Concern over developing crisis evident in Kootenays, Okanagan B.C, “There is a very deep concern among the working ghou L that ancther major economic depression is rapidly approaching,” Maurice Rush, people throughout the interior of Provincial organizer of the Labor-Progressive Party warned this week, in an. interview With the Pacific Tribune. “Wherever I went in’ the interior, there were signs developing of a declining purchasing power among the people,” Rush noted, “this being particu- rly so in the working-class districts of the Kootenays.” “sh returned to Vancouver ‘Rls week, after completing a two- and-a-half week organizing and Speaking tour of the Kootenay and Okanagan regions of the pro- cae: during which he travelled ore than 1,500 miles and met Many hundreds of workers “ad farmers in these districts. In commenting on the recent R tenay convention of the LPP, “8h declared: “This convention was truly a representative gath- “ing of working people, with ice miners from the Crow’s Nest, ard rock miners from Kimberly, *meltermen from Trail and Ross- ad and loggers from Cranbrook oe ng part in the hammering out 8 fighting program which will eet the needs of the people.” menting to the grip of the ore polists on this area, the LPP chiang stated that “the Koot- Y convention chartered a pro- th of peoples’ struggles against ne Monopolies in the Kootenays, on leading of which are the Con- Pidated Mining and Smelting ead and East Kootenay Light ating OWet, both CPR subsidi- 58 Rush informed the Tri- ne On the influence of the 8S growing rapidly in the pantenays, with a plan for ex- eration” party, activity now in op- “The CPR proposals for a 30 Percent boost in freight rates’ oO eens serious concern among §8nagan_ farmers,” Rush Stated. «This increase, if allowed Will be a crippling blow to the ®conomy of the Okanagan val- ley and will mean bankruptcy to thousands of smaller farm- ~ ers,” ; “In the Okanagan, reactionary bosses, aided by renegades of the labor movement are engaged in @ campaign to smash the legitmate unions in the valley and set up company-backed outfits in their place,” Rush stated. He was re- ferring to the recent raiding of locals of the CIO Packinghouse and Woodworkers by company- supported AFL unions in the area. “Phese interests,” deciared Rush, “are trying to re-establish the open shop conditions of the past, under which these work- ers were paid the lowest wages in the province.” Eviction front Montreal veterans parading in pro- against the eviction of their buddies by Wartime Housing. Scenes like these are expressive of governmental disregard of veteran housing needs. | WEA conference. plans Union drive for permanent B.C. labor school The Workers Educational Association held its third annual convention in the Van- COtlver Art Gallery over the week-end. It was attended by delegates representing 21 AFL and CCL Unions and representatives of Vancouver Labor Council. - Rev, Alfred Cook gave the in- aus and President Norman acKenzie, UBC, delivered the jormal opening address, stressing S life long interest in workers’ Ucation and offering the utmost ©peration from the faculty and facilities of the UBC. . Claude Donald, B.C. Director of “e Association reported on the bri 8 activities and presented a ®f to the delegates for the com- lsh e at: It included the estab- Witenty of a labor school with ™ises, faculty and staff by Ptember 1947: that a drive be © «to establish educational bites ee oe Co. 4 e Un-American’ OLYMPIA, Wash.—A mass vasion of this U.S. state cap- oe took place last week, when er 1000 people representing ae Progressive Citizens of Am- “ta, labor unions: and veter- 1 §roups, marched on the *sislature to presemt their de- ds to the government. whe lobbyists demanded wide- ad Security reforms, proper org t, esislation, increased. vet- Su’s. grants and higher. old lature nsions. ‘Tho state legis- » which is in the grip of jor nCtionary Republican ma- lobe} in a cynical reply to the «ists voted to launch 32 “of un-American activi- Washington state.” ties in ths USing to discuss any of Uni concrete proposals of the vi ted delegation, the legisla- lig’ 2OPes to switch the pub- in 8 attention from their press- he Socia] needs, over to 2 tch hunt’ Tr0- Bressives, against all p committees in all B.C. unions; the setting up of a commitee of six to ‘finance this. The delegates endorsed the hold- ing of a fourth annual summer camp at Lake Hatzic from June 21 to July 19, with a balanced program recreation and trade un- ion education. They also urged the setting up of classes in various phases of trade union education as well as the training of instruc- tors within unions themselves. Miss Gertrude lLeuhning past president of the California Teach- ers Federation spoke of the ex- perience of Labor Schools in the United States and urged an all out effort for the Workers Edu- cational Association. Bert Mac- Leach, director of the Seattle La- bor School described their experi- ences, and stressed the dangers of fascism and the tremendous need for workers education to de- feat it. John Goss, a fraternal del- egate, urged that music, art and culture be made a part of the work of the association. The con- vention heartily endorsed his sug- gestion. The officers for the year are: President, James «-- Thompson, president of the, Canadian Sea- man’s Union; first vice-presi- dent, Al Parkin, Educational Director,. IWA; *second vice- presideri, J. Cornthwaite, Mar- ine Workers and Boilermakers, Victoria; secretary - treasurer, Edna Robinson. A ways and means committee of six was set up under G. S. Culhane, general secretary of the Shipyard General Workers