barons’ refusal union. The existence of trade unionism in B.C. is threatened by lumber to recognize Support the Loggers! B.C WorkKERS NEWS Your subscription has expired if the number on your label is below this number. Renew it NOW! Published Weekly VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1936 Single Copies: 5 Cents S> FULL NO. 69 VOL. I, No. 17 ARROGANT OSSES Wi May Day Celebrations Expression For Unity C.C.F., Communists and Trade Unionists in Great Parade VANCOUVER, May 1—Between four and five thousand people marched off from Cambie Street “Grounds shortly after 1:30 p.m. to- day to Stanley Park in the May Day parade. The most outstanding feature of the parade was the unity between C.C.F., Communists and the trade unions. The marchers halted at Cambie and Hastings Street to allow the May Day Conference Committee to lay a wreath at the cenotaph. A bugier sounded the Last Post. Street cars were re-routed along Powell- Cordova Streets. A large number of floats added to the parade’s im- pressiveness, and all depicted some phase of activity of the organization sponsoring them. Many Banners and Floats Banners in the parade bore vari- ous inscriptions. The one carried by the May Day committee was, “Workers of the world, unite!”’ Fol- Jowing came the floats of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union (A-F.of L.), Local 452 United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, with the Lumber and Saw- mill Workers Union bringing up the rear of the A.F.of L. unions par- ticipating; the iatter, incidentally, was the largest single section of the parade. A banner which caused a great deal of comment was the Mother's Council, in their own colors, gold letters on a purple field. Their float depicted the plight of the youthful camp boys who are behind the bars. Banners which struck an interna- tional note were ones calling for the release oi Ernst Thaelmann, Ger- man Communist leader, Toive Anti- kaanen, Finnish Communist leader, while a third borne by the Italian Workers demanded, “Hands off Ethiopia!” A fourth banner carried May Day ereetings to Vancouver workers from the Maritime Federa- tion of the Pacific. Floats epitomized the present econcmic system or the condition of the unemployed and camp boys. Qne was drawn by workers of vari- ous occupations, chained together, while on the float sat a plugged-hat individual in a swivel chair with bags of “gold” around him. An- other carried a replica of a relief recipient's shack, patched with tins and tar paper, on which was the s0lgean, “The rent of this shack has been increased.” Children Parade A large number of school chil- dren stayed away from school in order to participate in the parade. The Chinese workers had two trucks in the procession, one bear- ing a large sign with a Chinese chained in the stocks with the slogan, “Free China,’ while the other carried a number of Chinese who have worked here since they came here fifty years ago and are now relegated to a soup kitchen. The labor press float carried large representations of the “B:C. Workers’ Wews’’ and the “Daily Clarion,” with slogans appealing for support of working class papers. Hirom a platform on the rear of the flot, Tom MacInnes was satirically depicted broadcasting his red-bait- ing spell. Under his arm snuggled a stuffed “red bogey.” 8,000 at Parix Thousands lined the streets to watch the marchers, while others made their way to the park. As the parade neared the rostrom, and (Continued on page 2) RAIN STOPS WORK, FARM HAND FIRED HARRISON MILLS, May 4—tTor refusing to work outside in the pouring rain, for less than 60 cents a day, a worker, who has had no Suitable clothing for such weather, was fired by the farmer. The farm Jaborer was told that if he could not work in the rain, there were lots of unemployed men who would be glad to do so. The hours this man worked were from 4:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. or a shift of 1314 hours a day. CUMBERLAND CELEBRATES BIG MAY DAY CUMBERLAND, May 2.