SOLUTION UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED BY CONVENTION UEB THE PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE British Columbia’s Progressive Home Paper VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 26. 1938 _A Urges © defense Of Civil Rights Shepherd Warns Of cist Threat At Big rrey Workers’ nic. 450 ATTEND IVERDALE, BC, Aug. Special) —“We are today in times of great change the difference between r liberty and democracy cism tomorrow will be sree to which we realize is taking place around.us ct accordingly.” is what ien Shepherd, MILA Delta), told Members and fers of the Surrey Workers rmers Association at White ast Sunday in an eloquent r greater efforts in defense :dian civil rights ecasion was Surrey Workers’ picnic, held at Alder Lodge, Rock, and attended by some ple. including a large con- from Langley Workers and yers Association. Ss of Surrey Workers repre— were South Westminster, 90d, Hjorth Road, Green Ss, Newton, Cloverdale, White jdazelmere and Sunnyside. rsing Len Shepherd’s plea, lor Tom Binnie urged cease- ilance te protect the people’s PS ciller Ben Shepherd con- the wealth of recreational S and the little extent to thousands of British Ccolum- rere able to take advantage n He urged ever stronger ation in order to enforce ople’s demands upon their representatives. , INTTIATIVE y and Langley Workers or- ions were congratulated by arr, Hraser Valley organizer Communist party, on their lit Organization. S a type of organization I @ see extended throughout aser Valley. Your initiative elopment of the Bear Creek —E is a worthy example of inity planning by the peo- ' speakers were Bob Almas, viewed the development of > and workers’ organization ey, and Ed Blixt, chairman. enthusiastic reception was 9 a representative of the Re- eject Workers’ Union who adily granted permission to the gathering. rts program was a feature sicnHic, Pt. Alberni Hindus Aid China Fund PORT ALBERNI, B.GC., Aug. 25.—During the past year more than $5,300 has been raised for re fugee relief and medical aid in China by the Port Albertni branch of the Chinese Wational Salvation League. This achievement is remark- able in view of the fact that there are only 118 Chinese resi- dents in this city. In a special drive this spring, Hindu residents here contri- buted $30 to a total of $151 col- lected. The tag day last February net ted $203 and nearly $500 was raised by exhibition of Chinese motion pictures. Latest donation made by Port Alberni’s Chinese residents was last month when $491.50 was for- warded to the Chinese govern- _ ment to be used for construction of air defenses around Canton. Province Now Union House __ Street Railwaymen Aid In Organizing Cafe Province Cafe, 736 Main street, has been added to the growing list of union houses. William Stewart, secretary, Local 28, Hotel and Restaurant Employ- ees Union, this week announced that negotiations had been com- pleted with the proprietor, H. Pap- pas. Wage scales will be those operating in other city union houses. Union officials lauded the assist | ance rendered in organizing the eafe by the officials of Local i101, Street Railwaymen’s Union, and C M. Stewart, chairman of trades and labor council organization committee. Copper Mountain Miners [Injured PENTICTON, BG, Aug. 25—Two miners are in hospital here with painful injuries sustained in blast- ing accidents at Granby Consoli- dated Company's Copper Mountain mine. George Mooney, 27, was admitted to hospital, his face and body pierced by rock fragments in a delayed explosion, and S. Cielkow- ski, badly, scorched by dust in an= | other blast, was also brought here for hospital treatment. Union Sees New Attack By Canners Secretary Replies To Statements Given Wide Publicity in the Daily Press THREAT TO UNION daily press that canners may ask fishermen to sign agree- ments to turn in all fish they catch to one company were this week interpreted by Pa- eific Coast Fishermen’s Union officials as heraldins a new at- tack on union organization in the fishing industry. “Pishermen certainly do obtain nets from companies at the begin- ning of the season,’ Jack Gavin, Secretary of the union told the Ad- vocate, “‘but there is absolutely no moral understanding that they must sell all their fish to this one com- pany. The nets are paid for, either in kind or straight cash, usually in good measure.” So-called “pirates” among the canners are so termed by certain canners because they are willing to pay higher prices than the larger companies. Three legitimate small companies are willing to pay 65 cents for sockeye while the larger companies are only agreeable to 60 cents. “Fishermen have every right to sell their fish where they can ob- tain the highest price for them,’ Gavin declared. “The canners’ statement that they may ask for individual agreements is a threat to the union.” Recent arbitration on the ques- tion of salmon prices resulted in a verbal agreement with Hon. G S. Pearson, minister of labor, that can- ners would accept last year’s prices. Union officials, however, state that written confirmation from Hon. G S. Pearson has only been on price for gillnet caught sockeye, no mention being made of other eategories. “The union intends to obtain full confirmation of these prices in writing from the minister of labor before it considers the matter set- tled,’’ Gavin stated. Plebiscite Sought ST. JOHW’S, Wewtoundland, Aug. 25—There is a widespread movement here for a plebiscite to be taken on restoration of demo- cratic government to this former dominion, now governed by a com- | mission. > Upholds Unity Statements appearing in the | ALD. J. B. SALSBERG of Toronto, who, in a recent article, wrote: ‘‘The majority of the international trade union membership in Canada does not desire a split They want unity. They know its importance.” Progressives Stage Picnic Communists, CCF’ers At Okanagan Rally —<$<$<—$$_— By J. E. DELAVILLE SALMON ARM, B.C, Aug. 25.