ah 24 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FAVORS SCHEME t CITY MAY CONTROL MILK DISTRIBUTION Western Canada’s The Peoples Advocate Leading Progressive Newspaper VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1938 With Big Companies’ —Dr. Telford CCF Member States Big Millionaire Companies Do Not Bear Share Of Tax Burden. URGES UTILITIES into public utilities, would pro- 1akg Vide the solution to many prob- lems facing small taxpayers io- This was the highlight of a characteristic speech on the citys finances made by Dr. Lyle Telford, Sunday, at Moose Hall where a capacity house con- tinually applauded his blunt state- ments, similes and witticisms, and elected a committee of four from the meeting to arrange future meetings of a similar nature. Basing his talk on recent edi- torials in Vancouver’s dailies and quoting from speeches made by Premier Pattullo, G G McGeer, MP, and Mayor G GC. Miller, Tel- ford arised a laugh when he said: Anniversary Above is shown the stage at the Massey Hall meeting in Toronto at which the first anniversary of the Fifteenth International Brigade in Spain was celebrated. Draped across the back of the stage was a huge banner carrying paintings of Mackenzie and Papineau, while the four large portraits were those of Neilo Makelo, Jce Dallett (Ixilled in action), Bob Kerr, and Ed Cecil-Smith. “I wonder if these gentlemen keep track of their utterances.’ Two years ago Pattullo an- nounced that the future of BC was never so bright or secure, the doc- ton stated, reading from a news- paper clipping. Vancouver, the city of destiny, is slated to have one million population, Telford read mockingely from a McGeer speech. “And now we read of Mayor Miller stating that it will soon be economically impossible for the average citizen to own his home,” Telford said. Utility companies are not paying their Share of the taxes, the speak- er maintained, offering as proof the fact that 20 million dollars had been collected by Victoria in taxes —an ail-time record. Single Relief Ends May 1 ‘Mien Have Got to Eat’ Protests Ald. Bennett All single unemployed men will be cut off relief on May 1, an- nounced Relief Administrator W. R. Bone at the city social services committee last Monday. This declaration was made after reading of a letter from the Work- ers Alliance, which requested $15 a month relief allowance for single unemployed home owners. It was impossible, the letter stated, for men to exist on the present allowance of $9.70 per month. “It's no use wasting our Sympathy on single unemployed men when families with small children are worse off,’ Bone stated, in reply to Ald. John Bennett’s query as to what the single men were to do after May 1. Wettled at Bone’s statement, Ald. Bennett stated: “It is not a question of wasting sympathy; men have got to eat.” Adil. J. W. Gornett hoped that something would come out of the city’s discussion with the provincial government which would ease the situation. Tax Big Companies “And yet there is not enough af- ter the small man is taxed out of existence almost. The solution must therefore lie with the millionaire companies,” Telford declared amid applause. The CCF member asked: “What is the matter with our city council that they do not go after these com- panies, when we have examples of 60 cities in the United States which are taxz-free through the taking over of these utility companies? In Port Arthur, Ont., the elevator pool pays 40 percent of that city’s taxes.” Vancouver had a real grievance (Continued on page 5) See TELFORD Council To Review Licenses Ald. Wilson Wins Hollow Victory On Oriental Issue A hollow victory by one vote, gained after interminable dis- cussion, in which it was decided that the city license inspector present a weekly list of all new licenses, was obtained by AI- dermen H. De Graves and H. D. Wilson last Monday in city eouneil. Refused Aid By Charities Alliance Taking Up Case Of City Family ® The two oriental-baiting alder- men maintained that because all applying for new licenses would be listed, there could be no discrimina- tion. They were careful to mention the Japanese only by inference. -Mayor G. ©. Miller strongly op- posed such a procedure, warning that the provincial government would take exception and that the city might find its power to issue licenses revoked if there were any evasion of the law. “Why and state your point,” exclaimed. Indignation is expressed by neigh- bors of A. Levinsky, 2781 Kingsway, at the treatment accorded this family by welfare federation of- ficials and other social service bodies last week. With seven chil- dren, whose ages range from 18 months to 14 years, the Levinskys are being turned away from all places which claim to be of a charitable nature. Levinsky started work for the CPR on March 1, but he will not receive wages until April 1, and in this period welfare officials refuse to help, leaving it to kindly neigh- bors to