Was Knight of Labor

WILLIAM GOPP, Blueberry
Creek, B.C.: From 1886 until
today I have been in sympathy
with all movements to keep
slavery down. (I was a Knight
of Labor in 1887.) Please send
me a copy of Tom McEwen’s
‘book on Ol Bill Bennett, Hé
Wrote For Us.

$40 month not enough

T. A. BARNARD, Nanaimo,
B.C.: There appears to be some
misunderstanding regarding re-
‘cent legislation for “‘senior citi-
zens’ security” and this writer
is presumptuous enough 'to hope
the following will help clear
the air.

A lot of fanfare has been
made about ‘the recent Old Age
Pension legislation but when the
smoke has cleared away we find
the indigent pensioners, 70
years old and over, are no bet-
ter off than they were previous-
ly. They still get only $40 a
month pension. In addition,
persons 65 to 69 years old with
20 years’ residential qualifica-
tions who can pass the means

test are now entitled to $40 a ,

month.

The federal government at
the recent session has given an
exhibition of calisthenic gym-
nastics seldom seen in a Cana-
dian parliament. They increased
pensions. for war veterans and
their dependents quite substan-
tially, for instance, this gov-
ernment has decided it takes a
minimtm of $100 a month for
a war widow to live on, yet at

White

the same session this same gov-
ernment decided an elderly citi-
zen can eke out an existence on
$40.

Let me by a hypothetical il-
lustration emphasize the fore-
going. John Doe died as the
result of his war services. His

widow as from January 1, 1952, ,

will receive $100 a month war
pension with addition, of course,
if she has young children. Mary

‘Doe, mother of this same John

Doe, is over 70 years old, per-
haps living near her daughter-
in-law, has no other income and
is ‘therefore an ©.A:P. This
writer would like to know if it
takes $100 a month to keep a
war widow, how the elderly
lady is to “get by” on the $40;
and let me hasten to say the
$100 is still below the necessary
amount set by the same govern-
‘ment ‘to maintain a decent stand-
ard of living.

In September, 1950, when the
Canadian Legion asked for $100
a month for a war widow the
official ‘cost of living index
stood at 170. It is now over
190, so the $100 is still 20 points
below the government’s own
figures. \

The federal government now -

pays all the $40 pension for
those 70 and over without a
means test, and thalf for those
in the lower age bracket, with
the means test. The B.C. gov-
ernment pays ‘the other half.
The B.C. government has also
decided to continue a cost of
living bonus of from $1 to la
a month for those who pass a
means test.

Since the federal government
decided its senior citizens could

out. Depanj
Me i Coainent

You Pleate.

“get by” on $40 a month they
have, in addition to increased
war pensions, increased the pay
of the armed forces, civil ser-
vants and the RCMP. We think
‘the senior citizens can make out
a good case for a ‘substantial
increase in ‘their pensions.

Hold a house meet

CARL ERICKSON, publicity
secretary, B.C. Peace Council,
Vancouver, B.C.: With the lat-
est issue of the Peace Review
now on sale in Vancouver
(copies available through Van-
couver Peace Assembly) much
stress is placed on the fact that
“peace starts at home.”

Yes, definitely peace starts at
home and in that respect the
Vancouver Peace Council has
started a campaign ‘to have a
great many house meetings in
the months ahead to discuss the
theme of disarmament and
world ‘trade, which will be cli-
maxed by a B.C. ‘Peace Con-
ference in April.

The role then which you and
I, who earnestly want peace,
can ‘play is to hold one or sev-
eral of these house meetings to
discuss this important ques-
tion. ’

If, in having one of these
house meetings, you would
like some one from the B.C.
Peace Council to attend 'to give
an outline of the present stand
of the World Peace Council
‘and your own, would you please
contact the Vancouver council
office at MA 9958; Mrs. Bla-
den at FA 1031Y; or Carl Erick-
son at DE 3248T.  °

MEL COLBY

ALK about Yankee arro-
gance! The latest is the
demand ‘by Congressman
Timothy P. Sheehan that the
U.S. “annex” Canada! - He
doesn’t make it clear wheth-
er he wants us to begin pay-
ing our'taxes to Truman this

wait until the beginning of
next month. :

The Congressman is un-
doubtedly a cultured man
with an immense knowledge
of geography. This fact was
immediately apparent when
he revealed that he did not
know the name of the capi-
tal of the country he wants
to “annex” or what province
the capital is in. Sheehan’s
wide knowledge of Canada
is confined ‘to a trip he once
made to Rainy Lake. He
made careful observations
during his trip and returned
to the U.S. without knowing
what province Rainy Lake
is in. The Congressman also
admits he doesn’t know
whether he was in Toronto or
not.

