Bl H}}) “@ommission to investigate clashes “means of improving Soviet-Japan- Page Two B.C. WORKERS’ NEWS February 21, 1936 BILL TO "KEEP" —US.OUTOFWAR New Neutrality Meve To Replace Temporary Measure WASHINGTON, D. C.— (FP)—A mew ueutrality bill, designed to take the place of the temporary act ending February 29, is now before the House following amendments in the House foreign affairs commit- tee. The bill, sponsored by the admini- stration, has the following pro- visions: 1. Shipment of arms, ammuni- tions, and implements of war to foreign belligerants are to be em- bargoes upon the outbreak of war. 9. The President is granted dis- eretionary powers of embargo on war materials such as oil, coal, steel, etc., restricting shipments to mormal trade. 3 American nationals will con- duct business with belligerants at their own risk following a presi- dential proclamation. 4. Wo passports will be granted @ationals travelling on belligerant @hips, except at their own risk. 5. Wse of American ports as pases of supply for belligerant war- ships is prohibited. 6. Wo American vessels shall be allowed to carry. embargoed articles. 7. loans or credits to belligerant nations or their subdivisions are, in the main, prohibited. Minor amendments and changes Shave been made by the committee. MOSCOW, Jan. 30—(ALP)—The meutrality ballyhoo in the United States mainly aims at strengthen- ing the position of American im- perialism in a future war rather than really guarding the American people from war, declares Karl "Radek, outstanding Soviet journal- ist, writing in Izvestia, central “organ of the Soviet government, to- day. Any such neutrality program seriously carried in war time would 4n fact inevitably cause a most seri- ous economic crisis, Radek asserts. “he refusal to export arms, Taw materials and. provisions to any warring country will in practice fead to a boycott of all countries, fhe states, because the war zones gannot be isolated. TO INVESTIGATE BORDER CLASHES MOSCOW, U-S-S.R., Feb. 15.— @ALP)—The appointment of a mixed en the Soviet-Manchukuoan border Was agreed upon in principle by the @oviet and Japanese Governments, # was revealed here early today, following Closely upon the news of the latest incident on the Quter Mongolian border—the most spec- tacular yet, accompanied, it is re- ported, by a Japanese tank and firpiane demonstration. The offer of the Japanese Gov- ernment to enter into such an ar- rangement was communicated to the Foreign Office by the Japanese Ambassador Tamekichi Ota, G. 5. Stomoniakoff, Soviet Vice Commis~ sar for Horeign Afiairs, pointed out ¢hat the Soviet Government fre- quently made similar proposals. Stomoniakoff suggested the ad- dition of neutral members to the proposed mixed commission, which, according to Ambassador Ota’s out- Jine, would be made up of repre- sentatives of Japan, the 5 Soviet Wnion and Manchukuo. The Japan- ese Ambasador said he would wire the suggestion to Tokyo. Soviet dispatches said ten Japan- ese-Manchukuoan soldiers were killed in the latest engagement, which brought machine-guns, field 2uns and airplanes into action. 'The press yesterday gave prom- fnent display to reports from Tokyo that Japanes circles would welcome a visit by Foreign Com- missar Maxime Litvinoff to discuss Letter Digest From Prince George we have a copy of a letter sent te the Relief Administrator at Victeria. The let- ter concerns thres workers home- steading on land and their relief allowance. The information is n0t complete as we don’t know if they were cut off relief or had their re- lief allowance cut down. Write again. From Kamloops we have a letter telling us of a delegation of unem- ployed petitioning the city council for four extra days relief allow- ance. The delegation was side- tracked by the council for 30 min- utes, while they dealt with the pro- posais of the unemployed in secret session. Our correspondent does not tell us what came of the delibera- tions. Did the unemployed gain any concessions? Write and tell us, we want to know. We are holding a letter on and Propaganda,” by reply to Guy Glover. We will try and insert it when we print the elosing of this question, which *will be in the near future. From Garlin we have a letter and a copy of the pamphlet, “‘The Okan- agan Union Library.’ Our corres- pondent tells us the people voted solid for the library. We says the “anti-capitalists have tried to ex- plain to the people the results of such a library, but without results. How would it be to work with the people who want the library (and they are right in this and you are wrong) and help them to get some good books that will assist them to understand capitalism? “Art R.B.L., in rom Aldergrove we have a long leter from G.J., who starts out with “Instead of Communists and €.C.F. followers fighting among them- selves, they should utilize their time and energy fighting the old line parties.” (And so say all of us, Eid) This correspondent figures that there must have been somethings fishy about the recount in the Bur- rard election. He says a lot of people are saying that there was something crooked about it. (That augers well for Aldergrove when farmers start to talk like that. Ed.) This writer regrets that the “Com- monwealth,” for whieh he sub- scribes, and the “B.C. Workers’ Wews” have not more réaders, and suggests that we sHould both try and build up our circulation in or- der to help remove the government at Victoria and replace it with a workers’ and producers’ govern- ment. (We agree absolutely. Ed.) We are in receipt of a letter foom a worker concerning the conditions at Eden Cafe on Granville Street, Vancouver. It is a very difficult matter to get the right slant on what our correspondent is driving at, apart from the fact that he men- tions that ‘“‘whilst the cafe carries a union card in the window, the girls are not well organized.” ‘Will this correspondent write again. SPORTS NOTES Teo Lindgren, member of the RS.A.G., participated in the first annual swimming gala organized by the sovernment recreational centres at the Crystal Pool, on February 13, and won the swimming cham- pionship trophy cup. He swam 150 yards in 1:02 2-5. Ski tournament sponsored by the Gleneden A.C. was a huge success on Mebruary 2, at Gleneden. Twenty competitors participated. White Lake A.C. taking all cross country races, Carlin being first in girls’ races and Gleneden took all the jumps. The ski jumpers will parti- cipate in the Revelstoke ski meet. Red Star A.C. wishes to announce their gym practise time at the Clin- ton Hall. Senior men, Monday and Thursday, at 7:30 p-m., and junior on the same nights, at 6 p.m. Girls, on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. and Sun- day at 2 p.m. We hereby appeal for ese relations. English Titles! An amazing epic of one of the most ex- citing, chapters of the Russian Revolu- tion. Miade by the SOVIET for the workers of the world! AND ON THE STAGE Wilbur Cushman presents Harry Clark's Musical Extravaganza “MARCH OF RHYTHM” Featuring gorgeous girls and hilarious gaiety, with Jed Dooley, “Glown Prince of Comedy” and Billy Joy’s musical Gloom Chasers. members. workers of RUSSIA Except Sat. BALCON » ait 1 5 ig 6 oe | Correspondence DANGER AHEAD! Last fall, October 17, a Drait Bill on Health Insurance was pre- sented by G. M. Weir, provincial secretary at Victoria, B.C., to serve as a basis for discussion by all in- terested parties, after which a Hear- ings Committee was appointed by G. M. Weir, provincial secretary, for the purpose of conducting pub- lic hearings throughout the proy- ince ‘‘to obtain from interested in- dividuals and organizations their criticism and suggestions regarding the bill,” etc. On November 12, 1935, the Hearing Committee’s re- port, signed by Allon Peebles of the committee, and submitted to the Hon. G. M. Weir, provincial secre- tary, Victoria, B.C. The hearings on the Health In- surance Bill has not been conducted in a democratic way, only key points haye been contacted, only certain peoples and organizations have been consulted. This bill, if passed, will make all employees a source of revenue in- come for financing this sigantic scheme of so called health insurance by imposing by law a double-headea method of taxation on all employees —first indirectly through the em- ployer, thend directly the employee. Employees whose income does not exceed $2,400 (Some favor $1,806) is to come under this Act and be taxed 8 per cent on all wages earned by them. The bill holds forth the alluring ecush benefit the insured person (male or female) will get by being insured, The Hearings Committee proposes that the cash benefits be left out of the bill for the time being. Jobs for Political Heelers. Service benefits is to be by medi- eal doctors, hospitals, dentists, nurses, drugs. All other health sys- tems, such as chiropractors, osteo- paths, ete., are excluded from the scheme. An imsured person desir- ing the service of any other system than medicine will have to pay for Same over and above what he or she pays for health insurance, The bill denies the public their free choice of the method of doctoring they desire. A top structure of officialdom with far-reaching powers will be created, and then lesser officials on the way down contacting the field. All those within the scope of this scheme will be sure of their pay for services rendered. Interpretation, under heading; Preliminary, Section 3 of Draft Bill we find, ‘“‘Wages’” every form of remuneration received by an em- ployee from an employer, including Wages, salaries, commissions, fees, bonuses and the reasonable money value of