BY BRUCE MAGNUSON Last Saturday the Toronto Post Office, which handles a quarter of all the mail in Can- ada, announced an_ indefinite layoff for 900 letter carriers without any pay for lost time. The reason for layoff — a wild- cat strike of truck drivers which has crippled operations. The supervisory staff of the Post Office proceeded to seal all mail boxes in the City, forcing the public to bring mail to the main Post Office downtown. The 280-odd striking drivers used to work for private cartage company, H. W. Bacon Ltd., which had a contract with the Post Office for mail pick-up in the city. The Post Office took over the operation in February. The drivers, who were form- erly members of the Interna- tional Brotherhood of Team- sters, became members of the Letter Carriers Union of Cana- da. The changeover brought the drivers a 20 cents per hour wage cut, from $4.74 an hour to $4.54. They also pay 50% of the cost of fringe benefits for- merly covered in full by their employer under collective agree- ment with their former union. In other words, what we now witness here is another edition of the well-known Lapalme drivers’ case in Montreal over three years ago. There is simply no way that Treasury. Board President C. M. Drury, and his government col- leagues can justify rationaliza- tion of the Post Office at the expense of its employees. When former Postmaster - General Jean-Pierre Cote said it would cost $120 million in 1972-73, or “over 55% of our current straight-time payroll for these employees” to meet the wage and fringe benefits adjust- ments demanded by post office workers, he was lying. Likewise when he sought to scare the public’-with the assertion that WUekshs\ a Embattled postal workers need all-out support now the cost of mailing an ordinary first class letter woud have to go up from 8¢ to 15¢, he was intimidating the workers and hoodwinking the public. Downgrading Workers The tongue-in-cheek Govern- ment assurance that no jobs will be lost and no wages cut has already been proven false. Wages have been cut. Jobs have been lost. The automated ma- chinery, replacing human labor, cost an untold amount running into the hundreds of millions. Where is that money coming from? : The issue here is not work- ers opposed to machines that will lighten the burden of labor, speed up the handling of mail and improve the quality of life. The issue is that capital for new machinery comes from in- creased exploitation of those remaining on the job, while thousands of other workers are unceremoniously dismissed to swell the ranks of the unem- ployed without any prospects for remunerative employment or a future of any kind except misery. While this downgrading of the human factor proceeds, the costs of postal service to the public are continuously increas- ing. And the service to the pub- lic by this public enterprise is deteriorating along with the quality of life of those working in the postal service. Exploiting this situation in a shameless’ editorial entitled, “The deepening postal mess” the Toronto Globe and Mail, Nov. 16, seeks to put the blame on postal workers in the follow- ing way: “The Post Office em- ployees are back at their fun and games . The public could be reaching the point where it will simply say, ‘Auto- mate what you can. Turn the rest over to private industry. We want our mail’.” But the Globe and Mail is not speaking for the public at large, but for the huge corporate busi- ness interests and monopolies who use the mail service more than anyone else, and who want favored rates and treatment at the expense of the average Can- adian citizens. Example of Unity The postal workers who have been working without a con- tract for most of a year have every. reason to protest the stalling of their negotiations. The stalling is part of a larger conspiracy to provoke the workers and to turn public opinion against them in prepa- ration for the outlawing of the right to strike in public servic- es. By taking the unions on one by one in one public service after the other, governments, acting on behalf of monopoly hope to succeed in their nefar- ious plot. The workers in On- tario Hydro and more recently in Quebec Hydro knows what this means. The answer was given last spring by Quebec workers when they formed a Common Front to secure improvements in wages and working conditions for pub- lic employees. The boss class has never forgiven the Quebec unions for setting this example of unity, as witnessed by the recent class prejudice shown by Quebec judges against the top union leaders, Louis Laberge, Marcel Pepin and Yvon Char- bonneau. The time has arrived for the trade union movement from coast to coast to develop solid- arity actions with the postal workers, and with all other workers facing similar attacks. Failure to do this will simply invite wage freezes, layoffs and strike bans, with the public sector paving the way for simi- lar attacks on workers in pri- vate industry and services. WORLD NEWS CUBA’S CASE ON HIJACKING : HAVANA — Cuba sharply criticized the U.S. Nov. 15 for its con- tinued refusal to sign an agreement with Cuba on the problem © aerial hijacking. The recent hijacking of a Southern Airways jet- liner to Havana, was ended when Cuban security forces at Jose Marti Airport seized and imprisoned the three hijackers who are classified as criminals by Cuban authorities. Cuba stressed that it has a three-year-old law providing for the signing of a bilateral agreement with any country willing to ex: change with Cuba all hijackers of planes, ships and other craft. The U.S. has refused to enter into any such agreement with Cuba be- cause the U.S. in fact sponsors some of the hijackers. : Criticizing the U.S. government for maintaining its plockade policy against Cuba, the Cuban government said: “Our constructive position on this problem (hijacking) is determined by our considera- tion for the U.S. people and the international community.” The Cuban statement pointed out that “in the early years of the Revolution, our country was the victim of a wave of hijacking OF aircraft that landed in the U.S. where the hijackers were welcome with open arms by the authorities and treated like heroes. At the same time, illegal entries and exits between the U.S. and Cuba were encouraged by the U.S. for the purpose of subversion and propa anda. : “Such a climate of illegality, unpunished piracy and violation of the most elementary standards of civilized life unleashed the grave problem of aircraft hijackings and other acts of terrorism th@ affect the international community,” Cuba said. “Cuba, however, abstained from praising, rewarding or encourag ing aircraft hijackers, but the problem could