Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 19, 1969, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press thursday june 19, 1969 editor sees death of czech democracy a broadcaster known to millions in Czechoslovakia Kamil Winter was a leading Champion of the Dubcek Reform program lie went to London a week after the invasion of Czechoslovakia last August but until april on unpaid leave As news editor of czechoslovak television. He is former foreign editor of rude Provo communist party Organ in Prague and was a party member for 28 years until his resignation last month by Kamil Winter with the fall of the militant Reform bastion of the Prague party commit tee the purge in the czechoslovak communist party reached its Peak. In the preceding weeks the City or District party committees of Bude Ovice West ply ii West Busti North Ostrava North Moravia and Brno South. Moravia had All been cleared of known liberals most of whom had been elected in the Spring and Early summer of 1968. This was done in preparation for the Central commit tee plenum May symbolically dealt the death blow to the Reform by expelling Liberal reformers like or. Frantisek Kriegel and prof. Ota Sik and Josef Vold Slon. Those who were privileged to read the minutes of the january 1968 meeting of the Central committee which Are still in the secret files and have never been published know that these three men were at the time Spanish 3 room group Headquarters other groups priced from 249 Frie storage free delivery easy terms satisfaction guaranteed 355 Ellice at Carlton the first to demand not Only the dismissal of Antonin Novotny but genuine Basic changes of the whole Politi Cal and economic Structure. In less wharf eight weeks the stalinist hardliners have thus succeeded in streamlining the party apparatus to an extent that had never been achieved by the dub Cek leadership in the eight months of its Rule. Foreign masters therein unfortunately lies the Basic difference be tween democracy and dictatorship. The democratic reformers of 1968 refused to diehards and conservatives get fid of the minority of As this would have been incompatible with their own ideals and Aims. A demo cratic election would have swept the hardliners out of office True but the reformers even had to create the proper conditions first for such democratic elections i a democratic Way. This is Why it was Possi ble in August 1968, that dogmatic conservatives like Bilak Indra Strougal Len Art Kilder Sietska and others still held office and All the Power that went with it. This is Why they could resist such an overwhelming majority Long enough As events have proved until they were saved by their foreign friends and masters. Or. Husak s leadership is unencumbered by such democratic scruples and prejudices. He has clearly stated that he believes in the marxist Leninist principles of party Structure and methods in other words in the Rule of a select self installed party bureaucracy. He intends to hold elections in the party and in the country certainly but not before he has made sure who will vote and who will be elected. And he also makes sure Well in Advance that there will be no democratic inconsistency or Compromise. Or. Husak is not going to repeat the mistakes of or. Dubcek. He has already succeeded in convincing Many people that or. Dub Cek s sincere and deep feeling for democratic methods and procedure was in fact weakness and indecisiveness unforgivable qualities in a Leader. Only Friend within barely six weeks All Hopes and illusions have vanished about or. Husak s attitude toward the Reform and the occupation of the country. Many progressives saw a Ray of Light in or. Husak s Strong personality. He would be in a better bin cherries Takt along on picnics get plenty for your fruit bowl or serve in pies and tarts. Imported. Sweet flavorful. It. 1 Grade. Oranges peaches new potatoes Sunkist fancy valencias. Large size dozen California grown. Canada no. 1 Grade la. California Large Whites. Canada no. 1 a Grade. I v ibs. 79 Fry Canada Grade Utility. Young chickens. Frozen. Eviscerated. Whole. In. 39 shoulder. Imported. Frozen. Square Cut in. Pineapple juice Aylmer soups la Lani. Fancy hawaiian. 48 Al. 01. Tomato or vegetable. 10 Al. Of. 8 tins tins prices effective thursday p.m., Friday saturday 19th to 21st, in All greater Winnipeg and Selkirk Safeway stores. A the Bright to limit quantities. Safeway position so they thought to Deal with the russians. He would be better equipped so they wished to stand up to them. But this was based on their mistaken Assumption that or. Husak believes in the same ideas As or. Dubcek which he does not and let it be said in his Honor never did. He does not like prison. This is understandable As he has been imprisoned himself. But he believes that the trials and arrests of the 1950 s were Only a Distor Tion of the otherwise valid and Correct system of socialism As practice in the soviet Union. He does not believe in the Basic changes of that system As do the advocates of socialist democracy. If he now purges party he does it of his own sincere political conviction which is very laudable for him but tragic for the nation whose Leader he now is. For him the soviet Union is and remains the Only reliable Friend and ally even though soviet armies have invaded and occupied his own country. For him proletarian International namely the divine right of the ruling group in the soviet Union to decide what is or what is not socialism and democratic namely the absolute Power monopoly the party apparatus Are the untouchable dogmas. An analysis