Parliamentary playboys By LESLIE MORRIS The antics at Ottawa resemble nothing more than a cir- cus, complete. with clowns and vaulting acrobats. The poli- ticians there assembled (the majority of whom are lawyers by profession) are making a farce of parliamentary democra-: cy. Although they proclaim the advantages of “our way of life’ their performances could not be better designed to dis- gust Canadians with parliament and parliamentarians. Should the citizens of this country someday decide that there is a better and more dig- nified way to govern, the defenders of the parliamentary talking shop would be the first to howl “subversion!” The Prime Minister (Deadline Diefen- baker,” Time calls him) plays cat and mouse with the electors. Now he runs to Quebec to see the governor general and has everyone agog waiting for the disso- lution of parliament; now he creates an atmosphere of excitement on a Friday, Leslie Morris with the Press Gallery filled with reporters ready to phone to their editors, only to chuckle at their disappointment when the House adjourns to. Monday. “e * Should the Liberals talk about a $75 contributory old age pension, the Tories come along with another $10 a month to bring it to $65, figuring that $10 on the nose is worth more than a Liberal promise; especially” when the latter added only a measly $6 when they were in office and on the eve of an election. Should the government stay with Cuban trade, also with an eye on some voters, the Liberals, with an.eye on other voters, raise cob with Cuban trade and see ih shipments of gunpowder for building Cuban roads a dire threat to Cana- . da’s safety. : a Meanwhile, the State goes on, regardless of the parlia- mentary playboys. Millions are filling out ‘their .wage-tax forms and the Income Tax Department, indifferent to. Lib- erals or Tories, carefully: scrutinizes them to see if John Plug has cheated the State by one cent. It is wrong to mix up Parliament and the State. The State is the policeman, the judge, the income tax official, the customs authorities, the defense department and its gen- erals, the Bank of Canada, the deputy-ministers who run the government of Canada and who do their job whether John D or Lester B. is prime minister; the top civil service officials who make thousands of administrative decisions every day, affecting us all, the diplomats and their top. staff members — in short, what the British call The Establishment, ‘the State and the State of Mind which defends the status quo, none of whom are elected by the voters. * * * Back of the State is the Oligarchy: that conglomeration of economic interests concentrated in financial institutions, banks and big corporations, which owns the country. In the case of Canada, there is a big contradiction be- tween the nationality of the State, which is mainly American —with the top Canadian monopolies, tied in with it so closely that what we have is a U.S.-Canadian oligarchy, one lump of Big Capital which owns and controls Canada. The value of the State and the Oligarchy, of John D. and Lester B., with their Flemings, Pickersgills, Martins, and Harknesses is that they give things the appearance of de- mocracy. Democracy is equated to talking, and the electors are given the opportunity of deciding which group they would like to have talking on the government side and which on the opposition side of the House. Which it is does not, under present conditions, make any real difference. The only thing that would make a difference would be if a majority, or a big group, of workers and farmers got into the House of Commons determined to change the poli- cies and the conditions of this country, The State and the}: Oligarchy would squeal no end; and preparations would he made (as we see now in British Guiana) to clean out democ- racy. But a real labor-farmer government would go ahead, regardless of that. * a * Meantime, the secret of the election date is with John D. and his closest advisors. What motivates him are not the unemployed, the issue of war or peace, our declining manu- facturing or our hard-pressed agriculture. He is concerned with that demagogy and trickery which could best serve the Tory party; Lester B. is similarly preoccupied, although the initiative lies with the government of the day. The elec- PEKING — On March the opening of the National No agenda has been an- nounced, but it is expected that one key report will be a draft 1962 national economic plan. At the last session Vice- China national congres to adopt economic plat By BERT WHYTE Pacific Tribune Correspondent. deputies will gather in the Great Hall of the People for organ of state power and