Here's what I saw in Soviet Union

By M. deFEYTER ~

ROM April 28 to May 11 this
year brothers Stuckey, Mor-

_ ton, his wife and myself
were guests in the Soviet Union,
invited by the oil and chemical
workers union of the USSR. ~

The invitation was repeated
from last: year when. I was pre-
vented from: going because the
company for which I work
changed my vacation one da
before I was to leave.. - - >

We stayed five days in Mos-
cow where we met with the
central council of the chemical
union, witnessed the May Day

parade, went to a variety of
high-class performances and
viewed many spectacular build-
ings inside and outside the
Kremlin. :
_ In Krasnodar, a city in south-
ern Russia, we visited an oil re-
finery, the oil fields, a school
and union technical institute for
young people.

In Leningrad, the city of the
revolution, we visited museums,
cathedrals and an oil workers
youth camp on the Gulf of Fin-
land. :

’ Many people ask:
they invite you?”

The Second World War hit
Russia harder than any other
country. Most of their industry,
farms and railroads were ruined.
More than 40 million Russian
people died because of the war
18 million were. soldiers. In Le-
ningrad alone 625,000 persons
Starved to death. 3

“Why do

. In this suffering lies the an-
Swer to our question. They feel
that friendship with all peoples,
at all levels, is the key to peace
-and there is no better and easier

Following is a summary of the.

Civil Rights Bill.’
TITLE 1

In federal elections, forbids
discriminatory tests for voter
‘registration and disqualification
on the basis of minor errors; re-
“quires literacy tests be written
if any are used, and establishes

_a& completed sixth grade educa- ©

tion as a legal presumption of
literacy for voting. Provides for
three-judge federal courts at the
request of the Justice Depart-
ment or local voting officials and

directs courts to speed handling

of voting cases,

TITLE II

Outlaws discrimination by ho-
tels and motels, restaurants and
lunch rooms, theatres, sports
arenas and other places of enter-
tainment’ which “affect” inter-
state commerce (even by the
sale or use of goods which move
in intzrstatr. commerce) or act
under, the protection of state or
local law or “~1stom.

Specifically exempts private
clubs and “Mrs. Murphy” room-
ing houses with five or fewer
rooms for rent.

Allows person refused service

A number of publications are currently featuring articles
by businessmen who recently visited the Soviet Union. Here the

Canadian Tribune presents impressions of that country from an-

other point of view from west-coast trade unionist M. deFeyter,
a member of the Oil and Chemical Workers Union.

way to make friends . than
through personal contact.

The oil and chemical workers
in the USSR would like to be in-
vited back to our country to see
how we live and work. This
would, however, be difficult for
our little local. This should be
done by the Canadian council,
and I hope that in the future this
will be done.

The unions in the USSR are
far bigger and more powerful
than ours. They have a great say
in wages and working conditions
as well as in production. For a
great part the economy of the
country is run by and dependent
on the unions. They also look
after pensions, holiday resorts,

- youth camps, sick benefits, allot-

ment of houses, and so on.

It is difficult to compare living
standards in capitalist countries
with those in the Soviet Union
because of different benefits.
They earn about 120 to 130 of
our dollars per month. Food and
clothing cost approximately the

‘Same as in Canada, but many

luxurious items are cheaper. The
apartment rental is no more than

three to four percent of wages
.and income tax is very low.

Education is free through. the
university level, as well as me-
dicare.

While in Holland I asked many

to file suit in which the Attor-
ney General could ask court per-
mission to intervene. :

Allows the Attorney General
to institute suits where he finds
a “pattern or practice” or re-
sistance and. to request three-
judge courts in such proceed-
ings,

TITLE III

Bars discrimination in public

‘facilities such as parks, play-

grounds, pools, libraries. Author-
izes the Attorney General to file

suits to open up such establish-

ments if he finds individuals un-
able to do so because of costs
involved, or the possible risks

23:

President Johnson signs historic bill.

questions about wages and con-
ditions. I would ‘say Russia is
on a par with Holland, which is
among the highest in Europe. As
yet it is probably slightly behind
Canada’s average, although our
eastern provinces are likely be-
hind Russia in living conditions,

Would I like to live there?
This is a question I am asked

often. The answer is no! This

has nothing to do with condi-
tions in Russia. I would not wish

to live in any country in Europe. _

Canada is my. home.

