Parra rate ceseaey The Western Canada’s Leading Progressive People’s Advocate Newspaper VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1937 MRS. KERR BAC Says Red Army Stands for Peace CCF Woman Leader, Progress of USSR, mood when I interviewed h this’ week. i realized that to ask a Socialist and a student of her calibre, whether there was starvation, food queues or danger of a counterreyolution in the USSR would evoke a Smile, so the -women’s angle which is the nearest to) her heart proved to be the key “which unlocked the €nthus- jasm generated by her tour of the USSR: “Men and women are equal,” She Said. “‘All the things that prosres- Sive women have fought for in past decades are realized in this popula- tion of 180 millions,” “A great passion for culture is sensed on €very hand. Onyone who spits or pushes rudely is dismissed as an uncultured person, a Sstiigma that is felt keenly and which to a remarkable desree has the effect GE Cultivating food manners on all Occasions,” she declared . Unemployment Unlmown. Mrs. Kerr related the followine conversation which she had with Some Soviet children to show that unemployment is sinknown in the Soviet union: “After politely question, they me.” “Have you any children?” “Yes.” “What do they do?” “Wothine.” “Maybe they are oins to sthool?”= “Nos” “Oh, they are in some of those big strikes in America? “No, they lave neyer worked Since they left schoo].” “This was entirely understanding of those children,’’ said Mrs. Kerr. “‘There is 4 con- tinual call for workers, teachers and professional men and they cannot be trained quickly enough for the answerine® my in turn questioned beyond the Impressed by Tremendous Attacks Wreckers Who Would Destroy Achievements ADMIRES HIGH CULTURAL LEVEL ATTAINED By WM. Back from the Soviet Union as delegate representing progressive women’s organizations in British Columbia, Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr, prominent CCF women’s leader and one-time newspaperwoman, PURVIS whither she went this spring was in jovial er for the People’s Advocate Of Violence Against Union DETROIT, Mich. Auc 9. — Ford agents are working hand in hand, not only with Nazi spies, but also with representatives of Italian Fasc- ists, in a campaign of violence against the CIO. Three recent events confirm once more the exist_ ence of this unholy alliance, re- sponsibiel for sponsoring the yig- ilante movement aimed against democratic lilberties. Fritz Kuhn, revealed as a Nazi SPp¥, came out into the open at a meeting of the German American Volksbund not long ago, forbidding all members of his organization to Strike and demanding that they should fight to the end against all unions, particularly the CIO. Ford has already recognized the services of these foreign Fascist erganizations by the importance Siven by his “service” department, and Harry Bennett, its chief, to the German American Bund in Detroit as an ally of his service department. Kuhn has had free access to the Ford plant ever since he left Ford’s employ to become Fuehrer of the Bund—although one-time Ford workers who attempted to distribute CIO leaflets near the new work which is constantly ex- Ppandine every year.” she continued. Sufficiency of wages was demon- trated in a simple way when Mrs. Kerr told of the resentment ex- pressed by waiters and cChamber- maids when tips were offered. “They Simply stare at you when money is River Rouge plant were beaten up on the oOver-pass, under the pre- text that it was Ford property. Mrs. Kerr said that no other coun- try approached the high standard of play production, settings and music. Speaking of music, she stated that proffered,’ She exclaimed. “On the other hand, they will eraciously ac- cept a cigarette or flowers, as an equal, on the basis of friendship.” “Stores with €very conceivable Kind of food and dry goods serve on an average of 60,000 people per day and only 414 per cent of these goods are imported,’ she asserted when questioned as to the extent and variety of goods for consump- tion. “People phone in their orders for free delivery and it is usually arranged that all the people in one tenement. will leave their orders with the janitor to be phoned in.” Mrs. Kerr explained that things and improvements change rapidly from month to month and that visitors to the USSR of last year would find immense changes in many ways. “One can sum up the working conditions in the Soviet Union by Saying that the factories are for the people and not the people for the factories. Every one knows of the (bour day and 5-day week and the 5 and 19-minute rest period in She never Saw so many pianos or people singing and dancins. After seeing the red army march past last May 1, and understanding the attitude of everyone in that coun- try on the subject of war, Mrs. Kerr stated that she was convinced that the Soviet Union was unconquerable and that armed forces would never leave the USSR for invasion of other countrmes. Red army men live nor- mal married lives and undergo courses in the artS and sciences when not on military duty. On the subject of the recent trials and executions, Mrs. Kerr stated that she found much more agita- tion on the outside than in the Soviet Union. The fact that a few hundred Wreckers had been caught red-handed in acts of Sabotage cal- culated to undermine all the mag- nificent work of years on behalf of 180 millions of people demanded that Ford Working | With Fascists Nazi Spies Aid Campaign K FROM SO Strike Closes Famous Paris Cafe Hi —nn—s oS world over, are temporarily The sidewalk tables of the Gafe out of service as eafe and restaurant workers patrol the establishment. de la Paix, known to tourists the picket squads of hotel, Farmers Must Organize Union Seeks Co-operation Between Workers, Farmers Washington Trek Planned US Jobless Preparing For March On Capital NEW YORK, Aug. 5.