- Ee RTPA Ro EAT 4 Special Anniversary Edition In Socialist Society, unshackled science will have before it a great and glorious future. —LENIN. Sot ORKERS ix Pages All together for a mighty work- ing-class press against poverty, in the fight reaction and imperialist war! VOL. i. Published Weekly VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1936 Single Copies: 5 Cents SS No. 53 Regina Commission To Send One Man To B.C., Evans lo Expose RCMP Trek Leader Has Copies | of Instructions Sent by Head of Federal Police CONTINUES PROBE REGINA, Jan, i5.—Departure of one member of the Regina commis- “sion and one lawyer to Vancouver has been set back until after im- portant police evidence has been taken. When this one man com- mission does leaye Regine, Arthur Evans, trek leader, will also come te Vancouver in order to assist the defence committee here. Cunningham, trekkers’ council, objected to the splitting of the com- mission, one member proceedine to Wancouyer to hear evidence while the sittings continue in Regina. He declared that under the order-in- council, by which the committee Was Set up, it cannot legally divide itseli Lhe commission, however, decided that this split should talce place. Considering that the giving of evidence before Commissioner Doak, who is definitely opposed to the trekkers, would expose defence “witnesses for the trials of those arrested, and enable the police to build up rebuttals to their evidence, the Regina Citizens’ Defence Com- mittee advises that when the one- man commission arrives at the coast it should be completely ignored. Hardships For Trekkers If _ Commission Splits. Further, while ii is comparative- ly easy for the commission toe send one member to Vancouver, accom- panied by the case and still haye sufficient legal representation for their pur- poses in Regina, the trekkers, rep- resented only by Evans and one lawyer, would have to split their terces in order to have one present here familiar with the whole his- tory of the commission and with its procedure. This would work a ser- ious hardship on the trekkers, both in Regina and Vancouver. Wires Provide Sensational Exposures. When Evans arrives in Vancou- ver he will bring with him a tran- script of the meeting between the delesates of the camp workers and R. B. Bennett at Ottawa in June last. Copies of police wires be- tween Sir James McBrien, commis- sioner of the R.C:M.P., and Assis- tant Commissioner Woods, R.C.M,. P., have also been procured and provide sensational exposures. For distributing a leaflet asking citizens of Regina who witnessed the riot.on Market Square, July i, and the events following, to get in touch with the Regina Citizens’ De- fence Committee, two workers were arrested. Defended by Evans, who labelled the charge as a deliberate frame-up, charges against the two Were dismissed. Am open letter to the commission is to be distributed from house to house throughout Regina, exposing the nature of the commission. OPPOSITION FOR . Mi‘DONALD’S SON LONDON, Jan. 14. — Opposition mounted to the government’s efforts te find seats for Ramsay MacDonald and his son Malcolm. Conservatives of Ross and Cromarty rejected the injunction of Prime Minister Bald- win to give support to Maicolm Mac- Donald in the forthcoming by- election. 4 Wouthful Randolph Churchill, son of Winston Churchill, has been nom- inated by the local Gonservatives association to run in opposition, and is supported by both Conservative and Liberals. BOSS - INSPIRED RUMORS SPIKED By CARL HICHIN WANNIPEG, Jan. §—Four hun- dred shirt and overall workers, as- sembled in the Trades Hall, Tues- day night, decisively spiked boss in- Spired rumors that their union, United Garment Workers, were in- tent upon concluding a collective agreement with the manufacturers which would entail a reduction in pay for some of the workers in the trade. : The boss rumors were evidently aimed at stopping the rapid srowth of the union. Unanimously the large gathering declared, ‘We pledge our full moral organizational support to our ex- ecutive committee for the securing of a Collective’ agreement peace- fully, but if necessary to mobilize for a general strike.’’ There are about 900 workers in the local trade. Half the world doesn’t know how the other half lives, but it has its suspicions. a lawyer familiar with” x - + STALIN MINE OPERATORS’ PROFLIGATE LIFE NEW YORK —wWhile miners are Sacrificing their lives for profit of the operators of coal and metai mines, O. ©. MeIntyre, American columnist tells us of the wild man- ner in which one of these operators throws-away this easy monty on Broadway. P Duncan Martin, “who has a whopping income from Canadian mining properties,’”’ is one of the heaviest spenders around the New York nigh+ clubs and has restored the old-fas .oned custom of tip- ping he2adwaiters one hundred dol- lar bills. Miners, who have to be satisfied with the music of machinery, will be pleased to know that by their efforts they are helping headwait- ers and stage actresses out of the depression. $15 A Month, Family Of 10 Chinese Get Starvation Relief Allowance VICTORIA, Jan. 10—Song Loo, a Chinese resident of Victoria, B.C. (830 Pandora Ave.), is unemployed, and supporting a wife and eight children on fifteen (15) dollars worth of script per month, this being the only unemployment re- lief issued him. This sum amounts to $3.75 per week for the aforementioned fam- ily, or five cents per day for each, which makes possible only two meagre meals a day for each, and one for Mr. Loo, composed as they are in most instances, entirely of Starch. This inadequate sum is supposed to provide for the needs of this family of two adults and eight chil- dren, not only for food, but also for elothing, fuel, ete. The family is forced to subsist almost entirely on a diet of rice, with an acute short- age of vegetables and protein sub- stances, it being an established fact that a plain starch diet, especially for smaller children is absolutely detrimental to health and growth. Organizations in Victoria are be- ing circularised with a call to send a resolution of protest to the City Relief Officer with a request that this family of Chinese working people get the same relief allow- ance as a white family of the same number of children. AGED RELIEF WORKER KILLED MURRAYVILLE, Jan. 14. — John Svennes, 52, relief worker, of Bigear Road, was killed, and John Miller, 60, Aldergrove, seriously injured when the piles and substructure of the partly constructed Biggar Road ravine bridge cracked and gave way. A pile driver, standing on the com- pleted end of the bridge toppled sideways, crashing down the side of the ravine, crushing the two men standing alongside of it. An inquest will be held in Lang- ley Prairie and it is expected Lang- ley municipal officials will hold a Special inquiry into the cause of the accident. First An We made no mistake one niversary year ago when we forged the weapon (The B.C. Workers’ News) and began to use it in the interests of the workers and farmers of B.C. In face of the capitalist reaction experienced during the past year the working population of B.C, have responded to the cause of the Workers’ Press nobly and the paper has continued to can feel proud of the fact that come out regularly, and now celebrates one year’s publication as an achievement of no mean merit. Before the paper was a month old it took up the task of championing the cause of the starving Chinese workers of Vancouver and the striking shingle weavers. It carried the campaign against Hitler’s propaganda warship “Karlsruhe,” and led the struggle against Fascism. In the fight for un- employment insurance at the expense of the rich, in the Camp Boys’ strike and Trek to Ottawa, in the Longshore Strike and in the most urgent striving for unity of labor and progressive forces and the election of as many C.C.F. and militant candidates as possible to legislative bodies, the B.C. Workers’ News played a It might have done more. n important and leading part. What it did accomplish might have been done better and more effectively. We would be the last to deny this fact. Experience is a great teacher. Another year faces us and the tasks are even greater than those of the past. "With co: ntinued support. constructive criticism and discussion by the masses of working people of B.C.; with the contribution of news by worker correspon- | dents, and with that valuable weapon that Lenin gave to the working class—SHLF CRITICISM—we are confident that the B.C. Workers’ News will prove to be an even more formidable weapon that will assist the common people of British greatly in helping to unite Columbia for a greater share of the wealth produced, for the preservation of our demo- cratic rights against the encroachments of fascism, for peace, and for the struggle for socialism. PACIFIC COAST STRIKE SOLID Qver Fifty Vessels Tied Up in West Coast Ports SAN PRANCISCO.