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U.S. Marxist, Dr. Herbert Aptheker, shown speaking to a capacity audience of

UBC students last Thursday.

~—Jack Phillips photo

Aptheker speaks to large UBC audience

By CHARLES BOYLAW

What do a thousand university stu- dents do when they hear a U.S. com- munist describe the Negro move- ment as part of a revolution for socialism? They clap, ask questions and clap again. At least that’s what happened at UBC last Thursday when Dr. Herbert Aptheker spoke

_ to a Special Events sponsored noon- hour meeting at Brock Hall.

Dr. Aptheker, historian. author of twenty-seven books, leader in the civil rights and peace movements, outstanding spokesman of the U.S. Communist Party, and Director of the American Institute for Marxist Studies, told his audience that the Negro movement is revolutionary. The solution to the Negro problem, he said, requires a basic restruc- turing of life in the U.S.

Cont'd from Pg. 2 ——

AMALGAMATION

and enable council to adopt a plan for their best use in the interests of the people and the amalgamated city;

. An increase in provincial grants for education from one-third to one- half;

- An expanded council based on a ward system with one member for every 25,000 people to assure re- gional representation, plus the election at large of a board of con- trol composed of a mayor and four members, all members to have equal voting rights;

- Re-establishment of Council control over public facilities such as the Vancouver General Hospital and the Pacific National Exhibi- tion;

.- Amalgamation to be decided by a referendum with the provi- sion that it must pass in each of the two municipalities;

. Discussions as to the mergers of School Boards and Parks Boards on an equitable basis:

. Discussicns on mergers of vari- ous departments, such as police, fire, civic staff, so as to give full effect to seniority and job rights.

Our two Councils should lose no time in setting up the necessary machinery to make a_ thorough study of all problems involved in

_ amalgamation, including _ provi- sion for public hearings where citi- zen groups may present their views and secure information. No time should be lost in urging citi- zen groups: to prepare and’ submit briefs on the subject.» .

“Advances can be made without socialism”, he added. “but only socialism will extirpate racism to my republic.’ Aptheker argued the civil rights movement was laying the way for socialism. ‘Racism is endemic to capitalism. The en- slavement of black Africans was basic to the foundation of early capitalism and later “imperialism, particularly U.S. imperialism.”

He said. in reference to integra- tion. “The black people do not want to disappear. They want to appear. as equal people. Without this there will be an ever growing degree of fascism.” He said black-white unity was not an act of paternalism. but a necessity to the survival of the

. Republic. He expressed optimism

about the possibility of such unity. especially among the young people. But he claimed the majority of whites were still racist.

He then blamed President John- son for the riots. ‘When the investi- gating committee found that the problems lay in poJice lawlessness and conditon in the ghettos. John- son dismissed the committee. But he legislated for greater police action in future insurrections.”

When asked which prominent Negro leader the U.S. Communist Party supported. Aptheker replied. “Henry Winston, Claude Lightfoot and the dozens of other Negro leaders in our own Party.” He then added that Martin Luther King still had the closest ties with the Negro masses and was a courageous, ‘pas- sionately moral man. “We reject King’s passivism and agree with Stokely Carmichael that revolu- tionary violence is sometimes necessary. at the very least. in self- defense.”

Unfortunately. Dr. Aptheker could not stay over in Vancouver. After an interview for the Seven O'clock show and CHQM. he caught a flight to Edmonton and then back to New York.

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‘Injunctions mus

demands UFAWU parley ©

The 23rd convention of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union wound up its week-long ses- sions with over 150 delegates pre’- ent last Saturday with a giant rally in the Pender Auditorium, to pro- test the continued imprisonment of UFAWU President Steve Stavenes and Secretary Homer Stevens.

Centered around the theme that “Injunctions Must Go,” the rally approved a UFAWU appeal to Prime Minister Pearson urging he declare the use of injunctions under which the UFAWU leaders are im- prisoned to be ‘contrary to the Canadian Bill of Rights’, and that Attorney-General Bonner and Fed- eral Solicitor-General Pennell guarantee that the UFAWU case be heard-in the Supreme Court of Canada.

Many prominent trade union speakers and platform guests at- tended the UFAWU march and

rally. Included among the speakers were Vancouver Labor Council secretary C. P. ‘Paddy’ Neale: IWA Local 1-217 president Syd Thompson: business agent Chas. Stewart, Transit Workers Union; Harvey Murphy, Steelworkers: and Gordon Smith. executive member of the Marine Workers Federation of the Maritimes and president of the Halifax and District Labor Council. Smith was a fraternal delegate to the UFAWU convention from the Canadian Seafood Work- ers Union, representing 2,500 fish workers on the Atlantic Coast.

New Democratic Party MLA’s Alex McDonald and Leo Nimsick also addressed the rally, and em- phasized that an NDP government would change all such ‘injunction laws.

Included among the many plat- form guests were Vancouver Alder-

Right wing routed

in VLC elections

In its first session of 1968 this week’s meeting of the Vancouver and District Labor Council was mainly centered on the election of a new executive and table officers. With a maximum of 289 accredited delegates on hand, two score or more new delegates duly seated at this session for the occasion, it was by far and away one of the largest sessions of the VLC since the at- mosphere of a possible general strike permented its delegate body.

The final results of the voting for four top officers and seven Com- mittee chairmen, which together constitutes the VLC executive, re- corded a smashing victory for the continuation of progressive trade union leadership and policies in the VLC, despite strenuous efforts of the right-wing to reverse the pro- cess. A

With the exception of VLC Sec- retary C. P. “Paddy” Neale and Metro-Advisory Committee Chair- man: Frank Kennedy (Longshore),

who were both re-elected by accla- .