board, rent, housing, lodg- ing or similar perquisites or emolu- ments. Service benefits are to be com- posed of preventative and curative medicine. The committee strongly stresses adequate preventative and curative medical care for children. Which can only result in: mothers and fathers must submit to vaccina- tion and inoculation, etce., thereby polluting innocent children’s blood stream with poisonous filth render- ing them subject to sickness and disease later in life. One-Man Power. The Lieutenant-Governor in Coun- cil shall have power to bring the Act into force on a single date or to pring various sections, subsections and clauses of this Act into force at different dates. This so-called Health Insurance Bill is not what its name implies. It is nothing more nor Jess than STATE MEDICINE. This bill, if passed, will destroy initiative to progress, it will destroy All other health professions; it will destroy the small and middle busi- ness man by a still further lower- ing of the publie’s purchasing power, it will bring further impov— erishment and degredation to small and middle farmers and all wage eammers. More than ever, build a powerful united people's front for action in their own de- fence, composed of workers, farm- ers, progressive elements of all pro- fessions and-occupations, and im- poverished middle class people re- gardless of groupings, economic, political or otherwise in order to stop this vicious piece of legislation from going through and to preserve what little democratic rights we still have left as well gaining more. we now need to as E. O. HAUKEDAHL, D.C. ED. NOTE—A copy of the above letter was sent by our correspond- ent to the secretary of the Chiro- practors Assn. of B.C. Since the foregoing letter was printed the secretary has called at our office and notified us that the Chiro- practors Assn. is in full accord with the views expressed by Mr. Haukedahl. TREATMENT OF INDIANS TI am sending this in to draw the people attention to the way the In- dians of the Pacific Coast are be- ing treated by the Indian Depart- ment and their agents. For the last few years, until last spring, the starvation wages paid the men and women in canneries was 25 cents and 20 cents an hour respectively. For six months work their wages averaged about $100. Last spring, at the opening of the fishing season the cannery workers went on strike for a raise of five cents an hour. They could not come to an agreement with the cannery- men, so the Indian Agent was called in. He forced them to accept a 215 cents an hour raise, by threat- ening to send them back to their reserves, and to give them no help whatever if they would not go back to work. The cannery workers have not been paid for their last summer’s a work, on account of some financial VETS’ VOLLEYS “Veterans of the Archangel Ex penditionary invited to meet Col. Tronsides,”’ states a report in the “Sun.’’ It goes on to state it be- lieves there are about fifteen men in Vancouver who took part, but it does not state that a majority of the soldiers who went to Archangel refused to attack the Russian workers and were taken back to England and dishonorably dis- charged. Colonel] Ironsides no-doubt | has no wish to meet these veterans who were brave enough to stand by their class against the might of the British Empire. To working class men who find themselves in uni- form, they have set a noble prece- dent. = = = a Monday night at 150 West Hast- ings Street a mass meeting was held to discuss the possibility of pressing for a Canadian Bonus. Gomrade Breffit, who addressed the gathering on behalf of the Ex- Servicemen’s League, claimed that the ery against it would be the old standy—NO MONE Y—but the speaker showed that the govern- ment could find plenty of cash for new barracks and air fields, not forgetting the interest of the bond- holders. The speaker made an appeal to veterans to raise this question in their clubs, pointing out that the U.S.A. Vets won their bonus only atfer they had formed a united front on this particular issue. It was also suggested that a dele- gation from the League ask for the floor at the coming convention of the Canadian Legion next month. These discussion meetings are be- ing held each Monday, and all vet- erans are invited to come and par- ticipate. Don’t forget the address: 150 West Hastings Street. SHIVERING LIKE WETDOGSINHUTS Camp Boys at Airport Face Misery, Cold, Rotten Grub SALMON ARM, B-C., Feb. 19.