Youth Festival
opens in Prague

By GLYN THOMAS

—PRAGUE
politicians who predicate
their policies on their fear

have been in this city on July
World Youth

They would have witnessed
an unforgettable . demonstra-
tion. of the devermination of
young people in all countries
to maintain the peace.

Here were young men and
women who fought against

democracy,
im Spain, in Greece, in In-
donesia. The bond uniting
them was their common de-
sire for the right to shape
their own futures in a world

Saskatchewan’s CCF
ducks the issues.

—REGINA

July 29-31 in Saskatoon did reflect the fact that

ae is no doubt that the CCF convention held

there is an awareness in the ranks of the government
supporters of the perils that face them. Gone are the easy
assumptions of some months ago that the CCF government

was in Regina to stay.
cial President Carlyle King that
they had a fight on their hands

-gnd in a number of respects

they showed how well they ‘re-
alized that this was So.

There was some very frank
discussion about a number of
weak spots in the CCF armor
_the Liberal heelers in the civil
service, the need to mend the
party fences in municipal elec-
tions without making the mis-
take of running official party
candidates, the burning and urg-
ent need to go on the offensive
against the Liberals and Tories.

Despite repeated and urgent
invitations from the Regina Lead-
er-Post and Saskatoon Star-
Phoenix, the convention refused
to walk into the most carefully
laid of all reactionary traps —

that of red-baiting. For there
can be no doubt that it is red-
baiting more than anything else
which will weaken and divide
the CCF and render it powerless
in the fact of the onslaughts of
its enemies.
On the other hand, it must be
said that the convention did not
come to grips adequately with
the very urgent and_ serious
problem of developing the pro-
gram upon which it will appeal
to the people in the next provin-
cial election. This is probably the
last convention to be held be-
fore the election, and it was to
have been expected that coming
from it there would be a pretty
clear cut policy set forth for
the government’ upon which the
support of the electors would be

sought.

The delegates were told by Provin-

EVERTHELESS such a pro-

gram. was not forthcoming.
On the question of the vast
irrigation and power scheme
proposed by PFRA at Outlook,
the convention passed a hasty
resolution in the dying moments
of the last session—a resolution
which had to be moved from the
floor.

This indicates a somewhat
negative attitude towards a pro-
ject which is of the utmost im-
portance to this province, one
which must be fought for re-
gardless of the fact that it is
now being utilized by the fed-
eral government to recoup its
political position in the province.

The convention had little to
offer the small farmer in the
way of practical assistance in
overcoming his production prob-
lem. Indeed, the convention be-
trayed a blissful ignorance —
too characteristic of the CCF—
of the fact that the small farm-
er faces extinction in this pro-
vince within a. relatively few
years unless steps are taken to
provide him with the kind of

modern equipment that will en-

able him to compete with the
big factory farms.
oe

0° the question of taxation

and fiscal policy, the con-
vention again only served to
prove the point that it is heré
that we find the’ most outstand-
ing weaknesses in the CCF po-
sition.

Many constituencies asked for
the repeal of the education tax.
By the use of extraordinary
measures this was defeated.

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NELSON CLARKE

by NELSON CLARKE

Many constituencies asked for
a graduated hospital tax based
on ability to pay. The question
was raised of a 20 percent re-
bate in gasoline tax to the muni-
cipalities for badly needed im-
provements in the market roads.
All these propsals were turned
town.”

Only one constructive sugges-
tion emerged from the discus-
sion on budget policy—that for
the equalization of taxes over
the province for educational
purposes. Like Hon. C. M. Fines,
provincial treasurer, the conven-
tion also was bereft of ideas
about new sources of revenue to
carry on the reform program of
the party.

Equally unsatisfactory was
the discussion around a natural

_ resources policy. Nothing has so

irked conscientious socialists as
the government’s policy in al-
lowing the Lloydminster oil
fields: to’ be developed by pri-
vate interests. Yet discussion on
this sore point was hushed up
by the intervention of Premier
Douglas himself.

Absent from the convention
decisions, then, is any- clear-
cut statement of just what the
government plans to do in the
future about the development of
natural resources.

ar the field of labor policy
the convention panel watered

down resolutions calling f0F
a minimum wage of 75 cents a?
hour and 100 percent compen-
sation into vague statements —
of general good intentions “on
these crucial issues,

The convention had nothin
whatever to say on the 40-hour —
week which is perhaps the maiD |
issue in the field of labor legis _
lation now before the govern
ment.

These developments, coupled
with the government impose
lock-out in Prince Albert, ate
giving organized labor in this”
province some pretty serious
headaches at the moment.

One can only form the impres-
sion that on many of the most
vital issues confronting Saskat-
chewan the government has 1°
proposals for progressive ‘
vance—that it has nothing
offer the people except its ree
ord. No matter how good tHe”
record is (and it is by no means
wholly unblemished) it is 0

‘going to be good enough in it

self to win the grim electoral
struggle to come in face %
the lies and demagogic prom
ises being made by Walter —
Tucker, the Liberal leader, 204 —
his friends. si

Germany

mains mainly a plan and a
myth. In the highest controlling
offices concerned with food sup-
ply sit Nazis and refugee Junk-
ers from the East.

When the small farmer fails
to produce his quotas, Military
Government thinks in terms of
sending the army to fetch them.

The ‘two-way traffic’ is con-
ducted on the black market.

That means that factories pro-
ducing small manufactured goods
needed by the farmer — needles
for example, or scissors, or saws,
light metal goods—
barter with the farmers and get
food for boss and workers.

The essential heavy industries

—above all the coal miners—are

inevitably and hopelessly handi-
capped in this race to the farm.

So the real total of food avail-
able is distributed not rationally
but hugger-mugger, according to
the harsh laws of the black
market.

@
ANK accounts were blocked

almost from the outset in the
Eastern zone. ‘

What a trader has accumula-
ted in the past 18 months he can
draw upon.

persist but are artifically

He cannot draw upon 2 fat
bank account accumulated P®&
fore and during the war.

In the West they never
blocked the accounts. The PX
cessary capital for a life
idleness or for black m
operations is left freely at ‘
disposal of its owners—in the:
interests of individual liberty —

e ‘ a tf

JN, the Bast the working class
stands united in the Socials
Unity Party. zh ee
In the West. divisions *b®

proved fatal in 1933 not m! foe

tered and perpetuated as Lap
the deliberate policy of ™
tary Government. ; mM
The question is not some ach
demic-psychological one ee
whether Germany Is c@ able ‘
democracy. : eae
‘The question is whether wy
Western zones are to be F
petually cut off from the Fe
cracy already operating 1D
Fast, and forced to re-enae
new and terrible cireumsta™
the tragic farce of the Wel?
Republic. .

‘PACIFIC