B. cC. WORKERS’ NEWS Pege Three’ i February §, 1986 Workers’ Correspond nce Unemployed Demonstrate We » Are Determined To Get Some Action /Sditor “B.C. Workers’ News.’ » The workers of Cumberland are 7} *aced with the situation of where we ‘see our children throughout this dis- ‘trict sufferings from starvation. ~ We are beginnine to see that the ‘only way to better these conditions aii by organizing and showing a2 little > (mass action. + We held a mass meeting Saturday : Feb .2nd and demonstrated up to a the Government Agent, and had a i @sreat turnout. It was one of the bt bigeest demonstrations we have had. When we interviewed the Govern- 4 ment Agent it was the same old story sof passing the buck. But we don’t * intend to let them put us off any We are going to demon- trate on Saturday again. ) in Cumberland we have single girls twenty-one years old only receiving sjiependents’ relief. Single girls re- : = i 4. 7 ¢ H mae wi living uext door tc q each 6ther, receive various scales. “GSome get $9.60, some $10.60, and %some $11.40. These are sinsie men “Swho are batching. The unemployed are workine with no underwear, and *, Men are forced to ride to work in an open truck, eleven or twelve miles away. If is either work or no cheque. Comradely yours, Chairman, Cumberland Unemployed Council. ~ ITB. Patients Refused Aid Dr. Lapp Declares Camp ‘Unfit to Live In’’ KAMLOOPS, B.C., Jan. 28.—Hos- 4, pital Camp 360, at Kamloops, formerly a soup kitchen which has been remodelled for use as a hospital camp. Some three months ago, the appalling conditions at Hospital Samp 202 at Deroche, B.C. were srought to public notice by the Par *2nt-Teacher Federation. The Feder- . ation notified the provincial authori- Hes of their findines at that camp, and demanded better housing and treatment without delay. Shortly af- ser, the Federation were told that “the patients were moved to a TB. hospital and giyen the best medical aitention and care by the staff from the Tranquille Sanitorium.’ When sve, the patients, arrived at Kamloops we found the place hardly better ethan the camp we had come from. We were informed that the camp wyrould be taken over by the Tran- Be quille Sanatorium soon, as things got i properly: arranged. Three months \have passed and nothing has been done to fulfill the promises made. We find ourselves existing in sub- zero weather fighting against terri- fic odds. Dr, Lapp who is medical director of the Tranquille Sanatorium refused to take over the camp and condemned it as “unfit to live in.’ Following is a true statement of conditions now prevailing in this camp: i. The bunk houses are filthy, overcrowded, and: cold. 2, While the food is fair in qual- aty, the dining room is as cold as an iee plant. The icood allowance is sO meagre that it allows for no wariety in diet, whatsoever. 3- The patients suffermg from ali manner of diseases are put to- gether indiscriminately. Total lacl ef all necessities such as bed stands, drinking glasses, etc. One bed change every two weeks which zonsists of one sheet, pillow case and pyjamas. No disinfectant. All up patients haye to wash their own clothes, tloors, ete. 4. Many of the men are sick enough to need continuous traimed ware, but get prone. 5. The medical attention is en- tirely inadequate. The orderlies imow nothing whatever about the care of tue sick. There is no doc- tor in resuiar attendance. The facts forth above vouched for by the writer and all undersigned patients. We put these facts before the public in the hope that it will join us in an endeayor to abolish these camps and their ip- human practices. z Siened by 23 men of - Efospital Camp 390, Kamlocps, B.C. was Set are W.H. Malkin Co. Has Spies And Speed-up Malkin Shell Is But Slave Memorial Editer, “B.C. Workers’ News.’’ Just a few highlights on ene of Vancouver's greatest exploiters of labor,—the W. HH. Malkin Co. At the time W. H. Malkin donated the music shell, hé~fired two of his slaves, so that it means it is not a Malkin memorial at all, but a ‘Jack Prescott and Lenard May memorial,” as the wages they should have re- eeived but didn’t, paid for it. Just lately he has shown what ikind of a man he is by taking one week’s holidays from his workhouse employees who formerly had two weeks. But that may not include his straw boss or a few “yes men.’ Another way he has of helping his eniployvees iS: they are all paid by the month, yet if they are off sick a day, or a holiday such as Xmas, Boxing and New Year's Day, they “docked.” The speed-up System is also in full swing. The straw boss Soes about “half nuts’? sometimes. If he gets a bawling out from the gods that be, he passes it on to the warehouse slayes, cursing and swear- ing, and with hands waving over his head like a madman. There are few contented men in the warehouse. W. H. himself gave some of the men their Xmas boxes personally by sticking out a very limp hand and wishing them a “‘Mer- ry Xmas.’ Wasn't that bis-hearted ef him? His brother Phil Malkin is another big-hearted capitalist. Why, he once gaye away absolutely free some sour marmalade to the Pogey in Chinatown. We often wonder if his conscience bothers him when he looks at his poor slaves in his ware- are house with their tired looks, flat feet and round shoulders. Wake up, Malkin slaves. Organize and get a square deal. I nearly for- sot to say that the leaders in the last war could learn and improve on their spy using the Malkin Code. System by A Worker. Sports Front Boycott Boss Olympics GERMANY. Herr Fritz Scion, of a leading Cologne family, formerly a member of the “Daily Mirror” sports staff, is now a big shot in Germany since Hitler ascended to power. Iritz is now the boxing promoter and di- rector of the “Berlin Sportpalats” and is also holding a leading govern- ment posit. He is at present angling for a fight between Max Baer and Schmellinge. OLYMPIC GAMES. Construction is under way on the Olympic Studium which being built eight miles out of Berlin. Its seating capacity is 150,000. This is the stadium which will be used for the boss Olympics in the summer of 1936. Just as capitalism is interna- tional so is their sports. The games are being held in a country where chauvinism is practiced to the ut- most. Por example: The Jewish peo- ple who, before Hitler’s adyent to power, were the leading sportsmen, are now barred from active partici- pation in this field, as in all others. The Olympic games are being held in a country which is in the fore- front of the anti-Soviet campaign and as the U.S:S_-R.- not being asked to participate in the Olympics, it seems as though the chief reason is the Nazi leaders and their fol- lowers could not bear to see the “Red flag’ flying and hear the In- ternationale being played every time the Soviet Union placed first in an event. It is the custom in the Olym- pie games that whichever country’s sportsmen place first in an event the flag of their representative country is hoisted and its national anthem is played. Rally under the banner of the Workers’ Sports Association in this campaign of “Boycott the Boss Olympics,” by supporting us in the campaign of sending a dele- gate to the U.S.S.R. this summer. W.S.A Office: Room 210 Empire Bidg., 603 Hastings St. W., Vancou- ver, B.C. is is NOTICE The Workers Centre, Street E:, North Vancouver, B-C., Sunday, February 10, 8 p.m: Ad- dress by R. Lealess on “The Work- ers’ Social Insurance.’ Questions and All welcome. 200° Hirst discussion. | | S. Hill Sewer Job Revolt Relief Workers Ready To Act VANCOUVER, Feb. i1.—The spon- taneous strike that took place on the South slope sewer job recently by relief workers working for a mere pittance over and above their relief, shows the ever willingness of the workers to struggle and also the dangers of spontaneouity that is likely to take place if the proper leadership is not there to suide and direct these strugegles.> On investigating the results of the strike we find that a white collar worker not accustomed to sewer work and unable to keep up the pace set down by the foreman, was fired without notice, when the work- ers knocked off for lunch at 11:30. The news of this high-handed ac- tion on the part of the foreman spread like lightning throughovt the ranks of the workers. Immediately. there was a buzz of voices; someone suggested a petition. Paper and pen- cil was cecured and the petition was on Again someone gested a delegation be “shack"’ its way. sug- sent the to demand that this man be reinstated. That was more like it. The petition was forgotten and the delegation was hastily picked and sent to the “shack” to find out why the man was fired. At this point the foreman bellowed out his “All to work” signal] and only a few weaklings responded. Out of about two hundred men, only ten moved off towards the ditch. The foreman was quite astonished at the men not acting like a bunch of sheep, and turning on his heel made for the shack and was later seen catch- ing a Streetcar for town. The delegation reported that no one here knew why the worker was fired and suggested that they go to the main relief office to get the rea- son. The to returned and- told everybody to go up to the shack. He told the workers how lazy the fired worker had been, how utterly useless he was, and of his confer- ence at the main relief office. He said no one would be blacklisted or cut off relief for quitting or being fired, and only the amount of money coming to a worker would be de- ducted from his relief allowance. There still some talk of or- ganization on the job and it was the opinion of the yorker I interviewed that the men on the sewer job would be the easiest in the whole of Vancouver at the present time. forman is to organize Editor's Note.