é The People’s Advocate Western Canada’s Leading Progressive Newspaper "ULL No. 167. oS ‘Published Weekly Single Copies: 5 Cents VOL. IV., No. 11 ‘| Projects | Continue v Bleak Prospect As «a; Closing Of Camps 2, Nears. UNREST GROWS Rumors of a march to Vic- S)joria from numerous forestry 4 ioe boyroject camps on the Island, re circulating at union head- an Uarters of the Relief Project ing Vorkers, 60 West Cordova Street, this week. With a constant influx of young yien into Vancouver after working t§rojects, the Advocate learned that it iany Island camp commiitees are iseussing the advisability of or- anizing a “protest trek” to the seat £ provincial government next ienth- in a statement to the Advocate, #nion officials announced that the roposal had arisen spontaneously, nd that a general fear of beggary nd starvation was the cause. “What else can the government spect of Canadian boys who read epeated warnings in the press that 3© several months all work will be losed down, with no prospect of slief,” Secretary John Matts asked. fe eould furnish no details of the #roposed demonstration. Matts stated that Island camps rould be closed down by the middle iff April and after that the young rorkers would have to live on $4 a- reek until their deferred wages an out. He calculated that in a 2w weeks the men would again be estitute- A request that the government Sep the forestry project camps pen, will be the main objective of fe proposed trek, the Advocate sarned. ry Pot bon oa by) a ners rhe Single Men Facing VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1938 D JOBLESS PLAN TREK TO VICTORIA Fascists Use Newest Planes In Air Raids BARCELONA, Spain, March 24. —More than 400 Italian and Ger- man planes have been added to General Franco’s air fleet in the past few weeks. In addition to large numbers of Junker 52, Hein- kels 3 and 51, squadrons of new Messerschmidt, Falke, Brummer and Desaws have taken part in re- cent air attacks. The last is a large fighter plane with seven machine-guns and a small can- non. Wew Italian planes delivered to the fascists include Fiat, Isota- Fraschini, Savoia-Marchetti, Ca- proni, Alfa and Masseratti makes. Youth Meet At Victoria -Prepare For ’Peg National Congress VICTORIA, BC, March 24 — Forty-seven delegates attended ses- sions of the two-day all-inclusive Victoria Young Conference, held in the YWCGA, last Saturday and Sun- day. Resolutions passed will form the basis of representations to the Provincial Youth Council on April 18, to be co-ordinated at that time with findings of other conferences in BC for presentation to the Wa- tional Youth Congress when it meets at Winnipeg in May. Rev. Bryce Wallace, who deliv- ered the keynote address of the con- ference, showed the value of work done by the Youth Council move- ment as an educational force in the community. Rev. A. =. Whitehouse, who is an executive member of the Leasue of Nations Society, spoke on the International Qutlook for Youth Today. Donald McBean, rep- resenting the continuations com- mittee of the Canadian Youth Con- gress, outlined its national policy and illustrated the manner in which international youth organizations co-operate. J. Grundle, represent- ing the Graduate Student Christian Movement of UBG, told of the work undertaken by his organization. Wigel Morgan was chairman of the conference Are You A WYFIP? yvrong impression. ‘Expect May Day Record Twenty-one Unions At initial Meeting Organized labor in Vancouver is }=xpected to demonstrate its grow- @no¢g strength by record participation @n this year’s May Day celebrations. © At the large representative con- ‘erence, which met last Saturday it Victory Hall to plan preliminary ietails, 21 trade unions were rep- sesented, in addition to delegates from 14 mass organizations and sight branches of political parties. Bill Stewart, of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Union, was qnanimously chosen chairman of the May Day conference. Sam Shearer, Brotherhood of Railway Sarmen, was elected secretary, and =. Baas, Communist party section organizer, treasurer. Tom Ewen, Communist party leader, addressed the conference on the historical importance of May Day. Among members of the steering Sommiuttee of nineteen elected were: Atiss J. Cameron, West End CCF; i'w. Bell, Bakers’ Union; H. Gardin- sr, Boot and Shoe Workers’ Union; VAlex Fordyce, Bricklayers; Hisman, *“Sarpenters; G. Cassian, Painters; 'W. Gateman, Local 28; Hudson, TILA; Mrs. Evans, Mothers’ Coun- ‘cil; Constantine, Tailors; Mrs. Ro- imack, GP; Wang, Chinese Protec- ‘tice Association; Jackson, TLGW; ‘M, Rush, YCL. ' Tentative plans for this year’s lcelebrations include a march from ambie Street grounds to Lumber- lman’s Arch and a free picnic for ‘children. Hor the evening a mem- ‘orial meeting, under auspices of ‘the Friends of the Mackenzie- ‘Papineau Battalion, is being or- Press Drive Committee Really Starts Something By HAROLD GRIFFIN Are you a WYFIP? If not, why not? But first, ’d better explain. Otherwise if you should see 3111 Ravenor, Bill Purvis or myself galloping along Hastings Wtreet