Page Four ee ce WOREEBRS: NE ws February 19, 195% BC. Workers NEWS Published Weekly by THE PROLETARIAN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION Room 10, 163 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. Telephone: Trinity 2019 One Year == 51280 Half Year Three Months __.-__- .50 Single Copy Make All Checks Payable to the B.C. WORKERS’ NEWS Send Ail Copy and Manuscript to the Chairman of the Edoitorial Board. Send All Monies and Letters Pertaining to Advertising and Circulation to the Bustness Manager. Vancouver, B.C., Friday, February 19, 1937 Free Grange and Molland N SPITE of police intimidation, with mass arrests and con- victions and in the face of lying statements by government officials, three months ago the single men won their strugele for a works program. Out of that struggle came the trial for “riotous assembly.” Six men were convicted. Four of these were immediately freed on suspended sentence. . The jury said: “We deplore the eonditions that brought about this riot, and advise that pressure be brought to bear on civic, provincial and federal governments to amend this state of things.” To the remaining two the judge said: “Two years in the peni- tentiary.” Molland and Grange were given the maximum, not merely because they were present at Hamilton Hall. Their main of- fence was that they helped to lead the single men to victory. Trade unionism is in danger. All future organization is threatened. This is made clear by the action of Premier Pattullo and Provincial Minister of Labor G. S. Pearson in their attitude toward the relief project workers. In five of the camps, groups ot svorkers have been fired for no other reason than that they be- longed to the union. Following discriminatory action against eight men at Green Timbers Camp, Ton. G. S. Pearson said that no union would be countenaneed. The following gems, taken from a notice posted at the Cowichan Lake project by the eamp superintendent, A. Gordon, shows the thoroughness with which ¢he authorities followed up Pearson’s pronouncement. The notice stated : “Due to unnecessary agitation in this camp concerning a so-called union .. . it has become necessary to point out to you that the B.C. Forest Service does not reccgenize any such union. Therefore, any committee, unless appointed by me will not be recognized. Any. meeting held in this camp is illegal unless authorized by me. Any man wearing the badge of this so-called union will be classed as an agitator.” These thines leave no doubt as to the wmion-simashine designs of Pattullo and Pearson. It places them squarely in the position of agenis of the big employers of labor, carrying through the en- ployers’ anti-union drive. The savage sentence meted out to Grange and Molland is just part of this campaign. If we allow this sentence to stand reaction can chalk up another victory. Less than two weeks <emain till the Court of Appeal opens at the court house on March 2. Let us use that time well. Every organization that has not already done so, should im-= mediately send a protest and a call for the release of Molland and Soviet Explorer } Prof. Otto Schmidt is shown tatking to Young Pioneers at a poly- technic museum in the USSR. Famous for his work in the frozen north, including his leadership of the Chelyushkin expedition, he was recently made an honorary member of the Explorers Club of America. The club has only 17 living honorary members, and new members can be elected only upon death of one of the seventeen. 50 Years Of Labor ‘History In BC By BILL BENNETT (Fourth and final installment of the introduction of a book to be published under this title). (Continued from last weele) A percentage of accidents in industry is unavoidable, but it need not be very large. This monstrous total is due to the greed for profits, that even in the infancy of factory production com- pelled men to work without safety measures and in the later stages imposes on them a speed-up pace that leaves them no opportunity to look out for their own welfare. B.C. workers have been par- ticularly the victims of the speed-up, im the woods, the mines and on the waterfront. The press boasted not so long ago that Grange, to Attorney-General Sloan, Tesislative Buildings, Victoria. Grange and Molland must be freed! 2 ae) No Subsidies | HB issue of subsidies to Canada’s shipping companies is be |}... of men who bit the dust was also ereater than at any other port. ental seamen.