‘mation, all other positions were vigorously contested. with some of the margins of victory very close.

VLC President Ed Sims won out over Len Guy (Typos) by a vote of 163 to 123: for 1st vice-president Syd Thompson (IWA) won over Len Guy by a vote of 147 to 140. (For President Sims and Ist Vice Presi- dent Thompson, their 9th consecu- tive re-election). For 2nd Vice Pres- ident, Chas. Stewart (Transit) won over Carl Reich (Upholsters) 150 to 135: For 3rd Vice President Mike Stevens (Meatcutters) won over J. Leslie (IBEW) 146 to 142.

Election of Committee Chair- men resulted in the following: Or- ganization. W. Stewart, (Marine Workers) over B. Jefferies (Typos) 147 to 134: Legislative. Brian Den- ton ‘(Retail Clerks) over Jack Rad-

ford (Packinghouse) 132 to 119; Public Relations, Carl Reich (Up- holsters) over H. Kancs_ (Grain

Workers) 112 to 100: Grievance, J. Lawrence (Packinghouse) over J. Malange (Oper. Engineers) 113 to 81; Education, Bob Hamilton (Pos- tal) over J. Hallock (Union Label) 138 to 46; Credentials, Opal Skil- lings (Office Emp.) over B. Jef- feries (Typos) 121 to 53.

A week ago before the VLC elec- tions the anti-labor Vancouver Province’s expert on ‘‘schisms . . . dissentions . . . mistrust, etc.’’ and the bogey of ‘‘Communism’’ in labor’s ranks, had flown a kite on his anticipated outcome in Tues- day’s elections. Happily for the unity and continued progress of the VLC, the Province ‘‘forecaster”™ was 95-percent wrong on all expec- tations.

At the VLC session the Province also came in for some sharp criti- cism for its promotion of U.S. scab- produced encyclopedias as _pre- miums for Province readers.

VLC delegates gave unanimous approval of the Carpenters Union letter of protest to Education Mini- ster Peterson’s restriction on school construction programs this year, pointing out its disastrous ef- fects upon all levels of education in B.C. On the vital issues of housing and school construction delegates voiced sharp criticism of provincial government policies.

Carpenter’s delegate Podvinni- kov charged the Pearson govern- | ment with ‘‘abdicating its respon- sibility on housing in Canada’,

while delegate John Hayward’s (Transit) proposal that **Prime Minister’ Bennett give his Peace

power project “a one year pause and use the money for school con- construction facilities”, received unanimous approval of VLC.

Bard honored at Burnaby fete

Under the auspices of the Burnaby- Coqutlam Social Club a fine ~-Burns Nicht” anniversary banquet and concert program was held last Saturday ‘in the Capitol Hill Community Hall.

Guest speaker of the evening who paid tribute to “The Immortal Memory” of Scotland's national bard was T. C. “Tommy” Douglas. M.P.. national leader of ‘the New Democratic Party. In his

JANUARY 19, :1968-——PACIFIC TRIBUNE —Page 12

presentation of many of Burns’ poems. Douglas emphasized the genius and great human qualities of Burns. particularly as a revolutionary in his day, and as a tribune of the common people. the great quality that endears him today to millions of people the world over.

Mrs. Margaret Apps of Burnaby acted as MC for’ the ¢élebration. while the veteran Pete Munro: drew

warm applause for his accordion selections. and his ‘Address to the Haggis’ at the bnquet ceremonies. In keeping with the Munro tradition. Peter's two strapping grandsons provided the piping and highland dancing at the Burns anniversary.

Some two hundred gueests attended the Burns gathering. which wound up with ,dancing until the smallhours’,.. 0. Sh ho 44

'

man Harry Rankin; Roy Smith, president of the Longshoremens Union and chairman of the Fisher- men’s Defense Committee; H. Green, regional director of CUPE; together with representatives from the Postal Workers, Teamsters, Seamen, Office and Technical Wor- kers, etc.

The UFAWU convention delegates re-elected President Stavenes, Sec- retary Stevens and Business Agent Jack Nichol by acclamation, in each case with a standing ovation and unanimous approval of the stewardship of those officers as lea- ders of the UFAWU. The convention forwarded a wire of greeting to their imprisoned leaders which states in part; **. . . This convention expresses sincere good wishes and congratulations on your steadfast support of union principles and pledges every possible effort to se- cure your release to return to your rightful place as free leaders of the labor movement”’.

Following the acclamation given its top officers the UFAWU conven- tion elected five vice-presidents, twenty-two executive board mem- bers and three trustees, with every area and section of the union well represented on its leading body, and

Northern representation greatly strengthened.

Other key resolutions approved by the UFAWU include:

Composite resolution embodying similar sentiments expressed in resolutions from many UFAWU locals, demanding an end to U.S. aggression in Vietnam, the re- moval of all foreign troops, and strict adherence to the principles of the Geneva Agreement.”

Full support of the UFAWU to the Nishga _ Tribal Council in its claims on. Indian lands in the Nass River Valley.

Wherever the demand from par- ents is sufficient to justify it, that the provincial department of edu- cation institute instruction in the French language in public schools, to begin at Grade 1.

Many resolutions covering the need of drastic improvement in the health, educational facilities, social and other services in B.C. Indian communities were also ap- proved by the convention.

COMMENCING

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1130K.c, SUNDAYS

COMMUNIST PARTY'S WEEKLY RADIO COMMENTARY

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