_ Survival, human progress

The Warsaw Treaty members’ offer to
NATO of peace and disarmament for the
peoples of both sides of the world expres-
ses the heart-felt desire of the peoples of
the world who choose peace and disarma-
ment, and by their deeds command the
U.S. and NATO warhawks to stop their
crazy race toward nuclear war.

Totally absent from the Warsaw mem-
bers’ meeting in Prague Jan. 5-6 is any de-
mand for military dominance, or any
threat of nuclear attack on any country.
The world’s peoples are sensitive to that
reality.

In contrast, the imperialist powers re-
cently attempted a crude propaganda of-
fensive claiming that the broadest desires
of the peoples of Europe and North
America for peace were no more than the
manipulating of millions for some sinister
Soviet intent.

The propaganda stunt could only back-
fire because it laid bare for all to see, not
Soviet manipulation of the world’s peace
movements, but rather the coming to-
gether of the desires and actions in a mas-
sive way of peoples and governments and
the socialist community in their commit-
ment to peace on earth!

The.Warsaw Treaty countries’ offer, to
go back to it, is far more than the offer of a
non-aggression pact, important as that is,
which the Western media and reactionary
political circles are casting doubt upon.

The proposals out of the Prague meeting
for preventing the devastation of human-
kind and its works, make up the most
comprehensive proposal for creating the
political climate of detente, mutual trust,
and hence peace and disarmament, pro-
posed since the end of World War II. It is
an appeal to unite in carrying ona growing
world economy in conditions of peace.

The great danger to NATO, the U.S.
Pentagon and imperialism as a whole is not
that they may be attacked militarily by the
socialist countries. Any reasoned analysis
rules that out. The great danger is that the
full text of the Warsaw offer reaches the
hands of millions and millions of the world’s
people, that they are not dependent upon

EDET ORE AL

fMLP | |

anti-Soviet

propagandists
“information”. ;

Does any honest person suppose that the
seven foremost leaders of the Warsaw Tre-
aty countries came together to light some
firecracker of a propaganda stunt? They
are spokesmen of countries which lost tens: °
of millions in World War II. What is more

they are spokesmen of socialist countries,

who, in the struggle to show that their sys-
tem is better, covet nothing more fiercely

than conditions of peace in which socialism
can flourish. ;

The imperialist press, such as the Globe
and Mail, can do no better than cite fascist
and imperialist breaking of treaties to
“prove” that non-aggression pacts are
worthless. For example, says the Globe,
there was fascist Germany’s attack on the
USSR, fascist Japan’s attack on Manchuria,
and fascist Italy’s attack on Ethiopia. An
excellent selection.

Evidently the Warsaw powers are expect-

ing better of the Western powers today,
under pressure of. mass peace sentiment
and the desire for human survival. And
President Reagan, despite mouthy advis-
ers, has expressed cautious:consideration
of the offer. The Federal Republic of Ger-
many’s Chancellor Helmut Kohl welcomed
the proposal and suggested “careful con-
sideration”. And the FRG’s opposition
leader, Social Democrat Hans-Jochen
Vogel visited Moscow to confirm his view
that there is new hope for curbing the nu-
clear war threat. In Moscow also, 13 U.S.
Congressmen learned that the USSR is
considering the destruction, not storing, of
medium-range missiles it has offered to
withdraw.

We have heard the offer from the
Prague meeting described pejoratively as
_“a peace offensive”. Is a “peace offensive”
bad? The world would welcome a genuine
peace offensive from Reagan. Canadians
would be glad if Trudeau had the courage
to take such an offensive.

What has been offered by the Warsaw
Treaty countries meeting in Prague is a
chance for humankind to survive and pro-
gress. We cannot afford to let that chance
slip away.

Feds eye army for jobless

One of the more ominous sides of the
unemployment crisis, particularly as it
applies to young people, is the stealthy
campaign to solve mass unemployment by
bloating the army with tens of thousands of
young, jobless Canadians.

The plan, which is in the works, and
under discussion behind closed doors,
which is where the government would like
to make the final decision as well, falls
delightfully in line with NATO’s constant
harangues to build up the military.

“Employment” Minister Lloyd Axwor-
thy admitted in December that he is con-
sidering a $200-million scheme to induct
25,000 jobless youth into the armed forces,
ostensibly for “job training”. All the more
fitting is the Communist Party's call, over a
long period, for a massive civilian job-
training plan for youth.

Axworthy claims that the government's

_ deliberate policy of mass unemployment

has created a waiting list tor the fateful step

into the military.

Defence Minister Gilles Lamontagne,
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JANUARY 21, 1983—Page 4

one of the Cabinet’s hawks, has presented
that body with no less than three different
schemes for sacrificing the desperate
unemployed to his military desires. With
increasing public pressure on the federal
government to create jobs, and Finance
Minister Marc Lalonde in a panic to show
some direction by budget time in February
or March, this worthy also likes the
regimentation idea for the young unem-
ployed.

Canadians, historically and realistically
do not believe in trying to paper over eco-

nomic ills by building a big army. There is
plenty the government can do without

stopping the export of jobs from Canada

by U.S. multi-nationals, about creating
Canadian independent industry, research

and development, about plugging the bor-

der against runaway investment capital

sweated out of Canadian workers.

The other side of the question, which
needs to be examined is just why a bigger
military is wanted; what U.S. and NATO
orders are being followed at the expense of
Canada’s unemployed youth?

for

Ry Ue as No, Pay ge edie ie Soe eb at Eo ee ee ah 2

ats Fenn’ Yh
“MOSCOW DIARY - Something Strange is happening here: no.unemployment, n
fises, no crime in the streets - it’s the biggest coverup in the world!

Flashbacks

25 years 50 years

WITH FRIENDS DOWN WITH
LIKE THIS... BENNETT GOV’
When “Honest John” OTTAWA — Hundre

workers here raised the
gan, “Down with the Ber
Iron Heel and hu
government” when the
tional Hunger March
gation reported to them
arrogant, callous
threatening reply wl
Bennett made when
sented the case of hund
of thousands of. desti
workers.

When the delegation as
for free and full unemp
ment insurance Beni
threatened the group |
imprisonment in King:
Pen. When they deman
trade with the USSR anc
end to Bennett’s embargo
indulged in a heated —
slanderous tirade against
land where socialism is be
built. The Wor!

January 21, 1

Diefenbaker returned from
the Paris NATO talks there
were long pontifical pro-
nouncements about eco-
nomic cooperation between
member nations about a
“food bank”, etc.

But came the cruel dawn.
The U.S. announced a cut in
oil imports from Canada.
Then came a report that the
U.S. was discussing slashing
imports of base metals from
Canada.: fo.

In Paris, Finance Minister
Fleming said he talked to his
Opposite number in the U.S.
The result — disaster.

If this is the price of
“friendly” relations, ‘Fleming
had better stop now.

Tribune,
January 20, 1958

Profiteer of the week

‘

Mitel Corp., with head office at Kanata near Ottawa, sold t.
communications equipment to the tune of $21,612,000 profit
nine months ended Nov. 26/82. Mitel, which has subsidiarie:
Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Ireland, etc., felt moved to Say that by L
accounting methods its profit would only be $12,042,000.

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN
Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON
Business and Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR

Published weekly at Suite 101 — 1416 Commercial Drive,
Vancouver, B.C. V5L 3X9. Phone 251-1186

‘Subscription Rate: Canada $14 one year; $8 for six months.
All other countries: $15 one year.

Second class mail registration number 1560