Chilean Communists appeal for unity to defeat fascism; Pinochet bans CDP: SANTIAGO — The fascist junta outlawed the Christian Democratic Party on March 15, fearful of a united anti-fascist coalition which would include the CDP and Popu- lar Unity forces. This coalition had been urged by the Communist Party and other PUP forces (see following article) and would create the basis for uniting the mass op- position to the dictatorship. The junta’s action was a decree banning ‘‘all political parties, en- tities, groups, factions, movements with a political, character’. The Christian Democratic Party, headed by 1964-1970 president Eduardo Frei, was not previously banned outright, but its activities were ‘‘suspended”’. Pinochet recently also banned several newspapers and radio sta- a tions operated by the CDP. Citing an alleged ‘“‘plot’? between the CDP and the Communist Party, the junta has arrested several CDP leaders who have been charged with advocating a return to demo- cracy for Chile. The leadership of the Com- munist Party of Chile has released a document containing three central proposals to facilitate the | road to unity, to prevent further suffering by the Chilean people and to bring nearer the hour of victory. The document states that Popu- lar Unity alone cannot re- establish democracy. Nor is the Christian Democratic Party in a position to do so; and although there is still much that divides them, there is much more which unites these two sections of the people who represent the vast majonty of the nation. It points out that to restore democracy the unity of both sectors is in- dispensable. The Chilean Communist Party points out that the defeat of fas- cism is not a matter of days; when this can be achieved, depends on Canada welcomes you! In the latest round of oppression Pinochet has banned all political parties, groups, factions or movements of a political character. the unity, the organization and struggle of the democratic and popular forces. Therefore, the Communist Party states that al- though certainly the communists think that in the last analysis socialism offers Chile the possibil- ity of real social justice, this is not the goal at present. . The great objective of today is overthrow the fascist junta and to create a new democratic govern- ment. The CP reaffirms that in due time the country will take the path of socialism in accordance with the majority will of the people, further developing democracy and maintaining polit- ical pluralism. THE THREE PROPOSALS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY First proposal: Act unitedly to overthrow the dictatorship. The declaration points out that if the Christian Democrats and the Popular Unity agree only to put an end to the dictatorship this would be a very important fact, and it should be concretized. Once this has been done the coun- try would have to decide its future and elect its rulers on democratic lines, although no previous agreement had been reached be- tween the Christian Democrats and the Popular Unity. Second proposal: Seek a con- sensus allowing for the construc- tion of a new democracy. The CP feels that the Christian Democrats and the Popular Unity will be able to agree on the political system which will come afterwards. If this is not done, the country would seek the path ahead, but the Communist Party states that it would be better to work now to | seek this path. * Third proposal: Set up a gov- - ernment with all anti-fascist forces represented. The Com- munist Party points out that anew government representative of the great majority of the nation, i.e., based on the unity of Christian Democrats and the Popular Un- ity, would be the one having the best conditions to successfully carry out the great tasks of the future, acting in accord with the sentiments of the majority of thé population and guaranteeing the necessary unity of the Chileans. TO BUILD UNITY OVER ALL OBSTACLES The Communist Party calls therefore for the development of tenacious, patient and daily work among the masses and in close contact with all democratic sec- tors in order to build up anti- fascist unity in the course of broad struggle. This is the only way to topple the dictatorship, achieve liberty, restore democracy and put Chile once more on the path of social progress. The Communist Party of Chile points out in its statement some- thing which should not be forgot- ten by anyone with responsibility in the political or social field in Chile today and which the work- ing class and the Chilean people know very well: that hunger, un- employment, low wages and rep- ression do not make outstanding politicians and that therefore it is indispensable today to have understanding of all those who suffer, all those who thirst for jus- tice, all those who love freedom. _ By ALFRED DEWHURST Arrested for bribery, Shtem released by — Ukrainian co A Ukrainian court has release? — Mikhail Shtern on humanitarial grounds March 15 following 1 imprisonment in 1974. Shtern sentenced to eight years swindling and accepting oa and has been one of the so-callet “‘dissidents’’ whose case was Novosti press published an inter view with his brother who spam about the case: | ‘The fact that my brother has been proclaimed in the West asi person who is ‘suffering because of his convictions’ is pure now sense,’’ said Emmanuel Shterm,# retired economist-engineer. “l he has any convictions, it coul be a mania for acquisition a hoarding. As a doctor in the cil), of Vinnitsa he used a state med cal centre and his position as h of a polyclinic to obtain bribes from