Story of Tim_ Buck The Testing Time BY JOHN WEIR Second of a Series | Let’s go back half a century | to the time when Tim Buck): was beginning his life as a): worker and an activist in the]: workingclass . movement in). Canada. Capitalism reigned supreme) ; ever all the earth. It had reached its monopoly stage with the fusion of banking and industrial capital. The Boer War had opened the period of imperialist wars for re-division of the world and mankind was rushing headlong towards World War I. The 1905 revo- lution in Russia, though de- feated, heralded the period, of workers’ revolutions. Events in China~ foreshadowed the rising of the colonial and de- pendent peoples. The socialist and labor move- ments were then already pow- erful and growing (though limited almost completely to Europe and North America). The -international so cialist movement had ~ but recently defeated attempts by revision- ists (Bernstein et al) to have Marxism declared “out of date” (it wasn’t so long’ ago by the way, that social -refor- mists in Canada still claimed: to be Marxists), but the canker of opportunism was: neverthe- less eating at the vitals of the movement. - Lenin was waging seen tiees struggle against opportunism and was applying Marxism to a study of the new stage of capitalism: and the new tasks facing the workers. THE SHOWDOWN In 1912, foreseeing the im- minence of world war, the Second International at the Basle Congress adopted a res- olution that called for decis- ive anti-war struggle. If war should nevertheless break out, the resolution said, the work- ers of the warring states must join hands and compel peace. Two years later came _ the supreme test. In 1914 the first world im- perialist slaughter began—and most of the leaders of the So- cialist parties in Europe jump- ed each on “his own” imperial- ist bandwagon, Only Lenin and the Bolshevik party—the Russian Social - Democratic Workers’ Party—held high the banner of proletarian interna- ionalism. Karl Leibknecht raised his courageous voice in Germany. Jean Jaures simil- ar voice in France was stilled by the assassin’s dagger. Eu- gene Debs spoke rue and strong in the United States. To their honor, the majority of Canadian socialists of the: several different groups sup- ported an __ internationalist, anti-war position and _ there} Tim Buck aE the age of 26 was public anti-war agitation carried on. Tim Buck was one of those who conducted consistent anti- war activity. He organized and addressed meetings, exposing the imperialist character of the war, urging working-class sol- idarity against it. For this he was persecuted and subjected to physical violence by a mob of jingo-inflamed students. GLORIOUS 1917 : On Nov. 7, 1917, the RrOEHE ers of Russia, under the leader- ship -of Lenin and the> Bol- shevik Party,- overthrew the capitalist -government and. es- ‘tablished the first . victorious workers’ state in the world. The first decree of the Soviet government was the decree on peace. The era of the world tran- sition from capitalism to so- cialism began. The opportunist Socialist leaders who had betrayed the workers in the war by. sup- porting each “his own” im- perialists, now carried that betrayal to its logical con- clusion by turning against the socialist revolution in Russia. On the other hand, the workers even perhaps instinc- tively knew that what had taken place in Russia was theirs too, as-they were soon to show by the “Hands off Russia” movement in Canada and other countries (British dockers halted the shipment of munitions: to fight the Soviet republic and other ac- tions.) Those Socialists who. had stayed true to their principles were not knocked off base following the October Revolu- tion by the propaganda of the enemy. They had been work- ing for it, they recognized it when it took place in Russia and they immediately rallied to its support. Among those in Canada who greeted the workers’ revolu- tion in Russia was Tim Buck. The story has been told before but it bears repeating how, when news of the Bolshevik revolution came through, Tim went through the shop where he was working, calling the workers to a meeting there and then, at which he explain- ed what was taking place, after which they all left their machines and went home. | NEW KIND OF PARTY The great service rendered by Tim Buck (and hundreds of other workers across the country) at that time was that they. drew the full conclusion from. what was taking place: the need to establish a party in- Canada that would be able to cope with the tasks which history was placing before our working class. It could not be just a return to the type of socialist party that existed before the war and the betrayal by the lead- ers: of social-democracy. It had to be a party that could give leadership -to the workers in the new period—the period of imperialism and socialist revo- lution. : Tim: ‘was one of the people in. Canada who tackled that job. i In his book Thirty Years, Tim Buck tells the