— We sit in our huts at the Salmon Arm Airport shivering with cold. There is plenty of wood in the bush on government property, but we cannot touch it; we must burn wet, iey wood in our stoves in this camp. The sub-foreman, “Johoos” McLean, gives us hell for using too much wood and comes around the huts and closes the drafts on the stoves. He acts like a “Hitler.” The walls of the huts are full of cracks, and the floors have holes between the boards from half an inch to one inch wide. We have to sleep in our clothes to keep warm, and men get up at all hours of the night to put another piece of wood on the stove. Most every night we have to all get up around three o'clock in the morning and sit around the stove because it is too damned cold in bed. Impossible to Bath The food is so bad that there is hardly anything on the tables that is fit to eat. The washroom and the dining room are like ice boxes in the mornings. Water pipes are all frozen; it is impossible to take a bath. We are unable to get an extra pair of socks to keep our feet warm. We sit shivering like wet dogs in the huts. We are not fit to go out and work in the daytime because we can’t rest at nights, If we refuse to work we are fired and branded as “reds” and “agitators.’”’ Our health is being ruined in these hell holes. We are herded in these camps by foremen and‘ officials who are mostly broken-down captains and majors of the army and who have in many cases turned stool-pigeons and political heelers and who don’t know the first thing about .con- struction work and what is re quired to keep men in decent con- ditions of life in camp. All they know is discipline and law. Right or wrong, the law must be obeyed. That is their outlook. Only by mass united action of all progressive forces will we bring about a change that will remedy these conditions. (Steve). mix-up in .which the company found itself. But the Indian Agent takes no action to help, and does not answer their letters asking for relief. The Indians have asked him for clothing and shoes, of which he knows they are sorely in need, and all he does is pass the buck on to Ottawa. The most of the families getting relief receive $4.00 a month, the number in the family making no difference. In very few cases, they receive a few dollars more. An old lady, 85 years old, who is living alone, receives $4.00 a month, and when she asks for a pair of shoes she has to wait for a month or two before she gets them. An Indian, trying to get more relief for him- self and his family, asked the In- dian Agent how he would like to have to live on $4.00 a month. The Agent told the ill-fed fellow to shut up or he would not get anything at all. These facts and incidents will give you a slight impression of the injustice and incivility with which the Indians, so-called wards of the government, are treated by the of- ficials of the government. A Ward of the Government. The Fishermen and Cannery Workers’ Industrial Union ap- peals to all organizations and in- dividuals to protest to the mem- pers of parliament at Ottawa, asking that these questions be raised on the floor of the House and that immediate steps be tak- en to alleviate the terrible con- ditions among the Indians on the Coast. Executive Committee, Fishermen and Cannery Workers’ Ind. Union. The World This Week By F. B. Catholics and Communists num- being 100, have been arrested in a Ttaid ‘by Hitler's secret police in the Rhineland, and have been charged with conspiring against the goy- ernment. Included in the Gatholics arrested are some priests and nuns. There has long been an impres- sion that the Catholics would be the last te revolt against oppression, but the revolutionary history of the post-war period shows this idea to be entirely wrong. In Gzarist Rus- Sia, Catholicism, of the Greek vari- ety, was the state religion. Betgyeen 1918-20 there were armed revolts against capitalism in Bavaria, Aus- tria and Hungary, in all of which Roman Catholicism was the pre- deminate religion. In Gatholic Spain in the past two years there have been uprisings, and in Catho- lic France the People’s Front against fascism and war is stronger than in any other country. The fact is that no religion or church will prevent workers and peasants from trying to feed and clothe their families even if to do this means the overthrow of capi- talist governments, and the joint persecution of Catholic and Com- munist workers and peasants in Germany indicates the terrible suf fering of the people under Nazi rule, and at the same time indi- eates the growing unity of working people regardless of religious and non-religious views. The Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Pope, the College of Cardinals, the Archbishops, will condemn this unity, but in the lower ranks of priests and nuns are many of work- er and peasant stock, among whom are bound to be some who will stick with their class, who will be- come actively interested in the earthly welfare of the members of their flock, and who are intelligent and courageous enough to state that such welfare cannot be rea- lized under the Nazi dictatorship. * * oo The Wazi secret police, the Ges- tapo, have been given