Page Two

THH PEHEOPLE’S

ADVOCATE

September 23, 1938

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... $ .50

Half Year... --51.00 Single Copy———-.._$ .05

Make All Cheques Payable to: The People’s Advocate

Vancouver, B.C., Friday, September 23, 1938

Chamberlain’s Infamous Betrayal

(Continued from page 1)

and his associates look to fascism to preserve
their class privileges. The preservation of fas-
cism already established, therefore, is the cor-
ner stone of Chamberlain’s foreign policy, and
that is why he ranged himself with Hitler to
prevent the latter’s defeat and to destroy
Czechoslovakia.
e

VERY diplomatic victory of fascism,

every extension of its influence, every ac-
quisition of territory, every capitulation by
the democratic powers, strengthens the com-
boned fascist states and leads to the point
where they hope to be strong enough to
launch a war against world democracy, first
against the Soviet Union, then France and
England.

With Czechoslovakia destroyed as a coun-
try, its wealth and industries gobbled up by
Germany, and its people conscripted into the
Wazi armies, a great ally of democracy will be
lost and the way to European and world con-
quest made easier for the wolves of interna-
tional fascism.

A continuation of the firm stand of May 21
could, as it did then, prevent the outbreak
of war and bring the aggression of the fascist
states to an end.

Eiven if in the halting of fascist aggression
entailed fighting, the fighting would be of such
short duration that it would not amount to
much more than police suppression of
bandits, for the combined power of the demo-
eratic states would overwhelm the fascists,
whereas the policy of “appeasement,” far from
saving life, has led to more than two years of
slaughter of men, women and children in
Spain and China, and will, unless ended, cul-
minate in a world war of unprecedented mag-
nitude and horror.

@

O THE disgraceful and criminal actions of

Chamberlain the Canadian government
was both accessory and accomplice. During
the machinations of Chamberlain to betray
Czechoslovakia and hand it over to Hitler
Mackenzie King maintained silence. But
when the criminal work was done he quickly
endorsed it and declared his solidarity with
Chamberlain and Hitler.

Wor is this the first offence of Mackenzie
King and his pliant government against de-
mocracy. Not only does King aid the pro-
fascist foreign policy of Chamberlain by an
embargo against loyalist Spain and by aiding
Japan with war materials; he aids in creat-
ing conditions favorable to the development
of fascism in Canada. His refusal to disallow
Quebec’s Padlock Law; his refusal to curb or
even investigate activities of Nazi and fascist
organizations in Canada which are directed,
controlled and financed from Berlin and
Rome, and now his participation in the de-
struction of Czechoslovakia, brands him as
a treaty breaker and one who has brought
shame to Canada.

Hitler and international fascism, aided and
abetted by pro-fascists in democratic coun-
tries, have scored a stupendous victory; de-
mocracy has suffered a humiliating defeat.
There is no use in denying this obvious fact;
it must be faced. But if the peace-desiring
people of the world will learn from the bitter
experience, there is still time to save eiviliza-
tion from fascism and devastating world war.
Despite the machinations of treasonable pro-
fascists in democratic countries, there are
enough of the population who, if united for
peace, can compel the King government to
change its course and drive the Chamber-
lains out of office with the curses of outraged
and betrayed people abroad and at home ring-
ing in their ears; united they can yet halt the
march of fascism and bring peace to a troubled
world.

Building Circulation

NTERNATIONAL events of the past two
4 weeks have served to emphasize that the
building of a mass circulation for the Clarion
Weekly and, in British Columbia, for the

People’s Advocate, as Canada’s foremost
champions of democracy, is the primary task
of every individual concerned in building a
democratic front against fascism in Canada.

Tith the exception of a few liberal news-
papers, the whole of the Canadian press is
involved in a conspiracy of distortion to pre-
sent Chamberlain’s infamous betrayal of
Czechoslovakia as a wise policy to preserve
peace.

Only the labor press has stripped the hy-
pocrisy from Chamberlain’s schemes and re-
vealed their true menacing import. But the
circulation of the labor press is still too re-
stricted and the truth is still not reaching
thousands who must ultimately pay the price
of Chamberlain’s betrayal unless the drive to
war is halted.

In the current press drive we urge sup-
porters to remember that, necessary as im-
mediate money to finance publication is, only
increased circulation can enable the labor
newspapers to play their role effectively in
building the democratic front.

Investigate The
Shameful Situation
At Blubber Bay

A Statement by Fergus McKean, Provincial Secretary of the Communist Party

HE BRUTAL and apparently unpremedi-

tated attack of BC provincial police, as-
sisted by strike-breakers, on the Blubber Bay
strikers last Saturday has aroused the indig-
nation of labor throughout British Columbia.
Aye, and not only of labor, but of every fair-
minded citizen familiar with the facts.