supply food for the family. The Family Welfare Bureau was unmoved by the plea put forward not come into the open the mayor Alderman Bennett, now irritable at the prolonged discussion, stated be had full confidence in the ability of the license inspector and the laws governing procedure of license issuance, without having to run to the city council every week. Ald. H. Gutteridge declared that if this motion were to pass, then Greeks, Swedes, Italians must be serutinized for desirability. “Tf we go on like this it will soon be a question of restricting » by a delegation from the Workers’ | licenses to [British Columbians Ailiance, acting on behalf of the only,” the CCE alderman said Leyinsky family. The same treat- | facetiously. ment was given by the Catholic Charities, because the family could not furnish proof it was Catholic. @ne delegate remarked to welfare officials that the last resort would have to be the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Animals. 4 The Workers’ Alliance is work- _ ing on the case and has secured the assistance of Rev. R. N. Mathie- Son, Bather A. Beausoliel and Rev. , Loomis. Wearied by the insistence of Ald. Wilson and warning that any ideas of discrimination were out of the question, Ald. Bennett called for the vote. The motion was adopted 54, Mayor Miller, Aldermen Ben- nett, T. Kirk and Helena Gut- teridge voting against it. } i f Boycott Japanese Goods. BEHIND THE NEWS nation. action to Hitler’s recent pro- nouncement of a “protectorate”’ over the 10,000,000 Germans resident outside Germany in other European states. Of these, 3,000,000 live in Czechoslo- | vakkia. | General Ludwig Krejci, chiet of the Czechoslovakian general | staff, has already declared that | the country must be prepared “for a brutal, quick attack, as- sisted by an air force, which will come without warning.” Czechoslovakia must be in a position to defend herself for / the first few days of such an attack without outside assist- ance, he stated, stressing the importance of frontier fortifi- cations. Building of these forti- fications, he said, had already progressed to a point “where prospective enemies will do well to reflect whether an at- |] tack will be worth while.” slovakia. It was in 1935 that Henlein in the general elections was able to boast of the support of 60 percent of the German electors. This was due to several causes. In the first place the world crisis had dealt a severe blow at the ex- port industries of Czechoslovakia, many of which were concentrated in those sections of the country in- habited by German-speaking work- ers. It was easy for a demagogue to exploit this for party purposes and to blame it solely on the “oppress- ing’ Czechs. Then, in the second plece, Hen- lein cleverly exaggerated the petty grievances of the Germans arising out of differences of lanzuages— for instance some middle class Germans were handicapped in get- ting jobs in the civil service be- cause they were ignorant of the state language, Czech. Henlein took care to hide the very real advan- tages enjoyed by the Germans in the field of education and free poli- This is Czechoslovalkia’s ve-| tical and cultural. activity, which > Czechoslovak Nazis Losing Influence . Leader Of Henlein Party Find His Hold On German Electors Waning THE NEWS RAGUE, Czechoslovakia. — This little democracy, ringed about by fascist and semi-fascist states and menaced by Nazi Germany in the Hast, will resist by every means any at- tempts to encroach upon her rights. Nazi declarations are re- garded as intolerable interference in the internal affairs of the Premier Milan Hodza. . will resist with all our strength.” - “We In the French chamber of deputies, Foreign Minister Yvon Delbos’ statement that “We will not permit the installation of any hegemony in Central Europe by the assurance that, if Germany attacks, France will abide by her military alliance with Czechoslovakia. THE STORY By G. SKILLEN . RAGUE, Czechoslovakia——Difficulties continue to bar the way to Konrad Henlein in his attempts to unite under his leadership all the three and a half million Germans in Czecho- The sudden popularity of the gymnastic instructor who in 1933 formed the “United Home Front” of the Germans in Czechoslovakia has already begun to wane. .’ has been followed put them in a position that may be envied by any other national minority in Central Europe. And finally, Henlein used to the full the prestige which he got from the open support of the Hitler re- gime in Berlin. But the triumph was short-lived and it is doubtful now if Henlein eould hold his position in a general election. The return of partial prosperity has made the Germans less vulnerable to his demagogy. Meanwhile the three other Ger- man parties, Agrarian, Christian Socialist and Socialist, are repre- sented in the government and have recently won further important concessions for the German minor- ity, in the form of a larger share in public positions and in public works contracts. Furthermore by identifying his movement too closely with the Hitler regime, Henlein has lost the support of those Germans who op- pose the fascist domestic policy and the imperialist foreign policy of Berlin. Cruel Hoax Perpetrated Man ‘Hires’ City Crew For Non-Existent Jobs A cruel hoax perpetrated by a logger going under the name of Frank Evans was bared in Vancou- ver this week. Highty persons be- lieved they were hired to work at the Chehalis log camp at Harrison Bay, only to be told at the employ- ment office that no such jobs ex- isted. It appears that Evans “hired” 87 men and girls to ship to this camp ten days ago, going so far as to send the supposed kitchen staff of seven to a city doctor for the ne- ecessary health certificate. Twenty-five of the “crew’’ were forestry project camp workers, members of the Relief Project Workers’ union, many of whom spent all their meagre savings to buy needed clothing for the “job.” Two girls and one of the men quit their present jobs because or the pay offered by Evans. Acting on instructions from Evans, who disappeared later, all those “‘hired” presented themselves at Black’s employment agency for despatch slips in order to leave last Saturday for Harrison Bay. It was then the hoax was discovered. Since no fees were demanded by Evans, all concerned are at a loss to explain his conduct. Enquiries at the Lumber and Sawmill Workers’ Union, 130 West Hastings Street, elicited that Evans was foreman last season at Bernard Luiker company, Duncan, and later worked for Barl & Brown at Clayton Bay. Union officials have sent out en- quiries among Vancouver Island camps, and have published the story in the BC Lumber Worker, union organ. No Cheap Rental Houses Under Act Only those with steady jobs and incomes could hope to obtain a loan under the Dominion Housing scheme, Ald. Helena Gutteridge told city council last Monday. Houses for cheap rental simply would not be built under this scheme the council learned, and there wasa tendency to pass over working-class districts in favor of more exclusive, zoned areas. Ald. J. W. Cornett stated that there were good prospects for sale of many city lots under this scheme and urged the council to be more aggressive in selling direct rather than through real estate agents. Plates For Cycles Identification plates for bicycles will prove a boon, and the proposed fee of 50 cents with 10 cents an- nual renewal charge will not be a burden, Ald. H. De Graves told the city license committee this week. Of 102 bicycles stolen last year only 47 were returned to owners, the alderman stated, whereas all but three stolen automobiles were lo- cated. Logger Dies Sigfrid Abrahamson, 33, died sud- denly from a heart attack while seated with two companions in Victory Square jast Sunday. Settlement NotMenace To Health Ald. Gutteridge Refutes Charges Made Against Japanese by DeGraves, Wilson. BACKS McINTOSH “I visited this place yester- day as a member of the city housing committee, and be- cause I wasn’t heresy-hunting I didn’t find what my col- leagues claim exists.” Ald. Helena Gutteridse made this” statement in city council Mon- day, in support of Medical Health Officer Dr. MecIntosh’s contention that recent charges made by Aldermen H. D. Wilson and H. DeGraves regarding a Japa- nese settlement at the foot of Blen- heim street were unfounded. From the health officer’s report it appeared that the two aldermen paid a visit to this Japanese settle- ment looking for a “health men- ace,” reporting back that a “state of indescribable filth existed which should be looked into immediately.” Dr. Mcintosh reported to the council that no such situation ex} isted and that BC Packers, owners - of the property, had given him an understanding to make certain im- provements. Apparently dissatisfied with the health officer’s report, Ald. De- Graves insisted that 128 Japanese living in this settlement without proper sanitary facilities constitut- ed a health menace. Denies ‘Menace’ Debunking the “menace,” Ald. Gutteridge told the council how she had “even peeped rudely through windows,” interviewed children and made a general investigation of the settlement. “TJ found conditions no worse than on False Creek or on Hamil- ton and Homer streets. In fact they were better because there are wide spaces around this settlement,” the woman alderman stated, “and with a coat of paint the houses would equal hundreds right in the city.” Dr. MeIntosh stated there had never been any epidemic in this settlement, in answer to a question from Mayor G. C. Miller. Ald. John Bennett asked point- edly whether taxes were paid by the Japanese and whether assess- ments were in order. On being an- swered by the city clerk in the af- firmative, he called for next order of business. |Ald.Crone Suggests New Plan City Would Buy Out And Operate Present Milk Distribution System —<$<—— CHEAPER MILK Distribution