—(PP)—Un- able by a series of militant local pro- test actions to win reinstatements for 34,000 fired WPA workers in the City, Workers Alliance members have turned their energies to a gigantic job march and encamp- ment in Washington in which they will be joined by additional thou- Sands of the United States needy in a concerted effort to prevent scrap- ping of a works program for jobless. The march, to converse on the capital Ausust 23, was called by the alliance’s national executive board after failure of repeated ap- Ppeals to WPA officials to stop lay- offs of 427,000 workers nationally. With 300,000 other firings scheduled by October 15, preparations for the march are being speeded by the 2,500 local units of the unemployed organization, claiming 800,000 mem- bers on work and home relief rolls throughout the U.S. NY Taxi Drivers Win Closed Shop action be taken against them. Noth- ing was hid from the people and the trials were public. If these every hour, according to the nature of the work, but many people do not know of the extraordinary precau- ions taken to avoid accidents by: the installation of safety devices to | be seen everywhere,” she stated. New Culture. On the subject of the theatre and centres of culture in’ the WSSR; NEW LION HOTEL 22 EAST HASTINGS STREET ed from her the under whose auspices she had tray- elled, number report. Wreckers were found guilty of the charges laid against them, it is cer- NEW YORK, Aus. 5.—(FP)— More than 10,000 taxicab drivers in New York city are now working under closed shop contracts which 2uaran- tainly not up to outsiders to pass judgment on things that they could not be acquainted with. tee them weekly minimums, wage increases, shorter house and vaca- tions with pay as the result of agree- ments reached between the Trans- Mrs. Kerr stated that she had reads of notes and anecdotes obtain- observations and that delegation committee, women’s Would assist in arranging a of meetings fo hear her port Workers’ Union and 49 taxicab fleet operators. WILL RUN GANDIDATES CALGARY, Alta.—Decision to run candidates at the next city election Was reached by the central council DENVER, Colo., Aug. 5 (UNS)—One hundred delegates from 22 states, representing 56 different groupts with a col- lective membership of 100,000, attended the first national convention of the Agricultural, Cannery, and Fruit and Vege- table Packinghouse unions, held here recently- Two main objectives of the con- vention — formation of an interna- tional union and affiliation with the mously. Importance of co-operating with organized working farmers in future activity of the new international union was Strongly emphasized by several speakers. “I want to make it clear that in undertaking organization of agricul- ture and cannery workers the Com- mittee for Industrial Organization hopes and expects to co-operate with organized working farmers,’ John Brophy, CIO director, declared. “Asricultural workers and farm- ers have many problems and inter- ests in common . The farmer cannot pay decent wages to men who piel lettuce or fruit unless he gets enough money himself for his crop. Both the working farmer and labor- er alike must be concerned with im- proving the whole agricultural situ- ation, Brophy said - Following is the resolution in favor of forming an international union which was Passed unani- mously: “Resolved that this first national HEL BACK FROM SPAIN... HEAR Hiv! DOORS OPEN 7 PM. of the Labor party here. 2 OVER BY REQUEST with thrilling MOVING-SOUND PICTURES, vividly portraying actual conditions on the Madrid Front DR. NORMAN BETHUNE Eminent Canadian Surgeon: will speak again at the AUDITCRIUM ... 1805 West Geergia St. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7th... at 8 P.M. GENERAL ADMISSION (at door) 25c Auspices: Spanish Defence Fund — Canadian League Apainst War and Fascism OTHER MEETINGS ARRANGED: New Westmi day, Aug. 8. Kamloops, Monday, Aug. 9. nesday, Aug. 11. Salmon Arm, Thursday, Aug. Kelowna, Tuesday, Founder Spanish-Canadian Blood Transfusion Institute nster Theatre, convention of agricultural, cannery and packinghouse unions establish an international union coverins the following fields: All_types of agri- cultural workers, fruit, fish and vegetable cannery Workers, all horticultural workers, fruit and vegetable packing house workers and all workers in allied fields.” Dairy, greenhouse, landscape, nur- sery and horticultural workers will also be included in the new interna- tional union. ’Peg Labor Plans Big Union Drive WINNIPEG, Man., Aus. 5.