n terms of time, the two-month period of the PT i financial drive is three-quarters over; that is six of the eight weeks has already passed into limbo. But not so with the total returns to date. That, to put it mildly, is lagging behind, badly. On the PT score board far too many press clubs still show a wide “credibility gap’’ between quotas approved and objectives reached. Most if not all provincial points are relatively good and will undoubtedly reach their targets, some even going well over, which is the way it should be in this mad world of genocidal aggression and brinkmanship. But in Vancouver’s press clubs unfortunately, the picture is not so good, and we aure can’t blame that omission on foot-in- mouth Tom “Terrific”? Campbell or his NPA civic misfits at City Hall. That is one great responsibility we must face up to — ourselves. Considering the past performances of the British Columbia working people in their magnificent support of the PT for over - four decades, we have no grounds for being pessimistic about the final outcome of this campaign. But by the same token we have no grounds for being stupidly optimistic, particularly if we just see this campaign to keep the PT rolling as one of “business as usual.’’ Even the best of papers, and the PT is one of the best, cannot sell themselves, find a new reader, hold tight to an old one, collect thousands of dollars in nickels and dimes, without that essential element of a human active, ready and willing and eager to turn a humdrum canvass for funds into a vital and living crusade. That’s how “‘Gene’’ Debs saw the job of building a workingclass press, and there is still nothing invented that can improve upon that sterling opinion. Are we running short, or scarce of motivation for such a crusading campaign for the PT? Hardly! We have the ‘“‘Mad Bomber” Nixon and his monopoly crew of war profiteers raining an unprecedented death and destruction upon the peoples of Vietnam and Indochina, in arrogant disregard, moral or otherwise, of the peace desires of his own or the world’s peoples; a brinkmanship at this moment of time, which could conceivably launch World War III. And on our own home territory we have an Establishment which, by their cowardly silence, gives tacit approval of this brinkman- ship insanity. Moreover, the people of Canada, and particularly the working and professional people face this same gang of price and profit gougers, on the picket line, in the home, in the school system, wherever the long tentacles of monopoly reaches. A ruling class which stops short of no infamy to satisfy their greed for loot and profit. Certain it is that whatever else we may be short of, we of the workingclass have no shortage of motivation for mounting one of the best drive crusades in our whole lifetime. The stakes are high, but so are the goals, and in B.C. the PT has been and can become the spark from which a mighty flame of labor and peoples’ unity can grow — to burn out the cancer of monopoly exploitation, war and genocide. So let’s get with it. Pull up our collective socks, and make the financial drive returns for the PT fit the times. It’s no use saying now, ‘‘no need to worry, we’ll make it’’ as a substitute for being low club on the PT totem pole. Leave that sort of “cautious optimism’’ to Establishment phrasemongers. They are good at it. Just get with the collecting, and get it into the PT at your earliest. A realist, circulation manager Crist is a strong adherent of the idea that ‘‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”’ It’s a good rule to go by and avoids that last few days of anxiety and/or hoped-for ‘‘surprises’’ which sometimes materialize, and sometimes don’t. For well onto a half a century the working people of B.C. have stood faithfully and devotedly behind the PT and its predecessors. We are confident they will do so again in this decisive 1972 campaign. But they need contact with PT press clubs, and the latter with them — a vital part of the process of generating inspiration, encouragement and determination to do a big job for peace, economic stability and general progress. In other words, as a working man, to doa job for yourself, your family and your class! That is what working for, subscribing to, and pushing the PT over-the-top means. FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS Contact: 2679 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 6, B.C. 253-1221 254-2313 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1972—PAGE 2 up need for left unity | By ALD. HARRY RANKIN A move is underfoot to bring about some form of unity between the Non Partisan Association (NPA) and The Electors Movement (TEAM) in preparation for the December civic elections. It’s being initiated by the NPA which is worried about its own prospects (and for good reason! ) as well as the possibility of more “radicals’’ being elected to City Council. According to one NPA activist, a former alderman, radicals are those who ‘‘concern themselve~ with people, welfare, econdiusic socialism and labour.”’ It would seem that with so many devel- opers and real estate promoters clamouring for concessions, any alderman who concerns himself with people must be labelled a ‘‘radical.”’ Well, we ‘radicals’ in the Committee of Progressive Electors (COPE) haven’t included ‘‘etonomic socialism’’ (whatever that is supposed to be) in our program, but we do concern ourselves with many things the NPA does not, such as the needs of ordinary citizens, the over-taxing of homes, the under-taxing of big business, the housing shortage, tenant needs, public transit and especially the way the NPA-dominated City Council is selling our city to the real estate interests. The concern of the NPA over “radicals’’ being elected to City Council is understandable. While NPA aldermen act as if the world hasn’t changed in the last 35 years, the big business backers of the NPA recognize that it is in serious trouble and that their role is threatened. So now they are talking about the need for like-minded groups to close ranks to defeat the ‘‘radi Calsss Seventy-five delegates re presenting 31 | organizations meeting in Templeton School ‘auditorium Saturday decided to organize a booth at the fall PNE to promote establishment of rapid transit in the Greater Van- couver area. The meeting, sponsored by the Co-ordinating. Committee for Rapid Transit, decided to hold a major confer- ence this fall. Delegates heard from several speakers and during the morning sessions broke into discussion groups according to regions. A noteable contribution was made by members of the Amal- gamated Transport Union who were able to give information and ideas on improving the present bus service. Speakers who addressed the morning sessions included Allan Kelly, head of the Greater Van- couver Regional District Trans- portation committee. He main- tained it was utterly imprac- tical for the Regional District to speak of taking over either Hydro bus lines or going into rapid transit plans until financing with senior govern- ments was worked out. “If we don’t get a proper system to provide an alternative to the automobile, we’ll find ourselves in a worse situation t ly The NPA and TEAM don’t see eye to eye on everything, of course, but on basic principles they agree. Earle Adams ex- pressed it better than I can when he said about TEAM at a recent NPA méeting: ‘‘They’re right wing people same as we are.”’ The only real difference between the political dinosaurs in the NPA and the new, younger, swinging TEAM group is in tactics. I also think that we will have a good chance next December to make some changes in City - Council and to elect some genuine representatives of the people. But it will require unity of all .progressive reform forces. The unity now being formed on the right must be coun- tered with unity of the left. Then OTTAWA REPORTS Ni geagure EAS! eSiAy-r pads \— » ( i << a bg \ 23 SS _see unity to defeat both the Cost of Living Up / KeLLy poug) PGE: point some gains can certainly ® made. These gains are condili®) however, on the leadersil the Vancouver Area Coullt i the NDP abandoning 1! ae alone policy expressed y decision to run a full NDP*. in the next civic elections: will split the progressive aie and allow the big busine, real estate interests to com their domination of City Hall This decision of the Vaneml,) NDP Area Council flies ™) face of all common senseé a widespread desire ont unionists, | homeownels; ants, community groups countless others who Wiig and TEAM. It is to be hope wiser councils will pra within the NDP and bring «| a reversal of this 4M action. the } MM | “ NEWS REPORT | Dutt “up | 43% Tf, : fy ‘ Rapid transit conference maps cam than Los Angeles 7s in,’’ he warned. He saw an immediate need for improved and expanded bus service, and a start on a rapid transit rail system, but said he would be dead set against any more by the GVRD until financing with senior governments is worked out. Bill Link, president of the ATU, charges Hydro brass with allowing transportation in the Lower Mainland to become a shambles. He said it was better during the Second World War years than it is now, with no bus service in outlying areas. He said transportation is a ser- vice, and as such should be free to the people, particularly pensioners. He said the mem- bers of his union would do all in their power, and give every assis- tance they could in working out details for an improved system. He predicted Hydro brass would be quite embarrassed if the “park and ride’’ became a success, for they seemed to prefer losses to. successful operations, Bob Williams, MLA for Van- couver East, Barry Mather, MP for Surrey, and Ald. Harry Rankin were among other speakers who urged the dele- gates to keep fighting for a start ( ipl ens! on rapid transit, and for § city planning. wrt Rankin said the 7d provincial building beine on upon Vancouver is a sills opinion in which BOD i concurred. “It will he iia" insanity of its own, inevil? said, pointing out the! ake traffic congestion in its T yl The groups which at discussed transportall? fi ‘, regional basis came ih we recommendations we ss! much the same in conte! mp) immediate move, the “inp ment of the bus syste ah i “park and rides;”” tse 4 buses, through dial-a ay in those areas where P chi" modation is totally rice immediate provision jn Bill Link said the Mit ATU would gladly se in mational committees per capacity where theif ae sf would be helpful. Dele ig the different areas P own 2 alive the issue in the!! andy by working on researC” at ee ing membership aur summer months. The iP and a major confere™” jivi fall will serve to 8” w underway for Be. months.