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' Editorial From ‘Canadian Tribune’ |

ful co-existence.

|is aware of this point.

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The CCF and NATO

T WAS an historic moment when. on March 28, Hazen
Argue, national leader of the CCF, rose in his place in
| the House of Commons to move in effect that Canada with-
‘draw from the North Ailantic Treaty Organization.

Thus at last the demand that Canada should break with
NATO was voiced on the floor of parliament.

_This action was_in keeping with the decision .of the CCF
National Convention. Immediately following that conven-
| tion, Hazen Argue had aroused widespread concern by stat-
| ing that the CCF parliamentary group would noi necessarily
be bound by this resolution. Fortunately, he and the majority
of his colleagues in parliament have listened to the members
and supporters of the CCF, and not to the opinions of a
| number of prominent right wing leaders both in the CCF
and the Canadian Labor Congress.

Withdrawal from the NATO war pact is essential to the
development of a Canadian foreign policy based upon peace-

By no means all of those who are expressing opposition
to nuclear armaments on Canadian soil, and in the hands
of Canadian forces, have yet drawn this conclusion. But
the fact is that as long as we are in NATO, we are in
danger of seeing it used as the instrument for getting around
the will of the Canadian people. The scheme to make NATO
a “nuclear power,” and thereby to sneak nuclear weapons
into Canadian armaments was again put forward in the
| House,.on this occasion, by Liberal leader Lester Pearson.

This shows that the fight for withdrawal from NATO
needs to go hand in hand with the struggle against nuclear
arms for Canada. Argue made it clear in the House that he

Without in any way detracting from the significance of
the stand taken in the House by the CCF group, we do
think they weakened their case by attempting to justify
their past support for NATO. It is harder to argue that
NATO is bad for Canada now. when you persist in tying an
albatross arotinag your neck by claiming that it was once
‘good for us. We also fail to see why it was necessary for
Argue to emphasize that ‘We are not neutralists,”” a declara-
tion which does not square with his previous statements
that the CCF stands for Canada being “neutral in an effort
4| to prevent war.” Surely he is not coming to accept the U.S.
inspired propaganda that neutrality means
from world affairs. On the contrary it would constitute the
most powerful blow we in this country could strike for peace.

We would hope that in the debate about NATO which
will become more intense in New Party circles up to the
founding convention, that these matters will be clarified.
But. above all, we hope that union locals and councils, CCF
'and New Party clubs will exvress themselves vigorously
on the urgent need for the New Party convention to uphold
ie stand taken by the CCF for withdrawal from NATO.

“withdrawal”

CCF leader Hazen Argue
who. asked for Canada’s
withdrawal from NATO in
parliament.

B.C. Communist
Convention Set
For May 21-22

B.C. Provincial Executive
of the Communist Party an-
nounces that preparations are
under way for their Provin-
cial convention which will
take place on May 20, 21 and
22 at Vancouver.

Discussion has already op-
ened up in the clubs of the
Party on the need for broad
united front action in B.C.; to
ban nuclear arms on our ter-
ritory; action to develop our
natural, resources and thus
provide thousands of new
jobs; the importance of mobil-
izing labor in defence of its
right to participate in political
action.

Copies of the Communist
Party brief on Columbia pow-
er, that was presented to Van-
couver City Council, were last
week sent out to many muni-
cipalities and unions. It urg-
ed that voices be _ raised in
protest on this vital question.

LOUSING UP LAOS
Laos is the only country in
the world where the U.S. sup-
ports the military budget
100%. (This amounted to $300
million since 1954). — U.S.

Gov't. Report.

‘Motion to leave Nh
moved by Hazen An

An amendment which in effect called for
withdrawal from NATO was introduced into
of Commons recently by Hazen Argue, national)

the CCF.

During debate on one $740,-
000 item for NATO costs .in
the supplementary estimates,
Argue, on behalf of the CCF-
NEW Party group in the Com-
mons, moved that the sum be
cut to one dollar.

