Page Two THE PEOPLE’s ADVOCATE Published Weekly by the PROLETARIAN LISHING ASSOCIATION 909 10, 163 Ww. Hastings Street ancouver, B.C, Phone, Trin. 2019 them the vital necessity of exercising caution. The cause of most accidents in the past has been the ter- rible pace at which the work is Carried on. What are brok- en limbs, or mangled bodies, when dividends are to be Onecare eros $1.80 paid? “Drive them, speed Halt, Year $1.00 them up! If they can’t stand gee Months Stress 50 it well get others who can!” imple Copyy set se. 05 Flesh and blood can only stand so much. Driven beyond a certain point the nerves fail to respond quickly, the mus- eles move a little slower, and Make All Cheques Payable to- The People’s Advocate ERIDAY, APRIL. 29, 1938 then ...! It is then not a case Hitler’s Slave Code of carelessness but of physical I exhaustion. n Quebec The bulk of the accidents HEN fairweather friends this year are attributed to the St dsmase ooh. ©™mployment of inexperienced, poohed the idea fetihe Que: rece ee ps the ee: ie ; ere are lots of experience use Beoek aoe ee aes loggers idle who are denied Bad , employment because of the aoe : ae ee blacklist, but the employers 2 “> r ~ short-sighted The predictions DPeler ™ep, perhaps {rom the 7 2 out al © wasis fneraselyes in the woods before. It seems as Wer os ot DEPOTS Sra 9= that a partially-trained re- eae cople like R. L. Calder, serve is being built up, maybe ca) 2 » that the padlock law Was to be in a better position to a forerunner of more legisla- enforce a wace cub Sad ce = Se S So 3 S Ze n of a similar anti-labor tainly in an attempt to breal character, have come true the losers inion. with a vengeance. 25 : Something has to be done A few days ago the Quebec about it. This reign of death legislature prorogued. Before must be stopped. The general doing so the Duplessis major- public should be acquainted ity passed two bills, and enact- with the facts and demands ed them into law. They strike : made of the government that at the very foundations of the it institute a Safety First cam- labor movement, for they de- aign in the logging industry, > . p gs oS Stroy every major right un- nq that it insist that Safety ions have enjoyed. First regulations be carried Bills 19 and 20 do the fol- (4; by the employers. lowing: There should be a sovern- The Quebec government, iment commission — with one without previous consultation jrember a representative of or notice; can change or can- ine ynion — to investigate cel any collective agreement between employers and em- ployees, simply at its own good pleasure. The government and its friends, the wealthy contrac- tors, are exempt from paying union wages. The closed shop is outlawed; strike-breaking is legalized, and the only recourse of any worker fired for union mem- bership is dependent on the whim of the attorney-general (Premier Duplessis) . The government, by decree, can change any ruling of the Fair Wage Board, and such rulings, often setting rates be- low those of existing collec- tive agreements, can take pri- ority Over union agreements if the sovernment so decrees. Bill 88, now before the gov- ernment, is the Quebec edi- tion of the slave-code of Hit- ler, taken straight from him and inspired by his stooge, Robert Ley. It forces incorporation on unincorporated international unions. : every fatality and major acci- dent in the woods. It makes no difference whether or not a man’s inexperience is con- sidered the cause; every one should be probed and steps taken to prevent recurrences. The Hon. G. S. Pearson, minister of labor, now has the floor! The New Westminster By-Election HE united votes of church people, trade unionists, CCF, Communists and -ex- servicemen made possible the élection of Wm. Cook, Presi- dent of Division 134, Street Railwaymen’s Union, in the recent New Westminster municipal by-election. Cook has an unblemished record in the labor movement; his platform was simple and to the point; he is popular and represented progressive policies and opinions. A well-conducted campaign by his committee acquainted the voters of what he stood The officers and members for, and the need for solid of the unions are held respon- backing to secure his return sible in law, and judgments -was stressed. can be executed against all Today there is great satis- movable and immovable prop- faction among all progressives erty. in this industrial centre; the In other words, the corpor- lesson of unity and of obtain- ate state of Adrien Arcand, ing a suitable candidate has the Canadian “feuhrer,” is al- been learned, and