CLEM DAVIES Article By Val. Christie PAGE SIX Western Canada’s Leading Progressive he People’s Advocat Newsp-aper POSITION HELD Short Story By Harold Griffin PAGE FOUR FULL Ne. 139. << Published Weekly. VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1937 Single Copies: 5 Cents VOL. IIT. No. 35 STRIKE MAY CLOSE ALL THEATRES IN CITY Projectionists Set September 18 As Strike Famous Players Boasted ernment Rules Which Increase Theatre Fire Hazards; Organized Labor Indignant STRIKEBREAKERS SOUGHT IN EAST A struggle looms this month, the outcome of which may well determine the safety of a large number of British Co- lumbia’s theatre-going public or not fire hazards in the shows shall be increased 100 per cent; whether powerful American movie interests shall in- fluence the policy of the BC government at the expense of its citizens—to maintain profit margins. The Trades and Labor Council at its meetings and in its official or- @an is aroused to the impending dangers attendant upon an order- in-council passed by the Pattullo cabinet affecting the -well-tried regulations of theatre projection rooms and the Motion Picture Pro- jectionists union is convinced that the safety of the BC public and the rights of their profession are endan- gered by American industrial -monopolists. For the past eight years, motion- picture projection rooms in BC haye been a model for most Ganadian and American cities. In this period there has not been a single fire in these potentially dangerous places. Hire marshalls in other provinces @nd states have written to BC for copies of regulations covering this dangerous occupation and all praised the system as efficient and humane, tt is because BG regulations de- mand two experienced men in these fire traps that this high standard of safety has been maintained, but this means the payment of wages by, the profit-greedy Famous Play- ers incorporated, and this company declares that the BG public should take on more risks in order that “overhead” may be cut. Famous Players inc., through its representative in BC, offered a raise in wages to projectionists if the union would cut down to one-man operator. The union, knowing the hazards promptly rejected this. Further offers on this basis were turned down by the union. Threats by the American cor- poration to the effect that “they would get the government repula- tions changed,” and enforce their will by this means, left the union adamant. On July 2, 1936, an order-in-coun- cil was made by the proyincial gov- ernment which made it legal to em- ploy only one projectionist. The Trades and Lebor Congress of Canada appealed against this de- cision, and the lacal union put up @ great fight for the retention of present safe and sane regulations. So great was the pressure that the provincial cabinet appointed a one-man commission, J. M. Coady, barrister, wno, after being presented with the expert testimony of Dr. Sayer of the UBG, Assistant Fire Chief De Graves, Theatre In- spector W. Meyer, J. A. Thomas, Dr. Tory, ational Research Gouncil, and others, all experts on the ques- tion, did not influence the commis- sioner. Coady was shown that Winni- peg, which permits one-man pro- jection rooms, has had 23 fires— against Vancouver's clean record. WNumerous American cities were quoted in the same relation. Fig- ures were shown by the union that child mortality in movie fires was 800 per cent greater than that of adults. The nature of the film and pro- jector was demonstrated. Made of nitro-cellulose which ignites at 320 fahrenheit, the film is always under a heat of 1200 degrees fahrenheit, and only the speed of the machine prevents ignition of the film. When the machine “jams,” it depends on the skill and alertness of the op- erator to cut off the heat. Coady was asked, “How can @ man be watching for this all teo common ‘jam’ if he is engaged on other technical work for smooth running?’ It seems the commis- Sioner thought, “We'll take a chance On one man having two pairs of hands.” The union says “No.” They have laid down the deadline for Premier Pattullo for Sept. 18, and while Famous Players ine. dominates nearly all coast theatres, the union eontrols the projection rooms of BG; controls the safety of the pub- lie. : Pamous Players Inc. have adver-— tised in the East for projectionists. They are counting on the co-opera- tion of the government, apparently, to raise the fire hazard 100 per cent. The union is counting on the good sense and support of the The- atre-goine public of BC on Sep- tember 18. .