“The history of all hitherto ex- isting society is the history of class struggles.” —Marx. United Front Support has held the Relief Camp strike solid to date; extend it. B.C. Workers NEws VANCOUVER, B.C., THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1935 SS VOL. I = Single Copies: 5 Cents No. 19 LONGSHOREMEN TO TAKE OVER DISPATCHING Camp Bovs Vote To {WANTTEACHERS “SOVIET UNION Rec, y With Strike, OF COMMUNIST CONCLUDES PACT ain Wi i LEANINGS FIRED 10 PREVENT WAR Plan To Continue Wide|/ : Security Agreement Published Weekly Showdown Determined Upon By Vote Of Waterfront Workers On Issue Of Supplying Men BULLETS INSTEAD OF WORK, WAGES . A GLARING FRAME-UP PRINCE -GEORGE, B.C., May 22.-—Miliburn, Government Arent, VANCOUVER, May 21.—A press report states that complaints are reaching the School Board regarding Communist teachings in Vancouver Campaign PRAGUE, Czecho-Slavakia, May 16 (ALP.)—EHduard Benes, represent- TO BREAK THE Will Abolish Discrimina- STRANGLE HOLD VANCOUVER, B.C., May 22.—A mass meeting of all divisions of the || Rees Officer, and Magistrate, schools. ing C@zecho-Sloyakia, and Ambassa- tion and Equalize striking Relief Camp workers at the|| stated he will try the cases of the It appears that a Mrs. Charlotte|qor Serse Alexandrovski of the Ses OF CO. TOWNS E : Avenue Theatre today unanimously = = “Now the government is issuing arningegs = - four workers who have been ar- || Cole of 1405 Robson Street, Vancou- USSR at noom today signed a pact Dullete GnSteanee ok aoa ee 7 ; > 3 “ « Vv x Ww. Ss rejected the proposal of Mayor Mc-|} rested on charges of assaulting || ver, wrote to the School Board stat-| of mutual assistance on behalf of nee ten ee a Se oe = POWELL RIVER, B.C., May = = $ ra < ¥ T - . Geer to return to Camp. Police officers. He stated that |/ine that she had heard school] their countries. i oo = Bee peers tS ae -_|] 21.— Fifty longshoremen here VANCOUVER, May 21.— Possi- fayor G. G. W e address as ; McGeer’s Proposals the accused could not elect for || teachers and high school students : eee : ayor c eer in an S were locked out by the Powell || bility of a waterfront strike was The pact ifs another link in the/to the Imstitute of Chartered Ac- forecast in the ballot taken by the River Pulp and Paper €o. when they were about to present de- expounding Communistic principles in public, and demanded an inyvesti- jury trial. Although bail has been set at The Mayor proposed that the men go back to Camp, leaving a delega- chain of security agreements being | countants Students’ Society in Hotel forged the Soviet Union. The Wancouver and District Waterfront by Georgia recently. : . 59,000 in tiwo sureties for each of ation, and “‘weedine out of all mands for 85 cents per hour and || Workers’ Association last night. tion of three here; who would ac- OF S } = | ¢ : ; F Sa : ; J 5 e % erms are the Same as those in the The Mayor saids the government mies : = the accuse Milburn declared teachers with Communistic ten- union conditions. 7 F ‘ . company the Mayor to Ottawa to that cash sree 273 Shanes Sea : S treaty signed between France and|had done this because it was their The strasele oi the longhere The issue immediately confronting Fi i j ood - encies. : s 5 eas negotiate with the Bennett Govern- cris pail whith ee = Sean the USSR on May 8nd. The agree-| only alternative. With the country eel ae eres by the powerful the longshoreman is the irritating 3 a y, = 4 ae S 5 4 A ment. ssi Ste sas bo MAPA Bens Received and Filed ment provides that, in the event of | burdered with such a tremendous Lone slocecien and (Wate Tans matter of dispatching. The ship- iy i 5 = S- f I, h = ae - iS @he strikers were adamant in re- aien re Seren there ntoperte The letter to the School Board|an attack upon either of the coun-| debt, making it impossible to insti- Se Se SIL ES ee ping Wederation have clung to this fusing to return to camp until defi- y which was dealt with at their meet-| tries by an aggressor, mutual assist-|tute an adequate works program || °°" Z d advantage tenaciously, as it gives E : : were turned down on the pretext § : g Fd : has declared all ships out of or|| them the right of blacklisting men mite concessions were gained. The that theimproperty was nok worth ing last Monday night was received| ance will be given, including mili-| under the present System, it had no inte PowalkoRicer anfaie = 5 coneessions demanded are based on MS ree and filed. tary assistance if necessary. Gthem