the possi- ready becoming part of the bilities in future elections Quebec statutes. have been opened up. The whole Canadian trade New Westminster is a per- union movement must be fect example for progressives aroused to the danger, and imallBC municipalities. There mobilized for the support of is no time like the present for their brothers and sisters in taking initial steps to this end. . The Quebec unions, : Co ar ae the Catholic Continued Syndicates, are fightingasone [From Page i man for their very existence qo not want to be, separated from our brothers in other against Duplessis and his openly fascist advisors. parts of our land. In addition to theirs, we have our own BC labor must act, not only for the life of the Quebec un- special srievances which must ions, but for its own freedom. 4, yemedied. If fascism is permitted to take The snails unamoloved are hold in Quebec, it will gain confronted even now with strength and boldness to en- starvation. We must join them gulf Canada. 5 in their demand for jobs and Flood Premier Duplessis at Seca In the logging industry, the Quebec City with protests! ravenous employers in their greed for profit, are driving the workers beyond their powers of endurance, result- ing in the highest toll of death ever known in the industry. We join with their loved ones in mourning those deaths, the responsibility for which is directly at the door A Reign of Death INCE New Year’s Day this year seventeen men have been killed in the logging in- dustry in BC. This is a ghast- ly record. Under the very best condi- tions accidents will occasion- ‘ally happen, but this swelling of British Columbia’s capi- toll of fatalities is proof that talists, and call upon all or- the conditions under which ganized labor to unite with the loggers work are the very the International Woodwork- worst. Some apologists claim ers’ Union in their efforts to that it is the fault of the men secure betier conditions in the themselves; they will persist woods. in taking unnecéssary risks. And finally, May Day But this is nonsense. should be a day of demonstra- For years a terrible price tion for labor unity. Unity be- has been collected in life and tween all labor unions! Unity limb. There are few experi- between the CCE and the enced men in the woods who Communist party! Unity be- have not seen at some time or tween the working-class and other a mate killed outright the middle-class! or, crushed and broken, car- let us throng the streets ried out to end his days a and make May Day a big step cripple. These shocking inci- towards the People s Front in denis would impress upon British Columbia! seale. THE PHROPLE*S ADVOCATE Chamberlain’s Pro-Fascist Foreign Policy By Malcolm Bruce 1 THE light of all the facts as presented in the two preceding articles let us examine briefly the actions of the present King government in relation to the foreign policy of the Baldwin and Chamberlain govern- ments—a policy that aids fascism in its wars to smash democracy, leading to and preparing war on a world The relation of the dominions to Briain is determined at the imperial conferences in confidential meet- ings. It is there the secret commitments are made and understandings regarding war are reached. In par- lament, Prime Minister King refuses to answer questions on such matters on the ground that to give such information “would not be in the public interest.” ae Mackenzie King attends these empire conferences. He attended one yast year, one which bore a sinister resemblance to the empire conference of 1911 which prepared the war of 1914. The conference of 1937 was declared by Baldwin in his opening speech to be devot ed mainly to discussions of foreign policy and “defense. What position Mackenzie King adopted in those secret meetings he has not divulged. But later, after visiting Hitler, in a speech delivered in Paris, he stated in effect that Britain at war would mean Canada at war. The actions of King speak loudly of his adherence to the foreign policy of the pro-fascist national government. He supported inva- Sion of Abyssinia when, through Lapointe, he repudiated the pro- posal of the Canadian delegate at Geneva, Dr. Riddell, fu an appli- cation of sanctions on oil when such sanctions would have com- pelled Mussolini to abandon the Abyssinian campaign. The rebellion led by Franco, and the intervention by Italy and Ger- many in support of the rebels has had and continues to have the support of King, who yiolated the international law by placing an embargo against shipment of war materials to Loyalist Spain, a friendly