital units. In Burn@™ New Westminster, and suit regions there is a crying need tt | a centralized medical centl® ,, | is urgently required to prov’) training for medical staf} would serve as a centre research and should be equipped as to carry out most - delicate types operations, such as surgery,’’ he concluded. = of eat The four centre featvl pages of this week’s iss” of the Pacific Tribune ar taken from the U. S. D4!