INT PRET EE STR EPIC) The Dust Sweeps Over The Wheatlands By LESLIE MORRIS PAGE FOUR _ The People’s Advocate We ¥ Ste7tn Canada’s Leading Progressive Newspaper From Blum To Chautemps By PAUL NiZEN PAGE SIX FULL No. 134 <=> Published Weekly : VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1937 Single Copies: 5 Cents VOL. III. No. 30 VETERANS TO GET P UBLIC WORKS SCHEME Gov’t Sai Considering New Plans Veterans Win Relief After Strong Campaign ESL PRESSES TAX August 4, Warriors’ Day, Saw victory crown the efforts oi half-famished, unemployed war veterans who have for the past three weeks paraded Vancouver streets, when they won immediate ~telief, and learned that a government works program was in course of preparation. Broad hints were made to ex- Servicemen by relief officials, that work camps’ would be opened up, the PA learned this week, but that a great deal depends on the deci- Sions passed out at the Legion con- vention now in session at Penticton, Where relief administrators, such as Griffiths and Gawthorpe, who are also members of the Legion, are doubtless discussing the demands of rank and file veterans. In reply to a letter from the Ex Servicemen’s Leasue which inform- ed Hon. G. S. Pearson, minister of jabor, that Vancouver veterans were ebtainine thousands of Signatures to & petition for work and wages, he replied that such a petition should ke presented to Premier Pattullo. Don’t Want Charity. in a statement to the press, Fred Tyler, ESL Secretary, Stated that | this petition will certainly be pre-! sented to the premier. “We are not Supplicants for public charity, but Tather are we asking for Something that was promised veterans before Vimy,” he said. ESL officials maintain their pro- posal for a turnover tax on the value of production obtained from prim— ary industries of BC, in excess of $2000 a month, to finance 2 works Plan, is the most feasible put for- ward to date. Thursday, August 5, representa- tives of all veterans’ associations, excepting the ESI, met in the Le- Sion’s provincial offices to discuss Problems for ex-seryicemen. ESL officials feel that their or @anization, which is one of the largest, havine 450 paid-up members, Should have been invited to send representatives, Fred Tyler told a PA. reporter. “Qne thing is certain,” Tyler said, “the ESL has worked hard for the needy veterans and we can justly claim that our organization helped to bring their plight before the pub- lic for immediate action.” Turn Of Tide In War Seen Fravda Foresces New _ Victories For Loyalists MOSCOW, USSR, Aug. 5. — The current offensive of the Spanish Loyalist forces west of Madrid is pavine the way for a victorious Grive to smash the forces of Span- ish and international Fascism, Pravda, Communist party organ, points out in an analysis ef the military scene in Spain. “The central military events in Spain are still the fighting on the Madrid front,” Pravda writes. “For more than 12 days now, the rebels and interventionists are unsuccess- fully counter-attackinge at various Sectors. “The Republicans. however, far the positions they won, are continuing advancing towards from yielding have already the offensive, official | Majadajonda and Villafranca del | Castillo. “The rebelS and interyentionists are suffering \heavy losses, par- ticularly from the Republican avia- tion and artillery. “The extent of Fascist losses is equal to their losses in the Guada- lajara operations, and in the air their losses haye been even heavier. “In the latest fighting the repub- _lican army showed the tremendous Srowth in its military trainins. = “The situation on the other fronts of the war in Spain is also charac- , terized by the passine over of the | Republican troops to active offen- © Sive. “Today * exist for a change in the relation the conditions already of forces in favor of the Spanish # people. Lhe offensive started by the Republican troops on the central } front at Madrid may mark the be- | ginning of a new stage of the war, a turning point in favor of the Re- } publicans and presaginge their fur- ther successes.”’ Hr—n— ie Where Fascists Were Halted Pinay prison. Some of the war’s most here, ing the trenches. as Franco’s Fascist armies, 2 equipment, drove into the outskirts of the capital before being Stopped. Members of the International Brigade are shown inspect- Loyalist trenches in northwest quarter of Madrid mear the Model bitter fighting took place around aided with Italian and German Coast Labor Supports Strike BLUBBER BAY, BC, Au collective bargaining. Qn suspicion that the cargo had< been joaded at Blubber Bay, the Maritime Federation officials held up the Kingsley vessel, SS Texada, at San Francisco until assurances were wired from BC District Coun- eu, Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union. An airmail letter from these officials urged that BC keep them fully posted on all cargoes loaded at this: plant. Financial help to the 150' white and oriental! strikers who have been forced to build a tent colony, has been pledged by the BG Coast Coun- cil of Lumber and Sawmill Workers to the extent of $400 and the Chi- nese have donated loads of garden produce and are prepared to supply fresh pork when needed. Police and the Attorney-General have refused to allow the strikers | to solicit funds at Powell River, but Maritime Federation Aids Strikers At Blubber Bay ¢. 5.—Prompt assistance last week from the powerful Maritime Federation of the Pacific,-to strikers at Pacific Lime company’s plant has given great en- couragement to the struggle of workers here for the right to Vernon To Cut Relief This Fall Jobless Exhorted To Save Wages Not Received VERNON, BC, Aug. 5.— Despite the fact that many in this town have not yet obtained employment issues in the strike have been out- lined in a leaflet widely distributed among paper makers: | Powell River workers showed | their solidarity with the strikers when they refused to unload a scow of lumber at Blubber Bay after an appeal by the strike committee last week. Wegotiation on the following. points is demanded by strikers: A blanket increase of 714 cents per hour; time and a half for any work exceeding 48 hours hours a week consisting of six consecutive eight- hour days; recognition of the union and shop committees set up by the men. HARLAN, Ky (FP)—Immediate pardons for four union coal miners Serving life terms in connection with the 1931 battle of Evarts was and that some have jobs that only last through the three months fruit season here, the following cir- cular has been mailed to every relief recipient in the municipality from the Relief Committee: “The relief recipients for the com- ing winter months will be freatly reduced as more stringent measures will be enforced. “For your own good we. advise you of this so that during the com- ing summer you may put aside a certain amount each month ta carry you through the winter. “Forget such a thine as relief exists and become self-supporting. “Good Luck and Good Earnings’ Resentment against such a cir- eular is intensified by action of the mayor and council in raising their regular indemnity by taking special Cover the industry “from stump west coast longshore leader, Harold Pritchett. urged on Gov. A. B. Chandler by} fees for all meetings they attend the UMW-A convention here. other than council meetings. 3 >, 5 | Bridges Greets Pritchett i 3 in Tacoma, Wash. where the Federation of Woodworkers formed itself into the International Woodworkers of America, planning to to piano,” Harry Bridges (left), welcomes the convention chairman, _ Scott’s Cafe Is Labor Storm Centre LiL the employers need now is,,ernment, setting out a judge who’ is willing to is- sue injunctions afainst bona fide unions, and we have one here,” Stated Secretary Bengough to the Prades and Labor Council last Tues- day, reporting on the legal estab- lishment of a company union at Scott’s Cafe, which he described as “a very serious situation.’’ Reading a resolution to be for- warded to the Trades and DLabor Gongress, which meets in October of B this year, criticizing the sovernment for issuing a ‘charter to a group of employers whose purpose is to de feat the aims of legitimate unions, Bengough outlined some anomalies in the case of Scott’s Cafe. “Here is a group of employers, apparently encouraged by the goy- to sign agreement on wages and conditions, With themselves; and incidentally these wages and conditions are very much below the scale of the legiti- mate union,” said Bengough. “It's a strange affair when a Greek run a Scott’s Cafe, makes a play for American tourist trade, and demands that he deal only with 2 Canadian union,” he continued, amid laughter from the delegates. “Double-Crossed.” Stating that the AFofL had been “double-crossed” by some party or parties, the council’s sec- retary declared that the full weight of organized labor would be used to combat this new menace. A campaign among affiliates to the Trades and Labor Council to an. *) raise finances