—Led by a band and a column of Young Pioneers and scores of other chil- dren, the greatest May Day demon- Stration in the history of this coal mining town was held yesterday. Nearly 1,000 people marched in the parade which formed at City Park and marched through the town to the Ball Park where the veteran fighter, Joe Naylor, ad- dressed the gathering. Greetings were extended by President Atkin- son of the Miners’ Union, Mrs. Bates of the Women’s Auwsiliary of the Wnion, W. Stockand of the C.L. D.L., Hugh Russell of the Unem- ployed Workers, Vie Spence of the League Against War and Fascism, Arthur Gatz of the C-C.F. and Mal- ecolm Bruce of the Communist Party. Tom Carney, marshal of the parade, acted as chairman. A feature of the parade was the participation by a delegation of Indians and their wives as a part of the contingent of Deep Bay fisher- men. At the Ball Park children’s sports were held in the afternoon. At night a mass meeting was addressed by Colin Cameron, €G:F., and Malcolm Bruce, Communist. Arthur Gatz, C.C-E., was chairman. The keynote of the speeches was the need for the United Front. United Front Honors May 1 At Nanaimo NANAIMO, May 1—The best May Day celebration in many years was held in Nanaimo today. A procession that marched through the town to Comox Park was variously esti- mated at from 500 to 900. There is no doubt, however, about the num- ber of children who sat down to eat at the Regal Hall after the speeches and the sports were over, about 500. Busses and cars brought delegations from all the surrounding districts, Extension, South Wellington, North- field, Five Acres, Chase River and Brechin, the Red WBelt around Wanaimo. At the park the chair was oc- ecupied by the Rev. Mr. Allen. The Speakers were Colin Cameron, Al- berni; Sam Guthrie, Ladysmith; who spoke for the CC George Lestrange for the trekkers, Mrs. Kerr for the women, and W. Bennett for the Communist Party. Inexperienced Seamen On Union Steamship Vessels ——_ ® Only Small Number of Former Crew Employed; Seek Public Support = Reports are prevalent around the headquarters of the Seafarers’ In- dustrial Union, 47 Powell Street, that steps are soon to be taken to bring before the travelling public of Vancouver the discriminatory at- titude of the Union Steamship Com- pany towards the former crews of that company. Since the strike terminated on De- cember 9th, none of the stewards department has been reinstated. Of the deck crew, less than half of the former strikers have been re- emploved, and only eight out of the 47 Japanese firemen. Resentment is particularly high against the Union Steamship Com- pany, as the members of the former crews were all long-time employees, having worked steadily for that company from five to fifteen years and longer. The Japanese, in most eases, are local born, and all are citizens of this country. When the strike was issued, they answered unbesitatingly, and have been 100 per cent supporters of the union and of wnion principles. Recently, the chief engineers (white) balloted on the question of reinstating the former Japanese firemen. Of the eleven engineers, five were in favor of reinstating the firemen, and six were opposed. On investigation it was found that those engineers who were opposed to taking back the ex-strikers, had relatives, who had acted as strikebreakers, working in the places of the former firemen. In other cases, men who acted as Special police during the strike are now working on the ships. It is rumored that the blacklisted seamen are preparing mass protest demonstrations, to be held on the approaches to the U.S:S. docks on May 24th and to continue until the employer has lifted the blacklist and reinstated the former crews. Travel Dangerous Appeals will also be sent out to the public, and to trades unions and fraternal organizations, asking their support in the fight for the reinstatement of the former crews. It is pointed out by the old experi- enced seamen that sea-travel is ex- tremely hazardous when the ships are manned by inexperienced sea- men. The case of the “Morro Castle’ and others, are cited to show what can happen with “green” Sailors during the heavy travel sea- son, which is now approaching. FRENCH VOTERS ROUT FASCISTS Left Front Gains 136 Majority Over Right; 81 Communists PARIS, May 3.—Fascist forces, under the leadership of Gol. Francis Cosimer de la Roque, suffered a eomplete rout at the hands of the French voters here today. The Left Front, coalition of Com- munist and Socialist parties, ob- tained a clear majority of 136 seats over the Right and Centre groups. Of 618 seats in the Chamber, the Left Front had 375, of which 81 were Communists. A few seats are still to be heard from. The leaders of the three main leftist parties were returned by large majorities: Maurice Thorez, Communist; Leon Blum, Socialist, and Edouard Deladier, Radical So- cialist. Woticeable in the victory of the Left Front was the election of 81 | Communists. In the previous Cham- ber there were eight. It is