wecoureel aoe 2 .on the waterfront by being able to thea Se Ganessain on ean the sum they were paying taxes sae This is the commencement to ||| gictate who shall £0 on the job sc 3 SS - : ree = = 5 ane is Se aed liters Contre) on. This males it impossible for e 66 99 uate ae ene le holdeby come Will P ISL E york : : : : z aS j Eapeehoparonerd Seamer aciszates|| SPY ball Camp Strikers “Snake Parade PRG US 0) CARESS | as =shor E gates 5 7: i é ose Gordon Grant, attorney for the Columbia. By their vote the longshoremen Strugele and spoke of impending the Camp Workers agreed to sup- port the dockers in any struggle that are taking over the dispatching and will put their new policy into effect on Monday, at which time a show-— C.L.D.L., will leave for Prince George to defend them. Unemployed “‘Down may ensue on the waterfront. Picnie and Postcards A Monsier picnic is arranged for May 26th at the Lumber- men’s Arch at Stanley Park by the Everybody is A Sunday, Camp Boys on strike. -invited to go and take a basket. big program will be furnished. Thousands of postcards are being bought and mailed to Mayor McGeer. These are being sold by the Camp Boys, already written and ready for mailins. Stop Press VANCOUVER, B.C., May 22. — Trollers’ representatives and can- mers met this morning. The negoti- ations resulted in the deadlock the canners were adamant on their former offer of 4c and 5c per Ib. for bluebaclis. Troliers and cannery workers are solid for their demands of 15c with weelily merease of 214 cents. Strike relief is urgently needed. as McGEER BOOED IN CHURCH, _ HUNDREDS LEAVE IN PROTEST MASS MEETING HELD OUTSIDE Mayor Uses Pulpit As Political Rostrum Gerry Parallels Himself With Jesus 20. — Hun- them VANCOUVER, May. dreds. of women, most of mothers of boys, assisted by scores of camp boys and other workers walked out of First United Church last night here when Mayor G. G. McGeer took the pulpit. The Mayor had been invited to speak from the pulpit by Andy Rod- dan, the minister, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of First Church. Byery seat was occupied in the church and schoolroom long be- fore church time. At the beginnine of the service Minister Roddan stated that he had been informed by Dr. Lyle Telford and Robert Skinner that there would be a protest lodged during the ser- vices, and that the C.C.F. had no- thine to do with it. He went on to talk of the relief camp strike, telling the camp workers in the church, “You have wou this strike: now you should go back to camp, etc., etc.” immediately there was a hubub. Women and men could see that he Was acting the role of strike breaker, ind denounced him loudly. Gongregation Protest After his sermon and after the fferinge had been taken up; the ninister introduced Gerry McGeer, he Mayor. At once, there was boo- n= and shouting of “Sit down.’ ‘here were cries of “‘Read the Riot ct, Gerry.”’” Hundreds of men, wom- nh and youth rose up in protest and efan to leave the church. After bout five minutes of protest against feGeer occupying the pulpit, the linister came to the rescue and sked the congregation to sing a erse of “© God Our Help in Ages ast.’ *? The organ played and two erses were sung before order was =stored. Mass Meeting on Church Steps Thousands of people congregated itside and Peggy Harrison spoke om the steps of the church. She ‘plained that the women, many of lem mothers of camp boys, had mneé to the church to protest. They id not organized any hooliganism, quietly, if MeGeer spoke from the pulpit. She denounced the hypocrisy of McGeer, who had spoken of the law of God when a delegation of Women had interviewed him on be- half of the camp boys. When woman stated that it was the law of God that boys should eat, he had Stated, “You can’t practice the law of God in the City Council.” This a (Continued on Page 4) When 250 Relief Camp Strikers seized the Museum and refused to vacate it until Relief was sranted on Saturday, May 18th, the main body of strikers marched snake-fashion to applaud them. The “Snake Parade” was invented by the strikers as a revolutionary tactic. the “snalce’”’ entwines traffic and gives flexibility in withstanding attacks by police. Winding from curb to curb Gillnetters of Coast Strike; Demand Forty Cents a Fish ilitan Fon eader- i = pers > TRUCK DRIVERS Tie-Up LO-OOSHE, May 17. — Forty-four gllinet fishermen at their meeting here decided to refrain from fishing until the buyers concede to their de- mand of 40 cents per fish. The eanners are offering 27% cents for fish, 742 cents below the price paid last year for the WNitinat sockeye. it had decided to leave the church Strike vote was taken which showed 42 in favor and 2 against the strike. The &.C.W.1.U.of C. is leading this Strike, same as the Blueback strike. The National Executive Committee is sending out a call to all their locals to commence a campaign for strike relief immediately. The col- lection lists for this purpose will be sent out to the locals as soon as possible. The N.C.of F.C.W.1.U.o0f C. also urges upon all the individual fishermen to assist by calling in at the headquarters for picket duty in town and to solicit for relief to the strikers. BRITISH WORKERS PROTEST FASCISM 17.—(ALP) demon- BRISTOL, Enzg., May —lLast night the workers Strated here their hatred for Pasc- ism and its British leader, Sir Os- wald Mosley. Police were called cut to protect the Blackshirt leader when a demon- Stration by 4,000 workers jammed traffic and milled about the hall where he was speaking to an audi- REJECT LINKING WITH A.F.OF L. Decide To Remain An Independent Union VANCOUVER, May 21. — At large meeting of the Truck Drivers’, Swampers’ and Messengers’ WUWnion, called for the purpose of ascertain- ing the feeling of the members on the question of affiliation, there was unanimous opposition to affiliation to the American Federation of Labor. : Showler, of an A... union, was present andtried to show the ad- vantages of belonging to the called international, He received hostile reception, many wanting an explanation of the high dues, the high salaries of the offi- cials and the refusal of the interna- to lead in a Sso- a members tional officials workers struggle. Shower Discredited Showler was unable to give satis- factory answers. A longshore rep- resentative was ‘present and stated that while they would welcome affiliation with the Longshore and Water Transport Association of Canada, they could be sure of sup- port from his organization whether affiliated or not. Upon a vote being called for the question of affiliating with the ALE. as at present on or remainine ence exclusively of his followers. there was a an independent union, HUNGER MARCH TO VICTORIA IN JULY: WORK AT REAL WAGES MAIN DEMAND OF UNEMPLOYED Mass Movement to Stem the Downward Drive of Living Standards ——- Boss-driven and Boss-less To Participate By FRED VANCOUVER, May 21.—Plans are going forward for the Provincial Hungar March to be held July 22nd, when a large delegation from Unemployed and workers’ bodies will go to Victoria to place the demands of the workers and poor farmers of B. GC. before the Premier and Provincial Cabinet. Recently the Provincial Workers’ Council submitted to its branches throughout the Proyince a plan for the Province- wide Hunger March, drawn up to conform with the decision of the Council Meeting on April 6th, and fully endorsed by the B. C. Congress on Work and Unemployment Insurance held on February 7th, representing 25,800 workers and sympathizers. A wide divergence of politics, economics, culture, religion, etc., could visualized from the representation at that GConeress, but on the main decisions, that Unem- ployment Insurance for the Unem- ployed must be provided for by Fed- eral law, and that work real Wages sufficient to provide a mini- mum of $60 for man and wife, there Was no division of opinion. Bennett’s Insurance Is a Falke Can we doubt the existence of that “Employ- be at Hunger Policy? Bennett's ment Insurance Bill” is carefully cal- culated to exclude from benefits all those workers who need insurance most, including one million at pres- unanimous vote for non-affiliation to the A.E.L. bunch of racketeers. This was too much for Showler, and when 28 men stepped up to join the union ye left the meeting. a views one GRANGE Organizations, Trade Unions ent unemployed. It sets benefits at level below present relief scales, and finally in order that no class weapon might neglected, defi- nitely calls upon all workers to re- frain from strike struggles, and to be prepared to scab or be deprived of benefits. rae be Under’’ MELBOURNE, Australia, April 5 (ALP.)