Conservatives and Liberals
combined to defeat his amend-
ment by 91 to five. Besides
Argue, those voting for the
motion were CCF members
Arnold Peters, Douglas Fisher
Murdo Martin and the New
Party member from Peterbor-
ough, Walter Pitman. Other

1 CCF members were absent

from the House.

In opposing Argue’s amend-
ment, Liberal leader Pearson
condoned the use of at least
tactical nuclear: weapons by
NATO and defended the mili-
tary buildup of West Germ-
any under the leadership of
Nazi generals such as Hans
Speidel.

Argue maintained that NA-
TO had become merely a mili-
tary alliance and that Article
2, calling for economic cooper-

been implemented. It “was
little more than a sop” and
now “‘is dead.”

It. was the inclusion of this
article, he said, that was one
of the main reasons why the
CCF, including himself, had
originally supported NATO.

But Argue then referred to
a resolution passed at the last
national convention of the
CCF calling. for withdrawal
from NATO,- and declared:
“We think that in this day and
age and at this time Canada
would be better advised to dis-
associate herself from region-
al military alliances, improve
her’ conventional force at
home, make that conventional

ation and assistance, had not }:

force at home stro
bile and, as a matte!
al policy, make

available to the Uf
tions for police wor,
time.” He also calle!
onomic assistance ©
developed countries

Argue also atta®
concept of arming
nuclear weapons ai
that government pop
ed to be shifting 1”
tion of such a cone),

“We (the CCF) Bt)
inite policy,’ he ass? fe
only of opposing” “i
of atomic weapons
ian soil, and to othe,
but being placed in?
of Canadian troop?
in the world. Th)
oppose, and will
oppose in the #4
move to provide
pons in general
forces. F

“We are fully
certain NATO powe
omic weapons and
weapons are under
of the United State
der in Europe. THe
ther reason why
come under rene’
time.” .

However, Argue
are not neutralist® F
not pacifists.” It we
tion, he went om, %j
“the expenditure’
make through NAZ
most effective me
ing our respons!”
providing a meastf
ity in the world, #2 of
free institutions
ited Nations.” 7

Both Pearson 4" 4
Minister Flemine a}
that Article 2 of
not been iP Aa
both defended NA

Don't Export Power Says. Esler

Two key B.C. labor organiz-
ations struck sharply at the
B.C. Electric application to
export large blocks of power
to the United States at a re-
cent hearing of the National
Energy Board.

The Vancouver Labor Coun-
cil and the B.C. Federation of
Labor presented a joint sub-
mission to the hearing in
which they opposed the B.C.E.
application.

Their brief, which contains
telling arguments against con-
tracts to export Canadian
power quotes H. L. Purdy of
the B.C. Electric as stating,

export of power will be estab-
lished if the application is
granted.”

“This view is a cause of ap-
prehension and alarm,’ states
the labor bodies. They charge
that these buSiness men “are
more intent on reaping large
profits for themselves and
their associates than in our
national welfare and have fre-
quently been joined by short-
sighted provincial politicians
for reasons best known ~ to
themselves.”

The brief quoted statements
from a 1910 Canadian Conser-
vation Commission; Sir Henry
Drayton, Canada’s Power

“The principle of long-term !Commissioner: under the Bor-

den Government during the
First World War; Prime Min-
ister Meighen in 1925 and
Prime Minister Mackenzie
King in 1928, all opposing the
export of power to the U.S.A.

An example was cited dur-
ing the First World War when
Canada needed hydro electric
power for her war effort and
the federal cabinet tried to
negotiate for the return of
Canadian power which was
being exported to the U.S. All

attempts to regain the power
failed because an established
need existed in the U.S.

“The fact stands,” asserts
the brief, “that exported pow-

er is permanently lost,”

Picture shows demonstration before the U.S-
Indonesia’s capital to condemn Congo policy ©
the assassination of Patrice Lumumba.
“Long Live Gizenga government.”

April 14, 1961—PACIFIC cRrBuNee