Pre-convention discussion

By BOB LAXER

t

On the fight for peace

HILE AGREEING with the resolution in genera!, I feel that the opening section tends

to lend fuel to, instead of combatting the deadly fatalism which many Canadians have

about the peace struggle. The first section deals exclusively with the “drive to war and

fascism.”
the peace camp, the fact that the
warmongers will be defeated by
the unity of the people, as Stalin
so unmistakably placed it in a re-
cent interview.

In the final analysis the argu-
‘ment which sways people one way
or another on the peace questions.
is that of strength. What we must
prove is that U.S. imperialism is
far from ‘nvincible because of the
strength of the growing peace
camp, because of the maturing:
crisis in the U.S., and because of
the contradictions in the imperialist
camp. Such proof removes the main
Obstacle to confiden@ée that the
Struggle for peace can. and will
be won.

The section on the two camps
establish what is the foundation
of the whole resolution. That point
is that the forces of the working
class are much stronger than those
of imperialism.

Even as the resolution (section
2) stands now there are, in my
opinion, two factors to be added
in assessing the strength of the
contending camps. The first is
what Stalin calls the “indirect re-
serves” of the proletariat. That is
the conflict among the imperial-
ists themselves. This conflict is
retarding the consolidation of
an economic and political base
for Yankee imperialism’s proposed
military aggression against the
U.S.S.R.

The second point that should be
included in the factors operating
against U.S. imperialism is the
coming economic crisis. While an
armament program will tempor-
arily provide employment the fac-
tors which “normally’ make for
€conomic crisis, primarily the im-
Ppoverishment of the people, operate
even more sharnly, in an armament
economy.

In my opinion we must strive
to make a more convincing case
for the proposition that 1948 in
contrast to 1938 is a period when
the imperialists find it much hard-
€r to launch a war, not to speak
of winning it. We should present
the question in sharp focus to help
Overcome the fatalism which still
afflicts many people and to set
the full peace potential in motion.

In considering the path of our

What needs equal if not stronger enphasis right at the outset is the strength of

party's fight for unity it seems to
me that we have the following ob-
jectives in mind:

(1) The continued leftward swing
of the masses away from the old-
line parties. (2) The defeat of the
old-line parties in the coming elec-
tions. (8) Building of a peace camp,
based on CCF-LPP unity and
strengthened by the election of a
large bloc of MP’s led by Tim
Buck who stand for peace and
progress. (4) The exposure of the
reactionary, imperialist policies of

Study of constitution
urged by Executive

The national office of the LPP
issued the following in connec-
tion with pre-convention discus-
sion:

The forthcoming convention
will, among other questions, give
consideration to whatever am-
endments may be necessary to
the Party Constitution,

Bearing that in mind, all Party
Committees, Clubs and members
are asked to make a careful
study of the Constitution and for-
mulate their proposals for amend-
ing it. :

All such proposals should be
forwarded to the national office
in good time so that the commit-
tee charged with the task of
working on the Constitution will
have the benefit of the collective
opinion of the Party throughout
the country.

right-wing social democracy, and
bringing about of a differentiation
in the CCF and strengthening the
left forces in that movement. (5)
The proper development of the fore-
going will lead to such people’s
unity as will lay the foundation for
a people’s government in Canada.

What was wrong with the slo-
gan we adopted last January —
“Unite at the Polls—Elect a’ CCF
Government in Canada? Under
such a slogan the building of a
peace movement could only be hin-

dered, because it could only create
illusions that the right-wing lead-
ership of the CCF is in the peace
camp when actually it is in the
camp of war. Such a slogan could
only lead to the enhancement of
the position of the right wing be-
cause it retards differentiation in
the ranks of the CCF between the
top leadership and the masses. The
slogan in effect substitutes for a
people’s government based on peo-
ple’s unity and founded on a thor-
oughly democratic and anti-imper-
ialist program.

We must recognize that it is not
excluded that the next federal gov-
ernment might be a CCF govern-
ment or that the CCF might
emerge as the largest single party.
Objectively, our policy does not
stand in the way of such a devel-

opment. In the American elections|

the Wallace movement objectively
helped the election of Truman at
the same time as it brought for-
ward a fighting peace policy and
contributed to the defeat of many
Taft-Hartleyites,

In Canada, therefore, it is very
likely that our call for the defeat
of the old-line parties will object-
ively lead to a much increased
CCF vote and House representa-
tion. This would contribute to the
continuation of the leftward trend.
But our party must not be Placed
in a position of creating illusions
among the masses and leading
them into the arms of Coldwell-
Scott-Lewis-Millard. Instead, the
role of our party is to break any
log jam in the movement of the
people so that the majority of the
masses will make their present
vote for the CCF merely one brief
pause toward the goal of people’s
unity behind correct Marxist poli-
cies. ‘ ~
The only kind of government
where there would be a guarantee
of progressive policies; is a peo-
ple’s government. The reason we
cannot project a people’s govern-
ment today as an immediate mass
slogan is because conditions for a
people’s government of an anti-im-
perialist character will not exist
precisely until such time as there
is much greater CCF-LPP unity
and a mass breakaway from right-
wing leadership.

