‘Roll back high prices’

@ Continued from page 5

ing to have representatives
from as many organizations as
possible -participate. Buses will
be picking up people from the
Niagara Peninsula to go to Ot-
tawa, and other contingents
will be coming from Guelph,
Hamilton, Oshawa and other
Ontario centres.

The Tribune asked her how,
seeing that one of the Coali-
tion’s demands is an end to
monopoly profiteering, monopo-
ly can be explained to the peo-
ple. “We find that it is very
necessary to explain just exactly
what monopoly means,” Mrs.
Bizzell answered. “People don’t
realize that the supermarket
chains, such as Dominion, own
the procesing, packaging and
transport businesses, the farms,
and even the firms that make
their shop fittings. Therefore,
they can control prices right
from the outset, before the pro-
duct reaches the shelves. That’s
monopoly, and most people can
understand it pretty well.”

The Wall Street wolves have
won

Using the CIA and Pentagon,

A skirmish has been lost

At what sad cost...

The battle’s just begun

As with King Pyrrhus

In a day long gone,

The victory they stole

Beyond all doubt

Will, if we toil together

Bring their final rout

J. S. Wallace

Support for the Coalition and
its demands has been mush-
rooming, especially in areas
where demonstrations and other
activities have been mounted.
“Whenever we go on a demon-
stration,” she said, “we receive
about 99% strong, positive sup-
port. But that’s not enough; we
have to get the supporters to
join in action with us, partici-
pate in our activities, leafleting,
assisting in the preparation of

friends, leafleting their apart-
ments. Many people have even
sent in donations.

“The food issue is one where
monopoly can really be attack-
ed. Outrageous prices on the
shelves are seen by everyone,
especially working people and
those on fixed incomes who
budget strictly. People are be-
coming very aware of price
gouging.

“And people are getting an-
gry. For example, I know of a
woman in the east end of To-
ronto who shops at a certain
Dominion store. Third grade
fruit is sold at really high pric-
es. Well, one day she got so dis-
gusted: that she overturned the
counter, and squashed the fruit.

“We're not doing that, but it
dages indicate that people want
to do something about high
prices.”

The October 15 Day of pro-
test rally in Ottawa’ called by
the Coalition to Roll Back Pric-
es is one way in which people
can do something, by joining the

materials, contacting their demonstration, Mrs. Bizzell said.
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SOLIDARITY — 72

“NOT ANOTHER ROUND!”

Workers now relatively poorer

TORONTO — Crumbling liv-
ing standards for the working
people: in the face of. spiralling
inflation — that is the picture
wherein “the working class is
becoming relatively poorer,”
says the Communist Party -of
Canada in a statement released
October 9.

Facts now provided by Statis-
tics Canada bear out the CP
contention of last May that the
working-class “share of the na-
tional income has decreased,”
the statement points out. ‘“High-
er rates of pay have not been
proportional to the degree of in-
crease of the national income.

“The working people may be
earning more money but by and
large, they get less-for it. The
working class has its standards
undermined by a reduction in
real wages through inflation and
price rises, by high unemploy-
ment, higher taxes and interest
rates, a rise in cost of housing
and rents.”

The Party statement pinpoints
the incredible fact that, “This
deterioration of living standards
coincides with ever rising pro-
ductivity as well as a phenom-
enal increase in monopoly pro-
fits — 49% for the first six
months of this year compared
to the same period last year.”

And, as might be expected,
those “who benefit from infla-
tion — monopoly — are in large
measure responsible for infla-
tion.

All-Out Battle

“The working people of Can-
ada, the organized labor move-
ment, are within their rights to
go all-out in the battle to defend
themselves against the effects
of- inflation,’ the Communist
Party states.

“Substantial wage increases
which take into account increas-
ed productivity, and a further
rise in prices, cost of living es-
calator clauses adjusted every
three months, similar protective
clauses for social benefit pay-
ments, are absolutely essential,”
it says. “Social security pay-
ments must be immediately and
substantially increased, and the
minimum wage increased to $3
an hour. Social payments and
minimum wages should be ad-
justed quarterly by a full-value
cost - of - living bonus. Where
wage agreements’ do not give
such protection, unions should
have the right to re-open con-
tracts. :

“These measures should go
together with an allout effort
to roll back prices and curb the
monopoly profiteers. The trade

» PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FRIDAY, OCTOBER'12, 1973 =-“PAGE 10.5

union movement ought to unite
with consumer and other groups
for the realization of these ob-
jectives.”

The Communist statement
stresses that, “While striving to
protect themselves from the ef-
fects of inflation, the working
class must face up to the fact
that these are defensive meas-
ures. What is required is an all-
out offensive to bring an end to
inflation.

“To end inflation demands
measures to bring an end to the
system which breeds it,” the CP
states, since inflation arises di-
rectly from the present stage of
capitalism state-monopoly
capitalism, in which all aspects
of the state and big business are
completely intertwined.