law-making body of China. It will be the first NPC meeting since March, 1960. have been released. DECIDE ON PLAN The NPC has the final cision on all important ters affecting the life of nation. It will decide of approve the state budget financial report, and any changes in leading sonnel of the state it d necessary. : 5 more than 1,000 people’s People’s Congress, supreme HARVEST HIGHER The grain harvest in 1961 was reported to be slightly higher than in 1960, but no Chairman of the Peo? Premier Li Fuchun put for- figures were given. Even if the harvest totalled between 175-200 million tons, it would fall short of requirements. To be self-sufficient China needs 300 million tons of grain. Part of the deficit in 1961 was overcome by importing wheat and barley from Canada and Australia. The’ “aid to’ agriculture’ drive continues to operate in high gear. Industry is concen- trating on turning out a flood of machines and tools for the countryside. The communes themselves have changed; for better efficiency, many large communes have split in two. Instead: of the former 26,500 communes there are now pro- ward the 1960 plan; heavy industry fulfilled it in the main but agriculture lagged. i 2 In 1961 there # was no NPC meeting and no industrial or agricul- tural objec- tives were made public. It is un- likely that jars ‘any new BERT WHYTE “leap for- ward” pian will be unveiled at the Congress. Instead, 1962 will probably witness efforts to consolidate past gains, im- prove quality of industrial |of:the premier, 16 vice’ products, increase aid to ag- riculture _and.lay a_ solid foundation for advances on} bably twice. that number or more — though no figures ing committee is Chu Tel | Republic’ of China is Shao-chi. Vice-chairma® Soong Ching-ling Sun Yet Sen) and Tuné wu. : Chairman of the NPC The state council is mae* iers, 39 ministers and. men of commissioners 2 secretary general. Premier is Chou vice-premiers include _ Yun, Marchal Lin Piao, Tzu-hui, Marshal Ho 4 Marshal Chen Yi, Ulanft Fu-chun, Li Hsien-nien, ? sh al Nieh Jun-chen, 7% po, Tan Chen-lin, Lo Juit?) and Hsi Chung-hsen. all fronts in the future. City cP parley opens Saturday The Vancouver Convention of the Communist Party of Canada will be held this coming Saturday and Sun- day, March 3 and 4, at the Fishermen’s Hall, 138 E. Cor- dova Si. Expected to receive special consideration at the conven- tion are questions such as: rising municipal taxation due : : to. so-called. “streamlining” of l land assessments, Vancouver Women Ss Day To Be port facilities, the forthcom- Ma rked in NW ing Federal elections, and) other key questions. Enthusiasm is running high and a record number of dele- gates is expected. Registra- tion commences at 9 a.m. Saturday. : TO OUR READERS The PT staff regrets that chinery Thursday. cold plate supper. this week’s paper is one day later than usual. The delay is due to a changeover of ma- in the print shop which made it impossible to get the paper in the mail International Women’s Day will be marked in New West- minster on Sunday, March 11 at the Dreamland Dance Hall. 27 Church St. Guest speaker will be Winnipeg school trus- tee Mary Kardash. Proceed- ings start at 6:30 p.m. with a Scientist: "3 million " Hiroshimas possible” LONDON, Eng.—in > ing snow and bitter 6,000 people gathered ab falgar Square last Sund# protest against the jailing : six members of the Com!) tee of 100. Eighty-nine. year old rand Russell told the the British government “preparing global but Sir Robert Watson-Wa' ventor of radar, told the there were enough nt weapons .for three ml) Hiroshima’s. A resolution urgin9 , nuclear arms for Cat® was unanimously adoP by the P-TA in Creek, B.C., on Feb. MOST SPECTACULAR FILM It’s sensational too : Dates to remember - - Prt. I Sun., Mar. 4, 7 p.m. Prt. If Sun., Mar. 18, 7 p.m. | Prt. IM Sun., Apr. 1, 7 p.m. AND QUIET FLOWS THE DON. The epic based on Mikhail ; Sholokhov s Classic novel | starring Ellina Bystritska- ya and Pyoir Glebov. _ (Single showing only) _ RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME 600 Campbell Ave. tion could come at any time, and we must be prepared. WILLIAM STEWART Stewart named Communi: candidate inVan. South | “nominating meeting neld William Stewart, V: ver secretary of the © nist Party, was named 8 Party’s candidate in the# coming federal election§ Vancouver South on W! day, Feh. 28. Speaking at the mé Stewart indicated that campaign would be ce? around such vital que as: No nuclear weap0” Canada; expanded trad@ all countries (including socialist sector of the making Vancouver a port city; pushing Yan? fluence back to where ~. longs south of the 49t _ allel.