“By DYSON CARTER ~ New interest in Canadian-Soviet relations poses sharp challenge ok week, friends of mine bought a television set. Why? So they could see Soviet movies! It’s a fact that the CBC shows Soviet films even in Quebec. Another friend tried hard to ‘get a ticket for an exclusive din- ner, so he could hear Gerald Clark, just back from the USSR. Clark is speaking to packed audi- ences. For the first time in eight years, millions of Canadians are reading newspaper articles, by Canadians, about life in the Soviet Union. As for our businessmen, it is not vic- ious anti-Soviet slanders which in- terest them today, but factual re- ports about the prosperous eco- nomy of the USSR, about opport- unities for trade. These are aspects of the new situation in Canada, as Canadian- Soviet Friendship Month begins. It is a very interesting change. I know that it gladdens all true friends of the Soviet people. But it raises a sharp challenge. In this new and much healthier situation there are real dangers for us. What is this “big change”? Is it simply that information serv- ices, such as the CBC; Canadian Press, and Weekend Magazine, carry more reasonable reports of Soviet life than before? This is a sign of the basic change. What is happening in Canada goes very deep in our na- tional life. Already big sections of our population are beginning to see a great, historic truth. Friendly relations between Canada and our neighbors to the north are what we Canadians urgently need to make sure of a peaceful, prosper- ous, independent future for our country. That is the change. Millions are awakening to the fact that friend- ship with the Soviet. Union is for- our own sake, for Canada. : It is not too easy to see what this means. I know of one man who is swaggering around, shak- ing his finger under the noses of his workmates, and saying to them, “See ...I told you so!” Of course it is nice to be able to prove that you’ve been right all along. That the Soviet people eat well, have beautiful cities, see wonderful shows, are more pros- perous than ever in history, and so on. But the attitude of “I told you so” won’t hélp to build friend- ship. Even worse is the fellow who hears some friend express, for the first time, a little sympathy for the USSR. Then he beats him over the head with a “political argument.” Talking that way misses the whole point. The point today is that friendship between Canada and the Soviet Union is develop- ing on a new basis. Many millions of Canadian people, who do not agree with the economic and political structure of the USSR, are becoming convinced that we all need friendship with the So- viet people. And they are right! If we don’t grasp this, we are in danger of doing real harm. But will pass. when we seize on this truth, the opportunities are unlimited. That’s why I think the “big change” is a challenge to every supporter of Canadian - Soviet friendship. e Consider Soviet films. During February, Canadian-Soviet Friend- ship Month, more Soviet films will be shown than ever before in a single month. But think .. . it is doubtful if one Canadian in 20 has ever seen a Soviet movie. And because it is very expensive to advertise, even in February not one Canadian in 100 will hear a word about the new Soviet movie showings. t There is a real challenge to us, to find out when and where the shows will be held locally. Then we can make a definite date to take the family, or the girl friend or boy friend. And then we must take advant- age of the new situation. Invite two or two dozen more people to see what they’ve never seen be- fore, movies that show them with their eyes what life is like in the Soviet Union! This year it isn’t hard to get strangers out to see a Soviet movie. If we who have already seen Soviet films do that, all across Canada, we will bring about a really tremendous change in one month. ; @' *Let us keep in mind that re- porters like Gerald Clark, and Bill Boss, see life on the surface only. The price of liquor seems more important to them than the price of four-course dinners in big Soviet factories. They talk about “drab” Soviet clothes. But you do not hear them describing the fabulously beautiful palaces where millions of Soviet people get rest, treatment, and holidays every year. They can distort facts too. Thus, when they speak of Soviet wages they can say the ruble is worth only five cents. But when they give the price of a refrigerator, up goes the ruble to 25 cents! I’m sure you have noted such things. I’m also sure that you know the answer. ‘i There is a very big change tak- ing place in Canada. But the job of building real friendship be- tween the Canadian people and the Soviet people is a job that must be done by those who are élosest to the people. Millions of Canadians know that Gerald Clark was over there, and that Bill Boss is there now. But how many Canadians know that seven of their fellow-citizens recently made an extensive tour of the Soviet Union? Only about 10,000 people have heard these visitors speak. j But the splendid picture-report, Canadians Visit our Northern Neighbors, is something you will be proud to show anyone. It’s a fascinating, fully-illustrated story that takes you places where no other Canadians ever were before. It’s an eye-witness story. It gives vital facts about Soviet life that you don’t get in newspaper reports. Are you prepared to accept a challenge? - Today, it is possible to get the majority of Canadians to read a Canadian report about the USSR. That means going out to the people with tens of thous- ands of copies of Canadians Visit our Northern Neighbors. Make this report a national bestseller. We have never had a publica- tion like this one. We have never had a Friendship Month so. prom- ising as this February. But this publication, and Friendship Month, are not the “property” of the Canadian-Soviet Friendship Society. Dozens of organizations, all over the land, will celebrate the month independently, with film shows, concerts, evenings with people who’ve been to the USSR, gatherings to listen to‘the special radio broadcasts from Moscow. “Why should my group have such an affair?” a certain well- respected person asked me. “We work for friendship all year round, not just in one month.” I asked him: “Why do the Czech and Slovak