unlimited powers to deal with “subversive elements.” Terrorism inereases as fascism grows older and becomes more unstable, and as the opposi- tion of the German people becomes greater the Nazi government hast- ens its plans for war as a way out. German citizens living abroad, by a new Nazi decree, must report to the German consul to be returned for military training as their class is called up. Needless to say, this call will fall upon a lot of deaf ears. Something similar is taking place in England where naval reservists are being called up to man obsolete battleships, to form a sort of second line of naval defence. = = * - If the whole of capitalist Europe were fascist today the war danger would be intensified. This is proved by the relations between fascist Italy, fascist Austria, and fascist Hungary. Both ftaly and Germany want to control ‘Austria, and the Austrian fascists have so far leaned towards Mussolini, mainly perhaps because he has subsidized them. Hitler wants to unite all the Ger- manic people in Hurope under his government. The Austrians are of German origin and in Hungary, Czecho-Slovakia and Jugo-Slavia there are large blocs of German nationality. If these could be unit- ed the Nazi dreams of a fascist Europe would be partly realized, making Mussolini tremble for his own independence, Such is European capitalism in decay, but no estimate of the re- sults of the international capitalist antagonisms would be even faintly correct that failed to take into consideration the degree of support the people will give to the war plans of the capitalist class. The growing unity in the face of fascist oppression is the handwriting on the wall, showing that the fascists will not succeed, that sooner or Jater they will be overthrown and replaced, if not by Soviets, then by a series of People’s Governments opposed to fascism and war. * * = Mussolini has issued an appeal to the students of Hurope, pointing out the immediate danger of a world war and exhorting them to refuse to support their governments in case of war. Coming at a time when he is waging a war of ex- termination against the Ethiopians, this is an example of sheer gall and hypocrisy that is hard to beat! x «eX The results of the general election in Spain, February 16, is the most outstanding international event of the week. It is reported that the People’s Front was victorious. Hip- hip, hurrah! But the question at once arises: Will the forces of capitalist reac- tion hand over the reins of govern- ment, or will they force a bloody civil war on the people? If Spain has to go through a civil war the capitalist class, they and they only, will be responsible. ANNOUNCEMENTS Classes arranged by the Canadian Labor Defence League originally slated for February 3 and which were postponed will convene on Monday, February 24 at the Dis- trict Office. Students must be on hand at 7 p.m. on the 24th to reg- ister and R. Tealess will be the first instructor. Local Delegate Gouncil of the Labor Defence League will convene in the District Office on Sunday, February 23 in special session- Letters have been sent to all pranches to send representatives to this important meeting, which in- INHUMAN RELIEF CAMP FOREMAN How Agitators Are Made In Slave Camps KELOWNA, B.C., Feb. 16. — On Wednesday, February 12, with a2 temperature below zero and 2 northern gale sweeping across Okanagan Valley, camp workers of Camp 422, Wilsons Landing, ten miles from here, who were working on the road rock-cutting, asked the forman fOr permission to stay in camp that afternoon as they were suffering from the cold. The camp foreman refused, ordered them out to work again, and when 21 men refused to go they were fired. Ten other men struck in sympathy with them. The 31 men were then loaded on to trucks, whisked away and dumped in Kelowna. A delegation of the camp work- ers waited on Mayor Jones, who, through the Toc H, fed them and gave them beds for the night. After breakfast, on the i4th, the boys were told that nothing more could be done for them. After approaching the Govern- ment Office the boys were told that they must register for reinstate- ment and that it would take a week to accomplish that. Neither the mayor, police or provincial au- thorities could do anything for them in the meantime. Mr. Ivens, after getting word from a friend, came in and helped them along, held a meeting with the boys, heard their grievances, and the following demands were drawn up: j. That three meals per day and sleeping facilities be provided. 