power, with a legal, demo- ceratically elected government, and By Victoria Post HE burning question in the minds of most Chinese chil- dren at present is where they are going to find something to eat. Armies of wild, neglected, un- cared-for children roam the streets in China’s big cities. They have formed themselves into gangs, usually led by an adult, stealing and fighting for possession of anything which looks like food. Their methods although crude, are very effective: At an appointed hour they meet at a specifically named corner, usually early in the morning or late at night when the streets are quiet. When about 35 or 40 of them have assembled, they rush some food stall or shop, snatch everything in sight, and disappear before the overwhelmed store- keeper can raise an alarm. The children have no criminal tendencies, they only seek to ast- isby their first need—food. When that is satisfied, even temporarily, they are quiet and harm no one. The problem of controlling China's thousands of hungry roy- ing children is no small one. While i_sre is no other way in which 2y can satisfy their craving for food it is only natural that they will steal. Efforts are being made to pro- vide homes for children of sol- diers and civilians killed in the Sino-Japanese war. One has been opened in Yenan, in northern Shensi province, which can cater for 500\.children, but so far funds have only permitted admittance of about one hundred children. Four hundred inmates in a Han- Kow orphanage are repaying in kind their indebtedness by so- liciting funds on house-to-house calls, serying hot tea and cakes of hardtack to wounded soldiers, collecting scrap-iron and copper, used clothing, and singing popu- lar war songs to the patients in hospital. One of their like this: “Ha, has, look at us, a band of little rascals, Ha, has, look at us, a band of little masters, We grow up from bitterness and hardship, We grow up under gunfire, We depend not on our teachers, Wor do we linger on our parents’ laps. Only upon our initiatives, We have risen to struggle, All ye children, rise up! In our country’s epic war of resistance, Let us struggle together for a new world!” @ we Spring weather is usual- ly welcome to everybody, but to those unfortunate prone to hay fever, it means days of sneezing, nosé-blowing, tearful misery. Hay fever usually means that a person allergic to pollen carried in the air from certain types of flowers or weeds. It may also be caused by fur, feathers, face pow- der and even certain types of food. First thing to do is to deter- mine exactly what it is that is causing your attacks. Notice care- fully when they come on, whether you were near any particular gar- den or field, or whether you'd just eaten something. Then having determined what is the cause, the most obvious cure is to try to keep away from similar things in future. How- ever, Since this is often impos- Sible, relief can sometimes be ob- tained by using a watery solution of ephedrine sulphate (3 per cent —your druggist will make it up for you), or neo-synephrine (1 per cent). Five drops in each nostril new songs goes will ease congestion, and ten to fifteen drops in water taken three times a day through the mouth a fellow member of the League of Nations. ing also used the Foreign En= listment Act to prohibit volunteers going from Canada to Loyalist Spain. He followed the British government in its entire policy of “non-intervention” which pre- vented the loyalists from procur- ing arms, while permitting whole armies of intervention and un-_ limited guns, bombs, tanks and planes being sent by Italy and Germany to Franco. King’s pretense of neutrality does not prevent him from per- mitting Canadian manufacturers to send war supplies to Japan in its unprovoked war on the Chi- nese people. 6pee foreign policy of Canada follows the line of the foreign policy of Chamberlain, thus fastening on to the Canadian peo- ple the stigma of bed-fellowship with Hitler and Mussolini, the erime of being against democracy, collective security, and the shame of complicity in the fascist war- mongering plots of the Berlin- London-Rome axis. The people of Canada must de mand that the King government break, once and for all, with the foreign policy of Chamberlain, and instead of lining up with and sup- porting fascist aggression, that he take an unequivocal stand for freedom immediately to furnish unlimited arms and munitions to Spain, that he range Canada on Open Warns Against Company Union Editor, People’s: Advocate: Dear-Sir,—"Keep your weather eye open,” is an old seafaring ex- pression. It