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Vol. 7, No. 22 Vancouver, B.C., Friday, May 28, 1948 Five Cents

Defend

NANAIMO, B.C.—Nanaimo coal miner Mar-
ko Vitkovich has been arrested on charges of
defamotory libel on instructions of Attorney-
General Gordon Wismer as Nanaimo workers
turned out some 700 strong in a great rally
to answer Mayor Muir’s union-busting con-
spiracy. ‘

These events make Nanaimo once again a
focal point of labor’s battle to defend democratic
rights. :

The rally’ called on Nanaimo Joint Labor
Council to set up a “Defend Nanaimo Labor
Committee” to rally popular support in a test
of democracy that is assuming province-wide

Vitkovich was picked up Friday last week
and refused bail till he appeared in court next
morning and his counsel, Miss Elspeth Munro:
secured a remand. He will appear again in
court May 28.

His alleged crime is the issuing of a leaflet
branding Dr. Guinio Zorkin as a traitor to his
country on grounds of a link-up with groups
forming part of Hitler’s anti-Comintern Axis
during the war. (See full text of charge page
five.

iatiootnn Vitkovich’s court appearance,
Magistrate Lionel Beever-Potts set bail at the
high figure of $1,000, a sum that was immediate-

anaimo

labor

ly subscribed by friends. Beever-Potts also
warned counsel he would not permit a long
remand. The government is apparently order-
ing the case to go ahead at full speed.

The tiny Nanaimo courtroom, scene of many
historic labor trials, was packed with workers.

Arrest of Vitkovich is looked on by Nanai-
mo labor as a straight case of anti-labor perse-
cution, as part of the Island-wide red-baiting
and union-busting campaign of which Nanaimo’s
Mayor Muir is the figurehead, but behind which
stand powerful figures of government and in-
dustry.

Continued on page 12 — SEE NANAIMO

significance.

OODWORKERS SPURN

UNION-BUSTING OFFER

“Jewish blood on our hands’ says Wallace

a profit unless producing for war should be
nationalized.”

A gigantic Wallace rally broke political records
in Seattle last weekend as 7,000 citizens paid $1 to
hear the third party candidate for president,
while Republican Tom Dewey could only draw
2,000 to a free rally the same night.. Total receipts
Were $15,000.

A tremendous ovation greeted Wallace’s open-
ing statement, “I propose the nationalization of
the aircraft industry.” Speaking in relation to
the bitter strike at the Seattle Boeing plant
Wallace said, “Any industry which_cannot show

Theme of the Wallace speech was that Ameri-
cans have Jewish, Greek and Chinese blood on
their hands—a statement that applies equally to
Canada as an American satellite. In respect to
the Jewish state of Irael’s fight for life he said,
“Men with oil on their minds have put blood on
our hands.”

eS Picture showe Henry Wallace on the
Chrysler picket line in Detroit.

The District Negotiating Committee of the
IWA has rejected as ‘‘completely unacceptable”’ and
“qa gun at our heads” a wage offer of 10 cents or
eight percent across the board made by 194 Coast
lumber operators through Stuart Research Service.

The union backed its rejection by moving to
submit the wage offer to a referendum vote of all
IWA members affected, and has asked that nego-
tiations for the 1948-49 contract be recessed while
the ballot is being taken.

The negotiating committee is asking every

Continued on page 12 — SEE TWA

Labor initiates drive
to aid flood victims -

At press time devastating floods, caused by a
combination of abnormal weather conditions and reck-
less logging off of watersheds, and accentuated by an
inadequate flood control program, were sweeping upon
the Fraser Valley, Kootenays, Okanagan and Skeena
Valley.

The B.C. Federation of Labor has called on the
Vancouver Sun to publicize and receive contributions
to a flood relief fund, backing its proposal with an
initial check for $500. An effort is being made to have
such a fund administered jointly by the CCL, AFL,
CMA and The Sun. Harold Pritchett, B.C. Federation
of Labor secretary, has been authorized to pledge the
full assistance of that body’s 60,000 members in aid-
ing those homes and farms stricken by flood. The
labor group is prepared to send top officials to the
flood areas to help administer relief.

Experts are scanning reports in fear of a major
disaster. The need is urgent for government mobiliza-
tion of citizens at full ratés of pay, as well as the,
military forces, to tackle the threat of the raging
waters.