Labor News

Highlights
CKMO

Sunday, 9:45 a.m.

The Peoples Advocate

Western

Canada’s Leading Progressive Newspaper

Labor News
Hishlights
CKMO

Sunday, 9:45 a.m.

——
FULL No.

157.

<== Published Weekly

a.thy ie

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1938

Single Copies: 5 Cents

VOL. IV, No. 1

Union Is

Application Of

Granted

Twenty-Four Fishermen
Claim Deductions From
Earnings Were Illegally
Made.

ACT THROUGH UNION

_. Salmon Purse Seiners
Says Investigation Will
Reveal Many Further
Claims. -

Investigation of the books
of the Canadian Fishing com-
pany has been ordered by the
Supreme Court of BC for Mon-,
day, January 31, when legal
counsel for Salmon Purse
Seiners of the Pacific union
will have full opportunity to
fo into company records and
' to ascertain the nature of the com-
pany’s defense against the union
charges of alleged infractions of
the Workmen's Compensation Act
over a number of years.

The Supreme Court has ordered
* . . ali books, papers, letters,
' copies of letters and other writing
and documents in possession of
T EK Milne, accountant of Ganadian
Fish company, containing any in-
formation or memorandum relating
to matters in question in the action,
to be produced.”

Twenty-four fishermen have laid
elaims against the company through
their union, some claiming illegal
compensation deductions for one
' year others for three years.

‘pany has already admitted liability
by reimbursing one member to the
amount of $22.48, one year’s illegal
Geductions, and that examination
Gf the bocks will show that more
Men have similar claims oyer a
mumber of years.

Ganadian Fishing company em-
ploys around 350 fishermen and
Owns between 50 and 60 seine boats,

i Wages being paid on a share basis.

Approximately 242 per cent of net

income of each man was levied last

year, union officiais claim.

a In a statement to the PA,
} George Miller, union secretary, de-

elared he was confident the coming

investigation would establish claims
of his members.

ALBACETSE, Spain, Jan. 13.—E.
Gecil-Smith, former city editor of
the Daily Clarion, has been appoint-
i ed commander of the Mackenzie-
Papineau Battalion in Spain.

The union claims that the com-|

leading figure in the Communist
party in Alberta and a former

editor of the Clarion, Toronto
Laber daily, who is now in Van-
couver. Im his address tonight
(Friday) at the opening rally of
the Communist party's provincial
convention Morris will deal with
recent political developments in
the prairie province.

City Union
Leader Dies

James Pittesdrich Was

Secretary Of Street Rail-

waymen’s Union In Van-
couver.

One of the citys most popular
trade unionists, James D. Pit-
tendrich, of 257 East 44th avenue,
died in Vancouver General Hospi-
tal Wednesday.

Pittendrich, who was 41 years
old, leaves a-wife and two children.

For the past five years Pit-
tendrich was secretary of Division
101, Street Railwaymen’s union
and in this capacity was voted the
most efficient in the entire history
of the division.

Blacklisted for his union activi-
ties in the Winnipeg strike of
1919, he came to Vancouver in 1921
and for 16 years was a staunch
union man in the employ of the
BC Electric. 2

Funeral services are being held
today (Friday) at 1:30 pm at Nunu

and Thompson funeral parlors.

Ewen, Morris To Address Meet

Communist Convention
be Opens In City Friday

People’s Movement in BC,” at

yaaa hada ve

an,

_ Im view of recent developments
in Alberta great interest has been,
aroused in the visit here of Leslie
, Morris, former editor of the Daily
4 Glarion and now a leading figure
in the Communist party in Alberta,
who will represent the central com-
mittee of the party at the conven-
tion. Morris will speak at tonight's
meeting in place of Norman Freed,
‘ Gommunist party leader, who was
expected to be in Yancouver this
week, Freed wired that a change
6f plans would prevent his attend-
mance.

Highlights at the Saturday and
Sunday sessions of the convention
to be held in the Labor Temple, 805
Bast Pender street, will be the trade
union report to be given by Charles
Stewart, provincia] executive mem-
ber of the Trades and Labor Con-
gress of Ganada, and the organiza-
tional report of Fergus McKean,
provincial organizer of the party.

In an interview with the PA this
week McKean stated that Satur-
‘day’s sessions would be open to the
public.

“We are extending an invitation
to all who wish to see how Commu-
nists really work, the manner in
which the partys policies are dis-
cussed and formulated, to attend
the Saturday sessions. They will see
there employed and unemployed,
farmers and fishermen, miners and
loggers, representatives of almost
every industry, realistically tackling
the many problems which face the
people today.”’

