: | days.

» sardine
| working class prisoners. The juds=

- costs,

Sihe stand today

Every step of real movement is
more important than a dozen

programs.—Marx.

B.C Wor

ERS NEWS

All together to put The Worker-
B.C. Workers’ News Drive over

the top!

VOL. I

Published Weekly

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1935

Single Copies: 5 Cents

S=

No. 47

DOCKERS TO CALL OFF 6-MONTH STRUGGLE

Evans Rouses Ire of
Judge; Exposes Class

Nature of

Will Come to Vancouver
To Seek Witnesses Of
Police Attack On

Camp Boys
FLAYS R.C.M. POLICE

——__

Matt Shaw Tells of Evic-
tions of Workers
From B.C. Camps

REGINA, Dec. 4.—Arthur Evans,
militant leader of the campboys’
trek to Qttawa last sumimer, and
chief spokesman for the campboys
at the probe being conducted here,
told the commission today that he
would leave for Vancouver to gather
up witnesses who would sive eyi-
dence regarding the police attack
on the camp strikers in Vancouver
ang of other treatment the camp-

» boys got at the hands of the capi-
| talist authorities.

yans asked for transportation to

y Vancouver for this purpose, but
* stated that if this was not forth-
_comine he would “take a freight.”

Evans was on the stand for six
Yesterday, the judge, who is
chairman of the commission, took
exception to remarks of Eyans re-
“sympathy” of judges for

maintained that court judges can

7 be and are sympathetic to working

class defendants.

Qut of Touch With Workers.

Hyans informed the chairman
that “no udge can possibly put
himself in the position of a worker

” who is fighting for a livine.”’

He said, “You are out of touch

) with the situation.”

The R.CMP. were denounced by

- Evans, who stated that the force
had desenerated from the fine body |
- of men they once were, to an armed
» torece which today is used by the
* Sovernment to smash workine class
) organizations.

Byans knows of what he speaks

"in this regard, as well as the class
| uature of capitalist court judzes.
>-Ge is assured of obtaining moun-

tains of evidence from all over GCan-
ada to substantiate this charge.

Five Hundred Dollars a Day.
The cost of the probeis estimated
at $500 a day, which estimate is

" based on former commissions of a

sinular nature. This cost applies

Sonly to the governments’ share in

connection with the probe. The
inclusive of lawyers’ fees of
both sides, witnesses’ expenses, etc.,
will reach many thousands of dol-
lars. :

Matt Shaw on Stand.
Matt Shaw, well known camp-
boys’ leader of Vancouver, was on
and told of the
walk-out of 1,000 camp workers
‘from the camps last December.
Shaw blamed the sovernment auth-

)orities for the strikes in the camps,

especially the G.C government
which had built up hopes in the
minds of the campboys with their
‘slogan of “Work and Wages.”
When work and wages did not ma-

bterialize, the camp workers decided

to demand better conditions and to
organize and strike to make them
better for themselves, instead of
waiting; indfinitely for the ‘alse
promises of the government to be
fulfilled:

Shaw explained how the camp-

;boys went on a two-day strike in
the camps as a means of effective-

ly backine= up a delegation they had

isent to Victoria with their demands

for better conditions in the camps.
The workers were eyicted by the

police for conducting a strike of

two days in the camps.

:
BURNABY ASKS

DOUBLE RELIEF
FOR CHRISTMAS

At a meeting of the Burnaby
Workers’ Association, Dec. 2nd, a
committee was elected to interview
Commissioner Fraser, to urge
double relief script for CGhristmas.
Other organizations are also asked
[oO Send delegates along with this
sommmittee.

An open meeting will be called
for Dec. 9. to hear the reports of
the delesates and to formulate
salans for future action.

The statistics of the Social Ser-
vice Council show there’ has been
L reduction of salaries by the muni-
aipality of Burnaby of $78,000 in
he past four years. The peak cost
i relief, in the year 1934, amount—
cd to $74,000. These two figures
lisprove the statements that the

Commission

[PATTULLO’S POLICE
RAIDS AT NELSON

NELSON. Continuing the raids
on the homes of militant workers
in this district, provincial ‘police
seized a quantity of literature and
personal correspondence at the
home of J. Stefuik recently.

“If a concerted effort were made
fo harry Communists in all parts
of the Dominion, similar to the
Campaign being staged by the pro-
yincial police in Nelsen, Gom-
munism would find a lean calf up-
on which to feed in Canada,” be-
lieves Sergeant Barber, in charge
of the Nelson detachment.

