Gov't probe of RCMP leak draws fire of complainants VICTORIA, B.C. _ Concern over recent attempts to import McCarthyism in Canada, as expressed on the educational system and threats of book-burning in Victoria, has been voiced by several members of the legislature during the past two weeks. Arnold Webster, leader of the CCF Opposition, said, “In the minds of many people there is a conviction that the situation re- garding freedom of thought has _. deteriorated in recent months in this country.” He went on to quote the an- nual report of-President Sydney Smith of the University of Tor- onto, who had urged Canada to be “on guard against the methods of the informer, the agent pro- vocateur, the witch-hunter or the Gestapo, the concept of guilt by association and the technique of the smear which are foreign to the concept of liberty which we cherish.” “Today too many people re- main-silent for fear of being ac- cused of sympathy with radical movements,” Webster continued. “When people become afraid to speak their beliefs or defend the innocent or explore new ideas, then freedom is in danger.” William Moore (CCF-Comox) castigated “members on that (the government.. side of the House who would like to burn books,” an obvious reference to support by Socred MLAs Lydia Arsens and James Reid for the censorship proposals of Victoria Alderman Brent Murdoch. He commended Premier Ben- nett for his forthright statement agagnst» McCarthyism and_ witch- hunting and for his action in blocking Reid’s expressed inten- tion of bringing the book-burning proposals to the floor of the legis- lature. A Socred MLA also took a slap at those in his party who haye expressed hostility to the present B.C. educational system. Ray Williston (SC, Fort George) a former school inspector, agreed with Arnold Webster that the pro- vince’s schools had been “free from the undue influence of par- tisan groups.” “We must safeguard the free- dom of enquiry,” he said, urging that care be taken to guard them in the future against such pres- sures. Junior Choir - DANCE — Come to... 2nd ANNUAL LABOR BAZAAR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26-27 Hastings Auditorium 828 EAST HASTINGS PROGRAM Bazaar Opens Friday = Bread-Baking Contest - Judging 9.30 p.m. Saturday — Apple Pie Baking - Judging — 2.30 p.m. i i GC qin ‘eaigel ple H) | il i a na nel PT TT EE l fe mS A= liaeceg ly anunnsate A asttiveratl FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1954 POCA C OEOUE OE OORT EHEC HEE EIT TI BCC bt tL id Insult to senior citizens GENIE citizens’ organizations plan to flood Victoria with protests, and so should we all. The Socred govern- ment’s announcement of a $2.50> monthly increase for senior citizens and others in pension and welfare categories is more than a disappointment — it is a disgrace. Is the government concerned with the plight of senior citizens and welfare recipients or is it playing politics with the issue? To offer aged citizens, widowed. mothers, un- employed workers, the blind, an increase of less cents a day insults. the worth and dignity of citizenship. an 10 anadian On our editorial page, printed before the government made its shameful announcement, we urge a minimum of $20 a month; from $10 to $20 for senior citizens and a straight $20 increase for all others receiving pensions and allowances. This is the minimum they require. Public protest must compel the government to give it to them. DEC EI OUI O UIC OT ROGGE G OG TORIC OR IO OT DOU IL TUTE IE ERIE IRIE ODMR UDI iGO Te 0 Continued from page 1 THIS WEEK original $20-a-month pension est- ablished in 1927. Thousands of our senior citi- zens—the people who cut down the trees, dug up the ores, built the railways, roads and cities— are living in conditions of abject poverty. How else can one live on $50, let alone $40 a month? For a small and uncomfortable room, probably furnished with nothing more than a bed or couch, a table and a couple of chairs and an old gas-plate (which 8 p.m. 2 p.m. SAT. 9 P.M. EXTRA HALL SECURED FOR OVERFLOW. serves as a combination heater and stove) many of our old age pensioners are paying 65 to 75 cents a day in rent. Yet according to the “Guide to Family Spending”, at prices in July 1951 (considerably lower than today), a monthly minimum balanced diet for average men and women living alone was $27.11. . The cost of clothing and upkeep for average man and woman— plus 10 percent for price changes —i§ estimated at $7.10. Other expenses are listed as: Personal care $1; transporation 75 cents (and that would only provide three trips’a month to downtown Vancouver); reading 25 cents; re- creation $1.10; religion $1.10; personal allowances $1.10; news- paper and radio 96 cents; and health and supplies. 