“Public ownership of the key
sectors of the economy and
democratic planning based: on
public ownership ...on_ the
political power of the working
people, this is the way to bring

_an end to inflation.

“The working people,” the
statement concludes, “must help
bring into being a government
dedicated to these aims while
striving in every way to protect
themselves today against the
effects of inflation.”

Expressing concern over the
decline in wage earners’ purch-
asing power, the Canadian
Labor Congress, on Oct. 3,
called for increased militancy at
the bargaining table.

“We are greatly concerned
that wage gains are being wiped
out by rapidly rising living
costs,” CLC Secretary William
Dodge said in a -prepared state-
ment. “We have’stated this re-
peatedly over many months. The
latest official figures... un-
derline.our concern.

He said corporation profits
were soaring while purchasing

power plunged. :
“The time has come when
wage earners, in order to pro
tect themselves and their famt
lies, must become more milital
in their demands,” he said. “Ol
ganized workers, through cOl
lective bargaining, should strivé
to obtain wage increases which

will not only match price it”

creases but also increases ™
labor productivity.” Fl
The alternative, he said, woul
be “a falling off in their stan®
ard of living at a time when |
Canadian economy is flourish
ing.”
—

@ Continued from page 5

End Mideast injustice

should be followed by negotiations of all outstand-
ing questions as set out in the same resolution.

“This,” it stated, “is the only sound basis for
bringing about a just and durable peace in the
Middle East, a peace based, not on annexation,
on the guaranteed security of. all countries
peoples in that region, including the State of
rael, and on recognition of the legitimate rights 0
the Arab people of Palestine.

put
an
Is-

—

NDP, Liberals answet
letters from Kashtan

In the many-sided fight of
the Canadian working people to
retain their rights and living
standards, the increasing weight
of the role of the Communist
Party has been evident. In par-
ticular, the CP’s championing
of unity needed in this struggle
has hit home, and resulted in
numerous actions and_ re-
sponses.

In reply to a letter over the
signature of William Kashtan,
general secretary of the Com-
munist Party, calling for united
action to mount “an all-Canada
crusade” to roll back prices and
curb monopoly, the New De-
mocratic Party referred to “a
comprehensive policy resolu-
tion” passed at its recent fed-
eral convention in Vancouver
which covered the subject. of
living costs.

“In the House of Commons
and in particular committees
the NDP MPs have pushed the
Trudeau government to take
more effective action in this
field. I know it is the intention
of the NDP federal caucus to
continue to do so,” the NDP let-
ter stated.

“I am sure that the Canadian
Labor Congress, the National
Farmers ‘Union and the other
groups you mention appreciate
these. efforts which are being
made by the New Democratic
Party in this area.”

The Communist Party’s unity
letter was sent to the CLC, the
CNTU, NFU, NDP, Congress
of Canadian Women, Women
Against Soaring Prices and La
Ligue des Femmes du Québec.

BUSSES FOR RALLY

HAMILTON — The Hamil-
ton and District Labor Coun-
cil decided at its Oct. 4 meet-
ing to sponsor a bus to carry
Hamilton workers to the
giant Anti-Poverty Concert
Rally at Toronto City Hall,
Sunday, Oct. 14 (2 to 4 p.m.),
sponsored by the Ontario
Anti-Poverty Coalition.

The Communist Party’s tele
gram to the Trudeau gove
ment and Labor Minister J°
Munro urging the governme
“to withdraw the pun
measures taken against rat
workers who are upholding’ .
right to strike and collect :
bargaining . . .” produced ee
replies. The first, from the pi
minister’s office, defended ot
government’s role, but did bs
coincide with the views of whe
adian labor. It said in part: %
government cannot agree ;
your statement that parlia ca
imposed a wage settlemem”
the union members. Parlin
was recalled to pass legisla
ending the strike which ha
sulted in a national emeré

not to act as the negotiatol i, |

tween the two parties ™
dispute. 1e8
“Wage provisions in the “1,
islation are there as a flo "0
a future settlement to be ™ and
tiated between the union ior
the railway manageme tg
the arbitration of the Ho™
mett Hall .. .” ly:
Labor Minister Munro’s ss :
with assurances to the “i
munist Party telegram tele”

“With referrence to your arg’

gram requesting that ontn

against certain railway © * spe
ees be withdrawn. Whe” Js
Department of Justice
satisfied that the railway pl
ployees concerned were ©, was
ing with federal statutes,’ i”

decided that charges agacons

dividuals would be out re"
dered. With respect to ¥ ge ip’
ferrence to interim W?\4gitt

creases provided for i? ios?
tenance of Railway UP dt
Act 1973, please be advi§ ‘nit?
these wage figures aré. test of
and parties will have fulle” se
portunity to .make fu
presentation to Hon. int
Hall, the arbitrator apP? ..”
deal with railway disp¥

—— tae!
soi
Experts are sure furth@ alot

ral wealth will be foun!
the lower Yenisie RIV&:<<

ency! ‘

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