LABOR SCENE by BRUCE MAGNUSON — The Oshawa and Peterborough battles, in the war against anti- labor and strike-breaking injunc- tions, have come and gone, These battles were magnificent and pro- vided valuable lessons for the battles to come. The first lesson is that in every strike the employer—through the machinery of the bourgeois state, its laws, its police, and its gov- ernment officials — challenges freedom of association. This fact is clear to every worker and responsible union leader. First, the employer breaks the law by his refusal to bargain in good faith, The re- sponsible ministers of the gov- ernment (in this case, of On- tario) sit on their hands, But when the workers exercise what is supposed to be their demo- cratic right to strike and picket; courts are immediately called upon to limit or completely ban picketing. This becomes the excuse for police to move in and transform a perfectly peaceful situation into an atmosphere of virtual civil war, sometimes resulting in vio- lence. Democracy is turned into . a dictatorship, a dictatorship of the employer over the workers. The second lesson is that public opinion, in the form of mass ac- tion, has been brought to bear on such a situation, alongside of and complementary to any action labor can gain for its cause within parliament and legisla- tures. The two simultaneous ac- tions stimulate and strengthen each other and therefore enhance labor’s political position in the community generally. It is obvious that mass demon- strative political action is pri- mary to parliamentary action in rallying public support for la- bor’s just cause, (This is the reason why Donald MacDonald, the Ontario leader of the New Democratic Party, was wrong when he tolda recent mass lobby of the Canadian Union of Employees Public that they the LEGISLATURE oe ~ : i 7:05 P.M. CK WX SUNDAYS COMMUNIST PARTY’S WEEKLY RADIO COMMENTARY wasted their time lobbying aTory government and that they should “eo home and take political ac- tion.” The chances of the NDP form- ing the next government in On-. tario are good, providing people’s unity in mass action is developed along with strong and positive NDP activity inside the Legis- lature, Both these forms of struggle are essential. Without public opinion being rallied through mass action, the New Democratic MPP’s will not be able to move this government to do anything, To reduce the mass struggle and elevate narrow par- tisanship is both wrong and harm- ful to the NDP itself. Such a sectarian approach will only dis- unite labor and keep it subservi- ent to the monopoly interests. Without unity to advance the interests of the working class on the broadest possible basis through mass activity, the NDP will be little different, if at all, from the Tory and Liberal par- ties. This could once again de- prive Ontario Socialists of an opportunity to govern Ontario, as Mr, Jolliffe did in 1945.) There are other lessons, also, which are not good; such as the rather parochial, we - can - do = it alone attitude of the labor leader- ship in Peterborough, and the antic-climactic events in Oshawa where some neo-nazi elements denied the use of the UAW hall . to the Communist Party for ae report of its delegation to Viet- nam; this in face of the excel- lent position taken by the whole labor movement, including the UAW, on this issue. In the latter case, as in every other case of a similar nature, democracy, like peace, is in- divisible. It can only be hoped that this action by some hooli- gans will be repudiated by the union in the way that the mayor of Oshawa has already done. The struggle against injunc- tions cannot be left to the courts that promote the injunctions, Nor can it be left to a government which has promoted this subver- sion of democracy. What is needed to carry the fight to a higher stage is wide public discussion of labor’s aim, a mass public campaign all across Canada, combined with picketing, parades, meetings, mass lobbying demonstrations, and a wide solidarity movement in support of every: strike, in progress or pending. Tocarry through such astruggle to a successful conclusion, re- quires a better understanding and agreement upon immediate objectives, between Communists, members and supporters of the NDP and all militants within the trade union movement in Canada, Such unity will grow in struggle for a common objective and is long overdue in this country. Protest terror campaign in Indonesia The following cable-was sent Monday to Lt, General Su- harto, Djakarta, Indonesia, by William Kashtan General Sec- retary ofthe Communist Party of Canada. «Progressive Canadians protest your decision to illegalize Communist Party Indonesia and continued mass murder of Indonesian patriots, This is a terrible crime against democracy and best interests of Indonesian inde- pendence and plays into hands of Imperialism which seeks to use Indonesian people as pawns in its aggression against other peoples.” INTERNATIONAL DAY. Women’s rallies call for peace in Vietnam Vancouver’s celebration of In- ternational Women’s Day held at the Horseshoe Lounge last Sunday afternoon, carried forward the spirit and determination of cOunt- less women in Canadian life for peace and life, oe Mrs, Mickey Beagle opened the program with an effective sum- mary of the history and signifi- cance of the Day. Women’s