‘LISTEN IN TO | Labor News ‘Highlights - CKMO | Sunday, 9:45 a.m. The Peoples Advocate : Western Canada’s Leading Progressive Newspaper : LISTEN IN To Labor News Highlighis - CKMO Sunday, 9:45 a.m. andy! the (ull << Published Weekly VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1938 Single C opies: 5 Cents VOL. IV, No. 9 No. 165 Retail Clerks ¢ Organize ae — =o5 Pigsly-Wiggly, Safeway Employees Join International «ts Union. he pape 7PREPARE PAC ley } Virtually 100 per cent or- nization of Sateway, Pigsly- igsly chain store employees is secured this week at meet- ss held at Victory Hall and res j= Medical Dental Building UBiditorium, when managers eave d elerks signed up with the dyocfal Retail Clerks’ Interna- ow Al is Union. L Nd ¢ BS at y Ry on committee of 12 members ected at Monday night’s meeting i hear representations of Safe- y, Pigely Wiggly union member ployees in regard to desired ge adjustments. The committee 2omposed of chain store, grocery i meat market clerks and man- 2rs. “he union has two immediate ob- tives: improvement of wage con- ions and security of employment eficient employees. There are more than 60 retail res of this firm in BC. Wondays meeting also appointed Te in og “dry ——> ef eS. z 5 ae. +» following negotiation commit- ge. Ofi5on Maxwell, union organizer; n Smith, J. Stinson, H. Crimp, Lodge. When a draft agreement 3 been prepared this committee d seek its ratification by the aupany management. tharles Stewart, chairman of the m2des and Labor Council’s organ- ag committee; W. Gateman, busi- 5S agent, Local 28, Hotel and staurant Employees union, ad- sssed the Victory Hall meeting. ‘er years retail clerks here have nained unorganized, but union- tion of chain store workers may yve to be the wedge for organ- ag Many more hundreds. ite Vancouver Man For Bravery ALBAGETE, Spain—(by mail)— fi Tough, Vancouver imperial teran who has been a member fthe Mackenzie-—Papineau Bat- ion in Spain since its formation st year, has been cited for AVELy. Tough was wounded in the fight- = at Teruel and is now in a base spital with a broken leg. He is a member of Vancouver section of the Communist Butta a LS bere boty a Om "3 Aids China Fund CUMBERLAND, BG, March 10.— ‘mox and district Chinese Bene- lent Association has forwarded e sum of $162 to the Medical Aid China committee here. Fashions Japanese-manufactured silk. This picture was taken at the WCE’s recent food and style show in Seattle, attended by hundreds of women. SLAND MINERS ASK These two winsome models chat as ack prepare to show the attractive gowns which can be made with substitutes for k Company Refuses Increase Cumberland UMWA Uses Fuel Probe Re= port As Basis For Demands. THREATS MADE CUMBERLAND, BC, March 10.—(Special).—Canadian Col- lieries, Ltd., refused this week to grant union demands for an increase in wages, and the local of the United Mine Workers union has applied for immedi- ate re-convening of the ad- journed conciliation board. Continued stalling of the com- pany to evade signing of a new union agreement which proposed contract and day rates, culminat- ing in a refusal to grant any pay increase, decided the union execu- tive to go to conciliation. A threat made by the company that it would close Northfield mine down for some months did not deter the union from its coures of ac- tion. Revelations in the McDonald fuel report, which stated that several million dollars extra profit is being obtained from the high cost of coal justifies present demands of the miners for higher wages. Rising food prices and a general lack of security for miners’ families is the basis for the new agreement. SAN FRANCISCO, March 10— Tom Mooney’s 21-year fight for free— dom reached a new stage Thurs- day when he told-nis story before California’s lower house. BEHIND THE NEWS “FOR CONCILIATION - Company ‘Throws Workers Strike At Blubber | Bay Plant Agreement Between Officials, Union Out Conciliation LUBBER BAY, BC, March mittee sought to negotiate. that they were laid off before the CIO. workers, white and oriental, at immediately the company made attempts to form a company union, asserting, “Both the AF of iL and the CIO are Communist con- trolled.” Striking employees erected a tent colony and prepared for a long struggle. Support came from the Maritime Federation of the Paci- fic, from the Lumber and Sawmill THE NEWS company here, members of Local 74, International Wood- Iworkers of America, are solidly on strike. An agreement between employees and plant officials reached through Conciliation Commissioner McGeough, appointed by the provincial department of labor under the Labor Conciliation and Arbitration