contains both a warn- ing and advice from those who have experience in the ups and downs of life. At the present time the Union Steamship company is coercing Gn the usual subtle manner) em ployees into signing a paper signi- fying their willingness to form a company union. This form of or ganization can never be to the general welfare of mén who fol- low the sea for a livelihood. Or- ganization is the greatest weapon that workers can possess, but it must be a workers’ organization, untrammeled by ties of sentiment to the employer group. All the nice things promised by formation of company - controlled unions can be realized by joining a bona fide seamen’s union. Sea- men must be wary of the “happy family’’ idea, and this manoeuvre is an attempt to consolidate such an idea. The benefits of living conditions are the results of former organized effort of seamen’s unions, and employers can get all the co-opera- tion necessary by dealing with an accredited organization, perhaps more so than from a group of in- timidated men. History will en- lighten all who are not yet con- vineed that company unions are bad. An organization which seeks to justify itself by pep talks and club functions under the guise of trade unionism, is, for the workers, a step backwards. Vancouver, BG. A.W. Molland Honored Editor People’s Advocate: Dear Sir: A concert and ban- quet was given in honor of Harry Molland, who was released recent- ly from New Westminster peni- tentiary after doing 13 months for his leadership in the struggles of the single unemployed of Vancou- ver. The affair was held in the community hall, 39th and Vic- toria. In responding to the hearty welcome given by some 60 friends, Moiland cited instances of waste of taxpayers’ money. Cement left in the rain, foodstuffs and vege- tables dumped in the swill, and other examples of atrocious waste in the prison were given. Through his association with convicts, Molland stated that the majority of criminals had re sorted to crime by force of eco- nomic conditions. He pointed out that it was much more humane and far cheaper to provide work for young people than to drive them to be enemies of society through desperation, the while he Forum urged that the youth should rather unite in the strugele for better conditions than resort to crime. Molland pledged himself to work for a better deal for the unem- ployed, stating he had not changed his position in any way during his imprisonment. A purse was presented to this young hero of the unemployed, Cc. Everett. Vancouver, BC. Now Is The Time i ditor, People’s Advocate: Dear Sir,—T am enclosing two clippings taken from the West- ern Producer, Saskatoon. The articles are from the pen of H. Turner, who, I understand, re- Sided at one time near Lulu Is- land. In one of his columns, Turner pays tribute to the grow- ing popularity of Tim Buck, from the number of votes ob- tained recently by Tim Buck, he must be on the up and up as they say. = In the Fraser Valley Tim made a good impression on the people at the time of the provincial elections in BC. At one point I Witnessed the secretary of the local CCE club making it his business to congratulate Tim on his speech and powers of reason-_ ing. We talk a lot at times about the unity movement, well, now is the time to get organized for the mayoralty and aldermanic elec- tions. The citizens let George (Miller) do it last time, but they may look for material of a dif- ferent character in the next. Vancouver, BC. Je GS: He’d Like Another Editor, People’s Advocate: Dear Sir,—Allow me fo express my keen appreciation to all the artists who so kindly gave their Services and talent to make the Cosmopolitan Concert so great a success last Sunday. I enjoyed it very much, and it was for a worthy object. May the People’s Advocate continue to grow in use- fulmess and circulation among the farmers, workers and all Ppro- 8rTessive people. While all the artists Gave a good account of themselves, it is my personal opinion that the little girl and the Seandinavians are worthy of special mention, and this is the case with my old friend Bill Kunka. I am an old member of the British and Cana- dian armies, and the boys in my day used to sing “Another little drink won't do us any harm.” May I suggest that another little concert, etc. Here’s hoping the parade will go over. Vancouver, BC. May Day G. J. To A Young Democrat Tomorrow at high noon, when cloud shadows fall Crimson in the furrows at your feet And demagogy stirs to fever heat, They have made an appointment. You will meet A world you have not known as