€.C.F. ELECTS TWO ON MUNI Pettipiece Elected To Parks, aa as it is by no means easy, to be an Internationalist in deeds during 4, 3 ORKERS Without an effective Workers? Press there can be no real labor EWS a terrible Imperaiilst War. movement. Speed up the cam- —LENIN. paign! VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1935 Single Cepies: 5 Cents > No. 49° VOL. I Published Weekly Premiers’ Confab At Ottawa Gives Birt To “Brain Trust” Mayors, Provincial, Do-| UNION DOCKERS minion Gov’t Leaders Prescribe Cure For Sick Capitalism CAMPS TO REMAIN _—_—_—_ Security Of Interest On Bonded Indebtedness Chief Concern Two events of major importance to the working class are the con- ference which has been held by the mayors of Canadian cities and the conference of provincial premiers with members of the Dominion cabinet, which is now being held in Ottawa. At this latter conference will be laid down the policy to be adopted by the Federal Government for the coming period. The chief worry of civic adminis- trations is that a point has been reached where interest rates can no longer be paid. The solution of the mayors’ conference to this is ito pass the burden of relief costs to either the Provincial or WFederal Governments. “9 Two thines were requested of the | Federal Government by the delega- Gon of mayors of six major Canadian cities: i. To be relieved of direct relief costs. 2. Toe be given access to the national credit in refunding debts. “Unwarranted bank overdrafis is the only thine that is holding municipal government today,”’ said _ Mayor McGeer. This means that every Canadian city is directly con- trolled by the bankers. The delega- tion further suggested to Premier King that the Dominion issue notes, in the same way as the banks, for building non-reyenue producing projects; consolidation of services between the three governmental in_ Stitutions, especially in the collec- tion of taxes, and a public works ‘Program, but not on borrowed money. Steps Towards Fascism They agreed that civic adminis- tration should be subject to rezula- ‘tion of Aa commission regarding= ‘futuze expenditure and revenues if ; z ress the province and the Dominion zuaranteed their refunding secu- Tities. | Premier King thanked the may- lors for the Suggestions, but pro- mised nothing apart from con- sideration. So ended the first spend- ing of a few thousand dollars from the bankrupt treasuries. Tinkeringe With Relief Camps The real work of the conference of premiers commenced on the Tuesday when three committees Were set up, unemployment and re- lief, finance commiuiitee, and one for making recommendations for mod- srnizins the British North America Act Only one committee has thus sar turned in a report of the line alone which it is carryine out its jeliberations, this is the committee mm unemployment and relief. Wisions of the On-to-Ottawa trek nust have haunted the premiers as hey spoke of the “pernicious mili-_ ary camp system.” The fact that he complaints of the workers in he camps are justified has at last een realized and the committee de- ided that the camps, as we have newn them, must go. We are to ave the same camps, the same 26m in them, but they will be under he jurisdiction of the Department —E Labor, and the youth of Canada all enter into its third period of slave’? compounds. The single unemployed will be ant into the camps in order that ley may learn a trade. What ages they will receive while learn- §, or where they will secure a b with thousands of skilled work- S on the breadline is conveniently iSssed over. More Registration One other decision of this com- ittee was the appointine= of a sub- mmittee for the purpose of find- = ways and means of obtaining a tional registration of unemploy- - The necessity of separating re- £ for “those who are out of work ane to the depression’ and the re of the “unemployables” has al- idy been agreed upon although details have as yet been given Ghee 8 A compiete analysis of this con- ence will not be possible until it €S out full reports but all in- ations point to the fact that in ir efforts to patch up the broken Vn System, the government will empt to drive the workers lower i lower, while covering up their entions with alluring and beauti- word pictures. DELAY ‘NIAGARA’ AUELAND, N-Z., Dec. 12—Re- fusal of Union stevedores in this port to work cargo” on the SS. “Niagara,” of the Canadian-Austral- asian Line, because she was bound for Vancouver, has tied up the ves- Sel indefinitely. The sailine of the “Niagara”? was delayed on her last voyage to Van- couver by the Union crew who re- fused to sail unless guaranteed the vessel’s cargo would be discharged by Union labor The vessel