+ of the French convicts, as they fp aboard the prison ship, on their iy to that dreadful penal colony, ‘wils Island. The main difference (that they have heavy iron chains gound their arms and legs that you 12 see, and hear the “cling clang” Hackle us are not so openly discern- Mg nie. Wone the less, they have been Wriod of years hy the Western Fucl } copany whose parent is the Ca- : (Dunsmuic Ltd.) *.e managing director is Colonel F whom, it is interesting to ate, got his diploma for slave driy- ‘5 by having the natives sjamboked death in the diamond mines of c him and his class. 40 mine j-er, affecting approximately en. “Paywallup’” No. 1 38 mechermen, Boggers and -Muckers, ona $5.00 to $4.55. They know no nit, and if allowed will squeeze the st ounce of sweat and blecd out their employees. They have no ought for the misery and suffer- & of the miners, their wives and uildren. No consideration is given x the safety of the-men and if (§sy tall of gas in dangerous quan- ties reaches the ears of the man- rement the pit boss will single out ie ones who have expressed them- slyes, and threaten to send them p. There are places where the gas so bad that the men dare not stand pyprisht. Yes, there is a gas com- Piuttee but it would mean the loss m= their job if they put in a true : sport. 4 That vicious practice of the }clephone’ shift is in operation here. © is not pnusual to see men running @round at all hours of the day and ight, trying to locate a phone, to ind out if they have to go out. peed-up and bull-dozins is rampant, nd no consideration to old age. One id man who worked for the com- any for thirty years found that his sil-wracked body could no longer tand the “gaff’ so he asked to be joyed off the pans ta a lighter job. Ie was callously told that if he could et do that job, he had better get ‘it. They have thrown him aside 2 the scrap heap, after years of ack-breakine toil, helping to keep he parasitical coal barons in luxury, wut there are signs of an awakening. We have learned by bitter experience hat the only way we can remedy his damnable situation is by organ- zing into a class struggle union, jemocratically controlled by the rank ind file, one that has proven itself o be in the interests of the working lass. Cumberland is a living ©€x- unple of what can be accomplished 3y correct policy and methods of or- .E Let us link up with our fellow workers in Cumberland, Princeton, Goalhurst, Corbin, Biair- more, Michel, and Nova Scotia. This iis our only path to better workings and living conditions. The Mine Workers Union Canada is the instrument that can transform this slave scow and slavery to decent human conditions for the miners. \zanization. of CORRECTION Owing to an incorrect report, we wrote an account of the sickness of €omrade Bob Lealess and stated that ‘Bob Lealess is in General Hospital.” Wve are since informed that Bob is an “out patient” and expects to anderzo an operation on his eye. qf it is at all possible, we may sce Bob on Cambie Street Grounds on Monday. If he is not there, then you can bet he is very sich. GORDON GRANT Room 29 163 West Hastings St SOLICITOR FOR THE C.L.D.D. Hotel Pennsylvania { Hastings & Carrall Sts. SPECIAL WEEKLY WINTER : RATES Our New ZLadies’ Refreshment Parlor is one of Canada’s Pinest. Phone Sey. 86 WORKERS — Meet Your Friends at the PUBLIC CAFE 286 COLUMBIA AVE. Good Meals = Quick Service McGeer Slashes Wages of Casual Civic Workers Editor “I. C. Workers’ News.” ' Jan. 25th—The recent storm in Wancouver gave many hundreds of men worle clearing snow at 45 cents per hour, but to get this work we had to wait in line at the City Con- struction Department, foot of tinion Street, just off Main Street, for five hours. I walked sown tewir from Vancou- ver South (six miles) and arrived there at 6 o’clock p.m. There were about 50 men waiting then. About 7:30 there were about 200 waiting in a heavy rain. Most of the men “kere equipped with only ordinary »vercoats and low leather boots, thus secoming drenched through hey even got a job. Some people state that “the un- amployed will not work if they had the chance,” where statements are all shattered, for if these same individuals had to zo through the same thing to obtain 2 job they would either starve or fight first. We were packed like sardines, each afraid of loosing his Slace. This added to the tiresome waiting. About § o'clock I took a walk to warm up and arriving back about $:30, men were still coming, they