Review Bridge to peace a = ‘Wuo knows’, observed a TV news commentator on the big Canadian wheat sales to the USSR, Peoples China and other Socialist countries, “with this kind of trade we may yet be able to re- claim our own country!” Perhaps this commentator expressed a greater truth than he was aware of. : This paper takes a modest pride in the knowledge that ever since the beginning of the coldwar it has’ consistently advocated pclicies of peace and mutual trade with the growing Socialist world; knowing that only by such policies of peace- ful coexistence, mutual trade and friendly competition, could hu- manity survive, capitalist and socialist alike. Now other voices are speaking up for these same policies of mut- ual trade and sanity. Last week H. Roy Crabtree, president of the Canadian Manufacturers Associa- tion put it this way: “The iron cur- tain (?) countries represent a tre- mendous potential for the sort of capital goods in which we excel— mining equipment, pulp and paper machinery, heavy electrical equip- ment, and construction machin- ery. Crabtree added that the “goodwill Canada has earned through its fair dealing with the _Communist countries, has helped _ give Canada a competitive edge over other suppliers.’ There's room for “fair-dealing” improve- ment, but the CMA chief makes an important point. For over a decade and as late as an editorial in the November 8 edition of this paper, we have con- sistently put forward what the president of the CMA now pro- pounds as an obvious truth. On many occasions, and as re- cent as their last provincial con- ventions, the big International Woodworkers of America (IWA) and the B.C. Federation of Labor, reiterated their position for greater trade between Canada and the Socialist countries. For the B.C. woodworking industry, threatened as it is by the loss of the much-touted, “integrated’’ _ U.S. market by Congressional re- strictions, the great potential of the Socialist markets are becom- ing more obvious to Canadian labor, especially in an era of nar- . EDITORIAL PAGE. rowing “free world” markets, auto- mation and mass unemployment. A recent speech by Soviet Chair- man N. Khrushchev, repeated what is now obvious (or should be) to all: that the Soviet market for all kinds of goods, is limitless, if sought in the spirit of mutual trade and goodwill. The goodwill, which the CMA president now thinks Canada has achieved an “edge.”’ And overin the Clyde ship- yards, (a great industry now run- ning close to becoming a “derelict area’’), a recent Soviet 3-million- pound order for dredges is describ- ed by an official of the contract- ing firm as “wonderful, and will “provide full employment for a fair period.” With this auspicious beginning the Scottish Trade Union Congress repeats its de- mand that the government “throw off its American restrictions, in order to expand our trade with the Soviet Union at a level in keeping with the tremendous possibilities.” Even in the U.S. itself there are voices being raised in industry and labor, urging the U.S. to “get in on” the great Socialist markets, so far largely closed to American industry because of the “‘deter- rent’ mania of coldwar and anti- Communist hysteria. For Canada the road is already clear. If our unprecedented wheat sales to the USSR, Peoples China and other Socialist lands keeps the wolf of agricultural crisis from our door, and helps us “to reclaim our own country,” how much greater the opportunity for prosperity, in- dependence, peace and jobs, if we enlarged that trade in keeping with the great possibilities? That should be one of Canada’s major objectives for 1964; to work for a vastly extended trade with the USSR and the Socialist world. .To build and expand this mighty trade bridge towards a new era of peace and mutual goodwill. Stop the sellout A S 1963 draws to a close there is every indication that the cur- rent “negotiations” in Ottawa and Washington on the Columbia River sellout, will become a fait accompli early in 1964. That i8, unless the opposing voice of the Canadian people against this Tory-Liberal-Socred giveaway to U.S. monopoly is raised in greater volume than ever before. Fearing this opposing voice to the Columbia River betrayal, our Liberal-Socred “negotiators” more and more resort to a “closed door” secrecy in the conduct of their “bargaining” with the U.S. power trusts. Their “negotiations” on the dis- posal and future of a great nation- al heritage, one of vital import- ance to Canadian development, is reminiscent of fishwives haggling on the “price” of a panful of her- ring. For them the sellout ofa vast hydro producing river is re- duced to “how much”, rather than how important — for Canada? Thus, unless the current back- room secrecy and finagling on the Columbia River Treaty is revers- ed, and the mighty volume of op- posing public opinion (much of it much more informed than the “negotiators”’) is listened to, early 1964 may confront the Canadian people with an ‘‘announcement” Comment. from Ottawa and Victoria; an an- | nouncement heralding the fait ac- | compli of a gigantic sellout. Easily | the greatest in the long history of — Canada’s buccaneering politicians, — whose main claim to fame (or in- famy) was their ability to “‘sell — Canada short” to U.S. monopoly. — The prime task of the people during the coming days and weeks is to become doubly alert against © the imminent danger of the “final- | ization” of the Columbia River — sellout; to make their voices heard in Ottawa and Victoria through | their MP’s and MLA’s against this — impending betrayal. To kick open — the door of “secret” bargaining and let the “negotiators” know | that what they are peddling to U.S. monopoly on a “how much” ~ fast-buck basis, is the heritage of — the Canadian people. That this — gigantic betrayal has got to be — halted... : ] Another million or more resolu- — tions, letters and wires of protest | against the Columbia River sell- | out would help stop these “price” | negotiators in their tracks. They must be told in greater volume than ever that the giveaway of Canada’s Columbia River heritage to U.S. monopoly, as far as the Canadian people are concerned, is — too much of a surrender at any “price’’. MIDDLEMAN Cie <