~! DOMINIONS ALARMED AT PRO-FASCIST ORIENTATION

WIDE OPPOSITION TO CHAMBERLAIN POLICY

National Government Estimated

| To Have Lost

RITALIN has been drawn closer to the Berlin-Rome

axis. Rather than face the possibility of a repub-
lican victory in Spain and the consequent explosion of
the myth of fascist mvincibility which, in turn, would
accelerate the movement for a people’s front through-
out Europe, Britain is deliberately permitting Hitler to
pursue a policy of expansion and domination in Eu-
rope. And as yet, only a small minority of British im-
perialists see as a possible result of this policy, not the

the Soviet Union, but a Nazi-German imperialisrir dom-
inating Europe and challenging the British Empire.
This briefly, is the position of the Chamberlain gov-
ernment today as it emerges from the storm of fascist
aggression which has transformed Austria from an in-

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dependent state to a German province and enabled
Franco to make deep inroads into loyalist territory.

The Chamberlain government abandoned Austria to
its fate, conveniently forgetting Sir Samuel Hoare’s
statement to the house of commons in July, 1934, after
Premier Dolfuss’ assassination, that “the right of

heped for forging of a new offensive weapon against -

2,000,000 Votes

Austria to demand that there should be no interference
in her internal affairs” was fully recognized by
Britain. Without SBritish consent,
without Chamberlain’s refusal to sup-
port France in its desire to make a
stand, Hitler could never have
marched into Austria unopposed.

The Chamberlain government, by
its evasion of obligations, has now
abandoned Czechoslovakia. It hopes,
no doubt, that Nazi economic pressure
from without and Nazi terrorism from
within will enable Czechoslovakia to
be brought within the Nazi orbit
without resort to open invasion, when
French and Soviet Russian guaran-
tees would become operative.

The Spanish Republican govern-
ment is likewise being abandoned,
although Britain has consistently worked for a Franco
victory, first through non-intervention, long since ex-

By
Harold Griffin

posed for the farce it is, and now through its professed
faith in the worthless promises of Mussolini. This pro-
vides the Chamberlain government with the excuse to
continue British-Italian negotiations while Franco at-
tempts to consummate the advantage enormous quanti-
ties of planes, artillery and munitions and large num-
bers of troops: all supplied by Germany and Italy, have
given him. .

In the meantime, Britain’s attacks on the French
People’s Front continue with increasing fury as, des-
pite governmental defeats, the front itself remains un-
broken. Chamberlain hopes to foist a rightist govern-
ment on France, friendly to Hitler, thus completing the
unity of reaction in Europe and cutting off the Soviet
Union. That this fascist machine, once created, and
standing astride Europe’s peoples, may turn its atten-
tion to the British Empire instead is a danger either
unrealized or ignored.

All the facts point to one thing. Chamberlain’s
policy, formulated behind the scenes by what has come
to be known as the Cliveden set, by Major Astor of the
London Times and his influential group, is deliberate
and calculating. In its fear of the growing strength of
the British working class, the ruling clique will go to
any lengths. Its willingness to sacrifice democracy
arises from a greater fear of what may happen at home
than of fascism abroad.

Any conception that Britain, through separate ne-

} Foreign Oftice.

, sharp

gotiations with Italy, may weaken the BerlinsRome
axis, has already been exposed as a false hope. The
only tangible effect of Britain’s treating with Italy has
been a strengthening of the Berlin-Rome axis and a
bolder policy of fascist aggression.

No Majority Support é

That the policies of the Chamberlain government are
not supported by the great majority of the British peo-
ple becomes increasingly evident as opposition, still
disunited, still lacking leadership but nevertheless
deeprooted, finds expression.

The Labor party and the trade unions have made
their policy of opposition to the government's policies”
clear in official statements. Trade unions which
hitherto have supported the government’s armament
program are now making it evident that they do not
consider the program a substitute for policy.

In a recent statement, A. M. Wall, secretary of the
London Trades Council, representing 300,000 trade
unionists, declared:

“The government must be made to realize that we
are making these armaments, or Supporting their
manufacture, solely for the purpose of resisting ag-
gression. We have only been prepared to make the
sacrifices necessary to make our country strong in re-
turn for the pledge that we should only defend our-
selves and other peace-loving nations against aggres-
sors indicted by the League of Nations.

Western

Canada’s

Leading

Progressive

The Peoples Advocate

Newspaper

® “If the government has tern up

that pledge, then the trade union
movement might well be com-
pelled to reconsider its previous de-
cisions. I solemnly warn the gov-
ernment: Do not go on unheeding—
ly with your armament program,
believing that the workers will
make your armaments indefinitely

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY,

APRIL 1, 1938

and unquestioningly.”

Espionage
Disclosures
Ire France

4 Revelations Made At

Moscow Trials Cause
Great Embarrassment
To Britain.

| QUESTIONS IN HOUSE

LONDON, Eng, March 31.
—Disclosures at the Moscow
trials have caused acute em-
barrassment in the British
Questions in
parliament have raised the
matter of the breaking of
Britain’s pledge not to interfere
in the internal affairs of the USSR.
Miss Winkinson engaged in a
skirmish with Premier
Chamberlain, who denied any Brit-
ish espionage activity on the part
of the highiy-piaced persons named
in the trials. Miss Wilkinson count-
ered by asking why so many of
these persons had recently been
lecturing on their connections with
the British Intelligence Service.

