Page Four B. Cau IWEO ROKER NEWS April 1” BC. WorkKERS NEWS Published Weekly by THE PROLETARIAN PUBLISHING ASSN Room 10, 163 West Hastings Streer - Vancouver, BS: at — Subscription Rates — One Year — -$1.80 ial wear = 200 Three Months__$ .50 Single Gopy ——— .05 at Make All Checks Payable to the B.C. WORKERS’ NEWS Send All Gopy and Manuscript to the Chairman of the Editorial Board —— Send All Monies and Letters Per- taining to Advertising and Girculation to the Business Manager. THE COMMISSION DUD The “investigation” of the Relief Camps by the Royal Commission drags on its weary way, the monotony relieved only by the camp workers who break through the skillful hand- ling of the investigation with statements re- garding the rotten conditions in the camps, the militarization, graft and corruption pre- vailing. The Commission and the politicians who appointed them now realize that their nice little scheme for breaking the strike has proved to be a dud. The purpose behind the setting up of the Commission, viz. to defeat the strike, has not been, and will not be ac- complished. The Camp Workers are too wise to the tricks of the Pattullos, the McGeers and the Bennetts, and they are too skillfully and militantly led to fall into any such traps. Great stupidity was shown in the selection of the personnel of the Commission. How could they expect any worker to have confi- dence in such a commission? The workers have no confidence in any commission or board appointed by their class enemies. But this one is an insult. The chairman is an ex- Judge of a capitalist court, and was the one who sentenced Arthur Evans to a long term in Oakalla prison. Another, McHattie, is the head of a clothing concern which has fat con- tracts supplying clothes to the camp workers. He certainly will not want the camps abol- ished! The third is a parson who has had his training in the capitalist cesspool known as Social. Service, and who is the official spiritual opium pedlar in the camps. He gets paid for his sky-piloting in the camps and can not be expected to cancel his meal ticket by their abolition. : The way out for the camp workers is not reliance on commissions appointed by their enemies, although utilizing them when set up to expose not only the Gommission itself but the conditions they pretend to investi- gate, but on their own struggle supported by as broad a mass support as can be mobilized. VELVET AND STEEL The bible-pounding he Carrie Nation of Vancouver, Mayor McGeer, is coming out more and more openly each day as a strike- breaker. The success of the striking Camp Workers’ tag day, which netted nearly $6,- 000, and was carried through without Mc- Geer’s permission, has peeved the sermon- iser. He now has issued a bull declaring that parades and demonstrations must cease, and again advises the men to go back to the camps and wait for adjustments, etc. etc. This is sheer strike-breaking, and nothing else. McGeer, like others of his demagogic- order, is adept in the game of bamboozling the public by quixotic tilting at monetary windmills, but when a real issue immediately affecting the workers comes up he lines up in support of Grote Stirling of the Canadian War Office and Starvation Pattullo in their program of concentration camps for the workers. McGeer can not charge the Slave Camp Workers with disorder in parades or demon- strations. On the contrary, he is well aware of the favorable impression made on the peo- ple of Vancouver by the strikers who have shown outstanding self-discipline while at the same time showing their potential power. If MeGeer and Company want trouble and force it upon the strikers, they will undoubt- edly find the latter worthy foes, and at the same time will dig their own political graves. The right of assembly and the use of the streets by the workers must be defended by the united power of the working class, and McGeer’s efforts at introducing Hitlerism in Vancouver must be defeated. THE REFORMIST ROAD Jimmy Simpson, “Socialist” mayor of To- ronto is adding to the thickness of the cloak of infamy and treason to the labor movement with which he has been covering himself for more than a quarter of a century. With a black record of reaction already es- tablished he entered the mayor’s office last January, and at once began, more openly and cynically than ever, to serve his masters, the exploiters and oppressors of the toilers. Since taking over the office of mayor, he has cut relief, raised the taxes of the poor, has evicted unemployed workers, their wives MAY DAY, i938 The history of May Day is the history of the development of the working class strug- gle against oppression, its struggle for its ital needs and towards its final emancipa- tion. Therefore May Day is not looked upon as just another holiday, but as a day on which the working class reviews its forces. mobilizes them for struggle, develops class consciousness, and builds up solidarity. May Day is rich in working class tradi- tion; the great struggle for the