FLASHBACKS FROM THE COMMUNIST PRESS 50 years ago... FREE PRESS? _ Here is a little news that will solace the postal employees of the fact that they lost their strike largely through the oppo- sition of the kept press. The average cost of transport- ing newspapers in Canada is $3,500,000. The average revenue derived from carrying them is $1,300,000. The postal workers are paid a fraction of what they should get while carrying news- papers that pay a fraction of what they should pay. These papers, meanwhile, help crush the postal and other workers! Free press? * * * Department of Labor figures show a decline in labor union ‘members from 280,092 in 1923 to 260,643 in 1924. There are now 2,429 local union branches across the country. The Worker, May 23. 1925 25 years ago... TRIBUNES FOR FLOOD. VICTIMS Three thousands extra copies of the Tribune have gone to flood ravaged Winnipeg at the re- quest of our Tribune builders, now battling on the dikes of the Red and _ Assiniboine _ rivers. - Weary and exhausted from back- breaking labor and lack of sleep, the readers and friends of our paper will still find time to dis- tribute it. The Tribune will continue to ship weekly bundles of papers to the residents of Winnipeg for free distribution and will do its utmost to mobilize for effective government help to flood victims. The real story of the role of labor, its unions, mass organiza- tions and youth in the battle to save Winnipeg will be found only in the Tribune Make it your business to bring the true news and its lessons to your fellow citizens, The Tribune, May 22, 1950 Xi a détoral Comment... Salute to militant labor action! Solidarity with the workers of On- tario and Quebec! In actions on May 21 they have strengthened the fight-back of working people throughout Canada, faced with unemployment, inflation, a housing mess, and an all-out attack by the capi- talist system on labor and democratic rights. Ontario workers, in the mass rally of _ the 800,000-strong Ontario Federation of Labor, are a challenge to the Ontario - Tory Government of William Davis, to get moving on urgent needs of the peo- ple of the province. The demands laid out in the OFL brief, and the continu- ing government threat to the rights of public workers cannot be ignored. Con- tinuing action to compel government response is timely and deserves massive support — the kind of support that can bring election victories for labor in the forthcoming Ontario election. out inerference by a corrupt gover | Davis and his arrogant labor ministe! | MacBeth have become symbols of ant | labor backwardness. ee | Greetings to the Quebec workers B | their battles to run their unions wit | ment. Our solidarity with the QueD Federation of Labor ,— 300,000-stro — in its efforts to bring settlement? a the 17-month United Aircraft dispute: | Locals of the Confederation of Nation® Trade Unions, with 180,000 membe!® have their leadership’s approval for pa ticipation, on their own decision, in tht May 21 study session. ~ é In both Ontario and Quebec, the key | issue for workers is unity — unity 10 | working-class victories, against racis™ | If we don’t let red-baiting break us | up, and if we don’t let the police and courts break us up, we can wring co? cessions. from boss-run Davis and Bow) rassa governments. : ae | ee | Canadian-Soviet trade Stepped-up Canadian trade with the Soviet Union can be nothing but good news for Canadian workers. The ex- tension of a $500-million line of credit to the Soviet Union to purchase Cana- dian production equipment largely, is not only the biggest deal ever negotiat- ed by the Canadian Export Develop- ment Corporation, it is significant in a ‘number of aspects. The ripple effect on Canadian jobs and consumer purchases can be imagin- ed as the Soviets buy machinery and equipment for pulp and paper, forestry, petroleum. gas, mining and transpor- tation, after a very high-level trade group completes its studies in Canada. Canada will buy some goods in re- turn, but on.a smaller scale. V. S. Alk- himoy, Soviet deputy minister of for- eign trade, says an uneven balance of trade with one country can be made up by the USSR’s overall balance. In 1978, Canada sold the USSR $290- million worth of goods, but all about _ $5-million was for grain. Last year, grain trade was down to $10-million and the total to $28.7-million. What is _ foreseen for 1975 is a figure of about | $40-million and between $50- and $100- million next year, with yearly rises thereafter. se ate The importance of such trade agreée- ments with socialist countries as a . means by which the Canadian govern- ment can help to combat the economic crisis harassing the Canadian working people, has been stressed time and» again by the Communist Party. One of the six points in its program to “Put Canada Back to Work” is: “The ex- tension of trade with the socialist and developing countries on a vast scale, in- cluding long-term, low-interest credits.” (Mr. Alkhimov’had noted that Can- ada lost out last year on a $252-million gas compressor contract because of high interest rates, but this country was now in the running with internaional rates.) . Perhaps one of the most positive and - eritical features of the new agreement is that the USSR’s tenth five-year plan ig now being drawn up; trade: deals ~ made now will be integrated into that | vast stable plan. _ What should be noted by Canadial officials is that the socialist commu” ity is moving toward integration of t¥) various five-year plans, that other 8” cialist countries also offer sound trad? opportunities. . ’ Canada should quickly seek increased trade with other socialist countries And to this end Ottawa should effect diplomatic exchange with the Germa? Democratic Republic and the Democra) tic People’s Republic of Korea. On e e 4 ‘Unite to fight racism! In the years that: this paper, the Com munist Party, and large sections of thé labor movement have been combattit. racism in its many garbs, that diseas? of capitalism has gone through a val!) ety of phases. ‘s = Right now, with its economic syste!) gripped in crisis, the ruling class we) comes an increasing barrage of fascis'| Ses racism, added to the chronic racism tha) afflicts the Native Peoples of Canad@) year in and year out. - The labor movement and all its allie) - must declare — and fight it through #) the end — that racism shall not be pel) mitted. The racists must be tracke®) down, muzzled and punished. q But in the heat of hatred for the fa5| cist gangs, for Right extremists whe!” ever they are found, the working pe?) ple must never lose sight. of those pro) per ladies and gentlemen in influenti#) places who use the white power rabb! for government and corporation pul poses. i: As long as labor legislation is in thé - -hands of those who want to split labol) to depress wages and hold down livinf) standards, racism will remain a usefl! weapon in their hands. As long as tht federal government can get away wilt racist immigration policies these wl” be used to try to set workers at each) other’s throats. Until the working pe® ple are united against racism with) . steel-hard determination, united despit® unsettled differences, their interes will be sabotaged through the racis “confidence game.” “Workers of all colors, all back grounds — unite to end racism in Cal ada!