patients, forge medic documents and speculate if medicines. “During his trial, every applt cation and request by him or his defence counsel was met. For ex ample, the court agreed to the il” clusion of a doctor onto a com mission of forensic experts know ing he was a personal friend of my brother. \ | ‘Mikhail was sentenced {0 eight years. Under the articles the Criminal Code this was thé minimum term, they provide fo! . penalties from eight to 15 years: Accepting bribes and using one’$ official position for such,activities. is a serious crime in our country: “Yes”, concluded Emmanuel Shtern, ‘‘I am sorry for him as 4 brother, but not as a doctor or @ human being...” A new citizen of Canada writes: ‘*When I came to Canada from Italy 10 years ago I was speeded on my way by such slogans as Canada Welcomes You! . and Canada, the Land of Opportunity! Now I am out of work through no fault of mine, one of the more than one mill- ion jobless. At the present time immig- rants are not so welcome and immigra- tions regulations are much stricter. Why is this so?” First a general comment. Canada is a vast country richly: en- dowed with natural wealth but sparsely populated. It encompasses an area of 3,851,809 square miles. Its population numbers only 22.4 million (1974 figures). This is riduculously low for a country of this size. Canada could sus- tain a population five or more times this number at a standard of lfe comparable to the best in the world * * * There is an old saying that a coun- try’s real wealth consists of people. This is a truth which cannot be denied. One of Canada’s greatest needs is a much bigger population. We need more people to develop and to share its great natural resources. We need more people to help create a great internal (home) market based on independent economic development and _in- dustrialization. Every new immigrant is at once a builder of the country’s economy and a PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 1, 1977—Page 10 Marxism- Leninism i in Today’s World new consumer — a new customer at the marketplace to buy food, clothing, shel- ter, transportation and so on. Multiply one consumer by a million and the pos- sibilities for expanded industrialization and the creation of new jobs is self-evident. Canada’s immigration policy should _ reflect this basic requirement for the building of a great independent coun- try. Unfortunately this is not yet the case. Our population growth is manipu- lated by the monopolies to suit their chief aim which, at all times and under all circumstances, is the making .of maximum profit. * * * Equally unfortunate, the immigration policy followed by pliant successive governments is tailored to meet the profit aims of monopoly. Immigration is alternated from ‘‘open door’’ to ‘‘re- stricted’? in accordance with ‘the economic cycle and the needs of the labor market. When the economy is expanding the ‘‘open door”’ operates to fill the needs of the monopolies for cheap additional labor. Immigration, with its accom- panying language barriers combined with fomentation of racial prejudice, is a useful tool for employers to weaken *the unity and strength of the working- class movement. Thus, the ‘“‘open door’’ policy, while facilitating limited population growth, opens the door for the extraction of super-profits by the monopolies through discrimination in wages, working and living conditions of immigrant workers. * ke OK In periods of economic slump or crisis as is the case now, we have a ‘‘surplus’’ of manpower made up of the unskilled, the skilled, professionals and academics. At this time, as our corres- pondent points out, the ‘‘surplus’’ amounts to better than one million. Consequently, the authorities are com- pelled by political considerations to ‘‘restrict’’ immigration in order to make the “‘surplus’’ more manageable. While at the same time the monopolies strive to utilize the surplus manpower to bring further economic pressure upon those who are working, in other words, to force downward the incomes, living standards and working conditions of all workers — employed and unemployed. Not content with fastening the costs of the economic crisis onto the working people, the monopolies and govern-. ments blame the workers for creating unemployment because their ‘‘high”’ wages and ‘‘rising expectations’ are pricing Canada out of the world market, + thus causing cutbacks in production. If addition, the immigrants, encourage to come to this country through gov emment propaganda and by govern: ment agencies, are accused of taking the jobs of the older generations of immigrants. ee. This, of course, is not only nonsensé but is outright falsehood. Unemploy~ ment is not caused by workers, be they immigrants or native born. It is caused by capitalism and governmental. policies that serve the interests of thé capitalist monopolies. There is no unemployment in social- ist countries. In those countries economic expansion and_ industrial development consistenly run ahead of available manpower. This is so because the economy of the socialist countries iS planned by governments and staté bodies fhat represent the vital interests of the working people. Canada, too, can havea government that pursues economic and social policies serving the vital interests of the working people. Once the working class and democratic forces join to- gether and take political power in thei! own hands, our country will have 2 long-range policy on population growth and immigration geared to independent economic development, industrializa- tion, an expanding home market and jobs for all.