< Deadline They Could Change Gov- in that it will decide whether > Employees Of Hudson’s Bay Strike Cafe Employees Refuse To Work W hen Cook Fired Dissatisfaction with work- ing conditions in the restau- rant department of the Hud- son’s Bay company, Granville street, flared up in spontane- ous action last Wednesday When every cook, waiter and wait ress Struck work and besieged the Management to demand redress for their many complaints. Dismissal of 42 cook who had worked for the company for 26 years proved to be the culminatine action which ¢Crystalized the grow- ing discontent over ‘a number of months, Re = Trade unionists stated to the PA that it is up to the company to Sive their employees a square deal if it wants to avoid trouble. Higher Phone Rates Fought Attempts To Intimidate Organizers Of Petition Despite opposition from the com- pany, the press, and city police, Van- couver telephone users are not giving up the fight against the pro- posed increased charges, one of a small army of canvassers informed a questioner this week. ; A campaign of soliciting signa- tures to a petition which protests the proposed increases, is well under Way and it is expected that a for- midable movement will have grown by the time the petition with ap- pended signatures is presented to the Railway Commission Board. A canvasser stated that a move was made by the B.C. Telephone Company to discourage the cam- paign and when this failed, notices appeared in the press to the effect that police were investigating the campaign committee’s activities on the grounds that money was being solicited from signatories. “Such cheap methods of attempt ed intimidation will not halt this campaign,” he said. Vernon Orchard Workers Strike VERNON, BC, Sept. 9-—Twenty men, the entire crew working in the Belgian Orchard here went on strike for higher wages this week. With the intention of forming a union, a preliminary meeting was held last Tuesday and 26 men res istered for enrollment. Further meetings will be called, Gov’t Army| Victorious At Aragon Two Loyalist Columns Advancing On Zaragoza > —— SIGNIFICANT DRIVE VALENCIA, Spain, Sept. 9. —Republican troops advanced on three fronts this week. Most important gains were made on the Aragon front where last week hard-driving government troops took ths Stratefic town of Belchite, 22 miles Southeast of Zaragoza, Fascist east- ern stronghold. Fascist losses were "snounced at 1700 dead. This week soyernment troops ad- yanced nearer Zaragoza in two col- ummns, one driving its way up from the south, the other from the north- east. Qne column is within a few miles of Zaragoza. @n the southern front fovernment forces have advanced at several Points and minor successes are re— ported from the central Madrid front. in the north where Asturian and Basque forces have been conducting 2 strategic retreat before a large Fascist army, backed by artillery and planes jinvadinge the Asturias from Santander, the Fascists lost 500 killed and wounded in 4 surprise Stand west of Llanes, 50 miles west ef Gijon. Reinforced by the Laranga bat- talion of Asturian dinamateros, gov- ermment forces entrenched them- selves at strategic places along the coastal road, defeating infantry and tank attacks. When their ammuni- tion ran out they completed the Fascist rout in a fierce hand to hand attack with bayonets. Harlier in the week Asturian American Mail Recognizes Union Victoria Longshoremen Win Dispute FTER a ten months’ lockout, Victoria Local 38-130 of the International Tongshoremen’s As- Sociation returned to the beach Tuesday morning, €argoes are Once more rolling from the American Mail Line’s “President” ships, following an agreement signed last week-end be- tween the newly organized Island Steamship company and the ILA. According to Vice-President Ir- win of the ILA, “the union has got both ship and dock, and yesterday unloaded some 700 tons of general cargo from ss President Jefferson.’ Approached by newspapermen, James Lackie, spokesman for the reactionary Shipping Hederation, which has prevented cargoes being unloaded in this port Since last October by refusing to supply union men, stated, “We have continually refused to work with the TILA and will continue to do so.’ While this agreement will only be effective with ships of the American Mail Line, it is felt by local officials to be “the thin end of the wedge to break the Shipping Federation’s plan of keeping one Side of the line open.” Victoria ILA, which was previ- ously the Victoria Riggers and Transport Workers union, respond- ed to a strike-call on October 30, 1936, and later when an agreement Was Signed by District 38 with the employees, they were forced to leave BE locals out of thé agreement. This precipitated formation of the Victoria Longshoremen’s Society (wegistered under the Societies Act) which, even with the full backing of certain reactionary forces, has failed in a ten-months struggle to drive the ILA from the beach. Seamen’s unions have refused to permit any other than union men to unload cargoes, and the fact that thousands of dollars have been passing this port by each month has whipped up tremendous opposition from the local business houses. Support of trade unionists to the south and the long, persevering: fight put up by local 38-130 has at last won through. This gain will be a material benefit, and with the agreement on the Pacific coming due shortly, it may be confidently expected that this coast’s maritime workers will soon be unionized one hundred per cent. Agreement Won By BlubberBa Japanese Invade Shanghai F —o— nh Fr—m—n -dinamateres_blew—out-the svhele-side + — of a2 mountain in the Cuera range to delay the Wascist advance. Aragon Successes Significant By TED ALLAN Federated Press The real significance of the new Loyalist offensive on the Aracon front seems to have been lost, in- tentionally or unconsciously, by the press of Canada and America. Although reporting factually what is taking place there has been no attempt to analyze what the offen- Sive signifies—and it signifies A lot. The significance of this offensive lies in the fact that it embodies every point which the military and political experts first said would have to come about before Spain could defeat her invaders. A smashing offensive is taking Place. The press reports tell us it is even greater than the Brunete of- fensive during the first weeks of July. I had the opportunity of see- ing various aspects of the Brunete offensive and if this offensive on the Aragon front comes up to or exceeds it, then it is news indeed. I remember the reporters talking about it in Madrid. After the first lull in the fighting, after the govern- ment had captured Villanueva de la Canada, Villanueva de Pardillo, Quijorna and Brunete, every mili- tary expert, or person who called himself a military expert, agreed that the government had spent all it had, that it would take months to recover, to reorganize a new of- fensive, that the general staff would find itself up against a stone wall now that it had given everything it had. One month passed. And the troops of Lister, of El Campensino, Modesta, who stormed the four towns, are storming again. The men of the International Brigade, in- cluding Cubans, Americans, Cana- dians and Negroes from North and South America, are still takin= part in this new stage of the Spanish War—the war of attack. strikers state. (Continued on page 2) See SPAT A scene in China’s great port, whole districts of which have been levelled by Japanese bombard- ment, as armored cars line up outside the building where the Japanese command has established headquarters. invasion of China. Callous disregard for civilian life is arousin g world opinion against the Nipponese Many Request ESL Proposal Municipalities Through Canada Asking Information Amazing response to the campaign of the Vancouver Ex-Servicemen’s League, for federal responsibility to needy veterans has been received by the office of the ESL, states Fred Tyler, popular secretary of the League, this week. A requested fee of $2 for services given by the Veterans Research Bureau to all organizations and municipalities, has been sent in by Surrey, Enderby, Port Coquitlam, ISamloops, Nanaimo and Revelstoke municipalities and Victoria city council has asked for a full brief of the proposals of the HS on this question, Tyler stated. Places as far apart as Hstevan, Sask., and Windsor, Ont., have made inquiries and every province in the Dominion has forwarded a list of all municipalities in their areas to the/| ESL. Reason for this. declares Tyler, is that all local bodies support the slo- gan of federal responsibility for needy veterans and they are inter- ested in the arsuments put forward by the ESL research bureau and the facts and figures exposed in ESL documents. Domestics Union Prepares Brief Exploited Girls Work Long Hours For Low Pay By WM. PURVIS. The plight of the domestic worker, the forgotten woman, has long been a moot question, but today a staunch champion has arisen, in the Domestic Workers’ Union, formed over a year ago by a group that knows what it means to wash, scrub, wax floors, tend furnaces, wait on parties and care endlessly for other people’s children. Realizing that the domestic work ers would need allies in a strugele to obtain the decencles of life, the union was formed with the assist- ance of the Trades and Labor Coun- cil, to which it affiliated six months ago. Appeals for special privileses from that body for this new union which of necessity was financially weak, were never turned down, Unions Passed the hat around to help finance the work of organization and to date $100 has been donated in this manner. Energetic officers of the Domestic Workers’ Union have drafted a briet to be presented to the provincial sovernment, outlining the status of domestic workers and list- ing Some minimum demands for im- proved wages and conditions. Under the heading of women and (Continued on page 2) See DOMESTICS | | present | Movie-Goers Jeer I] Duce Theatre Audiences Show Anti-Fascist Sentiments Symptomatic of the anti-ascist Sentiments of the majority of Van. couver people is the reception ac- corded showing of Mussolini or Hit- ler on newsreels in city theatres. Last* week during a preview at i