Our guess is that he was
either hypnotized at the
time or else he is an addict
of an East End libation which
the boys refer to as “porch
elimber.” It is so potent that
it could even cause a Con-
gressman ‘to imagine he had
made a trip to Rainy Lake,

‘week, or whether it’s okay to |

Sheehan is s( h)eeing things

which incidentally, Congress-
man, is located in Canada.

Now Congressman, about
the other items you are con-
fused on: the capital of Can-
ada is Ottawa and is situated
on the east ‘bank of the Suez
Canal. The simplest way. to
reach it, is to book passage
on the Flying Enterprise.
Toronto, the city you drove
through without looking at,
has a population of a million;
it is located about four miles
south of Pakistan. If you
are thinking of visiting us,
‘take the Washington bus
mark@¢d Pakistan and ask the
driver to let you off at Joe’s
Grill which is in the heart
of ‘the city. :

Rainy Lake, the place you
visited, is located in Ontario,
‘a province of Canada which
is ‘bounded on one side by
the Pacific and on the other
side by ‘the Atlantic. . If you
take the Staten Island ferry,
you can’t miss the place. —

Canada, Congressman, is a
country that’s. north of the
U.S. It’s ‘been here quite a
long time, although some of
its’ ‘taxpayers claim that
there are members of our
Senate who have been around
longer. :

Like the citizens of your
country, Congressman, we
are afflicted with govern-
ment representatives who
we wish would go some place
else. Unlike you, Congress-

bluntly and suggested that
‘the 'U.S. ““annex” this coun-
try, but some of them are
trying desperately to have

Wall Street and Harry Tru-
‘man.

gressman, we’re going to in-
sist on a distinct flag of our

Smith Hour on _ television.
This will be a ‘blow but we'll
try and ‘bear it as nobly. as
‘possible.

‘Congressman.
some iof your top ‘brass had

man, they haven’t come out /

our nation moved into anew
location, somewhere between

If you do “annex” us, Con-
ay

own. How about ohe which
would‘ carry a picture of J.
Edgar Hoover, flanked by
Coca Cola bottles? Or it
could ‘be an emblem portray-
ing a gagged American trade
unionist -looking lovingly at
the Smith Act.

Well, Congressman, those
are just a few thoughts we
had on ‘the subject. We real-
ize, of course, that in Oppos-
ing your offer we are turn-
ing down an opportunity of
being introduced to some real
Wall Street culture, such as
book burnings, crime comics,
sex movies and the Kate

Oh, just one other thing,
Back in 1812.

Similar ideas about annexing
this country. ‘We kicked the.
pants off them. \

If you’re ever up around
Rainy ‘Lake again, please do
us a favor: drop in.

CHARLES CARON

Labor needs to act on
question of world trade

j hineiars ‘is a growing apprehen-

siom in the ‘ranks of organ-
ized labor and large sections
of ‘business as to the economic
consequence of cold war poli-
cies and their effect manifest-
ed in the armament race tak-
ing place at the present time.

The conception that war pro-—

duction would provide economic
stability has been proven false.
Tt is not difficult to understand
why cold war policies do not
lead to friendly trade relations
‘between nations but rather lead
to restrictions of trade. The
products of a war economy can
only ‘be used for destruction.

' An economy based on war pro-

duction is incompatible with a
simultaneous production ‘of ser-
viceable goods for peaceful con-
sumption. j

The unalterable fact is that
the labor movement, sections of

the farming population and’

business men sincerely . desire
peace, but they are fearful of
the consequences of peace.
Among them are those who can
see, no alternative—either the
arms drive or crises and un-
employment. To reach the con-
elusion that no alternative path
exists except war- economy or
economic ‘bankruptcy, is tanta-
mount to saying that we have
reached the highest level of
economic and cultural welfare

_ of our people.

