RENEW HERE > FROM TOP. ONE: Sitdowners “bedded down” in the Post Office following their audacious occupation May 20, 1938. TWO: Single unemployed vote to vacate the Georgia Hotel and gather support for those still in the ‘Art Gallery and the Post Office following the city’s offer of $500 in relief. THREE, FOUR: Sitdowners pose for photographs which were later included in a set and sold to raise money for the unemployed. That money, together with donations of food and supplies which continued to come in despite hostile stories which circuated in the press, helped sustain the sitdowners throughout the occupation. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—April 28, 1978—Page 10 _ The stort On the afternoon of May 20, 1938, they marched in tight, order) divisions — these several hundred men organized by the Sing Unemployed Association — and proceeded quickly to occupy thré buildings in downtown Vancouver — Division I and II to the P® Office, Division III ‘to the Art\Gallery ~ and Division IV to # Georgia Hotel. Like the On-To-Ottawa Trek three years before! was. a dramatic, demonstrative action, prompted by governmeé indifference to the plight» of the unemployed. | For weeks, the single unemployed in the city had sustain@ themselves by ‘‘tincanning”’ — collecting donations in tin cans~ and had even organized a tag day which netted more that $3,0! despite the interference of police. But the provincial governmé had cut its aid to municipalities for relief, and in mid-Mé) declared that there would be‘no relief for unemployed men fr! the Prairies. The city, for its part, stepped up its harassment & tincanners. But even as the sitdowners took up their occupation, there we action from the city. On May 21, after the men had been in t Georgia Hotel two days, city council voted to extend $500 in relié vouchers to tide the men over until the next weekend when Otta¥’ was expected to act. In the hotel, 500 men voted to accept the offe and to gather support for the others still occupying the Post offi and the Art Gallery. Then they marched out — in the sal! disciplined fashion that they had begun their occupation. In the Post Office, the men were addressed by the chief police, Colonel W.W. Foster at 9 p.m. on the first night. He to! them it had been a fine demonstration but that it was time to “ home.” Steve Brodie, speaking for the men, replied that if thé had homes to go to they would go, but offered to submit to la arrest. Foster retired to confer with Victoria. On two more occasions over the next 30 days, Foster wart! them to vacate and each time they offered to submit to arré BE’ EDIT cy vort Ww wk wuns® OF F | Cé& 42 perrnavet™ = WANTED—By single unemployed. New leasé s papéton life. Will-swap lease on Federal Building: he cue BULLETIN “Man bites dog!’’ Sitdowners report to policé oa ae window smashing by a constable of duty. Word expected from City Hall that thé ¢ The crew of “Hardship” are now in drydock tt 4s wyend don’t expect to float for a few days yet. as ie “He Floats Through the Air we,2 With the Greatest of Ease” t at When Duff, the Pilot, took the air \n ,_ Across the continent he flew; por™ No thought he gave to old B.C.— we ve No thought of me, no thought of you. R yaw With presidents and potentates gid He dines tonight in royal state;