—The Steam- Ship Pennsylvania, Panama Pacific Line, was still tied up here as a result of a strike of her entire crew of 300 men. The crey; struck for the right to sign on at West Coast Seamen’s union wages and condi- tions for the round trip, ending in San Francisco. They point out that the Hast Goast contract has expired and that the seamen-of the West Coast get $62.50 a month pay and 60 cents an hour overtime, whereas the old contract on the At- lantic and Gulf coasts which the company seeks to enforce on the erew is for $57.50 a month and no overtime pay. The number of coastwise ships, mostly schooners, now tied up in Western ports by the lockout of their crews has now reached fifty- -CAMPBOYS TAKE DRASTIC ACTION Rotten Food and Condi- tions Force Alberta Workers to Move POLICE ARREST 18 CALGARY, Jan. 12—Two hundred workers in a relief camp here last Saturday- threw tables-and benches out during breakfast, being unable to tolerate the rotten food any long- er. The workers took this action after all other methods had failed to get redress for their grievances. Instead of the promised $25.00 a month dividend of Aberhart, the workers are finding that all they. can expect from this demogog and Potential fascist is a worsening of the conditions and increased police terror. Police arrested 18 workers after the incident and are combing the rest of the workers’ ranks to arrest all militant workers they can in an ef- fort to suppress the discontent among the workers. They Murdered An Innocent Babe Of The Another Ruthless Profit-Hungry Shipping Federation Another victim was added to the list of lives that have been sacri- ficed to the lust and greed of the Shipping Federation and to the re- venge of Mayor McGeer and the police last week, when a baby was born to the wife of Harold Maides. The baby was born on Friday, Jan. 10th, and it was dead. Harold Maides is in Oakalla, sen- Victim of the} Working Class teneced to six months in prison for participation in the longshore strike. When he was arrested the police in the city jail broke his arm at the elbow. The Canadian Labor Defence League got him to a doctor after they secured his bail (he was refused medical attention in jail) and before the doctor could treat his arm he had to get him to the hospital to have it X-rayed be- cause the swelling and inflammation made treatment impossible. His wife was pregnant and had (Continued on page 5) Smith Report Discloses B. C. Electric Rly. Co. Gouged Huge Profits Out Of Van. Taxpayers LENIN [Only Utility Company on ent Not Resulated; North American Contin- Expert Says Fares Should Be Reduced < TOM EWEN TO TOUR CANADA Tom Ewen, general secretary of the Workers’ Unity League, will commence an all-Canada tour at Sudbury on January 26 Visiting all important centres, and travelling to logging camps and mines on his way through the country, it is ex pected that the tour will continue for four or five months, While spending some time in Vancouver and Victoria, Ewen will also go into the mining and logging camps of British Columbia and hold meetings of the fishermen in Prince Rupert, ete. FULL SLATE UNITY NOMINATE Vigorous Campaign Be- ing Conducted in Muni- cipal Election PROGRAM ADOPTED Municipal elections are again facing the people of the Munici- pality of Coquitlam, where in the past such yictories as the continu- ous election of the late Tom Doug- las and Tom Allard to the Council can be recorded. When the people register their votes on January 24 this year they. will do so with greater unity of thought and action than at any time before. There has been formed a Citizens’ Civic League with of- ficial delegates from the G.CcF., Communit Party, Liberal Party, Unemployed Association and frat- ernal delegates from the Farmers’ Institute. Unity has been established on the common ground of electing to the administration people who will have at heart the best interests of the citizens rather than those of the vested interests. ; PROGRAM (a) That there be no increase in taxation. That the Provincial Govern- ment be approached with a view of abolishing all tax pen- alties on tax arrears. That all interest charged on tax arrears not to exceed the Tate of interest charged on loans to the Municipality by the banks or the Provincial Government. Immediate payment of the dollar-per-child increase in re- (Continued on page 2) ALBERTA URIONS OPPOSE OLYMPICS CALGARY.—Marlkins a distinct Swing to the left, the Alberta Federation of Labor in annual convention here, issued a call to organized labor to rally to the fight against Wear and Fascism. The convention went on record as protesting aguinst the partici- pation by Canadian athletes in the 1936 Olympic games in Hitler Germany. (b) (e) (d) Influence Of Lenin On B.C. Labor Movement By W. BENNETT Pre-war is a word that has become accepted into our language and de- notes a definite line between every- thing that obtained before 1914 and all that comes after 1918. This is no less true in relation to the labor movement than to other phases of social activity and it applies to B.C. and Canada as well as to any other