LPP LETTER TO CCF

of. escent

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1959

featiencd from page 1

TIBET

help us; the Americans say
that the commune movement

~ in China has caused discon-

tent among the people, who
are ready to rebel.”

On March 10 there was an
outkreak in Lhasa, and the
Dalai Lama wrote to the Tep-
resentative of the Central

. People’s Government in Tibet
- on three occasions saying that

he had been seized by the re-
actionaries and was making
all possible efforts to have
the local “government dea)
with the reactionary clique.

On. March 19 these reaction-
ary elements decided to ex-
tend the rebellion. They
launched an all-out attack on
the People’s Libération Army
units stationed in Lhasa, thus
finally choosing the road to
their own extinction.

At 10 am. on March 20 the

‘troops of the Tibetan military

area command of the Chinese
People’s Liberation Army was
ordered to take punitive
action against the clique of
traitors,

With the aid of the patri-
otic Tibetan monks and lay-
men, the People’s Liberation
Army completely crushed the
rebellion in the city of Lhasa
after more than two days of
fighting.

' A rough count shows that

_ by March 23, more than 4,000

rebel troops were taken pris-
oner, and 8,000 small arms of
different kinds, 81 light and
heavy machine guns, 27° 81-
millimetre calibre mortars, 6
mountain guns and 10 million
bullets were captured. -

The rapid putting down of
the rebellion in Lhasa showed
that the Tibetan  fraitorous
clique found little support
among the people.

Tibet has a total population
of 1,200,000: The rebels num-
ber 20,000 in all, including
some rebellious elements who
fled to Tibet from areas east
of the Kingsha River in what
was formerly Sikiang prov-
ince, and are known as the
Kamba people.

The overwhelming majority

of the Tibetan people are
peasants and herdsmen who
live in extreme poverty, and
they eagerly hope to free

_ themselves from the darkest

feudal serfdom in the world,

There are also many patri-
otic, progkessive people in
the upper and middle strata
in Tibet. .They support the
Central People’s Government.

The task is to turn Tibet
step by step into a civilized,
progressive area. The country
already has a small laboring
class firmly aspiring for
emancipation, and fairly large

sections of progressive people

who want reform in the upper
and middle strata. _

In the course of putting
down the rebellion and es-
tablishing peaceful order, the
policy of the Central Govern-
ment in dealing with rebel
elements ig to punish “those
guilty of major crimes; not
punish the intimidated follow-
ers and reward those who
have performed metorious
services. ;

In order to wipe out the
rebels thoroughly, the state
council has ordered the units

of the Chinese People’s Lib-

eration Army stationed in
Tibet to assume military con-
trol.in various places.

As soon as order has been

restored, local administrative
bodies of the Autonomous Re-
gion of Tibet at all levels will
be set up throughout the coun-
try and exercise the functions
and powers of autonomy. At
present, autonomy and milit-
ary control are simultaneously
in force. Autonomy will gradu-
ally and completely replace
military control when the re-
bellion is put down and peace-
ful order is established.

The rebellion, started by the

imperialists and reactionaries,

has failed to split Tibet and the
motherland. Instead it -has
strengthened: the consolidation
of national unification, accel-
erated the doom of reactionary
forces in Tibet, pushed for-
ward democratisation and pro-
moted a new birth: of the
Tibetan people.

‘Need unity
defeat Socre

aN grave responsibility rests upon the politically advances people: of British Colut
to give leadership at this critical time to make certain that the attack on the people’s wel
by Premier Bennett and his masters is defeated. The LPP answer to Bennett's challenge i
appeal for unity of the people to defeat Social Credit and all the old-line parties of

opoly in the next election.”

This appeal to the CCF on
the eve of its annual provin-
cial convention was made by
the Labor - Progressive party
this week in a letter sent to
CCF secretary Harold Thayer
by Charles Caron, LPP organ-
ization secretary, on behalf
of the LPP proves execu-
tive.

Full text of the letter reads:

We of the Labor-Progressive
Party extend warm greetings
to your convention and, at
the same time, wish to place
before you our views as to
how the people of British Co-
lumbia may defeat the attack
that has been launched against
them by the monopolists and
their political parties—Social
Credit, Liberal and Consens
tive.

