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May 3, 1.

B.C Workers NEWS

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MAY DAY IN VANCOUVER

The magnificent parade and demonstra-
tion on May Day in Vancouver was most en-
couraging to the working class, constituting
as it did an unequivocal reply to the terror-
istic methods adopted by the authorities,
from Perley to McGeer.

It also speaks volumes for the rising mili-
taney of the working class as a whole and
for their growing solidarity. The growing
unity of the workers was also manifested.
Trades Unions of the American Federation
of Labor, All-Canadian Congress of Labor,
Workers’ Unity League and independent
unions participated along with scores of other
labor organizations. The magnificent show-
ing of the Chinese and Japanese workers was
proof of the failure of the chauvinist propa-
ganda of the “White B.C. League” and the-
reactionary trade union leaders for splitting
the ranks of the workers on the basis of
color.

The unity established between the Com-
munist Party and the Socialist Party, and
which was recently extended, was in evi-
dence, both parties participating in the pa-
rade and having speakers at the great gath-
ering in Stanley Park.

Tt is regrettable that the C.C.F. did not
officially participate or have a speaker on
the platform. However, thousands of rank
and file members and jsupporters of the
C. C.F. were marching and attended the
meeting.

The workers of Vancouver have reason to
be proud of their show of unity and strength
on May Day, 1935. It was a victory for the
United Front of Labor and should encourage
all workers to greater efforts in welding the
forces of the workers successfully to meet
the great struggles which lay before us.

THE PREACHERS’ PROPOSALS

Just as the strikers are receiving increas-
ing support from organized labor and the
public generally, so the authorities are se-
eurine the odd recruit to their side. Last
week it was a gathering of clergymen. These
gentlemen are always fulle of the milk of
human kindness for the “dear workers” when
there is no issue at stake. They were also
opposed to war before 1914, but when war
was declared they at once became the most
blatant and savage recruiting agents for the
slaughter.

Since the strike of Camp Workers began
they have been declaring their sympathy for
the boys; but their first official move was in
support of the Department of National De-
Defence. Horning in on the struggle, they
declared for “peace,” but the price of peace

- would be the ignominious capitulation of the
strikers. They proposed that the strikers go
back to the camps and that they repudiate
the very organization that organized them
and led, and is leading, them most loyally
during the struggle.

The contempt with which the strikers re-
eeived such sell-out proposals compelled the
reverend gentlemen to tortuously interpret
their proposals te mean something a little
different. They now say that they did not
propose that the boys go back uncondition-
ally. No, they are quite willing that they re-
ceive a promise NOW of negotiations AFTER
they go back. That is, that if the boys go
back, thus ending their struggle and giving
up their only weapon, the strike, they can
talk things over—maybe—with the people
who have oppressed them in the camps and
starved them when they protested in the only
effective way.

Soft talk by velvet-tongued false friends
has deceived workers on many occasions, but
it will not work this time. The actions of the

government is prompted by their fear of a
general strike, the forerunner of which was
the one-hour strike on the waterfront on
Monday and the 24-hour strike on May Day.

The role the clergy played in the defeat
of the great Winnipeg general strike in 1919
is well remembered, but the workers have
learned a lot since that time. And one of the
things they have learned is the value of
militant organization, which they will not
repudiate at the suggestion of the preachers.
They will not split off from what affiliation
that now benefits them, but rather will strive
for even greater trade union unity on a pro-
gram of increasing militancy.

The spreading of the Slave Camp strike
beyond the borders of British Columbia and
the drawing in of as wide a section as pos-
sible of organized labor into general strike
action is the path of victory.

DOMINION WARMONGERS

The Empire warmongers held a confab in
London recently. The multi-millionaire and
associate of Holt, R. B. Bennett, attended.
The usual line put out for the public was
that of “defense.” The Dominion premiers
gave out a statement that the Dominions are
not AUTOMATICALLY committed to par-
ticipate in Empire wars, but there was no
statement that they wouldn’t.

What the workers and farmers of Canada
would like to know is what were the secret
agreements arrived at in London, and to
what extent the Dominions, including Cana-
da, are secretly committed to participation in
the next blood bath.

It will be remembered that one of the first
acts of the proletarian dictatorship after the
overthrow of capitalism in Russia was to dig |
into the archives and exhume a number of
secret treaties which they published before
the whole world. These secret treaties re-
vealed the duplicity of all the imperialist
powers, and England was mixed up in it to
the neck.

An indication of just where the Dominion
imperialists stand is seen in some of the open
agreements arrived at. They agreed to great-
er armaments for Britain, and a free diplo-
matic hand on the continent. The increased
Canadian budget for the army, militia, navy,
RCMP, air force and airports and other mili-
taristic purposes are part of the preparations
for war. And the efforts to disorganize, ter-}
rorize and suppress the working class is ano-
ther sure sign.

All who oppose the united front of labor
are directly assisting in the preparations for
imperialistic war. The same is true of all
those who lull the people into a feeling of
false security with lying talk about “our”
government being working for the peace of
the world.

The greatest deterrent to war is the unity
of the workers. The warmongers of Canada
must be made to feel that they will not have
the support of the workers of Canada in war
whether they call it a war of defense or one
of conquest.

x

CONCERN FOR “LARNIN’ ”’

An explanation for opposing the one-day
strike of the school children in support of
the Slave Camp strikers and participation in
the May Day demonstrations was given by
the superintendent of Vancouver schools. He
Said it was too bad that the children would
lose a day’s schooling inasmuch as because
of the storm, etc. they had lost some days al-
ready this year.

This canting hypocrisy will be exposed
next Monday when the superintendent will
have no regrets for the schools being closed
to enable the minds of the children to be
poisoned by bourgeois patriotism and mili-
tary display for war preparations on the oc-
casion of the jubilee.

The superintendent was doing in his hypo-
critical way what the police were doing at
the doors of the schools, and what a few re-
actionary teachers were doing by threats,
to keep the pupils from joining the strike
and the demonstrations.

But the youth are seeing what the future
that capitalism is preparing for them is, in
the plight of former students who are fight-
ing against the concentration camps estab-
lished for them by the capitalist government,
and are entering into the struggle despite the
efforts of those who profit or benefit from
the existing system of youth destruction,
starvation, and oppression.

‘fire.

| that competition

CORPORATE STATE OR SOVIET?

. By F. BIGGS

Canadian capitalist politics are®
at a boiling point. The report of
the Mass Buying Commission, the
work of H. H. Stevens, is the ijiast
lump of coal to be thrown on the

Ever since Bennett became Prime
Minister, there has been a steady
trend of the
Fasmism: Emergency Powers, Farm
Creditor Arrangement Act, Reform
Program. ete. The report of the
Mass Buying Commission has gone
Bennett one better. It is a detailed
plan and proposal for the establish-
ment of the Gorporate State. Mus-
solini, Hitler and Stevens are
brothers under the skin. They are
all spokesmen for the most far-
seeing, and therefore the most
vicious, elements in the capitalist
class of their countries.

sovernment towards

For a long time the capitalist sys-
tem prospered on a policy of free
competition. But the old-time slogan,
“Competition is the life of trade”’ is
no longer heard. The development
of the capitalist system has shown
kills competition.
The big concerns gobble up the
little ones to eliminate competition.
Too much competition interferes
with the rate of profits. Hence, the

SHIP YARDS STRIKE
MAY ist

VANCOUVER, B. C., May 1.—
Workers at Wallace’s Ship Yards
and at B. ©. Marine Ways came
out solid on strike on Monday,
April 29, for two hours in sup-
port of the Camp Boys. Boiler-
makers, pipe fitters, iron ship
builders, machinists and laborers
all came out.

Boilermakers, iron ship build-
ers and some others will strike
for 24 hours today from both
yards. The unorganized workers
in these yards are ripe for organ-
ization. May Day ought to be a
good time to start it.

growth of trusts controlling a mo-
mopoly of the manufacture and sale
of particular commodities.

