Your subscription has expired if the number on your label is below this number Renew it NOW. -C. Workers News —— _—_>—>—— Spain is the battleground of the world struggle between fascist barbarity and democracy. Sup- port the heroic Spanish people! FULL NO. 99 Published Weekly VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1936 Single Copies: 5 Cents VOL. II., No. 47 TRADES COUNCIL DEFEATS MOTION TO HELP SPAIN McDonald Injects Red Bogey to Block Move : Forees of progress struggling to aid their brother unionists in Spain retain democracy came out on the Short end of a 44-39 count Tuesday night when the Trades and Labor Council defeated a motion to allow their “Spanish Aid Committee’ to speak to the local affiliates and to print pledges, ‘President Colin McDonald doubted the Sincerity of CG. MM. Stewart, mover of the motion and one of the council’s committee men. McDonald’s entry into the debate undoubtedly Swunse the vote in fayor of neutral- ity. The Qld Red-Herrine : “Be truthful, be tiuthful, it’s enly for Communist propaganda,” exclaimed McDonald to T. Bradley, delegate from the B.C. Goast Dis- trict Council of the Lumber ana Sawmill Workers who was speaking in favor of the motion . J. Stevenson of the Carpenters, castigated the chairman for his un- complimentary remarks, and was himself jumped on by Birt Showler for statements made in the previous esuncil meeting, when he stated that women in his locality were making their own bread rather than pay the increased prices. C. M. Stewart, delesate from the Street Railwaymen’s Union in clos- ing the debate emphatically told the council that he did not ‘care What Colin McDonald thought of him, that he could match his Sincer- ity with the chairman’s anytime. Committee is Blocked “The trade unionists of Spain are mot only fighting fer Charlie Stewart but for Colin McDonald as Well,” stated the Street Railway- men’s delegate. By defeating the motion the coun- cil have renounced all their former moves to assist the Spanish fovern- ment, and the appointed committee might never have been appointed to raise funds, as they haye been defeated at every turn. American Ambulance Unit To Serve Spain NEW YORK—(PP)—wWhile 10.000 yolunteérs carried licensed collection cans throughout New York’s five boroughs, iin the Subways, outside of theatres and concert halis, on the Streets and into union meetings, to raise relief funds for Spain, four ambulances purchased by the medi_ cal bureau of the Friends of Spanish Democracy toured the city with placards calline= on the People to answer the intervention of Hitler and Mussolini by purchasing medical Supplies. Tt is expected that the ambulances, accompanied by an American unit, will sail on the Mar Cantabrico for Service at the front. JOBLESS YOUTHS JOIN IN SEARCH At a full membership meeting of the SU.PA; held’ on Tuesday, December 1, a resolution to assist in the search for Betty Charman, 22-year-old hiker, who has been missing for over a week, was un- animously passed. A search party of 12 went over to the Worth Shore on Thursday and spent the day in Search of the missing girl. Tf necessary, the entire member- ship, of the S.U.P.A. will assist in further search. Trenches Around Madrid = SES Minister of Public Works Just, of the Spanish Republic, accom- panied by 2 secretary, inspects trenches around the capital, part of the defence works which have held back the fascists, despite the modern War equipment Hitler and Mussolini have lavished on Franco. Militants Demand Elec- tions to Oust Reaction- ary Old Guard NEW YORK—(PP)—A break in the heretofore solid front of East Coast shipowners developed as three companies recognized the rank-and_ file committee of striking maritime workers and signed an agreement granting basic strike demands. The companies, Prudential Steam- ship Corporation, Trans-Oceanic Steamship Corporation and Atlantic States Line, signed contracts with representatives of four maritime unions, granting wares and condi- tions identical with West Coast 18,000 Textile Workers Quit Five Japanese -Owned Mills -Are Idle In Yangtsepoo SHANGHAT, China—The strike of 18,00@ workers in five Japanese- Owned mills took a new turn fol- lowing a clash between the police and 700 of the strikers. The strike began as a result of the dismissal of forty-three work- ers in one mill. Workers in other mills struck in Sympathy, or began a “g0-slow’’ movement and were locked out by the management. All of the mills are closed and are being picketed. International Settlement police have been called out in the Yangste- poo district where the mills are lo- cated. Japanese marines sent into the districts were withdrawn at the request of the mill owners, who feared that their presence might incite rioting, due to the strength of anti-Japanese sentiment among the textile workers. Postal Workers Protest Gov’t Scheme To Work On Holidays Hard -Won Concessions Slowly Being Chiseled Away Vancouver Postoffice workers are indignant at the recent orders is- sued by the government compelling them to work