Sunday's sessions will be open

only to members of the party.

Vancouver citizens are expected to pack the Victory Hall
auditorium tonight (Friday) to hear Tom Ewen, provincial
secretary, give the main political report, “For a Progressive

the opening public meeting of

the provincial convention of the Communist party.

Leave F or
Convention

Seamen’s Representa-
tives To Vote For Forma-
tion Of United Seamen
Of America.

Hn route to San Francisco this
week to attend a history-making
convention of seamen on January
17 are Jim Maskell, Bill Lovey and
Hugo DeNicole, Vancouver, and
G. N.. Coe, Victoria, all accredited
delegates instructed by rank and
file to vote for creation of the United
Seamen of Worth America, which
will embrace the Pacific Coast,
Great Lakes, Atlantic Coast, Gulf
of Mexico, Philippines, and Alaska.

These four BC delegates will at-
tend a preliminary conference of
the Inland Boatmen’s Union, of
which they are members, in San
Francisco.

In a statement to the PA, Maskell
spoke of the importance of the big
convention.

“Should a united union of sea-
men be evolved, most of the present
difficulties will disappear, and, what
is more, it will prove the most pow-
erful union on the continent; able
to give a real lead in the struggle
against war and fascism,” he said.

Matthews Laughs At Radio Reports

Fascists Never Near Teruel, Says Correspondent

MPANY’S BOOKS ORDERED OPENED

ARCELONA, Spain, Jan. 13.—
Wild fascist radio reports that
General Franco’s troops had re-
captured Teruel, strategic provin-
cial capital on the eastern front
wrested from fascist control by
a surprise loyalist offensive last
month, induced Herbert Matthews,
outstanding New York Times cor-
respondent, to abandon his car and
walk two miles through the snow
when he visited the battlefront.
Actually, while radio stations
at Burgos and Seville were an-
nouncing that the loyalists had
been driven out of Teruel by heavy

fascist reinforcements and that
the city was again completely
under fascist control, government
troops were consolidating their
positions and last fascist defenders
besieged in Asuncion hospital and
Santa Clara church were sur-
rendering their arms.

Back in Barcelona last week
Herbert Matthews laughed as he
entered the cable office.

‘Never again will I place the
slightest belief in the radio reports
of the fascists,” he declared.
“Those reports had so impressed

me that I dared not drive my car

into Teruel. Leaving it two miles
away, I walked the rest of the
distance.”

When he got to Teruel, Matthews
said, government militiamen
laughed when he told them of the
fascists’ radio reports, He found
government forces in complete pos-
session of the city and the fascist
offensive weakening.

“Teruel remains firmly in goy-
ernment hands. The fascists did
not reach the city and, in fact,
never at any time got nearer than
four miles from it.”

Several companies of the Mac-

kenzie-Papineau and Lincoln bat-
talions rushed to the battlefront
aided government troops in forc-
ing back fierce fascist counter-at-

tacks backed by artillery and
planes.

Fighting amid driving snow,
both loyalist and fascist losses

were heavy. Thousands were re-
ported to have died from exposure.
Fascist losses, in particular, were
enormous. General Franco, in his
desperate attempt to regain the
city, spared neither men nor muni-
tions.

In the struggle for La Muela

mountain, strategic point dominat-
ing Teruel, fascist planes were
sent over to bomb loyalist lines.
Because of the blinding snowstorm
the bombs fell short, exploded on™
the hillside, ripped huge craters in
the snow and earth. Government
soldiers, camouflaged in white,
moved ahead, occupied the newly—
made craters. When the fascists
launched their attack the loyalists ~
withheld their attack until the ad-
vance line was almost on top of
them, hurled them back with ter-=
rible slaughter.

Tariff

Changes
Fought

Nation = Wide Cam-=
paign Organized To
Save Fruit Growers
From Ruin.

EQUALITY ASKED

KELOWNA, BC, Jan. 13.—
(Special). — Convinced that
BC fruit srowers are “faced
with something little short of
ruin” by rumored cuts of fifty
to sixty per cent in imperial
preference, the British Colum-

bia Fruit Growers Association
at-its forty-ninth annual convention
here last weekend reiterated the
stand teken by a special conference
ealled by the association last De-
cember and demanded an end to
present uncertainty by a definite
statement from the federal govern-—
ment. The conyention urged that
the fruit industry be not victimized.