yet. You, with your youthful eyes unyoungly set, Far from their fascist dark, On shimmering peak of high ideal. You, with steel— Steel In your eyes and in your heart. You, goosestepping backwards, bayonet Aslant the sunshine, erimson wet. You, drunkenly astride the dead Of cities. They will call it just Praising rapine and condoning lust. These are the things they have planned for you A 17 Ti epg id co eR ee Dea To guard the greed of the favored few. Today, in pale of dawn, on the rising wind Of the world’s storm, today you must make A decision. Today while you still can take The road to ireedom and the world beyond. Tomorrow it will be too late. They will not wait. —Harold Griffin. ee SSS en as the side whieh is defending de- mocracy throughout the world, that he support collective security and world peace. The forces of democracy are immeasurably stronger than the forces of fascism. But they are not wnited, while the fascist states are welded into a solid reactionary bloc, and further strengthened by the support given by Ghamberlain, King, and pro-fascist elements in other democratic countries. The forces of democracy can and must be united, the Chamber- lain government brought down and the King government com- pelled to change its foreign policy and make it conform to the needs of democracy in its life and death struggle for existence and for world peace. Books and Authors SCIENCE AND SOCIET Y—A Marxian Quarterly. New Work. Price 35 cents. QObtainable at Ney Age Bookstore, 50-A Hast Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC. AGAZINES dnd reviews de- voted to the theories of Marx- ism have been few in number and extremely limited in circulation on this continent. IWewspapers there have been aplenty, but theoretical questions necessary for a thorough * understanding of manoeuverine and tactics have received but scant treatment. Since Weydemeyer published “Die Reyolution” in German, to Which Marx contributed “The Bighteenth Brumaire of Touis Buonaparte,” the number of theoretical journals on Marxism may be numbered on the fingers of one hand. The ‘International Socialist Review’ in its early years; later, “The Class Struggle” published in Brooklyn and another effort, ‘‘The Marxian,” from New York, both short-lived, are prac- tically the sum of America’s con- tribution to the journalism of theoretical Marxism. In these days of lightning-like change of the threatened existence of civilization, it is timely that a magazine should appear devoted to this neglected field. “Science and Society” is now in its sixth quarterly number and improves with each issue. The earlier num- bers had an aloof atmosphere about them that would undoubt- edly have limited their circulation to the ranks of the highbrows but the latest issues have been brought into line with the world in which we all of us live. Among the editors and contrib- utors appear such familiar names as J. D. Bernal, Maurice Dobb, J. B. S. Haldane, Professor Levy, Granville Hicks and many others. The latest number, Spring 1938, contains a collection of hitherto unpublished letters of Marx and Engels; an article on Babeuf, the - Hrench revolutionary precursor of Marx, and his ideas and activity during the revolutionary years, Other articles deal with fascism and the limitation of capitalist technology. These are flanked by a wealth of material in boole re- views and other communications all of which are valuable aids to the further understanding of Marxism. Ww_B, “7 ABOR ON THE MARCH,” the story of the CIO by Ed- ward Levinson, New York Post labor editor and author of “T Break Strikes,’ the story of Pearl Bergoff, has just been published by Harpers. Written by one of the ablest labor reporters in the country, the book has received high praise from Chairman John L. Lewis of the CIO. Lewis in a letter to Levinson said: “I think that you book is an admirable analysis of the back- ground, sources and growth of the CIO. . . . In addition it contains Some magnificent reporting. It is an authoritative, dispassionate and exact review of the work of the CIO. I believe that the book will be valuable not only to the public of today but to historians who will eventually chronicle this period of American history.” C) a JUNE Modern Age Books, WNew York, will issue “Guns and Castenets,” a book of war drawings by Luis Quintanilla, noted Spanish painter. Quinta- nilla is a-veteran of the Spanish War. When fascist-controlled troops in the Madrid barracks revolted, he organized a sroup of militiamen and helped to storm them. His studio in Madrid has been destroyed by bombs. But