had just began to hire some, takings 15 at a Ome, giving them a Snow shovel. About 15 minutes to 1i pm. I got through, got my Shovel and was loaded on a truck, but was held up for a while as a truck caught fire and prevented us from getting through the gates. We were sent to Pacific and Granville Streets, there were 15 of us besides the foreman. Qn arriving we all hopped off and were a little sur- prised to see we had three trucks to load. That averaged five men to a truck, so the city to make sure that they could out of us, for we were kept eontinually shoveling snow te keep these trucks goings, all for 45 cents per hour, which the city paid 50 cents per hour at Christmas time for the same work. Mayor McGeer Started off well by cutting wages. CLASS CONSCIOUS WORKER. before but this is one time Was going Movie Review ‘Our Daily Bread’ Holly- wood’s Collective Farm Curious, because of a preview and Written invitations sent out to So- cialist branches and €.C. EF. clubs to attend it, the “‘B. C. Workers’ Wews”’ reporter talked himself into getting a 35 cent ticket to see what all the noise was about regarding that human interest picture, ‘“‘Our Daily Bread.’ The big shots of the Social Credit School and the colonels in the Army of the Common Good were claiming that this talkie was a vindication of all they stood for. The said “bread” turned out to be pure and unadulterated TRIPE. off with. a wrealistic enough scene of a young fellow who returns home wearily after the daily run-around of job seeking, his wife uses her noodle and invites a con- ventiently rich uncle who has made his pile—by hard work! This old tight-wad don’t through with a nickle, but, death to see his husky nephew just to make good doing “Anything, Anything,’’ he sends him down to work on a dryland farm which so dry that nobody will foreclose on the inevitable mortgage. Incidentally, the layout was called ARCADIA. : Hollywood portrays “Ye compleat idiot” starting on a hundred acre ranch with a shovel that sets up a cloud of dust as soon as it touches iottom. Common-sense gradually seeping through, he quickly be- comes a shoyel-leaner and his lower lip hanes pretty low. An approach- ing dust storm presently reveals an- other “drylander’”’ who has quit just such another place; but this guy is a farmer from way back. The only Startine come tickled to dying is got all they- plows. being his real business, he knew the value of ad- vertising. The “MEN WANTED” Sign drew every hobo in the country for Byveryone had a different trade— tinker, tailor, right down to the thief who was fleeing justice. Even an undertaker was there. One guy dressed like an old-time lawyer raised the question of Law’n order and proclaimed the great get- together free democracy.” Appropriate speeches cut down the sales resistance among which were “we don't money; or miles around. as “a need the land is etc. The promoter ofthis self-sufficient colony took Ss the “Don't need money” slogan, and or- eollection of all free; no chance on fanized a loose ensh. This bought tools and some ehuck, and later, when things got real tough the Hard Character gave himself up. ut the same time that the sane got the $500 re- keep them 2oineg-. was the problem. The grand finals is storm by the younse ensurins ward to Money another brain- promoter. He of an irrigation ditch two miles Jonge through land freely dotted with rocks. like 2 weekly cut of “The Brothers, Ches and Wal.” male is stampeded into grabbing a pick and shovel, but, at this period, only afier some moral "suasion. And the they swing them picks! Of course, the old-time farmer had said, “Three more days of this sun and all our corn dies.” That two miles of ditch was dug on time. The water rushed down the diteh, whilst, an observant one, was surely up hill half the way, no fooling; the thirsty corn fields were flooded; transports of joy, paddling around in the muddy water and the confronted with ““What now; are they going to eat all that corn alone?” Why bring that up! Isnt that a high enough note upon which to finish. Don’t be a crab. Save 85 cents and stay home happy. Bose: Where To Go ..