BRITISH COLUMBIA’S PROGRESS! 3 VE HOME NEWSPAPER S = FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY Peres FULL Ne. 198. VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1938 REVIEW OF THE WEEK AT THE HOUSE by Nigel Morgan STRIKE Al BAY What will this session of the les- islature produce in answer to the urgent demands of the people? A few weeks ago correspondents were prophesying a quiet session, but now the scene has changed and the session promises promises to be anything but quiet. The question of public utilities is engrossing public attention, but there are other issues likely to hit the headlines before the session is over. The people of British Golumbia have already indicated that they intend to have a great deal- tu say in the decisions of their repre— sentatives. Premier Pattullio himself is counting on the support of the people to carry through the gov- ernments fight against the oil com- panies, although he may not be So anxious to listen to popular de- Mand on other questions. There is the matter of Bill 94, the Industrial Conciliation and Ar- bitration Act, for instance. Pre- mier Pattullo may think he is fo0inge to get away with his plea that no changes can be consid- ered because the Act has not been ain effect long enough to show its defects. “The British Columbia tradac ‘inion movement, however, saw these defects—some of them very ebvious defects—before ever the Act was passed. it has already proposed certain amendments and undoubtedly will act to secure due consideration of them. Then there is the Housewives Teague with its demand for re peal of Bili 89, the Commodities Retail Sales Act There are sure to be fireworks over this. The speech from the throne was Gevoid of any expression of just what the session was convened for, except “to grant supply to His Majesty” and to deal with the set ting up of a Utility Control Com- mission. But after the formalities are over, many of the vital issues Premier Pattullo conveniently overlooked will be brought very forcibly to his doorstep by the op- position. The CCE group is thoroughly armed, particularly Colin Cameron, who has experienced at first hand the vicious anti-labor campaigns at Blubber Bay and will, it is an- ticipated, make the chambers fairly resound with charges of discrimin- ation and sitrong-arming reported to have been condoned if not blessed by the government’s De- partments of Labsr and Justice. A second probiem which will also be brought forcibly to the notice of the administration by the progressives is that of unemploy- ment. It appears probable that this issue will be forced to the floor within the next few days, with the mobilizing of a broad and repre- sentatie committee in the capital city to storm the government with a strong protest over its new regu- lation providing British Columbia with a “concentration camp.” The question or nealth insurance Will in all probability be drawn put of the shadows, in which the more reactionary sections of the cabinet would like it to sink to 5e championed by those who ac- cepted the mandate of the people it the last provincial election as he “green light” of action. These ind other smaller, yet important, ssues to be yaised will tend to smash party lines which are al- eady crumbling under the weight EF present day developments. : With the session only just under way there are already indications he gas issue may explode in the wiberal caucus into a lively argu- ment. The forces of reaction are mobilizing rapidly to block any urtailment of their monopoly con- rol and to block social reform and security for the people. Threat- med with a caucus split, and with errifie pressure being exerted by IoOwerful oil companies, Premier =aitullo is standing his ground and warned the companies that any in- Tringement of the act will be pro- secuted. Meanwhile, the govern-— nent is prepared to defend its rice-fixine regulation in the ourt, STILL Wegotiations for settlement of the five-months old Blubber Bay strike, resumed Tuesday aiter several days’ delay, were broken oif Thursday when a representative of Pacific Lime Company presented the last of a series of unacceptable pro- posals as a basis ior settlement. Final offer of the company was to rehire only i7 of the blacklisted employees discharged previous tO arbitration board hearings early in the year, leav- ing all men at present on strike off the jeb. Altogether some 127 men are affected. The alleged “offer’ was turned Gown by International Woodwork- ers’ Union officials as ‘not meriting serious consideration”’ “Our fight for reinstatement of strikers by forcing the American- Gwree Paciiic isis:e -Company to respect the ruling ef the arbitra- tion board is going to go ahead again with greater vigor than ever,” declared Fred Lundstrum, TWA district council secretary, in announcing resuits of negotiations. ‘Strikers’ patience with the con:- panys recent maneuvers, which we believe were calculated to weaken widespread support for the strugele, is finally at an end,” he continued. “We can’t and won't stop now. We're willing to go the limit in fighting the thing through to a successful finish.” Immediate plans call for con- tinued picketing of the company’s Plant at Blubber Bay and spread- ing the union boycott on all prod- ucts into other Pacific Coast