part of the globe. Of the world shaking events of that four years of carnage and Slaughter none was equal in histori- cal significance to the October Reyo- lution that placed the working class in control of the great Russian Em- pire, one sixth of the land surface of the world, and brought to the notice of the world’s workers the outstand- ing figure of this century, LENIN, the leader, the guide of the prole- tariat in the final conflict with class rule, in the strugele with imperial- ism—decayine, dying capitalism. Qnly those who were connected With the labor movement in B.C. or in Canada before the war, can thoroughly appreciate the mighty and profound change that has taken place in it through the influence of @the teachings of Wladimir Ilych; a change accomplished in such a short time as to seem almost marvellous. Unknown to Canadians Before : October Before 1917 the Canadian workers never even knew the name of Lenin. Some of them had heard of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, but of Lenin never a whisper had reached them, even among the leaders of the most revolutionary section; of his place in the revolutionary movement they knew nothing; of his work of build- ing an iron, disciplined, revolution- ary vanguard, armed with the weap- on of Marxism, capable of drawing under its leadership the masses af workers and peasants, they were ignorant. The consistent and relent- less struggle against reformism, so- cial-chauvinism and social pacifism, the polemics against all who deviated from the revolutionary line, that were carried on by Lenin in the early years of the century were un- known to the Canadian workers. We Were the “Real” Marxists The more advanced section of the workers in Canada, particularly in B.C. were organized in the Socialist Party of Canada. We in the S.P. looked upon ourselves as the real revolutionary Marxists. We consist- ently refused to affiliate to the Sec- ond International; that body and all its works we looked upon with scorn. To us it was an utter sink of confu- sion, corruption and reformism. ALL its Jeaders we considered tere bought body and soul by the capital- ist class and their following we look- ed upon as an ignorant rabble who could not even explain the differ- ence between abstract and concrete labor. All working class with the exception of a couple of small sects, one in the States and one in England, we placed in the Same category as the Second Inter- national. With the trades unionists, who were to us mere hucksters bargain- ing over the price of the commodity labor power, we refused to have any truck. They had to be “‘educated,”’ to be made into socialists, and this we considered to be our whole politi- cal task, the purpose for which we got candidates into parliaments in B.C. and Alberta. With us Marxism Was a dogma, divorced from real life, organizations CANDIDATES D IN COQUITLAM WART MAYOR’S WINGS CLIPPED Less power for Vancouver's dic- tatorial mayor will be sought at the next session of the legislature under cil on January 13. A: ruling from the chair requires a two-thirds majority to upset it at the present time. Council considers that a straight majority of members present should be sufficient. Alder- men seek to stop any action of the mayor being put through in opposi- tion to a majority of the council. Jobless Boys Eat Garbage Six Dollars a Week Re- lief for Family of Ten ORILLIA, Ont.—Branding it “dis- graceful” and announcing that he Was going to take it up with pro- vineial welfare officials, Ald. Her- bert Plowman, Orillia, described how he and another Orillian, Allan Church, saw two relief recipients of Orillia township eating sarbage from the back of a local cafe. “We just happened to be passing When Tf noticed two youths taking seraps from the garbage cans,” Ald. Plowman stated. “I couldn’t believe it at first, but they did it. I went over and questioned them and they told me they hadn’t anything to eat and were very hungry. Afterward I inquired into the case and learned that the pair, two brothers, were members of a family of ten on re- lief in Orillia township and all they receive is $6 a week allowance. “I became interested in the case after what I saw and visited the home. The family of ten had only three beds and only one with a mattress and they used old bags on the others. The father told me he got only $6 relief money and until last month got only $4. “We try to give all what they need,” Reeve Drinwater said. SI don’t know about this particular case.” NICKEL CO. BANS WORKERS’ PRESS Bosses Demand Work- ers Cancel Subs and Produce Certificates of Cancellation Threatening all employees who read working class papers with