chanting “Tallyho!” or “Yoicks!” you're likely to get the ganized, ‘3 It happened like this. We were working away in the Advocate of fice, the three of us, getting this week’s issue ready for bed and wishing we were there too, when we came, as all of us must, to the press drive report, Wow the press drive report isn’t easy to write. Everyone reads it, if only to accuse us on Friday morn- ing of having left this or that dona- tion out, and you can’t say the same thing two weeks running without being accused of plagiarism. “What's the matter with us?” de- manded Purvis. ““Lhis reads like an obituary. Why can’t we be bright and snappy?” “Tike the boys on the Clarion,” Ravenor added gratuitously. We let that pass. After all, we're entitled to our own opinions. Then I picked up a copy of New Masses. And there it was. “Be a Veteran More than ever, loyalist Spain needs the active help and support of all Ca- nadian democrats. Beset by the armed might of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, betrayed-by the hypocritical policies of the Chamberlain government, the Spanish people and their army are yet holding back the black tide of fascism. Here is shown one of the many ambulances contributed by Ganadian and’ American anti-fascists. Named for Tom Ewen, central committee member of the Communist Party of Canada, this ambulance is stated by Barcelona officials to have done “magnificent work on the Teruel front.” At the wheel is Tommy Sims, of New Westminster, BC. Oil Companies Expropriated Mexican Government Takes Over Properties MEXICO CITY, DF, March 24.— (FP)—Moving to free itself from the yoke of foreign imperialism and to protect its workers from exploitation, the Mexican povern- ment has taken over control of 17 American and British oil com- panies, headed by Royal Dutch, Shell and Standard Oil, represent- ing an investment of $450,000,000. As President Cardenas continued to receive hundreds of expressions of support for his policy from all sections of the population, indica- tions appeared that the Mexican mining industry may be taken over. Mine unions wired Cardenas con- gratulating him for his stand. They pointed to their own “difficult and bitter situation.” In a telegram sent to the main labor bodies of democratic coun- tries asking for the moral support of international labor in the action taken, the Mexican Confederation of Workers (CTM) observed: “Official investigation has shown that capital invested in Mexico by these companies was regained more than ten years ago, that interest obtained by these enterprises has averaged 34 per cent in recent years and that production per worker in Mexico is 2300 barrels daily, as compared to 600 in the US. On the other hand, the com- panies are in the privileged posi- tion where they sell in Mexico gaso- line of the worst quality at prices See PRESS | (Continued on page 6) 193 per cent higher than in the US, while lubricants are sold at prices 300 per cent higher,” ‘Labor News Highlights’ Advocate To Go On Air | _. Twice Weekly April 1 2 CGommencing Friday, April 1, Labor News Highlights, the People’s Advocate news broadcast over Radio Station CKMO in Vancouver, with Harold Griffin, acting editor, as ecommen- tator, will go on the air twice weekly. Since the beginning of the years this program has been broadcast every Sunday morning at 9:45 and has rapidly gained a wide circle of listeners. Wext Sunday, March 27, the pro- gram will be heard at the usual time and on Friday, April J, it will switch to the new time, 6:00-6:15 p.m. Thereafter, it will be broad- cast every Tuesday and Friday eve- ning at this time. Dr. R. Liewellyn Douglas, prom- inent city dentist, who is cooperat- ing with the Advocate in present- ing these programs, remarked this week: “J am well pleased with the pro- gram. From all comment, it has quickly established itself as a popular feature and, I believe, is providing listeners with an inval- uable source of information on the many issues today. The coopera- tion given by many of the trade unions shows that labor welcomes such a news channel.” By WM. PURVIS Annual grants of $1,000 from the provincial government and $9,000 from Vancouver Welfare Federa- tion apparently are not enough to finance the budget of this institu- tion, and a deficit of several thou- Sands faces those interested in it for various reasons. Meanwhile, the Abbot House telephone must be answered. Reason for the rapid disappear- ance of local and provincial grants is that Vancouver people heeded Warning advertisements from Ab- bott House and promptly directed panhandlers to its doors. Had not the average home-owner donated to Welfare funds? No Increased Grant Not so long ago, an appeal to the provincial government for an extra grant to meet growing needs of Abbot House would have ob- tained sympathetic hearing. Street demonstrations are not so good. But it is different today. The an- swer from Victoria is $1,000 is the limit. This answer is in perfect accord with the now famous Purvis Re- port of the dominion government, main findings of which state that municipalities must feed all in- See ABBOT HOUSE (Continued on page 6) ‘Keep Butter Off Table’ Welfare’s Advice To Families Asking Aid “Butter the bread before the meal and keep the butter off the table.’ This and other free advice is be- ing given daily to families appeal- ing for help at 1675 West Tenth avenue, headquarters of Family Welfare Bureau, a charity organ- ization subsidized by grants from Vancouver Welfare Federation. A family of three, which had been limited for some months to a relief allowance of $15 a month, and had managed to obtain small additional sums periodically from this organization, was refused fur- ther assistance recently and, in- stead, given a food budget to cost $7.47 over two weeks. The list is as follows: Milk, 21 quarts, $2.10; bread, 18 loaves, $1.35; meat, 40 cents; fish, 12 cents; 1 dozen eggs, 25 cents; oranges, bananas, apples or other fruit, 30 cents; sugar, 4 lbs,, 23 cents; butter, 75 cents; potatoes, earrots and other vegetables, 75 cents; coffee or tea, 25 cents; rice, cheese, shortening, dried peas and beans, 97 cents. ' “Helpful Hints” in mimeographed form are issued to those who apply for assistance, and beside sugges- tions of keeping certain foods off the table, housewives areé-urged to .“‘save some supplies for the end of the week,” and “start cereals the night before,” cooking Abbot House Reflects Studied Relief Policies Of Government Vancouver Citizens Demand Reasons Why Single Unemployed Men Are Refused Assistance At Pogey Abbbot House, the dubious and much advertised city refuge for destitute single men, is in an unenviable positon today. On the one hand its sponsors obtain prominent advertisements in Vancouver daily papers, stating its claims to a healthful regime, the while citizens are warned not to tolerate beggars but refer them to Abbot House. On the other hand, indignant housewives phone to this establishment to cheek up on stories of hardship from Canadian boys, who de- clare that Abbot House has turned them away. =~ : YCL Holds _ Convention ~Youth Meet Ones At Victory Hall Saturday With the provincial convention only one day away, headquarters of the Young Communist League is a hive of activity. Young artists are working on banners, displays and slogans, and the office is busy with sound of cluttering typewrit- ers, while worried committee mem- bers pore over reports and resolu- tions. The arrangements committee has planned accommodation for more than 12 out-of-town delegates: Opening at 1 p.m. this Saturday the convention, to be held in Vic- tory Hall, will continue through Sunday. That bewildering events in Hur- ope and the widespread uncertain- ty of young people as to their posi- tion toward the struggle between democracy and fascism, have creat- ed great interest in ‘the convention, is the conviction of Maurice Rush, the league’s provincial secretary. “This convention ‘will mark a turning point in the work of the Young Communist League. There is a definite trend toward organi- zation for a better life among the youth of BC, and the YCL will not lag behind,” he stated. The main report by Rush will be given at 2 p.m. On Sunday at 10 a.m., Jack Phillips will give the organizational report. Beginning at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, the Teague will stage a Pageant of Youth. There will be gymnastics, wrestling, folk dancing, followed by a dance. : Ghurch Women Back Meet On Living Costs In a resolution sent this week to W. R. Bradbury, organizer for Greater Yancouver House- wives’ League the Women’s As- Sociation of -the First United Chureh endorsed the principal of next Monday’s conference on high living costs. The association offers full co-operation with any movement having as its aim reduction of butter, meat and bread prices. Its resolution urges that milk “be lowered in price but not in standard, and that the publie be free to purchase raw or pasteur- ized.” Labor Rights Recognized Gov’t Supports Union Rights, Says Rogers OTTAWA, March 24.—The right of workers to organize and join unions has the full support of the Dominion government, Hon. Nor- man Rogers, labor minister, told the house of commons this week. This statement was made during discussion on the amendment to the Criminal Gode, introduced by CCF leader, J. S. Woodsworth, un- der which any employer dismiss- ing or refusing to hire workers for membership in a trade union would be guilty of an offense. Minister of Justice fMrnest La- pointe opposed it on the ground the right to organize is a civil one belonging to the provinces. British Columbia members, An- gus Macinnis and A, W. Neill, agreed that while the government stand was probably “legally right,” the provinces had failed to pro- vide adequate protection for work- ers in this regard. Weill stated that, despite provin- cial law, lumber operators on the Coast maintained a blacklist, dis- criminated against workers and eaused widespread dissatisfaction and discontent. Angus MacInnis cited wholesale discrimination arising from the Burns Company lockout. The bill was not put to a vote. Teachers For Union Affiliation BC Convention-To Discuss Question Of