This, the second police-provoked attack, is
the culmination of a long series of acts of
terrorism and provocation flagrantly carried
through by company officials and provincial
police against the courageous struggle of the
employees of the Pacific Lime Company’s
Blubber Bay plant to maintain their union
and reinstate their discriminated members.

Wholesale eviction of strikers from their
homes, homes they had occupied for nearly
thirty years; seizure of personal property of
those evicted; arrest of labor MiLA’s who in-
tervened on their behalf; arrest and vicious
prison sentences against strikers attacked by
police and convicted on the flimsy evidence
of company officials and provincial police —
these are the shameful facts.

If every Iabor legislation, supposedly
enacted to guarantee the right of workmen
to organize, was tested and found wanting,
the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration
Act of the Pattullo government has certain-
ly been proved worse than worthless by the
workers of Blubber Bay.

After six months of negotiations conducted
through the cumbersome apparatus of the
labor department; after participating in four
conciliation proceedings and finally accepting
an arbitration award which called for rein-
statement of discriminated employees, the
workmen of Blubber Bay are now being in-
timidated, gassed, clubbed and jailed. Why?
Because they dared to take strike action to en-
force an award handed down by the arbitra-
tion board established by the provincial gov-
ernment itself Because they took strike
action to reinstate employees dismissed from
their jobs, because they joined a union.

. ND yet the Industrial Conciliation and Ar-
\ bitration Act in its muddled and ambigious
text provides for a fine of $500 against any
employer who dismisses his employees for
joining a union. But this clause of the Act
was not invoked. In spite of widespread dis-
crimination in many industries it never has
been invoked, and unless a powerful organized

labor movement is developed in BC there is
little likelihood it ever will be.

Affidavits in the hands of the union attor-
ney, John Stanton, prove that all through the
strike provincial police have violated regula-
tions affecting public officials by aiding the
company in their strike-breaking efforts. Po-
lice launches have been used to transport
public officials, policemen have forcibly
smashed in the doors of strikers’ homes and,
finally, provincial policemen have openly at-
tempted to hire strikebreakers at Gibson’s
Landing to go to work for the Pacific Lime
Company at Blubber Bay.

Yet when these affidavits are presented to
the attorney-general’s department with the
demand that an investigation into police ir-
resularities at Blubber Bay be launched, Pre-
mier Pattullo states: “Affidavits of complaint
have been sent to the attorney-general and
perused by his department. There is nothing
in them to justify the appointment of a com-
mission.”

Then, in an attempt to justify the brutal
terrorism to break the strike, he adds: “I am
of the opinion that there are some very sub-
versive elements at work and it is not pro-
posed to countenance their activities.”

Always, when organized workers are cal-
lously attacked by government forces in order
to crush them, the ery of “subversive ele-
ments at work” is raised to hoodwink the
public. The workers of BC have not forgot-
ten police brutality at Anyox, Corbin and
more recently the events of June 19. The Pat-
tullo government by its actions has clearly
shown itself to be a government dominated
by reactionary big business interests of this
province. It is significant that in every at-
tempt to obtain union recognition in the basic
industries of lumbering, metal mining and
fishing BC police have been thrown into the
scales on the side of the employers to defeat
labor. ;

©
HE flagrant denial by the Pattullo govern-
ment of the elementary sgovernment-
recosnized right of BC labor to organize
closely resembles the rabid, pro-fascist, anti-
democratie actions of the notorious Duplessis
regime in Quebec.

Police terrorism is rampant at Blubber Bay.
Forty-six men and women have been arrested
in order to demoralize the ranks of the strik-
ers. Twenty have been convicted. Strike
leaders have been brutally beat up in prison
cells by provincial police. A halt must be
called!

The unholy alliance of the Pattulle gov-
ernment, the provincial police and the Pa-
cific Lime Company must be dissolved. The
valiant efforts of the workers of Blubber
Bay to maintain their union, and not only
their.union, but the right to organize, must
not be permitted to be crushed by police
terrorism.

Hitler tactics must not be tolerated here.
Organized labor in BC must rally as one man
to the support of the Blubber Bay workmen.
Everyone who believes in civil liberties must
add his voice in protest.

Demand from Victoria a full enquiry into
the actions of the provincial police.

Build a powerful defense movement in aid
of those arrested.

Rush material aid and pledges of support
to the Blubber Bay workers.

The right to organize must be maintained.

The outcome of the struggle at Blubber
Bay will affect the whole future development
of organized labor in BC.

