ie >>, Tat HE 14h national convention of the Cooperative Common- wealth Federation held in Winnipeg this month is natur- subject of wide dis- labor move- cussion in the important farmer movement of our country and its deci and actions are and concern to all CF is a very of the labor - of intere who struggle for independent labor - fe action political advance. and soci The new Declaration of which is being widely discuss- ed. It endorsed ny worth- while resolutions cial and economic e national bh ealth insurance, housing, bor and mands — around which there is virtual unity in the labor- farm movement. It also called adopted a Principles convention YT } m de- lab farr ae for action on the H-bomb tests It has been expected, par- ticu ularly after the stormy pipe- line in the House of Commons, that the CCF con- vention in its Winnipeg Decla- ild have taken a rounded-out stand against the growing United States domi- nation of our national life. The pipeline debate in the session of parliament arly showed the tragic situ- ation St. Laurent’s ill-starred policy of “integration” with the U.S. has put Canada in. U.S. interests have financial control of our Western natural gas. Now, Texas billionaires ration wol have control of the trans- Canada natural gas pipeline, and parliament voted to grant them a loan to build it. This pipeline scandal typi- fies the evil consequences of St. Laurent’s sellout to U.S. monopoly. It adds point to the position of the Labor-Pro- gressive party that today, the hinge of the struggle for la- bor-farmer unity is the fight for national independence against U.S. domination. Not a single economic or political issue of major impor- tance today can be separated from seis central struggle for a new national policy — to domination and to to restore Canada’s sovereignty over her econo- my, her politics, her future. This is the great issue that must be tackled through resist U.S. go forward labor-farmer action and unity to achieve the pressing im- mediate demands of the people, and to open up the way for socialist advance. It is a matter of profound regret that the CCF Declara- tion of Principles did not come to grips with this central question. The CCF leadership put for- ward a new policy which does not deal with the chief ques- tion of national policy: , how to resist and eventually do away with U.S. domination, how to rally labor and the people to defend and build Canadian sovereignty. In this sense the CCF con- vention failed to keep up with a took a step backwards from the Regina Manifesto. The CCF membership will eorrect this in time; and the coming ee election will be the first test—a_ tough one. Is the CCF moving Right? The hated Tory party, head- ed by Col. George Drew, is out to weaken the labor-farm- er movement by demagogically playing on the issue of the pipeline, sovereignty of par- liament,” and U.S. domination. . ‘ What is the challenge to la- bor, to all socialist-minded workers, farmers and intellec- tuals? It is tovunite for the federal elections around the main issue: Canada’s sovereignty and national: independence against U.S. domination and Liberal betrayal, to elect a big body of CCF, Labor, Farmer and_.LPP candidates. It is to make sure that the Tories do not make capital out of the disgust of the people with St. Laurent’s betrayal. It is regrettable that the CCF convention did not grasp ‘this truth, did not respond to the growing sentiment in all sections of the labor-farmer movement for such a fight for a new national policy, and a new political alignment to put Canada - first By LESLIE MORRIS. The adoption of a new Dec- laration has been interpreted as a turn to the right—to a conservative position as com- pared with the Regina Mani- festo of 1933_which said that the CCF would not rest until capitalism” had been eradicat- ed and replaced by socialism. The CCF national council’s argument, and the burden of the debate on the Declaration, was that the situation in Ca- nada has changed very much since 1933 when the Regina Manifesto was adopted in the middle of an economic crisis. They said that through struggle the people of Canada had wrung from unwilling governments a whole number of reforms, and that the eco- nomic boom since the end of the war makes necessary a re- evaluation of the Manifesto. It was said by CCF leaders that the Manifesto’s broad principles are not repudiated and that it remains an historic document. In the new statement the general aims outlined in the concluding section bear the heading “Socialism on the * March”. The CCF is described as one of the “democratic socialist parties” of the world. But this is a considerable move away from the Regina Manifesto. Some speakers challenged the modifications in the CCF’s policy. In fact, the Declaratron; does not apply the word “socialist” to describe the aims of the CCF, which are said to be “the establishment in Canada by democratic means of a co- operative commonwealth in which the supplying of human needs and enrichment of hu- man life shall be the primary purpose of our society. Private profit and corporate power must be subordinated to social planning designed to achieve equality of opportunity and the highest possible living standards for all Canadians.” Compare this with formula- tions in M. J. Coldwell’s book Left Turn, Canada, and you will see that the CCF has modified its position a great deal. That is the reason for Continued on page 11 Declarat of Principht ollowing is the ie text of the Da ation of Prime adopted by the convention hel Se: August The sub-headings those of the docwt HE AIM of th 4 operative Com wealth Federation establishment m-V" 4 by democratic meas a cooperative comme wealth in which the plying of human ™y and enrichment © man life shall be thé mary purpose of ou ciety. Private profit FE corporate power ml us subordinated 10 ; planning desig ®® achieve equality 7 portunity and the § est nossible ving sit ards for all Tanadié sies3 This is, and’ am the alm i Regina ~ walls has been, CCK, The festo, proclaimed founders of thé ment in 1933, has profound influenc® the Canada’s social § t Many of the imp op ments it recomme yO have been wrung pet 4 unwilling govern by the growing str of our movement a growing political ™ ai ity of the Can# ’ people. Canada 1 ©