TORONTO MEETING HAILS CHE GUEVARA
Toronto
More than 300 trade unionists, students, prominent university figures and writers paid tribute here November 3 to the memory of Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
The meeting was sponsored by the Latin-American Justice Clubs of York University and the University of Toronto, the African Students Association (University of Toronto), and the Fair Play for Cuba Committee.
Individual sponsors included the world-renowned city planner Hans Blumenfeld, the West Indian novelist Austin Clarke, Dr. Gustavo Tolentino, and Prof. Donald Willmott. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Edith Guild of the Spanish Department, York University.
The first speaker, the Rev. John Morgan of the First Unitarian Congregation in Toronto, paid tribute to Che Guevara's "disinterest in wealth, power and glory," his "vision of intellectual and artistic life," his "sense of social purpose."
"It was through Che Guevara's revolt against unnecessary shedding of blood that he came to revolution," the Rev. Morgan said. "Guevara has already become part of the consciousness of unnumbered millions of oppressed people throughout the world."
The Rev. Morgan concluded his remarks with the words: "Greater love hath no man than this -- that he lay down his life for his fellow man."
John Jamieson of the University of Toronto Latin-American Justice Club spoke of what Che Guevara meant to large numbers of university students in North America. Naison Mawande, president of the African Students Union at the University of Toronto, began and ended his speech with the cry, "Long live the revolution; long live the people!" This was warmly applauded by the audience.
"We African students say that our commitment to the principles of Che is absolutely unshakeable," he declared. It was Che who "warned us of the threat from colonialism in a new form -- neocolonialism, which first developed on a continen-
tal basis in South America."
Hans Modlich, national chairman of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, said, "The most important aspect of Che was his internationalism. I am convinced that just as surely as Che's cause is flourishing in today's Cuba, with hundreds of thousands dedicating themselves to follow Che's example, so will his cause flourish and triumph in Latin America and elsewhere."
Jan Carew, former minister of culture in the British Guiana government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, said, "Che Guevara walked the same trail as Simén Bolivar, in an age of more complete revolution, in an age when to hand the revolution to the bourgeoisie is to betray it."
The final speaker was Manuel Rodriguez, Cuban consul in Toronto. He said that "Che's ideas will continue to live" and that "more hands will reach out to take up arms throughout Latin America."
"Che will be remembered above all as a guerrilla fighter," he noted. "although dishonest vultures will no doubt try to misrepresent the historic significance of his struggle."
BARRIENTOS