RELIEF WORKERS
PLAN TO REGAIN
ALLOWANCE CUT

Reorganize to Secure
Extra Supplies For
Xmas Season

An extra allowance, in cash, for
the Christmas season, to be worked
for if necessary and replacement
of worn-out clothing, bedding,
cooking utensils, etc, are among
the demands of the New Westmin-
ster Relief Workers Union which
was recently reorganized.
Relief Allowance Gut

Lack of activity by the union
during the summer and intense ac-
tivity of the City Gouncil and relief
administration resulted in the

Various schemes. Relief recipients
have been forced to pay their elec-
tric light account out of their re
lief allowance and this has caused
considerable hardship.

HOME BUILDING
BYLAW REJECTED

Only Ratepayers, Prop-
erty Owners Eligible to
Vote in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG, Nov. 23—Winnipes
ratepayers defeated the housing by-
law submitted to them at Friday's
Civic elections, voting against the
labor proposal to spend $500,000 to
build cheap rent homes.

The number voting for the by-
law totalled 4,459, compared with
11,312 against. There were 1,154 re-
jected ballots, making the total of
those who voted on the by-law, 16,-
925. i

Only ratepayers and property
owners could vote on the by-law.
Those most vitally interested in its
passage were debarred from voting.
This is reflected in the fact that of
the 53,083 who voted in the mayor-
alty contest, 36,158 were not quali-
fied to express their opinion on the
housing project. Such is present
civic democracy.

‘cutting of relief allowances by |

Final Results
In Winnipeg

Labor Majority on Coun-
cil; Minority of One on

School Board

By CARL HICHIN
WINNIPEG, Man., Nov. 26—
Final civic election results an-
nounced this morning put an end to
eager expectations that labor would
increase its majority on eity coun-
cil by the election of H. B. Smith,
Li.P. candidate for the one year
aldermanic seat for Ward 2.
Although the 1.L.P. candidate was
300 ahead of ©. R. Smith, anti-labor,
on the first count, the latter crept
36 votes ahead on the third trans-
fer end finally ended up six hundred
ahead.
The final figures, computed under
a highly complicated method of
counting under a proportional repre-
sentation system, show no other
major changes from those given in
these columns, Friday Jast.
City council will retain its labor

majority of one, as last year, and
the labor representation on the
school board will be increased by

the seat gained by C. Brown, I.L.-P.,
in Ward One.

Representation on city council will
now be, an I1.L.P. mayor, seven
Li.P. and two Communist aldermen,
against nine anti-labor aldermen. On
the school board six J.l.P. and one
Communist, school trustees will face
eight anti-labor candidates. Mrs.
McLennan, although having the
endorsement of the O.B.U., is no
longer counted as being in the labor
=roup.

Pickets Get
Thirty Days

Judse Interprets Picket-
ting at Criminal

Appearing before Judge HFEllis, in
County Court, Vancouver, Dee. 3,
ik. Smith, R.sMoffat; RB. Daniels, A.

"Snooks and B. Olsen pleaded guilty
to a charge of unlawful assembly
on Oct. 25, and were sentenced to
thirty days less the time already
spent in jail.

Gordon Grant, for the defence,
stated that the scabs on the water-
front after holding a meeting deli-
berately drove up through the pic-
ket line. Crown counsel submitted
that this was a serious case, the
pickets had attempted to stop
workers who were going on their
“legitimate business.’’

Im passing sentence Judge Bilis
remarked that these cases affect
society much more than very
many criminal cases. He stated that
the accused were youns men who
apparently believe in taking the law
into their own hands, but taking
into consideration that the water-
front strike appeared almost over
he would pass a lighter sentence
than he otherwise would have done.

$125,000 To.
Smash Strike

“Extra police costs to the City of

Vancouver during the waterfront
dispute amounted to $125,000,”
Stated Alderman Tisdall, address-

ing members of the civic bureau of
the Board of Trade, this week.

“The City of Vancouver had no
part in the waterfront trouble. It
was a case of keeping law and
order,’ he said.

One and Half Billion Dol-
lar Bond Issue Over-
subscribed

ARMY — NAVY — AIR
Will Attempt To Move

Towards Mobilization
of Man Power

Great Britain is feverishly prepar-
ing for war. Headlines of the capi-
talist press have screened, for all to
see, of the huge bond issue of
$1,500,000,000 which has been over-
subscribed and which is to be used
for national “defence.” It is antici-
pated that this is only the first of
whole succession of bond issues.
Immediately after being re-elected
the National Government launched
its war plans. Army, navy and air
forees are all to be built up to new
strength. In addition, a certain
amount of this money will be given
to finance reconstruction in the war
industries. A still lesser amount
will go to road building and the
modernizing of the railroads.

a

uxpayers bear the cost of relief.