Queries term “

independence’

in Executive resolution

By W. S. E.

MORRISON

Parksville LPP Club, B.C.

W

last word, “independence.”
some. of the electorate as an

Bourassa, whereas the obvious in-
terpretation is that of freedom
from U.S. imperialistic shackles.
The word “autonomy” would be
equally misleading in my opinion,
so might I suggest, “solidarity,”
“democracy;” “security” or some
other such word might be inserted
in lieu thereof.

Re Clause XII, “The Farmers’
Movements, the provincial govern-
ment in B.C. is covertly urging the
affiliation of the local Farmers’ In-
stitutes into the B.C. Federation of
Agriculture. Many Institutes take
the stand that this gives them more
“say in government,” whereas the
contrary is the true picture, as the
ultimate development is for in-
creased bureaucracy and govern-
mental control of local bodies.

ITH reference to the new slogan in the Draft Resolu-
tion of the i:xecutive for 1948, I fear the use of the
This. might be interpreted by

la

Conventions have degenerated to
the point that civil servants from
the Department of Agriculture
dominate meetings instead of at-
tending in advisory capacities. A
parallel case of coalition strategy
here is the consolidation of local
Fish and Game clubs under a pa-
ternal government sponsored or-
ganization. Messe

Could a paragraph be worked :n
here pointing out this general
trend? ‘

My next paragraph had to deal
with Clause XI of the Draft Reso-
lution, but 9n rereading my para-
graph I see that it is in the nature
of a surmise which would not be
relevant. :

I have enjoyed reading the Draft
Resolution. ‘

attempt at nationalism a

Should a CCF government or the
CCF as the leading party be elect-
ed it will be our task to fight for
the exertion of the maximum
amount of pressure on the govern-
ment of the CCF. The fight that
will have preceded the election for
CCF-LPP unity, for a differentia-
tion in CCF ranks would then be
carried forward under conditions
where exposure of right-wing so-
cial democracy would be very rap-
id as it is in Italy, France and even
Britain.

The situation is moving quickly
and is fluid. We must have the
perspective of so stepping up the
fight for peace as will sharpen
the differentiation in the ranks of
the CCF and will influence the
choice of many candidates in the
nominating conventions. :

Nothing could be further from
the meaning of the resolution than
that of passively watching CCF
candidates and then making “up
our minds whether we can support
them. What is called for is far
greater activities for peace to
build that unity with the rank-and-
file. For them events like the
Dean’s visit and international de-
velopments have had profound s?g-
nificance.

. The resolution says that the slo-
gan used in Ontario “Unite at the
Polls—-Elect a CCF Government’ —
was a correct slogan. As I see it,
it was the only slogan which could
most effectively rouse the masses

hear money talk, you haye
to read the Financial Post.
The experience
but instructive. Truth becomes
fiction, fiction truth, and even
a fink is made over into a
“journalist” of sorts, at the touch
of gold. (“Thou common whore’,
as Shakespeare called gold, in a
wondrous passage that Marx
quoted in Capital, Vol. 1. in the
chapter on Money).
. I picked up the November 13
issue of the Post in Trail, B.C.,
and in it found my trip to the
Coast described as part of a sin-
ister conspiracy.’ “Communist
Stranglehold’ on our Defenses”
screamed the full-page headline,
with map and all, to show the
“strategic points’ in industry
where ‘Reds Hold Whip on Men
in 11 Critical Unions,’ and so
forth, ad et ultra nausea. My
reference in this column a few
weeks ago, to Inco at Sudbury
as a “fortress of world monopoly.
a major base of the enemies of
peace . . . an important sector
of the front of labor, democracy
and peace’—threw the FP hack
into convulsions. ;
So let’s resume the argument.

The “menace” that dances be-
fore the eyes of the gilt-edged

1

‘Menace’ of peace

is unpleasant, —

gutter press is the alleged goal of
the LPP: “to be ina position to
control factories and plants
which would produce war mate-
rials” to concentrate on
“basic industries important to
defense production.”

What is the truth of the mat-
ter?

In the forefront of Wall
Street's war (not “defense”)
program is the militarization of
industry, the smashing of genu-
ine trade unionism through use
of the Hitlerite Big Lie, the
“Communist peril” ballyhoo. This
operation is dictated by the glut-
nous greed of the monopolies»
for profit, and their conspiracy
for atomic aggression against
socialism.