Stirred by reports that a new
trade treaty, being negotiated be-
tween Britain and the United States,
will kill the United Kingdom pref-
erence on Canadian fruits, the fruit
growers of the Okanagan are wag-
ing-a vigorous campaign to prevent
such an eventuality, A. K. Lloyd,
Kelowna, and GC. A. Hayden, Ver-
non, president and secretary respec-
tively of the BCFGA being especi-
ally prominent in the campaign.

A resolution to this effect has
been circulated to provincial and
federal government leaders, daily
and weekly newspapers, agricultural
publications and many organiza-
tions.

“Our fruit, vegetables and allied
industries will face disaster if there
is a reduction of imperial] preference
and drastic curtailment of dump
duties, as forecast widely in the

,American press and substantiated

by unofficial information from Ca
nadian sources,” declares Lloyd.

Claiming that since the adoption
of imperial preference in 1932, BC
and Nova Scotia have captured and
held the SBritish market, Lloyd
stated that the apple industry alone
gave an annual purchasing power of
$6,950,000 and that BC exports 45
per cent of her apple crop to Great
Britain.

Pointing out thatit requires seven
years to grow a commercial apple
tree, in a statement to the press
Lloyd forecasted that by 1940 the
apple crop here will have increased
by 1,000,000 boxes. “Fruit growers
are not outrageous in their re-
quests,’”’ he said, “but they ask that
they shall not be selected for sac-
rifice.’’ ;

The Kelowna resolution states
that the Canadian Horticultural
Council’s committee which endeay-
ored to interview Prime Minister
Mackenzie King and his cabinet,
found it “impossible.”

The resolution also asks that all
Ganadian industries bear an equit-
able burden in any policy decided
upon by the government.

Attacks Farm
Slum Conditions

NEW WESTMINSTER, BC, Jan.
1i3—Slum conditions on the farm,
under which, he declared, farmers
make the miserable sum of eight or
ten cents an hour for their labor
while their women and children go
about in rags, were hit by J. B.
Shimek of Mission at the meet-
ing of the BC Coast Growers Asso-
Ciation here last weekend.

Shimek described conditions on
many farms as comparable only to
those existing in sweatshops and
slums.

Editor In Spain

Major Umberto Galleani (centre, facing camera), editor
of the anti-fascist NY Italian paper, La Stampa Libera,
is back at his post as

staff officer of 15th (Int'l) Brigade.

Committee Formed

n

Vancouver Will Furnis

Medical Aid F

Thousands Of Chinese
Dying Because Medical
Supplies Lacking, State
Reports.

LEAGUE CAMPAIGNS

Peace Conference At Na-
naimo To Hold Tag Day
For China Fund Satur-
day, Jan. 22.

NANAIMO, BC, Jan. 13.—The
recently -fermed peace confer-
ence here has received permis-
sion from Nanaimo City Council
to hold a tag day Saturday,
January 22, for medical aid to
China.

Suffering and privation of
thousands of Chinese soldiers
wounded in defense of their
country against Japanese im-
perialists invasion have
aroused the sympathy of Ca-
nadians everywhere.

In Vancouver this week plans are
being completed for formation of a
Medical Aid to China committee on
which many prominent citizens
have already signified their desire
to sit. This committee will work in
conjunction with the Canadian
League for Peace and Democracy
here and with the American Medi-
cal Bureau in supplying medical aid,
food and clothing to assist the Chi-
nese people in their fight for free-
dom from Japanese tyranny.

Recognition of the excellent work
already accomplished by the pro-
vincial office of the League for
Peace and Democracy is made in
issuance this week of a statement
by the Chinese Benevolent Associ-
ation that it recognizes the league
as the only authoritative body in
organization of collections and sup-
plies.

“Appeals have already gone out
for funds, new and used clothing,
medical and surgical supplies and
Sheets and pillow-cases for band-
ages,’ Mrs. Kay Heathcote, pro-
yincial secretary of the league, told
the PA this week. ‘According to
advices we have received large num-
bers of Chinese are dying every day
for lack of supplies and expert at-
tention. Tetanus and exposure are
taking a terrible toll of lives.”

Tom Ewen

provincial secretary of the Com-

munist party who will give the
main political report, “For a Pro-
gressive People’s Movement in
BC,” at the public rally in Victory
Hall Auditorium tonight (Friday)
which opens the provincial con-
vention of the party.

Union Signs

With Doctor

Hospitalization Contract
For Miners, Dependents

Made By Ymir Local Of
MMSW.

(Special Correspondence)

YMTR, BC, Jan. 13—Contract
covering complete hospitalization
for miners and their dependents
has been signed by a local doctor
and local 300, International Union
of Mine, Mill and Smelter Work-
ers, which embraces all employed
in the mines in this area.