for the new trial pending on this issue was endorsed by the council and a motion by W. Stewart, business agent for [Local 28, passed, empowering the execu- tive to take any action required for successful prosecution of the case. Applause and Stamping of feet Sreeted the report of Erna Whit- man, attractive young striker from Scott's Cafe, to the council. No “Constitution* In a clear mianner she told of the intimidatery method used by the cafe owner to coerce his em- ployees into the company union. The majority of waitresses fav- ored Local 28, Hotel and Res- taurant Employees, she stated. “The girls at Scott's Cafe made enquiries about this company union and soon found out that there could be no Protection from a boss-con- trolled organization and that is why they refused to join up,’ she de— clared. ‘ Miss Whitman's description of the Scene created when the cafe owner Was asked by employees to Produce a copy of the constitution of the company union, caused Sreat amuse— ment. “The boss had about four lines of typing to show, but he said that the constitution Would come later,” she told the. council. “When the injunction is lifted we will go back and picket the cafe and show this man that he cannot Set away with this sort of thing,” She concluded. = Dead False Creek City Dumps Denounced Burning Of Garbage Demanded By Residents MEETING CALLED Residents on the fringe of False Creek are organizing a protest against continuous dumping of city garbage on the flats there, results of which, this hot weather, cre- ate an indescribable ecndi- tion menacing the health and well-being of Vancouver citizens, Accompanied by a PA reporter this week, a group of j# otestin= residents made a survey of the flats preparatory to the calling of a local mass meeting Friday, August 20. Garbage cans of apartment houses on Broadway Fast were kicked over by members of the Sroup and in each one a rat that had been feeding, darted out. In- vestigators stated that the rats can be found everywhere in that dis- trict, having their holes among the garbage on False Creek. Along Keith Drive at Broadway, through swarms of flies and mos- quitoeés and smells of rotting gar- bage and passing signs which ir- onically enough read, “Dump no rubbish,” the main dump for city farbage was reached. Here were seen dogs nosing through the filth along with a group of men, whose legs were encased in paper, poking: with Sticks for bottles, metal and other saleable junk which they sacked. On being questioned, one picker stated that the smells were much stronger on a rainy day, when the Barbage begins to steam. He ex- pressed the opinion that the city. could avoid this public nuisance by employing a steady shift of three men to burn rubbish night and day. Members of the Sroup expressed fear of disease attacking their chil- dren and that an epidemic may Start from this area of pestilence and go through the whole city, Proposals by the Sroup that the south side of the flats could be laid out for a much-needed playground were deemed impracticable until the disease-ridden refuse was dis_ posed of by burning. It was noted by members of the group that visitors to Vancouver coming in on the CNR would be greeted by this plague spot as an introduction to the city. Local residents plan to circulate a petition list to bring pressure on the city for a removal of this menace. Victoria Installs Shipyard Local NICTORTA BC, Ate 5——“Installa- tion of Local 65, Shipyard Riggers and Workers, took place here July 22 when a prosressive slate of offi- cers was elected, includine two members of the Industrial and Economic conference. Speeches Siven at this meetine sounded a note of determination to organize the eraft 100 per cent as a Suarantee of better wages and working conditions yet to be won. .. Police Protect Fov— 1 — ng London Fascists Pi — inh | | SAI pen a ane ire When 3,000 of Sir Oswald Mosley’s British blackshirts rallied in Tra- falgar Square recently to bait Jabor and the Jews, 10,000 indignant citizens gathered to tell them off. Police, standing shoulder to shoul- der, kept the protesters, back, while others removed the supposed leaders of the anti-Fascists. Growers Revolt Against Act Ladner Farmers Defy Board: Meet Planned At Richmond With the reversal of previous decisions and the upholding by the courts of the provincial government’s right to impose market control boards on the a much-debated question up these days. farmers, marketing contro] is and down the Fraser Valley Potato