All capitalist countries have fol-
lowed this line, that is, to trustifi-
cation and monopoly, and it has
brought them into competition with
each other in the international mar-
ket. In order to successfully com-
pete with, and undersell each other
in the foreign market, they must
use every means they can to lower
the cost of the production of the par-
ticular commodity. They use the
Speeding-up of machinery, introduc-
tion of new efficiency systems,
cheaper production of the raw ma-
terial required, and a more intense
exploitation, with reduction of
wages of the workers, whose labor
applied to natural resources,
duces all wealth.

pro-

Class Against Class.

The intensified exploitation of the
producers, whether in a factory, in
transportation, in the industries pro-
ducing raw materials, mines, forests,
etc., or on the farms, causes an an-
tagonism in the capitalist countries,
an antagonism between the exploited
class and the exploiting As
this antagonism becomes more pro-
nounced and irreconcilable—as it is
everywhere today — the exploited
class threatens the existence of the
governments of the capitalist class.
To protect themselves from this
threat the capitalists attempt, at
first peaceably, then forcibly, to in-
troduce laws intended to wipe out
the smal] independent producer and
business man, and to make illegal,
and to crush, any endeavor of the
workers to maintain a decent stan-
dard of living. But the capitalist sys-
tem, based upon the rule of one
class over another, cannot abolish
the class antagonisms that threaten
to destroy it, so the capitalist class
do what for them is the next best
thing—try to reduce the workers
below the point at which they are
capable of either defending their
condition or of trying to better it.
The goal is to unite all sections of
the capitalist class, and at the same
time prevent unity of the working
class. Such a condition is the Cor-
porate State of Hascism.

class.

To put over this scheme the cap-
italists draw up a program, sSsuppos-
edly to better the condition of the
industrial worker, the poor farmer
and the small business man. They
want to unite all sections behind a
New Deal, at the same time stating
that the New Deal cannot be dealt
out without a Strong Man, a Great
Leader, and a strong National Gov-
ernment which is, apparently, to be
above all classes.

R. B. Bennett is not such a leader.
The broadcasting of the Reform Pro-
gram was his own Swan Song. It
was a dud. He has done a lot of
spade work on the road to Fascism,
but his bombast and anti-labor atti-
tude has discredited him nationally.
So a saintly halo is being painted
around the head of H. H. Stevens,
making him and his program the
champion of the poor farmer, the in-
dustrial worker and the small busi-
ness man, and the great enemy of
the Big Interests. In reality, his
part is to lead the oppressed classes
into the trap of Fascism already set
by those Big Interests. The Big
Stick that Stevens is waving in the
air is to be used by the Big Inter-
ests against the workers. The real
purpose of the proposed regulation
of big business is to unify it,
strengthen it, against the growing
antagonism of the workers and

The eight-hour day, the Minimum
wage, are voting bait. Can any in-
telligent worker believe that any
eapitalist government would encour-
age the srowth of trade unions
whose function is to fight exploita-
tion of the capitalists? And how
can any debt-laden farmer believe
that the Stevens proposed regulation
of the canning and the meat-packing
industries is going to compel the
owners of them to pay him higher
prices for his products? On can

SLAVE DRIVING
COAL COMPANY’S
HUGE PROFITS

BLAIRMORE, Alberta,
April 28.— While Crows’
Nest Pass Coal Co. has
been endeavoring in every
possible way to slash
wages, speed up the miners
and neglecting proper safe-
guards for the protection
of the miners, its profits
for the year ending Dec. 31,
1934, were close to a quar-
ter of a million dollars.

The exact amount, after
paying fat salaries to its
competent sSlaye drivers,
was $239,845, the largest
since 1929.

Stevens do away with world over-
production of wheat and increase
prices for the Canadian wheat
grower? Can Stevens, or would he
if he could, break the great power
of trusts and monopolies so that the
small merchants could have better
business? Can the small merehant
believe that the establishment of
minimum wages, which tend to be-
come the maximum wages, increase
the purchasing power of the wage-
earners upon whom his livelihood
depends?

The Report of the Mass Buying
Commission, it is altogether likely,
is to be the election program of
Stevens and his following, in and
outside of the Conservative Party.
It is a Fascist program and the
workers and farmers should vote
against all candidates favoring it,
and support only those who stand
for the United Front of Labor
against the Big Stick of the Big In-
terests. The Corporate State, through
its greater robbery of the masses,
increases class antagonism. It is
only under a workers’ state—the
Soviet—that classes will be abolished;
only then will the producer receive
the full value of his labor, or its so-
cial equivalent.