understood that the Gom- munist Party will not be part of the new government, but will support it in all progressive legislation, and press for the fulfillment of the Left Front pre-election program. LOW WAGES PAID IN GOV'T HOTELS C.N.R. Officials Refuse to Give Information in House OTTAWA, May 1—(ALP)—Wages paid by the Chateau Laurier, the government-owned hotel in: Ottawa, are “as good as, or better than” the wages paid in Similar establishments elsewhere in Ganada, Railway Min- ister Rowe told A. A. Heaps (C.C.F. Winnipee North), in the House of Commons yesterday. Some time af0 Mr. Heaps had brought the question of extremely low wages at the Chateau Laurier before the House, declaring that he had learned that some of the em- ployees there found it necessary to apply for relief to implement their wages. Officials of the C.N.R. hotels de- partment, however, had refused to answer questions of Mr. Heaps re- garding wages and whether any employees of the Chateau Laurier were on relief, Mr. Rowe told the House. It was against the railway policy, he said. Government-owned hotels showed an operating profit of $101,770 last year according to the statement of Chairman GC. PP: Fullerton of the Special committee of the House of Commons on railways and shipping. Two Trekkers Sentenced; Five Gain Their Freedom Jack Kyle, Ken Forsythe Get 6 and 7 Months Respectively By CARL HICHIN REGINA, May 5—(@y Wire)— Sid Lumsden, 24, of Lethbridge, was acquitted tonight on charges of riot- ing and assaulting Constable Ander- son on Market Square on Dominion Day last year. Ibumsden is the fifth trekker ac- quitted since trials opened here on April 14. Seven trekkers have been convicted. REGINA, May 4—{By Wire)— Morris Dean, 238, first aid trekker, Was acquitted today on charges of rioting and assault. Dismissal fol- lowed energetic publicity campaign and protest delegations exposing the previous severity of sentences meted out on the flimsiest contra- dictory and allegedly perjured police evidence. Following recent exposures the jury obviously refused to accept the police evidence. Deane on the stand told a story of epic heroism of the trekkers first aid men tending the wounds of friend and foe alike in the heart of the down town section, while police were rampaging. At the time of his arrest, Deane, Was acting as first aid man, fill- ing the place of his colleague who became a casualty when blinded by tear gas. The vindictiveness of the prosecution was clearly demon- strated when police stated that Deane was using the first aid kit to carry stones. - Defence counsel Hall was success- ful in having the jury recalled to the court room, while the judge cor- rected his instructions to them. The Citizens’ Defence Committee have started today to appeal all previous convictions. Casper Blum walked out of court here last Thursday a free man. Blum was the ninth man to face Justice MacDonald on charges of rioting, and the third man to be acquitted. REGINA, April 29.—Calmly as- Sserting that he was just as proud to be a member of the On-to-Ottawa trek as to be a member of the army during the war, and reiterating his plea of not guilty, Jack Kyle was Sentenced late tonight to seven months imprisonment. Two younger trekkers, Joe Myn- nie, and Sam Coury were*discharged when charges against them were not proven. The whole case differed from those preceding it, mainly because the three men denied being near the Market Square on the night of the police attack, but had«spent the evening with friends. Kenneth Forsythe was sentenced to six months on Monday when a2 jury found him enilty of rioting. Forsythe was the fifth trekler to be tried and the fifth to be sen- tenced. PEOPLE’S FRONT IN GREEK CITY ATHENS, Greece, April 28 (ALP) —A. People’s Front victory in the Tyrnavos (Thessalonia) town coun- cil election was registered on an ab- solute majority vote in the face of police terror and fascist demagogy. Three slates for the election were the Metaxes, a united bourgeois slate, and the People’s Front list. The People’s Front slate carried off a brilliant victory, gaining 770 out of a total of 1400 votes cast and thus securing all of the nine seats in the municipal council. Regina Labor Set For Fray Reactionaries to Oppose Workers’ Nominees In Civic Election REGINA, May 2.