Photo shows medical aid being administered to an injured Vietnamese woman in a bombed hospital. EDITORIAL One ‘message’ only uring the Yuletide holiday season Canadians in the middle, low, and no-income brackets have already had more than than a bellyfull of New Year ‘‘messages”’ and. ‘‘forecasts”’ for 1968. Enough at least to fill any medium-sized army observation blimp, with an abundance of hot air left over. © First of course, and most numerous, are the ‘‘messages’’ of Peace, particularly from those whose bloody hands and profits from killing in Vietnam, proclaim more loudly than ever words can, just what kind of a ‘‘peace’’ they scheme, conspire, lie, and kill for. Then come other ‘‘messages’’ from leading bankers (the proper term should be usurers), alleged economists, chamber-of-commerce tycoons, vest-pocket politicians, plus all the hords of big and little social termites, who live and fatten on the labor and sweat of others. The words of all such ‘“‘messages’’ may vary; some heavily coated with the soothing syrup of the confidence man, some rolling out like an automatic computer spewing forth figures and more figures — but all ending up with the same ‘“‘message’”’ for plain John Doe; ‘‘tighten your belt’’ work harder and longer, raise production, keep your mind off wage increases, spend less and save your money — then 1968 is bound to be a ‘Happy and Prosperous Year’’. It just can’t miss — if you dig the ‘‘message’’. Such “messages”. pose the question.. Why did Prime. Minister Lester B. Pearson toss in his resignation now instead of later? Anyone looking for instant answers should have no difficulty in selecting any one of several dozen reasons to suit their tastes. Perhaps it was the Federal-Provincial political-monoxide blowback from his Housing Conference which compelled the PM to cry quits next morning? Obviously the young newlyweds with an income of less than $8,000-per annum who couldn’t buy or build a home in 1967 and pay 8¥%2-percent interest on their investment, won't be able to buy or build one in 1968 on a new 8 5/8-percent interest hike! Nor will any number of fancy-guilded New Year “‘messages’’, take the sting out of the Sharp mini-budget which provides an ironclad assurance: for rising living cost, rising unemployment, greater austerity for the masses, and higher profits for the monopalists in 1968. In our New Year ‘“‘message”’ we’d hazard the guess that Pearson “got out while the getting’s good’’, having served long, faithfully and well, in action if not always in words, those interests who reap big profits exploiting their own country’s resources and people — and still bigger profits by waging wars of aggression, cold-blooded murder and genocide upon their neighbors in other lands, as in Vietnam. The only ¢‘message”’ for 1968 that can have any meaning for Canada — and for the world, is Peace — and the interests of the plain common, people — first, last, and all the time. ‘West Coast edition, Canadian Tribune Editor—TOM McEWEN Associate Editor—MAURICE RUSH Published weekly at Ford Bldg., Mezzanine No. 3, 193 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone 685-5288. Subscription Rate: Canada, $5.00 one year; $2.75 for six months. North and South America and Commonwealth countries, $6.00 one year. All other countries, $7.00 one year. Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash. JANUARY 5, 1968—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 2 ‘government policies,” | RANKIN REVIEWS PAST YEAR Calls for action on many vital civic issues in ’68 By ALD. H. RANKIN Highlights of 1967, my first year in Council, were the continuing housing crisis, the Block 42-52 sell-out and ‘most recently, the freeway debate. The year ended on a good note. The freeway debate aroused more public concern and feeling than any issue in recent years. The 22 briefs presented to Council at two large meetings were convincing evidence that our democracy is both healthy and vigorous. The citizens of Vancouver are not satisfied with the piecemeal approach of Council to city development. This was the key factor emerging from the freeway debate. Our citizens demand an overall plan for the growth and beautification of our city, one that will stir the imagination and act as an inspiration and guide to all lactivities of the Council and the public. As you know, during the year I pressed hard in Council for more public low rental housing and‘ for legislation to protect tenants. WW ALD. HARRY RANKIN Council endorsed my motion asking the provincial government to raise the shamefully low welfare payments. I proposed a low fare rapid transit system as an alternative to costly freeways. I also opposed the Block 42-52 deal because I’m convinced it will cost our taxpayers many millions of dollars in subsidies to private developers. As such, it amounts to a misuse of public funds. I have endeavored through weekly press commentaries, press and TV interviews and addresses to various civic groups to keep our citizens informed of the issues coming before Council. 1968 will be election year again with 10 aldermen and a mayor to be elected. I am hopeful that increased participation in civic affairs by labor, ratepayers and tenants and other community groups will result in giving voters an alternative to the N.P.A. The 30-year rule of the N.P.A., which speaks for real estate and corporate interests, can be ended if the ordinary citizen uses his vote in his own interests. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all. of you. an active and healthy New Year and to urge that during 1968 you constantly bear in mind that this city belongs to you, the people, and you have the right and duty to demand that Council act in your interests. Socred school freeze hit The, B.C. Communist Party has demanded in a recent wire to Premier W.A.C. Bennett that a new method of financing education in B.C. be undertaken to end the recently announced freeze on construction and give priority to educational requirements. ‘The present school freeze cannot but have a most adverse effect on the education of our children,’ stated Nigel Morgan, Provincial leader of the Communist Party. ‘“‘The Bennett government must not be allowed to impose such a handicap on the present school generation at a time when our greatest requirement is for higher education standards. Double shifting will work a real hardship on students and parents alike, and smaller not larger classes are what’s needed, ”’ he said. ‘‘Premier Bennett cannot deny that a $740 million budget leaves plenty of scope to provide for our school needs if the proper priorities were being given. True, the American money market is investing heavily in the Vietnam war, where they are offered a 30% return on investment. “So even seven or 12% interest - won't provide any inducement. This brutal war is drying up the money market with the result debentures are not saleable for schools, hospitals and municipal needs. But we are giving away our resources to these monopoly interests, and then trying to borrow from the same source. That's what’s wrong with Morgan charged. ‘Public pressure is needed to compel the government to radically McEwen column Tom McEwen’s column does not appear in its usual spot this week. As was announced in our last issue in December, his column is moving to the National Tribune and will appear in future in our centre pages. Because of the changeover there will be no column this week, but starting next week his column will appear regularly in its new location. change its policy for educational financing,’ he said. ‘‘More money has got to be channelled into meeting school and college requirements, as the defeat of recent school and regional college bylaws shows. ‘‘We can have the money without ‘borrowing if we tax the natural resources being exported to foreign countries,’” he said. ‘‘Every time a barrel of oil runs, a ton of ore is dug, or a tree cut down — the cash register should ring in Victoria to provide for educational needs — necessary construction and operation costs, too. If grants to update teacher entitlement to the school districts were brought in line with reality (about $1300 per teacher increase) alone, a big load would be lifted,’ Morgan said. f by Rae Murphy 10 cents This is the front page of the latest pamphlet on Vietnam written by Canadian Tribune editor Rae Murphy which is now available at the People’s Co-op Bookstore, 341 W. Pender St. in Vancouver. A popularly written pamphlet, with many photos, it tells the story of his*recent visit to North Vietnam.