of the directive just issued by the Central committee shows dynasty rules Nicaragua by Robert Berrellez Managua a a humor Magazine reported recently the Day of Somoza family Rule in Nicaragua. Like weather statistic the Brief news was offered without editorial comment. The implied parallel was Clear to Many manage ans the Somoza dynasty had reached times Stormy sometimes be Nign it was largely inevitable. The permanence ascribed to the family that has ruled Nicar Agua since 1937 contrasts some what with the Public image of uncertainty and vulnerability being cast by the latest Somoza regime. Gen. Anastasio Somoza jr., president since 1967 and last surviving son of the Man who founded the dynasty is in Trou ble economically. This is Nour Ishing his chronic political difficulties. Low Market prices have weakened the nation s main Export crop Cotton which usually provides 40 per cent of total Dol Lar earnings. Production this year is expected to dip below Bales compared with Moj Coo in the Peak year 1965. Unable to obtain subsidies from an austerity minded government growers Are reducing acreage and trimming payrolls. In addition the existence of a new leftist guerrilla Force in the Northern Hills was revealed in mid May. Signs of increasing restive Ness in the business and Politi Cal sectors Are arousing apprehension in the capital about where the country is headed under the leadership of Somoza. There is speculation that the president will try to extend his term two years beyond 1972 to gain time to Cope with the prob lems blocking the administrative program he pledged. The Constitution bars re elec Tion and presidential succession by close relatives. Constitution Al Reform would be no problem for the president if he wished to remain in office however. He effectively controls All branches of government. He also has a solid segment of the population behind him while j what passes for opposition is splintered and leaderless. Somoza s strength is in the weakness his political a Clver says one business executive. In 3 years the opposition has failed to produce a satisfactory alternative to the so the Somoza have retained total control for 31 years with and without the presidency. When necessary for political reasons they be managed i through dependable substitutes. That apart from the present purge. The dismissal of the Prague City committee is by no Means the Many More important measures Are planned for the immediate future. After Complete restoration of the old party Structure including the elimination of Liberal elements at All Levels the communist Bureau Cracy is to assume again direct control Over society i.e., social organizations and the National front state organs Economy and Cul Ture quoted from the the dictatorial character of the state shall then be strengthened. And finally firm Friendship with the soviet communists and their fellow invaders shall be re established. The mass purges in the party rigid centralization of All Power in the top eche Lons of a party bureaucracy Complete muzzling of the press and All other mass Media unconditional recognition of soviet supremacy in All spheres All these Are the stones which nut together reveal a mosaic pattern of stalinist Renaissance that would have seemed impossible after the Prague Spring and even or. Khrushchev s speech at the 20th soviet party Congress. The czechoslovak delegation to the Moscow Summit May Well be the most streamlined stalinist representation of All present. They will not Only proclaim the czechoslovak events to be a family affair Bat even accuse the staunchest supporters of czechoslovak Independence of wrongly interfering on the grounds of utterly distorted in handed out to them in 1968 by counter revolutionary journalists and even by some top party according to rude Provo. The Husak leadership is thus extending its brotherly help to the badly pressed liberators. Finally Assum ing there Ever was a split Between the Hawks and the doves in the Kremlin Over the Issue of Czechoslovakia the recent events within the czech communist party have n of considerably strengthened the position of the Hawks. They May Well rejoice Over the historic irony that the country which Only one year ago was the greatest Hope of enlightened socialism is today rep resented by this Model delegation of dogmatic reaction. In the Long run their Victory As Well As or. Husak a May prove to be a pyrrhic Victory. But this can be of no Consolation to this generation in Czechoslovakia. Copyright 1969 the Washington Post foreign news exclusive free Medicine advocated Rev. Donald Malinowski new democratic party candidate in Point Douglas constituency says drugs and Medicine should be provided free to old age pensioners. Rev. Malinowski said prepaid Medicine and pita ligation is not enough. Or. Malinowski made the statement while campaigning in the area. Mitchell Copp is pledged to please gout payment available free Diamond insurance written guarantee service warranty Complete selection of Diamond set and engraved Bride and Groom wedding sets Opp 1st. 1912 a extern Portage at Hargrove of Telamond copyright 1960. Canada Safeway limited invitation declined progressive conservative candidate Arthur Moug and new democratic candidate John Hilgenga have not accepted an invitation issued by j. Duncan Edmonds Liberal candidate in Charleswood to a series of Public meetings. Or. Edmonds told 60 persons at Beaumont school tuesday night i deeply regret the fail ure of the other candidates to appear especially when i have to face All of the questions you ask about the Weir govern Labatt s ;