of milk in Van- couver, now a public scandal, may be taken over by the city. This was forecast by Ald. Fred Crone in social services com- mittee at the city hall last Mon- day. He indicated that he would investigate the system used in other cities and present a plan in the near future, Crone, conferring with Hon. K. C. McDonald, minister of ag- riculture, next day in Victoria obtained the support of the provincial government and promises of aid to his investi- gation of methods of milk dis- tribution were made. The plan, according to bare details available, would entail the buying out and operation of the present milk distributing system as a public utility. Under such a plan, Ald, Crone stated this week, it would be possible to give the producer an extra cent a quart and cut the consumer's cost three cents: The city would buy only high grade milk which would prob- ably be pasteurized, he added. It was learned in Victoria that the department of agricul- ture regards the plan with favor. Provineial government of ficials believe that Vancouver has ample legal power to con- trol milk distribution as a pub- lie utility. Urges No Grant For Exhibition Little Mountain Ratepayers’ As- sociation in a letter to the city council this week urged that, in view of the surplus from last year, no grant be made to the Vancou- ver Exxhibition board. Declaring it to be a slight to BG, the association. complained against the appointment of an eastern Canadian as exhibition manager. Ald. John Bennett agreed with the proposed economy but thought little of the appointment, stating that many men from BC were filling important jobs in the east. NEW YORK, March 10—(FP)— The Socialist party will weigh pos- sible amalgamation with the Amer- ican Labor party at a meeting of the executive committee to be held soon, it was announced here by State Chairman Harry W. Laidler. Predicts Complete Victory ‘Spanish People Will Never Submit To Foreign Rule’ —PREMIER NEGRIN The evacuation had been an- nounced at once, following the gov- ernment’s policy of keeping the peo- ple informed, at all times, of the exact state of the war. Negrin ex- plained that the battle of Teruel had accomplished one of the gov- ernment’s chief objectives, which was to undo the rebel offensive, planned and announced to the world since autumn for propaganda purposes and to bolster up rebel morale, The premier called Teruel’s re- capture an episode in a long war. “The war in Spain does not end because Hurope does not wish it to end,” said Negrin. He blamed non-intervention for Spain’s great- est sufferings; the bombing of open cities, Mediterranean piracy, and even the surrender of Teruel. He predicted, however, that supremacy in rebel armament will soon be altered, and the republican army will again take the offensive and retake Teruel. Hrom the threefold effort, of the army, the rearguard and the government, will come vic- tory, from which Spain will be reborn. “Some days ago an international adventurer cynically announced his intention of controlling the destiny of our country from Germany. He will never achieve this,’ said Neg- rin. ‘The Spanish people has never submitted to foreign rule. It has fought in the past, as it fights to- day, for the right to decide its own destiny. The sound of the cannon Reported to have relatives in New Westminster, the deceased was a ! member of Local 74, International | Woodworkers of America. at Teruel has not silenced the echo of our first victory, which will be repeated in a complete and de- cisive victory.” By JULIAN CASTRO BARCELONA, Spain, March 10.—(By Cable to FP).— The Spanish people will have a complete and indisputable victory,” said Premier Negrin, addressing his countrymen by radio, after the evacuation of Teruel by the republican forces. Cafe Owners’ Charges Hit Gressly Unfair, Vance Tells City Committee Sweeping charges made recently by the Restaurant Owners’ As- sociation, that the restaurant by- law was not being enforced by city food inspectors were hotly denied by Food Inspector J. F. C. B. Vance in a letter to the city health com- mittee this week. This association, said Vance, rep- resents 25 of a total of 412 cafe owners now operating in the city and their charges were “sTossly: unfair and entirely contrary to fact.” Vance maintained that when the bylaw was passed last year, con- ditions in few cafes were with- in reasonable conformity to it. The balance had either gone out of business or had given the under- taking that improvements would be made. Business Agent Bill Gateman of - Local 28, Hotel and Restaurant Employers’ Union, told the Advo- cate that the Restaurant Owners Association was motivated mainly by racial prejudice in making these unfounded statements against other restaurant owners. “This is the outfit which favors the company union, causing trouble and slandering the legitimate or- ganization which has operated in the city for over 30 years,” he said.