The next step in war preparations

New British Government
Speeds War Preparations

= be the introduction of compul-
sory military service for all able-
bodied working men and women.
Even prior to the election the Brit-
ish government worked out com-
pulsory egas-drill proposals, and
Duff-Cooper produced his notorious
“Royal Defence Corps’’ scheme,
which was immediately covered up
when the public revolted against it.
Since then things have moved
rapidly.
Conscription Is Next Step.

It is realized by the government
—and admitted by such experts as
Air Marshal Sir John Salmond—
that the huge armament machine
they are building up will be use-
less unless accompanied by the par-

allel organization of the man power
of the country.

Every important factory in the
country has been surveyed by War
Office experts. A system has been
worked out whereby within a few
short hours of notice these factories
can be turned over to war produc-

tion. They find now that it is
necessary to haye in operation a
system whereby the workers can

also be quickly mobilized. The plan
for this has already been worked
out and will take the form of com-

pulsory war service.

Reserve Mine
Opens Again

Boys Hired to Replace
Former Miners

NANAIMO, B:C., Dec. 2—The Ga-
nadian Collieries! (Dunsmuir) Ltd.
Reserve Mine is open once again.

The vicious wage cutting and dis-
crimination policy of this company
has almost surpassed itself in this
instance. Rationalization is ram-
pant, and to quote the general man-
ager, Mr. Hunt, “Reserve Mine has
opened with an efficiency crew.”

Boys have been put on men’s jobs
at only half the wages, and it is
notorious on the Island what this
company regards as boys. Some are
even legally termed as men, but
when it comes te cutting wages
from $3.50 down to $2.50 and in
some cases $1.75, legal technicali-
ties hardly matter at all.

Men on the haulage have been
reduced from $4.30 down to $4.01
and in some cases lower than this.
The coal diggers have supposedly
got some kind of contract but from
the wages of two of them who,
though partners, received, one $5.00
and the other $4.51. We would ad-
vise the diggers to get something
in writing with a signature at the
bottom.

|

Longshore Strike To Terminate
Monday; Committee Presents
Conditions To Shipping Bosses

DIRECT RELIEF TO
BE CONTINUED

OTTAWA, Dec. 5.—The system
of direct relief of unemployment
will continue this winter despite
any method which may eventuate
from the coming conference with
the provinces.

A series of committees repre-
senting the Dominion and the
provinces will be constituted to
follow up and deal with various
subjects which come before the
conference.

The conference will pass upon
the merits of the proposed com-
mission on unemployment. The
idea as stated is to have a body
very much like the administration
of the Patriotic Fund in war time,
with an administrative executive
at Ottawa and co-operating com-
mittees in different parts of the
country,

PROGRAM FOR PARLIAMENT IS
DISCUSSED BY CCF NAT. COUNCIL

Communists Send Letter
of Unity Appeal; Call
for All in Anti-Capi-
talist Movement

WINNIPEG, -Dec, 3.—On Satur-
day, November 30, the National
Council of the G-C.E. convened here
at offices of the Chamber of Com-
merce.

About forty members (men and
women) were in atendance. J. S.
Woodsworth occupied the chair. All

provinces, except the Maritimes,
were represented.” ~~ Fee ;
Two main questions discussed

Were the preparations for a na-
tional convention in Toronto in the
summer of 19386 und a tentative
program for the next session of
parliament.

The following letter was delivered
to the council in session on the
first day:

“Dear Comrade—

“We deside, in the name of the
Ceneral Committee and Manitoba
District Committee of the Commun-
ist Party, to take this opportunity
to present to your conference our
opinion on a question which we
eonsider to be of mutual Interest
and pressing; need to the labor and
farmer movement. az

In spite of the fact that the Lib-
eral party succeeded in securing a
large majority in parliament, the
election results show the rapidly
srowing disillusionment of great
numbers of workers and farmers,
professionals and small business
people in the two old parties. A
million Canadian people voted
against these parties. The vote as
a whole must be regarded as a vote
against the Conservative party and
a vote of warning to the Liberal
Party. Those who voted against
both the old parties, but not for the
parties of labor, were at the same
time expressing their extreme dis-
content and seeking a solution to
their every day economic and poli-
tical problems.

“The facts of life itself are im-
posing upon the labor movement of
today the task of guiding this dis-
content away from fascist channels
into the channels where the people
will have the opportunity to give

fullest expression to their discon-
tent and their demands. It is our
opinion that this can be accomp-

lished through the building of a
Wide people’s party, embracing the
workers and farmers and the dis-
illusioned professional and small
business people. We believe that
the €.C.F. provides the basis for
such a party; could indeed become
such ai party. The Communist
Party in stating such a position
wishes to point out that it is deeply
interested in the building of such a
party and desires to be part of the
Sreat movement against capitalism
that such a party would represent.