Act, was this week thrown out by P. J. Maw, of the company’s Vancouver head office, when the union com- Conciliation Commissioner McGeough has declined to inter- vene in the company’s discrimination against three original mem- bers of the union committee, Frank Leigh, A. Akre and Jack Hole, whom the company is refusing to rehire on the ground new act came into force. Plant Superintendent Peel here claims he is unable to negotiate with the union committee. THE STORY By HAROLD GRIFFIN HE strike at Blubber Bay forced by the Pacific Lime com- pany culminates a long series of provocations by which the company has sought to smash the union, now affiliated to The history of the dispute between the bitterly anti-union company and its employees dates back to last July when 150 ber and Sawmull Workers’ Union, walked out because the com- pany refused to negotiate on wages and conditions. 10.—Employees of Pacific Lime December 10 last, the date the that time members of the Lum- > Workers and from a number of other unions. Chinese donated gar- den produce. Powell River work- ers, after the police had forbidden strikers to solicit funds in that town, refused to unload scows. Finally, in September, the com- | CC CContinued on Page 5) See BLUBBER BAY Hits Policies Of Fascists Sask. Gov’t Condemns Aggressor Countries = REGINA, Sask, March i10—A motion deploring the attitude of aggressor countries and calling upon the federal government to work for world peace by coopera- ting with those countries whose policies were designed to this end was unanimously adopted by the Saskatchewan provincial legisla- ture in session here this week. Im the original motion submit- ted by the Cooperative Common- wealth Federation, placing of an embargo on exports of Canadian War materials to Japan was urged. The government moved an amend- ment deploring the attitude of ag- gressor countries and a sub-amend- ment brought forward by the CCF opposition deplored assistance given to Japan by continued ship- ments of war materials. CF Cables Major Attlee Betrayal | #ament’s foreion policy which british Policy Termed Of Democracy OTTAWA, Ont, March 10.—“Large numbers of Canadians ‘e deeply shocked by recent developments in the British gov- entirely disregard the interests ph: the dominions and betray democracy. Victoria Boy Memorial Service Held For W. S. Cockings | VICTORIA, BC, March 10. — A jemorial meeting im honor of Wil- 2m Spencer Cockings, otherwise Sn0wn as Bill Spencer, recently re- ‘orted killed in action at Teruel, jpain, was held this week under juspices of Advance Youth Club tere. = ) Following the singing of “Hymn ® a Fallen Comrade,” Wilson Money; president of the AYC, in- roduced William Carson, who Poke on William Spencer, “a very jallant fighter against fascism.” May Day Meet >A united May Day conference li be held at Victory Hall, Sat- “We look confidently to the Labor party to champion genuine “* lective security and a constructive peace policy. tonor Fallen { 99 This cable, signed by J. S. Woods- worth, House leader, and M. J. Coldwell, MP, national chairman, in the name of the CCF national council, has been sent to Major Clement Attlee, British Labor Op- position leader. In the house of commons, M. J. Coiwell declared: “Obviously, the government has decided to answer no questions in regard to Prime Minister Chamberlain’s statements, Anthony Eden’s resignation and the European situation generally. “When Britain is at war, Canada, as part of the British Common- wealth, is at war also; hence, the changes in policy of the British government towards the League of Wations and fascist powers are of utmost importance to Canadian democracy. “The CCF will press for a clear- cut statement and demand that we make our position clear in relation to fascism and the League of Wations. ' “The hope of democracy lies in a general election in Great Britain and the defeat of the national gov- ernment.” day, March 19, 7:30 pm. TIM BUCK WRITES FROM USSR Ramification Of Fascist Intrigue Is Revealed At Moscow Trials Famous Communist Leader Compares Soviet Trial With Own Trial Under Section 98 At Toronto Seven Years Ago (Tim Buck, general Secretary of the Communist Party of Canada, who is now in Moscow attending the trial of the Trotskyist-Right conspirators, writes the following article). MOSCOW, USSR.