—(FP) —An organization drive amone 35,000 unorganized Winnipes work | €rs, especially the packing industry, flour mills, engineering plants, hotels, retail stores and publishing houses, is planned by a committee of the Winnipee and District Trades & Labor council. SEE SPATN! New Westminster, Sur- Aug. 10. Vernon, 'Wed- 312 fo — rir — nef Committee for Industrial Organiza- tion—wwere passed practically unani- Liberals In ue. Open ampaign Duplessis Govt. Blasted > Immediate Issues Ignored NEW LEADERS MONTREAL, Que., Aug. 5. —Ten months after the forty- year-old Liberal regime—cor- rupt, reactionary and stag- nant—was swept out of pro- vincial office, the Quebec Lib- eral party is again coming be- fore the people in an attempt to win a new mass base and administrative power for it- self. The task is not an easy one. The mame of Taschereau still smells to high heaven. The revelations of wholesale Swindling, in which former high government officials and Lib- eral party heads were implicated, Still remain in the minds of the people. Wew figures haye had to be push- ed forward in order to five the party a new face, to persuade the people that this was a new and revivified Liberal party. And so Adelard Godbout, Supposedly repre- Senting the link between the fairm- ers and the city Workers, has come forward as the official Liberal head. Also, in the ten months since the last elections, much has hap- pened to swing the masses away from Duplessis and his ill-dissuised Tory cohorts masquerading as the National Union party. Attacks on the trade union movement have antagonized workers. The zov- ernment’s relief cutting policy has lost it the Support of unemploy- ed. Legislation such as the padlock law, which could outlaw anything proesressive as being Communist, has staved off large sections of middle-class elements. Launch Big Campaign. in this situation, the so-called new liberal party in Quebec has come forward with much strons language and old ammunition. The rally held in St. Joseph du Lac, the opening gun in what is expected to be an intensive cam- paisn to regain prestige and fol- lowing, was marked by many verbal denunciations af Tory leader Dn- plessis. The issues of relief, the rights of workers to organize freely, the main- tenance of democracy — all these issues at present agitating the whole of the population were ignored, how- ever. No approach was made to the needs of the mass of the people — everything was submerged in petty politics. But there are definite sisns that the official attitude of the Liberal party as outlined at this week’s rally is not meeting with the approyal of all Liberals, Especially among the young fFrench-Canadians there is Srowing talk about “true Liberal- ism.” Former adherents of the Lib- eral party are calling for a more positive stand to the important is- sues confronting the province.” Reach Agreement In Hotel Strike SAN FRANCISCO, Gal.. Aug. 5,— (FP)—San Francisco's 19 hotels, strikebound for 89 days, reopened after a compromise agreement was reached providing for arbitration of wages and hours, 40-hour week pending arbitration, and union recog- nition of the front office workers— about half the clerks on whose be- half the strike was primarily called. Third SF Street Railway Signs SAN FRANCISCO. Calif;;, Auge. 5: —(P)—Por the first time in its 58 years, the California Street Cable company, one of San Francisco's three streetcar Systems, has signed an agreement with the Carmen’s union, grantinge the same Wages and hours as the Municipal and Market ish war to be shown here. Ss DR. N. BETHUNE - “when we defeat Fascism in Spain, we defeat it everywhere.’ HIGHLIGHTS OF BETHUNE’S SPEECH HERE Following are some of the high- lights of Dr. N. Bethune’s Orpheum theatre speech: “There is no war against religion in Spain. Where the church has stood with the workers and the middle class it has not been touched. Only where it has taken up arms against the people have the people been forced te resort to arms in self-defense.’ * sz * = “Where is the church Zoine to Stand? Is it going to stand with the people or against them? If it stands With the people, then the Spirit of Christianity will continue stronger than ever.” * * * + “We cannot escape our moral responsibility in the failure of the world’s great democracies to aid the democratic Spanish govern- ment.” * * = * Only the international Solidarity of the working class can prevent war.” * * = = “The man who opposes unity of all progressive elements in Canada is a traitor.” = * * + “When we defeat Fascism in Spain we defeat it all over the world.’ * * * * “I haye never seen a Russian Soldier in Spain. Technicians, cer- tainly. And where do you think we ot our airplanes, tanks and artillery if not from the Soviet Union as the only country to which Spain could turn when aid was denied her else- where?” PAP To Play At White Rock Memorial Performance Is Postponed Two Weeks The PAP production of three one- act plays at a special performance in memory of Patrick O'Neill, mem- | dian anti-Fascist Urges People’s Front In Canada Famous Canadian Surgeon Gives Stirring Account of Work Done by Spanish-Canadian Blood Transfusion Institute TELLS PLANS FOR EXTENDING ACTIVITIES Despite perfect midsummer weather which sent thou- sands of people flocking to parks and beaches in vacation mood, progressive Vancouver theatre to the last seat in the gallery on Sunday to hear Dr. Norman Bethune, noted Canadian surgeon whose work as director of the Spanish-Canadian Blood Transfusion Institute in Spain has brought him world recognition, and to see ‘The Heart of Spain,” first authentic cinematic record of the Span- citizens packed the Orpheum for the meeting the crowds began to gather and hundreds of late- comers without tickets were turned away. if Long before the hour scheduled Jf the stark realism—glimpses of children’s bodies being lifted from Shattered houses, of troops of the People’s Army on the offensive, of the actual Work of the Canadian medical unit and, throughout it all, a Wwoman’s heartrendinge sobs—were not enough to rouse a sympathetic audience, then Dr.’ Bethune himself with his human approach to the many questions he touched upon, his free style interspered with ready humor, brought his audience out of its seats in a spontaneous demonstration worthy of a People’s front. Dr. Bethune stepped to the micro- phone, raising his hand in the clenched fist salute of the people's front. AS one man, the audience rese cheering to return the salute. “Dhis is our answer to the chal- lenge of Fascism—the anti-Fascist Salute,” he declared. “It isn’t the property of the Communists, the Socialists or the Republicans. It’s the salute of all anti-Pascists” rom a scathing denunciation of the capitalist press for its distortion of news in Spain, in which he as- serted that many of the correspond- ents in Madrid disclaimed reports as published as not truthful repro- ductions of the news they had sent, Dr. Bethune passed on to speak of Socialized medicine. <3 “TJ have been advocatine: it for years,” he said. ‘I don’t believe that a five-dollar bill should be al: lowed to stand between a man and his doctor. Medicine should be free and supported by taxation. “Naturally, the greatest part of the burden should be borne by the Wealthy to whose interest it is that the working man whom they. exploit and from whose labor they derive their wealth should be healthy.” rom socialized medicine Dr. Bethune went on to tell of the de- velopment of the Canadian medical unit with a single ambulance to the present Spanish-GCanadian Blood Transfusion Institute carrying on its vital work on every front, The Institute now has five cars and a staff of 25, including doctors, technicians, nurses and chauffeurs. “It’s really a glorified milk sery- ice,” he said with a quick smile, “only, instead of milk it’s blood, the Safe delivery of which means all the difference between life and death.” — Urges People’s Front Dr. Bethune stated that the work of the Canadian medical unit and the heroism of the Mackenzie-Papi- neau battalion, composed of Cana- volunteers, pro- vided an issue, perhaps the first, on which all Progressive people could unite to save democracy, the front line of, which lay in the trenches in Spain. “I haye seen the Practical ad- vantages of the People’s front in action in Spain,’ he declared. “Without the strength of unity no Single party could have withstood the onslaught of Pascism. And therefore, because I see in Canada the first signs of Fascism, I real- ize how urgent is the need for buildine: 2 people’s front in this country. “A people's front is necessary here unless we wish to have such horrors as you have seen on the screen tonight visited upon us.” Relating some of his experiences in Spain, Dr. Bethune Stated that hundreds of blood transfusions had ber of the city dramatic organiza- tion killed recently while Serving With the Mackenzie-Papineau bat-| talion in Spain, planned for Satur- day, August 7, has been postponed to Saturday, August 21, in view of conflicting meetings, the Progres- Sive Arts Players’ executive an- nounced this week. A general membership meeting ajso set for this week has been set forward to Friday, August 13. This Sunday, August 8, the PAT Street Railway companies. RL We Also Specialize in 100% UNION HOUSE 105 East Hastings Street ETON C WHERE QUALITY AND SERVICE IS SUPREME Try Our Special AT Private Dining Rcom JUMBO MODERATE for Banquets, MILK SHAKES PRICES Parties, Etc. is producing Harold Griffin’s one- act play on the Spanish war, ‘Hostage,’ at White Rock. IS © JOHNNY KULAK, Mer. Telephone: Sey. CHINESE DISHES. 8 $ 3 been given to Italian prisoners whose fear that they would be shot | had changed to amazement at the kindness treated. “When they -are them back to Italy,’"* he said. “They're the finest anti-Fascist Propaganda in the world.” The Spanish-Canadian Blood Transfusion Institute has set up a second institute in Valencia, Dr. Bethune Stated, and is Planning to set up a third on the Cordoba front. He appealed Particularly for the Spanish children. Of 500,000 children With which they were well we send in Spain, 100.0090 are orphans, he said. “We want to set up a ‘Little Canada’ in Spain, removed from the scenes of war, where these children will be safe from German and Ital- Jan planes. “There will be a Toronto, a Win- nipegz, a Vancouver block. We want Canadian organizations to adopt children. Pictures will be sent and organizations will be able to pick the children they wish to adopt. After the war they can visit here. It will be a new link: of international brotherhood.”