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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1953

Continued from page 1

Week in the House

favorable public reaction. The

cial tax agreement. Already tax

anaimo paper flops in attemp
o incite violence at peace rally

NANAIMO, B.C.

The Nanaimo Free Press suffered a signal defeat in its
attempt to incite violence at the meeting addressed by Dr.
James G. Endicott in Oddfellows Hall here last Friday
night. Three hours before the ‘“Cease-Fire In Korea Now”’
rally opened the paper hit the streets featuring a front-page
item in blackface type announcing that two busloads: of
Victoria Junior Chamber of Commerce members were on their
way to the meeting. These young business men, it stated, “are
not friendly to the doctor” and predicted: “Anything can happen.”
What actually happened was that the Victoria businessmen
listened with interest to Dr. Endicott’s speech, and many went
away convinced that they could agree with some, if not all of his
proposals on how to maintain peace and prevent the war in Korea

royalty tax on logging and min-
ing, many years overdue, will be
popular. The new method of
school financing introduced a
long demanded principle of
equalization of school taxation.
It will ease the acute crisis which
has hit many smaller municipali-
ties, such as Salmon Arm where
there was a school strike last
year. At the same time, it must
be noted that it will lay the basis
for a future crisis in the faster-
growing, bigger cities.

Lifting of the Sales Tax ex-
emption on meals from 50 cents
to $1 and the 10 percent cut in
auto license fees (in 1954), while
only costing government revenues
an estimatd million dollars, will
be widely acclaimed.

Chief criticism to be levelled at
the new budget is that it still
leaves far too much of. the tax
burden on the wage earners, low
income groups and_ pensioners.
Revenues. based on an estimated

return of 19.2 percent from sales

tax, 14.2 percent from auto lic-
ense and gasoline tax, 12.3 per-
cent liquor tax, are both a highly
vulnerable source in light of eco-
nomic perspectives and grossly
unfair in their imposition.

With a very conservative esti-
mate of probable increased rev-
enues above the estimates, and
with a vaunted $7,500,000 surplus,
the government should be asked
why it did not reduce if not elim-
inate the sales tax; do-away with
BCHIS co-inSurance charges or
roll-back hospital insurance pre-
miums to their former levels.

Although estimated government
spending has been reduced by only
$835,000, ‘a number of notable
cuts have been projected by the
Social Credit. government. Among
these are:

Social Welfare Branch field ser-
vice, $123,456; Adult Education
and Pro-Rec, $92,203; Public Lib-
rary Commission (mainly Van-
couver and Victoria Public- Lib-
rary grants), $47,038; Metropoli-
tan Public Health services, 87,000;
Division of Venereal Disease con-
trol, $11,638; Provincial Parks
Branch, $132,000 (despite the fact

‘that two big new parks hawve been

added to this department).

Still another important step,

: particularly when the province’s

economy is gravely threatened by
declining markets, is discontinua-
tion of the post of British Trade
Commissioner, $6,672. :
* *. Ky
_ The new industry tax will take
10 percent. of the profits from
logging with a basic $25,000 ex-
emption. The mining tax has been
boosted from 4 percent (exemp-
tien $5,000) to 10 percent, also
with an exemption of $25,000.
In addition, a Natural Re-
sources Tax of one percent of the
assessed market value of timber
and pulp: leases, berths .and lic-
enses to discourage speculation on
Crown Grant lands, is planned for

1954-5.

Finally, Finance Minister Einar
Gunderson has projected the re-
opening of the Dominion-Proyin-

expert Carl H. Goldenberg has

been retained and remedial steps.

‘are promised to end restrictions
on the province’s taxing rights as
far as industry is concerned.

Big business lobbies,” always
present to keep a ‘‘watching brief”
on the legislature, were consider-

‘ably augmented on introduction

of the budget. Now pressure is
being exerted to stall the new
profits tax. A loud ery has gone
up for a Royal Commission. Pre-
mier Bennett's statement this
week that he is considering this
proposal is itself
cause concern.

Finance Minister Gunderson in
his budget address stated clearly:
“We are satisfied that this prov-
ince is not getting an appropriate
return for the -utilization and
alienation of many of its natural
assets. It is true that we have
the power—and propose to exer-
cise it—to apply a tax on the in-
‘come of basic logging and increase
that on mining operation, but by
the very terms of the clause, we
are severely restricted, and will
not receive that return which is
justified.”