, If this conclusion was cor-
rect, what then of a national
housing program for our peo-
ple—a’ program that would do
away forever with slum condi-
tions in our towns and cities
‘that breed disease and child de-
linquency? ‘What then of a
national hospitalization plan to
care for the health and welfare
of our people? Every Canadian
can give examples of needed
construction in our country.
The desire to improve economic
and cultural welfare‘is not pe-

-culiar to Canadians, but is sym-

bolic of the aspirations of the
peoples of the world.

Therein lies the key for the

-vealization of a genuine alter-

native. The prerequisite for
realization of a genuine alter-

native to war or crisis is that.

the will of the people desirous
of peace must predominate over
the will of those who propagate
war.

Conclusion of a_ {ive-power
peace pact among the five big
powers is indispensable. Such
‘a pact will, open up the way for
agreement on reduction of arm-
‘aments and make possible a new
relationship’ among _ nations.
This

mal trade between different
countries on the basis of mutual
advantage, satisfying the re-

“quirements of people concern-

ed, excluding economic discrim-
ination in any form and safe-
guarding ‘the development of
each national economy and the
economic independence of states
both large and small.

® esi ’
Can the will for peace—hold-
ing as it does all man’s hopes
for the future — predominate?
for the first time in world his-
tory an organized movement

‘built around welfare principles

has been created, representing
hundreds of millions of people.
Although ideological  differ-
ences exist, this movement has
at its source the same material

relationship would be
‘founded on restoration of. nor-

basis and in its manifold ex-

_ pressions is progressing toward

a common goal.

Nevertheless, as this great
movement reaches ‘higher levels
of ascendency those who batten
on war are working more des-
perately towards their criminal
aims. {

The world peace movement at
a recent executive meeting held
in Vienna reached agreement
on a five-point program. Im-
plementation of this five-point ©
program by the United Nations
would eliminate the present
world tension and would ensure
broad avenues for world pro-
gress. The five proposals have
already been outlined by the

_ Canadian peace movement.

However, realization of these
‘proposals will depend on the
scope and breadth of action

' taken by those desirous of their

attainment.

Preservation of world peace
and its sequel—an abundant
life for the world’s peoples, is
not sectional property. It is
very diffuse in origin and must
likewise express itself toward
the common goal in diffuse
forms. ;

A degree of confusion exists
as to the genuine path ‘to peace.
It is. therefore imperative that
the greatest initiative be devel-
oped to further discussion in or-
der to achieve understanding.
Whether a person is in a rate-
payers’ ‘organization, a cultural
group, in a business association
or a church organization this
initiative is of paramount im-
portance as a guide ‘to action for
peace. :

The organized labor move-
ment must speak up against war
policies, and show the effect of
the armaments race expressed
in the form of unemployment
and lowering of the standard of

living of union memberships.

Numerous union conferences
are needed to draw programs.
for actions which will satisfy
the needs of the workers.

Ratepayers must understand
clearly why it is impossible
under the present war economy
to ‘have much-needed civic im-
provements. A change in policy
on the part of civic, provincial

‘and federal authorities is the

condition for eliminating infla-
tionary costs of municipal fin-
ancing as well as providing tthe
neeessary aid for civic needs.

The progressive guardians of
Canadian culture, organized or
unorganized, are aware of its
planned perversion to meet the
requirements of a cold war
psychosis. Progressives must
give’a lead for preservation of
our cultural heritage and help
provide a broader scope for
advancement without personal
submission to fears of insecur-
ity or economic acquiescence.

The possible forms of action
‘by unions, ratepayers’ organiza-
tions and cultural organizations
will find its reflection in all
fields of people’s activities. We
must display the grea'test flex-
ibility and concreteness in con-
formity with existing conditions
in our efforts for ‘the develop-
ment of peace actions. We must
place our confidence in ‘the
common desire and will for .
peace as well as in the common
victory that will accrue from
our efforts.

2 PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FEBRUARY 1, 1952 — PAGE 4