Federa- tion, to carry out the financial drive and a committee of six was set up to work with the Seattle Labor School in planning and di- recting the summer school at _— PRAY, MARCH 7, 1947 Lake Hatzic. Buy a share to protect your job Fears of the revival of a union-smashing campaign by B.C, employers were express- ed this week, with the sud- den firing of 31 workers at the Vancouver ‘plant of Industrial Engineers Limited. The firm, which manufacturers power saws for the lumbering industry, dis- missed the 31 men, of whom an estimated 27 are members of the United Steelworkers (CIO), last Friday, without any regard for seniority rights of the workers in- volved. A mass meeting has been called for this Sunday, at which action will be taken to have the men re- instated. Labor circles note that the plant management will be un- able to afford a labor dispute, due to the high degree of union- ization in the lumbering industry, which uses the power saws. — Many of the 150 workers at In- dustrial. Engineers, hold stock in the firm, having been urged to purchase shares by the manage- ‘ment. Several of the dismissed men are ‘shareholders’ in the firm, but apparently their ‘ownership’ did not prevent them from being fired, Although the management claims that the dismissals are due to a slackening off in business, Several of the fired . workers pointed out that the company ac- tion bears all the marks of a move to smash the union in the plant. fish companies is met. of the United Fisherman and Al- lied Workers’ Union (TLC) will take part in the tieup, joining the 150 trawl fishermen who began a similar ‘selling strike’ last week. Reports from several points on the Gulf of Georgia indicate that the tieup is completely effective halting all cod fishing in the gulf. UFAWU organizer Fred Olsen, who has just returned from the gulf, reports “complete solidarity among the cod fishermen, who are determined to stay out until the fish companies will sign a reasonable agreement.” Cod fishermen tied up until prices settled Gulf cod fishermen, at a emergency meeting here last Saturday voted to cease all cod fishing operations until their demands for a satisfactory price agreement with the large Nearly 700 cod fishermen, members The large fish companies are offering the fishermen prices, which in many instances are only half of those paid last year, the UFAWU informed the Pacific Tribune. Despite continued efforts by the union to negotiate an agree- ment with the companies, which would provide the fishermen with a fair financial return for their catch, the companies have remain- ed stubbornly silent. Meanwhile, the ordinary housewife must, pay the same high prices for fish, while the companies slice the fish- erman’s already low price scale. demands of B.C.’s united trade un- ion movement before the mem- bers of the legislature. A resolution was passed by the union condemning the actions of provincial government authorities in laying off government employ- ees at the age of 65 and refus- ing to grant them an old age pen- sion until they are 70. A tele- gram was sent to Tom Uphill, Labor MLA for Fernie, urging him to raise the question of the pension for government workers at 65 years of age in the house. Two delegates were elected from the union to take part in the lobby. These were Sim Weaver, who is local secretary-treasurer and Sub-District Board Member; and Sam English. Strong protests are being made here regarding the dangerous con- dition of a portion of the main highway connecting Michel and Natal which bears the heaviest traffic in the Kootenays. Due to lack of drainage, the road is un- der water in many places. The miners must go to work, and their children to school, over this dan- gerous and virutally impassable road. Miners are considering re- maining home from work and keeping their children home, un- less the provincial authorities take speedy action in repairing the road. Steps are being taken to bring the question of dangerous working conditions in the Michel mines to | Michel miners pledge full support to lobby By SAM ENGLISH MICHEL, B.C.—Full support was pledged to the forth- coming mass labor lobby by the Michel local of the United Mine Workers (CCL), here last week. The coal miners in this area realize the urgent need of bringing the legitimate the attention of the mine man- agement and the Mines’ Inspector. The miner’s union, in making these facts public, stresses that the lives of the men working underground in the mines are being endangered, due to the penny-pinching attitude of the mine owners, War or peace? LONDON. — Government fig- ures released in the midst of Britain’s coal crisis have given added fuel to trade unionists who are insisting that the arm- ed forces be reduced to meet the labor shortage. According to government fig- ures, there were 947,000 more men in the armed forces at the end of 1946 than there were in mid-1939, on the eve of World War II, Government estimates for 1947-48 show that only a slight reduction is intended. About 1,100,000 people will still be in service in March 1948, the government estimates, while 450,000 will be producing muni- tions. . Alongside this, the govern- ment figures that key peace- time industries are short about 750,000 workers. Soviet film hit - fore cheering throngs in a scene from ‘Russia on Parade’, first color film from the Soviet Union. Its Vancouver premiere will be at the Lyric Theater for three days— March 10-11-12. Secure tickets from Kelly’s Music House as all seats are reserved. Georgian dancers in traditional bright-hued costumes perform be- PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 3