—What is the matter the Workers Unity League taking a hand? Come on you or- ganizers—jump to it! A Workers’ Press with Thou art the melting-pot Into which we pour The fiery liquid Of our grievances And seething passions Long smouldering ‘neath injustice. Within the melting-pot A churning process goes on And soon—Behold! There flows from it The liquid, smooth and cool Of reason Which hath gathered The seattered drops of hate And passion Into a flood of logic Which at first indicts, Then menaces, Then in a vast torrent Drowns ovst forever All injustice. S. Zlotvick. A.CCL MEMBERS DEMAND CHANGE "LABOR TRUTH" Splitting Policy Firmly Denounced At the last meeting of the Van- couver Labor Council there was a lively discussion on the organiza- tional methods pursued by the Na- tional Labor Council in their offi- cial paper, viz., “The Labor Truth.” Several delegates drew to the atten- tion of the meeting the antipathy Solidarity Sointula Shows the Way The Communist Party of Canada (Sointula Section) have donated $14 towards the expenses of the Unem- ployed Delegates who have gone to Ottawa to represent the Provincial Workers’ Council at the Congress of the Unemployed, when they present the “Workers’ Bill for Non-contribu- tory Unemployment Insurance’ to the Bennett Government. This is real solidarity and a real expression of unity in the fight for the relief of the sufferings of the Unemployed Workers of British Co- lumbia. The Provincial Workers’ Council asks the “News”? to convey through the medium of-its columns its appreciation of the stand taken by the workers and farmers of Sojn- tula. FARMERS’ PLIGHT GIBSON LANDING “Work and Wages” on a Lead Raft GIBSONS LANDING, Feb. 1.—We workers of Gibsons Iandine who haye read the first two issues of the “B.C. Workers News'’ wish to congratulate all those comrades who have made the publication of such a splendid working class paper pos- sible, Gibsons Landing is one of those beautiful summer resorts to which men of wealth and moderate means come for a few weeks in the summer time. However, it has its unpleasant aspects for relief workers, and poor farmers. Many of them have spent a lifetime in mule work on their farms, only to find now that they ‘are required through force of circum- stances to Sign up for the monthly Stretch on the “chain gangs.’ The sovernment relief officials classify these men as being partly self-sup- porting so the Bloody Axe of cap- italism swings for and wide and chops a good liberal slice off the regular allowance. The farmer is left thus to clothe and feed himself and family on such a meagre pit- tance that the result has been very eruel indeed. While the recent cold spell was on, we found poor farmers’ children trudgine off to school over snow-covered roads, under-nourished. The footwear on some of these chil- dren could be pointed to as a decided against the cruel one-sided which witness system under pelled to exist. The tools with which we work on stump ranches and fruit farms were tor the most part bought when better. Now they wor out and obsolete. All farmers require During the last two years the government has been dishing out prosperity and ‘“*Work and Wages” ‘Jead raft’? to those people who want to get out on to the land. These workers find very quickly that they have not sufficient we are com- our times were are new tools. on a tools, blankets, household articles, ete. They are offered the same “Work and Wages” insult every month from their stretch on the chain gang, as are the established farmers, The fact that old estab- lished farmers cannot get by on their allowance should prove the im- possibility of a beginner making an existence on the same starvation rations. Year after year taxes are piling up on our holdings. Our standard of living is being lowered into a bottom- less pit, must or- ganize inte a unified body of farm- ers and workers to resist the steam- roller onslaught of hideous capital- istic exploitation. so therefore we —wW orker. which members of their unions held towards some of the articles in said paper. It was brought out that working-class solidarity could not be obtained by attacking those or- sp nizations, who, surmounted multi- tudinous difficulties many workers whom the reckoned were utterly able. On the recomraendation of several delegates it was deemed advisable that the paper adopt a more trade- union policy. EH was also pointed out that workers from the variou should eontribute articles of interest, thereby helping to build paper worthy of the name “Labor Truth.” A CANADIAN URION MAN. in organizing A.C-C.L. unorganiz- locals rok The best and only way against Bascism and War is to build the United Front of Labor and zizht Capitalism. to fight | Results of Initial Drive The following are the amounts raised by the respective phases of the campaign up to and including Feb. 2nd: Sale of subseriptions at regular rates, $4.05; Sale of reduced rate subs, $154.00; Receipts from sale of draw tickets, $130.33; Donations and collections, $140.28; Greetings, $44.20; Sale of certificates, $9.00; making a grand total of $481.81. This amount of money was raised for the most part on the promise of a paper. Now that the promise has been fulfilled and the paper is a reality, we should be in a position to go forward with the campaign as proposed in the last issue of the paper with the assurance of fulfill- ment by about two hundred percent. The quotas set last week by the board now appear to be much below that which most of the organizations want to take on, so we are willing to accept the responsibility for this mis- take providing that the quotas are over-Subscribed. So let’s go and see who will be the first to complete their share of the campaign. Business Manager. N. Van. Socials NORTH VANCOUVER, Feb. 4.