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A RECENT article in the Cari-
_ boo and Northwest Digest is
interesting if only for its peculiar

lief that the privileges of free
enterprise are being curtailed in
British Columbia. The article
finds it inconceivable that this
Teputed restriction upon free en-
terprise should go unchallenged
by the people. But we, the

Ploneer settlers of Ootsa Lake, in’

the eart of the Northwest, can

hardly be expected to accept these
Statements. Our rights are being
Tuthlessly swept aside to extend
the privileges of free enterprise as
Fepresented by the Aluminum

‘ompany of ‘Canada. And

without challenge by the govern-
ment,

eer’ are some sixty-five set-
Ts on the shores of Ootsa Lake
who will be evicted when the
aie Waters rise. With few ‘ex-
, $Ptions, we do not want to move.
thar People have been here more
oes nN forty years. Man (and wo>
4n), being more or less a crea-
id of habit, just does not want
rig Set going” because we are
d. that we have to do so.
4 Tue, life may be less rigorous
Sewhere but we have security
ae is somewhat difficult for
at to understand,
ion the lakes, hills and moun-
a S. We know security in our
Shbors and in one another.
ere Score. years we have
ey Our joys and sorrows, de-
an Slons and good times, and
Unorganized fraternity binds
3 ay no doubt sounds paltry
f Ose who will gain millions
“4 Sur untimely removal.
sibs handful of people cannot
week in the path of progress,”
8ve been told. Progress for

derived |

Pome.

whom? We are well aware that
the Alcan project is no charitable
venture. Perhaps if it were not
for the possibility of war with
weapons for destruction and pro-
fit, this construction would not
be going ahead.

We have protested by petition
and privately,
tions sent to the government
have been of little avail. We
opposed the granting of a water
right. _ :

A year ago last fall there was
a meeting—officials of the Brit-
ish Columbia government (to rep-

although objec-

Storm over

Ootsa Lake

By BEATRICE CARROLL

resent us we erroneously thought)
and of the Aluminum Company of
Canada were there in force. So
was every settler in the district.
Again we protested, only to find
that many of dur objections were

scoffed at by our government rep- -

resentatives. In fact, their at-
titude toward us throughout the

meeting was that of contempt.

\Alean officials displayed more
tact; they at least were cour-
teous. a

The main point of the meeting
appeared to be to impress upon
us that we could not stop the

granting of the water right by
our government. It was many
times repeated that it was most
uncertain that this location would
be used, that there was nothing
to get excited about, perhaps it
would be ten years, five at the
very least before they would
know definitely. At any rate, the
settlers would be the first to
know and then we would all be
bought out and well satisfied be-
fore construction commenced.

As evéryone knows, construc-
tion is well under way, contracts

have been let and roads are be-
ing rushed. Have the settlers
been dealt with? They have not. °
In fact, not one person in the
flood area has been bought out.
If Hon: E. T.°’ Kenny, provincial
minister of lands, has said any-
thing to the contrary, as has been
reported, there is a name for
him; he should make a tour of
the district at this time.

Representatives of the Alum-
inum Company have been in the
district at various times, but they
could tell us nothing’ definite
about settlements. We are still
waiting to know what the goy-
ernment intends te do.

It is rumored that an office
and staff will be available at
Ootsa Lake for those who want
to settle now. So it is becoming
obvious that we have been double-
crossed—we must sell or swim.

In the past we had courage and
strength to face hardships, de-
feat and privation. Most of us
haven’t got what it takes to. go
hat in hand to a stranger and
ask how much we are going to
get—it makes us feel so very
cheap. We have no backing.
Our government has sold us out.
We have protested, but news-
papers of the province have given
no publicity to our _ protests.
There has never been a repre-
sentative of our government
around to tell us anything. We
have been kept in ignorance re-
garding the procedure of a settle-
ment. We do not know what dif-
ference. there is between inde-
feasible title and a foreshore
lease providing it is where one’s
home is.

It is as one of the officials of
the Aluminum Company said in

“an off the record interview after

the meeting I spoke of earlier.
“IT believe it is well that you
folks are to be dealt with by us
rather than your government.”
The feeling of resentment is
rampant throughout the district.
We can make no plans. Where
are we going? When do we have
to. leave?.. How will we be .com-.
pensated ? We know exactly
nothing. At this late hour we
are sure of one thing: We have to
leave the homes it has taken us
as long as forty years to build.
Whose rights are being curtail-
ed? In this pioneer district of
the northwest only free enter-
prise, it seems, has any rights.