eight-hour day is indissolubly connected with this day. and the names of Labor’s greatest martyrs are inseparably connected with it. The rul- ing class of the capitalist world hates the workers’ celebration of May Day, and in or- der to get rid of such celebrations have set aside a “legal” holiday in September, on which day, with the active assistance of their agents in the labor movement, they try to develop class collaboration as an antidote to class struggle. The increasing attacks upon the working class standard of living, the more or less open advance to fascism and the feverish preparations for another capitalist war make May Day, this year. of greater significance than ever before. The workers on this May Day, regardless of trades union or political affiliation, should form one solid, united front and pour out in masses into the streets and to the meetings, expressing their soli- darity with the workers of the world and their determination to unitedly struggle for the immediate pressing needs of our class and for final struggle for the complete over- throw of capitalism, and the setting up of Soviet rule of the workers and farmers in Canada. 4 PATTULLO—STRIKEBREAKER The strikebreakinge role of Premier Pat- tullo in the struggle of the Relief Camp Workers is clearly revealed by Pattullo him- self in his telegram to the Federal govern- ment. The telegram in part reads: “If we were to accept responsibility for those re- admitted and again discharged your camps would soon be depleted and the several thou- sand men now in camps would congregate in the large centres and claim Provincial relief.” (Emphasis ours.) The men now in Vancouver on strike against the unbearable conditions in the camps are demanding relief, but McGeer and Pattullo ask them to go back to the camps and wait. They refuse them relief in order to force them back and break the strike. They also try to intimidate them with gratui- tous provocative and wholly uncalled-for threats of what they will do to maintain cap- italist ‘“lornorder”’ which threats are also cal- culated to turn public sympathy against the strikers by making the public believe them to be a bunch of hoodlums. The Provincial government as well as the City Council of Vancouver did everything within their power to prevent the strike be- ing called in the first place, and everything possible to break it since it began. In this they were acting in accordance with the in- terests of the class whose tools they are, and hand in glove with the Federal government. The strength of the strikers lies in soli- darity, in the mass character of the strike and the mass support they have secured. That strength can be increased by drawing in ever greater masses into the struggle, by getting the rest of the men out of the camps, and extending the strike to other provinces right across Canada. and their children, and used police to club workers striking against starvation wages. And his latest stunt was to endorse fas- cist measures by joining with the open fascist Mayor Houde of Montreal and other Canadian mayors in praising the “blank cheque” legislation of Bennett which was en- acted in order to maintain capitalist “peace, order and good government.” With his fellow mayors this “Socialist” renegade “recognized” the ‘‘gravity” of the situation in Canada as justification for the legislation which placed a large measure of dictatorial power in the hands of the multi- millionaire Bennett. The “gravity” of the situation was the rising struggles of the workers against Ben- nett’s starvation of the unemployed and his attempts to solve the problem of the crisis by further intensification of the exploitation of the workers and farmers. Reformist leaders will do all in their power to save capitalism in a crisis, whether it be against proletarian revolution, as in Ger- many; a financial crisis in 1931 in England when MacDonald went over to the Tory Na- tional government to “‘save the nation’; re- formist federal members supporting Ben- nett’s fascist “New Deal’; or Simpson en- dorsing the partial dictatorship of Bennett. It is high time that the workers who quite honestly support such as Simpson look more closely into the actions of their leaders, and recognizing their treason, repudiate them. MILLION LEAVING SCHOOL —NO WORK AVAILABLE BERLIN, April 10. (ALP)—Some| work, the crowds grouped them- 950,000 children leaving school at| selves around the workers and Room 29 Faster will find themselves with no| helped them to escape. 163 West Hastings St. > in the centre of the town. police saw distributors of leaflets at Where GORDON GRANT prospect of work, according to the Institute for Economic Research. SEX GET 20 YEARS GIJON, Spain, March 15. (ALP)— Court martial here has sentenced six revolutionaries to terms of from 10 to 20 years. tral committee Defense “Nieuwe League untrue. Kasper, ANTI-FASCISTS IN PORTUGAL LISBON, Portugal — (By Mail) — ({(ALP)—MIlegal antifascist organiza- dions distributed numerous leatlets the NAZI TERROR BERLIN.