Disarmament is our only hope for survive

— Petition against tests
is seen as first step’

_ TORONTO—A petition urging a ban on nuclear tests
has been sponsored by leading faculty members of the
University of Toronto headed by President Claude T.
Bissell. The committee which has begun circulation of the
petition includes 14 professors from university depart-
ments and one graduate student. Among them is Chancel-
lor F. J. A. Jeanneret, University College Principal M. Si.
A. Woodside, President J. M. Kelly of St. Michael’s College,
and Principal H. N. Frye of Victoria College:

The committee plans to visit ;

Ottawa to deliver the meinen’ “To maintain a eae -*
diréctly to. Prime Minister | POW? East and West threaten

Diefenbaker. each other with instant reiali-
; |ation, risking the fearful dan-
iger of accidental war. These
jdangers are increased, and
new opportunities for disast-
|rous action are created, by the
endeavor of other powers to
obtain nuclear weapons.

One of its signatories, Prof.
J. Tuzo Wilson of the Geophys-
ics department, now president
of the International Associa-
tion of Geophysicists, and
author of a current book on
his, recent visit to the USSR
and China said that this meet-
ing:should be only the first
Step in making qppositicn to
nuclear weapons really effec-
tive.

“We therefore urge the gov-
‘ernment of Canada to press in
the councils of the world for
an immediate and permanent
end to the testing and produc-
tion of nuclear weapons, and
for measures to prevent the
spread of such weapons to
countries that do not have
them. We are confident that
the problems involved in the
establishment of international
inspection can be solved if,
there is a sincere desire for
agreement,

eAmong other sponsors are
V. M. Bladen, Dean of- Arts,
and Prof. Kenneth McNaught
ef the history department, a
well known CBC commenta-
tor.

-

The work of organizing the
eommittee’ and the petition has
been in process since March.
Each member of the commit-
tee volunteered to see associ-
ates on the faculties and met
_ ‘with very few refusals. Several
professors- suggested the- uni-
versity should do much more
to -oppose nuclear. weapons
than circulation of a petition.

“We believe that the chieve-
ment of even these limited
goals will put a check to the
increasing danger of world 7
war, and will at the same time
constitute a first step towards
disarmament, in which lies
our only hope: of survival in

The text of the petition is as [@ nuclear age.’

follows:

“We, the undersigned mem-
bers of the faculty of the Uni-
versity of Toronto, consider it
our duty to emphasize the con-
finuing and increasing danger
of ‘nuclear. war. Such. war
would cause inestimable suf-
fering, and destroy the present
basis of civilization. The major
Powers are now involved in an
_ &@tmaments raCe, despite the
proved tendency of such com-
petition to provoke, rather
than to prevent conflict,

Caron speaks at
meeting in Haney

“China’s Great Leap For-
ward” will be the subject of
an address by Charles Caron,
Communist Party provincial
organizer, in Haney. on Dec-
ember 5. He will show slides
taken on his recent trip to
China. The meeting will be
held in the Walske home,
north end of 20th Road in
Haney, at 8 p.m.

CIVIC ELECTION RALLY

‘SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th —8 P.M.
Ukrainian Hall, 805 East Pender St.

Come and Hear the Independent Candidates Speak
EVERYONE WELCOME

"THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE”

Royal commission on price spreads
hits abnormally high’ profits

OTTAWA—The “abnormally high” profits of some major food industries and the —

“excessive amounts of money spent on promotional gimmicks”

were roundly condemn-

ed in the royal commission report on price spreads, made public this week. The report —
urged “closer scrutiny” of Canada’s food industry to protect the housewife from

higher prices.
Chain store gains in effici-

ency have not been passed on

to consumers in the form of
price reductions, the Regn in-

dicated. |

Using 1949 as a base year
of 100, the report said that the

‘| 1949-58 period saw the retail

price index advance to 120.2

while the farm price index}.
stood at 99.2, reflecting a soar-

ing spread in prices.
The report urged wider use

of the Combines Investigation’
Act to probe the buying and

selling practices of the large
food industries where there
was “fa combination of -high
profits and high Beomonerel
expenditures.”

Chain stores and cies re-
tailers giving trading stamps
should be forced to offer the
alternative of a cash discount,
said the report.

“The commission believes
that the services which should
most properly be dispensed
with are the promotional ser-
vices such as contests, give-
aways and gimmicks,” said Dr.
Andrew Stewart, commissoin
chairman.

Cost of these “services” is

passed along to the consumer
in every case.

“Gimmicks” include things
like towels and cutlery in soap-

Bruce Yorke (above) is an
independent candidate for
school board in North Van-
couver elections December
17. A graduate in economics
from UBC, he is treasurer of
the North Star-Carisbrooke
PTA and has three children
in the North Vancouver

school system. .

flake boxes, and stamp plans.
Such devices contributed to
the 84 percent increase in cost
of marketing a basket of food
between 1949 and 1958. ~

Premiums and tradin
stamps made up 26 percent
the promotional cost of foo
chains. A

The commission suggested

@ “As an alternative to ¢
possible limitation of p:
tional .expenditures or _ re
enues retail firms might ele
as they are permitted to d
under existing legislation,
pay. patronage dividends sim-
ilar to those paid to members
and non-members of consumer
So OEREUE organizations. —

@ “Where prices continue to
be associated with a high le
of return on investment, an
no action seems to be possible
to effect a reduction in prices,
consideration mighi be give’
to defining for the industry
fair and reasonable return o:
investment, and that profits
above this level be subject to.
a higher rate of tax.”

One thing the royal ‘ommis
sion definitely proves — it’
the housewife who pays!

December 4, 1959—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page