—The trial of the 21 Right Trotskyist” conspirators, which opened last week-end before the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union, in a court- room crowded with workers’ delegates, foreign diplomatic and press representatives, is produc- ing the most startling evidence ever disclosed of the length that Trotsky, the agent of fascism and international reaction, and the criminal gang allied with him went in their reckless gamble through which they hoped to overthrow Soviet power. Mechanics Jom Union Sixty Sign In City At Organizational Meet Bighty-five auto mechanics at- tended an organization meeting called by the International Asso- ciation of Machinsts, automobile and aircraft section, at the Beatty street Labor temple, Wednesday. More than 60 of them signed appli- cation forms. Speakers were P. Bengough, Birt Showler and Harry Arbuckle, union organizer. Weed for strong organization to stabilize wages and conditions in this trade, at present in a chaotic state, was stressed. Classification of various grades of skilled work- ers was needed, speakers stated, and the weeding out of “chiselling” mechanics who invariably cut wages of trained men. With over 600 garages in Van- couver and New Westminster em- ploying more than 1500 men, mem- bers attending the meeting stated there was a crying need for estab- lishment of a decent wage scale and for proper supervising of ap- prentices, who are often required to do skilled men’s work. Wext week, union applicants will meet to elect their officers and ap- ply for an international charter. Loads Death Cargo Huge quantities of old steel rails are now being loaded aboard the Hiyi Maru at Evans Coleman Evans dock, to feed the Japanese war machine. The 21 accused are indicted with the following charges: Organizing, on the basis of in- structions of Trotsky and the secret services of foreign states hostile to the USSR, with the aim of espio- nage on behalf of these hostile foreign states, wrecking, diversion, terror, the undermining of the mili- tary defense capacity of the Soviet Union, provocation of military at- tack upon the USSR by these pow- ers, defeat of the Soviet Union and its dismemberment by tearing away the Ukraine, White Russia, the Cen- tral Asiatic provinces, Georgia, Ar- menia, Azerbaijan, and the mari- time provinces of the far east on behalf of the aforementioned hostile foreign states, destruction of the existing Socialist republic and state order in the Soviet Union and the restoration of capitalism and the power of the bourgeoisie. The murder of Soviet statesmen and leaders, including Sergei Kirov, Maxim Gorky, Valerian Kuibyshev, and V. K. Menshinsky. Evidence submitted clearly indi- cates that the activities of this “Dloe” long ago ceased to be those of a political movement. For a long time they have carried out direc- tions of the secret service depart- ments of hostile foreign powers — particularly of the fascist states. George Gilbanks Free Saturday George Gilbanks will be released from Oakalla on Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m., after serving a six- month sentence for defamatory libel. Gilbanks accused Chief of Police Gol. W. W. Foster of accepting money in the armory-building deal, and was sued. Much publicity was given this case, and feelings were strongly expressed by both sides. ‘Not Desirous Of Publicity’ Dendoff Doesn’t Want His Name Mentioned Directors of the Japanese-con- trolled Sidney Inlet Mining com- pany, which is developing the old Tidewater copper mine on the west coast of Vancouver Island for shipment of copper concentrates to Japan, are :Toru Matsubara, Skozo Fukukawa, Neilson Spencer, Nasa- ki Ito and Hubert S. Dendoff. But Dendoff doesn’t want any publicity given to the fact that he is a director. A telephone call to Dendoff Springs Ltd., on Second avenue, brought Dendoff to the ‘phone and the following is a stenographie re- port of his conversation with the Advocate: Advocate: Are you a director of the Sidney Inlet Mining company? Dendoff: Yes. What are you go- ing to do about it? Advocate: We intend to give pub- licity to the fact. Dendoff: But I don’t want that. Advocate: Our policy is to give full publicity to those aiding Jap- anese imperialism in its war on China. We feel the public should know who they are. Dendoff: And supposing I said I Was not the same man. The name given is Hubert S. Dendoff. My initials are H. E. Advocate: You have admitted you are a director. i Dendoff: Bi} the name given is Hubert S. Dendoff. What are you going to do about that? Advocate: Give publicity to it. Dendoff: I don’t want publigity and my initials are H. E. Advocate To Hold Dance Sure, And Will We Be Seeing Yez, Mar. 17? While next Thursday, March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day, may mean everything to Irishmen, it also means a lot to the Advocate, be- cause on that night is the big dance, proceeds from which will help refurbish a depleted treasury. Coming as it does at the