; i { t LABOR FRONT | Now that Lester B. Pearson, national leader of the Lib- eral Party, has become the main spokesman in support of nuclear arms for Canada, it may be useful to look back and listen to what he had to say on that same subject a year or two ago. Speaking in Parliament Aug. 5, 1960 on the issue of nuclear arms he said that he had changed his mind since July, 1959, when he had inferentially approved the acquisition of tactical nuclear weapons for the Canadian Brigade in Europe. “IT have changed my mind for three reasons,” he said. “One is that I am im- pressed by the fact that tactical nuclear weapons will not give us the amount of tactical security which I thought might be possible then; also because I am afraid the concentration of tactical nuclear weapons under U.S. control may mean that they will be less likely to build up defense forces which European countries should perhaps have. Also, I am afraid, by the fact that the use of tactical nuclear wea- pons, even on. the smallest-scale, might result in Fadioactive fallout which would be disastrous.”’ : * % * In case of any misunderstanding of his position Pearson went on to say that Canada should “categorically reject the proposition that her NATO forces should be _ equip- ped with nuclear weapons of any kind.” In fact he went fur- ther, stating that ‘the proposition that the NATO forces should be equipped with nuclear weapons of any kind under exclus- ive national control, whether it is the control of the country using them or the control of another country supplying them “should be rejected. No NATO forces should be equipped with tactical nuclear weapons ait all.” Further on Pearson remarked that “regardless of what NATO decides, the Canadian air division in Europe should not be equipped with the nuclear bomb carrying CF-109 to carry out a strike attack role.” * * * That was Pearson in 1960 after admitting he made a mis- take in 1959. Pearson also had something to say on the matter in February 1962 in connection with problems of continent- al defence. At that time he declared that: “If Canada were to ac- cept nuclear weapons, their use could be authorized only by Washington and they would furnish no defense of eenecinn: territory.” “On the other hand ”, he said, “including Canada in the nuclear powers would make our voice less effective in sup- port of the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. It is bad enough that we have four countries manufacturing these weapons. It would be infinitely worse if they came into pos- session of 20, 30 or more nations. I would therefore drop the uncertain Bomarc missiles which require nuclear war heads. I would replace the pre- sent, out-of-date obsolete CF-100 interception plane which in fact cannot fly as high or as fast as the latest commercial jet. with a smaller number of the latest type of jet. “These should be armed with the latest non-nuclear wea- pons. But it is idle and wrong to deceive ourselves by think- ing that they, or anything else, can give us protection against missiles, now the main weapon of intercontinental attack.” * * * Clear enough, one would think. No nuclear weapons in Can- ada; no nuclear weapons for Canadian forces overseas. The arguments advanced by Pearson in 1960 and 1962 to buttress that position remain valid today. Who, then, helped Pearson to change his mind? It requires no stretch of the imagination to know that it stems from the USA and from the policies em- anating from the Pentagon. Pearson. is carrying the ball for the U.S. government. And if he changed his mind again this year it isn’t because these weapons are necessary for the security of Canada and the peace of the world but because the extension of these nuclear weapons under U.S. control are an integral part of the aims of U.S. imperialism. What the U.S. government wants to achieve in pressing for the acceptance of nuclear weapons in Canada and for her armed forces is. firstly, the establishment of a U.S. nuclear weapons system on Canadian soil that will go far beyond the Bomarc missile bases. Secondly, to open the door for spread- ing that system to other countries. In the accomplishment of these objectives U.S. ialism will have not only further undermined the independ- ence of our country; it will have gone a long way in its pre- -parations for world nuclear war. Slippery Mike is now trying to prove, as he did in the speech in Montreal, that possession of nuclear weapons by our country is the way to peace when in reality it is the sure way to self-destruction. Pearson, of course, has the right to change his mind. But in doing so he is also helping to change the minds of working people with respect to the Liberal Party which has become the front man for U.S. policy in Canada. * * * The fitting answer of the working class and particularly of the trade