BCE move to boost bus fares raises groundswell of protest iw ml Hah endl NIE. Un Border guards at Tapachula, Mexico (top) are shown screening refugees from Guatemala. Conquest of tiny Guatemala by the United States puppei, Col. Castillo Armas, touched off protest demonstra- tions in many Latin American countries. Lower photo shows student supporters of the deposed democratic government of Guatemala carrying protest placards in front of the U.S. embassy in Mexico City. Cuauntemoc Cardenas (centre), son of Mexico’s former presi- dent, was among the group of demonstrators. . Victoria groups blast BCE transit gouge VICTORIA Volleys of protest and Dromises of organized opposition followed the B.C. Electric’s application for a 30 percent fare increase in the Victoria area, elimination of the weekly pass and a further reduction in bus schedules, Spokesmen for both Trades and Labor Council (TLC) and Victoria Labor Council (CCL) indicated their organizations woulé oppose the company’s request. Ed Haw, secretary of Victoria ‘Labor Council, said that his org- anization weuld app*ar at any Public Utilities Commission hear- ing into the BCE application. Victoria aldermen backed the revival of the joint inter-muni- cipal transportation committee for a united stand on the increase. But Reeve Joseph Casey of Saan- ich and Reeve A: C. Wurtele of a United Labor PICNIC | SUNDAY, AUG. 8 CONFEDERATION PARK 4600 EAST HASTINGS NORTH BURNABY Esquimalt opposed the move. CCF and LPP representatives condemned the proposed fare boost.. Frank Snowsell, former Saan- ich CCF MLA, called on the city to take over the transit system, and the distribution of power too, if that was needed to make the system break even. He asked the B.C. Electric to open its books to public scrutiny. “Nobody’s ever been able to get a good look at those books,” he said.. “Our party is absolutely op- posed to any more fare hikes in Greater Victoria,” stated Mrs. Doris Blakey, LPP secretary. “We will fight the rate boost and call en all four municipal: councils and the trade unions to take a stand in opposition.” City Ald. Frank Mulliner came out flatly against the increase say- ing “This thing's gone too far... it’s got to stop.” He was joined by Ald. Millard Mooney who urg- ed the city to present an oppos- ing brief before the Public Uutili- ties Commission. ; Demand of B.C. Electric for transit fare increases. for the Lower Mainland and Victoria ranging as high as 47 percent, despite the fact that BCE showed a protit of $11 million last year on its combined operations, started a from citizens in metropolitan areas this week. In the forefront of the campaign to ha Jones, long known as “BCE’s Pub- lic Enemy Number One,” who announced that her organization, Civic Reform Association, plans to take to the streets with peti- tions next week in a block-to- block canvass opposing the com- pany’s demand. Token opposition came from Vancouver City Council, with vocal protests being made by some aldermen who come up for re-election in December. But council failed to take a forth- right position and may only hold a “watching brief” when the fare hike issue comes before Public Utilities Commission. Public anger against the BCE mounted when it was disclosed immediately following the com- pany’s application for a transit increase that 58 BCE executives had made about $875,000 in com- pany stock options during the past’ seven months. At Vancouver Trades and La- bor Council on Tuesday night delegate John Hines of the Paint- ers Union urged council to go on record demanding the BCE fran- chise be lifted. The motion was tabled. Mayor Fred Jackson of New Westminster said an increase for the Royal City would be “vigor- ously opposed.” Reeve C. W. MacSorley of Burnaby suggested a joint meeting of municipal and EFFIE JONES city councils in the Lower Main- land to discuss what action should be taken. : BCE vice-president W. C. Main- waring notified Vancouver City Council on Tuesday that the com- ‘pany would be applying for an in- crease in fares from 13 to 15 cents, or five tickets for 75 cents. A special “downtown zone” would have a 10-cent fare. Campaign against the increases is expected to mount between now and next month, when the Public Utilities Commission will It the latest fare gouge was Mrs. groundswell of protest Effie likely hold public hearings on th? BCE application. Last fare hike was in 19% when the BCE-also succeeded a getting its “fair rate of retu : increased from 5.3 to 6.5 perce? 7 Return on overall operations ja year was 5.4 percent — wht ; under the pre-1952 rate woe have given citizens a g00 erat to demand a reduction in tram fares. ‘ ip The company says the fare crease, if granted, will incr® ji income $900,000 a yealy claims that this will not © cover its “losses” on transit. Fe “We intend to stop any waffle creases in fares,” said Mrs. 7 Jones, Civic Reform Associat! yell president. “What Vancouver 95 3 zens want is a rollback t0 1 y fares. A dime is enough 10 ases for a bus ride. Further incre cannot be tolerated.” jut > Mrs. Jones appealed for VO" 1, teers to support her petition ‘i dressed to the PUC. “We ha, opened headquarters at 339 we Pender and will launch our pe paign- as soon as the petiti@ ; come from the printers: said. ® ij “We intend to launch 4 block by-block petition campaign 1? ye! entire area of Greater Vanco y end to contact citizens’ or8am, tions in surrounding muni ties that are serviced DY ~~ BCER,” declared Mrs. Jones: Great French retreat ‘beginning of the end’ SINGAPORE The French withdrawal in northern Indochina is ‘‘the beginning of the end ° French military operations in Indochina, British diplomats and military men here a this week. They believed that the French would abandon the whole delta, inclu j Hanoi and Haiphong, and they said that the French puppet troops were now ing’ in masses. _ French assertions that a’ “de- fense ring” is being created around Hanoi were discounted by military expertS here. In Paris, French officials at the foreign ministry said they view- ed the possibility of a cease-fire “far from pessimistically.” The method of the French with- drawal in Indochina, which has now freed more than one-third of the delta, seems to have spikea the latest U.S. attempt to prevent a truce. Using the new puppet premier in Viet Nam, Ngo Dinh Diem, the “Syngman Khee of Viet Nam,” the Americans planned to get his representatives at Geneva to create a deadlock there, while in Viet Nam he formed a “war cab- inet” which would prevent an “on-the-spot” truce. a But in Paris it was said that Ngo’s plans for a “war cabinet” were now outdated by the latest military developments and that no one would now be willing to join him. In fact the desertion of puppet | troops with their U.S. weapons, which last year went on in tens and twenties, last month reached the level of hundreds and thous- - ands in the delta area alone. Whole units deserted overnight from the French lines, going over with their arms. Thousands more are now going over during the French withdrawal. The whoie puppet army in the delta has © gone to pieces. In Singapore the belief is: that the French are no longer wor- ried by these mass desertious. The shirtening of the defense Aerial view of Hanoi, capital of Indochina. PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JULY 9, 1954 — P 1" ring is only to allow for eva o tion without big losses of troops or equipment. nol In their withdrawal, the Fre og forces are said to be destroy ih way lines and equipment a pais dustrial installations at@ jeft intact. aoe