“VIETNAMIZATION”

—V. Chernikov, New Times

‘U.S. must get

Two world-renowned statesmen, Krishna Menon of India and Pastor Martin N. Niemoeller, co- president of the World Council of Churches, addressed a_ capacity audience in the Vancouver John Oliver School last Friday evening on the vital issue of peace in Vietnam, and both expressed the common hope of million; the U.S. must get out of Vietnam.

This outstanding event was sponsored by the Vancouver Moratorium Committee for peace in Vietnam, and was chaired by Prof. James Foulks of the University of British Columbia.

Other distinguished guests on the platform: included Xuan Oahn from Vietnam, who

warmly thanked the audience and others for the generous moral and material aid they had given the Vietnamese in their long struggle against U.S. aggres- sion. Father Roberts of Van- couver also echoed the senti- ments expressed by Pastor Nie- moeller, that the Christian churehes have been in the main ‘neglectful and remiss in their work for peace’’.

Krishna Menon, for many years a delegate to the United Nations and Defense Minister for India, gave an outline of past and present events in Vietnam, and the glaring violations of International Law by the U.S. throughout the years of its aggression upon Vietnam. Short of using the H-bomb, the U.S. had committed innumerable war crimes, including brutal

_ treatment of prisoners, use of

poison gas, defolients, etc. In no instance had the Vietnamese

CP parley calls

Cont'd from pg. 1 in its fight for decent wages and conditions.

“‘Powerful forces exist in B.C. which, if united in action, can effectively block monopoly’s greedy aims, win important concessions, and open the door to the next stage of advance towards a socialist society.”’

He said the workers of B.C. “have no alternative but to fight to win a larger share of the wealth their labor creates. They cannot accept the present state of affairs. They need and want substantial, wage increases, job security, proper housing, adequate health and safety protection so they can raise their familiggin decency and comfort. Wrkdave shown they are in no m ‘to accept ‘no’ for an answer.”’

Pointing to the need for unity. in labor’s ranks, Morgan warned that the big employers are makifig@@preparations to defeat labor’s demands. ‘‘The bosses offensive in B.C. is taking on special forms. An Employers Councik® has been formed to coordisiate their anti-labor fight ... “Sehemes are afoot to disrupt labor’s ranks, to press the injunction battle against labor, and drain union treasuries through court actions.

“The working class cannot afford to allow itself to be splintered and divided. Unity and co-ordination are imperative if the employers’ offensive is to be overcome.”

Morgan said that anti-mono- poly movements are also developing in the struggle against industrial pollution, for tenants rights and against runaway rents, among students and young, for equality and the rights of women and for an end to the discrimination of Native peoples. Strong emphasis was also placed on the rising peace action in B.C.

Communist urged to take part in all these movements of the people, while at the same time putting forward Communist _ proposals for solution to immediate and long range problems.

HIT H-TESTS

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission plans to conduct further underground nuclear tests on Amchitka Island in the Aleutian chain drew protest from the convention. Pointing to the opposition throughout the country aroused by the first test

“PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 13, 1970—Page 12

members were

PEACE PARLEY DEMANDS:

‘Withdraw now!’ |

An international peace conference attended by 125 delegates and 25 observers, held in Vancouver’s Georgia Towers Feb. 7-8 called on people everywhere to demand ‘“‘withdrawal now” from Vietnam.

The conference, first of its kind ever held in Vancouver, was attended by a large number of delegates from peace - oriented organizations from the western United States and B.C.

Participating in the parley was a ttree-man delegation of North Vietnamese headed by Mr. Tran Cong Tuong, member of parlia- ment and secretary - general of the Lawyer’s Association of North Vietnam. He told the meeting that the first step toward peace would be the total withdrawal of all U.S. troops

an

over a six-month period, after which elections would be held.

Krishna Menon of India, Pastor Martin Niemoller of Germany, Mr. Ratsifehera, municipal councillor from Madagascar, were among distin- guished speakers. A delegation from the World Peace Council consisted of the secretary - general, Mr. Romesh Chandra and a member of the secretariat, Mr. Jim Forest.

A statement issued after the meeting said ‘‘the confernece

out of Vietnam’

violated such laws.

In answer to the claim by the U.S. that they have been invited into Vietnam, Menon posed the counter question, ‘‘by whom?” and answered, ‘“‘by their own

creatures’’. : Menon also pointed out that

while the U.S. attempts to justify its position in Vietnam to stop the spread of Communism, no one had the right to kill innocent people to achieve such an end, regardless of whether we think Communism is good or bad; that all peoples had the right to decide their own destiny. No international law gives the right to the U.S. to police the world. The days of such crusades are over, stated the speaker.

