Page Two THE PEGOPLE’S ADVGCATE 1 bho September 2, 1934 THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE Published Weekly by the Proletarian Publishing Association, Room 10, 163 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. Phone Trinity 2019. One Year =$1'.80 Three Months____- S$ .50 Single Copy $ -05 ifake Ail Cheques Payable to: The People’s Advocate Vancouver, B.C., Friday, September 2, 1938 Liberals Voice Their Demands EERTING for the first time since 1932, British Columbia Liberals at Kelowna last week-end voiced their overwhelming de- mand for a realistic, progressive policy in the people’s interests. By their decisions on the important questions under discussion—unem- ployment and health insurance, public works, public utilities, old age pensions, forest con- servation and government development of Peace River oil lands—they demonstrated that the 97,943 electors who voted Liberal in the 1937 provincial elections want action. Back in 1932 the Liberals convened as a badly shattered opposition and elected T. D. Pattullo to lead them. One year later, in 1933, the Liberal party was returned to office by an electorate disgusted with the corruption of the reactionary Tolmie Conservative re- gime. Pattullo became premier on the strength of his many promises—promises still awaiting fulfilment—but instead of taking advantage of the mandate given him by his party and the mass of Liberal voters, he inclined a too- willing ear to the big mining and logging interests. The reactionary side of his administration was shown by his Labor Conciliation and Ar- bitration Act, passed over the opposition of a group of Liberal members. It was further shown by his stand on the single unemployed this summer, a stand from which he was forced to retreat when united protest from all Kinds of people culminated in the unforget- table demonstrations in Vancouver aiter the eviction of the single men from the post office and are gallery. Im the week following “Bloody Sunday” it was demonstrated that the Pattullo sovernment can be forced to heed mass pressure. @ F PATTULLO is wise he will also heed the voice of his party, which did not hesitate to oppose him in the dying hours of the con- vention. The majority of delegates were of the opinion that the government should stop all grants to the hard-pressed municipalities and accept full responsibility for all education costs in the provinee. Pattullo thought this was not a matter of immediate concern, but rather “a distant mark to shoot at.” He under- estimated delegates and their desire for demo- eratic expression when he opined that “the subject is too far-reaching in its implication to be fully understood by the convention.” Despite his discouraging attitude, the conven- tion voted overwhelmingly for the resolution. The revolt of his own supporters in Prince Rupert, whose delegate walked out of the con- vention when the resolutions committee threw out their resolution condemning the govern- ment’s policies, should cause Pattullo to re- consider his stand. Food for thought has also been given him in the ovation to Hon. G. M. Weir, provincial secretary and minister of education, whom right-wing Liberals tried desperately to defeat in the last provincial elections. It is true delegates took no stand on the rights of organized labor or against Japanese economic penetration, as matters vitally af- fecting the welfare of the people. Indeed, in voting for cheap political purposes to exclude Oriental immigration and ignoring Japanese fascist activities on the Coast, they distorted the whole issue. But on those questions before them, BC Liberals clearly indicated the road they wished their government to take. In the realization of these desires which, in the main, are the desires of all progressive-minded people, they will have the support of all BC progressives. The government has been given a mandate. It must now be forced to act, not, as in the past, in the interests of reactionary big business, but in the interests of the people. Building Circulation ITHIN a very short time the People’s Advocate and the Clarion Weekly will be launching their joint fall drive for sustain- ing funds. Certainly we must raise a mini- mum of $3,000 to enable these two champions of the people’s cause to reach an ever larger audience. But in this coming drive we ask our readers and supporters to do more than raise the amount necessary for the continued existence of the two papers. We ask them to continue and extend the policy of the drive this spring when, through their efforts, hundreds of new readers were obtained. The Clarion Weekly in its attractive new format is bound to have a popular appeal, par- ticularly in farm areas. The Advocate is a powerful voice of the progressive movement of British Columbia. Both papers must be introduced not to hundreds but to thousands of new readers. et us make this drive one that, at its conclusion, will show a new record in the circulation increase so essential to our growth. Vancouver Does Not Want A City Mana problems. Net dictatorial control by Big Business in the interests of the few, but progressive civic administration in the interests of the majority of citizens, is the answer to WVancouver’s “ec FEW interested citizens can do more than an apathetic erewd.” This is what Capt. W. J. Conway, secretary of Vancouver Council-Manager Association, recently told a small group of persons interested for one reason or another in foist- ing a city manager on Vancouver. From this highly potent remark the citizens of Vancouver ean take