ports. assist the strike has already been signified by the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen’s Union. In addi- tion, Lundstrum has notified Harold Pritchett, [WA president, of the situation, with a view to having the international office apply pres- sure on the Niagara Alkali Com- pany, parent firm of Pacific Lime. Willinemess to Thursday’s final talks were be-— tween Fred Lundstrum, H. Bird for the company and Judge MeIn- tosh, who presided over the arbi- tration board, as chairman. Points under discussion were similar to previous meetings, where the com- pany spokesman insisted on re- hiring only a small number of strikers as a condition to reaching a final settlement. PAN | 5 ~ sé | See Seed HPILLY INGA IO Parliamentary leader of the Ea- bor Party in Britaim, snapped as he left a recent conference of Laber. leaders in Zoendon TLeocai Labor parties in Londen urged their leadership to take a strong- er stand. (See story on page 3)- MUNICIPAL BUS SERVICE SOUGHT WEST VANCOUVER, BGC, Oct. 27.— At a crowded meeting in Legion Hall Tuesday, sponsored by the Ratepayers’ Association, en- thusiastic citizens endorsed a rec- ormmendation from the chairman. K. A. Rhay, that the municipality should make provision to control the whole of the transportation system between Vancouver and West Vancouver. A resolution was unanimously passed requesting West VYancouver couneil to retain its transportation system in its entirety. VICTORIA, BC, Oct. 27.—Legis- lation to enable the municipalities of Oak Bay, Esquimalt, and Saanich to act jointly with the city jm a unified transportation system, will be sought in the very near future. Solictors for the city and muni- eipalities were instructed to draft the necessary amendment to the municipal act and put it through the provincial house as soon as possible. Long Legal Battle Over Gas Rates Looms legal fight is waged by the big yor : AF SUT see This was shown Thursday when drivers of cars were still paying prices of 27 and 29 cents to dealers, forced to maintain these prices as a result of the distributors’ refusal to lower wholesale prices. Dealers claim they will hold prices at the old level as long as wholesale prices remain the same, stating they face bankruptcy as an alternative. On the other provincial nand, police are reported to be checking upon the names of service stations failing to reduce prices. This move was in line with Premier Pattullo’s statement Wednesday that dealers who violate the Coal and Petro- leum Products Control Board Act last week. Re SRE | | ESE ite = Be With a court battle over gasoline prices already under way between the provincial government and major oil distributors in Supreme Court, latest developments Thursday indicated that consumers and small retailers will suffer while a drawn-out companies which have refused to cut nrices from 27 to 24 cents as ordered by the cabinet to cut the price face prosecution and $5000 fines. — : Retailers have asked for interview with Dr. W. A. Car rothers, expected they will again protest being penalized for the distributors failure to respect the order. Meantime, the injunction order restraining the fuel board freru enforcing the reduction still re- mains in force. After hearing argu- ments from both sides in Supreme Court yesterday, Justice Manson reseved his decision, stating he was not prepared to deal with the government’s demand that the Act be enforced against the com- panies “without careful considera— tion.” an - at Victoria, where it is 7 } TELFORD ENTERS CONTEST Election of a progressive civic administration in Wancouver can be secured if all labor-pro- gressive groups unite, Dr. A. F. Barton, president, Federated Ratepayers’ Association, told delegates to Wednesday night’s nominating convention at the Moose Hall in a speech which set the keynote for the enthusi- astic meeting. Himself a tentative candidate for the mayoralty, Dr. Barton won the applause of assembled delegates from trade unions, ratepayers’ anc veterans’ associations and workins elass political orsanizations in his plea for eember elections. “We have enough to do in de- feating the so-called Non-Parti- San League,” he stated. “It should be plain that the CCE aione cannot hope to achieve the aim of a progressive city cauncit and resultant civic reform, and it seems absolutely necessary for all progressives to unite behind one slate of candidates and one common prugram which ali citi- zens can fight for.” Remarks of the Federated Rate payers’ president came at the con- clusion of an efficiently—-organized and purposeful meeting which saw a tentative slate of candidates for the mayoralty, city council, parks and school board nominated but final endorsation left to a second convention called for next Wednes- day night, November 2, in the same hall. . Nominees for mayor were Dr. A. FE. Barton and Dr. Lyle Telford, CCF (Continued on page 5) See NOMINATIONS. PEARSON RAPS ‘KICKBACK’ VICTORIA BC, Oct. 27—Labor Minister Pearson threatened action today on a long-standing labor grievance when he warned of his intention to crack down on em- ployers foreinge their workers to “kick back” part of their pay check as the price of holding a job. This practice, known to exist in several BC industries for years, has been utilized principally by Sawmill operators as a means of evading Minimum wage laws. Pearson’s statement came on the heels of prosecution and convic- tion of D. B. Munro, former super- intendent of the Straits Lumber Company at WNanoose, who was fined $200 in Nanaimo Assize Gourt of taking money from Chinese mill- workers on threat of discharge from their jobs. An attempt to clear the company from blame for its superintend- ent’s action was ridiculed however, by trade union officials who claim it would have been impossible for Munro to carry out his thefts with- out knowledge of other company officials, E 2 = Police Serve Summons On Blaylock TRAIL, BC, Oct. 27.