—Desperate ef- forts to regain an anti-labor ma- jority on the Regina city council are being put forward by local reaction- aries. Candidates are being lined up to oppose the two labor choices, Rev. Sam East and Alex M. Derry for the elections on May 18 to fill the seats left vacant by the unseat- ing of ex-aldermen MacManus and Mikkelson. J. Snedden is already. definitely in the fight against Alex Derry in Ward One as an inde- pendent labor candidate. Eix-mayor Rink is mentioned as being the most likely opponent of Rev. East in Ward 3. The election of either Rink or Sneddon would put the anti-labor forces with a ma- jority over labor on the council. This the progressive forces realize and are sparing no efforts in what may prove to be Regina’s most sharply contested election. LL NOT NEG Loggers Enter Fight For Union Recognition And Increased Wages; Strike Spreading Over Wide Area YOUTH TO HAVE GREATER UNITY A landmark towards greater unity on the part of the working class youth in British Columbia was laid recently when two committees, rep- resenting the Younes Socialist League and the Young Communist League, met and decided to work towards the formation of a Wed- erated Socialist Youth Council that will embrace all working class youth organizations in Vancouver and Dis- trict. The date for the first confer- ence has been set for Monday, June 8, at 8 p.m., in the Cedar Cottage C.C.—. Club at 3691 Commercial Drive. This step is very significant at this time when a four-way split exists in the youth movement. The formation of this council will bring together the Younes Socialist, Younes Communist League, C.C.F. Youth Clubs and all “other working class organizations that stand for the betterment of the conditions of the young people as well as for a new social order. Harold Winch, youthful M.L.A., alone with other prominent labor people, has endorsed the movement. The committee is endeavoring to have him officiate as chairman at. the initial conference. Headquarters will shortly be established. In the meantime all correspondence should be forwarded to William Paimer, secretary, Initia- tive Committee, 35 West 5th Ave., Vancouver. EVICTED FAMILY ARRESTED FOR SOLICITING AID Mrs. Edith Ramsay, widow of a war veteran, and her two small chil- dren, were evicted from their home last week. Though penniless and destitute, this little woman was de- termined that neither she nor the wee tots would starve or go shelter- jess. With placards and coin cans ‘they stood in front of the Dominion Bank Building, and while sympa- thetic citizens were responding gen- erously to the widow’s appeal, two husky cops swooped down on the trio and took them to headquarters. Later they were taken to the City Relief office and then released. Al- though this eviction case attracted wide attention, because of Mrs. Ramsay’s militant stand, there have been many evictions, and thousands more are slated for the near future. Boys Work on Probation But Never Get on the Payroll VANCOUVER, May 5.—Clifford Anderson, age 20, and Jack Keeley, age 21, two unemployed youth of Vancouver, were hired by the Ham- mond Furniture Company at rate of 35 cents per hour, to work in their camp on Keats Island, where they cut alder for furniture manu- facturing purposes. These young men were engaged with the understanding that if their work was not satisfactory, they would be shipped back after two days’ trial. At the end of a week the boys began to worry about their wages, as they heard rumors about this company cheating other young workers. They inquired, and were told by the foreman that they were not yet on the payroll, whereupon the boys immediately quit, and walked sev- eral miles to the other end of the island, where they phoned to Van- couver for transportation back, as the company refused to pay them for their work or return them to Vancouver. Clifford Anderson’s father went after the boys in a gas boat, reach- ing the camp at midnight, and found the boys had been without food since morning. The company refused them supper that evening. Arriving at the camp about the Same time as Anderson’s father, was another gasoline boat with two young men to take Anderson’s and Keeley’s places. It cost Anderson's father $10.00 to go after the boys. On arrival in Vancouver the boys applied to the Minimum Wage Board to take action and compel the Hammond Furniture Co. to eome through with wages due them. The Minimum Wage Board told them that as they were under age the board could do nothing for them. Hammond Furniture Co. Has Wage-Evading Racket The boys worked a full week in- cluding Sunday, 10 hours per day, and at times worked evenings, working knee-deep in mud, ruining the clothes which they equipped themselves with for this job. 12,000 HEAR TOM MANN IN TORONTO TORONTO, Ont. May 2.