LCE ET PTTL ETL EEE EEE TT DTT ee CO RT TET TTT TEE THE Pe Oe Ge Te NESTE TEE TE GE PETE TT TTT UTE TESTED TTY NUL NTE TTT PTT UTD AT UH TE G0 0 0 UD DOL UU OL 0g tim **a MAN can bear any burden, provided its on somebody else’s shoulders.” So goes the old Slavic proverb. And so went the national convention of “he CCF in Toronto. Many tears were shed over suffering humanity, but complac- ency rose uppermost when it eame to taking the decisive action called for by the present world crisis. 3 Noteworthy in the past couple of years has been an attack of bad conscience among some leaders of the CCF, a degree of genuine concern. over the way the cold war was going. Most im- portant of all, members and sym- pathizers of the party are rest-- less and grow- ing militant in the face of the arms race ‘and the war danger. This was shown at the CCF con- vention in a group of res- olutions de- manding peace in Ko- rea, the banning of the atomic - bomb, a stop to rearmament and cancellation of the plans to re- arm Germany and Japan. On the whole the CCF nation- al convention saw the capitu- lation of the peace forces who had been able to attend the On- tario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia conventions to put up a fight against the right-wing line of Coldwell and Lewis. But, while critical of some aspécts of the Coldwell policy, they en- dorsed the policy itself. So long as the peace forces in the COF refuse to challenge .and defeat the Coldwell policy, so long will they remain ineffective. T. C. Douglas had taken a good stand on a number of questions, not- ably in criticism of the invasion of Korea, and the resolutions of the Saskatchewan CCF conven- tion were heartening for every progressive Canadian. But at the CCF national convention it was clearly Coldwell and Lewis who dom- inated the delegates. The rank and file were not there. While the official list of resolutions, particularly on foreign policy, showed a rumbling down be- low on all the critical issues < : svvmmtivatasnninimiensnnnmi aaa wm Mmmm MMMM ama mA Put your feet on the desk and see what happe i en oe ee ee of the day — Germany, Ko- rea, Japan, rearmament, the atomic bomb, germ warfare and the fire-sale of Canadian resources to the U.S. trusts— the right wing won the day. e David Lewis indulged in some windy oratory to appease the CCF left, particularly in criti- cism of the Canadian govern- ment’s servility towards the U.S. Other CCF leaders did likewise. Some of the resolutions, watered down as they were in the resolu- tions committee, nevertheless could not help voicing the criti- cism of the membership. But the criticism never came into the open. ‘It was either not strong enough to make a fight of it, or it was squelched behind the scenes, This is proyed by one singular fact: M. J. Coldwell’s report as national leader was unanimous- ly adopted. -In that report he said the following: “A proposal was recently~be- fore the House (of Commons) to approve the ‘Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty which in effect would extend the obliga- tions which we have taken un- der the Treaty to the Western German Republic. We gave our consent to the ratification of this proposal only after assurance by the Minister of External Affairs that the instrument of ratifica- tion would not be deposited and take effect until the situation in Europe had become much clear- er than it is today.” In plain Ianguage, this means the CCF has endorsed the re- armament of Germany. All talk about ‘‘instrument” and ‘“‘assur- ances” from Mike Pearson, and the “clearing” of the European situation is so much eyewash. s The COF National Convention, including Douglas of Saskatche- wan, endorsed the support by the CCF parliamentary group for the rearmament of Germany. That was the supreme test of the con- vention. The fine words on other questions — encouraging and hopeful as they are — are of absolutely no value so long as the CCF supports the North At- lantic War Alliance and its main lever — a rearmed Germany un- der U.S. command, and contain- ing the bloodstained Nazi-Junker clique. PRR M RL “NM ON’T work too hard — you WVmay live longer and earn more,” is the advice of the Wall Street Journal, The Journal then goes on to report the fol- lowing imaginary conversation: “Don’t work too hard,” said a orperation president to an as- sistant, ‘‘Put your feet up on your desk and think of some new ways for the company to make money.”’. If you haven’t tried this fear- Jess approach don’t feel self- conscious because the Wall Street Journal notes: “Most men will ignore this advice. They have their noses too close to the grindstone, But a few men will understand and PROFIT.” J. K. Snagsby was one of those few men who understood. Snagsby thoughtfully put aside the Wall Street Journal and swung his feet up on his desk. J. K. had seen the profit figures of the corporation he worked for and didn’t really believe it need- ed any more money but he dutifully began to try and think up some new ways for it to get more. His eyes were closed and he was deep in thought when the general office manager walked by his desk. The manager noted the comfort of Snagsby’s posi- tion and the long scratch on the desk’s surface which was caus- ed by J.K.’s shoe. He touched Snagsby fondly on the shoulder and genially snarl- ed: ‘‘You’re fired!”’ This approach seemed alittle “national The British Labor party, after a fight ‘within the caucus, voted against the ratification gf the treaty with West Germany. France has not ratified it yet. Neither have a number of others of the 14 governments in NATO, M. J. COLDWELL But Mike Pearson, anxious to set the pattern for the Western states, rushed his measure into the House of Commons — the first -of all the NATO foreign ministers — and M. J. Coldwell obligingly backed him up. c Last week-end, at Lake Couchiching, Hanson Baldwin, military editor of the New York Times and Hector MacNeil of the British Labor party, touch- ingly agreed that the rearma- ment of Germany and Japan was the linch-pin of U.S. policy. (They also agreed that Great Britain now occupies the proud position of being nothing but a ’ military base for Uncle Sam off the coast of Europe!) Baldwin of the Times is close to the U.S. military. He is their public rela- tions officer, He made it very Clear that the whole drive against the Soviet Union and the independence move- ment of peoples anywhere stands or falls on the existence of a German army which will fol- low the dictates of the U.S. This is what M. J. Coldwell supported in the House of Com- mons. And this is what the CCF national convention endorsed. That is not to say that the con- vention did not speak out — or . narrow-minded tO. JK... tt also caused him to view the Wall Street Journal with a jaundiced eye but he soon chided himeslf for lack of faith and prepared to put the feet-on-desk theory into operation on a new job. ® Snagsby was fired with his feet up on a saw-horse while working as a carpenter’s assist- ant; he was curtly dismissed with his feet entangled in a maze of spark plugs, fan belts and pistons while earning his bread as a mechanic’s helper; he was brutally ejectel from a posi- tion in a restaurant when it was noticed that he was leaning on the steam table with his feet in a tureen of tomato soup, « lefts CCF national convention y LESLIE MOR RIS Tanase as Pena eg nn ee at least delegates spoke out — on a number of important mat- ters. Douglas demanded) that the U.S. military be removed from the Korean; peace talks and civil negotiators representing all Al- lied countries take over. He ad- vocated the immediate recogni- tion of the People’s Republic of China, and its admission to membership in the UN. There was a lot of talk — reflecting the growing concern among the Canadian people — of U.S. do- mination and the necessity of re- sisting it. Only Clarie Gillis, MP crudely blurted forth the thoughts of all top right-wing CCF leaders when lhe said that the struggle for Canadian independence against U.S. dictation is ‘completely unrealistic” and “means no- thing.” eee Basically, the CCF did not challenge the four-party unity at Ottawa on foreign policy. And the architect of this capitaliza- tion, M. J, Coldwell, was unani- mously re-elected national lead- er. : .And nothing was said about labor and peopile’s unity. The Saskatchewan resolution to-set up a CCF Peace Committee, which could have opened the doors. to common action for peace, was killed by the top CCF command. aq There was no real discussion at the convention on the very vital question of Garson’s Bill H-8 and the mounting attacks against civil liberties, trade union rights, national minorities and the peace movement. ©The should have demanded a firm stand against the reaction- ary features of Bill H-8 which sharply reveal the rettern lead- ing towards fascist-like attacks against the people of Canada, Well known opponents of Coldwell’s policy -— such as Bill Temple and Ben Spence of To- ronto —— were not heard at the convention, Also, significantly, the trade union wing of thé party was silent. The middle-class “braintrusters” strengthened their control. Coldwell does not lead a munited party. peace forces if they do not fight to defeat Coldwell and change the CCF leadership will be dis- persed and made helpless. ® i The CCF right wing stubborn- | 1 i! ies gal! taney MOCO CCT CD in Wu TEE IL B y M EL C 0 l B Y MMC ime Finaly he got a job with an import-export firm. This job provided him with a desk and. typewriter and Snagsby sighed happily when he thought of put- ting his feet up on a desk again, That was the position the super- ‘intendent found him in a few days after he had begun work- ing. Thé superintendent looked at- the new clerk for a few min- utes and then pulled up 9 chair, sat down and swung his feet up on the desk next to Snagsby’s. “Wihat are you thinking of?” he asked dreamily. “Tm thinking of new ‘ways for the firm to make money,” J.K. explained. : “Good,” the superintendent ~ movements for peace and . world — which means ‘pendence on the U.S.A. But the PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 22, 1952 — P Pree uli savinvcnracgele ly sets its face against peor Pearson and his ‘Mad? U.S.A.” foreign policy 2 “crusade” against “ ism’? — or against any pee who dare to decide to ron te own affairs in their OW2 ~~ without outside dictation. — -Hence, no perspective 4 complete involvement Yankee war camp. Heme i ising pe? position to the rising nation” al independence. Hence, ardent support for the barely C# flaged scheme to intensify © 4 nia] exploitation, known *. 4 “Colombo, Plan,” but 2° aid for. the only economic P° which can save Canada from ‘he nomic disaster, trade Wi trad? t the with the Socialist sector ° earth' and a breakaway from ie , esi! Progressive Canadians, nv ous of seeing a change 1 47. dian national policy, 47 standing more ' such a change can : about only by @ con lithe gs peace and independence ey it and movements, should jon # the CCF national convent ght victory for the Coldwell 7 me wing leadership, but at the jt time increasing evidenc? psi? the pressure of the’ membé ing: for a change in policy }* oN ie The left wing did not a out out, And it will not fight ww with the Coldwell JeadershiP rk less there is much more done in the factories, comm ties and constituencies * up the debate on policy, t° ssc the toss in a thousand ©” (9. sions, to break the taboo ° at? operation with the LPP ™ | ich step up the great debate tio must perforce accompany reer by the labon movement t0 eat? change from war policy policy. 0° In this debate, the 2° ae J gram of the LPP is the Dest Vii pon. One thing every jight ‘ Tribune reader can 4%. to now, is to make a resolution give a copy of the new {he Program to a member © cus CCF, and then go back t0 dis Ay it. ‘ (if anal sighed. @ asket “Ym not fired, eb? Snagsby with some a “Good heavens, no!” on a ed the superintendent. — right on thinking.” Snagsby lapsed and thought. : re eae into sie stl “You see,” he heard eine perintendent’s voice nie® “the firm is broke 4? y 1° someone thinks up some i gh make money none of US Me paid this week.”’ ‘ pe “Oh.” said Snagsby, lapsed intoi silence agai®: the knowledge that he bf oy which permitted him t? ie i mew ways to make money ~ firm, :