“In presenting this position we
are of the opinion that there is a
basis for valuable discussion be-

Mounties Quit Guarding
Scabs for Movies

Chests thrown out, a happy smile
on their faces, a far-away look in
their eyes, they rode through Van-
couver last Saturday.

What had happened? Had they
been escorting scabs? Geen smash-
ing a picket line? No! Clad in scar-

let tunics, splendidly mounted,
carbines by their sides, they had
spent a week in Capilano Canyon
Playing in the movies. Now the
Mounties were returning to bar-

racks, wistfully dreaming of strong,
silent men in Hollywood.

tween the Communist Party and the
C.C.F., and a real understandine on
these questions. It is for this rea-
son that we take this opportunity
to present these views to your na-

tional council and to request the
opportunity to addresS your con-
ference.
Gomradely yours,
“Central Committee, Communist
Party of Canada,
“Manitoba District Committee,

Communist Party of Canada.’’

No Money  __
For Schools

Wancouver Sehool Board applied
to the City Council last week fora
bond issue for a quarter of a mil-
lion dollars with which to construct
new high school accommadation
next year.

*The City Council have decided to
put this proposed by-law before the
ratepayers, however, because the ap-
plication was not made early enough
to make the necessary legal form re-
quirements.

Instead, Mayor McGeer passed the
buck by saying he would support
the Board, if they applied to the
Provincial Government for financial
aid, ete.

TRADES COUNCIL
SCORES RELIEF
WORK PROJECTS

Favors Elimination Of

Ward System; Would
Cut City Council

VANCOUVER, Dec. 4.—Vancou-
ver Trades and Labor Council at
their regular meeting Jast night
went on record as favoring aboli-
tion of the “‘ward system’’ in the
city and the cutting down of the
city council from 12 members to 2
council of eight aldermen.
Delegates to the Trades Council
scored the relief report of the City
Council and condenined the exploita-
tion of relief workers by the city-
A special committee assigned to re-

port on this question brought in |
their findings as follows:
“Your committee finds there is

ample evidence that the bad ex-
ample set by cities and municipali-
ties and other semi-public bodies of
compelling the unfortunate per-
sons on relief to work for their re-
lief aJowance and additional
amounts varying from $10 to $20 is
now being followed by unscrupulous
Private emp’oyers with disastrous
consequences “9 wage rate, busi-
ness conditions-2and standards of
living. ~

No Adequate Allowanve for Clothes,
Shoes and Household Re-
quirements. :

“In explanation of the term
‘compelling the unfortunate person
on relief to work,’ your committe=
find that no allowance, or at -best,.

totally imadequate allowance, is
made for the following: Clothing,
Shoes, household furniture of all
Kinds, such as bedding, dishes,

cooking utensils, stoves, ete., all of
which haye in many cases become
worn out, leaving persons on relief
only two ways of renewing same,
namely, to accept work on various
relief work schemes or become
victims of the unscrupulous private
employer.

“Your committee also finds that
this practice compels those of us
who are working, also our em-
ployers, to pay taxes in various
forms, the monies from which are
used to break down our living
Standards and to subsidize unfair
competition in business.’’

Provincial Conference
Rehef Camp Workers
Want Camps Abolished

Demand King Implement
Promises; Will Defend
Regina Boys

DISCUSS ONE-DAY STRIKE

“Ve must defend Comrade
Evans and our fellow worlers in
Regina.” me
This was the keynote of the Relief
Camp Workers’ Union povincial
conference held in Kamloops, Nov.
23 and 24.

The defence of the arrested Re-
gina workers will be given ‘“preced-
ence’ over all other activities ana
joint campaign with the B.C. Joint
Defence Committee will be initiated.
Camp workers will be asked to do-
nate a day’s pay to the defence fund,

No decision was made on the ad-
visability of a one-day strike on the
day of the trials in Regina, but after
discussion in the camps the buro will
probably send out a call for a strike
vote to be taken.

Demand Dropping of Charges

The report of the inter-provincial
conference showed that oreaniza-
tion work was increasing in the
four western provinces. A. good dis-
cussion took place on the Workers’
Unity League report, particularly
around the issues of Trade Union
Unity, war, and unemployment.

Resolutions were sent to Premier
Ising and Premier Aberhart demand-

ing that they carry out their elec-
tion promises of abolition of the re-
lief camp and the dropping of

charges against those arrested in Re-
gina.