—(ALP)— Twelve thousand workers jammed Mutual Street Arena and additional hundreds outside listened to loud- speakers at the climax of Toronto’s greatest united May Day celebra- tion in its history last night. C.C.E. speakers, trade union speakers, Socialist speakers, and Communist speakers all sounded the keynote of the day—the necessity for increased unity in labor’s ranks to assure progress towards Social- ism. Tom Mann, 80-year-old SBritish Communist, and one of the world's most heroic labor leaders climaxed Jast night’s meeting and drew every Section of the great united May Day celebration to its feet in uncon- trollable ovation, PRISONERS STOP WORK MAY DAY REGINA, May 1—‘“In jail and out of jail, May Day is the day of working class unity, and the day labor rallies its forces against re- action,” said Jack Weedin to au- thorities of the Regina jail this morning. Weedin, who is now in jail along with three others recently sentenced on charges of rioting aris- ing out of the bloody Dominion Day 1935, successfully insisted that he be not put to work on this great labor day. Following his successful demand, his comrades, Forsythe, Stevens and citizen John Gallinger. also asked for the holiday, and got it. ASSIZES TO HEAR SQUIRES’ RE-TRIAL NEW WESTMINSTER, May 7. —Wm. Squires, 54, Yancouver longshoreman and World War hero, will be one of nine cases to appear before Chief Justice Mor- rison when the Spring Assizes open here on Monday, May 11. Squires was convicted by Magis- trate. Gillis in Burnaby Police Court on October 20th on a charge of robbery with violence, and sen- tenced to three years and five lashes. On Noy. 8th Squires was re leased on bail of $3,000 pending hearing of his appeal for a new trial, lodged by his counsel, Gor- don Wismer, M.A. His appeal Was granted on Feb. 10th. The crime charged against Squires was of assaulting and rob- bing Wicola Silverstone during the longshore strike of last sum- men. Witnesses stated that Squires’ car was three miles from the scene on the night of the at- tack. Evidence disclosed at the trial was that three young men were involved in the assault. LLL.A. DELEGATES FLOCK TO PEDRO Organizing of B.C. Ports Is Pressing Problem SAN PEDRO, Calif. May 6— Delegates from up and down the Pacific Coast are gathered here for the annual conyention of the Pacific Coast District of the International Longshoremen’s Association, the second since the Successful strike of 1934, which resulted in the firm re- establishment of the I.L.A. on the Coast, after many years of open shop conditions. Since then remark- able strides towards militancy and unity have been made, resulting in vastly improved conditions and better wages. In this convention, or- ganizational. problems aimed at fur- ther cementing the unity of Coast maritime workers, will feature the agenda, Considerable interest lingers around the impending struggle be- tween the Morris-Lewis factions and the H. Bridges supporters for con- trol of the elective positions on the district executive. The agreement to be presented to the employers upon expiry of the present agreement, will aiso be drawn up. A new problem facing the conven- tion this year in the re-organization of the B.C. ports. An Ti.-A. charter for the Vancouver longshoremen has been prepared, and will come up for ratification. Ways and means of assisting the B.C. workers to again organize the ports there will oc- cupy some time in the proceedings. It is recognized by all delegates that so long as the B.C. ports re- main an open door to be used by the shipping interests, the danger of an attack against the U.S. Coast Ports is ever present. Two delegates from B.C. are here to press the case of their ports. \Operatars Use Threat of Jubilee Failure To Win Public Support SHINGLE MILLS OUT VANCOUVER, May 7.