Unique feature of the contract
is that the doctor will be answer-

any complaints and at request of
the union will visit mining camps
to investigate and report back on
health and sanitary conditions

prevailing.

able to the union in the event of.

or China

CCF Is Planning Mass
Meeting In Support Of
Japanese Boycott Next
Wednesday.

WEBSTER TO SPEAK

One Thousand Boxes Of
Unsold Jap Oranges
Found In Basement Of
City House.

Announcement of a mass meeting

at which city churchmen, trade
unionists and CCE leaders will

speak in support of the Japanese
boycott, is made this week by the
GGF provincial executive. The meet-
ing is scheduled for Wednesday,
January 19, 8 p.m. at Moose Hall,
with Arnold Webster as chairman,
and Dr. Lyle Telford, chief spokes-
man for the CCF.

Securing of an embargo on war
material from Canada will be em-
phasized at this meeting, which, it
is stated, is one of many through-
out the Dominion.

South Vancouver residents greet-
ed leaflet distributor A. F. Wilbee, sr.
as he patrolled a stretch of Fraser
avenue, with sandwich boards ad-
vertising the Japanese boycott this
week.

Wever afraid to shout aloud his
convictions Wilbee could claim
many passers-by as one-time neigh-
bors, having lived in that area for
a number of years.

“Stop this bloody traffic in Ca-
nadian nickel to murder innocent
children,” he shouted as he rapidly
passed out the now familiar “bomb”

leaflet of the Canadian League for
Peace and Democracy.

Sharp as a needle, Wilbee had
found a cache of around one thou-
sand boxes of Jap oranges stored
in an old house, unsold Christmas
stocks from various stores, and he
informed the world while he called
for an embargo of death-dealing
nickel.

He made it plain to listeners that
the litle Japanese groceryman was
innocent enough. “We refuse to help
finance war by buying goods made

in Japan,” he explained.

Pearson

Accused
By Union

Cafe Workers Forced :
To Quit Membership

In Legitimate Union,

Say Officials.

TEAMSTERS WAIT

No information is available
regarding appointment of con-
ciliation commissioner by the
provincial department of Jabor
in a dispute involving Vancouver
teamsters. ?

Bert Showler, business agent,
Milk Salesmen and Dairy Em-
ployees’ Union, informed Trades
and Labor Council three weeks —
ago that application would be
made for a commissioner in this’
dispute. : Ze ;

Pearson, provincial minister’
of labor, is giving union-hat-
ing employers an invitation to
force employees into company-
controlled groups and citing
the present situation in the
Chanticleer Lunch, city chain
cafeteria as an example, of-
ficials of local 28, Hotel and
Restaurant Employees union, AP
affiliate, declared to the PA this:
week the union’s intention to arouse
trade unions in BC against such.a ~
menace. es ‘
“Pearson's refusal to appoint a
conciliation commissioner in: a dis-
pute which showed glaring ele
ments of intimidation as in the
Chanticleer Lunch affair, has
opened the eyes of thousands of
British Columbians to the elastic-
ity of this so-called labor legisla-—

Gateman declared the depart-
ment of labor could easily be con-
vineed if, indeed, it wished to be
convinced, that intimidation reigns ~
at this cafeteria, by the fact that
employees have now withdrawn
their application forms from Local
28 since their jobs appear to be at
stake.

Refusal by Pearson to recognize
the union’ as the employees’ repre-

considered an affront to legitimate
trade unions.

Cumberland

Town; Nimsick Rossland

Candidate. ;

CUMBERLAND, BG, Jan. 13. —

cil, representing organized labor and
progressive organizations, has en—
dorsed a full slate of candidates in
the civie eelctions. San

Wominees are: D. Bannerman, 4°

dermen); Joe Watson (for parks
board); Mrs. Annie Gatz, Sam Ro-
bertson, A. J. Taylor (for school’
board).

Lower light and water rates, 1m-
proved street lighting and garbage
collection and an adequate street
surfacing progtam are among th
council aldermanic planks: :

ROSSLAND, BG, Jan. 13—Leo ©

the last provincial elections polled”
900 votes in Rossland-TIrai, is an

aldermanie candidate here;

Charging that Hon. G S.

sentative, although a majority has
signed a letter to this effect, is ~

Runs Slate

Progressives Endorse
Candidates In Minmg —

The Economic and Industrial Coun= ~~

J. Taylor, George Shearer (for al-~

Wimsicl who, as CGF candidate aa”

iy

tion in the hands of Pearson,”
Business Agent Bill Gateman ~~
stated. = 2