— The ‘Workers’ Centre’ is now in good shape for labor activities. It has recently been renovated. The “Progressive Arts Club” gave a con- cert there January 20, Comrade Hope gave a lecture on the “Life of :Lenin’’ and under the direction of Com. Muir the Club supplied the music. We haye purchased a piano for the ‘‘Centre’’ and a yiolin class of eight students is now organized. We expect to lift the workers’ move- ment in North Vancouver during the coming year through these social activities.—_E.M. CRUEL TACTICS PRACTISED ON AGED COUPLE Ald. McDonald Suggests Son Leaves His Aged Parents VANCOUVER, B.C., Feb. 4.—Act- ing upon a grievance brought to the Unemployed meeting of two weeks ago, a committee went to the Relief Department requesting an interview regarding an old couple, whose ages were 69 and 79 and who were in ill health, requirine medical attention. This old couple have a son who 29. Prior to January last year (1934) the 69-year-old lady was in- formed after presenting her card and declaring sheet, that she and her husband were no longer entitled to relief, as she did not consider her Son a dependent, and falsely declared that her son had not earned some money; and was further told that she was liable to =o to prison. She was so frightened she did not return for assistance, and since January last year they have been compelled to live on the generosity of neighbors and what the son could piclk up or earn. A delegation visited the home and found no fuel and little to eat, and the 79-year-old man ill. The outcome was that at the Relief Department, Mr. Kent stated that the delegation would not be interviewed by the De- partment and would deal only with the old lady, whereupon she, also in ill health, was told that “‘due to her and her husband’s age they were en- titlea to relief, but the son would have to apply for them.’ The son eould not immediately apply, owing to gettnge some casual work for the is first time in months. Ald. McDonald was then inter- viewed, and after some considerable discussion stated that “as the son was living at the son should eare for his parents.’” He further stated that ‘if his parents wanted relief he (the son) might moye away invalid parents and then home, from his possibly something could be done for the old couple.” In summing up the whole matter the situation stands that if the son applies for assistance for his parents he is placed in the position as head o& the family; or else he will have to leave home, leaving the old couple to shift for themselves. What is your opinion? This case is still being worked upon. Comradely yours, Grievance Committee. Ed. Note: In view of the fact that this couple are living in VYarcou- yer, the Grievance Committee should attempt to get action when the delegation atiend the ‘special meeting” of the Gity Ccuncil. NO HANDS REST IN A RESTMORE MATTRESS SHOP Local Plant Prepares To Instal Bedaux System Recently the Restmore Mattress Co. gave the workers in their fac- tory an increase of five cents per hour. The Company did this to off- set the discontent which is expected in this plant when the company establishes the Bedaux System. This system of speed-up has caused num- erous strikes in factories throughout the whole American continent. The boss of this plant was made to pay Some back money to some workers in view of the Minimum Wage Aci and he knows that there is some or- ganization in the plant, but he is noi yet able to put his finger on the members of the Union. He is afraic of the Furniture and Woodworkers’ Industrial Union, especielly in view of the struggle the members of that Union put up at Stratford, Ont. The workers in the Restmore factory are determined to hold their Union in spite of all the trickery of the boss. Bosses’ Trickery Fails The boss imagined that he could trick the workers into exposing them- selves. He leaves the copy of the workers’ paper, “‘Workers’ Unity,” laying on the bench, and watches to See who reads it interestedly. He is preparing to lay off some of the workers as soon as he gets the Be- daux System going, and the workers who are helping to build the Union will be the first to be laid off if the boss can find out who is active. The workers are not so foolish, however, and they Know when and where to read the workers’ press: They are not to be caught napping with such a erude trick. The members of the Union are slowly but surely prepar- ing to build the Union more solidly in this plant, and to overcome the difficulties which exist. W oorcorr. Poison Gas Senator Clark: We the investi- gating committee, learned that American manufacturers of poi- son gases had engaged in every sort of intrigue in the promotion ef revolution in Cuba and South America, that one of them had ac- tually employed an alleged Chris- tian missionary in Central Amer- ica as an agent and demonstrator of his wares; that another actual- ly had the hardihood to approve and defend before our conmmittees the conduct of one of bis agents in talking helpless prisoners from South American dungeons and making them unwilling subjects for demonstrations of his gases. (@fanitions investigation as re- ported in the Congressional record Jan. 10th, 1935. (PB. 277.) Greetings “The Worker’ sends heartiest revolutionary greetings to our brother fighter “B.C. Workers’ News.” Fifteen thousand readers greet another fighter as an addi- tion to our heavy artillery in the storming of the capitalist citadels. Signed: Sami Carr, Editor of ‘‘The Worker.” Princeton Branch of the Jugo Slay Workers’ Club sends warm revolu- tionary greetings to the “B.C. Work- ers' News.”’ We trust that the paper will be another weapon in the hands of the miners of B.C. in the struggle for better st@ndards of living. NOTICE The D.B.C. of the Canadian Labor Defense League wishes to express appreciation to the Vancouver and District Waterfront Workers’ Asso- ciation for the splendid support given by their members to the Defense Fund, actual amount being $52.13. This is the kind of solidarity that The C.L.D-L. stands ready at all times in the defense of Trade Unionists in their struggles, and in rendering legal advice. Signed on behalf of the D.E.C., Secretary Tom Nelson, Assistant Sec. F. Lucas. HASTINGS BAKERY 716 BAST BASTING ST. counts, The Gakery that supplied bread to the Loggers’ Stnike. We Specialize in Cakes and Pancy Bread Support These Who Support You | { ‘holler for the EXTENSION INB.C. GHOST TOWN Pearson’s ‘‘Pie Crust’’ Promises Some four years ago the manage- ment of the Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd. save orders to fin- ish the Extension mines as quickly aS possible. This was carried out in’ & very short time by pulling out the main road pillars which would cause. the roads to cave, Siving the com= pany an excuse to close them down. There are many thousands of tons’ of coal that could be profitably mined, and yet these miners have to go on relief, and people demand- ing; Extension coal. Was there any talk of a ghost town by the company or its tools? Was there any action by the Pro- vincial Department of Mines to stop the waste of the natural resources of the couuntry? No! Three or four hundred miners alone with their - wives and children, matters not. Many people are under the impres- Sion that the Extension coal fields: are worked out. This is not a fact, as was stated to the Minister of Mines, G. S: Pearson, by a commit- tee of the Extension Unemployed Council who pointed out to him how coal could still be mined at Exten- Sion on a profitable basis and if he did not believe that it could be done, the miners of Extension, who are unemployed, would, if they had the opportunity, prove to Him. Pearson Save this committee to understand that he would immediately take the matter up with the company. Pear- son said that he would see that the committee would be kept well in—- formed on the matter, but the com- mittee are still waiting, after one year, to hear the first word from Pearson. Anyone who does not understand what a ghost town really is, should take a look at Extension. Mine buildings are tumbling down and machinery is red with rust. Its peo— ple are unemployed and there is no outlook in life other than promises made by capitalist politicians during the last election campaign which do not fill empty stomachs and empty homes. The Jand owners in the Hx- tension district have recently re- ceived notiee of a large increase on their tax rate, yet this company has the privilege of making ghost towus whenever it is to their own adyant- age. They own hundreds of acres of land surrounding Extension, yet do not pay a cent of land or school tax. This is capitalism. Capitalists say the workers are incapable of taking over the country and running it suc- eessftully. Workers of British CGo- lumbia, especially Extension and Ladysmith, do you think you could run the country any worse than capitalism? —Press Correspondent. Expert Slave Driver In B.C. Power & Gas Editor, “B. ©. Workers’ News.’ Dear Comrade: Jan. 21st. —Three workers were fired at 1 o'clock this morning by a Slave driving foreman of the B. E. R. These workers were indis- criminately picked to order to in- timidate and drive the remaining workers to the utmost. At the time they were fired they were wet to the skin, and it was a relief to get off the job. Their hours were from Ji p.m. to 7 a.m. Due to the recent cold snap in Vancouver the B. C. E. BR. had many rush orders for coke. Extra labor was required to meet these demands: ‘That was the only reason these workers sot work. The coke department of the B. C. &. R. worked three shifts, and the workers on this job were working under the most inhuman conditions imaginable. Most of the men were not equipped for the weather. Con- sequently their clothes were like se many rags, and th®y tramped about in shoes that were squelching full of water. Every once in a while a foreman would comae around and workers to “hurry up.” The workers were already go- ing as fast as they could, because they had to keep moving in an effort to keep a little warm. This is the most terrific form of exploitation. As far as the B. C. E. R. concerned, profits befere hu- man needs! We wonder what the slave drivers of this company think of the report given by one of their own workers who just returned from the Soviet Union. Wours for Soviets. Blacklisted Slave Camp Worker. is