Vienna festival ends on triumphant note VIENNA — In a joyous and enthusiastic mood the Seventh World Festival of Youth and Friendship officially ended here at an open-air concert and ceremony attended by a huge crowd. Cheering and singing delegates from all countries mingled with thousands of Viennese people, who once again were joining in and enjoying the festival. The closing festival press conference was “Another proof that, as somebody remarked, “the festival has won.” Hostile. reporters were extremely sub- dued because even to them it was obvious that the Viennese hhad, generally speaking, ac- cepted and enjoyed the festi- val. Nearly a miliion Viennese people had enjoyed the color, movement and variety of cul- tural events, it was announc- ed. Over 18,000 delegates and observers represented 112 countries at the festival. What is important about the World Youth Festival, said guest artist Paul Robeson, is that young people from the West have met friends from the Socialist countries. ‘The young people attending were, among other things, clearly indicating that they were not prepared to die in a war, he added. The young people want a decent life, they need peace and the chance to develop and fearn, he said. “I am proud that I had the chance of be- ing with this youth of thé world and to have made a small _contribution _to _this splendid festival.” Robeson was referring to his appearance the previous Saturday night at ‘the inter- national concert in Vienna’s largest square; attended by over 40,000 people. Asked for his views on maintaining peace in Europe, Robeson said he thought this required above all a change of American foreign POHCY: to- ward Europe. The increasing contacts be- tween Soviet and U.S. politic- ians were hopeful signs. It was up to the German people themselves to settle the future of their own country, he ad- ded. During a visit to the camp where the German Democratic Republic delegates were stay- ing, Robeson said he hoped to visit East Germany next Oc- tober. Many youth delegates visit- ed Mauthausen concentration: camp here, where 140,000 anti- fascists were murdered by the Nazis. Alexander Szurek, deputy secretary of the International Federation of Resistance Fight- ers, told them: “By your pres- sence you are expressing soli- darity with those who, when they were liberated 15 years ago, swore there would never be another Mauthausen.” Vancouver for big labor ‘NANAIMO, B.C. — People fram all parts of Vancouver Island are expected to attend the United Labor Picnic at Parksville community hall and picnic grounds this coming Sunday, August 16. Guest speaker at the picnic will be Tom McEwen, editor @f the Pacific Tribune. A special attraction will be the showing of a color film, island set picnic “China As I Saw It,” by Van- couver trade unionist and cameraman Ed Simpson. There will be afternoon and Enns showings. The day’s events begin at 2 p.m. on the picnic grounds. They include volley ball and other games ,horse shoes, swim- ming races, tug-o-war, and a fiddlers contest and other mus- ical entertainment. - © VANCOUVER ISLAND. nited Labor Picnic SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 PARKSVILLE COMMUNITY HALL AND PICNIC GROUNDS Starts at 2 p.m. Guest Speaker: TOM McEWEN Sports — Movie on China — Fiddlers’ Contest Swimming — Volleyball One of the Canadian farm- er’s most cherished illusions was that he was “independ- ent.” It was “his hands, his homestead” for which he fought and worked from day- light to dark to- preserve in- tact. He could be as poor as the proverbial church mouse with the sheriff only one jump away, but he still held fast to that deep sense of ‘‘independ- ence” that is until the cost- price squeeze of capitalist economy flattened him like a beetle under a boot. Successive governments of Tory, Liberal, Socred and other vintages of the same, have always expressed great concerm for ‘four farmers.” To- gether with the financial, mortgage and machine sharks whom they religiously serve, these governments have done everything for the farmer—ex- cept get off his back. For decades, royal and not- soroyal commissions -have studied the farmers’ problems long and earnestly (at a good per diem for their studies). Parliamentary archives across’ the land are chock full of. these dust-covered studies, offering a lot of good advice—but little else. in a learned -ad- dress before the Canadian Agricultural Economics So- ciety, Dr: Philip J. Thair of the University of