begin- ning of the press drive, the dance will help to keep the wolf from the door of the Advocate business manager until press drive commit- tees get their second wind in what promises to be a whirlwind cam- paign. Tickets are not going too badly, with $75 for ticket sales turned in and a group of Advocate fans “mopping up” in the last week be- fore the dance. And the prepara- tions show that the Town Hall at Burrard and Pender will present a lively scene. Fishermen Confer On UnityHere Delegates To Meeting Clarify Attitude On Japanese Fishermen In BC. —<$—$<$_ SEEK ONE UNION Progress toward unity of all fishermen’s organizations was made at a joint fishermen’s conference held this week at the Georgia Hotel. The conter- ence also clearly defined its at- titude towards Japanese fisher- men. Sixteen delegates attended, rep- resenting the Federated Fisher- men’s Council; Vancouver and New Westminster Trades and Tabor Council; Pacifie Coast Fishermen’s Union, BC branch; Salmon Purse Seiners’ Union of the Pacific, Local 6; BC Trollers’ Association. Three of these were American delegates, P. Bengough, Secretary of the Trades and Labor Council, told the conference that rank and file fish- ermen were not the obstacle to unity. Officials of several unions were the offenders, he declared, Delegates from Salmon Purse Seiners and Géillnetters’ unions Stated their instructions’ were to support any logical proposal for unity. The name of a union was not important. The main issue was to unite all fishermen and af- filiate with the legitimate trade union movement of BGC, they de- elared. J. EF. Jurich, president of the Federated Fishermen's Council and secretary of the Salmon Purse Seimers, -was of the opinion that the headquarters of his union would be willing to relinquish the BC local if it would aid unity. American delegates addressed the conference on the importance of fishermen being organized on both sides of the line to combat low fish prices. The position of organized labor toward Japanese fishermen was stated by Secretary Bengough. After being an organizer for the Asiatic Exclusion League several . years ago, said Bengough, he found that the main objective of this organization was to exclude ori- entals from business competition and land ownership. They were not concerned with excluding them from the labor market. “As a result of these experi- ences,” the trades council secretary stated, “the trade union movement decided that the best course left was to organize them, and there are now two Japanese unions, one of which is composed of Japanese fishermen, chartered by the Trades and Labor Council and seated on the Trades and Labor Council,” ‘Combat High Living Costs’ Suggestion that Vancouver combat present high prices of “Prices of bread, milk and butter hardships are worked on thousands of families with small incomes,’ she declared. “Throughout the city women are complaining of the high cost of living. They can win lower prices if they will organize.” s This statement drew loud ap- plause from a packed hall. Mrs. Forkin -cited actions of housewives in Toronto who were organizing against high living costs, picketing stores and urging a boy- cott of butter until the price was lowered. In Toronto, she said, the House- wives’ Association had been formed and women in other Ontario cities were also organizing to win lower staple food prices. Speakers at the meeting, held this year under the slogan “Against War and Fascism,” were Ald. Hel- ena Gutteridge, Mrs. Stuart Jamie- son and Miss Annie Wong, with Mrs. Annie Stewart in the chair. Support for the boycott of goods made in Japan was urged and a resolution demanding an embargo of shipments of Canadian war ma- terials unanimously adopted. have risen to a point where great¢ Housewives’ Organization Could Win Lower Prices housewives should organize to staple foods was advanced by Mrs. Peggy Forkin, provincial committee member of the Com- munist party, at the International Women’s Day meeting held last Sunday in Victory Hall here. Nemetz Spain Vice-Consul Vancouver Barrister Represents Republic Nathan Nemetz, young Vancou- ver barrister, has been appointed vice-consul for the Spanish Repub- lican government in Western Canada. WNemetz is an executive member of Vancouver and New Westmin- ster Youth Council, an active mem- ber of the Canadian League for Peace and Democracy here and has long been prominent in the pro- gressive movement in this city. Consul-General for the Spanish government in Canada is Jose Tomas Piera, in Montreal. Endorses Insurance MATSOQUI, BC, March 10.—_Mats- qui municipal council has endorsed. federal unemployment insurance.