—(By Mail). (ALP)—Cen- of the jllegal Labor reports Rotterdamsche information, to the effect that Willi Jasper was in an insane asylum, former Communist member of the Prussian Diet, is in Berlin-Moabit awaiting trial for high treason. SOLICITOR FOR THE C.L.D.L. DANCE ORANGE HALL FRIDAY, APRIL 19 auspices Workers Unity League March Campaign that the Courant” is remand prison, here, to the chargin of the police, svyho could not trace them. One day a red flag fluttered from a bridge active worker. Join the Union—Be proud to be an ADMISSION - - 15c HELP! HAVE FUN! regarded by the great Lenin as the After a brief but heroic struggle To their imperishable memory tribute: And with the sombre ivy JAMES CGNNOLLY, REVOLUTIONARY HERO Nineteen years ago, on Haster Monday, the revolutionary workers and exploited farmers of Ireland, led by James Connolly, who was land ever produced, raised the flag of revolt against their British imperialist oppressors and the native Ivish bourgeoisie who were as- sisting in keeping Ireland in bondage for a share of the spoils. Pearse and others in the forefront of the struggle were arrested and shot by order of the British government, a member of which was the “Socialist” leader of the British Labor Party, Arthur Henderson, who spoke not one word against their execution. unknown, eight years ago penned the following tender and appreciative EASTER WEEK Then peace be to their ashes and the clay where they are laid; On those bright gallant hearts light may it lie, And may the land that bore them for the sacrifice they made Close press them to her bosom with a sigh. The grey cloud shadow passes and the knot-grass Swings and sways, And in the quiet brook that skirts the cemetery plays The minnow on the shadow of the wall. A working bee.on business and a butterfly intent On pleasure pass together o’er the stream; The place of tombs to which of late so many heroes went From battle, now is quiet as a dream. ereatest revolutionary leader Ire- the revolt was crushed. Connolly, an Irish worker, whose name is makes a pall, PATTULLO PASSES DELEGATION DEMANDS ‘RESIGN’ BUCK: CAMP Tag Day Held in Victoria Mass Support for Strike VICTORIA, B.C., April 13.—Met by a large body of Vancouver Island slave camp strikers, the delegation sent over to interview Premier Pat- tullo was augmented by two dele- gates from Wancouver Island strik— ers. Premier Pattullo spent an un- comfortable hour and a half with the delegation, but refused to do any- thing of benefit for the camp men. Soll Has a “Work and Wages” Plan The Premier passed the buck as usual, and told the delegation how hard he had ‘‘worked”’ for the past 18 months, getting legislation passed. The woman delezate interjected: “Yes, the Special Powers Act, and such like.’”? She told him “You should resign.’”’ The Premier got his “dan- der’ up and shot back: “I will not resign, and if I did you would only get someone worse than me.” He refused to send a wire to Bennett, but it seems that after the delega- tion left he had another think com- ing and sent one. He told the dele- gation that he still had a “work and wages” plan. In this he resembled R. B. Bennett, who says he is still going to ‘“cure’’ unemployment. Broad Delegation Te delegation was representative of many workers’ organizations. The following delegates attended: Pe Kelly, of Relief Camp Workers Un- ion; R. Bray, of C.C.F. Clubs; La Jeannes, of the Lumber Workers’ Union; Paraelli, of Vancouver Island Camp Workers; A. Ratti, of Long- shoremen’s Union; Mrs. D. M. Sims, of the S. P. of C.; Krauchi, of Relief Camp Workers’ Union; Williamson, of Amalgamated Building Workers’ Union. Workers E-servicemen were also represented. The tag day in Victoria netted $185.00 for the striking camp work- ers. The C.C.F. Clubs on the Island donated $50, and the Longshoremen of Victoria assessed their members 50 cents per head for the strikers. FASCISM TAUGHT IN TORONTO SCHOOL TORONTO, April 10.—(ALP)—The Separate School Board here last night filed a letter charging that Fascism is taught in at least one of the Catholic Schools in the city. The charge was made at a mass Meeting in the Labor Lyceum called by the Mazzini Circle, local Italian anti-Fascist Club. The board, in filing the letter, re- fused to take any action and will not investigate the school in ques- tion. Local Italian workers whose children attend the school report that the teacher, who was imported from Italy, is a Fascist and takes up a great deal of the school time tell- ing the children about the “glories’’ of the Mussolini terror rule. NOVA SCOTIA WOMEN ORGANIZE NORTH SYDNEY, N.S., March 31. — (ALP) —About 100 women and girls turned out to the first meeting of the newly organized Women’s Aumxiliary of Unemployed and Part Time Workers’ Association here re- cently. A meeting to be held soon will see the young men of eighteen and over organizing to better their conditions. Tack of industry has held back workers unity to some ex- tent in the past, but the present conditions of life and the alarming future that presents itself are such that the workers are uniting to put a stop to injustices and to gain their rights. FASCIST TERROR IN LATVIA RIGA, Latyia, April 8 (ALP)—Two young workers, Bonarenko and Boreslav, were sentenced to death here for their anti-ascist activities. In the harbor .at Windau fifteen other young workers are being tried Their leader, is acting as spokesman for the group and is facing the court courageously. : on the same charge. Larin, COMMUNIST ALDERMEN FIGHT ON WINNIPEG CITY COUNCIL I.L.P. Aldermen Defeat Motion for 50 Cents For Laborers WINNIPEG, April 9.