| COMMUNIST VIEWPOINT:

Can humanity survive

environment time-homb?

fp vation of the environment is
he arp concern to growing num-
ne of people. For this reason
eee roc Tribune is pub-
3 Ing excerpts from a very
ae book on the subject by
a Hall, general-secretary of
€ United States Communist
pee and presidential candi-
ate in this year’s election.
* OKO
a environmental time bomb
€ing constructed.
€ genetic mechanism
pe lling the hereditary pro-
by be is being re-programmed
oi ind forces. Radiation and
< Pe aeation may result in an
cane of abnormalities and
ees in the generations
will follow.
ante Is a crisis because in
ae of the really dangerous
vane the invisible accum-
* hie may stand revealed only
: point of no return.
: Tie c a crisis because in the
eth tates and in the rest of
if feist world, we are
Givin: with the problem of the
‘ wie. within an
syste ed social and economic
Biince dominated by a class
nrofite Policy is maximum
ree regardless of human
2a is a Crisis because the
Romane policy of monopoly
ja that is expressed in
tease which led to the brutal
reflectae at My Lai, is
oe €d in its basic policy
ard the environment.
talism IS a crisis because capi-
i Is not motivated by
an needs or desires.
life pe ction of all forms of
aca ae is not going to take
even a IS year or the next or
art uring this decade. This
» 10Wever, should not lead to

Complacen
cy abo
of a solution” ut the urgency

€ processes now in motion

(0) Carr . s .
Noreturn. them a point of
: = as problem is also immed-
tess aa Ollution is causing sick-
a
sini death rate caused by
tion is increasing.
a well be that human
aaa will reach the point
exist aay Can detach itself and
living ay the support of other
Sibilit things. But such a pos-
ewirens M Serious trouble if the
ahaha of all living things
Sfohe.1 © man- is destroyed
an technology and science
‘ @ ech heights . fo
oe Crisis of the environment
Valueg everyone to re-examine
a tables of priorities and
Crisis § range outlook. Thus the
S0cia} as emerged as a new
which and political problem
other ~ Interwoven with all
broble Scial and economic

intelligent’ solution cannot be

Soci

Kamins, ¥., CXPlained without
nee It within the struc-
Patchw Society. In the long run

rk solutions are not

Sing t
the eee the challenge of

ollint:
serve and the need to pre-
ave b livable environment
Class aoe an issue in the
heavieg 8gle. The pollution is

and live. Where workers work

In keeping with their

d death now. With each -

inherent nature, capitalist
corporations refuse to take any
responsibility for the pollution
which they originate. They go to
any lengths to cover up their
guilt. The corporations are for
doing something about the pollu-
tion if it does not in any way
affect their rate of profit. When
questions of their responsibility
are raised they respond by threat-
ening to close down the plants
and move to new locations. Or
they demand tax gifts in order to
protect profits. . .

Ecology has been seized upon
as an issue by the political
demogogue. It is another issue
about which it is easy to make
big promises with no intentions
of ever doing anything.
Frequently this takes the form of
governmental policing agencies
whose control is handed over to
the polluters.

Capitalism is a doomed
system. It is on its way out.
Capitalisms record of social
responsibility is very thin
indeed. This, its imperialist,
last stage of development is

totally devoid of even pretenses -

of social responsibility. The void
is being filled more and more by
the working class. It is the
working class that now shoulders
the social and public interests.
This shift in class responsibility
shows up in attitudes to the
present and future of society.
Capitalism behaves as if the
future of human society is unal-
terably bound to its decaying
and dying system. The only thing
that concerns it is the maximum
profits of today.

The working class does not tie
either its own future or the
future of human-society to,the
declining destinies of capi-
talism. That is why the working
class is the force to replace capi-
talism with a system that has a
future. That is why the working
class has a different attitude to
problems and processes that
are putting into question the
future of human society. They
want to produce a livable
environment in which to build a
decent social order. That is why
as a class they are the main
force for socialism. One should
not get side-tracked by the
demagogues or the corporate
maneuvers. Ecology is a class
issue.

There is a crisis quality to
most problems rising from
present day reality. There is a
crisis quality to the current
moment in history. Human
society is passing through a
revolutionary transition from
one economic and social order to
another. This crisis is a reflec-
tion of the scope and nature of
this transition.

Civilization has passed through
other periods of transition, but
this is a transition with a quali-
tative difference.

Capialism is the last of the
social and economic systems in
which production is motivated
by private profit. In a socialist
society no one gets rich by
exploiting others. This transi-
tion opens up a wholly new path
for human development. That is
why this changeover is so
explosive. That is why the

moment has a crisis quality
about it.