Faced as they are by a con-
tinuing economic crisis, the

. monopolists are determined to

cripple the trade union move-
ment and to slash the stand-
ard of living of the people.
This is their cure for the so-
called recession; their way of
secumi}a tine, even higher

_ profits. ©

That an all-out offensive
has in fact been launched
against the * people was sig-
nalled by the recent session
of the legislature.

The government, callous to
the requirements of our youth,

“forced an increase in univer-

sity fees. It failed to bring
worthwhile relief to the aged
or to alleviate the dire need
of -all our social services for
more funds. It did nothing for
the unemployed. It treated its
own employees, the civil serv-
ants, with utter contempt.

And then, on orders from
the monopolists, it enacted
what even the Vancouver Sun
described as “the toughest la-
bor law in Canada” — the
notorious Bill 43, designed to
undermine the trade union
movement.

In his arrogant manner,
Premier Bennett threw out a

~challenge as Bill 43 was: pass-

ed. He said he would stake
the life of his government on

this bill in the next election.

‘We believe that a grave res-
ponsibility rests upon the poli-
tically advanced people of
British Columbia to give
leadership at this critical time

to make certain that this at-
tack on the people’s welfare by
Bennett and his masters is de-
feated.

Our answer to Bennett’s
challenge is an appeal for
unity of the people to defeat
Social Credit and all the old-
line parties of monopoly in
the next election.

It is a fact that the CCF
alone by appealing simply for
the election of a €CF govern-
ment, cannot succeed in win-
ning the next election.

We believe this can be done
only through unity — unity
of the labor movement, the
farmers and their organiza-
tions, the CCF, the LPP and:
other groups and individuals
who realize the need to wipe
out the rule of big business.

In brief, we envision the
broadest possible electoral co-
operation in the spirit of the
Winnipeg Resolution of the
Canadian Labor Congress.

In suggesting cooperation

of all the anti - monopolist

forces, including our party
and the CCF, we.do not in-
tend to gloss over the basic
differences that exist between
the two parties. Nor would we
refrain from criticism of the
CCF whenever we felt it nec-
essary to criticize. Conversely,
we realize that the CCF’s
rights in this respect would
be no less than ours.

We believe that both parties,
the LPP and the CCF, would
fail the people if they were
to allow their differences to
prevent them from working

Nay Day

The continuations .commit-
tee of last year’s May Day has
called a conference for Wed-
nesday, April 8 at 8 p.m. in
the board room, Pender Audi_
torium, to discuss plans for
this year’s celebration.

An invitation has been ex-
tended to Harry Bridges,
president of International
Longshoremen’s and Ware-
housemen’s Union to be the
main speaker. Bridges has
just returned from a world
tour during which he met

-people.

Committee
holds sails y April &

April 8, 1959 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PA:

together in a broad alli
to protect and advance tit
immediate interests of t

Failure to achieve such uni
could bring but one resul
continuation of the monopo
rule in Victoria and an ev
more vicious attack on ©
people’s welfare.

For our part, we believe:
unity can be achieved. A pI
gram acceptable to all pa
pants can be hammered oft
and candidates acceptaie ft
all participants can be nomi
ated—and can be elected.

To this end, we are ready
now and will always be read)
to enter into discussions
the CCF and others. 4

We are anxious to see such
cooperation now so that |
powerful and victorius electiol
campaign can be organ
good time,

In the meantime, the
is beginning to nominate”
own candidates in some 0
stituencies. But in no way do
this alter the fact that we att
prepared at any time to discus
cooperation on ‘a provine
wide basis or on the consti
uency level with the CCF, le
bor, farmer organizations
others to select unity c
dates.

We would in turn wale
proposals from the CCF as
how unity may be achiev
defeat the Bennett government

Let us, together with oth
rally all of the people to e
lish a progressive governm
in British Columbia.

with numerous sections of
world labor movement. is

“Let’s make this May Day 8
real demonstration aga
Bill 43, for full employme
for world peace and trad
the call concludes.

NANAIMO, -B.C. — Annué
meeting of the Nanaimo _
ternational Labor Day C
mittee will be held in
CCF Hall here on Wednesda:
April 8, at 8 p.m., to discui
plans for a 1959 May Daj
rally.

\