Greetings of solidarity were sent
to Comrades Evans. Black, Cossrave
and all the other arrested Regina
workers.

| Poor Children Unable to

Buy School Milk

Walf pint bottles of milk or coco-
milk will be supplied to school
children of this city, during the
morning recess, by a local dairy for
fifteen cents per week, payable in
advance.

Milk is very necessary for the
children but children whose parents
are on relief are unable to pay the
fifteen cents and are thus dis-
criminated against.

In Beaconsfield and Norquay
Schools, we are informed, only
about 13 out of 45 pupils in a class
are able to afford this milk.

_the

Central Body Officially
Ends Conflict After
Six Months Stubborn

Struggle

TEN LOCALS

Unions Will Continue To
Retain Identity After
Re-employment

VANCOUVER, Dec, 5. — After
six months of stubborn struggle,
which began on June 4th when.
longshore gangs refused to load
Powell River paper aboard the:
S.S. “Anten,” because of 3 lock-out
of the Powell River longshoremen,
the Central Strike Committee of
the Longshoremen and Water
Transport Workers of Canada have
decided to end the strike.

The dispute, which at first’ in-
volved the Vancouver and District
Waterfront Workers’ ASSnN., Soon
spread to other B.C. ports until ten
locals, affecting 2300 members,
were out in sympathy strike. Since
that time the powerful Shipping
Hederation has used every Means
at its disposal to break the ranks.
of the men:

The statement of the Central
Strike Committee to the press fol—
lows:

Statement

In view of the persistent rumors:
about the B.C. waterfront strike
terminating momentarily, it is felt
that an authentic statement should.
be issued to clear the atmosphere.

The various local unions involved
have decided to satnd by their or—
Sanizations and are at present re-
organizing themselves for the pur-
pose of again taking their place in
raunity.—

They have no intention. of losing;
their identity or usefulness, and
when they again place their ser
vices at the disposal of their emi-
ployers shall do so Only as or—
fanized union men.

It will require several days to
complete re-organization, and af
ter taking everything into consider-
ation it has been decided to of-
ficially end the strike on Monday,
December 9th, at & a.m.

Uniform conditions for the re-
employment of the men, consisting
only of the actual recognition of
the unions of the men’s choice, are
being presented to all the interested
employers, who are not expected to
taise any barriers to the re-absorp-
tion of the present strikers.

Gentral Strike Committee,
W. Mitchell.
Longshoremen and Water

Transport Workers of
Canada.

WILL REPEAT
“LEFTY”? PLAY -

So many requests have been
made for the play “Waiting for
Lefty” to be presented again that
the Progressive Arts Club has ar-
ranged to give the play two more
performances, on Friday and Sat-
urday next week, December 13 and
id, at the spacious Kitsilano High
School Auditorium, corner Trafal_
Sar and Tenth Avenue West.

Ineluded in the bill will be the
popular one-act comedy. “The
Bear,” by Tchekoff. Reserved
seats, at 50 cents, may be Secured
at the J.W. Kelly Piano Co. Ltd.,
659 Granville St. Commencing
Monday, Dec. 9, general admission
will be 35 cents.

Squires Issues Statement On
B.C. Defence Movement

¢

G
| Statement from him, which we are

Grateful for Efforts and

For Work Done on Be-

haif of Longshore
Victims

William Squires, striking lonz-
Shoreman sentenced to three years
and five lashes, issued a statement
a month ago which was published
in the daily press to the effect that
his casێ was no longer in the hands
ef the Canadian Tabor Defence
League or the Workers’ Ex-Service-
men’s League, and that no orzani-
zation Was authorized to raise funds
for his defence’ Since this state-
ment was issued, the efforts of the
B.C. Joint Defence Committee to
raise defence funds for the other
arrested waterfront workers and for
the Relief Camp trekkers, have
been seriously handicapped. The
B.C. Joint Defence Committee ap-
proached Brother Squires, and we
have now received the following

pleased to brine to the attention of
the public:
W. Squires’ Statement.

In November a Statement ap-
peared in the press to the effect
that my case was in the hands of
a committee of returned men rep-
resenting the British Empire Ser-
vice League, Army and Navy
Veterans’ Association, Disabled
Veterans’ Association, Amputa—
tions Association, and that no
Organization was authorized to
collect funds for my defence.

i undertand that this state-
ment has been so misinterpreted
as to seriously interfere with the
raising of funds in the defense of
others involved in cases arising
out of the waterfront dispute.
This was not my intention as T
am very grateful to the Canadian
Labor Defence League for their
efforts on my behalf particularly
as they have defended the sreat-
er majority of these cases.

(Signed) William Squires.

industrial life of the com-

abe