was manned by seabs. McGEER REBUKED BY CITY COUNCIL The unaimous vote of the Wan- couver City Council, December 6, in favor of Alderman Harvey re- considering his decision to resign from the special committee on the Tucker Relief Report was, in effect, a vote of censure on Mayor Mc- Geer. Members of the Council deplored the “‘high-handed’? and ‘“‘dictator- ial” methods used by the Mayor. Alderman Harvey being the only one of their number with legal training, it was felt that his ser- vices on the committee should not be lost. ° LOGGERS PLAN HOLIDAY MEET Union Secretary John- son Tours Vancouver Island Camps Well attended meetings in lop- 2in= camps on WVaneouyer Island heard Arne Johnson, B.C. district secretary of the Lumber Workers’ Union, report on the Workers’ Unity congress held in Toronto in Wovember. Johnson laid special stress upon the resolution on Trade Union Unity, showing how it concerns the lumberjacks of B.C. and what must be done to carry it into effect. Questions and discussions which followed each meeting will undoubt- edly result in a &reater understand— ing amongst the loggers of the necessity of building trade wunion unity on a provincial and national Seale. Mobilizme Loggers for Strugele With the cost of living steadily rising, and with contract work an enemy of camp unity in the camps, it has been decided to call a wage Scale conference as preparation to- wards a struggle for higher wages. This conference will lay the Sroundwork for mobilizing the membership of the union and log- Sers as a whole behind the cam- paign for higher wage rates, lower board charrzes, and abolition of contract work. The conference will be held in the L.W.1.U_ Hall, 130 West Hastings, Sunday, Dec. 29, at 10 am. All loggers in town for Xmas are welcome. HUGE ANTI-WAR CONGRESS GETS NATION-WIDE SUPPORT All Sections of Canadian Population Repre- sented FOR WORLD PEACE a Canada to Send Delegate To World Congress At London Next Year Gathered together at the second Canadian congress Against War and Fascism held in Toronto, on Dec. 6, 7 and 8, were M.P.’s, MLL.A.’s, mayors, Professors, doc- tors, trade unionists, workers, etc., people of the most varied political and orgeanizational affiliations; all came together to unite and mobilize the forces that will stop the drive to war and black reaction. From the second congress at least one delesate will be elected to the World Congress for Peace, to be held in Iondon, England, in the spring of 1936. Among the backers of this congress are Lord Hugh CGecil, the Archbishop of York, and Pierre Cot, French air minister. President of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, ‘‘Pad- dy-’ Draper, regretted his inability to be present at the congress but assures the league of his organiza- Gon’s full support and co-operation in the struggle against war and Fascism. Mayor of Toronto to Spealx At a mass meeting prior to the first session of the congress, J. Simpson, mayor of Toronto, and C. C.F. leader, agreed to speak and to welcome the delegates to Toronto. Speakers at the meeting were: The Rev. T. G. Douglas, C.C.F. member of parliament for Weyburn, Sask.; E. A. G, Barnes, Social Credit member of the legis- lature in Alberta; Eleanor Brannon, ort the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and member of the National Bureau of the American League Against War and Fascism; George Mooney, of the Quebee provincial council of the €.CE.; Sam Lawrence, C.C.m. member of the Ontario legislature; John Phillips, secretary of the Friends of Chinese People and edi- tor of “China Today;’’ Tim Buck, fSeneral secretary of the Communist Party of Canada; and Dr. John Line, of Victoria College. Major (Centinued cn Page 3) War Funds Being Raised Here For Italy At the instigation of the Italian Consul in Wancouver, Ttalians in Vancouver have raised the sum of $500.00 to assist Mussolini in his drive against Ethiopia. The in- formation received from an Italian worker, stated that prominent Itai- ans were making a thorough can- vass of all the Italian colony and asking for sums ranging from ten eents up. Not content with this, the canvassers were askine for jewellery which could be converted into cash and even for scrap iron to be used for munitions. [NORTH VAN. KIDS TO HAVE TREE, CONCERT, DANCE Friday evening, December 20, at 7:30, at the Workers’ Centre, 200 First Street East, North WVancou- ver, the Women’s Labor League will hold a concert, dance and tree, with good things for the iiddies, All children will be made wel- come. A program of song nuni- bers, recitations and dances has been arranged, mostly talent from the kiddies themselves. Children will be admitted free. A collee- tion will be talsen up amongst the Srown-ups. LONGSHOREMEN NOW HAVE FOUR GANGS AT WORK Coastwise Dockers, Few Seamen Are Re-hired; Ships Tied Up Abroad VANCOUVER, Dee. 12.