bere tremerrer ese rte feta aera Demand the withdrawal of the _charges against the Camp Trek leaders! B.C. Workers NEws Your subscription has expired if the number on your label is below this number. Renew it NOW! VOL. U1, No. 5 Published Weekly VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1936 Single Copies: 5 Cents SS FULL No. 57 GOVERNMENT FORECASTS ITS WAR PROGRAM Coal Co. Neglect Kills Another Island Miner New Spindle Costing a Dollar Would Have Saved Life BOSSES GO FREE NANAIMO. — Terribly crushed and mangled, John W. Bilton, 35, Was instantly Killed in No. 1 mine of the Western Fuel Company on February 6. Bilton was walking ahead of a load of timber which was being hauled up the slant, as the first car neared the top it sud- denly left the track. Bilton went back, climbing over the car, and re- placed it on the track. Immediately coupling the pin which went through the bull wheel (which was jJater found to be worn almost through) snapped. The-car of tim- ber rushed back down the steep Slope giving= the deceased no chance to get clear. The timber road where the fatal ity occurred is so narrow that on many occasions cars have jammed against the side and the walls have had to be worked on with a pick in order to allow the cars to get through. At the inquest held on February 10, the following verdict owas ‘re- tured: “We, the jury empanelled to en- quire into the death of J. W. Bil- ton, find that he came to his death on February 6, about 8 p.m- on No. 1 slope in’ No. 8 slant, Puyallup section of No. 1 mine, Western Fuel Corporation, by be- ing crushed to death by a car of timber which ran back over de- ceased through the shearing of _ the pulley spindle which was worn through by lubrication not reach- ing the rotating parts. “We would recommend that ali pulleys used in this particular work be bushed, and proper ways of lubrication be placed in same. We also recomnien that all spindles be held in position by a properly fitted nut and split pin.’’ Second Death in Seven Weeks Wo recommendation was made that the road be widened in order that in any similar incident the mean would be enabled to stand be- Side the car instead of directly in its path_ This is the second fatal accident in No. i mine in the past seven weeks, both of which were to a large desree preventable. IL. Houston met his death on December 23, while Workine in a gassy section of the mine, Doctor Giovanda testifyine that death was caused by carbon- monoxide poisoning. Since the death of Bilton the company is feverishly fixing up the mine to comply with the Mine Regulations Act. man- holes which are placed on the side of the road for the miners to stand in when cars are going by are be- ing whitewashed, etc. The accident rate in Cumberland Which is operated by the same com- pany, has also increased tremen- dousiy, owing to speed-up, four ac- cidents hayine= been reported in two weeks recently. Split Pin || PARLIAMENT TO - DISEUSS SEC. 98 OTTAWA, Feb. 11.—Replying to Mr. Heaps, labor member for Winnipee in the Federal House, Minister of Justice Hon. Ernest Lapointe stated that “there will be some legislation im connection with Section 98 of the Criminal Gode at the present session of Parliament.” It is under this section that seven leaders of the Communist Party were sentenced to King- Ston Penitentiary under the Ben- nett regime, These men are now out of the penitentiary on ticket of leave and have to report to police monthly. At the present time four lead- ers of the camp boys’ trek to Ot- tawa are avwaitinge trial at Regina, under this Section. It was not stated by the miinis- ter what form the legislation will take. Reported McInnis Repeated Slander In yesterday’s capitalist press there appeared an Ot- tawa dispatch stating that Angus McInnis, €.C.F. member for Vancouver Mast, in a speech in the House of Commons repeated charges that were made during the last Federal election campaign that the candidature of Malcolm Bruce, Communist candidate in the same riding, was financed by the Liberal Party. Upon being informed of the statement alleged to have been made by Mr. McInnis, Malcolm Bruce sent ie fol- lowing telegram: ANGUS MciINNIS, MP: HOUSE OF COMMONS, OTTAWA VANCOUVER, FEB. 13. TODAY’S PAPERS CARRY STORY YOU STATED IN HOUSE THAT LIBERAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE FINANCED MY CAN- DIDATURE IN VANCOUVER EAST STOP THAT WHEN STATE MENT ELECTION EXPENSES WERE TO BE SUBMITTED MY CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE REFERRED AUTHORITIES TO LIB- ERAL MANAGERS AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR MY EX- PENSES STOP SUCH CHARGES BEING WHOLLY UNTRUE It SEEMS INCREDIBLE THEY COULD COME FROM YOU STOP REQUEST YOU INFORM ME JUST WHAT YOU SAD IN THIS CONNECTION Half A Wallion JOHN L. LEWIS NORMAN THOMAS ARRESTED WHILE ON PICKET LINE NEW YORE, Feb. 12.