Saturday afternoons and all statutory holidays, begin- ning December 5 this year. Four hundred members of the Wederated Lettercarriers, the Amal- Samated Civil Seryants of Canada and the Postal Clerks held a mass meeting in Victory hall on Sunday last. Representatives of every or- Sanization reported the feeling of their members to pe unanimously in opposition to the Jensthenine of the working week and to workine ——eeees Seek To Disbar Workers’ Lawyer LOS ANGELES. — (FP) — Dis- barment proceedings against Teo Gallagher, famous labor lawyer, who has defended Tom Mooney and hun- dreds of other unionists, and who Stood ready to offer legal aid to maritime stuikers, have aroused na- Honwide liberal protest. He is charsed with making wunethieal Statements against his political op- ponent Judse Arthur Crum of Los Angeles, in a4 primary election. Gallarher received 66,179 votes. on such holidays as Christmas, Easter, Dominion Day, etc. Public Support Sought 4A resolution protesting the order Was passed by the meeting and a copy will be sent to all the B.C members of parliament. Along with this a petition will be circulated among the business houses and the public Senerally for their endorsa- tion and cooperation against this re- actionary move of the King govern- ment. The organized labor movement will be asked for their support, for if the government is allowed to put this over, it will be the signal for a Similar move against other workers, just as the government Wage cut of 10 per cent in 1931 was followed by a general wage reduction. For Six-Hour Day The feeling of the Postoffice worlk- ers is that with the increased rey- enue of the Postoffice Department, due in the main to the excellent Service and cooperation of all em- ployees, if the government wish to five better service to the publie and also to give emploment to more men, that a six-hour day and a five- day week be inaugurated and after some discussion a resolution to that effect was passed by the meetine= The Postoffice employees had +o Struggle for years to win their Sat- urday afternoons and the holidays involved in this order and mean to keep them. East Coast Strikers Win Demands From Three Firms strike demands. Marine Firenien Sanction Strilce. In the meantime, rank-and-file candidates of the Marine Firemen’s Oilers & Watertenders’ Union, who had been kept out by old-line offi- cials Since their election last Aug- ust, took office by virtue of a court order and immediately gave official Sanction to the East Coast strike. As the tie-up proceeded throush its fifth week, support from French longshoremen who refused to un- load scab vessels had repermussions here. President Joseph P. Ryan of the International Tongshoremen’s Association, though annoyed, was undecided as to whether to retaliate by not handling cargo from French lines. Confronted with the POSsi- -bility that striking seamen in ap- preciation of the solidarity expressed by their French brothers would un- load the ships if he refused, Ryan delayed decision. Blections Demanded. Spurred by their victories, rank- and-file members of the Interna- tional Seamen’s Union affiliates still under old line control are de- manding elections and are reported to be planning court action if their request is denied. The Cooks and Stewards Union has secured an in- dictment of Vice-President David E. Grange of the I.S.U. on charges of misappropriatine union funds and his books have been subp sub- boenaed for investigation. In San Francisco, negotiations are on again between marine cooks and Stewards and steam schooner oper- ators. The main issue in dispute is the 8-hour working day in i2 hours. if the coastwise steam schooners Sign an agreement and work is Start- ed, this may be an opening wedge in bringing the deepsea companies to time. LABOR DISPUTES MORENUMEROUS Japanese Now Becoming Conscious of Their Or- ganized Strength TOKYO, Japan.—According to the figures made public by the Social Bureau of the Home Ministry, labor disputes in the first eight months of this year show an increase of 152 over the correspondine period of last year. From January 1 to September 1, 1936, the total number of disputes Was 1,268, involving 61,865 partici- pants. It is noticeable that the dis- putes are more numerous in smaller factories than in "munitions fac- tories which are producing up to capacity. ; The largest number of disputes resulted from demands for an in- crease in Wages; the next largest classification was that of demands for establishment of the discharge allowance system or 4 higher scale for such allowances. Housing Program Holds Small Hope For Poor People OTTAWA, Ont.