— Maintain- of restrictions on the use of the Market Square for meetings, which forbid meetings to be held before 8 D.m., were accord- ed support by I-L-P. aldermen, caus- the defeat of the motion by Penner to remove all restric- A slight concession was gain- when it was decided ing workers’ and Forkin tions. ed, however, to permit meetings after 12 o’clock Further reaction was the: 1215-2: assisted in defeating the request of delegates from the May Day Confer- noon on Sundays. evidenced when ence to have May Day proclaimed a civic Joliday, with Penner and For- kin the sole champions of tHe dele- fates . 1.L.P. Shelve Motion Similar action by the I.P.L. alder- men caused defeat of the fight of cents per the A kill the op- rent 38% cents per hour as minimum wage for civic laborers. move by the I.L.P. aldermen to this motion by sending it to wage committee met with strong position from the Communists. The unemployment committee is to enquire into the beating up of i. Dorman at the relief offices by a the two Communists to establish 50 hour instead of the cur-, Anti-War League Publication Gut Soon TORONTO, April 5. (ALP)—The first edition of the official publica- tion of the Canadian League Against War and Fascism will be off the presses by the 24th of April, it was A, A. McLeod, chairman of the Laegue. The name “Action” has been tentatively de- cided upon. announced today by The paper will be printed in semi- tabloid form and will contain news of the world movement against war but will Canadian news and fasecisni, particularly and articles exposing the drive towards war and the development of Fascism and fascization in Canada. Stress the C.C.F. National Council, and on Reviewed by The above is the title of a speak- ers’ handbook, officially endorsed by sale for twenty-five cents. It in- cludes the Manifesto, Immediate Pro- gram and Constitution of the C.C.P- In these pages are given statistics showing the centralization of control of Canadian industry and finance, the miserably low wages being paid to workers in various industries and businesses, and the terrible plight of the poor farmer. The runnin= commentary between statistics makes no mention of the fact that these conditions are due to the ownership of the means of pro- duction by the capitalist class. It asserts that the great evil is private ownership, and as a remedy for this advocates public ownership by the same class who own privately. The whole booklet is an argument to elect a C.G.F. government to administer capitalist affairs, and tries to show that such a G.C.F. government would be more Kind, more benevolent than a more open capitalist government. How is this to be done? Reform, re- form, reform; capitalism need not be abolished, it needs reforming. The reader cannot help noting that Ben- nett, Stevens and King all talk the same way- The C.C.E&. program, one gathers, will ‘‘protect” the workers, will “pro- tect” the poor farmers. But one also gathers that it will also “protect” the capitalist class from the work- ing-class, and this indeed is the pur- pose not only behind this booklet but behind the whole C.C FE. The Cana- dian Constitution, the British North America Act, obviously a constitution of the capitalist class, is to be amend- ed, not abolished. Lhe Labor Code proposed by the C.C.E. would have the same results as that of Bennett, it would lay down a code of wazes THROUGH C.C.F. GLASS: By GRACE MacINNIS and CHARLES J. WOODS and conditions in industry, min € F. Biges Pe OT i lieve + Pee wages, hours, ete., and this cod” Bennett's, and Pattullo’s Powers Act, would result in Ss” ing all labor unions and den) workers all right of collective gaining between employers an ployees on the job. Many of nett’s repressive pieces of anti legislation have been support C.C.F> leaders on the plea tha were steps in the right directic Labor Codes, Bennett’s or WV worth’s, are steps in the diz of Fascism! a In the section of the bookijet ““Justice,’’ there is this paragre “Phe revelations during the session of conditions in Isin; Penitentiary are still fresh i: public mind. The admission b, minister of Justice that shots been fired by penitentiary gi into the cell of a political pri is a shocking commenary 01 type of discipline that prevail Tim Buck is not mention: name, but this clearly refers t and there is not one word of f= against a