0 one has heard any vocal protests from Premier W.A.C. Bennett or any of his assortment of Socred satraps on the U.S. projected nuclear blast on Amchitka Island, or on U.S. president Nixon’s tariff surcharge, on Vietnam, or on any score off issues decreed by the U.S. warhawks, which vitally affect the interests of Canada and Canadians. If they have, the “‘protest’’ has been so feeble and inaudible that it scarcely raised a ripple in the public mind. But Bennett has given his blessing and ‘‘approval’’ of the carnage, destruction and cold-blooded murder of U.S. agression in Vietnam. That being the case it is perhaps too much to hope for that he should utter a peep of protest on the Amchitka nuclear blast, scheduled for October 2. That criminal act, according to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Nixon, is to safeguard the ‘‘national security’’ of the U.S., utterly regardless of what may happen to the national security of other nations and peoples. U.S. warhawks in their more boastful moments have declared their nuclear ‘‘overkill’’ capacity is now some 60,000 times greater than what would be required to reduce the entire world and all life to a heap of ashes. Hence their yak on ‘‘national security’ sounds a bit lame. Some years ago U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev were commenting on their respec- tive capacities in terms of nuclear bomb stockpiles. ‘“‘We have enough to destroy you three times over,’’ boasted Kennedy to which Krushchev replied, ‘‘once will be enough, and the USSR has that capacity.’’ But the conversation, whether in these exact words or not, emphasizes the point that there is and can be no need of justification for the crime contemplated by the U.S. on Oct. 2 unless halted by an outraged world opinion. . Premier Benhett has got, and still gets a lot of public yardage out of his ‘‘Beautiful British Columbia,’’ as though this beauty (and B.C. is beautiful) were Socredia’s ‘‘gift’’ to its people and all that goes with it. Both the immediate and long-range probabilities arising out of the Amchitka ‘“‘test’”’ are terrible to contemple. The AEC pooh-poohs all such warnings and the pseudo ‘“‘scientists’’ who parrot the AEC and the Nixon Establishment follow suit. But other prominent men and women scientists who have not sold themselves to U.S. imperialism echo and re-echo a grave warning on the probable and possible results of that nuclear blast, and on its long-range effects in the poisoning of oceans and vast land areas for decades to come. The U.S. AEC sneers at these warnings, tacitly admits “‘some risks’’, then deny that such risks obtain. In other words, the AEC behaves like a heavily-armed lunatic totally irresponsible for his criminal intent or actions. Thus it could be (unless this U.S. crime is stopped dead in its tracks on or before Oct. 2 that those who may survive its potential devastation, may have to refer to ‘‘Beautiful British Columbia”’ as Anno Domino B.A.; that is In the year of our Lord, Before Amchitka. Compounding their sell-out of B.C. to U.S. monopoly capital with their silence on this grave issue, Premier Bennett should be inundated with letters, wires and resolutions, demanding that he and his government add their protest against this calculated crime. Canada’s national security (and that includes B.C. also) demands no less. It is bad enough to have ‘‘Beautiful British Columbia’’ sold out lock, stock and barrel, without having it transformed into a disaster area by the same gang, or by the studied silence of their ‘“‘honest brokers’’ in Canada. Premier Bennett, who boasts of a plug-in-hot-line with his ““God’’, should take to heart the words of John Ruskin, statesman and humanitarian: “God gave us this world for our lifetime, it is a great entail, but it belongs as much to those who come after us, and we have no right, by anything we do or neglect to do, to impose unnecessary penalties upon them or deny them of the privileges which is theirs by right of inheritance.”’ For us the alternatives projected in the U.S. Amchita nuclear crime are simple; the choice between a readily possible disaster of unimagined proportions, or, a continuing ‘‘Beautiful British Columbia.” The hard facts of life surface at UBCM parley By ALD. HARRY RANKIN I’ve just returned from Victoria where I attended the three day convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM). Over 600 mayors and aldermen attended from munici- palities and regional districts throughout the province. In many respects it was a rather frustrating experience. Many of the key issues facing municipalities never came before the convention. Included among the missing were such matters as the housing shortage, high rents and protection for tenants, pollution control, the chaotic development brought about by land speculation and private developers, and the under-assessment of big commercial and __ industrial properties. It isn’t that the leadership of the UBCM doesn’t recognize that these problems exist, or the need for some remedial action. class they represent. Many cater to the demands of the big real estate, commercial and industrial interests in their com- munities. Politically, many of them are openly hostile to labor, to the unemployed and to our young people. When the needs of the ordinary citizen conflict with those of special interests, and this is often the case, their vote goes for the business interests. Although businessmen repre- sent only a small part of our population, probably around ten percent, yet