OR NITY IN STRUGGLE” VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1935 Single Copies: 5 Cents Published Weekly XSEVAa-- AR-GAS, MACHINE GUNS, CLUBS —COSSACKS RIDE DOWN PICKETS jories-Grits Unite to Drive Down Workers’ Wages BOUNDARY MILL, VANCOUVER, Feb. 8.—AIll jie armed forces of the state have been brought in Qncial Police, Burnaby and Vancouver City qolice), mounted -and on foot are mobilized to jill workers. Gas masks, gas bombs, steel hel- ets, machine guns, have all been unloaded at the lant. All of this equipment is to be used by the smed ferces of the state to smash this strike and rive down the wages of the mill workers through- at British Columbia. This is the answer of Pat- Fillo, McGeer and Bennett governments for work # a living wage. : + Although -the pickets saw this menacing array, they @avely held their ground. This morning the police made two zious attacks on peaceful pickets. Once when 15 men, in @iet and orderly fashion were walking along the interurban acks, a number of police boarded the tram and rode past Je pickets. The men were completely trapped when police iosed in from both ends and without ceremony began un- gercifully beating and clubbing these workers. The second tack came later when the men, not expecting an attack, it.d broken up into small groups and set out for camp, when thout warning, the cavalry were upon them, driving them ato the woods. Behind the horses came two carloads of Provincial Police d whenever a victim was unable to get away quickly ough, the Provincials would fall upon him and give him a vere beating. One worker who was caught in this manner seived severe head injuries and was immediatly rushd to wn for treatment. The men were so badly scatterd that }= one and a half hours they were drifting into camp. On reading the article on the strike in the “Sun,” we alize that the whole story was so distorted that there is tle truth if any contained in it. Firstly, there was not 200 ‘kets; there were 37. Secondly, the pickets did not attempt i stop the trucks. Every picketer was instructed to shout the drivers and show them the harm they were doing by ibbing, but while the trucks were yet a quarter of a mile tay, the police attacked the picketers. One worker had his ad badly cut open, while several others were badly hurt. hen the men used rocks it was only in defense after they d been attacked. - THE COMMONWEALTH" AN ORGAN OF REACTION Those Who Pay the Piper Call the Tune From the pages of the Capitalist Press the workers can Bpect nothing that will advance the interests of the working- iss. That is not their policy. For generations the press of e ruling class has played all the tricks known to them in der to keep the workers divided and unorganized. The mers of these papers study very carefully how to carry out is policy. rom the pages of a newspaper which is supposed advance the interests of the toilers, we expect something fferent. There is one paper of this type in Vancouver, how- er, which whilst supposedly printed in the interests of the iling masses, is in reality advancing the interests of the ploiters of the working class, just as efficiently, and even ore so, than the papers owned and controlled by the ruling uss. This paper is “The Commonwealth.” The editor of this per is one of the most skillful reformist leaders in Canada, th many years’ experience in the Trade Union movement. 2 is able to fool many hundreds of workers and farmers ao are not aware of his demagogy and manoeuvering. The dminion leaders of the C.C.F. could have left no more dex- rous leader behind to take care of their press than Bill citchard. Commonwealth” and Capitalist Press Brothers Under the Skin : In the last issue of “The Commonwealth” (Feb. 1st) there spears a front page, two-column article, with a red scare -adline across the whole page entitled ““Woodsworth Warns zainst “Press Yarns’.” The article is written by Grace Mac- mis, wite of Angus MacInnis. It accuses the Capitalist ress of garbling the statements of Woodsworth in regard his alleged pronouncements that he would support Bennett his “reform program.” Many workers know that the capi- list press garble reports of public men’s utterances, but the mny part of this article is that Grace, in her story, and sitchard, in the “heads,” would attempt to prove that the C.F. leaders will not support the Bennett measures, whereas e reading matter (wherein is stated actually what the lead- S did say) gives ample proof beforehand that the C.C.F. aders will not oppose these measures! As instance Mr. Gar- ner “inyited the Prime Minister to pait into effect the re- rms...” Mr. Gardiner went on to say, “Capitalism could ver be successful, because it was built on the profit motive, id no step taken under capitalism was worth-while unless it as to end capitalism.” What logic! Surely Mr. Gardiner esn't believe that the capitalists are going to make lesisla- mn which will put an end to themselves. The “Vancouver “ovince’”’ is accused of using misleading headlines when it (Continued on page 4) LONGSHOREMEN SUPPORT STRIKERS “RED BAND” SHINGLES UNFAIR SEAMEN'S U. REFUSE TO HANDLE Workers Should Notify Waterfront Workers Union Of Any Shipment of ‘‘Red Band”’ Shingles Striking shingle weavers have approached