—About 17,000 unemployed in the suburbs of Melbourne and sur- reunding towns and villages have been on strike for more than a week. Their demands include work at full trade union wages or 100 per cent increase in relief rates, free rent, and the immediate stoppage of all evictions. down is expected. Resistance by the Shipping Federation will percipitate @ general strike on the waterfront. Should this develop it is certain that New Westminster and other B.C. ports will come out solid with the Vancouver men. New Westmin- ster men-have had their own dis- patching for some considerable time and will back up the Wancouver members of the union. STRIKING CAMP BOYS HOLD MUSEUM FOR SIX HOURS: TWO | POLICE OFFICERS ARE INJURED Revolutionary Tactic al Developed by Strikers Win Concessions Passive Policy Failed VANCOUVER, May 18-—Strikine Relief Camp workers won their first concession tonight. After a strenu- ous day of militant demonstrations and parades, a delesation of camp boys met with Col. W. W. Foster and Mayor McGeer. The strikers insisted on relief rather than g£0 back to camp, and won out, relief being sranted for two days. A “nuisance” demonstration was held through Woodwards Depart- ment Store this afternoon, a skir- mish with police ensuing and result- ing in a few camp boys receiving bruises. Two police officers were taken to the hospital, one of them being packed out on 4a Stretcher. People gathered around the trance to the store as the stretcher Was carried out and wore long faces, until a police hat was seen on the then cheering knew en- owner's chest; no bounds. Occupy Museum Two hundred and fifty camp boys fSained entrance to the museum on the top floor of the library, and bar- ricaded themselves in, holding it down. for several hours, while police detailed to guard the position played poker in the basement. The camp boys learned considerable about weapons of torture, from bows and arrows to German saw-tooth bayo- Meanwhile ropes were lowered to willing citizens who tied on food, tobacco and blankets, donated by Ca- nadian Window, Montreal and Hast- ings bakeries, the White Lunch send- ing up hot coffee and sandwiches. All available police prowler ears ets. (Continued on Page 3) Govt. Drives Down Wages Statements from the Federal and can be noted to the effect relief recipient will Provincial governments every day in the press, that every be forced to work out that relief or become ineligible. Governments will thus become the employers of a mil- lion more workers, whose standard of living will automatically set the scale that will be paid by private employers,—a deliberate attempt to base the standard of living for both (Continued on page 3) Strikes In Edmonton EDMONTON, May 16.—Since May 7th, waitresses of sixteen restaur- ants went out on strike and in most cases the bosses have been forced to settle. The truckers’ union gave notice some days ago of strike unless demands were met. Meetings are being planned around seyeral unor- ganized plants. There are 1800 re- lief workers on strike and the goy- ernment has been forced to feed them. Gold Miners Win Victory Proves Value of Strike Weapon GOLDBRIDGE, B.C. May 21. — Miners of Pioneer, Bralorne, and Bradian mines haye decided to ac- cept the offer of $5.40 for miners. This is a magnificent victory, and proves the value of organization and the strike weapon as a means of raising wages and bettering condi- tions. Will Support Congress The strikers, however, decided to Support the miners and mine work-= ers of Wayside and Congress in their strugele for the same rate. The bosses claim that they cannot pay the same rate on these properties, The miners haye heard that story about Pioneer and Bralorne, but the miners knew that it could be paid. at the low rate, then the miners will picket the mines and as a last resort will quit Pioneer and the other two, and unite the Valley in a solid strike. Big Profits The huge profits from Pioneer for the yeadr 1934 are just to hand. Profits of nearly $1 per share were made on the 1,751,750 shares outstanding. After deductions for depreciation, depletion, and taxes, net profit stood at $1,593,640. Total dividends paid for the past year amounted to $1,313,813, with the balance in the surplus accoun at $736,772. ; The B.C. Workers’ News will carry a full analysis of the strike in the near future. SOVIET EXPECTS MANY TOURISTS MOSCOW, May 10.—Some cruise boats carrying between 400 and 700 tourists each are expected to visit Soviet ports this year. 25 LONDON, May 14—(ALP)—w alter Citrine, secretary of the general council of the Trade Union Congress, has charged that the T-U_C. offices were kept under constant observa- tion by Nazi spies, who watched for German refugees on visit. J If these mines attempt to open up