—(FP)—To meet a need for low-cost housing the na- tional employment commission is to present a plan under which the gov- ernment will lend money at not more than 214 per cent to municipalities and housing corporations. The pro- posals of the commission will prob- ably encounter opposition from the cabinet, which does not wish to ad- vance the full sum needed for such a venture. Housing legislation passed last -year was of small benefit to most people, since a person had to have $800 or more to pay down on a home in order to set a loan. BACK-PATTING IS FEATURE OF TUCKER PROBE t People’s Commission Is Urgent Protest to Clean Up City The “investigation” now So0ing on in the coroner’s court, Vancouver, on the charges of graft, corruption, pay-offs, etc, as contained in the Tucker report is nothing but a back- patting: mutual admiration stunt. The charges levelled at the police administration are denied by the officials without submitting proof. Their word is their bond and each of them is liberally applying a coat of whitewash to the other. A house owned by McGeer at 251 Mast Highteenth Ave. housed a boot- Jegger and, while the mayor states he did not want the tenant, he had compassion on him because he had @ wife and eight children. Had this tenant been active in any workers’ orBanization McGeer would have had them tossed out on their ear, family or no family. ,Counterposinge the MacDonald one--man commission is the People’s Commission sitting nightly in the Moose Hall, which is held up to ridi- cule by the daily papers. This commission, while it is not all that it could be, represents an ursent protest of the citizens to et to the bottom of affairs and clean out the political cesspool from top to bottom. The large auditorium at the Moose Hall has been filled to capacity every night since its inauguration last Monday, and loud speakers have been installed to accommodate the large crowds who were unable to gain entrance to the probe. JOBLESS ACCEPT FORESTRY WORK Will Organize for Union Wages and Working Conditions Meeting in the Royal Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 29th; at 3 pP.m., 900 Single unemployed men voted to ac- cept the Federal and Provincial For- estry Works scheme and to organize on the job. Speakers from the Re- lief Project Workers’ Union and the S.U.P.A. addressed the assembly and directed strong criticism towards the shortcomings of the scheme, point- ing to the low wages offered and the dastardly plan of holding back the pay of the workers on the job. The need for clothing, good food and adequate first aid equipment was Stressed. Every speaker urged the accept- ance of the work offered, pointing out that if the most militant sec_ tion of the unemployed were to re- fuse this work they would isolate themselves from the backward workers who would be willing to go out on the job. For Full Payment As one speaker put it: ‘This plan is not all that it might be. Still, they have offered us work. Let us | go out on the job, then, but as an organized body of men. Let us or- fanize into the Relief Project Work- ers’ Union and let us organize eyery man on the job. We must have grievance comittees in every camp and we must strive to look after the needs and comfort of the men. Our first demands will be those neces- sary to rectify the immediate sriev- ances of the men. Our main de- mands will be for full payment of wages and for trade union rates of pay.”’ Some single unmenrpioved men are confused as to the different roles played by the Relief Project Work- ers’ Union and the S.U.P.A., but they should not be so. The Relief Project Workers’ Union is the or- fanization that has and will protect the interests of the men on the job. Organizations Defined The S.U-P.A. is the organization that will fight for the rights of the men in Vancouver. The first is a job organization, with the structure of*a trade union. The second is a mass organization, taking up de- mands in the city. Both are repre- sented on the new B.C. Federation of Unemployed, comprising all the unemployed organizations of Bic# and are closely linked together. Fred Grange and Harry Molland, unemployed jleaders, sentenced to two years hard Jabor ,a most vicious Sentence, must be freed. Their case will be appealed soon and it is very likely that they will be out on bail next week. Unity Is Sought Between Unions TORONTO. — (FP) — Secretary-— treasurer John Cottam of the To- Tonto and district council of car— | penters and millmen of the United ; Brotherhood of Carpenters and | Joiners has written the Amalea- | mated Building Workers of Canada, | affiliated with the All-Ganadian | Congress of Labor, urging unifica- | tion of the two organizations. Roosevelt Asked To Lodge Protest DETROIT, Nov. 30.