=f

T’: United States government is
the the biggest propagandist in
~ World,* It issues two billion
€s of literature, so staggering
Deg nt that the Post Office
em, suena has protested. It
a : YS 8000 persons directly
ful 45,000 “directly or indirectly,
infor... Part time, in dispensing
Ban eos ia publicity and propa-
Subtt » It spent $230 million for
mitt deity” according fo a com-
or n~ report to the 80th Session
gocn eee® (the year 1947)). It
salani $780 million, not including
a €s, for information publicity
ing ta paganda activities accord-
Paice the most recent budget
ein made by a joint con-
Sum nat. committee. The full
if Uaiiees be close to a billion
Costs of propaganda were

deq up

Piec

~_ These are startling facts that

te from a discussion of
‘rnment propaganda” by the
1951 issue of the Congress-
igest, an unofficial month-
sy published in Washing-

ay

to

ge sropaganda, says the Digest,
Which fan to use a broad term
aoe ee most of the pub-

er fet tons of the federal’ gov-
ious x -_ This includes the var-
Teatign vcity programs, the pub-
Makin of documents, speech
tica aS ©n controversial and poli-
Cialg or ets: lobbying by offi-
he Executive branch and

Y jour
n, D,

\

general ‘information’ programs
than those designed’ for straight
news coverage.”

Some 6,000 people, the largest
single group of propagandists are
employed by the State Depart-
ment and the Economic Coopera-
tion Administration (ECA). Most
of these are engaged in overseas
activities in: connection with the
ECA (Marshall Plan) and in
operating the Voice of America
and the United States Informa-
tion Office. ; .

The total sum spent by the
State Department, says the Di-
gest, is hard to estimate. it gives
the following significant figures.
“Salaries costs alone are about
$15 million. The ECA has about
$17 million to spend on publicity.
he Voice last year operated on
$16 million plus another $40 mil-
lion for new transmitters.” /
ee enormous growth of the
propaganda. activities of the US.
government is a matter of recent
development and is closely re-
lated to the new world position of
American capitalism and its
drive for worldy domination. In
1937, government expenditures
for propaganda or, 2S it was
called, “public relations’’ was esti-
mated at $1,200,000 by the Provi-
dence (R.I.) Journal and also by
the Brookings Institute which

made an official survey on the

matter for a Senate Committee.

‘s biggest propagandist

The propaganda, activity of the
government is so vast that a sub-
committee of the 80th Congress
showed that 800 columns or 100
pages of the New York Times
would have been required to print
all the “handout” material re-
ceived by that one newspaper
from federal agencies during a
single week. Its scope and char-
acter can be learned from two
further facts, among many cited
by the Digest.

The first fact relates to organ-
isation of the “office of public
affairs” operated by the State

‘Department. This office employs

200 persons in four main divis-
ions and one of these divisions is
the Division of Publications
which, says the Digest, sends
sample copies of State Depart-
ment documents expressing con-
troversial views to key news-
papers, lecturers, plus some na-
tional organisations which have
their own organ. ‘
This Division also “utilizes
20-odd_ strategically placed pri-
vate organisations which are pri-
marily interested in foreign af-
fairs as distribution centres” for
State Department documents.

Another section of the Office of
Public Relations is the Division
of Public Liaison which makes
“arrangements for the speeches
departmental officers give to var-
ious private groups and organ-

isations of the nation; it answers
and analyzes public mail on for-

eign policy; and it assists writers

and editors for magazines, radio,
and other media of mass com-
munication: A staff of special-
ists works with leaders of
American organisations which
have requested information and
liaison services.”

The work is so specialised that
a Magazine and Feature Press
Branch of this division provides
material on foreign policy to 300
national magazines and a Radio
and Television Branch works
with’ radio commentators, . net-
work programmes, commercial
shows, and local broadcasts.

A second fact which describes
the nature and scope of -the- gov-
ernment propaganda is given in
the account of the activities of
the War Department, now a part
of the Defense Department. The
latter is second to the State De-
partment in the number of propa-
gandists, totalling 1,800.

Discussing the pressure of the
War Department for the passage
of universal military training,
the Digest quotes the Hoover
Commission report on federal
propaganda last year which stat-
ed: :

“Civilian speakers employed by
the War Department conducted
their campaign for universal

military training through every
known avenue of intelligence.
Usually these speakers were em-
ployed at $25 per diem plus tra-
velling expenses. They conducted

' radio panels in various cities and

appeared before citizens’ groups

wherever and whenever they
could be assembled .. .
“When crowded itineraries

compelled it the speakers were
carried from point to point in
military planes...

“Another segment of the War
Department propaganda for UMT
was the production of a special
motion picture film for free dis-
tribution. This' film cost $36,000
to produce, and an additional
$14,000 was spent to distribute it
throughout the country.

“In addition, the Army distfi-
buted some 125,000 printed pam-
phlets supporting universal mili-
tary training.” :

These facts explain in part the
deluge of material and the vir-
ulence of the anti-Communist,
anti-Soviet propaganda of the
Truman administration in the
U.S. abroad. With such a mon-
strously large machine, the out-
pourings of the pro-war Gamp are
bound to be gigantic, at least
quantitatively. :

It is of course, the Ameérican
taxpayers who pay for this pro-
paganda, not only against their.
own wellbeing but against the
peace and security of the world.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JULY 27, 1951 — PAGE 5