25 years ago...

FIGHT McCARTHYISM

TORONTO — Close to 70 of-
ficial delegates and observers
from 17 organizations attended
the April 12 Greater Toronto
Conference on Civil Rights. A “-
fight back for democratic rights
spirit” was evident as 20 speakers
told of their experiences in the
fight for civil rights. McCarthy-
ism in Canadian life was espe-
cially scored.

Chairman Murray Freedman
and Thomas C. Roberts, League
for Democratic Rights secretary
both directed their attention to
the theme “keep Bill 93 of the
statute books. We need a bill of
Rights”. Helen McMaster re-
ported on plans for June 15 Bill
of Rights Day.

Tribune,
April 20, 1953.

50 years ago...

HORTHY AGENT GETS
ROUGH RECEPTION

MONTREAL — Baron Sig-
mond Perenyi, the agent of the
bloody Horthy regime of Hun-
gary, tried to sneak in and out of
Montreal on the quiet. He had
tried to slip quietly into the city
and then boast about the friend-
liness he received later. His re-
ception in New York had made
him nervous.

His scheme didn’t work how-
ever. As soon as it was found out
that Perenyi would address the
Hungarian Club, workers of all
nationalities gathered together,

hurriedly painted, a few slogans
on improvised placards and in

no unmistaken terms de-
monstrated to the bloody agent
that the workers of Montreal
stand solidly behind the workers
of Hungary and are bitter
against the regime of murder
and terror.
The Worker,
April 24, 1928.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—April 28, 1978—Page 4

sIDITORILALL
COMMIEINT

Workers in their trade unions have
battled long and hard to increase their
share of the billions in wealth they create.
It has been a class struggle, even where
unrecognized — workers who own only

f their own labor power, against bosses

(today the giant monopolies) who own
the plants, machinery, raw materials,
transport and, who seem to think they

# own the workers.

From time to time, issues with a unify-
ing effect bring the labor movement to-
gether to challenge the bosses and their
governments who prefer to attack the
trade unions local by local. The Day of
Protest, Oct. 14, 1976, protesting the so-
called Anti-Inflation Board, was such an
occasion. So was the eight-hour day
struggle at the beginning of the century.

The recent resolve by the Canadian
Labor Congress to campaign across the
country for the 32-hour week at no loss
in take-home pay, again has the potential
for a massive united labor struggle.

Just at a time when the Canadian

economy is going to seed, with funds
badly needed tocreate a million jobs, and
to launch projects to boost the economy,
the Ottawa Liberals are flushing away
$2.3-billion they took from taxpayers’
pockets, to enrich the military aircraft
monopolies. :
_ Five U.S. companies, and one owned
42.5% each by Britain and West Ger-
many, and 15% by Italy, are each promis-
ing companies located in Canada their
own little chunk of the profits if the right
plane is chosen. No bribes, of course, just
incentives.

The Canadian Government is commit-
ted to NATO and the Pentagon to buy
120 to 150 of the expensive new fighter
planes at a price ranging from $18-
million to $26-million each. While work-
ing people are told to lower their expec-

itations, the so-called defence minister,
Barnett Danson, says “we can get the
number of aircraft we need,” despite au-
sterity, apparently through cutbacks in
social needs.

The government pretends that pur-
chasing warplanes loaded with arma-
ments and electronic gadgetry will solve
Canadian unemployment through
Canadian content.

What is truth? Finance Minister Chre-
tien says a total of 300,000 jobs were
created last year. Yet unemployment hit
an all-time high of 1,045,000 in March,
by “official” figures. Even if the arms
bosses kept their promises, the $2.3-
billion hoax would offer only 20,000 jobs
over 15 years, 1,300 a year! A useless
trifle!

With arms buying that’s inevitable.
The Public Interest Research Group of
Lansing, Mich., found that $1-billion
expended by ‘state and local govern-
ments (hospitals, schools, etc.) provided
100,000 jobs, while so-called defence
work provided only 55,000 jobs for the
same money.

Fight for a 32-hour week _

‘Canadian Mounted Police heard

t=

A 32-hour week at no reduction in Y
makes sense because technology h#
boosted. productivity. More is being pl”
duced, for which workers get no # |
crease, but profits soar. It was workers ,
the line, not the board of directors, who }
created $181-million tax free profit 1 «
General Motors Canada last yé4 :
$36.7-million for Ford Canada, a
$9.6-million for Chrysler. Yet the boss
want to decide pay and conditions. |r
The fight for a 32-hour week is a fig? \
to gain the benefits workers have a Tg" }
to from increasing technology. It 8° |
fight whose “feasibility” the CLC stt®

paign calling for unity of the employ® g
and the jobless, because it’s other chat :
many circumstances, create new jobs:

The workers now have it within thé),

power to wring from the monopolies 4

their governments a universal 32-h0! 7
work week without loss of pay. f

for mountainous defence spending ©
good reason however. *

Back-in the 1960s a Joint EconoM st
Subcommittee on economy in govellitl
ment in the USA, found. that on defe® i
contracts there was 70% more pf -
than on non-defence work. |

Real security for Canada lies not vB
such defence of profits, not in fairy e
about a Soviet “threat”, but in world dit
armament and Canadians standing up
the monopolies. The only threat is fr? |
U.S. and monopoly domination °

Canadian life and development.

‘Canada should develop a peacetimi
aircraft industry, publicly owned a
publicly operated. For. surveillance © re
and sovereignty over our land and wal’
borders, fish and pollution patrol, shi
advisories, scientific reconnaisance
research, there are more economical ap
efficient planes, which offer vast savi?a
on fuel.

Instead of sinking $2.3-billion into %
riching corporations and bolstering U”
imperialism, that money should go u
self-reliant research and developm®,
for planes to maintain Canadal
sovereignty and serve its industrial 2%
commercial needs.

i
€ @

Rein in RCMP,
The McDonald inquiry into-the Rost ®
thoritatively on April 18 of 400 leg! 8
break-ins by the force since 1970. TH si
would be doubled or tripled if all ca 8
were reported, an RCMP source told & &
Toronto Globe and Mail. With each n& P
revelation the demand for parliamet
tary control of the RCMP to protect 0
zens from its abuses, increases in valid

— and urgency.

SE

EL EERE. EAE OF IO

SOLS