The government is right. It
should not be deterred by the
clamor of a few powerful indus-

_trialists who have not been, and

as Gunderson himself states are
not yet paying their rightful share
of government costs. A quick
and vigorous reaction from the
vast majority of the people who
will benefit materially from the

new royalty tax is needed immed: —

jately. Make your voice heard in
Victoria! | ;

sufficient to

from spreading,

During.a lively question period following Dr. Endicott’s ad-
dress the questions shot at the Canadian Peace Congress chairman
showed that some of the Victoria visitors genuinely desired further
information on the peace movement, while others were more in-
terested in trying to lead the speaker into political debate.

“The majority of mankind be-
lieve the killing in Korea should
be stopped,” Dr. Endicott said.
“In the protracted truce negotia-
tions agreement has been reached
on 62 of 63 points.”

A cease-fire in Korea would re-

strain such; hotheads as John Fos-
ter Dulles, said the speaker, and
the benefits of world peace would
be immediately reflected in world
trade.

“China’s commodity markt is
far greater than’ reported,” he
continued. “Some 300 million
peasants who previously owned
nothing now have land, and fol-
lowing this year’s harvest will each
have at least $100 (in Canadian
or American currency values) to
spend ‘on personal goods, which
People’s China is not yet in a po-
sition to produce. This, in itself,
is a considerable available market
for’ our surplus consumer goods.”

Grain Workers accept

As the strike of 250 Grain
Workers Union members neared
the end of its second week, the
union announced that it has ac-
cepted an offer of J. L. Phelps,
chairman of the Interprovincial
Farm Council’s Union, to medi-
at the dispute here.

At the same time, the union hit
out at A. T. Baker, vice-president
of Alberta Wheat Pool, who
charged the strike could plunge
the prairie provinces into a de-

pression.
“When Alberta Wheat Pool
displays so much concern for

prairie farmers we suspect their _

Saturday ‘Cease Fire in Korea’ Day

,

coast.

28 as “Cease-Fire in Korea Day” and volunteers w:

farm head as mediator

officers of shedding crocodile

tears,” said the union statement..
“The union. states categorically
that the raise asked need not be
passed on to the farmer for in
spite of any raise the companies
will make higher profits than they
did Jast year. Last year ‘profits
of the elevators were the highest
on record,”

Strikers want a 12%-cent hour-
ly pay boost plus other conces-
sions. (Operators of the five
strike-bound elevators want to
“lyold the line’ on wage and re-

new 1952 contracts.

It is cold and miserable in the front line trenches in Korea, and the Canadian soldiers (above) face
death daily. An immediate cease-fire would not on ly lessen the danger of the Korean war spreading, but
would ensure that these boys return home alive. The Canadian Peace Congress has proclaimed February
ill distribute leaflets in cities and towns from coast to

ERIC MARTIN
What election assurances ;
did he give?

P ro-Rec :
slash hit —
by NFLY

: son 46 oe
A determined campaign 1 x
province?

der way throughout the :
to save the Pro-Rec moveli ag
jeopardized by the 50 nee
slash in its grant imposed by
Bennett government. ee
‘Trade unions, youth and er
organizations, PTA and oaing ote
groups are* already bombar ie
the government with thet pies
mands for restoration of the 305
Ree grant, reduced from ee .
to $74,768 in estimates tablegiae:
the legislature last week. 3 me

Protest meetings held if: card
city during the past week att

charges that provincial ae
Minister Eric Martin, 0o?© had
bookkeeper for the Pro-Ree, lec
given assurances during arte
tion campaign last year t ould
Social Credit government Me
double the Pro-Rec grant “
The government’s action to
slashing the grant is likely oe

$
force abandonment of classé

cept where community ae ii
- them.
prepared to finance # gtratio®

1951-52 there was a regi ;
of 17,695 in 244 centres 40 :
564 in 12 community centres: at

“Stating that the govern
can make no more false ocr nich
than curtailing a movement by
provides young people with ge.

tion,” Ernie Lawrie, PYOW og
leader of the National his
of Labor Youth, announce® 7...
week that he would press 7 pro’
toria for restoration of t° —

Rec grant.

He said he would pre 4
brief to the government this”
ing week outlining NFL
posals for employment,
ticeship, education and re

esent e :

said: il be
“The hardest hit of all ¥" peor
the several thousand jun} he

spending their time in ein
on the streets..We cert can
tend to do everything W® ont
prevail upon the governl :
reconsider its decision.

1
PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FEBRUARY 27, 1953 — pAGE