story of the formation of the party and the people who helped to form it. It was a difficult birth. Work- ers’ organizations _ and press were banned under the War Measures “Act. Communists were imprisoned. Meetings had to be held underground. The first unity conference was held in- secret in a barn near Guelph in 1921. Finally, at a convention in Toronto’s. Labor Temple in February, 1922, the Commun- ist Party was formed under the name of the Workers’ Party of Canada. Tim Buck had done much to bring it about and was elected to the national com- mittee, which elected him in turn to its executive — the political bureau. Thus Tim Buck was one of the founders and from the be- ginning one of the national leaders of the Communist Party of Canada. How to pronounce Laotian names Here is a pronunciation guide to some of the Laotian names in the news: Laos: Lah-ohs. Xieng Khouang, key city in northeastern ae Syeng- Kwahng. Luang Prahang, the aval capital: Loo-anng Prahbahn. Vientiane, the administra- tive capitol: Vee-ant-yahn. Phong Saiy, town in north Laos, 120 miles north of Luang Prabang: Pawng Sah-lee. Plaine des Jafres, strate- gic plain near Eieng Xhou- ang: Plen day Jahr. wt U.S. war N 1954 John Foster Dulles declared himself for drop- ping an atom-bomb on Dien- Bien-Phu as a means of halt- ing the national liberation struggles which were sweep- ing the French exploiters from Vietnam. The French left, but John Foster Dulles remained. Since his death his spirit has lived on through the brazen inter- vention of American imperial- ism in the affairs of South Viet Nam and Laos. of buying, propping up and bordering on socialist states, the American Gov’t. has pour- ed millions of dollars into Laos in support of elements rejected: by the people. (The annual bill for the salaries of the Royal Laotion Army. which are paid entirely by the U.S. Government, amount. to $30 million.) National elections, in line with recommendations of the International, Truce Supervis- ory: Commission (of which Canada was a member) swept a coalition headed by Prince Souphanouvong into _ office. This coalition stood on a pro- gram of peace, national secur- ity and good neighborly rela- tions, including China. The American financed Laotian Army immediately faced the newly elected gov't. with an alternative; give the army power to form a cabinet or face an army coup. The coalition bowed to the army and a three-man cabinet was appointed with full pow- er to run the country by de- cree for one year. The first decree of the cab- inet launched a full scale civil war against the coalition which had won at the polls. This civil war has raged since that time until August 9, 1960, when a_ revolt of Vietiane troops supported by the Lao Patriotic Front overthrew the pro U.S. Government of Tiao Somsanith. This in effect restored the country to elected rule where it had stood at the time of the army intervention. However, on Sept. 10, from a base in southern Laos Gen- eral Phoumi Nosavan with Taio Boun Oum as a civilian front man, set up ‘a Revolu- tionary Committee” and com- menced to march northward to the capital. The march was supported by American plan- es and an army equipped en- tirely with American gear. Vientiane fell to the rightist- led army and the U.S. immed- iately declared it to be the legal government of Laos. This leaves the U.S.-supported government in control of the behind Laos crisis — schemes — a H % CHINA ye ae . Ry 5 ios Fi ca NORTH 5... VIETNAM 7 pants anedes, H Seughok : bribing puppet governments |; Consistent with its policy |q, capital and one third of Lf Britain and France, prot ily fearing the long term” sults that support of the would have to their positiol Asia, express grave doubts the wisdom of U:S. action Laos. The U.N. is being oll its own commission ignd! The most elementary -res? for _ the right of the Lad!) people to determine their % destiny is trampelled on. — It is clear however, in Lé as in the rest of the colol world, the Laotian people ¥ have the last word, and ts not far off. WHO'S WHO | IN LAOS — | These are the Laos lef ers in the news: Prince SOuvanna Phoutil 59-year-old neutralist lead! ousted as premier un@ U.S. pressure in 1958, I came premier again afl neutralist coup last Augl Still legal premier, now’ i neighbouring Cambodia. © Prince Souphennaouv?! half - brother of Souvat! Phouma, leader of the Jé wing Pathet Lao fight! forces and the Neo % Hakast party. Capt. Kong Le, 27-y4 old paratroop captain, W led last August’s co?! against the U.S. -dominal Laos government. * } General Phoumi Nosav’- America’s strong-arm 1 in Laos, defense ministel” previous governments, ” U.S.-armed and suppor forces against the Souval™ Phouma government. i Prince Roun Oum::~ year old South ae Jad) lord, ‘premier’ i stooge eecerinenit a 4 by the Americans. King Savang Vatthe! Supposed to keep out | politics, but leans viole?’ to the right and helped © antinaiutratict nio'ters, January 20, 1961—PACiEIC ‘kibuN Pas t