—Norman Thomas, Socialist Jeader and former presidential candidate, was taken into custody today with a dozen companions, when they attempted to picket May’s department store in. Brooklyn, where a strike has been in progress since October 25. Anti-Fascists Of B.C. - Go To People Via Radio Young Winch and A. M. Stephen In Fight for Civil Liberties “The time has now come to con- centrate all our efforts at this time to broadcast our message over the radio as the main channel to reach the greatest number of people and thus combat the poisonous propa- anda of the Citizens’ League and the Fascist Tom McInnes.” This statement was made by Har- old Winch, M.L.A., and member of the National Gouncil of the Cana- dian League Against War and Fasc- ism, and was put in the form of a motion which was unanimously adopted at the Vancouver Enlarged Council of the Canadian League at a2 meeting held in Victory Hall on Priday evenings, February 7. Four weekly broadcasts are al- ready assured; Mr. Winch pledged a donation of $15, a local business man $10, and a delegate present from an organization assured the meeting that a grant would be forthcoming. There were other Smaller donations. Great interest was shown by the delegates and members at large to the address given by Mr A. Stephen, -B.G. president of the Teasue, who spoke on the Second Wational Ganadian Congress of the Teague Against War and Fascism, held last December, and on the work of the B.C. Council since the district conference held November 2 and 3, 1935. League fs Non-Partisan. Mr. Stephen in quoting the mem- bers represented at the Second Canadian Congress (nearly 500,006) $ = aoe Canadian citizens thus shown, made clear that the League was entirely non-partisan and that no political party or religious body dominated it. “The function of our League is very clear: we are out to arouse and mobilize people against the present attacks on the democratic rights now enjoyed in Canada against the imminence of war which gives evi- dence of being thrust upon a peace- loving people,” said Mr. Stephen. “Controversy on partisan questions (Continued on Page 2) and the interesting cross section of Mietal Miners Issue Warning SUDBURY, Ont., Feb. 4—(ALP) —Disaster, which may equal the worst ever recorded in the hard roclx mines of Canada, may take place in the Frood mine of the International Nickel Company unless necessary precautions are taken. This warning is issued by the “Nickel Bullet,” shop and union paper of the Mine Workers Union of Canada, here in an _ editorial exposing lack of safety conditions in the Frood mine. “The ore body on the 24 level is moving in parts and is breaking the timbers in No. 2 drift south,” the paper charges, adding, ‘It is liable to cave in any day and kill—God knows how many men. ‘This drift will play out in about Six months’ time. The question is, is the ore worth the risking of the lives of about 50 or 60 men who work there on every shift?’’ Union leaders today are demand- ing that safety engineers imme- diately inspect the drift. U.S.A. Coal Miners Opposed To Fascism > ad Will Organize Boycott en Hearst Press CONDEMN NAZIS WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—Half a million United States coal miners, have through their delegates in con- vention taken a definite stana against Fascism and Reaction. During two weeks convention they decided to assume a leading role in the campaign for building industrial unions and organizins the unorganized. Organize a nation-wide boycott of the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst, America’s Num- ber One Fascist; Unanimously denouneed the American Liberty League as “miniecal to the welfare of the people of the United States’; Unanimously condemned the brutal miurder by the Nazis of Rudolph Claus, Communist leader of the German International Labor Defence. John LL. Lewis, the president of the United Mine Workers of Amert- ea, refused a $13,000 a year salary boost yoted to him by the conven- tion. Lewis now vreceiyes $12,000 a year. When the huge increase. was voted there were strong protests lodged against it by many local dele- gations. Increases in salary voted to Philip Murray, international vice- president, and Thomas Kennedy, secretary-treasurer, were also de- clined. There were some things, however, which the convention agreed upon which are not in the best interests of the miners, one of these being endorsation of Roosevelt as being “the greatest humanitarian of our time.’”’ Lewis opposed endorsation of the Farmer Labor Party, although he left the door open by saying that the time for launching such a party is “not opportune.’ Real Unity In Prince George Demand Free Medical, Dental Services for Unemployed Medical and dental attention for the unemployed in Prince George is almost entirely limited to that given to hospital cases. Acting on a decision arrived at by a Joint Action Committee com- posed of delegates from the Work- ers’ Protective Association, and the local C.C.F. Club, a joint delegation attended a meeting of the City Council on Monday, February 10. Its purpose was to present a peti- tion signed by 302 citizens of Prince George, calling for the institution of free medical and dental services, with choice of doctor, to all those who through unemployment are unable to pay for those services. Further, that doctors who furnish that service be suitably recom- pensed. The usual plea of City Councils— lack of finances—was advanced (in face o fthe fact that bonds to the value of $90,000 had been retired in the past year). After considerable discussion the council agreed to write the provin- cial government, expressine their willingness to institute this service, proyidine that the province would agree to a division of the total cost, on the same basis and using= the same percentages, as those that ap- plied in regard to relief. MALCOLM BRUCE CANADA ENVOYS COST HUGE SUM Mulct Treasurry of Over $880,00 a Year At the tremendous cost of over $880,000 per year Canada maintains four ministerial offices abroad and an office at Geneva, Over $18,000 a year is paid for taxation for these offices, and envoys get even dog taxes paid by Canadian taxpayers. Salaries of the heads of the var- ious legations are $10,800 per year, but in each case this is more than doubled by “incidental” expenses. In addition to his salary, Hon. G. Howard Fergusor,shigh commis- Sioner in London, received the sum of $27,999 for allowances and $1,192 for travelling expenses. Hon. W. D. Herridge, in charge of the Washington legation, re- ceived extras over his huge salary o£ $10,999 for allowances, $3,000 for automobile and $1,806 for travelling expenses. Hon. Philippe Roy, Paris legation, received $9,999 allowances, pius $3,000 for automobile and $956 tra- velling expenses. z In Tokio, Sir Herbert Marler re- eeived over his salary $8,250 allow- anees, plus $2,475 for automobile and $1,288 travelling expenses. Canada’s envoy to the League of Wations, Dr. Riddell, is not so well paid as those who receive the plums of political hand-outs. His salary is only $5,400 per year and corres- pondingly his allowances are ‘“‘only”’ $3,499, with $1,155 for travelling expenses. Canada’s contributions to the League of Nations was $205,569; ex- penses of delegates to the League, $10,009, and League publications and grant to the League of Nations So- ciety in Canada, $3,000. Tom Ewen On A.F.L. Unity WINNIPEG, Man., Feb. 5—‘I appeal to you for the continuation of such co-operation as is exempli- fied here tonight, in assisting the W.U.L. to bring its affiliates into the A.F. of LL. intact,” said Tom Ewen, in addressing the Winnipes Trades and Labor Council after the regular schedule of business, Tues- day night. Introduced by President WNelson as an “‘old delegate,’ the W.U.L. fSeneral secretary was accorded a warm fraternal reception. “Wherever the W.U.L. has under- taken organizational steps to bring its affiliates into the A.F. of L., we have met with the closest co-opera- tion on the part of most of the A.P. of L. officers. .... There are still men, even in the lower leadership, of the type of Green, who still see in the unity proposals ‘‘communist maneuvers,” “but these are the ex- ception,” said Ewen, who pointed to trade union unity as ‘‘the great es- sential if workers were to maintain and better their standards of living.” The speaker expressed apprecia- tion of the steps already taken in this direction by the council and added that an extension of this would have a “strong beneficial ef- fect upon the growth of the coun- cil and its influence.’ COPS AS CENSORS. TORONTO, Feb. 10—A new de- parture for constables on beats in Canada is the announcement of Mayor Sam McBride that in future they will constitute themselves cen- Sors of books circulated by lendine= libraries in the city of Toronto. eecace Appropriations For Militia, Navy And Aviation; Public Works Amounts Reduce Open Up B.C. Coal Mines United Conference At Nanaimo Calls for “Work & Wages’ NANAIMO.—“‘Open up the closed coal mines of Vancouver Island,” was the keynote of a resolution sub- mitted by the Communist Party to the Industrial and WUWnemployment Conference at Nanaimo, held last (Continued on page 2) BILL SQUIRES TO GET NEW TRIAL VICTORIA, Feb. 11. — Bill Squires, longshoreman and war yeteran, who was convicted and sentenced to three years and five lashes for an alleged attack upon a seab during the longshoremen’s strike by Magistrate Gillies last fall, has been granted a new trial by the Court of Appeal. He will be tried by jury. Three witnesses swore that Squire’s auto was not in the vicin- ity at the time of the attack and others swore that the men who attacked the strike breaker were young men. Squires is 53 years of age. 26 Campboys At Regina To Face Trial In 26 Days Urgent Appeal Made for Support By ARTHUR EVANS. On March 11th twenty-six relief camp strikers face trial at Regina. What does this trial mean to the rest of the people of Ganada? How does it affect the rest of the workers? It is a matter of democracy. It affects us all. It affects particularly the future ' of the youth of Canada. It should be quite evident to all liberal-minded people that the twenty-six boys under arrest (whose ages average 22 years) are at a great disadvantage, because of ithe tremendous forces arrayed acainst them. They prove: J. That the government and the police can do no wrong! 2. That the boys,, and not the Bennett government and the police, were to blame for the death of Millar and the imjury to per- Sons and property that resulted from the riot in Regina. 3. That our youth in their struggle were motivated by any- thing other than their objective —A BETTER LIF#! 4. That youth isolated from all social life in Relief Camps are happy and contented! 5. That Youth’s desire for OP- PORTUNITY, MARRIAGE and a HOME is a crime in Canada! Funds are urgently needed to pre- Pare the defence! Twenty-six days only remain! ASSAULT-RIOTING: Blum, Casper Belaback, Joe Costello, Tony Cole, Kellett Coury, S. Dean, Morris Bilis, R. A. Wissel, Chris Forsyth, Ken Gallenger, John Harding, James Kyle, Jack Lumsden, Sidney J. S. Mottle, Joe Mynnie, Joe Muson, Clarence Nogami, Fred Smith, J. L. Stephens, Sidney Whitney, Carl Wedin, Jack Wells, Arthur ‘SECTION 98: Black, George must not be sacrificed to Sask. Council Hits Shylocks REGINA, Sask., Feb. 5—(ALP)— The Regina labor city council re- cently cancelled all promissory notes which relief recipients were compelled to sign. As a result, an injunction has been served on the city to prevent carrying throug this labor measure. Injunction now ob- tained by a group of big business interests masking under the name of “Home Owners’ Protective As- sociation,” led by a Mr. Grouse, head of the Crescent Finance Cor- poration, noted for charging 25 per cent on loans, and D. J. Thom, legal adviser of the powerful Canada Permanent Trust. Steps will be taken to stop this attack on relief recipients, some of whom, if compelled to recognize promissory notes, will never get out of debt. Unseating. proceedings against elson and McManus, militant aldermen, also led by big business, is dragging through the court. No evidence has yet been shown to prove that these men are indebted to the city. labor 7 ARTHUR EVANS put forward several Faces trial at Regina on March 26 charged under the infamous Sec- tion 98. Cosgrove, Join C. Evans, Arthur H. Shaw, Matthew If you do not believe that these twenty-six boys, champions of our youth for a better life, should be sacrificed, then join forces with the nation-wide movement to protect them. Let us have your financial and moral support. Jet us release the boys and expose the real cul- prits. Mr. Bennett, Mr. Guthrie, Commissioner McBrien, Commis- sioner Woods and other authorities who made this unwarranted attack upon the right of Canadian citizens. Send all funds to Miss M. Hoge, National Office, Citizens’ Defence Movement, Room 406A, Kerr Build- ing, Regina, Saskatchewan. Hor further information apply to Vancouver Citizens’ Defence Com- mittee, Room 828, Vancouver Block. Phone Trinity 1807. 19 Million Dollars For War Befort Unemploy- ment Considered 16 B.C. AIRPORTS OTTAWA, Feb. 6.