Zt is noted that Alan Monk-
house’s newly-published book,
‘Moscow, 1911-33,’ after mention-
ing meeting Lady Muriel Paget in
Siberia with her nursing corps,
states that large quantities of mu-
nitions were smuggled out of Rus-
sia. “Every waggon-load of muni-
tions was labelled “Swedish Red
Cross,’ apparently to detract atten-
tion from its real contents,” he
writes.

At the same time, difficulties
have arisen for Whitehall through
revelations of British activity in
trying to break the Franco-Soviet
Pact through the medium of the
men convicted as traitors in Mos-
cow.

The French Conseil Superieure
de Ja Guerre is sharply aroused by
this discovery, which proves that
the British General Staff, which
has a military understanding with
them and engages in military con-
versations on mutual defence, has
been working behind their backs
to breek their main alliance.

NEW YORE, March 31.—(FP)—
One hundred prominent Liberals
have petitioned the home munister
of Japan for freedom of 400 Japa-
nese professors and other leaders
imprisoned since the invasion of
China began. '

UNEMPLOYMENT DROP

New Zealand Won’t

Cut Social Measures

Labor Gov’t Has Made Preparations
To Meet Depression, Says Premier

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 31.—A denial that
Wew Zealand could not afford its social services on the present

improved scale if an overseas

depression occurred was made

here by Labor Premier Michael J. Savage.
Comprehensive plans, he said, had been made to meet a

depression. ©

Legislation would be introduced in June widening the scope
of the existing pensions scheme to make old-age pensions ap-
plicable to those of statutory age who had ten years’ residence

in the country.

The step would give temporary relief to the poorer people
until the superannuation scheme came into operation.

liabor’s policy, he continued, was to give the dominion a
steadily rising level of prosperity, instead of a succession of

booms and slumps. Taxation to
provide for social services was
part of the government’s policy
of re-distributing the national in-
come,

if bad times occurred overseas

the standard of living would be
protected by maintaining wage
rates and protecting the income oi
the farmers,

There would be no cutting of
public works on the score of econ-
omy.

Public credit had been used to
restore prosperity, and he would
not hesitate to use it further when-
ever the necessity arose.

Premier Savage said that since
December, 1935, unemployment had
been reduced from 57,000 to less
than 10,000, private income had in-
creased by 36 percent in two years
to $185,000,000, while taxation rev-
enue had increased by $50,000,000.

The extra money left for the
people was $135,000,000 which ap-
peared to be a good dividend.

He declared that there had been
an expansion of business and fac-
tory activities since the govern-
ment assumed office, and also a
Substantial increase in incomes of
the small farmers.

OCF To Meet

PORTLAND, Ore., March 31.—
More than 400 delegates are expect-
ed to attend the conference called
by the Oregon Commonwealth Fed-
eration next month, when candi-
dates for the forthcoming state
and congressional elections will be
nominated.

Spring Menu
For Germans

‘Meat Consumption
Must Not Increase’

BERLIN, Germany, March 31.—
Germany’s spring menu has been
announced by Dr. Rosenbrock, de-
partmental head of the Reichs
Farmers Board. It reads:

“The 20 percent to 25 percent
cut in fat consumption must con-
tinue.

“The shortage of eggs will con-
tinue despite increased laying in
spring, as the government has to
consider next winter.

“Meat consumption must not in-
erease. it must be adapted to
available supplies. The consump-
tion of pork must be reduced.

“The consumption of white bread
and bread made of mixed wheat
must decrease. More black bread
should be eaten, instead. This
should be no special sacrifice to
the consumer.

“The shortage of albumen in the
diet can be met by a larger con-
sumption of skimmed milk.

“Preference should be given to
potatoes. Potato flour should also
be used.”’

Boycott Japanese Goods.

‘Arms From

Into Mexico

Fascist Preparations
For Attempt Against
Cardenas Government
Exposed.

GOW NR INVOLVED

MEXICO CITY, DF, March
31. — Great importations of
arms from the United States
over the border of the Mexican
state of Sonora were exposed
this week by the investigations
made by reporters of El] Machete,
weekly paper published here by the
Communist party. The weapons
could only be for the purpose of
an attempt to overthrow by vio-
lence the Cardenas government.

El Machete revealed that the
principal agentS in the gun run-
ning are Jose and Pablo Rebey,
two landlords of the state who
were prominent in the clerical, re-
actionary counter-reyolution of Hs-
cobar in 1929.

Both the Rebey brothers are fol-
lowers of the state governor, Ra-
mon Yocupicio.

Another sinister figure connected
with the import of arms is found
to be Alfredo Duarte, former chief
of police of Arizpe, Sonora, also
an intimate friend of Yocupicio.

