French left unity hailed as ‘historic agreement’ PARIS—An historic agreement between the Communist Party and the Socialist Party in Paris ahd the Seine Department to put up a United list for the March muni- Cipal elections has aroused a’ howl of anger from the right- wing French press, The agreement was published last week, and followed a new electoral law brought out last June by the de Gaulle regime, _The new law bars the forma- tion of election coalitions be- tween the first round and second - round of voting in districts with More than 30,000 inhabitants. The first round takes place on March 14, the second a week PENTAGON HOTHEAD Kukriniksi (Pravda) later, In the past, many Gaullist and other reactionary candidates were defeated by local agree- ments between anti-Gaullist par- ties if in the first round no one obtained a sufficient majority. The joint Communist-Socialist communique, which roused the right wing press to issue howls of “Popular Front,” invited other democratic groups to join in this anti-Gaullist struggle. The importance of this left wing unity move in the Paris region is accentuated by the fact that the municipal elections will be followed by the December presi- dential elections, Out of 39 local councils affect- ed by the new law in the Seine Department round Paris, 18 have a Communist mayor, and eight a Socialist Party one, The breakaway Socialist Party, P.S.U,, which has not yet signed the agreement, heads two coun- cils; Paris itself will this time be divided into 14 electoral dist- ricts, instead of nine previously, to elect 90 councillors, In the present 90-member council, has 29, the Socialist Party eight and the P,S,U, one, Britons urge Labor gov't to help end Vietnam war LONDON — A moving appeal to Harold Wilson to “take action in every possible way to bring the War in South Vietnam to an end” Was issued last week by anumber BENJAMIN BRITTEN of leading British personalities. It was made ina letter sent to the Prime Minister by more than 20 Labor MP’s, Bertrand Russ- ell, Fenner Brockway and Mrs. Olive Gibbs, chairman of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarma- ment, Other signatories included Benjamin Britten, Benn Levy, John Platts-Mills, Q.C., Dame Sybil Thorndike and the. Rev.,. Donald Soper. Pointing out that the fighting in South Vietnam was resulting in untold misery for the people, the letter said there was “ strong evidence that napalm bombs and other inhuman weapons have been used,” and called on the govern- ment to condemn such brutalities, The letter calls on Britain to take independent initiative to con-. vene a conference to endthe war. the Communist Party _ Profs urge public aid in free speech battle EDMONTON — “Freedom of Speech” is no abstract principle to Alberta teachers, In a current pattle around the issue, 148 Uni- versity of Alberta faculty mem- bers recently signed a statement protesting “a growing atmos- phere of restricted freedom in Alberta,” The free speech struggle began in earnest last November when Raymond Hertzog, a 26-year-old teacher, was suspended from Ardrossan high school on charges that he was ridiculing Christiani- ty and using the publication “Edge” in the classroom, Edge, published by some UofA faculty members, also came un- der fire by Social Credit govern- ment members in the provincial legislature, The statement of the U of A faculty members outlines aprin- cipled stand on academic free- dom, “Freedoms of speech, of the press, of religion, and of as- sociation, must be defended at all times so that they are not lost,” it says, But “the recent exercise of such freedoms in Alberta has resulted in strong condemnation by some members of the provin- cial cabinet and other influential figures,” This has produced an “intel- lecutal atmosphere” that threat- ens the exercise of freedom and “the very existence of the Uni- versity of Alberta as a univer- sity.” The signers state: “We believe that individuals and groups should be free to. write about, support and criticize the government and its acts; to discuss, criticize, advocate or oppose changes in social mores; to question all views, even those held by the majority of citizens, whether these views concern religion, politics, morality, public expenditures, “Without the freedom to dis- cuss, to propose and advocate change, rational social evolution the law or . can hardly continue,” The statement asks for public support for three key principles: * “Freedom of inquiry is the foundation stone which supports the entire structure of a demo- cratic society and it must not be disturbed.” Teachers “should be free to discuss all topics rele- vant to their subject” and “free to choose methods appropriate to the discussion, tempered only by an understanding of the limita- tions of the human mind and the possibility of error,” Students “should be free to criticize and reject a teacher’s position with- out pressure on, or detriment to themselves as students,” * “Religious or political views are not and should never”be the criteria for engaging teachers or for removing them from their positions,” * “The ultimate goal of educa- tion, especially at the university level, is to equip the individualto make his own evaluations and to develop his own preferences, his own standards of conduct and his own objects of social, political and religious allegiance,” Bethune medicare speech in latest issue of MQ The Winter (1965) issue of Marxist Quarterly is offthe press with features of interest tomem- bers of the labor movement, med- ical and teaching profession and the church, _ A pioneer address by Dr. Nor- man Bethune on the subject of medicare, delivered to the Mont- real Chirurgical Society, ap- pears, as well as the text of a memorial lecture on Bethune by Stanley Ryerson, Margaret Fairley writes on “Moral Responsibility of the Communist”, F, W. Park submits a critical review of Dr. Leslie Dewart’s book, Christianity and Revolution, and S, Samson, a teacher, writes “On the Con- ditions of Teachers”, dealing with the work load problem, In the same issue are two features on the centenary of the first working-class International and an illuminating study, “1837: Labor and the Democratic Trad- ition”, by C. Vance, covering the close connections between Can- ada’s nacent labor movementand the struggles of Mackenzie and Papineau, George Hunter is the author of an important article on science and society — “Galileo and Tel- escopes and Truth”, A background article on the Congo is also car- ried: “Congo: Mirror of Africa?” A voluntary partnership of En- glish and French - speaking nat- ions under a new constitution is advanced in a pamphlet “Two Nations, One Country” by Nelson Clarke, national organizer of the - Communist Party, The Communist proposals for a democratic solution of the pres- . ent crisis of Confederation and a detailed outline of a proposed new Constitution for Canada is set forth, The small pamphlet, handy for mailing to friends or MPs, sells for five cents a copy, Bundles of five copies are available for 25 cents a copy. Bundles of five copies are available for 25 cents postpaid by ordering from Prog- ress Books, 44 Stafford St., To- ronto 3, Ont. or People’s Co-op, Book Store, 341 W, Pender St., Vancouver, HEAR DR. JAMES ENDICOTT speak on his . WORLD PEACE TOUR Tues., Jan. 26, 8 p.m. KENNEDY HALL Scott Rd. in SURREY Ausp. Surrey Peace C’ttee 30TH ANNIVERSARY Iutroductory Offer CONCERT & FOLK SINGING featuring Enclosed is $1 for a 3-month subscription to the Pacific Tribune. This is AU uc Cultural Groups my way of observing the PT's birthday, in the spirit of the 30th Anniversary . and Celebrations. Please send the paper to: : Prominent Vancouver Folksingers : NAME ee ie we Sunday, Jan. 24 — 8 p.m. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CENTRE ADDRESS sci 5 2 a. OTe ee as ze 805 EAST PENDER ST. Admission $1.00 ALL WELCOME. (This offer applies only to new subscriptions and expires on March 31, 1965) January 22, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 11