Join the Union—Be proud to be an

farmers.

active worker.

Contradictory Liars In Slander Campaign

; The wide campaign of lies and slander against the Soviet Union, led by the notor-
ious liar and crook, Hearst, and supported by the renegade Trotzkyites, has acquired the
services of Believe-it-or-not Ripley. This Hearst pen prostitute visited the Soviet Union
before this new campaign of Hearst, and in an article in Hearst’s own magazine, “The
Cosmopolitan,’ wrote of what he observed.
he received orders from Hearst to write slanderous stories for the Hearst daily press

But this did

wholly contradictory of what he had previously written.

Hearst’s yellow Seattle pornographic daily rag has quite a circulation in Vancouver.
And some of the Canadian capitalist papers have reprinted some of the Hearst filth
against the Soviet Union, but knowing how the Hearst press stinks in the nostrils of
many people, they did not acknowledge the Hearst authorship.

Below we print the two statements of Liar Ripley:

WHAT RIPLEY WROTE IN HEARST’S WHAT RIPLEY SAID IN THE POST-

COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE, INTELLIGENCER (SEATTLE)

FEBRUARY, 1934

“Sovietism is a success in Russia.

failure is now past.
the U.S.S-R.
the world.

It is my opinion

Will be one of the strongest nations in

“Believe
paradox.
of people
this moment.

The time for

that in ten years p
lions

“No worse punishment could be inflicted on the

it or not—it is not a paradise,
Russia is a gigantic poorhouse whire mil-

not stand in his way when

APRIL 5, 1935.

but a

are on the verge of starvation at

“GESTAPO” |

STATE SECRET POLICE |

clergymen in interfering on the side of the
(Continued from last issue)

For cruelty and brutality, how-
ever, the methods supplied during
the ‘“‘cross-examinations” surpass all
others. They also are held in special
rooms. They are conducted by men
acting under orders from the Gesta-
po. They are “assisted” by men un-
der orders of the commander of the
concentration camp. Before the “ex-
amination”? the victim is obliged to
swear silence to what occurs. It is
extremely difficult to bring such
prisoners to speak about it after-
wards; as they stand in mortal fear
of a second “cross-examination.” Tf
have succeeded only twice in per-
suading victims to Gescribe their
“examination.”

A worker, 48 years old, from a
small town in the province of Bran-
denburg, was brought to be ¢ross-
examined because he belonged to a
workers’ reed orchestra. The Gesta-
po claimed it to be an orchestra of
the illegal R.E.B. (Roter-Frontkae-
merebund—Red Front Fighters), and
wanted to find out where the musical
jnstruments were ‘bHuried.” Wher
¢his worker entere dthe room, the
storm-troop leader Hoehne, without

speaking a word, struck him several
times in the face. This was to
frighten him into confessing. But he
knew nothing. Then he had to bend
down, bare his back, and take twenty
lashes. The Gestapo-man continued
the “cross-examination.” There was
nothing whateyer to investigate be-
cause the worker had no information
to give. The Gestapo could not
fasten anything definite upon him,
so they let him go.

In the second case, a worker was

accused of haying been a “Red
Front” instructor. According to the
Gestapo, he was supposed to have

information as to weapon stores. His

declaration that he knew nothing
Was not believe. Even blows could
not make him “confess.’”’ On the

next day, at six o’clock in the morn-
ing, he was again brought to be ‘‘ex-
amined.”

He was taken to a place between
the walls of the prison and the outer
wall surrounding the camp. A group
of bandits were already ‘waiting
there. His eyes were bound, he was

told to make his last wish. He said
he had none. He could hear, sounds

|

of pistosl being loaded. The order
was given to “take aim,’ and ‘‘fire’’
—but no shots came. Then he was
given a few minutes to reconsider
and confess, with the reminder to
think of his wife and children. But
he insisted he knew nothing. He was
Still standing with bandaged eyes—
when suddenly a hail of blows from
fists and pistol-buitts hailed upon
him, and he was thus driven until
he reached his cell.

