0 or m id As Nixon put forward his “new” 8-point plan for Indochina, his bombers were carrying out devastating raids FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1972 on Laos, Cambodia, North and South Vietnam. Photo shows a devastated street in Donhoi, just north of the 17th parallel. Air raids into North Vietnam have been the heaviest in three years. Rapid transit vs crossing vote urged Twenty-seven organizations sent delegates to a planning conference of the Co-ordinating Committee for Public Transit Monday in the Grandview com- munity centre and decided to step up their demands for a pleb- iscite on the issue of rapid transit versus freeways and’the third crossing. They decided to send a mass delegation to Victoria on Feb- ruary 21 asking the provincial government to discuss the third crossing issue with them. The executive approved a statement by MLA Hunter Vogel which recognized that rapid transit was of key importance to people of the Lower Mainland. Urban Affairs minister Ron Basford will be requested to hold public hearings on the rapid transit-third crossing situation before any financial commit- ment is affirmed. A delegate stressed there is as yet no agreement between provincial and federal ministers on the financing, and there is a lon way yet to go. Executive member Sonya Eyten reported that 6,500 signa- tures had been collected on the petitions to date and that it would continue next Saturday from the courthouse steps at 10:30 a.m. Bill Linke. business officer of the Amalgamated Transit Union, told delegates the rapid transit issue must be taken to the people of Surrey, Coquitlam, Rich- mond and Burnaby. These people are in dire need of public transportation. He urged the delegates to take information to ratepayers groups, old age pen- sioner organizations and others in those areas. Hamish McKay of Burnaby reported some success with house to house contact and stressed that February 10 to 12 there would be group petitioning in the Brentwood Mall. ‘We have to go to the muni- cipal councillors in the Greater Vancouver district,’ said delegate from Surrey. ‘‘Many of them are in favor of rapid transit.” $e) Chairman Bruce Yorke said the proponents of the third crossing are now on the defen- sive, and are listening to the chorus of opposition to the construction of a third crossing. In recent days federal cabinet minister Ron Basford and some M.P.’s have expressed the opinion that the people should be heard, in addition to provincial members of the legislature such as Hunter Vogel and Ernie Lecours who express doubts about the necessity of freeways and bridges for automobiles. _ Mayor Tom Campbell has said if such a plebiscite is held it should be a simple ‘‘Are you in favor. of a new crossing?”’ type of referendum. With memories of the Four Seasons plebiscite in mind, people everywhere are rejecting the mayor’s ploy. Delegates at the Monday night meeting were unanimous in the opinion that voters must be allowed to express their prefer- ence in alternatives to a freeway-bridge system, and will put such an alternative to city council, the provincial and federal governments and muni- cipal authorities. VOL. 33, No. 5 BY DECREE Tribune