NEED DRASTIC ACTIONTO  ™
ROLL BACK FOOD PRICES!

SS The Communist Party of Canada, criticizing government handling of the food
price erisis, this week issued the following press release: :

The measures taken by the federal EAE Sa to meet runaway food prices
are too timid and totally inadequate. They let the food processing corporations,
‘chain stores and speculators completely off the hook.

Export licensing controls on cattle and hogs will no doubt help ‘to make more
meat available in Canada. But they are no guarantee that prices will come down

onsumer. : : :
tonne uate (replacing yearly) cost-of-living adjustment of old age pensions
demanded by the Communist Party in its appearance before the. Ministry of Food
and Corporate Affairs on June 12 as one of the measures to ease the burdens of
low income groups, is a forward step. But, this measure will not reduce prices nox
does it provide the pensioners with a decent living standard. Pensions should be
increased to $200 a month. :

The government’s measures are totally inadequate to meet the urgent problem
— that is driving shoppers to distraction bezause the government continues to turn 2
hy | blind eye to the real cause of runaway prices; namely, monopolistic price gouging

7 on the part of the food monopolies.
O C IT | Tes. AY Instead of condemning the food racketzers, Mr. Trudeau seeks a scapegoat in
mn én KY 0 blaming the rotating strikes of non-operating rail workers for food shortages on
is i nsense. :
pa pert oe ety the food monopolies is required. The federa)

© : ;

Drastic government action against : les 1 :
blas ts monopolies S Seen ten has the power under the Combines Investigation Act to move against
;

fon, R ‘
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b. ¥ am ( Pt
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the profiteering food corporations. It can order immediate roll backs in food prices.
ieCRONTO —In a letter ad- for their manipulating of con- This demand should resound on the government’s collective ears from every corner
f deau 4 to Prime Minister Tru- sumer prices. The CCW draws of the ]
Wom he Congress of Canadian attention to an ad in the Globe ~~ 14g
i} mono, Charged that powerful and Mail, June 22, 1973, en-
f Clete. Corporations and spe- titled “How to speculate in com-
| ate es M commodity futures modity futures,” as an example
y COnstan Of the chief causes for of how enormous profits are
y

fod an’ escalating prices in made out of food. The article

Oint; all: consumer goods. points out: :
Tago tine Out that none of the Example 1. Last October, an
Dub; s given by government $800 commitment in the March
if {eq Spokesmen can be justi- 1973 cotton futures would have
( World f Official statistics, i.e. resulted in a profit of about
J %ys inert Shortages; the CCW $6,000 by the middle of Febru-
Dositj ese are u ary. .
tontlons, ee ee Example 2. A $400 commit-
sf Up os “to Pay up and shut ment in live cattle last August
The could have yielded a profit of
the st Ccw letter takes to task over $4,000 by early February.
Ministe, went Of E. F. Whelan, A small chart. shows March
Saiq. the of agriculture, who 1973 Soybean Futures at Chica-
Noileq ¢ COMsumers have been 20 between July 31, 1972 and
i} in th 2y cheap prices for food February 1973. A commitment
an ast. According to Mr. Of $500 could have yielded a
' Wiceg » if farmers want higher profit of over $17,000 by the end
hsumer their goods, then the of February — over 2,000% —
Mees s Can expect higher in just about six months. (Ad

Whi) the future. placed by Merrill Lynch, Royal |
the it blaming the consumer, Securities Ltd.)
Makes, ee Continues, Whelan Taking these and many more

Matos "° Mention of the spec- into account, the CCW con- | Po.
commodity futures @ Cont'd. on page 4 ae Coie pike | Sek wena iee = ee ee ere

want demands raised

by Ri i e demands. On both way income before fixed charg
te “ i to demand their wag ,

" SHARD ORLANDINI PER eae and maintained et wee jenn sbilegient from occasions, the companies re- es and taxes amounted to $30.:

- way we might just break even. ee rane ” Smith did not sponded by sticking . to their million, up from $22.9 million.

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tign © ary :

) Sheg Ww «Rot 80lng to be sa-

: on : RE i
that the a the present 10.78% ae fo ee be- elaborate, however, on what he etiam Be 7% and soe pe vanes een ¢

as : 8 é “soon”. ee ;
bigh Price of “Tong OW. asking. ginning to show some signs that shes ih Pe by the workers for a Profits Zoom amaze not only the union lead

thag» nd We bd. ig just too they are listening to their mem-

Following the companies’ re- ership, but also the members or
heed more than

fusal to budge from their ‘“‘of- the picketlines. One Maple CNF
fer,’ Canadian Pacific of Mon- yard worker told the Tribune

| : bership. Richard Smith, the return to the gees eS |
Sr last 4 Striking railway chief Nola negotiator told re- manded by BS: otiators, in 7 |
| ; + Ast Week at the picket ©) vars last week, “If the strike after the ea ae the nego- treal reported a six-month pro- “I wouldn’t have believed it sis : |
| able, ae the CNR yards es settled soon, then with the the hopes ae 8 twice reduced fit of $59,713,000. The net rail- months ago, but for once, all oj F
ly “Port r ario, increase in the cost of living, tiations going, : Se ene a f
! Ma Ndicat m across the coun- "T° vento of mast of Hv
ene sa that the striker in

e

there is vocations of mass lay-offs have

bn Shts, ae alone in those

non’ he a demands are More on the rail strike—see |
Tan 4 On, Winnj ancouver, Ed- Labor Scene on page 5.
Wor Ontreal nipeg, Moncton

} Ceagts Watch a8 the railway pulled us closer together.” Mar-

} Mek Worn € proposed in- shall Hill, the Vancouver strike

Th v8 pica. -W2Y by = sky-
D Vanchrices. “a solid. unity ~ between the
non-ops and the Vancouver

Railway Joint Council. All the

7 |
committee chairman reported, ‘ n |
co-

0
/ Iaprato lumbia strike

r Sa rt
| aye would’ hese wage de- support that.is needed is com- |
feign? 880 but ape OOked good ing in and it is making the dif-
tag Now» they are not suf- ference in the continuing suc-

dey,” Picketa.. London, On-
€rs ingj :

jis shoun sisted that the

cn Original € upped to the

: Py 3! demand of 15%

cess of the strikes.” J =
SEA YS” Cont'd: on page a4 oF
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1973—PAGE 3 7 ae

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