HORIZONS ali DIALOGUES at a Student Christian meet By ALF STENBERG Saskacoon was the scene of , the Student Christian Move- ment’s Christmas conference Dec. 27 to Dec. 31 Three hund- red students and young people gathered to discuss such topics as “Peacekeeping In an Armed and Disarmed World”, “Inter- national Aid and Assistance”, “Student Social Action” and “Christian Presence In a Com- munist State.” The central speaker at the conference was Albert van den Heuval, editor of “Risk”, quar- terly bulletin of the Youth De- partment of the World Council of Churches. He developed the concept of “Horizons”: Man must have a view of whence he has come and where he is going. From time to time he must redefine his “horizon”. and restate his goals in the light of experience and developments in the world. Man is now going through such a period of reappraisal. -And just as it is incumbent upon people of various points of view to redefine their goals and objectives, so too the rapid changes the world has seen in recent times demand that the Christian reexamine his’ own point of view. The call for such Beware of the big double-cross! HE forthcoming 27th Session - of Canadian Parliament faces some hot new issues. Will it meet the challenge? Much will depend on the ability of or- ganized labor to counter the drive by big business monopoly to promote selfish gains for it- self at the expense of labor and popular needs. In the field of foreign affairs, the United States’ dangerous war of aggression in Vietnam, the intrigues within NATO to supply West Germany with nu- clear weapons, the great urgen- cy- of moving towards disarm- “ ament and peaceful coexistence, spell out the need for an inde- pendent Canadian foreign policy. Balance-of-payment problems and inflationary pressures flow from monopoly control — both Canadian and U.S. — and pro- _ “fiteering at the expense of the working people. These are the : obstacles to more balanced eco- nomic growth, which make the _ talk about a “war on poverty” actually a cover up for the con- tinuous spread and Sesening of poverty, _ What is required is a new a reexamination was the essence of Van den Heuval’s speech. Of considerable interest at the conference was the partici- pation of Milan Opocensky, a lecturer in systematic theology in the Commenius Faculty in Prague. Opocensky, a promin- ent Czech Protestant theologian, issued a forceful plea for the development of a ‘“Marxist- Christian dialogue.” Such a dialogue would be of considerable benefit to both the Christian and the Marxist, he said. Marxists have displayed a fresh desire to develop their ‘ap- in Saskatoon proach to the problem of man and his relations with his so- ciety and his development. Here the Christian has something to offer. The Christian, on the other hand, has begun to show more concern for the development of society and its influence on man. Here the Marxist view is of some importance, particular- ly the concept of social revolu- tion and in the critique of capi- , talist society and imperialism. * * * The SCM conference was fol- lowed by a three-day federal council meeting of the Student Union for Peace Action.. The meeting, open to all SUPA mem- bers and observers, was attend- ed by about 65 people. Following lengthy discussion on the internal workings of the organization, the council agreed to investigate the feasibility of . a major action in.Ottawa on the war in Vietnam. Such action would include a week-long seige of the House of Commons dur- ing the last week in February. It would involve a lobby, a vigil and possible civil disobe- dience. The object would be to win passage of a resolution de- claring an independent position for Canada on the Vietnam war. LABOR SCENE by BRUCE MAGNUSON economic policy based on the extension of public ownership and control, with planned eco- nomic growth to meet rapidly growing needs. : * * * The technological revolution raises the need for public con- trol in a new way, including the need for public licensing of com- puters and automated processes. Job security, transfers to new jobs without loss of earnings and at the employers’ expense, payment for retraining, plans for. community re-development in which people are called on to take a full part — all these call for legislative action to open up the doors to progress. Many of the problems in- volved were. highlighted in 1965 by such events as the oil work- ers strike and the threat of a general strike in British Colum- bia, and by Mr. Justice Freed- man’s report on how to deal with the CNR _ run-throughs which would” eliminate jobs, homes and whole communities. In fact, the very essence of the Freedman report challenges the now four-year-old MacPherson plan, which would give a free hand to such private monopo- lies as the CPR to abandon rail services and jobs and raise rates, Feat itagOs.b, 34 5c SD side : his uncomplicated life. it and began to play. knees, “Yes, that’s true.” J. S$ Wallace After I said-and I said I read and reread Hoping to find there the scent Of my inmost intent I ended by shaking my head, I hadn’t quite said what I meant. Where did_I falter? I think I should have used blood And not ink. NEW Directions half a dozen years ago John Bi passed along a story told him by Karl Almegaard. A Czech musician, who was not quite good endl, bought a,boat and sailed from fishing port to fishing P playing to small audiences but at smaller expense. Once when following the coast of Iceland, a ful storm came up. He took refuge from it in a lighth where the keeper made him welcome with a simple ™ After they had eaten the musician offered his tob' pouch but the keeper refused: he didn’t need tobact' He had been born on the lighthouse 83 years ago had never been off it. The only woman he had ever § was his mother. He didn’t know what music was and curious about the musician’s violin case. The latter op® He played Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata to the roaf © the winds, the thunder of the waves against the lightho!” base and the flashing of the light on the black clouds ° the night. Under the inspiration of the circumstances played beyond himself, almost like an Oistrakh. The lighthouse keeper, work-carved hands resting on listened without a -stir until the music stopp® Thirty seconds went by and then he said: Over all kinds of kittens I can make a fuss But I never, never, never pet an Octopus So Octopussy in the bottom of the sea Has tears in his eyes when he talks of me. by sid Bre all without consultation with labor or the communities affec- ted. The most effective way to deal with this now, would be to ‘nationalize the CPR and thus open the way for complete re- organization of the railway transport system. This could be extended later to other trans- port areas to meet the needs of a,developing country. It is clear that at this session of Parliament, the Freedman re- port must have priority consi- de-aiion, Failure to legislate is- sues now within the context of that report would be a betrayal of railway labor communities. involved as well as of all labor.’ Such a double-cross by old-line party politicians can only be thwarted if labor asserts itself to prevent it. Db ete * The promised legislation to permit collective bargaining and the right to strike for civil serv- ants is another priority item for this Parliament. me Kk. * Among the important items of unfinished business: January 21, cr Site (rig ob oy 1 966—PACIFIC TRIBUNE— —the three-year old Gill port on unemployment ance which, if enacted, wo raise contributions, cut pet? over a shorter payment P° and then place the unemp on the dole subjected to a ™ test; called the Canada Assist Plan; —the problems of hou! rising taxes and rents, interest rates, rising prices: —the need for a uni comprehensive, govern™ operated medicare plan lines recommended by the Royal Commission. * * * _ These are among the most) portant issues facing Parli i, : this year — issues that at prime: concern to labor. the influence of labor is st! er inside this Parliament, imperative that the labor ™ ment keep a watchful ey’ Ottawa from the outside as This in the long run m even more decisive in pf! circumstances.