“ >17;4 the ball” or “hit the trail” are the alternatives with which the longshoremen are faced, and the same whip-lash sings in every branch of industry. ine turned imto an issue of White versus Ori 4 This is a maneuvre of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Ltd. to extract huge subsidies from the people of Canada, and still run their ships with crews under the low Oriental standard of living. The issue is not, or should not be, to oust the Oriental seamen off the Empress boats. i The part played by the Japanese members of the Seafarers’ Industrial Union in the 1935 strike shows that they take their place as topnotchers amongst union men, : The bitter successful fight which the Chimese seamen put up in 1920, is a fight upon which the most ardent unionist can look with pride. E The fault is not that there are Chinese crews on the Em- presses. The fault is the wages and conditions which the CPR imposes upon its Chinese seamen. _ : The problem of the seamen of this country 1s not the ousting of the Chinese, but to aid the Chinese seamen to bring their standard up to at least that of the Canadian seamen, which is cer- tainly not the best. When that is done, and then only, will the GPR be unable to use the crews of one country against the crews of another, in order to keep down conditions of both. ; So lone as the CPR works its crews under the low Oriental standard there must be no subsidies. _ We lay down this euide. No subsidies unless the standard of the crews is at least comparable to the standard of living of the erews of the country from which the subsidy comes. 3) : The People Demand Health Insurance ECAUSE the Health Act, now before the Provincial ee islature, is inadequate im its provisions, it does not mean that the Act must be scrapped. “ Health insurance legislation is progressive, and is long over- due in this provinee. It is a demand of labor the world over. Truc, we do not minimize the imadequate provisions of the present measure. It is not the child of a progressive government, but a measure reluctantly granted after years of insistent demand by the labor forces of this province. We ~ Those who are fanning up the flames of opposition to passage of the Act are the big industrialists of the province, the Shipping Federation, B.C. Loggers’ Association, ete. Their opposition is not because of the shorteomings of the measure, but because of the tax, small as it is, imposed upon them. The Act niust be kept. The Trades and Labor Council has gone on record supporting the health act. The council realizes, as all progressive people realize, that it is not what could be desired, but it is a start 1m the right direction. It can be amended, and nothing can assure proper amending more than can united labor. a Do not be drawn into the flame fanned up by the enemies ‘Vancouver longshoremen were so efficient that the tonnage of cargo handled per man on the docks here, was greater than at any other “Convincing Comparisons. of speed-up in B.C. mines, camps and factories. During the same period, in Australia, which has a population of 634 millions, thirteen times dents was 32,000 (Postal Advocate, official organ of the Postal Workers’ Union of Australia, June, 19356). trade union movement in Australia, and propably they are not blessed with “Safety First” campaigns such as we have in the industries here. nearer Vancouver. The following table should conclusively prove the above statement : No. of Percent Accidents Popuatton of Pop. IWova Scotia --.-..--. $063 512,846 1.5 Quechee: 23 ene ss 55436 2,874,255, 1.2 Ontario - =) ee 54-730 3,431,683 1.5 New York State ..:.-. 384550 588,066 3.0 British Columbia ..... 22354 694,263 3 (Canadian figures from Canada Year Book, 1936, and New York figures working class that should be celebrating. Vancouver is a record of achievement worthy of jubilation, worthy to be placed beside all other accomplishments of labor, mental and physical; the jomt work of science and skill, of the engineer, the ehemust, the trades- man, elerk community. fund of jubilee rejoicing—to outline the growth and developmient, industrially and politically of the organized: labor movement, the representative‘and spokesman of the class that built and maintains Vancouver and made possible the celebration of this 50th anni- versary of the. founding of our city—the working class. to explain the motive forces behind these strugeles and changes but the fundamental one will be apparent to the reader—proht- making. port on the Coast. They did not, however, mention that the num- Tn 1934, 24,354 workers, men and women, paid the penalty that of B.C., the total number of industrial aeci- There is a powerful But Australia is a long way off ; suppose we look as some places from World Almanac, 1936. All data relates to the year 1934). Since it is the working class that has paid the price it is the OPEN FORUM Letters intended for publication in the Open Forum, which will be a regular feature from row on, must be short, snappy and to the point We reserve the right to edit all letters in view of space limitations. LET’s GO Editor, BC Workers’ News: As a reader and regular subscriber to your paper, I am sending in a few lines, which f find space toe print in your colunmins. In view of the approaching pro- vincial elections, it would seem to me that all the left-wing forces der one central organization, hope you will |} . the objective of capturing as many | seats as possible: The Communist party, CCF, trades unions, and all progressive sroups should be able to draw up a suitable program, and find candidates ready to. carry through the people. Let's go! Aldergrove, BC. MAYBE THIS WILL WAKE THEM UP Editor, BC Workers’ News: The following is a copy of a letter Sent to the King government, ad- _dressed to Premier King. I learn ot the