Saskatche- wan gave out with another idea on how agriculture could be helped ‘over the economic hurdle; that of the ‘‘selection” of farmers, “the best man equipped for the job.” This “selection” by some undefined governmental board or agency? Recently This, according to Professor Thair would end “blind” pro- duction in our agriculture, help to eliminate: the misfits from «the farms; and») advance the cause of “vertical integra- tion” by having the “commer- cial integrators” (read monop- olies) do a bit of their own “selecting” of the right kind of farmer ‘in the letting of their contracts.” Carried to its logical con- clusion under a- capitalist eco- nomy, the professor’s cure for agricultural ills can only have one outcome: the creation of a class. of agrictultural peons, stripped of their land and in- dependence, binding the “‘selec- tee” to the big monopoly distri- butor with a “verticle integra- tion” cow-chain, A tieup de- signed to make agriculture an appendage of big monopoly in- dustry, and. the “selectee” a farm peon to big business. Soviet Union is for this step. British obstruction of a re- call of the three-nation com- mission — India, Poland, Can- ada — was linked this week with attempts to foist respon- sibility on neighbouring demo- cratic North Viet Nam for the Laos fighting. The Royal Laerlbh: Army was reported to be sending re- inforcements north toward Sam Neua province, to where the patriotic Pathet Lao forces escaped two months ago. The Royal Laotian govern- ment claims that the “rebels” had been' reinforced by new elements “entirely armed, equipped and stiffened by the Democratic Republic of North Viet Nam.” But North Viet Nam, through a statement by the Viet Nam news agency, categorically re- futed the Laotian charge and pointed out that previously the Americans and their henchmen in Laos had used slanders against North Viet Nam _ to cover up their own activities. India urges actior on crisis in Laos NEW DELHI — Renewed fighting in Laos reinfor India’s view that the International Supervisory Comm sion for Laos should be reconvened, official sources h said this week. Two months ago India urged Britain 2 the Soviet Union, as co-chairman of the 1954 Geneva | ference on Indochina to reconvene the commission. Th Britain opposes it. North Viet Nam radio fr Hanoi said that the Roya Laotian army launched terr TO ist raids, forcing the Pathel Lao troops to fight back # self-defense. Landlocked Laos, with area of England, Wales 3 Scotland and a population three million, occupies an ! portant position in Amer strategy of building a 2a around China stretching. Pakistan to Japan. It has received millions ot dollars from the U.S. to . finance its army and pol force. American “advisers have replaced French ones in the Royal Laotian Army. ” The present crisis arose fror American and reactionary ao- tian fears that the progressive forces would win the eli which should have been h this year. On American navich: no elections were held but new reactionary governm was formed. MOSCOW — Britain’s movie Room at the Top cannot but touch the heart, writes Soviet critic Bauman in Sovietskaya Kultura after the showing of the film here to an audience of some 15,000 at the opening of the Moscow International Film Festival. He says it “is made in ao realist style, its details are carefully thought out as we come to believe both in its ‘central characters and:in ‘the less important roles. ° ’ *But the main victory of the film — an undoubted, com- plete and clear-cut victory—is Moscow critic says ‘Room’ lacks feeling in the performance of Simont Signoret. This gifted Fren actress: plays her part in a strained manner, in keeping with that of the film as whole, but with | tremendous : feeling.” But in general, he continues, the film lacks feeling. Despit the efforts of its makers special tribute is paid to th cameraman Freddy Franei they remain mere story-telle standing to one side. “Their film. should | hav more feeling, not only artis feeling but also social feeling, writes the critic. follow the arrows). Workers Benevolent Association ANNUAL PICNIC SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 AT UKRAINIAN CHILDREN’S CAMP, HANEY © - Picnic starts at 1 p.m. — FREE ICE CREAM, POP FOR CHILDREN Buses leave 805 East Pender at 11:30 a.m. (Travelling by car, turn left at 8th Ave. Haney to Old | Dewdney Trunk Road to Websters Corner. From there, eas August 14, 1959—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 2.