not be solved by Cuba in a unilateral manner, without any reciprocity on the part of the WES ZZ Cuba noted the law of 1969 already mentioned, and stated that it had repeatedly contacted the U.S. through third parties on the hijacking issue, its latest note being submitted October 30, but ha' only been told that the U.S. was “studying” the question. CIA PLOTS AGAINST INDIA NEW DELHI — Reliable sources in New Delhi revealed that Premier Indira Gandhi told a closed meeting of her ruling Congress Party that India has “conclusive proof” of subversive activities ° the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in India. : Mrs. Gandhi told the executive committee of the Congress Party s group of deputies in India’s parliament that India will take “al necessary steps” to protect itself against the CIA, which she de- fined as an organization engaged chiefly in sabotage and subversion against the developing countries. The CIA is thought to be espe- cially active in the Kashmir area. WEST GERMAN UNIONISTS IN USSR : MOSCOW — A large delegation from the biggest single trade union in the Federal Republic of Germany — the West German Metal Workers’ Union — is visiting the Soviet Union. The German workers, guests of the Soviet Metal Workers Union, are attending a conference on, Scientific and Technical Progress in the Iron can Steel Industry and Its Effects on Metal Workers’ Working 2” Living Conditions. — Text of historic treaty between East and West Germany Treaty on the Bases of Relations between the German Democra- tic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany The High Contracting Parties, Mindful of their responsibility for the maintenance of peace, Endeavoring to make a con- tribution to detente and secur- ity in Europe, Considering that the inviol- ability of the frontiers and re- spect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states in Europe within their. present frontiers are a basic prerequi- site for peace, : Recognizing that in their re- lations the two German states shall therefore have to refrain from the threat or use of force, Proceeding from the historic facts and notwithstanding the different views of the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany on fundamental matters, includ- ing the national question. Desirous of creating the con- ditions for cooperation between the German Democratic Repub- lic and the Federal Republic of Germany for the benefit of the people in the two German states, Have agreed as follows: Article 1 — The German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany shall develop normal goodneighborly relations with each other on the basis of equal rights. Article 2 — The. German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany shall be guided by the purpose and principles laid down in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the sovereign equality of all states, respect for independence, autonomy and territorial integrity, the right to self-determination, the protection of human rights and non-discrimination. Article 3 — In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations the German Democra- tic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany shall set- tle their disputes only by peace- ful means and refrain from the threat or use of force. They affirm the inviolability now and in the future of the frontier existing between them, and undertake to fully respect each other’s territorial integrity. Article 4 — The German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany pro- ceed from the consideration PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1972—PAGE 4 that neither of the two states may represent the other in in- ternational affairs or act on its behalf. Article 5 — The German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany shall promote peaceful relations be- tween the European states and contribute to security and co- operation in Europe. They shall support the efforts toward a reduction of armed forces and armaments in Eu- rope with the proviso that this must not adversely affect the RECOGNIZE GDR! The following wire was sent November 16 to Prime Minis- ter Trudeau by William Kash- tan, leader of the Communist Party of Canada, on behalf of the party’s Central Executive: “Urge your Government rec- ognize the German Democra- tic Republic without further delay and press for its inclu- sion and Federal German Re- public in United Nations. Can- ada’s initiative could go a long way in further easing in- ternational tensions and cold war psychosis and strengthen the process toward interna- tional security and peace.” technology, traffic, legal rela tions, posts and telecommunl cations, health, culture, sports environment protection and 1? other fields. Details have bee? settled in the Supplementary Protocol. ; Article 8 — The German D& mocratic Republic and the Fe@ eral Republic of Germany shall exchange permanent represeh” | security of those concerned. With a view to achieving general and complete disarm- ament under effective interna- tional control the German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany shall support efforts serving interna- tional security and designed to bring about arms limitation and disarmament, especially: as re- gards nuclear weapons . and tations. They shall be estab- other weapons of mass destruc- lished at the seat of the respec | tion. tive Government. Practical questions in CO# nection with the establishment of the representations shall settled separately. Article 9 — The German D& mocratic Republic and the Fed eral Republic of Germany 4! agreed that bilateral and mull) lateral international treaties a? agreements concluded earllé by them or concerning them shall not be affected by this Treaty. : Article 10 — This Treaty subject to ratification and shall enter into force on the day fol- lowing the exchange of notes to this effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF th? plenipotentiaries Article 6 — The German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany pro- ceed from the principle that the sovereign power of either state shall be confined to its respec- tive territory. They shall re- spect the independence and au- tonomy of either state in its internal and external affairs. Article 7 — The German De- mocratic Republic and the Fed- eral Republic of Germany de- clare their readiness to settle practical and humanitarian mat- ters as they normalize their re- lations. They shall conclude agreements in order to develop and promote, on the basis of this Treaty and for their mutual benefit, their cooperation in the fields of economy, science and of the High Contracting Parties have sign© this Treaty.