—‘* .. . Unem- ployment continues to be Canada’s most urgent national problem While there is an increase im the number of persons employed, th= number of these on relief shows ue abatement... .’’—F'rom the speech of Canada’s Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir, at the opening of Parliam®=nt. The King Government got dowm to business this week after spend— ing the first few days of the ses— Sion in wrangling over who should be the speaker of the house, an@ sending condolances to the Kine and Queen a, in their bereaye— ment. The first thing to squander the peoples money on is the machinery of war when provision was made this week in the estimates for cem— pleting air ports and emergency landing fields between Winnipes and Vancouver, wilien over one miik- lion and a quarter dollars was voted for “civil ayiation,”’ an increase of half a million over the amount voted by the Bennett Government last year: More Air Ports and Slave Labor It is planned to have 16 air fields: for B.C. For the past four or five years engineers of the Civil Ayie— tion Branch of the Department of National Defence have been survey— ing and locatine suitable landin= fields in B.C. and camp workers at 20° cents per day have labored oz Some of these projects under semui— military labor discipline. Following: places have been chosen im BiG. for landing fields and air ports: Langley Prairie, , Obilliwack, Flood, Princeton, Seeoraars. Olr- ver, Rock Creek, Midway, Grand Forks, Colunibia Gardens, Salmo, Kitchener, Wahl, Cranbrook, Fer nie and Coleman. Appropriations for the Royal Air Force of Canada was increased by over a million dollars and the mili- fia upkeep appropriation was in- creased by over a quarter of a mil lion dollars. The general vote for militia is nearly 11 million dollars. Cost of carrying the national debt Was estimated at $3,195,961 more than during the current fiscal year, Public Works Vote Reduced Public works chargeable to in-— come were reduced by more thar 33,000,000. Slightly more than a quarter of a million dollars was appropriated for publie works yn B.C. and ever at that some of it is ear marked for military work such as Wancouver Armory, $14,000. The full amount voted for mili- tary purposes inclusive of naval, military and aviation branches was over 19 million dollars. The amount for public works was only a fraction of this. Thus it can be seen that whilst lip service is given to the question of unemployment and the fact that relief rolls are not abating, the sovernment of Mackenzie Kans is just 4s much a war government and gives first consideration io armaments whilst the condition of unemployed workers are really of no concern. B.C. Labor Asks Six-Hour Day And Five-Day Week Trades Council Delega- tion Submits Program to Victoria VICTORIA, Feb, 12.—The govern- ment has a responsibility to lead in maintaining the wage structure and it would be in the public interest to immediately restore the salaries and wages of all government employees, the B.C. cabinet was told Tuesday by the B.C. executive of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada. The delegation was led by Percy Bengough, secretary of the WVan- couyer-New Westminster and Dis- trict Trades and Labor Council and proposals in- cluding the following: 1. Public works to provide em- ployment. 2. Six-hour day, five-day week legislation. 3. Universal minimum wage without exemptions. 4. Universal health imsurance covering all salary classes. 5. Raising of the rate of worlk- men’s compensation to 75 per cent and of the minimum rate from $5 to $10 a week. 6. Free school text books print- ed by the -government wherever possible. %7. Special holidays with pay for employees who are forced to worls on statutory holidays. 8. Compulsory liability insurance- for all car owners. 9. Provincial support in oppos— ing compulsory fingerprinting of chauffeurs. 10. Wniform labor and sociaf®& laws throughout the Dominion. Draper For Affiliation Sudbury Toenls Move To Unity OTTAWA, Ont., Feb. 6—(ALP}— P. H. Draper, president of the Trades and Labor Congress, in 2 letter to the Mine Workers’ Uniorm of Canada, urges that union to “lose no time in applying for a charter.” Sudbury locals of the metal miners’ section of the Mine Work ers’ Union of Canada is seeking af— filiation to the International Unicrm of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, affiliate of the American Federation of Labor. The M.W.U. of © is a®& filiated to the Workers’ Unity League. Tet eee et gee Fein RA PPTL AS, id chaagili m Sitar pms oats EY ayes spat 4 rene OF THLE Se