Continued from pg. 1

the assets of the various crown
porations under the guise of a
n to give everyone ‘‘a piece of
rock.”’

ince voting shares would be
‘\ilable through purchase — Ben-
ty’s scheme would give voting
; ts to those owning 100 share or
“re — private corporate interests
ld conceivably buy large blocs
\ eventually gain ownership of
~ Resources Investment Corpora-
assets.

\<Ts this not a way of disposing of
Corporation—of dispossessing
* of what we originally owned?”’
Affin asked the council.
arineworkers’ delegate Walter
Nobs echoed the warning, poin-
%\ out that majority ownership

\ylicly owned corporation for
y years — had been turned over
private interests in a similar
eme by the West German
Nernment following the end of
Second World War.

‘hn a statement issued this week,
\\vincial Communist leader
Aurice Rush emphasized that the
Aeme was a continuation of the
\gram, begun a year ago with the
ation of the Resources Invest-
‘nt Corporation, to turn crown
\apanies over to private interests.
A hen the corporation was set up,
\h noted, ‘“‘Bennett named a
\rd of directors which read like a
0s who’ of big business — and
EX were given complete say in run-

= the corporation.
‘it was a disgraceful giveaway of

M\ control of Volkswagen — a’

ov't fist behind
Zennett populism

public assets to private capitalist in-
terests. And the Communist Party
was the only B.C. party to protest it
at the time. We insisted that crown
companies be retained and expand-
ed upon by additional takeovers
and that the profits from these
crown corporations be used to meet
the social and economic needs of
the province,’’ he said.

He said that the scheme would
“fend up as another quick way for
private capitalist interests to ac-
cumulate capital for more pro-
fitable ventures.”’

Bennett’s announcement of the
five-share giveaway was accom-
panied by demagogic pro-
nouncements that the plan ‘‘meets
our commitments to go back to the
roots of the party which was found-
ed in the depression’’ — statements
which drew a sharp response from
the Communist leader:

“This is an amazing statement
considering the extent to which
‘funny money’ and. Alberta premier
William Aberhart’s ‘$25 basic divi-
dend’ has been discredited by
history.

Rush warned that behind Ben-
nett’s attempt to project his own
populist image ‘‘is the hard fist of a
right wing government which is
continuing its attack o labor, educa-
tion, health and social policies as
part of the hard-line austerity pro-
gram.

“The most important need today
is for all segments of the communi-
ty who are under attack to unite ina

broad coalition to fight back and ~
defeat Bennett’s right wing drive.”

Introducing the 1979

| NORMAN BETH UNE
MARXIST FORUM

a series of 4 public forums featuring:

“Quebec and the Levesque referendum”

with
SAM WALSH

president, Communist
Party of Quebec

SUN. FEB. 4 —2 p.m.
LANGARA COLLEGE
100 W. 49th Ave.
VANCOUVER

NORTH THEATRE

“Economic Growth of Socialist World”
with Dr. Emil Bjarnason
Director, Trade Union Research Bureau

SUNDAY, FEB. 11, 8 p.m.
Britannia Library
1661 Napier St., Vancouver

“New Perspectives for Organized Labor”
with Jack Phillips
labor secretary, Communist Party

SUNDAY, FEB. 18, 8 p.m.
Britannia Library

“State of the B.C. Economy”
with Dave Fairey
Trade Union Economist

SUNDAY, FEB. 25, 8 p.m.
Britannia Library ~

WATCH FOR DETAILS OF BETHUNE
FORUMS IN SURREY, B.C.

Ali forums sponsored by Greater Vancouver Region, Communist Party. Each |
forum includes discussion period. Admission by donation. 4

lan

Wide implications
seen in Vander Zalm
suit against Times

VICTORIA — Justice Craig
Munroe this week awarded
damages of $3,500 and court
costs to Social Credit cabinet
minister Bill Vander Zalm in a
precedent-setting libel suit
against Victoria Times editorial
cartoonist Bob Bierman, editor
Barbara McClintock and former
publisher Stuart Underhill.

At stake in the decision was
the right of cartoonists and other
artists to interpret politics in art
form.

With the crucial issues of press
and artistic freedom riding on
the decision, Justice Munroe’s
decision will weigh heavily on
other cartoonists in newspapers
and magazines across the coun-
try. Well-known cartoonist Roy
Peterson commented that the
ruling ‘‘could mean the death of
political cartooning in Canada.”’

Defence lawyers were to study
the complex argumentation on
which Munroe’s decision was
based but an appeal is expected.

Vander Zalm filed suit against
the Times when he saw Bier-
man’s cartoon, published last
June, which depicted him
picking the wings off flies.
Vander Zalm claimed that the
cartooN was unrelated to any
public issues and was
defamatory because it showed
him as ‘‘cruel and malicious.”’

Bierman pointed out to the
court that the cartoon was
related to Vander Zalm’s public
statements last summer that
young welfare recipients,
particularly young Natives,
would be denied assistance in
Vancouver. Young Natives are
attracted by ‘‘bright city lights’’,
Vander Zalm had said, and they
should return to the reserve
where they would be better off.

The flies depicted. helpless
Indians, Bierman said, and the
minister was shown as clipping
their wings so they couldn’t
roam around anymore and be
attracted to bright city lights.

Asked what other actions and
comments by the minister had
influenced the cartoon, Bierman
cited the famous ‘‘shovel
Statement’? when Vander Zalm
told welfare recipients to ‘“‘pick
up a shovel’? and work for a.
living. ‘‘It scared me to a certain
extent,’ Bierman said, ‘‘It
recalled the time in my life when
that sort of statement was being
made in my home country
during the German occupation
and forced labor and all the
unpleasantries of the Nazi
times.’’ Both Bierman and
Vander Zalm are Dutch im-
migrants.