— Arranged mainly by a committee of the North Okanagan CGE, the second annual picnic and rally of all progressives throughout the Okanagan Valley was held at pic- turesque Mara Lake last Sunday. Despite heavy skies and periodic showers approximately 400 people attended. Following children’s sports and awarding of prizes, addresses were Siven by Mrs. Dorothy Steeves, MGA Arnold Webster, CCF vice- president DLeslie Morris, Dominion committee member of the Com- munist party. Referring to charges that a com- bine controlled fruit and vegetable marketing in BC, Mrs. Steeves pointed out that farmers, being unorganized, had practically no bargaining power. The CCF, Com- munist party, and other progres- Sives, she said, believed that the farmers should be guaranteed a fair return for their labor. Leslie Morris, in a short but forceful speech, emphasised the ever-growing menace of fascism. Such a gathering would not be permited in fascist-controlled Que- bec, he declared, and might soon be impossible in BC unless civil rights were jealously fuarded. The Pattullo and King govern- ments were condemned by Arnold Webster as being unwilling to face up to the crying needs of the day: they resembled ‘Old Tomorrow’’ MacDonald in that both put off vital legislation until the indefinite future. Robert Wood, CCE candidate for Salmon Arm in the 1937 provin- Cial elections, chairman, comment ed with approval on the fraterniza- tion of CCR’ers , Communists and progressive liberals at this gath- ering. We stressed the point that raising the standard of living for farmers and workers alike was the common aim of the Communist party and the CCE. © EC FEDERATION CALLS FOR UNITY ‘Duplessis Will Wipe Us Out If We Are Divided’ — Paul Fornier MONTREAL, Que., Aug. 25.—Unity in the Ca- nadian labor movement is absolutely necessary. This is the tenor of the resolution unanimously en- dorsed by the recent St. Hyacinthe convention of the Quebec Federation of Labor for presentation to the 54th convention of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, which opens at Niagara on September 12. The resolution declares that unions affiliated to the Congress “have made organizational headway in the past year largely due to the united efforts of affiliated bodies” and warns that the in- ternational trade union movement in Quebee “is faced by par- ticularly serious problems today menacing the very existence of trade unionism.” It points out: “Experience has shown that only the united efforts of organized labor will preserve our movement and per- mit us to go forward” and affirms belief “in the absolute ne- eessity of maintaining unity in the international trade union movement in our country.” The position of the Quebec trade union movement was suc- cintly expressed by Paul Fornier, organizer for the United Hatters, Cap & Millinery Workers Union, in an interview here. “Premier Duplessis will wipe us out if we do not have a united trade union movement,” he declared. “Without unity there will be no strength to fight Premier Duplessis’ reac- tionary measures.” This same realization of the urgent need for maintaining unity was voiced by Sydney Sarkin, Amalgamated Clothing ‘Workers Union, who stated: “We must have a united trade union movement. The im- portance of unity nationally cannot be over-emphasized. With- out unity we will be unable to meet the great problems of this province.” Duplessis Legislation Menaces Unions The immediate threat to the ex— istence of the trade union move- ment in Quebec is seen in the fact that Bills 19 and 20, both reaction- ary measures designed to restrict organized labor passed by Pre- mier Maurice Duplessis’ Wational Union government, are now being applied. The combined protest of the Catholic and international trade unions was successful in win- ning of stay of operation when these measures, were passed. The laws remained on the statute books, but were not applied for fear of ,;arousing mass opposi- tion. : Now, however, Duplessis is test- ing the strength of the opposition by striking at the construction trade unions, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union, the Cleaners and Dyers and the Allied Printing Trades Council of Quebec and Levis. Renewal of Agreements Denied In every instance, Hon. William Tremblay, minister of labor in the Wational Union government, has refused to grant renewal or exten- Sion of collective bargaining agree- ments between these unions and employers. - This is actual application of Bills 19 and 20, condemned by the entire Quebec trade union move- Wage Board Declared ment, and heralds the opening of a new offensive against organized labor in this province. The attitude of Labor Minister Tremblay toward collective bar- Eaininge was exposed by Raoul Trepanier, vice-president of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, when he addressed a meet- ing of hotel employees in this city recently. ‘Duplessis Tool’ Reporting the outcome of an in- terview he had had with Tremblay. on behalf of employees English and Prench-speaking hos- pitals here, Trepanier stated: “Tremblay declared he would de anything he pleased in the matter of a collective agreement. He said that Bills 19 and 20 per— mitted him to do as he pleased.” | of both, 1 Trepanier at this meeting charged that Quebec’s fair wage board operated not in the interests of the workers. but in the inter- ests of the employers. “It is the political tool of Pre— mier Duplessis,” he said. “let us stop using the word ‘justice’ in labor negotiations and let us sub- stitute the word ‘action’ Justice wil come soon enough.” “Peace At Last’’ ——- OR elt} SUNDAY AUG. 28 ANNUAL PICNIC Games Races MUSIC IN PAVILION REFRESHMENTS — BARBECUE Tickets for Main Draw — 25¢ — New Age, 50 East Hastings GYMNASTIC DISPLAY by Provincial Recreation Centres TICKET HOLDERS Free transportation to the Park Transportation, including bridge bridge toll, 10 cents per person, return ticket. and return, toll. NON-TICKET HOLDERS including Contests B.C. DISTRICT COMMUNIST PARTY of Canada SEYMOUR PARK Busses leave Hastings at Cassiar from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.