ee ae re ee ee Ignorant of content, but okays pact —VERNON, B.C. “the Atlantic Sel mean Declaring that curity Pact could well Canada’s death warrant,” Bruce Mickleburg, labor. editor of the Pacific Tribune told a Vernon au- dience that “no member of parlia- ment has any right to support such a pact when not fully informed on ali its implications.” In reply to charges made by the Vernon LPP club that the Atlantic Pact was “an instrument of ag- gression,” O. L: Jones, MP, (CCF- Yale), had written to the effect that “. . . while a great deal has been said for and against the pact, the information given generally to the public does not give the whole picture, but with the information so given, it seems to me that we have no alternative at the present time, providing the pact is a de- fensive one.” ® “With millions of lives at stake,” said Mickleburgh, “we cannot ac- cept this complacent willingness on the part of CCF leaders to adopt - secret clauses behind the backs of the people. “The only reason for parading the pact as a defensive measure,” stated Mickleburgh, “and for keeping certain clauses secret, is because they are designed to com- mit Canada in advance to ag- gressive war across the seas un- der command of our govern- ment’s bosses in Washington.” Many CCF workers are becoming disturbed at the confusion prevail- ing among top-level spokesmen on such vital questions as the Marshall Plan and the Atlantic Pact. Back in its November 1948 ses- sion the B.C. provincial council of the CCF is reported to have re- . jected endorsation of the Atlan- tic Pact by a vote of 38 to 2. The Ontario CCYM two weks ago took similar action in a 35 to 5 vote on the pact, branding it as _ “purely military.” Letters appearing during recent weeks in the CCF News which speak of the “wilful flouting of the democratic expression of our par- ty. . . .” would indicate that the policy statements of Coldwell, Jones and others on the Atlantic Pact and similar vital issues, “are not ap- proved by the CCF rank and file. Mickleburgh also pointed out the fact to his audience that approxi- mately two billion dollars of the taxpayers’ money would: be absorb- ed in war preparations under pro- visions of the Atlantic Pact. “This money,” declared Mickleburgh, “could better be spent on such pro- jects as flood control, schools, housing, hospitals, health, educa- ‘tion, and for the greater develop- ment of the Okanagan Valley.” Coal Wood Sawdust UNION FUELS FA. 7663 Birth of a nation The first president of Israel, Chaim Weizmann, addressing the new state’s Constituent Assembly in Jerusalem. While he spoke peace talks between Israeli and Egyptian representatives were in progress. and hits the small taxpayer, both in But, in the opinion of competent observers, it did not offer a satis- factory solution. These observers point out that local elections to school boards give parents and all citizens a vital share in control over schools in any district. This is an important check on efforts of reactionary governments to use schools for mil- itarism and other retrograde polit- ical purposes. : For Victoria to assume 100 per- cent-of school costs would give com- plete control over the purse strings, reducing local elections si a form- ality. But majority opinion throughout the province is agreed that the time is long overdue for Victoria to assume a much larger share of school costs, The problem in the Okanagan is roughly typical of that through- out the province. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation has won a new round of salary in- creases in several districts. The teachers aim at 25 percent increas- es in their salary scale, with steep- er anual increases, both calculated to compensate for cost of living boosts. (They still have to surpass depression standards in terms of take-home pay). In such districts as Kelowna and PACIFIC 9588 Penticton, 20 percent has already ‘ Jack Cooney, Mer. FERRY MEAT MARKET 119 EAST HASTINGS Vancouver, B.C. FREE DELIVERY Supplying Fishing Boats Our Specialty Nite Calls GL. 1740L the Okanagan and throughout the Civic workers fight Tory bargaining ban —-VICTORIA.B:C. Delegates from’ over 5,000 organized municipal employees packed the legislature's Cedar Room _ this week to battle before the municipal committee a Coalition-inspired plot to torpedo their collective bargaining power: United opposition of police, fire- men’s, school board employees’, outside workers’, inside staff's and other unions dismayed Mayor Percy George of Victoria. The latter, act- ing as spokesman for the Union of B.C. Municipalities, was there to argue for a proposed amendment to the Municipal Act illegalizing any wage awards brought down after February 15 of each year. George claimed to be deeply hurt at hearing the proposal branded as “restrictive,” ‘vicious,’ -“outrage ous,” “strike-fomenting,’’ and “para- doxical.” He began to plead that he had not been instructed to press: the question, but “merely to put it for- ward in the interests of the employ- ees.” Opposition included employees of his own city, and he finally of- fered to drop the whole matter. He then tried to shift all the blame to Municipalities Minister R. C. MacDonald, notorious for his police state schemes, who last year made the proposal in the House “to help municipalities put their financial house in order.” FRED DOUGHERTY, presi- dent of Vancouver Police Federal Union, bluntly told the commit- tee that