Affiliation to Trades Congress... —— ; MOVE FAVORED When the annual convention of BC Teachers’ Federation meets in Victoria during Faster vacation, the vexed question of trade union affiliation will stand out sharply. With the detaileq report of an especially appointed committee on this question, which declares in favor of affiliation with Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, many hitherto obscure objections will be nullified. Analysis of the fairly exhaustive findings show the following argu- ments in favor of affiliation: (1). That the interests of teach- ers are closely bound up with those of workers generally. (2). That economic depressions take heavy toll of teachers’ salaries, which can only be remedied by or ganization. : (3). That trade unions have checked many attempts to curtail educational facilities, and stand for higher living standards. (4). That the Trades and Labor Congress represents a unified force for the general welfare. (5). That affiliation will help to break down prejudices against “teachers’ superiority.”’ (6). That teachers need allies in their struggle for better educational standards, and higher salaries. (7). That affiliation will broaden the horizon of the profession from present academic grooves, (8). That the federation will grow stronger in its internal organization. Mac=Paps Slandered Communist Party Raps — Salmon Arm Newspaper SALMON ARM, BC, March 24—(Special)—Terming it “a vile slander calculated to besmirch the fine record of Canadian volunteers in Spain and alienate public support of the Friends of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion,” the Communist party here has challenged the Salmon Arm Observer either to prove a recent statement questioning the use of funds collected or retract it. In its Looking Glass, Observer stated: “One sometimes wonders if those gullible persons who supported the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion and the various funds which were to be used to aid the wounded and the homeless, ever stopped to enquire just where the money went and how it was used. Rumors have been current that a lot of this hard- earned cash had been used to pay the expenses of various young men and women to France, whence they go to Spain, but instead of going to Spain many of them deserted and went to England and are even now enjoying a holiday in the old land. At whose expense?” For a long time past this weekly paper has followed a reactionary policy and on more than one occasion has misrepresented the Friends. column, Through the Salmon Arm Democracies Can Halt War American Labor Raps Isolationist Policies NEW YORK, March 24.—(FP).—Numerous trade union leaders have joined with educators, writers, editors, legislators, churchmen and others in signing a statement calling for inter- national co-operation by the democratic nations of the world and condemning isolationism. “International cooperation by the peace forces of the world is today urgently necessary to avoid a new world conflict,” the statement, re- leased by the American League for Peace and Democracy, says. “The wars now raging. in Spain and China threaten to involve other nations and in the end to result in a new world war- *We believe that President Roosevelt’s memorable Chicago speech, calling for a quarantine of ‘the aggressors, opened the way for international cooperation. “Aggressor nations have, until now, used our isolationism and our so-called neutrality to go ahead with their plans of imperial con- quest, moral opposition or real economic pressure. We believe that by moral pressure and by economic measures these fascist aggressors can be stopped and world peace main- tained.” thes unopposed by any strong ‘Labor Must Unite Ranks’ —Howard Costigan Division Cost Labor Recent Civic Election SEATTLE, Wash. March 24,— (FP)—Unity within the US labor movement must be achieved within the next few months, or organized labor in the west coast states runs a grave danger of being shackled with compulsory incorporation and other repressive measures, accord- ing to Howard G. Costigan, execu- tive secretary of the Washington Commonwealth Federation. “Tabor must prove to the public that it can halt its civil war. Then it will be in a position to educate public opinion on the real purpose behind compulsory incorporation and show that it has the public's interest at heart in fighting such measures,” Costigan told Federated Press. é The leader of the progressive political bloc, which in the last eouple of years has placed several winners on the Democratic ticket, was commenting on the recent Séattle elections, the wave of union arrests in Oregon, the resurgence of vigilante groups in California and the drive for incorporation along the whole west coast. 2 Contrasting labor’s political vic- tories in New York and the Pitts- burgh area with its failure to make the grade in Detroit, Akron and Seattle, Costigan said that unity and harmony in union ranks are the best barometer of success in the electoral field. Costigan estimates that labor's civil war in Seattle cost more than 10,000 votes.