workineclass leader imprisoned by the capitalist Guthrie, when he couid no | deny it, admitted that shots hat fired into Buck’s cell, but, he it was just to intimidate him authors of this booklet deseril shooting as a disciplinary me Do they consider that puttin eight Communists in the penite for anti-capitalist class activit another ‘‘step in the right tion”? The booklet is well gotten 1 is printed on good quality pape printed in big, easy to read It has a striking bright red Between the red front and 1% back all is reformism. It is goodly-appearing apple rotten core.” CAMP TAG DAY (Continued from Page 1) LOG STRIKE (Continued from Page 1) Lesion at New Westminster agreed to do all in his power to have the lists distributed. The longshoremen there took some lists. No Perniission for Tag Day. The strikers committee approached Chief Foster for authority to hold the tag day on Thursday. The chief phoned Mayor McGeer, who stated that he could not give permission to, hold it. The chief was in a quandry, as the men stated that they had made preliminary arrangements to go through with it and the camp workers were confident that public opinion was behind them. Mayor Mc- Geer told the committee last Wed- nesday that they should find out whether they had public opinion be- hind them before they did anything. The tag day left ne doubt about the matter. Victoria Too. At Victoria the striking camp workers organized a tag day Satur- day. Delegations went to all work- ers’ organizations to enlist support for the walk-out. Mass Meet and Parade. On Sunday, April 14th the relief camp workers called a mass meeting at Cambie Street Grounds, and three thousand workers attended. A splen- did meeting was held there, followed by a well disciplined parade to Stan- ley Park. Five workers came in town on Sunday from the Nelson contingent. They had a hard time getting through, but more are ex pected during the week. It is an- nounced that a mass meeting will be held mm the Arena for support of the camp workers on Friday, April 19tli at 8 p.m. NOTICE Tim Buck writes in to extend his appreciation for a letter containing $100 which he received in Edmon- ton. The letter. was forwarded by the C.U.D:L., as it was delivered after he left Wancouver. HASTINGS BAKERY 716 EAST HASTING ST. The Gakery that supplied bread to the Loggers’ Strike. We Specialize in Cakes and Faney Bread Support Those Who Support You as it was evidently the only left for us to do. A nego committee was formed, ar faced the employers with o mands, but they evidently 7 us very weak, as we only me once, and no headway was m all. In return they sent us cc proposals, but with the excep a-very few clauses their pri were turned down. We sent back with a covering letter for another meeting, but o Swer was as we had not at “their very reasonable den they therefore closed nega and withdrew their proposals Longshoremen and Towh< men Support Strike in the refused to load any logs, the towboat men also fF Vancouver island longsh were informed that any boats - logs diverted from Yancouve unfair. In fact, the exporter sewed fairly tight, and sinc closed negotiations, their pri bids them to reopen same. The lonshoremen, time, Shipping Federation Tr: To Break Sirike. However, a member of th Ping Federation asked to m negotiations committee on ; April i4th at 11 a.m. in his On our arrival we found thr ber was also offering his | as mediator between the 1 tions, so we put our case befc He wanted us to go back to ~ once and carry on negotiat the same time. We, howeve ing had their word broken could not see our way clea this without a signed ag from our employers, which ‘© could not be bad, so that y decided to hold on, becaus: lose this, it means a loss mu vital to other organizations ~ at present backing us to thi Workers Disappea: In Land of | ESSEN, Germany, April 5 Fourteen workers employed KiXrupp works have recentl peared without leaving a tras of their fellow workmen kne has become of them and thi tions, applying to the police Patronize Clympia Steam Baths Private Baths @pen on Thur., Pri., Sat., from 2 p.m. to 12 p.m. Experienced Masseur in Attendance. 35c Single, 60c a Pair 2558 BAST HASTINGS STREET police constable and a relief offi- cial, as a result of a motion by Penner. have been “advised” by Tf] Secret Police agents not * any further inquiries in a1) unless they want to land at concentration camps. NOTICE F.S.U. RUSSIA TODAY (Bneland) U.S.S:R. IN CONSTRUCTION MOSCOMAUINEIWS Utne secs ccncets SOVIBT TRAVELS (Moscow) LABOR MONTHLY (€éneland) CHINA TODAY LITERATURE SOVIET RUSSIA TODAY (Canada) REPORT OF J. STALIN TO 17th CONGRESS (Pamphlet) Discount on bundle orders from FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET UNION, Room 13, 163 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C. Te monthly 10¢ monthly 50c monthly 10e weekly Grand Benefit Soft || DANCI Good Friday, Apr 9 p.m. - i a.m. Embassy Ballre 1022 Davie Street Admission 25c Gaod Auspices Workers’ Sports Associ LET’S GO