If I had to live in Russia the
thing I would miss most would
probably be my home. In Rus-
sia everybody lives in apart-
ments which I believe are rather
small and still lacking some of
our comforts. This is a result_of
the war. Many people had inade-
quate housing after the war. It
was decided it was more import-
ant to build many inexpensive
apartments quickly rather than
to build fewer, more elaborate
apartments. Apartments are be-
ing built at a fantastic rate so
that the housing problem will b
solved before 1970. :

The main impressions I receiy-

_€d while touring the USSR were

the friendliness ‘ of the people

-with much enthusiasm for their

system and their ability to make
big decisions and carry them

out.

to their personal safety.

Authorizes the Attorney Gen-

eral to bring suits to end school
segregation. Also authorizes fed-
eral aid to help train teachers
and other school officials in de-
segregation problems.
TITLE V
Extends the life of the Civil
‘Rights Commission through Jan-
uary, 1968. New procedural
rules are provided and new
authority to investigate vote
frauds.
TITLE VI

Bars discrimination in pro-
grams receiving federal financial

- One of these decisions was to
increase output of commodities
to give their people the highest
standard of living in the world.
This is very important to us. If
they succeed it means the own-
ers of wealth in our countries
must give up more of their pro-
fits to the workers unless they

have a great say in wages and working conditions

production.

What the U.S. Civil Rights Bill says

assistance,
TITLE VII

e that ft
are willing to admit raf

capitalist system is 1
the socialist system.

In Russia the govern,
strict control over the pat
It is impressive to se@ ©
be done with economic
I am convinced that molt :
mic control. and plant 18
be beneficial in Can@ onder
convinced also that 1 unt
contro] and plan our of

; the Bo |
economy -properly ‘ natu a |

ment must own 4

the basiG Pig
sources and cat it
OuL d |

dustries. Only then
ployment be wiped

then can we alleviate th Fi
of the poor of wie unt
have many in our rich *

as

ee

: | ne
Soviet oil workers, through their big and powerful ‘ell ®

t0 4
power, never used; to

Outlaws. discrimination by
employers in hiring and firing;
by unions in membership poli-
cies and hiring halls, and in the
related activities of employment
agencies. Creates a five-member
equal employment opportunity
commission,

Stete agencies where they ex-
ist would have a 60-day period
to attempt settlement; (newly
created state agencies would get
120 days).

The Attorney General is also
empowered to start suits when
he finds a “pattern or practice”
of resistance. This title takes
effect one year after the bill’s
enactment for firms with at least
100 employees and unions with
at least 100 members, and _ its
coverage broadens to include all
but those with 25 or fewer em-
ployees or members in the fifth

vear. She
TITLE VIII

Directs Census Bureau to col-
lect voting and registration data
in areas pinpointed by the Civil
Rights Commission and report
to Congress. (Under the 14th
Amendment Congress has the

July 17, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBU

resentation to stat ‘
tent that they deny ¥
to their citizens.)

TITLE &

Gives the Attorney it

broad power to a
court cases brought! ats
14th Amendment 2 ig
equal protection °
authorizes an apPris
courts if a federal ‘ f
refuses to take jure al
case where discrim?
leged.

TITLE X gi

Establishes a NOW pe «

relations service ¥ 14¢
merce Department we
blems.
TITLE mi

Gives individ’
with criminal co® + fo!
under the bill, exceF 10
ing section, the ne
trial. If tried for O col!
tempt, an individ’ wl ,
then be placed in for #
dy by indictment joo
law violation bas®
set of circumstanc®’ —

6
NeE—POe

‘solg