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B.C. FEDERATION OF LAB

OR CONVENTION|

Political action

Expansion of its political e
tion committees in local unions an
the workers’ best means “of presently obtaining their
steps taken in the political action field by de

of B.C. Federation of Labor.

While endorsing the CCF
Provincially the convention
threw out a committee recom-
Mendation calling on the next
Canadian Labor Congress con-
Vention to “adopt a national
Policy declaring its support for
the CCF” and endorsed a sub-
stitute which instructed the
BCFL political education com-
Mittee “to continue to make
every effort to bring together
representatives of the inter-
ested groups pledged to sup-
program of the
ROW;

A heated debate began fol-
lowing reading of the politi-
Cal action program report,
Which concluded with a num-
ber of recommendations.

The first recommendation,
Passed unanimously, stated
that the convention “autho-
Tise the expansion of its politi-
Cal education program, and in
Cooperation with the Canadian
Labor Congress and the Labor
Councils take steps to encour-
age the establishment of local
Union political action commit-
tees,”

The second recommendation,
8S presented to the convention,
Tead as follows:

“That this second convention
of the BCFL declare that the
CCF warrants the support of
the workers in British Colum-
bia, as the best means to ob-
tain their legislative aims.”

This touched off a lively de-
bate. Some of the speakers’
Points:

Bill Stewart (Vancouver
Labor Council): “Endorsation
Of one political party has never
Worked. In Ontario, after en-
dorsation by the Ontario Fed-
€ration prior to the last elec-
lions, the CCF won only three
Seats, yet at one time they had
21. Labor should ‘become the
Unifying force. for all people
and groups seeking an alterna-
tive to the Socreds, and the
CCF should become a driving
force behind the trade union
Movement in this regard. It is
Important that we have no di-
Vision, politically, in the trade
Union movement. If we tie
our tail to one political kite
We'll drive away some sup-
Port.”

Bob Bryce (Pulp and Sul-
Dhite 76): “I support the rec-
Smmendation. It should have

been published before the con-
vention, however, so that it
could have been thoroughly
studied.”

Carl Anslem (IWA 1-85): “I
oppose the motion, with no
thought of opposing the CCX.
But the CCF has been going
downhill, both nationally and
provincially. If we educate the
workers along political lines
at the grass roots level, they
have the intelligence to find
the proper answer.”

J. A. Moore (IWA 1-85): “If
we vote this down, it leaves
labor in a political vacuum.
There is no doubt the CCF
warrants our support. We need
a legislative arm to win our
legislative demands.”

N. W. Swanson (Office Em-
ployees 378): “I oppose this
move, because the bulk of our
2,000 members would be op-
posed to it. We are a fast
growing union, but for the ex-
ecutive to endorse this action
would create strife within our
union.”

Fred Fieber (IWA 1-71): “T
rise to support the recom-
mendation, because in my exX-
perience there is no alterna-
tive. I don’t support this move
because the party concerned is
the CCF—if at any time an-
other party supports labor, Pll
take a look at it. But today,
if you climbed into bed with
some other party, and threw
the covers back, the first per-
son you'd see might be Wen-
ner-Gren.”

Stan Lowe (IWA 1-71): Sa
don’t think we should pose the
CCF against the formation of
a labor party. Let’s be realis-
tic. Our aim is to get action
in the best. interests of the
people of this province. The
CCF has contributed a great
deal, but we want broader rep-
resentation in political action.
Why can’t the political. action
committees be the start of our
work? Let’s put up some trial
balloons — run some progres-
sive and labor candidates.”

H. Jonsson (IWA_ 1-85):
“The CCF has done excellent
work in the past. We should
unite behind the CCF in the
next election.”

George McKnight (IWA
1-85): “I’m not convinced that
our support would put a CCF

“unity

‘stirs hot debate

ducation program, setting up of more political ac-
d support for the CCF in British Columbia as
legislative aims” were the main
legates attending the second convention

é

majority in Victoria or Ot-
tawa. The Social Credit sweep
in B.C, represents the farmers
taking political action as they
saw fit. But there is no neces-
sity for the farmers to con-
tinue following Social Credit.
Some sort of farmer - labor
could. be developed,
which could win for us in the
future.”

Angus Macphee (Pulp and
Sulphite 708): “I can’t blue-
print the future, but at this
time we can’t turn our backs
on the CCF, which speaks for
both farmer and labor. I'm a
CCF member, but if the fu-
ture brings a farmer - labor
party, I’ll belong.”

Ernest Tuson (Street Rail-
waymen 101): “We have no
right to commit our members
to any political party.”