—The crews’ of the Smith and Osberg logging camp at Rock Bay, and the Rainy River Timber Co., Howe Sound, quit work yesterday in answer to the strike call issued May 4. This brings the total striking camps up to seven. Camps 3 and 6. Youbou, and the Lake Logging Co., Cowich- an Lake, struck earlier in the week, while the two camps of the Victoria Lumber and Manufacturing CGo., Gowichan Lake, have been out since March. Other camps have presented de- mands te the companies, and durin= the week balloting on the strike {s- sue will be general throughout the provinee. Owing to the scattered nature of the industry it is expected to take several days before the de- cision of the camp crews is known. : Determined to Fight Enthusiasm amongst the lofgers is high. The general feeling is that the fight to increase wages In the B.C. woods is lone overdue. Within the last few years production has increased tremendously, without any increase in the number of men employed. Profits of the companies have shown a considerable increase. /It is pointed out that the B.G. com- panies are under a distinct advan- tage and well able to pay the in- erease in wages asked Pigures are quoted to show that the B.c. com- panies have an advantage over the American companies of at least $3.00 per thousand on freight rates to the Atlantic Seaboard, and an advan- tage of at least $2.50 per thousand on direct labor costs. Meetings are being held in all camps and demands presented te the companies, and where a satis- factory agreement is work continues. Shingle Weavers Join Struggle Several shingle mills have already entered the fight, including the F'ra- Ser Mill, Capilano, Sterlmg, Gedar €ove, McNair (Port Moody), Moody. Shingles, Inspected (North Van) Hunting and Merritt (@Mfarpole) and Chews. The two mills of the McKercher Co. have reached an agreement sat- isfactory to the union. The workers of the M. B. King Co., which struck Monday morning, returned to work on the agreement that there would be no further dis- crimination, and the question of re- instatement of the men fired for union activites, and the wage scale would be negotiated, final decision to be arrived at by 6 p.m. May 8. The strike at this mill was precipi- tated when the owner fired two union members, old time employees, with the comment, “When yo joined the union you showed that you were against me, and I don’t Want anyone against me in the com- pany.”’ arrived at, Discrimination First throes of the strike strugele came on March 13, when the Vic- toria Lumber and Manufacturing Co., Cowichan Lake fired two of its Camp 10 employees for union activities. Camp 10 struck immedi- ately, and Camp 8 followed a few (Continued on page 2) Moscow May Day Parade A Trernendous Spectacle © Socialist Prosperity and Health Evident on Every Side DELEGATES ENTHUSED MOSCOW, May 1.—(By Cable to ALP)—Bathed in a glorious summer sunshine, Moscow's millions marched joyously today in their vic- torious May Day celebrations. The prosperity of socialism stamped the rejoicing atmosphere as thirty thousand singers gaily be- decked with flowers and all similar- ly dressed transformed the Red Square into a brightly hued garden. Soviet sportsmen, a hundred thou- sand strong, well-built figures glow- ing with health together with ‘their women sport comrades in bright costumes, carrying flowers, march- ing in symmetrical, club formation. A tableaux that left a permanent impression of a healthy generation. The air display, this year of special sigmificanee, a force of well over a thousand planes filled the Sky. Swift machines dipping grace- fully in salute to Stalin- Tanks, of every sort and descrip- tion, rumbled across the Square. Tanks that moved with lizhteninge speed. Tanks that resembled huge fortresses. Led by Sedoy, commander of the fighting forces of the 1905 Revo- lution, the remaining few heroic partisan fighters, who grow less year by year, were met with a tremendous ovation as they passed the reviewine stand. Six o'clock in the evening, and the masses, still in a tireless and joy- ous mood, kept marchine. Myriads of slogans made clear their deter— mination to defend their prosperity. On the reviewing stand, in full view of the huge Red Square, stood Stalin receiving the thunderins ovations of the marching thrones. Ovations to a great leader, a leader in the building of socialist industry. Dimitroy and Thaelmann, two heroic leaders of the international working class, were honored with many banners, and slogans demand- ing the release of Thacelmann em- blazened many 4 streamer. English delegates especially, were greatly impressed, leadine= the applause. Although they came from sporting countries, they had never seen such a turn out of sportsmen. The delegation seemed to stand on tip toes inhaling the freshness of Socialist youth. Everything pointed to the fact that workers had plenty of money to spend in shops and on good clothes. Baskets of fruit and other foodstuffs were carried by the demonstrators, aS in a great harvest festival. Children seemed to haye a special Place in all contingents who, when they passed Stalin, raised them on to shoulders so that they could wave to their leader.