The importation of guns in-
creased rapidly, El Machete point-
ed out, as the oil company situa-
tion grew more tense. Governor
Yocupicio has long been known to
be an enemy of the united-front
federal government of Lazaro Car-
denas, and usually in actual de-
fiance of the federal laws, especial-
ly those for protection of labor.

Cardenas'’s failure to suppress
Yocupicio by force of arms and es-
tablish the authority of the federal
government is thought to be due
to the president’s desire to accom-
plish as much of his progressive
program as possible without open
civil war, on the theory that time
weakens the reaction and
strengthens and unifies the pro-
gressive forces.

NEW YORK, Mareh 31.—(HP)—
One hundred sixty New York City
hotels belonging to the Hotel Asso-
ciation and employing 60,000 work-
ers have entered into an agreement
with Hotel and Club Employee's
Local 6 and three other cooperat-
ing AFL unions.

of its type on the Coast.
Imperial Products are being featured exclusively ... .

IMPERIAL)

ae eS

.. . and Fuels and Lubricants for all types of Marine, Automotive and Stationary

US Smuggled |

Effect

of the Chamberlain government’s
Europe. Above is shown part of the long queue
outside the Polish Consulate, as Jews and others
sought yisas to flee from Vienna in face of the terrorism which swept
the city following Hitler’s entry. Below are loyalists taken prisoner in
Eranco’s drive on the Mediterranean, made possible by Italian and Ger-
man aid and Chamberlain’s objective assistance to the fascist dictator
ships. The captured loyalists are shown doing the lockstep in the jail yard.

2,000,000 Votes Lost

Among Liberals and large numi-
bers of voters who supported the
national government in 1935 on its
policy of collective security, there
has arisen considerable resentment
against the government’s
obvious betrayal of Hurope’s re-
maining democracies.

policies in

ment has lost at least 2,000,000
votes, and the process of disillu-

the opposition has not yet found
expression, although hundreds of
public meetings to protest the dis-
missal of Eden and the govern-
ments pro-tascist policy have been
held up and down the country. But
many a Conservative MP is per-
turbed over reports coming in from
his constituency.

There is talk of a general elec-
tion in the fall, but there is no
doubt that if the government went
to the people now it would meet
overwhelming defeat.

Writing in the London Evening
Standard (Conservative), Winston
Churchill states:

“The sudden and lamentable
events which have taken place in
England during the last fortnight
must not be exaggerated.

“They ave greatly weakened
the Conservative party in the con-
stituencies. The Liberal, Labor and
non-party voters whem Mr. Bald-
win had painstakingly gathered,
have been summarily dismissed and

the opening of the recently completed Imperial Marine Service Station . . . at
Sointula, B.C. This new Station in both design and equipment is the most modern

Imperial “‘Premier’’ and “3-Star’’ Gasoline

Imperial Diesel Oils
Imperial Marvelube Motor Oils

Engines. . .. YOUR REGULAR PATRONAGE IS SOLICITED.

SOINTULA COOPERATIVE STO)
Distributors at Sointula, pee of MEERIAL Ou BRODUT T-

mixreS

will not be easy to recall.

“In Mr. Eden the national goy-
ernment has lost its only popular
figure. A fortnight ago it could
have appealed to the electors with
confidence. No friend could recom-
mend it to do so now.”

Dominions Alarmed

The effect of Chamberlain’s open
orientation towards fascism wpon
the dominions, and in particular
upon Australia and New Zealand,
has been one of consternation.
Among all political parties in Aus-
tralia there is a growing feeling
that the object of British policy is
to save the fascist dictatorships
from internal collapse even at a
high cost to empire security. They
are concerned for the safety of
their sea communications.

The Sydney Morning Herald
(Conservative) writes that “a radi-
cal change in policy has occurred
without prior consultation with
the dominions.” The Sydney Sun
asks whether Australians are to be
dragged at the tail of British for-
eign policy regardless of the will
of the people.

South African newspapers are

protesting against what they call
“a surrender to blackmail.”
“The question before the British
people now is: Can Chamberlain
pursue a pro-fascist policy of co-
operation with the dictatorships
without following an ever more Tre
actionary line at home? The an-
swer is contained in the govern-
ment’s hints of regimentation of
labor, of veiled threats as to what
“may be necessary.”

Unite Opposition

If the mounting opposition to the
national government can be united
around the demands of a people's
front, not all the hypocrisy, all the
double-dealing of the British Tories
can save them at the polls. :

But the time to save Britain
from the darkening threat of
fascism grows shorter. Tf Canada
and the other dominions demand a
stand of the democracies against
fascism, if Canada and the other
dominions refuse to be dragged
through the mire of British dip=
lomacy and break with the present
policy, Ghamberlain can yet be
made to reconsider his position.
And Canadian and empire public
opinion can play an effective role
in forcing such reconsideration.

The strength of the democracies
is still greater than that of the
fascist countries, provided it can
be united. The new attack of re-
action in Europe is also a sign of
the narrowing internal base of the
dictatorships, 2 sign that they have
alienated influential groups which
formerly supported them, and a
sign that they fear the new
strength of the democracies.

all-too=~

it is estimated that the govern-~

Sionment is continuing, Much of ~