— President Roosevelt was asked to protest the Fascist atrocities in the siege of Madrid in a wireless message Signed by the Professional League for Civil Rights and the Michigan Conference for Protection of Civil Rights, which includes 300 trades unions, churches and fraternal organizations. Improved Business Reflects War Orders OTTAWA. — (FP) Canadian business circles look forward to stimulation from: the new defence policy which the coming session of parliament seems likely to announce. The program is expected to include expansion of coastal defences and enlargement of the air force. In addition, the prospects of war orders from Great Britain, suggest- ed by Prime Minister Baldwin in London recently, are causing metal manufacturers to look brightly to the future. LARGO CABALLERO Head of Spanish Government in historic struggle against trait- orous generals and their foreign mercenary troops. His son, taken prisoner by the fascists, is re- ported to have been murdered as an act of revenge. unteers Join Loyalist Ranks LONDON. — (FP)—As the diplo- mats of the world split hairs over the threatened Fascist blockade and bombardment of Barcelona, the Man- chester Guardian, traditional organ of liberalism and one of the world’s best known newspapers, publishes new details about the wholesale intervention of Nazi Germany into the Spanish war. = Two or three German planes leaye Boeblingen airport near Stutteartr for Spain each night, flying as pas- Senger liners over Swiss and French soil, but manned by German officers, the Guardian reveals. There are also an extraordinary mumber of special flights on the WBufthansa route to Lisbon, whence other Ger- man planes earry German officers and specialists to Seville and other rebel centers, “Tf Italy and Germany can sup- ply the rebels with airplanes and tanks ,they can also supply them With submarines, destroyers, cruisers and battleships,” the Guardian com- ments. “But that would mean that the civil war was no longer con- fined to Spain.’ While Madrid defense lines held firm and anti-Fascist advances were reported on the northern front to- Ward San Sebastine, reports came of the torpedoine of the loyalist eruiser Miguel de Cervantes, appar- ently by a German warship. More and more the whole world was tak- ing sides in a dispute which far transcends its merely Spanish phases. The International Federation of Trade Unions announces, among the trade union contributions to Spanish relief, 4.3 million French francs from France, 2 million franes from Great Britain, and another 2 mil- lion from the U.S. The U-S.S-R. has sent large quantities of supplies. On November 19 a big radio con- cert was arranged from Moscow and relayed to Spain, where, at mid- night, the fighters heard the chimes of the Kremlin, the strains of the internationale, and the talks of visiting Spanish delegates. The Scottish ambulance unit is doing splendid work, and steps are under way to organize units from other lands. The fighting forces, also, are being constantly aug— mented by new anti-Fascist yolun- teers from abroad. Bert Acosta, American trans-Atlantic flyer, is re- ported in Spain with the loyalist air forces. Julius Deutsch, former Austvian war minister and now a Socialist refugee, has joined the loyalists. Andre Malraux, famous French writer, is a commander in the republican forces. Even in Fascist countries, occa- Sional details leak out of the sym- pathy felt by workers for their fel- lows fighting Fascism in Spain. Western Writers’ Congress To List Labor’s Enemies SAN PRANGCISCGO, — Gp) — 4 highly successful Wester Writers’ Congress ended with formation of a anization, the ton Sinclair as nt. Ammons its objectives ¢ jation lists mobilization of write against re- pression and reaction, and co-opera- tion with cultural, professional and labor organizations for common ction. The S tion will pile a western states Black of labor's e1 Work, a listing S a counter Network. Mrs: Many International Vol- Nazis Ship Wholesale Aid Nightly To Spain’s Fascists B.C. DOES PART TO HELP SPAIN $2300 Despatched To Aid Canadian Med- ical Unit No less than $2300 had been sent by the Spanish Defence Committee to alleviate the sufferings of the Spanish people. and lately has been used exclusively to finance the Canadian medical unit there, in charge of Dr. Bethune of Montreal. A full financial statement up to Wevember 30th will be mimeographed and sent to all contributors to the fund. To date, 3500 buttons have been distributed, as well as 6000 resolu- tion postcards, and 150 books of bonds. Returns for these are being teceived daily at the office. Mass distribution throughout B.C. of a folder telling the truth of Spain, to speed up collections for the Canadian medical unit, will be un- dertaken. Organizations will be asked to arrange for collection boxes, alone with the exhibition of @ poster painted by a prominent local artist. Howard Costigan, president of the Washington Commonwealth FPedera- tion, will speak at the Moose Hall on December 13. Efforts are being made to get other prominent speak-— ers. The following cablesram has been sent to General Jose Miaja, military commander of the Madrid Loyalist forces: “We assure you of our sym- Pathy and solidarity in your Struggle. We are arousing wide-~ Spread protests against the ruth- less bombardment of Madrid by Fascists.” It is signed by Reverends Canon W. Cooper, R. N. Matheson and A. E. Cooke, Professors A. EF. B. Clark and G G&G. Sedgewick, Dr. Lyle Telford, Garfield A. King and A. M. Stephen. For further information on the work of the committee, cal] or write our office, Room 22, 615 West Has- tins Street, Vancouyer. Telephone Trinity 6371. Extension Of Democracy In Soviet Constitution An Exposure Of Fascism Four