their cue. Capt. Conway also felt that bondholders were entitled to “a say in the appointment” of a city manager. And no doubt as banker for the city, the Bank of Montreal would “like” something to say in the appointment of the pro- posed high-powered civic overseer. However, first of all it is mecessary for this ‘interested group —with the aid of the Vancouver Sun—to so confuse people that the city will be intimidated into the expense of holding a plebiscite. This small but vociferous group is merely the tool of the bank- ers and the bond-dealers, intent upon consolidating the city~- of Vancouver more firmly into their financial empire. They would in- stal a viceroy in the person of a2 city manager. Attempts are made to ration- alize the question by asking us to visualize Vancouver in the ab- stract as a corporation, a busi- mess concern. But Vancouver is more than a mere business con- eern. It is the third largest city in the Dominion, with a population of 260,000 human beings. It is a community comprising scme 28,- Q00 acres. with an average of slightly more than 9 inhabitants to the acre. When it became in- corporated in 1886, it was already a good-sized town with a popu- lation of between 8,000 and 10,000. But there were fey of the civic conveniences or services we now enjoy. Today we can claim some 65 schools, 650 miles of permanent mains, 820 miles of concrete side- walks, 510 miles of sewers, 500 miles of paved streets. Se HIS and much more has been labored for and built by the people of Vancouver since the first settlers—not the bankers or the bondholders—hewed the first clearings from the primeyal] wil- dermess. If we are to believe dis— tinguished yisiters our achieve- ments have been considerable— and all of them without the aid of a city Manager. True, much could have been done that has not been done. The people of Vancouver have not al- ways been satisfied with the man- ner in which their elected repre- sentatives and administrators conducted their business. And the people of Vancouver have been quick to demonstrate their disapproval. The mighty city overlooking the Pacific is the city they have built by their labors. The city Manager clique never tires of offering to raise suffi- ecient funds “to educate them,” that is, the electorate, to accept the city manager scheme, provid- ed the city council will grant a plebiscite. Some conclusions as to the type of educational propaganda which is being visited upon the public may be drawn from the much publicized slogan: A city mana- ger means lower taxes. W. J. Barrett-Leonard has refused, however, to accept responsibility for such publicity, since he is emphatic that a city manager would not be able to lower taxes. Why, then, are we asked to turn out city over to a city man- ager The following statemenc published by the International City Managers’ Association, pro- vides an answer: “Power justifies responsibility and responsibility demands power and a city manager who becomes impotent to inspire support the keynote, supreme power in the hands of a single bureaucrat. it is an insult to the people of Vancouver to suggest that pro- gress lies in this direction. It is an insult to the Vancouver elec- torate to suggest that we must import a professional city boss. The answer to better civic gov- ernment does not lie in that dir- ection. There is no scarcity in Vancouver of men and women possessing the necessary qualities and eminently capable of giving Vancouver the courageous civic leadership of which we are in need. e NOTHER major argument ad- vaneed by exponents of the city manager scheme is that city affairs would be administered by a full-time professional adminis- trater. Control and responsibil- ity would be centralized in one man. Such an administration, with by Phil Gibbens wholesale powers placed in the hands of a hired professional city maanager, would create a hot bed for professional bureaucracy. The professional manager would be- come a professional buck-passer not responsible to the people for his election. The council would become a puppet show. In the words of W. J. Barrett-Lennard— and once again TIT turn to a prime mover of the scheme to supply a good reason for opposing the scheme—‘*The Mayor would be a decorative head, someone we wished to honour.” I suggest it would be a dubious honor. Certainly, scientific accountings is essential for proper civic ad- ministration. No doubt improve- ments can and will be made. Sci- entific accounting, however, is not peculiar to a city manager re- gime. At present we have a comptroller, accountants, book-— keepers and auditors. The best protection we can give our civic employees so that we may be as- sured of the most efficient admin- istration is maintenance of eter- nal vigilance by the fullest and freest democratic representation on our city council. From all indications it appears that the question of a city man- ager will become a negative issue in the forthcoming elections. It will be an instrument of confu- sion in the hands of the bankers’ steoges, the more so because the city of Vancouver, alonz with many other Canadian cities, is finding the going pretty Hard. ) OGTATL service costs are proy- PHIL GIBBENS gard the following recommenda-— tions of BC municipalities, made in 1936, are interesting: (a) That citizens of municipal- ities should finance strictly local services. : (b) That social services and na- tional services should be financed from the widest possible revenue. In other words, what is need- ed is not a city manager but re- lief from liabilities, the