- And When Women’s Mass Meeting at First United Church Auditorium, Hastings and Gore; called by Women’s Sec- has visions parchec Its Nui Every way to audience is tion of the Provincial Workers’ Council, Wednesday, Feb. 6th, at 2pm. All women areinyvited. or the purpose of teaching the Russian language to any worker who desires to take up this study, a class has been proposed. Com- rade Waldman, who is a competent teacher, has undertaken to be the teacher, on the condition that enough students enroll. Those who wish to attend the class should ap- ply to either FE. Lucas or T. Nelson at Room 28, Plack Bldg. North Vancouver Workers’ Cen- tre, 200 First St. East, Sunday, Feb; 8rd. Address by W. Ravenor on “China’s Soviets.” All workers welcome, Send all material on women’s work to Peggy Harrison at this office. z NOTICE “Owing to the storm and flood which caused trains from the Bast to be delayed, news from Hast of the Rockies and from the Interior was not in our last issue and only meagre news is contained in the one. With the resumption of train service we expect to back to normal. The deliveries of our paper to outside points was no doubt held up also. We trust that our comrades will do all possible to get the paper into the hands of thousands of workers in the lately flooded areas. present get The draw for the suit of clothes, in aid of the “B.C. Workers News’ was held at the Orange Hall dance Thursday, Jan. 31, and the winning number was 351-A. : F.S$.U. RUSSIA TODAY (England) U.S:S.R. IN CONSTRUCTION MOSCOW NEWS SOVIET TRAVELS (icscow) LITERATURE SOVIET RUSSIA TODAY (Canada) LABOR MONTHLY (G2nglangd) 2... ee ee ee ee a ee ee ise REPORT OF J. STALIN TO 17th CONGRESS (Pamphiet)..-....- 10¢ CSSBENBN. YHOIBPNAS” Slee bs ouda poao sess SAS Ses a enacssoo 20c monthly 5 Discount on bundle orders from FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET UNION, Room 13, 163 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C. of the first edition of the “B. C. Workers’ News.’ The other char- acters were many and entertaining to the last degree. Paul Kulchyski, as Shylock, taking the men’s prize for comic, with no close rival; Micky MacDonnell, as the sky pilot, was so realistic that he was swamped with demands to tie the knot for many of the young swains (most of who turned out to be of the same when unmasked). Sex The turnout and success generally of these Saturday night affairs thor- oughly contradicts the theory held some of the comrades that the workers would*not come to one of their own halls while there was any place else to go. Starting with the of preparation been month to 2 capacity house and the weekly educational classes and meet- are by minimum these so- ecials have built in the last a eonsistent in- and showing attendance ings erease in. interest. Directory of Unions and Organizations Workers’ Unity, League Council— Meets first Wednesday in the month at 305 Cambie St., at 8 pm. Execu- tive committee meets every Wed- mesday at 2 p.m. Send all com- munications to the Secretary, 305 Cambie St. i Cc.L.D.L. (Sam Carr Brench)— Meetings first and third Fridays in the month at 8 p.m. Whist every Saturday at 8 p.m;, at 4141 John St.,- Vancouver. Workers’ Ex-Servicenien’s League in Vancouver—Meets every Wednes- day at 8 p.m. at 122a Hastings St. West. Hall open every day. Secre- tary, B. Liss, at above address. demands. At present it can be said that they are receiving the dirty end of the stick in sofar as relief is con- cerned and the time is ripe for deci- sive action. Roughly, ployed youth can be three catagories: Those under the unem- divided into the age of 21, who live with their parents and who are elassed Gependents, $3.75 per month being added to the parents’ relief for the upkeep of the depen- dent. as Those who are over the age of 21, who live off the parents’ relief but receive no relief themselves, and Those who are classed as home- less and who have only one alterna- tive—that is to go into the relief camps to slave for 20 cents per day. Naturally, the youth of the first catagories sooner later drift the rather than live off the meagre rations that their parents receive. In so far two into or relief camps, as the the said the better. The Relief Camp Workers’ Union, relief camps are concerned, less us well as the unemployed organiza- tions, are conducting a campaign the relief camps and the present slave labor system in these camps and whilst the youth in these camps are more or less organized the same cannot be said of the resi- dential unemployed youth. They must play a more vital role in the unemployed movement if present conditions are to be changed. They must enter into the unemployed or- against ganizations and conduct a strong campaign for relief and for non- contributory unemployment insur- ance side by