—Provincial police served summonses here Tuesday on Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company and Man- aging Director S. J. Blaylock, charging intimidation against an employee. Sworn out by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, the summonses order Biaylock to appear in court on October 31. New Nippon Interests Seek Control OF ~ }C Property - Japanese economic penetration in BC. a common program of: action to ensure victory in the De! Japanese capitalist interests, which already control key natural resources in British Columbia, are seeking to extend their huge holdings in this province. Heijiro Nishi and. Shigero Sakaguchi, officials of Karafiuto Paper Pulp Company, Tokyo, arrived in Vancouver aboard the Heian Maru last weekend to complete negotiations for pur- chase of 1200 acres of pulpwood timber on Barkley Sound at the entrance to the Alberni Canal. interests already property on Sidmey Inlet, some 75 miles north of the new property on the west coast of Vancouver Island. own the Tidewater copper Attempts to acquire property on the Alberni Canal were made recently by Japanese agents in Vancouver. posal was made to a woman prominent in society circles here that Japanese interests should buy the property in her name in order to avoid a public outcry against further Japanese The pro- Like all other Japanese holdings, the Barkley Sound prop- erty is strategically located. Japanese interests do not intend to erect a mill, but logs will be shipped direct to Japan for milling. Islands. Other Japanese timber holdings are at Port McNeil, on the north coast of Vancouver Island, and in the Queen Charlotte Jobless Herded Into Concentration Camp Project Workers’ Union, stituted a common jail.” eonvicts in Oalkalla.” herded into hostels. = Disregarding protests from organizations and individuals all over the province, the provincial government announced this week that 150 single jobless men now in Oakalla will be lodged in a concentration camp at Squamish. 4 wire received by John Matts, secretary of the Relief from Deputy Fepler, states: “Retel relief camp at Squamish has been con- Attorney-General E. Attorney-General Gordon Wismer openly admitted this weele the need for “segregating the jobless from the general run of Average age of the 150 imprisoned jobless is only 21. “Instead of freeing these men and giving them the oOppor- tunity to take part in the camp scheme, the authorities decided they must serve the full length of their term in a concentration camp isolated from civilization,” Matts declared Thursday. “The government aims to hold this concentration camp asa threat to any man who objects to bad conditions.” Relief camps are scheduled to open November 1, and it is anticipated that ex-servicemen will be the first contingent. Further attempts to ‘‘control’”’ the Single unemployed were mooted this week by Relief Administrator W. R. Bone. who sug- gested that the men should be herded into hostels where they would ke “under better control by civic officials.” At present, the men are allowed to sleep where they wish. Single unemployed girls have refused relief rather than be Trial Bares Story Of Terrible Poverty told the court at his trial. Chinese?” So, for not askine for relief, Wing On was sent to prison for three months with hard labor after the death of his son from malnu- trition, or as the authorities termed iz, tubercular peritonitis. When I visited the family, ac- companied by a Chinese friend as translator, two small grey-haired Chinese women, brolxenhearted and bowed with the disgrace brought to this honorable family name by having the head of the family in prison, teetered uncertainly on tiny feet that had obviously been bound from childhood in the ancient Chinese custom and shook their heads doubtfully when I asked if |\I might talk to them. By KAY GREGORY A pitiful story of human suffering, borne with typical Chinese stoicism, was uncovered this week by the trial of Wing On, charged with criminal negligence of his ten-year-old son Victor. “They put white boy in jail for asking for relief,’ Wing On “Is it likely theyll give relief to “Newspaper stories already Erought toe much shame to our family,” said another son. “We don't want any more.” Eventually I learned that Wing Qn was born in this province. The family lived in Victoria for years, alwayS managing to get alongs somehow. They came to Vancou— ver two years ago, were refuseu relief. When I asked the boy how they had managed to live for these two years, he replied patient- ly, “I really don’t know. [It’s a won- der to me that we all aren’t dead” “Grandmother's pension of $20 a (Continued on page 5) See TRIAL.