Paying a high tribute to the sacrifice and suffering, as well as the heroism of the Viet- namese people, the speaker said “there is nothing in the annals of history that equals the resist-

~ ance of the Vietnamese people

for anti-monopo

on October 2, the convention called on both federal and provin- cial governments to make representations to the U.S. for cancellation of the tests.

The resolution was one of a number adopted by delegates ranging from opposition to proposed B.C. Hydro rate increases to a demand that the provincial government relieve the municipal tax burden on homeowners and resolve the school crisis by assuming the full cost of education.

Delegates charged that B.C. —

Hydro’s financial problems were the direct consequence of the. Columbia River Treaty which, by sacrificing the long term interests of Canadian development for a quick cash return from the U.S., had cost B.C. a net potential power production of 18.7 billion kilowatt hours, greater than B.C. Hydro’s production of 13.8 billion kilowatt hours last year.

Among other demands advanced by the convention was one calling on the federal govern-

ment “‘‘clearly and unequivo- cally, to assert Canada’s sovereignty over our Arctic terri-

tories and waters and ensure their development in the

to the brutality of U.S. aggres- sion; that the only way for the

U.S. to end the war in an honor- -

able way, is to apologize and get out of Vietnam.”

In his address Pastor Martin Niemoeller dealt mainly with war in general, and that what is now taking place in Vietnam, is basically what is wrong with the world.

Pastor Niemoeller voiced a strong conviction in the declara- tion of the World Council of Churches that ‘‘war is against the will of God’’, and expressed the hope that the church would strive to play a greater role in the cause of peace. He also expressed his approval of the growing strength of public opinion, in the U.S. and elsewhere in support of peace in Vietnam. ‘‘Doubts are arising in people’s minds everywhere,” said Niemoeller, and the ques- tion is being asked — what and who does war serve?”’

interests of the Canadian people.”

Another resolution, directed to the provincial government, called for enactment of legis- lation defining tenants’ rights by requiring public justification of all rent increases before municipal rental boards and guaranteeing tenants the right to process grievances secure from arbitrary eviction by land lords.

Bruce Magnuson, national labor secretary, told the conven- tion that ‘“‘militant and growing economic. struggles are devel- oping everywhere,’ and that ‘“Communists have a vital role to play in developing and leading the political struggle against state monopoly capitalism.”

He said that there is a growing offensive by capital and sharper

- struggles are ahead of us.

“Workers do not seek struggle because they cherish sacrifice and privation. Class struggle is inherent in the private profit system. It is an inseparable part of capitalism. Workers are compelled by their common class position to struggle against insurmountable obstacles. Workers must engage in struggle to improve wages, intolerable hours of work and conditions they are confronted with.”

was unanimous in recognizing

that the most urgent need of all ~

people is the immediate ending of the Vietnam war by the total withdrawal of all U.S. and other” interventionist armed from Vietnam.”

“To secure this basic aim,” said the statement, ‘‘the conference participants agreed that there must be concerted national and _ international action to mobilize the people in all forms of actions demanding ‘WITHDRAWAL NOW.’ ”

The statement specifically endorsed and called for inter- national support to the actions planned in the U.S. on April 15, “such as work stoppages, demon-

strations and other forms of protest against the war in Vietnam.”

The conference noted the increased expressions of working people against the Vietnam war and the greater) participation of unions and union leaders in anti - Vietnam war protest actions. It recommended co - operation of peace groups in documenting war crimes, and endorsed the selection of Montreal as the site for the Commission of Inquiry hearing set for summer, 1970.

The parley pointed to the relationship between immense war expenditures and reduced health, welfare and education budgets. It called for efforts to rescind the appropriations for A.B.M. and for a ‘‘concentrated campaign to cancel the proposed ‘nuclear tests on Amchitka Island.” 2

ly unity

At the same time, said Magnuson, ‘“‘it is illusory to think that the ceaseless ups and downs of wage struggle can bring a solution to the economic problems of the working class. The solution lies in the political battle by the working class to win political power; to end class society and exploitation and to build socialism. . .”

Fraternal greetings were also

“brought to the convention from

the Communist Party in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and from the newly-formed Young Communist League, whose members played an active part in the convention debates and deliberations. |

A special tribute to V. I. Lenin by PT editor Tom McEwen — brought a standing ovation after the veteran Communist leader outlined the tremendous contri bution made by Lenin to the world Communist movement and struggle of all mankind for a ~ better life.

Nigel Morgan was unanimously named as provin- cial leader and secretary of the Party, a post he has held since — 1945. Delegates also elected 4

new provincial committee of 25

members.

forces —

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