peoples, by the mil- lions, celebrate their month of . Friendship with the USSR? They. live in friendship all year round. And what about the hundred mil- lion Chinese who took part in - Friendship Month over there?” The truth is, the more the peo- ple understand the importance of friendship with the Soviet Union, and the more they benefit from it, the harder they strive to make Friendship Month a success. “All year round” is very good. But during February, all supporters of Canadian - Soviet friendship should act in a special way. This year, when masses of Can- adians are just beginning to ap- proach the question of friendship, it’s our responsibility to see that we and all our friends show the people of Canada, and the people of the Soviet Union, just where we stand. For a mighty strength- ening of Canadian-Soviet friend- ship, for trade, and for peace! Mrs. Florence Dorland, secretary of the Vancouver branch of the Canadian-Soviet Friendship Society is shown with a group of children during ‘her visit to the Soviet Union last year. She writes of her experiences in Canadians Visit Our Neighbors, iust published by the society. OPEN FORUM Thanks for donations J.P., Edmonton, Alberta, $2; F.R., Kelowna, $1; G.M., Vancou- ver, $1; H.H., Vancouver, $2; “Nic/’ Vancouver, $5; N.S., Mis- sion City, $1; T. H., Vancouver, $2; W.H., Brandon, Manitoba, $7; S.W., Rossland, $2; W.G., Vancou- ver, $2; J.I., Okanagan Mission, $2; E.B., Vancouver, $2. What about pensioners ? A SOCIAL WELFARE PEN- SIONER, Nanaimo, B.C., Regard- ing increases in salaries to MPs, this would seem a good time to draw to the attention of the pub- lic that at the same time that these legislators are requiring an increase which will bring their salaries to $10,000 a year, those on Social Assistance are expected to exist on $40 per month. Ail too few realize how many “unemployable” (which means people for whom no jobs are avail- able) are not yet 65, yet condemn- ed to live on this pittance. With good reason we hear out- cries at the inadequacies of the old age pension, but please con- sider the position of the person of perhaps 62 who must pay rent (or taxes), fuel, light, clothing and still eat on $40 a month. « Some pay as. much as $18 monthly for rent—and what kind of accomodation can be had for $18? . True, Medical, dental and drug expenses are paid by the depart- ment. It would be a farce were they not. True, also that the re- cipients may earn as much as $20 monthly additional. That is perhaps the most wicked feature of all. Once every three months they must fill out a form listing any other source of income dur- ing that period, including “gifts of money from relatives.” I have battled for an increase for such pensioners for more than 15 years. In 1939 the amount paid was $9.60, increased about @ ” 1941 to $10.40, and since then by driblets, and always with the in- iquitous limitation of earnings. There was, prewar, an addi- tional $6 annually ‘for boots. This was cut off in’ 1940, the department stating it felt this category of citizens must also be prepared to economize in view of war expenditures. I was informed by the depart- ment that “such pensioners must save to offset this in summer when their expenses were lower.” Light and fuel were the suggested econ- omies. _When told that those on such “income” must habitually go to bed with the daylight and “rustle” their fuel, the authorities were in- credulous. I made myself un- popular by suggesting in a letter to the press that as part of their training, welfare officers should spend a period of three months on the same income as they were. administering. ‘'On behalf of all who, like my- self, are existing on this allow- ance, I urge protests and publicity as to the conditions under which so many life-long taxpayers are compelled to live out their days; days in which so much useful work could be accomplished. I feel I am speaking for the rest when I say I feel sure we would settle for the increase our MPs are asking! Also, is this not a further reas- on to press on toward a system under which employment is a human right for those able to work, and a sufficient standard of comfort an equal right for those who have contributed their life work to their country and ‘are no longer in physical condi- tion to do so. Much as I deplore the principle of anonymous letters, for obvious reasons I must sign myself as one of “the forgotten people.” More on chiropractors E.B., Vancouver, B.C.: Jack Phillips’ denunciation of chiro- PACIFIC TRIBUNE — practors could have been more effective had he separated their political beliefs from their theory of healing.. After all, if they, as a body, disapprove of national health schemes, they are in the ~ good company of medical asso- ciations in many countries of the world today. Custom has so ordered things that doctors are the sole arbiters of health care. This condition is not. necessarily correct. Surgery has indeed reached a point of ex- cellence deserving of praise. I doubt if the same can be said of drugs. In the United States where drugs are used most freely the health of the people is constantly deteriorating. In Canada, drug companies are at present under investigation for false~ claims. Doctors are themselves the vic- tims of these companies since it is the latter that discover all our medicines. When Mr. Phillips criticises a certain chiropractor for going along with a woman’s self-diag- nosis, he is overlooking the fact that in B.C. chiropractors are not allowed to diagnose. When he gives the medical doctor the credit for curing the woman’s back, he is falling into a common error. I would say that the lady should have had a wee bit more patience. _ In conclusion I would say that it would indeed be wonderful if our professional men were politi- cally advanced. There is many a dentist who might prefer twisting Mr. Phillips’ neck instead of fill- ing his tooth. That is a risk he must take, and I do not think it is a big one. Probably Mr. Phillips has for- gotten the fearless ‘course chiro- -practors took a generation ago, before they had a “law.” That_ law needs still to be broadened. The current’ group of practitioners working in a more temperate climate need not fight other branches of the healing art. Let us be equally tolerant. FEBRUARY 12, 1954 — PAGE 4