EDITORIAL

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_ Redouble peace struggle!

The concerted efforts put forth by
numerous organizations in mass
demonstrations and varied activities ac-
ross Canada during United Nations Dis-
armament Week, establish the potential
for massive peace initiatives in the weeks
and months ahead.

The banners, the throngs of people,
the chanting of slogans expressing
commitment to peace and liberation, the
applause for hard-hitting speeches light-
ing the way forward — these held the day
as Disarmament Week reached a cres-
cendo.

But more is required. Awareness of
the nuclear war danger, and the forces
fighting it have been spread to new quar-
ters and the struggle has won new adhe-
rents. Now it is necessary to expand the
fight — and to force the Ottawa govern-
ment to commit itself to the demands
stated on the petition — Peace is every-
body’s business! =
_ Asa reminder of the unique practical-
ity and political import of those de-
mands, addressed to the Canadian
Government, they are restated here, call-

ing upon Ottawa to:
e urgently press the United States for
early signing of a strategic arms limita-

_ tion treaty and to start talks on limitation

of medium-range nuclear weapons;

e work for simultaneous dissolving of
military alliances, dismantling of all for-
eign-based military bases, and banning
of chemical and germ warfare;

e actively support the convening of a

European conference on _ military
détente and disarmament in Europe,
since it isthe world’s most heavily armed
area.

Those key demands on the govern-

ment, together with every effort to out- |

law the neutron . weapon; prevent
deployment of U.S. nuclear arms in
western Europe; and proclaim Canada a
nuclear weapon-free zone, constitute the
most crucial issues to which any Cana-
dian can pledge himself or herself today.
First and foremost: Work to roll u
signatures on the petition, — let the fed-
eral government know the temper of the
times. ; :
Personal involvement is needed now.

soviet goals since 1917 .

Countless workers across Canada are
throwing off the blindfolds tied on them
by the ruling monopolies and_ their
governments, and are seeing more clear-
ly the real goals of the Soviet Union.

Such enlightenment is fitting on this

64th anniversary (Nov. 7) of the Great
October Socialist Revolution in 1917,
which paved the way for the Soviet State.

It is difficult today for anyone to hide
the fact that the Soviet Union, in co-
Operation with the countries of the
socialist community, as well as many
non-aligned, developing and _newly-
liberated countries, is in the forefront of
the world-wide struggle fer peace,
détente and disarmament.

While corporations reap fat profits in
Canada and the USA by colluding with

capitalist governments in arms escala- :
tion, the USSR declares it would prefer

to spend on human needs. History shows
it has always delayed introducing new
weapons unul forced to do so by outside
threats.

Today, workers in many countries are
looking more deeply at the USSR, be-
yond its peace program, at policies which
challenge capitalism. How is it that for
half a century they have been free of
unemployment, that costs like rents,
transit fares, basic foods, vacations, even
air travel are held to low levels by the
people's elected representatives.

It is hard to convince workers here |

that they are better off jobless than gain-
fully employed, that it’s better to face
mountainous rent and mortgage in-
creases than to have strict controls on
them, that cutbacks in health and educa-
tion along with soaring costs are better
than expanding health and education
services without gouging, as in the
USSR.

Canadians know from experience that
when we have had mutual trade and ex-
change with the Soviet Union, Canada
and Canadians have benefited. When,
through foolish boycotts and political

spite, such relations have been wrecked, :

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOV. 13, 1981—Page 4

our workers, farmers, business people
and intellectuals have been the losers.
Greeting the USSR on this anniver-
sary, we Can set no better target than to
sweep away the fabric of lies, myths and

. distortions which, for decades, have de-

nied Canadians a view of the Soviet
Union exactly as it is.

Restraint, PM?"

The transnational and home-grown
monopolies are constantly reassured
that they have friends in government —

federal and provincial.

Most recently Prime Minister
Trudeau, at a $175-a-plate Liberal din-
ner, urged those spendthrifts, the
working-class, to practice “collective”
restraint. The reality is that millions of
Canadians are already forced to practice
restraint because Liberal and Tory
government policies are draining away
working people’s living standards.

If the PM considers inflation as enemy
number one, he should take steps to get
Canada out of those super inflationary
organizations the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, the North American Air-
space Defence (NORAD), and _ the
U.S.-Ganada defence production
“sharing” agreement. The government
should likewise cease its handouts to so-
called job-creating corporations — like
Massey Ferguson which is laying off 600
workers at Brantford, Ont., after getting
taxpayers’ money to the tune of $125-
million federal, and $75-million, On-
tario. They're in the same boat with
Mcdonnell Douglas and Chrysler.

What are needed are not more sacri-
fices by working people, but new policies
to curb profits, slash the escalating war
budget, put money into the economy
and the raising of living standards.

_ _ This is one more sore point on which
the government should expect to hear

from workers who mass on Parliament
Hill on November 21.

MINISTRY OF
MANPOWER €

IMMIGRATION

UNION ART SEPCE

| DON'T LOOK POLISH
... WE'LL NEEDA
VISA.

News item: Canada to boost east Europe ‘refugee’ intake from 1,000 to”

6,000 — slash quota on Asians.

Flashbacks

25 years ago...

LPP URGES

_ MID-EAST PEACE

Actions by the UN to end hos-
tilities between Israel and Egypt
were advanced by the Labor
Progressive Party Oct. 30. The
LPP urged that in light of the

ultimatum by Britain and

France to occupy the Suez Canal
zone, Canada use its good offices
with both states to dissuade them
from such a dangerous and pro-
vocative action.

“We suggest that in the na-
tional interest and to further
world peace, our government
should call upon Israel to with-

draw her armed forces from -
Egyptian territory,” the LPP de-,

clared. “We strongly urge that
the government act to help bring
about a peace agreement be-
tween Israel and her Arab
neighbors.” The appeal was sent
to External Affairs Minister Les-
ter Pearson. Tribune,

November 5, 1956

50 years ago...

COMMUNIST PARTY
BEFORE COURTS

The historic trial to determine
the legality or illegality of the
Communist Party has opened,
the corridors of Toronto city
hall are filled with policemen

“and detectives. Mounted .and

foot police patrol the entrance
and .the district. Not. for years |
has there been such a show of
police force at a trial. :
Wives and relatives of the
prisoners are excluded. Corres-
pondents of the Worker, Ukrai-
nian Labor News and Vapaus
are not permitted inside al-
though they bear credentials. A
policeman says, “we do not rec-
ognize your press.”’ The
capitalist press is fully rep-
resented. The reporter from the
Winnipeg nationalist paper, Uk-
rainian Voice, is at the press ta-
ble.
The Worker :
November 7, 1931

Just as publicly-owned Petro-Canada gasoline stations were
opening for business, Texaco Canada (90% owned by U.S.
Texaco) published its after-tax profit for the first nine months of
1981 — $253,600,000. Texaco deserves our award for siphoning all
that money into private profit instead of to the public good.
Figures used are from the company's financial statements.

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN
Associate Editor — FRED WILSON
Business and Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR

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HE SAYS N

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