Important Amend- ments Made Gives Greater Freedom MOSCOW. —(FP) — With a cross- Section of races, nationalities and occupations which make it totally unlike the lawyer-constituted parlia- ments of other lands, the All-Union Congress of Soviets gathered in the iremlin palace to take up the new constitution which 170,000,000 people have been discussing for months. To the historic assembly the So- viet Union sent its best heroes, in- eludins many holders of decorations, prize-winning workers, farmers, famous aviators and Scientists. In the front row of the gallery were the swarthy faces of the Spanish delegation, here from the fighting front. “That which millions dreamed of in all lands already exists in the U.S-S.R.,” Joseph Stalin, chairman of the committee which drew up the draft constitution, told the 2,033 delegates and 304 alternates. Indictment of Fascism. “Today when muddy waves of Fascism engulf many Jands, our - constitution is an indictment against Fascism. Tt shows that Socialism in the U-S|S.R. is invinc- ible, that blood has not been spent in vain, but that now we are achieving its fruits2> The whole tone of the assembly was utterly different from the usual Spell-bindine oratory of capitalist parliaments and was Still more Alien to the rabble-rousing methods of Hitler. Stalin’s two-hour report was a calm, reasoned analysis by 4a man who paid his audience the tribute of expecting them to follow closely the discussion of the constitutional amendments which were to come up for consideration. The, assembly- Was Serious, attentive and obviously- conscious of performing a sreat his— toric task. Tremendous Gains. It is interestin= to contrast it With the constitutional congress of 1924. The delegates are obviously much better dressed, but there is Stil] of peoples and occupations, Stalin first listed the changes Which made the new constitution necessary. Industry has increased Sevenfold over the pre-war level, farmine 50 per cent, and the na- tional income fourfold. Socialist Ownership means that Production has created new class relationships. He replied to foreign critics who claim that the constitution is a more rightwards and asked whether they. know the difference between left and right. 2 Keen Interest Shown. Thousands of amendments that were suggested from all Parts of the country have been considered and printed, but many are dupli- cates and others irrelevant. Four lmportant amendments were ap- proved in Stalin’s Speech: (1) To make the Council of Nationalities €qual in number to the Council of Union; (2) to have the Council of Na- tionalities elected by popular vote and not appointed by the national esevernment; (3) to have eleven yice- presidents instead of four, thus siy— ing representation to every repub- lic; (4) to create 4 separate com- missariat of war industry. The first three of these represent moves in the direction of sreater democracy. Amendments that were not ap- Proved led mostly in the direction of less democracy. For example, they would bar priests and kulaks from voting or prohibit secession of republics. A Suggestion to elect the president of the Supreme Council by bopular vote was termed by Stalin contrary to the spirit of the con- isttution, since it would focus un- due attention on a Single man, op- Posing him to the council. Wife and Two Children Left to Tender Mercies of Ghouls By E. 0. HAUKEDAHL KELOWNA, B.C. Nov. 30.—Per- secuted and finally driven insane by the callousness of the relict au- thorities here, who denied him re- lief and then capped their tyranny with shutting off the water supply, a worker has been added to the srowing population of the sylum. This man came to Kelowna from Alberta with his wife and two ¢hil- dren a little over a year aco. The first installment on a house and lot was made and some household necessities were purchased with the money he brought with him. Unable to secure work and with his money spent, he sousht and was 2 temporary relief. the e the relief autho sd for his transport | to Alberta, which he refused he would not be cons dent of that province theiz deportation in) Frustrated in Fiendish Relief Officials Drive Kelowna Man Insane and starvation policy, the relief Shouls finally shut off the water Supply and then sawed the pipes to make sure that the water would not be turned on again. The strain of being debarred from relief, water shut off and seeing his family existing in abject misery, proved too much for the man’s weakened condition, with the result that he lost his mind. ‘No Holiday Edict Angers Postmen LONDON, Ont. — (FP) — Postmen will be required to work every day in the year except Sundays with no provision for overtime holiday pay, accordine to a recent edict of Pre- mier Kins. Christmas is the time the postmen feel most the injus- tice of such a law, because they are compelled to work 50 to 55 hours overtime a week doings work that is physicaly and mentaly linins. In Montreal, letter carriers are joining the Dominion Letter Car- » Tiers’ sociation. the same wide representation '