union movement with its million and a quarter membership, is to turn their backs on the Liberal Party and unite their efforts in this election campaign to ensure the el- ection of a strong contingent of NDP members to Parliament. In the conditions prevailing today that could well check the U.S. drive to impose nuclear weapons on Canada and ad- vance the fight for a truly independent foreign policy for our country. . March 8, 19¢ imper- Socreds block public airing of graft charges says Morgan A charge that the Public Accounts Committee of the B.C. Legislature is ‘hardly the body to entrust with the task of conducting an impar- tial investigation” into recent charges of corruption in the highway’s department, was made by B.C. Commu nist Party leader Nigel Morgan HARRY HUNTER was last week nominated Communist Party can- didate in Hamilton West. He is a former alderman in Hamilton, and played a prominent part in helping organize the Steelworkers in the Ontario industrial city. in a radio broadcast Sunday night. ¢ After pointing out that the committee is made upg of a “safe majority of loyal gov- ernment supporters,’ Morgan @alled for a thorough inquiry by a judicial body indepen- dent of partisan politics. He said if the Zoxvernment has aA. a WILLIAM ROSS, Communist Party leader in Manitoba has been named Communist Party candidate in Winnipeg North. Na- tional party leader Leslie Morris addressed the nominating conven- tion. NUCLEAR have no organization. country, and to our lives. land? the warmakers. RM. 502 FORD BPILDING NAME CITY or TOWN _-.-- PEACE DOLLARS against An appeal from the Communist Party Lest week the PT published the election manifesto of the Communist Party. We are sure that after reading it you will agree that it is imperative that this message be brought to millions of Canadians, The Communist Party plans to do this through the publication of advertisements in newspapers from coast to coast, including many communities where as yet we This will cost a great deal of money. But the cost pales into insignificance when we compare it to the cost of nuc- lear weapons and the terrible threat they represent to our The Communist Party appeals to you to help. Will you contribute as generously as you can to the national electjon fund of the Communist Party so that this message of peace and independence will be read in every corner of our greai Your peace dollars can defeat the nuclear dollars of You may make your cheques and money orders pay- oble to Nigel. Morgan, B.C. Election Campaign Manager. COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA 193 E. HASTINGS ST., VANCOUVER Here is my contribution Communist Party carry its manifesto through newspaper advertising to millions of Canadians. ADDRESS 232621: DOLLARS of $ to help the nothing to hide it should be the first to welcome an open impartial inquiry. Other points made in the broadcast included the fol lowing: ® Morgan welcomed pas sage of the $70 Homeowner Grant, but pointed out that whereas B.C. at one time pro- vided the second highest aid to municipalities of all pro- vinces, it had now slipped to the bottom of the list. He said there was no sub- stantial aid for municipalities in sight. Urging that B.C. cities and towns deserve a4 better deal, Morgan said that the only way this will be done to cope with rising educa- tional, health* and welfare costs is through. increased provincial and federal allot- ments to civic governments. HOSPITAL BOOST ‘ e Pointing to the fact that the B.C. Hospital Association has circularized the 92 hospi- tal boards in B.C. to sound out opinion on _ increasing hospital insurance payments, — Morgan warned that a new scheme is under consideration — which would add to the bur- dens of the public by hoisting — patient hospital fees above — the present dollar-a-day co- insurance charge. He urged public protests to local hospital trustees and Health Minister Eric Martin that no such increase will be tolerated... e Pointing” to” ‘the Se tion between rejecting 1u- clear arms and the tax bur — den on the people, Morgan — said such a move would not — only increase the danger to Canada, but would also mean ~ further tax pressures on the — Canadian people, and less aid — from senior governments for civic services. : are \ Greet Inter. Women’s Day Eugenie Cotton, president of the Women’s International Democratic Federation, hail- ed the 53rd anniversary of International Women’s Day, March 8, and urged women of the world to work for dis armament “with all their strength”. The WIDF will hold 4 World Congress of Women in Moscow on June 24 to 29. el WILLIAM MALNYCHUK was a5 week named toe contest the Tor — onto-High Park riding for the Communist Party. He is a chen? cal engineer by profession, a0 for the past several years ha devoted his time to Ukrain community work in Toronto.