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The Real ‘Fifth Column’

{= you read carefully the article featured in the Pacific

Tribune “extra” last week, entitled, “Atomic Imperialism Endangers Peace of the World,” by Tim Buck, National Leader of the Labor-Progressive Party, you will find some- thing that up until now has been akin to a State secret. The information, that in 1942 arid later when the British and Canadian High Commands were in search of trusted Cana- dians to parachute into enemy territory, for the purpose of establishing behind-the-lines communication with the anti- fascist resistance movement with the British and American forces, they came to the Communist movement in Canada for such men. Not to the tory Drews, or the Social Credit fascist Lows, or to the Coldwells, but to the Communists - . . to the Bucks, Carrs, Carons and Morgans.

They wanted men whose devotion to the war against fascism and to Canada, was equalled by their willingness to give their lives if necessary in a common cause. They found those men among the ranks of the Canadian communists. And they found them after they had experimented with other elements, recommended by such as the Drews, et al, who promptly went over to the side of the enemy forces.

Thus when the anti-Soviet propagandists in government circles, and in the commercial press and radio, scream to high heaven of a “Russian Fifth Column” Gn which they include by inference and implication) the Labor-Progressives and others who may express, or have expressed friendliness towards the USSR and its social system, they know that they are lying to provide a cover-up of their own rotten system of exploitation.

The real “fifth column” are the reactionaries in the seats of political power, and the monopolists, who see in every anti-Soviet campaign a possibility of serving their own narrow class interests, by gouging into the wage and living standards of labor and the people. Those who endanger the UNO and “Big Three” unity, by inventing provocations against the USSR, and becoming the custodians of Hitler’s defunct “anti- Communist Axis,” are the real “Fifth Column.” It is- they who raise the lie against progressive labor to hide their own infamy against democracy and progress.

4h iy | Pressure 7 HEN the Labor Lobby was in Victoria a few weeks ago presenting a joint AFILL-CCL brief of needed labor

legislation, the daily press, speaking for Big Business, set up a lament about “pressure politics.’’ The “Province” edi- torialized on the subject, and bemoaned the fact that labor saw fit to invade the Capital in numbers, thus eXercising undue pressure to gain its ends. Actions like that, chided the Province, are unnecessary in a democracy, etc., and so forth.

in bringing its demands before the governments and the public, the Labor Lobby performed a major public service to the well-being of every B.C. community. That fact is con- firmed by the endorsation of the Lobby brief by the business men of innumerable centres.

There is another “lobby” in Victoria . . . which doesn’t® work publicly, but does work to keep British Columbia and its people under the thumb of Big Business. Look around the Legislature galleries any day and you will see the high-priced attorneys and representatives of the big monopolies. The representatives of the Canadian Manufacturers Association (CMA) the CPR; the Interior Lumber Operators; the Brit- ish Columbia Electric Co.: the B.C. Loggers Association, et al. High-priced legal and pressure ‘‘experts” . watching the proceedings of the House like so many vultures; button- holing MILA’s and warning them of the “danger” of the 40-hour week—of minimum wage legislation——of the neces- sity of keeping the compensation laws “‘as they are.’ Lobby- ing by pressure, with a capital ““P,’’ because they are the representatives of the boys who “pay the shot’’ and the de- fenders of their time-honored right of “calling the tune.” It is not surprising of course that the ‘‘Province” or other sub- sidized press have not editorialized on this brand of “pressure.

Labor should take warning from the. continued presence of these gentlemen in the legislative gallery, and keep Labor's men on the job until its demands have been met. PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 4

ff Se en en ae Ne peg re tes TS

- not condemning,

GROPPER’S ALMANAC

Where Stands The CCF?

By LESLIQX MORRIS EvEN the briefest scan of the CCF press and the most cur-

sory examinations of the public statements of CCF leaders in the past month, will serve to reveal the utter bankruptcy of their political line. The national coun- cil of the CCF is now meeting in Ottawa. The CCE group in the Ontario legislature is confronted

with the Drew attack on all la- ~

bor via his unscrupulous speech against the LPP, and the Que— bee CCF lines in the province where the Padlock Law may be enforced at any time.

In a number of provinces the CCE is the official opposition; Saskatchewan it is the govern- ment. In other words, it is in a position to take a stand on the present anti-Soviet, red-baiting campaign which has been un- leashed as if by the pressing of a button, j

With some exceptions, the CCF leaders have gone along with the government. True. there have been words of criticism here and there (“the duty of an opposition is to oppose’) but in the main, the CCF leadership shows every sign not only of but even of welcoming the attack upon the LPP. Mr. Coldwell’s statement about the spy probe was every- thing that could have been de- sired by anyone interested in dividing the labor movement on the polities of that case. No one asks Mr. Coldwell to defend espionage. Tim Buck in his very first statement made it clear that the LPP does not defend it either. But while Tim Buck cor- rectly pointed to the political motivations and effects of the spy probe, Mr. Coldwell, follow- ed by Clairie Gillis, M.P., rushed to convict the people held in- communicado by branding them as “quislings” before their trials.

This unseemly haste indicates perhaps more than anything else what the CCF leadership hopes to gain out of the present campaign.

Y apparently feel that any-

thing that will weaken the LPP must redound to their party advantage. The disgust- ing applause and handshaking that marked the reception by the CCE group in the Ontario legislature of the red-baiting speech of Premier Drew was clear evidence that the CCF leaders hope to gain by red-

M. J. COLDWELL

baiting in that they feel they. will be relieved of criticism of their policies should Mr. Drew’s efforts succeed.

True, the CCF leaders try to cover up by condemning the method of interrogation and de- tention of the people held in Ottawa. But more than that, they will not say or do—again with some honorable exceptions.

Premier Drew’s intervention in the affairs of the trade-union movement by appealing for a “cleaning out of the reds” found the CCE-CCL leaders strangely silent. But other trade-union spokesmen who are far removed from sympathy with the LPP did not hesitate to condemn Mr. Drew’s speech as a threat to all working people. Whatever ac- tion has been taken by trade- union locals or central bodies to answer the “red scare” cer- tainly was taken in most in- stances despite the attitude of the CCE leaders in the unions.

But if the CCF lead © gain in their end atz of the LPP they wi ceed in their purpos 4 shows—and plenty ¢ here in Canada—that 4 on the Communists f # aries never stops at munists; no matter — more they may suffer 7 people, but inevitab] © to inelude all sectic @ working class—perhe ing that group whict © holus-bolus to the a ® action. This is so be’ baiting is the technic oppression and warn | where the left-@ing ¢ — the real target, act © the economic and re terests of -the worl are under fire. And # ests embrace all wo = out regard for polit | tion. : 3

Consequently, the drive against the & . drive which springs whole program of a monopoly capital, ie )

its political drive te the world progressiy made in the war fascist Axis.

In other words, #)| motivation of the Pl g, teria and panic-mong) be found in the dri against the Soviet Un | as the drive against | standards of the peoj |

So that, when the / cials. lend aid and (5 the government ands}, drive against the LEY advantage for thems § are actually aiding f |, ical campaign of reac & precedes the full elal $ its domestic and wor &,,

CCE members and & would do well to ti things over. They wi cape the heayy hand 3 if they permit their repeat in Canada the k German social dema §

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, J Pic