they almost completely dominate municipal bringing about some cha attitudes of even conserva minded businessmen on councils. Over the oppose the UBCM executive and f guard, the conventio® narrow majority, 4 resolution on unemplo sponsored by a labor 4 from Port Alberni. conference on unemploy’ between federal, provi ’ municipal governm The trouble is that it isn’t prepared to lead any struggle for reform because that would mean standing up to the provincial government and arousing 7th ANNUAL CANADA-CUBA WINTER CARNIVAL Departs Vancouver Dec. 26/71 Only $659.00 Contact: GLOBE TOURS 2679 E. Hastings St., 253-1221 Vancouver 6, B.C. , 254-2313 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 1971—PAGE 2 citizens for concerted action. So in response to the stick and carrot tactics of the provincial government, it continues a cap- in-hand attitude and of course it doesn’t get very far. Why doesn’t the UBCM lead- ership take a firmer stand? I think the-answer lies in the fact that most of our mayors and aldermen come from one sector of society. Most. of them are businessmen, some small, some medium and a few are million- aires. In municipal councils many tend to look after their own interests and those of the Resolution sponsored by Alberni labor alderman George McKnight, above, calling for action to create a million new jobs through processing of raw materials, passed the UBCM parley over opposition of its executive. Okanagan fruit growers explore forming union PENTICTON — Okanagan fruit growers meeting here in an. emergency conference last Monday voted 68 to 2 to study the idea of forming a union. They instructed the executive of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association to prepare a full report on forma- tion of a union to the BCFGA’s annual meeting in January. Movers of the resolution at the conference emphasized that a union was essential to make picketing effective against ‘‘dumping’’ and unfair trade practices harmful to the growers. They said help from other unions would be forth- coming if the growers were in a union. Support for the idea of a union ~ stems from a growing militancy among growers as a result of the crisis they face in the fruit industry. Fruit growers are highly critical of the lack of action by the federal govern- ment and are searching for a more militant form of action. The economic difficulties faced by growers found expres- sion in a resolution passed by the meeting which called for pressure to be put on the federal , government to _ provide assistance to growers through tariff measures and compen- sation for losses due to the 10 percent U.S. surcharge. - The resolution asked specifi- cally for a tariff program to allow Canadian growers to sell, their fruit at home and prohibit - low-price imports from other countries, especially the United States. It demanded compen- sation in cash from the government should they fail to set up adequate tariff protection. Speakers who opposed the resolution favoring a union, and who argued that the BCFGA was enough for the growers, were greeted with boos and cat calls from delegates. At one point the chairman had to restore order after an outburst of heckling. The fruit growers in the Okanagan Valley are ready for some form of militant action in defence of their interests. They are increasingly concerned that the Nixon 10 percent surcharge, coming on top of the crisis they already faced, confronts many of them with the question of survival. They are also looking towards some measure of co- operation with labor as a means of furtherjng their fight. The, praspects for farmer- labor unity in B.C. appear brighter than ever in view of the economic and social problems both face today. councils. Working peor i very few voices on council. The situation is chang though, and this too was € at the UBCM conventidh increasing number 9 capable trade unionis being elected to councils. a growing number 0 people who have new values which require priori people’s needs. The hard facts of lif dopté ted ‘3 Joymen Jderm" il It called for an jmmel qf - y the “‘consider a program ‘0 immediate provisitla ada million jobs in processing our ow Wo materials and providing and wages for our own pe? A good resolution on reform from Richmon® © og se would lessen taxes on hom increase them on bus F not passed, but at least ive referred to the execull further study. , iness ! ri ntic A resolution from a calling for suitable modation for transient Y endorsed in principle heated objections ° youth chorus. If this conventio? be at strated anything, it W4 vp busi people cannot look to th interests for solution municipal probleme i for working people yy press their needs 0? oa councils was clear ly ev xing was the need for wor poe and small homeowNeS i and elect their ow? © = aes a to civic office. nel? This wouldn’t ool jnt transform the U ae more effective instr ordi advancing the needs “ini citizens. It could ann , rel! tant concessions fro™ to tant, but vote-consci e cial government. Oct. 2 parley on transit quickly to ensure } a ‘conference on rapiG © yyiet) for Oct. 2 in the ee | pid] Community Centre together wide se¢ community. 5 OT Called by the Sn, iy mittee for Public T ov! tions parley will hear ae on i standing speakers 4 st ; Harry Rankin, we, choy of Toronto, John lee tow man of the Vanco¥’ oy) ny Oat Planning Commis! pita" transportation co William Eager. Sessions will vu" 9:30 a.m. and 4 4:30 P* tration fee is sion fo gate and registra a available from GY eg tary, 2306 Vancouver.