— While the strike affecting the ports of BC. was officially called off Jast Monday by the Central Strike Com- mittee, the Shipping Federation maintain the lock-out still in effect, as only four longshore gangs have been employed to date. These have been mixed with the Finks at the ratio of six union men to five scabs. Four gangs of Coastwise men have been re-employed, and also a few of the sailors. On Tuesday night the Central Strike Committee decided that members of all locals should regis- ter at the Fink halis for re-employ- ment on the docks. The Maritime Federation of the Pacific and the I.L..A. have concur- red in the action taken by the Van- couver Strike Committee, and they wish to watch the situation care- fully for further developments. What action will be taken by crews On West Coast articles can- not be ascertained. The S.S. Ever- ett scheduled to arrive here Mon- day has not left Seattle yet. Radio reports on Tuesday night indicated that union dock gangs in Seattle were being fired, and scab gangs employed under police protection. This is possibly the re- action to the pan placed on prod- ucts of the Fish Flour Mills, where a strike has been im progress for some weeks. ; According to reports of marine workers in this port who have rela- tives in Sweden, there are seven ships with cargoes destined for B.C. ports tied up in their home ports, as crews will not sign on for the voyage to B:C. ports. Whist Drive and Dance—Decem- ber 19, at 150 Hastines West. Whist, 8 p.m.; dance, 9:30. Whist first prizes, two chickens. Door prize, turkey. Tickets 15 cents. TWO-MAN CAR ISSUE IN W'PEG Communist Aldermen Lead Fight for Safety By CARL HICHIN WINNIPEG, Dec. 3-— Alderman Penner’s by-law to re-institute two- man street cars in the city came be- fore the Gity Council again and was sent back for further consideration in committee where it had recently been killed. Penner pointed out that the street railway company had repeatedly evaded supplying the council with comparative lists of ac- cidents caused by one-man cars and two-man cars. The Communist alder- man voiced strong opposition to the continuance of the one-man system on the grounds that it was incon- venient to patrons, nerve wrecking to the motormen, and had caused large numbers of the employees to be laid off. Many of these now walk ing the streets, he added, had given 20 years to the company. When the matter comes before the ,committee, representatives of the Street railwaymen will have the op- portunity to air their views. DOCKERS WRITE ATT.-GEN. SLOAN Want Official Attitude as to Whether Striking Is Criminal The following letter has been formvarded to Attorney - General Sloan by the Secretary. of the Cen- tral Strike Committee of Water- front Workers. Dear Sir: On the 27th of November last, two men, Quinn and Saul were charged under the Vagrancy Act, Section E, with molesting passensers on the public streets and appeared before Masistrate Edmonds in New West- minster. This case was dismissed on the grounds that the strike in which these men were involved, had been terminated. In the County Court.in the City of Vancouver on the 3rd of December of this year, before Judge Ellis, five men were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on a charge of rioting and the remark was made by the Judge that the sen- tence was being made very light in view of the fact that the strike was in process of settlement. We would like to ask you at this time if the inference contained in the actions of both of these dispensers of justice is the official attitude of your Department; i.e., that striking is the crime of which they are guilty. We would also appreciate in- formation as to how far this attitude of the bench is responsible for the Sentences already imposed in the cases, too numerous to mention, arising out of this strike. BAD CONDITIONS EXIST IN CAMPS Camp 371, Canoe. This com- pound is on the ‘Trans-Canada Highway three miles east of Canoe. Conditions are very poor, over- erowding in bunk shacks, and the chuck is rotten. We have an old- time cook of Department of Na- tional Defence brand. He boils everything. We baptized « him “Mulligan Jack.” The pay of the higher-ups, such as the foreman, time-keepers, store- keepers and straw bosses, has been boosted. The storekeeper, Jones by name, is the buecko that was kicked out of Sorrento camp last year. Some- thing is phoney, we have been short on feed rations and tobacco issue and given ~second-hand clothing when the store is full of new