2. That they be reinstated to Wil- sons Landing Camp on condition that the foreman, T. Sutherland, be dismissed, or to be sent to another camp. The elected spokesman of the camp boys again consulted the mayor and after a conference with the police it was decided to grant the demands for food and Shelter until the matter is disposed of- At the above mentioned camp there are about 96 camp workers. Quite a few of them are provincial men, and get 40c per hour, while the rest get 20c per day. CANADIAN CATTLE FOR SOVIET OIL By CARL HICHIN Revived hopes of a renewal of trade between the Soviet Union and Canada has sent Aaron Good- man, Lethbridge barrister, scurry- ing across the country to join G. G. Serkau, of Winnipeg, in Montreal. Mr. Serkau, in 1933, sponsored pro- posals to trade 100,000 head of Can- adian cattle for Russian products, principally oil and coal- The plan was turned down flat by R. B. Bennett in-1933, but Mr. Serkau has received his proposals and Goodman left Lethbridge, Alta., a week ago to associate himself with the original sponsor. Both hope to have the King Government consider their plan. In Montreal, Mr. Serkau has al- ready organized a trading company and last year handled five Shiploads of Soviet products including rock salt and sugar beet seed. Cattle- men and farmers throughout the west await with keen interest the outcome of the revived proposals. EDMONTON, Alta, Feb. 15— (ALP)—An Alberta convention ot G.Gr. clubs will likely be called shortly to form a provincial associ- ation which would be affiliated with the national council of that party, was announced following a central council mectine. Carlin A.G. making wonderful headway in building up their club, three months ago had around six members and now thirty-five. McGEER YAPS GETS SLAPPED Wants More Money to Help Ship-owners Smash Unions OTTAWA, Feb. 19.—Riot Act Mc- Geer and chief spokesman for the Shipping Federation indirectly chided the Liberal government for not supporting the wealthy ship-~ owners of the Pacific against long- shoremen and seamen when he op- posed the cut in the Pacific Shir subsidy of $149,000. MeGeer showed the shipowners that he is alert to their interests when he fold the House that “we have to make our wants sood and loudly heard at Ottawa (sve in this instance meaning the Shipping Fea- eration.—Ed.) and to do that Til use Japan or anything else in the Pacific Ocean.’ McGeer plainly in- ferred that the Shipping Federation should receive even more of the taxpayers’ money to smash organized labor on the Coast than they have formerly received when he stated “Hiconomizine by cutting down the rather niggardly subsidy, we are not helping the Minister of Finance to obtain taxes.” Mr. Dunning told the House in reply to McGeer that he had rea- sons to know, although the reasons are confidential and cannot be divulged, that the shipping Service as a result of this reduction, will not suffer. In other words, Mr. Dunning as- sured McGeer that the interests of the Shipping Mederation will be well looked after, but he is not going to tell the world how. This plainly intimates that MeGeer is just a big fish in a little puddle on the Van- eouyver City Council, but is a little fish in a big one at Ottawa. DOCKERS PRESS FOR JOBS BACK VANCOUVER, Feb. 19.— Plans are under way to re-engage some 500 longshoremen on the Vancouver waterfront, if the promise made to the Givic Harbors and Utilities Committee, yesterday by F. HB. Clendenning, Shipping Federation head, is to be accepted. The meeting of these two bodies was brought about through the Vancouver and District Waterfront Workers’ Association protesting to the Civic Warbors and Utilities Committee that 500 of their mem- bership were barred from working on the docks and are now existing on relief, while their jobs have been filled by scabs imported from out- side of the city. A large percentage of these 500 men haye been taxpayers in the city for a number of years, and stand to lose their homes. Relief Officer Bone reported that 248 adults with 352 dependants were carried on the relief rolls during the latter part of the strike and since the strike was terminated on Dec. 9 at a cost of $2,600 per month to the city. No figures were given as to the number who may have gone off relief during that time. Representatives of the B.C. Ship- pine Federation stated that “reor- ganization” is going on waterfront, and it will take some time to absorb these 500 dockers. They claim to have 1060 men in three organizations available for work. When questioned by aldermen re- garding facts that Vancouver has lost trade, the Shipping Wederation officials admitted that three Amer- ican lines had cancelled sailings to this port, rather than have their vessels tied up indefinitely by union crews refusing= to work with scabs. Men who took a leading part in the strike will have no chance of getting back on the docks, so far as the Shipping Federation is concerned. By REDFIELD i, ‘What are they saying?” volves a change in policy. “Tale a cut—take a cut.” | i mn i it ““They’re all talking in their sleep.” i on the rte o SAPS