growers, of whom there are 3000 registered in the Valley, are asking themselves if renewal of marketing control over their produce is to mean a repetition of last year’s diffi- culties as a result of which the board alone profited at the expense of grower and consumer alike. Ladner growers have already an- nounced their intention of defying the board and marketing their own potatoes: Richmond growers are also planning to meet shortly to consider the whole question. The Hon. K. C. MacDonald, min- of agriculture, has announced the government's intention of pro- ceedinge with its marketing control plans, except in cases where inter- Provincial arrangements are neces- sary to the operation of its schemes, and has“threatened legal action if srowers attempt to dispose of their potatoes through other than legiti- mate channels. In the opinion of observers, the Gpposition of the majority of grow- ers not to the principle or mar- keting control, but to the ineffi- ciency of the board and its arbitrary selection. “What we want is a voice in the ister is control of our own affairs,”” one prominent Lulu Island grower told a PA representative this week. “In short, the board should be demo- erratically elected by the erowers themselves.”” Mrs. E. C. Tibbetts, editor of the (Continued on page 2) See “GROWERS.” + Youth Will Picket City ‘Consulate Youth Groups Will Interview | ftalian Consul | “We are out to influence publie opinion against the Italian invasion of Spain,” states Bill Green, Vancou- | ver representative of the Youth | Committee te Aid Spain, in an- nouncing that on Saturday, August 14, local anti-Pascist youth will picket the offices of the Italian vice- consul, Dominion Bank Building, 207 West Hastines Street. A delegation of youth from local organizations will interview the vice-consul. “Eevery Italian consulate through- out the Dominion will be picketed by local sympathizers for Republi- Can Spain on August 14, in accord- ance with plans worked out by the National Youth Committee to Aid Spain, and a big turnout around the ne For Sash, Door Strike Is Set Brcakdows On Wages Parley Here Favors Strike Action UNION STRONG Voting to strike for higher wages at a mass meeting held on a vacant lot near the plant, Thursday, employees of Sig- urdson’s Sash and Door Com- pany at West Sixth Avenue, Save Manager Sigurdson until Mon- day morning, August 9 to accede to their demand for a union agree- ment which will include a pay in- crease for skilled men at this plant. The vote was 81 for strike and $ against. The lower paid men who had won an increase of 5 cents per hour last week, united with the skilled men in the Strike vote. The plant is organized into Lecal 2775, Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union which is preparing to handle the situation in the event of a strike on Monday. Wegotiations for Wage increases have been going on for some time until last week when the lower paid men only received an inerease, the skilled men’s demands being re- jected by the company. Leaflet Slanders Jobless Central Mission Official Denies Responsibility Purportedly issued by the Central City Mission here, 4 leaflet distrib— uted on downtown streets this week advised that no Single unemployed Man need solicit relief and that re- lief would be given to those apply- ing. When this leaflet was brought to the attention of the Single Unem- ployed Association a parade to the Central City Mission to test the val- idity of the Statements was imme- diately organized. At the Mission, however, Jack Curry denied all knowledge of the leaflet, stating that he had been out or town. The Mission could not 2ive relief to destitute able-bodied men, he Stated. Single Unemployed officials asked that these facts be pointed out to the public in a press Statement in | order to prevent any misunderstand- ing, but Curry refused to make any such statement. When unemployed officials in- formed him that they would be ob- liged to make the statement in the hame of the association, Curry re- torted angrily that, if this were done, he might ‘just as well throw out the 55 men now being support- ed by the Mission.” These 55 men, against whom charges of conspiring to obstruct the police were withdrawn this week in police court, actually were locked out when they returned to the Mis- Sion for supper, but were reinstated | Dominion Bank building here is ex- Green declared, tion When the association sent a deleza-— to interview Curry. Overwhelming Vote mnreninetin ee: