ee The hardships of unemploy- ment have reached into many more homes; many this year have had no jobs at all even during normally busy summer months; wage negotiations have been held to a standstill, while living costs and taxes have continued to rise, and some of the worst anti-labor legisiation in Canada’s history has been passed. : B.C. employers, their politi- cal servants in the Legislature and the reactionary capitalist press have moved with might and main — 1) To perpetuate the extraction of maximum profits by enforcing the “hold- the-line” policy on wages and defeating the movement for shorter hours, by keeping the labor movement divided inter- nally and diverting its atten- tion from its main problems. 2) To prevent labor from play- ing its rightful role in liberat- ing Canada from involvement in U.S. war plans, and U.S. ec- onomic, political and military domination; and 3) To weaken the resistance of labor to the effects of speedup, mechaniz- ation, automation, and _ inten- sified exploitation while taxes continue to grow heavier, prices (like corporation profits) spiral upward, and large-scale unemployment becomes a per- manent feature of our economy again. And, lets face it — lack of unity; the absence of co-ordin- ation, and labor solidarity, and the substitution, by right wing social democratic leaders, of policies of class collaboration, dependence oh legalism for militant policies of struggle un- -dermined the position of even those unions that tried to fight, costing labor heavily. What a contrast between the victorious Northland dock strike of the previous summer and the “no wage increase” accords of this summer! What a difference in tactics and in results! 3 opoly interests in B.C. have shown a growing fear (reflect- ed in their enactment of Bill 42) of loss of their base of sup- port on which their continued domination of the political and economic ‘life of B.C. depends. Their fear is well founded! For there is a growing restlessness among Canadians faced with the danger of nuclear war, growing numbers of unemploy- ed, and increasing economic and political domination of their country by the United States. The urge for all-in unity and more militant policies in both the economic and _ political arenas has grown substantially in recent months as a result of defeats inflicted during’ this year’s wage and contract nego- tiations and the passage of Bill 42. B.C. trade unions are in- creasingly asserting themselv- es in opposition to nuclear arms coming to Canada, against Canada’s participation in NA- TO and NORAD, for the nor- malization of relations with Cuba and an end to the cold war. Most outspoken trade union leaders in B.C. have little stom- ach for continuing U.S. provo- "HIS Labor Day — occasion for A; the same time the mon-| eations and interventions 8 Cuba, Laos, the Congo, Berlin or the Straights of Taiwan. They quite naturally question why there should be talk of war because sixteen years af- ter the last one it is proposed to sign a peace treaty with Germany to end the occupation of Berlin. So marked is the change that CLC President Jodoin (under NIGEL MORGAN B.C. leader of the Com- munist Party goading by the Vancouver Province and West- minster Columbian had the im- pudence to question the demo- cratically arrived at decisions of the Vancouver Labor Coun- cil. New ideas are surging for- ward the world over. People are struggling for and winning new measures of freedom, equality and greater security in a new world of their own making —and they’re insist- ing it be a world at peace. @ HE great historic changes T in the world and the growth of economic crisis, to- gether with dissatisfaction over provincial government policies are all combining to create pol- itical ferment and the basis for new alignments in B.C. The new Fleming budget, a sure recipe for increased mon- opoly profits, a boost in living costs and. increased municipal taxes — can be expected to speed up the development. Even Premier Bennett’s conces- sion to widespread public cla- mor, taking over the B.C. El- ectric, is hardly likely to stem the tide for long unless it is ac- companied in the near future by a substantial reduction in scabherding |} What's Ahead For B.C. Labor? By NIGEL MORGAN assessment of past victorires and defeats and for * mobilization of labor’s united strength for fresh advances — shows little grounds for expecting any letup in the offensive monopoly capital has pressed against labor in the past year. They have driven hard, and will continue to do so, to force the working -elass to carry the full load of the crisis created by their “made-in-USA” policies. warmongers. utility rates, improvement in transit service, and absorption on the unemployed through ex- pansion of B.C. industry. The monopolies are increas- ing output and prices, while re- ducing the labor force, quality of goods, and costs of produc- tion. U.S. economic integration and political domination only serves to deepen the crisis. That is why the struggle for peace, for new national poli- cies of Canadian independence and neutrality, are inseparably The big challenge this Labor Day, 1961, is to ensure that peace is maintained, and that working people act togethe in Canada and around the world, to stay the hands of the linked to the struggle f0F wages and improved standards of life. . In order to break through the bosses “no-wage-increas® ~ front will require a strengthe™ ing of the efforts to win trad@ unionists for such policies. TO 7 succeed, economic and legisla tive demands must be intel woven with the all-decisivé question of peace and disarm ament. The extent to which this is done will largely dete! See LABOR, pg. 11 ee In 1953 when Dr. Cheddi Jagan, militant leader of the People’s Progressive Party was elected as head of the gov- ernment, British gunboats trained their muzzles on the tiny nation on the North Pac- ifie coast of the South Ameri- ca mainland and deposed the newly-elected government and Dr. Jagan, its leader. Prior to the recently held election the British Daily Ex- press advocated, “Britain should not hesitate to repeat her firm action of 1953 to safe- guard the Guianese from the consequences of their own in- experience” if the Guianese people vote for the PPP. Senator John H. Rousselot, U.S., demanded. “that™ the Un- ited States take immediate dramatic and aggressive ection to keep British Guiana from going Communist.” The results of the election gave the PPP 20 of the coun- try’s 35 seats; the People’s Na- tional Congress won 13 and the United Force 2. The Peoples Progressive Party, in the words of Dr. Jagan, “is a nationalist party with a socialist bias, embracing large sections of the commun- ity, farmers, industrial work- ers, local business men, profes- sionals, etc. It includes persons of all races and religions.” The Peoples National Con- gress, led by Mr. L. F. S. Burn- ham, former PPP chairman, draws its main support from the African population. Al- though it claims to support “independence now” it has for some time preached racialism, dividing the people instead of uniting them for the common goal. During the recent elections, however, Burnham announced that he was prepared to go to London immediately after the elections with Dr. Jagan to de- mand full independence. - The United Force is an anti- Soviet, anti-socialist conglom- oration of individuals knocked, together around a leader for the purpose of contesting the election. e RITAIN, which presently B controls. the - country through an Upper House with 13 members nominated by the British Colonial Office, has promised Guiana full indepen- dence within a year of the el- ections. ; The demand for national in- dependence has now become the slogan of all sections of the population and _ considerable Special Labor Tribune. By Tim Buck Next Week A special Labor Day article by Tim Buck, national leader of the Communist Party, arrived too late to be run in this issue. Because of the importance of this article it will appear in next week’s issue of the Pacific Day Article British Guiana Looks To The Future RITISH GUIANA measures well the difference in world relationships between 1953 and 1961. pressure will undoubtedly be brought to bear on the British to get out now. This demand meets the open hostility of the foreign imper- ialists and their agents in Gui- ana, who control the key in- dustries of the country. Sugar, which accounts for about half, by value, of all Bri- tish Guiana’s exports, is in the hands of British firms, Mechan- ization in this industry has re- sulted in wholesale dismissal of hundreds ..of estate workers and contributed to a situation where 18% of the working population are permanently unemployed. Bauxite: Guiana is the world’s third largest producer of this raw material which is used in the production of al- uminum. Most of the two mil- lion tons mined annually. is shipped to Canada where it is used by. the American Mellon Interests, much of it in Kiti- mat, B.C. Manganese ore is- also being exported exclusively to Can- ada and used in processing the largely American-owned steel industry. In addition to these main sec- tors Guiana also exports dia- monds and rice. es URING the last several years (1957-61) during which time the PPP has been sharing responsibility in gov- ernment with British officials, there has-been some important gains registered: in Guiana’s economic life. At the end of 1960 the main exports of sugar, rice, bauxite and diamonds rose by 12% over 1957 while, with the de- velopment of new industries, imports, mainly ‘machinery, rose by a quarter. Rice production increased September 1, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pas® from 55,000 tons in 1957 120,000 tons in 1960 and dur ing that period 100,000 acres % land have been distributed co-operative societies and Jam less peasants. Agricultural developments have led to a more plentift and cheap supply of local food which in turn has kept the 9 of living relatively stable. There has been an increas in school building and the nu®® ber of teachers graduating 2% nually has increased from to 150. Housing facilities have 1% proved and rent restrictio™® have prevented landlords from charging exhorbitant rents. Working conditions, holiday? : with pay, etc., have been UP — graded by PPP legislation. ‘The basic problem is that ™ dustrialization is too slow 4?" is not designed to benefit t country but to satisfy the d mands of foreign investors. — The PPP has stated time # again that while industrial! tion must take place, the mé@ benefits must accrue to Guianese people. aan To do this it demands the end of colonial rule and winning of state power by people of Guiana. This is why American 2 British interests ate calling 49) intervention and a repetition © 1953 in British Guiana. 4, 4 However, 1961 is not 195 a and the flow of ‘world polit’ indicates that any attempt © either British or American 4 perialism to interfere with t legitimate movement of © Guianese people to end mo opoly domination of their coun try and develop it accor to their own wishes will” fe To this end they can rely —. = the assistance of supporters freedom the world over.