But organized labor and the people of BC
must act — NOW!

Meat Packers Expected To Reap
Huge Profits By New Ruling....

NFORCEMENT of provincial beef grading regulations has again been postponed as a re-
sult of pressure from consumers, retailers, and stockmen.

While agreeing to the addition of two further grades to the four already stipulated in the

original regulations, the Dominion government wishes to have the four lower grades, below the

well-known “red” and “blue,”

known by trade names instead of A, B, C and D, as re-

quested by the special committee appointed by interested parties to define the lower grades.

Trade names, it was felt, mean
nothing to the average buyer.
“Standard,’ for instance, in one
store may be much higher than
“standard” in another, whereas
A, B, C and D grades are much
easier for the consumer to look
for.

The government has not yet
agreed to this type of grading,
but the committee intends to hold
out for its demands.

Members of the committee
state they are not satisfied witn
the present system of inspection.
Even professional meat men, they
charge, are unable to distinguish
between cow and heifer beef after
it has been dressed.

Further investigation into the
beef regulations has brought sev-

q@. But they counted
without the organ-
ized resistance of BC
housewives.

Kay
Gregory

upon inspection, but there is no

tirely. Small retailers, unable to
afford plant necessary for pro-
cessing, would be forced out of
pusiness.

Already such packers as Swifts,
Burns, Pacific Meat, are putting
out far more canned meat than
hitherto, preparing the consumer
for the market which they hoped
would come their way when the
beef regulations were enforced.

Officials of the Meat Cutters
and Packers Union charge that
Burns is already supplying hun-
dreds of tons of frozen meat to
the Japanese army.

Wad the beef regulations been
enforced, it is possible that still
larger supplies of “processed’’
meat would have found their
way to Japan, or to any country

eral more interesting factors to
light.

As pointed out previously, the
regulations as they stood, would
have excluded from the local
meat markets some 200,000 milk
cows in the Fraser Valley.

The government tcok the stand
that having supplied milk, cows
jad then served their purpose in
life and could only be used for
“processing.”

Officials numbled something
about cows with milk fever, tu-
berculosis, etc., and declared that
all cows Should be excluded from
the fresh meat market.

Tt has been proven that infect—
ed cows are immediately banned

reason why healthy cows cannor
be sold for average consumption.

The large packing concerns,
however, hoped to be able to put
through the regulations enabling
them to buy all this type of lower
meat from the farmers at 2
ridiculously low price on the ex-
cuse that it would not comply
with regulations, and therefore
was no use except for “process-
ines

Large packers could then fiood
the markets with canned goods
at fairly high prices, realizing
enormous profits at the expens—
of consumers, who would have no
ether alternative but to buy
canned meat cer go without en-

needing war supplies.

Fortunately, due to the efforts
of the British Columbia House-
wives’ League, consumers and
retailers have been made aware
of the danger behind the regu-
lations, a danger which threatens
to create monopolies in cattle
raising and meat packing in-
dustries in B.C.

This danger still threatens, and
will not be averted until the
dominion government has ap-
proved the recommendation from:
the BC committee that the regu-
lations must provide six grades to
be known as “Red, Blue, A, B, C.
D,’ and that cow and heifer beef
must be marked accordingly-

=

SHORT JABS

A
Weekly

Commentary

By Ol’ Bill

Twelve or fourteen years azo Beasley was gen-
eral manager of the Union Steamship Company
Z and Capt. Troupe held the same
No Flowers position on the CPR Goast Sery-
Please’ ice. An airplane accident dumped
Beasley into English Bay and he

passed out of the lives of Coast seamen.

Walking along Cordova on the afternoon of the
accident I met up with a sailorman friend. I asked
him if he had heard of, and what he thought about,
Beasley’s untimely demise. “Yes,” he replied, “I’m
sorry.” “Go on,” i urged, ‘what else?” “Sorry Cap-
tain Troupe wasn’t with him,” he came back.

That honest obituary comment, truly expressive
of class feeling and utterly without taint of Hhy-
pocrisy, came into my mind when I read a few days
ago that the reactionary blackles Pete Thompson, ~
editor of Labor Truth, alleged labor paper, had been
bumped off by a street-car.. Sorrow welled up in
my heart to think that Chamberlain, Hitler, Musso-
lini and Tom Mectnnes were not with him when he
was mowed down under the wheels of the BC Col-
lectric juggernaut

The Sun, in announcing the death of this
scoudrelly pro-fascist, stated that the had done
much to better the conditions of labor during the
last twenty years. This statement is as false and
misleading as the name of the raz he published to
fieht the labor movement, Labor Truth Like a
leech, Thompson fastened himself on to a section
of the trade union movement, the ACC ofL when
he hit Yancouver. He got the endorsement of that
body for his alleged labor paper, but as soon as
the ACC of L workers found out what the contents
of his paper were they disowned it and threw
Thompson out on his ear. He reappeared then in his
true colors, as a pro-fascist operating from the
Same cesspool as that other fascist for hire, Tom
Meitinnes.