The Gestapo likewise tried to ob-
tain information about weapon-stores
from a German Communist Party
functionary, from Frankfurt. On his
declaration that he Knew -nothing,
the Gestapo murderers threatened to
“Shoot him as full of holes as a
seive,”’ adding, “perhaps you remem-
ber that little wood near the Sonnen-
burg station; it won’t be so difficult
to finish you off there while you are
attempting to escape.’ A few weeks
later this prisoner was taken away
from the concentration camp. Where
he is now, no one knows. These are
the methods the Gestapo uses to se-
eure its “material” in many a trial.
The Gestapo offices in Prince Al-
brechtstrasse, in SGerlin still con-
ceal many secrets. Many of the Ges-
tapo victims can-be found not only
in the prisons but in lunatice asy-
lums 2s well.

The Gestapo has now besun to
make use of human bloodhounds in
its hunt for “enemies of the State.”

“The furnishings in my hotel room at the National
Were probably worth ten or fifteen thousand dollars.
The desk set alone was appraised by a friend of mine
at ten thousand dollars. All had once graced the

home of some grand duke.

“I had just travelled over four thousand miles by
automobile aeross Arabia, Drak, the Garden of Eden
and Persia, and I thanked God when I entered
Russia.””

+ *

* *

“Nowhere in any of the cities or villages visited
or alone the road did I meet any sigms or effects of
the famine of which foreign newspapers take delight
in writine.”’—Lindsay

Parrott, Hearst Correspondent

in Moscow.

many Communist crack-pots shouting throughout this
country of ours thar to exile them to Russia—the
‘Communist paradise’—and make them live under the
system they preach.

“Finally some Soviet officials aroused themselves
long enough to put-me through a microscopic exam-
ination. They turned my baggage inside out search-
ing for arms and money, and pried into every piece
of paper I had in search of anti-Communist propa-

ganda. Then, after seizing my three cameras, I was
permitted to set foot in Russia—the ‘Communist
Paradise.’

“T travelled from one end of the country to the
other and never saw a dog or cat, nor did I hear one
person laugh or see a single smiling face.”

* * * *

“The most happy group of people I’ve ever seen
are those in Russia,” says Frank Tierney, engineer
for the Cities Contracting Company, Seattle.

Creatures are found, who trying
protect their own lives, pretend
be well acauainted with a number

ta
to

2 | dits. WNoske,
of

Slaughterer of

“enemies of the State.’ These mies of the State. However, who is
ereatures are sent out on to the| triat after 1918 defended his blood- an enemy of the State? To be perse-
street. Several Gestapo-bulls follow} hounds and placed himself at their] cuted by the Gestapo it is not ne-
a short distance behind. An ac-| head, with the declaration that some- cessary to be a Communist. It is
quaintance who unsuspectingly | body had to be the blood-hound.| also not necessary to have begun
greets this Gestapo blood hound is} The leader of the black and brown any “treacherous” activities or to
a marked victim. A few hours later| murderers in the “Third Empire’’} haye become “hostile to the State”’

he is arested in his home or on the
street, “‘Suspected of harboring hos-
The Gestapo of the Third Empire
tility toward the State.”
operates just as did the Okhrana of
Tsarist Russia in its time. When
the “People’s Chancellor’ Hitler de-
nies this, he isilying. Hither he does
not know how: the Okhrana worked
or he does now want to admit that

only peaceful
But his
tempe

dissatisfied

his “fighters for freedom” are ban-
the social democratic
the

still tries to swagger and convince
the world that in the “Third Empire’’
organizations
comradeship with the Po-
murderers
butchered a worker in 1932, was an
open admission that Hitler’s
and true” methods of getting rid of
“compatriots”
method of murder.

Victims of the Gestapo.
The Gestapo today claims that its

gele is waged against the ene-
German prole- stiuesic a = 2

only after the date of January 30,
1933.