10 cents. These figures are pitifully small for such important items yet they total $63.07—$23 more than the $40 pension. How would you like to have to exist on such a meagre budget after having served your coun- try for 40 or 45 years? At the present time the Zov- -ernment pays a cost-of-living al- lowance of up to $10 a month to 29,000 pensioners over 70 years of age, at an annual cost of $3,- 200,000; to 6,200 in the 65-70 age bracket; to 500 blind pensioners; to 490 on mother’s allowances and about 8,300 receiving social assistance. Obviously, present allowances are inadequate! And the people of B.C. should let their govern- ment know that the $2.50 a month boost is totally unsatisfactory. If Premier Bennett has any ideas that senior citizens will be con- tent with $2.50, he should remem- ber the recent ‘Victoria byelec- tion! O’Connell and Rey. E. J. Staley, wired Ottawa following press statements that information on Marshall, dismissed bookmobile director of the Victoria Library, was leaked from RCMP files. They have now received a re- port from Garson which says merely that “there was no breach of regulations or policy governing the handling or security of the RCMP special branch files.” The recipients of the wire have called attention to the fact that Garson did not specifically deny that information was given out but only insists that it did not contravene policy. * Said O’Connell: “I cannot ac- cept this as a final answer. Could it mean it is policy to give out information to certain indivi- duals? I was told myself I could get information on a man by go- ing to the RCMP. I want to know kas information been given out in that way.” Staley questioned the thorough- ness of the investigation’ He pointed out? that Reeve Joseph Casey of Saanich who had been reported as attending a secret meeting with board chairman James Neely and a man identi- fied as an. RCMP constable, had not been questioned during the investigation. “T am ‘not at all satisfied with Garson’s reply,” said Snowsell. “There is no doubt that:a person identified as an RCMP constable gave information purporting to come from the files to the Library Board.” He said that he would ask CCF . leader M. J. Coldwell to take the matter up in the House of Commons. Mrs. Doris Blakey of the Labor- Progressive party, told the Pacific Tribune that she considered a dangerous precedent had been es- tablished. “It is the go ahead signal to the RCMP to make their files available to any set of local witch- hunters,” she said. “It is an open admission by Garson that the RCMP is a polifical police on the pattern of J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and that it is going to play the same role in assisting the Mc- Carthyites that the FBI does in the United States.” “The issue in the Marshall case is not the guilt or innocence of | the individual concerned, but the contempt of legal processes and of common justice shown by the board,” asserted Frank Snowsell in elaborating his position. “Here is a group of people who are not satisfied with the laws of Canada,” said Snowsell. “They therefore set themselves up as legislature, executive +e judi- ciary.” “Apparently agreeing among themselves that the federal gov- ernment is extremely unwise not to have passed laws against peo- ple suspected of being Commun- : Strachan backs trade NANAIMO, B.C. Robert Strachan (CCF, Cowich- an-Newcastle) agreed to speak in the legislature for development of trade and implementation of a low-cost housing program, after he had discussed the unemploy- ment situation at length with a Labor-Progressive delegation led by Mrs. Grace Tickson which visit- ed him last week. VICTORIA, B.C. The role of the RCMP in the Marshall case has not been cleared up to the satisfaction of the three Victoria citizens who asked for an in vestigation by Justice Minister Garson. The three, Frank Snowsell, former iyi ‘| ee (i Ey TES HLETIN GES. COE MEA Rey D.C: . ists, they set themselves above the federal government,” he charged. “They establish a law that no person suspected of Communist _ affiliations shall be a member of the library staff. Then arrogat- — ing to themselves the authority of the courts, they summon a police witness to a meeting held in camera at which all present are pledged to secrecy. They differ from our regular courts only in that the accused is not present, nor is he allowed then or later to defend himself or even know. what the charges are.” “Actitig as judges they condemn and sentence a Canadian citizen,” declared Snowsell. CELEBRATE the 44th Anniversary of International Women’s Day ‘FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE IN 1954’ CONCERT @ International Women’s Choir in international costume. @ Poems of Pauline Johnson and other numbers . SPEAKER: : Mrs. SHEILA YOUNG SUNDAY MARCH 7 8 p.m. Pender Auditorium Silver Collection PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FEBRUARY 26, 1954 — PAGE 12 ‘