The new levels of science and
technology always fire the
boilers of a transition. But they
also have always provided tools
of combat.

The boilers of the changeover
have developed a heavy head of
steam. Science and technology

have taken a qualitative leap:.

With the new technology has
come 2 qualitative leap in the
means of destruction. Human
society has come to a cross-
roads. It can now provide abun-
dance for all, or it can now
destroy every living thing.
Nuclear, chemical and bacteri-
ological stockpiles can now kill
every living thing 100 times over.
For the first time the human
race is forced to consider the
difficult question: How can it
proceed with social progress,
with the transition to a higher
social order without a nuclear
disaster? The struggle against
nuclear war of course must be
placed in an overall framework.
Human society will not accept a
status quo. It is rejecting values
and priorities based on exploita-
tion and private profits. It will
not accept imperialist oppres-
sion as a way of life. The
struggle for social progress will
go on. The transition to a new

: economic and social system will

not wait. This struggle must now
be joined with the struggle
against a nuclear war. This only
adds a new dimension to the
crisis quality of the moment.

The struggle against both
nuclear and environmental
disaster are closely linked. The
root causes are the same. The
lineup of class and political
forces on both sides are the
same. They are critical
problems peculiar to this
moment of transition.

* OK

What we are facing in the
environment crisis is not just
another problem, but a
qualitatively different one. The
basic solutions are not to be
found in old concepts, or even
stopgap measures, as important
are they are. New problems
require a radically new
approach.

Throughout history, science
and technology have broken
through old social and political
frameworks. The then existing
social systems became road-
blocks to further progress. The
present break-through in science

and technology has created a_

The above illustration is from Gus Hall's Ecology: Can We Survive Under

Capitalism? It is one of many in the book which were done by noted ,

artist Anton Refregier.

more formidable obstacle than
a roadblock. It has brought with

it the serious danger of wiping

out all forms of life on this
planet.

It is possible to postpone the
problem of dealing with a road-
block. It is not possible to
postpone indefinitely dealing
with a problem that challenges
the very existence of life.

The challenge of the crisis is
not an abstraction. It is not
nature that is poisoning the
atmosphere. The _ pollution
comes from scientific, concrete
processes of human activity. The
immediate crisis can be met
only by placing a ban or control
on these processes. The total

cost of cleaning the environ-_

ATLANTIC SHARK
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

Drawn by V. Chernikov
New Times

ment must come from corporate
profits.

To move on remedial action,
however, opens a key question
for consideration. How can
human society continue to use
the benefits of the technological
breakthrough while placing a
permanent and continuous
control over the negative
features resulting from these
processes? Economic and social
processes in a human society
have definite structural forms.
In the United States we are
dealing with the crisis of the
environment as it is related to
the system and structure of
capitalism.

Therefore, the most fundamen-
tal question facing the people is
whether controls can be placed
on the negative effects of the
technological revolution while
permitting capitalism to con-

tinue as an economic and social

structure...

** *

The solutions to problems
brought on by new technology is
not going back to the ‘‘good old
days.’’ Such ideas only create
illusions and apathy because
they are myths.

The task is to up-date human
society so it measures up to the

. hew level of technology. Going

back to the ‘‘good old days” is a

form of ‘‘cop out.’’
* * *

Ecology — Can We Survive

Under Capitalism, by Gus Hall,

available at the Peoples’ Co-
operative Bookstore, 341 West
Pender, in paperback edition;
illustrations are by famed artist

- Anton Refregier.

A benefit concert in aid of
the rebuilding of the Russian
Peoples’ Home will be held on
Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. at
the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
This international musical
program will feature dancers
and singers from the
Ukrainian, Yugoslav, _Chi-
‘nese and Russian com-
munities. The Bellman Male
Chorus and a representative
Doukhobor group from the
Kootenays will be among the
participating artists. Tickets
for the multi-cultural event

Q.E. benefit for Russian Hall

are available at the Van-
couver Ticket Centre, the
Dnipro Book Store, the Co-op
Bookstore and the Ukrain-
ska Knyha. .

It is three months since the
Russian Peoples’ Home of
Vancouver suffered an
unwarranted attack when a
dynamite explosion ripped
through the premises caus-
ing extensive damage. The
insurance coverage was
$25,000 but the damage to the
hall was in excess of $55,000.

On January 23rd members of
the community donated
$8,500 and since then another
$3,000 has been donated by
friends across Canada. How-
ever, there is still great need
for more money to repair the
damage.

_ The Federation of Russian
Canadians appeals to all
those interested in making a
donation to send-their contri-
bution to the Rebuilding Com-
mittee, 600 Campbell Ave.,
Vancouver 4, B.C.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1972——PAGE 3