or- ganizations such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the Voice of Wo- men, Women Against High Prices, National Cultural Wo- men’s Branches and Trade Un- ion Auxiliaries all participated. ‘Security problem must bring out truth about the RCMP’ “The old parties have dis- graced Parliament with their handling of the‘security’ crisis,” says the opening lines of an edit- orial which appears this week in the Canadian Tribune of Toronto. The editorial continues: When Victor Spencer, a Van- ‘couver postal worker, was made the victim of a nebulous accusa- tion of involvement in an equally nebulous story about “Soviet spy- ing,” the New Democratic Party MP’s very correctly questioned the legality and propriety of the way he was treated. But the Tories were obviously interested only in undermining the Liberals, and the Liberals to take the heat off themselves dug up the Affair of “Olga” and the Tory Cabinet Minister. Democratic Canadians must insist that this game of smear and counter-smear does not be- come the pre-occupation of the Royal Commission being set up to investigate security in Ca- nada. Instead the Royal Commission should bring out the truth about the way in which for years the RCMP in the guise of “security” has hounded and intimidated pat- riotic, loyal honest Canadian progressives, how it has main- tained dossiers based on eaves- dropping and gossip which could not possibly stand up as evi- dence in any court, how it has worked in the most servile way with the U.S, Federal Bureau of Investigation. People’s pressure must work to guarantee that the RoyalCom- mission brings in recommenda- tions which will ensure that while the legitimate security interests of the country are safeguarded, that above all the democratic rights of Canadians are fully protected. And now that the commission is to be established let Parlia- ment get on with its other press- ing business, There is a cruel and dirty war going on in Viet- nam. There is a crisis between our two nations and the need for a new constitution, There is the continuing problem of the United States takeover of our economy and resources. There is medi- care, old age pensions, educa= tion—to name but a few others. These problems cannot be kept on the shelf while our MP’s dis- cuss what cabinet minister slept with what blonde. 26. VIETNAM (ict SE TE MARGH The Vancouver Vietnam March Committee urges all Canadians to join the March 25-26 Interna- tional Days of Protest. Meet at City Hall, 12th Ave. & Cambie St. at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March ra March and Speakers Rally to Follow Leer ma mm Dr. Inglis, chairman of *Can- adian Aid for Vietnam Civilians” acknowledged and thanked the sponsors for turning over the Day’s proceeds to their work, The B,C. Women’s Committee for World Friendship, which co- ordinates the many groups who embrace the significance of In- ternational Women’s Day, ex- tends special thanks to all the women who brought their special baking, thus bringing the pro- ceeds up to $50.00, The content of the program was further enriched with the reading of two appropriate poems by their author, Dorothy Livesay, one of Canada’s leading women poets, Finally, before the tea service, a tender National Film Board production titled “Car- oline” was. shown, On the suggestion of the chair, ably handled by Elaine Podivinni- koff, the gathering of 150 people agreed to forward letters to Mr. Pearson and Mr. Johnson, de- manding settlement of the Viet- nam war. z * * * NEW WESTMINSTER — One hundred and twenty-five people attended the International Wo- men’s Day tea in the Dreamland Hall here on Sunday, March 6, Mrs, B. Yakimchuk, who chaired the tea, outlined the history of the Day. Harry Rankin, just returned from Cuba, compared his visit to the Island with one he took in 1961. He was impressed with the growing diversity of economic activity, Instead of the just sugar cane, he saw cement prefabri- cating plants which turned out houses, tiles for irrigation, tele- phone poles, etc. A resolution urging that the war in Vietnam be stopped was passed unanimously. An ex- cellent program included the Wayside Singers, the AUUC dancers and a choir of 25 young people, : Overhaul of tax structure urged «The need for a drastic over- haul of B,C.’s fiscal policies is long overdue,” said Nigel Mor- gan, B,C. Communist Party Leader, last Sunday night in his weekly radio broadcast, “The Legislature and You” heard at} 7:05 ppm. on CK WX, 4 Morgan said that a new tax structure based on ability to pay | is essential if the present in- 7 tolerable municipal tax load on homes is to be lifted. He advo- cated increased taxation of re“ — source - consuming industries — such as lumber, minerals, of — and natural gas, to provide re" — lief for local ratepayers and for essential public services such as education, health, roads: — bridges and welfare, i He quoted figures recently is sued by the Canadian Tax Found- ation to show that while Ontari? spends 38% of its revenues on municipal aid, Alberta, 34 7 Saskatchewan 31%, B.C. trails fa behind with only 28%, . Morgan urged an independent Royal Commission to enquire jnt0 + B.C,’s tax structure and to neat representations from munici~ palities and all interested pa! ties. 3 March 18, 1966—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page * ieee