In -Calgary, on my way west,
I read in the Herald two signifi-
‘cant items: That the Canadian
Chamber of Commerce, meeting ©
in Vancouver, had “followed up
its indictment of Communist la-
bor unions with opposition to
the closed shop, industrywide
bargaining, and unauthorized
strikes.” From which the mo-
tive of the anti-“Communist”
blah isn’t hard to unravel .. .’
And in the same issue:

The LPP column.

by

Stanley B. Ryerson

A report from Ottawa entitled
“Plants’ War Potential to be
Determined.”— announcing that
the government and an outfit
called the Canadian Industrial
Preparedness Association are
laying plans to “assist industrial
management in planning for mo-
bilization in the event of war.”
The despatch admits quite open-
ly that “the Canadian plan is
based to a large extent on a
similar project in the United
States . . . Canada will never
wage war alone... the decisions
will be made largely in Wash-
ington. ¢.. .” (Cals Herald.
October 28), Included in the pro-
ject is “a program for plant pre-
paredness actions. .. .”

e

°

That members of our Party

give leadership in the fight to —

save the unions from destruc-
tion, in the fight for higher
wages as against the profiteer-
ing of the warmongers — and
above all that they combat the
drive to atomic mass murder——
bears witness to the patriotism
of the Communists, as the best
fighters for Canadian independ-
ence and for peace.

'

That peace is a “menace” to

‘ sidiary, linked through its di-

-in atomic death, we come by

the soul-less moneybags in pow-
er is evident.

Take CM & S as an example.
The Consolidated Mining and
Smelting Company, a CPR sub-

rectors with Stelco, General Mo-
tors, Inco, rules over 25,000 peo-
ple *n Trail, Rossland, Kimber-
ley. Last year CM & S net profit
was $37 millions—as compared
with $24 millions the year before.
The increase is the direct result
of the preparations of Ottawa
and Washington for war. The
high explosives loaded on the
Islandside in the port of Van-
couver for shipment to Chiang
Kai-shek’s gangster army —
came from the ammon*um nit-
rate division of the Warfield
plant of CM & §, at Trail.

Is it not true to say that on
the workers in armaments in-
dustries there rests a special re-
sponsibility, to speak up for
peace? And is’ not this the very
reason for the special attempts
of big business, to silence them
with the blackmail of red-
baiting?

The hatred of the merchants

honestly. It should spur us to
greater effort—while there still
Nis time. ‘

ns

PACIFIC TRIBUNE —

for a fight to oust the Drew gov-
ernment, the most menacing con-
centration of reaction in Canada.
I believe that right opportunist er-
rors would have been averted or
reduced with the slogan “Elect a
CCF Government in Ontario” un-
der these three conditions:

First, if our national slogan had
been along the lines we are now
proposing. Under those circum- |
stances it would have been clear
that we were adopting such a pol-
icy because of the special condi-
tions of having the pro-fascist Drew
government in. Ontario, where the
only possible alternative was a
CCF government. It would also
have been made clear by the nation-
al slogan that in the field of a
federal election where the ques-
jtion of war or peace is the num-
| ber one question we could not sup-
| port such a slogan even if the CCF
jis the only immediate alternative to
/2 Liberal or Tory government.

(What is happening in the Carleton |
by-election where we are c on
the electorate to “Vote Forsey to _
Defeat Drew”, should not be taken
as typical. There the No. One war- _
monger in Canada could be defeat-
ed and driven out of politics, the |
Tory party thrown into deepest cri- |
sis and the proposed Drew-Duples-
sis-Houde-Low alliance broken up
by a defeat of the Colonel).

Second, if we had opposed peo-
ple like Millard and one or two |
others with our own LPP condi-
‘dates. This would have demonstrat-
ed that we were not giving our un-
reserved support to CCF candidates.

Salsberg faced CCF as well as
Tory candidates, the fight against
the right-wing was very sharp and
the party’s position was therefore
placed more correctly.

Third, if we had as#one of the
main slogans the exposure of the
right-wing leadership which would
have led to much sharper criticism
of CCF candidates :n the localities —
in all our materials.

Failure to understand and pro--
pound the role of right-wing so-
cial democracy in a period of deep _

'imperialist crisis could only create

the illusion that the majority of —
the right - wing leadership of the
CCF could somehow be forced in-
to the peace camp. The fact that

breakaway from the old-line -par-
ties, even to the CCF, is one thing.
But the illusion that a government
of right - wing social democrats
would do anything other than what
Bevin and Blum are doing is some-
ee that we must fiercely com-

Then too I believe that we suf-
fered from an underestimation of
the readiness of the masses to sup-
port a program of peace. ‘ee he

Were we not perhaps overwhelm-
ed by the strength of American a
perialism? ee ee

Lastly, I believe that we must _
guard against a swing to a left sec-_
tarian position. The fight against

not become an excuse for avoiding
the hard day-to-day slugging. of
building unity from below with
masses of CCF supporters in the

DECEMBER 3, 198 — PAGE 7 _

In Toronto, where MacLeod and :

masses are set in motion by a q

right - wing social democracy must re

shops, mines and the communities. _