loss of their jobs, the International Nickel Company of Canada, Creigh- ton ines, Ontario, have ordered all who subscribe to such papers to produce certificates of cancellation of their subscriptions. Tf such proof is not produced the workers will be discharged. This attack on the rights of the workers, this arbitrary ruling as to what they shall or shall not read, is being strongly protested: Resolutions are being sent throughout Canada askine workers to demand of the International Nickel Company the withdrawal of this edict, and demanding the On- tario Provincial Government take measures to stop this attack on the freedom of the press and freedom of the workers to read what they 2 resolution passed by the city coun- ‘ Working Class Districts Suffer from Inadequate Car Service OBSOLETE CARS Wot many months ago an inves- tigation was made by Mr. Allen J. Smith, M.E.E.EIMA.Sce, ELRS.A., @ most competent engineer On the basis of his findings the Utili- ties Committee of the city last Aug- ust made a report to the mayor and aldermen in which they ‘were in- formed that the affairs of the B.C. H.R. are so mixed up that it is difficult for anyone to come to any Gefinite conclusion. However, out of the tangle, deliberately made by the company to becloud the issue of Shameless exploitation of the people of Vancouver, the committee, with the help of Mr. Smith, were able to bring: out many startling facts and conclusions, amongst which are: The B.C. Electric Railway Com- pany is the only utility company on the North American continent not regulated. The profits of tue company are excessive and not 1 34 per cent, as alleged, but are 6 3-4 per cent on the company’s valuation and 8.79 per cent on our engineer's calculations. _ ' The financial position of the company is streng and rates should not be raised, but should be reduced. The roadbed is not Standard and not according to agreement with the city and not modern. The city is partially responsible for this state of affairs. ~ The eastern and southern sec- fions of Vancouver (working cléss sections.—Ed.) are not ade- quately served with transportation facilities. The number of cars and track miles are insufficient and ecross- town lines are necessary. — More busses are advisable for adequate service, The charges made by the com- pany for depreciation and main- tenance are excessive and wwoulg not be allowed under 2 prope system of resulation. The equipment is obsolete. THE SYSTEM OF ACCOUNT ING IS CALLED INTO QUES TION. it would appear that the com: pany have not lived up to theiz agreement with the cify. The penalty of $200 a day for violation of the contract exten: Sions have not been made as de mandeéed by the public. The city has lost $21,000 a yea on the assumption that the com: pany was losing money. The record of the company can- not be accepted simply because the company is not rezulated and are prepared for dividend pur- poses in the interests of the share- holders and not in the interests of the taxpayers. The company are not provid- ing the service and protection that the citizens are entitled to. Must Demand Lower Fares. Mr. Smith, the Utilities Gommittee urged that the city re-engage this engineer to make further inquiries into other utilities owned by the B.C. Electric octupus, such as Power and Light, Gas, Ete. That Mr. Smith is qualified for the job can not be questioned. He has an in- ternational reputation, and was recommended by the Gouncil of Professional Engineers of B.C. After the findings of Mr. Smith and the report of the Utilities GCom-_ mittee, the B.C.E.R. got busy with Sadly needed repairs and replace- ments for a short while, but seeing: the complacency ‘with which the city fathers and the mayor regard- ed the way the people of Vancou- ver were being used by them they. Save it up and the same old run- down, ramshackle cars and negelect- ed roadbed is permitted to exist. City contracts between the city and the B.C. Electric come up for renewal this year, contracts which also include street lighting agree- ments, involving an expenditure of three-quarters of a million dollars. The people of Vancouver must insist on a reduction in car fare to 5 cents, modern street cars, better equipment and improved all round Service. They must also demand and secure regulation of the B.C. Electric by the city. Polish Champion Cannot Box in Germany A Polish-German boxing match Scheduled to take place in Berlin was called off when Shepsel Ro- thols, Polish amateur champion and member of the Jewish Workers Sports Club, was notified by the Berlin Club that he would not-be (Continued on Page 3) choose. permitted to box there. rom the disclosures foade by.