Longshore- men’s organizations to back them up in this strike. The first one approached was the Coastwise Longshoremen & Freight Handlers Association. On stating his business the delegate was immediately shown the notice board on which a notice read: “RED BAND SHINGLES UNFAIR. COLEMAN EVANS, SHED TWO, SECTION 38-42.” This Union has a clause in its agreement which states: “This organization re- serves the right not to handle unfair cargo.” When asked if these shingles would be considered unfair cargo the Ex- ecutive Committee members replied: ‘““When machine guns are used to move cargo, this makes any cargo unfair.” We understand that there is little doubt that action will be taken by this Union if attempts are made to ship these shingles. The next organization to declare support for the strike was the Seafarers Industrial Union. The Executive Commit- tee stated that they will call upon all of their members to refuse to load this cargo. The unfair shingles are shipped to the American trade on the BORDER PRINCE. Members of the crew of this vessel, who belong to the Union, will be asked to refuse to load this cargo. On visiting the office of the Vancouver & District Water- front (Workers Association our delegate was informed by the business agent that there is no need to call a meeting of their members to consider what attitude to take. This Union at all times refuses to handle unfair cargo. If scab labor is brought in to do it the Union will declare the dock unfair. The strikers call upon all workers in trade unions to follow the lead of the militant Seafarers and Longshoréemen. PREPARE 10 SPREAD STRIKE Shingle Weavers Should Follow Example of Randall Mill Randall mill manager offers police protection to his crew if they will scab on the Union and threatens those who don’t like it with the loss of their jobs. Union men working in the mill call for help from sheir local Union and the mill is declared on strike. These are the Union demands: 22¢ per sq. for sawing. 14c¢ per sa. for packing. All grades and both Ameri- can and Canadian shingles. Randall’s scale is 25c, No. 1 grade; 20c; No. 2 grade, saw- ing; 14c packing for Ameri- ean Shingles. 15c¢ per sq. saw- ing; lle per sq. packing, for Canadian shingles, with 50% of each, making the wage 20c per Sq. sawing, 1214c packing —much below the Union seale. The result was the Union put a picket line on the mill composed of the crew, Union men and their sympathizers. A strike committee was elected to look after the inter- est of the crew- Mass Meeting at Cambie Street Monday, Feb. 4th SOOSPSSE A Contrast—Farmers In Two Worlds Fraser Valley Farmers Who Suffered From the Flood Would Be Very Quickly Rehabilitated by a Canadian ‘Soviet Government’ BENGOUGH REFUSED W.U.L. OFFER ON SHINGLE WEAVERS’ STRIKE Workers’ Unity League and the Lumber Workers’ Union Call for Mass Support of All Trade Unionists Loggers, fishermen, mill workers, unemployed! .... Watch for trucks with li- cense plates covered with rags carrying shingles to E.vans-Coleman dock. VANCOUVER, Feb. 8.— Percy Bengough, secretary of the Trades and Labor Council (A.F.of L.), turned down the ques- tion of the assistance offered by the Workers Unity League to the striking shingle weavers today when approached by the District Organizer, Bob Kerr and other W.U.L. delegates. Bengough was asked to call a meeting of his executive committee, but refused. He said it was not necessary, and definitely stated, “There will be no joint action.” He boasted that “No A.F-.of L. shingle weaver got clubbed by the police.” In this interview Bengough definitely placed himself on the side of the bosses and the government and the police, and against the workers. We know that this is NOT the expression of the members of the various A.F.of L. unions. The fact that the Shingle Weavers Union co-operates jointly with the Lumber Work ers Industrial Union on the strike is sufficient reason to prove our contention, ston : an This should be used as an’ example to extend the united front to all unions and labor organizations as the only effec- tive weapon in the hands of the working class to force the Pattullo government to withdraw police from strike areas. Workers Unity League has called its affiliates and other mass organizations to render both financial and moral support to the shingle weavers strike. We further call upon all Unions and working class or- ganizations to send protest resolutions to the Pattullo gov- ernment demanding the withdrawal of police and for the right to strike and picket. The W.U.L. appeals to all its af- filiated Unions and all revolutionary organizations to send money to help the strikers. We call upon all A.F.of L. Union members to build the United Front of struggle for the right to organize, strike and picket and help the Shingle Weavers win this strike. —District Organizer, W.U.L. BIG COMMUNIST VOTE IN THE SAANICH MUNICIPAL ELECT ON First Time a Communist Entered Elections Here ED. NOTE: We print below a copy of a letter received from our Saanich correspondent regarding the Municipal elections, and the splendid showing made by the Communist candidate. This is an in- dicator of the influence of the Communist Party. When a Communist can step forward with a revolutionary program in the midst of