Side with the adults. The demonstration on Cambie Street Grounds must be the first step towards the formation of a strons movement amongst the youth, no matter of what religious or poli- tical opinion, to better intolerable conditions. the present BENGOUGH'S PICKED MEN _ SCAB ON THEIR BROTHERS Chinese Mill Workers Stand Solid With Whites Since the suspension of the mili- tant executive of the Shingle Work- Union, Local 17813, by Ben- goueh, secretary of the Vancouver Trades and Gabor Council, and its replacement by a specially selected executive, the true role of Bengough has been exposed. A conference with the Mill Own- ers Was held on Jan. 15th and they proposed a wage cut from the old rate of 25 cents per square for saw- yers and 15 cents per square for packers down to 20 cents and 13 cents, At the union meeting on the 18th inst., the re- actionary executive attempted to get the workers to accept this, but the stubbornly refused and finally drew up a wage scale of 22 cents per square for Sawyers and 15 cents per square for packers, the majority jn favor of this scale was ers’ respectively. workers over two to one. Less than one week after this huge majority decided in favor of the scale it was found that two of the members of the execu- tive set up by Perey Bengough were “seabbing”’ on the members of their wage union and were working at the In- spected Mill for the rates proposed by the bosses. A mass committee of rank and file members of the union approached Bengough and ed that he take these two hench- men of his, Ferguson and Jones, out of the mill. Bengough did make three supposed attempts by to get his officials to leaye the job, but this they refused to do. The committee then demanded that a mass meeting of the Shingle Weav- demand- *phone ers be held to take up the wage question. This meeting was held on Jan. 25th with Perguson acting as chair- man, and when the bosses’ proposed wage scale was put up to the meet-— ing it was turned down, the vote being 66 to 30. Having one mill running on the scale the bosses proceeded to take the offensive, and on Monday of this week Hunting & Merritt called a meeting of their crew and decided to pay them 21 cents per square for Sawyers and 14 cents per square for packers, and promised payment of 22 cetns and 14 cents, respectively, if the poor. The of the Canadian Mills demanded the scale drawn up the but were told that company not low timber was Crew: workers, would certainly by the pay any more than was being paid by Hunting & Merritt. On Monday, a committee ap- preached the management of the Libby's Mall (known as Steeves Mill) and demanded the union rates, upon the demands being presented, how- ever, the bosses informed them that they were all fired and that he was going to hire a Chinese crew. The Chinese, however, stood solid with the white workers and said that they would not have an all-Chinese crew (Chinese by the way are not allowed te become members of the A.P.of L.). After a talk with them, the boss told the white workers that he would give them his decision the following day. His answer is not yet known. He also called up the Sterling Mills and was told that they were paying the wage demanded by the union men. scale A committee again saw Bengoush and demanded that he put a picket line on these mills, he agreed to do this, but stated that ‘all the picket- ers must be members of the Amer- ican Federation of Labor, otherwise he would revoke the charter of the It was left to Bengough to arrange for this picket line with the expected result, Shingle Weavers’ Union.” there is no picket line on any mill. has the role of the Amer- ican Federation of Labor been more ask all the are not members of, or sympathizers to, Neyer shown. to clearly They members “affirm that they any Communist organization, such as the Workers’ Unity League or similar organizations,’ and that “they will be loyal to the American This is what their loyalty is getting them, a wage Federation of Labor.’ eut by the Federation of Labor and supported executive acting as scabs. Would the militant which had been elected by the rank a stand? They would haye fought this issue from the point asto what was best for the workers, and it certain- of the The ac- tion of GBengough in suspending this and file have taken such No! ly is not workers to the advantage to act as scabs. militant executive he knew at a that the bosses were pre paring to put over a wage cut mean one thing, and one thing only, that Percy Bengough is not for, but against the workers. This is a lesson to all workers in the American Federation of Labor Take heed of it. Build your eressive Control and against wage for better workin= conditions. American their union executive time when can pPro- groups for rank and file euts and Meeting in San Francisco a few short months after the general strike one would expect to find some refer- ence to that outstanding event in the history of the labor movement on this continent; some attempt to de- rive some lessons from it for gsuid- in the future struggles. After a year of the most intensive strug- sles of the American workers, when the bullets and poison gas of the National Guard were used to murder striking workers—longshoremen, sai- lors, teamsters, textile workers, min- automobile and electrical work- ers—not a word is spoken except an attempted alibi for the sell-out of the united textile workers by Gor- man. This, too, right after the mutr- der of fifteen members of the Tex- tile Workers Union the armed thugs of the National Guard. ance ers, by The bright spot in this conven- tion was the presence of rank and file delegates who introduced reso- lutions that actually dealt with the questions that demand to be settled in the interest of the workers today; rowing unemployment, discrimina- tion, unions, wage-slash- ing and reduced living standards for the workers. This is a change of the line-up in the past few years since Bill Dunne was thrown out of the Portland convention for being a mili- tant worker carrying on a lone battle. The answer of Green, the bosses’ hireling, was to label them all “‘com- munists.” To one delegate who in- troduced a resolution for non-contrib- utory unemployment insurance, he thundered, “The resolution which you sponsor and which was prepared by the Communist Party of New York?’ company Probably feeling the need for help, Green had the American Legion of- ficer class up to help. In introduc- ing the spokesman of this branch of fascism Green referred to “the fine relationship established between these two great organizations” (the Legion and the A.F.of L.). The fact that the California State Federation of Labor introduced a resolution calling for action on the scabby Strike- breaking record of the Legion of- ficer class during the maritime strike did not fizz on him at all. Another brasshat helping Green was the Commander of the Veterans of For- €igen Wars. He also was “happy to be here’’ and his main purpose was to Ikick the Communists. ““We don’t want any ‘isms’ but ‘patriotism’ and ‘Americanism’!’” Such are the peo- ple with whom Bill Green forms a united front. In the Executive Committee’s re- port Bill Green says, ““We are op- posed to Communism,” but the hand of brotherhood is extended to the Civic Federation, that body of bank- ers, industrial capitalists, preachers and other ruling class thieves set up by Mark Hanna, the Republican boss in the latter part of the last century to keep the workers docile and con- tented. A resolution to prevent the A.F.of F. officials from belonging to this scab-herding, anti-working class body was steam-rollered by the ma- chine, as were all other worthwhile motions of the rank and file. This natural with Matthew Woll, president of the Civic Pederation as chairman of the resolutions commit- tee of the Convention. This is the scoundrelly lickspittie who has spread his venom in the pages of ‘Liberty’? in the past few weeks, a leech who has been sucking the lifeblood of the American workers for a generation past. was bosses’ How to build a Trade Union A..F. of Il. style—on page 66 in the Execu- Committee annual report, the paid-up membership in the Pedera- tion is listed at 2,823,750 in August, 1934, but “‘there are others unable to keep their dues paid up because of inalequate employment .. . tive 50 ary 4. 1936 . B.C. WORKERS NEWS Page Lheee aie : reason given in this scene for this] We Win First Prize GREE : IN 3 -ANAIMO MINERS ENDURE experienced farmer to throw in his 4 _ es) ; lot with the city lad, seems to be At North Vancouver OUTH COLUMN RB > 5 that he likes the color of his eyes. y OF Bill Nanaimo Neighborhood Council The ~lot” thrown in includes an)| NORTH VANCOUVER, Jan. 26.