Thompson was not a labor editor as claimed by
the Sun. He was a hireling who sold his puny,
questionable talents to the monopolistic interests
of BC. His paper was a slander sheet, the object
of which was to disrupt the labor movement of this
country. It was supported entirely by the boss log-
gers and the Shipping Federation who circulated it
among their employees free of charge. Unread, it
found its way to the toilets. Its standing as a labor
paper may be judged by the fact that Blaylock
makes no objection to its dissemination among the
smelter men and miners of Trail and Kimberley by
Trotskyite disruptionists. A truly noble band—
Thompson, McInnes, the Trotskyites, Blaylock, the
Boss Loggers and the Shipping Federation!

The Sun always announces traffic fatalities with
@ number indicating the total deaths of the year
to date. In Thompson’s case the number is 23, the
skiddoo number. If it had been selected it could
not have been more fitting or appropriate.

We offer out sympathy—tempered with
tude—to the motorman.

erati-

While the heiress to
Countess the five-and-ten Wool-
Nitwitz-Furbelow  07') millions is blow-
cs ing these millions in
the purchase of high-soundin§& titles like Princess
Maidvani and Countess NitwitzFurbelow, the Wool-
worth company is playing a leading part in the ef
forts of the moneygrubbers te smash the organized
labor movement in America
A. few days ago a carload of “hot” cargo loaded
by Woolworth’s left their warehouse in “Frisco. At
every warehouse where it was spotted for unloading
the union workers refused to handle it. They were
locked out by the bosses whose plans are to smash
the union. :

@Qne hundred and twenty-five warehouses! Over
eighteen hundred and fifty workers to be condemned
to starvation wages and slave conditions so that a
degenerate moron can gad around Europe buying
up the titles of equally dezenerate moron members
of the decadent aristocracy. Is it capitalist system
or capitalist lack of system?

Beatty's

A Real = Canada’s railroad mess
Railroad Solution have always the same ob-
ject in view—making the railroad workers and the
people of Canada pay all the financial losses. To
him two railroads in Canada are “a supreme folly.”
Last week he announced that a wage-cut was due
on the Ganadian railroads when the wage question
is settled in the US.

There are other methods of solving our railroad
problems which Beatty does not speak of. Here
is one of them which we wish to bring to his notice.
It is an extract from an interview Myra Page had
with President Cardenas of Mexico about a month
ago. Said Cardenas:

“The government, four months ago, gave the na-
tional railway system over to the railway workers
union on condition that the workers’ administration
undertake to run the roads at a profit, using part of
the profits to extend our railway system and also te
pay off the large national debt incurred earlier by
the railroads. In other words, the Federal govern-
ment would discontinue its subsidizing of its rail-
roads... Today after four short months of workers’
administration, the railroads haye become a source
of revenue to the government instead of what they
were formerly, a drain on public funds. Also under
more efficient management the railroads are begin-
ning to pay off the national railway debt” How
about trying it in Canada?

solutions Lo

A political crisis was on in India. The
Deadly Indian people were demanding self
Parallel determination for themselves; the

right to sunder the ties that kept them in bondage
to the British Empire. The British imperialists an-
swered with bullets and bombs. A war situation was
developing that must involye the entire world.

Stalin looking on from Moscow was alarmed. He
eould not adopt the non-intervention policy as prac-
tised in Spain. He came to the conclusion he must
send a non-official mediator, his friend Bumbleman,
to settle matters. He would also send a couple of
hundred “observers” to report on the barroom fights
taking place between the Hindus and Moslems. No
sooner said than done. He had not been invited to
do anything of the kind, but that was OK.

Hello! I am all tangled up since the CP picnic.
Tve got my wires crossed. It was not Stalin who
sent the uninvited mediators and the 200 spies to
India, but Chamberlain who sent them to Czecho-
slovakia. But the Indian people are demanding the
right of self-determination in their own country,
and if Stalin did butt in, what would Chamber-
jain and the British people say about it? There
would be this difference, however: the Indian people
have a right to selfdetermination in their own
country. The Sudeten Germans have no right to
self-determination in the Czech country, and Stalin
would not intervene to sell the Indians as Chamber-
lain did to sell the Czechs.

2
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