George Home (BCFL secre-
tary): “We’re not asking
unions to affiliate to the CCF.
All the recommendation says
is that the CCF warrants our

support.”
Ralph Baker (Cement
Masons 919): “I think this

move is too premature.”

Sid Thompson (IWA 1-217):
“I oppose, because we must
unite and not divide the trade
union movement, I firmly be-
lieve in political action, and
almost every resolution we
pass deals with political action
in one form or another. But I
don’t believe it is wise at this
time to take any action which
might divide. our members.
First we need a ‘program of
education.”

E. P. O’Connor (B.C. Gov-
ernment Employees): “We
should go to the CLC conven-
tion not committed to any par-
ticular policy, and decide at
that time. I admit the CCF is
entitled to the support of
organized labor. But at the na-
tional convention the delegates
must be free agents. The reso-
lution should be amended to
say ‘as the best means of pres-
ently obtaining their legisla-
tive aims’ and it would be im-
proved.”

The second recommendation
was amended to read “as the
best means of presently ob-
taining their legislative aims”
and was passed by a three to
one majority.

BCFL urges Ottawa
to recognize China

Delegates attending the second B.C. Federation of Labor
convention unanimously endorsed a resolution urging recog-
nition of China and establishment of trade relations.

“There can be no doubt that
the Communist government
represents the millions of peo-
ple on the Chinese mainland,”
the resolution said. “We urge
through the CLC that the gov-
ernment of Canada support
the admission of Communist
China to the United Nations,
and we support the establish-
ment of trade relations with
the People’s Republic of China
within the limits imposed by
the necessity of denying weap-
ons and strategic materials.”

“When we discussed unem-
ployment, this was one of the
main things we omitted,” said
Walter Jacobs (Marine Work-
ers). “Here is a market of
600 million people. Trade with
China means jobs for Cana-
dians.”

“Vancouver has long been
known as the gateway to the
Orient,” said Craig Pritchett
(Longshoremen 507). “If we
don’t develop our foreign trade
our longshoremen will be
walking the beach. Our union
wholeheartedly supports de-
velopment of trade with
China.”

“We know Chou En-lai is

the premier of China, and we
know Chiang Kai-shek is the
premier of nothing,” said
George Hobbs (Firemen and
Enginemen 341). “Are we go-
ing to hide our heads in the
sand any longer and pretend
that 600 million fellow creat-
ures on. this earth do not
exist?”

“T can recall when we had
a huge trade with China and
the Orient,’ said labor vyet-
eran C. McKendrick (Long-
shoremen 507). “If every per-
son in China bought just $1
worth of goods from us each
year, it would keep all Can-
ada’s butchers, bakers and
candlestick makers working
full time. Prejudice keeps us
apart. From the standpoint
of common intelligence, we
need to trade with China.”

“We have a moral obliga-
tion to the millions of work-
ers in China,” said H. Jonsson
(IWA 1-85, Port Alberni).
“The time is overdue for the
United Nations to recognize
China. Our government should
extend recognition, then ex-
ploit the trade possibilities.”

Labor calls for banning
of all nuclear weapons

An end to further tests and development of nuclear
weapons was demanded by delegates attending the second
BCFL convention. They unanimously endorsed a resolution
submitted by the: International Affairs Committee which read:

“Eminent scientists have
warned the people of the world
on many occasions of the in-
creased danger of radioactive
fallout caused by the testing
of hydrogen and atomic mis-
siles.

“There has been no agree-
ment reached on the banning
of atomic and hydrogen weap-
ons despite the fact that the
three major powers now in
possession of these instruments
of death have all urged inter-
national control of one form
or another.

“Therefore be it resolved
that we urge the CLC to press
through the government of
Canada, the United Nations
for international control of
all atomic and hydrogen weap-
ons; prohibition of the mianu-
fac ure and use of such weap-
ons; international agreement
on the abolition of all stocks
of atomic and hydrogen weap-
ons; insist that an agreement

be arrived at in the United
Nations to put an end to fur-
ther tes's and development of
nuclear weapons.”

During. discussion. on the
resolution C. B. Keely (Mar-
ine Workers) warned that
radiation particles aré “creat-
ing danger for’ generations to
come.”

W. - Giesbrecht (Enamel
Workers 291) said the “most
important thing in the reso-
lution is’ the moral principle
involved.” He hit out at the
fallacy of a “clean”. bomb.

Lloyd Whalen (Vancouver
Labor Council) said that war
solves nothing. “We should
use our scientific knowledge
for construction and put an
end to destruction. Einstein
wrote to the effect that if a
Third World War breaks out,
the Fourth World War will be
fought with clubs Now is the
time for all of us to speak
out for peace.”

November 1, 1957 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 3

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