a number of laboring farmers, a large number of whom have until recently supported one or other of the capitalist class political parties, and win such splendid support, it shows that the workers and farmers are ready for revolutionary organization, and willing to fight against their oppressors. The revolutionary workers cannot take this great achievement lightly, but must seriously consider how to im- S9PPODG 99999999999 9999000009 00009 0500008 040900060400000604900400000000000-004 REGINA, Jan. 31 (ALP) — Creditors have decided to give their debtors a ‘break’ in Saskatchewan. Here’s how it works: A 69-year-old Icelander, after working hard on his farm for 33 years, found him- self $15,000 in debt. He was granted 1935 as a breathing spell. Then at the age of 70 he will start paying off his indebted- ness. The moragtge company will get one- third, whenever his crop exceeds 10 bush- els to the acre. Other creditors will share in the balance. He will have no mortgage interest to pay for the next four years, by which time he will be 73. But then he will have to buckle down and get to work. In- terest will be renewed at the same rate without reduction in the amount of the mortzage. Assuming an average crop yield of 15 bushels an acre on 150 acres, and prevail- ing prices of 50 cents, with no crop failure, it will take him 32 years more to pay off the principal of the mortgage. He will then be 105 years old. But in the meantime, in- terest will be accumulating. At the normal interest rate of 6%, it will be accumulat- ing faster than the normal crop payments. So that by the time he is 105, he will be deeper in debt than he is today. Of course, the first 100 years are the hardest. MOSCOW, U.S.S.R., Jan. 31 (ALP) — The second congress of collective farmers, embracing the whole territory of the Soviet Union, will open here on Feb. 10, when the conditions of the collective farms will be discussed. In addition to 1100 dele- gates from the collective farms of all regions of the U.S.S.R., the collective farm delegates from the 7th Congress of Soviets ) ‘how in session, will be present and partici- pate in the work of the farm congress. That the Soviet State is genuinely inter- ested in bettering the welfare of the farm population can be witnessed by a recent decree passed by the Council of Peoples Commissars and the Central Committee of the Communist Party which cancelled the debts of the collective farms to the state. This debt amounted to the huge sum of 435,639,000 roubles (at present exchange $378,816,500). Contrast this with the po- Sition of the Canadian farmer. The growth of collectivization in the Soviet Union has made remarkable im- provements in the life of the Russian peasantry. Where a few years ago the land was cultivated in the most primitive manner, today large scale agricultural me- thods and mechanization has changed all this. For instance, on November 1, 2,202 electric threshing machines were in opera- tion which cost 40 to 50 per cent less than tractors to operate, reducing the time of operation by 35 to 40 per cent. $099O90000000000O00000900000000O $40 900090004000000000060000-000000008 VOOEPOODS mediately gather together every one of the supporters, right down to the 129th and cement them into a their farm homes. The Communist strong organization for defense of Party should open the doors wide to them, and rapidly build a tower of working class strength to combat the Bennett offensive. The recent Saanich Municipal Election, although some- what less fiery than in forme r years—due perhaps to rain and flood conditions prevailing at the time, with a resultant poor attendance at nearly all scheduled meetings, was never- theless not without interest or novelty. Hor not merely were the Saanich« electors treated to a slate of four Reeveship aspirants, but (shades of Lenin!) one of them announced him- Self as runnine= on a straight Gom- munist ticket. A Communist candidate—and in Saanich, of all places! The comfort- able bourgeoisie, stepped in the tra- ditions of capitalistic ideology shrug- ged contemptuously. The small farm-— er and worker—well, they were not After all, they had been carefully fed on special lies about Soviet Russia by the capitalist press with its distortion of all that the G.P, stands for; nevertheless, more than one tax-burdened farmer fought his way through the storm to at- tend the meeting, that he might see and hear for himself what curious species of creature a Communist so sure. really was. Comrade P. D. Wilson was the Communist candidate for Reeve, and the meeting on this oc- ecasion, poorly attended, was held in one of the outer wards. The bour- Seois candidates were given the plat— form first, and indulged in the usual Platform promises of economy and efficiency, while the audience, hay— ing heard this claptrap many times before, yawned politely and fidgeted uncomfortably in their chairs. Your correspondent, who had almost fone to sleep, was startled into wakeful- ness as the chairman announced the P. BD. Wilson, Com- mumnist candidate for Reeve. The audience straightened expec- tantly, as a man of good appearance 7 advanced to the platform. Some brows puckered into a puzzled frown — Plainly this was not the type of next speaker, (Continued on Page 4)