— yess ins HB. ©, woseeny NS” see old mule, which promptly disturbs | p,. yoman’s Labor League held a Vancouver Youth! Rally} One of these publications that clut-| Ji, warmest working class en- to Foll L di rf the blanket of dust by pulling the]... successful masquerade at 200| Cambie Street Grounds | ter UP the printshops and one which) 5) jasm epare to olliow Lea SHOVELLERS plow. Marvellous! shouts the city) yj~+ St. East tonight, at which} On February The 4th! few people ever read has come to Bensia Uaamdloss Gamcr OF Cumberland sate And “hat gives birth to the! tere were over 765 present and a cen ee SEMEN Report of the DaEs Annual sends us a timely: erecting: ed W FS (UT big idea. If one man and a mule} ..oq time enjoyed by all. The first Unemployed youth Gn particular CORSA NOS of the ee Federa- Ronald. Stewakt° Bieber oF the stepping aboard a scow going on} A and a plow can do so much, Why! \rize for ladies’ costume went to a] should rally to Cambie Street| “°" of Labor —about 2% Ibs. Of) Ganadian Labor Defense League att one can understand the feel- not have 2 eee men, mules and| .omrade dressed in a costume made| Grounds in mass to support of the | P?P° SENET OS CSS: wish the “B. ©. Workers’ News’’ rummer, every success in its task of leading in the struggles of the workers and poor farmers of B. C. Sam Carr Branch of the C.L.DL. meetings ist and 3rd Fridays in the month, 8 p.m. Whist every Saturday at 8 p.m., 4141 John St., Vancouver_ The Workers’ League in Wednesday nes Street every day. Ex-Servicemen’s Vancouver meets every at 8 p.m. at 122, Hast- West. The hall is open Secretary, B. Liss. The mass organizations of the Ukvainian Labor Temple Association send revolutionary greetings to the “33. C. Workers’ News’’ and pledge to utilize the paper as a weapon of usefullness in organizing the work- ers in B. C. We members of the the U.L.IF.T.A. realize the worth of a Workers’ Press as an educator and organizer of the working masses through our experience of our ow language paper. We trust that your paper will prove to be a Wweapor for rallying the masses of toilers in British Columbia: éstimute the total organized streneth of the labor movement at the beginning of September, 1934 at 5,650,000. . . . In addition to these there are others . . . from informa- tion received from those directly im touch we estimate the total number who look to the Federation as their representative agency cannot be less than 12,000,000"" There you have it. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Join- ers in Vancouver, for instance, has 25 paid-up members, but there are 2000 idle carpenters in the city who used to belong, but cannot pay dues, so that makes 2,025. Then if you mul tiply the figures by 2% as the Ex- ecutive Committee of the A.F.of L- does, you will then have a Carpenters Union with a membership of 5,062, not including the shinsle weavers whom Bengough: expelled a few short weeks ago. Easy, isn’t it? But then, only a committee of tricksters and rouges like Bill Green and Matthew Woll would try to work a con game like that! we The Executive Committee has been increased to 18 members; it was nine before. As eleven of the 18 rep- resent International Unions, with more than half of the voting strength of the Federation, there will be no more need for conventions, except of course when the boys will want to Spend an annual vacation at El Paso or Atlantic City. In this new set-up John L. Lewis, the most sinister fig- ure in the American Labor Movye- ment, has achieyed his life’s ambi- tion. He is now an executive memnm- ber, and Bill Green will have to watch out that he doesn’t get pushed off his throne. Lewis was never elected president of the United Mine Work- ers. He put himself in that office without asking anybody’s leave, and has maintained himself there through murder and brutal suppression of all opposition. Hundreds of fighting miners in the coalfields of the U.S. have been snuffed out by the Lewis machine since the days of that other scoundrel John Mitchell, to keep this racketeer and his henchmen where they can serve the interests of the coal barons of Pennsylyania and T- linois. the “Americanism” of the Command- er of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. DANCE ORANGE HALL Corner Gore and Hastings EVERY Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 to 12 oe Music by ORANGE HALL ORCHESTRA City or Town | for which 6) months: ==. = 3 _ SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PAPER BY _ FILLING OUT THE FORM BELOW | Rates: One year, $1.80. 6 months, $1.00. 3 months, 50c. Please send THE B.C. WORKERS NEIWS to: I enclose $.....--.-- months.._.......- John L. Lewis is typical of