Quintanilla is confident of victory for his people. April 2¢ The © Railway Issue 3 a it es uary, 1937; By Tom Ewen iv ‘ Wu the opening of the }) bi-annual convention, sion Four, Railway Depart ta of the AFI unions coy’ the Federated Shop Crafts of major Canadian railway sys | the railway workers are fa face with grave problems,. | lems that not only affect as such, but which are of j importance to the people of SaaS anal a a balan tor ant ine see ada as a whole. Railway ] nates, “politicians. bankers |? leged economists, ete, hay t i voiced their opinions on the Gf economy in the operatic Canada’s railways. The sum total of these s|{ Mmen-like opinions has been t effect that drastic economies © be carried through: that ser] and dividends must be main ed; that operating costs { come down. To put in sim) that several thousands of rai} workers must be scrappec | Imake Canada’s railways saf< | the bondholders. Sweeping offs characterize their metho: “economizing.”” — 5 C) HERE is no lack of is: | amalgamation of the major railway systems, the (| and the CPR—the former (a lic-owned enterprise) small by the latter; the new CPRe sions scheme operative since , a complete revi of Wage Agreement No. 6 substantial wage increases fo} categories of men under the isdiction of Division Four | shorter and a gsuaranteed w ing week for all shopmen,. T! are only a few of the issues} await a solution by and for organized shopmen. In seeking a Satisfactory s © tion to these problems the si 5} men of both systems must aj } sectionalism. Some CNR shop: ° took the electioneeringe prom — of the King government too li | ally—that there would he amalgamation, while CPR } on the other hand haye & lulled into a false sense of se ity on the amaleamation is) The latter have been given feel that should amalgamation: come a full reality and that pn” may be displaced in the proc | they reason, is it not the @ they reason, is nt not the (@ that is absorbing the CNR ;: will not CPR seniority rate hi er on the labor stock exchaj than CNR? This kind of reas ing makes it easy for the exp ents of amalfsamation. | Sir Edward Beatty and ; numerous amalgamations have | sured us times without num ? that the “elimination of duplic services,” “joint management “substantial economies,” etc. | million is Sir Edward's pet “si ing’) will not necessarily me the displacement of any mm. now on the payroll of either raz : { Cpe Lon yee ial oo a oe fi His “Man Friday,’ Mr. Blaylo - of CMS fame, has stated ini; radio broadcasts on the “urge: need for @malgamation” that mi will be displaced, but has ada the rider that such men will & ily find work elsewhere. a4 Railroaders — @PR and CR | men alike—have no reason to | cept any of Sir Edward’s ass | ances in this regard. The pr cesses of amalgamation that ha} already taken place during recé years—far below the degree 4 by the railroad magnates, has@ ready produced its gigantic quoi of tens of thousands of railroal ers on the scrap heap and on t spare board. Sir Edward and Ht aides, in the press, on the pla form and the air, have presen ed the need of amalzamatio from the standpoint of the b ers and the coupon-clippers. They have presented a beaut ful picture of ‘economics effe ed the need for amalgamatio lem solved by the CPR swalloy ing the CNR, and like a hug python, spitting out the ina mate and human debris that | longer produces dividends to the satisfaction. S i IVISION 4 must present t question of amalgamation # the Canadian people from tH standpoint of the railroader i overalls. It must present to th Canadian people a true pictur of a thieving, grasping, subsidiz@ octopus that for half a centut has gobbled everything of val& that lay within its reach, and no¥ reaches out for the last remaif ing entity that can be grasped= the Canadian National Railway The question must be reduced bj Division 4 convention from th complex to the simple—that th! aim of the “railroaders” in claw hammer costs is to dump 40 or ES thousand additional railw2 workers into the ranks of the u# employed—onto the scrap heap, tC the end that the profits and ves ted interests of the few may pre vail. a Division 4 convention, to serve the railway shopmen and tit common people of Canada wiht both pay the shot, must resolve that from now on every man di placed by and through the pre cesses of amalgamation of bot railway systems, will be reimbut sed from the earnings of the CPA to the full extent of the curren operating wage-schedule for 4 period of not less than five yeats. After that—? 4 Right now that is the best dam: (Continued on Page 7) Z per