cost of which ean only be met by the federal government with its wider powers of taxation. The brief submitted by the Cen- tral Committee of the Commun- ist Party of Canada to the Royal Commission on Dominion-Proyin- cial relations in April this year took full cognizance of the need for the federal government to as- sume full responsibility for: () Unemployment insurance and re- lief. (2) Health insurance. (3) Crop insurance. (4) Minimum national standards of education. (5) Housing. (6) Mothers’ Allow- ances. (7) Old Age Pensions. (8) Aid to youth. Vancouver and other Cansdias cities being relieved of such eosts, the nature of which imme- diately makes them the charge of the nation and not the local- ity, would then be in a position to budget and build. e BETHBRIDGE has been men- tioned as one of those towns blessed with the control of a city manager. It would be unfair for those who point to Lethbridge to emit mentioning the town’s Santa Claus, the municipally—owned light and power plant with net earnings in 1936 of $101,136. In the same year social service costs were $96,414, so that there was a surplus over social service costs from this source alone of $4722. Vancouver, on the other hand, prefers toplay Santa Claus to the BC Electric and the BCG Tele- phone. The Bradshaw report, 1935, recommended that steps be taken forthwith to investigate the basis of taxation of the two public utilities. There are certain positive for- ward steps that can be taken by the people of Vancouver to im- prove their city. We can look for no easy salvation from our plight through the offices of a hired dic- tator. @ur solution is not less but greater civic responsibility. As Vaneouverites we must revamp eur city council, bring it up to date by electing from among us fearless men and women who are not afraid of progress. Vancouver is not alone among Ganadian cities in passing through parlous times. Strong, forward-looking men and women are needed to suide Vancouver to her destiny in the immediate future. This revitalization of our civic government can be won by the strong, clear voice of prosres- sive unity. Vancouver needs above all else a democratic coun- ceil willing and able to translate should resign.” This statement ine a heavy burden for VYan- the demands of its citizens into obviates argument. “Power” is couver’s citizens and in this re- action. *s T iti The People’s Tradition WY ill 5 their day. They were pitted the Canadian people. They try = iam Lawson: against a corrupt and brutal rul- to distort the lessons of 1837. epea meu me ic di ing class; their object was the They attempt to obscure the cal oe ane destruction of a tyrannical and name of MacKenzie. The 100th patriot, democrat, and revolution- ist—Wiiliam Lyon MacKenzie. All the revolutionary traditions of our Canadian democracy, our tra- ditions of struggle, are embodied in the names of William Lyon MacKenzie and his brother-in- arms, Louis Joseph Papineau. In the pages of Canadian history these two men occupy the same proud position as Tom Paine, Jefferson, and the fathers of American democracy in the United States. The Canadian Rebellion of 183%, led by MacKenzie and Papineau, takes its place with the great bourgeois revolutions of the 18th and i9th centuries, which estab- lished capitalist democracy in place of the decaying feudal sys- tem. MacKenzie and Papineau represented the most progressive section of the capitalist class of unjust social system, and its re- placement by a democratic repub- lic. To carry out this glorious end, they used every legal and consti- tutional method of struggle against the ruling class dictator ship. But when these methods proved unavailing, when the rul- ing class cynically abandoned all pretense of democratic govern- ment, they did not hesitate to rise up in open rebellion. That re- bellion came very close to the overhrow of the ruling class and the establishment of a democratic republic in Canada. Bourgeois historians and poli- ticians of our present day hate and fear the revolutionary, demo- cratic traditions which MacKen- zie and Papineau bequeathed to anniversary of the Rebellion last year was met with a conspiracy of silence on the part of the capi- talist press. MacKenzie’s Toronto home, at 70 Bond street, instead of being turned into a national museum to perpetuate the mem- ory of this great Canadian, stands empty and abandoned. Tt is therefore fitting that throughout Canada, the working elass and the democratic people should gather in meetings to pay homage to the memory of Mac- Kenzie. We can pay no greater tribute to his memory than to review the real historic facts of the i837 Rebellion, to demon- strate its true nature as a demo- eratic revolution, and thus to re— fute all the lies and slanders which have been circulated against its leaders. Few alates nah Wiki bivchdibeetnnics adden over SHORT JABS A Weekly Commentary By Ci’ Bill A Deal In We have just had a visit from one of Slaves a great part of the alphabet onto their original moniker, Sir Henry Page Croft, CGM, MP) President of the Empire Industries Association. To these descriptive, decorative details should be added — NAZE He is one of the most outspoken champions among the gang of pro-fascist Tories in- the House ef Commons which has taken the British people by the throat. : Like his fellow drummer for fascism in Gzecho- slovakia, “Runzelmann,” he is travelling in the 2a- pacity of a private citizen. He would like to unload a million of Britain’s unemployed workers onto |i Canada, while at the same time the British are