introduction of a bill to be passed by your vovern- ment, for the prohibition of as- sistance to the democratic Span- ish government, either for supply- ing arms or giving active assist- ance, I was a soldier of the world War, 1914-1918, a war which I was led to believe was for democracy. To my regrets I have long since learned, that we haye less demac- racy now than we had previously. And now that there is a war be- tween democracy and Pascism—de- mocracy and reaction, or between the decent peace lovine people and the Wascist Iutcher clique, as’ in Spain, your governnient seems most- ly concerned about blocking the road of assistance to the democratic goy- ernment of Spain, and thereby as- sisting the Fascist hordes that have run amok in Europe, This a move on the part of your government to destroy democ- racy, and by preventine® assistance to that democratic government, is assisting in the ruthless Slaughter of countless innocent and peace loving people, by Siving Fascism a freer hand. is 4s a Canadian citizen, and a swp- porter of peace, freedom and democ- racy, I DEMAND of you and your Sovernment, that, no such bill be passed in any Canadian parliament, but instead, assistance be given to the democratic sovernment of Spain by the Canadian federal sovernment. ©. H. BRUNING. Shere, BC. FACE STARVATION Editor, BC Workers’ News: Sir,— Rejected and blacklisted workers from the various forestry projects are carrying on a struggle for reinstatement. All the earnings these men possessed when leaving camp are exhausted. As a result these workers are faced with star- vation, owing to the blacklist sys- tem of the relief department, We are very much in need of as- sistance during the course of our struggle for reinstatement, and ap- peal te the public, and to all or- Sanizations to do their utmost to assist us, by inviting the boys out to homes for meals, and also by donations in cash or ‘xind. : Send all donations to: 177 Hast Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC. Publicity Committee, Relief Project Workers’ Union. S50 WE ARE APPRECIATED! Editor, BC Worxers’ News: Sir,—I want to congratulate you on the complete exposure ” of Trotskyism. The article by Becky Buhay Ewen is very timely—just what is needed today. It leaves no doubt in the minds of progres- Sives as to the position of Trotsky. and his followers from 1903 on- ward. Am saving this issue for future reference. One suggestion: The history of italy from 1920 to the present; Italy under Fascism; the workers’ position; his wages (if any); his the manual laborer, the surgeon, the schoo] teacher, the store and all those who contribute usefully to the needs of the. From this angle we propose to add our contribution to the No attempt will be made here at political anaylsis; no eftort In a booklet of this size, which is a speech prepared for the standard of living — we must ex- pose the reactionary press’ propa- ganda regarding the progress of Italy to *‘first class power.” The reason I suggest you expose Fascism in. Italy is because of “articles” and ‘“‘news'’ from Italy, all coming from the “kept” press. We need to counteract this, especi- ally mow that the class struggle is becoming sharper. Spuzzum, BG. R. Angus. ORGANIZED AGRICULTURE Editor, BC Workers’ News: Simn—Re an article in your issue of February 12 on Immediate Issues—A Fraser Valley Opinion— over the signature of L. FE. Carr, in which a Fraser Valley farmer deals | the mandates of | | cessfully, owing to the small min- | ority of farmers who would not | | a Bees | vanishin i should unite for political action un- | aos ae nae aes with | He does not mention surplus, which has been and still is the bugbear of marketing from farm- ers’ standpoint. The surplus of any farm product, no matter how small, is the one item that has always reduced the farmer’s wages for his toil to the this surplus he will never get a fair return for his labor. This is true of all branches of agriculture, and has been the main reason why farmers have tried to cooperate, first in voluntary co- operatives, as in the Okanagan Valley, and among milk producers of the Fraser Valley, also the berry growers, and when the voluntary cooperative failed to function suc- join, taxing advantage of the co- operative’s stabilizing influence, then the cry went up that we must have legislative assistance to com- pel the minority of die-hards to come into line. t This, after years of hard work on the part of the farmers, finally ‘induced the government to act— action taking the form of market- ing boards. That these boards have not been 100 per cent efficient is admitted. Nothing has been made perfect at the first attempt. But the principle is correct. And here may I mention that it is regrettable that after years of hard work on the part of the farm- ers to organize and to get govern— ment “marketing conscious,’ some of our radical friends think it is @K for lumber workers or other labor to organize, but if the farm- ers try to organize with govern- ment assistance is it fascism. Orderly Marketing We have all heard of wheat sur plus and carry-over, but we never hear of a