The consider an enemy of the
State all those of whom it can be
proved that during the World War
they were anti-war, or who after
Wovember 1918, in the democratic
era, had fought actively against in-
fringements upon democratic rights.

exist
“who brutally
“Fried

is the

Wants Abolition of Ca;
talist-Fascist Propa-

ganda in

on the fight for
under our banner

as
free primary and
free text books in
eation. For the
university
provinees for the

2

the abolition of th

the conversion of

saries for needy
3.
row and distorted

teaching in the
lecture halis.
4,

faculties,

5.

6.

schools.
6
uncensored press,

and members of

about any issue.
8. For student
affairs.

We ask the su

St., Vancouver,

The Student League of Canad: >
making preparations
branches in the various schools |
took a part in the strike, to cat}

militant organization. ;

= iI
Students ’Program of Demands 4
The program of the Stud!
leasue is as follows: al
For lower tuition fees. ] }
tion throughout the country.
no economies at the expense of ¢ |
scholarships

Against imperialist war.

the use of the schools and labo) |
tories for military purposes. f

ly expended on this to the est |
lishment of scholarships and ji7

Against Fascism. Against
Fascist organizations

ganda in the schools, and |

Against discrimination
Women in any of the a |

For full rights of free spes

school or university grounds for:
students and student organizatio

full rights of action of the studi

oils) lin

Bytes

Schools —

to set |}!

student proble i
of a non-politj ik

secondary edy —
14
the schools, ] /

establishment
by 1 |
needy students |
1;
e C.0.T.C. Agay |

Eo
all funds formi |

/

students.

“|

teaching. Agai>

\
‘
and pro if

elasS rooms @ |
Be |
E

1

Wor full freedom for nation
and racial minorities in the schog
and universities of Canada. i
For the complete. Separati
of the church and schools. Again
compulsory religious services in ¢

and assembly |

a

the faculties.

control of studel
|

pport of all teat

ers, principals and students in Ba
interested in forming the S.L.of4
to get in touch with the organiz
tion at Room 10, 163 W. Hasting
BC. :

Pr. George

Young Pioneers

George ballroom
for our troop.

Mooney and we

Tom Mooney Grow

Pioneers

PRINCE GEORGE, April 27.7

have organized

troop of 18 members. Just recent
we organized a dance in the Prin

and raised $27!

The Young Pioneers will be repr
sented in the May Day parade hei
We have named our troop after Té

are sending ii

freetings on May Day to the pris
where he was put i8 years agof
leading the workers in struggle.
Alex Doniluck,
Sec., Tom Mooney Pioneé
Prince George, B.C,

Get a
neighor or shop
Workers News.

subscription from yo

mate for the B

Soldier’s council

persecution from
“Third Reich.”

against the
troops, deserves,

the State.

Active Fighters
Putsh Are

and six) he had

is comprised one

further counts
the enemies of
such Nazis who

be conducted.

of revolutionary

though their act

came to power.
former deputy

imprisoned in a
He has not been
and, moreover,

one who has eve

foreigners are

If a person was a member of a

cists.

liamentary representatives
workers are regarded as extrem
dangerous enemies of the State, e

had lived abroad,

in November 19

this is cause enough to eall fol

the Gestapo of 1

All those who were active fight
terror

ef the Wo
according to 7

Gestapo, to be treated as enemies

Against the Kz
Persecuted as

Enemies of the State.
In one case a prisoner was }
into a concentration camp beca’
in the year 1906 (nineteen hund

conducted a stri

Those who during the democra
era were thrown into prison
“high treason’ and are now set fi
after having served the prison te
are arrested at the prison gates
the Gestapo and taken to the ¢
centration camps.
gards activities of twenty years :
as hostile to the State and ca
enough for punishment today.

The Gestapo

Tv
part of the inmsz

of the concentration camps, pris
and penitentiaries.

The Gest
even Nazis am
the State, nam

demand that

former National Socialist prog

The other inmates are functi
aries and also rank-and file memk

organizations. E

of

ivities in public

may have caused long before Hi

For instance,
Walter Stoecke)
concentration ¢a
a deputy since 1
since that time
in Holland. A
r been to the So

Union is likewise regarded as
enemy of the State.

In general
regarded as S

enemies, umless they belong to si
organization approved by the :