Bierman’s lawyers armed that
exaggeration and symbolism
were basic ingredients of a car-
toon and if too literal an inter-
pretation were applied, it would
restrict the freedom of the artist.
They argued that the cartoon
was not defamatory ‘‘because
public opinion must be con-
sidered’? and that if it was

‘ defamatory, it was ‘‘fair com-

ment”’ on the-minister’s political

actions.
Witnesses called by the

defense to back up its claim that
it was fair comment included
University of Victoria professor

PROVINCIAL NOTES

of Social Work, Jocelyn Gif-
ford, who said that many
decisions: and statements by
Vander Zalm were negative in
their impact on vulnerable
people in receipt of social
assistance.

The defense also called
Downtown Eastside Residents
Association president Bruce
Eriksen who told the court that
Vander Zalm’s attacks on the
poor and his implications that
welfare recipients were lazy and
shiftless were ‘‘cruel and
irresponsible.’’ ‘‘What does he
expect people to do with their

shovels, dig their graves?’’ he

asked.

Cartoonist Terry Mosher,
known by his pen name, Aislin,
was among several notable
Canadian cartoonists present at
the trial. He took the stand and
introduced examples’ of
provocative political cartooning
in Canada. Other cartoons of
Vander Zalm, including one by
Tribune cartoonist Dave Lane
published in the Downtown
East, were also introduced by
the defense.

Doukhobors rally
support in defense
of accused leader

NELSON — Doukhobor
leader John J. Verigin appeared
in Nelson provincial court
January 8 on four charges of
arson and was remanded until
April 23 for a_ preliminary
hearing.

In a massive show of support
for Verigin. following the court
appearance 2,000 Doukobors
jammed the prayer hall at
Brilliant, B.C. to sing hymns
and hear a short statement from

Verigan.
Verigin, spiritual leader of
the 5,000 Orthodox

Doukhobors, has denied guilt
for the alleged arsons and has
charged that the accusations that
he ordered and directed the Sons
of Freedom burnings of
Doukhobor churches and
community halls, are a con-
tinuation of the slander cam-
paign against him by the op-
posite Sons of Freedom and the
‘‘Reformed Doukhobors’’ sects
against him.

A political struggle has waged
between the majority, orthodox
Union of Spiritual Communities
of Christ church, led by
Verigin, and the tiny, Sons of
Freedom sect led by Stefan
Sorokin, who recently formed a
new group ‘‘the Reformed
Doukhobors’’. The Doukhobor
majority have strong ties with
the Soviet Union, where about
12,000 Doukhobors still remain,
and are proud of their Christian
pacifism. The Sons of Freedom
sect are decidely right wing and
have in recent months have
stepped up their campaign
against the orthodox church
labelling it ‘‘Bolshevik’? and
against Verigin, slandering him
as a ‘‘KGB agent.”

In December, two women
who claimed to be members of
the USCC claimed responsibility
for four acts of arson and
declared that they had been
ordered to commit the acts by
Verigin. The USCC has denied
that the women were members
of the church and Verigin has
disassociated himself from
them.

At Verigan’s court ap-
pearance in Nelson, three
women members of the Reform
sect disrobed and were carried
out of the courtroom by
sheriffs. Verigin’s lawyer,
Phillip Rankin, addressed the
court on his behalf and
disassociated him from the
actions of the women.

=

Later at Brilliant, Verigin
spoke in Russian and English
and traced Doukhobor history
from their emigration to Canada
in 1898. The Doukhobors were
persecuted for their pacifism
and fled Tsarist oppression with
the aid of famous novelist Leo
Tolstoy. The whole history of
the Doukhobor and its struggle
for peace makes the charges
against himself and the church
untenable, Verigin said.

The meeting also made an
impassioned plea to the media
not to sensationalize the charges
against Verigin and to make
careful distinctions between the
majority and the actions of the
Reform sect.

Steelworkers angry
over dismissal
of Local 480 rep

DARWIN BENSON
TRAIL — Local 480 of the
United Steelworkers of America
is angry with USWA western
representative Len Stevens for
the arbitrary firing of Local

480’s_ staff representative
Darwin Benson.
Benson, who was popular

with the Local membership and
a key -figure in the Trail labor
movement, was fired from his
job January 7 over a ‘“‘per-
sonality conflict’? with Stevens.

Local union leaders have
reacted angrily and demanded
the reinstatement of Benson and
a petition circulated among the
membership protesting the firing
has about 2,000 names.

At a press conference Sunday
Local 480 president Larry
Whyte praised Benson as an
asset to the labor movement and
the Trail community. He said
that a conversation with Stevens
‘‘confirmed that he was
dismissed not because of
Benson’s assigned duties as staff -
rep, but because of a personal
conflict with the Director.’’

‘The main issues in our Local
at the present time are collective
bargaining with Cominco, safety
issues, and the coming merger
between ACTE Local 1705 and
the Steelworkers,’’ executive
member Miles Dean added,
‘*Personal differences between

_ the involved should not interfere

with the business of the Local.’’
Benson had conducted the
merger negotiations with ACTE,
whose officers have also ex-
pressed support for him.

The dispute which triggered
Stevens action apparently
stemmed from a decision by
Benson to return from a USWA
conference in Pittsburg to attend
the funeral of recently passed
Local 480 president Marv
McLean. Benson was to be a pall
bearer at the funeral, but for an
unexplained reason, Stevens
attempted to deny him the right
to attend the funeral. Benson
attended anyway with the
permission of the area super-
visor.

The near unanimous support
for Benson from the Trail
membership has forced the
USWA district leadership to
review the decision. J

'

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JANUARY 19, 1979—Page 11