flour surplus. Why? Because the wheat grower is not fully organized, and knows only that he must raise wheat, but the _ilour mills are well organized, and feed the consuming market in an orderly manner. This applies to all branches of agriculture. There may be a beef surplus, and beef to the farmer at one cent a pound, but the meat packers never have a surplus. Ordersly marketing again. So why should not the farmer organize and have orderly marxet— ing? This can only be done by the various marketing boards- having teeth in the act, and the power of quota to regulate its members. Qne illustration to clear up my point. In 1920 strawberries went to the unheard of price of 20 to 23 cents per pound. Immediately every berrygrower and city dweller with a garden put in every avail- able foot of ground to strawberries. Result: a bumper crop in 1921 with a tremendous surplus, and the price dropped to a vanishing point. The grower lost money, and did not get anything for his labor. if at that time we had had a mar- keting board, with power of quota, over its members, this would not have happened, and the grower would have had a fair return for his labor. Teeth in Act. In i930 at the Berry Growers’ Section of the BC Fruit Growers’ convention, held in Vancouver, January 29, 30, 31, the question of continuation of the Berry Grow- ers’ Committee “of Direction came up. I stated on the floor of the convention that to make the com- mittee of directors function suc- cessfully we must have teeth in the act under which it operated, and the said committee must have power of acreage contro] over its members, to avoid as near as pos- sible a disastrous surplus, which meant ruin to the grower. Since that time nothing has transpired to change this view, and it is being slowly recognized by all farmers. Another sore point with a lot of farmers which is causing dissatis- faction is that the members of the various marketing boards are re- ceiving a salary out of all propor- tion to what the average grower- member is getting for his toil. f think this is a point that must be adjusted and that a beard mem- ber’s salary must not exceed to any great extent what the grower-mem- ber receives. This will also have the effect of cutting out well-paid Soft jobs, and the clique that al- ways seems to run things in order to hold these soft jobs. Harry Wehner. RR 3, New Westminster, BC. The BGC Workers’ News, and we're sure the Communist Party, is certainly not opposed to the farmers organizing. We welcome By OL’ BILL Old Dr. who said “Patriot— A Screaming Jonnsor Patriot. ism is the last ref— uge of a scoundrel,” knew his patriots. Recently one of them died in England, a woman known as “Lady:’ Houston, the outstand- ing backer of Mosley’s fascist poli— cies; the most fervent of patriots and the most venomous of labor— haters. So open and unashamed was this parasitic dame’s hatred of the labor movement and the work— ing class that her associate para— sitic patriots were shamed inte speaking of her as “eccentric.” She acquired a vast fortune through wearing out three nus— bands, the last of whom, Sir Rob- ert Houston, left her a fleabite of 35 million dollars. Houston was a ship-owner who piled up these mil— lions out of the sweat and blood of “the boys of the bulldog breed,’ British seamen who lived on lob- scouse and cracker hash in operat— ing Houston’s coffin ships while he was garnering in the millions. This anti-labor patriot’s love of her country was so deep, so intense that a magazine she owned prac— tically had the Union Jack for a cover—and was at the same time about the most illiterate produc- tion that rolled off the presses of the mother country of capitalist imperialism. INow she is with her former hus— bands, the intensity of her love for her country is proved. She, like her husband shipowner, has made her domicile in the Channel Islands outside of the jurisdiction of the British law, so that the British tazx— collector cannot collect income tax or death duties on this hoard of stolen wealth. Even in death the hatred of these screaming Jingoes for the people who produce the wealth they “ac— quire” still exudes its venomous poison. Such are the actions of the patriotic scoundrels in contra-dis— tinction to their frothy-mouthed utterances about love of country What they love is their ill-gotten wealth! = = = Fasci The “News-Herald” is S st published in VYancou- peed. ; ver. it brings the news early; to your breakfast table, if you have one. On Monday morn- ing, Feb. 15, one of its news items tells how a News-Herald reporter went to the anti-fascist meeting at the Moose Hall the night before to: hear Hitler and Mussolini de- nounced in “wild language and fire- works.’ Qne other man came. They were both disappointed. There was no meeting. This is a specimen of the up-to- date news-gathering system of a rag that blazons editorially support of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, and Tom McInnis, and attacks the la- bor and trade union moyement at all times. The anti-fascist meeting was held on Sunday, Feb. 7th, and the hall was packed. The News-Herald reporter was only a week late. A When we launched Worthy the Labor Defence Object. League in Vancouver we did not then recognize the mag- nificent work that would be carried to a successful culmination by that new organization. There were about 30 of us, “a little band and lowly” as the Christians sing, and our ideas were a little hazy as to what it was all about. There was not much in the way of local struggles in those days, because we had quite a lot to learn about other things beside the G.L.D.L. and we spent most of our energies in defence work in col- lecting funds to defend strikers in other parts of Canada, Drumheller at the beginning. But times change. The crisis brought everything to the surface, Clubbing and jailing of Vancouver unemployed brought us into the actual line of battle. The CLD began to function as it was meant to. The worker who locsed horns with the law found that he was not alone in his fight; he was inspired with the knowledge that great masses of his fellow workers stood by his side and behind him; that he would be supported and defend- ed in his battle with the forces of oppression. Since that organizational meet- ing in Vancouver, until today, the CLDL has defended over 3000 vic- of labor to destroy the Act. ; Support the Act, and unite to better it ! a a) Not One Cent for War NE thing the defence program of the Federal government O has done—it has aroused the people of Canada to the fact that the Canadian militarists are hooking Canada to the tail of the kite of the British Nationalist eovernment’s foreign policy. Canada is not menaced by a foreign foe on her border. The people ot Canada are menaced by starvation; are suffering trom privation which the $35,000,000 war budget would help to ease. We are heartily behind the fight which the CCF and progres- sive Liberal members of the Federal House are waging against the bill. Ian MacKenzie is not puttmg over his robbery of the people of Canada as easily as he hoped. But the fight which the CCF members is waging is not enough. This is au issue which should give rise to the largest united mass movement this country has yet seen, a movement whieh eould shake the foundations of Parliament Hill with reverbera- tions of the demand: “Down with the Canadian war mongers ! Not one cent for war!’ 1936 District Convention of the Communist Party of Canada, with a few additions, it is not possible to deal elaborately and im detail with all the struggles of the workers in British Columbia over half a century. Nor does it make any pretentions to poetic diction or literary graces. In places it will appear sketchy. State- ments may appear curt, bald and unconvincing without sustaining your letter, and hope other farm- with the set-up of a market board. ee £ ers will send in their opinions. His first seven points are OK. Then he states: ‘The board would be required to dispose of the en- tire product,” and toward the end of his letter he says, “This supposes abolition of quota system,” etc- —HEditor. Owing to lack of space other letters have been held over. evidence: this is due largely to the limitations of space and par- tially to the “schooling” of the author which was of the most meager character. No claim will be made that it is impartial. It ‘Syartiality,’ as does every c mtribution ever made Where the historian’s interest and sympthies he there also lie his “partialities.” In this ease it is admitted. As between Frank Rogers and the thngs of the C.P.R.; between the Tsland miners fighting for the enforcement of the Mines Regulations Act and the hirelings of Bowser; between the jailed and mur- dered Trekkers and the R. B. Bennett-Gerry McGeer-R.C.M.P. eunmen, the writer is “partial” to the working class, first, last, always and forever, as is the Party of which he is proud to be a member—the Communist Party of Canada. will display to historical Wwritine. $OF0OO F-06006 60 OOOOOOOCOOSOSESOTOOES OOP OOOO DOSS Attend the . MASS MEETING TROTSKYISM EXPOSED SUNDAY, FEB. 21st, 8 P.M. rE SS COLONIAL THEATRE Cor. Granville & Dunsmuir Sts. Speakers: MALCOLM BRUCE, TOM EWEN FEF. A. McKEAN, Chairman Doors Open 7:15 ° Musical Prelude times of class vengeance in BC, No organization has performed its task better, none is more worthy of support of the whole labor move- ment. The CLDL in Vancouver has re- cently assumed the task of main- hall in the city available for many of our functions, and this is *a big job. To meet the éxpenses involved in this responsibility they must get the revenue from its patrons. Lady Houston won’t donate anything! There are many in the labor movement who enjoy dancing, The CLDL dances at the Orange Hall is where you should do your danc- ing just as surely as you want to eat in a union restaurant. Good music is provided and the charges are as moderate as anywhere — Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ladies ide, Gents 20c; Saturdays, Ladies 20c, Gents 25c. On other week nights the hall is available for dances, bazaars, meetings, etc., and to keep it for the use of the move- ment we should all patronize it in preference to any other hall. taining what is practically the only a